Do eBikes belong on the mountain?

[rorydewet]

You may get a fright if you joined us at our local trails, for coffee after the ride.

 

 

Riders talk to each other ... complete strangers strike up a conversation ....  I often speak to ebike riders.  Every single one that I spoke to have been nice people, and I enjoy hearing about the technology of their bikes.  What they like about what they have, and what they would buy next time.  

 

At no point has it ever been seen as "meddling" in others private business ....

we also drink coffee after a ride here in gauteng

 

also speak to people whilst riding next to them on a ride or in a race

 

so do talk to fellow cyclists

 

my post wasnt directed at you

 

some guy asked the guy who rode the e bike a direct question of why he rides an e bike

 

i thought that direct question was out of line

 

and i still do

[ChrisF]

That would be me............. and thanks for the compliment of being called thirty something

 

This would be my son and yes he has just turned 9..... you all welcome to come try keep up with him......

on the DOWNS

 

"I am SURE it can be "justified" .... but it just looked SO wrong seeing an able bodied kid on an ebike ......"

Pretty shitty remark mate????

 

Riding e-bikes together has vastly improved his skill set and his fitness. You try throwing around a bike

that weighs the same as you. My son weighs 26Kg his Giant Stance (Size small not junior-size?) weighs around 24Kg.

 

It has also allowed us to ride all the trails in the Durbanville Hills network. Unbelievable father and son time together where we both can compete like for like. I dont see many other eight year olds doing sub 3:50's

down the Cobra or wait............. see many eight years olds full stop on those trails.

 

And for the record my son has a dirt jump bike, bmx and a Giant Trance but the best times we have TOGETHER is on our ebikes.

 

ChrisF - Maybe come join us for an e-Bike ride.... You welcome to borrow my wife's and see if you can keep up? Both on the ups and the downs     

 

I warn you once you go E.... there is no turning back!

 

Those last two pics have been flashing up in my minds eye again and again ...    

 

It reminds me of a friend who's son was riding motocross at that age.  He was ripping up the tracks and jumping - and having LOADS OF FUN.  But that was many decades ago ...

 

 

I still say it looks "wierd" to see such a young kid on an ebike - simply because we are not used to it ?  BUT, seeing those last two pics it is clear he USES the bike ...

 

 

So I am finding myself thinking, is this the "new thing" for kids ?  A sort of parallel to the kids that grow up on motocross bikes ?  Wondering how many other kids can ride ebikes this well ?

 

 

Clearly a new world that I am not privvy to .... but always ready to learn and expand my thoughts ....

[ChrisF]

Damage to the trails ... normal vs ebike ?

 

 

Look at the various YouTube videos ....

 

My OPNION is that the vast majority of damage results from dragging the wheels into the corners, and roosting the burms ....  BOTH bikes can enter these fast enough to lock the wheels ....  It is up to the rider to modulate the brakes to not damage the trails.

 

 

My OBSERVATION of the eriders I have encountered at Meerendal and Bloemendal is that they are so busy NOT upsetting other MTB riders that they dont lock brakes into corners.  Frankly I often see much worse behaviour from standard MTB riders on these trails ...

[rorydewet]

Those last two pics have been flashing up in my minds eye again and again ...    

 

It reminds me of a friend who's son was riding motocross at that age.  He was ripping up the tracks and jumping - and having LOADS OF FUN.  But that was many decades ago ...

 

 

I still say it looks "wierd" to see such a young kid on an ebike - simply because we are not used to it ?  BUT, seeing those last two pics it is clear he USES the bike ...

 

 

So I am finding myself thinking, is this the "new thing" for kids ?  A sort of parallel to the kids that grow up on motocross bikes ?  Wondering how many other kids can ride ebikes this well ?

 

 

Clearly a new world that I am not privvy to .... but always ready to learn and expand my thoughts ....

it is a new world

 

only barrier right now is cost

 

but there is a lot of misunderstanding about costs

 

sure a spez e bike goes for 110 k to 172 k for a top of the range

 

but a good affordable spez will cost about 80 k

 

in terms of giant a full suspension e bike goes for about 50 k

 

and the prices come down each year

 

pretty soon price will be closer to a normal bike

Edited May 16, 2019 by rorydewet

[Escapee..]

I would also like to know

[Patchelicious]

we also drink coffee after a ride here in gauteng

 

also speak to people whilst riding next to them on a ride or in a race

 

so do talk to fellow cyclists

 

my post wasnt directed at you

 

some guy asked the guy who rode the e bike a direct question of why he rides an e bike

 

i thought that direct question was out of line

 

and i still do

 

If by "some guy" you mean me... 

