E-line the new French-line?

Kerplunk

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Motorbikes are cool and fun. You're right in that emtbs are a type of "motorbike" in a broad sense and I dont think anyone would disagree with you that electric motor cycling is a completely different sport. However, I think most of the time people refer to emtbs as motorbikes it's just to stir up trouble and get people to bite, or to try and push them out of the conversation which helps neither side. We both know that they are called electric mountain bikes (emtb) because it's pretty obvious that they have a lot more in common with mtbs than they do motorbikes hence why people on this forum want to talk about them.
Disagree, on turbo they closer resemble a motorcycle more than a bicycle. On other modes it’s a weird hybrid that feels like cycling but not really. Kinda like artificial grass.. the expensive stuff looks real but something is just off with it..

I have spent several days riding emtbs, I am not just making shit up to get into a internet argument, my comments aren’t meant in that way.

I don’t have any real issues with emtbs as long as they considered their own sport. The uci should not have anything to do with them and they should not be on track with bicycles in races or events. Maybe a code of conduct MTBA could come up with in regards to overtaking, but knobs will be knobs no matter what they are riding.. oh and ebikes climbing up stuff on 2 way trails that pedal bikes can only decend. Need a code of conduct there..
 

mas2

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Disagree, on turbo they closer resemble a motorcycle more than a bicycle. On other modes it’s a weird hybrid that feels like cycling but not really. Kinda like artificial grass.. the expensive stuff looks real but something is just off with it..

I have spent several days riding emtbs, I am not just making shit up to get into a internet argument, my comments aren’t meant in that way.

I don’t have any real issues with emtbs as long as they considered their own sport. The uci should not have anything to do with them and they should not be on track with bicycles in races or events. Maybe a code of conduct MTBA could come up with in regards to overtaking, but knobs will be knobs no matter what they are riding.. oh and ebikes climbing up stuff on 2 way trails that pedal bikes can only decend. Need a code of conduct there..
I was thinking more that they use the same forks, shocks, suspension layout, gears, brakes, handlebars, geometry, and look like mountain bikes but yeh I can see how turbo mode uphills would be completely different to normal riding. I've only used a mates one for a couple short sessions and reckon, for me, in flatter areas they aren't needed.

I am with you on the racing part though, I just dont get it for emtbs.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
I too am old and hopeless and Yes, I rode Green Valleys on their demo day and was hitting the jumps and drops way better on the ebike. That weight is good. Believe it or not, I was riding in air, I never though I could feel so free...you said you are old do that song should be stuck in your head now.
That's called an ET. It's an easy enough trick dj and always pleases the crowd.
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
I don't like road bikes, and I think anyone who rides one is a self righteous wanker
I ride MTB, CX, FatBike, Roadie, Gravel... the lot, even going on your name, have raced a fatbike across the Simpson twice.

There are wankers in every aspect of like... a few more excel and ride roadies but not all are that bad.

BTW I just sold my last roadie 2 weeks ago, but that's not the point :D
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
Also own an e-Bike... not so much own as bought. A 6.5k bike for the misso... reckon it has been charged 5 times, just because.
 

Lazmo

Old and hopeless
I’m probably closer age wise, to needing one as a necessity to ride, than almost everyone here. But I’ll keep using only my own pedal power for as long as I can. Personally, I love that my wife and I can ride all sorts of places, using our own steam and that our rides can be spontaneous and random and not limited for distance or duration by battery life. We often have no idea where we'll end up and how long it will take. A battery would be a liability for us.

My saltiness comes from the lack of respect and interaction on the trails that eRiders have with mountain bike riders. The trails were built by mountain bike riders and for years were shared by mountain bike riders who were having a common experience. But eRiders don’t seem to care or understand that they may have a negative impact on the ride experience of mountain bike riders. They come up fast, and want to pass immediately. There is no sitting behind for a bit with some idle banter about the day’s weather or the bastard hill. In fact, there can be no unifying bond between eRider and mountain bike rider about the bastard hill, because eRider doesn’t even know there is a hill. All he knows is that somebody is interrupting his high speed climbing rhythm. The most I’ve got has been, ‘passing on your right’ … no, how are you going, nice day, have a good day, thanks. To say they are friendly is not my experience.

