Do eBikes belong on the mountain?

[Mambat]

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.

 

He was bummed when he had to offload his PW50 as part of the deal of getting his e-Bike!

[Duane_Bosch]

He was bummed when he had to offload his PW50 as part of the deal of getting his e-Bike!

Haha. I've seen him tearing up the skills park at hoogies.

[Patchelicious]

He was bummed when he had to offload his PW50 as part of the deal of getting his e-Bike!

He looks too big for a PW50.

 

Looking at how he shreds, he would kill on a KTM65!

[ChrisF]

...

 

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!

 

ENJOY ! 

 

 

And thanks for sharing your views.

[Mambat]

Yep...

 

edit. That does not of course mean that there will be blanket acceptance of them or that they will have unfettered access to all trails. In the US there are already bans in certain places I think

 

Not correct.... trail access is opening up in the States. Yellowstone was the first National Park now being rolled out across the US allowing Pedelec bikes trail access.

 

California is still the stickler but that is under review and all indicators point to full access by next year. Park Rangers across the state are using e-Bikes as mode of transport. Great initiative by the likes of Spez and Trek to gain acceptance.

[Shebeen]

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!

 

five flaming chillies for this Dad of the year candidate. I'm going to quote this one to the ebike naysayers out there.

[Mambat]

rad dude, i guess you're used to getting comments from peanut gallery!

 

is this the bike your kid has got?

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/za/bikes-stance-eplus-2019

 

This was the "blank canvas"..................

 

I chose Giant over Spez Levo as the geometry and sizing was more compact.

My son is only 130cm and a feather weight.

Then the serial modifier in me blossomed

Pike fork (130/160 travel adjust) - I immediately changed the heavy standard Suntour fork for a Reba but he was killing that fork, so it was a move to the pike.

New wheelset with better hub pickup. Standard giant hub is crap.

Dirtjump seat so he can get a better standover height.

35mm stem

Proper tyres

And dont forget the Deathgrips

Its a proper little shredder bike now!

[Patchelicious]

five flaming chillies for this Dad of the year candidate. I'm going to quote this one to the ebike naysayers out there.

Him being a good dad is not an argument that is applicable to all eBikers.

 

Unless you yourself are being a cool dad, you cant use his awesome dadness as yours.

[Mambat]

A far more intelligent than me mate of mine quoted this when in discussion around e-Bikes...

 

The ones who dance are thought mad amongst those who could not hear the music.

[Mambat]

Him being a good dad is not an argument that is applicable to all eBikers.

 

Unless you yourself are being a cool dad, you cant use his awesome dadness as yours.

 

I give him full rights and permission.............go forth and spread the word!

[Patchelicious]

A far more intelligent than me mate of mine quoted this when in discussion around e-Bikes...

 

The ones who dance are thought mad amongst those who could not hear the music.

A far more intelligent than me mate of mine quoted this when in discussion around e-bikes...

 

The ones who ride with motors are thought lazy amongst those who could get up the hill without one.

 

 

 

ps: If I have to tell you that was just a joke, then well you need an E-sense of humour more than you need an eBike

[Patchelicious]

I give him full rights and permission.............go forth and spread the word!

Awesome, so I will go take a few Strava KOMs on my eBike and when people moan about it, I will tell them its actually ok and that they must leave me alone, because you are a cool dad.

 

Because logic!

 

Edit: Ok, I'm tired of this now. Maybe I should get an e-Keyboard.

Edited May 16, 2019 by Patchelicious

[Escapee..]

So not long before the Spur School Series will have an E-bike section?

[Mambat]

Awesome, so I will go take a few Strava KOMs on my eBike and when people moan about it, I will tell them its actually ok and that they must leave me alone, because you are a cool dad.

 

Because logic!

 

Edit: Ok, I'm tired of this now. Maybe I should get an e-Keyboard.

Now you playing the bullied schoolgirl.... Firstly good luck to you getting KOM's

 

secondly we have our own Strava section, with our own segments, leader-boards etc

 

Come on Patch... get with the times if you going all out hater!

[rorydewet]

Now you playing the bullied schoolgirl.... Firstly good luck to you getting KOM's

 

secondly we have our own Strava section, with our own segments, leader-boards etc

 

Come on Patch... get with the times if you going all out hater!

strava lets you tag activity as an e bike ride

 

you then compare e bike rides to e bike rides

[Patchelicious]

strava lets you tag activity as an e bike ride

 

you then compare e bike rides to e bike rides

No they dont!