 

Actually the question was, and let me quote.

 

snip.

...... If its about your small son keeping up with you, why do you need an eBike too? Doesn't that counter the advantage it gives him?

 

Either you didn't see, didn't take the time too actually understand what I was asking, or you didn't get it, like the sarcastic posts.

 

And again, what I asked him is frankly none of your business. 

Edited May 16, 2019 by Patchelicious

[Patchelicious]

I would also like to know

Don't you dare ask ANYTHING, its frankly non of your business.

[Duane_Bosch]

I think that lightie is going to be BUMMED in a few years time when he finds out that for the same money dad could have rather gotten a KX80 for him.

[rorydewet]

dont flatter yourself

 

i discounted you as someone who can debate about 4 posts ago

 

life moves on and so do i

 

If by "some guy" you mean me... 

[Patchelicious]

dont flatter yourself

 

i discounted you as someone who can debate about 4 posts ago

 

life moves on and so do i

 

 

Edited May 16, 2019 by Patchelicious

[ChrisF]

Seems Friday came early ... being the first 5 day week in many months (at least it feels like it) ....

[Ascension]

I think that lightie is going to be BUMMED in a few years time when he finds out that for the same money dad could have rather gotten a KX80 for him.

 

I think the lightie will understand - that the eBike was the only way to rip up mtb trails with a motorbike.

[SwissVan]

I think that lightie is going to be BUMMED in a few years time when he finds out that for the same money dad could have rather gotten a KX80 for him.

Honda rules

[Mambat]

In reply...

 

I would not have originally responded but as it involved my son and questions about him being "able-bodied" I felt compelled to respond.

 

I don’t understand why one has to be disabled or aged or frail to ride an e-Bike?

My guess is many of the commentators on here have either never ridden one or at best did a parking lot test in full Turbo mode and based all their experience on that single ride.

As to the “hate” for e-Bikes my only conclusion is it seems to effect the egos of that XC holy grail of MTB's the CLIMBING.

e-Bikes are a game changer. They are also a totally different discipline of riding. They bring disparate levels of fitness closer, leaving only skill and talent NOT FITNESS as the deciding factor in riding.

 

In answer to my personal situation…..

I had an e-Bike first. I bought one because I wanted one!

My wife then got one as she preferred it to her analogue bike (safer, more stable, better brakes, more suspension on the downs, more comfort and so on.)

It was natural for my son when he was physically big enough to move onto one as well.

 

The biggest positive in us both being on e-Bikes is we are mostly EQUAL in speed across a given trail. I cannot out climb him on the ups and certainly can no longer ride away from him on the downs. This is a huge change from our normal analogue bikes where the average speed across a trail is slower and he obviously physically could not do the climbs.

In saying that I could not ride with him on my analogue bike and stay with him either.

 

I don’t really get why the financial/cost aspect has any relevance to e-Bikes and kids?

As was mentioned already I would agree is rather around personal circumstances and how you raise your children and your values. I have seen many kids cruising around on R50-R60K analogue bikes and some even dropping them down derailleur side……the horror of that!!!!

 

For me this has given my son and I a common interest (a rarity nowadays) that we both do together. This involves from deciding where we riding, what jumps or trails we going to ride today. To loading the bikes, to the buzz in the car on the way there, to kitting up, to shooting the breeze together AS LIKE MINDED MATES and not as father and son! And the joy my son (and me as the proud Dad) gets when he clears gap jumps or blitzes a new PB ranking him in the top end of e-Bike Strava. In this X-Box Fortnite Nanny Helicopter Parenting day and age my son is out there often doing 2-3 hr rides (Full Hoogies, Upper Contermans, Mont Marie, etc) with well over 1000m of climbing and controlling the descents. Honing his skills and building his mental fortitude to keep it shiny side up all at age eight.

 

For us it’s about being riding buddies and as he calls it…”Dad’s Wingman” this is priceless and quite frankly can’t be quantified in a monetary value and doesn’t rightly deserve being questioned by anybody!

Edited May 16, 2019 by Mambat

[ChrisF]

Honda rules

 

remind me again, which e-bikes comes with a YAMAHA motor ...    

[Ashchest]

Would  an e-bike be the same as (or modern day version of) a "help-my-trap"?  Anyone remember those?     Can I take one of them on the trails?