I don't get why some people don't get ebikes.

[greencat]

I'm coming back from injury and it's getting me back out again most days, I really enjoy it. However I do want to get back onto a "proper bike" as soon as possible. Its very hilly where I live and its been great to get back out.

A week and a half after coming out of hospital after major abdominal surgery, I was riding mine. I could barely walk 200 yards, and was still getting home visits from a community nurse but I was cycling 8-10 miles on my ebike. Since the surgery, it has become a staple part of my transport. I use it for commuting and picking up the shopping and firewood, but for recreation I use a normal bike.

There's a guy I go out mountain biking with. Pushing 70, but due to a motorcross background - absolutely fearless and highly skilled. He had one of his lungs removed a while back, and an ebike keeps him riding.

 

[Imlach]

I’m a fit guy and an e-bike owner. When I’m out on the ebike, I actually apologise to any riders I overtake on the hills.

When I’m climbing on a normal bike, anyone that overtakes me on an ebike and doesn’t apologise gets verbally abused in my head.

Actually, anyone that overtakes me on a normal bike gets abuse as well.

Love that. Should add that I'm only messing anyway. I see more and more e-bikers here, and my only problems with it now has to do with cheap borderline disposible ebikes being sold to the gullible. On my daily leisure rides or when running errands I occasionally see more electric bikes than normal ones. Pretty crazy. All ages too, but primarily the elderly or people with a physique that doesn't lend itself well to a more active lifestyle. They've been coming out with some non obligatory guidelines for elderly ebikers here, as there's pretty significant increased risk of injury for them, so that's good.

Much prefer them to cars

 

[bikeworkshop]

There's remote places where once it was just me,
and now it's me and 3 guys on 4k ebikes.

But that's progress!

 

[Twozaskars]

Went for a walk around Sherwood pines on Sunday and almost every single e-bike that passed us was seemingly under the (lack of) control of an arrogant selfish twit. Looked like the ‘ordinary’ bikes were holding them up on the actual bike trails so they took to scaring dogs and kids on the gravel fire roads instead.
That said, I did use one of those Dott bikes in Brussels last week and was my first proper e-bike ride, I liked it.

 

[fennec]

I dont need one, im in reasonable shape, so i dont really look at them much with any interest.
I dont like them as a product, i see a lot of people talking about how ebikes are this great alternative to cars for people who live in cities. And how its so much better for the environment. And i just outright disagree.
Just get a regular bike, ideally a used bike. I see people buying ebikes to use as commuters for the sake of going green and bruh, thats a LFP battery, or just lithium batteries in general. Theyre far from good for the environment simply due to the manufacturing involved and the waste they created in the process.
And then theyre very expensive and they tend to come off as a wealthy persons hobby more than an accessible tool.

I dont really care about them on trails, being used for mountain biking. Mountain ebikes are the least of my concerns, theyre a recreational device. The local trails are not a competition, just dont tear it up that bad and its no concern to me.
But seeing them as a recommendation for people trying to commute in town? Bro get a regular bike.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Ah but your commuting probably isn't what other want.
The ebike fits the bill of get to work and back as easy as possible and it's cheaper and doesn't need all the stuff a moped needs, unless you go the illegal e-bike (dodgy electric moped that looks a bit like a push bike) route, then people seem to just ignore it.

People are not as sweaty, they can get there quicker and do it for not a lot. Ebikes are not expensive, expensive ebikes are expensive.

The battery is nothing compared to cars of any shape or form, other than a flintstones or even a drill/strimmer/lawnmower, throw away AAs, laptops, phones...
And recycling and life is better now (same for e-cars).

But still if your going ebike, go recumberent and do it properly.

 

[greencat]

We've been through the environmental impact of ebikes v bikes on this/another thread. Turns out to be nuanced and not obvious. But essentially human + more food + bike has a greater environmental impact than human + food + ebike (yes, you will on average eat more riding a normal bike because you are expending more energy - and electricity turns out to be more efficient at propelling humans than human power). The additional environmental impact of the production of a new ebike is essentially the same as a couple of large steaks. That should not be a surprise as the additional components are roughly the equivalent of a cordless drill plus a couple of batteries. Compared to a car, moped or whatever it's peanuts.

