E-line the new French-line?

Scotty T

Walks the walk
Manufacturers "pushing" sales is just conspiracy theory talk by people who don't want to believe the sport is changing.
It's a new discipline of the sport, mountain biking is and always will be riding a human powered bicycle off road. I'm not hating, it's just not for me, because it's not mountain biking.

Of course I'm going to hire one from a shop and go for a proper spin. I own a kit that was on a commuter, and in the process now of going on a cruiser. I think it's great to get people out of cars and active, but it's still not ever going to be "the sport" called cycling.

I keep seeing e-mtb ads everywhere I turn too, obviously big brother knows I'm an MTBer, and it feels like a manufacturers push based on my anecdotal evidence of being bombarded. Then the newest tuning chip pops up in an ad for Brose motor e-bikes.

The horse has totally bolted and to get back to the OP, it's time to teach the community of e-bikers who share our trails not to be dickheads because resistance (as in banning) is pretty futile.
 

Kerplunk

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Manufacturers "pushing" sales is just conspiracy theory talk by people who don't want to believe the sport is changing. Like every product, sales are demand driven. Most bike companies that have ebikes have significantly more non-ebikes for sale but it's just not where the sales are made these days. I reckon ebikes have caused a surge in second hand bike sales and that prices for them will start dropping for people as more people try to get on ebikes.
Your kidding right, the manufacturers want to sell as many of their new products as possible. At the moment their shiney new product they can hype is the emtb. There is a big marketing machine “pushing” emtb’s and to think otherwise is quite naive. It’s business, it’s not “conspiracy theory” and “people who don’t want to believe the sport is changing.”
 
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mas2

Likes Bikes and Dirt
It's a new discipline of the sport, mountain biking is and always will be riding a human powered bicycle off road. I'm not hating, it's just not for me, because it's not mountain biking.
Yep I would agree, it's a a subset of mountain biking. I don't have one but just find it bizarre that people would have an issue with ebike assistance up a hill but then have no issue with people using shuttles or chair lifts.
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
shit motorbike, shit bicycle..
Yeah this was my take from the couple ive ridden. I'm sure I'll get one when I'm too old and broken to ride otherwise, but theyre not for me in the interim.

Bit like an SUV - shit car, shit 4WD... Marketing FTW!
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
Yep I would agree, it's a a subset of mountain biking. I don't have one but just find it bizarre that people would have an issue with ebike assistance up a hill but then have no issue with people using shuttles or chair lifts.
People aren't usually competitive about how fast they can drove the shuttle pig to the top of the track and you don't often (but I have seen the result of it) do burnouts on the track with the shuttle pig.

Your kidding right, the manufacturers want to sell as many of their new products as possible. At the moment their shiney new product they can hype is the emtb. There is a big marketing machine “pushing” emtb’s and to think otherwise is quite naive. It’s business, it’s not “conspiracy theory” and “people who don’t want to believe the sport is changing.”
Gotta find a reason for people to upgrade. It's been happening since the birth of mountain biking. Suspension, disc brakes, thru axles, bigger wheels, wider wheels, droppers, and what's been the biggest technology upgrade of the last couple of years? If bikes stayed the same there'd be no reason to upgrade.
 

mas2

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Your kidding right, the manufacturers want to sell as many of their new products as possible. At the moment their shiney new product they can hype is the emtb. There is a big marketing machine “pushing” emtb’s and to think otherwise is quite naive. It’s business, it’s not “conspiracy theory” and “people who don’t want to believe the sport is changing.”
What you said was that "Manufacturers really want to push them onto the public."
That makes it sound negative and like they are forcing something onto people that don't actually want them. A couple of years ago I heard that 40% of all new mountain bike sales in Europe were ebikes which, in ANY product category, would be taken as extremely strong "pull" from the consumer.
All they are doing now is just advertising and marketing something new to a market that wants it. Most brands have only recently got an ebike offering which means we are seeing more than usual but it's actually no different to what they do with their normal bikes.
 

mas2

Likes Bikes and Dirt
People aren't usually competitive about how fast they can drove the shuttle pig to the top of the track and you don't often (but I have seen the result of it) do burnouts on the track with the shuttle pig.
I can understand the attraction of strava but reckon I am the odd one out who doesnt actually use it and so I really really don't get why people would take that mentality while riding an ebike.
 

Kerplunk

Likes Bikes and Dirt
What you said was that "Manufacturers really want to push them onto the public."
That makes it sound negative and like they are forcing something onto people that don't actually want them. A couple of years ago I heard that 40% of all new mountain bike sales in Europe were ebikes which, in ANY product category, would be taken as extremely strong "pull" from the consumer.
All they are doing now is just advertising and marketing something new to a market that wants it. Most brands have only recently got an ebike offering which means we are seeing more than usual but it's actually no different to what they do with their normal bikes.
You can take “push”ing or marketing as negative or positive, depends on your perspective really.

