E Bike cheats

[BigDL]

Ai ja jai guys. Just go ride your bikes. And if you don't have the luxury to ride allot and be fit, take the e-bike out. It's better to be outside and the more the better for everyone. (safety etc). I for one would love to go do an epic Saaltjie ride right now, but honestly won't be able to right now without an e-bike. (live has seasons and we do other ****, get unfit/injured or both) E-bikes are here to stay so unless you Race with Nino and got bumped off the podium shut your pie-hole.

Nobody says you can’t ride an ebike, just not in a race against proper cyclists.

 

Don’t be a knob and start with the insults

[buchanan]

Have no idea why an e-biker (in reality a motor cyclist) would enter a pedal bike race...

An appeal to report all cheating e-bikers on Strava too. I already have reported some and had their cheat times removed.

[patches]

As stated in the other ebike hating thread, there are many reasons why someone may choose to ride such a contraption.

 

Whether it's due to physical limitation, laziness, gadget-geekery, "competitive" advantage, or they just like the soothing whine the bikes make. Each person has their reason for shelling out the clams for an electric bicycle.

 

One of the toughest guys I know (Joey Evans) rides an ebike. His reason is physical limitation (spinal cord injury). Despite physical limitation he manged to finish the 2017 Dakar rally on motorcycle. Sure he came 3rd last, but he was the only Saffer to finish on bike, and participating and finishing was all the accomplishment he could have dreamed of. He was never there to win. The race was against himself.

 

However he still struggles to ride a pedal bike, so if his ebike allows him, or someone like him to participate and finish a race, then I'm all for it. Those who ride them for this reason know they are not there to win. They're racing against themselves.

 

So what about those perfectly able-bodied individuals that use ebikes for a "competitive" advantage... well without modification ebikes are limited to 25kph. Anything faster than that and they become a hindrance not a help. Even with the electronic assistance I don't think they could sustain a 25kph average, and chances are they still won't average as high as the fast guys & gals.

 

Plus do you think UCI would ever turn a blind eye to eBikes in the big boy & girl leagues? Nope, so this only really affects smaller isolated events.

 

Besides, the ironic truth is that their "victory" will never be as sweet as that of someone who came stone last on an ebike, and despite physical limitation was able to participate and finish the race because of said bike.

 

Podiums and prize money aside, we are all racing ourselves, and I for one, am not bitter or jealous of those able-bodied individuals who may place better than me because of electronic assistance. Regardless of what the result sheets says, they have not won their race.

Edited August 19, 2019 by patches

[patches]

Is it just me, or does this whole eBikes at races thing remind you of the "they took our jobs" theme from South Park 

 

[ChrisF]

Really amusing thread

 

......

 

Put simply, if you riding an E-bike for fun then why bother racing at all.

Entry fees are already expensive, you can go ride those trails on any other day at a much lower cost.

 

......

 

I say again, if its just a fun ride then why enter the race at such an expensive price. Cheaper to visit trails any other day.

 

"fun ride" vs "race" ..... herein lies the conundrum ....

 

 

NO, I cant ride "those trails on any other day".  At least the fun rides we enter are chosen because it is on trails we dont have daily access to.  Last weekend's Staalwater funride outside Caledon is on private land NOT open for normal rides.

 

I was on a normal bike, working hard against the head wind !!  

 

 

For 1 second I did have negative thoughts about the ebike that wizzed past ....

 

So what if he "took" one spot from me on the "leader board ?  (actually think he was doing the longer distance, but you get the idea)

 

 

Looking past the ebike .....

- I had a BRILLIANT day out on private land on my bike.

- My godson and I built memories which far surpass any position on a leaderbord

- The winner of the 15km race was a 14 year old pocket-rocket averaging 22km/h !!  RESPECT !

- Probably another 2 maximum 3 years for me to ride "with" my godson, then he will start waiting for me ....

- Who knows how long before he wants to do the 40 or 60km rides ....

- When the time comes I may probably buy an ebike and join him on those longer rides ....

- Given my medical history there is no way I ride a W2W event on a normal bike, but it would be a magical experience to so with my godson, even if that meant I was to do it on an ebike.  By all means, such entry should NOT be in a "race" group, and such participation should in no way impact on the race results of other riders.  

- THUS, sorry for my momentary thoughts on Saturday.  I trust the ebike rider on the Staalwater event had a good day out, and may he have many more FUN days out on his bike 

 

 

Until then, I enjoy sweating away slowly under my own steam ....

[scotty]

Still plenty of angry e-bike critics. If you feel that strong why not start a petition, contact the race organizers and tell them that you will not ride their races as they allow "cheating", If the race is CSA sanctioned then complain to them, MTB races also have race commissars who you can raise your objections with instead of the rider who does turn up at the event. 

