Battery powered derailleurs??

[Tony S]

I had ridden ebikes a couple of times very briefly just to see. But last month in Bend I spent most of a day on one. It was a sturdy no nonsense rental. Weighed a freaking TON. But as a way to see a new city it was fun and practical. Only problem we had was trying to figure out where it was and wasn't okay to ride. (We kinda sorta kept accidentally finding our way onto some of the more obvious local trails.) Lots of mixed messages from various sources on that one. But the verdict overall was "very cool."

 

[Tom K.]

That "assist" does 90% of the work....I know, I know, you're going to tell me how you ride in the mode that requires the most amount of work/effort like 98% of other ebikers.

My only experience is with a Fuel EX-E and I can tell you that I'm always doing more than half the work. This bike has a display option that tells you the bike's watts and your watts, so it's easy to monitor.

I tip-toed into e-bikes for a bunch or reasons. So far I'm a fan, but not a drum-beating, shout it from the mountain tops fan. It inarguably makes any given ride I choose faster, which is flat out more fun (and helps out a bit with the fact that I no longer own a real dirt bike).

But I have to admit that as a pretty serious ex-racer, I still choose an unassisted bike over 75% of the time. I think I am (stupidly) having a hard time letting go of "Racer Tom".

 

[Tony S]

I think I am (stupidly) having a hard time letting go of "Racer Tom".

I totally have the same problem in my head. However, just in the last couple of years my body and my sudden (lack of) self-discipline are going to force me to let go. Otherwise I'm just not going to ride.

 

[cantunamunch]

However, just in the last couple of years my body and my sudden (lack of) self-discipline are going to force me to let go. Otherwise I'm just not going to ride.

Maybe use a summer of paddling to clear your head? You can get a *really* good boat for the price of most ebikes.

 

[crosscountry]

Maybe use a summer of paddling to clear your head? You can get a *really* good boat for the price of most ebikes.

I don't know. I find paddling doesn't generate the same level of "buzz" as biking does.

 

[martyg]

That "assist" does 90% of the work....I know, I know, you're going to tell me how you ride in the mode that requires the most amount of work/effort like 98% of other ebikers.

Id love to know how you are measuring that. I assume it is some correlation between dual sided power meter and HR over a known course? I think that @Philpug said that 89% of statistics are made up in the spot?

For me, an e-mtn would be ideal when I have an over distance day, where I need to maintain a low HR, but still want to do a high alpine epic. It would give me the best of all worlds.

And as I said, both Todd Wells and Ned regularly ride one. I am sure that they have experienced more high level podiums in any given year than you will in your lifetime.

 

[martyg]

I had ridden ebikes a couple of times very briefly just to see. But last month in Bend I spent most of a day on one. It was a sturdy no nonsense rental. Weighed a freaking TON. But as a way to see a new city it was fun and practical. Only problem we had was trying to figure out where it was and wasn't okay to ride. (We kinda sorta kept accidentally finding our way onto some of the more obvious local trails.) Lots of mixed messages from various sources on that one. But the verdict overall was "very cool."

Specialized sent a Turbo Levo to me when they first came out. I’d call neighbors over while they walked by, asking them to take a ride on it.

Their first reaction - a cackling of laughter. Instant fun.

 

[crosscountry]

I assume it is some correlation between dual sided power meter and HR over a known course?

I would think it just compares the power output from the pedal vs the power output from the motor?

 

[martyg]

I would think it just compares the power output from the pedal vs the power output from the motor?

I assuming that the person who made the original reference is not a product developer or PLM for the product, and does not have the technology to measure the motor’s output at at particular moment.

 

[cantunamunch]

I don't know. I find paddling doesn't generate the same level of "buzz" as biking does.

Notice that the poster I was responding to has a lowered enthusiasm, lowered drive, lowered reward takeway, for and from riding at present, but does have an interest in trying something different.

 

[crosscountry]

I assuming that the person who made the original reference is not a product developer or PLM for the product, and does not have the technology to measure the motor’s output at at particular moment.

He mentioned x% of rider such and such. So I doubt he measure all of them!

But that measurement is clearly easily available for anyone who cares to know.

 

[k2rider]

Id love to know how you are measuring that. I assume it is some correlation between dual sided power meter and HR over a known course? I think that @Philpug said that 89% of statistics are made up in the spot?

For me, an e-mtn would be ideal when I have an over distance day, where I need to maintain a low HR, but still want to do a high alpine epic. It would give me the best of all worlds.

And as I said, both Todd Wells and Ned regularly ride one. I am sure that they have experienced more high level podiums in any given year than you will in your lifetime.

