Sorry, but I had to share this...

[JuicyBike]

We've had an excellent comment to an article posted to our Facebook page from one of our customers, Linda T on how to deal with the "isn't it cheating" heckle... Well worth a quick read of her response amongst other comments! I wish I had such a way with words...

 

[anotherkiwi]

Frankie Howard style: "Oooooooo! Got a knot in your tights then dearie?"

 

[mike killay]

Well, what does she say?

 

[Croxden]

It took me several looks to find it.

Regularly get accused of "cheating", the fact they've all been male accusers leads me to whip out my standard response ... "That depends on whether you think a cycle is a mobile gym for you to flex your testosterone in public or a mode of transport for you to live up to your environmental ethics". I generally find it leaves them speechless as I pull away at junctions / on hills / from the grocers with my panniers full ... LOVE my Juicy Bike, 5,000 Miles of fresh air and exercise for this old bird in 2 years can't be a bad thing

 

[SteveRuss]

It took me several looks to find it.

Regularly get accused of "cheating", the fact they've all been male accusers leads me to whip out my standard response ... "That depends on whether you think a cycle is a mobile gym for you to flex your testosterone in public or a mode of transport for you to live up to your environmental ethics". I generally find it leaves them speechless as I pull away at junctions / on hills / from the grocers with my panniers full ... LOVE my Juicy Bike, 5,000 Miles of fresh air and exercise for this old bird in 2 years can't be a bad thing

You can't cheat if there are no rules..

 

[EddiePJ]

Just spotted this article which may be of interest to some. http://electricbikereport.com/electric-bike-cheating/

 

[flecc]

Just spotted this article which may be of interest to some. http://electricbikereport.com/electric-bike-cheating/

They'd still call it cheating on the basis that Adam is cutting his journey time by a third by using e-power.

No matter what response we make, the cheating accusation will persist, simply because the accusers are comparing directly to cycling as it's generally understood.

In that sense they are right, since ours is not cycling, it's assisted cycling. That can be argued is similar to getting assistance from using drugs as Lance Armstrong did, and that is cheating.

Probably our best response is:

"I'm not cycling, I'm e-biking".
.

 

[anotherkiwi]

If you ain't competin' you can't be cheatin'...

 

[Alan Quay]

It ain't sport, it's tran-sport.

 

[Lancslass]

It isn't cheating if what you want out of it is a lovely relaxing day out in the fresh air.

And I don't understand how you can be cheating unless you are pretending it's something other than an assisted bike.

The response I have got so far is along the lines of:

(Admirer) "That's lovely, is it an electric bike"

(Me) "Yes"

(Admirer) "I've been thinking of getting one of them myself, it's so hilly around here".

(That's me with my proud look!)

 

[flecc]

And I don't understand how you can be cheating unless you are pretending it's something other than an assisted bike.

To understand you have to stand in the accuser's shoes.

From their point of view they see someone pedalling, then perceive a motor driving.

They know nothing about relative motor powers or pedal control to apply power, what they see is apparently someone being driven along by a motor while pretending to pedal.

That to them is the cheating, someone pretending to cycle while being wafted along by a motor. That view isn't unreasonable, it is what it looks like to the layman who knows nothing about e-bikes.
.

 

[neptune]

OMG don`t you see the danger here? Young people will start with an e bike, and before you know it they will be experimenting with real cycling. It is bound to lead to the re-normalising of cycling! Think of the children...

 

[Alan Quay]

OMG don`t you see the danger here? Young people will start with an e bike, and before you know it they will be experimenting with real cycling. It is bound to lead to the re-normalising of cycling! Think of the children...

It's a 'gateway' sport!