Let's Develop a cycling club policy on e-road bikes

[J.R.]

I have developed a proposed policy for a US cycling club. I would like feedback and any edits you may suggest.

Some integration is better than none at all. The thin end of the wedge! I applaud your effort. Ebikes will continue to gain in popularity and as riders age, or health degrades; ebikes will allow people to ride many more years. I would urge you to foster civility between unassisted and assisted riders. That will test leadership.

 

[6zfshdb]

I think you would be better served by posting on a conventional bike forum. Find out how other clubs handle ebikes. By creating restrictions for ebikes, you are in effect treating them as "second class citizens". Do you have restrictions on conventional bikes in your club? If you are truly worried about their legality, just ban ebikes completely and be done with it. From the tone of this thread, it's pretty clear you really don't want them anyway.

 

[Marci jo]

LOL, that must have been the funniest (the 1st post ) ever on Ebr.
As a serious cyclist, i wonder if you ride on your Peloton VR bike or other indoor trainer ?!

It is all common sense ,
Here i make the GLOBAL E BIKE ETIQUETTE:
* any person (over 14yo) on any type of e bike can join any regular group ride assuming said person uses good judgement, common sense and fairplay in riding with the group.
- in the case of given 3 Verbal warnings from the group leader) of riding unsafe , said e bike rider or any other group rider on non ebike needs to take mandatory bike riding etiquette classes in order to ride again with said group.

What the heck is an “etiquette class”?

 

[Jaxx]

I think you would be better served by posting on a conventional bike forum. Find out how other clubs handle ebikes. By creating restrictions for ebikes, you are in effect treating them as "second class citizens". Do you have restrictions on conventional bikes in your club? If you are truly worried about their legality, just ban ebikes completely and be done with it. From the tone of this thread, it's pretty clear you really don't want them anyway.

I believe the OP is in fact very much pro ebikes and their riders. And is keen to integrate them into the club scene for those that wish to partake in not just organised group rides, but the whole club social scene.

So, who would have guessed it? Just returned from our Wednesday club ride, where 2 ebikers turned up for the very first time (having seen our club page) Both retired now and both riding Giant Road ebikes. Neither one is an "experienced rider" but having found each other on the road and with the purchase of the Giants now had the confidence to approach a club. Long story, short version - The lads made them both very welcome. The lunch stop lasted an age? Everyone had a spin on the Giants. Riding back home with one of the guy's, told me "how surprised he was, of the overall easy pace we rode at" Both enjoyed the bonhomie of the group and gentle humour. Needless to say, they are joining us again on Sunday, also bringing along a none ebiker friend. Knowing he or anyone else will not be left behind.

Ps. Diggery (wonderful name) one of the new riders, punctured. Pete, our LBS owner who rides with us, jumped off, had Diggerys wheel out, tube replaced and back riding within 5 mins. The look on Diggerys face " Would have taken me all bloody afternoon " he said. Didn't tell him Pete used to be a mechanic for both the Pro and Am GB Teams. Olympics, World Championships etc.

 

[Marci jo]

I believe the OP is in fact very much pro ebikes and their riders. And is keen to integrate them into the club scene for those that wish to partake in not just organised group rides, but the whole club social scene.

So, who would have guessed it? Just returned from our Wednesday club ride, where 2 ebikers turned up for the very first time (having seen our club page) Both retired now and both riding Giant Road ebikes. Neither one is an "experienced rider" but having found each other on the road and with the purchase of the Giants now had the confidence to approach a club. Long story, short version - The lads made them both very welcome. The lunch stop lasted an age? Everyone had a spin on the Giants. Riding back home with one of the guy's, told me "how surprised he was, off the overall easy pace we rode at" Both enjoyed the bonhomie of the group and gentle humour. Needless to say, they are joining us again on Sunday, also bringing along a none ebiker friend. Knowing he or anyone else will not be left behind.

What a fun group!

 

[Jaxx]

What a fun group!

YOU HAD TO BE THERE!

