Anyone else get called a cheat??

[olde-mtber]

I've been called a cheat many times my standard answer is "So you have never ridden an e-bike then, because if you have you wouldn't be saying I'm a cheater" it's generally met with silence if not I just ride happily into the distance. I did have a friend that called me a cheat gave him the same answer a few months later I had the privilege of calling him a cheat had a good laugh over it.

 

[emtbPhil]

I've only been called a cheat by two road bikers on a road section of my local loop
I'd just been chucking it through the woods and then there's a hill climb on road up to the next offroad section - so whacked it in turbo and overtook a couple of older road bikers who both shouted "OI THAT'S CHEATING"

I just shrugged and carried on. I don't see the issue with cheating up the boring bits lol

 

[RobG]

It really does boil down to ignorance. I rode my ebike for the first time yesterday (a real ride, not just around in a circle on flat ground) and even I saw the light. I was able to ride up a pretty steep graded dirt road, 2.7 miles one way, without stopping. On a regular mtb, I would have been done after about 100 yards (max). It was still work... most of the time I was in the super climbing gear, but I was able to keep going and my knees and legs got a major workout they've needed for years.

In my case, I had the bike set to Smart mode, so it provided the assist it thought I needed (which I would say was probably a lot)... but like I said, it was still a great workout. Just way more fun than if I'd been on an unassisted bike.

You guys are right... too many people think that ebikes do all the work for you. They do have bikes like that -- they're called motorcycles (or ebikes with throttles like the Sur Ron). And I'm all for keeping them off of mtb trails. But ebikes are getting a bad rap simple due to ignorance.

 

[MOTO13]

This kind of stuff is funny. Having a great time is cheating? The same people who say it's cheating take a shuttle or chairlift to the top and bomb down the trail. All you have to do if you feel it's cheating is...turn off the boost.I probably shouldn't say this, but I ran into Captain asshole last fall. He was riding in front of me so I slowed down and waited then rode a while, caught up and waited. Not a big deal...it's single track with very little room to pass and I wasn't in any big hurry . The guy was friggin smoking pissed at this I guess. He waited at the top of the hill and as I rode by he called me a POS pussy for using an emtb. The guy was unhinged. He said cheater...blah, blah, blah. I told him while he's out here Amish riding, the only one cheating was his wife. I never did see him at the parking area.

 

[Mikerb]

There are some who ride EMTBs but feel they themselves are cheating if they do not stick to ECO or even motor off!
Many of those choose the lower powered EMTBs....Levo/Kenevo SL or Orbea Rise.

Clearly there are many different types of bike rider each seeking different things from their ride.

There are those that ride partly or even mainly, for fitness, or those that enjoy the sense of achievement from hard physical exertion. Those groups tend also to aim for better segment times or longer distances or greater elevation.

Then there are those that love exploring offroad on a bike, or get most pleasure from gravity runs, and simply see no pleasure in getting hot sweaty and physically drained in doing so.

There are those of course who want to carry on riding but have to deal with some restrictions whether that be, poor fitness, injury, general health, or just the diminishing strength and fitness due to age.

I believe the only group that calls other riders on EMTBS cheats are those that in that last category.......... that cannot afford an EMTB!!

 

[KnollyBro]

It really boils down to ego. I am fitter than you because I can ride an acoustic bike so that makes me a better person than you if you ride an emtb. Um no. We just have different goals in life. I will admit that when emtb riders go blasting past (in full TURBO) a group of riders, it does make me cringe, as it does nothing to help with the acceptance of emtb'rs. Riders who ignore you, don't say "Hi" or look at your bike brand when they say "Hi" is the same as people who check out your dick in communal showers. Pure ego.
On the flip side, there is nothing I hate more that Strava-assholes bumping your tire and yelling "ON YOUR LEFT" when they are trying to achieve some glory points in their pseudo realistic pajama land. I will; however, pull over when it is safe for them to pass so as not to affect my ride as I would treat everyone else with the same trail etiquette of not rushing anyone else to pull over so as not to affect their ride. Life may be short but there is no need to be a dick about it.

 

[#lazy]

You ride anywhere in Surrey and it’s pretty much 50/50 ebike to nion ebike and imo people saying cheat is just for a laugh ! I’ve shouted cheat and I’m riding one

 

[Jimbo Vills]

My personal favourite is telling the normal bike riders who are off and pushing up a really steep section that pushing is cheating as we ride past chatting

 

[Singletrackmind]

There are some who ride EMTBs but feel they themselves are cheating if they do not stick to ECO or even motor off!
Many of those choose the lower powered EMTBs....Levo/Kenevo SL or Orbea Rise.

Clearly there are many different types of bike rider each seeking different things from their ride.

