Wow.., serious comments there…still getting one though..lol

Bikebouy, mine has been chipped.

no more power, but removes the speed limiter. Honestly, I wouldn’t bother with it again, it doesn’t improve the bike at all, it has a serious effect on battery life, and sitting at 30mph in cycling gear when the battery is providing the power is flippin chilly.

Mine has no external signs at all, but i guess it would be pretty obvious if i start passing the local road crew going uphill on a full suss bike eh.

#chipping #notworthit

ive had my levo a year, im 65 and tired lol. it has 25 charges on the battery, i usully ride with my mates every tuesday and thursday evening, about 15 miles off road on my pivot mach 6. sometimes on a tuesday or a thursday i do a day time ride with one of my mates during the day, we usually do 20 miles. so i ride the ebike in the evening, otherwise i wouldnt go.
i have 3 bikes, the ebike gets used the least. a couple of things about an ebike and mismatched riders, i am not fit enough to keep up with my mates, especially on the ups and my mates often have to wait for me, the ebike stops this. but the main reasons for me riding the ebike with my mates, is keeping up on the flowy up and down trails, if i miss a pedal stroke or lose a gear, they are gone, the ebike allows me to catch up and keep up without slowing them down.
i got my ebike for a different reason though, on the recommendation of my riding buddy, who is well respected on here. towards the end of rides, i start to tire, my skills go a little and my reactions are slower, ive had most of my falls towards the end of rides, two concussions, full width tear rotator cuff, chipped elbow, and a few OTBs.
so for me the ebike is a tool for when i want it, as are my other bikes.

its a no brainer to me, i understand the haters, but if you dont NEED to have one, whats wrong with having one to ride, believe me they are fantastic fun

Great comments there mate..my initial post was about all of our group having them as we are all fit and able and love the more Agro side of riding. However, for us to go out on e-bikes and cover more ground in a day is appealing for me. Also, as I have to pick the kids up after a work, it will enable to nip out for an hour before I get them. As for the potential trail damage, I’m in 2 minds..yes I care..a lot, but I have watched lots of vids where this is bought up and there is no evidence. One of the t like the fact we could squeeze more runs in, thus damaging the trails more..I bet he and he’s group have made it to the top of a descent after a few runs then sacked it off because of potential damage….!

By that logic we need to ban nice bikes. You won’t want to ride crappy bikes so less use will mean less damage. There are a lot more nice bikes than ebikes…

We know it is but as Maxtorque said above the people that don’t like mountain bikes are illogical and the fact it’s got a motor is just extra ammo for their argument.

Sky’s falling in eh… Same things have been said about bikes on paths and in the woods since about 1986. There are access rights for bikes and that won’t be changed by some Daily Mail comment section regulars or the rambler’s association.

It’s a completely different thing . Suspension helps you to make the most of the power that you are able to produce . E-Bike actually produces a rather large chunk of power to help you on your way . That’s one of the reasons why mechanical doping is not allowed in a bike race but suspension is .

The point I made was re e-bikes extending the miles done or a perception of speed and risk on trails though. Suspension has raised our average speed downhill more than an e-bike can yet we’re not banned about 20 years after sus became widespread. E-bikes power you up to 15mph. That’s not that fast really, I can average >10mph XC on a rigid SS yet hit a fair bit quicker than that on a good downhill on the right bike – that’s where walkers see more threat. The point is, all this doom talk is not a lot to do with a bike having a battery and all to do with riders of any bike riding like idiots.

Suspension helps you to make the most of the power that you are able to produce

And also causes more trail erosion…

Growing up riding MX in the 70’s and 80’s proved that to most people.

Moar travel moar bumps…

I’ve been around riding off road long enough to recognise that anything “new” has it’s haters and doom merchants.

Suspension, discs, wheel sizes  same old same old from people that are scared of change.

No one is forcing you to do anything you don’t want.

Don’t like something easy don’t buy it.

you m8’s had a kenevo spare sitting around? I’ve got the wrong m8’s! 😉
I’ve just got a Vitus E-Sommet as a replacement for a bust out of the box sale Ghost kato e-bike, & am having a whole load of fun, instead of slogging around struggling on my manual HT. I have no ‘excuse’, I probably wouldn’t have bought one yet but have a group of new riding m8’s* who started cycling (or renewed an interest) because e-bikes allowed them to. These are guys at an age where gaining the cycling fitness would have been simply off-putting with family/life commitments, but are bouncing around asking about the next ride or which bit of kit to buy.
So I’ve tested a bunch over that last year myself & come to the simple conclusion, e-bikes are fun, & bought one.

*my new e-bike group all have decent off-road m/c backgrounds, if e-bikes were just motorcycles, these guys wouldnt be putting up with the limited power.

I think the past above sums up the problem of eBikes, m8.

^ exactly.

i think there are two types of ebike riders….

1) people with medical and/or physical problems that need a bit of an assist. My neighbour Jim for example. He’s 70 now, keen cyclist all his life but has developed a heart condition and can’t let his HR go above about 150bpm.

