[Closed] What are your thoughts on Electric bikes? I just got one and I LOVE it!

Thanks Dave, I've just talked myself out of getting one of those cubes after my should I shouldn't I thread on here so I'm not best pleased to hear how good they are!
😉

Some nobber will be on soon to berate you, not earning the decents, tearing up the trails, not getting sweaty enough, not being a proper bicycle rider etc.
Its the future.

Its the future

OP, I think you are the exact appropriate market. They aren't for me at the moment but if it meant the difference between riding or not, then I think I'd be up for one in the future.

Sorry me again, which cube stereo did you get? Where was it from?

I'd like to be the nobber - but I think they can be great in your circumstances. Enjoy the trails!

we've sold quite a few cubes. owners seem to love them

Lush!! Some great that you're back out mate!!

Personally I don't see what the fuss is about with E bikes it's a bike it gets you out, yes you'll have to wait for me at the top of a hill but you'd have to do that even with out the E bit!!!! 😆

Nice one.
🙂
I've not heard a single bad report about these things from people who've actually ridden them.

They're part of my future, I'm sure

Had a sit on one today - definitely the future

Once new technology around batteries and motors comes through they'll get lighter and better balanced

It's definitely my future anyway

AWESOME...Thanks for the (quick!) replies and support guy's!

mitsumonkey - it's the 'Cube Stereo Hybrid 140 HPA 27.5+'...quite a mouthful! I went for the plus sized tyres and I am really impressed. It's quite a leap from my 2009 Trek Fuel. Mathew (the boy) got the Cube Stereo 160 Race (not electric!) after his stumpy was lifted by some scrotes and he is really impressed with that too 😉

When the knees and hips have dissolved I'll be hoping Orange make one.

rOcKeTdOg - Member
we've sold quite a few cubes. owners seem to love them

Yes they are awesome love
Mine. Gets me out and further
But lots of neg comments on here from people who haven't had a go on one
All my mates who have a go on mine think it's great

Did you nab the last one off CRC per chance?

I had my eye on that!

I've just bought a Trek Powerfly. Due to heart issues I havent been able to ride for several years. For me it's about keeping effort down to a minimum so I'm still slow and at the back but am loving being out riding again.

Any Bike is a good bike. Motorized or otherwise.

Not sure why so many have to qualify that they are okay if you have health problem, they are okay for anyone that likes riding them.

They are not for me (and yes I have tried one) as I would rather just ride under my own power and go as fast as I am fit enough to go but never understood why anyone would be against someone else having one.

but never understood why anyone would be against someone else having one.

The UK along with many places has a clear distiction between powered and unpowered for access.

The other problem is for roadies who make the mistake of trying to chase them....

Do they look like this 😉

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/agnelli-milano-bici-vintage-modern-bikes

[img] [/img]

Really impressed with the recent innovations, can't see me not having one in the future - I'm hoping that they follow the usual technology trends through the years - better, lighter, more reliable, pretty much same price/or lower. Sooner or later the right one at the right price will come up and I'll crack.

? Anybody near Oxford got a xs/s that I could blag a play on ?

It's the future for fat lazy knobblers who can afford it.

[Troll mode]*

A mate got one a year or two back after an injury enforced layoff. Gone from not riding or getting any exercise to getting out at least once a week again.

If and when I can't ride unaided, I'll be getting one.

Lots of people have 'lifestyle cash' burning a hole in their pocket so the E-Bike provide a quick way into mountain biking

Lot of mountain bikers are rich in cash but poor in time. Buy an E-bike - saves having to keep the fitness levels up

All part of our instant gratification culture is suppose

Two wheels good. All bikes are great and you and my wife are exactly the people electric ASIST is made for. Good for you and good for your son.

[url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/e-mountain-bikes-a-dilemma ]Electric bikes? [/url][url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/good-looking-ebikes-do-they-exist ]Never[/url][url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/electric-bikes-need-to-be-stopped ] heard[/url][url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/the-next-step-in-e-bikes ] of[/url][url= http://singletrackmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/ebikes-good-bad-or-just-ugly/ ] them[/url]

It lets you ride with your son again, how can it not not be a good thing?! Enjoy it!

