E-bikes are a thing

[Captain Brainstorm]

I have no plans of getting an e-MTB as long as I'm blessed with good health. Kind of defeats the purpose of why I started riding in the first place, which was to have a lot of fun and stay fit. If you're old, infirm, or have some type of chronic debilitating health issue, I understand how these things are a benefit and keep you on the trail. I've tried one in varying degrees, and it was fun, in the way that anything with a motor on two wheels is fun (I've ridden sport bikes for the last 25yrs). As for the bike itself, it felt like a normal bike, but really heavy, so yea, you'll get some kind of workout throwing a really heavy bike around. You can get the same workout throwing around a 350lb YZF or 430lb Gixxer though (also more fun). On the other hand, I used to know a racer back in the day who put lead weights inside his wheels and tires and would hit the steep climbs to get the same type of workout. Quite honestly, I don't understand why an able bodied person, even a rank beginner, would ever get one of these.

 

[Juggernaut]

+1 in the poll prompts not really applicable to me.

I see them as a phenomenal option for someone who commutes by bike. If that was a possibility for me I’d probably go that way. I’ve only ridden one in the parking lot and on a fire road. Meh, It’s not for me, but I can see use cases for them.

The issue of “motorized vehicles” on trails clearly not rated for them is still in play and I can’t get behind eBikes for off-road use until it is. The needle has been moved in that direction in some areas so maybe they will be an option some day.

Will I ever get one? Don’t know what improvements are made in the future, but if what I tried is representative of how they will ride in the future, probably not. Which is ironic as I’m kinda the target audience.

Joint injuries (knees, shoulders, hip....), degenerative disk disease and spinal stenosis have let me to other less desirable health issues which have robbed me of nearly every other activity that I love. eBikes should be exactly what I need to keep going, but honestly, I’ll probably give it up altogether before I get one.

But I’ve been wrong before.......

 

[rick81721]

Like fitman, there was only one box I could check (anyone on a bike is ok). I rode one once in the Halters parking lot, that's it, but would definitely consider one in the future when I get old. Maybe in another 20 years? ?

 

[1speed]

As a traditionalist, I believe the only place for motors in cycling is hidden in the downtubes of cheating pros ...

Seriously, though, I think they're great. I don't anticipate getting one anytime soon, but then again I just bought an "all-road" bike and had to talk myself into getting it with gears, so .. ya know ... baby steps. I do know that there is going to come a day in the not so distant future when I either have to start replacing parts of me or adding parts to my bike to be able to keep moving. The latter seems cheaper, so I'll probably go that route. Will that include a motor? Don't know, but I wouldn't rule it out. I rode one on a bike tour out in La Jolla a couple years ago and I had a huge smile on my face the whole time. There is just something inherently funny about pedaling at maybe 50 rpms and still going 20+ mph uphill. Anytime I even see that it cracks me up.

I do think there may be a question of viability for shops considering including them prominently in their lineup, though ... I think the jury is still out on that. On the one hand, it could bring in new customers altogether. But on the other, there's the possibility that the market just isn't there. I'm not exactly local, but in my own area, most of my encounters with ebikes seem to be in the stores that sell them - not so much in the spaces you could ride them. There's a Trek store out near KoP that seems to have gone all in on ebikes and I'm not sure how that's working for them because I rarely see them anywhere around here. Every now and then I'll see one on the Schuylkill River Trail, but I've never seen one in Wiss, Belmont, Green Lane or any other trail system I ride regularly. I'm not sure if they're legal or not because it's never been a thing to me, but I do think that ebike users in places like Belmont especially are going to face an uphill battle with access because they'll have to demonstrate that they can control their bike at speed in very tight and twisty conditions with lots of log overs and such. The terrain here might be a limiting factor. Some other spots - like French Creek Rattling or anywhere in central PA - are just too technical to make a 50 lb bike with a motor a viable option. So it's possible that ebikes could become a thing here more for road riding than off-road. But I could be totally wrong on that. Maybe everyone is buying them here and I just don't see them because I'm too wrapped up in my own analog world.

(Question: if a regular bike is considered "analog", what is a singlespeed? Is that like listening to a victrola with an ear cone?)

 

[Mathers]

Not for me at this point. I like pushing my self to get up hills as much as I like to rip down them. With that being said I have never ridden one.

 

[JimN]

E-bikes are amazing, or at least they will be once the tech is a bit better. I base this opinion on riding one in a parking lot for three minutes with one of the biggest shit eating grins on my face that I've ever had. The reason that I will hold off on buying one for as long as possible is that I fear it will ruin analog biking for me, and then I'll get fat.

 

[stb222]

I also am not against them but not interested yet. That being said, I know one day for health reasons I will make that purchase. In addition I do feel there are some bad apples that ride them without any trail etiquette but that is the way the cookie crumbles.

I am in this camp, I don’t plan on entertaining them until it is necessary. Seeing old folk like @pooriggy , @Mitch and @ChrisG gives me hope that I have a couple decades before it is even a thought...

 

[jShort]

I think the only way I'd consider one is for commuting. And at that point I'd rather just buy a motorcycle which would be cheaper.

 

[Ian F]

Christini has finally introduced the e-Bike I've been waiting for: Christini AWD Fat E-Bike. That just looks like it would be a silly amount of fun.

Now I'm just waiting for a manufacturer to create the touring e-bike I've been dreaming of: ~100W seat tube motor with an integrated downtube battery that can also run other accessories (lights, computers, etc.) and can be charged from a front dyno hub and from a pannier/rack mounted solar panel.

