Do eBikes belong on the mountain?

[defender]

Personally, I don't have an issues with these bikes being on our trails. As someone said earlier, if it gets people of their fat asses and out on a bike, it is good. Hopefully they will progress to normally aspirated bikes. Also it would be great for people with genuine disabilities that normally wouldn't be able to get a bike up the mountain, to now be able to experience what we take for granted.

 

I do believe that the needs to be a very strict eBike etiquette / protocol like:

• Races being eBike free or having a separate start category and results
• Don't be an ass shouting track when coming up behind an normal aspirated rider on an uphill. Be patient and wait for space or them to give way
• Don't save your Strava rides as normal ride, save them as eBike rides
• No eBike should be given a KOM. They belong to normaly aspirated bikes
• If a known eBiker steals  a legit  KOM, name and shame

[Johan A Marais]

Different sport, different technology and actually, some, but not the same skill required. Somewhere between Motocross and Mountain Biking.

 

Next thing will be e-RoadBikes blitzing the CTCC creating chaos...

 

Ban them from the trails, ban them from the races and make sure they do not

get on the road, and stay of the bike path. Put on a proper helmet and face the traffic like all the scooters do...

 

Go and ride your electronic bike where you are not bothering cyclists.

Edited October 2, 2017 by The Commuter

[MTBeer]

Different sport, different technology and actually, some, but not the same skill required. Somewhere between Motocross and Mountain Biking.

 

Next thing will be e-RoadBikes blitzing the CTCC creating chaos...

 

Ban them from the trails, ban them from the races and make sure they do not

get on the road, and stay of the bike path. Put on a proper helmet and face the traffic like all the scooters do...

 

Go and ride your electronic bike where you are not bothering cyclists.

actually the bike path is a perfect place for e-bikes. If the were reasonably priced (which they will become) they are the perfect commuter bike. You can arrive at work not sweating like a fat man's crotch at midday, and even the south easter won't discourage you (much).

[ChrisF]

actually the bike path is a perfect place for e-bikes. If the were reasonably priced (which they will become) they are the perfect commuter bike. You can arrive at work not sweating like a fat man's crotch at midday, and even the south easter won't discourage you (much).

 

Yamaha YW125 scooter (the replacement to the popular BWS) now goes for R 42 000 !!

 

A Giant ebike now costs R 35 000 .....

 

 

The pendulum HAS swung !!!!  In time parents may wake up and realize an ebike is cheaper and safer for their kids ..... and heaven forbid the i-generation may actually get some exercise outside of a gym.

[BigDL]

actually the bike path is a perfect place for e-bikes. If the were reasonably priced (which they will become) they are the perfect commuter bike. You can arrive at work not sweating like a fat man's crotch at midday, and even the south easter won't discourage you (much).

You would think so, but with a lot of ebikes now coming standard with speeds of 50 - 80 km/h, perhaps the cycle lanes, especially the ones that I use, which have a huge number of pedestrian crossover points.

https://www.electricbike.com/10-fastest-ebikes/

[ChrisF]

You would think so, but with a lot of ebikes now coming standard with speeds of 50 - 80 km/h, perhaps the cycle lanes, especially the ones that I use, which have a huge number of pedestrian crossover points.

https://www.electricbike.com/10-fastest-ebikes/

 

... uhm .... BIG difference between an "e-bike" (pedal-assist) and an "electric motorcycle" ....

 

though the latter may well spoil it for the former !!!!

 

 

 

going to be interesting seeing how the traffic departments try to keep up with all this new technology ...

 

 

 

 

 while on the topic of "electric motorcycles" - have a look at the electric bikes in the Isle of Man TT !!!!!!!  Electric bikes kick butt !!  But then they can go play on the Moto-X tracks ....

Edited October 2, 2017 by ChrisF

[Patchelicious]

Read the caption ????????????

 

https://instagram.com/p/BZtaV74Bvps/

[dirtchick]

Currently in Germany. Cannot believe just how many e bikes I have seen. All used for COMMUTING. have not seen a single one on the trails.

