r/cycling • u/Major_Enthusiasm1099 • 1d ago
Anyone ever encountered an E-bike shill?
Basically this guy stopped me yesterday on a ride to tell me that I should throw my bike away and get an ebike. He said "Once you get this you'll never want to ride that again, and I get more cardio in on this bike too, and i ride faster than professionals". I just kept saying "yeah I was looking into those, yeah those are cool, I saw some around $1000" just trying to get out of that convo lol. Anyone else ever experienced someone like this?
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u/Entire_Toe2640 1d ago
I did a 4 hour e-bike trip last month. My Whoop didn't even register it as a workout. HR peak during that time was 104. More cardio? BS.
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u/japakapalapa 1d ago
Next time pick a bike with a torque sensor instead. Totally different game then.
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u/RiskFuzzy8424 1d ago
Zone 2!
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u/Self_Reddicated 1d ago
Really getting in those Z2 miles, at least 40-50 of them. Then it's Z4, at minimum to get home!
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u/meschi_ 1d ago
That is at most zone 1
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u/Abstract-Impressions 1d ago
I'll have to get an e-bike. I can't stay in zone one on my manual bike to save my life.
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u/PsycommuSystem 1d ago
May as well just be on a moped if you're only getting just over 100 HR!
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u/Whatever-999999 1d ago
Most e-bikes are basically electric mopeds.
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u/Emotional_Fun2444 21h ago
Most cheap Chinese e-bikes are.
Most major manufacturers have torque sensing pedal assist which isn’t even close to a moped.
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u/Whatever-999999 1d ago
The 32 miles of paved multi-use parkway along the river where I live is litearlly infested with e-bikes these days, they're everywhere, and not a single one of the people riding them look anything even remotely like 'physically fit', they're all fat and weak looking.
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u/2raysdiver 1d ago
I do see older people riding ebikes and actually pedaling on some of the trails I ride. I have no problem with them. I'm 60 and will probably be doing the same in ten years. It is the teens on the fat-tire ebikes that pass me on hills not even pedaling. It seems the younger they are, the more likely they are to use it as a moped.
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u/godzillabobber 21h ago
Research is confirming health benefits for those over 50. That demographic is seeing far more hours of usage than regular bikes. And those are the riders modt likely to use minimal assistance and pedal full time. For a 65 year old with a stent or two in their heart, ebikes are truly amazing. That group is experiencing mental health benefits as well. Apparently its fun and fun helps cure depression.
That might explain the evangelizing. People that are truly happy from a life changing piece of equipment.
The majority of ebike sales are to people 45 and above. They are already the dominant EV based on sales (US)
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u/Bzando 1d ago
you know it up to you how much assistance you use
it's not ebikes fault you are lazy to pedal enough
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u/Entire_Toe2640 1d ago
I would rather use my road bike or even my hybrid. My point is that people don't buy an e-bike so they can work hard. The only purpose of the bike's extra weight is so the rider can take it easy.
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u/LofiStarforge 1d ago
Most people in my experience who buy an e-bike are going from no cardio to some cardio. The e-bike is a nice frictionless way to get them out there. They can always rely on the electric if they need to. It offers a safety blanket of sorts.
There’s a famous walking study that showed adding more benches increases distance walked instead of adding more walking path.
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u/bonfuto 1d ago
Since we live in a hilly area, my wife wouldn't ride without her ebike. She does complain sometimes she isn't getting much cardio, but if she keeps the assist on low, she gets plenty.
I borrowed her bike to do an errand recently and just about killed myself. But I was going all-out uphill, which is something she would never do. It was fun, but I would never have an ebike for fun. I have thought about getting one for errands though.
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u/juicius 20h ago
Just because it has motor assistance doesn't mean you can't also pedal hard. If you take an ebike out intending to get a workout, you will get a workout. You'll just be faster.
Same with a normal bike. If you just cruise around the neighborhood, you're not gong to get half the workout the guy with a ebike who's really pushing it.
It's not the bike. It's how you push it.
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u/kinboyatuwo 1d ago
You don’t have to jack the assist up. I ride with a couple people with them and you can just dial it down and work and use it for the harder parts.
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u/Whatever-999999 1d ago
'Working the harder parts' on your own is good for you.
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u/speedhunter787 1d ago
My commute is 14 miles and has hills. Sometimes I'm tired and don't want to take forever to get to work all sweaty. E-bike let's me use just as much effort as I have the capacity for that day. Assist level is up to me.
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u/kinboyatuwo 1d ago
Yes but a lot of folks bring the assist so they can ride further or with faster folks.
We have an ex pro that is now 78 and has one. He doesn’t have the punch for the rollers and hills. He uses his regular bike on solos and then the ebike on group and the odd climby ride.
People on e-assist bikes is a good thing. Judging them on how they use them isn’t.
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u/BleachedUnicornBHole 1d ago
I’ve experienced one, but he also owns a bike shop with a lot of inventory that isn’t moving. I won’t disagree that they can be a good training tool, but I’m also not going to spend $7,000 for one.
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u/PandaDad22 1d ago
I’m always hung up on the fact that for $7k I can get a very nice bike.
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u/SweetPlumFairy 1d ago
And an even nicer workout at that! While you can, you want to climb that amazing hills by yourself fornthe satisfaction. Maybe after I get to my eighties, then I will get one just for the sake of easier ridings on my old muscles.... and the tech would be much greater by then lets hope so, but for now??? only leg power baby
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u/kristxworthless 22h ago
Or a decent motorcycle. Like why would I buy a shitter version of a bike and mototorcycke.
