[Closed] Can I have a go mister? E-Bike

I'm a new Ebike owner in my 50's and loving it so far.

Still riding my other bikes too.

Just means I can get extra rides in that i'd not do otherwise.

Mainly ride it in eco. It does mean that I can ride a coil sprung 180mm bike with soft compound DH tyres as fast as my much lighter shorter travel trail bike but have more fun on the descents.

Win win in my book.

Big smiles on my face after tonight's outing. Not been on a bike off roading for years after an rta. 63 with a massive grin.

Our Local bike shop had an e-bike demo day a few weeks ago....I thought why not... let's give them a go... have to admit that riding the bikes were effortless, I tried a full suss and then a hardtail....I did enjoy the bikes for the 10 min test ride on each of them, but to be honest something was missing.....it was about an hour later I realised that I felt as though I didn't actually have any feeling of having a workout as such.. could just be me though... would I buy an e-bike..... yes, when my old legs can no longer pedal my old fashioned 26" wheeled bikes.... 🙂

I'm demoing the levo again on Thursday I've ridden one at my local trails in guisborough and  at grizedale and I'm hooked.really good fun I'm 48 now and the improved fitness I've been hoping for is probably never gonna happen but on the levo I can ride longer and harder than on my normal bike and still feel less tired.

Yay, you can ride without getting knackered.

You all say you'll just ride more.

Keep lying to yourselves...

Some of you talk as if 50 is old and an excuse to get an ebike.

It’s not.

If you want one, get one,don’t make excuses.

They dont have to in assist mode all the time. Keep on switching it off as the trails level out.

I was just trying to make the OP feel better.😜

I am riding more.

Been out 7 times in the last 10 days.

Only normally only do that when we go away on a riding holiday and use van uplifts and chairlifts.

Nice of you to pass judgement though chevy.

I speak from experience

I certainly rode more on my ebike and got more exercise as a result.   I put the same amount of effort into climbing so climbed faster

I did however find the range limited as my usual route is 35 miles with a couple of thousand feet of climbing and I ran out of battery a few times

I now have a fat bike so have stopped using the ebike

Man, the haters are really hating! 😆

The snidey comments like chevy chase and Zippy kona's offer no end of entertainment.

I'd have bought one 30 years ago if the emtb I own now had been available. it's ridiculously capable even without the motor.

Yeah. Bear. I ride mine switched off quite a bit too. it seems to surprise a lot of people.

Been out 7 times in the last 10 days.

I bet Amanda luvs that .....

Leave 'em to it. While they're slogging their guts on the climbs to "earn" every descent we're doing twice as many and having way more fun.

I was chatting to a couple of blokes on Yeti SB5.5s or something the other day. How light??? Anyway, while they weren't actually negative, they didn't really see the point of eBikes for them (young, fit, capable riders). Then they both had a go on mine. Big grin central. When I left them they were discussing hiring a couple of bikes for a weekend and hitting Afan. Job done.

She's being quite chilled about not being able to join me.

At the moment.

Not sure that'll last until the cast comes off though.😄

The snidey comments like chevy chase and Zippy kona’s offer no end of entertainment.

I’d have bought one 30 years ago if the emtb I own now had been available. it’s ridiculously capable even without the motor.

Yeah. Bear. I ride mine switched off quite a bit too. it seems to surprise a lot of people.

You actually get a harder workout on an e-bike than a real bike, geex. Not a lot of people know that - it's not the pitiful crutch many people think.

Wut?

more exercise on an e-bike? You sure?  http://road.cc/content/news/244732-study-cycling-daily-reduces-obesity-unless-its-e-bike

The gut on the bike was a few years older

Very good Freudian slip!

tthew

more exercise on an e-bike? You sure?  http://road.cc/content/news/244732-study-cycling-daily-reduces-obesity-unless-its-e-bike

bullshit spreads easily! 😆

doomanic

Leave ’em to it. While they’re slogging their guts on the climbs to “earn” every descent we’re doing twice as many and having way more fun.

Hey, don't moan about people making sweeping generalisations about e bikes only to make your own ones about people that prefer non assisted bikes.

I'm 49, not very fit but still enjoy the challenge of climbs as much as the descents. Is that ok with you? 😉

Wow ..this is encouraging !

About two years ago ..on a different forum I wrote a post about ebikes pointing out how much fun they were and how the two that I had hired had given me just as much of a work out as my " normal " bike ..both were Haibikes ..one a FS the other a Fat Six ...to say that I got slaughtered would be a mild understatement !

