Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 158 total)
  • “In ten years, there will no more MTB’s without electric motors.”
  • jameso
    Full Member

    http://www.bike-eu.com/shows-events/nieuws/2015/8/future-of-mountainbikes-is-electric-10124493

    I’d say the guy from Focus is wrong, but it’s interesting to see such strong opinions about e-mtbs.

    Hopefully we’ll see as much attention on leisure/all-round e-bikes that have more chance of increasing bike use in general.

    Drac
    Full Member

    No pubs and now this.

    Life isn’t worth living.

    zippykona
    Full Member

    It’s now 2015, I was promised hover boards by 2000.
    They lie.

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    bikebouy
    Free Member

    Could be a large proportion I’ll give him that, not all though.

    Some of us like being fit and keeping fit afterall.

    They have their place though, definitely have their place in our world.

    Onzadog
    Free Member

    How will that impact on racing?

    nemesis
    Free Member

    Two things will stop that happening. Actually three.

    – Cost – eBikes aren’t cheap
    – Luddites – you only need to look at the threads on here to see that many will reject them outright
    – Macho/Fitness/etc – many people will continue to want to power their bikes by their own effort alone for whatever reasons even if eBikes cost less than, er, not-e bikes

    It’s just hyperbole – first rule of marketing, etc. Or delusion.

    TheBrick
    Free Member

    Complete tosh. Ebike have a place, just hopefully not on natural trails.

    amedias
    Free Member

    I’d say the guy from Focus is wrong

    I’d bet actual money on him being wrong.

    There will be a lot more of them, and in widespread use, but I don’t think it will even be the norm let alone the only option.

    People ride bikes for many reasons, but a lot of them are to do with fitness and the very fact that is IS human powered.

    Hopefully we’ll see as much attention on leisure/all-round e-bikes that have more chance of increasing bike use in general

    Agreed, I think utility and general transport cycling are set for a big boom over the next decade and e-assistance could/will really help fuel this.

    Ebike have a place, just hopefully not on natural trails.

    They have a place full stop.

    jameso
    Full Member

    I wouldn’t bet against you Amedias.
    I’ve had an e-bike here for a while now (or my OH has, it’s a bit small for me) and I have to say that it’s more than grown on me, I think it’s fantastic. I’ve ridden it at times when I feel tired but still want to get outside. It’s made me realise that the exercise/effort part of cycling is more seperable than I thought from the motion and the outdoor fix, the general feel of it that I like so much. Also for us to be able to do 90-100 miles, 50% off-road over a bike camping weekend where I’m working as hard as I like on the hills and she’s not only keeping up but dropping me, it opens up new uses of the bikes.
    But still, ‘all MTBs’, nah.

    cbmotorsport
    Free Member

    It’s cheating.

    nemesis
    Free Member

    Ebike have a place, just hopefully not on natural trails.

    That’s the same argument used against us by some walkers, etc.

    Banning is silly unless there’s actually a reason to do so.

    toby1
    Full Member

    Until there’s a BSO eqivalent (for £99) there will still be push powered bikes, and yeah ‘purists’ riding ‘real’ bikes, like the rigid single speeders of this day and age.

    Think the BSO versions will be great though, 50/60 kilos of pig iron with old Landy diesel batteries strapped to them, what could go wrong?

    jameso
    Full Member

    It’s cheating.

    : )
    It’s only cheating if there’s rules.

    Schweiz
    Free Member

    E-bikes are fantastic but they are motorised vehicles and need to be regulated as such.

    nemesis
    Free Member

    cbmotorsport – Member
    It’s cheating.

    So’s riding a bike instead of walking/running.

    alexpalacefan
    Full Member

    The BSOs are already out there! I see plenty of e-bikes at work (Dr Bike) and they’re all crap.

    APF

    nemesis
    Free Member

    Cue lots of uninformed posts from people who either don’t understand what an e-bike is or haven’t even tried one.

