Is ebiking “giving in/up”?

Is this your first time on the internet?

err, no, why ?

I have been on stw since about 2008.

I haven’t ridden my ebike once this year – I’d have sold it if the new ones weren’t so cheap.

I haven’t missed it much.  But every time I go to the woods, where it’s a case of winching up a fire road for 45 minutes to blast down through the trees for a few minutes before repeating (think Golfie and the like), I realise how much more riding I would have fitted in on my ebike.

They absolutely have their place for that kind of riding, no matter how fit you are. Given the kind of riding you do with Jnr, I reckon this might be you too.  Take the Rise.

I would respectfully suggest that anyone that hasn’t used an eeb for proper riding is talking out of their hoop.

100% this ☝️ There’s a lot of bias (and uneducated) views on this thread isn’t there 😂 some need to get off their high horses. Tbh 12 months ago I may have been one of them.

But i can only speak from my own experience as a new to Ebikes rider this year after 30+ on regular MTBs. i’ve done almost 500 assisted miles since purchase on my first ebike in March this year, and also around 200 on my regular bike  since then. Being predominantly a weekend rider, I normally do around 300-350 miles a year on the regular bike. So the ebike has enabled a fair bit of additional milage and smiles, in fact more than doubled my mileage as I’ve only owned it 9months.

I use the ebike along side the regular bike, if I go to a trial center solo I take both – use the regular bike for xc then the ebike when I’m knackered. If I go to windhill or 417, the ebike gets used for twice the amount of loops over the regular bike (uplift or not) 20+laps instead of 10+. Heart rate stays in a lower zone than it would on a regular bike but still gives good fitness gains without the lung busting + I get additional workout on the downs with double the fun. So you can use an ebike to maintain fitness, it’s just a different type of workout.

I can now go for rides with other Ebikers and keep up but I also go for rides with non Ebikers on the regular bike with zero loss of fitness. I could have an ebike as my only bike, but it would restrict my rides, as would only having a regular bike and I enjoy both.

I went to FoD today with an ebiker mate got there at 12, did the red xc as quickly as we could then sessioned the dh trails for the rest of the afternoon, had a blast and still came home with achy legs.

An ebike is not the same as a regular MTB, they are both tools, just different types. How you use it is key. I don’t care if an Ebiker is 12, 20 or 80 they are out out having fun putting miles in, who cares if the additional miles are assisted?

who cares if the additional miles are assisted

Me, because I have to work harder than them to earn my descents which makes me better.

There’s some condescending going on from both sides tbh. Ride an eBike, don’t ride an eBike, just don’t tell others what they do or don’t enjoy doing.

Me, because I have to work harder than them to earn my descents which makes me better

Why exactly do you have to ‘earn’ descents?

So I’m confused. Are eBikes worse than road bikes?

It’s not giving up, but I feel the pressure to give in because I’m Billy No Mates on an analogue bike 😂

Though it’s not about eebs, just the latest trend and a bit of FMO. Similar where all your mates moved onto 27.5 and now 29 wheels and I’m a wheel size or two behind, not up to the latest number of cogs on cassettes. Maybe I’m a bit of a luddite with bike tech 😄. Though I was instantly sold on dropper posts.

Why exactly do you have to ‘earn’ descents?

Go without pudding if you’re on an e-bike, or pedal up a hill on a regular bike.

If ebiking is giving up, what is using an uplift?!!

Also, if I ride my ebike with the motor on is it a motorbike but if I ride it with the motor off, is it then a bicycle?

At a guess I’d say that 75% of my Levo’s mileage has been with the motor off (a mix of proper downhill (I don’t like having the motor on when descending), above the cut-out speed on flat-ish roads, and group rides with normal MTBers so I don’t need the power to keep up and turning the power on makes it too easy).

Throwing a 50lb ebike around on a descent means you earn the assist on the climbs

I’m feeling like weeksy trolled us all then pissed off out for a ride

Well that wasn’t my intention but seems that’s how it played out.

