Do eBikes belong on the mountain?

[Stretched@Birth]

The comment at 3:53 sums it up for me, Andrew has to shuttle, Greg uses his e-bike.  If you are more into the gravity type riding, then an e-bike makes absolute sense.  

[Robbie Stewart]

On a visit to my LBS (West Coast Specialized) last year for some TLC on my current bike the owner duly informed me that she will give me a good trade-in on my bike since my next bike will be an e-bike. I just smiled and asked her if that new e-bike comes with a maintenance plan. Her response was not what I expected. She basically confirmed that this was something that was actually being considered.

I can see myself riding analogue for a long long time. I have a very laat lammetjie who is only just starting pre-school tomorrow. She'll be done with school as I get kicked to the kerb by the boss . . .

I won't be upgrading cars, bikes or pretty much anything else for the foreseeable future.

[saggy]

On 1/17/2022 at 12:43 PM, BrentCGP said:

Touched a nerve?

1. You know what they say about assumptions?

They are also probably not coming back from H&A.

2. It's not hard to tell if you have been out on the trails or just strolling along, everyday the same people. And it's not hard to spot people in Hermanus with more money than common sense. Each to their own.

Be lekker.

 

 

Like assuming the lady you saw in Pretoria will claim claim her top 10 QOM on Strava

 

Be lekker

[Shebeen]

 

It's been about 5 years since this article was published, and the comments on it are a snapshot of how perceptions have changed. Just skimming the first few pages there are some interesting ones! Wonder how many people will come and say, I was wrong about this one, or.....I have now bought one and love it?

 

On 3/6/2017 at 8:49 AM, stringbean said:

 

#6 100%

I believe they don't belong on the mountain but do believe we have nothing to worry about.At the moment they are only been ridden by pro's or ambassadors pushing them for the big companies OR the just plain fat and lazy.

Won't take long before pro's and ambassadors go back to their normal bikes and the fat and lazy by nature just park them all in the garage never to be ridden again.So we will see them on the trail now and neth but before long you won't see any.

Don't be fooled by the big companies saying it's going to take over.

They all just imported a shitload of ebikes they want to get rid of.

How many fat bikes we see on the trails now days?

 

 

 

 

On 3/6/2017 at 9:29 AM, stefmeister said:

e-bikes, and e-cigarettes is all the same and lame AF!

 

Do it if it makes you happy, but don't think for one second it's cool. You wanna blow big clouds of smoke, don't be a pussy and vape. Hit a Camel filter. Same goes for the rest of the e-wankery.

 

 

On 3/6/2017 at 10:28 AM, BaGearA said:

no

 

On 3/6/2017 at 10:37 AM, mecheng89 said:

Nope. 

 

On 3/6/2017 at 10:48 AM, Duane_Bosch said:

Personally I think they should be banned. Not because of the e bikes as such but soon enough you'll find some oke on his KTM 125 riding MTB trails and using E bikes as his justification as to why he can ride them.

 

On 3/6/2017 at 11:39 AM, MTBeer said:

Is e-biking the newest new golf?

 

On 3/6/2017 at 11:49 AM, stefmeister said:

The gist of my post was that they're not cool. I.e. you have no bragging rights when riding one - not that riding any bicycle gives you bragging rights though, but less so on an e-trail bike. 

 

But out on the trails...keep it real.

 

On 3/6/2017 at 12:09 PM, Headshot said:

And if you don't have a handicap, other than a very heavy wallet to carry around?

 

On 3/6/2017 at 12:41 PM, the nerd said:

E-Bikes are like guide dogs.. 

Shops do not allow dogs, but they allow guide dogs if the person requires the guide dog. 

Same should be applied. 

 

On 3/6/2017 at 2:03 PM, stringbean said:

You guys need to stop listening to the propaganda BS the big S company is feeding you.

 

On 3/6/2017 at 2:43 PM, NicoBoshoff said:

I also want a bike to take me further for those long rides.  Difference is that got me thinking my N+1 bike would be the new Spark or Anthem.  Not this crap.

