I think people
chasingtrying to knock a couple seconds of their mid pack timeKOMson Strava has led to as much,
FTFY.
I do laugh at some straight lines, and wonder why some riders don't just find some fire breaks to straight line down, as for me part of the fun is trying to ride all the trail features. Plus you don't get faster by riding straight lines.
Although I did watch an e-biker straight line the berms on the new Red at Glentress a few weeks ago, and almost wipe out numerous times on the loose gravel. It very much looked like a couple mates had convinced him that it would be fun to hire an eBike, but they just shot of ahead leaving him to struggle down, however that's certainly not e-bike specific.
One of his mates also didn't seem to take too kindly to me not stopping at the next section. I thought they would wait to check their mate was OK as he got there just in front of me, but as soon as they seen me not stop, one of them tried to chase me down. He almost caught up until he hit 15mph 🙈
Meh, there's more folk who cause mountain rescue and the likes problems going up munroes, or snowdonia and so on without the required ability and equipment, in the main, folk on ebikes i see at FoD and the likes are pretty good riders, who have gone ebike more for miles and runs rather than diving away into the depths of nowhere. Those i see who are weekend leisure riders are going on pretty much hardpack all the time, you see them going round and just doing miles and enjoying a day out, then back to the car or hire shop.
I'm 58. Have 2 E-MTBs & 3 normal MTBs.
If I'm riding with friends on E-Bikes I take one too. If friends are on normal bikes then so am I. Sometimes Her Indoors takes an E-Bike & I ride a normal one. It's also useful for towing the kids up the climbs at trail centres.
On my own? If I'm pushed for time & have a short window to ride. E-Bike.
More time - normal bike.
E-Bike riding has made me fitter coz it's still time on the bike & you're still pedalling. That 60 minute slot when the kids were at Scouts - I probably wouldn't have gone for a ride without an E-Bike. I'd have sat in the car watching YouTube & eating Mars Bars with a flask if tea.
My skills have improved too. I'd got pretty rusty & kinda lost my mojo a bit. The E-Bike allowed me to climb then descend multiple technical trails then repeat and repeat.
I'll never do all my riding on an E-Bike but it's a great option to have.
I think MBoy said something about generating more heat on an E-Bike? Couldn't disagree more. I'm like a furnace climbing on a normal bike but but freeze my arse off on an E-Bike. No wonder you see all those blokes dressed to climb Ben Nevis pedalling up at trail centres eating crisps.
I think people chasing KOMs on Strava has led to as much, if not more corner cutting on my local trails than people on eBikes.
I think people eating too many Mars Bars has led to as much, if not more erosion on my local trails than people on e-bikes 😉
I'm wondering if some of the direction of development and marketing of ebikes has led to many attitudes.
Currently 'best' eBike = MOAR powah, MOAR battery, MOAR wide tyres with DH casing, MOAR shredits showing athletes taking on death defying or gravity defying feats. Big Enduro helmets, bum bags and loud FOX clothing included.
No different from much of mountain biking then.
When for many people lighter and efficient would be more appropriate.
It's led to a culture, and I mean this across our sport, but perhaps typified by eBikes, that I don't really fit in with.
I like eBikes, heck mrs_oab and I love her eBike, but maybe it's the culture I'm less comfy with - it's just not me.
Currently ‘best’ eBike = MOAR powah, MOAR battery, MOAR wide tyres with DH casing, MOAR shredits showing athletes taking on death defying or gravity defying feats. Big Enduro helmets, bum bags and loud FOX clothing included.
No different from much of mountain biking then.
I have times when I think it's all a bit too MX and not the side of MTB I relate to - then I remember the loud stuff we used to wear in 1990 and the way MTB was even back then and how it probably looked to the walkers and horse riders. Not much has changed really, can't blame e-bikes for any of it. The market's still mainly middle-aged blokes and the imagery and styling all go with that.
I know what you mean though, as MTB goes more MOAR what's happened to more toned-down XC riding? Trends and scenes develop until close to parody and then something comes along to fill in the middle ground between what that trend once was and what it's become. That's how we have gravel bikes : )
Agreed!
That’s how we have gravel bikes : )
I think that's why I enjoy mine 🙂
Just look at this very magazine. The current issue has lots of Gnar, lots of ebikes, and epic overseas trips.
The whole thing has very little to do with the type of riding I have always done.
Some on here like charging round trail centres but I am sure a lot of people don't do that sort of riding.
The whole thing has very little to do with the type of riding I have always done.
Would anyone read a magazine that only features you and your local rides?
No but the current offering is not that great. I accept that I won't like all the articles. The last bimble article they had they did on ebikes.
