I am sure that many of the naysayers on here would have been equally at home 100 years ago wingeing about the introduction of the freewheel or those new fangled multi gear derailler bikes.

Apples, oranges, pears.

I don’t think anybody is whingeing about them being used in the way you describe – blooming brilliant for that IMHO, and the more of them on the roads the better. Because in the same way it’s a potential issue that the ignorant masses don’t see the distinction for off-road use, lots of them on roads and cycle tracks will help the critical mass of cycling. And I have seen plenty of them being used in that way – very happy to see them (I even saw my first electric uni last week – he might have been using a lot less effort than me, but I was going faster than him 😉 )

Meanwhile the innovations you mention aren’t in any way comparable as they didn’t completely change the concept of the activity.

It’s a matter of UK access law whether or not e-bikes are allowed on trails.

No, it isn’t. Not when e-bikes are legally classified as bicycles. You won’t find any mention of e-bikes in access laws.

Northwind – Member

Because of course, laws can’t be changed or written

This is one which comes down from the EU – I think the UK would have a great deal of trouble unilaterally revoking it.

(though I think we’re about 10 weeks late)

The whole point of cycling is its powered by you

Well, for you it is. For me it’s certainly a big part of it but not the only part – having fun would be a significant part too.

For others, the having fun part may well be all they care about and so wouldn’t have any issue with an electric assist.

FWIW, there were a couple of times on last night’s club ride when if someone had offered me one I may have been tempted 🙂

The whole point of cycling is its powered by you

The whole point of cycling is that it empowers you.

If someone has a leg injury, a dodgy heart etc or other health ailment and it now means they can no longer get out into the Lakes or yorkshire dales etc due to their medical condition but the assistance of a ebike would mean its still possible.

I have NO problem with this.

If a fit, active person who should earn their trail time did this. I’d look at them, smile and say ‘wow you must really like exercise’ sarcastically…..

If I have an heart condition inthe future I’ll get a ebike- no problem. As I dont want to sit looking at ducks in a park.

The whole point of cycling is that it empowers you.
If someone has a leg injury, a dodgy heart etc or other health ailment and it now means they can no longer get out into the Lakes or yorkshire dales etc due to their medical condition but the assistance of a ebike would mean its still possible.
I have NO problem with this.
If a fit, active person who should earn their trail time did this. I’d look at them, smile and say ‘wow you must really like exercise’ sarcastically…..
If I have an heart condition inthe future I’ll get a ebike- no problem. As I dont want to sit looking at ducks in a park.

QFT!

[Feels dirty and ashamed]

Yay Hora

who should earn their trail time

Why should they? Is there a rule? Are you the righteous trail time earning police?

I am sorry but has everyone missed the front disc on that caterham e bike. You could stop a fuggin jumbo jet with that!

The whole point of cycling is its powered by you

For some people the motivation isn’t about fitness, or even technical trails it’s about gettign out to place X or Y and enjoying the journey.

If someone has a leg injury, a dodgy heart etc or other health ailment and it now means they can no longer get out into the Lakes or yorkshire dales etc due to their medical condition but the assistance of a ebike would mean its still possible.
I have NO problem with this.
If a fit, active person who should earn their trail time did this. I’d look at them, smile and say ‘wow you must really like exercise’ sarcastically…..

and we’re back to the start…

why do *you* get to decied if they’ve earned it?

why do they/should they have to tell you about their medical condition in order to get your approval?

At which point after meeting you exactly do they have to explain themselves, is it in the inital greeting, some time later, should they carry a pamphlet?

Until/Unless they tell you’ll act one way towards them, but if they tell you, you magically become OK with it, nice attitude.

If they kept quiet would you continue to mock them?

Can we please have the official STW ‘allowed reasons for using an Ebike’, preferably in a little black book so that I can take names on the trails if they don’t pass the test?

Apparently heart conditions or leg injuries are allowed, any of the following allowed by you?

