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Them e-Bikes. Now, I thought I'd go "right! I'm cancelling!", but I feel torn now it's happened.
For the record, I've ridden some, some were crap (Haibike), some were awesome, (Cube, Cannondale.)
But, it was more like riding a motorbike round my familiar trails than a mountain bike. So much power at you toe-tips! Superb fun, as everyone says.
I don't think it's the same sport, personally. But I can live with one or 2 articles per mag I reckon, just like other articles I'm not that interested in.
Anyone else care, or not? Please don't get all defensive ebikers, I know what you're like 😆
There's a magazine?
It's a big part of the market now, not sure any mag can not cover them. Seeing as every company has an ebike now it would seem odd if there was no coverage.
“I don’t think it’s the same sport, personally.”
So what happens if you turn the power off?
What next 29" wheels in the mag?
I'm far more interested in seeing articles about ebike development than all this gravel lark. There's far too much non MTB in the mag as it is, one of the reason I canned my subscription after 120 issues..
YMMV.
I don’t think it’s the same sport, personally.
I wouldn't call anything I do on a bike a sport anyway.
Personally, it's stopped me buying a couple of mags. I know when I buy mags I'm essentially paying for adverts to be shown me, with some nice lifestyle stories to break them up. However, I'm a hater (you're right, after having ridden them I've confirmed my view that, whilst undoubtedly fun, it's not the same sport) - so I'm sure as hell not going to pay for adverts for things I don't aspire to own.
Judging by the amount of fat middle-aged men getting in the way on ebikes riding *up* the beast every weekend magazine sales must be very healthy tho, so I doubt they care.
What has happened, though, is that I now admire, rather than feel jealous of, the 20-year olds who ride up the beast cleanly on their hardtails.
(And they also know enough to pull politely to the side when someone is attempting to come down, rather ignoring descenders, overcooking their 'pedal assist' and wheelspinning sideways across the track, into my girlfriend, on two consecutive weekends now...)
I wouldn’t call anything I do on a bike a sport anyway.
This
What next 29″ wheels in the mag?
See also: disc brakes, suspension...
So what happens if you turn the power off?
You've said you do this before. Can't imagine there are many that do. I know I wouldn't!
And they also know enough to pull politely to the side when someone is attempting to come down,
Gravity gives way to pedal in the real world surely*? Riding up there (never tried with pedal assist but I can't imagine it's easy on an ebike either) is bloody hard work and very and very much deserves as much respect as someone "attempting"** to come down.
*Obviously a proper track is different.
**I'm a properly mince core defender and it's not difficult down
And they also know enough to pull politely to the side when someone is attempting to come down
Huh? It should be the people coming down the hill that give way.
“I don’t think it’s the same sport, personally.”
So what happens if you turn the power off?
They pretty much become the worst MTB imaginable.
“Huh? It should be the people coming down the hill that give way.”
The world’s silliest “official” rule for MTBing. Most people enjoy descending more than climbing. Stopping on a climb is a rest whilst stopping on a descent is annoying.
If someone starts running downlift centres for XC riders than I’ll believe the “descenders must give way” rule is correct.
Would you seriously boycott a magazine for reviewing an e-bike?
Jeez, you might as well plonk your throne on the beach as low tide now.
“They pretty much become the worst MTB imaginable“
I suspect I’ve spent a lot more time riding an unassisted eMTB that you. And you’re wrong.
The world’s silliest “official” rule for MTBing. Most people enjoy descending more than climbing. Stopping on a climb is a rest whilst stopping on a descent is annoying.
100% chief, utter horseshit.
I suspect I’ve spent a lot more time riding an unassisted eMTB that you. And you’re wrong.
Why not buy a non-E MTB and hang a sack of spuds under the saddle?
Stopping on a climb is a rest whilst stopping on a descent is annoying
Of course starting again on a hard climb can be impossible so stopping on a climb often isn't a rest, it's now a walk.
Stopping on a hard descent can be the same but the flip side to that is a descent hard enough you can't stop and restart isn't being ridden up outside of Olympic xc races.
The point though is that expecting someone else to stop what they're doing simply because you value what you're doing more is ridiculous. There is no rule, take each case on its merits.
e-bikes, I think they have their place to even up riders of different abilites who like to play out together, but don't want to see them dominating media/forums.
Descending gives way to ascending, always.
