Electric bicycles - who buys them?

Electric bicycles - who buys them?

Author
Discussion

BIRMA

3,803 posts

193 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
quotequote all
Dog Star said:
I happened across a Youtube video last night by some cockney sounding cretin called "Duxel" who was riding what is not an ebike or MTB, but an electric motocrosser - a "Sur Ron X" and taking it on the road to some bike park near Camberley, Video is him making out that it's fine, it's an ebike innit - the YT comments were the usual cretins you get on there so I never bothered commenting.

Absolute nob - it's not an ebike - it's a MOTORCYCLE, end of. He's probably got no licence, he definitely hasn't got insurance, registration, correct helmet, DOT approved tyres or anything else that he needs to have that out in public.

Normally I'd not be arsed, but these dheads will ruin it for legit eMTB riders at bike parks or even worse get legislation introduced in the same way that the "field bike" and illegal off-road crew have fked everything up for responsible, legal off-road motorcyclist.

Utter tit - I'm hoping to see a video at some point of him getting the godawful looking POS taken off him and crushed as well as bleating about the million points he ends up with.
This was my main concern, I've spent most of my life on Trial and Motocross motorbikes and decided to buy an E-MTB instead of a Bultaco Brinco R last year. One because I know the Police do confiscate them and Two because they are quite fast and you don't have to pedal them so they look obvious to any member of the public/warden.
My main reason was because Country Parks and many areas are open to E-MTB's and not motorbikes.
As I mentioned earlier there is a distinct possibility that if people on this type of bike go to Country Parks etc it could land up people like me not being able to access these areas on my E-MTB and that will be a real pain.


trails

3,624 posts

148 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
quotequote all
vwsurfbum said:
Yep we have the same problem with Sam Pilgrim doing this on his e motocross bikes locally and the cling on's all following his lead on the local trails in regards to doing whatever the F they like.
we recently had an issue with him creating trails in a nature reserve!
With a following like his you'd have thought he would be more responsible.
Danbury local then...place really suffers from too much social media exposure frown

MaxFromage

1,861 posts

130 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
quotequote all

gangzoom

6,254 posts

214 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
quotequote all
BIRMA said:
This was my main concern, I've spent most of my life on Trial and Motocross motorbikes and decided to buy an E-MTB instead of a Bultaco Brinco R last year.
Just looked up the Brinco, you wouldn't want to run out of charge on one them! Why do they even have pedals? Surely you will need to be Jan Ullrich on max drugs to even move at 5 mph without the motor.

vwsurfbum

895 posts

210 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
quotequote all
trails said:
vwsurfbum said:
Yep we have the same problem with Sam Pilgrim doing this on his e motocross bikes locally and the cling on's all following his lead on the local trails in regards to doing whatever the F they like.
we recently had an issue with him creating trails in a nature reserve!
With a following like his you'd have thought he would be more responsible.
Danbury local then...place really suffers from too much social media exposure frown
Yep, Tom Cardy is not too bad but Cameron Crozier is parking in people's driveways to ride in places he's not meant to ride!

BIRMA

3,803 posts

193 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
quotequote all
gangzoom said:
Just looked up the Brinco, you wouldn't want to run out of charge on one them! Why do they even have pedals? Surely you will need to be Jan Ullrich on max drugs to even move at 5 mph without the motor.
They are brilliant though, and come from a manufacturer with a history of making superb Trial and off road bikes. I bought my Bultaco Trial bike in 1978 I've never been able to get a better one. By all accounts they are the preferred choice of drug dealers/runners or so the chap who sells them told me. I'm sure coming from Bultaco they are supreme off roaders but not acceptable for Country Parks.

trails

3,624 posts

148 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
quotequote all
vwsurfbum said:
Yep, Tom Cardy is not too bad but Cameron Crozier is parking in people's driveways to ride in places he's not meant to ride!
Tom is a great lad...a different type from your A Typical youtuber in my experience.

