Despite living in the Netherlands, I live in a very hilly area and my ebike has been an absolute game changer for me. The Cauberg holds no fears for me now 😁
I've been seeing that in my area. Parents for some reason buy these illegal fat-tired "e-bikes" and allow their children to ride them. Unfortunately the understaffed police are not cracking down, and now many people are up in arms about "e-bikes."
"There oughta be a law," they think, but there is.
Separating them is crucial and urgent.
I was recently overtaken by a few kids on electric motorbikes who were for sure (*) going over 35 mph *on a multi-use path*.
(*) I can hear you say "sure, grandpa". I was going 18. On downhills I sometimes reach 50. I know of which I speak.
This is all so easy to regulate, but the government seems to be unwilling to tackle the issue at source (much like the sale of SUVs which can do 155mph+)
I was once riding my e-bike to work, up the steep hill that I couldn't avoid on the route (and because of which, without e-assist, I wouldn't have been cycling to work at all)
A car overtook me. The driver wound his window down as he passed, and yelled, "that's cheating!"
I use my non-e-bike to get to work when 🇨🇦 weather allows. It is the most efficient way to get my 60 minutes exercise, including the bloody great hill outside my street. I don’t disparage e-bikes, if only because at age 68 I will need one someday. I do hate them on trails- too fast for pedestrians 🤦🏼♂️
Every e-bike journey removes a car from the roads. They don’t replace bikes, they replace cars! Trip to the nearest Aldi = 800 ft / 250m of climbing of course I’m going to get the shopping on my analog bike…
I do think that electric assisted bikes are fantastic, they are complimentary to non assisted. A very valuable extra addition to heavier bikes, such as cargo bikes, and a great way to enable many to enjoy cycling.
I’ve seen motorcyclists intentionally shove cyclists off their bikes, constantly use bike lanes and use their stupid loud engines to intimidate pedestrians and people on bikes. I view them as cars.
FWIW I rode a motorcycle and am currently a cyclist. I’d say generally anyone on 2 wheels is an ally in the war against cars. Granted there are always exceptions. I see cyclists that hurt the cause too.
💯 this! Every time I see someone on an eBike I'm thinking "yay, that person gets to enjoy cycling!", also "yay, that person probably drives too, and if they didn't cycle before they now understand what it's like to be on a bike near cars. So they are more likely to treats cyclists as human beings"
While I don't own an e-bike and don't intend to it's good for the people who otherwise wouldn't bike. An unfortunate benefit for me is that my bike is now much less likely to be stolen since all the bike thieves want e-bikes now.
People just don’t understand bikes. They have gears. You put your bike in the gear to match the power output of your legs/cadence that works for you whether you use a bike or an e-bike. The question is whether the resulting ride has prohibitive inclines or would take too long.
I see this conversation constantly in hilly af Seattle. Happy to report that women here, especially parents of small kids, are fantastically supportive when it comes to sharing ebike brands & stores. Makes me hopeful the "real bike" nonsense will die down soon.
I really love my ebike. Living in a hilly place with headwinds in all directions (how is this even possible) the ebike removes a hurdle of the commute that makes me get to work in a whole other mood.
And the same way in the other direction, when I get home I have more energy left to spend time with my family, without the need to collapse after climbing a hill in the rain manually.
Slight disagreement:
eBikes are heavier, so handle a little bit different...
afaik this is only a bit of a challenge when switching (for the first time)
& eBikes are great!
Not necessarily, my Trek FX+2 is 40 lbs, and Specialized bikes are around 35. That's comparable to some bikes I had in my 20s, especially if you add the same accessories.
Some are tons heavier, I agree. Biketowns are so heavy I struggle to steer.
Last summer I took an impulsive weeknight 14 mi round trip errand. I would never have considered it without my ebike--I would have been way too exhausted on my regular bike. The ebike makes more possible.
I'm going to take the plunge on an e-bike next year. Apart from the bike trailer and kids issue, I want a bike I can use when I'm not feeling 100%. Sometimes you just don't want to ride 10km for a thing when recovering from a cold...
Yes save we have an entire enforcement infrastructure set up to deal with people in cars which is apparently powerless to deal with the same types of people on e-bikes.
I've seen more cops *committing* driver infractions than enforcing even just the ones that happen right in front of them. With the exception of speeding. Maybe.
I've been nearly hit as a pedestrian by a cyclist (analog) a few times. And pedestrians run into other pedestrians all the time too. Agreed it's a people problem 😆
Haven't run into any snobbishness yet. Around here, whenever a bicyclist passes me going the other direction on a "regular" bike, we exchange friendly nods or waves just as if I wasn't buzzing along on my ebike. It's nice.
