Small group of riders and ebike divide is growing :-(

[RedThunder]

On the last couple of rides the perceived ebike divide has cropped up :-(

Group of four... two on non-eebs and the other half eebs.

One non-eeb rider does not give a shit about thr eebs, hoping to get one

The other rider on a vinatge hardtail non-eeb and snarked all the way around the ride. I rose to the bait at the the post ride cafe coffee and attacked the old relic of bike they have pointed out how things have changed somewhat. Should of walked away :-(

Snarks: your on a motorbike, cheating, start peddling properly etc... and many more.

I'm not getting my old non-eeb out and have no fun on the downhills, just because they dont like eebs. I'm fit, and want to ride the downhill twicw or mayby three times...not once and be knackered just from climbing, get a road bike or that ;-)

How do you guys/gals cope with the divide or are you happy

Non Eeb HT Vintage Bike rider 60+
Non Eeb Full Susser +48'ish
Me: 2019 Levo +55'ish
Giant Trance Eeb +85 (Yes 85)

Do you have any favourite snarky commets you hear.

 

[cozzy]

I dont go on rides with non ebikers. Sounds pretty boring to spend ride time either pushing or going at snailspace up a hill.
Leave the fool with his flintstone bike in your dust. He sounds like a typical singletrackworld reader

 

[Mik3F]

I hear the "You are cheating" all of the time

They are just jealous becasue they don't have one themselves

Luckliy I mainly ride with other ebikers

 

[Rickster]

I tellem, if you're not on ebike it's either because yours is on order or you have never ridden one ! haha

 

[Hobo Mikey]

At Coed y Brenin a couple of years ago I overtook a normal bike and he shouted out your a cheater so I shouted back to him, so is your wife.

 

[Tymon170]

Just a wave and greeting as I pass them.

 

[The Hodge]

Never hear that comment anymore ..

 

[Rickster]

Never hear that comment anymore ..

less n less for sure... It's becoming mainstream

 

[KnollyBro]

I ride with a club that is mostly non emtb riders. At the level I ride, there is no way I could keep up with them (on the way up) without my SL as they are all quite fit and I am not. To riders who just want to ride, they make it work and don't care what you ride as long as you can keep up. We don't hear that many comments about "cheaters" around here anymore as emtbs are here to stay.

 

[Eliadn]

Hear that plenty. But because uneducated people connect the word e-bike with cheap throttle bafang mods that 99% food delivery guys have. On the trails people don't really care what kind of bike it is.

 

[Frankenbetty]

Used to get it a lot round the forest but it seems to be getting less common now as more people are using them. if I do get a sarky comment I just giggle and ride away..

 

[Plummet]

I ride my mtb on mtb rides and E on E rides.
Everyone is pretty chill re e bikes around here and the double black trails i ride hardly ever have anyone on them and if they do we a both stoked to see another maniac on that trail E or otherwise.

 

[Astro66]

I was the first in my group to change to EMTB. Mainly because there were so many areas of the Forests we were not riding, because the climb out was painful on a MTB.

The guys initially called me all the usual names, but when they saw how my ability to climb was now so superior, they all began to understand why I seem to be enjoying the rides so much more. Of the 6 core group. One other actually has now since bought the exact same EMTB as mine, and this was his comment in our MTB WhatsApp group after his first ride.

So I really don't get too worried about the comments. And all the rest of the guys in the group have admitted to have started saving to get an EMTB.

But still their pride does get the better of them on some days when they are struggling and Guy and myself are just powering on. And they let fly with more comments.

Water off a ducks back now.

 

[Gavalar]

On the last couple of rides the perceived ebike divide has cropped up :-(

Group of four... two on non-eebs and the other half eebs.

One non-eeb rider does not give a shit about thr eebs, hoping to get one

The other rider on a vinatge hardtail non-eeb and snarked all the way around the ride. I rose to the bait at the the post ride cafe coffee and attacked the old relic of bike they have pointed out how things have changed somewhat. Should of walked away :-(

Snarks: your on a motorbike, cheating, start peddling properly etc... and many more.

I'm not getting my old non-eeb out and have no fun on the downhills, just because they dont like eebs. I'm fit, and want to ride the downhill twicw or mayby three times...not once and be knackered just from climbing, get a road bike or that ;-)

How do you guys/gals cope with the divide or are you happy

Non Eeb HT Vintage Bike rider 60+
Non Eeb Full Susser +48'ish
Me: 2019 Levo +55'ish
Giant Trance Eeb +85 (Yes 85)

Do you have any favourite snarky commets you hear.

Find some new and open minded riding biddies, life is far too short to defend what puts a smile on your face.

 

[3dp]

Maybe not mention the witty hunt who I decked couple of summers back who tried to knock me off as he’d pulled over to let me climb the hill only taking umbridge as I went past on a Levo - I stopped I slapped him and he slumped but that’s locals for you here.

 

[John Beedham]

i'm 68 ... no one says nuthin'

 

[Gavalar]

i'm 68 ... no one says nuthin'

Why

 

[Truckee Robert]

Here in N California they are well accepted because of the terrain. Everyone wants to get as much DH as possible and at 65 I can ride with anyone and never get dropped. The 800W battery helps a lot

 

[RustyIron]

A guy on an Amish Hardtail is throwing shade your way?
Is he a time traveler from 1998?
Bwahahahaha! What a
You need to ride circles around him and tell him he rides like his mom.

 

[Natch]

I don’t mix MTB and e-bikes. Whatever type of bike the other person/people is/are bringing is what I’ll bring.

 

[irie]

On the last couple of rides the perceived ebike divide has cropped up :-(

Group of four... two on non-eebs and the other half eebs.

