When was the last time you rode an acoustic bike?

[Alaskan]

Good figures Alaskan. Now how much were you taking a draft? I would have been stuck to someone's back wheel for the whole ride.

Drafting is one of the key points of doing group rides. I must confess that I did not take the lead position during that ride, something I normally do, usually on the home stretch when the group breaks up into smaller bunches based on speed. I have earned the acceptance of the group by jumping to the lead when the headwinds get gnarly and by pulling the faster riders (like my buddy with the Domane) along at 24-27 mph. I do that kind of speed on my Riese & Muller Delight putting out around 200 watts myself and the bike is in Turbo (300% assist). Riding like that produces a heart rate in the mid 130s and definitely generates some sweat. On flat ground I can ride like that for about 6 miles before I need to ease up and slow back down to the 18 mph pace of the whole group.

 

[Jaxx]

Drafting is one of the key points of doing group rides. I must confess that I did not take the lead position during that ride, something I normally do, usually on the home stretch when the group breaks up into smaller bunches based on speed. I have earned the acceptance of the group by jumping to the lead when the headwinds get gnarly and by pulling the faster riders (like my buddy with the Domane) along at 24-27 mph. I do that kind of speed on my Riese & Muller Delight putting out around 200 watts myself and the bike is in Turbo (300% assist). Riding like that produces a heart rate in the mid 130s and definitely generates some sweat. On flat ground I can ride like that for about 6 miles before I need to ease up and slow back down to the 18 mph pace of the whole group.

That's a fair tow you're producing Alaskan, good on ya.

 

[Alaskan]

That's a fair tow you're producing Alaskan, good on ya.

Motor pacing like this has allowed my triathlon buddy with the Domane to raise his average speed by 3 mph. He is 62, a rail, same height as me at 6'1" and can't weigh a pound over 160.

 

[Jaxx]

Drafting is one of the key points of doing group rides. I must confess that I did not take the lead position during that ride, something I normally do, usually on the home stretch when the group breaks up into smaller bunches based on speed. I have earned the acceptance of the group by jumping to the lead when the headwinds get gnarly and by pulling the faster riders (like my buddy with the Domane) along at 24-27 mph. I do that kind of speed on my Riese & Muller Delight putting out around 200 watts myself and the bike is in Turbo (300% assist). Riding like that produces a heart rate in the mid 130s and definitely generates some sweat. On flat ground I can ride like that for about 6 miles before I need to ease up and slow back down to the 18 mph pace of the whole group.

That's a fair tow you're producing Alaskan, good on ya.

Motor pacing like this has allowed my triathlon buddy with the Domane to raise his average speed by 3 mph. He is 62, a rail, same height as me at 6'1" and can't weigh a pound over 160.

I expect, he's a very good climber? Built like that.

 

[Marci jo]

Drafting is one of the key points of doing group rides. I must confess that I did not take the lead position during that ride, something I normally do, usually on the home stretch when the group breaks up into smaller bunches based on speed. I have earned the acceptance of the group by jumping to the lead when the headwinds get gnarly and by pulling the faster riders (like my buddy with the Domane) along at 24-27 mph. I do that kind of speed on my Riese & Muller Delight putting out around 200 watts myself and the bike is in Turbo (300% assist). Riding like that produces a heart rate in the mid 130s and definitely generates some sweat. On flat ground I can ride like that for about 6 miles before I need to ease up and slow back down to the 18 mph pace of the whole group.

Alaskan, that sounds like a great group, really fun loving and no ebike shaming.
I’m curious to know if their experience with you has led to any of their families/friends to consider an ebike?

 

[Alaskan]

Alaskan, that sounds like a great group, really fun loving and no ebike shaming.
I’m curious to know if their experience with you has led to any of their families/friends to consider an ebike?

We always end our rides at the local Cafe Velo, a bike repair shop and small cafe with good espresso, local micro brews and ciders and excellent sandwiches named after Tour du France stages like Madone, Ventoux, etc. The one guy that called me a cheater when I first encountered the group, has developed atrial fibrillation. His doctor has cautioned him not let his heart rate go over 110. He now rides a Haibike HS Bosch powered bike and loves it. Sitting around the table at the cafe, most of the old roadies now will admit that it is just a matter of time before most of them will be on an ebike. The realize that the time will come the choice will be ebike or no bike.

 

[Lightning P38]

Okay, admittedly I'm a newbie to e-bikes. I bought a RadCity on sale in December. Since then, in December, January and March, weather permitting, I've ridden my e-bike exclusively 3-7 days a week (meaning no other bikes). Rad bikes have 5 levels of power assist. I've never gone above level 3. Even just at level 3, with every ride I feel super human. Since it's still winter in New England and lots of salt on the roads, today, I decided to ride one of my other bikes, a Trek Marlin 6, 29'r. Definitely not my carbon fiber road bike, but one that I think can handle road salt and frost heaves. It was way harder to pedal than I remember! In fact, I took another route home that wasn't so hilly. It made me think. When was the last time you rode an acoustic bike? Did it freak you out or do you incorporate acoustic bikes into your regular rides, along with e-bikes?

