I’ve come across this one up man ship quite a bit lately. What I’m referring to is this, ‘us and them’ of the assisted and non assisted bike divide.

Out riding I’m getting more and more comments when passing ordinary cyclists (usually up hill) and the verbal follow up when they easily pass me along the flat or down hill.

Is it a crime to cycle a electric bike?

I chatted with my cousin an ex pro cyclist who has ridden in the Tour de France in his day about this, his take on it is, it’s usually small minded under achievers who feel they have the moral high ground to make derogatory comments.

One friend who has a medical condition which limits his cycling quite substantially, would not be seen dead on one.

Any ideas why this provoked these comments?

I’ve come across this one up man ship quite a bit lately. What I’m referring to is this, ‘us and them’ of the assisted and non assisted bike divide.

Out riding I’m getting more and more comments when passing ordinary cyclists (usually up hill) and the verbal follow up when they easily pass me along the flat or down hill.

Is it a crime to cycle a electric bike?

I chatted with my cousin an ex pro cyclist who has ridden in the Tour de France in his day about this, his take on it is, it’s usually small minded under achievers who feel they have the moral high ground to make derogatory comments.

One friend who has a medical condition which limits his cycling quite substantially, would not be seen dead on one.

Any ideas why this provoked these comments?

Its the same here, but I found a great trick, that works brilliantly with most of the ones passing sentence. Simply tell them that until they have ridden one, they are clueless and uninformed!

Then offer them your steed for a test ride.

They generally completely change their tune! Especially if the wrong side of 40!

Try it out!

Andy

I don't know if it is purely a British thing, but in the UK, bikes are seen as exercise machines not just handy transport. To the lycra you are somehow cheating.

If you rode passed on an old fashioned noisy, vibrating motorised bike, they would view it as some sort of cheap motor bike not worthy of comment, but because you apparently on a pedal cycle with an almost silent engine they think that you are sneaky and not doing enough work, so lazy as well!

Reminds me of the 'Monkey Dust' sketch:

 

That said, I have come across a hierarchy of 'you're lazy'-ness on here: so cyclists look down on PAS riders who look down on moped-type pedelecs because apparently this last category you pedal even less (not true) and therefore are the scum of the earth fat b*st*rd lazy f*ck*rs who deserve every obesity-related disease there is going, and then some.

Edited July 17, 20205 yr by FatBob

There are a few traditional drop bar riders/club riders who look at it as cheating, however they are a minority and small minded bigots who won't change even if it means they could ride more often. As one ages I just don't understand the refusal to try something different but then there will be some groups clubs who might refuse an ebike rider to be part of the club set.

 

A couple of years ago I passed a Sunday a.m small group of about 12 the usual middle age and elderly riders, no remarks as I passed them wearing jeans, shirt and bush hat and panniers full. Though one the alpha male was obviously offended as he was the only one to make an effort to catch me and then try to throw insults and disparaging remarks, I p**s them off by just agreeing then go to max assist and leave behind in my wake.

 

It is only the odd individual who gets brave when in a group to flex their seniority , other wise riders on their own who I pass and then get repassed are ok. Sometimes a friendly chat and a goodbye and one of us is off.

One guy I spoke too had a devil of job keeping up with me once and did manage to draw level and gave the bike and me a good once over then exclaimed 'I did wonder how you kept ahead', we had a little chat and he wasn't bothered. His way of looking at it was at least on an ebike you are out and about still riding.

Edited July 17, 20205 yr by Nealh

Have been on the recieving end of a lot of this sort of abuse (hence my posting name ) mainly from overweight men wrapped in Lycra, on road bikes that cost twice as much as my Raleigh Motus GT . They are out for a pose, I'm going to or from the supermarket , so they are comparing chalk with cheese . Once my warranty expires , I'm doing a Soundwave LOL , cos I hate running out of gears on the downhill afterwards . Just need a new mortgage to get a couple more Bosch batteries ......

I'm not sure which we get more of on the e-tandem: "that's cheating", or "she isn't pedaling you know"

I think probably the isn't pedaling; maybe people just see we are old enough that we are allowed to cheat?

 

I think in both cases they are almost always facetious rather than abusive ... maybe we are just laid back enough treat it as such.

