The E-Bike Lovers Thread

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Just thought you cats might like to know. Ironically for some reason I ran into the new owner of Wrightwood E-bikes at the trash can on Aliso Cyn. He was not parked there to ride but he said his daughter was taking a nap in the car? He was holding a 4” or 5” or 10” e-bike tire in his hand for some reason? I was saying hey and riding by when he stopped me and asked what kind of bike I was riding?
Nice enough 31 year old gentlemen, he told me that he was never a mountain biker until recently, when he threw a leg over an E-bike! And it has changed his life. He also admitted to me that he really does not know much about bikes but is trying to learn all he can while opening his new E-bike store in Wrightwood.
His plan is to uses social media to ride the new wave of change, and lead tours of Wrightwood for the tourist, at the same time give a history lesson about Wrightwood. He said he in-visions people will flock much like skiers do for a chair lift. He was very excited about this. I have been lurking because this site can be a good source for important info at times (in between all the family spats) much like I am passing on info right now.
I will not be ridding this wave of change, I saw it coming a long time ago and that this wave was to big, and not worth arguing about! I have more important things to do and not that much time to do them. The younger people on this wave will long forget about a peddle bicycle and say I can’t believe people did that! I except the change Wrightwood (MAY) undergo and be thankful for the priceless time I’ve experienced on pristine trails before (if) the city folk and tourist swarm! BTW, I don’t think the hikers are going to be to happy and I feel for them.
One thing is for sure, the trails are going to get more crowded! That’s a good thing right?
And some friendly advice to you @Mikie if you would like to have this site grow and have more than 12 or so people posting here, open it up to the new wave or get left behind is what I always here? The old school is over.
 
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mike said:
I give electrified bye cycles credit for newfound affirmation that human power is an essential component of my recreation and entertainment goals.

I will no sooner ride a motorized bicycle for recreation than I will be winched up a cliff once I’m unable or unwilling to try anymore. I’ll just stop doing it. Happily.

Maybe if people actually got off their lazy asses and away from their soul sucking careers during their prime years they would not feel so compelled to try to convince themselves that they are living the good life as a decrepit old F (or outright lazy excuse-maker) with assistance gadgetry, filling up new landfills with the spent excesses of consumption.

The transition from capable to not capable is not like a toggle switch. Your body doesn’t work that way. Your mind does. Convenience seekers will look for any excuse to spend money to make things easier. Like getting on a ski lift. If that’s your bag, power to you, but that is not the spirit this MTB site was built on. And no matter what anyone says, a bicycle can never have a motor.
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Max points for “bye cycles!” Masterful!
 
hill^billy said:
Just thought you cats might like to know. Ironically for some reason I ran into the new owner of Wrightwood E-bikes at the trash can on Aliso Cyn. He was not parked there to ride but he said his daughter was taking a nap in the car? He was holding a 4” or 5” or 10” e-bike tire in his hand for some reason? I was saying hey and riding by when he stopped me and asked what kind of bike I was riding?
Nice enough 31 year old gentlemen, he told me that he was never a mountain biker until recently, when he threw a leg over an E-bike! And it has changed his life. He also admitted to me that he really does not know much about bikes but is trying to learn all he can while opening his new E-bike store in Wrightwood.
His plan is to uses social media to ride the new wave of change, and lead tours of Wrightwood for the tourist, at the same time give a history lesson about Wrightwood. He said he in-visions people will flock much like skiers do for a chair lift. He was very excited about this. I have been lurking because this site can be a good source for important info at times (in between all the family spats) much like I am passing on info right now.
I will not be ridding this wave of change, I saw it coming a long time ago and that this wave was to big, and not worth arguing about! I have more important things to do and not that much time to do them. The younger people on this wave will long forget about a peddle bicycle and say I can’t believe people did that! I except the change Wrightwood (MAY) undergo and be thankful for the priceless time I’ve experienced on pristine trails before (if) the city folk and tourist swarm! BTW, I don’t think the hikers are going to be to happy and I feel for them.
One thing is for sure, the trails are going to get more crowded! That’s a good thing right?
And some friendly advice to you @Mikie if you would like to have this site grow and have more than 12 or so people posting here, open it up to the new wave or get left behind is what I always here? The old school is over.
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I continue to feel it somewhat an insult when folks say there are 12 members here. Just saying. :p 90 members sign on within a 4 hour period daily. You know why there are only 90? Because they are real mountain bikers.
In regards to an eBike store in Wrightwood promoting trail access, I will fight that, meaning I will drive the distance to attend the meetings to protest and debate NOT allowing eBikes on the Wrightwood trails. What was his name?

