Will you let your ebike take you 'where you don't belong' ???

[Art Deco]

Pretty sure I would find myself one of the subjects on a thread like that (too dumb to ride). Thing is, many mistakes, the ones you survive anyway, are later added up and called "experience". Mistakes are pretty much the best way to get experience. Seems that way for me anyway. Always figuring out stuff/learning the hard way!

The issue you're thinking of I believe, is the one where the person doesn't learn from his mistakes, and repeats them.... THOSE are the guys I feel sorry for! -Al

Experience or education cures ignorance, but "you can't fix stupid" as @ruffruff said above. As far as being a candidate for a Darwin award myself, yeah, way too many times.

 

[AHicks]

I had a younger friend in my fifties when I was into 'Adventure Bikes'. We rode big KTMs. This kid ( low thirties ) grew up on motorcycles. Was an accomplished trick rider. ( can't remember what that lightweight cycle competition where they jump up on rocks and stuff is called ) Well he could make that big heavy KTM of his sit up and beg. It was scary what he could do. Last I saw him he was on his way back to Britain to ride in the Isle of Skye race. I brought up the subject of crazy dangerous pastimes ( one of his friends had recently died in the Isle of Skye race ) and all he said was, "Hey, he went quick while doing what he loved."

damn

I believe what you are thinking of is a "Trials" bike (not to be confused with a "trail" bike). They compete in Trials, where they just stun unexpecting people with their riding skills, nearly all of which are done at a walking speed, or stopped....

 

[ChezCheese:)]

Here are two pics from our trailcam which we have set up in our front yard, which is also a turf badminton court. The cougar is not a big one, but most definitely a cougar, who has been displaced by the clearcut next-door. And then a couple of pics when we turned the camera around, looking towards our duck house. That black bear is big, and was basically at our front steps.

 

[phoenixtoohot]

Re "the ones you survive anyway, are later added up and called "experience".

"Good judgement comes from experience, experience comes from bad Judgement"

 

[Art Deco]

I don't experience much wildlife, but I imagine a trail camera would show a different world, even in suburbs.

 

[Dallant]

As I sat on the sidewalk, an older guy rode up on his bicycle, and we started talking about e-bikes. “My friends keep trying to get me to buy one of those,” he said. “But I’m afraid they’ll take me where I don’t belong.”

“Where I don’t belong“ is a ridiculous notion to me. Maybe walking across a street is where I don’t belong if it goes badly. Or lighting up that pack of cigarettes 20 years ago.
Nobody tried to convince me to buy my Allant+7. I wanted one for at least 3 years. Just this last weekend I took my first ride on an easy single-track MTB trail. I had been wanting to do this for a long time and, yes, I fell but didn’t get hurt. I had a blast facing this completely new challenge in my mid-60s. Did I belong? Of course. Would I have done it without an ebike? Probably not. I intend to do more of the same.
IMHO, life is just too short to even ponder “I don’t belong”. I’ve climbed mountains, rock climbed, stepped backwards off cliffs to repel down them, dove with sharks, winter camped on cross country skies 10 miles back in the wilderness, jumped motorcycles, etc, etc, etc. Do I belong never even occurred to me.

 

[reed scott]

What a man!

 

[Deleted member 4210]

 

[Dallant]

What a man!

I know a lot of women who were right along side me for most of that.

 

[Art Deco]

I know a lot of women who were right along side me for most of that.

Stereotypes will get you if you don't watch out. Around here a new Harley rider is very likely a female accountant.

 

[reed scott]

Stereotypes will get you if you don't watch out. Around here a new Harley rider is very likely a female accountant.

My take as a former big bike rider: Yeah but it takes three women to pick up a Harley if it tips over. Or one pretty strong guy.

 

[RandallS]

I am pretty sure my e-bike will NOT take me here...

 

[Art Deco]

My take as a former big bike rider: Yeah but it takes three women to pick up a Harley if it tips over. Or one pretty strong guy.

They tip over? My dealer never mentioned that...

 

[Art Deco]

I am pretty sure my e-bike will NOT take me here...

Nope. i want the flying suit or at least a hang glider for that kind of hill ..

 

[Dallant]

I am pretty sure my e-bike will NOT take me here...

I’m game for a lot of things but my ebike ain’t taking me down that one. I’d repel it though!

 

[Alex M]

Regardless, people will get into trouble because they can easily get farther out into the unknown than they ever have previously. Of course we don't blame the conveyance but the fact remains ... inexperienced people will use them to get themselves into real trouble. And knowing people, someone can directly/explicitly warn them ... and they will go right out and be stupid.