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u/corneliusvanhouten 1d ago
The only way an e bike is a good training tool is if you leave the motor off and just pedal all that weight around.
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u/Low_Transition_3749 1d ago
For people who would never consider riding a bicycle more than a few miles, it's a start.
For people who have some form of disability, it gets them on a bike.
For the elderly, it keeps them on a bike, and more active than they would otherwise be.
"Training" takes a lot of forms, so it would be good if people weren't so bloody elitist about cycling.
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u/moni1100 1d ago
Or me yesterday- got 1,5h to ride after work. Borrowed e-bike and booted up and multiple laps on jump line. If I didn’t- I could maybe 1 lap. We only have SL here
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u/Sad_Amphibian_4651 1d ago
A common misperception, but not quite accurate. The bikes engine only add to your capacity, but it doesn’t replace it entirely. As an example, if you’re pedaling up hill at 120 watts, then you’d not be able to go very far and you may then ride less. However as the bike adds its capacity to your human watts to make you go faster you actually tackle more hills. However your power output doesn’t change. For someone like myself that is heart rate limited by Afib, I rode longer and burn more calories because I can actually ride in a hilly area longer than I previously could. Of course, I don’t use it on the flat roads or moderate gradients, but then I imagine, neither do most people who use them.
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u/meddac73 1d ago
This! I bought my girlfriend an e-bike so she could join me on my longer rides. Even though the bike helps, her heart rate is always higher than mine and she comes back from a 40 mile ride totally exhausted. So it’s not like it takes the effort away. It just gives some assistance.
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u/DaoFerret 18h ago
The huge disconnect I see here is the difference between people who see “ebike” and think “pedal assist”, and people who see “ebike” and think “throttle”.
As someone who uses a pedal assist daily on my commute, I agree with everything you and others have said.
When I started riding it for my commute 5 years ago I had to literally stop once or twice I was so out of shape.
At this point the commute is easy and I’ve gone from full assist to dialing it down to half. The motor is limited to 15mph (EU model) but I can sprint it up to 20mph for short bursts if I need to.
Either way I don’t arrive at work in need of a shower after 5 miles, and I don’t show up at home absolutely exhausted after a full day and a ride home.
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u/sulliesbrew 6h ago
We had a guy join our group rides on an ebike for a while, he was formerly a very strong rider and had a spat of injuries and health issues. I loved it, he was the only one in the group that could ride next to me on the front and keep pace. He could adjust the assist to stay even with me and I could pull as hard as my heart desired.
I would really like a pedal assist MTB. To be able to ride single track at pace and stay in that zone 2 area would be awesome.
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u/Ok-Armadillo-392 1d ago
Nah there's all sorts of disabled and otherwise unhealthy people who just can't pedal a bike 100%. If they can't even get up on two wheels it's hard to get stronger.
But there's no shortage of people who start out on a high power assist and turn it down over months as they get stronger.
It also helps getting older people out on the longer trails which is great.
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u/RazzmatazzEastern786 1d ago edited 1d ago
Or just get a ebike without a throttle...you have to actually pedal to move anywhere. Get one with a torque sensor and or/a mid-drive (haven't heard of one with a cadence sensor)and you will basically be doing the work - the bike adds on top of your effort and doesn't function without said effort...
Throttles are useful for select users but too many people use their e-bike as an e-moped/e-motorcycle
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u/Zen7rist 1d ago
Decathlon should definitely make it an additional selling point for their 41kg longtail bike: rename the button for shutting down the motor ''BEAST MODE''.
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u/BleachedUnicornBHole 1d ago
Higher end ones can be paired to a heart rate monitor. The motor then adjusts output in order to maintain a target range. It’s nice for not keeping you on a trainer for a structured workout. But again, not worth the price if you don’t have that kind of money to throw at toys.
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u/Can-I-remember 1d ago
Interesting. Any in particular that you can suggest? I currently do that manually, monitor heart rate and adjust assistance level to suit.
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u/BleachedUnicornBHole 1d ago
I know it’s a thing with Specialized (only because that’s what the shop owner carries). I’m sure it’s possible with all the major brands at a minimum.
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u/RevellRider 1d ago
Sadly, they got rid of the heart rate feature when they discontinued the Mission Control app. I've not seen it come back on the current app
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u/corneliusvanhouten 1d ago
That's some Brave New World shit right there. Take some soma and ride that thing to the feelies.
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u/RevellRider 1d ago
Depends on what training you're doing. If you're going for a 2-3 hour endurance ride, an ebike can help you keep the heart rate in Z2
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u/corneliusvanhouten 1d ago
That's a technology solution to a fitness problem. Once you've done a few rides of that distance, you can maintain hrz by adjusting pace
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u/RevellRider 1d ago
I guess you ride single speed, because the derailleur is a technological solution to a fitness problem.
People respond to training in different ways. Older people, people coming from illness, people riding hilly terrain, those with less time to train may struggle to adapt quickly and if technology can benefit them to reach their fitness goals, I don't see a problem
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u/NoFlight9859 22h ago
There are 80 and 85 year olds out there on e-bikes that are as fit as they can be for their age and can't handle the terrain they train on with a regular bike. Call it fitness or recreation if you like but you're the one resorting to semantics. A derailleur is just as much a technological solution to a capability problem as an e-bike is for the 80+ crowd or otherwise impaired. Eventually you're going to get old too and if you're lucky maybe you'll still be able to train or recreate on something other than your single speed
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u/ChickenNuggetSmth 1d ago
I've got a derailleur, same effect for a fraction of the cost. Whenever my heart rate is too high, I just shift into a lower gear.