I then went to the pub to refuel the calories I didn’t burn earlier too. Then came back home for more beer.
I was honestly just curious about the perception of others. I’m honestly a fan of ebikes, both before hand and after today. But for me it’s a different ‘sport’ in some ways, like Roadies and CX are, it’s a basis on a theme but still different.
I guess for me it’s like Trackdays on motorbikes compared to touring, they’re the same but massively different too.

I didn’t ‘work’ as hard today as some days on a manual bike, but I still had to get down the tech, the roots, hold speed in the corners and berms etc. I just didn’t wipe myself out getting to them.

A bit like a motor bike then.

You could go much faster up and down so why bother with an ebike?

Also, if I ride my ebike with the motor on is it a motorbike but if I ride it with the motor off, is it then a bicycle?

Yes.

I’m just grateful for all you current ebikers for doing all the beta testing that the likes of Shimano, Bosch etc etc didn’t bother doing before releasing them onto the market for early adopters to work the bugs out. 😉

One day, I’ll be too old/too infirm/too lazy/too short of time to be able ride my mountain bike and your sacrifice should mean that by the time I come to buy an ebike, they’ll be just as reliable as my current bike for only a slight weight penalty and for only a slight price premium as the inevitable trickle down of tech brings prices down to something bearable.

Also, just checking…I presume all you ebikers who rack up so many extra rides/miles/ascent (however you choose to quantify it) pay back for the additional wear and tear on trails by doing some trail work and/advocacy and/or financially?

1  mtbing is not a sport unless you are racing 

2 ebikes and non ebikes are different pastimes

I have both and use both.  I ride non assisted more.  The noise weight and lack of range on an ebike annoys me

A bit like a motor bike then.

You could go much faster up and down so why bother with an ebike?

Because you can’t ride a motorbike in many places, but you know that of course and are just trolling.

Also, a moto enduro bike won’t be any faster on technical downhill tracks.

Every time you use turbo a kitten dies

I’m a dog person…

Werewolf is the correct term

Gentlemen, please select a weapon and head to the carpark where you can thrash each other into a foaming, spittle covered frenzy….

Never understand why people get so opinionated about someone else’s choice of bike, be it road, gravel, ebike and so on.
You should only speak for yourself if you think it is giving up based on your circumstances and what riding you enjoy doing.
I like riding up hills for example so why would I want an eBike as I am riding faster than 15.5 at all times apart from uphill but they are my circumstances and preferences.
If someone else wants to save energy/time in places to have more for other places then great.

Never understand why people get so opinionated about someone else’s choice of bike

Because the fun of the descents has to be earned by the misery of the climb, otherwise the moral balance of the universe is disturbed. If other people cheat and don’t suffer on the climbs, the rest of us have to suffer more to keep things in equilibrium.

I think being Billy No Mates on a shaker bike has driven me to a Eeb.  In my younger , fitter days I used to love going up hills – but as I have got older, I became slower.  Going around places like the Surrey Hills meant everyone was waiting for me – then the minute you arrive at the top of the hill they set off again!

With the advent of Eebs I am now still last up the hill because I refuse to use Turbo mode.  That real is cheating

I was at Glentress the other day. Before I properly spangled myself in Twitcher in a cross wind I saw 11 people including me. 8 were on ebikes. Once I shreaded my jacket and shorts I gave up counting. I’m the most unfit I’ve been since Y2K. Each time someone passed me I was reassured they were on an ebikeas they flew past me.

Downhill I don’t think there was any difference.

Everyone seemed happy on bikes, ebikes and shotgun seats (apart from me after knackerinf myself. To reassure everyone, my bike is ok).

My main thing is climbing. I’ve never done any aid climbing because the whole point for me is to get to the top and back using my own strength and skill.  Using an ebike would feel like aid climbing to me so I’m just not interested for the same reason.

If other people cheat and don’t suffer on the climbs, the rest of us have to suffer more to keep things in equilibrium.

