Do you ride your EMTB with people on acoustics?

[ImSundee]

I do thats why I went with the SL, It gives me that little extra to keep up but doesn't make it feel like I'm blasting away from them.

 

[lumpy]

All the time. In fact it's very rare that I ride with someone on an EMTB

 

[Fatbap]

I ride with mates all on acoustic bikes helps me keep up lol my best mate does iron man, triathlons etc so it’s great for me an none of them care. Why should they it’s a bike I still have to pedal

 

[Rusty]

Yup - I often am lead rider for a couple groups. I just make sure I ride at a pace that suits them and trails suited for their skills and experience .... just the same as when I was on a non EMTB.

 

[The Flying Dutchman]

I hate riding with other EMTB's!!

My experience riding with other Ebikes has been pretty shite. The pace seems to go and up and up along with assist levels. Every EMTB only group ride I've been on, someone has drained a battery. Always the same lie "I'm only in eco" It's annoying when I'm working hard in eco whilst I got an out of shape Baby Boomer sitting on my ass that's talking out of his. My EMTB riding group is pretty small but they're an older demographic and general don't want to hit the grade 4/5's either.

Riding with 'normal' bikes is more enjoyable, I always ride in the back of the group and let them set the pace. If someone in the pack is struggling with a climb, I'll offer to trade bikes for abit to keep the ball rolling and give me a little bit of cardio. I'm a believer of trail karma so when I'm on the eeb, I'll generally pack extra food, spares, and tools for the lads.

 

[motox155]

Don't kid yourself.
unless you're running tyres that have 70w more rolling resistance per tyre than your mates tyres your bike even in eco is not equal to any of your normal friends bikes. If you feel like you're putting in the same effort to go the same speed as them you're simply not as fit.

Agreed.

I think some people trick themselves into believing they are getting the same workout on an ebike vs non ebike.

 

[Gary]

 

[raine]

I have seen and heard a few people saying it's better not to ride EMTB with people on acoustics as it's not fair and you will leave them behind etc etc... but so far for me this is nonsense and hasn't been a problem at all when I have gone riding with my (fitter) friend. My logic is:

• You can tailor the EMTB power delivery to behave similar to an acoustic... Eco mode on my new Bosch basically just compensates for the additional weight of the bike and not much more. It's pretty brutal on steeper uphills.
• If I do go faster uphill then I don't mind waiting at intervals for people to catch up as usually I have nice scenery around me to enjoy.
• Flats and downhills are pretty much all the same speed on EMTB as acoustic and great fun with friends.

Seems to me that this springs from prejudice and that there is no real reason for people with EMTB's should not go riding with people on acoustic bikes. As long as you have common sense and consideration for the people you are with then it's just like any other bike ride with your friends and wasting time worrying about that stuff seems pointless.

So what do you guys think, do you happily ride your EMTB with people on acoustic bikes or do you sometimes downgrade yourself to fit with the crowd?

All the time. No problem, because the people I ride with (EMTB or not) are not judgemental or ignorant like a majority of the EMTB haters. The only difference between what you do and what I do is, I let the non-EMTB riders dictate the climbing pace/speed. I don't go ahead of them, when they stop for a break I do too (even if I don't need to take a break).

Downhill it's everyone at their own pace.

 

[EMTBehave]

Agreed.

I think some people trick themselves into believing they are getting the same workout on an ebike vs non ebike.

You can have 'similar' levels of workout... but the level of mental discipline needed not to flick to a higher level of assistance is probably too great for most people.

 

[Zimmerframe]

but the level of mental discipline needed not to flick to a higher level of assistance is probably too great for most people.

There's a higher level than Turbo ?? how how ??

 

[GrahamPaul]

There's a higher level than Turbo ?? how how ??

Bafang with throttle...?

 

[raine]

There's a higher level than Turbo ?? how how ??

Turbo while pedalling on the 10t going downhill

 

[Flatslide]

Sometimes I ride with my friends on their pushbikes. I run the RM in Eco and just pedal slowly as the motor responds best at 60-80 rpm anyway. Matching their pace is easy and we all chat etc. Good times.

 

[CjP]

Discover what a TRAXmtb is! Bike Trailer - Bike Hook - Bike Attach

Buy one and the puffers will WANT to ride with you!

Works really well, I towed my analogue mate up a steep access trail to conserve his energy for the gravity runs.
3 runs total and haven’t broken it yet, he weighs 75kgs. Felt similar to riding the Levo SL up the hill.

 

[Waynemarlow]

Depends on your group and time of year. As a group we are all in our 60’s or approaching but have different work roles, some are pen pushers, others on the more manual trades or some with loads of time to ride 3 times a week, which means there’s a wide variance of fitness.

