Back to Acoustic?

Where does this term acoustic come from for a manual bike? Very strange; this is not a musical instrument!
It’s just something some of us think is a funny expression, making a parallel to an electric guitar vs an acoustic ( non amplified) guitar.
Maybe not the best way to describe an all muscle driven bicycle ....
 
I think the parallel with electric guitar is not a good one.
In electric bike your pedaling power is not amplified. Motor is running independently of your efforts when on throttle, and pretty much with cadence sensor as well. On torque sensor the motor input is proportional to actual effort, making it closer to definition of "amplified".

Just one of those words that mean not what they are supposed to. Not many people are calling a bike "acoustic", but this could change.
 
One day, when I was vacationing in Alaska, I road the coastal trail with a 9 speed comfort bike. The next day, I rented a hub motor e bike.
immediate impression with the acoustic bike was “Dang, I am not in anywhere near as good shape as I thought I was. I need more gears, stat”.
Definitely better with the hub motor, but nothing on the hills like my mid drive.
 
Here's what happened. I found the bike. I ended up getting a Gazelle Arroyo. It feels light when riding, is easy on the body and I like it. No more numb hands. No more sore shoulders. It is a happy bike.
 
Kind of happened to me. My Juiced allowed me to commute to work 5 days a week, and I didn't worry about soreness, fatigue, etc ….. it allowed me to build a good base and then I started riding my Cervelo more and more. So I'm not completely back to acoustic, but I certainly am riding acoustic a lot more now and more miles than on my electric. Between my Rocky Mountain for the trails and my Cervelo, I'm getting more miles on those bikes because of my Juiced.
 
I think the parallel with electric guitar is not a good one.
In electric bike your pedaling power is not amplified. Motor is running independently of your efforts when on throttle, and pretty much with cadence sensor as well. On torque sensor the motor input is proportional to actual effort, making it closer to definition of "amplified".

Just one of those words that mean not what they are supposed to. Not many people are calling a bike "acoustic", but this could change.
I don’t have no stinking throttle, I have a torque sensor :D
You’re right, not many people are calling a regular bicycle an ”acoustic”. Most people call a bicycle a bike (or bicycle) and motorcyclists also very often call their vehicle a bike. (so a motorcycle with an electric motor is also an e-bike? 🤔)
Acoustic is used metaphorically by some e-bike riders and I just see it as acceptable jargon but metaphors aren’t always the best way to describe something.
 
... it allowed me to build a good base and then I started riding my Cervelo more and more. So I'm not completely back to acoustic, but I certainly am riding acoustic a lot more now...
Same here... about 16 months into my new ebike routine (and around 6,200 miles e-biked by then) I rediscovered my 25 yr old Bianchi 21-speed was still in my possession, utterly forgotten about, in a storage locker. Got it fixed up and back on the road... that bike totally defeated me when it was new... I maybe rode it 50 miles back then before giving up for 25 years—it is a beautiful deep purple that I still love, and basically mint condition today, as a result of storage. And now, with it being 29 pounds (vs 52), and me in a far better state to ride a bike after all my ebike “conditioning” over the last year and a half, it is a delight to ride... the Bianchi will probably get most of whatever miles I give it, as a fall, winter and spring bike... (I’m going out on it today.) I tried two office commutes on it in July and I was a far sweatier mess upon arrival (vs the throttleless pedal-assist) so it won’t likely ever see commuting on mornings above 60 degrees!
 
Where does this term acoustic come from for a manual bike? Very strange; this is not a musical instrument!

Well, it's obviously the opposite of electric, as per electric guitar / acoustic guitar. I agree that by itself it's nonsensical, but it's funny, and that in itself is worth something, so I use it!

The Pivot Shuttle is an electric version of one of Pivot's acoustic mountain bikes. You can read an in-depth review here: https://ebike-mtb.com/en/first-ride-review-pivot-shuttle-2020/

And if I had the ten grand to drop on a bike, you would bet I would buy it, because I love my Pivot. Sigh.
 
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