E-Bikes at Burning Man

Riding E-Bikes at Burning Man: The Ultimate Playa Tranportation Hack

Burning Man is like stepping into another dimension—one made of dust, art, fire, and radical self-expression. And while the Black Rock Desert is an unforgettable place to explore, it’s also massive. If you’ve ever hoofed it from 2:00 & G to the Temple in a dust storm, you know what we’re talking about. That’s why a lot of Burners are turning to one of the most game-changing tools for getting around: the electric bike.

Here’s what you need to know about riding e-bikes at Burning Man—why they’re amazing, what to look out for, and how to be a responsible (and stylish) e-biker on the playa.

Why E-Bikes Are a Playa Superpower

  1. Range
    The playa is a sprawling metropolis for nine days. From sunrise art missions to late-night dance floor hopping, an e-bike turns “that’s too far” into “see you in 5 minutes.” You can cover 10 miles of dusty art installations and mutant vehicle sightings without breaking a sweat.
  2. Energy Saving
    The heat, dust, and constant stimulation can wear you down. Save your legs for dancing, climbing art, and hauling ice.
  3. Great for Older Burners or People with Mobility Issues
    Not everyone can bike 20 miles a day including riding through soft playa sandy sections. E-bikes keep the burn accessible for people who might otherwise struggle to get around.

What Kind of E-Bike Works Best?

  • Fat Tires: Skinny tires can sink in and can be dangerous on the playa where sections of soft sand are common. Look for bikes with 2” or wider tires for better flotation, traction and comfort.
  • Pedal Assist + Throttle: Pedal assist gives you a boost while pedaling, but a throttle (a small lever that lets the bike move without pedaling) is a luxury you’ll come to love—especially during long, dusty hauls. Keep in mind that the throttle mode drains the battery much faster than pedal assist mode.
  • Removable Battery: If you are riding a lot and you can swap the battery easily, have an extra battery. It’s easier to keep one charging while you are out riding using the other battery.
  • Lights!: It’s hella dark out there. Your e-bike should be lit up like a mutant unicorn at night. LEDs, EL wire, wheel lights, headlights —go nuts. It’s safety and style.

Charging Tips

  • Solar is King: Bring a solar panel setup if possible. It’s sustainable and avoids dependence on a camp generator.
  • Camp Coordination: Some camps share generator time or battery banks—coordinate before the Burn.
  • Battery Management: Know how long your battery lasts and plan accordingly. Bring an extra battery if you are riding a lot so that you’ll always have one fully charged.

E-Bike Etiquette

Burning Man isn’t the Tour de France. It’s a social, spontaneous, and often chaotic experience. Here’s how not to be that e-bike rider:

  • Ride Slow Around Crowds: No speeding through art pieces, dance floors, or the Esplanade at night. E-bikes can go 20+ mph—don’t. Keep it to 5 mph in BRC.
  • Yield to Pedestrians, Bicycles, Art Cars and Mutant Vehicles: The playa isn’t a highway. It’s a shared space. If you’re going too fast, then you’re responsible for anything that happens.
  • Lock It or Lose It: E-Bike theft is increasingly common. Use a good, strong lock and decorate your bike distinctly so you can find it at 3am outside Robot Heart. Label your bike with your name and camp address.

Decorate It Like You Mean It

A dust-covered e-bike can be pretty boring. Playa-fy it! Add:

  • Faux fur
  • Seat cover
  • EL wire, wheel lights and other LEDs
  • Flags, disco balls, stickers, flamingos, stuffed animals
  • Baskets and racks
  • Bells and horns
  • Cup holder

It’s not just art—it helps you identify your ride when there are 500 other bikes parked outside the Thunderdome.

Where to get an E-Bike?

If you need to pick up an e-bike in Reno please consider Black Rock Bicycles. They’re burners and have been supplying new bikes and rental bikes to the playa for over 20 years. They also support bike repair on the playa with donations of parts and supplies.

Emoji Burning Man’s Ground Rules for E-Bikes Emoji

  • The speed limit in BRC is 5 mph. For everyone!
  • Class 1 and 2 e-bikes are permitted in Black Rock City. Class 3 e-bikes are not allowed in BRC.
  • If you are found speeding or riding an e-bike in an unsafe manner, or you leave the scene of an accident you were involved in, your bike (and maybe also you) could be evicted from the event.
  • We must all look out for each other, be part of the solution, and support Burners being safe. 

Final Thoughts

E-bikes are not just a luxury on the playa—they can be a lifeline, an art car, and a joyride rolled into one. As long as you ride with care, prepare properly, an e-bike can totally transform your Burning Man experience.

So power up, light up, and ride out.

See you in the dust. 🔥

Eco-Friendly Burning Man Bike Option

The best all around option to bring a bike to Burning Man (if you’re not driving to the playa with your personal bike) is to rent a single speed beach cruiser.

Many burners will explore buying a cheap bike from a “big box store” like Walmart or Target etc. for one time use. Here’s a few reasons why that might not be the best option for the planet:

  • Carbon footprint: it’s estimated that manufacturing an average new bike results in the emissions of around 530 pounds of greenhouse gasses.
  • Additional CO2 emissions are generated by transporting the bikes from China in container ships and moving them to their destination in the US via semi trucks.
  • Each new bike brings with it a lot of cardboard and other packing materials. While some of it can be recycled a lot of it becomes trash.
  • The cheaply made department store bikes are often sloppily assembled and end up being abandoned and discarded to the landfill after the burn.
  • Lastly, it’s well known that the giant box stores squash local business, pay their workers poverty wages and hire part-time workers to avoid providing health care benefits.

So renting a quality bike from a small business, a bike that returns to the playa year after year, avoids the environmental pitfalls and is hands down the best sustainable option.

How to transport a bicycle to Burning Man

Getting your bike to Burning Man is easy. Here are some basic ways to transport your bike to the playa.

Bike Rack on the Car: there are inexpensive and easy to install bike racks that simply strap on to the trunk or hatchback of a car. These racks are simple and quick to install with just a few straps. There are 2 bike, 3 bike and 4 bike versions. They are inexpensive to buy and you can also rent them from bike shops in Reno to use with a rental car.

The 2 bike trunk rack is easy to mount on your vehicle.
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Beware of Walmart bikes for the playa

There are many reasons not to shop at Walmart but from a bicycle perspective the cheap bikes that come from department stores are often sloppily (or even dangerously) assembled and don’t do well on the playa.  Make sure that your playa bike is built by a pro bike mechanic at a local bike shop.

A lot of good arguments exist to not to use Walmart for your burn supplies, the main one is that they seriously hurt communities by driving out locally owned small businesses.  Please shop locally and support family owned small business!  Thank you!

Check out the full bike article at:  Bicycling.com

Walmart Bikes

Cheap Walmart bikes are not the most reliable choice for the playa. Get your bike from a real bike shop, they are well built, safe and work the best.

The Great Bikeageddon of 2017 – bearing destruction and how to fix it

The deep, fine, poofy dust that was prevalent on the playa in 2017 wrecked havoc on the crank bearings of most beach cruisers and cheaper mountain bikes. The more expensive bikes with sealed bottom bracket bearings weren’t as affected by this phenomenon.

At the Bike Gods bike repair we replaced crank bearings at an unprecedented rate from previous years.  We even brought in extra bearings from Reno twice until the bike shop there was sold out of bearings.  So if you rode a bike at Burning Man in 2017 with a “one piece crank” you’ll probably need to service or replace the bearings.  This video shows you how.

 

The bearings and grease are available at your bike shop.  Please support your Local Bike Shop.