E-bikes everywhar....

I'm surprised e-mtb is picking up any traction in the US at all given our culture around cycling revolving around recreation and fitness.

I haven't ridden any of the new e-mtb bikes, so I really don't know what the draw is. Having delved in the e-bike world before, it just makes way more sense to drop that money on a nice carbon boutique bike for trails.

 

Hmmmmm, my take on the US as a whole is we are extremely lazy and undisciplined when it comes to fitness and health. Those who ride bikes for fitness or recreation are a tiny minority. E-MtBikes would certainly have more appeal to those who just don't want to pay the physical entry fee, and would rather just buy access to fun - uphill and down.

Ironically, Europeans seem to have a much more wholistic approach to fitness and a deeper involvement in cycling as a way of life, yet they embrace e-MtB. Something to do with 7000' climbs in the Alps perhaps? Or maybe a broader network of trails that will spread people out all over the place? Less conflict between trail users?

 

??? I’m not surprised at all. I knew people would go over the top with emtbs very quickly especially in SoCal.

 

When I lived there, people embraced mopeds and light motorized cycles because of:
(1) $8 per gallon gas (though it has come down since and is "only" about $6 per gallon now).
(2) Can't get a driver's license for a car until you are 18.
(3) Extremely limited parking in most metro areas + bad car congestion.
(4) Shorter distances to travel (for example Brussels to Paris is less than 200 miles).

I honestly don't recall a lot of bikers - particularly given the longer winters. However they were walkers / hikers like crazy. And very big into winter sports like skiing.

 

5 years ago, the most common thing I'd hear was, "Well, doesn't that defeat the purpose?" This is coming from seasoned cyclists as well as people who don't ride or have any interest in it.

In Europe and Asia, cycling is viewed as a viable commuting option and not just recreation or for fitness. It makes sense why e-bikes including, but not limited to e-mtb, have been rather successful.

For that lazy person with mild interest in mountain biking, I highly doubt an e-mtb is enough to peel them away from their computer screens. It certainly makes me wonder who these people are. No doubt they make decent money as none of those bikes are cheap. They probably already have some sort of outdoor hobbies and have active lifestyles.

It's hard for me to understand despite having been there. Range anxiety, weight, handling, and shitty components for the total cost are still an issue with these new e-mtb.

 

It's a fad here I believe like pit bikes. Still see very few E bikes where I ride. It still takes a basic amount of fitness to enjoy an E on the trails. We are a lazy society as stated. After a few rides the novelty wears off and dust collection begins.

 

I see a lot of them where I ride which is mostly the Santa Monica Mountains right now. Cheap and expensive alike. They are everywhere. What I notice with most of them is the amount of protective gear they wear. That tells me they believe they are on a motorbike or they are just afraid to fall.

 

I feel the same way. There are plenty of mint condition premium bikes on craigslist that have had the same treatment. Single digit number of rides and a year or two collecting dust in the garage.

 

I'm "afraid to fall", too. Should I go "all Storm trooper, all the time" even on my roadie?

Is that more ridiculous than e-bikes?

 

I think it just shows a lack of experience regardless of what they are riding.

 

Most of the e MtBs I see here are ridden by physically fit, experienced riders - including "Rads" and other hardcore MtB-ers. The climbs here are steep, and the downs are really fun (and challenging) and the riders appear to be well-off financially, and/or industry insiders with full access to the goods. Sooooo, now they can ride up Canyon Acres, Water Tank and Willow and do multiple laps on the tough stuff with a capable (but still heavy) bike. One such rider refers to his normal MtB as his "analog" bike.

I understand it, but I don't like it. Oh, and these e-MtB ers do not dress as stormtroopers. Just normal (Troy Lee, Fox, etc) riding apparel.

 

I have a good friend that I run trails with. He is in great fitness shape. I was trying to get him to ride with me, and he would climb hills on a mtb like a goat... but he would walk all the downhills - even in tame parks like Whiting. He was just terrified of downhills on a bike.