You may have a point, whilst I had my lockdown white beard , I noticed a lack of abuse , with my baby face and a cycle helmet, maybe the MAMILs think I'm a lot younger than I am , sadly doesn't seem to work with the fairer sex though

I've not had any abuse but while stopped in a sea side village I had a guy on a mountain bike tell me it wasn't a real bike so I replied "no it's a real ebike" we chatted for a bit and he had good look round my bike in the end he agreed he'd probably consider one when he got older. I also had a couple of roadies drafting me on a hill and when I turned off the main road one of them said he would have been happy to sit on my wheel a bit longer.

Over the last 50 years I've raced on the track and the road. I've used a Peugeot mountain bike for commuting and ridden my Raleigh Pioneer for pleasure and to the shops. I chose to get an ebike because I suffer from psoriatic arthritis and the enjoyment was no longer there but no one needs age or medical problems as an excuse to ride an ebike and no one has a right to criticise.

no one has said anything to me prob because i look like Darth Vader and overtake them going 30mph.

 

i seen one guy on one of these tonight riding up the road and another kid i seen up the canal path on a scooter with a batt 2 times the size i got.

 

 

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there are also gangs of kids riding round in packs on £2-300 scooters but was all at the fair tonight.

Had this guy who came up to me while i was just sitting off my bike , now he has this flash road bike, and was dressed all in black like batman and started to comment on my bike and how fast it was going , reminding me of the speed limit on e bikes etc and that it was people like me who gave cyclists a bad name , obliviously i had to answer that with a story about being behind some local club riders who were doing at least 30 mph and that i was just managing to keep up with them , he didn't like the part when i asked him if he drives a car and had ever exceeded the road speed limit , he then goes off on one , and says i was going to fast and that he couldn't catch me, i told him to get an e-bike like mine and then maybe he could next time, or if not he needed to get some fat off and get fitter on his own bike , obviously i can not print what i said next ? like this guy was behind me at some point and i had no interaction on the road with him .As for how i explain e-bikes to the un-educated , i just let them have ago on mine and like point out that you still have to work it hard to get the best out of it and that some of the best riders have assist bikes , more so the mountain bikers who can spend longer time on big mountains .

I haven't suffered any abuse yet but that is probably because I go passed far too quick for the drop handle lycra guys to even contemplate what to say...! And I am peddling as hard a I can anyway so it probably leaves them wondering what the ferk was that..?

But I have to be honest I do actively seek them out and once in sight I will do everything I can to get passed them..safely of course. Its a kind of sport really.

Just enjoy it.

 

I do have a mate who is in a cycling club and I have been sending him my routes that I have completed and we have a laugh about it to be honest but he is actually looking at a Ribble bike with a motor on it as he wants to get out on a bike more often, as he is now retired , and an ebike is tempting him. The Ribble bike he is looking at is very stealthy looking to be honest and a quick glance at it and you may not even know It has assistance. I wonder how he would get on turning up at a club meet on that? Im sure he will let me know.

In my pre-ebike days, I was riding along a country lane in Warwickshire on a commuter bike with a dynamo front hub. I was fitter in those days and able to set a fairly good pace. I was passed, slowly, by a group of mature club riders on expensive bikes and clad in club colours. One of them dropped back to check out my bike. This was either out of interest, or - more likely - because he thought I was 'cheating' on an ebike. It took quite some persuasion that the dynamo hub was indeed just that and not a motor.

 

A Deliveroo rider once took exception to me overtaking him and stuck fast to my tail. I allowed him the luxury for half a mile, then upped the power level on my Oxygen and left him for dust.

 

On the Cube, I doubt many club riders could match me for pace if I wanted a race. I don't. If the word 'cheating' is mentioned, I just innocently say 'Oh, is there a rule book?' and blank any follow up.

Its the same here, but I found a great trick, that works brilliantly with most of the ones passing sentence. Simply tell them that until they have ridden one, they are clueless and uninformed!

Then offer them your steed for a test ride.

They generally completely change their tune! Especially if the wrong side of 40!

Try it out!

Andy

 

The steed might not return

I've had some curious looks, but no one has got upset with me so far on an e-bike. Maybe it's because I'm older.

If the word 'cheating' is mentioned, I just innocently say 'Oh, is there a rule book?' and blank any follow up.

 

I like that - must remember it

The steed might not return

In my case, I know a great many people, and often exactly where they live. They are the ones who throw out criticism without having a clue what they are talking about!

