Personally i much prefer the look of cytronex or home built bikes at present,the main players seem to actually try and make the battery stand out,while people building kits try and hide them in bags etc,i think if the colour of the battery matched the frame it would look far better, one of the latest matt paint dark coloured kalkhoffs looked great to me at first glance,they have a small battery which would be easy to try and conceal,but they decided to choose bright stand out colours for the battery as if to highlight it,totally spoilt the look of the bike for me.
Stealth or obvious which do you prefer.
- Thread starter fishingpaul
- Start date
Stealth all day long for me, that's why i ended up with a Trek FX +. Add a set of panniers and it is extremely hard to spot its electric, especially since the motor is silent.
Why would you want to disguise the battery? Is it because you think that the battery is ugly and that it spoils the look if the bike? Or is it because a bike fitted with a battery doesn't conform to what you expect a bike to look like? Finally, are you slightly embarrassed to be riding an assisted bike and want to create the illusion that you are riding a conventional cycle?
I tend to do quite a lot of running and I am reasonably fit, but for some reason, I would go for the final option. I can't shake off a sense of embarrassment about the fact that I am riding an assisted bike. I suppose that this is more to do with how I think other people perceive me, which is equally silly.
I tend to do quite a lot of running and I am reasonably fit, but for some reason, I would go for the final option. I can't shake off a sense of embarrassment about the fact that I am riding an assisted bike. I suppose that this is more to do with how I think other people perceive me, which is equally silly.
Could not have said it better myself, exactly how i feel. I am also youngish just trying to lose some weight, as my commute is 40 miles a normal bike would be out of the question, 5 days a week. But i work in a large university and there is a high proportion of my work colleges who cycle. Funny that, lots of academics cycle, wonder why as 50% of my colleges cycle. But the maximum is about 9 miles, but i would be so embarrassed if they knew my bike was electric.
I get the embarrassment thing and can find myself making excuses for turning up on my e-bike rather than my unassisted steed. I think it is linked to the whole 'cheating' line of thought.
But you're right it is crazy, would I feel the same if I turned up on a motorbike, or in a car? Of course not. I think it's just that e-bikes are new and different and the more popular they become the more 'normal' they will seem.
But you're right it is crazy, would I feel the same if I turned up on a motorbike, or in a car? Of course not. I think it's just that e-bikes are new and different and the more popular they become the more 'normal' they will seem.
Well enough sitting on here i'm off out on my bike, try to put in 20 miles with no assist on every Saturday morning. Believe me hauling the motor/panniers with no motor is a good workout.
I do a similar commute and some cyclists ask why I have the motor, when I explain I ride from the M25 to the centre of London every day they are always quite impressed and say what a good idea the motor is.
The only person to call me a cheat was riding a motorbike.
It doesn't worry me that an e-bike looks like one, but I can understand the other point of view. I just posted the following on another thread about the battery colour mismatch problem on the bike Paul refers to:
"Giant and Flyer with the similar original unit almost always had their bikes also in silver so the unit and battery didn't stand out. Yamaha in contrast make their similar unit and battery in black.
It's always a problem, I remember when eZee at one time had their bikes and batteries in silver, black and a range of primary colours, very nice too until it came to battery replacement time. Then it was a nightmare for suppliers to maintain a full range of coloured batteries in stock fresh, so it inevitably ended up a choice of one, silver."
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"Giant and Flyer with the similar original unit almost always had their bikes also in silver so the unit and battery didn't stand out. Yamaha in contrast make their similar unit and battery in black.
It's always a problem, I remember when eZee at one time had their bikes and batteries in silver, black and a range of primary colours, very nice too until it came to battery replacement time. Then it was a nightmare for suppliers to maintain a full range of coloured batteries in stock fresh, so it inevitably ended up a choice of one, silver."
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I am perfectly happy for everyone to know I have a battery and motor aboard. I find as I get older I get more and more impervious to any form of embarrassment (it's great!) At the end of the day, what does it matter what anyone, apart from nearest and dearest, think about you?
I find it it quite useful to have an obvious ebike when catching up with / overtaking unassisted cyclists on hills, as it is then clear how an old codger in ordinary clothes can perform such a feat; it saves that double-take moment.
Hi Growler,
If you are getting sore wrists i would mess about with seat height, tilt and handlebar height until you resolve this. I recon your reach is probably slightly off, most people would not notice this but when you do a lot of miles these niggles become real.
As for the seat, i am the same ended up changing the seat and seat post after the old one snapped a bolt. I bought a selle Royal Lookin Moderate, now this kinda looks like a girls seat, but its classed as unisex. You know what i dont care its so comfy, but still get pains so guess need to just tough it out. One thing i have noticed is since i started this commuting i am picking up everything like colds etc, seems like my immune system is down, maybe a coincidence.
The whole cheating thing is quite interesting, I started 4 months ago with my emotion because I had a twenty mile round trip to work and didn't want to run two cars. Motorbikes have never held much appeal so an ebike looked an interesting option.
Most of the people who think it's cheating seem to ride motorbikes or have no concept of pedal assist, other serious cyclists at work just seem to look at it and think it's a good idea for getting to work less sweaty and on those horrible weather days it isn't such a chore.
But I do still still have the urge to hide it...
Most of the people who think it's cheating seem to ride motorbikes or have no concept of pedal assist, other serious cyclists at work just seem to look at it and think it's a good idea for getting to work less sweaty and on those horrible weather days it isn't such a chore.
But I do still still have the urge to hide it...
I can see the problem there flecc,i do think they could maybe offer some sort of optional cover for the battery,i am sure it would help sales to us embarrased by the obvious electric types.
I prefer to think that they have not noticed,and are left pondering how i a big bloke passed them by so easilly,especially the people walking their bikes uphill, i often wonder what they are thinking as i easily climb the hill they could not make.
I felt a little embarrased at first, always explaining I've had an operation on my knee, but thats gone now. I love overtaking normal cyclists on hills especially the racer types - a bit childish I know but I love to see their shock when a middle aged (plus a bit) slightly overweight bloke passes them!
I love overtaking too but if the electrics are too obvious,it spoils the fun of thinking about the thoughts of the somewhat suprised overtaken cyclist.I felt a little embarrased at first, always explaining I've had an operation on my knee, but thats gone now. I love overtaking normal cyclists on hills especially the racer types - a bit childish I know but I love to see their shock when a middle aged (plus a bit) slightly overweight bloke passes them!
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