grey-beard
Orange 🍊 Fan
This isn't a discussion thread, just a statement.
I don't get why some people don't get ebikes.
- Thread starter grey-beard
- Start date
- Feedback
- View
Because many knobs derestrict them and illegally ride them in places they shouldn't , E.g. Roads, cycle paths, bridleways, trail centres.
This causes problems.
Just a statement.
This causes problems.
Just a statement.
- Feedback
- View
ah, e bikes, i have one, i have sold them in the shop, i have mixed opinions still.
last time i was in NZ about january 2019 just before covid i was out riding on my Orange 5 in Rotorua, this guy span past us on a steep long gravel climb and cockily shouted "get an e bike and save your legs!" to which i replied "i'll keep my normal bike and save my pride", my riding buddy laughed so much he went in to oxygen deprivation and suddenly went backwards!
now here i am with an e bike. a bloody good one as well. now i think there are good reasons to get one but it changes what people think of you, who you ride with and where you ride and how long for.
my fitness has dropped off in the last few years, the shop has been crazy busy so riding has suffered, if i wanted to go do some of the big rides on the Isle of Wight that i used to do no problem on a standard bike i'd probably die! so the E bike enables me to do this, i did 36 very hilly miles last monday over there, no chance of me doing that on my normal bike, which is sad.
the other reason i think they are good is when your fitness does suck you can fall in to this motivational slump, you go out, it's hard, you feel sluggish etc, basically because you are not fit, you struggle and don't enjoy the ride, having an e bike means that it doesn't feel soul destroyingly hard which means you enjoy getting fit again, and that's a good thing, you just have to try and ween yourself off it as you start to feel better. my "training mtb spin" is 22miles of mostly gravel tracks in the new forest, when i ride the e bike on that route i add 2 extensions to knock it up to 30 miles, my logic being it's easier so i should do more miles, i think that is a good compromise.
what i have noticed is other people on normal bikes look at you like you are either a flash sod or you feel they are rolling their eyes at you, i find the best thing to do is be self depreciating so i tend to say "sorry! i'm cheating today" if i over take them etc, tends to make them hate you less for making that climb look easy.
the other thing is if a mate says "do you want to go for a ride?", if he hasn't got an e bike you should take your normal bike and not your e bike unless the fitness difference is vast between you!
i think most cyclists that hate them hate them because a lot of the people that buy them are over a certain age and have returned to cycling after a long time, spend a fortune and act like a knob on them, sort of like the mid 50's guy who suddenly decides to buy a harley davidson because he still has his license and he's got a chunk of money to piss away and buying all that kit etc makes him act like spending all the money makes him part of a group! the other reason normal cyclists hate them is because they haven't tried one and i think they might be scared they'd like them so the ridicule them instead to make themselves feel better about it.
regards the de-restricted stuff, i hate it, i refuse to work on any home project, bolt on kit stuff, it's all crap and at best a botch job, not to mention a liability! those riders are utter see you next tuesday types, if you mention the law to them they always brush it off like it doesn't apply to them or just say "well they'll have to catch me first" etc
overall i think they are good if it's a good e bike, as in not the amazon/wish/ebay rubbish!
last time i was in NZ about january 2019 just before covid i was out riding on my Orange 5 in Rotorua, this guy span past us on a steep long gravel climb and cockily shouted "get an e bike and save your legs!" to which i replied "i'll keep my normal bike and save my pride", my riding buddy laughed so much he went in to oxygen deprivation and suddenly went backwards!
now here i am with an e bike. a bloody good one as well. now i think there are good reasons to get one but it changes what people think of you, who you ride with and where you ride and how long for.
my fitness has dropped off in the last few years, the shop has been crazy busy so riding has suffered, if i wanted to go do some of the big rides on the Isle of Wight that i used to do no problem on a standard bike i'd probably die! so the E bike enables me to do this, i did 36 very hilly miles last monday over there, no chance of me doing that on my normal bike, which is sad.
