What is your reply to people commenting about you riding an assisted bike?

[Norange]

My point is why ride two abreast when you can stagger. That would still leave someone on the outside to prevent a blind overtake and still leave the guy on the outside somewhere to go if a coming car cuts the white line.

Ah, got you, would agree that gives more protection, requires a bit of coordination though.

 

[LetRippr]

Either 'Yep, that's why I'm smiling so much' or 'It gives 400% more fun'

 

[Mini si]

Just agree with em ? it doesn’t really matter what they think or why they think it.

There’s no point falling out with people if we don’t need to, life’s too short ???

 

[Russell]

Just shout , GET A BATTERY, as you ride past.

 

[EebStrider]

Only when it’s switched on, is my reply.

Today I overtook 3 cyclists and one said, “oh he’s on an ebike”. I then turned around and said “it’s switched off” and their faces soon dropped. They knew I wasn’t lying, as the bike was completely silent, and they all jumped out of their skins when I went past! ?

On Saturday I did 4 trails in 7 mins 40 seconds. Was absolutely flying, and at the end was properly sweating and knew I had done a workout. Any idiot that says we’re cheating needs to go and ride one properly.

Some friends like to try and wind me up, saying it’s not real exercise, but I just say “yep, you press a button and the bike does EVERYTHING. You don’t even need to pedal.” That normally shuts them up!

 

[EebStrider]

An interesting observation from the comments here is the UK has a different take on things. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm from the US and we've certainly got out own share of nonsense.... but the e-biking seems to trigger some un-stereotypical responses from Brits.

We’re not all like the polite buck toothed folk you see on Family Guy!

 

[Mr-EPIC-3]

Only when it’s switched on, is my reply.

Today I overtook 3 cyclists and one said, “oh he’s on an ebike”. I then turned around and said “it’s switched off” and their faces soon dropped. They knew I wasn’t lying, as the bike was completely silent, and they all jumped out of their skins when I went past! ?

On Saturday I did 4 trails in 7 mins 40 seconds. Was absolutely flying, and at the end was properly sweating and knew I had done a workout. Any idiot that says we’re cheating needs to go and ride one properly.

Some friends like to try and wind me up, saying it’s not real exercise, but I just say “yep, you press a button and the bike does EVERYTHING. You don’t even need to pedal.” That normally shuts them up!

That is the key phrase "Ride eMTB properly" Anyone can ride a eMTB or even a MTB for that matter and not crack much of a sweat. If you ride an eMTB properly, you can get a great leg and up body work out.

 

[Mr-EPIC-3]

If someone make a negative statement I will reply with "Don't knock it until U have tried one and then you will be smiling like me"

 

[Vasspi]

I am father of 2 children , above 40s with limited time available and I want to do the trails twice at least ???

 

[Pivot]

Tell them how expensive is the new Levo and how bad is the battery life…
Perhaps we can reduce the demand

 

[Norange]

That is the key phrase "Ride eMTB properly" Anyone can ride a eMTB or even a MTB for that matter and not crack much of a sweat. If you ride an eMTB properly, you can get a great leg and up body work out.

Honestly, think this is quite close to the nub of the matter. I can honestly say that in 15 years of mtb I've never thought that a great workout was part of it. Even when I was reasonably fit, it just wasn't a consideration. Am decidedly unfit now, nothing to do with the ebike though. But I can see that from the other end of the spectrum, it is cheating if the purity of exercise is muddled. Mind, there was a time when a dirt roadie face planting over a pebble would have raised a chuckle Grown out of that now, more the merrier out in the countryside is my view.

 

[Mr-EPIC-3]

Honestly, think this is quite close to the nub of the matter. I can honestly say that in 15 years of mtb I've never thought that a great workout was part of it. Even when I was reasonably fit, it just wasn't a consideration. Am decidedly unfit now, nothing to do with the ebike though. But I can see that from the other end of the spectrum, it is cheating if the purity of exercise is muddled. Mind, there was a time when a dirt roadie face planting over a pebble would have raised a chuckle Grown out of that now, more the merrier out in the countryside is my view.

For me its not about the workout factor of an eMTBing, but the Fun Factor. Any two-wheeling that I do has to be fun frist, the workout is just the by product of riding hard

 

[Beekeeper]

I wonder how many people realise you actually have to pedal an ebike.

 

[Careyj1]

I wonder how many people realise you actually have to pedal an ebike.

For Class 1 ebikes, a lot people think they don't have to pedal or they don't understand on a steep dirt climb you might be able to climb at 8mph verses 3mph on a non-ebike. Also they don't understand on flat or downhill, non ebikes can be faster than the class1 ebike.

 

[Stanpipe]

Cheating? Me? Where’s your Missus?

 

[Gutch]

I used to get the cheating comment, but now it’s more “oh, you’re on an ebike?” And I reply, yes I am, have a great day.

 

[F4Flyer]

Being on a regular bike as well, makes me see both sides. That said, I have no idea how to respond except I smile and maybe exchange pleasantries. I need some canned replies to toss out.

 

[DirkWisely]

I don't really get comments. I did pass a pack of analogue bikers on a rocky single track the other day, and the guy in the lead was on a unicycle. I called out it was damned impressive as I pedaled past.

 

[Plummet]

There's no negativity where I ride.

 

[JP-NZ]

There's no negativity where I ride.

Same down here... In fact 80% of riders I see on Trails are already on ebikes lol

 

[Astro66]

Nobody really cares anymore. Everyone in my group, including those on Analogue bikes realise that EMTBs are more fun, because trails that were just a way to get to the top, are an absolute ball to hit really fast and get more fun time.

Everyone in my group left on Analogues are only riding them, because their wives won't let them spend the money on new EMTBs yet.

There are no real lifted riding areas within 100km of Sydney. So EMTBs just make sense to everyone except the real diehards.

There is a reason, this is such an old thread. It really isn't relevant anymore, except maybe in the US, where EMTBs are not always allowed everywhere a MTB is allowed. But here in Australia and the NZ where they are considered the exact same from a legal perspective. There's just no reason, other than being old school, to ride uphill without assist.

 

[The Hodge]

This post isn't relevant anymore ..it was started way back in 2021 which is the last time it had a response ( 17.5.21.) ..prior to F4flyer's reply yesterday ..
Most of yester-years haters are now riding ebikes themselves .