E-Bike preaching, a...
 

[Closed] E-Bike preaching, aren't we over this yet?

Posts: 3032
Free Member
 

What about the 1.7 billion people missing off that graph (and the hundreds of millions of missed-out new rich Chinese implied by the presumed age of that data)?


 
Posted : 04/11/2019 9:18 am
Posts: 5296
Free Member
 

I know I'm a 1%er.
I'm also buying an eBike.


 
Posted : 04/11/2019 9:33 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Basically, if you make US$50k per year, you are globally in the 1%. In other words, an average middle-class European or American is fantastically wealthy compared to the vast majority of people. We just think we're hard up because we live among other wealthy people.


 
Posted : 04/11/2019 9:34 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Does anyone find that long Solo hill climbs on normal bikes are just so boring ??
Not too bad when your riding with other people, can talk and take the boredom out of it.
But on your own, pedalling at 4mph, up a massive hill on a 32lb mountain bike ?
I can do it without doubt. I don't need an E Bike. But I'm seriously finding I'm getting more and more bored with Solo riding. Almost at the point now where I can't really face a big ride unless I've got someone else with me.
Especially now that the exploration element of biking has gone - I've been everywhere that's near me now within an hours Drive! So spend most of my time repeating same old stuff.

An E Bike will be a complete game changer. Suddenly the climbs will become more fun. Instead of only enjoying 20% of the ride, and being bored and uncomfortable for the remaining 80%, the entire ride will be a blast.

The days of thinking "how much will this next big hill hurt" and "Jesus Christ this climb is boring" are soon going to be over. The sooner I get one the better.

It wasn't so boring when I didn't know everywhere. I used to be wondering whats on the other side of this hill, where does this climb lead to etc. But now the hill climbs on a Solo just feel like a damn chore and it's not what I want, I aim to have fun.


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 8:06 pm
Posts: 91157
Free Member
 

Basically, if you make US$50k per year, you are globally in the 1%. In other words, an average middle-class European or American is fantastically wealthy compared to the vast majority of people.

That figure looks like it's ignoring the relative cost of living in different countries.....


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 8:08 pm
Posts: 7120
Full Member
 

Does anyone find that long hill climbs on normal bikes are just so boring

I really like the climbs. It's a chance to breathe, to sweat, to feel the visceral pain of being alive.

So spend most of my time repeating same old stuff.

Doing a climb I know well just adds to the pleasure. I tick off the sections as I'm going up, greeting each section like an old friend.

Favourite climbs:

- The one from Glyncorrwg ponds, it's not especially far, but I just know it so well.
- The Black at Glentress. Especially when you get to the bottom of Redemption, and know that you're going to have a monster slog all the way out
- Mount Umunum, Santa Clara. It just keeps going, that lovely smooth tarmac, incredible views.
- Ventoux.

Actually that's unfair, there are so many other great climbs, but I have to stop somewhere.


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 8:22 pm
Posts: 58
Free Member
 

Does anyone find that long hill climbs on normal bikes are just so boring ??

I generally enjoy a good climb, but if it was the same climb over and over as you might do to session a descent I would. But my rides follow a route so I don't usually repeat a climb. Then I also ride light nice climbing bikes which makes all the difference, you feel as if your still "riding" not winching.


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 8:22 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

I agree that some climbs can be a pleasure - especially if they're technical and within my ability to just about clear them. Or if they are on a nice track with great scenery.

Unfortunately such climbs are few and far between.

Too many are up an incredibly boring road, or up a boring bridleway.

Or worse still, slogging up deep mud and grass (I try to avoid having too many of these within my planned route though)


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 8:24 pm
Posts: 44680
Full Member
 

Climbs a pleasure? Not for me. a necessary evil for me


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 8:51 pm
Posts: 13806
Full Member
 

tjagain wrote:

Climbs a pleasure? Not for me. a necessary evil for me

Nor me, not what look forward to when I set off.


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 8:57 pm
Posts: 14139
Full Member
 

I really like a good technical climb! I don’t have a problem with climbs in general but I’m in that time-poor phase of life (I have three small children as of three hours ago, and run my own business) and the ebike saves a lot of time!