[T-Bob]

Wow, is this still rumbling on? Come on guys, the 'Do Bikes belong on the Mountain' thread is feeling neglected. Share the indignant love about a bit. 

Edited August 20, 2019 by T-Bob

[madmarc]

If I may add an additional opinion to the e-bike subject.

 

The next hubber to start an e-bike thread should get at least a 1 month ban from BikeHub.

 

Admin ? 

[stefmeister]

If I may add an additional opinion to the e-bike subject.

 

The next hubber to start an e-bike thread should get at least a 1 month ban from BikeHub.

 

Admin ? 

That's probably going to be admin with all the ebike reviews of late they post.

[Eugéne Alberts]

Sorry with respect i must say that you are incorrect, for the majority of people that have entered a race their position is relevant and would prefer to be 650th and not 655th if 5 people had cheated in front of them.

 

What actually got me to post my rant was, this morning I rode a popular route in KZN, when i checked my Strava i saw that for one of the climbs A Hill (top SA rider) was 42 seconds and the KOM was 32 seconds. When i clicked on the name to see who the race snake was there was a pic of a man boobed chap on an Ebike.

 

For me in the first instance i want to improve myself and i give you 100% for that, but i also want to fairly compete against my fellow cyclists.

 

Every Segment on Strava is a challenge and i want to beat my own time and improve my position.

I am with madmarc.

 

The guys holding top positions on sections are most likely also competing against their own previous times and don't give a hoot about a guy on a scooter claiming to have beat them.

 

I also don't cry about the oomie who has 25kgs and as many years on me cruising by while I am sweating through my chamois up a climb.

 

If it took some electric wizardry to get him on a bike, then good for it. The schmuck who cheated to get a first place has to live with it.

 

Also, he can't brag about he's KOM victory to anyone who knows anything without being laughed at and at races they can't get podiums.

 

Compete against your best of yesterday or enjoy the ride with friends.

[wessie12]

I could not care less. People cheat, either on normal bikes or E-bikes . Every race I see people taking short cuts, people taking " the short route exit" and then tagging in or going over mats.

 

Then you get Strava KOM hunters taking on a specific section of road depending on wind direction, people cruising zone 2 but bombing certain sections and then bragging about it. 

 

The golden rule is don`t be a chop! If you are on a E-bike do not interfere in a race or where ever and same goes for normal riders.

[Patchelicious]

eBikes arent the problem, Strava isnt the problem, people who are competing a MTB race on their MTBs arent the problem. Lets stop blaming "things" for our behavior.

 

Its the twats on the eBikes who race with chips, or twats on eBikes who interfere with other peoples races, or the twats on eBikes who go out to annoy people on Strava. Its a people problem.

 

A person who rides an eBike so that they can have fun with their family is NOT the same as some 40 year old boytjie who races a race on an eBike, who used to cheat on his golf score card or kick the ball down the fairway to win the long drive competition, so that he can brag about it to his chynas at the bar, before driving home drunk blasting David Guetta Titaniuuuuuummmmmm, from his "system" in his roff winch clad WildTrak. Nor is it the same as a person using an eBike to pace other normal MTBers. 

 

There is a difference. Think a bit. But this continuous reduction of I'm either for or against something is very lazy debate.

Edited August 20, 2019 by Patchelicious

[Ettas]

eBikes arent the problem, Strava isnt the problem, people who are competing a MTB race on their MTBs arent the problem. Lets stop blaming "things" for our behavior.

 

Its the twats on the eBikes who race with chips, or twats on eBikes who interfere with other peoples races, or the twats on eBikes who go out to annoy people on Strava. Its a people problem.

 

A person who rides an eBike so that they can have fun with their family is NOT the same as some 40 year old boytjie who races a race on an eBike, who used to cheat on his golf score card or kick the ball down the fairway to win the long drive competition, so that he can brag about it to his chynas at the bar, before driving home drunk blasting David Guetta Titaniuuuuuummmmmm, from his "system" in his roff winch clad WildTrak. Nor is it the same as a person using an eBike to pace other normal MTBers. 

 

There is a difference. Think a bit. But this continuous reduction of I'm either for or against something is very lazy debate.

 

Way to generalize, but I totally agree, a Wildtrak with a winch pumping David Guetta is so last season. And to add insult to injury the winch is "E" lectric just like an ebike. 

 

And the stuff you said about ebikes. Thats also true. 

[scotty]

Or they can go and live in Zim where there is no electricity. 

One problem though, if they can afford an ebike they can also afford alternate energy such as solar and power generators. 

[Ashchest]

Lets stop blaming "things" for our behavior.

 

 

 

Blame Apartheid

[Darrynbp]

Make that at least 15 minutes after the last group left. Why should e-bikers get the benefit of riding in the cooler hours of the day. Make them sweat at least.

exactly, they are already getting motorized help, why should they get the "good riding conditions" too,