 

On 3/6/2017 at 4:45 PM, Hairy said:

LOL   "super amped"

 

On 3/6/2017 at 4:56 PM, Harry Millar said:

E-bikes are a fantastic enabler for the handicapped.

 

On 3/6/2017 at 4:58 PM, 'Dale said:

Don't like it

Gotta live with it

#old_school_rules

 

On 3/6/2017 at 5:17 PM, tunariaan said:

Most of them are heavy and guys use way too much brake on them.

Its damaging to the single tracks.

Ban the out of the forest and the real single tracks.

There plenty open gravel roads to ride for them

 

On 3/6/2017 at 5:25 PM, stringbean said:

I still maintain they won't take off.As has been said,it's for the fat,lazy or handicapped.

E riders will always have that stigma.

As Skollie says the majority of E riders are people who take the easy way out so after a few months the bikes will simply be parked in the garage.We already starting to see some in classifieds.

 

On 3/6/2017 at 6:46 PM, henningvr said:

Maybe I'm a bit dof, 'cause I don't see the point. Cycling, and specifically climbing, makes you fit and strong. The more your climb, the stronger you get. So having a motor sort of defeats the objective (objective: getting fitter and stronger), doesn't it?

I can see some oke/gal on his/her e-bike, halfway up a long, steep climb, almost effortless compared to the non e-bikers, and the battery or motor says "Fark this, I'm out."

But hey, whatever makes your boat float. 

 

On 3/6/2017 at 7:39 PM, porqui said:

Why is this even being discussed?

All it shows is bias.

And to all the whippersnappers - those under 60 - come ride with me.

 

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

1 hour ago, Robbie Stewart said:

On a visit to my LBS (West Coast Specialized) last year for some TLC on my current bike the owner duly informed me that she will give me a good trade-in on my bike since my next bike will be an e-bike. I just smiled and asked her if that new e-bike comes with a maintenance plan. Her response was not what I expected. She basically confirmed that this was something that was actually being considered.

I can see myself riding analogue for a long long time. I have a very laat lammetjie who is only just starting pre-school tomorrow. She'll be done with school as I get kicked to the kerb by the boss . . .

I won't be upgrading cars, bikes or pretty much anything else for the foreseeable future.

Maintenance plan is probably a good idea given how many bikes probably get financed these days. Wild assumption but with very average e-bikes hitting the R100k it is a fairly assumption I think.

[The Habrador]

E-bikes are still a fantastic enabler for the disabled.

[Pieterlab1]

I love all my bikes, but I love my E Bike the most.

As long as I like it and enjoy it and have fun with it, I really cannot care less what anyone else think.

[Duane_Bosch]

12 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

I was wrong about this one, or.....I have now bought one and love it?

I was wrong.

[dirtrider]

This topic is so old I cannot recalled if I had an opinion but initially I would have given it the thumbs down. But I joined a very relaxed group of mtb'ers here in town with a lot of older people and slow riders. Also lots of these E Bike things. Since I don't know alot of how these bikes worked I prepared myself for a very fast ride trying to stay with these beasts. Turned out that the riders of these bikes don't want to be riding out in the front of even race you up a hill but simply want to also be out there and not be afraid of not keeping with the group or holding up everybody. 

So there is definitely place for them on the mountains and trails. But it will be a long time before I swop the single speed for one of these things.  

[_David_]

[Tatt]

On 1/16/2022 at 7:45 PM, 'Dale said:

The biggest trouble that comes with e-bikes is ‘ battery range anxiety’ 😩

I think I've posted here previously as to why I got an ebike... If not, I always said that when my medial bills from cycling exceed R500k, then I'll get one, I got past that number last September...

I must admit, that range anxiety is one of the things that is top of my mind... So, probably contrary to most with ebikes, I spend a lot of time riding with the motor switched off... Just to make sure I always have battery when I need it!! So I am getting a pretty good workout every time I hit the roaf.

