E-Bikes, what do we think?

necromunger

the motor is electric and it makes no difference how cold it is efficiency wise its just the same hot or cold it dont matter as it has no effect i have had it long enough to know.

that is not my bike in the pic but the fs is a 2014 ktm and has over 30.000 miles on it and rides it in swamps it looks like sometimes.

dh then they are slower ill give you that as the extra waight and the ability to flick it round corners is hard work with the extra mass that you have to slow down why i have 203mm hope rotors front and rear.

i also dont know any bike parks that have banned ebikes as you say you are faster down hill so why ban something that is going slower than a full dh bike anyway it makes no sense at all.

why not ban dh bikes at bike parks as there to fast pmsl

necromunger

rockmonkeysc

They're banned from Tidworth, Aston Hill and anywhere else insured by CTC.
They're also banned from some US national parks, including Moab.
UK national parks including Exmoor and Dartmoor are reviewing the issue with a ban quite likely. The problem is the speed on the flat and the damage caused by extra torque on climbs.
They're causing a problem in negotiations for extra access to footpaths in the UK. It's the main argument against allowing cyclists on footpaths.

necromunger

The problem is the speed on the flat and the damage caused by extra torque on climbs.

any fit road bike rider can match my speed over distance say 10 miles and even beat it by half a minute i cant beat the road bikes on strava so saying there to fast on the flat is utter rubbish.

34? there all on fkn drugs

as for damage on climbs then it is the same as a normal bike these things cant wheel spin and dig a hole in the floor and fly up it at 30mph non stop as it is peddle assist my motor dont even kick in till half a rotation anyway.

rockmonkeysc

Speed on the flat is a lot higher off road compared to a mountain bike. Not good on trails shared with walkers and horses.
They produce a lot more torque and do wheel spin. The trail builders around here hate them because of the mess they make on technical climbs.
On the bright side, the Strava bell ends who were opening up straight lines on all the twisty trails have stopped now because that gives the lazy bastards on mopeds even more advantage compared to proper bikes.

necromunger

well maybe you should have a go on one first as its clear to me no have not got a clue what you are talking about as you seem to think no effort is required and that is not the case and in fact if you want to go fast you need as much effort as a normal bike.

and the only time i have had wheel spin is in the wet going up hill and even then it is hardly anything just seems to me you are trying to find ways to call them rubbish as you dont like them and saying they destroy trails on climbs is just nonsense.

and if that is the case why can you hire them at the forest of dean pedal bike away.
http://pedalabikeaway.co.uk/bike-hire/

Angus Young

necromunger wrote:

well maybe you should have a go on one first as its clear to me no have not got a clue what you are talking about

I have. It was quite fun for a while. After a while it was unsatisfying.

necromunger wrote:

as you seem to think no effort is required and that is not the case and in fact if you want to go fast you need as much effort as a normal bike.

I don't think anyone has said 'no' effort is required. We all know it's 'pedal assist' as opposed to 'motorised'. And, emphatically no, they don't need as much effort if you want to go fast. If they did, what would be the point.

necromunger wrote:

and the only time i have had wheel spin is in the wet going up hill and even then it is hardly anything just seems to me you are trying to find ways to call them rubbish as you dont like them and saying they destroy trails on climbs is just nonsense.

The extra torque at the back wheel is not subtle and you really can feel it digging into the trail at certain points. That's part of the fun. But it's also part of the problem.

necromunger wrote:

and if that is the case why can you hire them at the forest of dean pedal bike away.
http://pedalabikeaway.co.uk/bike-hire/

Simple, there's money to be made.

The Rookie

E-bikes have their place, but I'd rather that wasn't on trails which are sensitive by didnt of a lose surface, to increased tractive forces.

I have sympathy for those who have ailments and cannot ride a pedal only bike and wouldn't want to see them disadvantaged, but can see that happening as more and more people who are frankly lazy resort to an e-bike rather than a bit of excercise to get fit enough to ride a trail without help.

Like RMSC I have a commuter that has done over 6000 miles with only the minimum maintenance, although it has just had a reframe as the 10 year old frame (I bought it at 4 years old) was starting to show its age.

Angus Young

The Rookie wrote:

E-bikes have their place...

In the van at the end of the day so that you can get one more run in when your legs are shot.

rockmonkeysc

Angus Young wrote:

necromunger wrote:

well maybe you should have a go on one first as its clear to me no have not got a clue what you are talking about

I have. It was quite fun for a while. After a while it was unsatisfying.

necromunger wrote:

as you seem to think no effort is required and that is not the case and in fact if you want to go fast you need as much effort as a normal bike.

I don't think anyone has said 'no' effort is required. We all know it's 'pedal assist' as opposed to 'motorised'. And, emphatically no, they don't need as much effort if you want to go fast. If they did, what would be the point.

necromunger wrote:

and the only time i have had wheel spin is in the wet going up hill and even then it is hardly anything just seems to me you are trying to find ways to call them rubbish as you dont like them and saying they destroy trails on climbs is just nonsense.

The extra torque at the back wheel is not subtle and you really can feel it digging into the trail at certain points. That's part of the fun. But it's also part of the problem.

necromunger wrote:

and if that is the case why can you hire them at the forest of dean pedal bike away.
http://pedalabikeaway.co.uk/bike-hire/

Simple, there's money to be made.

All what he said. Plus I don't want to use my beer money to hire one. I have rode a demo Haibike. Fun for ten minutes but it wasn't cycling, it was rubbish on descents and I'd much rather my Transition.
Anyone (other than disabled etc) who rides an e-bike around Forest of Dean is plain lazy. There's bugger all climbing there and anyone with a moderate level of fitness can manage 4 laps of Verderes or Freeminers or 12 laps of the downhill trails. Most people can ride up faster than the uplift anyway.

