The strange business of sharing a bike ride with someone using an electric bike

[rivers]

I ride with my wife on occasion and she has an e-bike. But she's more of a pootler, so the e-bike is great. I can ride at what I refer to as a sociable pace (14mph-ish), and she doesn't feel like she's pushing it at that pace. Win-win for all. Although, if I am on my carbon bike, I do race her uphill. Sometimes I win, sometimes she does.

 

[further]

Hi what is half wheeling ?

 

[Pale Rider]

Hi what is half wheeling ?

Overlapping wheels - the front wheel of the rider behind overlapping your rear wheel.

This tends to cause you to speed up, the rider behind does the same, and you have a vicious circle - any notion of smooth and steady progress is lost.

Even more irritating if there's more than two of you.

The impact of the half wheeler is transferred down the line, spoiling the ride for everyone.

You might think the rider being half wheeled could simply ignore the half wheeler, but that is surprisingly difficult.

 

[further]

Thanks, never heard it before and I have been riding bikes since1956.

 

[Pale Rider]

Thanks, never heard it before and I have been riding bikes since1956.

It's of most relevance to brisk, road club riding.

If you are bowling along at 8-10mph on a cycle path with the wife and kids, half wheeling doesn't really apply.

But it does make a difference if you are in a tight group trying to maintain 15mph or more on the road.

 

[further]

That's why I have not heard of it, never belonged to a club.

 

[mustang1]

Would be hilarious if he was chatting to you all way up the hill while you was panting for breath!

I'd be completely fine with an e-bike friend beating me up the hills, or vice versa But I'm just not competitive .

 

[mustang1]

The way I deal with half wheelers is slow right down until they get annoyed that I'm not going fast enough then I get in front of them and repeat the process.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Not cut off, is that legal?

 

[derrick]

A mate of mine has just ordered the Ribble Ebike, He really struggles on hills, I am looking forward to riding with him, It means i will not have to wait for him on the hills. But i don't think he will keep up on the flat or downhill. could be interesting. Also looking forward to having a go on it, It's being delivered to me, as i will put it together for him.
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-endurance-sl-e/

 

[gbb]

Sorry that you were upset, but I cannot see any reason or you to be, looks like you spoilt a nice ride for yourself.

I'd kind of agree but spin it that the ride should never really have taken place. Waste of time. Someone round here has something that sounds similar, I reckon it does maybe 30 mph...extraordinarily fast for a hybrid that's not pedalling. Waste of time even trying riding alongside something like that.

I mix my riding up between a normal roadbike and a hybrid ebike and love what they both offer. With normal cutoff at 15.5 mph, a 20 mile loop is done in around the same time....but the ebike is easier UP TO 15.5 obviously, anything beyond, it's harder. So with an average rider on a normal bike, the pace would be roughly the same overall.

 

[JhnBssll]

I rode off road with a friend on an ebike last year, an Orange something or other. It was an impressive machine He had a fabulous time, as did I trying to keep up with him

 

[steveindenmark]

Yes I have and yes I did enjoy it.

You and your friend obviously have a communication problem.

 

[chriscross1966]

A couple of the older guys in my club (a mixed bunch of folders and Moultons) use electrified bikes... and it's good that they do as they wouldn't keep up otherwise

 

[Milkfloat]

She sold it due to being pregnant, but I'd absolutely let her buy another if it got us riding together again.

That's incredibly nice of you, she is so lucky.