Yesterday I was out in a nearby forest on my bike twiddling low gears up a logging track incline on the furthest point from home and just heading back, when an unfit looking bloke whizzed past quite close on a full-suspension e-bike, startling me into apologizing for some reason. He didn’t say anything. This always gets me as I’m using my own unfit legs for propulsion. I know e-bikes get people who might not otherwise be able to out and about in the outdoors, and each time I have a mix of envy and the feeling of being cheated. I just can’t help it. It also occurs to me that I could explore an awful lot more territory with one of these rather than sticking within my own physical comfort zone. But there’s a thing that cyclists always do when meeting another in the trail - and even more so in the road - try and overtake. It’s just what we do, we can’t help ourselves. And if you’re doing that under electric power it’s cheating, right? A few hundred yards further up on the crest of the incline I could see he’d stopped, and as I got closer he was holding a broken chain. As I passed I rather unkindly said “what’s up? Run out of battery?” knowing full well that wasn’t the case. “Broken chain” he replied. It looked to me like he didn’t have any tools or essential spares like a chain link, and in a split second I decided not to check whether mine, which should have been in my toolkit, would fit his chain. I was a few miles from home and headed back. I felt really mean. It was really mean of me. But I also felt smug that his earlier advantage had been leveled off and his lack of preparation was karma somehow. He had an easy roll back down the hill to the nearest road anyway. I should have stopped to help. Any self-propelled rider in that situation and I would have, even in these strange times of social distancing where we avoid each other as if they have the plague. So I feel I have to make amends by proclaiming my mean-mindedness. I suppose it could be a similar thing with a Subaru engined bus. Anyway - any thoughts or experiences on e-bikes? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I’ve looked at them because my other half doesn’t really like hills on her bike, but I can’t bring myself to do it. Plus, they cost a fair bit, so I’d be worried about them getting nicked. We bought a tandem instead.
I bought a crappy tandem for a laugh a few years back for £40. It was unused. Used it a few times for laughs with the (ex)wife and nephews then it sat in the shed, until one day when returning from a ride I found my dad had dropped round to say hello and was sitting in the garden waiting for me. I suddenly remembered the tandem and the fact that he’d always wanted to ride a bike one more time, but with his false leg we just couldn’t get it to work in my bikes. Here he is: His last ride. He died maybe 6 months or so after. If e-bikes had been around then maybe that would have got him out. I gave the tandem away to a local bike hire place when I needed the space. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
@Gingerbus that's the difference between Crawley and East Grinstead folk, I would of stopped offered him a nice cold Pride whilst I fixed his chain , shame on you
One of the guys in our informal mountain biking group rides an e-bike, he does exactly what your chap did rushes past everyone going uphill and then because his skills are poor gets in the way of everyone going down hill. he keeps saying we should all get one, and tries to justify having it, in reality he is just a lazy *****er, the best thing is everyone give him so much Marmite and he still comes back for more. He gets continually called out for being a cheat and we all have to keep a check on his strava records so that he records his rides as an e-bike ride so that he doesn't take all the King of The Mountain records on an unpowered basis. They probably get people out into the outdoors who might not have got there but they are cheating themselves if they think they are getting any fitter, just like the guy who overtook you, he probably went home and had three pieces of cake. Last year in the Alps on the road climbs there were quite a few about all ridden by big fat guys, I just ignored them. Apparently sales of these have boomed, not sure I'll ever buy one ... still riding my Trek hardtail from 2002 or my Madone 2008.
I converted my mountain bike to a Ebike due to health problems stopping me from riding it ( I use to do endurance mountain bike racing) You still have to peddle and put some effort in as the motor assists rather than drives like a motorbike. In my book if it means people get outside in the fresh air so what if the bike has a motor helping them it’s not a competition.
Anything that gets people out and about must be a good thing right?! I looked at a full downhill e-bike purely for downhill work....yes you get more exercise having a meat powered bike but you get three or four more runs each day which if your objective is purely downhill, can’t be a bad thing. I couldn’t justify the expense. The assist cross country ebikes look good....the match your power input, so if you don’t generate wattage, neither do they.
My wife has a E bike she uses it in the house or if shes reading in bed, she wouldn't use it outside, I think they are disgusting......... Sorry it's E cigarette my wife has
Could say the same about mobility scooters, there's no doubting that getting out in the fresh air is good for you but the slide to an e-bike for those whose only disability is laziness cant be good can it? No wonder we have a massive obesity problem. Fine if you have heart or other problems, but for most they just aren't necessary, just build up your fitness and ride within your limits.
I live in an area of extreme hills, good luck to anyone that’s starting out around here as it’s bloody hard work, no matter which direction they take. An e-bike opens it up to a load of people, silently, that’s surely a good thing. Appreciate @Gingerbus sentiments, I know where he’s coming from.....but we cyclists can be a judgemental and over bearing lot, it can’t be good if we only see divisions. I’d take comfort in being fitter and healthier on my terms over an E-bike rider, surely that’s enough?
I did the same with a kit from The Electric Bike Company a few years ago due to health issues. The thing I like about it is that I can set the assistance from 1 to 5 so I can use it without assistance or on 1 for any any inclines and if I get into trouble I can ride it on 4/5 while I recover. I use it all the time and would be stuffed without it quite frankly.