Lots of people have 'lifestyle cash' burning a hole in their pocket so the E-Bike provide a quick way into mountain biking

Lot of mountain bikers are rich in cash but poor in time. Buy an E-bike - saves having to keep the fitness levels up

All part of our instant gratification culture is suppose

Any evidence behind this bitterness?

I just see people using them as they make their riding more fun (remove the effort on hills, can ride further with their given fitness etc,.)

So long as you don't steal my Strava KOM I dont care.

I think they're perfect for people in your sort of situation, and anyone else who wants one I guess.

I really think the core market is likely to be people looking to get back out after injury or loss of fitness, or trying to get fit and lose weight. Got to be much more fun actually covering some miles and having blast whilst building fitness than slogging away for a few miles on the same loop trying to build up slowly.

There will be some time/effort restricted folks who buy them, but they'll be out riding a bike, so who cares, if it's one more person cycling, it's all good.

I rode one for the first time at the cycle show, a Haibike of some description, full sus, about 140mm I guess. I wasn't a huge fan, it was bloody heavy, hard to pop the front wheel and on high mode I felt the assist was too much, slightly unnerving for me. In the real world I guess you'd only use high power mode for big hills. Batteries will evolve, as will motors, it will all be lighter and smaller in a few years, then I think they'll be good, or better at least. I don't really see them as the bike I'd want to chuck down a mountain though, so the long travel full sus thing seems a bit odd. A plus sized hardtail would be good for wheels on the ground mile munching though.

Used to sell loads to older people and less mobile people who wanted to continue cycling.

At the time that were great for that but not really fit for "transport" - the year was 1999 we had lead acid batteries and 24volt hub motors that dragged. The bike weighed as much as the sun and if the battery went dead you were going no where .

Tech has moved on so much I've just bought a kit to fit to an xtracycle Cargo bike to replace one of our cars......the battery weighs 6kg and the motor 4kg. There is no discernible drag when the motors off.

80km range at 15.5mph assisted - no throttle. -faster than the average commute through town , no throttle and 50pence to.charge.

Winner

No intentions of using it as an mtb.....it's longer than the qe 2 😉

I have a 2015 cube stereo, mine is the 29er 120mm version (the 650b 140mm was sold out)
Its great, it lets me get out, ive probably done more miles in the last 6 months than i have in the last year before that.
Nobody who has tried it (quite a few people, im associated with my local lbs) has ever said anything negative.
Ultimately, i would rather ride a normal bike, but my weight means i just can't get up any hill longer than a few metres.
I have used it ti ride home from my work, 33 miles, about 1400 feet of climbing, i weigh 20 stone and i had a sizeable rucksack with all my work stuff in it.
I wore my normal work clothes, shirt tie, normal shoes etc, just to prove it was possible.
Managed to get home with around half the battery left.

Its my future in 15 odd years. Would be great for Alps exploring. Of course will also attract fat lazy duffers to riding.

A friend of mine has MS and it's his life line ,cured his depression and improved his life no end.

So good for you Enjoy ,and your also supporting your son and showing him a positive outlook. Well Done .

trail_rat - Member Tech has moved on so much I've just bought a kit to fit to an xtracycle Cargo bike to replace one of our cars......

Very interesting.

Any chance of some pics?

So many possibilities with these things.

For example, a tandem e-trike would open up so many options for people with disabilities and mobility issues.

It's a whole new thing.

Yes, a stolen one will become the junior dope dealers dream option, someone will severely spanner themselves leading to frothage and you'll encounter the odd knob out on the trails.
It's inevitable.

But the positives massively outweigh the negatives, to me anyway.

Looks like the tech has been applied to wheelchairs already. [url= http://www.mobilitysmart.cc/alber-e-motion-power-assist.html?gclid=CjwKEAjwjqO_BRDribyJpc_mzHgSJABdnsFWJjW00MhF2rc03N4ikh-qBRRJTaPhEETvxaBrzcOfZRoCmXzw_wcB ]link here[/url] It helps with the braking too which over undulating terrain is as big an issue as getting along and up.

*waves at tmb467*

Didn't have an opinion on them either way, then I tried one on my local trails. Now I think they're ace, so I bought one.