2) arseholes.

Why, do you think ppl are only allowed to ride if they suffering, or your not interested in allowing people who wouldnt otherwise to get out enjoying the countryside & have some harmless fun? Yet I’m the #2?

It’s almost worth getting one just to annoy people like you.

No, I’m not annoyed at all 😉

Just bit of light Sunday evening ebiker trolling.

still wouldn’t be seen dead on one though.

zippy – see point 1, covers your question I think.

Really doesn’t, but whatever

I think it must be the lack of exercise that makes all you ebike owners so tetchy.

I’m fit and able, good standard Enduro rider..e-bikes are just such a grin. Surely I don’t have to be disabled to ride one? It’s just another way to ride bikes..what we all love eh?

.

Enjoying the outdoors under your own steam is, for me, the point of going cycling. Technical climbs and my own physical limitations are as much a part of it as anything else. That’s why I ride a rigid bike, often singlespeed, I take tools and first-aid too such that I can be as self-reliant as possible.

I’m very happy to acknowledge e-bikes as a great tool for making that accessible to the old/injured/infirm and an increase in trail wear and tear is a price we pay. The proliferation amongst  particular kinds of rider however is worrying.

One issue for me is shared by many long-travel full-suspension bikes, the technology allows people to get far enough out of their depth that the consequences are much more serious than they are prepared to accept. Speeds are higher so we are more intimidating and crashes are more violent. The unfit and inexperienced are further from help/home without the navigational, mechanical and physical resource to self-rescue.

The second issue is the creep toward lightweight motorbikes and the inevitable access difficulties that may cause the rest of us. Arguments pointing toward the damage that motorbikes cause on trails are already common in these debates.

If you need one, buy it and use responsibly. enjoy.

If you are new, please take time to develop skills/fitness, why not stick to the trail centres? They’re fun and there’re usually people around to peel you off trees/call the ambulance/fix your chain

If your interest is in de-restricted ragging around then please, please, go do it in a private woodland or stick to the green lanes/rupps. Don’t ruin it for all.

GeForce Junky are you still running stock tyres?

I can highly recommend the Maxxis DHR 2 27.5 x 2.8, I prefer them to the 29er Michelin Wild Mud tyres.

The only problem so far; the Lakes District eats plus tyres for breakfast
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“If your interest is in de-restricted ragging around then please, please, go do it in a private woodland or stick to the green lanes/rupps. Don’t ruin it for all.”

Well put ontor, but it’ll fall on deaf ears ☹

Enjoying the outdoors under your own steam is, for me, the point of going cycling

That nice for you, and your point is caller?

One issue for me is shared by many long-travel full-suspension bikes, the technology allows people to get far enough out of their depth that the consequences are much more serious than they are prepared to accep

So your advocating a blanket ban on all long travel bikes? (e-bike or otherwise)

The second issue is the creep toward lightweight motorbikes and the inevitable access difficulties that may cause the rest of us. Arguments pointing toward the damage that motorbikes cause on trails are already common in these debates.

An argument repeated by the anti-ebike mongers, which has no bases in reality. E-bike are only ever going to get lighter, more toward normal mtb’s not the other way round.
Also if you ever ridden a m/c and an e-bike you would see there is no comparison.

Are you being purposefully obtuse (look it up, it might be your new word for the day)?

His point is that cycling is about the combination of man and machine working in harmony, along with some sweat and effort, to reach your end point.

Add a motor into the equation and the machinery starts to take over.

There are so few pursuits these days where we actually have to work to see a result.

If I were in charge (unlikely to happen, but you never know) there would be a mandatory 12 month period for new MTBers where they would have to ride a rigid SS bike to gain the appropriate skills. Once they passed a test they could then ride whatever they liked 😉

Still trolling eh?
Again what is the point of your comment?
Other than your dislike of them, there is nothing constructive in your/his objections… oh my god the machines are taking over, did Maximum Overdrive scare you silly?

I’ll be looking for a new MTB soon,  I’ve got a fat bike and a hard tail XC bike, so would like something with a decent fork and strength to just do downhill, jumps and trail stuff in the local woods.

I’m struggling to see why I wouldn’t buy an Ebike for this, other than the increased cost over a similar spec standard bike.

Then again, I really like the look of the new Flare Max or BFE. 🙂

@ajantom

i think there are two types of ebike riders….

1) people with medical and/or physical problems that need a bit of an assist. My neighbour Jim for example. He’s 70 now, keen cyclist all his life but has developed a heart condition and can’t let his HR go above about 150bpm.
2) arseholes

i think there is one type of ajantom

1) arsehole

So your advocating a blanket ban on all long travel bikes? (e-bike or otherwise)

No I don’t want anything banned. I just said it was worrying and that I hope people are cautious enough to not severely injure themselves by letting the machine get them into trouble. It’s a bit like learning to ride a motorbike on something other than a 600cc+ beast.

The second issue is the creep toward lightweight motorbikes and the inevitable access difficulties that may cause the rest of us. Arguments pointing toward the damage that motorbikes cause on trails are already common in these debates.