The relentless jumpy trail centre stuff is just as dull. There are nice things to see if you emerge from the trail centres.
If it was based around my type of riding it would be very dull as I am somewhat past my use by date, but lots of people do all sorts of stuff that is interesting.
The best thing recently was Amanda's touring in Spain, that didn't make the magazine.
No E-bike for me, thanks.
54, and resonably fit with no major health issues.
I can manage the hills at my own pace, and can do many miles if I'm not trying to break records.
The compromise of an E-bike is that you get a free pass up the hills, at the expense of a massively heavier bike for all other times. Also, I'd be stuffed if something broke and I was in the middle of nowhere with a lump of a bike to drag back to humanity.
Just done a ride today on the 916 I did on the KSL in Thursday night...same distance and elevation.
On Thursday it was a group of proper bikes and mopeds. I didn't want to be that dick just blasting off ahead, so hung back and still had fun.
Today was all proper bikes, and it was much harder work. Higher max and average heart rate (both 20 bpm higher) more calories used, but nearly the same riding time.
The KSL is great for powering through mud, especially when there's hills, and riding from the door it's great for getting back up to the top of the hill where I live, but the 916 is a better bike (I'd love it with an SL or TQ motor and lightweight battery). The KSL I can also ride with a down jacket on. No chance on the 916.
However, if it'd been a group of SL bikes or probably would've been a harder ride, and if it'd been a mix of SL and full power, I wonder how much the turns would've tabled.
I’d be interested to know if there is any intersection between the eebers and the gravelists….
That'll be me - my gravel bike is an e-bike (first on both counts), and was bought to make bike packing with my (much) younger riding buddies, more enjoyable. It has worked a treat.
As for the lack of friendliness - I have singlespeed, gears, hybrid, gravel, e-bike & road bike (I also have a unicycle, but we won't go there) but none of those stop me from being friendly towards others - regardless of their bike choice (even if that's to not have one)
This is just like the "cyclists Vs drivers" fallacy - it's just sociable folk Vs sociopaths, really.
Bikes, mates, fun & cake - that's all you need to know.
“The KSL I can also ride with a down jacket on. No chance on the 916.”
That’s an interesting point. I would melt in a down jacket when riding my Levo - I wear the exact same clothes as on my normal bike. I guess that shows how much of it is down to how the rider chooses to use an ebike. It’s not about the bike!
Just done a ride today on the 916 I did on the KSL in Thursday night…same distance and elevation.
On Thursday it was a group of proper bikes and mopeds. I didn’t want to be that dick just blasting off ahead, so hung back and still had fun.
Today was all proper bikes, and it was much harder work. Higher max and average heart rate (both 20 bpm higher) more calories used, but nearly the same riding time.
The KSL is great for powering through mud, especially when there’s hills, and riding from the door it’s great for getting back up to the top of the hill where I live, but the 916 is a better bike (I’d love it with an SL or TQ motor and lightweight battery). The KSL I can also ride with a down jacket on. No chance on the 916.
However, if it’d been a group of SL bikes or probably would’ve been a harder ride, and if it’d been a mix of SL and full power, I wonder how much the turns would’ve tabled
For group rides on a mix of bikes is where I think I could probably make use of an SL rather than my full fat, both for the relative effort that needs to be used and for the gates and stiles
The effort put in on my ebike always goes well up when I'm on my own, or with just other ebikes.
Either way, I still blummin sweat and wouldn't go as far as a down jacket, but can generally get away with an extra layer over the leg powered guys
Just done a ride today on the 916 I did on the KSL in Thursday night…same distance and elevation.
On Thursday it was a group of proper bikes and mopeds. I didn’t want to be that dick just blasting off ahead, so hung back and still had fun.
Today was all proper bikes, and it was much harder work. Higher max and average heart rate (both 20 bpm higher) more calories used, but nearly the same riding time.
The KSL is great for powering through mud, especially when there’s hills, and riding from the door it’s great for getting back up to the top of the hill where I live, but the 916 is a better bike (I’d love it with an SL or TQ motor and lightweight battery). The KSL I can also ride with a down jacket on. No chance on the 916.
However, if it’d been a group of SL bikes or probably would’ve been a harder ride, and if it’d been a mix of SL and full power, I wonder how much the turns would’ve tabled.
Not sure what any of that means . Just sounds like a small dick trying to swinging in the wind to me.
You could have summed it up by saying you went for two rides on different bikes with different people.🤷♂️
depends what you think your giving up surely? You are clearly giving up unassisted cycling under your own steam and taking up electric motor cycling...lets not confuse the two..
electric motor cycling
This
https://starkfuture.com/products/stark-varg
Is not the same as this.
