You NEVER want to see this on a group ride!

[PedalUma]

I am an advocate of the Darwin Awards. https://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2021.html

 

[sc00ter]

I used to be part of the motor scooter scene. We get people who have no business on a scooter to begin with show up for a ride. So now you have that stiff rider who never puts his feet on the floor board now riding in a confined group. I end up not enjoying the ride because I'm waiting for a crash to dampen our relaxing ride out. It was the same as when I had my rocket bike. A bunch of dummies (yes, me included) showing off their latest stunts. Someone always went down hard. I rarely go on group rides of any kind now. At least that ebike beginner went down in gravel going kinda slow. Hope they took away a lesson in ebike control from their little mishap. Darwin was probably looking down and smiling!

 

[Cowlitz]

Perhaps they are motorcyclist wannabes? I talked my long time motorcyclist friend into riding my Radmini. He didn't pedal much. He said he had motorcycles so he doesn't have to pedal and if he had my Rad, he would use the throttle because he likes motorcycles. End of discussion. I admire his honesty. He did like the quiet.

 

[m@Robertson]

We’ll get it when the powers that be add tougher restrictions in reaction to these sorta eBikes. Maybe not in my last decade or less but like OSHA laws come into play when Darwin knocks off a few idiots.

Yeah but people have been saying that For. Ever. and nothing has ever come of it, and if anything the trend in legislation has been universally in the direction of expanding ebike ... latitude for lack of a better term. In the USA, ebikes are beacons for progressive politicians who want to (rightly) use them to try and dent the use of autos in this country, and take the bicycle out of the 'recreational vehicle' category and put it in the category of 'transportation'.

With the speeds possible on our streets thanks to our infrastructure, fast 2-wheeled light electric transportation that pays only lip service to its bicycle ancestor is necessary for the ebike to become a transportation tool for the masses. I've spent a lifetime being the only one using the bike lanes, maybe seeing one other two-wheeled rider on any given day. To turn that around, horizons have to be broadened and acceptance has to happen. Just like road cyclists had to stop whining about ebikes in the first place - a process only 75% complete if that (as an aside, this level of use and acceptance has changed not at all in Central California, but ebikes are all over the place in the Monterey Bay Area; with about 75% being tourists but a visible number of locals commuting or cargo'ing).

On the recreational front... yeah sure. Go slow. Stop and smell the roses. Stick a broomstick in the spokes of anyone who thinks differently. But for the urban streets, my position is you have to let go of the past and welcome new categories of rider. Just as cyclists had to choke down the fact that ebikes are not going to go away no matter how hard they wished for it to be so, the same is true of these non-cycling ebikers who have no other desire than to use 2-wheel electric transportation to get them quickly and conveniently from A to B. Its only going to get bigger.

 

[PedalUma]

Just as cyclists had to choke down the fact that ebikes are not going to go away no matter how hard they wished for it to be so, the same is true of these non-cycling ebikers who have no other desire than to use 2-wheel electric transportation to get them quickly and conveniently from A to B. Its only going to get bigger.

Thoughtfully put, as usual. It is strange that the illustrated ride happened on 'Earth Day.' These are the sorts of people attracted to snowmobiles. As for my part I have been turning away working on these sorts of bikes for a number of reasons including liability. Hopefully there will be an evolution away from them. Some of these are introductory level bikes and the riders could eventually start to move away from throttles, hubs, and fatness. This same type of thing happens in the wine industry. People start with light, sweet, simple wines and over time their tastes progress to the bold, dry and complex.

 

[Cowlitz]

Thoughtfully put, as usual. It is strange that the illustrated ride happened on 'Earth Day.' These are the sorts of people attracted to snowmobiles. As for my part I have been turning away working on these sorts of bikes for a number of reasons including liability. Hopefully there will be an evolution away from them. Some of these are introductory level bikes and the riders could eventually start to move away from throttles, hubs, and fatness. This same type of thing happens in the wine industry. People start with light, sweet, simple wines and over time their tastes progress to the bold, dry and complex.

I ride my fat bike on sandy bad roads where my fancy Gazelle might not do. The Rad is a fun little bike to take out into the woods to run my demon dog. Both bikes have their place. I do prefer the Gazelle for most riding.

 

[PedalUma]

I ride my fat bike on sandy bad roads where my fancy Gazelle might not do. The Rad is a fun little bike to take out into the woods to run my demon dog. Both bikes have their place. I do prefer the Gazelle for most riding.

This is my 29'er. I put the throttle inside the pedals. Just push to go. I removed the lag and surge to make the bike feel intuitive. I also chopped of the ugly wires and connectors to help clean up the build and installed a HB where I can change up positions on longer rides. I made it to do long climbs on rural roads that are potholes on potholes and to ride in places like Helen Putnam Park on our way to the coast.

 

[Cowlitz]

And I have no idea of what you did. I keep my bikes pretty much in original condition. I don't want to be tinkering with them all the time. I just like to get on and go. The Gazelle has no throttle and is not going to get one.