3 pages eh, silly question to start a thread IMO.. let em’ in..

Put them up front all day like this (first hand full of riders say) then all the manually propelled form a neat group behind.. think of it like old school Durney trackies..

Or just let them in because they want to get out and have some outside riding fun in an organised event.

Honestly, what are your problems with eBikes ?

Honestly, what are your problems with eBikes ?

Some people genuinely buy into the concept that the value in cycling is that it’s a wholly human powered activity. Also that there are values and traditions relating to cycling that have been passed down through generations, and are something to be treasured and preserved. In this day and age other opinions exist, so its good to discuss them, perhaps on a cycling forum maybe ?

Nah, it’s all about transportation and pushing oneself to some degree.

eBikes allow the same principles to those notions, but opens up the less fit/infirm/health deficiency or can’t be bothered to get fit types to ride around in a group (or not)

Best thing that could happen to society IMO.

Sorry bikebouy your only looking at things from your own perspective. To many cycling is far more than just transport and/or fitness. Ebikes and them being considered bicycles is probably the biggest change in cycling since its invention. Your perfectly entitled to your views but at least try and understand how others might feel about this subject.

If that’s the case then the “many” need to take a long hard look at themselves if others on ebikes somewhat lesson their personal enjoyment,

Also that there are values and traditions relating to cycling that have been passed down through generations, and are something to be treasured and preserved.

Which ones?
Serious question.

Lying about taking PEDs is obviously one.

Honestly, what are your problems with eBikes ?

Ask this guy 😉

eBikes allow the same principles to those notions, but opens up the less fit/infirm/health deficiency or can’t be bothered to get fit types to ride around in a group (or not)

Quite a bit of this for me. Having been on rides with friends on ebikes, who otherwise would probably not be out riding, I’ve no problem with them. Quite good fun trying to keep up on the hills!

Ebikes and sportives, up to the organisers I guess, don’t see a problem with it myself but then I don’t ride sportives 😉

Some people genuinely buy into the concept that the value in cycling is that it’s a wholly human powered activity. Also that there are values and traditions relating to cycling that have been passed down through generations, and are something to be treasured and preserved. In this day and age other opinions exist, so its good to discuss them, perhaps on a cycling forum maybe ?

Motivational speaker Simon Sinek did a good talk on Millenials. In this he explains how a whole generation has grown up with a sense of entitlement. They have been told they can everything they want in life. They have become so used to having instant gratification that they stand at the foot of the mountain looking at the summit and say to themselves “I want to be at the top of that mountain” But they’re so focused on the summit, that they don’t see the rest of the mountain, or the journey involved to get there. They just instantly want to be at the summit without putting in the effort to reach the top.

E-bikes reflect this concept perfectly..

Youtube video clicky

That doesn’t explain why they’re mostly bought by the middle aged and elderly.

Didn’t Lance usually have some from of assistance on a ride?

I don’t disagree with ebikes completely, especially if they result in a few less cars on the road, and they help less able bodied people to get out and do something.
But I really, really don’t understand why some people buy them instead of getting fit. For me, cycling is about enjoying a physical challenge, (as well as enjoying being outdoors and riding fun descents). If you avoid the effort in getting fit, you’re missing out on a huge chunk of what cycling is about (for me). It’s not just that the descents are the reward, but the climbing and those months of riding to get fit are an important part.
Mr Pea and I talked about it last night and he thinks I’m unusual in enjoying hard work to get fit.

ebikes reflect this concept perfectly

Well, not quite as perfectly as chairlifts or uplifts that actually require no effort, unlike riding an ebike to the top

I don’t mind ebikes, if you’re old, ill etc. I just find them a bit depressing. Bikes are one of the most efficient ways of getting around, but that still isn’t good enough for some. They have to get there faster, or with less effect.
That space ship on Wall-e sums it up for me.

I haven’t read all the responses, but e-bikes aren’t solely the preserve of bone idle wasters who can’t be bothered to ride up hills properly. An old mate of mine was recently diagnosed with a combination of three underlying heart conditions, one of which could kill him quite emphatically if he over-stresses his heart.

He is – or was – a regular road rider going out weekly with a bunch of mates. It’s his blow-off valve from a stressful job and full-on family life. Not being able to ride with his friends and go away wth them occasionally to tackle sportives has left a big hole in his life.

He’s considering an e-bike as a way of continuing to ride with his mates with a reduced possibility of going home in a wooden box and leaving his kids fatherless. I don’t see why he shouldn’t be allowed to ride sportives with his mates and I doubt he’d be bothered about times or being in a special category or whatever because mostly he just wants a means of being able to ride again with an increased safety margin.

I can’t see that impacts on anyone else’s enjoyment or safety unless you’re a truly miserable, elitist idiot.

[Apologies to all the miserable, elitist idiots who’ve already posted here – nothing personal intended, but you might consider that there’s more than one reason to ride an e-bike]

I can’t see that impacts on anyone else’s enjoyment or safety unless you’re a truly miserable, elitist idiot.

Met many roadies?

Met many roadies?

Only on Zwift where electric bikes are de rigeur.

scotroutes – Member
That doesn’t explain why they’re mostly bought by the middle aged and elderly.

Because millennials are buying too many sandwiches and avacodos to afford an e-bike?

But I really, really don’t understand why some people buy them instead of getting fit. For me, cycling is about enjoying a physical challenge

Surely if you hate technology as an aid to going faster or further you should buy a fixie with wooden wheels or take up barefoot running.

