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Changes are Afoot?

armmewitharmony

Maximum Pace
Mar 10, 2014
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The technology will eventually become common, accessible to all.

Personally I'm looking forward to riding with the wife anywhere we like.

How do you figure it will reshape our hobby/sport?
 
I am an anti-e-bike person for road/mountain bikes.
It is probably an irrational thing, but if you don't take the time to train to get fast, you won't have the same reaction time or handling skills required when stuff gets hairy.
For commuters, grocery getters, etc... I have no problem as these are car alternatives. I just don't want an unskilled rider to overlap wheels with me on the road. I also don't want a non-skilled rider up on a mountain trail with an extra heavy bike and have them expect others to help them when they are in over their heads.
 
With that theory, top class runners should never be allowed on a bike!
So I agree, very bad idea.
Having the missus pace you to a PR up Shiraishi seems like the best use of this tech.
 
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For commuting purposes, I think it is a great idea for many, although I think most people would get more health benefits if they chose a nice non-e-bike instead. But if that makes cycling more appealing (= less cars on the road!), I'm all for it.

For sports, I don't get the appeal at all, though, for abled-body people. The whole point is to achieve the max without any aids. And it is dispiriting if you are huffing and puffing up a mountain while someone in regular clothes on an e-bike almost overtakes you without even breaking a sweat.
 
@Musashi13

20 mins? More like sub-10! I hear some of them do like 400 watts.

@bloaker

That actually never occurred to me but yeah I recently heard about eMTB being a thing - sorry maybe I'm thinking in BMX terms still but wouldn't that make your bike a bit of a tank? (Battery, mech etc)

I don't really see the point but yeah, that probably opens up alll kinda of worms I never though of..

@GrantT

Yeah well that's an idea I guess! lol

Well to me it ain't a competition unless there's a number on everyone's back so it's qll good what people do.

@OreoCookie

Well, I don't generally see people passing me up hills anymore so it'll be a nice change?

They do their thing and I'll do mine no probs.

I agree that stuff is probably great for commuters - take those scooters off the road and maybe some cars too that's great! Fucking awesome great actually!!!
 
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it is dispiriting if you are huffing and puffing up a mountain while someone in regular clothes on an e-bike almost overtakes you without even breaking a sweat.
I kinda disagree here. just as it's not dispiriting when someone on a motorbike does it, no matter their clothes and breathing. I can see this being beneficial indeed in allowing people of wider range of abilities to ride as a group i.e. families, partners who may not be into cycling but want to spend time together - or are just starting so cannot go from zero to one hundred overnight etc etc. as long as it motivates more people to go out and ride and have fun - as I can see happening - I think it's overall good.

fine point by @bloaker about safety. don't know about MB, but on road I found most of the beginners to be overly cautious on the descends, and that's where most risk would be really. also, the idea being that they have someone who is stronger and more experienced riding with them to show them the ropes, electric assistance merely there to bridge the gap in their abilities. so overall positive IMO
 
I kinda disagree here. just as it's not dispiriting when someone on a motorbike does it, no matter their clothes and breathing. I can see this being beneficial indeed in allowing people of wider range of abilities to ride as a group i.e. families, partners who may not be into cycling but want to spend time together - or are just starting so cannot go from zero to one hundred overnight etc etc. as long as it motivates more people to go out and ride and have fun - as I can see happening - I think it's overall good.
In case that wasn't clear from my post, but I agree with you here. Overall it is a very positive development. But that doesn't mean there are very few, subjective negatives. And besides, that's just a problem of (my) perception, so I will get used to it — it is just a matter of exposure. :)
 
Separate strava ebike segments. Should be automatic once its all built into your cycling computer. I guess when I get older I might like an ebike as long as some of those watts are mine and it allowed me to go where I used to go or perhaps further. I have been thinking of getting my 82 year old dad an ebike as he still cycles and on occasion likes to climb the local hills. One worry though would be giving him too much speed. Am thinking more of an aid really. Then again, I am also just thinking of buying him a newer bike that would be lighter and allow for more comfort. He still rides a US Postal Team Replica Trek but without all the drugs.
 
I have been thinking of getting my 82 year old dad an ebike as he still cycles and on occasion likes to climb the local hills. One worry though would be giving him too much speed. Am thinking more of an aid really. Then again, I am also just thinking of buying him a newer bike that would be lighter and allow for more comfort. He still rides a US Postal Team Replica Trek but without all the drugs.
That's a great idea. Have a look at this video where a son surprises his 88 year-old father with an e-road bike. That guy's dad rode up Alpe d'Huez in his early 80s! And the ebike allowed him to ride some more. I'd happily be overtaken by him :)
 
Separate strava ebike segments. Should be automatic once its all built into your cycling computer. I guess when I get older I might like an ebike as long as some of those watts are mine and it allowed me to go where I used to go or perhaps further. I have been thinking of getting my 82 year old dad an ebike as he still cycles and on occasion likes to climb the local hills. One worry though would be giving him too much speed. Am thinking more of an aid really. Then again, I am also just thinking of buying him a newer bike that would be lighter and allow for more comfort. He still rides a US Postal Team Replica Trek but without all the drugs.

Hmm originally I mostly had the wife in mind with the idea of ebikes but I got to thinking a bit about how they might apply to me...

Well, as you may know a terrible side effect of living in Chiba is it's either a solid 2 hour train ride (and all the shit that goes along with that), a solid 2-4 hour drive each way depending on time of day and your route choices, or a 2.5 hour (just about 50 mostly flat city + riverside kilometers) ride just to get out to say, "the Spaceship". Then there's all that river that goes on from there just to get to some decent hills. Personally there is no joy whatsoever in riding the river, however if I lived near there it would be awesome for trianing I'm sure.

I do do the ride from home to hills and back from time to time but most of the time it's the drive. That is essentially a 250km+ day at minimum, which can be fun but not every weekend. But honestly, don't know what's harder, the drive or the extra boring Km's to the spaceship (well depending on season of course I wouldn't even think about it in summer) The point is, it sucks and having some kind of assist for that useless part of the day would be a welcome luxury. I really have no interest in electric assistance on climbs as it would defeat the purpose really, and I don't feel ilike there is ever a need for extra speed.

So I'd like to not have to do that shitty drive or train ride, but I also woulnd't be so happy about the extra weight a battery and (engine?) would create for normal riding and climbing. Maybe something I could stick on teh bike and put in a locker once I got to the hills or something like that. I'd definitely use something like that?
 
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