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I feel their icy grip tightening around or trails.
Should we succumb or do we stand and fight like the luddites we are?
Depends why you ride bikes I guess. I love getting exercise in beautiful surroundings, pushing myself and getting a good workout. If I were in old age and couldn't muster the physical exertion required then I may well consider an electric bike so I can still get out there but while I can still propel myself then no thanks.
All of the riders that I have seen so far do not display any outwardly physical signs of any disabilities.
They are a sort of go anywhere uplift service. Looking the popularity of uplifts we are going to see a lot more of them.
as someone who used one for 2 years through illness, they are fantastic to keep you riding.
as for a able bodied person using one.......shame on you!!
I think they are the future and that some attitudes towards them on here are a little short sighted.
Fair enough, I don't think they are great for the trails - impaired riders excluded. But as a commuting vehicle? Brilliant!
You can still put in a big effort and maintain fitness if you want to - you'll just see a reduced commuting time. I think the only reason they haven't taken off is that the laws restrict the assist to around 15mph, and most able bodied riders can easily exceed that.
If they can reduce the number of cars on the road they have my vote.
I fear they will all get tuned up and ridden by ****wits .
Personally, if I can still ride offroad without the need for eleccy assistance then I will still commute without the need for eleccy assistance.
Save the hate for Unicyclists!!
I think they are a great idea. Personal uplift machine and if it gives you the ability to ride twice the distance say, thats twice the amount of trail you get to play on. How's that not a good idea?
I'm waiting for lighter better bateries before I'd consider them though..
They aren't the future by any means. Personal transportation device great, as a mtb for someone with health issues who wants to enjoy the countryside great. But replace the whole concept of self propelled cycling 😆
😆
As someone who can slowly see I've got more riding days behind me than I do in front of me due to bad knees, I welcome them. If it keeps me going for a few years more and keeps me off the sofa it can only be a good thing
survivor - Member
Save the hate for Unicyclists!!
Genuine LOL, where's aracer?
Seems to me they create a divide - a nice, neat, clear divide between those that know what bicycles can achieve and those that just want to make life easy.
I suppose cars came about as a progression from bikes. Don't do the same thing for me though.
Do the haterz never use uplift, or take their bike on train or on the back of a car? I don't ride one but I can see where they would fit into recreational cycling as well as practical transport
I'll be happy to use one in a few years.
I was very much anti e-bikes until I did a tour round Granada towards the end of last year. You've still got to pedal, but it means you get to see much much more of a place than you otherwise could. I'd only used a small amount of the battery after 3.5 hrs, but the Guide said that they get plenty of fat Americans who drain the battery in no time!
I'll be getting one.
Will turn muddy slogs around Delamere into a blast.
Will let me session downhill-light tracks where there is no uplift.
Will make massive alpine XC rides a lot more attractive (for whole family)
Riding to me is about the adrenaline buzz mainly but looking at the exercise side of things, you still have to put effort in on an E-bike, but you're more likely to keep your body in the fat-burning zone for far longer periods.
Do the haterz never use uplift, or take their bike on train or on the back of a car? I don't ride one but I can see where they would fit into recreational cycling as well as practical transport
Perhaps the haters don't take their train or car onto the trails… that's where it starts to get tricky…
Some people want bikes to only go where motorised vehicles can go, and others want them to be able to go where you can go on foot, like in Scotland. Electric bikes on the trails will strengthen the hand of those that want bikes shut out of the moors, woods, paths etc.
The issue that I see is trail access. As long as bikes are human powered, we've got a pretty good argument that our impacts are similar to pedestrians.
Adding a motor (even a pedal assist one) makes it a lot easier for those that make the rules to lump us in with motorcycles.
I fear that lot of the progress made on trail access for mtb will be undone because of ebikes...
Bit like gears really - a bit of extra technology to help you along when you're old and frail... 🙂
They are awesome. Why not even up a riding group? Not everyone is awesome, even if they are perfectly able bodied. All that power for electronics and stuff too. And because it makes it easier you might find it gets used more and fitness increases as a result.
