E Bike cheats

[Frosty]

From the Cycle Challenge website:

1.  
   
2.  
   
3.  
   
4.  
   
5.  
   
6. Only conventional bicycles and conventional tandems may be ridden. BMX bicycles and tandems with disc or covered wheels are deemed to be conventional. Bicycles and tandems with fairing or attachments to improve airflow, recumbent, extended bicycles, tricycles, machines known as human powered vehicles (HPVs) and other similar machines are deemed to be unconventional and are not permitted to enter without the express permission of the organisers. Please apply for special dispensation in writing to the Race Office.
   
   1. Bicycles, tandems and other machines fitted with unconventional handlebars including triathlon-bars, aerobars, clip-ons, prayer-bars, turned-up-bars and cow-bars are not permitted in any category. ATB bar-ends are permitted on Mountain Bikes.
      
   2. Any participant who is in any doubt about whether his bicycle, tandem or machine is suitable to be ridden in the event and, if so, in which category, is advised to contact the organisers well beforehand.
      
   3. E-Bikes may be ridden in the 94.7km event ONLY. The participant must select the E-bike category when entering online.
      
      1. The definition which distinguishes E-bikes permitted to enter the 94.7km race are as follows:
         
         1. the pedal-assist, i.e. the motorised assistance that only engages when the rider is pedalling, cuts out once 25 km/h is reached (ie no permanently powered bicycles), AND
            
         2. when the motor produces maximum continuous rated power of not more than 250 watts
            
         
         
      2. An E-bike cyclist may not start or attempt to start before his/her designated start group. Any cyclist who does so will be disqualified. A cyclist may move down to a slower start group without being penalised.
         
      3. E-bikes may not be ridden in any racing categories (CSA licensed categories) / qualify for any prizemoney. E-Bike results will be marked as such in Racetec results and may not be used for seeding for other cycling events.
         
      4. Members of Cycling SA who participates in sanctioned events on an E-Bike will also forfeit any potential claim for medical assistance, as the use of E-Bikes falls outside of the scope of the federation’s rules and regulations.
         
      5. Participants riding E-bikes must adhere to all the rules of the race.
         
      6. Should an E-bike participant change his entry to / from an E-bike category without properly applying for such a change through the Race Office, he / she will be disqualified. No protest will be entertained in this regard.
         
      
      
   
   

[scotty]

Seem to have covered most of the issues and gripes, I do however expect it not good enough for critics. 

[Skubarra]

Seem to have covered most of the issues and gripes, I do however expect it not good enough for critics. 

 

Why so cynical?     Given that they actually "cover the issues and gripes" means that those issues and gripes were valid in the first place?

 

As long as they start back far enough that they are not interfering with those cyclists that take the event seriously I think it's workable compromise.

 

Interesting to see that they are still not allowed at the 94.7 mtb event.

[madmarc]

 

From the Cycle Challenge website:

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  
6. Only conventional bicycles and conventional tandems may be ridden. BMX bicycles and tandems with disc or covered wheels are deemed to be conventional. Bicycles and tandems with fairing or attachments to improve airflow, recumbent, extended bicycles, tricycles, machines known as human powered vehicles (HPVs) and other similar machines are deemed to be unconventional and are not permitted to enter without the express permission of the organisers. Please apply for special dispensation in writing to the Race Office.
   1. Bicycles, tandems and other machines fitted with unconventional handlebars including triathlon-bars, aerobars, clip-ons, prayer-bars, turned-up-bars and cow-bars are not permitted in any category. ATB bar-ends are permitted on Mountain Bikes.
   2. Any participant who is in any doubt about whether his bicycle, tandem or machine is suitable to be ridden in the event and, if so, in which category, is advised to contact the organisers well beforehand.
   3. E-Bikes may be ridden in the 94.7km event ONLY. The participant must select the E-bike category when entering online.
      1. The definition which distinguishes E-bikes permitted to enter the 94.7km race are as follows:
         1. the pedal-assist, i.e. the motorised assistance that only engages when the rider is pedalling, cuts out once 25 km/h is reached (ie no permanently powered bicycles), AND
         2. when the motor produces maximum continuous rated power of not more than 250 watts
      2. An E-bike cyclist may not start or attempt to start before his/her designated start group. Any cyclist who does so will be disqualified. A cyclist may move down to a slower start group without being penalised.
      3. E-bikes may not be ridden in any racing categories (CSA licensed categories) / qualify for any prizemoney. E-Bike results will be marked as such in Racetec results and may not be used for seeding for other cycling events.
      4. Members of Cycling SA who participates in sanctioned events on an E-Bike will also forfeit any potential claim for medical assistance, as the use of E-Bikes falls outside of the scope of the federation’s rules and regulations.
      5. Participants riding E-bikes must adhere to all the rules of the race.
      6. Should an E-bike participant change his entry to / from an E-bike category without properly applying for such a change through the Race Office, he / she will be disqualified. No protest will be entertained in this regard.

 

 

I hope there be an E-bike in my start group that I can wheelsuck for a PB

[scotty]

Why so cynical?     Given that they actually "cover the issues and gripes" means that those issues and gripes were valid in the first place?

 

As long as they start back far enough that they are not interfering with those cyclists that take the event seriously I think it's workable compromise.

 

Interesting to see that they are still not allowed at the 94.7 mtb event.

What is a serious rider, even in the last batch there are riders who take the ride serious. Only way they can be seen to "interfere" with other riders is if those riders jump behind them, in which case blame should be laid at those riders and not the e-cyclists but this is what I expect critics will overlook. 

[Fat Boab]

Why so cynical?     Given that they actually "cover the issues and gripes" means that those issues and gripes were valid in the first place?

 

As long as they start back far enough that they are not interfering with those cyclists that take the event seriously I think it's workable compromise.