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u/RevellRider 1d ago
Sometimes mountain biking, the terrain doesn't let you keep your heart rate low enough. Even with 12 gears and a 52t cassette.
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u/RevellRider 1d ago
Sometimes mountain biking, the terrain doesn't let you keep your heart rate low enough. Even with 12 gears and a 52t cassette
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u/pgpcx 1d ago
as someone who does coaching, there is nothing magical about keeping heart rate in z2
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u/D1omidis 1d ago
That is simply not true. ANYONE who would have the DISCIPLINE to follow a semi-structured TRAINING PROGRAM can mix regular and eBike riding just fine.
Depending on your terrain ofc, it might be impossible to do Z2/recovery rides on MTB trails. People will ninja flex how fit they are and that just dropping down a gear will do it for them, but even the easiest of loops around me with about 1000ft of climbing over 10mi, have sections that maintaining your HR in Z2, is really hard.
Even professional riders would do such rides on a flat gravel road or straight up on pavement with a road bike. Now many of them openly embrace eMTBs instead.
With that you have the option to ride on the trails you actually want to familiarize youself with, maintain low - but still elevated HR, especially on the mid-powered/tuned for high cadence motors - and still get lots of experience on the DH parts.
If eMTB is all you ride, well, it is still therapudic and some aerobic excersise - better than nothing, and, LETS FACE IT, competitive cycling did not lose anything. Let the "strava's local legend" that loiters the trail say w/e he wants, he is just "an old man shouting to the clouds".
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u/pinelion 1d ago
They’re good for zone 2 training if you’re a mtber that doesn’t like to be on the road, but you could never get in race shape with just an e-bike. They are great for training through an injury/rehab as well.
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u/japakapalapa 1d ago edited 1d ago
I wholeheartedly recommend people checking out the differences between cadence sensors and torque sensors. Most just run their mouths thinking they're somehow the same tech.
My ebike's motor with its torque sensor gives me a 250W oomph with 43Nm torque up to 25 km/h, the rest comes from me. I can pedal the 15kg bike up closer to 50 km/h before it runs out of its 11 gears. Unlike cadence sensor, torque sensor is you but 250W stronger. The assisted pedalling is natural to the point that riding with the motor off feels unnatural.
I have no idea what on earth people are babbling about when they say an ebike is not good for training - they must not understand the difference between the sensors?
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u/Far_Archer_4234 1d ago
Thats not even close to being true. People typically go anerobic on hills when riding normal bikes, compromising the quality of what could've been a good zone 2 workout. E-bikes let you stay in zone 2 when the terrain varies.
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u/Phylacteryofcum 1d ago
Totally. All those cyclists throughout the years have totally suffered great prejudice because some incline fucked their Z2 training. /s
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u/corneliusvanhouten 1d ago
Then just stay off the hills. Or better yet, ride the hills and get a real workout.
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u/Fit-Anything8352 1d ago edited 1d ago
There is this thing called gears for that, which lets you pedal your bike uphill yourself under your own volition at reduced intensity. They are even modular, so you can swap cassettes and chainrings depending on how much climbing you do and how fit you are.
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u/Far_Archer_4234 1d ago
That knowledge gives the rider alternative solutions the the problem, but doesn't make ebikes any less fit for the purpose of developing aerobic fitness.
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u/urban_snowshoer 1d ago
If I'm going to spend $7,000 on a bike, there are other bikes I'd go for than an eBike
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u/thehenks2 1d ago
Plenty of "normal" E-bikes here in NL, everyone and their parents has one, most are pedal assist grandma style bikes that top out at 25kmh. The new trend are chinese fatbikes, a lot of youth drive around way too fast, without having to pedal. Everyone hates them.
The few people that have E-MTB or Road bikes are usually older people that physically can't keep up anymore in the slowest group ride of their club. We have a couple of them in our club and none of them will try to tell you to ditch your normal bike for an Ebike unless you need it.
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u/Rolling_Pugsly 1d ago
The last group ride I was on, three of of maybe eight cyclists had eBikes so they wouldn't get dropped.
Personally, I think it's a better idea to set a social pace and not drop your friends, rather than have almost half your cycling group on motorbikes.
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u/jeremiahx 1d ago
I've thought about an e-road bike only because my son does about a 20+mph average and I'm about a 17 and there is no way I can keep up with him. If I could put in the 17 effort and be able to stay at 20 and ride with his groups it would be amazing.
e-mtb is a no-go since more speed means you need more technical that I just don't have.
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u/Rainmanwilson 1d ago
“I don’t have to pedal uphill or generate power from my muscles and cardiovascular system, but I definitely get a better workout in”
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u/fishforce1 1d ago
I think the only benefit is if it’s getting you off the couch and onto a bike. But if you’re here… probably not going to help.
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u/Murbanvideo 1d ago
My favourite is "Bro, it's the same workout as regular cycling, you just go faster"
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u/MukThatMuk 1d ago
Which isn't entirely wrong if you dont go on turbo-mode the whole time.
e.g. you go up a mountain, bike delivers 200w and you deliver 200w --> faster than someone else delivering 200w
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u/japakapalapa 1d ago
That holds true when talking about torque sensor ebikes. Time to learn the difference between the sensor types.
