Thoughts on motorbike style eBikes?

[Boopop]

Maybe I should post this on /r/UnpopularOpinion on reddit, but here goes...

This trend for fat bikes. I'm not talking about fat mountain bikes designed for snow and sand that we had five years ago. I mean this more recent obsession amongst some people for electric bikes that aren't really set up for going off-road, yet they have tyres that would look more appropriate on a motorcross motorbike.

Now, I'm not going to ignore the fact that part of my dislike of them is I think they're ugly. Besides that though, I think they're the antithesis of what makes cycling great - highly efficient local transport. Not only do they waste energy thanks to the extra drag introduced by the big tyres, but the big tyres also mean more rubber is used, and the frame has to be bigger to accomodate them too. I like bikes because they minimise my impact on the world but these designs seem to completely ignore that for the sake of aesthetics. I don't buy that they offer a more comfortable ride...sure they might, but that's what suspension is for.

Don't get me wrong, I'd still rather someone cycled one of these than drove around town, I just think they're A: Ugly and more importantly B: A waste of energy and materials.

So go on, is @Boopop an ultra-snob, mega-snob, snob, or not a snob at all?

 

[Sterlo]

No, I hate them as well, they should all be crushed along with 90% of they yobs who ride them unrestricted.

 

[Boopop]

I think part of my issue is with them is it seems like the SUV mentality of the motor industry is making its way in to the cycling industry, IE just use more material for the promise of comfort and luxury, charge more, and make more profit. There's plenty of ways to make bicycles better and have more features that don't involve just using more metal and rubber, not to mention bigger motors and batteries and the rare metals required for that.

 

[MichaelW2]

Electric bikes have always been bad bikes with batteries and motor.
We have had a brief interlude where someone has a stroke of genius and figured out that you could also make a good electric bike that was efficient and weighed no more than it needs to weigh.
Old habits die hard and bad bikes are making a resurgence.

 

[Slick]

I honestly don't care.

Maybe it would be different if there were more of them around, but there's only a few of them around here and most of them stick to the road, so no drama. There was one young lad skelping it round busy traffic in town and dual carriageways before bumping up onto pavements at speed which wouldn't have been ideal if there were pedestrians around, but there wasn't.

I haven't seen him in a while, I hope he's OK.

 

[Boopop]

I honestly don't care.

I freely admit it's a small thing to get worked up about. I don't get hugely exercised over this, but they still bug me. Got in to a discussion with someone on the eBikes subreddit, which prompted me to create this thread. Just curious what others make of it.

 

[Pale Rider]

Quite a few, but not all, of these bikes use 20" wheels with 4" wide fat tyres.

This allows for a compact frame, so the overall bike is not large, although I suppose it is a little wider.

I think they look OK which is what I think about most bikes.

But a classic steely on 18c tyres they are not.

 

[ianrauk]

I'm another one who really doesn't care what they look like as long as it gets people out of their cars.

 

[All uphill]

They are not to my taste, but, to me, every bike on the road is another step towards getting motorists used to seeing us, and expecting to see us.

My town now has a quite lot of bikes, of all kinds and is noticeably an easier place to cycle than another town I know where there is much less acceptance of cyclists.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'm not concerned with their looks, more their regulatory compliance.

If they actually are legal e-bikes ( assistance is speed limited etc etc) then it matters not a jot what they look like.

If they are actually electric motorbikes, capable of high speeds, then they should be registered as such and excluded from cycling infrastructure.

 

[Boopop]

I'm another one who really doesn't care what they look like as long as it gets people out of their cars.

Yeah, I might winge and moan about them, but I still agree with this in the end.

 

[Chris S]

I'd get one and pretend I was 16 again and riding the Yamaha FS1E that I was promised but never received.

 

[PK99]

I'm not concerned with their looks, more their regulatory compliance.

If they actually are legal e-bikes ( assistance is speed limited etc etc) then it matters not a jot what they look like.

If they are actually electric motorbikes, capable of high speeds, then they should be registered as such and excluded from cycling infrastructure.

Most of the ones I see seem (SW London) to be driven by Food Delivery drivers whose driving style might best be described as dangerous and inconsiderate. Most of the bikes themselves are illegal as they require no pedaling (and have no number plate and the riders no helmets)

 

[Pale Rider]

riding the Yamaha FS1E that I was promised but never received.

Mmm, looks like there's some deep seated childhood issues to work through there.

My parent wasn't rich, but by working a bit on the farm I did manage to obtain a second hand FS1E.

Nice little bike, which did me well for a couple of years until the calling for more ccs became too great.

 

[Spiderweb]

They’re certainly ugly!

I think the chunky rubber is so the rider has an off road option when being chased by the police!