I am already tired of......

[EvoKenevo]

MTB riders saying E-MTB riders are lazy, old, won’t get fit and more money than sense!!! I don’t know I am not fit, I know I am not you doing but I went out today for the first ride on my new Kenevo, didn’t do any downhill or anything as just wanted to go for a ride, first time I have been on a bike for years. I did 15 miles this morning and loved every turn or the pedal... then you tell people what you did and how you enjoy it and all you get is “ it’s easy to do 15 miles on an ebike, you’ll never get fit on one of those” what is their problem??

 

[SteveVentoux]

Totally with you, was motivated to do a 28 mile ride during the week, first time I've felt confident to follow a GPS route without worrying about messsing up with the Ebike backup, best ride I've done in ages, Ebike has inspired confidence in trying new things despite 30 years of riding unassisted! No need to justify myself to anyone else, I used to race XC back in the day but now I've moved on to being happy to potter around, not trying to set any records, As an aside, after over 3 hours in the saddle on Thursday, I was happy to take a few days break, was a good workout for sure!

 

[Cooldaddygroove]

"Cheater Bike", "Smokers Bike", "Old Man Bike"..............heard them all. For the most part it all stems from ignorance. I'll tell you a story........

I ride North Shore Vancouver........considered some of the most challenging climb/descend areas around. Climbs can be 30mins to an hour on a regular bike, and close to half for an ebike.

So there is a trail builder that has been building/maintaining these trails for 30 years. Never getting paid for his work, and even having a couple trails named after him. He blew out his knee a few years ago and couldn't climb, so no biking for him. One of Rocky Mountain's pro racers gifted him a Carbon fiber eMTB, and he has a new lease on life.

During a climb, he passes 4 young riders on regular bikes, who shout out "Those things should be banned!". Serious? Do you have any idea who this guy is? These trails were all built by him.

When I talk to him about eMTB's, he sees no evidence that they chew up a trail more than a regular bike, in fact, he says they do less damage on climb trails because they roll over roots/rocks and less chance of them spinning or digging in.

 

[Dax]

The only hatred I've had is from mates, all the people I've met out on the trails have been either positive about it, or interested to hear more. The mates are not convinced until they ride it, then they do the ebike laugh and decide they want one.

Although I had a mate trying to prove a point at the weekend, cranking it uphill after me and pushing me down the trail...I'm not a great rider, but think I made the point ok

 

[Doomanic]

It was funny watching him trying to keep up on the climbs. Perhaps we should have taken him up "Boost Hill"...

Oh, and for god's sake buy him some baggies before the next ride, he looked like a refugee from a mid '90's Mint Sauce strip.

 

[davegixer]

Mint Sauce

Mint Sauce!!! That's a proper blast from the past, you've taken me right back Doomanic, brilliant. Ah, those were the days....

 

[galaga187]

It was funny watching him trying to keep up on the climbs. Perhaps we should have taken him up "Boost Hill"...

Oh, and for god's sake buy him some baggies before the next ride, he looked like a refugee from a mid '90's Mint Sauce strip.

Need some Mint Sauce eMTB cartoons for sure - and some purple bar ends

 

[R120]

Onza 4 life

 

[davegixer]

Onza 4 life

View attachment 3090

Onza!!!! Hahaha you‘re killing me. How on earth did you remember those??!!

 

[Doomanic]

 

[SteveVentoux]

Another Onza classic, wore out after two rides mind!

 

[davegixer]

Another Onza classic, wore out after two rides mind!

And how did we ever actually stop with canti brakes!
I remember the revolution that was V-Brakes

 

[Dax]

And how did we ever actually stop with canti brakes!
I remember the revolution that was V-Brakes

I rode a mates diy ebike a couple of years back, with a bafang 750w mid-drive, still running the original canti's from 1997 ?

 

[davegixer]

I rode a mates diy ebike a couple of years back, with a bafang 750w mid-drive, still running the original canti's from 1997 ?

Shut the fu.......!! Stopping distance of a barge

 

[R120]

Onza!!!! Hahaha you‘re killing me. How on earth did you remember those??!!

Because i would have sold my parents aged 12 to have a set! Preferably on Funk Pro

 

[Doomanic]

I used to lust after them. That, and a Klein in Sunburst...

 

[Dax]

Mantra please

 

[R120]

Yeah Kleins will always be the ultimate for me.

I always lusted after the Funk as i had a Haro Extreme (which I solely bought because I liked the frame design and seemed like some exotic American superbike to a 14 year old) and the Funk was like that on steroids

 

[Doomanic]

Fulcrum for me, preferably with a mid '90's Missy Giove to coach me on it.