An argument repeated by the anti-ebike mongers, which has no bases in reality. E-bike are only ever going to get lighter, more toward normal mtb’s not the other way round.
Also if you ever ridden a m/c and an e-bike you would see there is no comparison.

I have ridden both, but that’s irrelevant. There will be an evolution but the bias will likely be toward more power and longer run times rather than lower weight. The whole point is to work less hard for your speed/thrill isn’t it?

The significant access issue is that anything with a motor will be mentally categorised with motorbikes by the uneducated majority. Cyclists and e-bikers are not, for the most part, those with a significant say in controlling access. Because the e-bikes will be hard to spot there is the potential for restrictions to be blanket in their application.

Ajantom puts it perfectly:

His point is that cycling is about the combination of man and machine working in harmony, along with some sweat and effort, to reach your end point

Add a motor into the equation and the machinery starts to take over.

Which is exactly why I was expressing a concern that comes about because of stuff like this:

I can’t keep up with them on pedal power alone (despite me be pretty fit). And now i’m hearing all sorts of stuff about them de-restricting and modifying their bikes (because “last week Dave was much faster than me” etc etc they already have bought 2 spare batteries each so they can do more “laps”)

which seems intrinsically linked to e-bikes.

Again what is the point of your comment?Other than your dislike of them, there is nothing constructive in your/his objections… oh my god the machines are taking over, did Maximum Overdrive scare you silly?

No, actually quite serious. Maybe not the mandatory rigid bike but, but it wouldn’t hurt.

Take a look at most of the best bike riders about, especially your big air/trick specialists. The majority of them started out on bmxs or dirt jump bikes, either fully rigid or with short travel forks. Look at slopestyle contests – many riders still using hardtails (or very short travel full sus bikes) – they are riding stuff way beyond 99.9% of us here could.

Why? They have skills, not a 180mm skill compensator.

Chuck a beginner on a modern enduro bike and yes, they’ll be able to ride most things, but they’re more likely to spanner themselves and the trails in the process.

Now ignoring those who use an ebike out of necessity, then adding a motor to a big full sus bike is just an extension of the problem.

Ride what you like. It really won’t matter to me. But also expect to have the piss mercilessly ripped if you do.

@ Lester. I’m actually really lovely in person 😘

im sure you are, so am i but i dont completely fit in your category 1 so according to your logic lol.

i have a few bikes and one of them is an ebike,
What i take issue with, is people having an uninformed opinion.
I reckon 90% of the people on e-bikes here on singletrack are your average mountain bikers,like you are at the moment.
I can only recall one person who has an ebike having anything but praise for them, few of these same people use an ebike as their only bike. So they have an informed opinion on having an ebike. Fair enough if people want to argue against e-bikes,for a variety of reasons, but why would anyone take any notice of the uninformed?
ill be riding my non e bike 3 times this week, and possibly my e-bike for a longer ride at the weekend.

@ajantom
If I were in charge (unlikely to happen, but you never know) there would be a mandatory 12 month period for new MTBers where they would have to ride a rigid SS bike to gain the appropriate skills. Once they passed a test they could then ride whatever they liked 😉

the best rider i know, does not come from that back ground, and he is the person who told me i needed to try one, and get one.

I didn’t say all, just many.

Some very good riders from MX backgrounds too….Gwin was an MXer wasn’t he?

I used to love green laning on my old Honda XR250.

On the other hand I enjoy riding long distance under my own steam – hopefully doing a 40ish mile XC ride tomorrow. I like ‘the burn’! That is IMO part of what cycling is about.

Yes, I’ve heard the ‘but it’s still hard work on an ebike, I sweat and everything, it just let’s me go further and do more DH runs.’

Well do you know what, just go a but less far, but have the satisfaction of knowing it was all you. And get fitter. Then go further.

Ride what you like. It really won’t matter to me

And yet you keep post about it and trying to tell people what and how they should ride.😚

Sitting at home with a sicky 4 year old and a vacuum cleaner of a 6 month old. Need to do something between feeding one and clearing up after the other 😉

I’ll wander away from this thread now.

if you had an e bike, you could go out later and do twice as many miles in the same time to relax from dad duties

I’d rather do half the miles and not feel like I’m cheating.

” you had an e bike, you could go out later and do twice as many miles in the same time.”

Never felt twice the miles equals twice the enjoyment. I’ve got vehicles with engines for that…….hang on a minute 😉

 not feel like I’m cheating.

I wasn’t aware there were any rules to just going out for a ride.🤔

Ok I’ll clarify, cheating myself. Though I suspect you know quite well what I meant 🍩

Yep it’s clear that you think people you don’t know should for some odd reason stick to some rules that only exist in your mind.🤡

“I’m struggling to see why I wouldn’t buy an Ebike for this, other than the increased cost over a similar spec standard bike.”

Because it would mean you had given up in life….. And you would be dead to me…

There was a group yesterday using a shuttle service despite them ALL riding sodding bikes with motor support. Ducks.