I bought a Whyte T130RS in July 2016 ..and absolutely love riding it ..but in terms of fun and my own physical prowess ..it comes nowhere near what I was able to climb on the ebikes in terms of technicality and also  before I'm running out of steam ..and off and pushing .

I've been riding mountain bikes for 22years ..I'm now 61..fairly fit ..but the oldest member of our group ( 73) got himself a Scott ESpark last autumn ( an early Christmas present ) and having been the back marker for years is now very definitely at the front travelling mainly in eco mode and seemingly oblivious to his friends trailing in his wake !

I started off by saying how encouraging this thread was ..attitudes towards ebikes have changed massively ( for the better) even in the last two years ..and it's great to see.

I'm still paying for my Whyte on a 0% finance deal which ends next year ..while not as yet having a clue what my next bike will be ..it will definitely be pre-fixed with an e.

I’ve never understood the hate! If you want one, can afford it and are having fun, go for it. If you don’t like them leave others to it.

I don’t have one but I’d like to get one one day.

I’ve never understood the hate!

It's different so they don't like it and then think up all sorts of stupid reasons why they don't like it.  Silly little arguments about effort put in, distance traveled are all irrelevant.  If you don't like them don't ride them.

I am 50 and still only ride fixed gear.  If I want to take it easier when I get older I may get some gears but can't see myself getting an ebike as I don't see any benefit to it (I like riding up hills) but why would I care what other people ride.  I had ago on my father in laws commuter ebike and it was impressive going up hill but it didn't really feel like cycling to me.

Weird how they close politics threads on the chat forum because they all end up talking about the same thing, isn't it?

Yay, you can ride without getting knackered.

You all say you’ll just ride more.

Keep lying to yourselves…

Troll Lollz 🙄

In the last 4 weeks I’ve done 480 miles commuting on an e-bike

Previous commuting mileage before ebike = Zero miles.

Plus 6 weekend rides on a normal bike totalling around 80 miles. (Riding daily makes me want to ride more!)

Previous monthly average on weekends = roughly 40 miles.

So thats 560 miles a month now in comparison with 40 miles a month before e-bike use.

Which of those number is higher?

I’ve left my abacus at home today as I rode to work. 😘

Would love to have a go on an E-Bike.  I don't see any issue with them, space for everyone.  It's all biking, so all good.

I am planning on getting an ebike just to see what it I can do on it -

1 Make it to the top of some hills that I have never managed all the way up and even fit riders with carbon rims cant ride all the way up!

2 Overtake everyone on MTB events like HONC and 3 Castles.....and be in the top 5 to get back first!

3 Tow my kids trailer bike without it feeling like I am going uphill on a 6 mile climb- when I am going slowly round the local parks

I would be "excommunicated" use it on club rides!

As I have never used a 40lb bike - whats it like? - does it lift with you when you bunny hop obstacles (clipped in of course)

For trail riding fast and hard I dont think a hard tail would last long - so it would have to tubeless or I would be getting snake bikes every 10 mins - ( clay and flint trails)!!

Meh

Of course he can he’s on a bike with a motor in it. Why the amazement and surprise?

Why respond to that with negativity?

Its great that someone (anyone) is enjoying biking more, whatever the reason.

You think it’s ok to use that to justify all the hate ebikes get and negative comments  🤔

That’s just weird

(Edit - I see you have deleted your negative comments now. That’s even more weird)

I'm in my 30's, fit and healthy & I want one of the new breed of E-Bikes. Having ridden the obscenely expensive Focus one, I had a bloody riot. I basically rode everything at FOD in about two hours. I went looking for stupid climbs, just to ride straight up the side of the hills, because I could.

I ended up more tired than I would have been if I had been out on my normal bike, as I went nuts and rode everything I could find, and even old trails I wouldn't have bothered with, as they didn't justify the slog of a climb.

I'd have one in a flash. In fact i'm trying hard not to buy the Vitus one at the moment.

No amazement or surprise Mr.Generalist ..only written to show how a 73 year old can have a second wind and extend his mtb life ..

In terms of what I wrote about myself ..I'm an experienced mountain biker ..fairly technically proficient and not totally unfit ..it was meant to show that on an ebike I can tackle even more in terms of difficult technical terrain ..and to ask the question really as to who wouldnt like to do that ?

