Is an electric bike rider a serious cyclist ?

[maverick]

After four major ops in the past ten months I am no longer able to use any of my bikes for longer than five or six miles without serious discomfort.
I have seriously considered going "Electric" in order to get up in to the hills and feel the wind in my hair again.
However I don't think I would consider myself a serious cyclist again.
A serious ex cyclist and a passionate follower of the sport I spent so much of my life competing in, maybe.

 

[Paulus]

It's not cycling, but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it

That said, it's only non-polluting if the electricity comes from non-polluting sources.

+1

 

[Campfire]

At one time I would have said 'no' but from being a 'serious' cyclist from the moment my head was strong enough to sit in a child seat and going through all of the types of sporting cycling one can do, to just being a 'cyclist' who enjoys whatever cycling I can do so long as it's not chucking it down, my opinions have changed. I have a friend who is a very 'serious' cyclist doing lots of club/CTC rides who uses one for work in a hilly area and another whose knees are shot who uses it to aid up hills. Both these people are 'serious cyclists'. There seems to be such a level of elitism about cycling which can prevent people from actually wanting to do it. If it gets people on their bike, what the hell. The people who I don't actually call cyclists are those who go to the front at traffic lights and completely ignore whether they are red or what, weaving their way, with arches of the feet on the pedals willy nilly!
Better electrically assisted that sitting in a chair seizing up!

 

[Chris Sirrus]

Cyclist, a person who rides a bicycle.

In what way do a person on an electric bike not comply?

 

[TheDoctor]

I'd say it's cycling. I've tried a few electric bikes over the years (including a Sinclair Zike!!) and quite liked them.
Not sure I'd like to be kept down to 15 mph though...

 

[TheDoctor]

No he's not a serious cyclist but neither are 95% of people on this forum which is mostly commuters and the kind who like to stop and take pictures of fields and have tea and cake.

That's what I like about blazed, the relentlessly positive and cheerful approach.

 

[maverick]

Why 15 mph, do they have speed limiters?

 

[ComedyPilot]

As bad as mobility scooters for idle twots!!!!

People with GENUINE mobility issues no problem - idle twots just make themselves look like the twots they are.

 

[TheDoctor]

Why 15 mph, do they have speed limiters?

Yes, they do.
If they can go faster under power, they become a motorbike, from a legal point of view.

 

[maverick]

Thanks. So down hill wouldn't be a problem I take it?

 

[al78]

Why 15 mph, do they have speed limiters?

The power assist cuts out at 15 mph. That is a legal requirement for them to be classified as bicycles by law. You can still pedal faster than this if you wish but you will not get any assistance from the motor.

 

[Dan B]

Cyclist, a person who rides a bicycle.

In what way do a person on an electric bike not comply?

In the same way as a person on a motorbike does not comply.

Unless you feel that Harley riders are are cyclists, which is certainly a point of view but not one that I think is universally held

 

[ufkacbln]

I think it is fine...

One of the great "Gentlemen of the Road" and lifelong advocates of cycling that I had he honour to meet was 95 years old and still riding (He continued until 99). His bike was modified with electrics to assist on the hills.

Electric bikes are a god compromise and from my own experience (elderly MiL and brother with renal failure) can offer cyclists a long extension where riding an ordinary bike becomes difficult or too tiring

 

[ufkacbln]

No he's not a serious cyclist but neither are 95% of people on this forum which is mostly commuters and the kind who like to stop and take pictures of fields and have tea and cake.

Guilty!

I must admit that I do realise that.... being car free, and managing 8 - 9,000 miles a year commuting all year round, as well as shopping and other activities does NOT qualify me as a serious cyclist!

 

[Joe24]

Someone i know has an electric moped thing, has pedals on so its classed as an electric bicycle.
He gets around on it because he hurt his shoulder badly when on his bicycle, fell off on some ice. He cant go out on his bike because too much pressure is put on it, and he has problems with his leg now aswell.
So this moped thing is his transport.
There's 'onroad' mode, which is limited, and 'offroad' mode which isn't limited. So, after being a spod and not going out of 'onroad' mode, he is now spending all the time in 'offroad' mode and flying around.

Hes not a cyclist though.
If you pedal an electric bicycle then maybe, your on the verge of being a cyclist/lazy(unless you had a disability or something, then its just like a mobility scooter)