E-bikes are a thing

Ebikes??

  • I have never ridden one

    Votes: 100 39.2%

  • I have ridden one for over an hour on a trail and I’ll never buy one

    Votes: 11 4.3%

  • I have ridden one in a trail for over an hr and I am considering one

    Votes: 20 7.8%

  • I’ll never give up my analog bike but I’ll still get an ebike

    Votes: 38 14.9%

  • Did he just say analog bike?

    Votes: 39 15.3%

  • My knees are failing and an ebike in inevitable

    Votes: 18 7.1%

  • My next bike will certainly be an ebike.

    Votes: 21 8.2%

  • I’ll never own an ebike, even when I’m 90

    Votes: 25 9.8%

  • Ebikes cause more trail damage than analog bikes

    Votes: 10 3.9%

  • Ebikes have no more trail impact than a traditional bike.

    Votes: 68 26.7%

  • I hate anyone on an ebike

    Votes: 7 2.7%

  • Anyone on a bike is a friend of mine, ebike or not

    Votes: 98 38.4%

  • I’ve been seeing ebikes in the woods regularly

    Votes: 59 23.1%

  • I’ve never seen an ebike on the trail

    Votes: 15 5.9%

  • It's called an Acoustic bike

    Votes: 16 6.3%

  • “I may consider one after my body is all used up and broken"

    Votes: 68 26.7%

  • I already own an off-road Ebike

    Votes: 42 16.5%

  • I have no interest in an e-bike

    Votes: 14 5.5%

  • Arguing against ebikes is kerfuffle

    Votes: 18 7.1%

  • I like Matty no matter what he rides

    Votes: 25 9.8%
  • Total voters
    255
sundaydoug said:
But as an enthusiast, the appeal of incorporating an electric motor into my mountain bike remains completely lost on me.
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Just speaking for myself, I want to to self shuttle and an EMTB allows me to run more laps. Instead of doing 3-4 laps down Flintlock or Painted Apron on an analog bike, and subsequently having to climb back up, I should be able to do twice as many laps down. I don't get anything riding up the fire road in Port Jervis and if a motor helps me save energy for the downs, then I'll take it. But again, this is just to supplement my current analog bike with hopes that I will be a better rider (by virtue of more time / experience) from the EMTB.

(Just using Port Jervis as an example, obviously this will apply to other places like Frederick Watershed, Glen Park, etc.)
 
How about a poll response saying “I have no interest in an e-bike”? I can see the utility of it for trail building, commuting, errand-running in town, etc. As far as the “when I’m old” thing, I feel like if I can’t handle the uphill anymore, the rest of my body may not be able to handle the downhill very well.
 
Norm said:
Ah, not a palindrome. Go get more coffee my friend.

@sundaydoug smash both your knees with hammers for a few years and get back to me regarding it being lost on you. To be transparent, I do not own an eBike nor do I plan to buy one this year (or next). But as a guy who has been limping around the house since Saturday because I hurt myself yet again, I see them on the horizon at some point. I suspect they will be what keeps me riding a bike until the day I keel over.
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A friend rides an e-bike for exactly that reason - after a lifetime of athletic abuse (and more operations than I can imagine), both of her knees are essentially bone-on-bone. She is looking at the first of two replacements later this year. In the meantime, her Heckler allows her to actually ride and not be in excruciating pain. In the meantime, I cough up a lung trying to keep up with her on climbs, so it's good. She bought hers when she turned 60. That sounds like a good number for me as well (52 this year), but who knows.

Personally, I'm in the "so I can self-shuttle" camp. so I figure one is in my future eventually. Probably something with a lot of travel like the Bullit.
 
Personally I like the idea that I can ride the various loops I may want to ride in Allamuchy and then say, yeah I'm going to ride over to Candy Ass and go down it without A) being gassed when I get there and therefore technically deficient and B) I'm not dreading riding back up over the mountain to get home. I'm not there yet but I see it coming and not just because I'm old. Personally I would want an ebike that errs to the minimal assistance side which Orbea seems to have headed toward and perhaps others as this goes forward.

