Unsolicited comments about your ebike lately?

[PedalUma]

I saw a bespoke tailor-made lugged bike and gushed all over it. The guy's wife said, 'You are just stoking his ego by saying all the right things.' From a distance it looked black but up close in direct sun it was the deepest metallic green of the Monterey Bay sea. The handle bar alone was worth $500. It was like a handmade Italian suit. Not a logo anywhere. Simple and clean. Just to fit him. As I have said before, getting to the Zen Garden of less takes extra effort and has huge payoffs. That bike was meant for exactly one specific person. Less is more.

While I have lived up and down the east coast my entire life, I have enjoyed enough time in California to appreciate the west coast passion for parades and festivals. One of the best times I can remember was a day at the Balloon and Wine festival a number of years ago in Temecula. (What wonderful acid-dropping stoner came up with the idea of wedding balloons with booze? Definitely a California thing). Butter & Eggs Day? Wish I was there.

Look up the vid from 2023 of B&E Day Petaluma and at 1 hour 35 minutes you will see me in a purple shirt on a white eBike shortly after.

 

[Doggyman1202]

Look up the vid from 2023 of B&E Day Petaluma and at 1 hour 35 minutes you will see me in a purple shirt on a white eBike shortly after.

Great parade! I love the unedited coverage, and the big turnout for Safe Streets Petaluma.

In keeping with this forum we have some bicycle events here in Vermont that might also sound a little WTF to outsiders. For example, I'm riding this summer in the Tour de Slate (a ride around Vermont natural slate quarries) and the popular Tour de Creemee (a tour of Vermont Creemee stands). For the uninitiated, a Creemee is soft serve ice cream infused with Vermont maple syrup. (We take our maple seriously in Vermont. An imposter like Mrs. Butterworth can only be found on Wanted Dead or Alive posters around here).

 

[PedalUma]

@Doggyman1202, In a few minutes I am leaving to take the train with other riders to the next large town north, Santa Rosa. We will join a group ride of the creek trails there. The city is providing snacks and refreshments. Santa Rosa has a lot of custom made lowrider bikes. Some are all chrome, or have wild paint jobs with ape-hangers and radial spokes. Folks 65+ ride the train for free.

 

[PedalUma]

That was a fun ride. I met people that I only knew from email and phone calls. There were about 50 riders and we rode flat shaded creek trails and ended in a town called Windsor and had snacks. There was a close by station for the return trip. There were two miles of gravel under large white oaks. And I saw a bunch of cool bikes.

 

[Kayakguy]

@DaveMatthews Last fall on a local country ride I noticed riders, strong, fairly young coming up on me…I didn’t make it easy for them…but youth will be served. The passing last rider (barely breathing hard) said “That looks like fun.” I responded to his back “For an old guy.” He looked back and said “you’re out here…ain’t it great.”

Fairly often I see (in my helmet mirror) someone of either gender overtaking me, and almost always they're on an acoustic bike. Probably if I were to raise the e-boost from level one to 5 (I think I have that many levels), I could match them for speed. But what the hell, I'm 86 and no longer feel I have to compete with others; believe me, it's a relief.

 

[ebike284]

Has your ebike drawn any interesting or funny or clever comments or questions lately?

Please share them here — especially the non-negative stuff.

Background
EBR members report lots of unsolicited comments about their ebikes or themselves as ebike riders. Most seem to be negative, but some of that could well be reporting bias. A lycra-clad roadie shouting "Cheater!" or something to that effect is a common complaint.

But it's 2024 now, and ebikes are only getting more common in most places. The novelty's wearing off, and many are realizing that for better or worse, ebikes are here to stay.

Our part in this? With all the negative press ebikes are drawing, best to go out of our way to be ambassadors of good will for ebiking and cycling in general. That means respectful, responsible riding and a friendly response to all well-meaning questions and comments. Just ignore the rest.

I get different reactions from walkers on the Greenway. There's a 15 mile per hour speed limit on the trail and I normally run 12 to 15 mph. I try to be courteous and ring my bell when approaching people and I get totally different reactions from walkers. Some say thanks for letting me know you were coming. Some say, you scared the me! And some yell slow down a hole! You try to be nice and what do you get?

 

[PedalUma]

I get different reactions from walkers on the Greenway. There's a 15 mile per hour speed limit on the trail and I normally run 12 to 15 mph. I try to be courteous and ring my bell when approaching people and I get totally different reactions from walkers. Some say thanks for letting me know you were coming. Some say, you scared the me! And some yell slow down a hole! You try to be nice and what do you get?

Some go left, which is nuts.