Sincerely,

Fat lazy prick/knobber with too much money who isn't disabled enough to deserve one.

Fat lazy prick/knobber with too much money who isn't disabled enough to deserve one.

ha ha - love it!

Interestingly, if I'm out on a group ride, invariably the discussion will turn to the ebike and there are usually some skeptics, much like the above and other threads, so I offer them a go. They never take me up on it...

I'm sure they are great fun, as with any sort of motorised contraption, be it a petrol or electric kart, a motorbike, a jetski or a ride on lawn mower - they're all great fun as they allow us to accelerate, go fast and basically hoon around - which all blokes like doing

That's not my issue - my issue is the long term damage to the sport, be that exponential growth, land access issues and the inevitable arms race to have the biggest, fastest and flashest e-bike out there.

In my eyes, biking should be pure. You, the bike, your fitness & resourcefulness to have an amazing adventure - which to me is the very essence of mountain biking....

In my eyes, biking should be pure. You, the bike, your fitness & resourcefulness to have an amazing adventure - which to me is the very essence of mountain biking....

I agree completely, but ebike fans won't have it. But times have moved on and they exist now so no point ranting against them. I hope they don't cause access problems, but only time will.

I'm sure the government will find a way to tax these essentially motorised vehicles. Especially as they aren't specifically for disabled use

That's not my issue - my issue is the long term damage to the sport, be that exponential growth, land access issues and the inevitable arms race to have the biggest, fastest and flashest e-bike out there.

but that is just in your head, it is not actually a real issue.

Its certainly not just inside my head - there are plenty of others highlighting the same concerns

Trail centres in the US banning them?

Multiple articles in various MTB publications?

Huge disagreement throughout the STW massive?

I just can't bring myself to buy one, not after I learned that the hoverboard in Back to the Future was NOT really skateboarding!!!

Rusty spanner. The bafang kit doesn't arrive till next Monday it's sitting in customs atm

Thanks for the positive messages guys! Also, I appreciate the sceptics points of view as well...I don't see them being a menace though, as long as they are kept as pedal assist and limited to under 16mph! Anything that allows people to enjoy the sport is surely a good thing is it not? Even if the 'non disabled' out there use them, it just means more distance covered therefore more FUN 😉 got to be a good thing!

Target audience!
Glad you're back out buddy.
When I'm physically incapable of using a normal bike, I'm sure I'll get one.

I don't mind you being faster on the climbs, Dad, as long as you don't go down the other side faster!

I'm definitely not against E-Bikes until one over takes me going up hill, then I'm jealous!

"I'm sure the government will find a way to tax these essentially motorised vehicles."

Damn right, they should tax them just like cars. Does anyone know how much tax you pay on an electric car...?

"I'm sure the government will find a way to tax these essentially motorised vehicles."

Damn right, they should tax them just like cars. Does anyone know how much tax you pay on an electric car...?

Hahaha.....Good point! 😀

I think it's brilliant that they've allowed you to get out riding and enjoy, you'd need to be a hermit to berate you.

If you're an able 20, 30 or even 40 something, really!!!!!!

PS I can't the the attraction of one for anything other than full on xc, sitting in the saddle twiddling the pedals. The issue I have with the is stop pedalling, it's the equivalent the braking, how are you meant to do more serious riding like that?

The issue I have with the is stop pedalling, it's the equivalent the braking, how

Ridden any modern ones . What you say is true of non geared hub motors but a good quality geared hub motor or mid mount don't drag like that

Right. Vinyl or MP3?

It's was a top of the line haibike. Botch motor maybe

well if it stopped under its own accord then it sounds broken

bosch motor shouldnt do that when working correctly.

unless you were just infact going up hill and the weight just meant it lost momentum fast

rusty spanner. motor should arrive tomorrow but this is the concept - bafang mid mount motor /cranks/Microswitched brakes. set up to provide assistance and stop assisting at 15.5mph. - still faster than the average journey across town in daylight hours.

[img] https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jU_Tykoh_oWdc-KfBf7m4eKUAO5dCbQcidUEo1-Ws8RS5vUlsgHDAgBvhMQ0De-qvDY0P9PfkkK7Ig=w1920-h1080-rw-no [/img]