Identity crisis...whom am I ?

[JCB]

When someone ask you what you do on week end or what is your hobby, what do you say ?

First, I used to say that I race motocross, which I have done for 20 years, action sport with a good image, cool videos and I identify myself with champions like Jeremy McGrath by being Fox gear and riding Honda...
Then, I raced Enduro dirtbike, then Hard Enduro and identified myself when watching Romaniacs, Sea to Sky, Erzberg...
Then, I stopped racing dirtbike and started riding & racing push bike, race Criterium and Open races and started to identified myself with Peter Sagan, buying Specialized gear...
Then, I started MTB and started racing XC race, bought a Specialized Epic and wearing lycra riding mountainbike. Identified with Julien Absolon and Nino Schurter. I also realized that mainstream MTB media, website and videos prefer to focus on Enduro MTB, as it is "cooler"' Also, a lot of MTBiker making fun of XC rider in lycra.
Now, I just bought an e-bike a month ago and I LOVE IT. But I am discovering all the hate towards ebike, which I am not use to.
I still race XC, so I am fit, not riding ebike because I am lazy. I am keen to start racing ebike also when races become available.
But, mainstream MTB website (especially comments) make fun of ebike.

So now, if someone ask me what I do on weekends, I don't know what to say ??
Am I a mountain bike rider ? a XC racer ? a ebike mountain bike rider ? a ebiker ? a ebike racer ?

 

[R120]

You like to ride bikes, at the end of the day for most people the reasons we ride any bike is because its fun, so if someone asked me that question I would just say I like to get out and have fun on my bike - its irrelevant what kind of bike that is, and people who criticise anyone for riding any kind of bike they dont like are the ones with the problem

 

[ggx]

Who needs tags!?

 

[Pdoz]

sounds like you just need a can if redbull?

 

[Pukmeister]

nosce te ipsum

 

[JCB]

I need Red Bull to make a cool series of ebike videos and cover the new EWS ebike world series

 

[MitchF]

Who cares??‍
Do what you do for you, not others opinion of what you do?

 

[Pdoz]

I need Red Bull to make a cool series of ebike videos and cover the new EWS ebike world series

Wasn't it enough that they handed out hai bikes at erzberg?

 

[Dee Scee]

i hear you brother! it is a quandary. i dont think of it as much as identity as camaraderie. it seems like i it takes some time and patience to let my clockwork bike friends to warm to the idea that i’m doing the same thing they are.

as far as ignorant people hating on ebikes, it’s a comfortable space for me as a lifelong dirtbike racer and motorcyclist. here in america, motorcycles, especially dirtbikes, are a love/hate proposition. if you don’t love and live to ride bikes, you probably hate them. pretty much an either/or situation.

 

[HikerDave]

When someone ask you what you do on week end or what is your hobby, what do you say ?

First, I used to say that I race motocross, which I have done for 20 years, action sport with a good image, cool videos and I identify myself with champions like Jeremy McGrath by being Fox gear and riding Honda...
Then, I raced Enduro dirtbike, then Hard Enduro and identified myself when watching Romaniacs, Sea to Sky, Erzberg...
Then, I stopped racing dirtbike and started riding & racing push bike, race Criterium and Open races and started to identified myself with Peter Sagan, buying Specialized gear...
Then, I started MTB and started racing XC race, bought a Specialized Epic and wearing lycra riding mountainbike. Identified with Julien Absolon and Nino Schurter. I also realized that mainstream MTB media, website and videos prefer to focus on Enduro MTB, as it is "cooler"' Also, a lot of MTBiker making fun of XC rider in lycra.
Now, I just bought an e-bike a month ago and I LOVE IT. But I am discovering all the hate towards ebike, which I am not use to.
I still race XC, so I am fit, not riding ebike because I am lazy. I am keen to start racing ebike also when races become available.
But, mainstream MTB website (especially comments) make fun of ebike.

So now, if someone ask me what I do on weekends, I don't know what to say ??
Am I a mountain bike rider ? a XC racer ? a ebike mountain bike rider ? a ebiker ? a ebike racer ?

I would say that you’re an avid cyclist, as am I. My riding an eBike hasn’t changed that.

 

[steve_sordy]

@JCB Most people that ask you will have no idea of all the gradations in the sport. I just say that I am a mountain biker. Only if they ask do I tell them more.

By the way, why the need to "identify yourself" by someone else. I'm me, there is no other like me and I'm happy about that!

 

[Zimmerframe]

there is no other like me and I'm happy about that!

You're not the only one !!

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

When someone ask you what you do on week end or what is your hobby, what do you say ?

