Quantcast

BOOOOOO E-BIKES

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,565
24,183
media blackout
former pro paid to promote motorized devices, "THEY'RE REALLY FUN"
dude almost died from a major injury. i looked it up, pelvis was fractured in 4 places, broke his femoral head (articles didn't indicate which side) and severed an artery (edit: lost close to 4 liters of blood and was down to 2 liters. that's usually fatal). the company i work for makes the hardware to fix those kinds of fractures, that shit is no joke. the fact that he's even riding at all any more is incredible. i'll give him a pass for an e-bike.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gracia-undergoes-surgery-following-val-di-sole-crash/

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/Cedric-Gracia-interview-2013.html
 
Last edited:

FlipFantasia

Turbo Monkey
Oct 4, 2001
1,659
492
Sea to Sky BC
I'm well aware of what happened, I still don't care that people paid to promote things are promoting things different than regular mountain bikes.
 

xy9ine

Turbo Monkey
Mar 22, 2004
2,940
353
vancouver eastside
sounds like the uci ebike events are going to take place on xc courses. seems like a (really) odd choice. if you're eliminating the athletic (climbing) component, you're just judging who's the best xc course descender? kinda weak, no? NOT THAT I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR SUCH DEVICES, but they kinda make more sense for an enduro format race - if you eliminate the compromises made for climbing capability (ie, smaller travel, lighter weight), you could essentially create a self-shuttle multi stage dh race. which would be (kinda / sorta) neat. maybe?
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,536
5,470
UK
if you're eliminating the athletic (climbing) component
You're not
That's what makes it even more bizarre.
A lighter rider on an Ebike will have a huge advantage on a climb.
not to mention the difference between maximum torque output and how the power is delivered between all the different motors.
How assistance cuts in and out, the drag (some) motors have above the assistance cut out speed Vs motors with no drag. etc. etc.

the whole thing is just retarded.

for many of the same reasons E-Enduro is just as retarded.

Ebike category entries in a certain southern english Enduro series are gaining popularity at an astonishing rate.
The irony with these races is the SE where the series is based is one of the flattest parts of the UK and the course stages seem to be non technical taped turns through woodland and open fairly flat fields.

They're great bikes for pissing about on. but racing them is stupid*.

*chainless DH races where you pedal to the top and remove the chain for timed runs is about the only format I can see working fairly.
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,536
5,470
UK
Cant resist: :banana:

Don't Underestimate the Health Benefits of E-Bikes
A study of the cognitive and psychological effects of outdoor cycling finds equal results for normal bikes and e-bikes


https://www.outsideonline.com/2393399/biking-cognitive-benefits-study
Can't be bothered reading all of the info in the link (I might later) but of course cognitive and mental health benefits can be equal to riding a non-Ebike. for some (less fit riders who rarely do outdoor exercise at all) they're only going to be even higher.
The Physical exertion of riding an Ebike is simply different. and comes down to the individual rider as much as the bike.

eg.

Yesterday I rode a borrowed Giant E-Hardtail.
a 51lb 120mm Revelation forked trail hardtail with plus tyres and mid level kit.
The ride was dry hardpack and I was riding with an amputee friend.
I rode the entirety of the climbs in eco while he uses a mix of trail and boost (higher assistance levels) on his shimano motor to compensate for his reduced power (one leg)
The climbing speed between us was fairly even. I wasn't really pushing it at all whereas my friend at times was. (he's also older and heavier). We climbed about 2000-2500ft together and the descents were fairly low technicality mainly trail centre graded trails. some rough, some smoother but generally fairly high speed and a jump park.
I spent most of my descending time above the assistance cut out (15mph here) and i ride a hardtail a lot so jump, manual, pump, hop my way down everything. this combined with a few laps of the jump park meant my upper body (particularly my back) was getting a pummeling from the extra weight (and the fact I misjudged tyre/fork pressures keeping them higher as i hate squidgy plus tyres).
anyway. The plan was to ride Ebikes in the morning and I was to meet another friend and ride my non-Ebike hardtail with her. Due to a family emergency she had to cancel so I rode the afternoon on my own.
The upper body fatigue from riding the heavy E-hardtail in the morning was apparent the entire afternoon. it didn't ruin my ride but it did make it uncomfortable. Later in the evening I was way more tired than I'd have been had I just ridden my own hardtail the entire day. But for that matter I'd also have been way less tired if I'd ridden my old 170mm (and 5lb lighter) FS Emtb.
What i'm saying here is don't discount the extra effort it takes to manhandle a 50+lb bike as an all over a work out.