    Whether e-bikes are cheating/cycling/work of the devil has been covered fully on several previous threads but don’t let that stop you repeating the debate 😉

    jameso
    Full Member

    they are motorised vehicles and need to be regulated as such.

    250W pedelecs are classed as bicycles. The 500W MTBs mentioned in that article are different though, that’s some sort of e-moped. Access and regulation may limit the popularity there.

    andytherocketeer
    Full Member

    It’s now 2015, I was promised hover boards by 2000.

    October 2015, assuming that’s a reference to Back to the Future
    So Mattel had better hurry up!

    Seen quite a few e-MTBs. Quite surprised how many were chained up outside the bike stores in Morzine too.

    wrecker
    Free Member

    and yeah ‘purists’ ‘cyclists’ riding real bikes

    FTFY

    nickc
    Full Member

    I think they’re great. they look loads of fun. Wouldn’t want one myself (as I’m an idiot who likes pedalling) but I can see them becoming more and more popular, and they make terrain and trails accessible to a huge section of population who wouldn’t otherwise get to enjoy the trails

    TheBrick
    Free Member

    The reason against usage on natural trails is just the same as moto-x on natuaral trails. Its not that you can’t ride responibly with a motor it is that it takes much more self control ans skill as you become less awear of the speed as it is easier to obtain.

    nemesis
    Free Member

    Thing is, I reckon if I went out and got an ebike, coming back from a ride, I’d feel much the same as if I’d gone out on a normal bike and I’d have probably had a broadly similar riding experience just faster. In some ways that’s why I’d not be that interested in actually getting one though I could see that it could open out possibilities of rides that I couldn’t probably fit into the time I have or riding with mates who are much faster than me.

    So until they require no fitness (which they won’t while they’re limited to 250W) then the people using them are still cyclists in my view.

    Klunk
    Free Member

    depends, among other things, if they are banned from dedicated trail center trails 😉

    nemesis
    Free Member

    it is that it takes much more self control ans skill as you become less awear of the speed as it is easier to obtain.

    I’m pretty sure I’ve heard the same levelled at mtbers by walkers…

    Besides, as I think about it, ebikes are speed limited – they provide power up to 15mph so actually they’re not as fast as fast mtbers. Presumably then the people wanting to ban them out of hand also want the skinny fast whippet types banned from trails too 🙂 Actually, could be a good thing. Baggy lycra is never a nice sight 😉

    cooie
    Full Member

    If we didn’t have ebikes we couldn’t have this
    [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaBOvw4UCMA[/video]

    amedias
    Free Member

    The reason against usage on natural trails is just the same as moto-x on natuaral trails. Its not that you can’t ride responibly with a motor it is that it takes much more self control ans skill

    ^ pretty well debunked on previous discussion threads.

    short version: power output insufficient to ‘rip’ the trails up/no more damaging than a rider with the same lack of skill.

    The only ones that could cause issues are the massively powerful or un-restricted ones which aren’t legal to use on conventional rights of way anyway, so back to the same argument of illegal use of $VEHICLE vs legal use.

    TheBrick
    Free Member

    I did not say they would make a slow person faster than a fast person I said they would make it easier to obtain a higher speed. That is there entire point! Higher speed requires more skill and self control. Assuming a constant number of inconsiderate riders, (which Ithink is a fais assumption) more people obtaining higher speed means more people being inconsiderate at a higher speed. Simple.

    brooess
    Free Member

    We’ve had about 130 years since the Rover Safety (1880’s) was first launched as a mass-made bicycle and haven’t yet rejected the idea of a human-powered machine despite plenty of powered alternatives being available – mopeds, motorbikes, cars etc
    At the moment in the UK, the trend is in the opposite direction (albeit from a low base given our obsession with the car since 1950s)
    Maybe e-bikes have their place, but complete replacement seems doubtful, there’ll always be those who prefer the pleasure of 100% human-powered riding I expect