My original point was a bike store can’t get an emtb underneath you quick enough.. If you or others haven’t riden one, walk in and try for yourself. There is nearly always demo emtbs in store. See how you go getting a high end pedal dually as easily for demo..
 

Lazmo

Old and hopeless
I don't have one but just find it bizarre that people would have an issue with ebike assistance up a hill but then have no issue with people using shuttles or chair lifts.
People who shuttle, do not use the trails to get to the top.

Whereas, eRiders, use the same trails as real mountain bikers, and because of the speed differential in the climb, force the real mountain biker, to pull to the side so the ePOS can pass. I don't mind being passed by young guns and xc whippets, and in fact I have endless respect for them and are happy to track to the side to let them through. But it pisses me off that some eKnob on a hotted up ePOS, tears up behind you, yells out track urgently, because he's going so fast, and I, who is climbing and earning my descent, have to pull over. The most common passer at eLysty is an eRider, and I'm avoiding the place like the plague because of it. The weird thing is that the bulk of the eRiders are usually half my age.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
My original point was a bike store can’t get an emtb underneath you quick enough..
Last year when I was attempting to replace my stolen slope style bike I attended a large local retail outlet. I know the owners and some staff, have ridden with them over the years, I've brought a lot of bikes from them, they know the style of bike I was after, they stock a good range of dirt jumping bikes, you bet I was encouraged to go e-bike by every staff member I spoke with! Followed quickly by telling me to go a stumpy...in the end they ordered something for me.
 

mas2

Likes Bikes and Dirt
People who shuttle, do not use the trails to get to the top.

Whereas, eRiders, use the same trails as real mountain bikers, and because of the speed differential in the climb, force the real mountain biker, to pull to the side so the ePOS can pass. I don't mind being passed by young guns and xc whippets, and in fact I have endless respect for them and are happy to track to the side to let them through. But it pisses me off that some eKnob on a hotted up ePOS, tears up behind you, yells out track urgently, because he's going so fast, and I, who is climbing and earning my descent, have to pull over. The most common passer at eLysty is an eRider, and I'm avoiding the place like the plague because of it. The weird thing is that the bulk of the eRiders are usually half my age.
Yep it's annoying how some people can negatively affect something you enjoy. There are a lot of rude people in the world but I have also met a lot of nice ebikers too who were happy to chat. I dont mind ebikes being on the trail but wouldnt want illegal throttle bikes or chipped bikes on the trails which I think can give ebikers a bad image. I also dont think people need to "earn descents" in order to enjoy riding as I personally enjoy just riding down.

What I find odd though is that you dont consider people on ebikes as "real mountain bikers" even though they ride to the top but would consider people who shuttle or lift to the top to be "real mountain bikers".
 

mas2

Likes Bikes and Dirt
You can take “push”ing or marketing as negative or positive, depends on your perspective really.

My original point was a bike store can’t get an emtb underneath you quick enough.. If you or others haven’t riden one, walk in and try for yourself. There is nearly always demo emtbs in store. See how you go getting a high end pedal dually as easily for demo..
Yep i can understand stores wanting to do that. Its a higher price point and easier to justify the additional cost for something with a motor. Even just for simple commuting they are $2.5k versus $500 which is a massive difference but people seem to be doing it. I've seen heaps of "used twice" only high end mtbs come up for sale recently and reckon it's because people dont know how hard the sport is maintain fitness and skill and they have often been sold more bike than they need.
I dont go into bike shops that much but was at fortheriders the other week and was suprised they didnt have any ebikes anymore but had about 15 high end mtbs. I even asked just to find out if it was because they were against having them but they said they were just waiting on the new models and a couple of guys there had their own.
 

Lazmo

Old and hopeless
There are a lot of rude people in the world but I have also met a lot of nice ebikers too who were happy to chat.
I've never met one that was happy to chat, more often than not, they will not even meet your eye.

I also don't think people need to "earn descents" in order to enjoy riding as I personally enjoy just riding down.
I never said that anyone had to earn the descent. I said that I was earning my descent.

What I find odd though is that you dont consider people on ebikes as "real mountain bikers" even though they ride to the top but would consider people who shuttle or lift to the top to be "real mountain bikers".
eBikers aren't real mountain bikers because they are using a motor to "ride to the top". Shuttle / chairlift riders are usually riding dedicated downhill style tracks where the bike for the job, sucks at climbing. And to be brutally honest, I never said they were real mountain bikers either, it was you who said I "would consider" them to be real mountain bikers. I think they are real mountain bikers, as they don't have motors, but I never said it in my first post.
 

Kerplunk

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I note with interest all these throttle escooters that a popping up and the arguments about speed regulation. At the moment it’s 25km/h in a Brisbane trial, and ranges from 10-15km/h elsewhere in oz.
There is a lot of lobbying going on to get these scooters legal with a 25km/h limited threshold without rego.
I reckon if this happens then we will see a big change in ebikes across the board. No need for pedal assist anymore, it will be just an straight up throttle e-motorcycle speed limited to 25km/h. Imagine that out on the trails. Especially Lysterfield ..
 
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