Summer riding it doesn’t seem to make much difference, come winter and loads of mud, the group numbers used to drop off significantly, to a point of only the fitties and youngsters out regularly. Finally we have seen an ingress of EBikes into the group and guess what, the group numbers riding seem pretty much the same summer and winter. That use of EBikes has been a real boon as I think some of the guys may well have given up biking.

PS if you’re on an EBike and one of your non ebike mates is starting to wilt on the hills, ride beside them, but tow them by grabbing the nearest strap on their ruckie at the front, It just spaces out the handle bar’s sufficiently that you can ride fairly tightly together, works a treat and allows an earlier pub arrival for that well deserved pint.

 

[Levo Laland]

Less and less! They’re becoming so popular in the Surrey Hills, easy to hook up with like minded folk. Happy to ride with those on normal bikes, but they’re not so keen!

 

[OldGoatMTB]

Incidentally, they quite like this, as I can be sent on ahead to open a gate so they can keep pedalling without having to stop to open it, then I can whizz past them to the next one!

Yeah, are you can get ahead and catch some good photos of them!

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

I used to ride with an acoustic rider and got nothing but flak and windging complaints throughout our rides! So I gave her my eBike and bought myself a new one just to shut her up! Problem solved. Oh, she’s my wife btw, haha!

 

[Pdoz]

Just returned from a couple of hours riding my daughters acoustic whilst some workmates tried out my ebike. I'm REALY surprised how easy it was - my legs are a bit tired but no more than I'd be after an hour blasting around at full boost. The rest of me feels fresh - this spinning cranks up hills is easy compared to tossing 25 kg of bike around at full boost!! Admittedly we only covered halfthe trails in those 2 hours that I do in an hour by myself...

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

Did a morning ride last year with a good friend I haven’t seen in a while. I let him set the pace because he hadn’t ridden his acoustic MTB for some time. He had taken with him a backpack with chocolates, energy nut bars, and a water bladder - plus a water bottle on his frame. I’ve forgotten what that was like, as I used to bring those too. Seeing as it was just what I would now consider a fun ride on my eBike, I took absolutely nothing with me. He took breaks at normal reasonable intervals and offered me food and drink, but I was fine thanks. I was on the lowest power setting and was still getting a semi workout but having done the routes before, I knew I could persevere and forego replenishment until I get back to the car park, so I just left mine in the car for later... saves having to lug stuff around.

I was very aware and considerate and made sure that we weren’t riding at eBike pace but the disparity in ‘enjoyment level‘ between us was evident. He felt ill and was sore for days.

I guess since I got my eBike, I have been able (and inspired) to ride more often and over longer distances. I have reached a reasonable level of riding fitness without wrecking my body which would’ve taken longer to mend especially at our age, in my 60s. I don’t think many acoustic riders realise this. I do know of one pro enduro rider that trains on an eMTB equivalent of his race acoustic for this reason - and has ditched road cycling resistance training sessions altogether.

 

[Zimmerframe]

and offered me food and drink, but I was fine thanks.

He felt ill and was sore for days.

So the moral of this story - don't accept food from your riding buddies !

 

[MrBrownstone]

No.

 

[OldGoatMTB]

Photos? ............................... You haven't seen the people I ride with!

Perhaps I should have said "action shots?" I think most people enjoy having a photo of themselves riding their bike from time to time.

 

[Rusty]

Yeah, are you can get ahead and catch some good photos of them!

Heck, I can still do that on a regular MTB.

 

[Lenka]

I go on longer trips alone, over 60 km at my own pace. Sometimes a boyfriend rides an analog bike with me, I easily adapt to his riding style. We are both satisfied.

 

[MrBrownstone]

Pedaled my acoustic (spesh epic expert Carbon hardtail) around today. Damn it doesn’t need a motor haha. Still selling it to fund a second emtb tho.?

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

I go on longer trips alone, over 60 km at my own pace. Sometimes a boyfriend rides an analog bike with me, I easily adapt to his riding style. We are both satisfied.

What’s that rectangular sheet on top of the acoustic handlebars? At first I thought it was an iPad but looking at it more closely, I’m not so sure...

 

[Lenka]

What’s that rectangular sheet on top of the acoustic handlebars? At first I thought it was an iPad but looking at it more closely, I’m not so sure...

it is a variable sun visor

 

[Steve940]

I'm unfit as hell,and a friend who I started riding with about 10 years ago is unbelievably fit...hopefully the ebike will make rides easier for both.

 

[MrSimmo]

I rode with a mate last night, took turns on the Levo. I also set the support to 8% which made it around the same as his normal bike so we both had a blast in turbo mode and rode together for the other bits of the ride.

end result, he is looking to buy an ebike ?