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 9:20 pm
Posts: 320
Free Member
 

having tried an ebike on my local trails i came to the conclusion that i would like my mrs to have one then i can ride at my own pace.
i also concluded that whilst it got me outside it certainly wasnt exercise.
perfectly suited to todays make everything easy mentality


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 9:54 pm
Posts: 91157
Free Member
 

i also concluded that whilst it got me outside it certainly wasnt exercise

Couldn't you have pedalled harder?

todays make everything easy mentality

Which is a figment of your imagination. How long have skiers been carted to the top of hills? People have always wanted to have fun and to make things easier. It's human nature.


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 10:02 pm
 colp
Posts: 3323
Full Member
 

i also concluded that whilst it got me outside it certainly wasnt exercise.
perfectly suited to todays make everything easy mentality

You ride too slowly


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 10:10 pm
Posts: 44680
Full Member
 

I put in the same effort on my ebike as I do on my non ebike. Depending how much assist on depends how much faster I go uphill. I still reach the top in the same state.


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 10:15 pm
Posts: 320
Free Member
 

wow did i hit a nerve?
im sorry my experience didnt conform with the propaganda.

im still trying to convince the mrs to buy one, but interestingly she is refusing as she also felt that she wasnt getting the same exercise.

i agree it is always possible to turn the power down but does anyone actually do that?


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 10:25 pm
Posts: 20944
 

i agree it is always possible to turn the power down but does anyone actually do that?

Yes.


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 10:32 pm
Posts: 9900
Full Member
 

Yes, cant see the point in blasting everywhere in Turbo.


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 10:36 pm
Posts: 320
Free Member
 

ill take your word for it Tom, im yet to see an ebiker breathing hard let alone breaking into a sweat.
i suppose thats what makes them so cool.


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 10:37 pm
Posts: 44680
Full Member
 

I tend to blast everywhere in high power and to pedal as hard as I can at the same time ( on climbs) On the flat its about 6 - 10 turns of the pedals until the motor cuts out


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 10:40 pm
Posts: 91157
Free Member
 

wow did i hit a nerve?
im sorry my experience didnt conform with the propaganda.

With me? No. I don't own an e-bike, nor do I plan to get one.

im still trying to convince the mrs to buy one, but interestingly she is refusing as she also felt that she wasnt getting the same exercise.

Still don't know why you cannot pedal just as hard on the e-bike. You can either go the same speed for less effort, or go faster for the same effort. Why do you do choose the former?


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 10:43 pm
 LAT
Posts: 2394
Free Member
 

Adamthekiwi

I’m not sure I understand where all the hate comes from, myself.

Possibly because you don’t live in the UK. The fear of loosing access I can understand, but that has been a fear for as long as I can remember.


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 10:43 pm
Posts: 320
Free Member
 

mrs is hiring one for 5 days in a week or so, im hoping after a few days on it she will decide she likes it. obviously my reasons are entirely selfish as it means i will get to do much longer rides when she comes along


 
Posted : 10/11/2019 10:44 pm
Posts: 12648
Free Member
 

While you can put in the same amount of effort I don't think all to people do (especially uphill). The fact that effort is not required means a lot of people will take the easy route.

I briefly had a geared bike in the spring (after 20 years of mostly fixed gear only riding) and when going up the same hills as on my fixed gear bike I selected a much lower gear than my fixed gear and could go up the hill with less effort (clearly slower as I wasn't putting in same effort)

Just see that as human nature and when you have a motor to make things easier a lot of people are going to make things easier rather than put in same effort to go faster. This has been my experience with 100% of bike riders I have followed who have all been putting in very little effort when going 15mph up hill with me putting in pretty much max effort to keep up with them.

However, don't see a problem with it and don't dislike ebike riders because of it, I really don't care what they do.


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 8:13 am
Posts: 28712
Full Member
 

I put in the same effort on my ebike as I do on my non ebike. Depending how much assist on depends how much faster I go uphill. I still reach the top in the same state.

HAve you tested that with a HRM ?


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 8:18 am
Posts: 24436
Full Member
 

Talking to a customer in the shop on Saturday her reason for buying an ebike was,

"I can't keep up with my friend on her (non electric) bike because I haven't got strong enough legs"

When I playfully suggested the more she rides the fitter and easier it would get she said

"I know that, but that would take too much time and effort"

Everyone's reason is different


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 8:28 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

The fear of loosing access I can understand, but that has been a fear for as long as I can remember.

This fear has been terrifying me for years.

The day bikes loose access to the trails is the day I will have no life.


