Anyone else get called a cheat??

[fatfastroger]

That’s crap to have all that abuse I’m sure if you met them pre ride they might have been nice people, just like driving a car turns people into arseholes. Guess if you weren’t alone then they might have been less aggressive.

 

[Pdoz]

Yesterday’s ride was the nastiest I’ve had. Four groups of Lycra clad people with spotless MTBs but otherwise wearing road gear shouting very strong words at me. No provocation on my part.

First was on the flat. Two men started commenting loudly that ebikes are for fat cnuts. I just laughed and said jealousy is a nasty thing.

Second set were dawdling down a descent and I flew past to shouts of cheater, with liberal use of cnut thrown in. Didn’t get a chance to respond.

Third set was four guys all wearing the same team gear who got upset as I went last them on the flat. Usual cheater, get a real bike, o hills around here, your legs not good enough bollocks. I responded with work harder and maybe you can have one too, followed up with try to keep up. They didn’t, even on the flat.

Fourth time was two VERY upset men who really didn’t like me or my bike. I was going walking pace on some single track because a dad and his young daughter were riding in front of me. No issues there. But as they approached behind and maybe didn’t see why I was dawdling along they fired off so much abuse. I told them children were present so please stop, which triggered them again. Cheater, cnut (the word of the day it seems), etc etc. The family group pulled over so I just stuck it in EMTB and flew off down the trail.

Sort of ruined the ride. Never had that much abuse. Only pattern was again they weren’t the usual riders I see, and were all wearing highly coloured Road Lycra with dainty shoes and funny hats.

You have to feel sorry for those sad creatures in clown suits.

Did you know lycra sticks to the skin as it melts? Sometimes visualising a firecracker landing in their lap can be very therapeutic. Plus it drives them crazy when you just start giggling whilst they throw meaningless white noise at you.

 

[Jimex]

Not had anyone shout out anything negative yet. If it happens I'll stop for sure and have a chat about their poor attitude.

 

[Mteam]

I think in a lot of case if you get called a cheat, they dont mean it, its just banter. I dont own an ebike (yet!), and have called the guys that whiz past me going uphill on ebikes cheats (but not in a nasty way - or at least it wasnt intended to be nasty - just banter) , and then if I've met them at the top I always have a chat with them about their bikes , because I'd love to get one. I sometimes say the same to road bikers who overtake me on a road climb, that its like cheating going up hill on that light weight thing with skinny tyres etc.

Do you think some ebikers are being a bit sensitive about what supposed to be just harmless banter?

I guess you'll get some people being knobs,but hopefully its few and far between. I hope its few and far between because I've just ordered an ebike, so I guess I'll find out soon enough.

 

[Philly G]

I think in a lot of case if you get called a cheat, they dont mean it, its just banter. I dont own an ebike (yet!), and have called the guys that whiz past me going uphill on ebikes cheats (but not in a nasty way - or at least it wasnt intended to be nasty - just banter) , and then if I've met them at the top I always have a chat with them about their bikes , because I'd love to get one. I sometimes say the same to road bikers who overtake me on a road climb, that its like cheating going up hill on that light weight thing with skinny tyres etc.

Do you think some ebikers are being a bit sensitive about what supposed to be just harmless banter?

I guess you'll get some people being knobs,but hopefully its few and far between. I hope its few and far between because I've just ordered an ebike, so I guess I'll find out soon enough.

The comments I've had were harmless and definitely just banter. But I wouldn't say the same for Fingerpuk's experiences. What he encountered I would call harrassment

 

[Mteam]

The comments I've had were harmless and definitely just banter. But I wouldn't say the same for Fingerpuk's experiences. What he encountered I would call harrassment

agreed , that was definitely nasty.

 

[Fingerpuk]

To date I’ve had banter 9 times out of 10. Yesterday was different.

Oh well. Not to worry, I’m still having fun.

 

[Philly G]

To date I’ve had banter 9 times out of 10. Yesterday was different.

Oh well. Not to worry, I’m still having fun.

At the end of the day, that's what really matters. Still, nobody should have to put up with stuff like that

 

[MitchF]

Put a tin in your back pack ......

 

[Zimmerframe]

What if you accidentally spray it in yourself ? Where would I go ? Would I remember it ? What's in FIJCK OFF spray anyway ?

 

[04fuxake]

I'm frankly gobsmacked that people think it's acceptable to vocalise dislike.

 

[Fingerpuk]

I'm frankly gobsmacked that people think it's acceptable to vocalise dislike.

My mate sold his Kenevo due to it.

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

Not heard it for a while, but yesterday evening me and @TheBikePilot were riding last night and had the cheat call again. Probably banter, but maybe time to come up with something original!

Doesn’t really bother me so much. But what we have noticed now we are in full summer is big groups of ‘established’ riders (read: very expensive boutique bikes and an oh-so-serious riding vibe) barely even making eye contact, saying hello or acknowledging our existence.

Its seems like a pack mentality, no one wants to say hello, no small talk, no eye contact.

Bit weird really

btw: we try to say hello to every biker, ebike, road bike, tandem or unicycle. No moral high ground, just see it as we are all doing what we love and acknowledge it, with a friendly simple nod, hello

 

[Gary]

we have noticed now we are in full summer is big groups of ‘established’ riders (read: very expensive boutique bikes and an oh-so-serious riding vibe) barely even making eye contact, saying hello or acknowledging our existence.

