Do eBikes belong on the mountain?

[stringbean]

Had a chance to ride the 2019 trance e this weekend.

WOW.

From someone who has constantly slated them I’m not sure anymore.I can understand the enduro guys looking at it to get 5 or more enduro runs in.Its insane.

I’m still completely against shops selling to newbies with no skills or people that are so medically f@cked they shouldn’t even bee in a wheelchair now riding a ebike.

[Jewbacca]

Had a chance to ride the 2019 trance e this weekend.

WOW.

From someone who has constantly slated them I’m not sure anymore.I can understand the enduro guys looking at it to get 5 or more enduro runs in.Its insane.

I’m still completely against shops selling to newbies with no skills or people that are so medically f@cked they shouldn’t even bee in a wheelchair now riding a ebike.

Like Martyn Ashton?.....

 

I'm all for the medically stuffed enjoying the thrills of riding bikes.

 

I love how most of the arguments are ego based! hahahahahhahahahahaha

[Eldron]

Sheez...these guys obviously haven't read this thread......!!!

https://bikenetwork.co.za/first-uci-world-champions-for-e-mountain-bike-to-be-crowned-in-mont-saint-anne/?fbclid=IwAR0cRbkqBrGNd8UNTTHXG1wpFK9rnlMAFH4xvcph9Ma641dDw1Nmiqeezy0

This confuses me. Semi assisted racing? It seems nonsensical...guys that are more than capable of racing "standard" now racing "assisted" but then limited to 250w and 25kph?

 

I should love this as I am more sprinter than climber so the motor will help me climb and gravity will help me descend but somehow it all just seems silly.

[Headshot]

I suppose it would make more sense if real bikes didnt exist...

[Johan A Marais]

Had a chance to ride the 2019 trance e this weekend.

WOW.

From someone who has constantly slated them I’m not sure anymore.I can understand the enduro guys looking at it to get 5 or more enduro runs in.Its insane.

I’m still completely against shops selling to newbies with no skills or people that are so medically f@cked they shouldn’t even bee in a wheelchair now riding a ebike.

 

I cannot believe what I have seen this week-end on our trails...  Is it true? 

[MTBeer]

Had a chance to ride the 2019 trance e this weekend.

WOW.

From someone who has constantly slated them I’m not sure anymore.I can understand the enduro guys looking at it to get 5 or more enduro runs in.Its insane.

I’m still completely against shops selling to newbies with no skills or people that are so medically f@cked they shouldn’t even bee in a wheelchair now riding a ebike.

not sure what the problem with people with medical issues is riding e-bikes? If anything, they are the ones who should be riding them.

[stringbean]

I just can’t get my head around the “ my heart is stuffed and shouldn’t be riding “ or got dodgy hips or knees but let me go ride a ebike.

I just see that as asking for trouble on the trails.

Riding the ebike is not going to all of a sudden remove what some people have as a serious medical condition

[Shebeen]

Had a chance to ride the 2019 trance e this weekend.

WOW.

From someone who has constantly slated them I’m not sure anymore.

this is the attitude I've seen all over this thread:

so you slated them=>rode one=>changed your mind.

 

Good lesson here that I have also learnt myself over the years. Don't be overly critical on something until you try it first.

[capediver]

Had a chance to ride the 2019 trance e this weekend.

WOW.

From someone who has constantly slated them I’m not sure anymore.I can understand the enduro guys looking at it to get 5 or more enduro runs in.Its insane.

I’m still completely against shops selling to newbies with no skills or people that are so medically f@cked they shouldn’t even bee in a wheelchair now riding a ebike.

Not sure what the issue is with newbies?

 

Here's what I propose...when you want to buy a new bike, here's what you need:

• a certificate from a bicycling skills/training academy approved by the Minister of Transport...valid only for the specific type of bike or discipline...valid for 1 year due to technological advances in the industry.
• a logbook with every ride signed and stamped by a certified bicycle operator/trainer, someone like Swen Lauer UCI certified trainer...you'll need at least 100 hours at the academy before you qualify to get a new bike
• a medical certificate from a sports physician specialising in bicycle sports medicine proving that you a medically fit to ride that type of bicycle...valid for one year
• a skills test in the parking lot on a track approved by same above Ministry of Transport, different track for each discipline....
• a monkey puzzle quiz encompassing bicycling history through the ages, current banned drugs list and road traffic laws pertaining to bicycles as well as "rules of the mountain" etiquette for MTB
• surrendering of your golf membership and the shop will quarantine your golf clubs just in case you sneak onto a mashie course while in Knysna

 

Sarcasm font used for all of above...just couldn't resist  !!!!

