Modern E-bikes not as conspicuous..

[Alex728]

This weekend I was chatting to some of my younger friends, one of whom had seen me on my ebike whilst driving a van in town.

I do use panniers and my saddle position is such I sit directly over the battery so this hides the motor and battery a bit, but he hadn't noticed anything "odd" about the bike at all, and had just thought it was a normal MTB with mudguards and a rack.. (he does cycle occasionally despite being a mechanic and thus interested in cars and other vehicles)

Another of the lads did jokingly suggest it was "lazy", but he piped down when I told him I regularly ride from Ipswich to the other end of Mid Suffolk just before the county border (26 miles) - a distance I did use to ride on my conventional hybrid anyway... a lot of people some years my junior think this is an athletic feat rather than a relatively short distance!

both of them thought the concept was a good idea, and it shows that ebikes based on MTB design (such as the Powacycle Salisbury / Wisper) will mean to ebikes gaining increasing acceptance by younger people as well as the older folks who aren't as worried about the "street cred" issue on riding bikes with "different" frame styles..

 

[Patrick]

You'll know when the young folk have really accepted e-bikes because you see them riding unassisted bikes with mock motors and water bottles shaped like batteries.

 

[Alex728]

You'll know when the young folk have really accepted e-bikes because you see them riding unassisted bikes with mock motors and water bottles shaped like batteries.

best way to get younger people to cycle is to encourage younger girls/women to do so...

young lads want cars because it "helps them get with girls" (admittedly a rather shallow minded sort of girl, but there are a fair few about what prefer blokes with big cars...)

but more independently minded young girls want their own cars because it gives them freedom / safety and stops them being overtly harrassed by the more shallow minded sort of boy (although I do wonder if its simply the case that society remains just as bad they simply can't hear the jeers, catcalls and sexist comments as they are inside their cage!)

if more young girls and women felt safe cycling the lads will surely follow...

 

[Barnowl]

Yes, spot on. Generally applicable to most ages as well - sadly.

 

[Alex728]

Yes, spot on. Generally applicable to most ages as well - sadly.

that said, other than sporty girls/women I think a lot more of the slightly older ladies (age 30 upwards) tend to more willing to cycle than the younger ones... most of the girls/women I see on bikes round here are aged either about 14-21 and 27-40+ with a large gap in the age groups (just an academic observation, not that I have been ogling them )

there are also a lot more "independent / liberated" ladies on this forum (compared to other cycling forums it seems), many of whom seem to challenge gender stereotypes in other forms...

 

[Barnowl]

that said, other than sporty girls/women I think a lot more of the slightly older ladies (age 30 upwards) tend to more willing to cycle than the younger ones... most of the girls/women I see on bikes round here are aged either about 14-21 and 27-40+ with a large gap in the age groups (just an academic observation, not that I have been ogling them )

there are also a lot more "independent / liberated" ladies on this forum (compared to other cycling forums it seems), many of whom seem to challenge gender stereotypes in other forms...

Mmmmh I'll have to undertake some academic observation of my own into this matter.
My earlier comment referred to older "lads" as well. As in "Older lads want expensive cars because it "helps them get with the ladies" . Well you know there is a blossoming singles market out there.
Sadly I don't think playing the eco card and boasting about your low carbon emmissions is going to cut it.

 

[Alex728]

As in "Older lads want expensive cars because it "helps them get with the ladies" . Well you know there is a blossoming singles market out there.
Sadly I don't think playing the eco card and boasting about your low carbon emmissions is going to cut it.

good point, although after recent events in this town a older man trying to act young and cruising about trying to pick up girls (particularly those younger than him) will increasingly often attract the attention of the local constabulary....

 

[Barnowl]

good point, although after recent events in this town a older man trying to act young and cruising about trying to pick up girls (particularly those younger than him) will increasingly often attract the attention of the local constabulary....

What... I never even thought of curb crawling. Has anyone ever been accused of such on an E-Bike. Just a thought. No I was thinking more along the lines of a good restaurant, a fine wine, box of chocolates etc (swiss Tony style if you get my drift).
The Jag, the Bently. the Porshe, or the BM V the cycle clips

 

[flecc]

... I never even thought of curb crawling. Has anyone ever been accused of such on an E-Bike.

It isn't an offence on a bicycle. The police did try to bring one case against a man who stopped on his bike to speak to a prostitute, but it failed since the accused has to be in a motor vehicle.
.

 

[aaannndddyyy]

It isn't an offence on a bicycle. The police did try to bring one case against a man who stopped on his bike to speak to a prostitute, but it failed since the accused has to be in a motor vehicle.
.

Thanks flecc thats handy to no