Are electrically assisted bikes cheating (poll)

[glasgowcyclist]

this part of the statement alone would make me question whether this is true

A quarter of the cyclists were on e-bikes, which have an integrated electric motor to propel cycles to speeds of around 20mph.

EU regulations, to which i believe the Netherlands would be part of only allow ebikes to have motors with speeds upto 15.5mph....

I suspect they've mistaken 20kph for 20mph.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cnPZSM85j8

 

[Milkfloat]

I suspect they've mistaken 20kph for 20mph.

But that is only about 12.4 mph

 

[Ming the Merciless]

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...turns-e-bike-keep-riding-health-scares-407370

 

[youngoldbloke]

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...turns-e-bike-keep-riding-health-scares-407370

Is he cheating, frankiemann93?

 

[cuberider]

I've previously not been a fan of e-bikes, but after a recent health scare, Im thinking of getting one as it may be the only way to keep cycling. If that makes me a cheat then so be it.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

But that is only about 12.4 mph

 

[downesy]

I love my e bike l have rheumatism and my commute had dropped to 2/3 days a week, now it's back up to 5 it is a bloody godsend.
I still use my Dawes on on my weekend bimbles, but will never commute on it again , l can leave home later for work, and obvs arrive home sooner if that's cheating then call me Lance .
More importantly it will ensure I can cycle for many more years , than was previously anticipated and that is purely down to the ebike.

 

[HLaB]

I love my e bike l have rheumatism and my commute had dropped to 2/3 days a week, now it's back up to 5 it is a bloody godsend.
I still use my Dawes on on my weekend bimbles, but will never commute on it again , l can leave home later for work, and obvs arrive home sooner if that's cheating then call me Lance .
More importantly it will ensure I can cycle for many more years , than was previously anticipated and that is purely down to the ebike.

If you are entering races and keeping the motor secret then its cheating, if not I say its great

 

[jowwy]

I have been on this forum now nearly 9 years....as people are aware on here i have bought many bikes and spent more money on all types of components. up until last year i was regularly riding a pedaller and even undertook as a big guy a trip to the alpine region of France and enjoyed ( if you can say enjoyed) the climbing of such enormous alpine climbs. but since that trip in 2017 my knee and hamstring injuries started to get worse. the pain i was suffering when riding my bike was taking longer and longer to rescind. it was then after a conversation with my fiance of 14yr's, that we decided the best course of action was to purchase the said EMTB, which has helped me keep riding, helped me relieve stress, helps me keep commuting, keeps some of the lard off and i can now enjoy the riding of said bike totally pain free........if that's what people want to call cheating, then crack on, i really do not care what others think. the only thing i care about is staying as healthy as i can and to look after my ill and disabled partner to the best of my ability.

E bikes are only going to get better, lighter and more mainstream...you can either go with the flow or fight it in all directions and call it whatever you want. but what you won't do is stop people riding what they want and enjoying the freedom of the bicycle, whether it be by the Power of E or by the power of one's legs...

we live once on this planet, enjoy it whatever way you can and don't let anyone judge you for the decisions that best suit you and not their own rhetoric.

 

[Scaleyback]

I am a ‘new boy’ around here and I think I will add my thoughts.
I am 72, 5’9 and 70 kg and disgustingly fit for my age. (Long may
It last)
I live on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales and have
cycled close to 10,000 miles over the last 2 years. There are hardly any
flat routes around here. I can and do cycle 30+ miles and climb the odd
15% hill comfortably. I have had an article written about me on the Zwift forum and an appearance on local ITV news because of what I do and the age I do it.
Sorry, if this is coming across as a ego trip but the point is I am taking
delivery of a ‘pedal assisted bike’ (an Orbea Gain) this week. Why ?
Well I do not ‘need one’ (using the criteria of some posters here) but
I want one. I ride alone so no ‘oneupmanship’ involved.
It will give me the freedom to plan longer rides and not care
how many 15% climbs are included. I shall not be giving up my other
(currently two) unassisted bikes.
No exercise is ‘bad exercise’ I fail to understand how anyone can condem
another for their choice of bike. Live and let live.
Apologies, I talk to much.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Mod note:

I've deleted the relationship orientated posts so that the thread remains on topic.

If I've missed any please let me know via the Contact Us function - ta.

 

[randynewmanscat]

Ah this ones close to my heart! I started a thread which turned out to be quite contentious after a visit by an unrestricted ebike and its owner last autumn. I took a spin on his bike this year and clocked it at 27mph over a measured 440 yards (yes I live in France but my personal drag strip is measured in yards).
If he bothered to pedal I would say "what cheating"? The fact that he only uses the pedals as foot rests says cheating. Anyway I took him out for an explore of my part of the forest. I selected this bike from my collection .

 

[dodgy]

Did you miss the rest of your post off?

 

[welsh dragon]

I thought we had gone past all this " is it cheating crap" some time ago . Oh well