I’ve experienced it online, but not irl. In fact a couple weeks a dude on an analog bike was stoked to draft behind me at 22mph. I think people are more hostile toward throttle-assist as opposed to pedal assist, but encouraging non-car transportation is something everyone should get behind.
I think a lot of the snobbishness comes from non-bike riders. In my experience, people who love bikes just want more people on two wheels, they don't care if it's an e-bike
Some don’t like the motors and what is perceived as ”unnecessary technology”. However, from a life cycle perspective the frame of a bike is the biggest chunk of emissions. The energy use of an ebike is negligible. I have a cargo bike and it uses 1kWh per 100km. Similar to one eco dishwasher run!
I don't like the lack of trail etiquette from new riders. I also don't like that there are a bunch of electric motorcycles (no pedaling required) that fly by me on the trail without any warning.
I do like the idea of e bikes and hope they continue to improve the transportation landscape.
That would be a case of moving the goalpost! Imagine, replacing a car ride with an E bike and hearing a complaint that you use electricity and a motor. 😂
I’ve heard this expressed before. It’s particularly important in the context of expanding bike infrastructure. Any other response would be self-defeating.
Slightly different experience for me in the UK. 'Proper' cyclists - ie. the lycra-clad brigade - very much look down on them. But I'm 💯with Chris Boardman on this: we'll know we've cracked cycling infrastructure when everyone is cycling around in normal clothes and no helmets. Like in NLD/DNK.
Sorry, but this is nonsense. None of the many lycra fiends I know there looks down on e-bikes at all. As others have said - they get people on bikes. I'm sure I'll ride one one day.
Commuting in and out of work, I do get frustrated with bad riding from Lime Bikers. But that's something else.
Lycra brigade here, ebikes are only cheating if you're trying to sneak an ebike into a race. Anyone trying to say otherwise is joyless, maidenless, and probably voted for brexit, Trump, or Doug Ford.
It's cheating in a race, but maybe not effective cheating. My ebike has a top speed of 20 MPH when pedaling thanks to a speed limiter, and after six years the battery range has dropped to a bit under 30 miles. I don't think either of those would be enough to win against analog cyclists.
I get the occasional skewering Death Stare™ from 50-something pasty-white ghouls in lycra for daring to be on *their* bike infrastructure with a ratbike electric built from junk, wearing punk-wear and a moto helmet.
By the way they're huffing along, I'm pretty sure I ride more frequently. :P
Years ago, there was a woman who “won” the Boston Marathon, though few people could remember seeing her even running in the race. Turns out she started, and then jumped on the subway. Had a couple of beers in a local bar before finishing…
I'd not come across those terms before, but after a quick Google - I like! The UK has far too many Wielrenners, and not nearly enough Fietsers. Vive la Fietsers!!
Comments
"There oughta be a law," they think, but there is.
I was recently overtaken by a few kids on electric motorbikes who were for sure (*) going over 35 mph *on a multi-use path*.
(*) I can hear you say "sure, grandpa". I was going 18. On downhills I sometimes reach 50. I know of which I speak.
A car overtook me. The driver wound his window down as he passed, and yelled, "that's cheating!"
Attitudes are very screwy
Everyone outside the box on wheels is an ally
I know a few people who ride motorcycles here at my work and they seem to be allies
I’ve seen motorcyclists intentionally shove cyclists off their bikes, constantly use bike lanes and use their stupid loud engines to intimidate pedestrians and people on bikes. I view them as cars.
My ebike means I can cycle a round trip 60km, cutting down my car usage.
My biggest obstacle is the increasing heavy rain and high winds, which can make it dangerous to be out, especially on shared roads.
https://www.apidura.com/journal/markus-stitz-where-roads-end/?srsltid=AfmBOopsDJTEik6w69APWqhw19I6JM22J97Kq3g5uQHEAWFiDkvmfw4T
While we laughed then, e-bikes deliver that today.
It has 9 levels of PAS and I use the minimum level if I want a workout and ludicrous mode for the hill.
I probably would have given up cycling if I didn't have this option.
Removing that has been 👍🏻
eBikes are heavier, so handle a little bit different...
afaik this is only a bit of a challenge when switching (for the first time)
& eBikes are great!
Some are tons heavier, I agree. Biketowns are so heavy I struggle to steer.
A reminder about how one person can shape your impression about something.
I do like the idea of e bikes and hope they continue to improve the transportation landscape.
Commuting in and out of work, I do get frustrated with bad riding from Lime Bikers. But that's something else.
In either case, I’ve had good experiences and it’s never good to put people in categories based on group identity.
By the way they're huffing along, I'm pretty sure I ride more frequently. :P
Years ago, there was a woman who “won” the Boston Marathon, though few people could remember seeing her even running in the race. Turns out she started, and then jumped on the subway. Had a couple of beers in a local bar before finishing…