Do eBikes belong on the mountain?

[The Ouzo]

9 minutes ago, Headshot said:

IMO, If we're  riding with a newb I think its our duty to educate them on trail etiquette. A slow rider needs to understand they're going to be passed and when someone who is faster comes up behind them, they should allow them to pass when its safe to, by stopping if necessary. Its not always about Strava, more often about finding the flow and riding at a pace that your comfy with that allows you to clear features and ride in the way you need to to enjoy it. 

like wise there is no reason for the faster rider to be swearing.

Everyone has to start somewhere, and when you start you are generally much slower than others.

 

My wife will not ride at Big Red Barn anymore for the simple reason that the few times we've been there faster riders have been impatient getting past.  This when we're riding with 2 young kids.

 

But I also blame trails that combine parts of the easy beginner trails with the harder more experienced stuff.

[aquaratza]

17 minutes ago, Headshot said:

So on top of range anxiety, eBikers now have a second phobia "fear of being judged". I mean seriously, Oak Valley. one of the smoothest easiest places to ride any kind of bike and you took your moto? Its so smooth its 26er and hard tail friendly. 🙂 🙂 

Yeah, I won't ride a hard tail. There are dating apps for that  

The fear of being judged is good training for learning to not care, something I clearly need more of.

I had a 26er for a while, it was perfectly capable, I rode most of the TMTBC trails with it (I also owned a 29er Camber at the time and I rode both for fun). I like trying new(and old) stuff because I like the experience... and I like the experience of having the flexibility that comes with an eBike.

[Headshot]

1 minute ago, aquaratza said:

Yeah, I won't ride a hard tail. There are dating apps for that  

The fear of being judged is good training for learning to not care, something I clearly need more of.

I had a 26er for a while, it was perfectly capable, I rode most of the TMTBC trails with it (I also owned a 29er Camber at the time and I rode both for fun). I like trying new(and old) stuff because I like the experience... and I like the experience of having the flexibility that comes with an eBike.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love an eBike. They do create the opportunity to have some fun on threads like this though. 

[rorydewet]

I get it about slow riders on the trails.

And a lack of skills.

But not sure why that is an e-bike kind of issue.

The same holds good for guys on normal bikes. Guys riding trails way beyond their skills level and causing hassles.

That's a bike problem not an E-bike problem per se

Edited February 7, 2022 by rorydewet
spelling

[Headshot]

9 minutes ago, rorydewet said:

I get it about slow riders on the trails.

And a lack of skills.

But not sure why that is an e-bike kind of issue.

The same holds good for guys on normal bikes. Guys riding trails way beyond their skills level and causing hassles.

That's a bike problem not an E-bike problem per se

Sure, but an eBike allows more less fit and possibly less competent riders to hit trails they would not normally get to if they only had access to a normal bike.

[rorydewet]

47 minutes ago, Headshot said:

Sure, but an eBike allows more less fit and possibly less competent riders to hit trails they would not normally get to if they only had access to a normal bike.

really? incompetent riders are e-bikers? wow. 

[Headshot]

7 minutes ago, rorydewet said:

really? incompetent riders are e-bikers? wow. 

No, don't straw man me Rory. Read it again.

[ChrisF]

3 hours ago, Trashy said:

Seems like the problem lies with the Strava king, not the ebike rider.

 

I love pinning it down single track too, but that's never an excuse to be rude to another rider that is just trying to enjoy the sport as I am.

 

The only time I have been sworn at on a trail was at Meerendal, at the crossing of the up and down to Dorstberg.  The Strava King was halfway down to Stairway and I could still hear him swearing !! 

 

Oooo, I was on, well next to, my Scott Spark - NON e-bike.  I was standing next to the trails catching my breath, in no way what so ever impeding his white lightning run ....

 

Must be truly sad to be that aggressive in life .....

 

 

 

When riding with newbies, I ride at the back and watch for oncoming riders.  Most often they slow down and keep their distance.  As soon as safe I get our group to stop and let the others past.

 

Yesterday I was riding with a friend doing a fair pace, we were passing the odd rider.  Then I see this rider CATCHING us, going up hill !!  I pointed it out to F, we made way and this guy blasted past us without being held up.  We saw him a few more times.  He clearly was on a HIT training ride !  And yet he managed to this without shouting at anybody.

[Danger Dassie]

56 minutes ago, rorydewet said:

really? incompetent riders are e-bikers? wow. 

I’ve a feeling that you know absolutely  that is in no way what the post alluded to. Come on man.

[NotSoBigBen]

So e-bikers are tjops, Strava riders are tjops ... I just shake my head

Idiots everywhere I tell you

[Old and Slow]

23 minutes ago, NotSoBigBen said:

So e-bikers are tjops, Strava riders are tjops ... I just shake my head

Idiots everywhere I tell you

If you don't see idiots all around, then I have news for you....

[DJR]

44 minutes ago, Trashy said:

If you don't see idiots all around, then I have news for you....

Like being the black sheep in the family😁

[Headshot]

17 hours ago, Trashy said:

If you don't see idiots all around, then I have news for you....

The fish rots from the head - I blame Zuma 🙂 

[justinafrika]

3 hours ago, Headshot said:

The fish rots from the head - I blame Zuma 🙂 

[Goosebay]

1 hour ago, BaGearA said:

Being able to klap the downhill and then gooi turbo up the hill without using too much energy before the next trip down is so cool I can't put it into words. 

I would like to hear from trail builders.  Tokai and most of Stellenbosch's trails are blessed with clay.  We are not, and you can see an e-bike's damage even after one or two have passed through.  After December's holiday funriders on ebikes I would be happy not to ever see one again.  Alas there are now one or two resident here. 

Would it be an idea to charge e-bikers an additional levy if at all practical?

[ChrisF]

11 minutes ago, Goosebay said:

I would like to hear from trail builders.  Tokai and most of Stellenbosch's trails are blessed with clay.  We are not, and you can see an e-bike's damage even after one or two have passed through.  After December's holiday funriders on ebikes I would be happy not to ever see one again.  Alas there are now one or two resident here. 

Would it be an idea to charge e-bikers an additional levy if at all practical?

 

Around here the visual willfull destruction of the trails are those riders break skidding through corners ... bragging about the roosts ...

 

This behaviour is RIDER behaviour .... no correlation to normal vs ebikes.

 

 

The number of please in our weekly newsletter about this wanten destruction of the trails confirm this.

 

Speak to these riders about their behaviour and you are likely to get sworn at ....