As far as opening this site up to eBikes? NF’nW!
I just had a conversation recently regarding busted up motocrosser’s on a ride with good friends. It was determined that I’m officially a “busted up old motocrosser". I’m 60 years old. 60! Right knee is bone on bone. I have broken both my collar bones and 7 ribs, fractured both my wrists, 3 vertebrae, 1 lumbar, 2 fractures to my pelvis (recently :D), and partially collapsed my right lung twice, and I’m pretty sure I’m forgetting stuff.
And oh by the way, just got back from riding 150 miles on my human powered bicycle from Fruita to Moab with around 15 thousand feet of elevation gain in the dirt on some of the most pristine classic chunk in America. I STILL don’t need some piece of Sh!t eBike.

This site is about MOUNTAIN BIKING. Not handicap assist inline wheelchairs for folks who don’t need them.
The site will die before it will include an eBike Forum. I hope everyone understands this.

I think it’s “cute” that an eBike thread was started in jest, I get it. But don’t get used to it. :cool:

I edited some to clarify...
 
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Mikie said:
I continue to feel it somewhat an insult when folks say there are 12 members here. Just saying. :p 90 members sign on nearly daily. You know why there are only 90? Because they are real mountain bikers.
In regards to an eBike store in Wrightwood, I will fight that, meaning I will drive the distance to attend the meetings to protest and debate NOT allowing eBikes on the Wrightwood trails. What was his name?

As far as opening this site up to eBikes? NFW!
I just had a conversation on this recently on a ride with good friends. It was determined that I’m officially a “busted up old motocrosser. I’m 60 years old. 60! Right knee is bone on bone. I have broken both my collar bones and 7 ribs, fractured both my wrists, 3 vertebrae, 1 lumbar, 2 fractures to my pelvis (recently :D), and partially collapsed my right lung twice, and I’m pretty sure I’m forgetting stuff.
And oh by the way, just got back from riding 150 miles on my human powered bicycle from Fruita to Moab in the dirt on some of the most pristine classic chunk in America. I STILL don’t need some piece of Sh!t eBike.

This site is about MOUNTAIN BIKING. Not handicap assist inline wheelchairs.
The site will die before it will include an eBike Forum. I hope everyone understands this.

I think it’s “cute” that an eBike thread was started in jest, I get it. But don’t get used to it. :cool:
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He said his name was JR, and I’m pretty sure he said he was already open. I would also imagine that Wrightwood would welcome more revenue generated by an E-bike draw.
 
Hey folks’s’s’s’s
Do not think above was angry. Not angry at all. Just passionate about my sport.
eBikes didn’t save me from eDrugs and eAlcohol. Mountain bikes started me down the path that saved me from drugs and alcohol.
I get asked all the time why I am always smiling, I was a gonner but got Saved!
:thumbsup:
 
Faust29 said:
As I figured filling in the blanks in HB’s post... Nothing like riling up the pitchfork crowd with half of a story!

The Forest Service has final say on their non-motorized trails and their policy is pretty clear for the time being.
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Right Frosty! Did you talk to him? No! I don’t remember seeing you there?
 
Sassyquatch said:
That said, i suspect it is extremely unlikely that many of those trying out ebikes are now getting significantly more exercise than they would without ebikes.
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The only way they are getting more is if they went from NO riding to SOME riding. Your argument that people are spending $ thousands to buy an e-bike so they can ride HARDER than they would on a normal bike makes no sense - and is backed by no data whatsoever.

Sassyquatch said:
IWe are a unique breed...the majority of people don’t see the pleasure in pain and glory of endorphins like we do.
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Though it might not be a majority (I don't know), I do know that 60.9 million people in the United States hold health club memberships. Then add in people who enjoy physical activity, but who DON'T belong to health clubs. I don't consider that a "unique breed".

