Did not have the heart to tell him

[overlander]

Cycling into work this morning, a beautiful sunny day i stopped at the traffic lights. Was parallel with a cyclist and he started to chat to me, proclaiming that the tail wind was a godsend. I agreed with him and had a small chat, to be honest i never even noticed there was a wind I tried to change the conversation but i really could not tell him lol.

Thats the beauty of the Trek, no one has any idea its an electric bike, throw a set of panniers on and only the really keen eyed cyclist will notice.

 

[flecc]

Indeed, the benefit of such a quiet motor too. They're great stealth bikes when fitted with large enough panniers.
.

 

[eddieo]

You really need to get over your shame of being an e biker.....is it the Lycra that does it?

 

[Scottyf]

I've now moved my controller etc to the tank bag from my motorbike that sits on the rack. If I had a rear motor I don't think anyone would ever know.

Even when I set the bike up with controller on the down post no one seemed to notice at all.

Love stealth, its also helps detract from potential thieves!

 

[rudebhoy]

It's funny I had a similar experience yesterday on way home, I overtook this guy on a really long hill, He was on a road bike and had all the gear i.e. racing top etc . I came up behind him and waited for about half a mile I was in two minds whether to overtake as he was going fairly quickly for that hill, (I have overtaken a lot slower people ) but as hill got steeper I was really holding back so I took him He caught up at the lights at top of hill and first thing he said was I hope that bike is assisted The devil in me thought about saying no at first but I then nodded . He joked he thought he was losing it

 

[overlander]

It is pretty funny, a good e-bike can really cover decent distances they really should be more popular. Today i arrived for the first time with over half my battery power left, normally it is completely flat. I would like to think i was getting fitter, but the bike received a software update a couple of weeks ago and since then the battery has been lasting longer and i have been getting fitter so maybe a combination.

 

[overlander]

Not a very good photo, excuse the mess in the office

This is what the Trek looks like with the panniers on.

 

[tangent]

It is pretty funny, a good e-bike can really cover decent distances they really should be more popular. Today i arrived for the first time with over half my battery power left, normally it is completely flat. I would like to think i was getting fitter, but the bike received a software update a couple of weeks ago and since then the battery has been lasting longer and i have been getting fitter so maybe a combination.

I expect the tail wind helped out as well. Unfortuneately I was headed into it!

 

[steveindenmark]

Just don`t be so clever.

If you ever meet this guy going up a set of steps carrying your TREK he will know it is an electric bike.

I picked one up the other day and it is heavier than my 65cc motorbike.

Steve

 

[Bikerbob]

When I overtake someone on a hill and they ask if mine is an electric bike I usually say, " Yes, I was thinking of switching the motor on".

 

[overlander]

Just don`t be so clever.

If you ever meet this guy going up a set of steps carrying your TREK he will know it is an electric bike.

I picked one up the other day and it is heavier than my 65cc motorbike.

Steve

Its a fair old lump, but i do believe its very light compared to most electric bikes, i think the overall weight is 19Kg. I have not lifted many other e-bikes but i think 19Kg is very light. What i do not like about it, the weight is all at the back end so its difficult to get a good balance on it when lifting it.

 

[theskip1]

everybody on here extoles the use of electric bikes and yet do not seem to like people knowing that they are riding one ?

 

[lectureral]

everybody on here extoles the use of electric bikes and yet does their best to hide them ?

I'm with you, theskip1 - I don't understand the desire for stealth. I'm perfectly happy for anyone to know that I'm assisted.

 

[flecc]

Ditto. I can see the appeal of stealth bikes, but I'm proud to ride electric and never hide it.
.

 

[funkylyn]

Ditto. I can see the appeal of stealth bikes, but I'm proud to ride electric and never hide it.
.

Agreed.....but I do get really fed up with people shouting......''thats cheating'' as I cycle past them.......

Lynda

 

[Tex]

I don't give a rats *rse what people think. I ride my electric bike to keep fit, get to work on time and have fun on single track. I also hope they notice my road manners more than my bike.

 

[fishingpaul]

everybody on here extoles the use of electric bikes and yet do not seem to like people knowing that they are riding one ?

I think part of the fun of owning an electric bike,is passing somebody on a normal bike that does not realise you are riding an electric bike,or a lycra rider that expects to leave you for dead but cant.stealth is great fun obvious is a bit boring.

 

[theskip1]

Agreed.....but I do get really fed up with people shouting......''thats cheating'' as I cycle past them.......

Lynda

just stop and ask them if they ever use the bus or train or car or any wheeled transport because by definition thats also " cheating " after all a motorbike is as it says - a bike with a motor!!

 

[NRG]

You could reply "I didn't realise I was in a race....". Or "I didn't realise I was in the Tour De France" or something similar.....

 

[lectureral]

..but I do get really fed up with people shouting......''thats cheating'' as I cycle past them.......

Lynda

That doesn't happen so much when you are towing a trailer with 2 kids in it - by rights I should be shouting ''thats cheating'' at every passing car with fewer than 4 occupants.

In a similar vein, I was tooted by a young guy in a car as I (fairly slowly) cycled down the main street in our village (semi-pedestrianised, cobbled, single track, no passing but only about 100m long). I looked round, feigned amazement, stopped, walked back to him and pointed out that we were three and he was one (in my dodgy French) and we had a right to use the road, before slowly getting back on and lumbering off. The toot probably delayed him a couple of minutes - hopefully he got the point.