[Eldron]

this is the attitude I've seen all over this thread:

so you slated them=>rode one=>changed your mind.

 

Good lesson here that I have also learnt myself over the years. Don't be overly critical on something until you try it first.

The question is - what do people like about ebikes?

 

I would guess that it's only "faster for the same effort".

 

It's cool soft pedalling and accelerating like a scalded cat but that's about the only benefit an ebike offers.

 

Which then gets me to thinking - why do we ride in the first place?

[ChrisF]

The question is - what do people like about ebikes?

 

I would guess that it's only "faster for the same effort".

 

It's cool soft pedalling and accelerating like a scalded cat but that's about the only benefit an ebike offers.

 

Which then gets me to thinking - why do we ride in the first place?

 

If I bought an ebike now it would open many new trail options for me.  At least that may be an option .....

 

But as my knees improve and my distances increase I am soon to pass the typical distance afforded to an ebike battery .... based on the 2018 spec bikes, sure the next generation will go further

 

 

 

looking 2 or 3 years into the future .... Maritz may soon bypass me in terms of speed and distance .... then we would need to rethink our options .... does he turn down the wick to ride with me, and loose out on pushing his limits, or do I get an ebike to try and keep up ....

 

 

 

for now I am getting by without an ebike, but who knows what the future holds for us ....

[Eldron]

If I bought an ebike now it would open many new trail options for me. At least that may be an option .....

 

But as my knees improve and my distances increase I am soon to pass the typical distance afforded to an ebike battery .... based on the 2018 spec bikes, sure the next generation will go further

 

 

 

looking 2 or 3 years into the future .... Maritz may soon bypass me in terms of speed and distance .... then we would need to rethink our options .... does he turn down the wick to ride with me, and loose out on pushing his limits, or do I get an ebike to try and keep up ....

 

 

 

for now I am getting by without an ebike, but who knows what the future holds for us ....

Yup. Personal circumstances are always different. The reason I ask is that there seems to be disparity between what is said on message boards (medical issues, age/gender gaps etc) versus what I see on the trails (lots of healthy looking blokes on very expensive ebikes).

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Yup. Personal circumstances are always different. The reason I ask is that there seems to be disparity between what is said on message boards (medical issues, age/gender gaps etc) versus what I see on the trails (lots of healthy looking blokes on very expensive ebikes).

Just come back from riding Tokai, doing hill repeats. While I was there, Mr Masters World DH Champ Chris Nixon himself just breezes past me on his new trek e-bike, doing his own repeats. He's normally blisteringly quick on the uphills, but with the essistance it's just insane how much trail time he actually gets. In the time I'd done 4 repeats, he'd done about 8. Chatting to him about it and he reckons it's drastically changed his training regimen. He still works as hard, he just manages to cover twice the distance that he normally does. So he still gets the same workout, but gets double the descending. Which is what fosters skills development as well. 

[ChrisF]

Yup. Personal circumstances are always different. The reason I ask is that there seems to be disparity between what is said on message boards (medical issues, age/gender gaps etc) versus what I see on the trails (lots of healthy looking blokes on very expensive ebikes).

 

Funny you should say that .....

 

Friend just came back from Europe, brought back an ebike .... FIT hiker .... now use the ebike to get to the gym, use it to get to the local shops ....  okay, not exactly the trail riders that you refer to.

[Eddy Gordo]

[Zatopek]

Just come back from riding Tokai, doing hill repeats. While I was there, Mr Masters World DH Champ Chris Nixon himself just breezes past me on his new trek e-bike, doing his own repeats. He's normally blisteringly quick on the uphills, but with the essistance it's just insane how much trail time he actually gets. In the time I'd done 4 repeats, he'd done about 8. Chatting to him about it and he reckons it's drastically changed his training regimen. He still works as hard, he just manages to cover twice the distance that he normally does. So he still gets the same workout, but gets double the descending. Which is what fosters skills development as well. 

 

"gets double the descending" = trail take double the traffic / time unit

 

Good example of why E-Bike are welcome, but need to contribute proportionally to funds/costs that do are used for trail maintenance.