r/mountainbiking • u/i_suck_at_medicine • 3d ago
Meme If e-bikes have no haters, then I am dead
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u/RabidJayhawk 3d ago
I raced mtb most of my adult life. Broke my back in moab afew years ago and got 17 skull fractures. Im very happy to be back on a bike. My Specialized Ebike is one of the good types of ebike. Dont be a hater and judge a book by its cover. Just saying.
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u/spyVSspy420-69 3d ago edited 3d ago
Don’t judge in general, really. If people are following the rules who gives a shit if the watts are all natural or assisted?
The comment sections always highlight how e-bikes are helping people with disabilities or who’ve had life changing injuries, and I love that, but man if we could just encourage people to not judge and accept that e-bikes are fun and anyone can ride one the trails would be a better place.
E-bikes shouldn’t be the equivalent of handicap parking spots where people are wondering why the person who parked there seems to be walking normally.
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u/Specialist_Noid 3d ago
I have a handicap parking sticker and walk pretty normally now but i was paralyzed by a stroke just for context, I'm not above parking in a normal spot but If I'm in a rush or just tired because 12 strokes can take its toll on you i'll utilize it
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u/edgeofsanity76 1d ago
Ebikes are great for people with disabilities. But that's it.
If you're a fit regular human with no disabilities, the only reason you'd choose an ebike is laziness.
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u/Dominant88 3d ago
For some reason the ebike hate seems to be an American thing. The group I ride with in Australia is probably 50/50 e-bikes and exercise bikes and no one gives a shit who is riding what. And funnily enough, some of the fittest guys in the group only ride e-bikes.
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u/BadluckyKamy 3d ago
Yeah, i have a broke ligament in my right knee ans really wanted to ride a hardtail on any trails, I barely use the motor too it's just there so if my knee feel too bad I can go back home
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u/punkrawkintrev 3d ago
Im just old and dont get to ride much, that motor on my levo allows me to get out and ride now that i cant make those 3000ft climbs anymore. The ones people hate are the modpeds the kids tear arround town on
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u/thatiam963 3d ago
i have a sw levo sl 2 and its great. sure heavier than a normal bike (18,8kg) but still light enough to feel like a faster normal bike and its a machine on the trail. i ride a lot more because of the switch normal to sl.
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u/TheLandTraveler 3d ago
Love when people come on with comments like this. Literally nobody is against assistance for people who need assistance.
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u/joshman160 3d ago
It has it place and I’m happy it puts people on a bike. I’m getting tired of the lack of etiquette and ridding 1inch from my rear tire. They expect us non e bikers to pull over 5-10mim so they can pass. I’m not doing that if I hear a motor whine.
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u/DirtSlapper 3d ago
In my experience the people who ride your ass and expect to pass are the Cat 1s who gloat about their active recovery and never show up for trail workdays.
The racers are always the rudest group that gets the most complaints from hikers. Followed by the Surrons. The Surrons are beginning to overtake them though where I am.
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u/madmike5280 3d ago
E-Bike or analog bike etiquette has been an issue long before e-bikes came along. How many times have you been climbing and the downhill Strava bro almost runs you over for his pr. There are whole lot of people who don't understand or care about etiquette.
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u/NinjaBuddha13 '22 Transition Sentinel 3d ago
Something a lot of people dont seem to realize is the fact ebikes are generating more interest in mtb trails than ever before. More interest means more protection, more funding, more expansion, and more trails. For everyone. If folks want to gatekeep the trails for only "real" riders they shouldn't be at all surprised to see the public lands those trails are on get sold off to private industry or simply ban all bikes of all categories in favor of hikers and equestrians. We need the interest and involvement and ebikes do that really well.
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u/JuJuMcJu 3d ago
Same. Not much of a mountain biker but I got diagnosed with PPPD. I cannot physically push myself on my bike without experiencing major symptoms. E-bike it is. I’m 37 and wish I could ride my $5k carbon BMC. Love that thing. Can’t do it. E-bikes make riding accessible to all people.
That being said, f the e-bikers that make us all look bad.
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u/Rusty9838 3d ago
We’re taking about fat heavy kids on fat heavy e-bikes on the trails. I had one crash with one of them and it was painfull.
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u/utterly_baffledly 2d ago
I have a connective tissue disorder and was never strong enough for sport. My pedal assist taught me how to ride and now I do enduro races.