I have no idea who the other chap is, but there are plenty of ejits that struggle with the concept of car parks vs the road and get quite gobby when called out on it; lots of young 'uns but also plenty who should know better.

m_cozzy

505 posts

183 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
quotequote all
These bells on electric Mx bikes are utter cretins.
They come across exactly as I expect them to on Facebook, with tales of tearing around mtb trailcentres.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SurronownersUK

The tool mentioned above has posted on here about his ride around swinley forest.
They genuinely think that if they add the pedal kit to a surron it makes it a legal bicycle.

take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey

5,071 posts

54 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
quotequote all
BIRMA said:
gangzoom said:
Just looked up the Brinco, you wouldn't want to run out of charge on one them! Why do they even have pedals? Surely you will need to be Jan Ullrich on max drugs to even move at 5 mph without the motor.
They are brilliant though, and come from a manufacturer with a history of making superb Trial and off road bikes. I bought my Bultaco Trial bike in 1978 I've never been able to get a better one. By all accounts they are the preferred choice of drug dealers/runners or so the chap who sells them told me. I'm sure coming from Bultaco they are supreme off roaders but not acceptable for Country Parks.
A friend has one which he uses in his forest. They are great fun to ride as 2kw vs 250 makes a hell of a difference up hill.

That said, they'd get dropped like stone DH by any e or pedal bike. Very very old school geo and rudimentary suspension so end up being just mot very good at everything.

My Son had an oset... Way more fun. I'd rather a ktm or electric motion trials.

trails

3,624 posts

148 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
quotequote all
m_cozzy said:
These bells on electric Mx bikes are utter cretins.
They come across exactly as I expect them to on Facebook, with tales of tearing around mtb trailcentres.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SurronownersUK

The tool mentioned above has posted on here about his ride around swinley forest.
They genuinely think that if they add the pedal kit to a surron it makes it a legal bicycle.
Username?

m_cozzy

505 posts

183 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
quotequote all
trails said:
m_cozzy said:
These bells on electric Mx bikes are utter cretins.
They come across exactly as I expect them to on Facebook, with tales of tearing around mtb trailcentres.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SurronownersUK

The tool mentioned above has posted on here about his ride around swinley forest.
They genuinely think that if they add the pedal kit to a surron it makes it a legal bicycle.
Username?
Sorry I dont mean on here, pistonheads. I mean on the public surron facbook page along with his youtube videos of riding at swinley. Duxel.

trails

3,624 posts

148 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
quotequote all
m_cozzy said:
Sorry I dont mean on here, pistonheads. I mean on the public surron facbook page along with his youtube videos of riding at swinley. Duxel.
Ahhhh, ta smile

LeroyLooser

695 posts

37 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
quotequote all
take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey said:
BIRMA said:
gangzoom said:
Just looked up the Brinco, you wouldn't want to run out of charge on one them! Why do they even have pedals? Surely you will need to be Jan Ullrich on max drugs to even move at 5 mph without the motor.
They are brilliant though, and come from a manufacturer with a history of making superb Trial and off road bikes. I bought my Bultaco Trial bike in 1978 I've never been able to get a better one. By all accounts they are the preferred choice of drug dealers/runners or so the chap who sells them told me. I'm sure coming from Bultaco they are supreme off roaders but not acceptable for Country Parks.
A friend has one which he uses in his forest. They are great fun to ride as 2kw vs 250 makes a hell of a difference up hill.

That said, they'd get dropped like stone DH by any e or pedal bike. Very very old school geo and rudimentary suspension so end up being just mot very good at everything.

My Son had an oset... Way more fun. I'd rather a ktm or electric motion trials.
Bultaco have gone out of business, awaiting rescue currently.

I bought this mid mounted, with separate drive from the motor, great components & its been a great upgrade from our derestricted Cannondales, by no means a moto but a grwat emtb.





I went for the belt drive option which is far quieter, first 3 riding modes are the same as a normal emtb and limited to 32kmh, next 2 modes bring in the twist throttle, its so intuitive its bloody brilliant, no restrictions where i live.

Very well made and engineered (which is crazy considering its french built)


BIRMA

3,803 posts

193 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
quotequote all
LeroyLooser said:
Bultaco have gone out of business, awaiting rescue currently.

I bought this mid mounted, with separate drive from the motor, great components & its been a great upgrade from our derestricted Cannondales, by no means a moto but a grwat emtb.





I went for the belt drive option which is far quieter, first 3 riding modes are the same as a normal emtb and limited to 32kmh, next 2 modes bring in the twist throttle, its so intuitive its bloody brilliant, no restrictions where i live.

Very well made and engineered (which is crazy considering its french built)

That looks excellent. I'll have to check that one out.

Trophy Husband

3,924 posts

106 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
quotequote all
LeroyLooser said:
Bultaco have gone out of business, awaiting rescue currently.

