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

[MORNE]

1 hour ago, karma said:

so...did everyones egos survive yesterday being passed by e-bikes? 

No ebikes ‘passed’ me? 
they were in their own lane doing their own ride against all the other e-bike riders. Same way I was also not offended when the camera motorbike had to make its way though the field every no and then haha😜

[Pure Savage]

I am not sure if they just did not post the eBikes times lower than 3:50 but wow there was some fine lines for that top spot!!

[Pure Savage]

Interesting looking at the numbers of eBike finishers.

109km normal 2631 women. 17,48% of field. ( I also added pro ladies)

109km ebikes: 119 women. 35,73% of the field. 

I think 3:50 is a good bench mark. Thats just a little slower than my 66 year old mother can do, so it about right. 

Although, the eBikes are much more fair weather riders. only 333 this year compared to the 707 in October. compared to the 15448 finishers now vs 11848 in October. 

[Eldron]

18 minutes ago, Pure Savage said:

I am not sure if they just did not post the eBikes times lower than 3:50 but wow there was some fine lines for that top spot!!

That's quite a high risk/reward ratio! Do you go for the win to 3:50:01 and risk being banned or do you bank on a podium/top 10 at 3:50:05??

[Nick]

1 hour ago, Pure Savage said:

Although, the eBikes are much more fair weather riders. only 333 this year compared to the 707 in October. compared to the 15448 finishers now vs 11848 in October. 

I suspect you're right but it'd be interesting to see the DSQ list. I don't think they had the time rule for 2021 or they didn't apply it as strictly.

UPDATE: There were only around 40 e-bike registered riders who rode sub 3:50 in 2021.

Good to see the normies proving that they're still hard 😉

[Pure Savage]

1 hour ago, Nick said:

I suspect you're right but it'd be interesting to see the DQS list. I don't think they had the time rule for 2021 or they didn't apply it as strictly.

UPDATE: There were only around 40 e-bike registered riders who rode sub 3:50 in 2021.

Good to see the normies proving that they're still hard 😉

Apparently the DSQ eBike list is still a few...

[Milosh]

20 hours ago, ChrisF said:

Seeing the "hatred" in riders eyes up Suikerbossie when I passed them .... OUCH !!!  

 

I happen to support eBikes,  but the pain of Suikebossie made me hate you for a minute or two. This also extended to anyonewho had just trained properly and keep something in the bank for suikerbossie,  but it wore off quickly and we are all good again 😉 

 
 

Edited March 14, 2022 by Milosh
spelling

[ChrisF]

Quick scan shows the following for the e-bikers having done the Argus 2022 -

 

 

This is based on the finishers stats.  No idea of how "entry stats" compares with the race finishers stats.

 

PS - this excludes those under 3:50 ....  I see a couple cut it VERY close ....

 

333 finishers out of the 15 000 odd finishers .... barely 2%

 

 

Also a good few ebikes that only just scraped in under the cut-off time ..... dragging a heavy bike back without a battery ?

 

I have done enough training rides to KNOW what I can get out of a battery, distance AND elevation dependent ..... seems some did not do their homework.

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, Milosh said:

I happen to support eBikes,  but the pain of Suikebossie made me hate you for a minute or two. This also extended to anyonewho had just trained properly and keep something in the bank for suikerbossie,  but it wore off quickly and we are all good again 😉 

 
 

 

You might recall Jeremy Clarckson on his statements about "foreign labour" hating on the wealthy .... I now KNOW what that look looks like .....

 

But you are 100% correct, by the end everybody was full of smiles, and greeting and congratulating, irrespective of the bike.   

[Eddy Gordo]

5 hours ago, Milosh said:

I happen to support eBikes,  but the pain of Suikebossie made me hate you for a minute or two. This also extended to anyonewho had just trained properly and keep something in the bank for suikerbossie,  but it wore off quickly and we are all good again 😉 

 
 

I know what you mean. I always look on in amazement when an ebike just cruises up a steep hill. But the exhilaration of conquering that hill under your own power cannot be beaten!!

[The Ouzo]

Exhibit A

3h04 - cant say for sure, but looks like a battery I see there.

 

Exhibit B

3h09

A little more obvious looking

 

I dont know my bikes that well, but both appear to have batteries to me.

[Hairy]

1 minute ago, ouzo said:

Exhibit A

3h04 - cant say for sure, but looks like a battery I see there.

 

Exhibit B

3h09

A little more obvious looking

 

I dont know my bikes that well, but both appear to have batteries to me.

Both those riders look decently fit.

[The Ouzo]

4 minutes ago, Hairy said:

Both those riders look decently fit.

yes they do.

I looked into the first guy because his time was faster than the rest of the group, he pretty much rode on his own the entire way. So no harm no foul. (except he did not declare he rode an ebike)

Second guy though appears to have pulled another rider on a non e bike through to 3rd fastest in the group. Thumbs up for him for holding the wheel, the photos show him putting in big efforts to keep up.

 

 

[DuncanDoughnuts]

On 3/14/2022 at 7:37 PM, Eddy Gordo said:

I know what you mean. I always look on in amazement when an ebike just cruises up a steep hill. But the exhilaration of conquering that hill under your own power cannot be beaten!!

I disagree.... I hate hills. Im all for the downs. So I get no exhilaration climbing up a hill... in fact, if there was lift access I'd take it. Climbing sucks, pure and simple ... unless I'm on my Bike ... then I love it

[Skubarra]

33 minutes ago, ouzo said:

Exhibit A

3h04 - cant say for sure, but looks like a battery I see there.

 

Exhibit B

3h09

A little more obvious looking

 

I dont know my bikes that well, but both appear to have batteries to me.

You can always stalk their profiles on Strava... 

[ChrisF]

I saw 2 or 3 very fast ebikes - Specialized road bikes.  But they were each riding alone, nobody could keep up.

 

 

Looking at the YouTube video, the vast majority of ebikes were slower than those around them ... nursing that battery to get the range.

 

This couple captures the nice side of ebikes on FUN rides -

 

 

The gent has done a couple of CTCT events, and regularly do Ironman type events.  The ebike gave his wife the option to enjoy this experience with him.  

 

It would be a very sad day if a handful of cheaters spoils it for these riders.

 

 

Maybe 1 or 2 video cameras taking videos from the side .... would be much easier to identify and confirm if people were cheating.