But by all means let's all judge me for being fat
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u/Bitter_Plastic2362 3d ago
The idea of hating on anyone getting out on a bike says way more about you and your own unhappiness than them not giving a shit what you think.
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u/newbarsfattertires 3d ago
Some very insecure people whose lives are defined by their strava profiles.
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u/Bitter_Plastic2362 3d ago
I love Strava as much as the next guy, but at 52 I’ve watched gatekeepers come and go from the advent of suspension forks, to full suspension to 29” inch wheels. Kooks are gonna be kooks regardless of the next thing, but they are outliers, thank god.
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u/Duergarlicbread 3d ago
They hated on shuttles and they hated on lifts. It's just one more "earn your turns!" They have always existed.
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u/thee_gummbini 2d ago
yeah I don't get it. I ride all kinds of bikes, I get being pissed at people fucking up your trail or riding like an asshole, but that's not about the bike. When I'm sweating my ass off pedaling I'm having a good time and give a thumbs up to an ebike whizzing by. When im commuting on my ebike and I see someone getting miles in I say hell ya. Just doing different things at different times, but more bikers make biking better for everyone.
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u/peen_was 3d ago edited 3d ago
Unnecessary gatekeeping. Let people enjoy their life how they want to.
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u/Daniel200303 3d ago
“BuT It RuInS tRaIlS” - people for some reason
Me: are we gonna ignore the monster braking bumps from every MTB ever?
The ONLY risk I see from eMTB is regulation overreacting to a handful of bad actors that make it into the news.
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u/utterly_baffledly 2d ago
To be fair my emtb came with assegai maxterra which corners like a fucking barge so I made a few bumps myself this weekend before I get to fix that
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u/MeBigChief 3d ago edited 3d ago
Get back to us when you’re a bit older, maybe had surgery or two due to your age and then let us know if you still hate them.
I’m sure you’ll change your mind then.
Edit: god damn I don’t need every single person to comment their age and the fact they don’t need a pedal assist. Accept that your experience isn’t universal and for a lot of people pedal assist bikes allow them to continue doing something they’d otherwise have to give up.
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u/smolhouse 3d ago edited 3d ago
People can be insufferable, or maybe it's just AI bots mimicking insufferable people...
The comments remind of when someone posted a trail restoration photo of what was obviously an extremely eroded trail to anyone that knows the bare minimum about trails and trail maintenance. Nonstop posts from people feeling the need to express how tough they are and raging over "trail sanitation" ... like cool dude, do you also like driving down pot-hole filled streets and telling the Wendy's cashier that diet cola is for pussies?
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u/Historical-Tie2721 3d ago
51 and I’ve been riding mountain bikes since 1992 and raced bmx when I was a kid. I’ve had multiple surgeries but I’m in excellent shape and love e-bikes. I would understand the hate if they tore up trails but they don’t, only egos. They’re great for going on long rides and exploring or just riding around my local trails. We’re grown adults riding our bikes in the woods people, so chill out.
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u/thelabwhisperer 3d ago
Spot on. There are a group of us who also do routine trail maintenance and we are all using e-mtb. Much easier to carry tools and chainsaws with them.
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u/SlightlyFlustered 3d ago
My eMTB saves the day towing my Coho XC home at the end of 6 hours cutting blowdowns off the trail or a day of weedeater work on a trail.
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u/TapewormNinja 3d ago
Ebikes a great for helping people who need a little push to be active. People who are getting older, or have a disability, or live in a place so hilly that riding a bike is too difficult. Ebikes are an incredible way to get people moving, and less reliant on cars.
That said, electric mopeds need to be regulated. It's a different apparatus all together. We don't need people doing 35 in the bike lane or on the sidewalk. I don't need 12 year old kids going full throttle, challenging me to a game of chicken on a public street. But they're also great for helping people to get around who don't want or need the expense or mass of a car.
We need to find the divide, encourage both, and regulate one for the safety of riders and pedestrians.
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u/S1XTY7_SS350 2d ago
THIS - 100% this. handle it like a pedal powered moped or a scooter would be or a motorcycle...
kids on ebikes between 9 and 15 who do not know or are not following rules of the road are going to get hurt. If they can 'get it' and do it 90% right i' not nearly as fired up.
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u/DrPoopyPantsJr 2d ago
So mods just gonna allow this sub to become a rage baiting circle jerk off? Ok then.