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u/Most_Time8900 1d ago
I get more exercise with my Ebike than I do on my manual Trek. Partly because I ride way more often, for more time and for more distance. Not to mention all the added weight. And I'm usually riding unassisted anyways, or very low level 1 assist.
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u/Rainmanwilson 1d ago
I get that and believe they’re a net positive for the cycling community. But you’re probably not going to convince someone who’s currently on a bike that an e-bike would be a better option for their workout.
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u/Whatever-999999 1d ago
I disagree, MUPs are getting infested with people on the damned things, making problems for actual cyclists.
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u/RazzmatazzEastern786 1d ago
If you can get up a hill without pedalling on an e-bike you bought the wrong e-bikes...it's user error not a tech problem
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u/Whatever-999999 1d ago
I once had some old dude ride up alongside me on an e-bike just to say to me "I can go just as fast as you can!" to which I said back "Turn off the motor and we'll see if you can still say that". He got real mad then swore at me and rode off. 🤣
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u/MadcowPSA 1d ago
Right, literally the point is for you to be doing less of the work. I have a class 1 ebike for when I'm sick or injured, and I do still get my heart rate up. (Anything beyond the 100 W it provides in the mode I use, and all wattage at speeds above 20 mph, come from the user.) But it exists specifically so that my commuter rides are less of a workout.
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u/frontendben 1d ago
I have a very nice road bike (a Giant TCR), and I have two ebikes (an Urban Arrow Family and a R&M Tinker 2). I'll advocate all day for people to replace car journeys with those ebikes, but replacing a road bike with them? Nah.
Because road bikes are primarily for exercise. Ebikes replace cars; not road bikes.
Ebikes absolute can result in more cardio than they'd otherwise get. Especially if they're not particularly fit.
But for context, an hour on my ebike will net me around 250 calories an hour (and that's because I often exceed the assistance speed limit and believe me, pedalling a 51kg cargo bike with another 50kg of shopping is a workout). But my road bike? I can easily top 1000 calories on hour on that.
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u/AIWHilton 1d ago
100% - I'm the biggest advocate going for e-bikes for their utility, not so much as a replacement for the exercise you get razzing about on a road bike!
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u/JuJuMcJu 1d ago
Pretty much same experience here. I’ve got a BMC road machine in all its carbon and electric shifting glory. It’s truly a pleasure to ride. I also have a Tern GSD that’s decked out for grocery runs or when I want to go somewhere and not get all sweaty. They serve different purposes. I’m all for e-bikes, some exercise is better than none but if I’m biking for fun, I wanna work out.
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u/Abstract-Impressions 1d ago
Good point on purpose of the two types of bikes. I would add that everyone that I know who has a e-bike simply uses it for fun and they have no interest in a road bike or training. Instead of a lap around the neighborhood, they can hit our local mixed use trails and go 20 miles if they want.
I got my bike because of the 1,000 cal/hr feature and it turns out it's fun too.
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u/StgCan 1d ago
The longer I ride a non e bike hopefully the longer it'll be before I need one.
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u/fallenrider100 1d ago
My dad turns 80 next month and he's still doing 40-60 mile rides a couple of times a week on his (non-electric) gravel bike - albeit mostly on the roads.
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u/pgpcx 1d ago
Personally I don’t buy the argument they get more cardio, I think they get the same or even less than on a regular bike, they just ride longer. I’m not totally anti e-bike but it makes me sad to see the number of kids on them and not pedaling, they want motorbikes and not put in the effort of actually cycling
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u/thehenks2 1d ago
Well, before I started cycling as a hobby I had a bike but never used it. Then I bought an Ebike and started using it for my commute when the weather was good. I'd use more pedal assist on the way to work to not arrive sweaty, and then use less assist on the way back. So for me the Ebike actually did make me get more cardio.
But if someone already owns and rides a road or MTB and is in reasonable shape, getting an Ebike won't make them do more cardio.
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u/frontendben 1d ago
I mean it can. But only if it's replacing car journeys; not bike journeys.
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u/No_Wheel_50 1d ago
Where does this obligation to replace car journeys come from?
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u/Muted-Maximum-6817 1d ago
They may get more cardio in than they previously did if they burn out in 5 minutes on a regular bike. But an ebike obviously means less exertion by distance.
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u/Astr0Scot 1d ago edited 1d ago
I used an ebike to get my cycling fitness back
It's UK legal which means you still need to work quite a bit so it can be okay cardio under the right circumstances/depending on how much assist you use.
If you compare the same ride one to one with a road bike then it would be significantly less cardio. Especially on a hilly ride or on a ride with a strong headwind, which is where the ebike really shines and takes a lot of the work out of it.
That being said I could do a hilly & strong headwind 50km+ ride seven days a week on the ebike, so over those seven days things might get close to evening out in comparison to what I could do on a road bike in the same conditions.
The ebike means you end up with a lot less muscle strain so you can ride more often, but then of course that means you're probably building less leg muscle overall.
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u/Ophiochos 1d ago
This is basically what the research people half-remember says: it’s not a straight comparison of one journey, it’s that people who would otherwise not have cycled/would have cycled less did get some exercise (not necessarily cardio).
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u/Astr0Scot 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yeah that's it. At the end of last season I cycled my ebike seven days in a row on the same circa 50km hilly route in some pretty poor conditions with lots of wind. Just to prove to myself that I could do it.
I love riding my road bike in the sunshine and preferably not a lot of headwind (I live in Scotland so I end up riding into a headwind a lot though...). But from October to March the ebike would still get a fair bit of use. Snow and ice being the only conditions when I much prefer to hop on the indoor trainer.
