Are offroad ebikes becoming acceptable?

[triumph_st]

It's accepted until you overtake a 'normal' biker. Then you get the boooh.

 

[jackhandy]

It's accepted until you overtake a 'normal' biker. Then you get the boooh.

Only when you're going uphill

Seriously, though - I'm glad I'm a miserable old git, quite content in my own company, travelling at my own pace; getting all the socialisation I need while I'm stopped & answering questions about the bike.

 

[RobF]

I'm lucky to have been almost universally accepted by the group of ordinary cyclists I now ride with most weekends.

That's partly because they are mostly middle-aged men - and women - who have the maturity not to be bothered what others ride.

I can be quite a nice bloke when I try hard, and I don't rub their noses in it, particularly on hills.

I did some pacemaking on the long drag up to Consett last weekend.

That was appreciated, so I think some members of the group realise ebikers have their uses.

Riding a Bosch bike has helped - the others are experienced cyclists and they can see me putting in some effort, changing down for hills, etc.

We were stopped a while ago when a hub motor kit ebike whizzed past us on throttle only.

A couple of them commented "that's not proper cycling".

Leaving aside the motor, both my AVE and Rose are nice bikes, so that has helped me gain acceptance among the few who have shown much interest.

The others tend to bowl along faster than me on the flat and down hill, so I let them get on with it knowing I can make up the time at the next incline.

In that way I don't keep anyone waiting for long, but neither am I hammering along way out in front.

Staying in the pack for most of the time helps keep my profile relatively low.