Washington State's new ebike laws just passed.

[Jeremy McCreary]

Everyone should wear a helmet. Otherwise, people should wear what they want when they ride. If like me, they want the many functional advantages that cycling shorts and jerseys have to offer, that's their call, too.

I don't wear lycra because I think it looks good on me. I know better. Nor does it feed some TdF fantasy. I wear it because the functionality serves my mix of fitness and pleasure riding well.

For example, the combination of bike shorts and my current saddle gives me far more butt range than anything else I've tried. And the 3 ample jersey pockets replace a rack bag at a tiny fraction of the weight and drag.

To each his own.

 

[stompandgo]

I wear the same clothes on my e-bikes as I did on my racing bikes. The stereotypical and condescending vitriol here is just plain sad.

 

[Gionnirocket]

I wear the same clothes on my e-bikes as I did on my racing bikes. The stereotypical and condescending vitriol here is just plain sad.

I wear padded biking shorts as well as I find them the most comfortable. Then I wear various sport tops but nothing that is color coordinated (to my bike) or with endorsements / logos. Just plain, clean and tasteful imo.
That said, everything I've said is true and has been witnessed multiple times.
So what's sad is that it's true... not those that find it disgraceful and share their experiences.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Jealous? Envy? Are you f'n high?
Their reputation for being arrogant and inconsiderate is well deserved.
I've seen packs weave in and out of families with young children at high speed. They think if they say "on your left" it' somehow grants them permission to do high speed passes cutting as close as possible.
It can't be just me as these "stereotypes" keep resurfacing from people who have never met and from all parts of the country.
The fact that they dress like wanna_be's just adds to the D_bag stereotype
Not you? Great!. as it's not everyone.
But it's more than a rare occurrence or a few bad apples by far...and much more hazardous than anyone on an eBike in my experience.

Can you show us where the bad Road Bikers hurt you?

Just saying, but I've had 100x times as many d-bag encounters with motor vehicle operators than any group of cyclist.

 

[Gionnirocket]

Can you show us where the bad Road Bikers hurt you?

Same place you like to kiss

 

[Roamers]

but nothing that is color coordinated (to my bike) or with endorsements / logos

Would you wear something like that if the LBS said "I'll give you a bike if you wear this when you ride it."

 

[stompandgo]

I wear padded biking shorts as well as I find them the most comfortable. Then I wear various sport tops but nothing that is color coordinated (to my bike) or with endorsements / logos. Just plain, clean and tasteful imo.
That said, everything I've said is true and has been witnessed multiple times.
So what's sad is that it's true... not those that find it disgraceful and share their experiences.

It's not that I am doubting your experiences. What's sad is that you (and others here) turn it into stereotypical behavior, which it is not, and then hurl insults at this group as a whole. Your (and others here) opinions of riders color choices, endorsements, etc. just reinforce that bias and group think.

I often ride in jerseys with logos and endorsements. I raced for these companies in the past. The clothing still fits me after all these years. Have you priced a high quality jersey lately? I'm not going to toss perfectly good high quality clothing because some group of neanderthals want to ridicule me. That's their problem. And it's sad because that same group also ride bikes. A bunch of crabs in a pail, I say.

 

[Biplaneguy]

Humans are tribal creatures. Throughout most of history, anybody not in your tribe was less than human and could / should be killed. We're trying to get past that, with varying degrees of success. Making fun of the other tribe is human nature, and better than actual fighting. Me, as a member of the blue jeans / loose natural fiber tribe, I may poke good natured fun at the spandex tribe, and I don't get upset if somebody pokes fun of me as barefoot hippie freak. (I learned my lesson years ago about cycling barefoot, but that's another story.)

In many cases appearance is associated with behavior, sometimes rightly, sometimes wrongly... but most stereotypes have at least some basis in fact.

Hikers also divide between the natural and spandex tribes. In the sport flying world, civilian pilots who choose to wear military style flight suits get kidded. Swimmers make fun of speedo wearers (ok, for good reason in many cases ). Skiers vs snowboarders, canoeists vs kayakers. Rock vs hip-hop vs country. And of course manual vs ebikes. The list goes on.

 

[stompandgo]

I have no problem with good-natured ball busting. I have a problem with condescension, elitism, and hate based solely on appearance.

 

[Gionnirocket]

Would you wear something like that if the LBS said "I'll give you a bike if you wear this when you ride it."

