E Biking: the Dark Side

C

Charles L.

New Member
Most of the threads I read about the reasons for e biking have to do with the ease of commuting in densely populated areas and/or the environmental advantages of leaving the car at home. I get and totally support that -- my car has in fact stayed in the carport since I acquired my XM700+ 10 days ago.

But I must admit, I am negating any environmental justification for this bike by draining and recharging the battery almost every day. Because at any free moment, I find myself going for a joy ride on this thing, keeping it in Turbo, and just motoring up every hill I can find. The XM700+ looks so unobtrusive, yet it goes so fast! It puts the same stupid-silly grin on my face that bombing downhilll on my mountain bike does. Yes, I am an adrenaline junkie. I am loving the e bike concept, but I fear for the wrong reason :)
 
Good for you @Charles L., keep riding up those hills :D full blast; after a while you'll realize that you're starting to contribute more to the climb. It only costs a few pennies to recharge your ebike battery, but considerably more to fill up your car's gas tank. The carbon footprint for an ebike is pretty darn small compared to what it takes to build & maintain any car or truck, even counting for the manufacturing of the lithium cells. You're putting less pollution into the air with that bike, so I say 'Go For It!'
 
Don't feel too bad:

1) Your e-bike is more efficient than you are at converting stored energy into work.
2) Your e-bike uses about 1/20 to 1/30 the amount of energy that you would driving a car.
 
E-bikes are indeed a great invention, and extremely efficient compared to a car. My post was written mostly tongue-in-cheek, though with my relatively short commute (about 16km for the round trip) the bike does stay in turbo most of the time! I rode my mountain bike with a group of faster riders on a steep, rocky, rooty trail yesterday. Lots of fun, but then to get on the XM700 and go uphill... ahh, so easy!
 
The trouble is that you think your cheating. Well, life isn't a test so its ok to cheat. I use the pedal assist all the time and the throttle for getting through intersections and hills. It's like having a super power, ofcource your going to use it for good most of the time, but even a superhero needs to be bad now and then.
 
Ebiking is never cheating unless you are involved in a contest. Otherwise, the only one being cheated may be the Grim Reaper. ;)
 
Nice stable of bikes, Charles! Now, when you get the itch to electrify that Pivot (notice, I said when, not if :D) there's some bottom bracket mid drive motors we could recommend to power that beauty. I'm glad that frame builders have material now that let them manufacture more visually aesthetic frames.

I notice one thing that is a little concerning; the seatpost tube on the Pivot is bent; is that the way it's supposed to be? Or do you have an overextended or really long seatpost that's experiencing metal fatigue from so many miles of riding. If so, it needs to be replaced ASAP.
 
Hi Ann, Good eye on the seatpost! It is designed that way, however. And is about to be replaced with a Fox dropper in any event :) A motor for the Pivot.... tempting!
 
One day :D, nice upgrade with the dropper seatpost. Anyway, I've seen some weird stuff in my shop over all these years so just checking!
 
Charles L. said:
at any free moment, I find myself going for a joy ride on this thing
Click to expand...

I love my Powerfly so much! Getting a bit of hate from others in area forums about riding e-bikes on singletracks but am having so much fun. I bought my kids Full Suspension bikes and they are taking off. I ride with assist off some days and turn it on when I want or just have entire rides without it. I love it and we're riding every day! My 9 year old learned to ride a bike on pavement about two months ago - she's got a Fuel Mini now and on intermediate trails now pumping and rolling over rock gardens better than me.
 
Charles L. said:
Elyhim, are u in NC? That terrain looks familiar.
Click to expand...

Yup, That's Hillsborough. Met the guy building the trails at Brumley last week, told him how much I enjoyed the trails there and he let me know about TORC and how to donate for trail building. Now family supporters of TORC! There's quite a bit of hate from other locals towards ebikes which is unfortunate.
 
Do you get hate on trails, or on Triangle MTB? Sorry if u get it in person. The forum posters on TMTB can be a bit harsh, and they are very protective over anything that might jeopardize trail access. Most of the trails around here are either state or county parks which may have additional restrictions on e-bikes (depends on who has jurisdiction), or "bandit" trails for which mountain bikers don't have permission in the first place. Add that to the fact that many of them are proud (justifiably so in most cases) of their fitness level and speed on a bike, and I can see where they would be less receptive to e-bikes on trails. Sorry you're getting that reaction. I suspect it will pass with time.
 
I haven't got hate on trails only on the forum. I hope the reaction against e-bikes does pass, they are amazing at getting me to want to ride every day. I'm so happy with the full suspension and Bosch assist.
 
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