    TheBrick
    Free Member

    P.S. I’m not anti ebikes in genral, I think they could and should make massive inroads for commuting and untility bikes opening up the worl of bikes to many who would have not considered them or increased the range of use for others making them more useful.

    nemesis
    Free Member

    Ok, Brick, statistically I agree but I think that’s clutching at straws. If the speed limit was really high (say 25mph) then I think you’d have a case. At 15mph I really don’t see that it makes a major difference. By my reckoning, most inconsiderate riding happens DH (or fast flat stuff) and an ebike isn’t really helping you much there.

    vorlich
    Free Member

    A lot of folk on here turning their noses up at them, talk of banning etc. Whilst I wouldn’t want one myself, I think it’s a bit narrow minded to be so opposed to them.

    What about the benefits to people with impaired mobility, for example, someone who has had a stroke, or heart attack? Should they be denied the physical and mental health benefits of mountain biking? Or is it just the fatties people don’t want razzing about on these?

    Me and the other half don’t ride much together as she can’t keep up, particularly where there are hills. Going slow is quite frustrating for the faster rider. One of these could close that gap, making the ride more enjoyable for both parties

    TheBrick
    Free Member

    Too true, but would say 15 mph on the flat is pretty fast, I’m strong on fast smooth stuff (ridgid 29er most of the time) and I can’t hole must more thatn 15mph for a long time. On my commute part of which is on a gravel disued railway line I get up to about 17-18mph when pushing it (28mm road tyres).

    BadlyWiredDog
    Full Member

    Is it worth fitting a dropper post to an e-bike?

    nemesis
    Free Member

    Most mtb rides I do average about 10-11 mph. I’m not very fast. Riding at 15mph on the flat is not fast (and certainly not on the trails that are likely to have walkers, etc on)

    Gotama
    Free Member

    I like to think i’m relatively fit and I enjoy riding up the hills but for me the real fun is coming back down. Having had a go on a basic front suspension haibike would I want an e-bike as well….hell yes. Something like the Specialized Turbo Levo would fit the bill and I suspect it would become quite addictive. I’ve got two hours to ride, I can either do 13 miles of my usual up fireroads and down fun wiggly trails or I can do 20 miles of the same. Which gets me more fun downhill stuff? There’s quite a good article in the first Cranked magazine about them. I’d still like to ride a ‘normal’ bike as well but the e-bike would make a very nice n+1.

    What i’m really interested in is an e-bike which can make my 30 mile each way commute by bike less time consuming and easier on the legs so I can do it five days a week and get rid of the car. One of those swiss beasties with assist up to 45km/h would do the job nicely I suspect.

    Will they take over entirely? No, in the same way that there are plenty of people riding singlespeeds, or hardtails, or with no suspension at all.

    TurnerGuy
    Free Member

    that old chestnut about cyclists living 10 years longer will go out the window as just going downhill ain’t going to do much for your aerobic fitness…

    The H.G. Wells quote will also lose it’s meaning :

    “Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race”

    as I don’t think powered bikes where really what he meant.

    P-Jay
    Free Member

    I wouldn’t bet against it, with almost every game-changer or major innovation in last couple of decades I’ve said “that’ll never catch on” suspension forks, full suspension XC bikes, Carbon Bikes generally, carbon bikes for anything other than super-light XC stuff, carbon DH bikes, 29ers, 650b, wide bars, wider bars, even wider bars, 9sp, 10sp, 11sp, 2x drive trains, 1x drive trains, electronic shifting etc etc and I’ve scoffed at these ‘gimmicks’ and 12 months later they’re the next big thing and 12 months later they’re just the norm.

    As for racing, they’ll probably go down the F1 route of maximum capacity, maximum output and maybe even some sort of energy recovery system.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    I think the chap from Focus is exactly as wrong as most of the anti-ebike posts in this thread tbh.

    ChrisL
    Full Member

    Klunk – Member
    depends, among other things, if they are banned from dedicated trail center trails

    Given that quite a few trail centres appear to have added eBikes to their hire fleets that seems unlikely.

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 158 total)

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