Assist level to match manual bike - experiment...

[rsilvers]

I have offered everyone on the group ride a try. Zero have said yes. They are usually like "No, I am good." Random people who are not involved in the local MTB culture do like it, but I think everyone else who are in the local Facebook riding groups are bound by groupthink, and eMTB are not accepted, so people in the riding groups won't be seen on one.

I had one friend (frenemy?) try it when I was alone with him. He smiled from ear to ear when he was doing it, then later bashed eMTB on Facebook saying the riding area at his vacation house warned of "uphill flow" and he feels sad that this change is happening. He said it was fun, but not mountain biking.

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

I also choose to adhere to a personal code I made up - where if I'm riding with non-eBikers, I'll ride alongside them or behind them but never ahead... even if they suggest that I pass and go on ahead up a climb. I'll just say, nah I'm good and pootle along behind (well pootle for me, but hard work for them). But on descends then it's fair game... everyone is free-wheeling so there's no feeling of injustice. They recognise that I'm holding back... so there's a hint of mutual respect.

During breaks we just hang and enjoy the company and I avoid focusing our conversations about anything concerning my bike. If it swings that way, I just slowly change the subject. I'll go out on my own if I want to hit the trails at eBike pace.

Now all the kindness and consideration on your part is worthless if the people around you have chosen hate about your bike - over friendship with you. Prejudice takes many forms and is no respecter of race, creed, or... bike. That's tough man and I don't know how you're gonna navigate through the social stigma associated with eBikes in your area. Over here a friend of mine asked his LBS about the eBikes in his showroom and how slow those sales must be like. He assumed that the bike distributors were making the shop owner stock and display eBikes as compulsory. Shop owner said 80% of his sales are eBikes.

 

[Pdoz]

Still reckon you should hand out beer at the top of the hills...if only to make them drunk enough that you can pass them

 

[55plusmxinsanity]

I use my Levo for training for my hard day, which is on my Stumpjumper. The whole point of the ebike, for me, is to not blow up my heart rate while training on the trails I like.

 

[55plusmxinsanity]

Oh, assist at 4%-22% is about ten beats hr lower than my regular bike on the same hills (that I can pedal up of course).

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

Still reckon you should hand out beer at the top of the hills...if only to make them drunk enough that you can pass them

Don't forget to shake the cans first...

 

[Pdoz]

Don't forget to shake the cans first...

bottles...everything should serve 2 functions. Like slicing sidewalls ...

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

Random people who are not involved in the local MTB culture do like it, but I think everyone else who are in the local Facebook riding groups are bound by groupthink, and eMTB are not accepted, so people in the riding groups won't be seen on one.

Well, maybe you need to move in different circles... check out those random people - all you need is just one good eBike riding buddy to begin with.

 

[rsilvers]

The random people don't even own MTBs - I had to lend them the eMTB to ride with me when I was on a manual bike. That is only fun for me once. Yes I would like to cultivate a circle of eMTB riders, and have friended everyone on Strava who has one, and started the Facebook group for my area but no one seems to have one. Log in to Facebook | Facebook

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

The random people don't even own MTBs - I had to lend them the eMTB to ride with me when I was on a manual bike. That is only fun for me once. Yes I would like to cultivate a circle of eMTB riders, and have friended everyone on Strava who has one, and started the Facebook group for my area but no one seems to have one. Log in to Facebook | Facebook

Hang in there mate. Keep at it... it might take a while for the tide to change over there, but it's gonna come.

 

[rsilvers]

Yes, eMTB is happening - but the state laws need to change for it to happen faster. The Trump admin federal thing was a huge first step.

 

[Chubba]

Yes, eMTB is happening - but the state laws need to change for it to happen faster. The Trump admin federal thing was a huge first step.

I have to just laugh at this sort of thing. I find it so interesting that some countries have the time and gumption to worry about who can ride what, where and at what speed. I'm just lucky if I get home safe after a ride and not bleed out on the mountain somewhere after been stabbed for my bike .

 

[Jamsxr]

Why not just ride your normal bike? ?
I think switching between the two helps improve riding ability far more than just sticking to your EMTB, well, it has for me.

 

[jwrx]

Yeah, there are no other eMTB. I know of three people. One is selling his. One is in another state. One never rides where I go. I started a Facebook group for my state and I am pretty much the only person posting in it. eMTB is just not popular in the US. The first step to changing that is for the laws to change. They are not allowed where people ride MTB.

i ride with 2 groups

group 1, majority ebikes, minority manuals. We start togther, and set a meet point X time. We know the trails well enuff that the ebikes would be able to so 2x, 3x the loop and end up meeting the manuals at the meet up point. we then set off together again...and arrange the next meet point.

group 2, im the only ebike. i ride at 20% assist, which is what i feel is just nice. im at the same level as the manuals going uphill and on the downhills, i dont pull away

Some short sections, i will tell them im doing a 2x, and i will blast away at turbo mode to do the uphill/downhill and meet them just as they reach the top

 

[Haedesz]

@rsilvers I appreciate your methodical approach of aqcuiring the data.

The problem in my region is its as flat as a pancake. We have 4 manmade hills (+-450ft) which are made out of leftover trailings from coal mining. Thats the only "trail/downhill" like experience I can get. The rest is all classified as XC forest.
So while you're searching for other emtb's, I'm searching for trails which aren't 4h travel time.

 

[rsilvers]

@rsilvers So while you're searching for other emtb's, I'm searching for trails which aren't 4h travel time.

I rode in the Brussels National Park area.