“They pretty much become the worst MTB imaginable“
I suspect I’ve spent a lot more time riding an unassisted eMTB that you. And you’re wrong.
Perhaps I've got a poor imagination?
But I can't think of any bike I've ridden in 20+ years that rode worse than an unpowered e-bike, and I've commuted on a DH Bike.
Gravity gives way to pedal in the real world surely
Steam gives way to sail.
I suspect I’ve spent a lot more time riding an unassisted eMTB than you. And you’re wrong.
Notice you respond to the worst MTB comment and not mine - "Can't imagine there are many that do" ride them unassisted. Seems a bit pointless to me, like trying to prove something.
As to the Op anyhow, I'm quite pleased to see ebike in the mag, they certainly open up the [s] sport [/s] hobby to more folk and that can only be a good thing really. The downside is that, given a significant % of the species are dicks, and a significant % are lazy with, ime, a big crossover between the two, you'll find more idiots out on ebike than not.
Can't say I think I'm target market for an ebike (mtb any how) but I watch telly and that advertises all sorts of crap I'm not interested in. Otoh, any one recommend a decent hybridy type ebike, (a decent ht would be good but not sure it'll do the practical bit as well). I keep thinking about one for Mrs brain for commuting on and increasing the speed/length of rides we can pootle off on together.
Stopping on a climb is a rest whilst stopping on a descent is annoying.
Surely this is a safety thing, rather than a 'fun' thing. Downhiller - I don't have to take care, I have right of way!
“Why not buy a non-E MTB and hang a sack of spuds under the saddle?”
Because the sack of spuds won’t get me to and from the group ride half as quickly as turning on the power does once I’m on my own!
, like trying to prove something.
Not prove but solve I'd wager. *Cough* crap battery life *cough*
Jeez, you might as well plonk your throne on the beach as low tide now.
Fair do's, Canute was merely listening to his advisers who were inept. If they had understood the implications of the double tide around the Solent and had arrived at the right time then the the King's slippers would have remained dry.
On the subject in question without ebikes there will be no mag.
I've ridden a few and like the idea, especially a lighterweight XC/trail biased machine. I just can't afford one yet. So if everynoe else buys them I'll be able to pick up some really nice conventional bikes S/H soon. Time for the 5010 I've always wanted.
I'm pretty sure that this was our first article about ebikes (rather than their occasional appearance) for five or so years. It was certainly long enough ago that Jenn was in it... An article every five years, in a world where there are 200 new models appearing every year doesn't seem excessive...
As I probably mentioned in the article, the ebike world has been under-reported in mountain bike magazines, mostly due to fears (I assume) of reader revolt, yet it's the fastest (and possibly only) growing bit of the bike market, so it's not something we can ignore forever. As I did say, you can't uninvent them and they're not going to go away. And many of the criticisms levelled at them (They're not pure, they're too heavy, they're expensive and unreliable, they're cheating...) were ALL said about suspension (front and rear) when it first came about.
Ebikes will probably crop up in the background of future features, though we don't have any more features purely about ebikes scheduled in the forseeable future, so you're safe from their ways for the moment.
I'm more interested in finding out what all of this non-MTB content is that has tipped nobeerinthefridge over the edge...
Cheers chipps. Yeah, as I said, no problem with it in the end. Just didn't like the words "our sport" I suppose and how looong the article was.
Apart from that the mag is great and smells as gorgeous as ever. 😀
I might buy the Mag now 🤣
Does the article explain how to de-restrict em’ ?
👊
Duno why they feel the need for a full face lid. Long troos. Knee and arm armor just to ride round the 3 mile blue loop at QECP repeatedly., when the fast section is probably over 15 mph anyway.
Maybe they fear crashing on the switchback climb...
Hardly surprising - but still, quite categorically, not for me. I enjoy my cardio far too much..
Duno why they feel the need for a full face lid
You ever had an ebike hit you on the noggin? 😉
I guess, you don't get anywhere near as hot riding, so why not go for the full protection...
I’m more interested in finding out what all of this non-MTB content is that has tipped nobeerinthefridge over the edge…
Probably a mixture of crabbitness, my bizarre-yet-real disdain of all this gravel shite, and my own changing interests to be honest, but I did explain that to the lovely person I cancelled with.
I'm still receiving the mag, assuming I will until my subs run oot, and I see Sanny even name checked me in this issue. *red face* 🙂
Went to download it to get myself all enraged, but the site won't let me. 🙁
Ah, my 'P' has disappeared. Not sure why, but hey ho.
