The opinion of analog bikers is whack

[ilostmypassword]

Sitting today mid ride and sat with a hot cup of tea, two older guys on those old fashioned bikes, (who were 'mountain biking' on the road next to the trails on immaculate machines) mocked me with 'have you have earnt that' laughing between themselves. I replied I 'sure have! Second ride this weekend and it's a great workout riding technical trails on a 25KG bike. They are great fun- you should get one!'

The guys remarked 'nah I'll get one when I'm old'. I replied 'well thats a shame as by then you won't be able to really enjoy what bikes can offer. My advice to to get one now and start having fun now'.

They rolled off laughing with each other at such a suggestion. I finished my cuppa and then dropped into a seriously rocky and technical trails that was now slippery as all hell with the skies opening up. My grin was massive and a chuckled to myself at how much those guys are missing out due to ego and ignorance.

I now ride triple the distance and twice (if not more) faster than I ever have before. I'm hitting technical stuff like a lunatic and loving every second of it. Come Summer I'll be deeper int the mountains here too than ever before and exploring past previous limits. Wild camping too.

Come people just don't get it I know. But what a shame! I started MTBing in the 90's to challenge myself, keep fit, explore, and get buzzy. Ebikes nail all of that for me now more than ever! My advice is to start ASAP regardless of age! The whole experience is just WOW! right!?!?

 

[mcboab]

Haters gonna hate.

 

[cozzy]

The analogue bikers I see at bikeparks wear their shoes out quicker than their tyres the amount of pushing they do.

 

[The EMF]

Rode in the hills of North Northumberland with 12 like minded Emtber’s in truly atrocious conditions for the first couple of hours (see ‘ride out’ section on hear) was brilliant…….that’s proper MTBing regardless of what you ride, great craic, great company all looking after everyone’s back.. could not have done it on my non assist bike

 

[RipGroove]

I've been riding bikes all my life but started on 'proper' bikes when I was about 16 (95'/'96) when I a new Azonic DS-1 frame and built my dream MTB which at the time was a street trial/woods trails bike and since then I've had many different types of bikes including BMX, Trial, Dual Slalom, Trail, Street Trial etc etc so bikes for me have always been about doing tricks and stunts of some sort and not about burning calories and munching miles.

This is exactly why the eMTB is perfect for me, I get to do all the fun bits of trail riding without all the pain, I can hit more fun bits in any given time than I could on the old non electric bike.

If people ride MTB solely for burning calories then that's up to them. For everyone else, if their ego won't let them get an eMTB then I feel bad for them. Incidentally I've personally burnt more calories on my eMTB than I have done in a long time on my non ebike because I'm getting out more on it because it's not such a chore.

I constantly get called a cheater by one mate who rides a non ebike and he says he doesn't need one yet because he's not old enough (we're both 41) and because he likes burning calories but in any given month I definitely burn more MTB calories than he does And I have more fun doing it too.

I can't do any tricks on the emtb though for various reasons but I have another bike for that so

 

[RipGroove]

Back in the '90's and early 2000's pretty much all MTB riders were chill and all respected eachother (although we did think XC riders were a bit weird) and the only beef we ever had was with Binliners (inline skaters) and Wood Pushers (Skateboarders) and that was usually just about which group were riding/skating a certain street spot, I guess the unwritten rules of the street meant that only one genre of sport could be done at one time at one location

Ebikes definitely seem to have divided the MTB community.

 

[Zimmerframe]

My mate went for a run this weekend ... He's definitely not the kind of guy to complain about anyone on a Mountain bike or an Electric bike .. but if he did go down the same mentality, should runners call cyclists cheats and have they earned it ?

 

[RipGroove]

My mate went for a run this weekend ... He's definitely not the kind of guy to complain about anyone on a Mountain bike or an Electric bike .. but if he did go down the same mentality, should runners call cyclists cheats and have they earned it ?

View attachment 95397

Coincidentally the mate who always calls me a cheater spends a lot of time running also.

 

[Konanige]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I have 3 Amish mtbs and one lightweight emtb, but the thought of riding around on something that weighs the same as a motorbike but without the power, I'll pass on that one.

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

'have you have earnt that'

yea I went to work so I could buy a decent bike..
now fuck off paupers!

 

[Zimmerframe]

yea I went to work so I could buy a decent bike..
now fuck off paupers!

You could add "Do you drive a flintstones car or did you 'earn' the right to have one with a motor ?"

 

[RustyIron]

Sitting today mid ride and sat with a hot cup of tea,

Oh là là... fancy pants ebikers sipping tea and nibbling on crumpets.
Everyone knows that REAL riders gobble burgers and wash them down with IPA.
Then they wipe their hands on their filthy clothes before hitting another lap.

 

[flash]

Just remember these are the same Muppets who would happily use an uplift and slag off an eBike for riding up the same hill.

Their attitude says more about them than you.

Gordon

 

[Dax]

Meh. Who cares

 

[Quinterly]

I can't say I've run into any of this. Most of what I get are questions, no hating.

 

[Tony4wd]

mocked me with 'have you have earnt that' laughing between themselves

They were just reinforcing their bromance by picking on someone outside their group - standard chimp behaviour. Humans can be annoying - best to keep your distance

 

[Tonybro]

To be brutally honest, I've given up caring what other people think to me having an e-MTB. I just go out and enjoy the hills and trails. If they want to huff and puff their way around the easier bits, more fool them!

