shopkins1995

There are probably 5 forums I could have posted this on.

shopkins1995

Shelbyfv, I think you might be mistaking the object of the motor. It can be compared to riding an exercise bike on 8 (hard) and turning it down to 4(medium). You are still pedaling and you still get tired. You can pedal further because it's less effort. No different than reducing your bikes weight and getting slicks - you can ride further because of less effort required.

ted m

I go off road on fat slicks. Works fine on any dirt or gravel trail I've tried it on.

Getting passed is going to happen. I went in a long (for me)ride three weeks ago. For the first two legs I was very strong. I passed quite a few people, particularly on the climbs. I got to a stretch of bike path that was roadie central. I was in my tallest gear, and folks were whizzing by me. I was getting pretty tired by then, and was doing all I could to pedal.

The last 6 miles of the trip found me totally beat. My legs were so tired that people were passing me on beach cruisers. But I made it to my destination.

You can't really be concerned about the people you pass or who pass you. Because you don't know what part of the ride they are on. You don't know what difficulties they are facing, or their motives for riding. It is s other person who likes riding, so be polite and enjoy your ride.

And if they don't like what you are riding, then it's their problem and really is not worth complaining about

caloso

Less than or equal to 750w? That's just irresponsible. Most or all of these motors are going to go on bikes ridden by people who don't have the bike handling skills to go that fast. Especially on big heavy MTBs with knobby, 40psi tires. Not good.

RonH

Probably 16-22 pounds.
You have an electric motor to assist you. On a road bike the rider is the engine.

shopkins1995

You make good points Ted.

shopkins1995

I agree with that. Mine is 350 watts on max. Remember though, class 1's motor cuts out at 20MPH. It actually starts reducing power as it nears 20 MPH so you are pedaling pretty hard by then.

Kindaslow

I have wanted an Ebike for many years, they are fun to ride. Almost bought one last month, but gave up when they, the shop, could not get it to run correctly. Anyone who does not understand how much easier it is to go uphill or super fast on flat is really lacking in many basic common sense areas. The last one I road took me up one of the steepest hills I have ever ridden up on a bike (noting I am in Seattle area). Instead, I got a new non-ebike, and I have started training on hills for getting ready to commute. The difference can only be described as brutal, as my eyes sting from the sweat pouring into them.

Also, I got passed recently by an ebike uphill, it pissed me off, but mostly because I was suffering!!!

ShortLegCyclist

All due respect, but this is just not correct.

A class I e bike, or pedelec, has no throttle and gives no motive power whatsoever if there is no pedaling.

The best analogy for riding this kind of e bike is riding a tandem with a really strong partner.

Riding an e bike that is not disguised, that is clearly an e bike, is no more "cheating" than is riding a tandem.

Again, I don't see how anything is "cheating" unless it is disguised to be something it isn't.

An e bike in a carbon Ridley or Cervelo frame with a battery disguised as a water bottle? Yes, cheating.

An upright cruiser with a big old battery pack and a giant hub motor? Not cheating, it's not pretending to be anything other than it is.

nitewing117

I didn't see any mention about it being an e-bike? 25mph isn't impossible on a mountain bike. I've pushed one out to about 25mph on a flat, but it definitely took effort and I couldn't sustain that for too long.

ShortLegCyclist

This is a quote from the original post:

"I decided to get a class I electric pedal assisted mountain bike (Haibike FS RX)."

That is why we are all talking about e bikes, to my knowledge, Haibike, a sub label of Currie Tech, only makes e bikes, there are no non-electric Haibike bicycles, but of course I could be wrong.

SkyDog75

I don't see why some other guy on a bike should care what you're riding. But I also don't understand why you'd care what he thinks, even if he didn't have the class to withhold a snide comment. You seem to enjoy your ride, so ignore him.

With that said, though, and I'm only venturing into this murky topic since you brought it up... Don't expect acceptance from others. If you want to be considered an equal as far as effort or accomplishment, it's not going to happen. According to your bike's spec sheet, your motor can put out 350 watts (550 peak). That's roughly equivalent to a pro cyclist's sustained power output, and those guys are damn near superhuman. Having the equivalent of a Tour de France rider pedaling along with you more than makes up for any difference in weight or rolling resistance between your bike and mine.

nitewing117

Anyway, OP, if you're looking for a bike that can ride on road and trails (what sort of trails are we talking about here anyway?), have you looked in to cyclocross bikes? I haven't ridden one, but they seem pretty versatile.

nitewing117

Sorry, I forgot to reply with quote. I meant to respond to the OP stating the mountain bike who passed caloso was riding illegally

shelbyfv

A tandem with a stoker who weighs nothing but puts out the power of a pro rider would be sweet!

KLiNCK

But if that stoker was also invisible... that would be cheating! LOL!

caloso

I don't know if it was illegal. I don't even know for a fact whether he had an electric motor. It was a conclusion that I drew based on the fact that he was going at least 25mph on a MTB with wide knobby tires, weighed down with panniers. He was sitting straight up and he appeared to be at least 200lbs. A flabby 200lbs. He maintained that speed for several minutes over flat ground. Mechanical assistance is the most likely conclusion I could draw from my observation.

ShortLegCyclist

So would an electric motor and battery that weighs nothing... technology isn't quite there yet

PepeM

I would like an ebike. Something that could give me ~100W while also costing ~$600 and being of good quality would be great. It certainly wouldn't replace my road bike, that would be for the lazy commute once in a while.

As to the original post, you were not 'cheating' since you were in no official competition. The idea that you were doing the same effort is laughable though and while he might have been a bit of an arse I don't see why you feel the need to justify yourself. Unless you can show me a set of wheels/tires that can save me 350 watts, you just cannot compare your electric motor to any 'regular' equipment.

bakes1

This

PepeM

Alright my friend, just did some numbers. Assuming both you and the rider you beat are ~160lbs, it would take ~420 watts to go up a 10% incline at 10mph on your 50lbs bicycle. Your opponent on his cheater 16lbs bicycle would need to put out ~350 watts. Now, how many of those 420 watts do you think your electric motor was producing and how many your legs?

CliffordK

No, but this one is only 2.7 kilos (6 lbs)
The world's lightest bike - BikeRadar USA

Both riders may, in fact, be working hard. Those people who are 100 lbs overweight and crawl up the hills in the lowest of granny gears may also be working very hard.

Rather than buying a 40 lb Walmart "MTB"????
Why not actually buy a nice 20 lb MTB?
It might not cost as much as the pedal assist bike.

SpeshulEd 

I got passed by a guy going uphill on an electric bike recently...I didn't say anything though. I whizzed by him at about 24mph once I hit the flat. Eat my shorts!

shelbyfv

The bike OP says he bought costs $5200. One could buy a pretty nice BICYCLE for that amount.

vatdim

As many others have pointed out, the advantages are not comparable. Your bike adds power to every pedal stroke, power that doesn't come from within your own body. The added power does much more than simply negate the additional few kgs of weight, it actually offers a net gain to your speed, attributable to an external motor.

Maybe cheating is not the right word, it's simply a different category. But don't expect most ordinary bike cyclists to accept you as one of them.