You ever had an ebike hit you on the noggin? 😉
Nobody ever had because they are so heavy that they make a crater instantly. The dinosaurs were wiped out by a T-rex crashing a Spesh Kenevo in the Yucatan!
The dinosaurs were wiped out by a T-rex crashing a Spesh Kenevo in the Yucatan!
I call BS. No way a T-Rex could have reached the handlebars.
dangeourbrain
Subscriber
The dinosaurs were wiped out by a T-rex crashing a Spesh Kenevo in the Yucatan!
I call BS. No way a T-Rex could have reached the handlebars.
That's the reason that Spesh have always had such a short reach. 😉
But, it was more like riding a motorbike round my familiar trails than a mountain bike
Really? But, really though? Have you ever ridden a motocross or enduro bike? They're terrifying, violent things that can pull your arms out and spit you off whenever they want.
An e-bike is a mountain bike that goes a bit quicker up hills. It lets you get outdoors for a spin but hang on to your man-boobs.
But, it was more like riding a motorbike round my familiar trails than a mountain bike
This would suggest that you are ponderously slow under your own steam, if a slight pedal assist to 15.5mph felt like a motorbike.
Either that, or never ridden a motorbike.
Or both.
The OP at Glentress last week on a Haibike...
Moped then 😛
Nope!
The first an only time I've ridden a Moto bike was one of those KTM e crosser things. I'll happily admit that it took me a while to get the hang of it going around a corner!
I've also ridden one or two e bikes and happily cornered on those... The only similarity between the two was electric was involved somewhere 🙂
It lets you get outdoors for a spin but hang on to your man-boobs.
How d'you hang on to your man boobs and the handlebars at the same time?
Asking for a friend, like.
I don’t think it’s the same sport,
its not a sport unless you are racing. Its a pastime. sport implies competition. for the vast majority of us it is merely a pastime - of riding around on bikes!
And downhill gives way to uphill
I'll say it again for clarity, why can't we all play nice? Some people like eggs, some people like ham, hell I even like Marmite FFS! Does that make any of them "better" than each other? I started riding MTBs in 95 with a Marin Bobcat Trail, over the years I've embraced suspension, disc brakes, other wheel sizes and now shock horror I've bought a Kona Remote Control 😎 I've also been lucky to ride some amazing places around the world on normally aspirated bikes.
I always said if I took it too seriously I'd give it up, I'm fitter now at 63 than I was at 20. I had a great day out on my E Bike yesterday but equally have a great time on my HT or my Frankenbike. Horses for courses, pays yer money etc.
Meant to add as well, ask my wife what she thinks about them after a broken leg and a knee replacement she never thought we'd go riding again but.... Mind you I think the mistake the industry made was misnaming them. They really should be called Pedal Assist bikes as a proper term.
And downhill gives way to uphill
Based on what? The TJ book all that that is right?.
its not a sport unless you are racing
Tell that to chipps - it was the word he used in the article.
[edit] though actually your definition of sport/pastime is nonsense.
why can’t we all play nice?
Who's not playing nice? I thought it was a very good humoured discussion.. or did you not actually read any of it?
Nobeerinthefridge
Subscriber
And downhill gives way to uphill
Based on what? The TJ book all that that is right?.
absolutly - I am the sole arbiter! I make the rules! Obey me or perish!
Its actually a generally accepted principle both with vehicles on the road and when mountaineering. Its a debate we have had on here before. Uphill has right of way simply because its much harder to restart once stopped uphill. Yes if the uphill person gives way then that is kind of them - and in some circumstances I would. But right of way clearly is with uphill
The giving way going down is just common sense. It means that riders are less likely to come into conflict and is nicer for other trail users.
It's the self centred people who give our activity a bad name, they are also the types who ride the closed stuff in trail centres (gisburn etc volunteer trail builders have more patience than I do), sling tubes in trees etc etc
Some people are dicks, unfortunately they sometimes ride bikes
giving way going down is just common sense
Yep, I tried to suggest this on page 1.
When I suggested we play nice I had read the replies. It's just the same old nonsense trotted out when really aren't we all doing this for fun regardless of how you achieve that?
Some people are dicks, unfortunately they sometimes ride bikes
Speak for yourself.