– I’m tired today but still want to ride with my mate to place X
– Because I want to go to place Y but it’s a bit too far to go without help.
– Because I’ve got a lot of luggage to carry with me for this trip
– Because I want to and it’s none of your business
– Because I get really down if I can’t keep up with my friends and it sends me into a pit of depression
– Because I’m trying to build up my fitness and it allows me to go further for longer at the moment, I’m building up to doing this ride un-assisted
– Because I’m route planning/surveying for an event so need to be able to do this on a bike but couldn’t manage it without help.
– Any other reason you care to come up with!

I really don’t like this underlying suggestion that you have to justify it to someone else. It’s not at all pleasant, welcoming or inclusive.

You can take as much pride as you like in the physical struggle of cycling. This is fine, I do it, no worries there. But you can’t force your values on other people. You shouldn’t judge them, and you definitely shouldn’t make disparaging sarcastic comments. That’s utterly shitty.

I think Hora should be forced to ride a rigid fixed gear bike with 1.5″ tyres and weighing 30lbs to ensure that he’s earning his trail time. Anything else is just cheating and the bike making life too easy for him.

But you can’t force your values on other people. You shouldn’t judge them, and you definitely shouldn’t make disparaging sarcastic comments. That’s utterly shitty

this ^

Nemesis I transport Unicorn tears by the kilo over old packhorse routes in the Lakes so Im exempt.

Not if you’re doing it in Kilos. Lbs only to properly earn your trails.

But you can’t force your values on other people.

**irony alert**

Im sure that if you’re using a suspension fork then adding a heavier electric powered front wheel will actually make the suspension work better…something to do with sprung/ unsprung weight ratio.

Im sure that if you’re using a suspension fork then adding a heavier electric powered front wheel will actually make the suspension work better…something to do with sprung/ unsprung weight ratio.

Er, no, you have that completely the wrong way round – increasing the unsprung mass is very bad for suspension performance!

I have no problem with ill or lame people using e bikes .It`s just not cycling

It`s just not cycling

Of course it is.

I don;t ride downhill, but am frankly surprised that given the nature of the bikes, E-bikes don’t become the non-uplift norm. And I see nothing wrong with that or any other e-bike.

It is comforting to know that cycling is ever more accessible thanks to e-bikes and I hope I won’t need one for a long, long time.

Great if you’ve got a heart condition, or whatnot, otherwise MTFU!

Has anyone felt the weight of one of these things!

Last year we were having our yearly lakes, camping, biking and drinking trip and got chatting to a chap with his in the camp site.

Looked like a big FS from a distance we had a good chat and I lifted it it bloody hell I said that’s heavy must be the battery to which he replied that battery is not on it I’m charging it at present 😯

It must have weighed at least the weight of my old Spesh Status 1 without the battery! No way would I want to be lugging that over any gate etc..

Now if you need one to get out for health reasons why not, bugger all to to do with me but sod that! They are way too heavy for my liking.

Three guys on e-bikes with us on our ride today, I had fun. They had fun.
If they didn’t have them I doubt they would have come along.

If you think they are too heavy it is possible to retro fit a motor to the seat post of many bikes and the motor+battery package adds 1.8 kg to the bike. Will provide useful pedal assist for up to an hour if used on the lowest setting.

http://www.vivax-assist.com/en/unternehmen/

Great ride out on the Peaslake MTBO today, grinding up Radnor Road climb pretty tired doing probably 6kmph a guy on a electric bike came by at about 15k. It was just nuts really, aside from a medical condition I don’t see the point. Anyone on a group rode has to wait for me anyway 😳

The bikes will get lighter and cheaper as technology moves on. Doesn’t appeal to me yet but it is the future.

Grumpy old “purists” leading people on crap bridleway rides, being all about suffering and roadie style self punishment are probably a more significant threat to mountain biking than e-bikes. Christ I’d give up riding if I was forced to ride with some of those types……

Live and let live – it’s all 2 wheels and people having a laugh on bikes, regardless of format, and that’s good enough for me.