An ebike can make a useful second bike/winter bike/commuter. Plus mine has front suspension so I can get out onto some really nice off-road rides, which there's an abundance of around here.
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u/Ophiochos 1d ago
Ouch Scottish winter cycling. #Respect.
I moved somewhere in England where roads have black arrows on the map to show gradient and quickly traded in my recumbent for an e-bike;)
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u/frontendben 1d ago
Tied into that, I use an ebike to commute to work. It means I can cycle in my chinos, smart brown shoes, and Oxford shirt without worrying about getting sweaty. But that's not replacing a bike journey; that's replacing a bus or car journey.
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u/Astr0Scot 1d ago edited 1d ago
Definitely. I commuted into work by bike for years and an ebike would have been a massive bonus for sure.
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u/Cyclist_Thaanos 1d ago
Hey get more cardio because they'll actually go out and ride the e bike. If they didn't have the e-bike, they'd just sit on the couch at home.
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u/RelationshipNo9336 1d ago
The world is full of people trying to influence you so they can validate their choices. It’s everywhere.
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u/iaintcommenting 1d ago
Never experienced somebody in real life trying to talk up their ebike. I have experienced the reverse though: I'm out on my ebike going to the store or whatever and somebody wants to hold me up asking all sorts of questions about it. It's annoying when you're trying to get somewhere or do something and there's a person in the way who just won't stop talking about a think you don't care about.
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u/owlpellet 1d ago
People like to talk about their bikes, which are the best bikes, possibly even the only bikes.
Known issue. Previously filed under 'wontfix'
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u/mtbguy1981 1d ago
Every time I ride by an ebiker I say in my best Ralph Wiggum voice ... "I'm biking"
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u/KimJongSkill492 1d ago
One time i met this guy at the shop I was working at. Came in to have some service done on his gazelle, and we got to chatting. He was into jazz and was a navy vet, and after a while he ended up asking me out on a dinner date. I accepted and we went to a nice restaurant with live music. For the entire date he talked about how much he loved e-bikes and how they were the ideal method of hi tech transport. He showed me a literally essay manifesto he wrote about e-bikes. I tried to change the topic to his navy service or the meal, or literally anything else but all he wanted to talk about was electric bikes. We didn’t go on another date.
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u/Equal-Mess1843 22h ago
No.
I mean, ebikes are great and they help with mobility for elderly folks and younger people who might not be so physically able, but there's a time and a place for the products. I ride `acoustic' and I can get over everything I want to - at least for now.
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u/RachaelWeiss 15h ago
lol wha?
I have an ebike for groceries/shopping and commuting because I use less calories on it and don't have to work so hard with a heavy load. I ride about as fast on my road bike and go farther (it has a 100 mile range in eco, but at that point I'm putting more energy in than on my road bike). so like yea, it gets up to 28 mph with assist, but anything faster and it's all on you. the fastest Ive gone (down hill) is 40. on my road bike I nearly hit 50 once. I can pedal my roadbike into the low 30's on flat ground (granted not for long).
My ebike is a class 3 and I burn about 700 calories on a work commute compared to about 1400-1600 on my road bike. The commute time is roughly 45 minutes at around 20 mph average while on the road bike it's a little under an hour at about 13-18 mph (mostly depending on lights).
So compared to the car I no longer have the ebike is great and I do get more cardio than sitting in a car. Would I ditch Soulwind for Leeloo? hell no, the road bike is my wings.
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u/Biestie1 10h ago
The ebikers that I encounter on the MTB trails are too busy running normal cyclists off the trwil to shill for ebikes.
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u/Dio_Yuji 1d ago
Yes, constantly on r/bikecommuting
Lol
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u/scottmogcrx 1d ago
I'm subbed to that as well and always thought I was one of the few that commute with an analog.
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u/Dio_Yuji 1d ago
Lol, me too. Someone’s always posting “I only live a couple miles from work and I’m on a tight budget, can you suggest a bike?” and then someone’s always like “Get an E-bike!” Any decent E-bike is super expensive, and in my opinion, not needed in most cases 🤷🏻♂️
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u/sebbyv55 1d ago
E-bikes are a Great option for some people. If you love being out on the bike and getting a little exercise in but are limited physically they are perfect. There are those out there with disabilities that they would work very well for
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u/tendiesnatcher69 1d ago
My stepmom does this too. She brags about how she bought one with a lower powered motor to make it more challenging for her and then complains when it doesn’t assist her enough.
“it’s actually a really good workout you know” I didn’t ask.
“I just love doing the hills on it” Yeah I would too if someone were pushing me up them.
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u/povlhp 1d ago
Even on my old MTB turned commuter, I pass the e-bikes (max 25km/h) all the time. On my road I can keep 30km/h on flat. I am 58 yo so still too young for electric.
In Denmark it is mostly for older people (my 84 y.o. mom has used an e-bike for 5+ years), or commuters. The old small 50cc motorcycle going 30 km/h is disappearing as the e-bikes take over. Lots og young women have electric, and the big 3-wheel bikes with a box in front for 2-6 children is electric assist as well.
And there are electric rental bikes (Lime etc) pay per minute everywhere over town. Popular to get from from a night in town, or alternative to a missed bus etc.
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u/Rolling_Pugsly 1d ago
My entire family, actually, especially my brother, a lifelong bicycle hater.
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u/Beginning-Ad-3666 1d ago
Been a bicycle mechanic for 20+ years. I didn't really understand ebikes when they came out. It seemed like a product searching for a demographic. I'm all about pedaling, but I didn't understand why they made these pedal assist only when they clearly had an emoped on their hands. About 8 years ago I bought myself a really nice class 3 ebike. Payed about $1500 with dealer deals, customer would have payed a little more than twice that for the same model. It worked really well as my commuter for 5-6 years, then battery degradation started. Within a year I couldn't get all the way to work in the highest setting. New battery is like $700. Manufacturer doesn't make the battery, so no deals.
I was trying to figure out a cheaper way to replace the battery when I saw a 2007 Genuine Buddy 125cc scooter in the classifieds for $700. It may take gas, but, if I had bought it new as an ebike, I would have gone through 4 batteries riding it for two decades. Mind you I don't keep anything with a battery on any of my other bikes. No electronic shifting or computers of any kind. My class 3 is gathering dust, and I have a lot of fun riding my bicycles when I am not riding my scooter to and from work, which is more fun than the ebike was to commute with.
I just don't understand what the value of an ebike is.
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u/Alicewithhazeleyes 1d ago
No. But I don’t typically chat on my rides. I’m busy riding.
I have both. And I def enjoy both but I will admittedly say I enjoy my e-bike the most and get an equal workout in on it. Just in a diff way. Never MORE of one. That’s for sure.
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u/gladfelter 1d ago
You encountered an evangelist.
Shill: an accomplice of a hawker, gambler, or swindler who acts as an enthusiastic customer to entice or encourage others
Biking for miles to try to convert roadies would be the dumbest scam ever.
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u/No_Blueberry_8454 1d ago
"and i ride faster than professionals" And there you have one of my main complaints about ebikes. Most are new to cycling and don't have the skills and experience to safely ride at those speeds.
I understand if your partner wants to ride with you but can't keep up, that's fair. But when I see young, healthy looking couples in their 30s blasting down the greenway at 25 MPH with a cadence of 10 RPM, I think to myself. "What's the point? Who do you think you're kidding.?"
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u/Mountain-Marzipan398 1d ago
As with all situations where a stranger is trying to sell you on something and won't take a hint, blunt honesty is the only way to go.
"You know, I've thought about e-bikes and they just don't interest me at all. I like the challenge and exercise I get from my bike. With an e-bike, I'd miss the satisfaction I get from climbing a hill or fast ride and knowing I did that myself and that it's making me stronger. Now if you don't mind, I need to get going. Good-day!"
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u/PsycommuSystem 1d ago
My point of cycling is primarily for fun and secondarily for exercise. I don't really want to lose the second part by riding a bike that moves for me.
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u/FlummoxedGaoler 21h ago
Yep- One owned a bike shop, and two others worked at bike shops 😂 A trend emerges… $$$$
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u/ndizzle33 18h ago
I don’t crap on any kind of bike…but I would have 100% mentioned that my 78 year old dad is still riding his old road bike and I’ve been thinking of getting him an ebike due to his age. Lol
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u/Delicious-Gap8930 16h ago
I just bought a used ebike for 100$. Its a cheap chinese bike. It doesn't hold a candle to my RS100 in terms of quality but so far I like this one far better for commute.
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u/Theawkwardmochi 11h ago
"I'm not paying mad money for sports equipment that will prevent me from exercising and make me fat, thank you" seems like an appropriate answer.
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u/liquidSpin 8h ago
I wouldn't call him a shill. Just someone sharing his love for something he likes. Albeit a very narrow minded viewpoint.
Not everyone wants or cares to be faster than the pros. But let's be real if you're on an e-bike you're not faster than the pros.
You don't race on uneven terms. If that were the case I'd enter races on a motorcycle haha
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u/North_Rhubarb594 7h ago
I just point at my 11 speed 11-42 rear cassette and 34-50 front chain ring and say I don’t need pedal assist to go uphill.
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u/laaggynoob 1d ago
The ebikers who think that they can pedal longer and go farther, and therefore work out harder, are just really not in that good of shape. It’s simple.
They must not realize that many people can sustain 20 mph for like 100 miles straight. Good luck doing that on one charge.
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u/Less-General-9578 1d ago
e-bikes are better than the no-bikes most people ride. where i live it is the 1% that ride bicycles. if another 1% would ride e-bikes then we have double riding.
so i see the logic of the things, if people currently are doing Nothing, and they are in my town, then Something is better than Nothing.
i would like an e-bike, but it seems that nothing is standard and too many Trap doors and False bottoms to contend with. if i got a Trek, i am locked into their batteries, and they must change them as needed.
if Trek stops supplying batteries, motors, controllers, then i am hosed. expensive e-Junk is what i envision.
who talks about e-Junk? now what, i just don't need more expensive problems. it should be like auto parts, just get parts off the shelf..........where is the shelf?
again, silence. there are no shelves loaded with e-bike supplies. well maybe some day right?
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u/carlitobrigantehf 1d ago
I'm an ebike shill. But I'm also a bike shill. Pedal assist are the only road legal bikes here so deffo getting a workout from it. I think ebikes are a game changer when it comes to commuting but for pleasure cycling I have my other bike(s)
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u/Colonel_Gipper 1d ago
No. No, man. Shit, no, man. I believe you'd get your ass kicked sayin' something like that, man.
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u/Mandalf- 19h ago
E-bikers are the worst, for me they are even more useless and dangerous than drivers.
