Ebike vs analog

[Akrotiri]

Picked up my new Yamaha Ebike 2 weeks ago and have about 175 miles on it. Purchased a Specialized Allez back in May and got into riding for exercise and put about 1500 miles since I got it.
Even though I do like the new ebike, I took my analog bike out yesterday for a short 30 mile ride and found I am more comfortable on it because it being so light weight. Also I enjoy the challenge of trying to make it up hills that a few months ago I almost couldn't get up.
Did 4 loops in Prospect Park yesterday and even though there are still a lot of guys that pass me, at least I can now do the 4 laps. I did the same two laps on my ebike last week, and I felt like I was cheating getting up the tough hills.
Don't get me wrong, I really do like the ebike, especially last week when I ran into a tough head wind, but I do feel the need to get on the analog bike just to try and keep up with what I have obtained from the last few months of riding.
I am really looking into going off road on the new Yamaha, but living in NY city doesn't provide me with a lot of choices for that.

I think along the same lines as you with regard to tradition bicycle but for different reasons.

I’m on my second ebike within a year and I ride it almost everyday. Before the ebikes it was about 2 decades since I rode a bike , traditional non-electric of course.

In the past year I was thinking how I could also purchase a traditional bike or two for my stable but to minimize the effort and stress since it’s without a motor and battery. What I’ve learned from Ebiking is that it greatly alleviates the stress of cycling such as long inclines,hills,strong headwinds etc. I hate exercise but eat well and try to stay in my recommended weight due to my hatred of jogging, walking, swimming or any form of boring and or strenuous exercise. I find my ebike extremely fun day or night and it’s as fun as jet skiing but with the added perks of being simultaneously relaxing and useful. I do some of my best thinking riding my ebike. I have no need to use cycling as weight loss, just maintenance since we do get exercise on ebikes by riding further for longer providing we’re not riding in turbo mode 24/7.

All that being said riding my ebikes the past year has educated me as to what non-electric bicycles I should purchase for my stable that would compliment my aversion to strenuous exercise and be intended for my local geography and riding style. That would be long bicycle touring, sub 20inch climbing gear and an effective gear range of at-least 500%. One is the 2021 Kona sutra steel frame with triple chain set that I have on order expecting delivery sometime in January and the other which I haven’t ordered yet but will be purchasing soon is the steel frame 30 speed triple chain set VSF Fahrrad TX-800. Both of these bikes are over 30lbs but the gearing makes the weight a non-issue.

Without the experience of my ebike I would not have re-discovered the joy of cycling and wouldn’t have gotten back into cycling which is a wonderful hobby and can substitute cars, public transportation and recreation for me in many instances. It also has provided me with independence, self sufficiency and helps me enjoy the great outdoors.

I would never give up my ebike for a traditional though and once I get these two non-electrics in my stable by summer 2021 I’ll be shopping for that very impressive Trek Powerfly 5 equipped that has caught my eye recently.

Mark Twain made a famous statement in the last line of “ Taming the bicycle” one that mirrors my feelings about bicycles. And even though ebikes didn’t exist in his time I believe it applies to ebikes just as well if not better.

Get a bicycle. You will not regret it, if you live.
-Mark Twain

 

[Bufatutu]

Just got my first ebike two weeks ago. I'm a long time bike rider, riding 3-6 times a week for more than forty years...in season, meaning 'til there's ice or snow on the road. Rode mostly road bikes for thirty years then got a mtn bike for commuting and western travel. Been riding a great 29er for ten or so years, since I hit my mid-sixties. I retired to the mountains eight years ago and head out as I say 3-6 days a week and mostly enjoy grinding uphill: 50 minutes up and 10 or 12 minutes down. Time to explore the geology and flora along the roadside. But I couldn't make all the way up to the height of land in the notches any more--Don't get old! And I'd stopped going down old logging roads that I wasn't sure if I could get back up without walking, which my old feet surely would find disagreeable. So I'm lovin' my ebike and riding up long slopes and to the top of the notch and way out logging roads into the middle of some of the quietest country in all of New England.

