Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger...because of eBike
11-15-16, 01:45 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 663
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 238 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger...because of eBike
I've found that riding an eBike has made me a much stronger rider for a number of reasons and I was wondering if any other eBike riders feel the same?
When on the eBike:
1.) I've gotten used to the speed. Drag increases by the square of the speed so most of your work is just overcoming the drag, which means I'm constantly pedaling in the higher gears (or is it low? I can never get it right, I have to pedal harder).
2.) The eBike is much heavier than a regular bike plus I usually have it loaded up with gear and I usually keep it at 2/4 pedal assist so at the top end I have to be pushing fairly hard to beat air drag.
3.) Hills are not so scary so I'm more willing to attack them, even that 3-mile long multi-grade hill that I have to tackle every day of the commute.
4.) When passing other riders I'm much more willing to keep up the pace to try and lose them. Especially road bikes, since they sometimes notice it's an eBike and tend to up their pace as well for competitive reasons (not judging I do the same when on my road bike, lol)
5.) I tend to rider longer distances at a time.
Maybe it's a placebo effect from moving between drastically different bikes but I feel like it's made me a much stronger rider. Much of it may be psychological or attitude in that, "I did it with the other bike, I can do it with this one", but I feel like I am absolutely flying when on my road bike. I maintain a higher overall speed, I freewheel much less frequently, I pound it more often on the hills, I can go longer distances. Anybody else notice the same or am I taking too many sugar pills?
When on the eBike:
1.) I've gotten used to the speed. Drag increases by the square of the speed so most of your work is just overcoming the drag, which means I'm constantly pedaling in the higher gears (or is it low? I can never get it right, I have to pedal harder).
2.) The eBike is much heavier than a regular bike plus I usually have it loaded up with gear and I usually keep it at 2/4 pedal assist so at the top end I have to be pushing fairly hard to beat air drag.
3.) Hills are not so scary so I'm more willing to attack them, even that 3-mile long multi-grade hill that I have to tackle every day of the commute.
4.) When passing other riders I'm much more willing to keep up the pace to try and lose them. Especially road bikes, since they sometimes notice it's an eBike and tend to up their pace as well for competitive reasons (not judging I do the same when on my road bike, lol)
5.) I tend to rider longer distances at a time.
Maybe it's a placebo effect from moving between drastically different bikes but I feel like it's made me a much stronger rider. Much of it may be psychological or attitude in that, "I did it with the other bike, I can do it with this one", but I feel like I am absolutely flying when on my road bike. I maintain a higher overall speed, I freewheel much less frequently, I pound it more often on the hills, I can go longer distances. Anybody else notice the same or am I taking too many sugar pills?
11-15-16, 02:20 PM
#2
Senior Member
Whenever I start to think like that, I turn off the assist and ride my bike without... and try to keep the same effort going during the ride to see what I can really do... and guess what. I fail at keeping my "I'm a hero, I'm in great shape thoughts" 
11-15-16, 02:50 PM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 663
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 238 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
^that's certainly true in my case as well. I'm not saying I could keep the speed up like I can with motorized assist. Simply that it's made me a stronger rider.
Loaded, my eBike weighs 35+ pounds more than my road bike and I've ridden the eBike 5+ miles at a time without any pedal assist (forgot to charge the bike and ran out of juice like today, lol); certainly was not the fastest guy out this morning and I'll be taking the bus home.
Loaded, my eBike weighs 35+ pounds more than my road bike and I've ridden the eBike 5+ miles at a time without any pedal assist (forgot to charge the bike and ran out of juice like today, lol); certainly was not the fastest guy out this morning and I'll be taking the bus home.
11-15-16, 04:16 PM
#6
Senior Member
^that's certainly true in my case as well. I'm not saying I could keep the speed up like I can with motorized assist. Simply that it's made me a stronger rider.
Loaded, my eBike weighs 35+ pounds more than my road bike and I've ridden the eBike 5+ miles at a time without any pedal assist (forgot to charge the bike and ran out of juice like today, lol); certainly was not the fastest guy out this morning and I'll be taking the bus home.
Loaded, my eBike weighs 35+ pounds more than my road bike and I've ridden the eBike 5+ miles at a time without any pedal assist (forgot to charge the bike and ran out of juice like today, lol); certainly was not the fastest guy out this morning and I'll be taking the bus home.
So yes, an E-Bike can make you better, faster, stronger... 
11-15-16, 06:50 PM
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 663
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 238 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Maybe it's a placebo effect from moving between drastically different bikes but I feel like it's made me a much stronger rider. Much of it may be psychological or attitude in that, "I did it with the other bike, I can do it with this one", but I feel like I am absolutely flying when on my road bike. I maintain a higher overall speed, I freewheel much less frequently, I pound it more often on the hills, I can go longer distances. Anybody else notice the same or am I taking too many sugar pills?
Last edited by zze86; 11-15-16 at 07:05 PM.
