Do you ride your EMTB with people on acoustics?

GrandPaBrogan

⚡ eGeezer ⚡
Oct 5, 2019
1,329
2,068
New Zealand
I rode with a mate last night, took turns on the Levo. I also set the support to 8% which made it around the same as his normal bike so we both had a blast in turbo mode and rode together for the other bits of the ride.

end result, he is looking to buy an ebike ?
This afternoon, we came across a lone rider in the trail also on his way back to the car park. Age wise he’s ‘not quite senior’ like us. ?

It was so obvious that he’d just bought his first ever eMTB enduro FS - brand spanking shiny new. I’m guessing his first outing on it. He had a rag and was polishing his bike just after placing it on the rack behind his car, haha. He looked like this... ??

Your mate will soon be too!
 

LetRippr

New Member
Apr 21, 2021
15
9
Devon
Yep, just ride in Eco mode to level it. (Okay I may switch to Trail and just pedal slowly, someone has to keep the chat going ?)
 

Teriatric

Active member
Subscriber
Oct 29, 2021
92
77
North East England
After smashing my femur and hip joint I lost my (very limited) climbing ability. My buddies all pushed me to get an eMTB and we're all glad I did. I do not take the p:$$ by belting up the climbs, I stay with the boys and ride switched off unless I'm climbing, it's great exercise for the leg damage.
 

jamied

Member
Mar 14, 2018
103
35
UK
I have CFS/ME, if I didn't have an ebike I wouldn't be able to ride at all. I go riding with regular bikes and on the uphills I just stick it in turbo mode and keep my pace at whatever the other riders are doing. Works fine. And to be honest I've only ever ridden a bike up hills as that's the only way to be able to ride downhill. I don't care if I'm riding fast or slow uphill so long as the downhill is fun.
 

Binhill1

🍊 Tango Man 🍊
Mar 7, 2019
2,669
3,940
Scotland
I wouldn't in case i broke down you would never hear the end of it. But i rarely ride with other people anyway
 

ggx

Well-known member
Dec 10, 2018
686
443
Sintra
I used to, but ride mates are becaming all electrified ⚡
1644941234537.png
 

Growmac

Well-known member
Subscriber
Dec 4, 2020
376
392
Wilts, UK
Not generally.

I ride in a fast group. When I first joined them I took the ebike so I could keep up (they would wait, but it nearly killed me). I reduced the assistance over about 3 months, and gradually transitioned to riding my real bike.

Now I'm a lot fitter I get cold if I take the ebike on a regular ride. I know some say that eco just compensates for the weight, but at least on my bike that's nonsense. I can keep up with a quick regular ride and have a heart rate of about 110 over the ride. Great if you're convalescing from Covid tho.

The routine is now that we ride real bikes on Thursdays, and ebikes go separately and go flat out on Tuesdays. Great fun both days, and a completely different style and pace of ride.
 

Binhill1

🍊 Tango Man 🍊
Mar 7, 2019
2,669
3,940
Scotland
Not generally.

I ride in a fast group. When I first joined them I took the ebike so I could keep up (they would wait, but it nearly killed me). I reduced the assistance over about 3 months, and gradually transitioned to riding my real bike.

Now I'm a lot fitter I get cold if I take the ebike on a regular ride. I know some say that eco just compensates for the weight, but at least on my bike that's nonsense. I can keep up with a quick regular ride and have a heart rate of about 110 over the ride. Great if you're convalescing from Covid tho.

The routine is now that we ride real bikes on Thursdays, and ebikes go separately and go flat out on Tuesdays. Great fun both days, and a completely different style and pace of ride.
Yes i get cold now on ebike. Fitness way down but im in my winter years so i can accept that.
 

CjP

PRIME TIME
Subscriber
Jan 1, 2019
1,671
2,393
Everywhere
I ride with both ebikes and non e bikes and just adjust power to suit. Even on the KSL standard ECO still has more poke that non E.
The last couple rides I have ridden with the motor off and have been surprised how fit I have become since going the SL route.
Riding flat out with FF ebikes is a great workout also.

