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)?

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

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.

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.

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…..

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.

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.

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)

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

tjagain wrote:

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

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

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!

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

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.

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

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.

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?

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

Yes.

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

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.

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

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?

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.

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

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.

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 ?

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

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.

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.

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 ?

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.

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

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!

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.

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.

all taken in good spirit 🙂 Well done fella.

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

“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.

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.

“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.

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?

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.