And as per Hairy, it has all the metrics, can upload routes, etc, so it can basically be described as a glorified spinning bike that takes you places..

And I must admit, ebikes make you remember why you started riding in the first place, they are absolute fun.

Tomorrow I'll be heading over the mountain to work, will spend an hour mucking about; the exact same time it usually takes me in my van to drive the 10 kays to town..

Tom

 

 

[Tatt]

7 minutes ago, BaGearA said:

You  really shouldn't have to ride with it off ( unless you're doing 130km trips or starting with half battery life ) 

True, but I've got full-on range anxiety still! Have only 400 kays on the clock, so still busy figuring it out, as i don't SWMBO will be happy to come and fetch me 😂

[BigDL]

On 1/17/2022 at 10:05 AM, ChrisF said:

 

Many airlines dont allow you to fly the battery with ....  THIS comes up often on EMBN.

Probably not as easy to fit into a bike bag, hire car etc as well. Also quite a bit heavier to lug about. 
 

Probably easy enough to rent in most countries now so maybe this isn’t a major thing 

[BigDL]

11 hours ago, Robbie Stewart said:

On a visit to my LBS (West Coast Specialized) last year for some TLC on my current bike the owner duly informed me that she will give me a good trade-in on my bike since my next bike will be an e-bike. I just smiled and asked her if that new e-bike comes with a maintenance plan. Her response was not what I expected. She basically confirmed that this was something that was actually being considered.

I can see myself riding analogue for a long long time. I have a very laat lammetjie who is only just starting pre-school tomorrow. She'll be done with school as I get kicked to the kerb by the boss . . .

I won't be upgrading cars, bikes or pretty much anything else for the foreseeable future.

100% - after I posted yesterday I popped into chain reaction here and then down to the giant dealer in belfast, who is also the specialized dealer, as I need an axle which CRC didn’t have. Because ebikes were in my mind, I looked at a few whilst I was in town. Most look lovely, but I almost fell off my chair when I saw a specialized ebike for over £9000. Not sure how people afford them but good luck to those who can. Me, with one at university and another going to university at the end of next year, I’ll be a few years away from affording toys at that level. Also, my wife would divorce me. 

[I FLY]

On 1/17/2022 at 10:27 AM, TIB said:

Save up Boet, it's hugely expensive...... spending the equivalent of 8 brand new top-end bikes on my Laatlammetjie's further education over the next four years....

I am nearly at the end of the road in terms of funding the education of my daughters

A timeline of

15 years at a private school in total

Older one - 5 years full time varsity and two years of articles. luckily her company paid for MBA

Younger one - 11years full time varsity. Bsc; Msc and Phd

We hired some of the Levo SLs recently from the Specialized Shop in Stellenbosch. It was an interesting day out on the trails. 
one of the considerations for me would be the benefit of an ebike vs the weight. I will live in 1st floor apartment when I retire next year. Carrying a 12kg bike vs 18 or 25kg ebike up stairs is a big change

 

 

Edited January 19, 2022 by I FLY
Added comments

[Robbie Stewart]

8 hours ago, BigDL said:

100% - after I posted yesterday I popped into chain reaction here and then down to the giant dealer in belfast, who is also the specialized dealer, as I need an axle which CRC didn’t have. Because ebikes were in my mind, I looked at a few whilst I was in town. Most look lovely, but I almost fell off my chair when I saw a specialized ebike for over £9000. Not sure how people afford them but good luck to those who can. Me, with one at university and another going to university at the end of next year, I’ll be a few years away from affording toys at that level. Also, my wife would divorce me. 

My wife would divorce me too, for sure. But then I am very happy with my current bike and don't feel the need to upgrade. I may want to, but want should never trump need.

But then if I feel the need to go power over some rough terrain, I go do it in my 4x4 Isuzu. And in that I don't even break a sweat.