EBike Shaming

[Al P]

I have had a few people yell out "Cheater", but with a smile. No negative comments so far. I have struck up conversations with people who were unaware that ebikes even existed, although they are still rare in my area. The morons who make negative remarks are either ignorant or jealous. Don't let them spoil your day. You don't need a reason to ride an ebike.

 

[christob]

Hahahaha! “Won’t lose weight”... I get home from my after-work ride, with a sweat soaked tshirt and my helmet pads dripping sweat. (Yuck, I know...) But I’m down 47 pounds this year, from sensible eating and my 2,100 miles ebiking since March (it is my only form of dedicated exercise).

 

[Trail Cruiser]

We get the bad rap from a few ebike riders who do not observe common sense bicycle etiquette.

 

[ebikemom]

first off, you let THEM win.... if you let them hurt your feelings and you leave.

Nah--we have to take care of ourselves. This isn't about who wins and who loses. We all have different dispositions and ways of processing difficult experiences. I'm sure there must have been some welcoming people in that group. Maybe those who made the nasty comments might have learned something from @ymarty 's departure. It can be good for people to see how their words affect another person. Some, of course, don't have the eyes to see, but hopefully people will learn.

 

[ebikemom]

We'll arrange a flash mob of e-bikes to show up next time

Awesome idea! Strength in numbers, and sharing our wide smiles and the joy of our bikes!

 

[john peck]

Comments were:
-She is lazy.
-Expensive cop-out bike
-Wont lose weight or get into shape with an ebike
-I am 70 something and still use a real bike, why cant you?

I ended up turning around and coming home. Although I do not really care what they think of my bike, I had to admit that my feelings were hurt. I will look around for another group that hopefully will be more accepting.

For those in the Portland OR, do you know any biking groups that welcome Ebikes?

A long time friend with an LBS geared to vintage road bikes contemptuously called my Juiced CCS a motorcycle. Well, I'm 70 & have
had major traumatic injuries to both legs. My reply: "If you say so, but I'm pedaling more than ever, enjoying it more than ever, &
I've lost nearly 100 pounds."

P.S. I take my revenge by smoking past every spandexter I see. Leave 'em in the dust!

 

[MetroDuck]

One of the goals in purchasing a new ebike, I wanted to get out and join some bike groups and start socializing with people outside of kids and work. Well, this last weekend, I went on my first group ride and sadly, I was bike shamed. There were a few that had the balls to say their negative comments to my face but there were a few that didnt.

Comments were:
-She is lazy.
-Expensive cop-out bike
-Wont lose weight or get into shape with an ebike
-I am 70 something and still use a real bike, why cant you?

I ended up turning around and coming home. Although I do not really care what they think of my bike, I had to admit that my feelings were hurt. I will look around for another group that hopefully will be more accepting.

For those in the Portland OR, do you know any biking groups that welcome Ebikes?

That is a shame. I think the issue is hanging out with the hard core bike riders. It may be a looooong time before they ever accept someone on an ebike. Down here in Salem I have found that most people are very interested in my ebike. But they are not hard core bike riders. Personally, even if I had a regular bike and the spandex gear I would not fit in with that crowd. But that is just me.

It would be nice to have an ebike group to ride with. Maybe start one up by seeing if you can post information in the shops that sell ebikes and start a FB page for this group?

I have only had a couple people toss out negative comments like "What's the point?" I always say, "the best bike is the one you will ride; I ride mine around 250 miles a month." Then I just leave it at that.

 

[MetroDuck]

P.S. I take my revenge by smoking past every spandexter I see. Leave 'em in the dust!

Hahahahah... Love it. I may, or may not have done something similar...

 

[john peck]

Hahahahah... Love it. I may, or may not have done something similar...

To be fair, I was a hard core purist though I never adopted the 'uniform'. I still have a couple classic roadies I ride once in a while, but
the enjoyment factor doesn't get close anymore. They that knock ebikes just haven't tried one yet.