You’ve simply chosen the technological aids that you find right for you: anything above those seems like cheating to you, and anything below presumably seems like a horsehair shirt.

But it’s all rather arbitrary.

I don’t see why you wouldn’t want to invite e-bikes on a sportive, seeing as 1. the more the merrier, surely, and 2. as many have pointed out, it’s not a race,

But I really, really don’t understand why some people buy them instead of getting fit

a friend of mine and his partner are now able to cycle together, he’s tremendously fit, and has years and years of cycling head-start on her, it would take ages for her to get anywhere near as fit as him to be able to ride to a point where she’s not blowing out of her arse, and he’s just cruising along. BUT, she’s working on it…In the meantime her e-bike allows them both to ride together.

That’s pretty cool if you ask me

I love how some people can have a pop at e-bikes and then at roadies, saying one is lazy and the other elitist. So you can be lazy on a bike and you can be trying to hard on a bike, then a pop at Zwift as how dare people train anywhere but knee high in mud!

I ride a road bike, and a SS CX bike, and a mountain bike and a fat bike, i’m a cyclist…. if someone wants to ride an e-bike and it means that they do that instead of driving everywhere or instead of not being able to ride at all. then good luck to them.

I didn’t know they were banned in BC sportives (I’m guessing they’re not in all the “private” company ones, like Epic Events and the like?).

They shouldn’t be. If it’s not a race, just a timed challenge then what type of bicycle is used shouldn’t matter, surely? MTB/cx/road bike/DH E-Bike, whatever.

Can’t see any reason for them not to be in a sportive, if it upsets the people who see them as a race in their own mind, tough.

I’m pretty unfussed about ebikes on the whole, I am seeing more on my local trails in the Peak. I do sometimes look at the rider and think you look younger than me and don’t look unfit or disabled; ‘what’s that all about?’. But they look like they are having fun, so what the hell?

Equally my best mate moved to Epping forest area 10 year’s ago, and with the addition of kids etc has seen his riding time squeezed. Whilst he’s still a fit a healthy 46 year old, his range on rides in the Peak has decreased over the years, and for the few times a year he comes up for a ride, I think an ebikes would be a great idea for him. Yes, he would be buying ‘fitness’, but so what. We could get back to longer rides again, so win win.

I do sometimes look at the rider and think you look younger than me and don’t look unfit or disabled; ‘what’s that all about?’

Just to pick up that disabilities aren’t always visible. You’d think me fine to look at me, my legs/body would disagree with you though. Unless you went riding with me on a normal bike then my legs looking like they’ve got jackhammers in them and also buckling when I dismount would give it away.

I do sometimes look at the rider and think you look younger than me and don’t look unfit or disabled; ‘what’s that all about?’.

Plenty of people with disabilities, especially if it’s an internal disability like a heart defect, lung function etc, look and sound entirely normal.

Yet they are the people most likely to be using e-bikes as a means of continuing to ride without overstressing their heart.

I think I should have just said I have never seen an ebike rider that looks like they have any health issues. But as I have 25 years nursing under my belt, should I assume they have a health issue or disability that isn’t immediately apparent or visible?

But hey, I don’t actually care if they do or don’t. If an ebike makes riding more fun for any rider, regardless of health status, who am I to criticise or judge? I’m all for personal choice.

then a pop at Zwift as how dare people train anywhere but knee high in mud!

If you’re referring to my post, it certainly wasn’t having a pop at Zwift. I was just referring to the studied seriousness of the avatars there with their set and serious facial expressions.

Could people just try a little not to hate and demean anyone who’s different from them? Just for a day or two maybe?

I think some people are missing the point of Sportives – which is to make money for the organisors. So of course they’re going to allow e-bikes, because the roadie ones are owned by their target market – people with more money than sense.

I think some people are missing the point of Sportives – which is to make money for the organisors.

While that is a definitely a valid statement, it should be pointed out that depending on which sportive you do, depends where the raised money goes; there are some really good smaller ones looking to raise money for charity.

Some people genuinely buy into the concept that the value in cycling is that it’s a wholly human powered activity. Also that there are values and traditions relating to cycling that have been passed down through generations, and are something to be treasured and preserved. In this day and age other opinions exist, so its good to discuss them, perhaps on a cycling forum maybe ?

Fair point. For me cycling is a self-powered challenge now but as a kid it was purely the fun of it, the feeling of being on 2 wheels. That feeling remains and for many on e-bikes it allows them that feeling w/o the need for sufficient fitness to get up ‘that hill’, manage 15 miles etc.
Not sure I’m too bothered by the values and traditions though, outside of the morally sound side of values. Some of all that is ok, some of it is just curmudgeoning and some of it is just about celebrating riders who were full of amphetamines half the time : )

taxi25 – Member
Sorry bikebouy your only looking at things from your own perspective. To many cycling is far more than just transport and/or fitness. Ebikes and them being considered bicycles is probably the biggest change in cycling since its invention. Your perfectly entitled to your views but at least try and understand how others might feel about this subject.

Phah! just spat my tea over the keyboard..

My perspective, absolutely is my perspective and plenty of others unless you’ve been locked in a Pain Cave for 4 years..

You’ve clearly not read my comments earlier, so go have a read.. come back when you’ve got something more to contribute. Toodle Pip…