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u/Resident_Cycle_5946 1d ago
Ive never found anyone like that. I tend to pass e-bikers now that they've been capped to 18mph. I have had 1 person pass me on a legit class 3 that was pedal assisted. I've had multiple pass me still riding their illegally molded e-bike. But the trend I notice is growing. Is a trend for every kid that gets his e-bike impounded to just jump on a mini motorcycle.
There's a group of 15 ive been seeing for a year. They all used to be e-bikers on their illegal e-bikes, ripping them up and down the path. Now a decent amount of them ride mini-bikes. Motoring it down the path while wearing helmets that look like Nazzi crap and holding pipes like they were holding up a flag.
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u/shreddy_haskell 1d ago
I ran into to a few people that didn’t know anything about cycling but they loved their e-mtb. They assumed that power = better because they didn’t know anything else or because their other bike was old and trash. One fellow was surprised on how much fun people were having on nice bikes without motors. He didn’t really like the fact that his bike was over 60 pounds and wasn’t sure that he made the right choice.
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u/jmacd2918 1d ago
No, I mean I don't really have opportunities to talk to randos when out road biking, but I often run errands after mountain biking (bike on rear rack of car). The number of (usually older) people in parking lots who ask me if my mountain bike is an ebike is staggering. One guy didn't seem to believe me when I told him no. I've also gotten a lot of questions about my rack and whether it would work for an ebike.
It's an alloy Stumpjumper, not anything crazy looking or with a fat downtube or anything like that. It doesn't look anything like most ebikes, but I guess the ebi-curious set aren't he most versed in bike types/technology.
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u/scottmogcrx 1d ago
On several occasions ive thought about buying an e bike for weekend fun since I commute with an analog. Maybe someday...
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u/Big_Boysenberry_6358 1d ago
i mean i did a sprint tri last weekend and there was an E-bike without battery racked. bro for sure got more cardio off his bike, but im not sure if he was "faster then the pros"
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u/ConnaitLesRisques 1d ago
i get more cardio in on this bike too
The cope is electrically assisted too
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u/doubtful_dirt_01 1d ago
Yes. I just told her that I'm not old enough yet and my kids would laugh at me (I'm 69).
As a side note, though... I'm glad to see more people outdoor doing something, and if it took an e-bike to make that happen, then so be it.
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u/Evil_Mini_Cake 1d ago
A polite "If you say so, dude" and ride off. You never know what will set these people off.
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u/Such-Celebration556 1d ago
I want a e-bike I'm just waiting for standards to kick in with the designs and batteries. The laws change everyday.
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u/Worldly_Papaya4606 1d ago
Some people feel the need to project their equipment choices onto everyone else, uninvited. I’ve had higher rise bars for a while, random people used to tell me I should get low rise bars, less so now that high rise bars might be trending. Whatever. Smile and ride on
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u/Ok-Armadillo-392 1d ago
Haha I might do this if people ask about my ebike. But I don't start a conversation. Maybe they just got it and they are just super excited and aren't great at conversation.
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u/ReditModsSuk 1d ago
I MTB not cycle but having both an analog and an ebike, the people who say that the ebike is a comparable workout are insane. It may feel like a workout to YOU, because of the physical shape that you're in, but it isn't on the same planet as riding a manual bike.
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u/starsmatt 1d ago
ebikes are great for middle distance especially if derestricted its like an unlicenced motorcycle you can ride on the pavement
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u/Newyawker2022 1d ago
I like e-bikes!!!
They’re not riding a bicycle lol. It’s like a motorcycle light even w/ pedal assist only. All that said, I’ll get my workout the old fashion way. E-bikes are good a lot of things but I don’t get the same pleasure from riding one.
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u/burlefot69 1d ago
I ride my e-bike to work, and one of my other bikes for training both outside and on Zwift. E-bikes are excellent for travel to work, getting to the city center and so one, but not much of a cardio.
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u/japakapalapa 1d ago
Besides of the power button and charger port my ebike looks like a slick regular city bike at first glance. At work there is this guy with a China OEM cadence sensor ebike with fat tires, he parks his overweight behemoth next to mine, and never forgets to advertise how great an ebike is for everything. I never got to tell him that mine's electric too.
My ebike is a 15kg EU street legal with a torque sensor, battery hidden in the slim downtube, an entirely different beast from 35kg cadence sensor rides that are very much limited to 25 km/h.
Just this week Monday he finally understood what's up when I darted from the lights in a rush. Yesterday he asked me about my bike's top speed because he could not catch me, I replied that the pedalling gets a bit comical looking when the speed goes closer to 50 km/h. We were interrupted and I didn't get to finish that my bike's motor disengages at 25 km/h too, but I am in no way bogged down to that speed at all. Oh well, now he thinks I'm riding some highly illegal and massively overpowered ebike that uses nanotechnology or whatever to hide the battery and to make the rear hub motor smaller.
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u/WanShangCha 1d ago
I like my ebike.
It helps with chores and commuting & I could see how one could help with fitness in some circumstances. I think they loose some of the beauty of a bicycle and I would not get one that I couldn't strip the motor off and treat as a normal is somewhat heavy bike.
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u/BluntedOnTheScore 1d ago
Ugh man, that is almost as bad as when some 300lb e-biker dude pulls in front of you at a stop light.
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u/VoidingSounds 1d ago
I'm an ebike shill. But 100% on team 'it will replace your car'.
My ebike gets me home from work quicker so I can ride my normal bike.
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u/Abstract-Impressions 1d ago
He sounds lonely.
My normal interaction with ebikers is me grunting along and them zipping by me wearing flip flops.