Thank you for taking one for the ‘team’. Keep up the good work 😁

My main thing is climbing

I hope you climb down as well as up, anything else would be cheating.

I hope you climb down as well as up, anything else would be cheating.

This is STW, nobody ever climbs down.

I hope you climb down as well as up, anything else would be cheating.

My main thing is climbing. I’ve never done any aid climbing because the whole point for me is to get to the top and back using your own strength and skill. Using an ebike would feel like aid climbing to me so I’m just not interested for the same reason.

I can and have done climbs on the ebike that wouldn’t be possible on a proper mtb, really steep techy stuff that requires a lot of effort to ride. Climbing has never been something I really enjoyed on the mtb but the ebike has opened up a whole load of stuff around my local trails that I wouldn’t/couldn’t have done otherwise, and I generally get home equally as tired as I did before I bought it (I still have a proper mtb and use it regularly)

@colp not trolling just taking an idea to its logical end point.

I don’t really give a stuff what people ride, it’s up to them..

It’s the ebike evangelism that slightly irks. :)

I can and have done climbs on the ebike that wouldn’t be possible on a proper mtb, really steep techy stuff that requires a lot of effort to ride. Climbing has never been something I really enjoyed on the mtb but the ebike has opened up a whole load of stuff around my local trails that I wouldn’t/couldn’t have done otherwise, and I generally get home equally as tired as I did before I bought it

Sorry, I should have been clearer. When I said climbing I meant rock climbing.

I’ve never done any aid climbing

Oh come now, not even a little “French” pull on a hex to get to the top of that grade V in a hoolie to prevent a benightment……?

“ It’s the ebike evangelism that slightly irks. 🙂”

Most of it isn’t evangelism, it’s just different people’s opinions and many of them are understandably enthusiastic about ebikes, because as most find when they try them, they’re really fun!

In 2022 I discovered I love singlespeed MTBing and am keen to bang on about the joys of it. But no-one has had a go at me for being evangelistic about – it yet say anything similar about the joy of my ebike and a slew of people get in a huff.

I hope you climb down as well as up, anything else would be cheating.

In today’s wind that is a distinct possibility.

That’s because anybody who ‘enjoys’ riding a singlespeed, is already well beyond any kind of help, plus they generally don’t get offended when you make a joke about singlespeeding.

eBikers on the other hand have a habit of getting all defensive, as if they’re insecure about their decision to use an ebike. 🤐

But I am both those people simultaneously – I only have two MTBs! One has gears, front and rear suspension and a motor, the other has no gears, no rear suspension and no motor.

I’m the same person whichever bike I’m riding or talking about. And the two bikes are more similar to ride than any hardtail + full-sus pairing I’ve previously owned.

It’s not a case of being insecure about ebikes, it’s a case of those shooting down ebikes generally haven’t ridden them, don’t know what they’re talking about, and have come to all the wrong conclusions. A similar thing happened 10-15 years ago regarding dropper posts: “IF YOU NEED A DROPPER POST IT’S BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO RIDE A MTB PROPERLY!” And look at MTBs now…

eBikers on the other hand have a habit of getting all defensive, as if they’re insecure about their decision to use an ebike.

Being (semi) serious for a mo…

This is, I think, because SSers already know they look a bit ridiculous, and generally an SS bike costs less than a geared bike (unless it’s a bling Ti Jones 😆) so it’s just a bit of bike riding fun.

Whereas, ebikers know that a certain proportion of other cyclists dislike their choice of bike instantly, and they’ve also dropped a substantial wodge on the ebike (decent ones from £3-4k?) so to they can feel quite defensive about their choice.

I’m very much of the ride what you like viewpoint…BUT…I do take a bit of friendly pee out of mates who own ebike (but they know it’s good humoured) unfortunately it’s difficult to gauge humour online, so I’ll stop it on here.

I’m the same person whichever bike I’m riding or talking about.

How do you know that? What if you’re not but you just don’t realize it?

I think if we keep going we should all reach total enlightenment at some point this week.