How many times have you heard "that's cheating!"? ?

ROB12013

ROB12013

Member
I hear it all the time from "regular cyclists".
How can I be cheating - I'm not in a race? We all choose assisted it's just a matter of how much. Gears, thin tyres, lycra, carbon fibre, drop bars, clip on pedals and even shaving legs all help.
That's one of the many things I prefer about the ebiking scene - it's less competitive with little or no peer pressure.
I don't have to awkwardly hobble into wherever I choose to stop (cafe etc) in clip on shoes or with advertising all over my spray on appropriate 'outfit'.
Ebiking now is as broad a hobby as regular cycling - but with a do it your own way attitude.
Don't get me wrong I'm not having a go a regular cyclists or their 'outfits' - wear and ride what you like I say but I do find that sometimes in that world people are bullied a bit into conforming. ✌?
 
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Doesn't happen often, but when it does I take it as a compliment.. A light hearted "darn right, and loving it" is generally heard right after that "cheating" comment.
 
Not yet.
Fortunately, the lycra drop handlebar club drive their SUV's out to a high school half way out my commute route before they start their ride. I suspect they don't want to deal with anything like stop signs and working people. When I see them they can't even be bothered to wave.
In town here bike riders are all workers that can't afford a car or homeless people. There are a few whizzers that speed across the pedestrian bridge on the Ohio, but they are going too fast to say anything but "on the left". I'm sure not going to speed at 17 mph with all the toddlers and earbud wearers walking backwards and in circles.
 
I have had a few comments like that, but they seemed to be kidding, and not mean spirited about it.
In my experience, the bike starts many pleasant conversations with strangers that wish to know more about the bike. I had the Townie Go parked outside a restaurant at the beach yesterday and several people walking by stopped to look at the bike.
 
I think the most offensive case of hearing that phrase was when they speaker was driving a car. I don't think he meant any harm and when I good-naturedly asked where his bicycle was he smiled and we chatted about the great September weather.
 
Never, but for opportunity.
My response, if it happens... The Tour de France was single speed for decades, possibly fixed gear, even.
Do you know what they called those who advocated for multiple gears? Cheaters.

The Amish are still with us, but we can appreciate their simplicity without emulating them.
 
I actually heard it twice today while doing a 50 mile ride on my favorite Lehigh Gorge Trail. Both were good natured comments though and resulted in some interesting conversation.
 
larry-new said:
Never, but for opportunity.
My response, if it happens... The Tour de France was single speed for decades, possibly fixed gear, even.
Do you know what they called those who advocated for multiple gears? Cheaters.

The Amish are still with us, but we can appreciate their simplicity without emulating them.
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It's funny how I got into e bikes. Actually it was from seeing how the Amish use them here in Ohio. The bike shop I got my Magnum at is in the heart of our Amish country. ?
 
Have only heard it yelled out once this season. Ironically, it was while I was panting (I mean, resting) on a bench, barely 2 months into bike riding---and I'd ridden my 100%-electrically-dead bike that day solely under human power (while being more overweight and out of shape than he could know!) I don't think it was one of those good-natured call-outs though, since he didn't bother to slow down; just rocketed by, full tuck, full lycra... It tickled me, knowing just how NON-cheating I'd been that day, exerting painfully (and proudly) to propel that 50 pound bike a full 12 unassisted miles "on my own"...

At the risk of making an erroneous assumption about him -- though likely a safe one, after countless observations of the type -- I'd be willing to bet he's part of the general "lycra speed set" that never, ever, ever stops at posted Stop signs while biking in vehicle traffic lanes...

It remains a mystery to me how he'd reconcile that particular world-view... To be completely fine with hurling "cheater!" as an insult to a total stranger, presumably driven by some lofty, self-righteous definition of Cycling, but then go out and willfully, knowingly, constantly cheat on every ride -- with a form of cheating that requires breaking the actual law of the land at every Stop sign or red light -- all in the name of, presumably, protecting one's precious cadence, inertia, total ride time, average speed, or Strava brags, etc...
 
I have not heard it in a mean way, but more of a kidding manner. If someone who doesn't bike at all refers to "cheating", I just smile and ask them where's their bike? As far as my roadie friends, I just think they're subconsciously trying defend their $10K purchase, unusual clothing choices and the fact that I can pass them on the hills.

With advent of the ebike, a new kind of threat has come upon the traditional Road Warriors. Our ebikes garner a lot of attention while theirs just get passed bye with no attention given. We don't see it as a threat but some of these guys don't want to accept change in the biking industry or sport. Holding on to traditional (this is the way we always pedaled) biking ideas has to be a challenge and pain in the seat for these folks ( the ones that call us cheaters). Okay, maybe this is stretch or maybe not.
 
Oldbkr said:
It's funny how I got into e bikes. Actually it was from seeing how the Amish use them here in Ohio. The bike shop I got my Magnum at is in the heart of our Amish country. ?
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I used the Amish not to illustrate the difference between fixed and multiple gears, but between e bikes and push bikes!
Resistance to change is ok, but don't drive your gas guzzler and dis a Prius.
 
I spend quite a bit of time in the summer going through Amish communities in Indiana. I also have a friend that was from an Amish family. He is now a sinner (LOL).
I have a lot of respect for the convictions of their following, but the rules vary from the various Amish groups. I don’t try to rationalize their rules. A month ago I saw two Amish horse carriages pulling boats that had 20hp outboard motors. I just found it curious that a horse is being used to pull a boat that has a motor on it. Lots of them on bicycles—-i have not seen one with an ebike yet—and fortunately some of the communities have bike/carriage lanes.
 
Last month, I was support rider for a school mtb ride. One of the kids was WAY out of his league amongst the advanced group - holding everyone up on the hills etc. So I offered a bike swap so he could catch up / have some fun. TWICE he declined, calling it cheating. I still don't know if he was stubborn or just determined, but he didn't win any freinds that day!

Ironically, the top level riders had jumped at the opportunity to ride my ebike - they had nothing to prove, I guess.
 
Amy said:
Yup, "That's Cheating" and "Cheater" are a thing, aren't they! My latest is to cheerily reply, "Don't tell my bad knees!"
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Yea it's something I expect but it doesn't make me angry - far from it, it makes me laugh. I've had regular cycling friends point out to me (when I rode regular bikes more often) that my rear cassette was a 32 tooth instead of their 28 so this is par for the course.
Have you noticed that people almost always point out your advantages but never their own?
 
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