My 29er has Ergon pedals that are now impossible to find and that I find enjoyable and helpful in terms of reducing discomfort. I'm having trouble finding any real flatie sandpaper pedals. The 29er also has Ergon grips that I really need and high quality adjustable stem which would get my handlebars up two inches and let me sit a bit more upright on my e-mtn bike. Yah, I know I can get new ergo grips and adj. stem. But once I take off the pedals.... So I'm contemplating cannibalizing my main bike that I love and adore to improve my new love. Because I don't know if I'll be riding the "regular" bike ever again, the ebike is so engaging.

Perhaps the thing I'm most amazed by regarding my ebike is how much of a workout I still get to enjoy, all while covering way more ground. And in fact I now find myself out for two full hours vrs the typical 60-90 minutes of previous bike rides. What fun!

 

[Art Deco]

I read somewhere the sensors of a mid-drive motor e-bike (up to 6 of them) are sampled at some frequency. Does it make e-bikes analogue?

Sure doesn't make them digital, so I guess so.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I think along the same lines as you with regard to tradition bicycle but for different reasons.

I’m on my second ebike within a year and I ride it almost everyday. Before the ebikes it was about 2 decades since I rode a bike , traditional non-electric of course.

In the past year I was thinking how I could also purchase a traditional bike or two for my stable but to minimize the effort and stress since it’s without a motor and battery. What I’ve learned from Ebiking is that it greatly alleviates the stress of cycling such as long inclines,hills,strong headwinds etc. I hate exercise but eat well and try to stay in my recommended weight due to my hatred of jogging, walking, swimming or any form of boring and or strenuous exercise. I find my ebike extremely fun day or night and it’s as fun as jet skiing but with the added perks of being simultaneously relaxing and useful. I do some of my best thinking riding my ebike. I have no need to use cycling as weight loss, just maintenance since we do get exercise on ebikes by riding further for longer providing we’re not riding in turbo mode 24/7.

I fully support this line of thinking.
In years 2013-2018 (5 years) my total distance ridden on traditional bike was 2314 km. Since mid-2015 my state of health deteriorated. Since I bought the first e-bike in August 2019, I have ridden 8523 km of documented e-bike trips. That's 1 year and 3 months!

I even don't say riding a traditional bike is an ordeal for me for health reasons (it is). In the "unpowered" times, going for a ride was a rare event for me, the rides had been relatively short and full of suffering. No fun.

Whenever you pedal, you're expediting certain human power to keep the bike in motion. That leg power remains the same regardless of the bike is unpowered or electrically assisted*. With the same effort (and the same ride time), you will simply ride for a far longer distance and you'll conquer more hills on e-bike compared to the unpowered one. Also, riding e-bike gives more fun. Additionally, you are aware how expensive your e-bike has been, and it is yet another incentive to ride more frequently.

"Riding e-bike means no sweat" is only true when an e-bike is used for commuting over the same (relatively short) distance as to be covered by a trad bike. Yet, the same ride time means the same effort for given cyclist. (The motor contribution is only responsible for extended distance and elevation gain).

I'm glad so many of you can still ride their traditional bikes. I couldn't do it myself.
-----------------------
*) E-bikes that have the rider's power meter prove it clearly. It makes me laugh when I hear "I ride a traditional bike for more workout". You simply ride for a shorter distance with less hills. Or, you cover the same distance and the same hills in far longer time - it is the only situation when you "get more workout".

 

[Art Deco]

I wouldn't even have considered a conventional bike, but I can always turn the boost off and ride it like a heavy bike with lights. I did that for the first week or so that I had my Como. Now I use the motor a lot.

 

[FlatSix911]

Yeah. There is even a rhread on EBR about Yamaha's ebike history. By @FlatSix911, IIRC.

Thanks for recalling the post...

Yamaha was the first company to develop an electrically power-assisted bicycle (PAS) in 1993.

(1) Yamaha Mid Drive Motors | Electric Bike Forums - Q&A, Help, Reviews and Maintenance (electricbikereview.com)

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Thanks for recalling the post...

Yamaha was the first company to develop an electrically power-assisted bicycle (PAS) in 1993.

(1) Yamaha Mid Drive Motors | Electric Bike Forums - Q&A, Help, Reviews and Maintenance (electricbikereview.com)

I'll post the short history of Yamaha Electric Bikes this evening... here is the link.

The 30th anniversary of the Yamaha e-bike

www.yamahabicycles.com

 

[FlatSix911]

View attachment 72313

Sorry about that link... here is the ROW/EU version...

Yamaha e-Bike history and technology (yamaha-motor.eu)