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 1:07 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

When I ride an EBike up a massive hill I put in max effort. The only difference is I'm going at 15mph instead of 4mph, and it's only (for example) 4 minutes of effort instead of 13 minutes.

I might even put in more effort on the E Bike climb because I know I won't have to sustain it for as long. Plus, the higher speed makes me more motivated.

Then you hit the descent, which just in itself is a workout on any sort of bike.

The entertainment level of going up these hills however is infinitely higher.


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 1:10 pm
Posts: 28712
Full Member
 

So if you're putting in the same level of effort for 1/3 of the time, are you actually doing 3 runs to compensate ?


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 1:14 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

So if you’re putting in the same level of effort for 1/3 of the time, are you actually doing 3 runs to compensate ?

The rides just tend to be longer. For example instead of doing a 20 mile loop I'll do a 35 mile loop instead within the same time.

Overall the E Bike is not 3x faster than a regular bike - Only on steep climbs. Overall probably just under 2x faster if its a typical course with a mix of steep climbs, gradual climbs, flat sections and descents.


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 1:20 pm
Posts: 28712
Full Member
 

So being cynical and harsh then.... you're still not putting in the same level of effort as a manual bike 😉


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 1:22 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

If the ride has any fences to lift the bike over then it can be more effort than a regular bike.
Some effort it is getting one of these over a fence!


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 1:23 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

An E Bike ride will also include more Descending than a regular bike ride within the same time.
As is well known, descents are a workout in themselves and look how quickly people get knackered at uplift days.


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 1:28 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

To me I feel like I've cheated on nearly every single bike ride whether its regular MTB or EMTB - I use the car to get to the start of the ride.

I hardly ever ride from the house.

Plus, the distance I do in the car to get to/from the ride is nearly always a lot greater than the distance I've ridden my bike.


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 1:31 pm
Posts: 28712
Full Member
 

all taken in good spirit 🙂 Well done fella.

You seem to be enjoying it, that's good enough for me.


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 1:42 pm
Posts: 14139
Full Member
 

“100% of bike riders I have followed who have all been putting in very little effort when going 15mph up hill with me putting in pretty much max effort to keep up with them.”

Don’t you usually ride in the New Forest, which is pretty damned flat?! If you don’t have a decent hill to contend with any reasonably fit rider will hit the limiter on their ebike which removes the psychological incentive to pedal harder to go faster as suddenly the effort:return ratio drops through the floor.

I honestly don’t think I pedal any less hard on the Levo than on my non-E bikes, excerpt when I’m commuting, not running late and on the flat (or thereabouts) so I’m pedalling to the limiter and then backing off.


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 2:47 pm
Posts: 58
Free Member
 

If you don’t have a decent hill to contend with any reasonably fit rider will hit the limiter on their ebike which removes the psychological incentive to pedal harder to go faster 

Not really, 15mph is far quicker than most riders go on proper off road going flat or undulating. Quick sprints maybe but not over any distance. A quick look at a typical undulating but climb neutral strava segment in my local woods has the kom at 15.5mph. Thats held by a e-mtb rider who keeps loging his rides as a normal mtb. Nearest normaly aspirated rider is at 13.5mph. The higher speed is down to the e-mtb being able to go at close to 15mph on up bits but obviously over that on the down.


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 3:22 pm
Posts: 14139
Full Member
 

“Not really, 15mph is far quicker than most riders go on proper off road going flat or undulating.“

On a normal MTB, definitely - although not for short sprints.

All I can speak is from my experience as someone who’s a fairly decent pedaller (I’m no amateur XC racer but I’ve got a good amount of power), once you add a motor to that pedal power you can go very quickly indeed on the flat or subtle inclines.


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 3:56 pm
Posts: 5182
Free Member
 

The day bikes loose access to the trails is the day I will have no life.

What are these ‘trails’? And are they for bikes?


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 4:01 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

That figure looks like it’s ignoring the relative cost of living in different countries…..

Not really ... because the 1% isn't really 1% and because COL is less country specific than it used to be.
I'm not going to look up every country but I'd expect India has more people earning >US$50k than the UK... even though it also has many very poor people.

One of the more embarrassing things I ever won was a "guess the price" game in greater Dehli... at a friends kids school (who earns >50k or thereabouts) and many things are not as cheap as you might expect.