One non-eeb rider does not give a shit about thr eebs, hoping to get one

The other rider on a vinatge hardtail non-eeb and snarked all the way around the ride. I rose to the bait at the the post ride cafe coffee and attacked the old relic of bike they have pointed out how things have changed somewhat. Should of walked away :-(

Snarks: your on a motorbike, cheating, start peddling properly etc... and many more.

I'm not getting my old non-eeb out and have no fun on the downhills, just because they dont like eebs. I'm fit, and want to ride the downhill twicw or mayby three times...not once and be knackered just from climbing, get a road bike or that ;-)

How do you guys/gals cope with the divide or are you happy

Non Eeb HT Vintage Bike rider 60+
Non Eeb Full Susser +48'ish
Me: 2019 Levo +55'ish
Giant Trance Eeb +85 (Yes 85)

Do you have any favourite snarky commets you hear.

 

[Julie]

I WISH I could love the ebike transition my group has undergone. We are all in our mid 70’s and I am the only female, and a small one at that. We do have some much younger folks ride with us but they are on regular bikes. My ebike scares me on technical terrain. It is too big, too heavy and I crash more and harder on it. I dislike 29er in general too. I have struggled for two years to feel the love, but got ANOTHER concussion and cracked humerus on Mother’s Day and see the writing on the wall. It is a small Orbea Rise, top of the line, so it’s not the bike’s fault.
Really sad for me to admit but ebikes have excluded me from my ride group of nearly 20 years. I don’t blame the guys for the transition..much more fun for them. It just doesn’t translate to someone my size, age and weight. It’s brilliant on non technical doubletrack/ fireroad/gravel but tech single track not for me.

 

[kbass24emtp]

I've done group rides with non ebikes. Never have I had a snark comment from the group. Depending on the group size, we split up the group on speed and I go with the faster group. Some in the fast group kill me on the downhills, but they love me pushing them on the trails and some try to keep up on the climbs. After the ride they thank me for the workout.

 

[Mr President]

On the last couple of rides the perceived ebike divide has cropped up :-(

Group of four... two on non-eebs and the other half eebs.

One non-eeb rider does not give a shit about thr eebs, hoping to get one

The other rider on a vinatge hardtail non-eeb and snarked all the way around the ride. I rose to the bait at the the post ride cafe coffee and attacked the old relic of bike they have pointed out how things have changed somewhat. Should of walked away :-(

Snarks: your on a motorbike, cheating, start peddling properly etc... and many more.

I'm not getting my old non-eeb out and have no fun on the downhills, just because they dont like eebs. I'm fit, and want to ride the downhill twicw or mayby three times...not once and be knackered just from climbing, get a road bike or that ;-)

How do you guys/gals cope with the divide or are you happy

Non Eeb HT Vintage Bike rider 60+
Non Eeb Full Susser +48'ish
Me: 2019 Levo +55'ish
Giant Trance Eeb +85 (Yes 85)

Do you have any favourite snarky commets you hear.

Stick it turbo and say. "No. This is cheating "


I have fit 68 yo mate who is glad we all got eebs so we can keep up. Mind you his non eeeb is the most expensive in the group.

 

[Rikshaw]

Tough one. I told one of my mates to ride mine and do a couple of laps he was hesitant at first and took the bait. He has been wanting one ever since. I ride all the time with "acoustic bikers" and still ride mine at the uplift parks. Have always hated riding up hills and my mates know that. When I ride with them I always hang back and give the ones hanging at the back a tow if they want it.

 

[volts]

Once you tried ignoring, tried bantering a little and so on its time to tell them what is up. They either accept you ride ebike or don't ride with you. It's not hard if they are worth riding with.

 

[Binhill1]

I was a half cheater today .I just did 45 miles on Gravel bike all back country roads never seen one cyclist. I did 25 before I switched it on as it has only a 250 battery and I wasn't sure how much braes there were. Woman walkers are the best if i pass near at the top of a climb they always say we'll done , I usually tell them it's electric. If I meet roadies I would wind them up , wow is that one of them retro real bikes hadn't seen one for years.

 

[Plummet]

E Bikes have been great for my mtb group. They have allowed injured, unfit and compromised guys to ride with us. One guy had a heart issue and another lung issue meaning that just couldnt keep up by a factor or 2. With the E's they are able to attend.

There's zero point me bringing and E bike to a mtb ride as i am one of the fittest guys on our rides. But i have on occassion when i'm keen sick or injured or just hammered from long work days. Its awesome to be able to ride when otherwise you wouldn't. Its also super cool seeing those guys ripping that love riding but would otherwise not be having any fun because there bodies are letting them down

 

[Plummet]

PS IF anyone gives you the stink eye. Laugh heartly at them. They are missing the point of life..... That is to enjoy life. He who grins the most wins!....

Imagine being in the brain of one of those negative fucktards. In must be a constant life sentence of disappointment and annoyance.

To those people I say. "If everyone else is an arsehole.... you are the arsehole."

 

[arTNC]

I dont go on rides with non ebikers. Sounds pretty boring to spend ride time either pushing or going at snailspace up a hill.
Leave the fool with his flintstone bike in your dust. He sounds like a typical singletrackworld reader

How cruel..."Flintstone bike"...

Fortunately I haven't run into that around my area. I'm 72 and that probably helps in some small way in that they think the old guy needs some help...LOL! But really, as far as comments or observations, all of them have been more in interest about the emtb than anything negative.

Now, over on the site MTBR, after a decent layoff of riding and posting over there, I was amazed at how many crybabies were present. But joyfully I don't ride with any of them, and they aren't in my neighborhood, so...