Originally Posted by
DMC707
I dont think the e-bikes will simply take over the trail like 29'ers did a few years ago ----- the good ones are pretty cost prohibitive. I know there are quite a few of us who run around on 8k Yeti's , Specialized's, Santa Cruz's and the like, but we're the "elitist minority"
Agree and the vast majority of ebike riders - as of now, are casual riders or ones that see value in them as transportation, not recreation.
Even if i could afford an e bike -- i wont - unless
I like what one of the posters said when he mentioned getting people out for some vigorous exercise without it being a Bataan death march at the first good hill
That's the value to experienced riders and casual riders that aren't interested in V02 max.
Ones that want to enjoy the views and outlooks, and not be a ball of sweat and dirt. In fact, that is the vast majority of people- which is why mtb is not bigger than it is. That may be a good or bad thing, depending on your perspective.
For me, anything that enables people to enjoy mtb is a good thing.
---- I am typing this from Angel Fire NM where i am farting around with my newly aquired DH bike and i can say - in extreme examples like this ---- an e-bike is not gonna help ---- i dont know at what point an e-bike becomes a motorcycle -- but i can say with certainty, a bicycle based chassis is still pretty limited taking on rocky nasty chunder
---And as far as a XC race goes - seems like they go about as fast as Ned Overend did in 1993 --- Nobody has (yet) accused Ned or Juli Furtado of destroying the environment yet
-----
I think all is well if the e-bikes still retain a bicycle configuration -- the minute they start weighing 120 pounds and have 46mm forks -- then its a motorcycle
There are DH bikes now that have dual crown forks, moto tires and are basically motorcycles.
I agree, in DH there is no purpose for ebikes, and it's probably to most extreme- and has the most impact on the trails, yet the sport and activity are doing fine.
In fact, the HUGE rise of Enduro shows that the popularity of technical downhills is just getting bigger.
Also, in enduro, ebikes don't really have any benefit.
------- I see a real benefit for a commuter though --- although im a Clyde, im not lazy --- BUT- it sure would be nice to take a gentle ride to an appointment and not show up with the pits sweated out , monkey butt, and screwed up hair on a 2 or 3 mile jaunt into town --- maybe a grocery trip or something like that
exactly. the vast majority see ebikes as transportation, not recreation. In that respect, ebikes have the potential to bring a lot more people into cycling, and become a genuine form of alternative transportation.