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 5:40 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Personally Love the idea of eBikes.... especially as I get older and Jnr gets bigger....
Without reading the whole thread though what rattles my cage is the EMBN rhetoric about "once you make the change" and "ebikes are the future" and "in the future you won't be able to buy clockwork/acoustic bikes"

I'm genuinely interested ... hired one on hols in Mallorca... borrow my brothers sometimes... but I dislike the who "once you ditch the clockwork" crap immensely.


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 5:43 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

A couple of e-bike related incidents from this weekend's riding in the Dales.

On Saturday morning I went for a quick blast on my own. Heading back across one particular boggy section of moor I met a walker. "Oh, how do you like the e-bike?" he asks. "Eh?" Then I realise he's mistaken my frame bag for a battery! (I did think cheeky bu*****! TBH) we had a chat for a while discussing the daft BWs that end up in the middle of nowhere because the landowner objected then went our ways.

On Sunday my wife and I were doing a loop around Horton in Ribblesdale, just a steady pootle out enjoying the day. We crossed the fancy bridge over the Ribble near Selside and almost caught up with a rider who was having difficulty getting going. He zipped off before we caught him and he took quite a bit of time out of us heading up the hill. A while later I caught up with him and it was then I noticed he was on an e-bike. It was just as well that he'd stopped as he was about to go completely the wrong way on his chosen route which involved heading over Cam Head to Semer Water and back via Stake Moss. He was in his seventies so good effort in getting out and going for something like that.

As for doing 15mph on an MTB, at this year's JennRide I got across the Windermere ferry then was riding along the track from Ferry Nab to Wray next to a mate on an e-bike. It was the classic: "He's going a bit quick so I'll try and keep up" from each of us so we ended up caning it! My average speed on those flat Strava segments was 23.5kmh or just under 15mph and gets me around 80th out of 3700 - the KOM is 2 minutes quicker at a speed of 31kmh. Stick in any kind of a hill and that speed is going to drop considerably.


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 6:16 pm
Posts: 12648
Free Member
 

Don’t you usually ride in the New Forest, which is pretty damned flat?! If you don’t have a decent hill to contend with any reasonably fit rider will hit the limiter on their ebike

Yes I am in the New Forest. It is far from flat, and there are loads of rolling gravel hills where even the fastest riders are not hitting 15mph. The last time I was following an ebike up a 3 mile segment (mostly uphill) I was almost at throwing up point while they were clearly very casually pedalling along.

Here is a typical mostly gravel loop (not exactly flat is it)


 
Posted : 11/11/2019 8:42 pm
 colp
Posts: 3323
Full Member
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

The E Bikes provide a heavier upper body workout than the regular bike. Definitely due to the heavier weight to lift whenever you have to lift one off the ground for whatever reason (e.g. putting it on a bike rack, lifting it over a style, lifting one onto a bike stand, flipping one upside down)
It could also be due to the increased amount of descending, the heavier bike to handle, and the overall amount of bike handling is higher as the bike stays at around 15mph or above all the time.


 
Posted : 12/11/2019 2:38 am
Posts: 14139
Full Member
 

“Yes I am in the New Forest. It is far from flat, and there are loads of rolling gravel hills where even the fastest riders are not hitting 15mph. The last time I was following an ebike up a 3 mile segment (mostly uphill) I was almost at throwing up point while they were clearly very casually pedalling along.”

I’m not quite sure what you’re getting at. Yes, it’s hard to pedal a normal bike uphill at 15mph. Yes, it’s easy on an ebike to cruise uphill at a speed that is killing a normal cyclist.

But you can pedal harder on an ebike and go faster, working just as hard as on a normal bike - and if you’re vaguely good at pedalling then no-one on a normal bike will keep up unless they’re a pro or top level amateur racer and they’ll be pushing very hard too.

“Here is a typical mostly gravel loop (not exactly flat is it)”

In MTBing terms, that is pretty flat! And I live in Brighton, not The Andes... What total elevation gain was there on that ride?


 
Posted : 12/11/2019 11:02 am
Posts: 12648
Free Member
 

I’m not quite sure what you’re getting at. Yes, it’s hard to pedal a normal bike uphill at 15mph. Yes, it’s easy on an ebike to cruise uphill at a speed that is killing a normal cyclist.

But you can pedal harder on an ebike and go faster, working just as hard as on a normal bike – and if you’re vaguely good at pedalling then no-one on a normal bike will keep up unless they’re a pro or top level amateur racer and they’ll be pushing very hard too.