There are those that ride partly or even mainly, for fitness, or those that enjoy the sense of achievement from hard physical exertion. Those groups tend also to aim for better segment times or longer distances or greater elevation.

Then there are those that love exploring offroad on a bike, or get most pleasure from gravity runs, and simply see no pleasure in getting hot sweaty and physically drained in doing so.

There are those of course who want to carry on riding but have to deal with some restrictions whether that be, poor fitness, injury, general health, or just the diminishing strength and fitness due to age.

I believe the only group that calls other riders on EMTBS cheats are those that in that last category.......... that cannot afford an EMTB!!

Well said! Been riding mountain bikes before they even had front suspension. Having the most fun I've ever had! To each their own and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I just don't feel compelled to share mine with others who are ignorant or narrow minded. The vast majority of the comments I get are positive and a lot of people on non-ebikes and even hikers/horseback riders ask me about my ebikes (have e-road and emtbs). I try and respect the "rules of the road/trail" and don't just blast past slow coaches. Sometimes you just have to! Have bell on my handlebars so others know I'm near (going up/down). Every now and then I get a Knuckchowder who will take up the entire trail and won't let me pass on purpose. When I do hear smartass remarks, I just smile as I glide by and say, have a nice day because I am!

 

[Akiwi]

There are some who ride EMTBs but feel they themselves are cheating if they do not stick to ECO or even motor off!
Many of those choose the lower powered EMTBs....Levo/Kenevo SL or Orbea Rise.

Clearly there are many different types of bike rider each seeking different things from their ride.

There are those that ride partly or even mainly, for fitness, or those that enjoy the sense of achievement from hard physical exertion. Those groups tend also to aim for better segment times or longer distances or greater elevation.

Then there are those that love exploring offroad on a bike, or get most pleasure from gravity runs, and simply see no pleasure in getting hot sweaty and physically drained in doing so.

There are those of course who want to carry on riding but have to deal with some restrictions whether that be, poor fitness, injury, general health, or just the diminishing strength and fitness due to age.

I believe the only group that calls other riders on EMTBS cheats are those that in that last category.......... that cannot afford an EMTB!!

I agree with everything you say except the last statement.
There are the Stubborn as Shit people who absolutely refuse to even try an EMtb as they are convinced that it is a heathen form of cheating.

One of my best mates who I got into e-mountain biking a few years ago wanted to get an eMtb for his wife. She refused to even touch the thing for a couple of years. We tried to get her to try it, and she would get angry at us that we couldn't accept her point of view.
Eventually he bought her one behind her back and said if you don't use it I have just wasted a lot of money.

She is now a complete convert, and has joined our religion.

 

[Stihldog]

A few weeks ago I found myself thumbing my nose at the throttle controlled/peddle assist/bad suspension/hub-motor/ low cost/non-dropper/blah blah blah…eBike. But wait a sec…I’m no different than the mtb’ers who look at me as though I’m cheating.
Four of our friends have purchased E-commuter’s. I don’t even recognize those brands but now I understand their choice. And the reasons are numerous. I don’t expect to see them on our mountain trails but we’re almost on par with them in their environment (commuting and tame trails).
Sometimes I’m asked, by friends or hikers, “How much does it cost?”. Now I almost always reply with a price that is significantly much lower than the actual price in order to avoid comments such as;(insert condescending comment here). Even then I’m sure I’ve ruined a few heart-pacers.
The good thing about all this …more LBS’s, more competition, and eventually (I hope) lower prices.

 

[RobG]

Sadly, American society has a bad case of "keeping up with the Jonses" going back 50+ years, where status is king. Too many people have the need to "feel superior" to the next guy. Why exactly, I don't know. It's what has led to a huge slew of problems in society, which I won't even begin to touch on here. Suffice it to say, there are those who simply feel "less" than others and the only way they can feel better about themselves, is to essentially bully others... call them a cheat, or whatever.

I've found that I'm happier when I don't care that people have way more than I do. I try to be happy with what I have, and if I want more, I work for it and find a way to make it happen. If I can't make it happen, then again, I make myself happy with what I have. Example: My truck is going on 17 years old. I would LOVE to have a new truck, but they're $90,000 (for what I want and need). Sorry, I can't afford that. No matter how hard I try, it's not gonna happen. My 2005 model is in great shape, has low miles, and runs fine. I've owned it since 2007. I will likely own it for a many more years.

Similarly, when I got my new ebike the other day, it was a HUGE stretch to spend $5500 on it. I put almost half of it on a high-interest credit card because I wanted it THAT BAD. Other financing options didn't come through. So I'll spend $500/mo paying off that card before the interest kills me. At least I can manage that. I do wonder how people can afford a $15,000 mountain bike... but hey, if you can, good for you!

Bottom line is... everybody is different. They're doing the best they can. Some of them might be jerks because they flaunt what they have. Just ignore them. You're only competing with yourself.