Don't knock it until you've tried it.
I saw a chap in Sausalito riding a specialised turbo s on the commute from the city last year, he was flying, although i think they are not restricted to stop assisting after 15mph over there, anyway, i thought at the time it was a great alternative to the car for longer commutes. I would have one for that reason or if my health impacted on my cycling in the future.
PS it would be tempting to go out and upset the Strava heroes though. 😆
What survivor said.
I was very much anti e-bikes until I did a tour round Granada towards the end of last year.
Oi! Don't be coming here which actual experience - ill-informed hatred and sneering is what we do round here.
[i]not display any outwardly physical signs of any disabilities[/i]
What signs do you look for when trying to spot bad knees/hips/heart conditions?! I'm not saying they've not got issues, but how do you know?
Apart from the odd dedicated amputee, you don't see many people riding on two wheels that are obviously disabled.
They are a great idea if it takes a car off our crowded roads .I am all for them it may help people who like Ton have been ill or who wouldnt dream of getting out on a bike .That said I dont class it as cycling as such
Barely rode for 6 months now through a bust up septum and sinus blockage [b]{so I look perfectly healthy on the outside}[/b] but riding totally kills me atm , so looking back a E bike might have helped me get out , so its hard to judge riders who use them .
bobbyspangles - MemberAll of the riders that I have seen so far do not display any outwardly physical signs of any disabilities.
They have their place but I wouldn't want davosaurusrex to think I was a gayer.
[quote=cynic-al ]Genuine LOL, where's aracer?
Here!!
It might surprise a lot of people to find that I'm actually generally in favour* - I can see the real advantage for doing gravity style riding without the need for outside assistance (I won't be getting one any time soon, but then that's not the sort of riding I do). Also for those who have health problems and wouldn't otherwise be able to get out on the trails. I agree that there is a potential issue with people who should be able to pedal using them on normal trails though, where they're not needed.
Or at least I was until survivor's comment. Now I hate them all.
*so long as they don't post their rides on Strava and steal all the KOMs.
Actually the pedal assist bikes are a barrel of fun.
Want to feel 18 again? Jump on a good electric bike and attack a hill. You'll be whooping. 🙂
going to get one just to beat all the KOM's climbs on strave
[quote=poah ]going to get one just to beat all the KOM's climbs on strave
I'll get in your way on my unicycle if you try
I see more of a blur, there's people that 'get it' as cyclists but simply want a bit of help going a bit further or keeping up with a keen-cyclist partner on social rides, or help for those who put in a fair level of effort that still doesn't get them far or up the local hills yet that effort is relatively the same as us working at 65% and cruising the hill. They may start on electric then upgrade to a lighter normal bike when they get fitter. And there's commuters that get too tired doing 100+ miles a week and may want a bit of help to feel fresher at the weekend or in a meeting on friday, etc.Seems to me they create a divide
I think the Euro style electric-Enduro MTB is the odd one in all this, uplift aid yes but a potential lump to handle, just a different take on it all I guess so if that's your thing go for it.
With the surge of ebikes manufacturers are kicking out (seen how many KTM have in their range now?) it won't be long before an ebike specific strava equivalent is on the scene.
[quote=jameso ]keeping up with a keen-cyclist partner on social rides
Also a good point and sounds like a good idea for couples where the ride might otherwise be frustrating for both people.
I had a go on the Scott one and I laughed like I was a kid again. Would I have one now? No. Would I consider one if they get lighter and use it for a longer commute definitely. They do have a place IMHO.
No problem with people using them for commuting or for Sustrans-style leisure cycling.
Very concerned about the potential impact on trail access if they're used on BWs or cheeky trails. Things are only finally starting to loosen up a bit after 20 or 30 years.
The industry's being short-sighted on this issue IMO and I was dismayed to see ST mag hyping one of these e-duro monstrosities on FB the other week. I thought if any media outlet would have the balls and sense to take a stand it'd be ST.