One you have to pedal quite hard to make go really fast off road.
The other you need to be really fit to ride or it'll try and kill you at every opportunity.
Hope that helps.
Yep that's totally relevant.
cheers 12speedstu
all the big guys were doing analogue bench press
One for your ****bank?
i have 3 self propelled bikes and 1 electric bike so me too. choice is a great thing but they are not the same...disclaimer.....i couldnt pedal enough to power our electricity bills today.
i have 3 self propelled bikes and 1 electric bike
Only three?
You really should try harder.😘
stu..no need to have a **** if you have a fit partner....and if you are ebiking together they are probably fat...so you might need one
Dude.
Lay off the left over Christmas sherry.
lol....im at work on my break....dealing with an 11kv powerline....big ash dropped on all three phases...
beanieripper - you have an ebike, but seem to want to slate them/people that ride them? Strange stance
thanks...happy new year.
Thanks for the help..but i went to the gym today…all the big guys were doing analogue bench press….no eweights in sight
Life isn't a competition... Nobody is standing there with a medal for you when you've finished.
look, im not offended its ok..im not up a tree, its my firm..i dont need a medal. thanks for the compliments...have a great new year folks x
Wow. Checked out of this thread after the third post. Came back just now to find it complete with the usual moronic, inane, ballsack flavoured toss. Well done you guys. Bikes are bikes, despite what the op Troll wants to drive at.
where are you and what are the hills like? I manage 1x on a 38T with an 11-28.
You can see why it is so easy for the government to use culture wars to stir things up and move the focus away from the shit they are doing can't you when people who all ride bikes don't even like other people who ride bikes just because they are not the same bikes as they ride (be it ebikes, gravel bikes, road bikes etc,.)
Bikes are bikes, despite what the op Troll wants to drive at.
Woah there tiger. My OP was a fairly innocent post to gauge how people think about ebikes. It certainly wasn't trolling in any way or designed to provoke the sort of reaction this has turned into.
Fwiw, it did help some of my thoughts about the ebike and funnily enough, after being out on my MTB yesterday, I'm out today on the ebike at Swinley.
I’m out today on the ebike at Swinley
I can't believe you have gone on your motorbike after all the men telling you it's for lazy people.
Hope you're happy now (you probably are).
I was thinking about the electric motorbike thing...
What percentage of current ebike users would happily use a more powerful engine/battery? I know a fair few have already modified there's to make them illegal, but I was thinking in more general terms. If the power limit was, say, doubled (and assuming battery technology kept up) then I reckon close to 100% of users would use it, even if only for certain occasions. Tripled? Quadrupled? Same response I think. All the arguments about having to still work hard would disappear and all the benefits of getting out into the countryside would still exist. There is definitely a group of riders who aren't that interested in the fitness benefits.
It's certainly an interesting topic for Scottish access rights where off-road motorcycling is basically prohibited.
As far as I can see ebike aren't checked for compliance to the rules. Lots of the food delivery bikes are obviously dodgy and ridden by idiots.
Some ebike riders ride like dicks. (As do some normal ice riders).
Who is going to enforce legal compliance off road?
As far as I can see ebike aren’t checked for compliance to the rules.
Sure, but most buyers are relying on shops not to sell them illegal bikes, if they're even aware of the restrictions. It gets a bit more grey with direct sales, especially of bikes built for other markets. To an extent, I think the genie is already out of the bottle. It'll be interesting to see where we are in 10 years time (by which time an electric motorbike might be ideal for me 😂 )
As far as I can see ebike aren’t checked for compliance to the rules. Lots of the food delivery bikes are obviously dodgy and ridden by idiots.
The amount of news articles about police crack downs and seizures of exactly this would contradict your statement.
In Manchester the bike lanes are full of food delivery bikes which congregate around the takeaways on Oxford Rd. Most are so shonky and so fast they make using the cycle facilities scary. These are easy to tackle. Because the news reports ebike crack downs doesn't make it widespread or effective.
It's great when you are in the cycle lane when some dick is approaching you at 20mph a on the wrong side of the road with pedestrians next to the bike lane.
If you think illegal ebike use in your area is an issue report incidents to the police, raise the issue with your parish council & local MP. The police are unlikely to do anything unless they feel it's a public concern. Nothing will change otherwise.
What percentage of current ebike users would happily use a more powerful engine/battery
Despite having mine deristricted, I don't need/want any more power. It generally gets ridden in eco and when I do need it, boost had more than enough power.
Batteries, yeah I'm all for more powerful batteries