On our ride older guy who I remembered as a bike shop owner from my childhood. (I'd been in his shop ogling BMX and roadbikes many a time when in edinburgh as a 10yr old) rode by us both on a climb on his Specialized Levo with a cheery "hello" and at at the top we got talking. About the benefits of Ebikes. Now I don't *need* one. but the benefits for other two guys are undoubtable.
Sandy was telling us he now in his mid 70s can still ride as often as he could in his younger years and even better Ebikes has meant he can now also ride with his wife (not really a cylist) and she can now happily manage twice what she ever had when younger and due to assitance levels they can ride at the same pace.

This is Sandy

http://www.veloveritas.co.uk/2016/08/12/sandy-gilchrist-aug16/

The guy is a legend.
he still works for Specialized and mechanics for top professional riders.


Boooooooooo indeed

:rolleyes:
 

Sandro

Terrified of Cucumbers
Nov 12, 2006
3,224
2,537
The old world
My commute is 27km one way, and it makes a huge difference in terms of duration and sweat levels if i take my regular touring bike or borrow my dad's heavy as fuck e-bike. A fast and light e-bike would be a serious alternative to driving while a regular bike won't. @rideit : They are not quite there yet as far as range goes, but there are already a few bikes with Fazua powertrains that are sub 30 lbs.
 

rideit

Bob the Builder
Aug 24, 2004
23,058
11,300
In the cleavage of the Tetons
I don’t, I want the next versions that will weigh 25 pounds, go 28-35, and go 50 miles on a charge, with regenerative power.
This marks the first step in that direction (of weight, at least) and clean execution.
There is much more to come soon.
 

gemini2k

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2005
3,526
117
San Francisco
I don’t, I want the next versions that will weigh 25 pounds, go 28-35, and go 50 miles on a charge, with regenerative power.
This marks the first step in that direction (of weight, at least) and clean execution.
There is much more to come soon.
I mean...not really probably. Li batteries aren't exactly expected to make some kind of 2x improvement in capacity/weight or something. Neither are motors. Both are very mature technologies at this point. Gains for the next few years will be marginal, not revolutionary. Unless you get some kind of completely different battery or motor technology. Which is not likely.
 

sethimus

neu bizutch
Feb 5, 2006
4,881
2,132
not in Whistler anymore :/
I don’t, I want the next versions that will weigh 25 pounds, go 28-35, and go 50 miles on a charge, with regenerative power.
This marks the first step in that direction (of weight, at least) and clean execution.
There is much more to come soon.
there are already similar ones with more range:

https://amplerbikes.com

that higher top speed though is somethign you'll never see in a model that's also sold in europe due to regulations
 

Bike078

Monkey
Jan 11, 2018
561
405
I got to briefly ride a trek ebike yesterday and tested the eco to turbo mode. I told my friend imagine how many laps you could do riding our dh/flow track without shuttling. With very few exceptions our trails are not bike specific and there are usually no access issues unless you run over some vegetables or livestock and piss off the owners. Some trails are getting closed off though as land gets purchased and fenced off. We may have to ride farther and longer in the future as this continues.

When I get older and if I have the funds I would definitely consider owning one.
 

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
I just leave this here:

Highlights

• Lowest BMI is observed in cyclists and highest BMI in car drivers.
• Riding an e-bike was associated with an elevated BMI.
• An adult male who switches from car to daily bike use loses on average 0.75 kg.
• Frequent cyclists who stop cycling, increase their BMI with 0.417 kg/m2.

From Dons et al. 'Transport mode choice and body mass index: Cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence from a European-wide study'


Science allows me to call e-bike riders fatties from now on. ;) :D :cool:
 
I just leave this here:

Highlights

• Lowest BMI is observed in cyclists and highest BMI in car drivers.
• Riding an e-bike was associated with an elevated BMI.
• An adult male who switches from car to daily bike use loses on average 0.75 kg.
• Frequent cyclists who stop cycling, increase their BMI with 0.417 kg/m2.

From Dons et al. 'Transport mode choice and body mass index: Cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence from a European-wide study'


Science allows me to call e-bike riders fatties from now on. ;) :D :cool:
Makes them a better target.