I wouldn't ever expect anyone to give way to me, whatever their direction of travel or some daft unwritten law. However, if I'm climbing up one of my local moorland trails, at about 4 or 5 mph, I have the ability to look way ahead and see riders coming, enjoying their descent, which they've worked just as hard as me to earn, and I'll gladly step aside and let them have their moment.
In my eyes, that's common sense, but none of us are wrong, hence some silly one rule to rule them all that exists in some non-existent right of way imaginary manual is bollocks....
[i] It’s just the same old nonsense trotted out when really aren’t we all doing this for fun[/i]
Is it? Where? (disregarding the above dickishness, of course.)
Thread for oldfart [url= https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/how-to-deal-with-e-bikes-on-strava-segments/ ]here[/url]
I’m still receiving the mag, assuming I will until my subs run oot, and I see Sanny even name checked me in this issue. *red face* 🙂
Just found an auld photo of him from a Pitlochry ride....
Not got round to reading the mag yet but having a few mates who ride ebikes I cannot understand the “hate” One has had hip replacements, another 3 stents after a heart attack, others who also have health issues. It’s a bit like others have mentioned, over the years there has been the “do we need v-brakes, bar-ends, front sus, disc brakes, wider bars,full sus bikes, dropper posts 5Tens, fat bikes etc” I still know some roadies who only wear a helmet on club runs or time trials because it’s a club rule!!!!
Agree with dangourbrain on the “sport” tag, it’s a hobby to me👌
As for wearing full “safety” gear on a blue route? You may not know whether that person has a health or disability issue. I will be riding with people in this category in a couple of weeks time
It’s a bit like
aka, it's nothing like.
And there isn't any "hate". Get over it will ya.
Not got round to reading the mag yet but having a few mates who ride ebikes I cannot understand the “hate”
+1
I read this thread yesterday and didn’t see the mag until I got home at 9 last night. I was expecting more than just one single article about an e-bike ride! 😂
Dunno if I'd quite call it hate, it's more just ignorance and intolerance, really. Same as the feelings I exhibit toward the poor gravelling community. 🙂
As for wearing full “safety” gear on a blue route?
I've done my self a lot more mischief on easy blue runs than anywhere else.
I was expecting more than just one single article about an e-bike ride
There is... hmm 😉
Official complaint - e-bikes are mentioned in the first article (Hay.) What is the world coming to? Chipps, explain yourself...
Ebikes are great, means Geex can still keep up with me. I was out with a group a month or two back and without their ebikes two of the guys simply couldn't have come out with us, in fact the ride probably wouldn't have happened at all as one of the guys organised it. The average STW reader must be the target market for ebikes. 50 year old IT managers with a £4000+ budget for a new bike.
And they also know enough to pull politely to the side when someone is attempting to come down,
Wow, just wow. Impressive to see just what immense depths of selfishness, stupidity and wrongness some people can happily descend to.
There isn't ever one in full on benduro get up. There is nearly always 8 to 10 all dressed like a blind man in a charity shop wiy. with horrendous colourways mixed with 661 armour.
Then a full face lid and a pack full of cake and spanners as if they were out on a moon landing mission. It's the pathetic comments as well. Oh get one these. Or. Try and keep dear boy. Or my favourite. Your doing really well. Keep going. I think they have their place. But pretending you are a fast rider when you have +500watts on tap is the dumbest thing like my ebike is faster than your ebike. Because it's red.
New poll on the site will decide this 🙂
I was out in the Alps last week, and i think every single MTB i saw was an eBike!
(ok, we weren't at the normal DH hot spots like Morzine etc, but i suspect the European market is only currently buying eBikes......)
I was out in the Alps last week, and i think every single MTB i saw was an eBike!
If I lived in the Alps I'd already have one 1000%
Imagine the amount of riding you could do in a day while the lifts are closed. Easily double the amount you can on a crappy human powered bike.
In fact, give me a tiny house in the alps, a YT Decoy and a YT Tues and I'll be set for life.
I was out in the Alps last week, and i think every single MTB i saw was an eBike!
Yip. Currently sitting in Lake Garda and 95% of the very significant number of bikes I've seen in total this week have been ebikes. Was slightly less in Finale a couple of weeks ago but still a lot.
I'm pulling the trigger on one when I get home, once I decide between the Cube 160mm thing or the new YT Decoy. Can't wait to wind up the haters.
I find e-bikers to be more aggravating on the forums than on the trails, but I don't get out much.
but I don’t get out much.
Have you thought about upgrading to an ebike ? 👍