Its seems like a pack mentality, no one wants to say hello, no small talk, no eye contact.

Bit weird really

You get that mentality in all bloke's hobbies.
They're fannies.
You're not...

You WIN

 

[Stihldog]

...barely even making eye contact, saying hello or acknowledging our existence.

Its seems like a pack mentality, no one wants to say hello, no small talk, no eye contact.

Bit weird really

It is a bit weird.
They may be going through the 5 stages of trauma. I know one of them is denial. Isn’t the last one acceptance.

 

[Philly G]

You get that mentality in all bloke's hobbies.
They're fannies.
You're not...

You WIN

This is not a bloke's hobby? Women are into bikes too

 

[Gary]

not in the same way

 

[Gary]

wimin generally blank others for very different reasons.
some wimin are fannies too though.

 

[Philly G]

wimin blank others for very different reasons

Well in that sense, yeah, unlike blokes, I'd be very surprised if a group of females yelled abuse at me riding my eeb...

 

[Sapientiea]

It is also about decency and having just a tad of respect for other people. That they choose not to ride an E-bike is OK with me, you do not here me shout at them during the uphills. Mainly had comments from guys when I past them or were behind me saying; "wow that thing is fast", ah you are on an e-bike, shit". Lycra riders seem to be a good indicator what to expect. Either way, I usually go on with my stuff, not spending a minute on my rides to deal with that.

 

[nasamorpheus]

Yesterday I stopped to fix seat post length and one guy driving by commented: "Did you ran out of gas hahaha?"

 

[BBear]

Yesterday I stopped to fix seat post length and one guy driving by commented: "Did you ran out of gas hahaha?"

I don’t mind that sort of humorous banter and quite happy to respond in kind.

mind you if anyone used the language against me that Fingerpuk received they would be collecting their teeth off the trail

 

[Philpug]

Of late, I am finding more of the opposite trend. More questions, which bike? What's the range? My friend/brother/buddy has one and loves it. And the very popular, "I am afraid to try one because I know I will like it too much."

 

[04fuxake]

Of late, I am finding more of the opposite trend. More questions, which bike? What's the range? My friend/brother/buddy has one and loves it. And the very popular, "I am afraid to try one because I know I will like it too much."

I think that last bit is the big reason. All of us on here likely took a test ride and thought "this is my life now".

 

[SupasafeElectroLumberjack]

I think that last bit is the big reason. All of us on here likely took a test ride and thought "this is my life now".

100% agree. Fatal error, rode a shop owners demo bike round a warm up loop. I knew that if I bought another bike and it wasn't electric, I would feel like a mug...

re the topic- I had an amazing ride on saturday morning, and the only comments were from 2 pairs of walkers who asked the usual whats the wattage, whats the range, and were genuinely interested (and impressed at the bikes climbing ability up a rock face ). Then I met a chap while knee deep in a river crossing who noted the bike and we laughed about flooding the battery. So, lots of positivity. In fact the only blank stares were from a pair of fellow ebikers...

 

[Zudnik]

Nobody has said this to me but I'll just reply that if they want to see a real cheat they should just look at their spouse.

 

[Dan202B]

Embrace it!!! My brother in law is a comedian. He says you always just go with a heckler and twist what they are saying. I would tell them “hell yes I am cheating, Do you want to race up the hill?“

 

[jeroen]

mmmm, I must live in a different country, but here in the region, one typically, especially when walking, will say Grüezi (Grut Sie => Greet You when coming across another human being. It is mostly to acknowledge that you acknowledge the other person's existence, you know for respect, next to the fact to indicate that you know of the custom and are a friendly (at least that is how I see it). Especially older people are very welcomed by it.

While cycling, even when crossing eachother in different directions a headnod, or a Gruezi is normal.
When stopped, most people enquire about range, price and how easy it is to get up a hillmountain and actually, you are IMHO silly to do anything here without support, >500m altitude differences are easy here even on a short ride.

What I have noticed is that cycling with a trailer behind, gets a lot more respect from folks, especially cars seem to be less annoyed with a bike and go more out of the way when you have one with you (guess that hurting a kid is something just not done). Solution here is to avoid roads with too many cars of course, unfortunately biking paths are still few where I am at...


But I do wonder now if people yelling 'cheater' will still do that when you have the 15kg cart and the kiddo along which is likely another lump like that with you; then again stupid people tend to stay stupid, and as others in this thread state... ignoring is likely best, let jerks be jerks: put a smile on, cycle away and enjoy the ride

 

[nickfrog]

Of late, I am finding more of the opposite trend. More questions, which bike? What's the range? My friend/brother/buddy has one and loves it. And the very popular, "I am afraid to try one because I know I will like it too much."

I think the initial resistance to change is receding indeed. In 5 years time absolutely no one will bat an eye lid at an emtb as they will probably be the majority of mountain bikes as the price point carries on cascading.

 

[nickfrog]

Cycling through a Sussex village today, someone I couldn't see shouted "cheat" just as I went past them and they were in my peripheral vision. I only just had the time to instinctively shout back "so long, mother fucker!" but didn't have the presence of mind to put on a Chinese accent.