Biking is painful: e-biking is NOT

[Deleted member 4210]

1st day of summer here...

Keep smiling that ebike smile.

 

[Marci jo]

We've all heard the phrase 'ebikes are fun.' Or many variations on that theme.

What that theme doesn't quite capture, or necessarily reveal, and this folks is why I believe e-bikes will (eventually) nearly completely replace regular or non motorized bikes is for the simple and un-stated truth: biking is painful.

You think I am exaggerating?

Seriously - have you really ever watched the Tour De France, or any other local bike race ? Watched their faces closely ? These people arent having 'fun' - these people are in abject pain. They are grimacing. They aren't smiling. They are sweating profusely. Their muscles are screaming at them to please 'stop.' Their minds are screaming back, 'no we can't.'. It's a constant battle from start to end. Its worse than pro football. At least those athletes get breaks to rest between plays, or on the bench between offense and defense.

Bringing it more local to us Average Joes and Jane's, when you are zipping along on your ebike on local trails, how many regular bikers do you approach and you notice their faces closely ? Do you see them smiling ? I sure don't. Maybe there is the occasional rider you pass every so often, on a beach style cruiser doing 7, maybe 8 mph, who isn't grimacing in pain. But I certainly don't see many smiling. Or if they are, it's more likely that fake 'how ya doing neighborly' smile.

Even bike club rides, at best everyone is serious and has their 'game day' face on. Those folks aren't smiling. UNTIL, they are done, and sitting at the local cafe, drinking their large cups of coffee, and thankful their bodies only ache in certain places after their latest punishing ride. Many are even hooked on the endorphines that are produced that reduce the perception of pain (of cycling.)

This is why we in America see so few people biking. We hate pain.

With e-bikes though, you are not in pain. You are in fact smiling, and not because you are simply not in pain. And not just because you are really having so much fun. You are really smiling both externally and internally, as you are realizing how you are so much smarter having recognized the true benefits of ebiking, getting greater levels of exercise, staying out there much longer, going out much more frequently, all the while having so much more fun than everyone else - but feeling NO PAIN. That includes more fun than bikers, joggers, runners, walkers, and even particularly, most car drivers.

Thus: the reality is that ebikes, (and this is for now, your little secret, since 99% of the US population still doesn't own one), ebikes are not just fun, great exercise, healthy for you, good for the environment, but they are truly PAIN FREE.

1st day of summer here...

Keep smiling that ebike smile. You can even be smug about it. You are way smarter than the average cyclist. And having way more fun.

Love it!
So very true.

 

[Over50]

This is why we in America see so few people biking. We hate pain.
...

I think the reason for the low numbers of people biking in the USA has more to do with our horrible to non-existent bike path infrastructure ...

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Respectfully, the level of willful ignorance and stereotyping in this post is awe-inspiring. A lot of the valid criticisms of acoustic bikers on fora like this are about how all e-bikers are stereotyped -- you managed to do exactly the same thing to the acoustic bikers of the world.

My first reaction is that I see a lot of acoustic cyclists who are obviously having a great time. So I think you have to be highly selective in what information you choose to use in order to draw your overgeneralized conclusions.

My second reaction is that you shouldn't overestimate the ability of otherwise reasonable people to turn any halfway fun activity into a suffer fest. I actively participate in long-distance backpacking, cross country skiing, and bicycle touring. In all of those activities people's experiences can vary between Scott's Death March from the South Pole to a really, really good Spring Break. In the end I think it is much more about what you bring to the activity and what your expectations are than anything inherent in the activity. My own personal experience is that with a positive mental attitude, a sense of humor, a little bit of physical and mental toughness (emphasis on the latter), and the willingness to tolerate a little discomfort with good humor can go a long, long, long ways. Quite literally a long way.

My third reaction is that bicycles, electric or not, are obviously not the most comfortable contraptions in the world. Even a cursory scan of posts on this forum will produce a plethora of examples where people complain about the discomfort of their saddle or numbness in the wrists or what have you. But that isn't even really relevant. If you have some super-comfy bed but stay in it for days on end you will almost certainly develop bed sores. Riding in a luxury car for hours on end will still leave you sore and beat up at the end of the drive. And if you are one of the Beautiful People and fly first class on Emirates you still are going to be tired, sore, and a little bit stinky when you go through Customs after your 12-hour flight, in addition to being $30,000 poorer.

 

[trailerguy52]

That look that we might interpret as pain on an athletes face is more of a look of passion and determination. Years ago when I was 13 I came in 3rd n a quarter mile race. I dropped on the grass after I crossed the finish line and gasped for air for what seemed like forever. Why? Because of the thrill, the sense of accomplishment, the adrenaline rush. Humans are the only creatures to do things just to push their limits rather than to survive.

 

[Deleted member 4210]

 

[Justin Fischer]

You may as well say that any form of exercise is "painful" with that argument. You may not realize that cycling is split into two camps - transportation, and exercise. And people can take pleasure in either of those.

