eja_ bottecchia

McBTC

True, true who cares but I think the issue is raised because the OP knows it is as easy to have personal opinions about it as it is for others to ignore them. But, that does not make opinion go away or change the facts.

To say, 'cheating' has no bearing outside competition ignores a lot of more subtle meanings to the word. How about 'cheating' ourselves? You may be free to ignore unwritten rules, codes of conduct, traditions and customs for a lot of reasons-- e.g., because they're inconvenient or involve putting forth too much effort for the 'reward.'

These are more a subjective notions about what's right and proper and probably change over time but, the use of bicycles has a long history and many who love cycling enjoy engaging in it as a sport, hobby, exercise, lifestyle because making the effort and honoring the commitment that fidelity to an idea of what, for example, road biking is all about is it's own reward.

eja_ bottecchia

McBTC

Sure... the OP needs to move on. His old riding buddies haven't changed... they're doing their thing and the OP obviously is free to engage in a different activity that he may enjoy as much or more than riding a bike. For some, biking is closer to a religion than just another activity. The OP runs a risk turning the folks off, bragging about going >50 miles and scoffing at their accomplishments of barely being able to put down 35 miles. An E-bike is sort of a cross between a bicycle and a Moped (some of which even have pedals). Moped rider, however, must obey the same laws that apply to automobiles. I doubt if any would think of riding a Moped as a sport but maybe so if as an Ebike, the motor being less powerful such that the Ebike is expected to be slower that a Moped (20 mph instead of 30) but still is enough like an ordinary bike that current laws say it's okay to ride it in bike lanes.

Personally, I don't have any problems with motors. I've seen motorized skateboards that look kind'a neat. Motorized scooters, Segways… golf carts! Lots of options but, I don't see cyclists being a bit confused about what riding a bike is all about. When you're riding a bike your making the most out of perhaps 1/5th of a horsepower and probably not >1/2 hp for an extended period of time whereas a 500W Ebike I guess would be more like 2/3s of a horse. It's not cheating but, it's not the same sport as cycling.

McBTC

Some would say, Vive la différence. Check out the adventure riding video of this Ebike (>1 hp)…

https://www.juicedbikes.com/products/scrambler?variant=7399109066775&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&gcli d=EAIaIQobChMI7vS4sa3X3QIVTotpCh3a9AvsEAEYASABEgJ2CfD_BwE

trailangel

Thanks! Now I want a Juiced Scrambler.

Looks like a Taco44

Hope the emergency rooms are ready for a lot of scrapes.

Rootman

OP here: Well, I finally had my first group ride since I bought the ebike. The one friend approached me at our meeting place (which I have always ridden to, he drives, even before my ebike purchase) and said my 'cheater bike' looked nice. The ride was a bit different, I kept it on the lowest setting until he challenged me a bit and took off, I set it on high and rocked past him. Then turned it back down and let him pass me. We chatted the whole way, I could actually carry a conversation rather than huff and puff and struggling to keep up. The dynamics of the ride changed, instead of them getting ahead and waiting on me, now I was in the front. I pulled ahead in the worst hill. They all enjoyed the ride and I think it was now a challenge for all of us. I kept it in low assist most of the time and didn't push it in their faces or show off, except for the first joking 'challenge' the 'cheater' guy and I had for no more than 300 feet or so.

I am real happy with the bike and think it's a good investment. The 'cheater' guy even mentioned he may look into ebikes.

trailangel

Ya. That's the way to ride in group. Stay with the group and don't out run them. I have the same experience.. lots of people looking and asking about the bike.

KraneXL

That would be himself, out of the full benefit of the point of cycling in the first place. On the other hand, "cheating" only applies to your intended goal.

For example, I notice people at the gym with such a small amount of weight that it barely provides any resistance at all. They go through the motions, but don't make any real progress. The bottom line is, when it comes to exercise, you get out of it what you put in.

kcflyer

You are correct. I put all this in on an ebike. I am liking what I get out. The only one I'd be cheating if I DIDN'T ride an e-bike would be me.