I bought this mid mounted, with separate drive from the motor, great components & its been a great upgrade from our derestricted Cannondales, by no means a moto but a grwat emtb.





I went for the belt drive option which is far quieter, first 3 riding modes are the same as a normal emtb and limited to 32kmh, next 2 modes bring in the twist throttle, its so intuitive its bloody brilliant, no restrictions where i live.

Very well made and engineered (which is crazy considering its french built)

Interesting route for the belt.
Surely susceptible to crud though whereas a chain is, in relative terms, self cleaning via the open links.
Looks like a great machine despite my comment.
Enjoy.

m_cozzy

505 posts

183 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
quotequote all
I'm wondering if the rage I feel against those riding illegal eMx bikes on trails is the same as that felt by some pedalbike riders against emtb's.
When I talk about ebikes/emtb I am meaning the UK legal ones, 25kph,250watt etc.
That thing above, you could kind of get away with it in the UK as it looks like a bicycle still, unlike the obvious Mx ebikes.

LeroyLooser

695 posts

37 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
quotequote all
Trophy Husband said:
LeroyLooser said:
Bultaco have gone out of business, awaiting rescue currently.

I bought this mid mounted, with separate drive from the motor, great components & its been a great upgrade from our derestricted Cannondales, by no means a moto but a grwat emtb.





I went for the belt drive option which is far quieter, first 3 riding modes are the same as a normal emtb and limited to 32kmh, next 2 modes bring in the twist throttle, its so intuitive its bloody brilliant, no restrictions where i live.

Very well made and engineered (which is crazy considering its french built)

Interesting route for the belt.
Surely susceptible to crud though whereas a chain is, in relative terms, self cleaning via the open links.
Looks like a great machine despite my comment.
Enjoy.
They did advise that the belt drive is not as good if you off road in mud allot, i dont, for my intended purpose its fine, its weaker than the chain as well.

my wife has the chain drive version which i could use if needed but i’m not a fan of biking in mud tbh, for mud fun we have buggys and get absolutely covered head to toe biggrin

Dog Star

16,079 posts

167 months

Wednesday 10th March 2021
quotequote all
I'm noticing a huge increase in the number of eMTBs out on the trails round here (Rossendale, Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, Edenfield, Saddleworth). I swear 50% of the groups I see now are on them - given the terrain they probably make more sense here. There are a few older couples out on trails but the majority appear to be your more serious, hard core types out in groups.

They really do seem to have exploded in popularity in general (although again, I think the hills round here explain the take up). I'm reminded of taking our bikes around Bavaria a couple of years ago, in Fussen you rarely saw a normal bike - it was electric bikes everywhere.

nickfrog

20,872 posts

216 months

Wednesday 10th March 2021
quotequote all
Dog Star said:
I'm noticing a huge increase in the number of eMTBs out on the trails round here (Rossendale, Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, Edenfield, Saddleworth). I swear 50% of the groups I see now are on them - given the terrain they probably make more sense here. There are a few older couples out on trails but the majority appear to be your more serious, hard core types out in groups.

They really do seem to have exploded in popularity in general (although again, I think the hills round here explain the take up). I'm reminded of taking our bikes around Bavaria a couple of years ago, in Fussen you rarely saw a normal bike - it was electric bikes everywhere.
Yes it's happening. On the South Downs, it does feel like 50%. I think the old pre conceptions about emtbs are receding. They offer so much more fun in terms of number of laps per hour ridden, I am not surprised.

aparna

1,156 posts

36 months

Wednesday 10th March 2021
quotequote all
They are loads of fun. I bought the cheapest ridable mid drive EMTB I could find, fully expecting to just trash it, and get it out of my system. But it’s great fun, and I usually pick it over my much better specced manuals now…. and likely will consolidate into a single high spec ebike when supply sorts itself out.

But... I guess part of the fun is because there are no speed limits at present. But I fear it’s a golden age for uninhibited off road riding, too easy to mod and cause havoc. And too many knobs overtaking rudely. I'm trying to enjoy it whilst I can.

Newer bikes have inclination sensors which look cool. I would love an assist mode that allows unrestricted assist in the overall doubletrack uplift stage, but replicates a manual for the full descent.

Still prefer manual for roaming and touring though, I hate the anxiety of knowing you are on the clock with a battery. And group rides of course, are no fun if you are not tackling the same obstacles together.

Also, pain in the ass to lift onto a roof or over a fence. But that's okay.