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Don't be coming round here confusing things with a valid use case
They’re fun if you own a £5,000 bike.
But a byproduct is that they also often ruin decent natural trails.
I'll offer Comrie Upper red slowly degrading as evidence here. On my son's Stumpy 130mm FS it's an absolute hoot, and feels straightforward.
On my hardtail it feels like a battering these days.
I still think that, with the exception of the about 2% that need them because of medical stuff, ebike riders are just lazy bastards though
Ever been skiing? Did you spend four hours climbing the mountain on foot?
Think of e-bikes as your own portable uplift for gravity days.
Or, don't, and just stop looking down on people 🙂 makes no difference to me if someone else wants a lift up a hill.
Guilty as charged and I don’t give a monkey’s. MTB is all about fun. eMTB is simply more fun. It’s not rocket surgery.
Exactly, the elite morality monkeys aint ever gonna get it.
@molgrips spot on.
Guilty as charged and I don’t give a monkey’s. MTB is all about fun. eMTB is simply more fun. It’s not rocket surgery.
I want to combine fun with exercise, doing something I love and keeping fit. Why eMTBers can't accept other peoples choices as if they are some how missing out is beyond me. I mean eating ice cream and biscuits is more fun but I'll eat what's good for me too.
Matt - have you ridden the Ochils?
Spectacular challenging, moderately technical, but not so steep trails that go on for km after km.
Thump rode Ben Cleuch and Andrew Gannel last Saturday, Colsnaur on Sunday.
Kept him out of trouble for a few hours.
molgrips
Think of e-bikes as your own portable uplift for gravity days.
PinkBike in particular seems full of people who complain about EBikes while spending all their time shuttling in pickups
Think of e-bikes as your own portable uplift for gravity days.
Uh-huh, and this is definitely how most of them are used, not to ride the same routes as before but with less effort. Right-o.
And, depressingly, I see more and more teenagers on them. So we're teaching a new generation that the default (and it will become the default) answer is the one that uses more resources to make and more resources to, well, use, because the 'easy' option is the best option. I fully appreciate I'm pissing into the wind whilst screaming into the void, but that's just effing depressing.
And, depressingly, I see more and more teenagers on them. So we’re teaching a new generation that the default (and it will become the default) answer is the one that uses more resources to make and more resources to, well, use, because the ‘easy’ option is the best option. I fully appreciate I’m pissing into the wind whilst screaming into the void, but that’s just effing depressing.
This is just developing into another depressingly predictable e-argument, mibbe start yet another thread on it?.
This thread is about illegal building doncha know! 🙂
I once got called a lazy bastard when i was on my Ebike.
By a fat bloke sat in an uplift bus.
Made my day.
Ever been skiing? Did you spend four hours climbing the mountain on foot?
Yup - it's called ski touring, and it's a massive growth area in Scottish skiing 😀
This thread is about illegal building doncha know!
Fair enough, crack on. Well, don't, obviously, it's terrible 🙂
This is just developing into another depressingly predictable e-argument, mibbe start yet another thread on it?.
Bollox to that... I'm sodding off on my bike for a few hours... as soon as my damned delivery arrives anyway.
I think from a cyclist point of view we have loads of trails of all sorts try greenlaning these days there is not a great choice out there I know Scotland is different .
Yup – it’s called ski touring, and it’s a massive growth area in Scottish skiing 😀
Aye, it's grown exponentially, Hamish has now talked Angus and Murdo into going with him!
Yup – it’s called ski touring, and it’s a massive growth area in Scottish skiing
Funny thing (I'll be rushed Wiggle order 2 stops away) is ski touring and XC is a different sport to downhill/slalom and another spirt again to ski jumping.
Much as its horses for courses a week in the alps with chairlifts or ski touring is a non competition for me as a big annual type event compared to ooh I can do a weekend ski touring.
Did lots of XC and telemark when I lived in Norway but it was a completely different thing to a week on chairlifts hurtling down and hitting jumps on ski's or a snowboard
"Middle ground" trails are harder to build for one thing. Better riders can deal with shonkier trails, but also easier stuff attracts more traffic which broadly means better build standards and often means you have to think more about water. There's other practical things- you generally want less gradient, and that tends to make them physically longer. And they don't always sit too well with other trails, since you tend to look for different ground (and if you put an easier trail in a hill where most things are steep, you end up having to crisscross the hill and it takes up more space. And again, less steep trails need to think more about drainage)
But still... look at the tweed valley, frinstance- flat white, green wing and angry sheep are fantastic, accessible trails.
