Did not have the heart to tell him

overlander

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 22, 2009
532
42
Cycling into work this morning, a beautiful sunny day i stopped at the traffic lights. Was parallel with a cyclist and he started to chat to me, proclaiming that the tail wind was a godsend. I agreed with him and had a small chat, to be honest i never even noticed there was a wind :D I tried to change the conversation but i really could not tell him lol.

Thats the beauty of the Trek, no one has any idea its an electric bike, throw a set of panniers on and only the really keen eyed cyclist will notice.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,765
30,351
Indeed, the benefit of such a quiet motor too. They're great stealth bikes when fitted with large enough panniers.
.
 

eddieo

Banned
Jul 7, 2008
5,070
6
You really need to get over your shame of being an e biker.....is it the Lycra that does it?:D
 

Scottyf

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 2, 2011
1,403
-1
I've now moved my controller etc to the tank bag from my motorbike that sits on the rack. If I had a rear motor I don't think anyone would ever know.

Even when I set the bike up with controller on the down post no one seemed to notice at all.

Love stealth, its also helps detract from potential thieves!
 

rudebhoy

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jan 18, 2011
7
0
It's funny I had a similar experience yesterday on way home, I overtook this guy on a really long hill, He was on a road bike and had all the gear i.e. racing top etc . I came up behind him and waited for about half a mile I was in two minds whether to overtake as he was going fairly quickly for that hill, (I have overtaken a lot slower people ) but as hill got steeper I was really holding back so I took him He caught up at the lights at top of hill and first thing he said was I hope that bike is assisted The devil in me thought about saying no at first but I then nodded . He joked he thought he was losing it :)
 

overlander

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 22, 2009
532
42
It is pretty funny, a good e-bike can really cover decent distances they really should be more popular. Today i arrived for the first time with over half my battery power left, normally it is completely flat. I would like to think i was getting fitter, but the bike received a software update a couple of weeks ago and since then the battery has been lasting longer and i have been getting fitter so maybe a combination.
 

overlander

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 22, 2009
532
42
Not a very good photo, excuse the mess in the office :D

This is what the Trek looks like with the panniers on.

 

tangent

Esteemed Pedelecer
Mar 7, 2010
299
0
It is pretty funny, a good e-bike can really cover decent distances they really should be more popular. Today i arrived for the first time with over half my battery power left, normally it is completely flat. I would like to think i was getting fitter, but the bike received a software update a couple of weeks ago and since then the battery has been lasting longer and i have been getting fitter so maybe a combination.
I expect the tail wind helped out as well. Unfortuneately I was headed into it!
 

steveindenmark

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 10, 2011
406
2
Just don`t be so clever.

If you ever meet this guy going up a set of steps carrying your TREK he will know it is an electric bike.

I picked one up the other day and it is heavier than my 65cc motorbike. :)

Steve
 

Bikerbob

Pedelecer
May 10, 2007
215
0
Isle of Man
When I overtake someone on a hill and they ask if mine is an electric bike I usually say, " Yes, I was thinking of switching the motor on".
 

overlander

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 22, 2009
532
42
Just don`t be so clever.

If you ever meet this guy going up a set of steps carrying your TREK he will know it is an electric bike.

I picked one up the other day and it is heavier than my 65cc motorbike. :)

Steve
Its a fair old lump, but i do believe its very light compared to most electric bikes, i think the overall weight is 19Kg. I have not lifted many other e-bikes but i think 19Kg is very light. What i do not like about it, the weight is all at the back end so its difficult to get a good balance on it when lifting it.
 

theskip1

Pedelecer
Mar 4, 2010
159
0
sm6
everybody on here extoles the use of electric bikes and yet do not seem to like people knowing that they are riding one ?
 
Last edited:

lectureral

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 30, 2007
397
60
Suva, Fiji
everybody on here extoles the use of electric bikes and yet does their best to hide them ?
I'm with you, theskip1 - I don't understand the desire for stealth. I'm perfectly happy for anyone to know that I'm assisted.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,765
30,351
Ditto. I can see the appeal of stealth bikes, but I'm proud to ride electric and never hide it.
.
 

funkylyn

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 22, 2011
3,172
27
South Shields, Tyne & Wear
Ditto. I can see the appeal of stealth bikes, but I'm proud to ride electric and never hide it.
.
Agreed.....but I do get really fed up with people shouting......''thats cheating'' as I cycle past them.......:(

Lynda
 

Tex

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 14, 2009
251
0
Sydney, Australia
I don't give a rats *rse what people think. I ride my electric bike to keep fit, get to work on time and have fun on single track. I also hope they notice my road manners more than my bike.
 

fishingpaul

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 24, 2007
871
86
everybody on here extoles the use of electric bikes and yet do not seem to like people knowing that they are riding one ?
I think part of the fun of owning an electric bike,is passing somebody on a normal bike that does not realise you are riding an electric bike,or a lycra rider that expects to leave you for dead but cant.stealth is great fun obvious is a bit boring.
 

theskip1

Pedelecer
Mar 4, 2010
159
0
sm6
Agreed.....but I do get really fed up with people shouting......''thats cheating'' as I cycle past them.......:(

Lynda
just stop and ask them if they ever use the bus or train or car or any wheeled transport because by definition thats also " cheating " after all a motorbike is as it says - a bike with a motor!!
 

NRG

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 6, 2009
2,592
10
You could reply "I didn't realise I was in a race....". Or "I didn't realise I was in the Tour De France" or something similar.....
 

lectureral

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 30, 2007
397
60
Suva, Fiji
..but I do get really fed up with people shouting......''thats cheating'' as I cycle past them.......:(

Lynda
That doesn't happen so much when you are towing a trailer with 2 kids in it - by rights I should be shouting ''thats cheating'' at every passing car with fewer than 4 occupants.

In a similar vein, I was tooted by a young guy in a car as I (fairly slowly) cycled down the main street in our village (semi-pedestrianised, cobbled, single track, no passing but only about 100m long). I looked round, feigned amazement, stopped, walked back to him and pointed out that we were three and he was one (in my dodgy French) and we had a right to use the road, before slowly getting back on and lumbering off. The toot probably delayed him a couple of minutes - hopefully he got the point.
 
Last edited: