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8/20/2006
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Ventura/LA County, CA
US
admittedly I've never been much of a cyclist. Tried the road thing years back and its just not my thing, too long and boring. Always wanted to get a good mtn bike since it seems way more fun and more like moto... but just never pulled the trigger.
got invited by a buddy to ride some e-bikes yesterday and holy shit how fun! I rode a Specialized Turbo Levo. We did some gnarly steep switch backs with some big sized rocks and ledges that had me maxed out and huffing and puffing. I still got a pretty good workout.
But i got the general consensus that they're not very well accepted. As a surfer i guess i can equate it to riding an SUP?
what does everyone think of these things? I've already peeked on craigslist for a decent used one haha
got invited by a buddy to ride some e-bikes yesterday and holy shit how fun! I rode a Specialized Turbo Levo. We did some gnarly steep switch backs with some big sized rocks and ledges that had me maxed out and huffing and puffing. I still got a pretty good workout.
But i got the general consensus that they're not very well accepted. As a surfer i guess i can equate it to riding an SUP?
what does everyone think of these things? I've already peeked on craigslist for a decent used one haha
Really the Turbo Levo and others like it are "pedal-assist" motorized bicycles. They do not throw roost and accelerate hard; just give you super-human leg strength, really. It's cheating, but who cares? If you're having fun, go for it. I want one someday for certain purposes. (Going many more miles than usual, being able to loop more climbs/downhills, etc.)
The Shop
I'd say get on it
Ebike 25% tariff
Peddle, V - To sell one's wares, usually in a public marketplace or on the street.
Pedal, V - To power a bicycle by pushing on the pedals with one's feet.
I have similar corrections for Braking vs. Breaking, if anyone is interested.
If pedal assist becomes the norm, would racing without a motor on the bike be considered "vintage racing"?
Those hand cyclists who are doing centuries with their arms versus the large leg muscles of a standard bicycle rider are amazing athletes, but it's such a small percentage of them that can complete that distance compared to standard cyclists. This could be a real game changer for those that want to do multi day tours, etc.
It seems that most people that I know around here who talk about riding to work (when it isn't snowing, of course!) mention "that one hill" either going to work or heading home that makes it seem undoable for them.
Pedaling an assisted bike may be easier than a standard bike, but it still has to be more of a workout than hopping in your car for those short trips or sitting on the couch instead of getting out and active!
And it's only less work if you ride at the same pace as someone on a normal bike, if you are working as hard as you can work, your overall speed is higher, but you're still putting out your max effort.
The first issue is that some people view using motors as cheating even if it's not a competition.
The second issue is that putting down more power on the same tread creates a higher psi on the ground leading to higher rates of wear on the trail. With pedal assist on a dry trail this is probably minimal.
The third and largest issue is that most "trails" for bikes are actually multi-use with lots of walkers/runner/hikers. Bicycles are already the fastest heaviest things on the trails (excluding horses where applicable) and the powerful contingent of non-bicyclists would love to ban all forms of wheels on these trails. Adding ebikes is hard to regulate and opens the door for bad accidents that could jeopardize trail access. This applies to everything from backcountry touring to the local Greenway that is full of joggers, families and commuters.
Personally I think that trails should be designated for ebikes or not on an individual basis and cyclists should be aware of if they are allowed and respect that.
Pit Row
It's like the 4 stroke vs. 2 stroke argument they're both fun but different, so who cares.
Nicest thing for me is I can click it up a notch from Eco to Sport and keep up with my buddies that ride 3-4x a week (I'm a desk jockey, and they're all contractors, so there's even more of a fitness gap).
Hadn't thought about people with significant disabilities, but that's a great point. They could be the diff between sitting at home and riding. I could see them being a massive blessing for Phil Smage a ways down the road....?
Here's a novel idea: Take time and get in shape. The better condition you're in, the further and faster you can ride. If you need a motor to help you with that, then maybe you picked the wrong sport.
Go back in the moto section and berate all the fatties that own MX bikes.
Do you all know why there are as many roads as there are? It is to support how many autos there are. Do you know why there are as few bike trails / paths / bike lanes as there are? It is because there so few bikes. More bikes out there means more bike paths, etc.
Seriously, though, I don't think that the growth of ebikes means that you have to give up your unassisted bike. But then again, there were probably folks who thought that freewheels were "cheating", and others that were ready to burn down shops that sold bikes with those satanic derailleurs.......
Recreationally, whatever gets people out spinning seems like a win to me. It isn't a competition to simply go out and ride a bicycle.
Now if you are talking about racing, I can see the need for some regulations, obviously.
Seriously. Keep them TF off of my trails and I could care less about what people do with them otherwise. A lot of people (myself included) have fought like hell for trail access for mountain bikes. The minute you add a motor to a bicycle you have blurred the line between bicycle and motorcycle. Trail nazis are looking for every bit of ammo they can get to kick us out of some areas. If e-bikes start to break down that access, then I'm going to have an even larger burr in my ass about this.
I’m all for it... Live and Let Live!
Of course that’s road application. Or it allows you to to ride with multiple skill levels. Thinking about getting one for my wife so she can go on longer rides with me.
Post a reply to: thoughts on e-bikes?