Commuters in baggy clothes going 10mph aren't there to get really tough exercise. I remember being a teenager without a car, with a 21 speed hybrid Wal-Mart special. I had loads of fun with the freedom that just a bicycle and my legs could give me. Now when I ride on idyllic paths winding through sleepy towns with my wife on either our normal or e-bikes, I feel the same way.

But other people do train in full kit on the roads, and I salute there effort if I ever see them on my commute. Suffering on purpose to improve yourself is the highest expression of human willpower. I myself ride indoors on a Zwift trainer. And I commute on an e-bike. While my face on the former may be a 'grimace', it's not because bicycling = bad. And when I'm on my regular bike cruising along at 15mph on scenic pathways, I'm sure you'd see a much lighter expression than when I'm dodging traffic on my e-bike commute.

Perhaps you don't understand why someone would exercise?

 

[rich c]

Figured someone, probably bikers would be offended - that's what todays world media is concerned with - who is the latest group who is 'offended. ' (it's near daily - one of the latest examples is of people being 'offended' by a George Washington painting. In of all places, a school that goes by the same name. The PC world is out of control)

Anyway if you can't see the truth from the (dry) humor in it, and at least laugh a little from the slight over embellishment of it, that's your problem. ( Obviously you probably were not a big Seinfeld fan. ) And you are oblivious to all the hundreds of millions of bikes that sit in garages unridden. For years. Collecting dust.

So why make it about who’s offended and who’s problem it is? I get the feeling that is often your goal with the long posts. You spoke your opinion, others spoke theirs. That is what a discussion is. If you only want responses that agree with you, I suggest you only discuss it with yourself.

 

[tomjasz]

Obviously you probably were not a big Seinfeld fan.

Sorry bud, but you are NO Larry David. VVBG

 

[Figs]

Tough crowd on the internet today...

The only happy acting/looking folks I see on bikes are those that are truly out for a “bike ride”. Saw some out today that simply smiled and said “ great day for a ride”. The few others I see have a pained look or seem impatient.

I’m one of the out for a bike ride group. I’m not out to get exercise and more often than not am not going anywhere. I’m riding because it is something I truly enjoy. The fact that I get exercise and it gets me places is a pleasant consequence, not the reason. Therefore I smile, and I’m happy.

 

[DDBB]

This bickering could be avoided if Mike had simply added that you never see an acoustic cyclist smiling going UPHILL. Ebike riders smile going downhill OR uphill

 

[Nutella]

I never see runners smiling at all, but there seems to always be mobs of them. It's certainly not my place to determine what is fun for some people and not for others

 

[Ebiker01]

I can definitely agree with Mike’s statements.. as an ex road racer, is many, many hours of training and sacrificies, and hard suffering l. And as many know in the pro races a lot of racers for decades have had unfair advantages by abusing steroids, drugs, injections, etc. Why ? B/c is not humanly possible to go day in / day out all out racing...
Now, a big factor that is holding millions of regular riders away is EGO and possibly the financial aspect. But many road bikes Are easily 5-k-7k . A wheelset can be 2k or 4k if it’s hgh end carbon.
Once they ride an ebike is like crack but in a good way ?and they won’t go back.

 

[Johnny]

Ebiking can be very painful if you don't have the right saddle.

Just saying...

 

[Mr. Coffee]

I had a wonderful day out riding and saw lots of cyclists sharing the stoke today. I didn't observe a whole lot of pain and suffering and mostly saw ear-to-ear grins.

 

[AZOldTech]

Seriously - have you really ever watched the Tour De France, or any other local bike race ? Watched their faces closely ? These people are NOT having 'fun' - these people are in abject pain.

Ahem... these are NOT just "people". They are world class athletes competing at the top of their sport. And there is NOT a world class athlete competing at the top of their sport who does NOT look like that while doing it, no matter the sport. Yet everyone of them LOVES DOING IT, and trains even HARDER to do even BETTER next year. And every regular person who does a sport, looks up to them and wants to get better to be like them... or even better. Sheesh...your post was so wrong in so many levels... why not say that you are for doing away with all human sport competition and be done with it...

 

[CC-S(tealth)Rider]

Did anyone check out the "I hate your ebike" post in another section of this forum?
Yeah, @Figs, tough crowd on the internet today.

 

[harryS]

Went for a ride in the AM with my wife. Pulled weeds in the garden after lunch. Snuck out for another ride while my wife was napping. Then went to the driving range to hit some golf balls. Woke up at 2AM with leg cramps. Pain. Pain.

 

[Chopperbill]

With as much metal as bone below my waist and a bad back, I’m in pain after a walk through Walmart. I can ride 20 miles on my Ebike and get off with no pain. Lots of deplorable old bikers are going to begin to hit the bike lanes. The “athletes” better get use to it.

 

[trailerguy52]

I rode 10 miles yesterday, got home and found that 4 people needed their lawns cut asap, did that and I feel great today... getting ready to take another ride! No pain... lots of gain.