The Rookie

Angus Young wrote:

The Rookie wrote:

E-bikes have their place...

In the van at the end of the day so that you can get one more run in when your legs are shot.

Well no, I have no issue with commuters using e-bikes (gets a car off the road and the extra torque isn't an issue on the surface) or, as mentioned, those with genuine physical ailments that would otherwise prevent them being able to enjoy the sport we love (being lazy isn't an ailment, nor is being overweight or unfit) such as this guy. https://www.electricbike.com/lightest-bike/

Angus Young

The Rookie wrote:

Angus Young wrote:

The Rookie wrote:

E-bikes have their place...

In the van at the end of the day so that you can get one more run in when your legs are shot.

Well no...

Struggling to get one more lap in at the end of the day at FoD, I was overtaken at full pelt by a guy on an e-bike and it occurred to me that having one in the back of the van, along side my Kona, would be great for pulling out at the end of the day just to get that last lap in without risk of a heart attack.

rockmonkeysc

I'd rather just get a coffee and cake instead or go down the road a bit and session the jump line for an hour.

mick_cornick

Tried one from my LBS, great fun. Definitely will buy one when I'm even older and more knackered than now. Great idea to keep people riding well into old age.

FishFish

Angus - calm down.

Angus Young

FishFish wrote:

Angus - calm down.

Where was I not calm?

doomanic

The Rookie wrote:

those with genuine physical ailments that would otherwise prevent them being able to enjoy the sport we love (being lazy isn't an ailment, nor is being overweight or unfit) such as this guy. https://www.electricbike.com/lightest-bike/

That's not an e-bike, it's an e-moped...

The power is not activated by pedaling through a pedelec sensor like many commercial E-bikes available in Europe. Instead, he chose to use a thumb throttle, which he has hidden under a classic bicycle bell.

rockmonkeysc

Is it really a good thing to have lots of pensioners out mountain biking? They'll be having heart attacks and strokes out on the trails and their brittle bones will break whenever they fall off.
Maybe when you're too old to ride a bike properly it's your body telling you it's time to take it a bit easier. Maybe not take up bowls but maybe ride flatter cycle routes.
The pensioners I used to see meeting up on the Bristol - Bath cycle route every Wednesday and Friday have a great time. All their routes are planned around pubs and avoiding spending time with the wife!

The Rookie

doomanic wrote:

The Rookie wrote:

those with genuine physical ailments that would otherwise prevent them being able to enjoy the sport we love (being lazy isn't an ailment, nor is being overweight or unfit) such as this guy. https://www.electricbike.com/lightest-bike/

That's not an e-bike, it's an e-moped...

The power is not activated by pedaling through a pedelec sensor like many commercial E-bikes available in Europe. Instead, he chose to use a thumb throttle, which he has hidden under a classic bicycle bell.

You may not have realised that the government has anounced they will bring our regs into line with Europe and that there are to be no prosecutions for selling or using thumb throttle bikes, so while strictly illegal, it is in any sensible interpretation (that may be hard for you) an e-bike.

doomanic

You're a bit of a c0ck, aren't you.

Angus Young

doomanic wrote:

You're a bit of a c0ck, aren't you.

Actually, no, he's not. He's been on this board for a very long time and is one of the most reasonable and knowledgeable posters here.

doomanic

I'm not seeing much evidence in that in his snide attacks.

Angus Young

doomanic wrote:

I'm not seeing much evidence in that in his snide attacks.

Oh, well.

rockmonkeysc

Angus Young wrote:

doomanic wrote:

You're a bit of a c0ck, aren't you.

Actually, no, he's not. He's been on this board for a very long time and is one of the most reasonable and knowledgeable posters here.

He may be an idiot and a bit of a nobber at times but I'd say he's been fairly reasonable here.
You on the other hand are one of them but with added womble.

Maybe you could move to a forum specialising in your particular interest. I hear netmums is full of bored, middle aged women like yourself. Some are probably in to e bikes.

Angus Young

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Angus Young wrote:

doomanic wrote:

You're a bit of a c0ck, aren't you.

Actually, no, he's not. He's been on this board for a very long time and is one of the most reasonable and knowledgeable posters here.

He may be an idiot and a bit of a nobber at times but I'd say he's been fairly reasonable here.
You on the other hand are one of them but with added womble.

Maybe you could move to a forum specialising in your particular interest. I hear netmums is full of bored, middle aged women like yourself. Some are probably in to e bikes.

I was banned from netmums for talking endlessly about mountain bikes.

The Rookie

doomanic wrote:

You're a bit of a c0ck, aren't you.

I probably am sometimes, but in this case I fail to see what I said that warranted it, I thought it was a perfectly valid point that I note despite the name calling you haven't actually responded to?

rockmonkeysc

Angus Young wrote:

I was banned from netmums for talking endlessly about mountain bikes.

You can get away with that as long as you mention dildos at least once per post.

peat

My 60yr old uncle has one.

I can go flat out, he keeps up. I get a decent work out, I don't have to wait/go slow for him. I'm happy, he's happy. Job done.
Good old fashioned family quality time.

I had a go on it. Good fun for a little while, hilarious up a steep climb, but I prefer my normal bike..... for now. I could see myself having one in the distant future.

Hinaultscrapcousin

This place is awesome. Help someone out by pointing out the law is changing and you get called a c0ck and accused of snide remarks...

The Rookie

Welcome to the internet!