PS. Most "gayers" I know wouldn't be seen dead on an e-bike.
We have one for hire at work. Once you pedal faster than 15mph it's a very heavy Dutch style commuter bike. Very hard work indeed. Great for the cycling customers whose partner isn't a cyclist.
Fair enough, I don't think they are great for the trails - impaired riders excluded. But as a commuting vehicle? Brilliant!
Yes on the road a great idea. We need a spectrum right through to electric motor bikes. They provide a real option for low carbon transport
Off road I'm worried. My fear is that if bikes and electric bike get lumped in together our trail access could get worse not better
Worst case scenario would be the lakes having rider concentrations of some where like Morzine with idiots pitching up for a stag do and renting a fleet of e-bikes that take the flying up hill at 15mph and good knows how fast down the other side
Carlton Reid (of cyclings unelected mouthpiece fame) recently vented his anger towards them on an episode of spokesmen podcast with regard to how he said they should not be allowed out in the wild but corralled to trail centre type riding.
I had an issue with this as I can see a point in the future when I will need one due to a progressive spinal cord injury, So I should only be able to ride trail centres and theme parks? - sod that idea, trail parks and centres may suit some people and they do a great job of ensuring bang for the buck style riding, especially for those new to the sport but I ride my bike to get away from everyone, if I decided to ride my ebike on so called natural trails should I be open to be prosecuted?, perhaps this "prosecution" may only be enforceable in England with its archaic system of rules and laws stipulating where you may ride.
And for those on here who decry their use on trails?, get over yourselves. 🙄
[quote=somafunk ]if I decided ride my ebike on so called natural trails should I be open to be prosecuted?
If you're riding a road legal one, I don't think there's any question of that, as they're legally classified as bicycles
https://www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules
Interesting topic. I could see myself getting one as my off-road commute is 15 miles, with options to do some more fun stuff taking it up to 20. If I end up in the office every day, I wouldn't be able to ride in every day, but an e-bike would take the edge off enough to make that a bit more likely.
I can see the appeal for leisure riding, if you can tune the setup so that you can do more fun stuff in your available ride time, or you can set it up so that you can stay out riding for longer before you get tired then that would be good.
I've not ridden one, but I imagine the weight must kill a lot of the fun on descents though? So lighter first. And it would obviously need to be easily hacked not to kill the fun at 15mph!
Agree with everyone who says that they are ace and perhaps the future of cummuting.
Also agree with everyone who says that they could be very detrimental to the cause when it comes to trail access for mountain bikers.
Strava isn't helpful for cheeky trail use levels and pressure, access, stress with other groups etc imo. Yet we'd say it's the use of it that's the issue? I don't really see how enduro-e-bikes as a category has much to do with trail access irresponsibility, it's only the use of them that's to be discussed and a category can't be ruled out on that point. I do get the point that the antis will use them as ammo but that's no more rational than saying they shouldn't be made because of that. I think in the US they've simply banned them from areas that aren't already open to powered vehicles? I guess the battery life limits their access range anyway, that'll change/increase in coming years though.The industry's being short-sighted on this issue IMO
Depends on power level perhaps. If it's a road-legal power output e-bike what harm can it do? No more than any other bike, less maybe as they're a drag to get up to real speed, e-assist turns to a braking effect over 15mph, or it's simply a heavy bike if you turn the power assist off. It's the user attitude not the vehicle that does damage and poses risks.Carlton Reid (of cyclings unelected mouthpiece fame) recently vented his anger towards them on an episode of spokesmen podcast with regard to how he said they should not be allowed out in the wild but corralled to trail centre type riding.
Would like to try one and wouldn't rule out owning one when the tech matures a bit more. Riding more trails in the available time what's not to like
rode a couple of e-bikes around FOD on a cube dealer day last year and they are immense fun, would i have one as my only bike? No, but if i could afford one i'd love one as a personal uplift service.
everyone who tried one was grinning like an idiot when they got back.
holier than thou trail hippies will despise everything that isn't a rigid single speed.