I don’t want one. Anyone else can do whatever they want.

It`s just not cycling

Yeah, so?

[/quote]andyrm – Member
Grumpy old “purists” leading people on crap bridleway rides, being all about suffering and roadie style self punishment are probably a more significant threat to mountain biking than e-bikes. Christ I’d give up riding if I was forced to ride with some of those types……
Live and let live – it’s all 2 wheels and people having a laugh on bikes, regardless of format, and that’s good enough for me.

Hit the nail on the head 🙂

Live and let live – it’s all 2 wheels

Motocross bikes have two wheels, so you’d be happy with them hooning down the local bridleways?

In my eyes E-bikes are a great thing for the sport and humanity as a whole. The more people out exploring the world on quiet, non obtrusive modes of transport the better.
But they should not be put in the same category aas bicycles, access wise.
They have a motor, so are not human powered vehicles.

Motocross bikes have two wheels, so you’d be happy with them hooning down the local bridleways?

No, I wouldn’t, which is why I asked about an e-bike and its ability to rip the ground up from a stand still…

Motocross bikes have two wheels, so you’d be happy with them hooning down the local bridleways?

They are loud, smelly, very fast and rip up the trails. That’s why I don’t like them sharing bridleways. If they were none of those things, like e-bikes, I wouldn’t have an issue. I object to MXers on (some) trails for practical reasons, not out of some kind of us-and-them principle. Show me a silent electic MX bike that can only go 15mph, has narrow tyres and doesn’t rip up trails, I’m happy.

why I asked about an e-bike and its ability to rip the ground up from a stand still…

Well I’ve not ridden one but surely as the power is proportional to your own, you’ll only get a little extra boost from a standstill.

IHREB.
today, in fact.
ive had a 30 second go up and down the street on several different ones, but today i borrowed a full suspension cube hybrid from my local shop and rode out for an hour.
it uses the bosch system, which works well, it is fantastic for climbing, fantastic for pulling out of corners, and tbh doesnt feel unusual at all.
UNTIL, you go above 15.5mph.
you can definitely notice the speed limiter, above that point the bike felt slightly sluggish, although i had no trouble hitting 20mph on a shallow climb (old railway line)
compared to my own bike, which has less travel and smaller 26″ wheels, the hybrid felt less lively to accelerate turn and stop, presumably due to the extra weight.
There was no ripping of soft ground on mud or gravel, none of the people i met gave me any more than a normal amount of attention.
Is it better than a human powered bike?
hmmm, for a fit rider id say no, its no quicker uphill, and no quicker downhill (for a fit rider)
for someone of more average fitness, or someone heavy, it means climbs are no longer such a chore, so riding becomes a bit easier.
When Igot back to the shop, i noted that my legs were sore, that i was out of breath and moderately sweaty.
had i done the same ride on my own bike i would have been drenched in sweat today but i dont believe my legs would have been so sore, as my bike accelerates more easily than the hybrid. (Above 15mph)
i also would have walked some of the longer climbs, mostly out of boredom tbh.
To sum up, ebikes just feel like bikes, nothing like a mx bike at all, and they need to be ridden, just lke the real thing.

ps: ive ordered my own ebike today, but its a hardtail, i don’t intend to do much mtbing on it, but i will probably fit a rack and panniers to it.
Sorry my post is so long.

No apology needed, great post with actual info after a ride!

I took a group out locally on Saturday and one of them was on a full MTB e-bike.

He had no trouble getting up all hills any of the rest of us got up, but not quite as quick going down.

He enjoyed himself.

As an asthmatic I would love an eBike.

He enjoyed himself.

And that is all that matters.

Above Alpisella, Livigno…. I’ll just leave this here….

[url=https://flic.kr/p/phFAfx]P1190705[/url] by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr