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I was right about the apocalypse


AustinBike
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In February after seeing a super bowl ad with e-bikes I said this was a sure sign of the apocalypse.

Based on how 2020 has turned out, was I wrong people, WAS I WRONG????

And then today, I saw this:

IMG_5985.thumb.jpeg.31d6195299a4b802d34282775fc7b1ca.jpeg

Yep, right on the trail at Walnut. Physical evidence that the apocalypse was upon us.

Saw 3 different e-bikes on the trails today. It is upon us.

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5 hours ago, TheX said:

I'm an avid watcher of EMBN, and they are doing really cool stuff. The trails are in places like the Alps, not central TX. 

Still, I fully support their ability to use MTB trails, as long as they don't have a throttle. 

You might be surprised to learn - as I originally was - that ‘epic’ status trails such as Monarch Crest are, and always will be, 100% open to e-bikes - the trails were built by and are still maintained to some extent by the moto crowd, and thems the rules.

Edited by TAF
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I have a RadWagon eCargo Bike.  I use it for-

1. Running to local Grocery store when I need just a few things- 3.5 mi round trip

2. Running to the local pub to fill the growler- 2 mi round trip

3. Those times when I dont feel like pedaling but want the proverbial wind in my hair its fun to tool around on.

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Just to voice my vote.

I am fine with no throttle e-bikes. When I eventually get one I hope I'm still riding it when I'm 85. 

They don't make noise, they are no worse towards tread degradation on the trails, they only go as fast on trails as the rider's skill allows, and they let an aging demographic still have fun.

I think the biggest argument against them is, "I worked hard for that KOM. I don't want someone to beat me using technology." And that's not a strong argument. I am now able to do lots more on my 29" full suspension, dropper posted, carbon, geared bike, than I was able to on my 26" steel rigid. Don't hate me because of that!

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1 hour ago, The Tip said:

Just to voice my vote.

I am fine with no throttle e-bikes. When I eventually get one I hope I'm still riding it when I'm 85. 

They don't make noise, they are no worse towards tread degradation on the trails, they only go as fast on trails as the rider's skill allows, and they let an aging demographic still have fun.

I think the biggest argument against them is, "I worked hard for that KOM. I don't want someone to beat me using technology." And that's not a strong argument. I am now able to do lots more on my 29" full suspension, dropper posted, carbon, geared bike, than I was able to on my 26" steel rigid. Don't hate me because of that!

My e-bike arguments have nothing to do with strava, there is not a single segment that I will ever be under 200th place on, just not my thing.

My issue is the "element" that it could bring into the sport.

When I was at walnut there were two bros, all padded up on their e-bikes. Probably half my age. At the top of a climb, I started to go down and they wanted to go ahead of me so they could rip down without me being in the way. OK, dude, I let you go, but I just climbed up here on a hardtail single speed and you let an electric motor guide you up, now you think I should wait on you because you want to go fast? It's that kind of entitlement that I am not a fan of. If you need an e-bike for physical reasons and could not ride the trails without one, legitimately, I can see that argument. But when the e-bike is there to fuel your Mountain Dew rips and shredding everything, then I have an issue.

It's like Potter Stewart said about porn: "I may not be able to articulate it, but I know it when I see it." I didn't say anything to them, but history teaches that they most likely would not have been listening anyway.

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12 minutes ago, AustinBike said:

, but I just climbed up here on a hardtail single speed and you let an electric motor guide you up, 

But when the e-bike is there to fuel your Mountain Dew rips and shredding everything, then I have an issue.

 

And that, to me, and I'm just debating and not calling anyone out, is a poor argument. You resent them for having more fun than you. "I worked to get up here to enjoy this fun down hill run and THEY didn't!"

But they are not degrading your experience at all. You are not having to listen to their motors. You are not getting rooster tail flotsam thrown in your face. They are not rutting out your trail for future use. The only problem you are having is that "it's not fair." And again, I argue that the same resentment probably occurred when the hard tail rider scoffed at the "new fancy" suspension bikes, that made the trails easier. "Hell, ANYone could ride these trails on THOSE things!"

I use to be ambiguous about them, but the more I have thought about it, I've decided I'm okay with them. I don't want to be the "stay off my lawn" guy, (lol) that resents the new thing. Logically I can't come up with valid arguments against them.

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My opinon on E-bikes has changed a lot over the last year.

 

Ran into a guy at RHR on a full tilt 160mm commencal ohlins edition META power this weekend. He wasn't bombing anything, or riding our asses. Just a dude out riding his bike and having fun. I think thats the point isn't it? My buddy back in utah who was very anti E ended up with a turbo levo and loves it. He's mid 30s, fit and a capable rider and uses the levo to go to high elevation trails that would have required an overnight stay for a day trip. He sees it serving a purpose the same as his fatbike, trials bike and enduro rigs.

IMHO, whatever gets people out of their houses, on bikes and to a greater extent singletrack, is a good thing. City leaders ETC see lots of people on bikes and that hopefully will drive expansion of hike n bike trails and singletrack.  With that, I'm fine with all of the influx of new pandemic riders and e-bikes. They're no more detrimental to my MTB experience or the preservation of trails than strava or people blasting music from their bluetooth speakers. And we seem to be just fine with strava.

 

 

 

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5 minutes ago, ATXZJ said:

They're no more detrimental to my MTB experience or the preservation of trails than strava or people blasting music from their bluetooth speakers. And we seem to be just fine with strava.

Oh boy, let's talk about that now. it'll bring out all the self-important douchebags like no other topic.