In fact, it feels like they know they aren’t really accepted by ordinary mountain bike riders, and only just tolerated. Because of this they are not game to interact, instead, just getting past as quickly as possible and buggering off at warp speed. Meanwhile, watching them bugger off at warp speed, irritates the mountain bike rider, and it’s hard to take. It sort of seems like they should wear hoodies and slink around, not meeting your eye.

I’d be less salty if they cared about the ride experience of the actual mountain bike rider that they are passing, which means that sometimes they should slow down and ride at an actual mountain bike riders pace, and wait and then when it is best for the actual mountain bike rider, the eGuy passes, hopefully with a cheery interaction. And eventually, over time, I’d become less salty.
 

SummitFever

Eats Squid
I'm as salty about ebikes on mtb tracks as an ebiker would (rightfully) be if I turned up on a mtb track with one of my mxers. I ride my motos on private land or mx tracks. Feel free to do the same with your e(motor)bike.

The issue as I see it is that once you add a motor you have a totally different thing. Its like bikes on walking tracks. Yeah its human powered but its still not walking.

Also, the restrictions on ebikes are easily defeated. Ebike "chipping" is a big thing in Germany already with many people getting much more power and speed out of their bikes than is legal. It is all but impossible to police. The only practical response will be a total ban on ebikes in certain trail networks that can't sustain them or the creation of ebike specific riding areas.
 

Binaural

Eats Squid
So shit a side effect of tech that will possibly help more people commute via bicycle.
If you're cheating up the climb with e-doping why not cut corners as well right? I Keep hoping some mtb trails will just ban them
I just got back from 2wk in the Austrian alps, and e-bikes of all sorts are absolutely everywhere. They have slotted seamlessly into people's lives over there, because everyone rides for short trips but that's because so many people live in small or medium-sized towns with separated bike paths everywhere. I would never ride one myself for sport, but you can really see their utility for encouraging people to ride when they'd normally drive.
 

Lazmo

Old and hopeless
I just got back from 2wk in the Austrian alps, and e-bikes of all sorts are absolutely everywhere. They have slotted seamlessly into people's lives over there, because everyone rides for short trips but that's because so many people live in small or medium-sized towns with separated bike paths everywhere. I would never ride one myself for sport, but you can really see their utility for encouraging people to ride when they'd normally drive.
Which is fantastic.
 

Nambra

Definitely should have gone to specsavers
I was about to say the same thing re: defeating speed restrictions @SummitFever. I have read that Bosch were introducing anti-tuning software to prevent modifications - small step in the right direction perhaps, but ultimately futile I'd imagine as hackers will be hackers.

This seems to be becoming e-bike thread 2.0 - always a polarising topic and easy to pin it on the e-bikers. For me it's the safety aspect that is most concerning; not expecting a bike to be coming up a hill at speed when you're on the way down. Being an asshole on a bike or straight-lining trails is not a uniquely e-biker thing, but silently motoring up a trail at 25+km/hr is.

If it all gets too crazy I'm just going to build a portable EMP.
 

Kerplunk

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I was about to say the same thing re: defeating speed restrictions @SummitFever. I have read that Bosch were introducing anti-tuning software to prevent modifications - small step in the right direction perhaps, but ultimately futile I'd imagine as hackers will be hackers.

This seems to be becoming e-bike thread 2.0 - always a polarising topic and easy to pin it on the e-bikers. For me it's the safety aspect that is most concerning; not expecting a bike to be coming up a hill at speed when you're on the way down. Being an asshole on a bike or straight-lining trails is not a uniquely e-biker thing, but silently motoring up a trail at 25+km/hr is.

If it all gets too crazy I'm just going to build a portable EMP.
Check the link I posted a few comments back, this is what unrestricted to 45km/h ebiking looks like..
 

Nambra

Definitely should have gone to specsavers
Check the link I posted a few comments back, this is what unrestricted to 45km/h ebiking looks like..
That might be the case, but that's experienced riders on a wide open race track with everyone going in the same direction. In the bush it's another story - I wouldn't want that stealth coming at me on my way down a hilly descent, let alone someone's kid. Don't mistake me for someone who's anti e-bikes, each to their own as long as you respect the trails and other users, e-bikers or otherwise.
 

Yet1

Likes 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 ..
I commute in Melbourne and ride an old fashioned pedal yourself bike and regularly get overtaken by e-scooters and e-skateboards that are going well above 30km/hr (as I was going over 30km/hr myself!). I am more worried that they wont be able to stop as quickly as a bike if they needed to.
 
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