An Ebike is just a tool, another option. If / how you use it is up to you. There are purists and those that openly accept in nearly every sport, activity etc. I'm sure there are guys who hate nail guns and prefer hammers because nail guns make you lazy and not do it the right way blah blah. I'm sure the first guy out with an outboard motor on a rowboat got sideways looks from those that rowed and swore they would only row.

The nice thing about biking is once you are on a bike in the woods, you really only have to answer to yourself and don't have to listen to much else. Unless there is a guy with one of those freaking speakers playing music on his bike.....jeeze.
 
locotoo said:
How about a poll response saying “I have no interest in an e-bike”? I can see the utility of it for trail building, commuting, errand-running in town, etc. As far as the “when I’m old” thing, I feel like if I can’t handle the uphill anymore, the rest of my body may not be able to handle the downhill very well.
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and that's why there are rail trails. 🤪
 
locotoo said:
How about a poll response saying “I have no interest in an e-bike”? I can see the utility of it for trail building, commuting, errand-running in town, etc. As far as the “when I’m old” thing, I feel like if I can’t handle the uphill anymore, the rest of my body may not be able to handle the downhill very well.
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There was one. "I'll never own an ebike - even when I'm 90"

If you don't like them, don't buy one. Why do you care what others ride?
 
People who don’t get ebikes are the same people who think dropper posts aren’t really necessary.

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Since its a free country and opinions are like assholes, I don't feel bad at all about having a dim-view of e-bikes. Aside from the folks who may legitimately need them (chronic injuries, etc., for which I bet there are very few actually justifiable cases), all the "more laps" and "self-shuttling" justifications kind of fall flat. Everyone picks and chooses something that fits their narrative.

To me, the e-bike crew are like those guys in the fishing shop I used to go to that were all on permanent disability. They were too disabled to work or swing a hammer, but weren't too disabled to stand asshole deep in a 50 degree river flowing at 2200cfs, for 12-14hrs a day, making about 1000 casts.
 
Captain Brainstorm said:
Since its a free country and opinions are like assholes, I don't feel bad at all about having a dim-view of e-bikes. Aside from the folks who may legitimately need them (chronic injuries, etc., for which I bet there are very few actually justifiable cases), all the "more laps" and "self-shuttling" justifications kind of fall flat. Everyone picks and chooses something that fits their narrative.

To me, the e-bike crew are like those guys in the fishing shop I used to go to that were all on permanent disability. They were too disabled to work or swing a hammer, but weren't too disabled to stand asshole deep in a 50 degree river flowing at 2200cfs, for 12-14hrs a day, making about 1000 casts.
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You have just equated people that ride ebikes to people that commit fraud. That sounds pretty rationale. I really don't care peoples opinions either way but this may be the worst analogy.
 
Captain Brainstorm said:
To me, the e-bike crew are like those guys in the fishing shop I used to go to that were all on permanent disability. They were too disabled to work or swing a hammer, but weren't too disabled to stand asshole deep in a 50 degree river flowing at 2200cfs, for 12-14hrs a day, making about 1000 casts.
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Interesting take - kinda reminiscent of the crossbow vs compound bow hunting kerfuffle

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Not that I feel I need to justify riding ebikes but it seems to me that some people are "either/or" rather than "both". I'm physically able to ride an analogue bike and I still do (hard tail) and just because I still ride and enjoy riding it doesn't mean I can't also enjoy riding an ebike. As Jay have said a couple of times before, most people who criticize ebikes (if not all) have never had a real ride on one. If they have the they'll get it. It doesn't have to be a replacement analogue bikes. You can have an enjoy both.
 
locotoo said:
How about a poll response saying “I have no interest in an e-bike”? I can see the utility of it for trail building, commuting, errand-running in town, etc. As far as the “when I’m old” thing, I feel like if I can’t handle the uphill anymore, the rest of my body may not be able to handle the downhill very well.
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Added!
 
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Horses for courses. It's not too different than using a fat bike for when the trails are covered in snow. Is is cheating or wrong to use a fat bike when a traditional MTB (whatever that is) can't?

I once had 3 of the same car at the same time. Each had different purpose and use. So adding an EMTB to the stable, for a particular use, doesn't sound so crazy to me. But I might be biased and, admittedly, have (mental) issues. :shrug:
 
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