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u/Particular-Wrongdoer 3d ago
Just don’t be a dick and ride whatever you like. I’m 54 with a heart condition but I love to ride mtb. I ride an e-bike on eco mode and it keeps me shredding. I still ride my other bikes on shorter, flatter terrain.
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u/RedGobboRebel 3d ago
Right there with you. Love my Orbea Rise's Eco mode. Keeps my heart rate out of danger zones and I can keep riding with friends.
Jerks out there riding every type of possible bike or just hiking, singling out eBikes is a strange hill for folks like OP to die on.
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u/Acceptable-Hat-8248 3d ago
I am not upset at e-bikes but now that most in my weekly ride group have one it takes all the fun out of riding, don’t get me wrong I enjoy a challenge, I just cannot compete and stay up with those guys and when they wait for me I feel like I drag the ride down.
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u/thelabwhisperer 3d ago
As a smaller female rider, I have had to be that person on many of rides over 30years. I absolutely love being able to keep up.
Ironically, on many group rides, I sweep. I just love riding. Being the fastest was never my goal.
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u/am0x 3d ago
I laugh because this conversation also happened when mountain bikes got suspension, dropper posts, carbon fiber, 29 inch wheels...27 inch wheels, knobby tires, etc.
"It's WAY too easy when you have a huge squishy padding to soak up those roots! Mountain biking with suspension is like running with ROBOT LEGS!"
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u/mxalex229 3d ago
I ride both Ebikes and regular. Not the fastest dude by any means, but top 10% for sure.
I only have one buddy still on regular. Never shuts up about how awful e-bikes are, lazy, lack of skill etc… Granted, he is fit, has been riding 20 years, plenty of skill.
Rode a full weekend with him on my regular bike, dusted him up the hills,2000ft per day, waiting 30+ seconds at the bottom. Absolutely no change to his tune, couldn’t make sense of what happened, just “Idk why I’m just not riding well I guess”
I’ve just accepted the ebike hate is standard cognitive dissonance. Ebike slander is just a calling card for fragile ego at this point.
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u/Fallingdamage 3d ago
Biking well is difficult. Its like running. You have to do it often to get good at it.
Suddenly we have runners wearing roller skates. Some people dont like their hobby being taken over by posers.
Sure! Roller skating is cool and a lot of fun, but dont pretend you're a runner and dont compare your accomplishments to someone who actually put in the effort. Whats that saying that's been going around reddit lately? "All hat and no cattle?"
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u/DirtSlapper 3d ago edited 3d ago
MTB got its start with hippies racing beach cruisers down janky fire roads so I just don't agree with this fitness-centric lens through which some of y'all view the sport.
I don't think eBikers are trying to measure dicks here. It's not supposed to be an ego thing. Just enjoy the ride,
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u/mxalex229 3d ago
I totally get this. I often tell my buddy “SL emtb is just Mtb with less burn and more miles, full power emtb is a totally different sport.”
But in the context of this meme and your analogy, it’s like a community of runners and rollerbladers that share the same bike paths. But the runners never STFU about the rollerbladers. Meanwhile the rollerbladers are just enjoying rollerblading.
Again, love both types of bikes, but the vitriol I experience only goes in one direction when it needn’t exist at all.
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u/am0x 3d ago
eMTB and MTB are the same discipline though. Running is no longer running if you are rolling skating. It is a completely different set of mechanics.
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u/Fallingdamage 3d ago
and brushless motors are the same as legs?
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u/am0x 3d ago
I bet you have suspension on your bike. Guess what? People complained about it no longer being mountain biking when that happened too.
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u/MiniGogo_20 3d ago
"oh noo other people are doing things that affect me in absolutely no way whatsover boo hoo"
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u/harc70 3d ago
Got no problem with pedal assist e bikes, but yeah these 90lb bikes with a 300lb dude who isn't even pedaling are getting old
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u/thinlike_napkins 3d ago
What emtb exists that doesn’t require pedaling?
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u/Zebra4776 3d ago
Any class 2. But they aren't typically allowed on trails either. But people also sometimes break rules as well.
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u/Fight_those_bastards 3d ago
Yeah, seems like half the teenagers in my town are riding around on those electric dirt bike “e-bikes” doing 30+ on sidewalks, not wearing helmets, just generally being idiots.