But as usual with you cut & paste merchants you see something take it out of context and twist it to suit your own needs ..dickhead !

Edit: Hob nob above ..totally gets it !😁

2nd edit : Yeah how weird ..a lengthy post edited to read .." meh "

Thanks for your contribution !

Weird how they close politics threads on the chat forum because they all end up talking about the same thing, isn’t it?

Pretty much.  Ebike threads just like the usual rants about ‘standards’ proliferation and groupsets that aren’t to your taste are all basically pop politics.   Interesting angle on the ‘more exercise on ebike’ in this one though.

Every person on an ebike commuting to work is one less in the car or train as far as I can see. So it's all good. It's just snobbishness which I'd expect to see on a roadie forum but not so much here (insert own joke about this forum here...). I though MTBers were more, you know, open minded to technological advances.

Personally, I like the challenge of chasing the buggers up hills. The fellas with the Asda shopping bags on each end of their bars. They're my nemesis.

Don't know if I'll ever get one. But then again I'm not sure about a vasectomy or jazz music yet either.

You actually get a harder workout on an e-bike than a real bike, geex. Not a lot of people know that – it’s not the pitiful crutch many people think.

Sorry, don't buy this. I think the reason that not a lot of people know this is because it's a genuine, entirely unverified pub fact.

Look, it's really not hard. Some people enjoy riding eBikes and are more than welcome to do so. Others (like myself, as it happens) actually enjoy the extreme physical exertion that comes from riding a bike both up and down hills and, tbh, I'd feel that something was missing from my cycling if I missed out on it. If I wanted to ride all day without slogging uphill, I could also go to an uplift centre, but I don't because I actually enjoy the challenge both on and off road.

Does this mean I'm right and they are wrong? No, of course not. But it also doesn't mean that people should make up silly reasons why eBiking is better - it just does everyone a disservice. Live and let live and ride as you see fit and don't waste time worrying about what others are up to.

Now, can we get back to laughing at those muppets who think bib tights are stupid...? 😉

Now, can we get back to laughing at those muppets who think bib tights are stupid…?

They'll never catch on...

Daern

Have you ridden one?

Have you read the posts from those who have?

You can and will put the same effort in, it's still a challenge,  its still a slog uphill

Center Parcs have started to offer e-bike hire bikes in the last year or so, we finally got around to hiring one for the benefit of Mrs notg back in May this year.

The Raleigh Motus was seriously heavy, much more than my stock Voodoo Wazoo fatbike's ~16.5Kg, it was something crazy like ~23Kg.

But even in the lowest assist mode, the acceleration was phenomenal, in top mode it flew! It certainly convinced me to look at them for when my body starts to fail.

The only thing I didn't like with the hire bike was the awful waiver I had to sign, the bike was uninsured and I was responsible for any damage and I was not permitted to take it off campus (I really wanted to get Mrs notg to come cycling around the wonderful Longleat area hills with me, plus take it myself to The Mendips hills).

In the end, I had to make do with "escaping" on the mountain hybrid hire bike for some local cat3/4 hill training.

Have you ridden one?

Yeah, but by my own admission only around a short trail centre loop. It was indeed plenty of fun, but I'm not yet ready to jump ship, if for no other reason that long, sweaty rides are keeping me nice and fit at the moment 🙂

Maybe I'm seeing different people from you, but I'm yet to see any eBike riders round my neck of the woods in the same lather as we are. My experience of observing others is that they seem to look at it as a way to go at the same speed as the non-e-bikes, but with less effort, rather than as a way to extend their riding.

Am I being a little harsh?

Am I being a little harsh?

Depends did you survey everyone! 😆

But it also doesn’t mean that people should make up silly reasons why eBiking is better

Just so you know, the text you quoted was someone attempting to be humorous and having a dig at anyone that rides e-bikes.

It was not an e-bike user “making up silly reasons why e-biking is better”

Personally, I don’t need to make up reasons why e-biking is better.

Its got me out of the Car/Train commute everyday, it’s getting me fitter as I was previously doing nothing, but now I’m doing over 500 miles/month (on an e-bike, but still way better than nothing)

I am getting to work faster and happier than I was on the Train/Car commute. I’m never late anymore due to crap Northern Rail services. My monthly Bills have reduced as I no longer pay for £80 Season Ticket and £120 fuel every month.