I really enjoy the variety!
 

Silverfox Baz

Member
Oct 13, 2021
28
8
Cardiff, UK
If I’m riding with people on normal bikes, as I do with four friends once a week, I don’t turn it on, just have the battery in to record the ride. With the battery I’m probably on the heaviest bike and doing the most work!

When out with my wife who has electric, we both only turn them on when we get to big, steep hills or on the way home after a long ride. Just to get the battery down to below 80% for storage of course! ;)
 

Silverfox Baz

Member
Oct 13, 2021
28
8
Cardiff, UK
It clearly seems to matter to some people due to the prejudices against ebikes that still existing in many biking communities... luckily I have no exposure to that but I was curious enough to ask the question. :)

Just ask them if they are such purists and sneer at any assistance, why do they have gears on their bikes.
 

chetbango

New Member
Dec 16, 2021
5
1
NorCal
All the time. Been riding a while with fitter friends. I started months ago in trail, now I dial it back to eco on all but the steepest climbs and turn the assist off on flats. I carry the pack with first aid, tools, extra food, and water. I still cannot keep up on acoustic, but hopefully soon.
With emtb riding friends we generally cruise in trail, cover more ground, but not crazy fast.
With slower friends I leave it off or take acoustic.

I generally don't get my heart rate as high on emtb, as my legs feel it more than lungs (especially on low assist settings) compared to acoustic. But my legs seem to get a better workout, I guess it's the weight.
 

Yoak

Active member
Apr 5, 2020
254
171
Norway
No. I take my MTB if I ride with MTB people. It's just not fun to mix. I'm quite fit and mostly ride my EMTB as hard as I can. I have ridden my MTB with people on EMTB that are less fit. That kind of works.
 

Binhill1

🍊 Tango Man 🍊
Mar 7, 2019
2,669
3,940
Scotland
All the time. Been riding a while with fitter friends. I started months ago in trail, now I dial it back to eco on all but the steepest climbs and turn the assist off on flats. I carry the pack with first aid, tools, extra food, and water. I still cannot keep up on acoustic, but hopefully soon.
With emtb riding friends we generally cruise in trail, cover more ground, but not crazy fast.
With slower friends I leave it off or take acoustic.

I generally don't get my heart rate as high on emtb, as my legs feel it more than lungs (especially on low assist settings) compared to acoustic. But my legs seem to get a better workout, I guess it's the weight.
Curious how old youare.
 

Shjay

Well-known member
Apr 30, 2019
835
488
Kent
Yes I ride with non ebike mates all the time have more non ebike than ebike mates 😂, I ride in ECO, on flatter trial’s sometimes harder to keep up when avg speed is way over the assist level 😂
 

Binhill1

🍊 Tango Man 🍊
Mar 7, 2019
2,669
3,940
Scotland
Yes I ride with non ebike mates all the time have more non ebike than ebike mates 😂, I ride in ECO, on flatter trial’s sometimes harder to keep up when avg speed is way over the assist level 😂
That would be about right some of my regular runs i would be faster on old bike than ebike. A slight downhill slope hit assist max very quick.
 

militantmandy

Well-known member
Jan 18, 2022
399
369
Tweed Valley, Scotland
This makes me glad I live where I do. Basically, all the trails and require almost no pedaling, so on trail I am never aware of hitting the limiter. I can imagine if you had really fast and flatter trails it could get quite frustrating.
 

Binhill1

🍊 Tango Man 🍊
Mar 7, 2019
2,669
3,940
Scotland
This makes me glad I live where I do. Basically, all the trails and require almost no pedaling, so on trail I am never aware of hitting the limiter. I can imagine if you had really fast and flatter trails it could get quite frustrating.
You never notice it on a downhill. As you say on the flat hit it all the time especially if you are on a bit of tarmac
 

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