Are cheap bikes harder to ride

[RichardB]

OK, I get that.

But the majority of E Bikes I've seen are being ridden by teenagers whose parents have more money than sense. The local cycle trail is a flat ex railway line some 18 miles in length and is an easy ride on even the cheapest Halfords bike. But this year, it was polluted with kids hooning along on battery power getting zero exercise benefit.

I get your frustration completely and I would feel the same. But to condemn a whole mode of transport because of the behaviour of a few youngsters doesn't make sense. It's like condemning all motorcyclists because a few kids ride illegal bikes round the housing estate. Personally, I love the feeling of busting a big hill on a conventional bike too, and enjoy the effort/reward thing more the fitter I get. But I still love my ebike for days when there is a lot of shopping, or I want to go a longer distance and the time is short. Horses for courses.

Also, not everybody wants to do strenuous exercise (and that is their choice), so the ebike still has massive potential for revolutionising short-distance/urban travel - it could be a literal car replacement for millions with the right support.

 

[Lovacott]

I get your frustration completely and I would feel the same. But to condemn a whole mode of transport because of the behaviour of a few youngsters doesn't make sense.

I am not condemning E Bikes, I just don't see the point of them (unless you can't ride a traditional bike for health reasons).

It's like going to a weight lifting session with a motor lifting 85% of the weight for you.

 

[RichardB]

It's like going to a weight lifting session with a motor lifting 85% of the weight for you.

Nah, not buying that. With a weight lifting session, the only point is to lift weights. There is no other purpose. Having a motor to do half the work would, indeed, be pointless.

A cycle journey can have a multitude of purposes in addition to the fitness aspect. Visiting people, doing shopping, enjoying the outdoors, sightseeing, just whizzing along with the wind in your hair ... many reasons for a bike ride other than developing your quads and heart, good though that is.

As said above, I enjoy both. They are different, though similar, experiences. For most of my life I have had a car and a motorbike in the garage. Depending on the purpose of the journey, the weather and my mood, sometimes I would choose one and sometimes the other. I feel the same about having a road bike, an MTB and an ebike. All similar, all different enough to make it worth having all three.

I can see I won't convince you, so I will leave it there.

 

[Lovacott]

A cycle journey can have a multitude of purposes in addition to the fitness aspect. Visiting people, doing shopping, enjoying the outdoors, sightseeing, just whizzing along with the wind in your hair .

I have a motorbike for that.

 

[Blue Hills]

I get your frustration completely and I would feel the same. But to condemn a whole mode of transport because of the behaviour of a few youngsters doesn't make sense. It's like condemning all motorcyclists because a few kids ride illegal bikes round the housing estate. Personally, I love the feeling of busting a big hill on a conventional bike too, and enjoy the effort/reward thing more the fitter I get. But I still love my ebike for days when there is a lot of shopping, or I want to go a longer distance and the time is short. Horses for courses.

Also, not everybody wants to do strenuous exercise (and that is their choice), so the ebike still has massive potential for revolutionising short-distance/urban travel - it could be a literal car replacement for millions with the right support.

partial like - yes there is a very real potential for lots of cars to be dumped if folk can just free themselves. And more urban ebikes could also revolutionise many urban roads/change traffic management.

Out of interest, what's your ebike? (apologies if you have already said)

 

[RichardB]

Out of interest, what's your ebike? (apologies if you have already said)

It's a Wisper 905 Classic. Not very pretty, but effective. It's a genuine pedelec (assistance cuts out at 25kph, no power without pedalling, 250W max). It's had a hard life with me, but is holding up well. (Library image)