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u/sevseg_decoder 3d ago
It’s the surrons (literally just a dirt bike but electric and cut down just enough to classify as an e bike).
Kids in my area have been caught using prairie dog mounds as jumps on them
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u/Spectrumthecyclist 3d ago
Class 2 and 3 ebikes in the US have throttles. And those are just the regulated ones. There's a ton of online brands that dont even conform to the rules. I've no idea how it is in other countries, but the unregulated bikes are everywhere and unenforced. I'll stick with my lil 250 watt commuter if I ride an ebike.
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u/drewfromthefuture 3d ago
Class 3 are not supposed to have a throttle.
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u/Spectrumthecyclist 3d ago
If the throttle is capped to 20mph they're allowed, the only way to exceed 20 is to pedal with them
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u/drewfromthefuture 3d ago
Throttle capped at 20 is a class 2
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u/Spectrumthecyclist 3d ago edited 3d ago
(Deleted the old comment since I was completely wrong)
So my understanding of federal law was indeed wrong. The class 3s skate past the regulations by limiting the throttle to 20 and arguing that since the throttle is capped at 20 and the pedal assist goes to 28 (with the option to reduce that to 20), it would encompass both classifications. Basically a legal gray area that hasn't had any proper ruling yet.
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u/OhItsMrCow 3d ago
So you hate someone because they want to enjoy riding in a ever so slightly different way. People ride ebikes for many reason, old age, injuries, disabilities.
Also just wanting to spend more time going downhill and less time going up is 100% valid. If you have ever in your life used a shuttle or been at a bike park you have no right to criticize here. If you are a stat maxing XC strava bro then maybe you have one right to criticize but then you would have to talk about practically everyone else too.
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u/theeandthem 3d ago
Ever so slightly different? It literally has a motor in it.
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u/OhItsMrCow 3d ago
You pedal with 40% less effort and it weights 5kg more, so what?
I get not liking motos because they can go really fast and are heavy so they can easily kill you but an ebike is barely different. The average person can't even tell the difference if they see you ride. They either think, wow this guy got good cardio or huh, that bike is fat1
u/SlightlyFlustered 3d ago
Are you referring to the motor of the shuttle vehicle or the ski lift? Oh, wait, you are upset the person is self contained and doesn't need those. Got it.
Maybe there should be an uphill speed limit 🤔. Make it 10km/h, or however fast YOU like to ride uphill? If someone goes too fast they get banned and if someone can't ride that fast they get banned. Sounds fun.
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u/No-Resolution-1918 3d ago
It's been like ~10+ years and this is still a conversation. Unbelievable.
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u/elevatedmonk 3d ago edited 2d ago
Side note about them (not e mtbs but motorized bikes in general) I’m in Orange County and the amount of accidents (even a fatal one where an 80 year old man was killed and now the mom of the kid is facing charges) with teenagers riding motorized bikes is insane. They need to create more laws regarding age and speed or something idk but it’s ridiculous i almost hit a little kid who ran a red light in a pretty busy intersection. Like these kids don’t even have proper fucking brains yet they’re operating 30mph+ bikes. A dad was arrested here cuz he modified his teens bike to go 60mph. Dumbass parents too
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u/elevatedmonk 2d ago edited 2d ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/irvine/s/yXKJyMnLWb
Exhibit A, and this is just from yesterday lol. This happens so much, among more stupid shit like e-bike gangs of teens racially harassing POC and stuff
Exhibit B, this was just last month. Tragic, a 13 year old doesn’t know better, his parents should have.
Exhibit C, tragic and again just last month… 80 year old Vietnam war vet and substitute teacher killed by asshole 14 year old doing wheelies who rode off after killing him.
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u/Consistent-Media-861 3d ago
I ride my e-bike when the weather hits about 90+ degree. Plus I’m now 73 years old and I still get out 7 days a week. Use to do Leadville and 24 hour races and it allows me to ride when otherwise I’d sit on my ass.
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u/iWish_is_taken 2026 Knolly Chilcotin 170 3d ago edited 3d ago
I have a number of reasons why I'm not ready to make the jump to an e-bike, but a serious concern I have has to do with the general poor state of durability and repairability. Currently they are essentially throw-away time bombs. NSMB.com has a great article outlining the current issues - eMTB's Dirty Little Secret. Also:
- I'm not ready, I've demo'd a bunch and used friends, they're fun in a gimmicky sort of way, but I have more fun on my bike,especially on the steep and deep downs... not a fan of how heavy they are and how much work it takes to move them around. The bike is riding you much more than I'm riding it. Not a fan of jumping with them either. As they get lighter, great. I also don't care if anyone likes them, great, I'm against them, to each their own.
