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

Over50 said:
My feelings are hurt (well not really)! I got "cheater" thrown at me today on my commute home. First time in quite a while. Passing through a suburb, a man walking with a young boy (presumably his son) yelled "Cheat! You've got a motor"! I only responded with a friendly wave and I heard an "uh-huh" which sounded like a "bah humbug".

Maybe I can understand the "cheater" perspective in certain circumstances (the senior on his upright cruiser passing the young roadie on an incline) but I don't really get it in other circumstances (like using an e-bike for transportation, carrying cargo ...). I had 2 loaded panniers, a sling bag on my back and I'm riding in long pants on a 90F day. I'm not wearing lycra, carrying no luggage and riding in a crouch. So, I would think it would be obvious that I'm using the bike for transit and not out on a training ride.

My round trip commute today was 2 hours and 10 minutes (36 miles). I guess I could have driven my Subaru which would have been 1 hour and 10 minutes with traffic leaving me 1 hour to sit on a stationary bike or go out for an exercise ride. Or perhaps, to not be a cheater, I could ride my regular bike to work which would probably take me 3 hours and leave my knee very sore. But that would leave me in recovery for the rest of the week and I doubt I could do that 2-3 times per week. Hmmm ... seems like the e-bike is the best of the available options. I guess I'll stick with cheating.
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Dude... I got the "That's cheating" remark something like 2 minutes into my very first ride last year.
I get it.
People can be so freaking ignorant.
The good news, is that last Sunday I got an unsolicited "Nice bike!" from a random younger dude resting on a bench with his regular bike next to him.
There is hope, stay the course my friend. :cool:
 
Not for a long time--a few times back in Spring/Summer 2018, but not since then. I have over 4,000 on my ebike. These days, if road bikers say anything, they say "great day for cycling" or something like that. The snark seems to have disappated...
 
Usually said by the people that ride bikes that cost 3x as much as my Ebike. Lol

Normally, I get compliments and questions. I think I should be a salesman, or at least an “ambassador”, for Ebikes when I am riding the paths and trails.

I love riding and an Ebike has allowed me to go from 15-20 to 30-50 mile rides. And, living in Arizona it’s made it possible for me to ride even when it gets a little hotter out (although I still try and start before the sun comes up).

Like others have said, little do most riders know, I often ride my heavy 46 pound Ebike without even turning it on for a good 10+ miles. :)
 
Twice so far...once down at our beach and then yesterday getting off the Ferry into Galveston...a guy said "oh look E-Bikes" - my wife was quick to say "we're cheaters". And then we tackled 20+ miles on the island...Wouldn't trade it for the world at this point.
 
Funny, but I realize these last couple of years my guard has dropped on this topic. 99 percent of cyclists I meet are okay with my e-bike and don't really have any objections. If the location is appropriate (e.g. a hiker-biker camp) I very generously let folks take my bike for a spin so they can better understand what it is all about.

I said I let my guard down, and I recently had an encounter with an individual who basically was hostile to the entire concept of an e-bike and was constantly challenging me about why I didn't just ride an acoustic bike (to which I replied: "I have an acoustic bike which I ride approximately three times a year, and I easily put more miles on my e-bike in two weeks than I've put on my trusty (and a little rusty) old Trek in five years"). Just one of those annoying individuals you meet from time to time.
 
Just returned from attending an outdoor festival. A former mining/timber town is trying to lure tourist income and attract outdoorsy residents, I think. Anyway, I wanted to go on a longer bike ride so joined in on the group ride they had. It was 24 miles on paved roads. I pumped up the tires on my Radmini and joined. There were about 15 riders. All others were dressed in spandex bike gear and riding road bikes. I worried.

My worry was needless. All were very friendly and very curious. I kept up. I passed folks on uphills, they passed me on downhills--everybody finished. I was on my last bar for the last 3 miles. I had carried a spare battery but didn't need it.

One of the leaders of the ride is now thinking about getting an ebike. She thought it would be a heck of a lot of fun and she'd be on it all the time.

I had fun, and that is what is important.
 
I've received the "cheating" remark about 3 times, and I've been ebiking for 3 ½ years, most recently last week. I was easily climbing a mile-long hill and ahead of me was a rider on a conventional bike, huffing and puffing. I passed him quickly and he yelled, "That's cheating!" I shot back, "I'm not in a race!" I heard him laugh, so clearly he was not being hostile.

But I wonder whether such people think about extending their attitude consistently towards other motorized devices. Is riding an elevator cheating? How about using the dishwasher or clothes washer? How about using a car for that matter? Or a motorboat or an airplane?

I can hear their reply, "Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds!" But when Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that, he meant that only small-minded people refuse to reconsider their prior beliefs. Precisely.
 
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I turned the tables slightly yesterday during my 19 mile ride. I was on a paved bike trail and saw three riders on road bikes about 1/2 mile ahead of me. I upped my cadence and managed to catch then as the trail turned to cinder and entered the woods. So I sat back about 30 feet and just paced them. They were riding three abreast chatting with each other when one of the guys caught my flashing headlight in his peripheral vision. He turned and looked back at me, then the other two did also. I continued to pace them for another 100 yards, until they decided to go single file. I pulled out and passed them (in lowest level of assist and in the middle of the cassette) gaining speed. As I passed with a grin on my face, I yelled out, "Go electric!" I couldn't help myself. They may have turned around because I never saw them again. Still it was great fun.

Chuck
(a 76 year old youngster!)
 
With the exception of one guy, the people I have heard this remark from would not put their butt to any bike. I have started to encourage them to cheat with me. Got to be careful how you word that though.
 
That's the spirit. I love my ebike. Don't be too hard on the roadsters. It's hard to ride the dinosaurs (reg bike). LOL
 
highpockets said:
With the exception of one guy, the people I have heard this remark from would not put their butt to any bike. I have started to encourage them to cheat with me. Got to be careful how you word that though.
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exactly.. A lady in our neighborhood who's only daily exercise appears to be walking out to the mail box each day hollered at me "THAT'S CHEATING!" when I rode past her on my ebike.. I got a kick out of it and just smiled
 
I actually get this 'cheating' remark a lot. I tend to just laugh. Then they ask what is so funny. I will state, "It's ok to spend 10,000 to get a carbon frame bike to drop the weight from 25lbs to 18lbs and that's not cheating?" Then I just watch their head tilt. It turns into a conversation. The conversation goes like this . . . "Yes, you are absolutely correct. If we are doing 12 mph, I am putting forth so little effort compared to a person without an e-bike. But when you are at max speed on your bike, I mean, max effort, I am doing the same and I am only going faster. I am still putting out the same max energy." Then their head turns to the other side as they think some more. I say, "Yes. I work my butt off to maintain a 25mph average. About the same effort as you do to maintain a 16mph average." I then say, "And when my battery is out, I am stuck pedaling a 52lb beast. I'd love to have your 18lb bike, so I could cheat."
 
The few times I've been told "You're cheating" were all made in jest. Each time it lead to a discussion about bikes in general and my experiences with and why I got an e-bike. The biggest change I've experienced this year is more and more riders are noticing my e-bike and the comments are generally of the "That's one of those new e-bikes!" or "Is that an electric bike?" or "Cool bike man! Is that an electric?". Last year nobody noticed, so I'd say awareness of e-bikes is starting to spread.
 
I passed a real old guy on one of those retro styled ebikes and I said "nice bike".. The guy got a big grin on his face and said "thanks!, it's electric!" Of course I was riding MY ebike (with external battery pack so it was pretty obvious).. I just smiled
 
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