It has also made me more enthusiastic about weekend non- ebike miles as I am enjoying riding more and I’m fitter and happier due to my commute changes.

People can give it all the negativity they want, and I’ll just smile and enjoy the ride. 👍

”it’s a bike with a motor so it’s a motorbike... whine whine whine”

who cares 🤪

Just so you know, the text you quoted was someone attempting to be humorous and having a dig at anyone that rides e-bikes.

Ah, my bad then - my irony filter sometimes fails to detect such things 🙂

Being clear, I'm not in any way being negative about eBikes. I'm pretty cool with them and, as far as I'm concerned, if they are getting people out riding that perhaps wouldn't normally go out then they are a good thing, and if it gets people out of cars, that's an even better thing. Also, there's nothing more satisfying than keeping up with one on a technical climb when you haven't got batteries yourself. <smug_mode>

Biking is always a good thing, whatever you do 🙂

I love my Levo so much but one big problem I've found is so does the misses, so I've had to order another! Gone for a Merida this time. I'm the fittest I've ever been due to riding much more often. Managed a 100km XC ride on Saturday, wouldn't even dream of doing that on a normal bike in the Cotswold.

Never been on one, but i am fully open to the idea of them. How do they perform going downhill? I imagine they might be a bit cumbersome or too weighty. Is this true?

I imagine they might be a bit cumbersome or too weighty. Is this true?

Not really, they are a bit different, but not in a particularly negative way, personally I found it easy to get used to the differences. Although I’m no DH god.

I found the extra weight limiting downhill.   Mine is a conversion tho and I like light bikes

I don't own an e-bike.  I might in the future, but not any time soon.  I have no ill feelings to anyone that decides to buy and ride one.  I get the feeling some people that are dead against them are rather worried they won't be 'fast' anymore, and will get overtaken more often.  Grow up :-).

I regularly ride with friends who exclusively ride ebikes. Me and the missus are quite a bit fitter than said friends though, so it makes it a great even ride. Some steep climbs they say "we'll meet you at the top!" though 🙂

I love riding them, so much fun and different to a normal bike. They are like anything though, you get out what you put in. If I had one, it'd probably live in eco mode and I'd be stomping up climbs like a madman!

I live in a flat town and the closest hills are too far away to ride after work. I reckon if I had some nice big hills on my doorstep, I'd have one. Would love to do 10+ miles of big hills out of the door after work a few days a week, then do a more epic ride at the weekends.

Bottom line, who cares how they are used? It doesn't affect me one bit. If someone want's to do a flat 10 miles in turbo one day a week, it's still 10 more miles on a bike instead of 0 miles on a couch.

It's the same people who moan whenever a manufacturer shows off some new tech, like they're being forced to buy it or something!

If I move closer to some big hills, I'd seriously consider one alongside some sort of XC whippet bike.

Downhill they are fine. Ebike is 50lb, DH bike is 41lb so the difference isn't massive. Trying to whip it is where you feel the weight! They are very stable and want to keep going in a straight line.

would love to have a go on one, I honestly think they're the future and in a few years time the tech will be so good they'll look like 'normal' bikes.

I don't have one but if my recent cancer treatment doesn't go to plan, I could be selling my two bikes and getting one if it helps me continue cycling.

Have to admit I don't like being passed by them when I'm slogging up a hill, I always think 'cheat' in my head, but I don't hate them, I think it's more about the surprise of someone passing so easily when I'm in my lowest gear struggling and pouring with sweat. But I still like the challenge of getting up the hills under my own power. I'm still getting up the same hills I was 30 years ago, but what I can't do now is do the same the next day. I have an active job, on my feet all day moving heavy materials and working machinery. 2 hours out of the day is just getting to work including half drive half cycle. So it's difficult to maintain fitness/recovery/tiredness, I'm worn out by the weekend. The guy on the bike I had a go on was riding offroad from Brighton to Eastbourne on the lowest setting, he was seeing how far he could get out of a charge, he was about 2/3rds of the way and charge was at 49%. It's further than I could have rode that day, and he could probably ride again the next. My thoughts are keep my normal bikes but have an ebike for when I'm needing the assistance, I didn't ride yesterday becuse I'm tired and aching from the weekend riding, if I had the ebike I could have gone for a quick 10 mile spin yesterday - seems a shame not to in this weather. I think this is what I'll be doing in a few years time.

in a few years time the tech will be so good they’ll look like ‘normal’ bikes.