[Blokman]

Longing back to last week where my days started with a ride on gravel roads ....

 

So excuse my nostalgic view this morning ....

 

 

It may just possibly be better to get some people away from their social media devises .... even if that means getting them onto e-bikes .....

 

 

 

 

OR ... take then to the Northern Cape where there is NO signal, and they actually have to put their heads outside the house at some point .....

 

 

 

then again, some WANT to cycle ..... an e-bike probably wont get a lazy sod of his couch .....

 

 

 

 

right now I WANT to be on my bike on those Northern Cape routes ..... !!

I've had to change my mind on a few of life's more serious issues in the last couple years . So I may get round to this one at some stage. For the moment I'm sticking to my guns.

 

Saw those pics of yours in the other thread. Looked like a very nice adventure.

[Rob29]

Pedal assist bikes are awesome. If they make mountain biking more enjoyable and accessable for more people then who are we to complain. Obviously there is trail etiquette that applies to everybody. But it's great that they are here and they are here to stay.

[rudi-h]

Different sport, different technology and actually, some, but not the same skill required. Somewhere between Motocross and Mountain Biking.

 

Next thing will be e-RoadBikes blitzing the CTCC creating chaos...

 

Ban them from the trails, ban them from the races and make sure they do not

get on the road, and stay of the bike path. Put on a proper helmet and face the traffic like all the scooters do...

 

Go and ride your electronic bike where you are not bothering cyclists.

 

ban this, ban that... stay off this, get of that...

 

pedal assisted bikes are arguably the most efficient and sustainable form of transport invented to date and it turns out that it can be just as good (arguably even better) than a conventional bicycle for recreational purposes too.

 

so why ban something that doesn't make noise, doesn't damage trails, enables friends, families (and even physically challenged/disabled/injured people) to ride together, is safer than conventional scooters/motorbikes, is environmentally superior to pretty much anything else and fun to ride? 

 

cars and motorbikes have had the same problems since inception with some being faster than others and we seemed to solve that problem just fine with some basic rules, traffic signs and mutual respect...

 

So... basically what Defender said + maybe something like having "passing zones" in races where non-technical sections can be marked specifically to facilitate the possible increase in passing rates on races.

[Thor Buttox]

ban this, ban that... stay off this, get of that...

 

pedal assisted bikes are arguably the most efficient and sustainable form of transport invented to date and it turns out that it can be just as good (arguably even better) than a conventional bicycle for recreational purposes too.

 

so why ban something that doesn't make noise, doesn't damage trails, enables friends, families (and even physically challenged/disabled/injured people) to ride together, is safer than conventional scooters/motorbikes, is environmentally superior to pretty much anything else and fun to ride?

 

cars and motorbikes have had the same problems since inception with some being faster than others and we seemed to solve that problem just fine with some basic rules, traffic signs and mutual respect...

 

So... basically what Defender said + maybe something like having "passing zones" in races where non-technical sections can be marked specifically to facilitate the possible increase in passing rates on races.

I think you are still missing the point of this entire thread that 'race' and 'ebike' in the same context is invalid. They are two entirely different sports. Sure, maybe on the same day on similar trails but the people who ride ebikes for the 'right' reasons (eg disabilities, or just riding with the family) are not going to be the ones technically proficient enough to handle a beast on single track or steep downhills and will not need to pass. And the ones that are technically proficient are the ones who will get involved in the actual racing and be the knobs we all don't want to have a thread about.

[BaGearA]

I'd just quickly like to remind everyone that the title says " ... on the mountain " and NOT " .. in A RACE "     

[CAAD4]

Exactly. Everything comes down to "race".

[Eldron]

Exactly. Everything comes down to "race".

Yup.

 

Also - people should read read the races rules. Morors are already banned under UCI rules :-)

[ChrisF]

Yup.

 

Also - people should read read the races rules. Morors are already banned under UCI rules :-)

 

hey ... dont confuse a good storm in a tea cup with them things called "facts" ....