ebikes on the Shore

Posted by: syncro

On commuting I agree, but I'll admit I love chasing down ebikers and passing them on my commute, especially on some of the hills. I also don't like getting passed by ebikers - or anyone really - but I just try and tell myself let it go. Or I drop a gear and go into chase mode.

Funny was out on my road bike this week and going pretty much flat out on Lynn Valley road, I couldn't catch a commuter guy who was flying. Not pedalling so must have been a throttle bike. I wonder can some of the people on these bikes handle themselves in a quick reaction situation? Think they are great for commuting but possibly a bit to much power for many?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mnn.com/green-tech/transportation/blogs/amp/are-boomers-e-bikes-going-get-themselves-killed

Some older riders say an e-bike keeps them in the game.

Posted by: syncro

Posted by: craw

Indeed. People can do what they like. Shuttling doesn't bother me, nor to chairlifts. But then again those people aren't out proselytizing are they?

Commuting is different. It has different requirements - get to work quicker, less sweaty. Perfect.

Well shuttling has pretty much always been around and there was a time when shuttling was hated on in a similar manner and for similar reasons that ebikers get flack. Chairlifts and a bike park are a different beast tho imo simply because it's a paid activity. On commuting I agree, but I'll admit I love chasing down ebikers and passing them on my commute, especially on some of the hills. I also don't like getting passed by ebikers - or anyone really - but I just try and tell myself let it go. Or I drop a gear and go into chase mode.

I agree tho that the ebike proponents can drone on a bit, especially when it comes to some of the specious claims about being better for fitness than pedal bikes. There is an argument to made for ebikes helping fitness, but it gets way oversold in a bullshit manner too much of the time *cough*Norona*cough*EMBN*cough*

But back then any bike that could survive these trails was 50lbs. Shuttling was a regrettable but understandable necessity for most. Now we have light great climbing bikes that descend better than any of those old bikes as well as amazing climbing trails. It's a great time to get into the sport (price aside). But I guess it's just not easy enough and companies really need to keep growing that market to include people who were typically put off by mountain biking's high barriers to entry (price being just one).

Like I've said before, if someone wants to lug around one of those heavy ass bikes on the descent then so be it. Just trying to bunnyhop one of those things is a big effort.

Posted by: Brocklanders

I wonder can some of the people on these bikes handle themselves in a quick reaction situation? 

Now replace the word “bikes” with skate boards, roller blades, skis... Pretty redundant angle me thinks.

Posted by: Stuminator

Some older riders say an e-bike keeps them in the game.

And other older riders say that pedalling a real bike up the hill keeps them fit, healthy, and stoked. 

Btw, stay off of my lawn!

Posted Craw

But back then any bike that could survive these trails was 50lbs. Shuttling was a regrettable but understandable necessity for most. Now we have light great climbing bikes that descend better than any of those old bikes as well as amazing climbing trails. It's a great time to get into the sport (price aside). But I guess it's just not easy enough and companies really need to keep growing that market to include people who were typically put off by mountain biking's high barriers to entry (price being just one).

Not exactly, I rode a Stinky that was sub 40 for sure. I agree though the the quality of bike nowadays is much better than 15-20 years ago. Also agree that difficulty and price are big barriers, not sure if ebikes fully cure that tho. In the end isn’t everything about profit$$$? 

How about this, if ebikes were hover bikes a la Star Wars would people still be screaming murder? I think at the end of the day if it’s fun enough then people will plunk down their money to participate. Like you say, ebikes definitely take the work aspect out of the equation.

Yes, hover bikes would still have some of us “screaming murder”. 

MOTORS. THEY ALL HAVE MOTORS. ITS NOT MOUNTAIN BIKING IF IT HAS A MOTOR.  FFS.

Posted by: tashi

Yes, hover bikes would still have some of us “screaming murder”. 

MOTORS. THEY ALL HAVE MOTORS. ITS NOT MOUNTAIN BIKING IF IT HAS A MOTOR.  FFS.

Matter of opinion

Posted by: tashi

Yes, hover bikes would still have some of us “screaming murder”. 

MOTORS. THEY ALL HAVE MOTORS. ITS NOT MOUNTAIN BIKING IF IT HAS A MOTOR.  FFS.

I actually don't think that matters for a lot of people.  I'd say it comes down to three things

1. Is it fun?

2. Can I afford it?

3. Is it legal/allowed? This may not be a concern for a lot of people, which ironically wasn't and still isn't for many people that ride. Been down the Darkside or a closed/unsanctioned trail lately?

I'd say that it does matter if they're considered them mountain bikes or not.  Land managers likely agree with me, as they often make trail access decisions based on whether or not the toy has a motor.

Posted by: tashi

I'd say that it does matter if they're considered them mountain bikes or not.  Land managers likely agree with me, as they often make trail access decisions based on whether or not the toy has a motor.

My point is about perspective - for some it matters and for some it doesn't. As for land managers you may be right, but at least locally this seems to not be a big enough of an issue for them to care about it all that much right now.

I'm honestly more concerned about the lack of rules/policies/guidelines regarding their use from both a land manager perspective and a trail org perspective. There seems to be very little talk on what is considered appropriate. Trail org's seem to be deferring to land managers and land managers seem to be saying and doing nothing, so in effect it's open season. I tend to view humans as generally unthinking but having the potential to do smart things, so if people aren't given reasonable guidelines to follow they'll probably tend to do whatever the hell they want or what their peer group deems as ok. The psychology of decision making and behaviour modifying is interesting. For example we know that changing behaviour is a difficult thing and that shaming is typically not very effective and can even backfire and reinforce the objectionable behaviour. That part of why I don't think the yelling that ebikes suck is an effective strategy for managing their use. 

Right now the barn door is open and a couple of horses are poking their heads outside to see what the weather is like. I think that potentially within a couple of years the horses will bolt and run wild unless someone either closes the door or puts a fence around the barn. Last year we had municipal elections and the issue of ebikes didn't even register on the radar. That could have been a good time to make this issue visible. The next elections are 3.5 years away, which probably too late to do anything about from a political pressure perspective. The longer things go without any sort of formal rules or regulations the greater the chance that ebikes become embedded as a user group with associated potential user conflicts. 

It's basically hurry up and wait to see what happens.

I was passed by an ebike going about 25kph on Old Buck below Bridal Path on Sunday. The (older) person riding it was polite and called out and if theres a place on the Shore I don't mind seeing one, its Old Buck (or Mtn Hwy or BLT). I don't know if the person turned into Bridal Path or stayed on OB, I hope it was the latter, because after he passed, he took off like a bat out of hell at way more than 25. 40? 45? 50? I don't know, but it was a rocket bike. 

Personally, I was okay with it because the person on it called it and was on OB. Seemed like a bunch of fast people were out on Seymour yesterday and I was passed a few times by riders on the climbing trail - which is perfectly fine and I pull over. I think that if I was pulling over endlessly to allow ebike riders by it would have ruined that beautiful climb for me.

Posted by: Ddean

I was passed by an ebike going about 25kph on Old Buck below Bridal Path on Sunday. The (older) person riding it was polite and called out and if theres a place on the Shore I don't mind seeing one, its Old Buck (or Mtn Hwy or BLT). I don't know if the person turned into Bridal Path or stayed on OB, I hope it was the latter, because after he passed, he took off like a bat out of hell at way more than 25. 40? 45? 50? I don't know, but it was a rocket bike.

Yes they rip. Rode them myself, it's motorsport, black and white. Probable that this guy you saw hacked his? Then we get back to the question of who is going to regulate these things? Of course this will be taken into consideration by the land managers. A big mess cometh