Regardless of how much power these bikes have, you can only go so fast before you crash. i don't see the younger generation affording to many of these expensive bikes and tearing up the bike trails. I don't think very many parents would even buy this bike for their kids ether.
e-bike hatred.. I've found it
- Thread starter DDBB
- Start date
Scott Adams
Active Member
A few decades ago the USA was the home of innovation and invention, what a shame it has become the land of the petty and the intolerant. Comparing the EU to the USA is like day and night in this regard.
Specialized won't even sell their complete line of ebikes in the USA, their home country, but they do in far flung places like New Zealand.
Specialized won't even sell their complete line of ebikes in the USA, their home country, but they do in far flung places like New Zealand.
DaveMatthews
Well-Known Member
https://www.crankworx.com/event-fr/e-possible-climb/
https://www.crankworx.com/event-fr/e-mtb-test-track/
Haters gonna hate. Here is the future.
https://www.crankworx.com/event-fr/e-mtb-test-track/
Haters gonna hate. Here is the future.
For what it's worth, this culture seems to be changing where I live - our 3 lbs have been selling / organising demos on emtb ( giant, specialised, merida and trek) , so more traditional mtb riders are having an opportunity to ride them . With more understanding comes more acceptance , and a surprising number intend to buy an emtb with their next upgrade. The hard core guys are unlikely to accept the extra weight , but for the middle aged social riders they seem perfactly happy to share the trails I wonder how much of that is due to australias stricter 25 km/ hr limit of assist?
Living in the land of "me too", general rudeness and being offended by any and everything has it's disadvantages. That being said, I think due to the sparse population here I can "get away" with an e-mtb on our trails, at least for now. If watt limits or pedal assist only are imposed or enforced in the future (actually only class 1 is allowed as it is now), I should be covered there as well. Generally speaking we find the purists to not be overly confrontational. We cross country ski as well and it's common to hear skiers hate on snowmobiles but I've yet to see anyone try and spear one with his/her ski pole. Marketing idea: e-assist for cross country skiis, those hills are a bear. In the old days we had a strip of mohair on the bottom of the ski, going downhill you could still slide but uphill the hairs grab the snow for traction. Put a pulley on front and back of the ski with rotating mohair for climbing hills. 100 watt RC motor with backpack battery should work.
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DaveMatthews
Well-Known Member
The "weight" argument holds no... er… um... weight either.
Are you telling me that an overweight person on an ordinary mtb is not allowed either?
Am I not allowed to ride the trail if I'm 250lbs?
Ridiculous!
Are you telling me that an overweight person on an ordinary mtb is not allowed either?
Am I not allowed to ride the trail if I'm 250lbs?
Ridiculous!
John from Connecticut
Well-Known Member
The weight aka load on the bike refers to capacity the bike is designed to carry and more importantly to stop safely. Normally
its the combined weight of the rider any additional items plus the weight of the bike.
What is the weight impact on the trail? Same as the weight of the rider plus the bike.. So a 55lb. e-mtb with a 175 lb. rider would have a 230lb. impact on the trail.. A 20 lb. regular mtn. bike with a 210lb. rider would have the same impact. Assuming pedal assist with 250watts and no tire spinning, I don't see the problem.
These threads are fun to read.
Just imagine if these forums had been around when those speed demons started driving those horseless carriages...probably scared the beJesus out of the righteous horse & buggy drivers that they'd ruin the trails.
Or even when they started putting METAL SHOES on horses...how dare they!
Just imagine if these forums had been around when those speed demons started driving those horseless carriages...probably scared the beJesus out of the righteous horse & buggy drivers that they'd ruin the trails.
Or even when they started putting METAL SHOES on horses...how dare they!
DaveMatthews
Well-Known Member
So what is the weight argument against eMTB on a trail be it singletrack or otherwise?
I am 230lbs right now, and I have a 48lb bike.
Tell me why I'm more of a threat than a 250lb person and a 28lb bike?
I don't get it.
The weight reference was more that a hard core emtb rider isn't likely to accept ( or need) a heavy emtb - nothing at all to do with adiposity.