If you think of yourself as a unique breed, you haven't tried to ride Black* on a Saturday :)
 
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What an interesting thread. I love chiming in on e-bike threads since they were the gateway drug to get into the sport. Of course, I rode during a time before there were fewer regulations and definitions. It was not a problem riding a 1000W throttle powered mid-drive.

20140216_110816.jpg

This was my bike back in 2013. It met the State definition on what was still a "bicycle" at the time. There was no space on the frame to fit a battery, so I would have a battery in a Camelbak with an umbilical plugged in by the handlebars.

california_electric_bike_law-2.jpg

My e-bike would straight up be a moped by the standards of the current policy. It would be easy to make it a type 2 e-bike and limit the speed electronically, but where's the fun in that. :Roflmao

When I think about it, if I started riding now, the way I did back in 2013, I may never gotten into mountain biking due to the access limitations for e-bikes. I'd be stuck at the FLoop and, as much as I love that suburban path, I wouldn't have seen Oaks, El moro, Turnbull, etc... There was also the fact that, before I had the digital EPO, riding in a group was not fun. All my friends who ride had been riding for years, some race, and are incredibly fast by beginner's standards. It sucked basically riding alone and having my buddies double back to make sure I was okay. The e-bike allowed me to keep up and actually get me in shape I needed to be in to transition to a normal bike and keep up.

My riding eventually outgrew what the e-bike could augment. The weight and range limitations were limiting my riding experience, so there was no reason to keep it other than getting to work without sweating and bringing an extra change of clothes.

Of course everyone is different as well as the hardware available at the time. I can see how a new rider on a Type 1 e-bike would never want to transition beyond it since they're so much lighter and efficient. They would still be hit regarding range for longer day long rides, but they're probably not doing that anyway.

Anyhow, I don't think e-bike and conventional bike access should be lumped into the same group, but it's sometimes good to look at the non-rider perspective. I know a lot of trail runners and hikers that hate mountain bikers, and a lot of them don't see a difference between regular bicycles and e-bikes. "Both are mechanical augmentations that shouldn't be on trails." I think the current regulations are fine the way they are, but the fact that they're not being enforced is a problem. I don't mind seeing e-bikes on the Floop, and it's great seeing a kitted out dude bringing his wife or friend along with the help of some digital EPO. It does bother me when people bring anything two wheeled places they are prohibited regardless if they are regular bikes, electric, or gas powered. That's the biggest kick in the balls when it comes to access aside from unruly behavior.

Long story short. If you're gonna ride an e-bike, ride it where you're allowed to ride an e-bike. As always, be respectful to all life you run into on the trail.
 
hill^billy said:
open it up to the new wave or get left behind is what I always here? The old school is over.
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The more things change, the more they stay the same...

The Moped Resurgence

Though to be honest, it is a little bit apples and oranges. I agree that e-bikes for commuter biking make all the sense in the world. If I was commuting on my bike, I'd already own one. However this site is not a commuter bike site, or a road bike site. It is a MOUNTAIN BIKE site - and e-bikes are not allowed on most back-country trails... just like motocross or dirt bikes, which have been around for decades.

I see TONS of rental scooters on college campuses now. They make total sense within that environment and context. However I don't hear anyone arguing to allow them on non-motorized trails.

And as far as your new friend with no biking experience opening an e-bike store? Thanks for the heads-up; that's one store I'll be SURE to avoid. Kinda like buying ski gear from someone who doesn't ski.
 
@Mikie:

Thanks for affirming your vision of the site!

The peak popularity of enthusiast forums is behind us, so the ones that remain are more and more a labor of love. Another site I’ve been a part of for 18 years is looking to shutter. So pardon me if I wax sentimental momentarily...

Thanks for keeping the lights on! :) I appreciate sharing some space with just a small number of fellow nutters with a bee up their ass to get after the BC. :thumbsup:

Y’all will be blowing it if you don’t get up here and ride some Lake Tahoe/Downieville this year. I’ll be here awhile. The goods are still under snow, so get psyched for some elevation as SoCal heats up.

See what I did der? :sneaky:


aaa.jpg
 
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