 

[Bobsiii]

I'm trying hard not to judge the OP or his cycle club but they're not a bunch I'd want to join, too much group think conformity demanded. I've never been a member of a cycling club until I recently joined Denver Electric Bicycle Ride. While I applaud pioneers I'd be more likely to start an e-bike ride club than put up with the tyranny of elitists; good luck with your quest, and if you make it to Denver come ride with us!

 

[ebikemom]

• The bicycle must be pedal assist (the bike does not move without pedaling), it must not have a throttle and must be a Class 1 or Class 3 e-bike (pending legislation on this Class).
• Throttle e-bikes are strictly prohibited for safety

Coming from a disability-inclusion perspective, I believe that this limits participation for those with stamina-related disabilities. It also limits participation for people who have joint problems and cannot, for example, start again if they stop facing uphill. There is nothing unsafe about a class 2 ebike with a throttle (unless a first-time rider doesn't know the throttle is there and hits it by accident when not on the bike).

What if, for example, a road biking member has a spouse who would like to join in the fun but has knee replacements? That person may well need a throttle, but be able to pedal most of the time.

I would suggest a policy that ebikes are welcome, but are expected to fit into the group riding style. Then problems can be handled as they come up. Limiting the type of equipment a cyclist can use is like saying that a walking group only allowing people who use conventional, but not motorized, wheelchairs.

It would make sense to me not to regulate the bike, but the participant--ebikers are welcome as long as they participate in rides in the manner of other cyclists by staying with the group, being courteous, etc.

Does the club have regulations about member behavior? Those should apply to ebikers, too. If someone is a jerk, they get booted, right?

 

[rich c]

I don't see any rules that the acoustic riders have to slow down for the ebikers. A skilled and well trained group will maintain well over the class 3 speed assist numbers, for miles and miles.

 

[ebikemom]

Cascade Bicycle Club (I'm a member) allows ebikes on its rides. They make it easy for ebikers by even listing "ebike friendly rides" on their webpage. Cascade's philosophy is "bicycling for all." Click on the thumbnail to take a read--a few "ebike friendly" rides are listed in the lower right hand corner. These rides are not designed specifically for ebikes, and ebikes aren't mentioned in the ride descriptions.

https://cascade.org/connect/ebikes-and-cascade

I have not attended a Cascade group ride because the times generally conflict with my work and family obligations, so I can't report on how ebikes are integrated into rides, in practice.

 

[John from Connecticut]

It's a bike, but it has an electric motor to assist it. But for handling skills, it's no different than riding with a group of Cat 1s & 2s. As a former road racer, I'd welcome the chance to ride with someone on an E-Road Bike (provided their paceline skills are consummate with the group). He or she can take all the pulls into the wind for me. Competitive road cyclists go out on group training rides for one purpose, to beat on each other and get faster. You can ride by yourself til the cows come home but when that third or fourth surge comes on race day you're gonna be a spectator. Heck, I'm considering an E-Road Bike for recovery rides and to put friends on so I can ride with them; without motor assistance it just wouldn't be fun or productive for either of us. Roadies may not be as resistant to E-bikes as many people claim.

Cycling clubs better be careful, further dividing cyclists into "categories" and creating rules for exclusion doesn't do "us" as a whole any good. It's been my experience that sometimes, people who aspire to positions in cycling clubs aren't there for the long term best interest of cycling.

Hello Nomadmax,

Let me be the first to complement and congratulate on you remarkably wonderful, open, exciting and positive reply. You sir, are a credit to the sport.
Thank you for explaining in detail, yet clearly the world of Road Cycling. You nailed it when you wrote..."(provided their paceline skills are consummate with the group)."

From what I've seen the average age in the clubs locally is climbing. I wish more local riding clubs would consider eBikers, (perhaps they do), but at this point
if they want their ranks to increase, someone is going to have dispel the attitude that eBiking is cheating. ....Pinarello doesn't seem to think eBikes are cheating : )

http://pinarello.com/en/bikes-2019/e-road/nytro.