I generally get asked questions more than barbed comments. Happy to discuss questions and answers.

 

[ilostmypassword]

They were just reinforcing their bromance by picking on someone outside their group - standard chimp behaviour. Humans can be annoying - best to keep your distance

I'm not upset or offended by their behaviour because I KNOW I'M RIGHT

 

[jimbob]

It's each to their own I guess. I'm seeing far more Emtbs out and about now, which I see as a good thing for us. It always takes time for a new technology to catch on.

I did feel a little conscious at first, but that's completely gone now. Just pass with a wave and a hello. And a massive smile on my face!

I do have a friend who's sole purpose of biking seems to be to punish himself and get fitter. I have no idea why you'd do that. Enjoy yourself, and if you get other benefits, what a bonus!

 

[Bummers]

I was at gisburn at the weekend and it seemed like there were at least as many ebikes as normal ones, if not more.

 

[VWsurfbum]

ego and ignorance.

You summed it up with this.

 

[Stihldog]

The times have changed. Almost 3 years ago I was the only eMTB on our mountain. I got called a cheat several times back then but not anymore.
On my way home Sunday , I stopped at a fire-road junction to catch my breath. Within moments another emtb’er stopped and asked if I needed help. Nope. We made some small talk and were suddenly joined by another emtb’er. Then more eMTB’s stopped until we became 7…Everyone was talking about manufacturers and upgrades…and how many trails we ride. You know …normal stuff.

 

[Dax]

I have had to change my usual greeting of “F’kin ebikes” since I swapped to a SL which isn’t obviously an ebike

 

[Kevjob51]

I especially like the ones who have never ridden an ebike seem to know next to nothing about them have the strongest and loudest opinions against them. MTBR has some real knobs whining about mopeds and scooters ruining "their" trails.

 

[ilostmypassword]

The times have changed. Almost 3 years ago I was the only eMTB on our mountain. I got called a cheat several times back then but not anymore.
On my way home Sunday , I stopped at a fire-road junction to catch my breath. Within moments another emtb’er stopped and asked if I needed help. Nope. We made some small talk and were suddenly joined by another emtb’er. Then more eMTB’s stopped until we became 7…Everyone was talking about manufacturers and upgrades…and how many trails we ride. You know …normal stuff.

I mostly get the same vibe. It was a non ebiker who donated his tube on a ride that got me home after shredded my tyre.

 

[emtbPhil]

I haven't run into any of that kind of attitude out on the bike but it's really bad online.
I made a comment on instagram about not enjoying Gisburn at all - it's too poorly maintained, too much technical climbing and not enough flowing downhill stuff for me.

Got comments of "should be a piece of piss on an ebike" as you'd expect.
Every single one of the people with that attitude have never ridden one though.
Just ignore them, I've done 2.5k miles in the last year on my full sus emtb, regularly out 3 or 4 times a week and love every minute of it. Those are the sorts of guys who sell their bikes after 2 years with 90 miles of use on them

 

[Bummers]

I haven't run into any of that kind of attitude out on the bike but it's really bad online.
I made a comment on instagram about not enjoying Gisburn at all - it's too poorly maintained, too much technical climbing and not enough flowing downhill stuff for me.

Got comments of "should be a piece of piss on an ebike" as you'd expect.
Every single one of the people with that attitude have never ridden one though.
Just ignore them, I've done 2.5k miles in the last year on my full sus emtb, regularly out 3 or 4 times a week and love every minute of it. Those are the sorts of guys who sell their bikes after 2 years with 90 miles of use on them

Funnily enough was at gisburn at the weekend, first time there on an e-bike. It's been years since I went there on my analog mtb. I found doing one lap exhausting on the mtb, didn't get to make the most of the downhill sections because I was knackered.

Found it transformed doing it on an e-bike, absolutely loved it! Technical climbs are difficult because of the challenging terrain rather than because my (lack of) fitness pedalling uphill made it worse.
Looking forward to going back and can see it definitely helping to improve my riding, I did find the weight of the bike at times made things tricky on some of those sections but it can only get better

Agreed about the poorly maintained comment, those bomb holes full of water between the berms on Hully gully really need filling in, they ruin the flow of it.

 

[The Hodge]

. MTBR has some real knobs whining about mopeds and scooters ruining "their" trails.

I'm waiting for the day ..
As a very active volunteer in the formative years of trail building at Kielder ..I would love someone to say that to me while riding up there ..

 

[emtbPhil]

Agreed about the poorly maintained comment, those bomb holes full of water between the berms on Hully gully really need filling in, they ruin the flow of it.

it was a shit show when I went. Hully gully was shut because of damage and the motor did nothing to help on the technical stuff because it was wet so it just spun the wheel even in tour. I’m afraid I hated that place so much I’ll never go back.

I much prefer easy up and techy down like Dalby

 

[Bummers]

it was a shit show when I went. Hully gully was shut because of damage and the motor did nothing to help on the technical stuff because it was wet so it just spun the wheel even in tour. I’m afraid I hated that place so much I’ll never go back.

I much prefer easy up and techy down like Dalby

It was mostly dry when we went at the weekend, honestly I'd say give it another go, the figure 8 loop has a lot of really good sections in it and tech climbs when it's dry are a lot of fun
I'm staying right near dalby from 3rd-9th of sept. The bike will definitely be coming with me