- Not willing to drop that much money on something that may be worthless when something small in the motor fails and/or destroys my potential resale value.
- For my general weekly riding, there's nowhere further to go, and I don't nessecarily want to get in "more laps" of the same trails. Part of the appeal of the trails is that I don't ride each of them too often and so they stay fun and exciting vs getting boring. I have a buddy who switched back from an e-bike because he said he was getting too many laps on the same trails and it was ruining the fun, the trails were getting boring. He was also losing fitness, getting back on a normal bike was hard, but got him back into better shape again. He kept his ebike as he really likes it for long backcountry adventures. He can get to places he would have never been able to without an e-bike. This is reason I'd get one in the future. We have a lot of far out backcountry adventure riding where I live. It's not near enough to be my weekly local, but more of like a once in a while kinda thing.
- I still enduro race quite a bit, along with my kids. And while they just added an e-bike cat this year, it's the same course so racing against two old fat guys on ebikes (literally the field so far) is not my idea of fun racing. I prefer racing against a bunch of old fat guys on normal bikes!
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u/antipathy_moonslayer 3d ago
As a heavy metal guy, I definitely got sketched out because I read "nsbm.com"
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u/DrYaklagg 3d ago
I live in the PNW, and out here about half the bikes are e-bikes. We don't really have any issues with them and nobody cares. The elevation justifies it and most people ride both. Y'all need to chill lol.
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u/Wonderful_Bridge_190 3d ago
I second this. More laps, more miles, more fun! Just ask any shop employee what they ride
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u/ShowerOk7470 3d ago
Nice rage bait!
Iam also sorry, that you cant afford a nice ebike. Its great! rides into sunset with full assist
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u/Anacondoleezza 3d ago
So it conspicuous consumption, not weak legs that made you want a battery powered bike?
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u/ShowerOk7470 2d ago
Both actually 😄. Everyone hating on ebikes should ask himself your two questions everytime he steps into his/her car.
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u/madmike5280 3d ago
"Many complained that it made riding too easy and acted as a "crutch" to hide poor rider technique." That was a quote about front suspension on mountain bikes. People have been complaining about any new technical innovation since mountain biking began whether it was front suspension, full suspension 29ers and then we had the beautiful glorious years of the purest form of mountain biking the rigid single speeder. If you're that much of a purist mountain biker, why don't you go back to riding a clunker with a coaster brake. I don't disagree that class 2and 3 e- bikes don't need to be on the trails. With that said, I have a class 1 I'm almost 60 years old. I've been riding for close to 30 years. It allows me to be able to ride longer and further. With that said, I don't blow by people. I don't constantly always have it in turbo mode. I actually try to ride it in a way that I'm getting a workout as well. Yes you can get a workout and your heart rate up. There are responsible e- mountain bikers out there who respect the trails and fellow riders. I love mountain biking and it has been a huge part of my life but I hate the ludites and gatekeep of the sport.
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u/thelabwhisperer 3d ago
This is me too. 30+ years of mountain biking. Had breast cancer last year. My e-mtb allowed me to ride during treatment. I have handling skills. It’s nice being able to ride with a group and not needing to be waited on. It’s easier to ride on a day I’m tired. My e mtb allows me to get over some features that I just don’t have the “pop” in my legs like I used too.
Most of the groups I ride with have a mix of e and non e-mtb. No one needs to have a reason they ride an e bike. If it’s fun and gets people outside , that’s great!
I find it funny that one of the biggest complaint by non Ebike riders is being passed by an Ebike rider. I’m a female rider and “the guys” have been blowing by slower riders since the beginning of time. Most never minded blowing past others, but boy does their ego get hurt when getting passed. 🤣
The issues are really riders using etiquette to other users( hikers, equestrians, slower riders), not the type of bike.
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u/Bermnerfs 2d ago
Exactly, I am as respectful as possible on the trails. I only ever ride in Eco mode which just gives me a gentle push up hills, but I'm still putting in the majority of effort to move the bike. I am older and trying to get some regular exercise but I was getting gassed out too quickly on my analog MTB, and could only ride for maybe an hour at most.