One thing is, the explosion of tolerated offpiste and how much more accessible and easy to find it is, has taken a lot of pressure off trail centres. Imagine the tweed valley without the offpiste- Glentress'd be almost totally stagnant, innerleithen trail centre'd be half forgotten, the uplift wouldn't attract the range of riders, and we wouldn't have a fraction of the breadth of venues and trails. But instead the FC can still say they're part of this massive thing, visitors keep pouring in, we can host EWS rounds... And that lets them cruise, the goose still lays the golden eggs. And it lets councils and funding bodies cruise. You can't really know if it'd be any different if visitor numbers were crashing and local businesses crying out for investment but you'd hope so.
Yup – it’s called ski touring, and it’s a massive growth area in Scottish skiing
I know, but it's nowhere near as popular as uplifted skiing. My point is that people think it's entirely normal to be taken to the top of a mountain to ski or snowboard down, it's not even controversial despite the fact it completely takes over the natural environment, unlike e-bikes.
ski touring and XC is a different sport to downhill/slalom and another spirt again to ski jumping.
They are different sports in MTBing too except that a lot of people haven't realised this.
My point is that people think it’s entirely normal to be taken to the top of a mountain to ski or snowboard down, it’s not even controversial despite the fact it completely takes over the natural environment, unlike e-bikes.
My point is that's not what most people* use e-bikes for. To stretch the analogy, they're using them as the equivalent of motorised cross-country skis
*well, the ones I see using e-bikes
My point is that’s not what most people* use e-bikes for. To stretch the analogy, they’re using them as the equivalent of motorised cross-country skis
Mibbe dependant on your local terrain. I'm sure there's folk hoon roon swinley, cannock etc, but folk I know who enjoy that type of riding aren't really into the ebiking yet, all my riding buddies who twiddle up fire roads for multiple fun plunges are the ones that are into them.
Which is pretty much molgrips point (and he has similar local terrain)
My point is that’s not what most people* use e-bikes for.
That's what most of them here are used for. We have a lot of elevation, a lot of cool steep singletrack, which means a lot of climbing and time if you want to do multiple runs.
What are they using them for round your way? Getting out and about? How dare they!
Yeah most of the Surrey Hills apart from the semi secret stuff is very tame. Nothing commiting, very middle aged friendly.
“ I want to combine fun with exercise, doing something I love and keeping fit.”
I do that on my ebike. And on my normal hardtail. And I spend a lot of time pedalling my ebike with the power off because normal bikes are too lightweight and easy to pedal uphill.
Back on topic, if you want middling trails we have loads of them down here!
I want to combine fun with exercise, doing something I love and keeping fit. Why eMTBers can’t accept other peoples choices as if they are some how missing out is beyond me. I mean eating ice cream and biscuits is more fun but I’ll eat what’s good for me too.
Crikey, the irony!!
What’s lacking in quantity is the middle ground in some ways. The challenging, moderately technical, but not so steep I’m looking at my toes when standing at the top.
This is what I am currently looking for. The boys can do Red trails at GT and comrie so wanting them to try something that GT/Golfie/inners has to offer. They both went down SkullDuggery and enjoyed it, so want to do more.
Why eMTBers can’t accept other peoples choices as if they are some how missing out is beyond me.
No eMTBers are doing this. The only criticism going on here is traditional MTBers criticising people for e-biking.
I don't own an eMTB and I have no plans to buy one. I'm just saying don't look down on people who do!
Could it be an age thing? I'm nearly 50 and remember mtb'ing many (25+) years ago when it was basically just about getting into the Yorkshire moors/dales and riding all day whilst following a map or book until you remembered the trail.
'Propper mountain biking' as I probably called it back then. Yes there were natural jumps, berms, rocks etc etc but, nothing as purposely made as today. The first time we went to CYB and did the Red Bull trail it was like all the previous rides condensed into a much shorter ride. Enjoyed it and that was the start of trail centres.
The centres do seem to have become more gnar over recent years, and imho not for the better.
Then again, as I said above it's probably because I am getting old, fat and slow with too much self preservation coming out now.
Having said that, the long route at Nant Y Arian is very good and much in the style of older type riding. Really goes out into the wild and has some very natural feeling riding without being too sculptured. That's probably the middle ground the OP is looking for. Trouble is it won't appeal to the majority and in comparison will likely cost far too much to maintain and police due to the spread of the trail.
Not sure if I've gone way OT with this post but it's how I see mtb'ing nowadays.
I'm in east lothian and wee used to have Carberry which had 4 lines from anyone can do to over 20 ft gaps and ladder drops. My mates kids age from about 12 -15 and some are seriously talented and rapid. they have built their own lines which most of us avoid.
Due to this and the less blessed hurting themselves some of the dads have also build a wee local jump line that their kids can do . Smaller 8 ft gaps and 2 to 3 foot drops, It wont be long till the other kids get fed and start hitting the bigger stuff.
Also depends where you stay , obviously if your lucky to be near somewhere like the Valley or Dunblane area there will indeed be something for everyone.
Welsh and Uk Trail centres are full of middle ground trails, with all the good stuff off piste.