 

[Doomanic]

I nearly bought one of these;

But I did buy, and still own, this;

 

[duk916]

 

[EddieJ]

MTB riders saying E-MTB riders are lazy, old, won’t get fit and more money than sense!!! I don’t know I am not fit, I know I am not you doing but I went out today for the first ride on my new Kenevo, didn’t do any downhill or anything as just wanted to go for a ride, first time I have been on a bike for years. I did 15 miles this morning and loved every turn or the pedal... then you tell people what you did and how you enjoy it and all you get is “ it’s easy to do 15 miles on an ebike, you’ll never get fit on one of those” what is their problem??

I tend to agree with them. The emtb market has changed significantly from when I first started many many years ago. With manufacturers increasing torque, crazy assist levels, increasing battery size, reduced bike weight, almost 'proper' eMTB's and a market that has changed from those that could actually benefit health wise from using an eMTB, to those that just want an easy life, maximum assistance from the bike, with limited rider input, and just "tank it up hills" I totally get why people are so negative about eMTB's.

 

[R120]

You mean the market has changed in that there are finally EMTBs that work as well as normal MTB's at being mountain bikes?

I think its the exact opposite, in that the people i knew with EBikes up until the last few years, where those who either used them to overcome a physical handicap, or where lazy (all though this is relative as how can you truly be lazy if you wan to go out and pedal a bike!)

The last few years has seen an explosion of "core" mountain bikers switching over to EMTBS, because you can get more out of your time on the bike, ride new terrain, and still get the performance on downhills, parks and technical terrain that you have on your normal bike, and basically have a load of fun

As for fitness (something i don't ride a bike for, but benefit from from riding the bike) i find that ebikes encourage you to thrash out a ride, rather than having to stop to get your breath back, the assistance enables you to maintain operating at your peak performance, not compensate for a lack of it - i have lost more weight since owning an e-bike, simply because i ride it more than i ever did my old bike, and push myself harder on it.

Also a serious EMTB is a serious MTB, if you don't know what you are doing, and don't have the skills to ride the terrain, you are going to get in trouble pretty quickly - if you ride the terrain these bikes are designed for and don't have the fitness or skills, your on a one way trip to a & e

 

[davosaurusrex]

Bang on R120

 

[Dax]

I tend to agree with them. The emtb market has changed significantly from when I first started many many years ago. With manufacturers increasing torque, crazy assist levels, increasing battery size, reduced bike weight, almost 'proper' eMTB's and a market that has changed from those that could actually benefit health wise from using an eMTB, to those that just want an easy life, maximum assistance from the bike, with limited rider input, and just "tank it up hills" I totally get why people are so negative about eMTB's.

Increased battery size and reduced weight sound like positive things regardless of your motivation to ride an ebike, why are they bad?

 

[fos'l]

I've been riding eMTB's in socal for three years and haven't had any negative experiences on the trails, just the forums. Seems like the individuals who infest many forums don't like seeing anyone else having a good time. The biggest jokes are the calorie police who whine that we eMTB riders aren't working hard enough and we didn't really "earn the hill" we're riding down. Crock of crap I say.

 

[outerlimits]

A quick punch to the throat will quickly shut them up.
I just say, “hahahaha you’re too awesome for me kind sir, now on ya bike ya funny fellow”

 

[davegixer]

History has a tendency to repeat itself. I remember when I raced XC in the early 90s a similar thing happened. Along came DH and the fun started - "you don't even ride up hills, you push it! you haven't earned the hill", and in reply, "XC, meh lycra fanny with no DH balls" etc etc etc etc, back then it was in jest because the internet and the subsequent Troll hadn't been invented.
XC and DH weren't Road Riders though, oh no, or "Roady Faggots" as they were affectionately known. It didn't take long for some to start using road bikes to aid their fitness training though, although that never floated my boat in the slightest.

(Some) people just don't like change, they like things to be as they have always been. Steve Jones pondered on YouTube, asking if one day we'll be looking at all EMTBs as 'just' MTBs and analogue MTBs as vintage? I doubt it, but he has a point.

And what's next, who knows.
Survival is not of the fittest, but those who adapt to change. Darwin.

I'm too old to give a shit what the narrow minded fraternity think, but I agree, if gentle discussion or ignoring the neanderthal doesn't work, then a quick punch in the throat usually shuts them up.

 

[Mabman]

The decision to ride an eBike is personal and nobody else's business. Sure there are issues currently in regards to trail access, at least here in the states, but like all advancements in the bike industry it will blow over in time and then the next thing will come along for them to focus their narrow minds on. Maybe autonomous bikes perhaps?

 

[Mabman]

Another Onza classic, wore out after two rides mind!

If you had a NOS set of those in the shed today you could sell them to some vintage wanker for his shelf bike and buy beer for a few months and not the cheap stuff.