JanMM

Compressed helium and pixie dust inside the frame.

quicktrigger

#&$$ on them! If they don't like it...... well "whoopty freak'in do!"

If you are getting real exercise, and the desired result (weight lose), then what do you care what "they" think.

QT

Daniel4

Firstly, I didn't know the thread was about electric bikes until six paragraphs into the original post.
Secondly, stay off the bike paths, bike lanes and trails if you plan to go higher than 15km/hr, especially over 25km/hr. Use traffic lanes.
Thirdly, as long as you've significantly reduced your use of a personal automobile, I'll be happy.

Dave Mayer

Here: this is required reading on the great road pecking order:

It?s Not A Race » FCN Calculator

As per the calculator, if I am passed by a group of 20-something team kit guys riding full carbon bling bikes, then no shame. However, getting passed by someone on a mountain bike - no. It is not going to happen.

This calculator has electric bikes (EB) ranked down there with homeless people pushing shopping cart bikes, unicyclists and (shudder) recumbents.

I think far more highly of EBs than the creators of the calculator, and that they are a very worthwhile target for the pass. If I'm getting approached by an EB, I will turn myself inside out to keep ahead of them. Some of my proudest moments have been passing EBs on hills as their 500W engines max out and they are furiously pedaling to augment their assist power. My greatest commute so far this year was a 10 mile back and forth urban contest with an EB that I won in the last few city blocks. I work with the rider BTW.

mprelaw

I just want to know where I can find a fully built 10 pound road bike. Can someone steer me there?

howeeee

Ride what ever you like, who cares what somebody says.
Electric assisted bike is an electric assisted bike
the guy was kinda joking about cheating I am sure
Saturday and sunday I rode a combined milage of 70 miles
20 miles on a 70 pound vintage bike lol

caloso

Some of those motors add 500w, which is just insane.

BlazingPedals

Adding power is a slippery slope. If you add 500W or 1000W to your 100W engine, is that really "auxiliary" or "assisted?" Or are the pedals pretty much for show only? OTOH, you can only decrease the bike's weight to zero; and as a matter of practical application, I very much doubt the bike was much less than 15 pounds, if that. Certainly not "10 pounds."

IMHO, the cyclist's remark was completely justified. He was just verbalizing his realization that he'd been going up against a completely different class of vehicle: a moped. If the OP has a problem with that, maybe it's the OP's problem, not the roadie's.

70sSanO

Not sure if this is a legit post or just trolling, but from your original post, a few things don't add up.

I believe your e-bike sells in the neighborhood of $5K, not sure where your gobs of money threshold is, but it does seem like a significant jump from a Wallyworld bike just to lose some weight.

E-bikes are great for those who have physicla limitations and really need the help. They are banned in some states from using separate bike paths and hiking/mtb trails as they are considered motorized vehicle, even if only assisted.

I do wish that you are successful in your endeavor, but you may want to adjust your attitude to others when you are out riding as you were basically racing the other rider up the hill, and in these informal duels I would imagine there is no favorable outcome for you if you ride it on an e-bike.

John

Mickey2

You will meet all kinds of riders when you are out on your bike. You can always compare your self to them but most of them will probably not be in your leage for different reasons. Some enjoy a ride regardless of speed, an old heavy three speed can actually give you as nice a time as a carbon framed road bike can. If you emphasize speed you probably have a carbon frame racer though. Bikes are optimised for all kinds of reasons, speed; touring; city riding, all rounder, mountain, easy ride, there's the simplified single speed, nice looks, costs, trends, ...the list goes on. People are as different as their bikes, health, age, fitness, weight, their energy after a work day, on a day off, what they want out of the ride on the particular day, it's not easy to compare. It's impossible to make a personal competition of it with out equalizing the equipment factor.

I have tried three types of e-bikes, two of them were ready bought bikes built for electrical motor to start with; both well known brands; they were fine, I didn't have to work up hill at all; it actually was like a slight downhill. I just can't have a bike like that; I would hardly use a calorie! I also tried a type of Chinese made set for converting any bike to electrical; it's a set of wheels, motor in the front hub, battery can go various places on the frame or on the pannier. This setup had a switch; on full power I had very good speed with out pedaling at all, on the other setting the motor gave less power and I had to pedal a bit more for speed, but the battery lasted much longer. It was fun! All three bikes I've tried were controlled by a twist grip function, gradually adding speed as you turned the grip. Neither of them had the setup you describe on your Haibike moutain bike.

I suppose what you suggest shopkins1995, is a sort of built in golf style handicap number which equals the e-bikes advantage to a light build road/racer type bike. I don't know the Hibike at all, but I have ridden a lot of different bikes; 1954 heavy steel 3 speed roadster type, vintage Peugeot racer with lugged 531 tube frame, aluminum framed trecking bike, an old very heavy steel 5 speed 26" wheeled thing; a light build Raleigh 3 speed. I've only test ridden a few carbon bikes and a titanium framed bike (lovely Sram Red gear setup, sliding up and down the cassette like nothing else I've tried). My experience tells me type of bike and equipment means a lot (!!); neither of them can be described as much the same when it comes how fast or easy you ride.

Electrical bikes are fun though, with a racer (vintage included) I can usually keep up with the average e-bike with out much effort, some I even pass. On my old heavy 5 speed, which ideally should have had a bit of tune-up and service, I don't stand a chance. I try not to compare too much to others though. I know I need a racer to play that game, and I like a different bike for just enjoying a trip out of town.