I get it. And it's one of the main reasons I don't like to ride Laguna - except during the day in the middle of the week. I ride for physical AND emotion gratification. People who are out on the trails and don't expect their heart rate to get above 70 beats per minute are not going to get along with me

 

I tend to think they (the e-bikers) think that dressing in Storm Trooper is all the rage. A fashion statement, if you will.

I have a feeling that they (the e-bikers) would say that they are shuttling it to the nearest DH trails, even if there are not any to be found in the area.

 

The guys I am talking about could crush most of us on the climbs as well. They are far from lazy. Just greedy.

 

This is how I was when I started getting back into riding. All the bikes I had in the 90s couldn't stop me if I picked up any speed downhill, and I had many crashes. Enter disc brakes and I actually become confident riding downhill.

 

LOL on my site someone just posted this from the Netherlands:

Just the day before yesterday I had a moped accident with the Domino's delivery moped and since walking is a bit hard now I have a lot of free time. For the rest, everything is well, nothing fractured, just in a lot of pain lol.

 

Yeah well I can guarantee you I am not worried about the "fewer than ten" elite riders that you seem to hang with on a regular basis. I am concerned with the 10,000 riders swarming those trails on a weekend - many of whom look like they are going to pass out riding from the parking lot to the bottom of Coyote Run.

 

What are you saying?

 

Euros learn to ride motorcycles in elementary school, and it becomes “like riding a bike” in that neck of the woods for reasons stated by BonsaiNut.

 

I feel like going out, getting a big gnarly ebike, decking it out with Domino's Pizza boxes, putting on a Domino's uniform, and riding it up and down RockIt on a Saturday morning. Maybe with a little flag that says "E-BIKES: Uphill is the NEW Downhill!"

I would of course have to film it... I'm sure I'd get some choice commentary, LOL!


DayMak Beast D (Off-Road) E-Bike
Harnessing the power of the sun, the Beast is an eco-friendly, efficient scooter with the ability to go off-road, but is street legal and makes your daily commute fun and easy.

 

I find it interesting in so many ways, one way is how e-bikes dominate the top threads much like the introduction of 29” wheels.

 

Don't forget to invite Gary Fisher.

 

Feeling get hurt so easily. I love living mostly oblivious to this stuff. Love to stir the pot of those that are sensitive to such things.

 

I'm not sure I can afford his professional spokesperson fees....

 

You can always have a t-shirt made:

Gary Fisher Approves

#uphillflow

 

No I'd get a t-shirt made: "Gary Fisher... Rent Space Here"

 

I wish I could bike on your trails, I really do. It sounds like nirvana... no traffic, no crowds, no dirt bikes or 4WD vehicles where they don't belong, trails in perfect shape. I'm not being sarcastic I really mean it.

 

Dirt bikes and jeeps those don't bother me, I do get a few when I ride out my backdoor. You can ride our trails, get in your vehicle attach the bike in any manner you see fit and apply pressure to the accelerator. You will be here in know time and I will show you around. There is a great big world within a couple hours of your house.

 

Let's also not forget that the "birthplace" of mountain biking is not generally mountain bike friendly.* Trail use is heavily restricted and many instances of sabotage have occurred with the intention of harming cyclists. Gary, will the addition of Ebikes help our somewhat fragile right to ride on single track, both in Marin and elsewhere in the US?

*From wikipedia: "Mount Tamalpais (locally referred to as Mt. Tam) and the surrounding areas in Marin County, California are recognized as the birthplace of modern mountain biking. In the 1970s, mountain biking pioneers such as Gary Fisher, Otis Guy, Charlie Kelly and Joe Breeze were active.. Like some other mountain biking areas, there has been controversy around trail access on Mount Tamalpais for mountain bikes, both in terms of environmental impact and the safety of other trail users. As a result, bicycles are generally restricted from narrow, single-track trails, though bicycles are allowed on most fire roads."

 

You guys know me... not afraid to share my opinion with anyone, including Gary Fisher. I wrote him after this video came out. I told him I once looked up to him, but that selling out the purity of our sport was embarrassing and dissapointing, and that I no longer feel that way about him.

He responded with the patented, “Sorry you feel that way” BS.