What I am getting at (as per my initial point) is that in my experience people are not working as hard as on a normal bike as I see them casually turning the pedals while going uphill at 15mph. I don't think may riders are working just as hard. I don't actually care, was just making the point.

In MTBing terms, that is pretty flat! And I live in Brighton, not The Andes… What total elevation gain was there on that ride?

I don't care what elevation gain it is, the point is it is hardly flat is it (i.e. it is pretty much always going up or down with very few actual flat parts. Maintaining 15mph is tough going.


 
Posted : 12/11/2019 11:10 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

But you can pedal harder on an ebike and go faster, working just as hard as on a normal bike – and if you’re vaguely good at pedalling then no-one on a normal bike will keep up unless they’re a pro or top level amateur racer and they’ll be pushing very hard too

A pro or amateur racer might be able to do 15mph uphill for a short time but definitely not able to keep that up over a 3 hour loop with massive off road hills like this:

https://www.strava.com/activities/2514777786

No one could possibly do that loop on a normal bike in 3 hours moving time, pro or not


 
Posted : 12/11/2019 12:13 pm
Posts: 14139
Full Member
 

“What I am getting at (as per my initial point) is that in my experience people are not working as hard as on a normal bike as I see them casually turning the pedals while going uphill at 15mph. I don’t think may riders are working just as hard. I don’t actually care, was just making the point.”

That’s because it’s quite flat where you are. It is bloody hard work holding an ebike at 15mph up a steeper hill!

“I don’t care what elevation gain it is, the point is it is hardly flat is it (i.e. it is pretty much always going up or down with very few actual flat parts. Maintaining 15mph is tough going”

Yes but once you have some steeper hills there is no hope of doing 15mph up them without a motor to help. Comparing some climbs I’ve done on ebike vs similar MTB, up a 7% gradient my PR on the normal bike is averaging 7.1mph, on the ebike I’m averaging 14.8mph. Strava is estimating 711W mean for that ebike climb.


 
Posted : 12/11/2019 1:46 pm
Posts: 91157
Free Member
 

I don’t think may riders are working just as hard.

No, you CAN take it easier on an e-bike, this is an advantage for some people. But it doesn't stop you pedalling just as hard for just as long and getting the same workout if you want.


 
Posted : 12/11/2019 2:06 pm
Posts: 12648
Free Member
 

No, you CAN take it easier on an e-bike, this is an advantage for some people. But it doesn’t stop you pedalling just as hard for just as long and getting the same workout if you want.

Yes, and in my experience I have only come across the people who are the take it easier types. I expect there are quite a few of those and that is the appeal of the ebike to them, that is all.

No doubt the majority of ebike riders are those that put in exactly the same amount of effort as a person on a non ebike.


 
Posted : 12/11/2019 3:49 pm
Posts: 5361
Full Member
 

Perhaps that's because the ones that work hard are off the beaten track riding the harder to access, more technically demanding trails?


 
Posted : 12/11/2019 3:58 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Or just reeeeaaaly far ahead of you 👍


 
Posted : 12/11/2019 4:05 pm
Posts: 17431
Full Member
 

in my time riding them, I'd say that i feel I am working as hard and my HR is similar but without the high peaks i'd get out the saddle on a steep climb ( the whole reason I bought one, due medical issues). Overall calorie count much the same as on analog bike, I tend to do more sections of trail in a given time period though.


 
Posted : 12/11/2019 4:25 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

But it doesn’t stop you pedalling just as hard for just as long

Er, it kind of does though, unless you find bigger hills. Yes you can ride for just as long in total, but less of that will be pedalling.

Obviously you can turn off the assistance, but I'm assuming we are talking about actually using some assistance here, or you're riding a very heavy very expensive normal bike.

I'm not necessarily saying that will be a bad thing (although the research suggests in general ebikers get less of a workout, which is hardly surprising given people are buying something that makes it easier to get up hills, but doesn't mean you *can't*), you might want to work on your upper body, and uplift days certainly tire you out, you might just want shorter bursts at higher intensity. But you can't pedal as hard for as long for each climb.


 
Posted : 12/11/2019 4:26 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

"But you can pedal harder on an ebike and go faster, working just as hard as on a normal bike"

Yeah yeah.

Because that's what all ebike owners do. :rolleyes:

They definitely don't buy bikes and then get disappointed that they're not giving them the boost they wanted (judging by posts on this very forum) at all...