If you aren't happy with your old mountain bike there is a few things you can do to adjust it to paved roads; get a pair of good slick tires, french valves and maximum pressure in the tires. Suspension forks can usually be turned to a ridgid setting, it will be all stiff with no spring action, it helps a lot too. You might want to get a new simple fork though; they weigh less and are more trouble free. You don't really need a mountain bike for gravel and paved roads, almost any bike should handle it fine ;- )

I mostly ride on my own for the joy of it. I found that if there's a few things on a bike I'm happy with, the ride is much more enjoyable. An old bike far from racer or carbon road, can be very nice when it's fixed up and serviced. It will never be up tod top speeds, but it runs very smooth and comfortable. It's all right to compare with others, compete with the e-bike, but I doubt it matters unless you are in a race. What ever bike you ride, the most important point of referance is often your self; don't let a remark from a random rider interfere too much.

vatdim

While I wouldn't have made that remark out loud, an e-bike is in fact a cheater bike. This is because you no longer rely solely on your own muscular power to climb that hill, you have something else assisting you. You are using a form of "fuel" that does not originate in the human body. You claim that gears and lightweight materials have the same effect, but they don't. They just make your own "fuel" more efficient, they don't add to it.

VegasTriker

I think you are a bit "thin skinned" and your attitude towards the roadie seems to mirror his opinion of you. You are critical of bikers who buy and use lightweight, expensive bikes but you also state that your only bikes up to this point are kids bikes and a Wally world type mountain bike that takes a great amount of effort to ride.

I have been there too, starting out on a one speed Schwine (not a misspelling, it was a pig of a bike). I graduated to a 10 speed and a few years later spent a whole month's income on a Motobecane Le Champion top-of-the-line road bike weighing 21 pounds and outfitted it with custom Phil Wood hub wheels. It was a fantastic bike to ride. The components worked flawlessly and I kept that bike up until a few years ago when I donated it to charity. Once you buy a bike like that, there is no going back to junk. I just got too old to ride the bike comfortably. I wish everyone would have the opportunity to ride one even just once before they judge the owner.

These days I ride a dreaded recumbent and worse yet, a recumbent trike. For those with the anti-recumbent attitude, I don't give a damn. I'm having too much fun to be bothered. Most of the times I get very positive comments, especially if I tell them how far I have ridden by the time we meet. It is really rare to find road bikers with their eyes to the ground and nose in the air. Just a few.

shopkins1995

I wanted a bike that can both go on the road and on trails.

shopkins1995

Hi Hypno Toad. I did borrow my friend's Trek that is set up with knobby tires and it was considerable lighter and easier to pedal compared to my mountain bike.

shopkins1995

The motor on mine cuts off at 20 MPH and as it approaches 20MPH it starts reducing power. The motor itself on a class I can't propel you up a hill by itself.

Cyclosaurus

How about 6 lb? Interbike Tech: A $45,000, six pound carbon road bike assembled by Fairwheel Bikes - VeloNews.com

shopkins1995

Yes, I have an advantage with a motor, but the light road bike with slicks also has an advantage. We both have advantages that are aimed at the same goal: reduce effort.

If road bikers didn't want to reduce effort to pedal then clearly they would ride mountain bikes instead of road bikes because mountain bikes are the better bike since they grip better and can be driven off road when needed.

winston63 

Totally with you on this - I've had the same experience while climbing a hill. The first time it happened to me I really had to do a double-take: how the heck is that lady blasting by me while putting almost no effort into it? I laughed out loud when I realized she had electric assist. Didn't bother me in the least.

I think electric assist is great as it gets some people out of polluting vehicles and into the fresh air. And they do get some exercise that they wouldn't otherwise be getting. It's all good.

caloso

The other day I was passed on the ARBT by a big guy, sitting stock straight up on a mountain bike with panniers and fat knobby tires. I was doing about 250w and 22mph and the guy flew by doing at least 25, maybe 27. It was unreal.

I don't mind being passed. But it was way too fast for the conditions, particularly since he didn't seem to be the best bike handler.

shopkins1995

Vatdim, the motor it negating the additional weight of the bike and low roll of the tires on the road. It allows a mountain bike to ride on pavement comparable to a road bike when it would not otherwise be possible. While I could get slicks for the bike, it would not be possible to take it off road.

shopkins1995

Anything over class I can't be used on the road so he was clearly riding illegal.

bakes1

You just don't get it
And after reading some of your comments I wonder if maybe the fact that you don't get it is written all over your face and that's why that other rider made the comment.
Just the fact that you failed to even choose the right forum for your rant is kinda telling imo.

caloso

I don't know what over class I is and I don't know or particularly care what the laws are relating to scooters, but I do know what safe riding looks like.

shopkins1995

The classes are the amount of power the motor provides. Class I is assist and is legal to ride anywhere. An electric scooter would be class 4.

Class 1: Pedal Assist
The electric drive system on the ebike can only be activated through a pedaling action and is limited to relatively low speeds. The sensor usually measures pedal movement, pedal torque or bicycle speed (sometimes all three) and sensors are located in the bottom bracket, rear hub or rear wheel. In parts of Europe this class is limited to 15 mph (25 kph) with motor wattage <= 250 watts. In America, because of our more liberal vehicle definition, this class is limited to a motor powered speed of 20 mph (32 kph) with motor wattage of <= 750 watts. Due to the low speed of operation and required pedaling action this class should benefit from the same rights and access privileges as non-assist bicycles and should be able to be used on streets, bike lanes, multi-use bike paths and off-road trails.

shelbyfv

Clearly an e bike has more in common with scooters and mopeds than bicycles. I certainly would not want to ride in a group with an unpredictable e bike. If someone enjoys riding one, fine, but it has little to do with cycling.