E-bikers Demographics

[themutiny]

Hi

I was musing the other day on the people I have met and conversed with since I took up e-biking.

My perception is that in general (with some rather acute exceptions) the people I have met have been enlightened, interesting and generally rather astute individuals.

This got me to wondering about the demographic of e-bikers in general. For example, is it only the more (trying to choose my words carefully here) "intelligent" (OK, I failed) e-bikers that subscribe to this forum, and that there are a host of neanderthal e-bikers out there who cannot (or will not) use an e-forum, or are we by definition somewhat avant-garde?

Any thoughts?

 

[Straylight]

UG!

 

[flecc]

I think many of the less commonly used technologies are more likely to attract the attention of the inquisitive who will tend to be in the upper intelligence half by virtue of that characteristic.

However, it's in the nature of partly technical forums that only a minority engage. Some years ago I worked on the leading UK computer forum as an advisor and at that time investigated computer forum usage. Overall there were some half millions who used the forums, less than one in thirty of the national computer user total then.

By contrast we may be doing rather better, our just over 3000 members being probably about one in twenty of the current active e-biking population and not less than one in thirty.

However, as Frank Curran and I have remarked previously, the bulk of e-bikers are utility users doing shopping and the like and who regard their bikes just as transport, not an interest to pursue in a forum.
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[Alex728]

from what I have seen on the streets, I would say the ebikers not on this forum are aged rather than neanderthal... but we have the most of the younger e-bike enthusiasts and that will grow....

this is a very techie forum though, all these brainy dudes (and ladies!) with loads of knowledge and huge well equipped workshops - I also visit here to learn stuff about electronics as well!

 

[Straylight]

but we have the most of the younger e-bike enthusiasts and that will grow....

None of us are getting any younger...

Intelligence is a very subjective and unquantifiable thing in my view, the truth as I see it is that a wide variety of people have diverse talents in equally diverse fields. Academia is a completely useless standard by which to judge, as it simply rates the ability to store/retrieve and process information via an accepted set of rules (and this is being gently swept away by the prevalence of the internet).

I think that we here, are on the whole a bunch of individuals that have enough imagination to see the benefits of something that is as yet considered "alternative" by the "mainstream", with all the intransigent, reactionary ignorance that term/pigeonhole still provokes, but whether this ability relates to an IQ level or any other useless measure is a matter for conjecture.

As a side note about IQ, did anyone see Carol Vorderman on Question Time the other week? Her arguments could hardly be rated as intelligent or imaginative IMHO, and yet she famously scores well in IQ tests. You may disagree, but this would simply prove my point about subjectivity. Will Self, on the other hand, for me, stole the show with his usual mix of striking clarity, and simple lack of hidden agenda. I should add that I only watch this programme for entertaiment value, and find it quite invigorating to have a good shout at the TV every once in a while .

 

[flecc]

As a side note about IQ, did anyone see Carol Vorderman on Question Time the other week? Her arguments could hardly be rated as intelligent or imaginative IMHO, and yet she famously scores well in IQ tests. You may disagree, but this would simply prove my point about subjectivity.

The subjectivity is more about how well someone is able to use their intelligence, many of the highly intelligent don't do at all well in this respect.

It's arguable that members of Mensa (the high IQ organisation) are not very intelligent as they pay to be members of an organisation which declares itself to have no aims, rather pointless. Not sour grapes, I qualified, joined and immediately resigned for that reason!
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[themutiny]

Totally agree. I qualified(for career purposes only), joined for a year, realised what a crock it was and lapsed for 20 years. A couple of years ago I rejoined, realised it was an even bigger crock and lapsed again. The occasional slanging matches which occur on this forum are nothing compared to the internal politics of British Mensa. It's even worse at the locsec level

 

[Alex728]

None of us are getting any younger...

true, but the younger people I know are becoming more socially aware and responsible and this coupled with rising petrol prices and the economic depression and the end of "constant growth" is making more of them think about e-bikes...

some of my Scots friends are thinking of buying Alien bikes (one girl there lives quite near the factory!) - as soon as companies come out with a reliable bike around the £700-£800 price point with a local dealer network I reckon lots more younger people will buy them.... they are after all way cheaper than running a car for short distances, and younger people can no longer ride mopeds on provisionals without the CBT which expires after 2 years and the cost of testing etc isn't that much less than replacing a battery!

 

[themutiny]

You say that, but my experience with my 5 kids, is that they wouldn't be seen dead on an e-bike - even the Cytronex Synapse. They still consider that I'm cheating, despite the obvious contra-indications.

The only one who will pay lipservice is my eldest (who is 25). She did at least condescend to try it, and even admitted that she enjoyed it. It was, sadly, a one-off event.

Mind you, I shelled out 2k on a Synapse for the wife, and she steadfastly refuses (except on steep hills) to actually use the assist. This is quite frustrating for me, as she isn't a great cyclist, so I always have to cycle behind her, with invariably no assist and constant braking because I am a far stronger cyclist (even allowing for gender differences).

 

[Alex728]

You say that, but my experience with my 5 kids, is that they wouldn't be seen dead on an e-bike - even the Cytronex Synapse. They still consider that I'm cheating, despite the obvious contra-indications.

The only one who will pay lipservice is my eldest (who is 25). She did at least condescend to try it, and even admitted that she enjoyed it. It was, sadly, a one-off event.

TBH I think it is always going to be the late 20s/early 30s who become the youngest of e-bikers, at least until utility cycling in Britain becomes more popular. Many younger children and youths are going to want to prove their physical capabilities especially as part of growing up, which is IMO no bad thing!

I was myself sceptical of e-bikes which I thought were "for the old people" even after trying one in 2004 or so, until the appearance of them changed to look more like a normal bike.

A chap from Newmarket told me yesterday Cambridge is full of e-bikers now of all ages..

 

[themutiny]

I just don't get the perception that riding a 'dangerous' 50cc scooter is uber-cool, and yet the e-bike paradigm is considered infra dig.

Actually, I should just go out on my bike, and not vent my spleen on this forum

Bye....