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Do eBikes belong on the mountain?


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Went for a spin in Tokai this evening and got lapped by a guy on a Spez' ebike. Had a coil shock on the back and Fox 36 up front. The way he shot up the climb from the bottom of vasbyt was pretty incredible. Honestly by the time I was peddling towards the bottom of AM he was just finishing that run. Had a chat to him briefly and he'd nailed a hell of a lot of loops already in a frankly tiny time on the mountain. Seems he came from a MX background so the weight and different feel was no big deal and seems the stably was incredible. 

 

It made me think different about their uses and not just for old guys who need a bit of help. It seems a good solution to get more rides in. I'm focused on going down mountains and to be honest I'm pretty 'meh' about the slog up to the trail head (heresy I know. Earn your downs blah, blah). If I can nail 3 or 4 sessions on a ride compared to the one loop under my own power then I'd put my hand up and say it's something i'd be interested. With more core brands now having a ebike in their line up and more development happening it's going to be pretty interesting in the next few years. 

 

It's a bike. With a battery. I can't see what people would be getting angry and indignant about. Ride what you ride.

 

Read the thread. Very few people are angry about them being on the trails, its makes sense for them to be used. But not in same racing categories as regular bikes.

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Read the thread. Very few people are angry about them being on the trails, its makes sense for them to be used. But not in same racing categories as regular bikes.

 

I have and that comment at the very bottom was to do with some other conversation I've over heard from riders in Tokai, TB and others. Not specifically centred on comments in this thread and the comments in it. I have also seen a quite a few comments on other threads raising concerns about being used on Single Track and objections around that. 

 

As for this thread there are a few objectors in the 36 pages even as early as t page 1 with Mr Booth. 

Edited by Yo-yo
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I have and that comment at the very bottom was to do with some other conversation I've over heard from riders in Tokai, TB and others. Not specifically centred on comments in this thread and the comments in it. I have also seen a quite a few comments on other threads raising concerns about being used on Single Track and objections around that.

 

As for this thread there are a few objectors in the 36 pages even as early as t page 1 with Mr Booth.

Small correction - they're bikes with a battery....and a motor. Motor plus bike equals motorbike!

 

Like the others said - no issues with them on the trails as long as theyre piloted by decent human beings.

 

They will be judged harshly by myself of course (unless they're being used for age or medical reasons).

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Small correction - they're bikes with a battery....and a motor. Motor plus bike equals motorbike!

 

pedal-assist <> internal combustion 

 

Like the others said - no issues with them on the trails as long as theyre piloted by decent human beings.

 

so... like all bikes then?

 

They will be judged harshly by myself of course (unless they're being used for age or medical reasons).

 

and quite right you are... luckily, I don't seem to need one. yet... 

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Small correction - they're bikes with a battery....and a motor. Motor plus bike equals motorbike!

 

pedal-assist <> internal combustion

 

Like the others said - no issues with them on the trails as long as theyre piloted by decent human beings.

 

so... like all bikes then?

 

They will be judged harshly by myself of course (unless they're being used for age or medical reasons).

 

and quite right you are... luckily, I don't seem to need one. yet...

Sure but emotorbatterybikes have the ability to go fast beyond human only bikes so the riders will need to be a little extra careful.

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If you are going to use your motorbike on the trail please don't use Strava (or at least hide your ride from the segment leaderboard).

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Random info. Most of the Spesh and Cube ebikes make about 250w from the motor. Im guessing thats around the same as most people's average power. So for limited periods ebikes riders can go double the speed of us normals. That's a decent amount!

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Still the biggest problem with this is ego. The ebiker who cannot resist the competition but who can't ccept that he is not a pure cyclist, and the pure cyclist who doesn't like the feeling of being passed by Uncle Bob if Uncle Bob is acting decently on the trails.

 

If both groups accepted that both have different uses and stuck within some logical behaviour all would be well.

 

But that's just happy thinking... Meanwhile I have strapped an outboard to a dugout and entered a local surfski race. Let's see what happens

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I can just picture those old ballies moering it on their e-bikes, reliving the speed of their youth. Not a bad way to go.

Only the death rate amongst men went up. Says something about us right? :-) We just can't help hitting the go faster button!

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Only the death rate amongst men went up. Says something about us right? :-) We just can't help hitting the go faster button!

 

 

Fark! Maybe that's it. If your Mrs gives you a nice new ebike and tell you to go enjoy yourself she might actually be eyeing out the life insurance and a new start with Sven the pool boy! 

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Death machines I tell you!

Judging by the age of the riders, most of the deaths were likely from natural causes, they just happened to be riding their ebikes at the time, Lol

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