 

Interesting to see that they are still not allowed at the 94.7 mtb event.

 

 

Any idea why? 

[Eldron]

 

 

Interesting to see that they are still not allowed at the 94.7 mtb event.

My guess is because 25kph on the road only helps on the slow uphills.

 

25kph in an mtb race helps way more!

 

The cynic in me bets there will be more than a few modded 45kph 500w speeders in the 94.7 - over here in Denmark the population is by and large respectful of the law but many bikers still ask for their 250w/25kph ebikes to be modded (the law only allows for 250w/25kph ebikes). Us bikers just can't resist free speed!

[Fat Boab]

 

From the Cycle Challenge website:

1. 1. E-Bikes may be ridden in the 94.7km event ONLY. The participant must select the E-bike category when entering online.
      1. The definition which distinguishes E-bikes permitted to enter the 94.7km race are as follows:
         1. the pedal-assist, i.e. the motorised assistance that only engages when the rider is pedalling, cuts out once 25 km/h is reached (ie no permanently powered bicycles), AND
         2. when the motor produces maximum continuous rated power of not more than 250 watts
      2.  

 

 

 

So guesses on the fastest approx time for an ebiker riding to regs? Faster than (94.7/25 =) 3h47m presumably, but by how much?

Edited August 22, 2019 by Fat Boab

[Eldron]

So guesses on the fastest approx time for an ebiker riding to regs? Faster than (94.7/25 =) 3h47m presumably, but by how much?

 

If they stay within the 25kph max assitance rule then they should't be much faster at all. I can only think of a handful of places where the speed drops below 25kph.

[Skubarra]

What is a serious rider, even in the last batch there are riders who take the ride serious. 

 

My honest opinion - if you start in the last batch out of 30K riders while taking the sport "serious" you are doing it wrong.

 

On the opposite I also don't think only podium finishers should be the only chosen ones who have earned the right to take the sport "serious" and not be disrupted by ebikes  (as some ebike supporters on this thread seem to suggest) 

 

Obviously at some point between the extremes there would be a grey area between fun riders/serious cyclists but imo if they start among the double digit groups it would be an ok compromise.

Edited August 22, 2019 by Skubarra

[Frosty]

Interesting to see that they are still not allowed at the 94.7 mtb event.

Any idea why?

The set of rules that I have, for 2019, shows that E-Bikes are not allowed in the same event at the same time.

 

14.1.010 The use of electronic (E-Bikes are not permitted in any form of mountain bike events). Which are run on the same course at the same time. (modified 01/110/2017)

 

Organizers are allowed to organize an E-Mountain Bike event, in XCM and Enduro only.

 

25.05 E-Mountain bike competitors may only compete in E-Mountain bike events. E-Mountain bike competitors may not enter and compete in standard MTB events for position or classification. (modified 11/10/2018)

 

 

We (event organised) got blasted a few years back because we didn’t have a copy of the rules. Road cycling and MTB are vastly different, and IMO, the MTB rules are more thorough and defined. They also enforce it better than the road officials (that I have worked with.

[Frosty]

So guesses on the fastest approx time for an ebiker riding to regs? Faster than (94.7/25 =) 3h47m presumably, but by how much?

From what I’ve read, the “assistance” needs to cut out at 25/h, so that means they can still freewheel and/or pedal faster on the downhills and flatter sections with a slight downhill.

 

Engage the “assistance” again on the uphills, and they will certainly go faster than 3:47.

[Skubarra]

My guess is because 25kph on the road only helps on the slow uphills.

 

25kph in an mtb race helps way more!

 

The cynic in me bets there will be more than a few modded 45kph 500w speeders in the 94.7 - over here in Denmark the population is by and large respectful of the law but many bikers still ask for their 250w/25kph ebikes to be modded (the law only allows for 250w/25kph ebikes). Us bikers just can't resist free speed!

 

Looking at the CTCT where ebike riders slip in every year despite being forbidden it is a given that some will abuse this loophole, just human nature. I hope the organisers make an effort to actually police this. 

[Skubarra]

The set of rules that I have, for 2019, shows that E-Bikes are not allowed in the same event at the same time.

 

14.1.010 The use of electronic (E-Bikes are not permitted in any form of mountain bike events). Which are run on the same course at the same time. (modified 01/110/2017)

25.05 E-Mountain bike competitors may only compete in E-Mountain bike events. E-Mountain bike competitors may not enter and compete in standard MTB events for position or classification. (modified 11/10/2018)

 

 

We (event organised) got blasted a few years back because we didn’t have a copy of the rules. Road cycling and MTB are vastly different, and IMO, the MTB rules are more thorough and defined. They also enforce it better than the road officials (that I have worked with.

 

The event I mentioned many pages back where ebikes & normal bikes were mixed was the Nissan Trailseeker at Wellington which also doubled as an official WP Regional XCM event (the other trailseeker in the WC was also an official WP XCM event), so the rules re e-bikes were quite blatantly disregarded for official CSA events unless I'm missing something?

[JJDT]

With the GP Trailseeker series the E-Bikes started at 7:00 on the 40 km route. The elite's and A Batch started at 8:00 and the 40km A Batch at 8:30. By this time the tail of the E-Bikes were out of the way of the Elite's and possibly the fastest jnr's probably caught one or two at the end. Did not hear of any issues on route regarding complaints of the E-Bikes.

[madmarc]

With the GP Trailseeker series the E-Bikes started at 7:00 on the 40 km route. The elite's and A Batch started at 8:00 and the 40km A Batch at 8:30. By this time the tail of the E-Bikes were out of the way of the Elite's and possibly the fastest jnr's probably caught one or two at the end. Did not hear of any issues on route regarding complaints of the E-Bikes.

 

What i said - start them earlier - problem sorted