Do eBikes belong on the mountain?

[Pure Savage]

15 minutes ago, DJR said:

I was wondering how long it would be before they make up the majority of the field. It certainly saw a HUGE increase over the last two years. 

Edit: I know it's unlikely, but still.........

 

I am not sure where you even put them, the one eBike did a 2:40 from 4F, must have passed 2000 people in the morning, multiple battery changes and illegal modification of eBike. Just a strange one.

[Eddy Gordo]

Well...

[Eddy Gordo]

or

[Eddy Gordo]

No need to carry an extra battery

 

The Polini EP3 motor is one of the least bulky on the market and the battery, which is kept well hidden inside the down tube, is one of the longest lasting on our list and packs a range of nearly 200km.

[Headshot]

51 minutes ago, Eddy Gordo said:

No need to carry an extra battery

 

The Polini EP3 motor is one of the least bulky on the market and the battery, which is kept well hidden inside the down tube, is one of the longest lasting on our list and packs a range of nearly 200km.

Least bulky - Lol - compared to what?

[Pure Savage]

9 minutes ago, Headshot said:

Least bulky - Lol - compared to what?

A Honda portable generator.

[Pure Savage]

1 hour ago, Eddy Gordo said:

No need to carry an extra battery

 

The Polini EP3 motor is one of the least bulky on the market and the battery, which is kept well hidden inside the down tube, is one of the longest lasting on our list and packs a range of nearly 200km.

Who wrote that drivel? Looks as well hidden as my 4 year old standing behind a lamp post.

[i24]

1 hour ago, Eddy Gordo said:

No need to carry an extra battery

 

The Polini EP3 motor is one of the least bulky on the market and the battery, which is kept well hidden inside the down tube, is one of the longest lasting on our list and packs a range of nearly 200km.

If you want to get around CTCT at > 40km/h, you are going to need to pack some extra Lithium ????

[ChrisF]

2 hours ago, Eddy Gordo said:

No need to carry an extra battery

 

The Polini EP3 motor is one of the least bulky on the market and the battery, which is kept well hidden inside the down tube, is one of the longest lasting on our list and packs a range of nearly 200km.

 

Lesson ONE - Dont EVER believe the marketing about a battery range 

 

[ChrisF]

2 hours ago, DJR said:

I was wondering how long it would be before they make up the majority of the field. It certainly saw a HUGE increase over the last two years. 

Edit: I know it's unlikely, but still.........

 

Would be interesting to see the SA stats.

 

Europe has been reporting that "more than 50%" of bike sales are ebikes for the last few years.  Okay, that includes a LOT of e-commuter-bikes as well.

 

[ChrisF]

2 hours ago, DIPSLICK said:

watching the footage of the Epic YES DEF.

 

LOTS of fun !  Having ridden the Eselfontein loop of the Epic the week before the Epic I CAN confirm it is HUGE fun riding these trails on an ebike !!

 

On these sorts of trails you need to either rider a bit slower, or be super fast in your reactions when coming around blind corners .... an ebike is a heavy beast to manhandle accross these ditches and gullies .....  One gent snapped two spokes on his ebike when he got one ditch wrong ....

 

 

Did I mention it is FUN riding these trails on an ebike 

[Eldron]

21 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

Would be interesting to see the SA stats.

 

Europe has been reporting that "more than 50%" of bike sales are ebikes for the last few years.  Okay, that includes a LOT of e-commuter-bikes as well.

 

Anecdotal evidence - here in Denmark we have a kaaaaaaakload of bikes and ebike sales are booming.

I have only seen a handful of eroad or emtb - ALL of them are ecommuters or ecargo bikes.

Fun fact - I get about 90% of my shop deliveries by ecargo bike now.

 

[Pure Savage]

6 minutes ago, Eldron said:

Anecdotal evidence - here in Denmark we have a kaaaaaaakload of bikes and ebike sales are booming.

I have only seen a handful of eroad or emtb - ALL of them are ecommuters or ecargo bikes.

Fun fact - I get about 90% of my shop deliveries by ecargo bike now.

 

Would love to replace second car with ECargo bike!

[Eldron]

Just now, Pure Savage said:

Would love to replace second car with ECargo bike!

It works great over here...but the city is tiny. I would guess it isn't plausible in most SA towns/cities.

I am keen on one of these: https://www.larryvsharry.com/en/bullitt

They do electrified versions but Copenhagen is pancake flat so no need for the extra expense and (potential) problems.

[Eddy Gordo]

5 hours ago, Pure Savage said:

Who wrote that drivel? Looks as well hidden as my 4 year old standing behind a lamp post.

https://www.redbull.com/ie-en/best-electric-road-bikes

[ChrisF]

Had a lekka laugh this morning ....

 

Boys will be boys ....

 

Today I was the carrot on the ebike, being chased by a younger rider ....

 

Entering the gate from D'Aria into Bloemendal another rider was riding up the hill at Bloemendal, I closed the gate and started up the hill.

 

Should add that I had set personal bests all along the segments through Protea corridor .... just one of those nice days in the saddle.

 

So it did not take long for me to catch the gent up the hill.  I slowed a bit, and moved past when the road widened. 

 

He glanced over : "That's cheating"

 

I looked back and said: "I'll trade my motor for your good knees"  He just laughed, got out the saddle, and gave it few hard kicks and matched my speed UP that hill ....

 

We were pushing 12 to 13 km/h while the gradient was playing between 7 and 10 %.

 

Neither of us giving an inch, it was a lekker HARD ride up that hill !!  

 

At least he gets to tell his friends that he was NOT dropped by an ebike ....