#1) Because I've ridden then twice on tours in Mexico

#2) Because I ride locally with people on ebikes and I see how much effort it DOESN'T take

What others ride from companies who no doubt give them free bikes has nothing to do with "regular Joe's". I don't know about Wells but Overend was racing them so obviously that effort is completely different.

I'm not anti ebike and will probably have one when I start collecting Social Security but unlike most ebikers, I'll have no problem admitting that I'll be riding one because they are vastly easier to ride and I'll be riding one because I don't want to work that hard any longer....same reason I'd currently not ride a single speed.

 

[k2rider]

My only experience is with a Fuel EX-E and I can tell you that I'm always doing more than half the work. This bike has a display option that tells you the bike's watts and your watts, so it's easy to monitor.

I tip-toed into e-bikes for a bunch or reasons. So far I'm a fan, but not a drum-beating, shout it from the mountain tops fan. It inarguably makes any given ride I choose faster, which is flat out more fun (and helps out a bit with the fact that I no longer own a real dirt bike).

But I have to admit that as a pretty serious ex-racer, I still choose an unassisted bike over 75% of the time. I think I am (stupidly) having a hard time letting go of "Racer Tom".

My personal issue is that I like the accomplishment of getting to the top of a challenging climbs or over/thru a tough obstacle. I ride a lot of challenging terrain like Portal & Captain Ahab in Moab, Moore Fun in Fruita, all the H trails in Sedona and everything in Squamish. If I was riding an ebike , the accomplishment of getting thru this trails would be nothing special.

 

[martyg]

#1) Because I've ridden then twice on tours in Mexico

#2) Because I ride locally with people on ebikes and I see how much effort it DOESN'T take

What others ride from companies who no doubt give them free bikes has nothing to do with "regular Joe's". I don't know about Wells but Overend was racing them so obviously that effort is completely different.

I'm not anti ebike and will probably have one when I start collecting Social Security but unlike most ebikers, I'll have no problem admitting that I'll be riding one because they are vastly easier to ride and I'll be riding one because I don't want to work that hard any longer....same reason I'd currently not ride a single speed.

So no data. Just opinion?

 

[Philpug]

My personal issue is that I like the accomplishment of getting to the top of a challenging climbs or over/thru a tough obstacle. ... If I was riding an ebike , the accomplishment of getting thru this trails would be nothing special.

To each their own. What might be important in a ride to you, might not be important to others.

 

[scott43]

So no data. Just opinion?

Pedal-Assist Mountain Bikes: A Pilot Study Comparison of the Exercise Response, Perceptions, and Beliefs of Experienced Mountain Bikers

Mountain biking is an aerobic physical activity that has experienced rapid growth. The emergence of the electric pedal-assist mountain bike (eMTB), while not without its critics, presents the potential for an even larger segment of the population to enjoy ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[crosscountry]

My personal issue is that I like the accomplishment of getting to the top of a challenging climbs or over/thru a tough obstacle. I ride a lot of challenging terrain like Portal & Captain Ahab in Moab, Moore Fun in Fruita, all the H trails in Sedona and everything in Squamish. If I was riding an ebike , the accomplishment of getting thru this trails would be nothing special.

But that's just yourself. You can't extend it to others.

In my club, there're 80 year old still riding their age in miles on unassisted bikes. But they can't keep up with the younger riders in speed any more. Yet, they still want to ride the distance. An e-bike will really help them to stay with the group.

I'm not at the age that I NEED an e-bike. But I see the point of them for others. Besides, that day will come for me at some point, and for you too.

 

[cantunamunch]

. Besides, that day will come for me at some point, and for you too.

..or it won't, because there's not enough buzz in doing it to justify going through the trouble. The sword of individualism cuts both ways.

 

[martyg]

Pedal-Assist Mountain Bikes: A Pilot Study Comparison of the Exercise Response, Perceptions, and Beliefs of Experienced Mountain Bikers

Mountain biking is an aerobic physical activity that has experienced rapid growth. The emergence of the electric pedal-assist mountain bike (eMTB), while not without its critics, presents the potential for an even larger segment of the population to enjoy ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Thanks for posting. Although "n" seems thin.

I serve on Durango's Parks and Rec Board. We oversee about 100 miles of trail that are within city limits and associated easements. There is so much bad info out there. In our surveys of trail users, and in JeffCos' (and they have been the national leader on data related to Emtn bikes) the consensus of the population that doesn't want Emtn bikes on the trails seems to be a "not in my backyard attitude", based on absolutely nothing.

While I don't own an Ebike, I think that it would be a superb training appliance for certain days. I have used one to access high alpine lakes before FS raods are opened - in and out in a day, and the first to fish said lakes that year.

 

[scott43]

If I tried to blow $10k on an e-bike i'd have my ass handed to me...