Should e-bikes be allowed in Cycle Tour and other Races

[_David_]

22 minutes ago, henrivdm said:

Anyone who in any way compares the ecological damage of an e-bike to a car must be confused.  e-Bikes present one simple way to get people out of cars that would otherwise not consider using a bicycle to get anywhere.

lol... hook, line & sinker

[jcza]

If you want to ride your ebike in the race get a TUE, else ride a normal bicycle like the rest of us 

[PregoRoll]

55 minutes ago, LazyTrailRider said:

The EB in our house is charged by the sun 😉

So are my legs 😂

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, LazyTrailRider said:

The EB in our house is charged by the sun 😉

+1 

[rorydewet]

19 hours ago, Ravenhash said:

 Fast or Slow if what you put out is more than what you put in there's no way if considering Cycling. 

That's your view and hey you entitled to it.

However hundreds of main stream cycle companies who make normal bikes and e-bikes don't agree with you. Neither do the millions of riders who have bought e-bikes world wide and cycle don't agree with you.

In addition guys and bodies like PPA,  who put together events like the Cape Cycle Tour, the Ride Joburg etc. (cycle races) or cycle events) also don't agree with you as in a cycle race they make provision for e-bikes.

 

[AJB76]

Jissie you ous are brutal. After reading this thread I'm too scared to use Di2. 😂

[Paul Ruinaard]

10 minutes ago, AJB76 said:

Jissie you ous are brutal. After reading this thread I'm too scared to use Di2. 😂

Ja its pussies like you that have destroyed the purity of shifting and the poetry of a firm click in an STI never mind on a downtube shifter. Where will cycling end and how will it land with this pollution of our values?

[Frosty]

2 hours ago, _David_ said:

lol... hook, line & sinker

 

[Paul Ruinaard]

4 hours ago, _David_ said:

Lol... I know this is an exaggeration but it is still funny 😁




Interesting read regarding conflict minerals and environmental impact of ebikes:
https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/transport-travel/shopping-guide/electric-bikes

"While we do not know of any ebike battery that comes from a company that has a good conflict minerals policy, Panasonic and Samsung both get our middle rating (which is better than the rest), although they are not without criticism in this area"

Watch this - any battery or EV vehicle is way harsher than what anyone thinks and anticipates . Same as nuclear energy - much cleaner than anything else. 

 

[Frosty]

2 minutes ago, Paul Ruinaard said:

Ja its pussies like you that have destroyed the purity of shifting and the poetry of a firm click in an STI never mind on a downtube shifter. Where will cycling end and how will it land with this pollution of our values?

Shifting? These blokes early on were seriously hard core

[edgarblount]

19 hours ago, Ravenhash said:

If you ride an e-bike you already a doper. Fast or Slow if what you put out is more than what you put in there's no way if considering Cycling. Being slow myself it sucks that I see guys who ride these e-bikes put in so little effort for so much gains. It makes one despondent to enter any Ride or Race (same thing). 

You go tell Tommy P, Ally H and Jules A they are not real cyclists.

 

[kerradoh]

19 hours ago, DuncanDoughnuts said:

You need to be Lance Armstrong fit with the extra medial performance kit to pedal past the motor cut off for long periods of time...

And yes it is silly cause the legal cut off for South Africa is 32 and not 25 ... 25 is for europe. 

but even trying to stay at that cutoff point the whole ride is almost impossible. (well for me that it) 

But have you tried with TT bars yet  that'll really piss em off.

 

[RobbyB]

Yes...But did they race those E-Bikes against normal Bikes???

I don't think so...so lets keep them separated!!!

[saggy]

21 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

But why does it matter who says they can do what?

A few years ago I was at odds with myself, discontent and thought I had a point to prove and it used to annoy me when people would say stuff like 'Just did IronMan' from East London or do the Two Oceans Half and say 'Two Oceans, Always a jol' etc....

I was always like 'how dare these people claim to have done these things! I have done the real things so they must know they didn't do the real things! Outrage, outrage!'

I have subsequently made peace with myself, had a child and realised my fragile ego is pathetic and let go of the fact that how I see events is not how others do. 

For some people running a 10km is WAY more impressive than me doing 13 peaks. Being unable to realize your default setting differs from others and judging their achievements as less than yours because 'It's not what I do' highlights a bigger issue which you seem to be missing.

We are not all equal and being supportive and encouraging of people who are proud as punch of 'menial physical achievements' is how we share the stoke, keep people doing more and keep new blood/families/mothers/granddads etc interested who will then say 'this sport is rad, let's encourage the kids' 

Creating separate catagories and whining like mewling kittens definitely doesn't share the radness.

Make peace with yourselves and you will find all that being passed by some people on pedal assisted bikes enjoying their ride is rad and not anything to be ashamed/alarmed or worried about

 

funny, I have no problems with e-bikes in races

 

But those other 2 things you mention, People who do the two oceans half marathon and say they did the two oceans or doing the east london ironman and saying you did the ironman

 

Now that really does piss me off!

 

 

[DuncanDoughnuts]

Just now, kerradoh said:

But have you tried with TT bars yet  that'll really piss em off.

 

Mmmm i think you right ... could be why I struggle over the 32km limit. TT bars .....

Watch this space.

[_David_]

5 minutes ago, saggy said:

funny, I have no problems with e-bikes in races

 

But those other 2 things you mention, People who do the two oceans half marathon and say they did the two oceans or doing the east london ironman and saying you did the ironman

 

Now that really does piss me off!

 

 

Agreed! It is almost as bad as doing Jhb2C on an ebikes.


🤣

Edited February 23, 2022 by _David_