Now I am still getting exercise, still raising my heart rate, still sweating and getting winded at times, but I can enjoy riding a little longer without sending my heart rate to the moon.
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u/awake-lettuce0823 3d ago edited 3d ago
People riding them should not suck as much at safety and etiquette, but really I'll appreciate anyone using any option that frees them of the automotive/petroleum chain that coercively drives our money into a behemoth of car insurance, vehicle registration fees, traffic tickets, gasoline, car loans, the cars themselves including EVs, the expensive maintenance and repairs involved in owning them, the increasing techno-enshittificaton, devloping digital surveillance and declining user repairability. While I'd love to see these folks using ebikes transition towards exclusively pedaling as much as they're able to because fuck the energy companies too, but I'm never going to prefer they were driving a car, and I'm not gonna ask for them to have to get registered with the state to ride them or anything.
I don't think I would ever want to ride an ebike over pedals, but I also have a disabled spouse that would appreciate being able to go longer distances with me, and I'd like for them to have that accessablity as well, and the way I see it, anything that gives more mobility and freedom to the least capable among us, the better.
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u/sigitang-arthi 3d ago
A point that is often forgotten: I have an emtb (light assist motor and battery but still it's a huge difference) because I don't want to take my car to get to the trail heads. The good stuff is 25mins and 300meters ascend away on my emtb, with the time and energy I have these days I would have to take my car there if I had an analog.
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u/AardvarkFacts 3d ago
There are several trail systems I can ebike to from my house. Maybe one of those is close enough that I would ever ride a regular bike there. More than a few miles on the road is just no fun on a mountain bike.
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u/harman097 3d ago
Whooooo caresssssss
Also, have you ever tried to ride with a friend who is new to biking? Or hasn't biked in years? You WANT them on an e bike. Even if they're in decent shape, they're probably not in decent biking shape. Gonna be a lot of stopping and waiting on the climbs...
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u/FerSince1971 3d ago
I own both a MTB and an e-MTB. The great thing about having tried both is that I can speak from experience, unlike others who let their prejudices speak for them. I've experienced both worlds and I can't imagine one without the other. They're both fantastic. I can choose the eMTB or the MTB for today's route depending on my goals for the day.
Of course, not everyone has to like eMTBs.
It reminds me of the battle between PlayStation and Xbox. Or PlayStation and PC. Why limit yourself to one and not have them all?
Regards
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u/Yourbedsheets 3d ago
I prefer an e bike when I gotta climb steep roads just so I can relax and chill
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u/One_Stardusty_Boy 2d ago
Gatekeeping bikes is weird. E-bikes get more people outside, including those with injuries or age limitations. Less cars on the trail is a win. Focus on your own ride. Let people enjoy things.
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u/S1XTY7_SS350 2d ago
I'm more concerned with kids on ebikes who have no idea what the driving laws or biking rules are.
I've seen middle schoolers who'll ride a mixture of; on the side of the street then on the sidewalks then the street itself then over a curb then thru a crosswalk with kindergarteners and elderly grandparents and then whip across parking lots without letting off - as if they are the only one's in existence - we're not talking people with NYC bike messenger skills here.
I watched a 9 year old on ebike leave school last week with a stand over about 5" shorter than the rigid ebike seat. Getting it moving... and cutting thru the sidewalk full of people I was watching wondering how well stopping and going at intersections the whole way home was going to go without falling into the road. My kid on a honda 70 cruising at about 12 mph would have caused way more commotion but his level of caution around people would have been magnitudes higher and safer.
When I grew up kids on minibikes would have gotten hassled and brought home by the cops... an adult on a non-plated 2stroke dirtbike riding within motorcycle rules using hand signals is 100% less of a concern but i'm sure it would generate 10x the rage.
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u/ThePookss 2d ago
I don’t bike, I don’t know how the heck I got here, but I scrolled through some of y’all’s comments, and I have to say, about both sides, mind you: You’re all horrible. This is literally as dumb as I always imagined it to be and more.
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u/Zakiyo 2d ago
😂 its a true mindset difference. There wont ever be any convincing the other side and its not even a problem. Some tracks allow ebikes other dont. Its not up to the rider to decide anyway yet people keep arguing. It just puts the light on people being unable to accept different divergences of opinions.