 

[MetroDuck]

To be fair, I was a hard core purist though I never adopted the 'uniform'. I still have a couple classic roadies I ride once in a while, but
the enjoyment factor doesn't get close anymore. They that knock ebikes just haven't tried one yet.

That is so true. I had a friend that was giving me a bad time. He and some other friends were checking out my bike a 1/2 hour later and I offered to let him try it out. He said "no, I don't want to do that or else I will go home and want to sell my old bike and buy one of these." lol

I still have my Nishiki 10 speed from the 1970's It was a fine bike that I rode over the Cascade Mountains as a 9th grader with my "boy-scout" framed backpack. I worked on it recently and it still rides real fine. I can only ride for short distances because of my bad wrist.

 

[Bruce Arnold]

There are two bike shops in my little town. One caters to hard-core roadies, they don't really even want to work on my bike. The attitude is clear. I don't take them my business any more, and wouldn't dream of going on rides with the kind of crowd that a stuck-up bike shop is likely to attract.

The other one is friendly, interested, and runs group rides for regular people who just want to enjoy fun, healthful exercise. Guess who gets my business? Guess who I'd rather ride with?

 

[Rainman1404]

The reality is the people calling you a cheater and lazy will load their bike into their fuel injected car/hybrid. They will drive on to thier place of residence full of electricity. Maybe ask alexa to play their favorite playlist while taking a hot shower right before they order some takeout on the latest greatest smart phone. When i look into the mirrior i see a father of 2. I have a feeling the people that bashed you see themselves in thier mountain biking gear and feel that they are truly special. If you happen to cross paths with someone eager to spit venom at you ask them these questions.

1-where do you live?
2-how do you get your food?
3-do you own a car?
4-is your bike a single speed?


Unless they say
1-in a tent
2-hunt
3-no
4-yes

Laugh and point out how easy they have it. Who knows maybe square wheels will make a comeback soon and everyone riding with round wheels will be called lazy.

 

[DaveMatthews]

St. Peter at the Pearly Gates...

St. Peter: Are you one of those knobs that sneered at ymarty for her choice in bicycle transportation?

Goof: Er… um... yeah, I guess so. I'm really sorry about that... I guess I should have been a better person.

St. Peter: I hope your tires are fireproof.

 

[Alaskan]

There is a local Cafe Velo, coffee, lunch and a bike repair shop with Tour de France on the TV. I was there on Thursday morning when the senior spandex crowd was gathering for a weekly ride. These are hardcore roadies of retirement age who can ride on a week day. One with an Aussie accent spat out "cheater". I responded "50 years ago, that's what hard core purists called people who showed up with derailleurs and multiple gears. The more things change the more they remain the same."

The following week I showed up on Thursday and asked if it would be okay if I joined in. Most happily assented. I ride with them every week now and ride the only ebike in the crowd, usually 12-15 riders. I ride in eco mode which allows me to pace with them, putting out a good effort but not surging ahead. I have learned how to keep a steady pace for drafting others and frequently move my 210 pound self on a relatively upright bike to the front to give other people the benefit of my electric motor. At the end of each Thursday ride, we have lunch at Cafe Velo. Often they all ask about the bike and the honest ones realize they may end up on an ebike at some point. A few have even gone out and bought an e-bike for their wives and are now riding together for the first time.

So joining them, instead of going away with hurt feelings, has given them a chance to see an ebike in action, witnessing the effort I put out, the ease with which I pull away from the pack on long hills and the fact that my pedelec is a bike, an interesting one, is approachable and something that may well be in their future.

 

[6zfshdb]

One of the goals in purchasing a new ebike, I wanted to get out and join some bike groups and start socializing with people outside of kids and work. Well, this last weekend, I went on my first group ride and sadly, I was bike shamed. There were a few that had the balls to say their negative comments to my face but there were a few that didnt.