How did the term “acoustic” bike develop? Since I ride a “bent”, I was curious.

 

[Alaskan]

How did the term “acoustic” bike develop? Since I ride a “bent”, I was curious.

Like guitars electric vs acoustic

 

[cuwatra]

Like guitars electric vs acoustic

I hate the nomenclature and refuse to use it. Maybe because I made my living as a guitarist for years and don't think the term should be used on bikes.

Interestingly, hard-core pedal powered cyclists I know don't know the term or use it.

 

[christob]

To the OP's question, around 16 months into my ebike ownership and riding (which was the first bike riding for me in ~25 years), I rediscovered that I still owned my original pedal bike, an early-90's Bianchi 21-speed. That bike defeated me back in the day, and I maybe rode it 10 times total, before putting it away "forever." It had been out of sight/out of mind for many years (I'd been operating under the mistaken belief I'd sold it many years ago) -- it was hiding out in my condo's storage bin ever since I moved into the building, 15 years ago...
So I got it fixed up and road ready, and now I try to ride it a few times each month. The ebike remains my preferred office commuter, particularly to keep the sweat down, but the Bianchi is actually fun to ride now; I never would have predicted I'd say that (based on how painful the biking experiences were for me, 25 years ago, when I never built up stamina or strength between very infrequent, painful rides.) I'm heading out for a ride in 2 hours -- undecided which bike I'll take today, but I'm leaning towards the Bianchi.

 

[Alaskan]

I hate the nomenclature and refuse to use it. Maybe because I made my living as a guitarist for years and don't think the term should be used on bikes.

Interestingly, hard-core pedal powered cyclists I know don't know the term or use it.

You are correct. They refer to their bikes as "real" bikes, implying that ebikes are not real bikes.

 

[Alaskan]

To the OP's question, around 16 months into my ebike ownership and riding (which was the first bike riding for me in ~25 years), I rediscovered that I still owned my original pedal bike, an early-90's Bianchi 21-speed. That bike defeated me back in the day, and I maybe rode it 10 times total, before putting it away "forever." It had been out of sight/out of mind for many years (I'd been operating under the mistaken belief I'd sold it many years ago) -- it was hiding out in my condo's storage bin ever since I moved into the building, 15 years ago...
So I got it fixed up and road ready, and now I try to ride it a few times each month. The ebike remains my preferred office commuter, particularly to keep the sweat down, but the Bianchi is actually fun to ride now; I never would have predicted I'd say that (based on how painful the biking experiences were for me, 25 years ago, when I never built up stamina or strength between very infrequent, painful rides.) I'm heading out for a ride in 2 hours -- undecided which bike I'll take today, but I'm leaning towards the Bianchi.

What a fantastic outcome!

 

[cuwatra]

You are correct. They refer to their bikes as "real" bikes, implying that ebikes are not real bikes.

I'll take that over the dumb 'acoustic' label.

 

[RabH]

I sold my nice road bike a short time after I purchased my Giant Road E+1 Pro, I kept my trusty Giant CRS 1.0 Hybrid which I purchased in 2009! My last ride on it was in September 2018 when my e bike was in for a warranty repair, I managed 58 miles that day and that was all down to my fitness from riding my e bike!

My longest ride on my CRS was 120 miles, the photo I attached was from that day! I had a head on collision 100 yards from home that day when a youngster on a mountain bike decided to appear between 2 parked cars right in to my path, no real harm done thankfully! So I keep the bike in my attic just in case my e bike has any problems, I'm sure I will use it again at some point but my e bike is just too much fun

Technically I have covered a lot of miles (probably 1000's) on my e bike without assist

 

[Alex M]

The one guy that called me a cheater when I first encountered the group, has developed atrial fibrillation. His doctor has cautioned him not let his heart rate go over 110. He now rides a Haibike HS Bosch powered bike and loves it. Sitting around the table at the cafe, most of the old roadies now will admit that it is just a matter of time before most of them will be on an ebike.

That's it. Heart needs exercising but not high peak stresses, especially when you're getting older. The same with knees.

 

[Saratoga Dave]

I'll take that over the dumb 'acoustic' label.

Well, we could always call them Flat Tops!

 

[Uncle Willy]

I will continue to call them road bikes because that is what I have called them for the thirty years I have been riding them

 

[cuwatra]

I will continue to call them road bikes because that is what I have called them for the thirty years I have been riding them

Except for when they're MTB's!