E-Bikes are not cheating

downunderdallas

Likes Bikes and Dirt
A good tip/trap from the podcast for the newcomers to E-bikes is that if you replace your current analog MTB hours with similar E-MTB hours each week, you will likely lose fitness. Yes, you will cover more ground, but won't need to spend as many petrol tickets to do it.
I think the other thing is the mode temptation flick. Obviously on the regular bike, your only options are go slower, or stop for a bit and maybe refuel. On the ebike a simple button push and you gain Nino legs.
 

danncam

Likes Dirt
I stopped to block off a cut corner recently and literally had an e-biker cut the corner in front of me as I was putting branches down to block it.
 

rextheute

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Indeed..but I think it’s exacerbated on the tight stuff. Maybe I’m imagining it.
Some of this i would attribute to longer , lower ,slacker trail / enduro bikes - might have sort rear sus , but the front is now raked out - 29er whelkiest increasing overall length
Add in some inexperienced riders , and budda boom , corners cut .
 

Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
Some of this i would attribute to longer , lower ,slacker trail / enduro bikes - might have sort rear sus , but the front is now raked out - 29er whelkiest increasing overall length
Add in some inexperienced riders , and budda boom , corners cut .
Nah, corners have always been cut. Long before bike geo became good.
 

moorey

call me Mia
Some of this i would attribute to longer , lower ,slacker trail / enduro bikes - might have sort rear sus , but the front is now raked out - 29er whelkiest increasing overall length
Add in some inexperienced riders , and budda boom , corners cut .
If only they all were so genuine in their reasons... ;)
 

fatboyonabike

Captain oblivious
I think ebikes are awesome but if you want to get the best possible workout I still think no-motor is the only way to go.
what if it is not "the best possible workout" you crave, but lap after lap of your favourite trails that would normally be impossible on your current non motorised option to acheive..(due to what ever reason)
for me, I ride to have fun...this seems to be a concept lost on many, and more a 'win at all costs' culture......I'm fat, I'm old, I'm broken, but I like to ride, and an Ebike allows me to knock out laps of trails where I would normally not be able to complete a sustained session....
I don't like road bikes, I think they are flimsy and poorly built, and the wheels buckle easily when jumped, But I ain't about to buy one...but people still get a great amount of enjoyment of riding on bitumen sucking in car exhaust fumes, good on them..
 

moorey

call me Mia
what if it is not "the best possible workout" you crave, but lap after lap of your favourite trails that would normally be impossible on your current non motorised option to acheive..(due to what ever reason)
for me, I ride to have fun...this seems to be a concept lost on many, and more a 'win at all costs' culture......I'm fat, I'm old, I'm broken, but I like to ride, and an Ebike allows me to knock out laps of trails where I would normally not be able to complete a sustained session....
I don't like road bikes, I think they are flimsy and poorly built, and the wheels buckle easily when jumped, But I ain't about to buy one...but people still get a great amount of enjoyment of riding on bitumen sucking in car exhaust fumes, good on them..
That’s what ‘if’ means.
 

SummitFever

Eats Squid
I have been shocked at how quickly the ebike has made my wife soft. She was never a fan of a good suffer-fest but now when things get a little strenuous I instantly get asked "Is there something wrong with the ebike?". "No dear, it's a 20% incline and that means even on max. assist you're going to have to contribute some watts..."

She's also gone from pretty much riding every day (to keep fit), to now riding a couple of times a week and just being able to rely on the ebike to make up the loss of fitness gap. In that sense I think there is a bit of "cheating yourself" going on.
 

kten

understands stuff moorey doesn't
I believe some ebikers don't choose to convert to e-bike not necessarily to steal KOM's but because if some of the trails ridden are not in Strava as an ebike trail then they disappear from the ride. Corner cutting been around well before ebikes ;)
.if they can download Strava they can replicate the normal mtb trails as an ebike section. They can even call it by the same name and even put an E at the beginning to make it feel like they are a little closer to a real MTB.
The cutting of corners has gotten worse though...
 

rowdyflat

chez le médecin
Can you elaborate a bit on using the ebike as a commuter, I plan to do this once the back to office has come into place.
Are you using a emtb or an e-road bike, what tyres etc.
Depends, I have 5 kms of steep gravel and 7 kms of bitumen so I use a suspension forked 2x9 hardtail with a geared 250w rear hubmotor for the 18% uphill.
Started with 2,35 tyres but 1.95 low nobbies at 40 psi roll much betterer.
If its further but all bitumen , a strong framed flat bar with good brakes say 28 mm tyres would make sense.
Also if you use a rear hub motor Gaadi sausage tubes are great if you have a puncture = no need to remove the wheel.
Or a tubeless back wheel .
 
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