Sooner than you think...Jan 2019

tjagain

I found the extra weight limiting downhill.   Mine is a conversion tho and I like light bikes

Mine works out at 21.5kg on the button, so ebike wise that's not bad at all, could have gone lighter, but i want the range, so 850wh battery in there! 🙂

Handling with, tbh it just feels like my bike on steriods, on really techy stuff though, it's going to take a bit of getting used to, need to up my strength a bit there. But that's more just down to me needing to strengthen up a bit in general.

The sparky wiring up my garage spotted mine and we had a good chat about bikes. Gave him a shot of it, apprentice went first and came back saying yeah it's fast but wasn't the usual grin there. Main man went next and was way less polite, told me straight it was worse than a normal bike and didn't seem to be working. Battery wasn't engaged properly so there was no assistance and apprentice was too polite to say 🙂

Got it working and he had a go when he came back to finish a few bits and pieces and had the usual reaction. Also fixed my hoover in exchange for a couple of 26" QR wheels I'd have never used!

Don't mind giving people a shot but "mates" are the worst. One of mine had a shot at the bottom of a big hill and used it to the top keeping just out of grabbing range as I pedalled his normal bike up!! Kept coming back down then diving away through the heather too, it was exactly what I'd have done if roles were reversed.

In reply to hodgynd and nealglover.

As so often happens, I read something on my phone and wanted to make a reply.  Once the enormity of the challenge of writing something lucid and insightful on this piece of shit samsung had sunk in, I lost interest, and posted it as it was. I then realised that if I couldn't be bothered to phrase it properly then I'd be better off deleting it completely.  So I did.

 ..dickhead

Ouch.

I like to imagine that the posters who leap to post derogatory comments about ebikes, & ebike riders, are the same ones who leap to post about their puritanical debt free lifestyles whenever there is any form of credit or borrowing related thread. 🙂

It’s all bikes, & that’s cool with me.

 I then realised that if I couldn’t be bothered to phrase it properly then I’d be better off deleting it completely.  So I did.

It wasn’t the phrasing that made you look like a bit of a tool.

It was the content.

Hope that helps.

Neal.

Either engage in the debate or don't. Throwing random insults around just makes you look like...

... well, you basically.

I did “engage in the debate” by replying to the post you actually made. As did others.

But then you bottled out and deleted it and later made a lame excuse about grammatical errors or whatever.

Deleting posts after people have replied to them, and then asking people to “engage in the debate”

Ironing? 🤔

That Lapierre ^ is lovely.

Found your source of the info

https://www.emtbforums.com/threads/2019-lapierre-ezesty-and-more-at-eurobike-day-2.1018/

Looks an amazing bike, not a huge battery power but could be perfect for the occasional boost up the hills.

I have just got  a Vitus e sommet, it's a lot of fun and puts a big smile on my face, isn't that why we ride bikes?

I have just got  a Vitus e sommet, it’s a lot of fun and puts a big smile on my face, isn’t that why we ride bikes?

yes definately, almost as entertaining as reading as non ebikers are hating and ebikers justifying.

at the end of the day it's just riding, i ride with a ebiker, i've learnt not to keep up with him and h'e learnt to hang back on the climbs 🙂

went to wales last week with a few mates

llandegla
penmachno
climachx trail Macynletth
coed y Brenan the beast and the purple trail and others
snowdon twice, up LLanberis and down rangers and telegraph hill

i took my ebike and my pivot mach 6
first day earnt my ebike miles on the pivot
2nd day on the ebike
i alternated to earn my e bike miles and to see what difference if any. i used the ebike on the trails with lots of "boring" fire roads.

Went up snowdon riding a little and pushing a lot on my pivot, took ages and riding down i was knackered and more prone to making silly mistakes.
2nd time up snowdon i rode the turbo levo, rode up and cleaned nearly everything except the steps on llanberis path, was still knackered but not in my legs. felt much better on the way down, but the heavier e bike wasnt as good as the long travel pivot.
im planning to snowdon twice in one day on the ebike, something i wouldnt consider on a normal bike.

i have been able to clean lots more stuff than i have ever done on the ebike, and its great to have that feeling rather than not doing it on the ebike, because its cheating.

to put it in context im 66 and still ride with mates 2 or 3 times a week, i use the ebike only when im knackered
(i start work at 6:00am) last year i had 2 concussions and full width rotator cuff tear, all falls towards the end of the ride when i am tired and tend to make mistakes.

i do more miles on my normal bike, so always feel that i have "earned" my ebike miles when i use it.

and my experience say:
ebike miles at pace ARE a work out i ride much quicker and am out of breadth nearly all of a 2-3 hour ride, but my legs seem ok, until the next day when i feel it!

normal bike miles are still a work out but im not out of breadth my legs go first.