Cuyuna

KraneXL

Untrue. Feedback both positive and negative is a well-proven behavioral modifier.

McBTC

Seems like ebiking could be the basis for it's own group. You don't expect a wine tasting at a AA meeting. There may be a different mindset -- not just the ride but a lifestyle leading up to a ride -- that make it less natural and augers against bikers and ebikers riding together but, if you're talking about friends who've known each other for years using bikes as an excuse to get together to have a good time, it probably wouldn't matter if you showed up on a horse. I heard of a group that got together annually for a horseback ride and one of the riders was no longer in shape for it and struck out ahead of the group in a jeep to help organize things at the destination.

KraneXL

Well its obvious the twain will never agree. So maybe its better if they're kept separate? At least that way there won't be any confusion when it comes to comparisons.I think it would. Part of the idea is the all of you have something in common. To augment it in any way is to give oneself an unnatural balance. Its sorta like that athlete that uses a performance enhancement. That's the bases behind "cheating." They may not say it out loud, but its what's everyone is thinking.

trailangel

"You ARE cheating" .... these are the words you say to MTB riders taking ski lifts.

Buglady

Last person who said "but isn't that cheating" got ALL the gory details of the reason I now have an e-bike... I have photos from the surgery where various internal organs were rearranged and unstuck from each other. Endometriosis sucks, by the way.

MikeyMK

This is just it - i'm not at the gym. I don't ride a bike to get fit. I ride it to get from A2B. I ride because i enjoy riding.

Is a car cheating? Is a motorbike cheating? I'm not busting my hips and knees so I can go shopping without being accused of cheating by people who don't get it.

My bike isn't for anyone else's entertainment but mine.

KraneXL

No, because these make no pretense at being anything other than what they are.

MrGhrelin

Anything that gets people out riding in the US is good by me. For another look, from another perspective.
A view from the cycle path: 2018

john99999

When the derailleur was invented almost 120 years ago purists called it "cheating" to use one. A true cyclist would never use one and they weren't allowed in races. There is a nice description of this in the book "The Best of Cycling" by Harley Leete which I've attached as a pdf. A line from the book: "... variable gears are only for people over forty-five ... As for me, give me a fixed gear!"

Personally, I'm handicapped, couldn't ride w/o an e-bike, and have no patience for anyone who calls me a cheater -- and I get it often enough.

2old

This sub-forum has functioned extremely well without your negative attitude. Hopefully, like other haters, you'll be asked to leave.

KraneXL

Its not an attitude, its an academic standard. Just because you settle for low standards doesn't mean everyone here shares your lack of forward thinking. I sincerely hope you at least come away with the knowledge that not every comment made is a personal experience exaggeration. Some of us actually read the text books.

2old

I've been riding ebike(s) for four years alternating with my MTB and never had a problem with anyone. I ride with my wife or friends for fun and don't give a rat's ass what the calorie police or similar idiots think. Most of the time individuals are interested in the bikes, and some that I've met have "converted". If anyone ever says anything about cheating, I'll tell them to "shove it".

MikeyMK

Pretense? Wtf is that? You think I'm deliberately reflecting your personal illusion of what you think a bicycle and cyclist should be..?

MikeyMK

There's a hell of a lot of ignorance in this thread. Comments like ''what cycling should be'' and references to the gym. It seems like there are a few visitors from other cycling fields who ride for very different reasons..

Do you preach to 8yo kids how their fixie isn't good for their fitness, or their bikes are too heavy? No. Because they haven't lost the plot yet.

We don't all ride because we're going through a mid-life crisis and are trying to make up for eating too many kebabs.

My bike has regeneration, so I have to work harder, and pedal harder, whilst going downhill, than someone on a manual bike. I have mentioned this before, but it doesn't stop the prejudism.

People are kinda dicks, huh.