 

[fali]

Compré una e-mtb por varias razones: volver a montar en bicicleta después de un largo período de ausencia (y la correspondiente pérdida de forma física), poder seguir el ritmo de mi esposo, ir más lejos y más rápido y amar ciclismo de montaña de nuevo! Dos veces en un día la semana pasada me acusaron de ser un tramposo cuando la gente se dio cuenta de que estaba montando un emtb. Traté de explicar por qué viajo en bicicleta eléctrica, pero solo obtuve la respuesta "nah nah nah, ¡es solo una trampa!". ¿Alguien más entiende esto? ¿Cómo respondes?
[/CITA]
UNeso yo le llamao Envidia tu ha disfrutar

 

[Formulasuper]

But we can’t compete for KoMs on Strava if we register that we’re riding an ebike! There aren’t even any segments! So I can’t think why that would be worrying him ?

Same here. We have to make our own strava emtb segments.

 

[MOTO13]

FWIW...I personally get more people wanting to look at my emtb's or ask questions than complain to me about them. Almost every person I let ride my one of bikes are surprised how they operate. They literally had no clue how they worked and how awesome the are to ride. A lot of people think all emtbs have a twist throttle. After riding my bikes, almost every one said they were blown away and wanted to get one. The only thing stopping them was the....price tag.

 

[Singletrackmind]

Sadly, American society has a bad case of "keeping up with the Jonses" going back 50+ years, where status is king. Too many people have the need to "feel superior" to the next guy. Why exactly, I don't know. It's what has led to a huge slew of problems in society, which I won't even begin to touch on here. Suffice it to say, there are those who simply feel "less" than others and the only way they can feel better about themselves, is to essentially bully others... call them a cheat, or whatever.

I've found that I'm happier when I don't care that people have way more than I do. I try to be happy with what I have, and if I want more, I work for it and find a way to make it happen. If I can't make it happen, then again, I make myself happy with what I have. Example: My truck is going on 17 years old. I would LOVE to have a new truck, but they're $90,000 (for what I want and need). Sorry, I can't afford that. No matter how hard I try, it's not gonna happen. My 2005 model is in great shape, has low miles, and runs fine. I've owned it since 2007. I will likely own it for a many more years.

Similarly, when I got my new ebike the other day, it was a HUGE stretch to spend $5500 on it. I put almost half of it on a high-interest credit card because I wanted it THAT BAD. Other financing options didn't come through. So I'll spend $500/mo paying off that card before the interest kills me. At least I can manage that. I do wonder how people can afford a $15,000 mountain bike... but hey, if you can, good for you!

Bottom line is... everybody is different. They're doing the best they can. Some of them might be jerks because they flaunt what they have. Just ignore them. You're only competing with yourself.

A philosophy I try to follow is spending more time wanting what I have versus having what I want. Has served me quite well.

 

[MOTO13]

That's a good philosophy. I have one as well...I have never been pissed off I didn't spend money in my life.

 

[Stihldog]

I start off my ride in “E-Bike Ride” with Strava. Even though I have other programs available, I tend to use Strava, set on private, the most. The recent changes to Strava has given us our own category along with some personal tweaks. I only have a couple of eMTB “friends” who can see my results. My personal record (PR) is what matters to me. It’s difficult for me to compare my climbs and decents to other emtb’ers. Especially climbs. The segments that I notice for eMTB’s are few, but on most of the climbs I would likely be “very good”. I don’t think that’s a true measure of my ability. Even though I stay in eMTB-mode, they could be in a different mode. Or maybe my peddle assist motor has more power …I don’t know. Now the descents are more of a measure for me against my “Friends”, but it’s not the measure of our abilities compared to each other.
I guess it’s kinda like golf…I’m crappy at the beginning and then I taper off … and I haven’t been called a cheater in my scoring either.

 

[Landy Andy]

Sadly, American society has a bad case of "keeping up with the Jonses" going back 50+ years, where status is king. Too many people have the need to "feel superior" to the next guy. Why exactly, I don't know. It's what has led to a huge slew of problems in society, which I won't even begin to touch on here. Suffice it to say, there are those who simply feel "less" than others and the only way they can feel better about themselves, is to essentially bully others... call them a cheat, or whatever.

I've found that I'm happier when I don't care that people have way more than I do. I try to be happy with what I have, and if I want more, I work for it and find a way to make it happen. If I can't make it happen, then again, I make myself happy with what I have. Example: My truck is going on 17 years old. I would LOVE to have a new truck, but they're $90,000 (for what I want and need). Sorry, I can't afford that. No matter how hard I try, it's not gonna happen. My 2005 model is in great shape, has low miles, and runs fine. I've owned it since 2007. I will likely own it for a many more years.