I haven't ridden an e-bike and I don't want to.

Mostly because I already know I would want one after I had.

I'm an old git who happens to think that good things are the result of hard work so I fundamentaly dislike the whole premise of e bikes for the abled.

I don't view mtb as a vehicle for the fitness of the nation and I have no desire to see hoards of e bikers enjoying the trails.

I'm  perfectly happy with mtb as a niche sport requiring fitness that is going to be too tough/time consuming for some to do. There are many other sports to choose from.

well you best take one up adsh, as e-bike are here to stay

I'll just use them to increase the number of things i have to sneer/feel superior about.

Anyone want to ride up this without a motor helping?

I don't have one but don't have anything against them. If it gets folks out cycling it's great.

Just a different perspective though.

How long until ramblers groups etc, start questioning whether they are motorized transport and start arguing about bridleway usage etc?

Do you think they'll start affecting mtb access in the countryside?

Being a sweaty sock daan saarf I think countryside access is bad enough.

adsh...

I'm not really sure if you were being serious on your last post

😁

..but if you were you sound like a right knob

I don’t view mtb as a vehicle for the fitness of the nation and I have no desire to see hoards of e bikers enjoying the trails.

I’m  perfectly happy with mtb as a niche sport requiring fitness that is going to be too tough/time consuming for some to do. There are many other sports to choose from.

As you don't get to choose who does or doesn't ride maybe the best solution for you would be to to take your own last piece of advice.

You could try road riding.

Quite a few of them seem to share your selfish attitude.

Or how about golf that seems to be liked by tossers.😜

Parody.

My views are my views - out of step with most but unlikely to change. Enjoy your bike whatever it is

So if you're not advocating MTB or E-MTB to people you're a tosser? Cool.

Have to say I've been interested in one for commuting as it might make cycling 30 miles each way more of a reality, does anyone do similar? do they all still top out at 15mph assist or are there quicker ones now ?

For MTB I don't really get the appeal at all, that sort of thing is for fun, just doesn't seem right not doing it all under your own steam for some reason.

do they all still top out at 15mph assist or are there quicker ones now ?

Currently the 15.5mph restriction is on in the UK unless you want to void your warranty and break the law or register the bike, insure it as a motor vehicle, wear a motorcycle standard helmet and not ride it on cyclepaths or bridleways & pay the relevant fees.

Loads of people near me have "derestricted" ebikes including a customer who gets his ebike to 35mph with a twist and go style bike, no pedalling needed all from an eBay kit. It's all bolted to a BSO and the wiring gets super hot. Got canti brakes on it too 🤔

Spent the last 20 years riding around the peaks, at least once a week, usually three ups and three downs in a night, I had some time of last year and struggled to keep up with the rest when I got back on the bike and ended up with a Levo turbo. Now manage 4 ups and downs and deviations in-between in the same time, mainly in eco so get a decent workout and ask for more on the big ups that I always struggled with and can now clear. 3 hours ride and it still hurts a bit the next day but the smile is now much wider. 59 this this year, still staying with the youngsters/whippets and havin as much, if not more fun

No brainer really

_tom,  I don't go as far as that, 11ish miles each way, but I have a trek hybrid e-bike that I use 2/3 days a week, unless I want a work out and I take the normal bike.

Being honest, it's ****ing great!  I was always on the fence with e-bikes, but now I see there's no need to be.  It's strange how you think that you'll lose some sense of pride etc.. from getting a bit of help with pedalling a bike around, but actually it's just as much fun as any other bike (fun, isn't that the reason most of us ride?), and who the hell doesn't want to go up hills faster/easier?

I cant stress enough how nice it's been in this hot weather to ride to work across hilly Sheffield, in the sun, wearing normal clothes, and arrive to and from work with only a slightly sweaty forehead!  I'd have got sweatier on the motorbike than on the e-bike.

I don't think people should feel they need an excuse/reason to get an e-bike, and I hope eventually people who chose to not have one can be more welcoming.