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

[DieselnDust]

4 hours ago, Jbr said:

Yes ebikes should be allowed at events like these, because they aren't just races, they are a great opportunity to ride some of the most beautiful roads in the world without the risk of being taken out by a car/taxi/bus or being attacked/stabbed.

But since you're riding with a motor, you shouldn't be timed. All ebikes spotted with a chip should be DQ'ed, same for TT bars.

E-bikes wouldn't be a problem if they had to use only one battery for the duration of the ride. They'd be more conservative with the battery. But because they carry three of the things in their packs they can run them at max and swap out when flat.

[TIB]

30 minutes ago, RobbyB said:

Maybe BikeHub needs to run a poll to see whether the majority of cyclists (on BikeHub) enter races to race (ride for a time)...looking to improve their time...

Or just happy to ride for fun - no time required, not interested in whether they were faster/or slower that previous years.

I ALWAYS race..... but to most it appears I am on a fun-ride😜

[DuncanDoughnuts]

2 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

E-bikes wouldn't be a problem if they had to use only one battery for the duration of the ride. They'd be more conservative with the battery. But because they carry three of the things in their packs they can run them at max and swap out when flat.

you must have very rich friends who can afford 3 batteries .... Afraid the majority only have the 1 and have to make it last.

[Bman]

1 minute ago, Eldron said:

As you said each to their own. Me - I wouldn't feel right telling my friends I could ride a 100km if I knew I had used a motor....or it would be a step along the way to riding 100km unaided.

That doesn't take anything away from her achievements of course - each person has different goals, genetics, fortitude, money to spend on bikes etc.

Any cycling is good cycling - more cyclists is better for every cyclist.

Likewise if I were to tell mates I'd done 100km on an ebike it would create an and then....... 

But to her, to her mates that ride or don't ride at all and have feared starting out that open their eyes to starting with an ebike rather then continuing to not start at all.  Well that's a win everyday of the week. 

[Jbr]

7 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

E-bikes wouldn't be a problem if they had to use only one battery for the duration of the ride. They'd be more conservative with the battery. But because they carry three of the things in their packs they can run them at max and swap out when flat.

if these weren't trying to cheat their way in a sub whatever (timed) they would just use their bikes for what it's for : enjoying a good time outside. The only ebike racing that makes sense to me is MTB, where your skills make a difference to the other riders.

Edited February 22, 2022 by Jbr

[ChrisH]

Just now, DuncanDoughnuts said:

you must have very rich friends who can afford 3 batteries .... Afraid the majority only have the 1 and have to make it last.

Very true. A second battery for my bike is about R12k. And weighs about as much as R12K in 1c coins.

[RobbyB]

14 minutes ago, Skubarra said:

Surely there should be space for both those who ride for a time/racing and those just happy to ride? Why must it be the one at the exclusion of the other? I don't think the ebikes at the back of the field are a problem but one can acknowledge that they can create problems further up the field and not just dismiss it as all about egos/elitism etc.

I think that you've got the wrong end of the stick. It's just a POLL to see HOW MANY ride for the RACE or just for the FUN. (No one is being excluded!)

[saggy]

41 minutes ago, Eldron said:

Time is the big thing - someone else's wife worked harder than your wife to ride the 100km on her own steam and (theoretically) your wife could have a better time...how is that fair to the other wife? Or the other riders?

Having a motor should exclude you from timing (or your time should have a little asterisk stating that you did your time on a ebike).

 

 

 

but why does someone elses wife care what time the ebiker did. Why would it make any difference to her acheivement or how she feels about her ride.

If I do the CTCT in around 4 hours im happy, it makes absolutely no difference to my ride or how I feel about my ride if someone else does 3:55 on an ebike.

As someone said before you have to have a real fragile ego for it to bother you so much

[Eldron]

3 minutes ago, Bman said:

Likewise if I were to tell mates I'd done 100km on an ebike it would create an and then....... 

But to her, to her mates that ride or don't ride at all and have feared starting out that open their eyes to starting with an ebike rather then continuing to not start at all.  Well that's a win everyday of the week. 

Well that's the thing right - if you can only ride 100km using a motor then you can't actually ride 100km can you? Kinda like me saying I can swim 2km if I use a flotation device and fins.

In the real world I can actually swim about 8m before drowning...and that is only if the pool is 8m deep.

Using eBikes to get people into cycling and/or increase cycling numbers is a completely different thing and should be encouraged 100%.

 

 

 

[DuncanDoughnuts]

I find it amusing that people in this forum, and people in general think Ebikes ride everywhere in Turbo all the time... 

Any event over 30km and you have carefully manage your battery, most of the time riding in a setting that just overcomes the extra weight of the bike. And hope you have enough left for the end stages. My ave and peak HR are very similar to when I'm on a ebike vs a legacy bike. 

Yes there are those few lucky people that will have multiple batteries, (they will be few) but do you really want to carry a 2 kilo battery in a rucksack

And I highly doubt that the ladies and gents riding for fun will have multiple batteries.

My Cycle tour times have been faster on my road bike than my ebike ..... so why ride the ebike you ask ? because I have more fun on it. And Im all about the fun now.

 

[NotSoBigBen]

29 minutes ago, YaseenEnos said:

i think we need a bigger bag

I rushed out!

[Pure Savage]

I am just bleak there is no eBike race teams yet. 

Pure Savage E

Like a super sticky bottle wit hyour team mate.

 

[Pure Savage]

28 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

E-bikes wouldn't be a problem if they had to use only one battery for the duration of the ride. They'd be more conservative with the battery. But because they carry three of the things in their packs they can run them at max and swap out when flat.

They should only get 4 AA batteries for the lap!

[DuncanDoughnuts]

1 hour ago, Bman said:

Can't help but feel how ignorant and short sighted that last comment of yours is. 

For someone like my wife, I know and can tell you she's worked hard for her 100km finish on her ebike. She cycles on her Mtb, managing her battery and the different power modes for it to last the 100km in the first place and enjoying herself while she's at it. 

Sure she could jump on her normal Mtb and have done a shorter event, or ride the long one and suffer through it, possibly having to get a helping hand now and again or push etc, but if she's having fun all by herself on her ebike and we can chat about the same route we both completed later that evening, well why not! 

It is an achievement for her to have completed the 100km and one I'm proud of her for doing which is also building her confidence. 

Leave each to their own, if you have a chop on an ebike racing - leave him be. It's the choice of the chap behind to sit his wheel, the ebikers not forcing him. If it becomes a safety hazard then agreed start them well seperate. 

But of course they should be allowed to ride and be timed for that matter. My wife's just under 5hrs is an achievement on her ebike, ones she's proud of and I'm proud of her for. 

 

Kudos to your wife..... There is no ways I can make a my battery last 100km without riding with motor turned off for some time. 

Most iIcan get out a of a single charge is 70km and thats in a low low setting where im just keeping up with legacy bikes (Im big boned) 

[NotSoBigBen]

Personally they do irritate the crap out of me for various reasons in both races and socially, however I have decided to just let it be like I do with many other 'social ills' I have a problem with and just get on with my own riding.

It is what it is as the cool kids say 😜

[Jbr]

27 minutes ago, DuncanDoughnuts said:

I find it amusing that people in this forum, and people in general think Ebikes ride everywhere in Turbo all the time... 

Any event over 30km and you have carefully manage your battery, most of the time riding in a setting that just overcomes the extra weight of the bike. And hope you have enough left for the end stages. My ave and peak HR are very similar to when I'm on a ebike vs a legacy bike. 

so why don't you ride a normal bike then if you're only using the motor to just overcome the extra weight of the motor 🤣