ebikes on the Shore

Posted by: Brocklanders

Posted by: Spandies

Posted by: craw

Posted by: LoamtoHome

e-bikers won't form any advocacy group unless they get banned. Even then, how you going to enforce?

Until batteries get way better, I can't see people chipping their ebikes. Even in Trail mode, battery power doesn't last too long. In Boost mode, it would be really hard to navigate up some trails.

It really boils down to the rider responsibility.

Totally. For me the big sell was to self-shuttle, not just up the hill but across town. I was intrigued by the prospect of not driving to ride.

Until a bit of research revealed that most ebikes would barely get my 220lbs from home in East Van over to one North Shore mountain up down and home again on a single charge. While here I was thinking I could skip the car and ride two mountains when I'd most likely end up hauling this 50lb bike with my truck as usual.

Agreed about the 'chipped' ebikes. For the pedelecs, even though you can chip it doesn't mean you'd want to. I've ridden one, it takes a good amount of wattage to spin it up to 50km/h even on pavement and the battery won't last very long. Good to brag about, not actually very functional in practice. 

For the self-shuttling, also my 'ideal' as well. Could be a market for a certain shop to offer battery charging/battery storage services. I'd love to ride from Vancouver on one battery and a set of slicks, swap at the base of mountain highway, do a loop, swap back and roll home. Much better than dealing with traffic, probably faster depending on time of day. One can dream.

So spandy... If you didn't live so far away from the NS trails would you have bought an ebike? Or is that just a lame excuse? I mean you used to race pro right?

LVB said I could get a second battery from Devinci for another $700. But I'm a freak of nature and Devinci doesn't sell to tall people. The only e-bike that comes close to fitting me is the Nicolai/Geometron one that's nearly $15k CAD. Presumably $16k CAD when you include the second battery which I'd leave at LVB charging so I could do this whole self-shuttling thing. So would I take one of these monstrosities over a healthy down payment on an EV? Or take a couple of months off and travel? Absolutely not. 

In fact it really begs the question. Maybe I sell my truck, put that $8k of ebike money on top and buy an EV and keep driving my bike to the trails.

^start riding out in the valley to utilize the HOV lanes... 

Cant wait for the next gen KTM electric dirt bikes. Will be fun to “e-bike” one of them up,down and around The Shore.

Posted by: Brocklanders

Posted by: Spandies

Posted by: craw

Posted by: LoamtoHome

e-bikers won't form any advocacy group unless they get banned. Even then, how you going to enforce?

Until batteries get way better, I can't see people chipping their ebikes. Even in Trail mode, battery power doesn't last too long. In Boost mode, it would be really hard to navigate up some trails.

It really boils down to the rider responsibility.

Totally. For me the big sell was to self-shuttle, not just up the hill but across town. I was intrigued by the prospect of not driving to ride.

Until a bit of research revealed that most ebikes would barely get my 220lbs from home in East Van over to one North Shore mountain up down and home again on a single charge. While here I was thinking I could skip the car and ride two mountains when I'd most likely end up hauling this 50lb bike with my truck as usual.

Agreed about the 'chipped' ebikes. For the pedelecs, even though you can chip it doesn't mean you'd want to. I've ridden one, it takes a good amount of wattage to spin it up to 50km/h even on pavement and the battery won't last very long. Good to brag about, not actually very functional in practice. 

For the self-shuttling, also my 'ideal' as well. Could be a market for a certain shop to offer battery charging/battery storage services. I'd love to ride from Vancouver on one battery and a set of slicks, swap at the base of mountain highway, do a loop, swap back and roll home. Much better than dealing with traffic, probably faster depending on time of day. One can dream.

So spandy... If you didn't live so far away from the NS trails would you have bought an ebike? Or is that just a lame excuse? I mean you used to race pro right?