the other reason i think they are good is when your fitness does suck you can fall in to this motivational slump, you go out, it's hard, you feel sluggish etc, basically because you are not fit, you struggle and don't enjoy the ride, having an e bike means that it doesn't feel soul destroyingly hard which means you enjoy getting fit again, and that's a good thing, you just have to try and ween yourself off it as you start to feel better. my "training mtb spin" is 22miles of mostly gravel tracks in the new forest, when i ride the e bike on that route i add 2 extensions to knock it up to 30 miles, my logic being it's easier so i should do more miles, i think that is a good compromise.
what i have noticed is other people on normal bikes look at you like you are either a flash sod or you feel they are rolling their eyes at you, i find the best thing to do is be self depreciating so i tend to say "sorry! i'm cheating today" if i over take them etc, tends to make them hate you less for making that climb look easy.
the other thing is if a mate says "do you want to go for a ride?", if he hasn't got an e bike you should take your normal bike and not your e bike unless the fitness difference is vast between you!
i think most cyclists that hate them hate them because a lot of the people that buy them are over a certain age and have returned to cycling after a long time, spend a fortune and act like a knob on them, sort of like the mid 50's guy who suddenly decides to buy a harley davidson because he still has his license and he's got a chunk of money to piss away and buying all that kit etc makes him act like spending all the money makes him part of a group! the other reason normal cyclists hate them is because they haven't tried one and i think they might be scared they'd like them so the ridicule them instead to make themselves feel better about it.
regards the de-restricted stuff, i hate it, i refuse to work on any home project, bolt on kit stuff, it's all crap and at best a botch job, not to mention a liability! those riders are utter see you next tuesday types, if you mention the law to them they always brush it off like it doesn't apply to them or just say "well they'll have to catch me first" etc
overall i think they are good if it's a good e bike, as in not the amazon/wish/ebay rubbish!
So much sense spoken.
Yep, that’s definitely why a lot of people don’t get them
- And it’s about as rational as hating immigrants/trans-people/breeds of dogs etc because of the behaviour of a tiny minority (whilst conveniently ignoring the fact that there are idiots in all realms of life (*ie cyclists*)
warrior4life
Old School Hero
I can understand if it's genuinely just a commuting mode of transport. I can understand if you enjoy DH or MTB and don't have much fitness. Again if you're old or have injuries. (I guess I do understand why people get them).
One thing that HUGELY annoyed me. I was battering the red route at Sherwood pines and I hear a voice behind me saying "wow you're flying". I look back and there's an old guy on an ebike. I waited at the end of the segment for him to pass by, he then waited for me and tailed me again saying how fast I was.
I got the impression the guy thought he was "in the gang". I'm thinking, "I don't know you, we have nothing in common, the only reason you're staying with me is because you have an engine". If a guy was riding normal bike and staying with me id be inclined to chat.
In the end I was so frustrated I turned off the trail and used some quieter bits.
I cant imagine somebody running a pb on a 10K and a guy on an electric scooter rolling up and trying to chat.
The guy was trying to talk to me when I was on the limit as well.
I also did a gravel sportive and my friend and I had a guy on an ebike tag on, it was fast and flat 50. He refused to come to the front. Thankfully his battery ran out at 40 miles and we left him. I couldn't believe I had a guy on an ebike drafting me.
That's what annoys me about ebikes.
Think I've listed the good and bad and there.
One thing that HUGELY annoyed me. I was battering the red route at Sherwood pines and I hear a voice behind me saying "wow you're flying". I look back and there's an old guy on an ebike. I waited at the end of the segment for him to pass by, he then waited for me and tailed me again saying how fast I was.
I got the impression the guy thought he was "in the gang". I'm thinking, "I don't know you, we have nothing in common, the only reason you're staying with me is because you have an engine". If a guy was riding normal bike and staying with me id be inclined to chat.
In the end I was so frustrated I turned off the trail and used some quieter bits.
I cant imagine somebody running a pb on a 10K and a guy on an electric scooter rolling up and trying to chat.
The guy was trying to talk to me when I was on the limit as well.
I also did a gravel sportive and my friend and I had a guy on an ebike tag on, it was fast and flat 50. He refused to come to the front. Thankfully his battery ran out at 40 miles and we left him. I couldn't believe I had a guy on an ebike drafting me.
That's what annoys me about ebikes.
Think I've listed the good and bad and there.