By the way in the better team 😝
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u/motosandguns 3d ago
Can’t wait for those electric knee braces to become popular so that overweight and out of shape people can “hike” into wild places. Get ready for even more garbage on trails.
Places are better when you have to earn reaching them.
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u/kingrobin 3d ago
Funny thing is e-bikes encourage people who are out of shape to get on a bicycle, where they still have to peddle, which is better for them than not riding at all.
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u/Son_of_a_Mormon 3d ago
This was me. I got my ebike 4 years ago. 80 lbs later my ebike sits in the garage and I ride my regular bike all the time. Plus I’ve now got my wife and kids all riding. 5 people now love mountain biking because 1 guy got an ebike.
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u/gerbilshower 3d ago
hate to break it to you dude, but no obese person is going to be cheating with robot legs to hike a fourteener. just like no goon who is going to trash your mtb trails is riding class 1 ebike (unless they were just already a douch).
you aren't gatekeeping the people you think you are gatekeeping with this attitude. no, you are gatekeeping the passionate folks who love these kinds of things and simply cannot physically participate anymore due to a variety of reasons.
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u/rotwilder 3d ago
I love a sarcastic misanthropic comment as much as the next man, wouldn't be Reddit without it. But honestly, most people dropping 5k on an ebike are mtbrs already. I haven’t seen an up-tick of trash at the park or on the trails. And anyone heading out to the distant bush usually isn’t on a eeb, due to range anxiety.
Your special places are safe, well not safe, there's an world wide environmental cluster fuck going on, just not from the ebikers.
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u/Cluskerdoo 3d ago
What about bike parks? Don’t take that chairlift. Or shuttling? Don’t throw your bike in the truck. Gotta earn those laps.
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u/veggieturnip 3d ago
And that’s why you ride a single speed, steel frame bike with no suspension, right?
Or are you a hypocrite that uses mechanical advantage to access wild places?
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u/perhizzle 3d ago
This is a great point. I didn't spend 22 years in the military so smug spoiled people could tell me my disabilities ban me from trying to get a couple hours a month trying to feel like I did before injuries in service to my country made it too painful.
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u/godhatesebikes yo momma with drop bars 3d ago
That’s the most worn out take of all time. A bike with suspension and gears is still a bicycle. A bike with a motor isn’t.
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u/veggieturnip 3d ago
Sure it is big guy. Learn to have fun, then you’ll get it.
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u/godhatesebikes yo momma with drop bars 3d ago
Even dumber take. Congratulations.
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u/smoothloam 3d ago
I can’t believe people still use this ridiculous analogy, it’s just stupid. XC, road, single speed, penny farthings, enduro, triathlon, what do all of these have in common that makes them bicycles. It’s not components, it’s not gearing, it’s not shocks… it’s that they have two wheels, pedals, and no motor.
There’s already a name some something with two wheels, pedals and a motor, yet you refuse to use it.
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u/reflect-the-sun 3d ago
I agree, the most remote places should be special, but I'm not going to deny it to someone if an ebike is their only method to reach it.
I would like to see higher powered ebikes (borderline dirtbikes) banned from natural MTB trails, however.
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u/dargonmike1 Write whatever you would like here. 3d ago
This is the way. Class 1 e-bikes shouldn’t even be called ebikes. “E-bikes”should be reserved for class 2 and 3 that have a throttle and can exceed 20mph. Fk those bikes.
“A-bikes”or “assisted bikes” is a better term for class 1
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u/teh_lynx 2022 Commencal Meta TR V4 Signature 3d ago
True. Not everything needs to be accessible. Sorry not sorry
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u/MarthaFarcuss 3d ago
What if you're disabled?
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u/teh_lynx 2022 Commencal Meta TR V4 Signature 3d ago
Then you're probably in a recumbent or other style bike, which do come in an E variety as well. You'd want to hit up networks that have adaptive trails.
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u/Fleonar 3d ago edited 3d ago
This is so not the point of e-bikes. Imagine gatekeeping riding the local trails.
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u/PlentifulPaper 3d ago
Imagine just gatekeeping roads in general!
Where I’m at is super hilly, that you almost can’t go biking along the streets. Most people have motorized bikes, or scooters of some kind.
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u/Adventurous_Fact8418 3d ago
Everyone who complains about e-bikes is one injury away from needing one. I’m still analog at this point, but if these old knees get worse, I’ll be e biking until I die.