 
Posted : 12/11/2019 8:29 pm
Posts: 14139
Full Member
 

“Er, it kind of does though, unless you find bigger hills. Yes you can ride for just as long in total, but less of that will be pedalling.“

Maybe I’m an odd case but on my own I pedal harder uphill on the ebike because the hills take less time. Everything becomes more sprinty, like interval training. It’s really nice being able to push yourself hard, safe in the knowledge that the motor will save you if you burn out.

On group rides I do most of the uphills with the power off, I’m middle to front of the pack without a motor in our typical groups. It’s a good challenge hauling a much heavier bike. Love the full power assist to get me home more quickly afterwards (and stop me being late for the 7pm start).

I don’t know what everyone else does and I really don’t care.


 
Posted : 12/11/2019 9:13 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

"I don’t know what everyone else does and I really don’t care."

Or, really:

"I'm fully aware that the majority are slackers who bought ebikes precisely to make things easy on themselves (and I'm probably occasionally a bit of that myself) - and I do care that haters have this realistic view of why most people buy 'em - but don't like to admit they're right"

😉


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 10:23 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

I live in the South Pennines so it's all massive hills, routes tend to be all peaks and troughs.

On these types of rides there are two options:

Option 1) You can take it very easy on an EBike and ride at at an average pace of around 12-13kph which is just about keeping up with a fast rider on a regular MTB. On an E Bike this would be a very easy effort and you would barely need to try.

Option 2) Hard effort, pedalling as hard as a fast rider on a regular bike. This will be averaging around 20kph on the E-bike, the ride will be just as much effort as a regular mountain bike ride in this area the only difference is you'll be going about 70% faster overall (and around 2 to 3 times faster up steep climb segments) and you would have to make the route 70% longer to make the exercise last for the same duration of time.

So yes you can use an E Bike to be lazy and make the ride easy, but you won't be going very fast.
Or you can go as fast as you can and it will be a similar sort of effort as going as hard as you can on a regular bike. As said before, many off road climbs are so tough that its very hard to even keep an EBike at 15mph on these.


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 1:26 pm
Posts: 91157
Free Member
 

Er, it kind of does though, unless you find bigger hills. Yes you can ride for just as long in total, but less of that will be pedalling.

Eh? If you ride for just as long but are going faster, then you are going to be taking in more hills surely?

“But you can pedal harder on an ebike and go faster, working just as hard as on a normal bike”

Yeah yeah.

Because that’s what all ebike owners do. :rolleyes:

Piss off with the eye roll, I haven't even said that thing you are eye rolling about. I'm saying they don't prevent you from working hard (as some people seem to be arguing). It's up to the rider how hard they want to pedal, and some won't want to pedal as hard as others, which is the same as it is on non e-bikes. If you're lazy, you're lazy, regardless, and vice versa.


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 1:28 pm
Posts: 91157
Free Member
 

If I had an e-bike I'd use it to get me out to Sirhowy to do a load of the big steep stuff and get back inside 3 hours. It's probably a 4.5 hour ride now on the big bike if I want to get in a few runs, and it's much harder for me to fit a 4.5hr ride into my family weekend.


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 1:31 pm
Posts: 28712
Full Member
 

Or you can go as fast as you can and the effort will be the same as going as fast as you can on a regular bike

Still waiting for someone to show me a strava/HR trace of 2 rides, 2 hours, with similar HR arverage and Max on both an Ebike and a manual one.

Until then, i don't think you're trying as hard as you think you are 🙂


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 1:34 pm
Posts: 14139
Full Member
 

“Still waiting for someone to show me a strava/HR trace of 2 rides, 2 hours, with similar HR arverage and Max on both an Ebike and a manual one.”

I’ve never ever used a heart rate monitor and I don’t intend to start now!


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 1:38 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

I remember EMBN did a video showing a test between two bike rides, one on an E Bike one on a regular bike with HR figures to show that there wasn't any difference.


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 1:41 pm
Posts: 28712
Full Member
 

EMBN a biased EMTB network ? Who'd have thought it 😉


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 1:43 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6711045/


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 1:43 pm
Posts: 41786
Free Member
 

I remember EMBN did a video showing a test between two bike rides, one on an E Bike one on a regular bike with HR figures to show that there wasn’t any difference.

Yea, but that misses the massively glaringly obvious point that one is a metabolically appropriate heart rate, and the other isn't, it's just caused by adrenaline etc.