I've had this thing for a week - I absolutely would buy a pedelec even if I lived on the North Shore. Currently, I meet my buds who live a few km away from one of the mountains, ride to the trails, and ride back. We can do a loop in a shorter period of time with no need to load up the cars, and ride the trails with none or minimal stopping even given different fitness and skill levels. If these are lame excuses, then I guess I don't mind being lame. And no, I never raced 'pro'; my comments earlier were contextual around how I foresee myself using this bike, nothing more. 

I'm not here to have a dick waving contest about fitness, the amount of volunteering one has done, or how technically proficient one may or may not be. These pedal assist bikes are a game-changer, and as much as many of you don't like it, this trend will grab hold. It has already been mentioned multiple times that enforcement is the crux of the issue, regardless of whether or not land managers/trail organizations/the wizard of oz plans to ban e-assist bikes. So the question is, if enforcement is nonexistent and we can't do jack-all about irresponsible people, wouldn't it be a better strategy to include those in the pedelec camp as part of the conversation to both help inform policy decisions and to deter abusive behaviours? Otherwise, we collectively have no platform to proactively address the preservation and growth of our sport and our trail assets. 

Shame all you want, but I suspect those who are irresponsible will continue to not give a shit and ignore whatever pleas we may tender, regardless of bans or no bans. Do you now also want to lose the camp of responsible pedelec riders who are interested in engaging in the discussion?

Posted by: Brocklanders

Land Managers and other user groups think ebikes are motorized vehicles.

Do they, have any land managers or owners weighed in on the issue yet? If so, show me please. I’m not trying to be an ass but trying to wade through fear and bullshit.

Posted by Brocklanders

If ebikes go on bike trails they annoy land managers and other user groups and will jeopardize bike access. 

So just like mountain bikes 15 or 20 years ago? Or even still today with some people of other user groups.

You think that the battery in a Powerplay Altitude would make it up to the top of Disneyland? :)

I’m still mixed on these things but I believe that in 5-10yrs from now that even today’s biggest opponents will have one.

Ask me again in a few years when the battery life and weight are improved. I think they'll become ubiquitous. People who like to suffer will just suffer further and faster.

Posted by: craw

Ask me again in a few years when the battery life and weight are improved. I think they'll become ubiquitous. People who like to suffer will just suffer further and faster.

Nope. Some people just want to do it on their own steam. It’s a sense of accomplishment you can never get with an ebike.

Posted by: syncro

Posted by: craw

Ask me again in a few years when the battery life and weight are improved. I think they'll become ubiquitous. People who like to suffer will just suffer further and faster.

Nope. Some people just want to do it on their own steam. It’s a sense of accomplishment you can never get with an ebike.

Exactly. Although it could be argued that modern suspension allows me to clean certain descents or go a bit faster, climbing is different. I know that when I am too old and decrepit to climb well I’ll also be too old and decrepit to do those sketchy downhills.

Doesn’t mean it’s over. I’ve experienced many accomplishments in life, but I don’t want to give up something that gives me so much mental health and joy. That thought makes me cringe. If an e-bike exstends that, well l will gladly ride one.

Do ebikers wear moto gear or spandex kit?

Posted by: Ddean

You think that the battery in a Powerplay Altitude would make it up to the top of Disneyland? :)

I’m still mixed on these things but I believe that in 5-10yrs from now that even today’s biggest opponents will have one.

besides what assist mode you choose, elevation, grade, weight, and rider input are significant factors when calculating range but i would guess if you started from the bridge where it all ends you could manage a couple of climbs up to tramp stamp. not sure how far or how steep the top of disneyland is from there.

Posted by: Ddean

I’m still mixed on these things but I believe that in 5-10yrs from now that even today’s biggest opponents will have one.

Bicycles are my life long passion and I eagerly fork over more money than I can afford for that pure joyful experience.

Conversely, E-mtbs are as attractive to me as a steaming pile of dogshit. Literally.

5-10 more years of loud mouth marketing isn't going to even move the needle.

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“The bicycle is the most civilized conveyance known to man. Other forms of transport grow daily more nightmarish. Only the bicycle remains pure in heart.” — Iris Murdoch, Irish author