Comments were:
-She is lazy.
-Expensive cop-out bike
-Wont lose weight or get into shape with an ebike
-I am 70 something and still use a real bike, why cant you?

I ended up turning around and coming home. Although I do not really care what they think of my bike, I had to admit that my feelings were hurt. I will look around for another group that hopefully will be more accepting.

For those in the Portland OR, do you know any biking groups that welcome Ebikes?

It appears you attempted to join a bike group consisting of uninformed, ill mannered and opinionated people with whom you are better off not associating. I find it inexcusable that you had to suffer this indignity! Unfortunately, this sort of behavior is not uncommon in many small clubs and organizations.

I'm not sure what brand of bike you ride and this may not help but Pedego sponsors the POG or Pedego Owners Group. They sponsor many group rides and activities across the country. I joined when I bought my bike but so far, have not attended any events due to the distances involved.

During all my biking years, I've been on the lookout for a bike club to join but there just aren't any in my section of rural Pennsylvania. I do socialize with the people I meet on the many bike trails I frequent though and for the most part, all have been friendly, accepting and quite interested in my E-bike.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Joining them, instead of going away with hurt feelings, has given them a chance to see an ebike in action... something that may well be in their future.

Alaskan ...
The best response to this awkward situation that I've seen on our forum!
... David

 

[indianajo]

I won't hang with the local spandex club even though I'm still riding my bike unpowered. They drive SUV's with a bike rack on the back to the rural high school to start their rides. I ride my bike out there, and 15 miles further. They run all the stop signs and traffic lights. I stop if anybody can see me or visibility is not perfect. They ride 18-25 mph bending their necks in a position prohibited by the ergonomics textbook. I sit upright with a straight neck and power along at 9 mph in a calm wind. When I visited a ride meet that didn't start because "the wind is too high", the stories were mostly macho bragging about steep grades they've climbed. Boring. I did get criticized by the club pres. for riding the sidewalk of the Ohio river bridge at 1 AM when I was riding home from work. "That's illegal". Yeah. The 3 bikers flattened in Louisville at night in the last month, when the driver stopped no ticket was issued.
Speaking of macho events, I rode I hope my last unpowered 30 miles into a 9 mph headwind yesterday. Pulse was over 120 for 5.5 hours and that was during the 30 min break. What a drag. Wore me out. If I can ever get an electric kit together I'll ride unpowered 3.5 hours in calm winds, powered in unfavorable headwinds. I received my extra sprocket cluster yesterday to put 8 speeds on the 1000W wheel, it came in 11 speeds. !@#$^&( 11 speed chain is not compatible with the drive sprocket.

 

[harryS]

Sorry to hear that Ymarty. I googled Portland bike club rides. The spandex crowd seems to dominate. Road bikes only. Dropped bars please.

A while back, I watched the female lead and her band mess up a new cover they had never done live. I heard her mutter angrily to the drummer ..."Like to see you try to sing wearing spandex".

 

[john peck]

They can join me if they can keep up. Most of the bikes I see are hanging off the back of a car.

 

[ymarty]

Portland is a major biking hub and many companies, apartment buildings, schools etc budget a lot of money into the biking scene. Nike funded "Bike Town". Portland State U's has the PUDL project. PBOT is working with several biking groups because they have installed sensors in parts of the city to track bicyclists and peds. With so many bikers in the Portland area, its inevitable that various groups will form, some who are more hard core than others.

Ebikes are still relatively new and frankly, there really no attention made to the benefits of EBikes. I didnt even know that they existed until until earlier this year when I saw a friend with one. I think we need to be vocal about EBikes. EBikeMom has the right idea. Start your own group. Organize a ride somewhere and post the location and times to social media. We could even work with local ebike retailers to do public events and showings.

I truly believe that if more people, especially those over 45 had a better understanding of Ebikes, there would be a lot more riders on the road.

Lets start a hashtag movement. #EBikeforLife or #NoHikeEBike and start using the hashtag on all our social media sites.