Ebike vs Bikes

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CanucksTraveller

Macho Business Donkey Wrestler
Location
Hertfordshire
I'll get an eBike one day, but at 48 it isn't time yet. I've got three bikes that I love riding manually so that's good enough for me, at this moment.
Don't get me wrong, I've rented eBikes in Copenhagen a good few times and had a blast, they're labour saving, they're loads of fun, they're relaxed, but as far as owning one goes they're a bit more of an investment and that tiny bit more faff compared with just slinging your leg over a pedal bike whenever you want. One day I'll definitely own one for sure, just not yet.

What prompts your question, are you older, less fit, what makes you want or need to consider an eBike? I think that's key, you've not given people much to go on.
 

gzoom

Über Member
I've been riding my eBike exclusively since October, mud/ice/pot holes means my sub 8kg road bike isn't going to see the roads for another month at least.

I'm actually loving my eBike winter experience. On commuter days I let the bike do the work, but when I feel like smashing it, the bike is very quick.

Thanks to my eBike am riding more than ever, this is the power numbers from unassisted sections on a ride yesterday....so am around 3watts/kg, not bad considering I don't do any kind of exercise apart from riding the eBike:smile:

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My eBike means am riding further, longer and harder than I ever did on my road bike in winter. Yesterday I ended up having a fuel stop next to this, my road bike wouldn't have got 1 meter past the gate leading to the track, and a non assisted hybrid bike would have been painful to ride over 10 miles of rolling countryside I had to cover to get to the track.

The answer I think is easy, its not bike vs eBike, its get both......The real question is if you have both what is next bike to get??

I flip between getting a new eBike or normal bike almost daily, need to decide at somepoint though, might just flip a coin :laugh:

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CXRAndy

Guru
Location
Lincs
I've been riding my eBike exclusively since October, mud/ice/pot holes means my sub 8kg road bike isn't going to see the roads for another month at least.

I'm actually loving my eBike winter experience. On commuter days I let the bike do the work, but when I feel like smashing it, the bike is very quick.

Thanks to my eBike am riding more than ever, this is the power numbers from unassisted sections on a ride yesterday....so am around 3watts/kg, not bad considering I don't do any kind of exercise apart from riding the eBike:smile:

View attachment 571199

My eBike means am riding further, longer and harder than I ever did on my road bike in winter. Yesterday I ended up having a fuel stop next to this, my road bike wouldn't have got 1 meter past the gate leading to the track, and a non assisted hybrid bike would have been painful to ride over 10 miles of rolling countryside I had to cover to get to the track.

The answer I think is easy, its not bike vs eBike, its get both......The real question is if you have both what is next bike to get??

I flip between getting a new eBike or normal bike almost daily, need to decide at somepoint though, might just flip a coin :laugh:

View attachment 571200

View attachment 571201

@gzoom Is that Welland Valley Viaduct, near Harringworth?
 
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Stul

Veteran
Before going electric I had 3 bikes, a cheapie which was my original bike, but then I wanted something a bit "faster" so I got a "proper" road bike, but then i wanted something better for "touring", (I use the term loosely as my average ride was only ever around 20 miles). Before going electric I sold the road and touring bike as they were hardly being used and i needed the space.

I spent a few quid on "upgrading" my old cheapie and I still use that if I am only popping out to the shops a mile away, or if we need to take a bike in the car to cycle further afield, (getting the electric bike in the car would be a non starter), but the main ride is now the electric, and I love it.

I consider electric bikes to be their own thing and a completely different mode of transport to a standard bike. They allow me to be able to travel a greater distance for the same effort and provide greater scope of routes as hills are no longer a constraint. I am not bothered about speed as for me that's not what it's about and 15mph is plenty, (..and if they offered a greater top speed then I assume the range would suffer).

If I were younger / fitter I would probably not bother with an electric bike.

When restricted to pedal power I would now struggle to cover 15 miles, but with electric I find the only real constraint is the saddle to backside interface!
 

CXRAndy

Guru
Location
Lincs
Its one in NE Leicestershire, not noticed till recently but only found time yesterday to get to it. It was 'slightly' muddy on the Bridleway running up to it :laugh:

Harringworth is just on the edge of Leicestershire, so maybe it was
 

jags

Guru
Is it worth it to have both? Or is it best to invest in one that covers the perks of both? Thoughts and ideal models??

Thanks!
If your a fit strong rider then a quality road bike will cover any thing you throw at it.im buying an ebike in the next few months only because I have bad back overweight and senior citizen.so I well qualify for an ebike.
 

theboxers

TheBoxers on Cycle Sim sw
If you are an newish or average rider considering the choice. I'd say find a good, lighter weight, E-bike, unfortunately usually more expensive. They have most of the advantages of a normal bike with an added boost should you choose to use it (that's the important bit, if you choose to use it, you don't have to use it). The only downside really is added weight.

>95% of the riding I do on my Cube Agree ebike is unassisted either through choice or ability. It's the way I use it. I can ride flat and level-ish ground above the cut-out point, not much flat around where I live though. I can go up almost anything up to about 6%. Over that and I start to struggle. 8% and above, over 250m long and I need assistance, due to the Cubes current gearing (My GT Grade has lower gearing and I can ride unassisted up 9 or 10% grades all be it not for long).

It's all about choice. Use or don't use the the assistance most of the time you'll enjoy being out on the bike. I do.
 
I got my first ebike over 10 years ago because there was no way I could get up the hills to my house on a normal bike due to health issues - and lack of fitness
I Got my current one about 18 months ago and this has proper pedal assist levels. I have found that over the last 18 months I have gone from having the assist in mostly Tour mode (Turbo, Sport, Tour, Eco) with occasional use of Sport to get up hills or into a bad head wind - and now I have moved to trying to remain in Eco the whole time unless on a steep hill.
So - it appears to have increased my level of fitness - and at the same time my average ride has gone from 12-16 miles up to 20+ most days - plus shopping trips etc
If I had got myself a normal bike I would never have done that mileage and would not have gone out anyway near as often.
Having said which I have started wondering about getting a non assist bike now I seem to be able to pedal more easily.
 

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
Until recent years I had a road bike and a hard tail.
As I got a bit older I dropped to one hybrid.
After the last 18 months health I gave my hybrid to my son.
Now, at 74 and feeling better healthwise I have decided on an ebike.
Over the next week I will decide on which one to go for.
 
Until recent years I had a road bike and a hard tail.
As I got a bit older I dropped to one hybrid.
After the last 18 months health I gave my hybrid to my son.
Now, at 74 and feeling better healthwise I have decided on an ebike.
Over the next week I will decide on which one to go for.
I have 2 - if you want a go on them let me know - might give you an idea
 

Legomutton

Senior Member
It's about fitness and simple capability for me - I literally haven't the heart for the high work rate needed for hills at any speed. Without assistance I can only ascend in a crawler gear, with a struggle, and at a speed that pedestrians can beat so as a means of transport an ordinary bike isn't practical for me.

This month I got my first e-bike, now up to 87 miles and the difference is that I can use it enjoyably. But I can't bring myself to sell my Brompton, even though I can only use it in levellish terrain. I like its portability, my ebike is 25Kg which doesn't matter when riding but it's a lump to move, store and transport. So I'm going to convert the Brompton with a Swytch kit to make it more useful, but I expect I'll still leave the battery at home when I only want to go a mile and a half to the village shop and it isn't worth dragging the "big bike" out.
 
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