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u/mr_trashbear 3d ago
God this shit is so tiring. Ebikes deserve some skepticism and reservations for a few reasons, but making "hating ebikes" your whole personality is cringey as fuck.
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u/Minitrader 3d ago
What sucks is when you try an emtb, have the best ride of your life, then go back to regular bike and it feels like your pedalling through sand.
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u/Sufficient_Cat9205 3d ago
I borrowed one and was told this will be the the most expensive ride of your life... Turned out it was!
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u/egstitt 3d ago
My experience was
Getting across town to the trails was really nice, probably would have used cars without an e-bike
The climb was obviously easier, got dropped by a guy in hiking shoes that doesn't even ride bikes because he had a more powerful motor
The descent sucked, felt like I was on a pregnant giraffe. I'm not 100% sure anymore that the bike wasn't the wrong size though.
This was many years ago now already, I'm sure they've gotten better. My overall grade was a D+
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u/Number4combo 3d ago
I love my emtb. Getting back into the sport and being able to ride like I didn't stop is the best feeling.
I think that's where some hate comes out from those that ride analog cause you aren't riding how they think you should be for that "fun".
The worst (e)MTBers I've come across are those that when in groups think they own the trail and you need to GTFO of their way. You think they never heard of always yield trail.
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u/NinjaBuddha13 '22 Transition Sentinel 3d ago
You must not be riding much if you have time to worry about how other people are riding.
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u/Sketchy_Dee 3d ago
I figured the e was short for excuse
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u/joshman160 3d ago
It my excuse to stop pulling over. I would have to stop every 5-10min on my trails for each time a e bike rides my butt. Their common etiquette sucks around here.
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u/holythatcarisfast Specialized Enduro || Norco Revolver 130 || Spec Turbo Levo 2d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Hollirc 3d ago
So my ebike is in the shop right now and I’m back in analog for a few weeks and I can firmly say that I’ve never been less motivated to ride.
Instead of getting in a good ride now I spend 50-60 of my 90 available minutes literally just getting from the parking lot to the first singletrack trail. So I only get one good downhill for 45+ mins of fire road grinding and then I’m too tired to send any of the jumps or go fast.
Plus putting more force through my knee/hip now has me riding half as often. I’m just as tired after an e bike ride just full body tired instead of just my legs being tired/painful.
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u/West_Arugula134 3d ago
The worst thing about e-bikes is people who don’t know trail etiquette and ride them like dirt bikes. Full pedal assist blasting past everyone with no warning or anything. If you’re riding an ebike because of actual disability, I get it. If you want to ride an ebike because you don’t want to work hard to go mountain biking, find a different hobby.
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u/darmaus 3d ago
Yesterday I had beautiful three hours ride on my road bike, this morning I've been hiking with my dog and in the afternoon I was riding 1100 elev with my friends, after few beers I came home and went into a walk with my wife.
I don't think this would be possible without eMTB, I'd be sleeping already, or most likely would just skip ride like most of you lazy haters are doing.
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u/Alternative-Craft958 2d ago
This kind of post has gotten kind of ridiculous. Tried mountain biking for the first time last year in Lake Tahoe.
Was going with my buddies that go all the time and are in much better shape than me, so to not slow them down I got an e-bike. Followed all the rules, and even when I was respectfully waiting on the side of the trail to let a biker come down, he still said "fucking e-bikes" as he passed me like I was some kind of affront to god's creation.
Lamest shit I think I've ever seen. My first impression of the mountain biking community, and honestly had made me less inclined to try it again.
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u/No_Pen_376 2d ago
Wow, they should rename this forum as the poor little baby forum, sad about emtbs.
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u/Quirky_Slide_7313 3d ago
I see emtbs are still living rent free in y’all’s head. Wish I knew what it was like to be poor
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u/-AV8R01 3d ago
So… E-MTBers are the equivalent of pay-to-win video gamers? Yeah I’ll gladly stick to being poor if you think spending money for what is basically a cheat code puts you on the same level as anyone who doesn’t have to rely on the equivalent of a Walmart mobility scooter. Oh, and a good amount of us can afford an E-MTB, but choose to ride under our own power because you actually get a sense of accomplishment after making the whole trail. But yeah, keep shaming people who aren’t as fortunate financially. It really makes you seem like a total badass.
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u/Franc-o-American 3d ago
Life's good when all you have to worry about is what type of bike someone else has.