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11 minutes ago, The Tip said:

And that, to me, and I'm just debating and not calling anyone out, is a poor argument. You resent them for having more fun than you. "I worked to get up here to enjoy this fun down hill run and THEY didn't!"

But they are not degrading your experience at all. You are not having to listen to their motors. You are not getting rooster tail flotsam thrown in your face. They are not rutting out your trail for future use. The only problem you are having is that "it's not fair." And again, I argue that the same resentment probably occurred when the hard tail rider scoffed at the "new fancy" suspension bikes, that made the trails easier. "Hell, ANYone could ride these trails on THOSE things!"

I use to be ambiguous about them, but the more I have thought about it, I've decided I'm okay with them. I don't want to be the "stay off my lawn" guy, (lol) that resents the new thing. Logically I can't come up with valid arguments against them.

^^^^ This ^^^^ is wisdom...so much better than judgement. 

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14 hours ago, Taco Man said:

3. Those times when I dont feel like pedaling but want the proverbial wind in my hair its fun to tool around on.

Quoting myself... in instance 3 I absolutely love the throttle, nothing like flying up a hill at 20 mph that usually sucks a$$.

My bike as a derailuer, never use it, instead it has 5 assist levels that i use more so.  I usually ride it on a level 2 or 3 but when I feel like just tooling I'll put it in 5 and meet almost no resistance.  So taking that logic someone tooling around on trails in assist 5 at 15 mph really changes what I am expecting to see on the trails.

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1 hour ago, AustinBike said:

When I was at walnut there were two bros, all padded up on their e-bikes. Probably half my age. At the top of a climb, I started to go down and they wanted to go ahead of me so they could rip down without me being in the way. OK, dude, I let you go, but I just climbed up here on a hardtail single speed and you let an electric motor guide you up, now you think I should wait on you because you want to go fast? It's that kind of entitlement

Ditto at Flat Rock the other day - that tough little climb after you go through the first gate. Our group of a half-dozen or so was working it's way up the climb, and two bros came ripping up behind us, barely pedaling, and passed us on the climb. Admittedly, they left the trail to do so, but it was off-putting and pretty damned discourteous.

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39 minutes ago, ATXZJ said:

My opinon on E-bikes has changed a lot over the last year.

 

Ran into a guy at RHR on a full tilt 160mm commencal ohlins edition META power this weekend. He wasn't bombing anything, or riding our asses. Just a dude out riding his bike and having fun. I think thats the point isn't it? My buddy back in utah who was very anti E ended up with a turbo levo and loves it. He's mid 30s, fit and a capable rider and uses the levo to go to high elevation trails that would have required an overnight stay for a day trip. He sees it serving a purpose the same as his fatbike, trials bike and enduro rigs.

IMHO, whatever gets people out of their houses, on bikes and to a greater extent singletrack, is a good thing. City leaders ETC see lots of people on bikes and that hopefully will drive expansion of hike n bike trails and singletrack.  With that, I'm fine with all of the influx of new pandemic riders and e-bikes. They're no more detrimental to my MTB experience or the preservation of trails than strava or people blasting music from their bluetooth speakers. And we seem to be just fine with strava.

 

 

 

This pretty much sums up exactly where I'm at.  I used to dislike e-bikes out of the fear that they would negatively impact trail access.  However, I've since seen them in many places and I can sum it up by saying "...a motor does not the douche bag make."  You're just as likely to find some asshat on a single speed hardtail as you are on an e-bike.  If it gets people out advocating for more trail without degrading the experience of those already using that trail, I'm for it.  E-bikes don't degrade my experience.  Neither to one-wheels or hikers or dogs.  Horses, might be another matter.

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37 minutes ago, The Tip said:

And that, to me, and I'm just debating and not calling anyone out, is a poor argument. You resent them for having more fun than you. "I worked to get up here to enjoy this fun down hill run and THEY didn't!" But they are not degrading your experience at all.

That's not what I got from his post at all.   What I got is that they wanted him to wait so they could go first.  That happens with regular bikes and e-bikes.  I will let a faster rider go by if there's a good spot, but having me wait (when I am continuously moving, I don't stop at WC except for hikers or dogs) for them to go seems entitled.  They could have easily let him go (from my reading it seems that they were stopped) and gave him some space if they wanted to not run into him.  

It seems ebike:non-ebike::non-ebike::hiker in the eyes of these two riders.  I don't know exactly how I feel about it.

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1 minute ago, TAF said:

Ditto at Flat Rock the other day - that tough little climb after you go through the first gate. Our group of a half-dozen or so was working it's way up the climb, and two bros came ripping up behind us, barely pedaling, and passed us on the climb. Admittedly, they left the trail to do so, but it was off-putting and pretty damned discourteous.

Was it discourteous because they passed you quickly or because they passed you using electrical assistance and didn't have to work as hard?  I'm sure many of the strong riders on this forum (you included TAF) can and have passed riders climbing something.  At what speed does it become courteous and not off-putting?  I get passed all the time and I'm usually impressed by the skill of the rider doing the passing.  If they're riding an e-bike, I'm less impressed but that doesn't impact my experience or theirs.

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2 minutes ago, Tree Magnet said:

Was it discourteous because they passed you quickly or because they passed you using electrical assistance and didn't have to work as hard?  I'm sure many of the strong riders on this forum (you included TAF) can and have passed riders climbing something.  At what speed does it become courteous and not off-putting?  I get passed all the time and I'm usually impressed by the skill of the rider doing the passing.  If they're riding an e-bike, I'm less impressed but that doesn't impact my experience or theirs.

I think it was discourteous because there wasn't really room on the climb for everyone. They basically buzzed us - it wouldn't have hurt to have waited a couple minutes until the climb was clear.

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