Anyone have an E bike?

[rolex]

Really upsets the Lycra clad guys when u overtake them lol. Not really taken off in UK at the moment because of the cost but prices coming down now. very popular in europe at the moment in Germany and holland

[wildcat45]

Ian not a cyclist but I have tried one. Fantastic things. Just pedal a little and it all happens. I can liken the effect to the feeling you get on an airport moving walkway. You just walk at normal pace and everything I happens quicker and without any effort.

[daddy cool]

rolex said:

Really upsets the Lycra clad guys when u overtake them lol.

I doubt they are any more upset than when they are overtaken by a motorbike or a car. Any fatty can ride an e-bike, its hardly going to worry someone thats actually using their own calories to propel themselves.
Still, im all for e-bikes for the old or for someone with a disability - anything that gets people out in the fresh air is only a good thing.

[Impasse]

daddy cool said:

I doubt they are any more upset than when they are overtaken by a motorbike or a car.

So... a lot then.

[TTmonkey]

I'd love to get one of those off road ones, seen them on gadget show a couple of years ago, the torque was sufficient to spin the rear tyres on woodland trails. Would love to know what their real performance and battery endurance was .
Price was about £15k for the model shown then, which was ridiculous, would be interesting to see how e price is falling now, but don't know the manufacturers names etc....

[Laurel Green]

Yep, I have one. Have had it about four years, but does not get much use, but is there for when my old knees are playing up(thankfully not often).

As for passing the 'Lycra boys', if it is road legal then should be restricted to 15 MPH, or there about(off-road anything goes)and the 'boys' are not really trying.

[ZesPak]

as per the op, on the continent a lot of us have them. I've ridden a couple and there's plenty of difference, but decent ones here are about €2500-3000, so expensive but not exuberant. You'll get about 100km (60mi) of range, but you'll have to do some work yourself. In most countries limited to 25km/h (which is plenty!), but not in Germany, where some models help you get over 35 easily.

As said, if you have a decent commute (say 15km), they can make loads of sense with a lot of benefits (one of them not arriving sweating like a pig).

[Eric Mc]

Surely an ordinary bike is the only true "E" bike?

[ZesPak]

Eric Mc said:

Surely an ordinary bike is the only true "E" bike?

? I thought "E" stood for "Electric"?

[Mr GrimNasty]

You aren't going to worry a serious cyclist on a e-bike unless it is illegally modified.

[soad]

Less of a workout than riding a bike...unless you end up carrying it up and down stairs.

[Eric Mc]

ZesPak said:

Eric Mc said:

Surely an ordinary bike is the only true "E" bike?

? I thought "E" stood for "Electric"?

I assumed it was an attempt to attribute an "Environmentally Beneficial" allure to the bike as well.

[Major Fallout]

I thought about one, it went a bit like this.

I have a bike.

Ha look at this you can get a mini petrol engine for it, its one £90. Oh but its illegal.

Electric bike!

The motor is cheep about £200.

Oh you need to get the battery separately, £200.

Bigger battery gets you more range £300

But if i have the bigger battery I can get the bigger motor. £400.

Thats £700! I bet could get a motorbike for that.

Wow I could get a half decent bike for one £100 more!
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/motorbikes/...

I wonder how much a ducati is?

Wow you can get a 916 for only £600 more, plus i bet you could knock them down by X amount. Bargain!
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...


Hang on! I was doing this to save money! Might as well spend it on fuel in the TVR.

[Laurel Green]

Major Fallout said:

Hang on! I was doing this to save money! Might as well spend it on fuel in the TVR.

Or, save money on fuel with the TVR with a twenty P block of wood bolted to the underside of the go faster peddle.

[sjg]

Mr GrimNasty said:

You aren't going to worry a serious cyclist on a e-bike unless it is illegally modified.

A legal ebike will provide assistance (ie. you need to be pedalling) up to 15mph. That's not that fast for the flat but on a decent hill it's quite a boost.

They're a growing "thing" in the mountain bike world and do polarise opinion. I only know one person with one and they love it - ailing health means they weren't able to keep up with their usual riding group. Now they have a bit of help up the hills and don't feel like everyone is hanging about waiting for them at the top.

[TTmonkey]

sjg said:

A legal ebike will provide assistance (ie. you need to be pedalling) up to 15mph. That's not that fast for the flat but on a decent hill it's quite a boost.

They're a growing "thing" in the mountain bike world and do polarise opinion. I only know one person with one and they love it - ailing health means they weren't able to keep up with their usual riding group. Now they have a bit of help up the hills and don't feel like everyone is hanging about waiting for them at the top.

his is the point for me. Love mountain biking, but I'm late forties and not as fit or healthy as I was. The hills kill me. One day, maybe literally. A friendly push up the hill would be really appreciated.

[ZesPak]

Eric Mc said:

I assumed it was an attempt to attribute an "Environmentally Beneficial" allure to the bike as well.

Oh, as in E-mail? Or E-Vehicle?

[TheInternet]

As has been mentioned at the moment the cost and speed of them makes them pretty pointless as road machines. Even the more interesting 'Speed Pedelecs' / Pedelec-S bikes make no sense against a conventional moped, and they aren't legal in the UK either.

That said, all the ones I have seen have been derestricted and look great at 25mph with a besuited man loping on top.

Edited by TheInternet on Monday 12th October 12:51

[daddy cool]

TTmonkey said:

his is the point for me. Love mountain biking, but I'm late forties and not as fit or healthy as I was. The hills kill me. One day, maybe literally. A friendly push up the hill would be really appreciated.

Then, you will never get fitter or healthier, will you?

Try a hill. Fail.
Next time, aim to get 6ft further up. manage that, then get off and push.
Keep doing that until you get to the top.
It'll be worth it, and you heart will thank you in the long run.

[Adenauer]

There's a chap that drinks in my local who is approaching 85 years old and he regularly goes out for a ride on his E Bike at the weekend, he'll frequently come in for a drink having just done a 60-70km round trip on his. I reckon they're ace.