I've watched those skinny little young whippersnappers ripping up those down hill trails on their light oldbikes - flicking the rear out through corners, braking hard and late , sliding and skating out of control with nothing but gravity and luck between them and mortality..... Ban the lot of them.....Make them ride a 22 kg emtb with at least 3 inches of rubber to protect the trails from their overpowered legs.....
DaveMatthews
Well-Known Member
Therefore, MTB or eMTB is moot.
Yes?
John from Connecticut
Well-Known Member
Once again, The weight limit described in the bike instruction manual, normally refers to the weight of the bike, rider and all accessories attached to the bike. It has nothing to do with where the bike and rider use it. It is an engineering/design criteria...What the bike was designed for. If there if there is a weight limit posted on a sign adjacent to a trail I have no idea.
DaveMatthews
Well-Known Member
I am under the possibly mistaken impression that there are zero weight restrictions posted anywhere on any trail.
Therefore any argument regarding weight is moot.
I am officially ready to be corrected.
rich c
Well-Known Member
The weight and speed issue has to do with trail degradation. Talking about blown out berms, ruts, and erosion. In my area, if the tire or shoe makes a print in the mud, everything is shut down. Some of the grooves were getting almost too deep to pedal last year. I get their argument, but I have never passed anyone out there. Anyone comes up, I pull over. So speed has never been an issue for them to argue with me.
I have seen a ton of hate for them ONLINE. In person face to face no one has shown me any dis respect.
I think the true reason for the hate is simply because the ebike makes it easy. Even for the real good athletes, riding a non ebike is a major workout. They don't like that they are busting their butts to get through a trail, and someone like me can be right on their back tire and not hardly break a sweat.
I don't let the hate bother me at all. I go out of my way to let as many people try the bike as possible. I explain and show them the various power levels and explain that I usually ride it in the lowest power level, and just use the higher levels once I get tired. Once they ride the bike and hear my explaination they usually change their attitude a little.
I think the true reason for the hate is simply because the ebike makes it easy. Even for the real good athletes, riding a non ebike is a major workout. They don't like that they are busting their butts to get through a trail, and someone like me can be right on their back tire and not hardly break a sweat.
I don't let the hate bother me at all. I go out of my way to let as many people try the bike as possible. I explain and show them the various power levels and explain that I usually ride it in the lowest power level, and just use the higher levels once I get tired. Once they ride the bike and hear my explaination they usually change their attitude a little.
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TForan
Well-Known Member
I agree on not liking throttles on Ebikes. I removed mine and never miss it. If you want a electric scooter, buy that.
ItsJim
New Member
I have been riding mountain bikes for 25+ years. Im 45 now and have some back problems. One of the things my DR told me is that my trail riding days were probably over. So I started looking into e-bikes. E-bikes are the ONLY way some of us will be able to continue our love of riding. Hate all they want but Like everything else in life... You Just have to ignore it and be happy..
Mr. Coffee
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- A Demented Corner of the North Cascades
The "erosion" issue is completely one hundred percent bogus.
Design and routing of the trail has much more to do with erosion than whether bikes or e-bikes are allowed on a given trail. At most, you might want to have temporary closures on trails where the ground is too soggy.
Think of it this way: the best single tracks around my home are cow paths. Cows weigh much more and do much more damage than any bicycle could hope to do, and even there erosion problems are generally confined to very limited areas -- generally wet or boggy spots. So with reasonable design and routing of a trail erosion from bikes (or horses) shouldn't ever be an issue.
Design and routing of the trail has much more to do with erosion than whether bikes or e-bikes are allowed on a given trail. At most, you might want to have temporary closures on trails where the ground is too soggy.
Think of it this way: the best single tracks around my home are cow paths. Cows weigh much more and do much more damage than any bicycle could hope to do, and even there erosion problems are generally confined to very limited areas -- generally wet or boggy spots. So with reasonable design and routing of a trail erosion from bikes (or horses) shouldn't ever be an issue.