Throw in free maintenance and a happy ending afterwards and I'll think about it.
Seems again you can't see the forest for the trees. What they wear is the least of my concerns...it's their behavior that I find indefensible.

It's not that I am doubting your experiences. What's sad is that you (and others here) turn it into stereotypical behavior, which it is not, and then hurl insults at this group as a whole. Your (and others here) opinions of riders color choices, endorsements, etc. just reinforce that bias and group think.

I often ride in jerseys with logos and endorsements. I raced for these companies in the past. The clothing still fits me after all these years. Have you priced a high quality jersey lately? I'm not going to toss perfectly good high quality clothing because some group of neanderthals want to ridicule me. That's their problem. And it's sad because that same group also ride bikes. A bunch of crabs in a pail, I say.

I can't help what my experience (to an extent) are and what the offenders seem to be always wearing. I've spoken to many riders stopped at the small parks along the MUPS and we all seem to have the same experiences and come to the same conclusion on our own.
To clarify the first sentence.. I stopped riding the MUPS on weekends (spring - fall) because that's when they are out in droves and I know I'll end up in some kind of confrontation if I'm repeatedly run off the path.
So I get your connection and your reasoning ... but I'll say again, the apparel is the salt, not the meat of the situation or my comments.

 

[Roamers]

I stopped riding the MUPS on weekends (spring - fall) because that's when they are out in droves and I know I'll end up in some kind of confrontation if I'm repeatedly run off the path.

I find interesting that "the pack" rides the MUP around you; it must be very wide. Never seen a group as you describe anywhere but the county roads. It would be uncomfortable to switch draft leads on ours.

 

[Gionnirocket]

It varies but it's mostly between 8 - 10' wide. Being in Westchester very close to NYC the population density is a factor. The MUPS offers everyone a safe place to ride and the riders being discussed ironically appreciate the endless safe/no car path.

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South County Trailway spans 14.4 from 415 Old Saw Mill River Rd. (Elmsford) to Van Cortlandt Park (Yonkers). View amenities, descriptions, reviews, photos, itineraries, and directions on TrailLink.

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[Jeremy McCreary]

Even the Netherlands — arguably the most bike-centric country in the world — is having problems now with bike riders going too fast for conditions on public bikeways.

Recent years have seen a sharp rise in related death and injuries — to the point that a 20 km/h bicycle speed limit is now being tested.

Skip to 2:08 for details:

Not clear from this coverage who all deserves the credit for this trend, but irresponsibly ridden ebikes and e-motos came up more than once — especially RadRover-style fat-tire ebikes and e-motos ridden by youngsters. Also not clear that a speed limit would be enforceable there for reasons explained in the video.

We're clearly dealing with a fundamental flaw in human nature here: Combining (a) power of any kind with (b) lack of accountability for how it's used rarely turns out well. Even in a country where everybody should know better by now.

Add immaturity and lack of training and experience to the mix, and you have a recipe for exactly this disaster in micromobility.

The only way to fight this fire is to remove (a) or (b) or both from the mix. But no easy way to do either now that cheap fast ebikes and e-motos have flooded markets everywhere.

 

[RunForTheHills]

So I have to eat my words when I said I don't see too many street ninjas. My work apartment is less than a mile from the office and I usually walk. The last week or so I have seen this dude on a fat tire ebike, not pedaling, dark clothes, a full face helmet and no lights, zip down the street at 30+ mph hour and run right through the red light of the first major street I have to cross. I have seen him run the light at least twice, including this morning.

 

[DaveMatthews]

Everyone's an idiot except for me.
And sometimes I wonder about... me...

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

So I have to eat my words when I said I don't see too many street ninjas. My work apartment is less than a mile from the office and I usually walk. The last week or so I have seen this dude on a fat tire ebike, not pedaling, dark clothes, a full face helmet and no lights, zip down the street at 30+ mph hour and run right through the red light of the first major street I have to cross. I have seen him run the light at least twice, including this morning.

Tempting to think, hope this yahoo gets hit doing that — and the sooner, the better. But the innocent driver who kills him will be mentally scarred for life, as will any witnesses on the scene, especially if he's young.

And it's entirely possible that the driver could end up getting injured or even blamed for the death — potentially with stiff criminal or civil penalties. And potential court costs even if found innocent.

Not to mention getting stuck with the bill to repair his car. Had any body work done lately? You know the yahoo has no liability insurance.