Plus I have a hidden GPS on my bike, so I would know exactly where it lands up!

Why more people do not use them, as the programming, especially with the aid of a Smartphone app is dead simple!

Most, but not all, charge via a USB port and I have such a port on my e-bike. Also adding a USB port is also not difficult!

I have even considered using a car GPS tracker, with remote power switching, to cut battery power at the appropriate time, but they are still a bit large for a bike and less easy to hide.

I am planning to add one to my car eventually, as I am fascinated with the possibility to cut power to the fuel pump exactly when I want to, in the event that the car gets stolen! And telling the police exactly where the car and the perpetrator are!

They are so accurate, that say on an autobahn, you can actually see in which lane the car is being driven!

Its a small but fascinating hobby as well, and very cheap with exactly the right SIM card installed!

Andy

I’m afraid we can’t condemn the ‘real’ bike users as I find there are clowns in every sport or pastime, no doubt there will be a few amongst us here.

I ignore any derogatory comments, turn the cheek and get on with what makes me happy and not what annoys them.

I agree with them and wish them a good day.

I would not even start a discussion with those small-minded people. They are intolerant and most likely its based on jealousy.

But if in "discussion" mood, tell them with a that the only "real manly" way of transport is running! Faster means of transport are, according to scientists, and that is proven, way above their "brain speed" anyway.

Unless evolution has made a giant leap in the past 10.000 years.

I've not had any adverse reaction myself. Personally, I think people should butt out and mind their own business - if someone is obeying the law and not hurting anyone, then they should leave them be.

 

This sticking their nose into other peoples innocuous and harmless business is a peculiarly British phenomenon, and is undoubtedly getting worse as society becomes more stressed and less tolerant. In the event that I should ever receive any adverse reaction I would simply take it as a sign that they lead sad, unfulfilled lives, and they're simply trying to project their own unhappiness upon someone else. This shows a deep seated psychological failing, an almost sexual inadequacy, this need to "dominate" someone else.

 

Just ignore the saddos.

I get it all the time too, esp when i stop after overtaking folk and they catch me up. I just give them a litany of health issues like 2 strokes, heart triple bypass, 2 replacement hips, waiting on a new knew etc etc

They have usually lost the will to live by that time, but if they are still listening I tell them how i got a great price for my Penny Farthing so I was able to upgrade to a ebike lol

To be honest, our bikes are only delivering assistance up to 15.5 mph, and above that are harder on the legs to propel due to their weight and resistance - anyone who gets overtaken by one really needs to spend less time complaining and more time working on their fitness.

TBH I get almost no abuse - people on 'proper'' road bike often pass me with no problem - often with a polite nod or something

Sounds like it is a regional thing maybe??

I also wonder at people saying you are exceeding the speed limit - how can a person who cycle regularly not realise that there is no speed limit for bikes?? - and if they think the cutoff speed is a limit then surely they don;t think an ebike will only do 15.5 down a steep hill???

I'm 62 years old, took delivery of my Raleigh Motus GT HUB at the start of the lock down 18/04. I also have a conventional 1984 CB Majestic and a 2009 Specialized Tri Cross . I still ride the Majestic on flat ground every Sunday...thinking of selling the Specialized though.

Mostly I find the Lycra lot respectful, that's probably due to my age, the e assist cancels out all of the things that they fret about....Hills....Wind....Weight....aerodynamics....none of these things matter anymore.

I've covered 1,000+ miles since April and it really saved my sanity in the depths of the lock down and gave me a new purpose in life.

 

Most of the criticism I have received has come from non bike riders.....Cheating...not really excercise etc,etc

 

I say to them...Well in that case driving your car and polluting the planet is cheating....That's usually enough to shut them up

 

I only use the car these days when I need to, maybe twice a week....do all my shopping on the bike, fill two panniers...brilliant.

 

Back in July we had two weeks of bad weather, reminded of my formative years doing two paper rounds at the age of 11, I took a second look at capes....these days they call them Ponchos. I invested in one of these, good quality breathable over trousers and Dunlop "Shoe" wellies.

 

This made me invincible in the wet to the point I actually started to enjoy going out in the rain....mixed trails empty, no dog walkers and a noticeable lack of Lycra boys on the open road. I now do circa 15 miles a day come rain or shine, the only thing that will stop me (on safety grounds) is Ice or Snow