Similarly, when I got my new ebike the other day, it was a HUGE stretch to spend $5500 on it. I put almost half of it on a high-interest credit card because I wanted it THAT BAD. Other financing options didn't come through. So I'll spend $500/mo paying off that card before the interest kills me. At least I can manage that. I do wonder how people can afford a $15,000 mountain bike... but hey, if you can, good for you!

Bottom line is... everybody is different. They're doing the best they can. Some of them might be jerks because they flaunt what they have. Just ignore them. You're only competing with yourself.

Exactly the same as the uk.

 

[Paulcon]

I haven’t been called any four letter words yet, my mates wind me up as “ebike w3nker” but it’s just joking.

i make sure that I never sit on peoples back wheels and when I go past I always say “thanks, have a good one” and be overly friendly.

Some of the acrimony from people comes from back experiences with eMTB riders barging past and being rude, I’ve seen it loads of times before I bought mine, I don’t want to give bad vibes so always give non eMTB riders room and don’t pressure them to move over.

To be honest recently ive had a lot of positive comments about my bike, and you see so many other eMTB riders now at Degla, Cannock, etc

 

[Paulcon]

Exactly the same as the uk.

Totally agree, its the same for Santa Cruz riders, I’ve been asked where is my VW transporter, and I must be a lawyer and all other stereotypes from people when out on my nomad, people tend to be more intrigued about my eMTB but you do get ‘looks’ from people when you go past them

 

[RustyMTB]

In all the decades I've ridden bikes, I've not experienced even one bad word from other MTB people. Not one. I have no idea how some here get into confrontations but to me it suggests these things are neither full accounts nor one way streets. Either way, if someone did call me a cheat, I couldn't give a shiney shite. Ignore, ride on.

 

[Pdoz]

In all the decades I've ridden bikes, I've not experienced even one bad word from other MTB people. Not one. I have no idea how some here get into confrontations but to me it suggests these things are neither full accounts nor one way streets. Either way, if someone did call me a cheat, I couldn't give a shiney shite. Ignore, ride on.

That's because you're too far past by the time they get their feelings hurt.

Or you're so slow and people feel sorry for you?

Or really scary and flying over to Australia next week to kill me

 

[goroncy]

I have amish bikes and an ebike. I called many many people "cheaters" while riding both types. It's a funny way to start a conversation .

 

[F4Flyer]

They are somewhat hated here in Colorado. I do ride regular bikes and also do see why- some of these new e-bike riders are just idiots..I have run into several. Once I was on my ebike and it was a long tough ride where I linked a few trails. A guy (I yielded to him) good-naturedly said something like "Oh man, you're cheating" and I just laughed and said "maybe but I'm not racing or stealing Strava trophies at least" and he laughed too. Yes, I know many here absolutely detest them but good trail etiquette and friendly chit-chat helps. When they learn that I have ridden (for 20+ years) and still ride regular bikes of all kinds, they pretty much forget that I'm on an ebike.

 

[Rubinstein]

Not over here in Holland. 9 out of 10 in negative about EMTB. Not only on the trails also on the forum.

 

[Jessmolly007]

There are some who ride EMTBs but feel they themselves are cheating if they do not stick to ECO or even motor off!
Many of those choose the lower powered EMTBs....Levo/Kenevo SL or Orbea Rise.

Clearly there are many different types of bike rider each seeking different things from their ride.

There are those that ride partly or even mainly, for fitness, or those that enjoy the sense of achievement from hard physical exertion. Those groups tend also to aim for better segment times or longer distances or greater elevation.

Then there are those that love exploring offroad on a bike, or get most pleasure from gravity runs, and simply see no pleasure in getting hot sweaty and physically drained in doing so.

There are those of course who want to carry on riding but have to deal with some restrictions whether that be, poor fitness, injury, general health, or just the diminishing strength and fitness due to age.

I believe the only group that calls other riders on EMTBS cheats are those that in that last category.......... that cannot afford an EMTB!!

I agree Mikerb, when I first bought my emtb, my beloved Vitus, I thought it seamed like cheating usingTrail or Boost but now, after you guys put me right about its like having a car and not using the gears, i just put it into boost and have gone past before they have time to comment..

 

[Rubinstein]

I agree Mikerb, when I first bought my emtb, my beloved Vitus, I thought it seamed like cheating usingTrail or Boost but now, after you guys put me right about its like having a car and not using the gears, i just put it into boost and have gone past before they have time to comment..

I’d rather be labelled a cheat than have to put my bike back in the car coz I’m knackered after an hour. I just tap the frame and shout EEPOWAHH as I’m going round for the 4th lap of the day. I also find that if you shout “My other bike is a Tesla “ the response is normally quite fruity

 

[Jdz]

Most of the people that have called me a cheat are the ones with nice bikes sitting in the garage and rarely ride.