Go on a go-kart with a HRM and it will probably give you a similar result. And no a go-kart is not a workout, even if your arms ache a bit afterwards.


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 2:06 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

@brianblessed - yes, once again another poorly designed (and reported) study of just 33 participants.

There's only one well-designed authoritative study done with ebikes, and it's already been posted.


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 2:16 pm
Posts: 12648
Free Member
 

Perhaps that’s because the ones that work hard are off the beaten track riding the harder to access, more technically demanding trails?

Maybe, how would I know? Based on that I will just stick to the ebike riders I can physically see rather than ones I could imagine.

Like I said, maybe ALL of the riders I see are in the 1% who are not trying and bought a bike to help them up hills with less effort.


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 2:24 pm
Posts: 6967
Full Member
 

There’s only one well-designed authoritative study with results I agree with done with ebikes

FTFY


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 2:31 pm
Posts: 14139
Full Member
 

“Like I said, maybe ALL of the riders I see are in the 1% who are not trying and bought a bike to help them up hills with less effort.”

You’re riding in the New Forest. No one goes to the New Forest to ride as many awesome descents as possible. As your yourself have stated, you can ride the climbs of the New Forest at speed on an XC bike and you don’t need more travel or gnarlier geometry for the descents.

It’s like going to Bedgebury and commenting on how lacking in tech skills the MTBers are.


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 2:39 pm
Posts: 91157
Free Member
 

Yea, but that misses the massively glaringly obvious point that one is a metabolically appropriate heart rate, and the other isn’t, it’s just caused by adrenaline etc.

That's just silly. Adrenaline on a regular MTB ride? Either you're being chased by bears or you're in fear of your life on MTB rides. I think most people are a bit more realxed than that.

I have to be pretty wound up to hit 90bpm HR through adrenaline, however 150bpm is a gentle ride.


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 3:05 pm
Posts: 58
Free Member
 

Like I said, maybe ALL of the riders I see are in the 99% who are not trying and bought a bike to help them up hills with less effort.


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 3:06 pm
Posts: 12648
Free Member
 

You’re riding in the New Forest. No one goes to the New Forest to ride as many awesome descents as possible. As your yourself have stated, you can ride the climbs of the New Forest at speed on an XC bike and you don’t need more travel or gnarlier geometry for the descents.

I can only comment on where I ride and they are my observations. And while I can ride the climbs at a decent speed I cannot ride most of them at 15mph and if I could I would have a lot more KOMs than I have.


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 3:11 pm
Posts: 1562
Full Member
 

Why are some people getting so upset at others choosing to opt for electrical assistance? Who is being cheated? I'm not. The e-mtber might be fat / lazy / infirm / elderly or perfectly fit, it's nobody's business but theirs why they chose an EAPC and they shouldn't feel pressured to justify themselves to anyone. I ride what I like, so do you, why not them?

Honestly, it's like roadies debating disk brakes. If you like the idea, go for it, if not, don't.


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 3:47 pm
Posts: 58
Free Member
 

Honestly, it’s like roadies debating disk brakes. If you like the idea, go for it, if not, don’t.

But the debate goes beyond just personal choice. Some people believe e-mtb's have the potential to cause problems in the countryside that might affect all mtb'ers. Thats the core discussion.


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 3:55 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

The e-mtber might be fat / lazy / infirm / elderly or perfectly fit, it’s nobody’s business but theirs why they chose an EAPC and they shouldn’t feel pressured to justify themselves to anyone.

I think the main issue for people is that people who ride ebikes really do feel pressured to justify themselves to everyone.


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 4:32 pm
Posts: 5361
Full Member
 

To eliminate any doubt, this is an eMotorcycle;
https://www.youtube.com/embed/tsprALBwahg
It is not what we mean when we say eBike...

And yes, people riding these on the trails could screw it up for everyone.


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 8:27 pm
Posts: 20944
 

I think the main issue for people is that people who ride ebikes really do feel pressured to justify themselves to everyone.

Exactly, the only time I talk about mine is when someone asks me about it, or starts spouting bollocks about how lazy I am by having one.


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 8:37 pm
Posts: 14139
Full Member
 

“Exactly, the only time I talk about mine is when someone asks me about it, or starts spouting bollocks about how lazy I am by having one.”

+1


 
Posted : 13/11/2019 8:46 pm
Page 4 / 5