It's not lack of experience to blame. Stupid won't listen beforehand and will learn slow from their own mistakes too. Ebike (ATV, car, whatever) can take you farther but it can also take you home from farther away or faster than your own pair of legs. But, like somebody said - can't fix stupid. Being adventurous is not the same as being stupid, people may possess both qualities, or either one.

 

[FlatSix911]

If you ain't doing what many might call 'dumb' stuff, you are very likely not really living, maybe not really trying at all. In fact, from my perspective, it's gotta be totally boring to be 'perfect' with no 'mistakes' or trying to avoid them, in every moment of your life. A whole lot of folks probably called me dumb or crazy when I started my ebike business out of my garage back in 2015. I know my in-laws were actually 'worried' about me. (like what is the guy doing'?) But hey, it's been worth every risk, and now people frequently ask 'how did you know this would take off and grow like this back then'? And then when I tell them I had been following ebike technology since the late 90's when Lee Iococca introduced a brand here in the US, they look at me and go 'they've been around that long ?', and that I actually spent years preparing in numerous ways before deciding to launch this business , waiting patiently for the right time, the correct battery technology to emerge and become commercially viable, and so on. Just like this guy below spent years preparing via jumps long before he ever embarked on proximity flying in a wing suit.

Now this guy here (Jeb Corliss), you could call really 'dumb' for jumping (flying) off a mountain cliff, but I'll tell you what, he is having a HECK OF A LOT OF FUN !

It's also one of my all-time favorite video's on you-tube choreographed to some spectacularly well chosen music...
If you ask me, this guy's daring and adventure even makes the song that much more powerful, and may have even helped put AWOLNATION on the music map (albeit briefly anyway). It's amazing he is still alive, and he has one heck of a life story if you care to dig into his livelihood further.

His laugh at the end is quite hearty if not invigorating.

To me Jeb's an inspirational guy, and every once in a while, when I need a quick 'pick me up' I actually go and play his video. I first saw it back in 2011, when I had just made my highest annual career earnings, and then resigned from my employer that same year, bc they were retroactively taking away sales commissions on already sold deals (yes folks its illegal), bc (get this) the CEO felt we 'made too much.' Are you kidding me ? Here this same CEO is getting filthy rich bc us in the top 5 were just killin' it. (Such a putz). Anyway, this video was perfect timing for what had happened, and of course my wife is questioning every bone in my body for resigning from the highest paying job I had ever had.

Tip: listen with very deep bass headphones, or better yet, if you have a kicka** sound system like I do (with a gazzillion watt amp), with some crazy massive sized booming Klipsh speakers, then crank it up. lol.

Wow, that was an inspiring bad-ass adventure video... my favorite moment below!

 

[FlatSix911]

And if you liked that video and proximity flying in a wingsuit , then check this other one out also produced by Jeb, and his girl-friend...

Absolutely Incredible !!! (IMHO)

The guy is freakishly talented in his chosen 'life pursuit.' (and spent years getting there to 'master' what he most loves to do)

Love Riding the Dragon... check out the smile on her face.

 

[RandallS]

I’m game for a lot of things but my ebike ain’t taking me down that one. I’d repel it though!

35 years ago we used to ski places that made that look tame! But one "yard sale" crash up at Lake Louise 25 years ago cured me of anything remotely dangerous. After a couple years more of sedate stuff, combined with a rapidly deteriorating knee, had to hang up the skis.

Back to e-bikes, When out on my MTB, I am perfectly happy to turn around, or push the bike up or down a slope or section that I think will push my skills too far. I've recovered many of my stale skills from 30 years ago, but sometimes the body and common sense yells out "STOP"!

 

[Alex M]

If you ain't doing what many might call 'dumb' stuff, you are very likely not really living, maybe not really trying at all. In fact, from my perspective, it's gotta be totally boring to be 'perfect' with no 'mistakes' or trying to avoid them, in every moment of your life. A whole lot of folks probably called me dumb or crazy when I started my ebike business out of my garage back in 2015. I know my in-laws were actually 'worried' about me. (like what is the guy doing'?) But hey, it's been worth every risk, and now people frequently ask 'how did you know this would take off and grow like this back then'? And then when I tell them I had been following ebike technology since the late 90's when Lee Iococca introduced a brand here in the US, they look at me and go 'they've been around that long ?', and that I actually spent years preparing in numerous ways before deciding to launch this business , waiting patiently for the right time, the correct battery technology to emerge and become commercially viable, and so on.

Ah, "financially adventurous" . Debating whether this is "really living" or not, is probably beyond the scope of this thread. Besides, you were not doing crazy things, you did your research before starting this. A calculated risk. Still risk, yes.