TheX Posted June 4 Share Posted June 4 It's no secret that I have my physical challenges from my heart attack and the near death Ducati crash...and now I'm 65. Don't worry, not a pity me thread. So I bought a new Santa Cruz Hekler SL. My first pedal assist bike. Nice bike, and even though I bout the lower of the 5 builds it was still over $7K. Any other e-bikers here? I know that a lot of folks hated on them. Looking forward to 1/4 notch and DD. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mack_turtle Posted June 4 Share Posted June 4 E-bike hate is still around but most people have gotten over it. It's mostly just weird old retrogrouches who don't like seeing other people having fun. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheX Posted June 4 Author Share Posted June 4 I know that some people hate one-wheels also but I'm cool with sharing the trail. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheX Posted June 5 Author Share Posted June 5 NO!!! No more rain till Saturday late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockshins Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 Was not a fan of e-bikes at first but was also not a fan of 29ers when they came out. Wrong on both fronts. Haven’t had any issues with ahole ebikers on the trails (not saying they’re not out there) and when I rode one I had a blast! Sweet rig! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockshins Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 (edited) Also this is a great ad for that bike! Edited June 5 by rockshins 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheX Posted June 5 Author Share Posted June 5 It will be nice to have full sus again. My Soma is a hardtail but has fantastic parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tip Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 I have a Santa Cruz Heckler S. So far I've had no trouble with it. I tell people it's just another arrow in the quiver. I enjoyed a long ride on my Niner the other day for example. I ride the Santa Cruz ebike on group rides because I don't want them waiting on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie193 Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 Nice looking bike! I think a lot of the dislike for pedal-assist e-bikes might have transferred to Surrons and the equivalent. Think I remember you used to have a Bronson- always liked the look of that bike, did it have to go to make room for the Heckler? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheX Posted June 5 Author Share Posted June 5 24 minutes ago, Charlie193 said: Nice looking bike! I think a lot of the dislike for pedal-assist e-bikes might have transferred to Surrons and the equivalent. Think I remember you used to have a Bronson- always liked the look of that bike, did it have to go to make room for the Heckler? I sold the Bronson when I get the hardtail. I regret selling it, fantastic bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAF Posted June 7 Share Posted June 7 On 6/4/2024 at 12:18 PM, mack_turtle said: It's mostly just weird old retrogrouches who don't like seeing other people having fun. A bold statement. Where I am in Colorado, the singletrack is usually one bike wide. To have an ebike rider fly up behind and ask you to move over is pretty fucking annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridenfool Posted June 7 Share Posted June 7 I haven't seen the ones that fly. Though that might be kinda fun... For the record, I've been passed more than once by someone on an Amish bike, while riding my emtb. But, it didn't bother me at all. I just moved over and let them by. Isn't that what we're supposed to do? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheX Posted June 7 Author Share Posted June 7 16 hours ago, TAF said: A bold statement. Where I am in Colorado, the singletrack is usually one bike wide. To have an ebike rider fly up behind and ask you to move over is pretty fucking annoying. I hope that I'm never that person. I do get out of the way when riders come up behind me. I'm slower than average and try to NOT be in the way. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheX Posted June 7 Author Share Posted June 7 18 hours ago, Ridenfool said: I haven't seen the ones that fly. Though that might be kinda fun... For the record, I've been passed more than once by someone on an Amish bike, while riding my emtb. But, it didn't bother me at all. I just moved over and let them by. Isn't that what we're supposed to do? There are people that treat every ride, on every trail like a KOM contest. Brushy is not so bad but when people ride like that at Walnut they are putting kids/dogs/people at risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheX Posted June 7 Author Share Posted June 7 Yeah. it's my backyard. First ride at 6:30am tomorrow. Should be 72F. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhoAmI Posted June 8 Share Posted June 8 I've owned a commuter e-bike before and enjoyed it, and I've ridden a few e-MTBs, though only once on a trail. I can see myself getting one one of these days but not until my body starts to give out. Unpopular statement coming up: My only issue with e-bikes is them being ridden on trails that they are legally not allowed to be on. This includes Williamson County trails and City of Austin trails, though City Park is an exception. I don't know about LCRA's policy. Travis County allows Class I and Class II but not Class III. Lakeway also allows e-bikes, Electric bicycles are divided into a three-class system that limits the maximum assisted speed of an e-bike: Class 1 electric bicycle means an electric bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour. Class 2 electric bicycle means an electric bicycle equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle, and that is not capable of providing assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour. Class 3 electric bicycle means an electric bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 28 miles per hour. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridenfool Posted June 8 Share Posted June 8 13 hours ago, TheX said: There are people that treat every ride, on every trail like a KOM contest. Brushy is not so bad but when people ride like that at Walnut they are putting kids/dogs/people at risk. Yes, all true, and I've mentioned that in other similar threads when folks have tried to associate such riders' behavior so as to imply all e-bike riders will/do behave this way, even when they didn't before buying an e-bike. There is a flaw in this logic. The KOM-holes, riding solely to bolster their own ego with a blatant disregard for other trail users have always been an issue, regardless of whether they ride an electric or a conventional bike. Even before Strava or e-bikes existed there have always been riders like that. This is a problem with how those types of people choose to ride. It has nothing to do with the type of bike being ridden. Correlation does not equal causation. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheX Posted June 8 Author Share Posted June 8 Had a great maiden this morning. Was in the lowest power mode 99% of the time, barely noticeable. Kicked up to the next power setting a couple times on very steep stuff and to be honest, it offered too much help. There are higher levels I haven't tried yet. I am VERY happy with my purchase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridenfool Posted June 8 Share Posted June 8 11 minutes ago, TheX said: Had a great maiden this morning. Was in the lowest power mode 99% of the time, barely noticeable. Kicked up to the next power setting a couple times on very steep stuff and to be honest, it offered too much help. There are higher levels I haven't tried yet. I am VERY happy with my purchase. You'll probably be able to fine tune the power for each of the modes in the bike's phone app so as to offer 3 usable modes better suited for your riding style. Specialized has this and it seems logical that every manufacturer would build their app that way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheX Posted June 8 Author Share Posted June 8 One thing I forgot to mention. I had 4 or 5 bad pedal strikes. One of them bad enough to stop the bike and send me into the bars. Just need to set the sag and get used to how it rides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tip Posted June 8 Share Posted June 8 My pedal clearance is lower on my Santa Cruz than any mtbike I've ever had. It's taken a bit getting use to. It's a mullet, so maybe the 27.5 rear tire has more effect than I thought it would. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheX Posted June 8 Author Share Posted June 8 The new bike is a mullet. I have a pair of carbon wheels that I would like to mount. There's a conversion that lets me use a 29'er rear wheel also. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheX Posted June 9 Author Share Posted June 9 Hahaha, I decided to leave the bars at 800 even though I normally run 740mm. About halfway through my ride this morning when the right end of the bar grabs a branch and the resulting bar turn flipped me OTB. Of course, I landed on a log that smacked my ribs right where the Ducati crash broke so many of them. I don't think any of them are broken, but yeah...a real wakeup call. I need to swap the bars. I love this bike. it's very different from my hardtail. I am having serious issues with pedal strikes. I'm sure it's all about proper setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockshins Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 Definitely make sure your sag is in a good spot. Also what length cranks are you running? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAF Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 On 6/8/2024 at 11:03 AM, TheX said: Had a great maiden this morning. Was in the lowest power mode 99% of the time, barely noticeable. Kicked up to the next power setting a couple times on very steep stuff and to be honest, it offered too much help. There are higher levels I haven't tried yet. I am VERY happy with my purchase. I rode Monarch Crest last summer with Jimmy from Flat Rock. He rides an e-bike, so I borrowed a Pivot Les from Absolute Bikes - not realizing it was generations ahead of Jimmy’s bike. I freaken shot up all the climbs in the lowest power mode - zero effort required. Finished the ride (35 miles) with 4/5 bars remaining, and still felt cheated - I hadn’t even broken a sweat. So not for me just yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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