I have never paid more than £500 for an ebike - either conversion kit for an existing bike or full ebike. Here's the fiido D3 pro, for example:

Fiido D3 Pro Mini Electric Bike

Fiido D3 Pro: Compact and portable, budget-friendly, powerful 250W motor, 37.2-mile long range, the top choice for city commuting and leisure riding!

uk.fiido.com

A perfectly capable little ebike that does at least 15 miles on one charge over my very hilly commute. It'll also happily carry me (80kg) and 20kg of shopping up a 14% hill. Customer service is a crap shoot, but if you are happy fettling as I am then it's a good deal.

Of course, if funds are limited or you want/need the exercise - a second hand push bike is always a good choice for commuting (and environment). I would probably still be using one myself were it not for the surgery, physically demanding job and hilly commute. But our household is carless and the rural area we live in poorly served by public transport so I'm not going to lose any sleep over using a ebike.

 

[ibbz]

I can understand if it's genuinely just a commuting mode of transport. I can understand if you enjoy DH or MTB and don't have much fitness. Again if you're old or have injuries. (I guess I do understand why people get them).

One thing that HUGELY annoyed me. I was battering the red route at Sherwood pines and I hear a voice behind me saying "wow you're flying". I look back and there's an old guy on an ebike. I waited at the end of the segment for him to pass by, he then waited for me and tailed me again saying how fast I was.
I got the impression the guy thought he was "in the gang". I'm thinking, "I don't know you, we have nothing in common, the only reason you're staying with me is because you have an engine". If a guy was riding normal bike and staying with me id be inclined to chat.
In the end I was so frustrated I turned off the trail and used some quieter bits.
I cant imagine somebody running a pb on a 10K and a guy on an electric scooter rolling up and trying to chat.
The guy was trying to talk to me when I was on the limit as well.

I also did a gravel sportive and my friend and I had a guy on an ebike tag on, it was fast and flat 50. He refused to come to the front. Thankfully his battery ran out at 40 miles and we left him. I couldn't believe I had a guy on an ebike drafting me.

That's what annoys me about ebikes.

Think I've listed the good and bad and there.

I would’ve told him to F Off. you’re too kind
And I can’t stand E Bikes of any sort

 

[ibbz]

We've been through the environmental impact of ebikes v bikes on this/another thread. Turns out to be nuanced and not obvious. But essentially human + more food + bike has a greater environmental impact than human + food + ebike (yes, you will on average eat more riding a normal bike because you are expending more energy - and electricity turns out to be more efficient at propelling humans than human power). The additional environmental impact of the production of a new ebike is essentially the same as a couple of large steaks. That should not be a surprise as the additional components are roughly the equivalent of a cordless drill plus a couple of batteries. Compared to a car, moped or whatever it's peanuts.

I have never paid more than £500 for an ebike - either conversion kit for an existing bike or full ebike. Here's the fiido D3 pro, for example:

Fiido D3 Pro Mini Electric Bike

Fiido D3 Pro: Compact and portable, budget-friendly, powerful 250W motor, 37.2-mile long range, the top choice for city commuting and leisure riding!

uk.fiido.com

A perfectly capable little ebike that does at least 15 miles on one charge over my very hilly commute. It'll also happily carry me (80kg) and 20kg of shopping up a 14% hill. Customer service is a crap shoot, but if you are happy fettling as I am then it's a good deal.

Of course, if funds are limited or you want/need the exercise - a second hand push bike is always a good choice for commuting (and environment). I would probably still be using one myself were it not for the surgery, physically demanding job and hilly commute. But our household is carless and the rural area we live in poorly served by public transport so I'm not going to lose any sleep over using a ebike.

An E bike battery is an environmental disaster

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I'm still calling "baloney" on consuming less because of the eBike. I eat the same amount whether I ride or walk.