 

[christob]

It is unfortunate, in my opinion, the number of responses here that are in a sense, attacking @ghukins and his original post, which was specifically seeking our input.
Yes, it seems his cycle club and its Board have pre-existing prejudices against ebikes -- which we as ebikers would know and argue to be unfounded, and which we encounter All. The. Time. out in the world... -- but he is attempting to try and overcome those and open the minds of his club.
While I agree the original "policy posting" draft was too heavy-handed, too "ebikes are a nuisance that need lots of rules to make others feel ok" -- and so I much prefer my "bullet #3" one-paragraph-policy rewrite (that applies to ALL bikes in the club, evenly) I'd hope members of this forum (a forum which tends to be so unlike other "hard core" biking forums, in our tone and friendliness and share-the-joy-of-ebikes) would step up with more constructive and helpful feedback, rather than bashing his current club, and him.

 

[CodyDog]

There's a lot of Rad owners that won't be riding with you.

Not fond of placing riders in categories and enforcing a lots of rules. I have the "welcome all" type of hospitality philosophy. Biking with friends should be enjoyable and fun. Welcome and allow mature acting and responsible riders. Ask the irresponsible ones to leave.

Simplicity is best.

 

[ebikemom]

The original poster asked for feedback, and the consensus I see here so far is that "less is more", and that there may not need to be such a technical list of rules.

The comment above about aging cyclists is important. Does this group want to find a way to include members who can't keep up anymore, who might extend their biking enjoyment via ebiking? Opening doors to ebiking means opening doors to biking beyond what most of us could imagine. It's a beautiful thing. I think it is great that the original poster is exploring how to help his group be more open to ebiking.

The group might also consider finding a leader to organize ebike-oriented rides. They might find a lot of life and energy and great cycling advocacy and club support among ebikers.

 

[Ebiker01]

What the heck is an “etiquette class”?

Cycling etiquette class

 

[Oberst]

I would think you would regulate the behavior of the rider rather than equipment. I suspect an analog bike ridden by one fueled by an overabundance of testosterone may be more dangerous than an e bike ridden by someone with good sense and out to enjoy the ride. Now, if they have a problem due to battery life or not being ready for the ride, that will determine their next ride choice. Just my thoughts

 

[GregGritton]

From what I've seen the average age in the clubs locally is climbing. I wish more local riding clubs would consider eBikers, (perhaps they do), but at this point
if they want their ranks to increase, someone is going to have dispel the attitude that eBiking is cheating. ....Pinarello doesn't seem to think eBikes are cheating : )

It seems whether riding an e-bike is cheating is really based on the purpose of the ride.
1. Race - an e-bike is clearly cheating.
2. Commute - An e-bike allows you to get to work faster and being less sweaty than an ordinary bike, which might very allow replacing car commuting with bike commuting. This isn't cheating at all. (If it is, then driving a car is cheating even more, yet it is the most common way to commute.)
3. Out to enjoy a ride and/or see the sites - A e-bike allows you to go faster and further. If you are going out as a group and you end up the fastest rider this could be a conflict.
4. Exercise or training - An e-bike will give you less exercise for a given distance (assuming you use power), but many bump up the distance traveled because an e-bike makes traveling more enjoyable.

In a club setting, it really depends on what the club is all about. If traveling in the club is a combination of exercise/training and an unofficial race where people are trying to move up the ranks then an e-biker won't fit in well. On the other hand, if a club is mainly about enjoying the outdoors and each other's company while getting some exercise then an e-biker may fit in quite well.

 

[Cowlitz]

I will confess to "aggressively" (I was pedaling hard) passing regular riders on a group ride. The ride was getting to be too long and had no potty breaks. I had to go. So I picked up my speed and went for the bathroom at the end of the ride. When ya gotta go, you gotta go.


And, the way I use my throttle is to get the bike going, then switching to pedals, or to get through an intersection quickly from a stop, or to power my way up an unexpected, rough, unpaved bit of trail. As far as I'm concerned, all of that is FOR safety.