Phil Fouracre
Veteran
Oooo! I do love these posts! Sadly your first sentence says it all, you even emphasise with capitals :-) :-)
eBikes...mmm
- Thread starter Cathryn
- Start date
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Phil Fouracre
Veteran
Overlapped with your last post - you’re ‘less happy’, so what?
vickster
Legendary Member
You don't have to get one though? Not sure it really matters what others choose to do (same as people getting up in arms about people spending £5k on a bike, electric or otherwise).
Clearly undeclared e-bikers nicking QOMs on Strava is bloody annoying
The Crofted Crest
Veteran
Don't think of them as bikes. They are e-mopeds.
cougie uk
Guru
You've clearly not ridden one.
gbb
Legendary Member
- Location
- Peterborough
IMO, its several things together. As a 'normal' cyclist, i often had people say...ooooh, i couldnt possibly do that. They see 30 mile rides, let alone more, as an impossibility, how could they posdibly do that ?
Even if they try, its hard....freekin hard. I remember my first forays into road biking, 10 miles and i was red faced, out of breath, wobbly legs and cream crackered. My character is not to give up, im quite determined, i never carried surplus weight at that time, never had, was always quite active....but not everyone is like that and wont get past those first punishing attempts.
And then those 'fit' people you see out on ebikes....that was me, but i wasnt fit, OA has ravaged my joints, its impossible to ride unaided now.
And then those people who just 'want' one...why not ?
And then there are those who are not lucky enough to be fit and healthy through life. We visited friends last week, they live on a sheltered complex. Theyre a little older than us...but physically, theyre fooked. Even with my OA, i realsied how lucky i am. That was a sobering moment when i realised some people are absolutely cream crackered by the time theyre 65.
Even if they try, its hard....freekin hard. I remember my first forays into road biking, 10 miles and i was red faced, out of breath, wobbly legs and cream crackered. My character is not to give up, im quite determined, i never carried surplus weight at that time, never had, was always quite active....but not everyone is like that and wont get past those first punishing attempts.
And then those 'fit' people you see out on ebikes....that was me, but i wasnt fit, OA has ravaged my joints, its impossible to ride unaided now.
And then those people who just 'want' one...why not ?
And then there are those who are not lucky enough to be fit and healthy through life. We visited friends last week, they live on a sheltered complex. Theyre a little older than us...but physically, theyre fooked. Even with my OA, i realsied how lucky i am. That was a sobering moment when i realised some people are absolutely cream crackered by the time theyre 65.
cougie uk
Guru
I met a gang of ebikers at a country cafe in the summer. They were all in their 80s and the bikes let them increase their distance cycled. Good for them I say.
Not much point in discussing the derestricted ebikes. Very much a minority and clearly shouldn't be on the roads. I think they get crushed when caught.
Not much point in discussing the derestricted ebikes. Very much a minority and clearly shouldn't be on the roads. I think they get crushed when caught.
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
This isn't the case. I do recommend trying one out if you have the opportunity.
Chislenko
Veteran
I think this sentence encapsulates it for me. I go for long rides a few times a week leaving Mrs. C at home. I tend to cut my rides shorter than I would like so as not to be gone too long.
Mrs. C no longer has the body strength for riding her normal bike. I have offered to get her an e-bike so she can come out with me but so far she has said "not at the moment"
Similarly it could for us getting on a bit "iron out" power / speed differentials with younger riders.
The guys I used to ride with (25 years my junior) have stopped asking me to come now as they know I would "hold them back"
So I can see some advantages. I will plod on manually for now but in a few years time I envisage I will be getting one.
It really doesn't bother me this leccy bike thing. I come across quite a few every day on my SE London cycle commute. A few commuters but mainly food delivery riders. Most of which I would say are illegally unrestricted. But hey, it's one less car on the road and in my way.
Seriously thinking of getting a leccy road bike for my partner. Since she suffers from long covid she has found cycling very hard work and a chore, so if I can make it easier and enjoyable for her, then a leccy bike is the way to go.
Seriously thinking of getting a leccy road bike for my partner. Since she suffers from long covid she has found cycling very hard work and a chore, so if I can make it easier and enjoyable for her, then a leccy bike is the way to go.
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In London that's clearly not the case. However they are the food delivery riders rather than the humble leisure cyclist.
newfhouse
Resolutely on topic
I’ve had one for a month. I never thought I would need one this young - I’m only 58 - but a slipped disc event earlier this year prompted me. It’s a lightweight, low assist one that manages four commutes (88 miles in total) on a charge and is helping me back to my previous fitness levels. I’m now cycle commuting every day that a bike is an option. My ride in to work typically uses less than 20 Wh, so I still get a sweat on, but I don’t dread the journey home after a long tiring day.
I have two colleagues who also have newish e-bikes. Neither would think of themselves as cyclists. They would be capable of riding unaided if they wanted to - but they didn’t. In both cases they have removed car journeys, one all the way to work, the other to a train station.
I know your reservations are about fit people using electric assistance when they don’t actually need it, but not everyone wants their transport choice to be mostly about the exercise benefits. Sometimes utility is what matters.
I have two colleagues who also have newish e-bikes. Neither would think of themselves as cyclists. They would be capable of riding unaided if they wanted to - but they didn’t. In both cases they have removed car journeys, one all the way to work, the other to a train station.
I know your reservations are about fit people using electric assistance when they don’t actually need it, but not everyone wants their transport choice to be mostly about the exercise benefits. Sometimes utility is what matters.
vickster
Legendary Member
This was one of them
https://www.gazellebikes.com/en-gb/ultimate-c8plus-hmb#pim_itemgenderframe[]=low-step&pim_itemcolorcodeonergb[]=237,9,9
The other was a rather crap conversion type thing.
I didn’t get a chance to try the Specialized Varo SL or Creo on the hill