I'm a gyroscopic physicist, majoring in topographical analysis. (I ride bikes in the dirt)

 

[CjP]

sounds like you just need a can if redbull?

Or cement.

 

[Rusty]

I am a mountain-biker. When I had my road bike and/or my CX bike I just called myself a cyclist.

 

[JCB]

I consider myself a mountain biker nowadays, love XC, enduro and ebike.
I am not worried about ignorant people hating ebike, but more the die hard mtbiker hating ebike.

My dirtbike friends get ebike, they think it is great but some MTB friends disregard ebike and that's new to me. Also, with an e-bike, you can't go riding with your buddies on normal MTB...some of them were already slow on uphills...
I guess that I need to make new friends on ebike now...

 

[frankenbike]

So now, if someone ask me what I do on weekends, I don't know what to say ??

Tell them you're a clinical researcher specializing in the qualitative analysis of single track vehicles with emphasis on the effects of angular momentum and rotational inertia on longitudinal stability

 

[CjP]

I rode with a pedal group for almost a year. Kept it mostly on eco and had a ball. Never struggled on the uphills and could play with the assistance to suit my desired workout.
I rode on my own when I wanted to smash it out full speed. They still to this day give me shit but I always enjoyed watching and mocking them suffer on climbs while I practised my wheelies.
As for the randoms who make there little snide remarks on the trails, who cares. The only reason they do that is due to ignorance or jealousy. Either which are their own problem to deal with.
I class myself as one that rides bikes in the mountains and has nothing but fun doing it.

Who cares how I achieve that!

 

[Jamsxr]

You sound like gender confused mellenial, you don’t need to identify as anything ?

 

[#lazy]

I rode with a pedal group for almost a year. Kept it mostly on eco and had a ball. Never struggled on the uphills and could play with the assistance to suit my desired workout.
I rode on my own when I wanted to smash it out full speed. They still to this day give me shit but I always enjoyed watching and mocking them suffer on climbs while I practised my wheelies.
As for the randoms who make there little snide remarks on the trails, who cares. The only reason they do that is due to ignorance or jealousy. Either which are their own problem to deal with.
I class myself as one that rides bikes in the mountains and has nothing but fun doing it.

Who cares how I achieve that!

This is how I feel , I’ve just bought my 1st ebike last weekend ( kenevo comp ) , one of the guys in are group has had one for a year now and is abit reluctant to stay with the group ( fair enough ) when climbing so when we’re struggling for air at the top he’s off ?Now I have mine I will be more conscientious , I hope

 

[outerlimits]

When someone ask you what you do on week end or what is your hobby, what do you say ?

To save having an awkward moment just say. “I punch stupid people in the throat”
They will back away and then you are in the all clear ?

 

[StevenM]

So now, if someone ask me what I do on weekends, I don't know what to say ??

tell them the truth..like

i giggle like a school girl, riding my bike uphills

 

[JCB]

Some cracking responses

 

[sb5050]

I consider myself a mountain biker nowadays, love XC, enduro and ebike.
I am not worried about ignorant people hating ebike, but more the die hard mtbiker hating ebike.

My dirtbike friends get ebike, they think it is great but some MTB friends disregard ebike and that's new to me. Also, with an e-bike, you can't go riding with your buddies on normal MTB...some of them were already slow on uphills...
I guess that I need to make new friends on ebike now...

I get what you're saying. My clockwork mtb friends don't have emtbs do I cant realistically ride with them. There aren't many emtbs in Phoenix, Arizona so I ride mainly by myself and I'm usually pretty happy to do that. I call my self a mountainbiker and can usually roll with regular mtb's or emtbs when I find them.

 

[Simoto123]

To the original poster. Sounds like you’ve earned the right to simply answer........”Rider“. If they say “what?” you worked hard to say....”what ya got?”

 

[Eddy Current]

Hey men you love two wheels machines, that’s all

If you love cars it don’t matter if it’s a formula a 4x4 truck or a Tesla, they are cars, why keep in with one type when you can try them all!

 

[Swan]

I am a semi pro DH racer and have raced cat 2 road and cyclocross.. I hang out at dirt jumps and shoot the shit with pros at enduro races.

Had a customer who was very anti ebike the other day.. I saw him at the local jump spot a few days later and he was talking smack again. I grabbed my DJ bike and Blasted a suicide no hander on a jump that he couldn't clear. Then I ran back to the car and grabbed my Levo. And I did a no hander on the same jump, turned around and did another no hander off a side hit while climbing back up to the start of the jump line.

He asked "why do you ride an ebike when I was so good".. Because man.. I like riding bikes of all kinds, I don't discriminate. They are all fun to ride in their own way.