As far as the currently available e-bikes, I have nothing against them but I can't really say when I might be interested in getting one myself. One of my long-time riding friends with knee problems has been threatening to get an e-bike for a few years now. I'm guessing she'll have one in a couple of years.

 

[Robson]

E-bikes are fun. I'm looking for excuse to get one. Yeah, I'll buy it for my wife so she can keep up with me. Problem solved.

 

[goldsbar]

They're not as bad as punching horses. Not any time soon for me, hopefully. A large part of riding for me is the physical challenge and the motor crosses a line in my mind.

 

[ChrisG]

Seeing old folk like @pooriggy , @Mitch and @ChrisG gives me hope that I have a couple decades before it is even a thought...

Boy, that's quite the trio right there.

As for e-bikes, and myself riding one, I'm agnostic. I certainly understand the idea/fact that at some point my body will protest substantially against pedaling or other strenuous activity, but I'll wait until that's becoming a reality before I start looking at e-bikes with any personal interest. As for anyone else riding them, I say do your thing and keep smiling.

 

[mwlikesbikes]

I should get an e-bike so @Mitch stops fat shaming me...

Like anything in our world, it’s ok until the few bad apples ruin it for the rest of us.
A couple weeks ago I did a gravel bike ride out of the rocky point lot at Hartshorne, when I got back to the lot there was a dude on an e-bike (or so I thought) Turns out this thing is pretty much a e-motorcycle. Suspension like a DH bike but no pedals, guy was like “this thing is awesome, it’ll do 40mph!” I was polite with him and just told him to be careful the rangers don’t catch you in there. He was just like, I’ll keep an eye out.

 

[Captain Brainstorm]

There seems to be a trend emerging here where most folks are saying they'll consider one when they get too old to pedal. Although if any of you are remotely like me, which if I were a betting man I'd say yes given the level of passion most here have for the sport, you'll punch out of this mortal coil and merge with the infinite after giving yourself a stroke or coronary at 90 while trying to ride white to Lingenstein without dabbing.

Never the less, there needs to be an option in the poll that says "I may consider one after my body is all used up and broken"

 

[THATmanMANNY]

I only voted 'friend of mine' and seeing ebikes.

I've had a HT ebike for biking in/out NYC and it was amazing to blast by traffic and go uphill FAST. I used it once in the trail and I honestly did not enjoy it because control and feel of power is better with just your feet rather than feet+motor. It felt odd in/out of turns and unnatural in singletrack.

I now have a fold ebike for penn station to work. I expected more but it does get me to A-B faster with less effort. But it's probably just the bike I bought since the speed is limited.

At this time I don't have a desire for an emtb.

 

[BPaze]

I am in the category of failing knee, it has impacted my riding time recently although a 2nd child has much more impacted it. This morning I just got my first orthodisc injection and if in the budget it is possible I may consider buying one in the next 3-5 years if the rapid degeneration continues.

I was able to try one while in Poland at a non-lift bike park and it was a heck of a workout, but not sure there is a similar place in NJ that would allow that amount of climbing and rapid downhills. I kept it on the lowest setting almost the entire day except for a couple of times I wanted to see what full power was like. In the low settings, the assist wasn't significantly noticeable.

I wish I was not considering one, because I much rather go under my own power, but if it keeps me out riding I am down. The other option is to ride park much more often which I think is probably less of a workout.

 

[Mitch]

I've been on an E bike 2 times for about a minute at the shop parking lot. It was a blast and made me smile. With that being said I ride for fun and with health issues and meds (and Beer) I've slowed down a bit and can no longer hang with the fast cats anymore. I don't mind being slow but I do miss my fast friends. If I had an e bike I could ride with them again and be happy.
That being said I will hold off until Dr tells me that I cannot keep pushing my heart like I am. Thank god I have fast friends too that wait for me.
I will say last nites ride the leader had an e bike and I held on for a bit but then fitness became issue for me. Not for Iggy doe, he was on his ass!

 

[Bike N Gear]

I've been on an E bike 2 times for about a minute at the shop parking lot. It was a blast and made me smile. With that being said I ride for fun and with health issues and meds (and Beer) I've slowed down a bit and can no longer hang with the fast cats anymore. I don't mind being slow but I do miss my fast friends. If I had an e bike I could ride with them again and be happy.
That being said I will hold off until Dr tells me that I cannot keep pushing my heart like I am. Thank god I have fast friends too that wait for me.
I will say last nites ride the leader had an e bike and I held on for a bit but then fitness became issue for me. Not for Iggy doe, he was on his ass!

My lack of lungs allows me to push my heart into SVT on a regular basis.

Ebike has almost eliminated that.

 

[kidzach]

Christini has finally introduced the e-Bike I've been waiting for: Christini AWD Fat E-Bike. That just looks like it would be a silly amount of fun.

Now I'm just waiting for a manufacturer to create the touring e-bike I've been dreaming of: ~100W seat tube motor with an integrated downtube battery that can also run other accessories (lights, computers, etc.) and can be charged from a front dyno hub and from a pannier/rack mounted solar panel.

As far as the currently available e-bikes, I have nothing against them but I can't really say when I might be interested in getting one myself. One of my long-time riding friends with knee problems has been threatening to get an e-bike for a few years now. I'm guessing she'll have one in a couple of years.

Wow an e-bike with front wheel power assist . That's intriguing.

 

[Mitch]

My lack of lungs allows me to push my heart into SVT on a regular basis.

Ebike has almost eliminated that.

I'm going Bigeminy every time I exercise. Had to stop my Stress test because my EKG was non stop PVC. But this is for another thread..
Long live E bikes!