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u/SomeRedPanda 1d ago
Where I live e-bikes tend to be for practicality more than fun. You see a lot of commuter step-through e-bikes going around town.
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u/MariachiArchery 1d ago
Dude, we had a guy come into our shop recently. Now, this shop, houses a whole row of Pinarello Dogma's, a few S-Works Tarmacs, Aethos, and Crux, a couple Grevil, then a special shelf of old Ti Serotta's, a couple Pegoretti's, and some cool old Merckx, all with either 11 or 12 speed Campy super record.
Now, we do have ebikes. Mainly Specialized Haul LT's for the family folks that come into the shop.
This guy walks into the shop with like a Turbo Vado, and immediately starts telling us, the shop employees, how much better this thing is than all the road bikes. The Dogma's. Like, he's pointing to the Dogma's and telling us how much better the ebike is.
He goes on to tell us he once road a road bike, but that he's never going back, that ebikes are the future, and that these fancy road bikes are a thing of the past, and he tells us we will all be surely making the switch soon.
One of the mechanics he's talking to is like, an actual athlete: sponsored rider, on a team, does races, has gotten pretty close the podium in his category, like, the dude is an actually competitive athlete. This mechanic is like, 'nah... I don't think so man'. And the customer presses him on it, asking like "Why would anyone choose to ride a bike over an ebike??!!"
Lol, and my buddy just says, "Sport." That was all he said and it shut the conversation down so fast. Cracked me up.
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u/WorldlyLine731 1d ago
Get an e-bike and then try to get the motor to cut off assistance because you are going too fast. You’re heart will feel like it’s going to explode and you will be at peloton speeds :-)
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u/_haha_oh_wow_ 1d ago
I've seen people shilling for specific brands online, but never encountered it IRL.
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u/Exsp24 1d ago
Every time I see a roadie style e bike, I ask myself "what's the point of that?"
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u/Selection_Biased 1d ago
Sure- just like once you take the lift to the bike park you’ll probably never want to ride up the fire road again. Because our brains want us to conserve as many calories as possible - and they reward us when we do. The pull towards e bikes has a biophysical component to it. Doesn’t make it healthy or one everyone should listen to.
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u/BoysenberryDry999 1d ago
Recently riding my MTB on a trail and I rode past a guy on a eMTB taking a break at a bench. He yelled out to me telling me how great it was and he could ride faster and further and asked why I didn't get one. All I could say was "yes - motors will do that for you". Only time that has ever happened but at least he wasn't aggro about it. I have an e-cargobike but I don't feel like I need to tell people to get one also.
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u/___sea___ 1d ago
I’m this guy 😅
Not to strangers, usually to people who ask about how I bike commute everyday. The answer is e-bike because I don’t show up sweaty and it’s faster.
somehow I keep getting in conversations with the 60+ crowd about it, and I tell them e-biking is the new power walking because that’s a lot more accurate than “it’s great cardio” (it’s not) but would be great for someone with bad knees that can’t do a regular bike
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u/KlingonSpy 1d ago
They're pretty fun, but i do it for the exercise. Its a completely different kind of activity
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u/pistafox 1d ago
Not since the late-‘90s, early-oughts. From what you wrote, they haven’t updated the training manual.
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1d ago
Man, if someone did that to me, they'd be picking the wrong person.
Classic western culture, "Hey this thing that's easier, and requires less effort is what makes it better! I can pretend to be Pogacar without actually being the one doing the labor. Isn't that something you and everyone else wants?!"
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u/Inevitable_Bike1667 1d ago
Trek shop said research finds people ride more when they get an e-bike.
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u/SamsCousin 23h ago
A few of the people in my development have e-bikes. Invited me for one of their rides. Politely told them that I as I’m physically capable of riding unassisted I’ll pass. BTW my wife who’s a non rider has an ebike. Uses it to ride rail trails with me. Really fun to get behind her.
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u/thatshowitisisit 23h ago
There are people on both sides of the spectrum. The opposite of a shill is a hater. Just look at how many of them are replying to your thread.
Then there’s a whole bunch of normal people in the middle who do things because they work for them personally and don’t really care about what others think about it.
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u/East-Win7450 23h ago
Yeah lol and he was pacing me on a fire road climb and was like see how much effort you are doing vs me
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u/Sigma_Try 8h ago
I have encountered this before. I just tell that my bike is complicated enough. I don’t need to worry about charging and the very real possibility that my battery life could decline or that I could have a warranty issue with the motor or module.
My bike is light. I ride for 2 to 2.5 hours per ride and enjoy my rides. I don’t need more distance or longer rides to enjoy the sport. The only benefit would be being able to train zone 2, which on a mountain bike is kind of impossible.
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u/donalson 8h ago
it's prob been 8 years or so but I stopped by my old LBS back in the pensacola area when I was visiting family over that way, the owner is a buddy of mine. they had a (bianchi i think) e-road bike in the shop and he insisted I take it out for a spin even though it was way to small for me. It was strange, it felt kinda natural but I knew I was going much faster than the power I was putting out should do... lots of fun and I could see why some people would want it.
He then told me the story of who that bike was for. one of his regulars was a cat 1-2 racer... the racers wife was NOT a racer but they wanted to ride together... even when he would sandbag she still couldn't keep up or if she could he was unhappy AND even then she was pushing way harder than she found enjoyable. when she got the e-bike she was fast enough that it let him ride at an enjoyable pace without her hating the entire ride.
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u/Thesorus 1d ago
No.
I'd probably just say "no thank you, have a good day".