"Electric, That's Cheating!"

[Cyclezee]

I'm sure most have you have heard this comment, you are cheating if you ride an electric bikes

My son uses one of my Agattus to commute, an 18 mile round trip.
Earlier this week one of his colleagues came out with that well used phrase. He replied by saying " you came to work by car didn't you, does it have an engine, or is it a Fred Flintstone model?"

J hn

 

[HarryB]

I'm sure most have you have heard this comment, you are cheating if you ride an electric bikes

My son uses one of my Agattus to commute, an 18 mile round trip.
Earlier this week one of his colleagues came out with that well used phrase. He replied by saying " you came to work by car didn't you, does it have an engine, or is it a Fred Flintstone model?"

J hn

Unfortunately it is usually the lycra brigade that make this comment. However riding the Cytronex they would have to be more observant to spot the electricity. There doesn't seem to be a clever put down for this lot but at least they don't hang around long.

 

[flecc]

Unfortunately it is usually the lycra brigade that make this comment. However riding the Cytronex they would have to be more observant to spot the electricity. There doesn't seem to be a clever put down for this lot but at least they don't hang around long.

I do have one put-down that I've used to good effect, though it's not a quickie. I just make an observation about the prodigious amounts of electricity used to produce the materials in their superlight high tech bike which helps them get up the hills so much easier, pointing out that their current was used in advance instead of during journeys.

The added sly observation that if they were serious about being green they'd use a gas brazed old tech all steel bike really shuts them up.
.

 

[Fecn]

I'm sure most have you have heard this comment, you are cheating if you ride an electric bikes

Yes of course it's cheating - why on earth would I want to do it the hard way? Duuur !!!

 

[HarryB]

A few of my cycling friends have used the cheating theme. However the other day I did ask one of them how he was getting on cycling to work every day - his response was that it was a real struggle to get back into cycling after his summer break. It did strike me that I never dread getting on the bike to go to or from work and I am sure that is because I have that little bit of assistance to take the edge off the journey.

 

[flecc]

A few of my cycling friends have used the cheating theme. However the other day I did ask one of them how he was getting on cycling to work every day - his response was that it was a real struggle to get back into cycling after his summer break. It did strike me that I never dread getting on the bike to go to or from work and I am sure that is because I have that little bit of assistance to take the edge of the journey.

How true that is. My lycra clad unassisted cyclist brother has for years used his bike far less than me in both frequency and miles, and has now packed in cycling altogether, something I wouldn't even be considering.
.

 

[poppy]

Yes of course it's cheating - why on earth would I want to do it the hard way? Duuur !!!

Totally agree with you. In my case this cheating is giving me a lot of pleasure, freedom and...a little exercise to allay my conscience. I had a push bike-the biking lasted one month. And the last ten days went no further than 3 km away from home.
In a few days it´ll be a year since i got assisted and I´ve done almost 5000 km.
But being a coward I haven´t dared yet overtake anyone-I simply let them ahead....

 

[poppy]

How true that is. My lycra clad unassisted cyclist brother has for years used his bike far less than me in both frequency and miles, and has now packed in cycling altogether, something I wouldn't even be considering.
.

Ok, but isn´t there something to be said of those hard-working guys who climb at top speed what we -assisted- climb with some effort? If I had their fitnes I would do wonders with my "underpowered" Panasonic!. I, personally, admire and envy those guys when I see them tackling what I´m too afraid to even try.

 

[bogmonster]

Ok, but isn´t there something to be said of those hard-working guys who climb at top speed what we -assisted- climb with some effort? If I had their fitnes I would do wonders with my "underpowered" Panasonic!. I, personally, admire and envy those guys when I see them tackling what I´m too afraid to even try.

Yeah, I agree. It should not be a them and us thing. Cyclists should stick together. I would rather not have to use a motor because it is a pain and expensive. I would rather be fit enough to cycle to work every day and hopefully I will be in some months time. But maybe I am the enemy because I have lycra (if not the really bright kind) and don't have an electric bike yet. I don't have the legs either

Anyway, I am old enough not to give a toss what other people think, if they have a problem it is thier **** to deal with, not mine

BM

 

[Cyclezee]

Unfortunately it is usually the lycra brigade that make this comment. However riding the Cytronex they would have to be more observant to spot the electricity. There doesn't seem to be a clever put down for this lot but at least they don't hang around long.

One disadvantage of my Cytronex was nobody ever asked if it was electric
Whereas on the more obvious Ezee or Kalkhoff, people often ask and are more often than not quite interested to learn about them. This gives me the opportunity to wax lyrical on the virtues of e-bikes

J hn

 

[Beeping-Sleauty]

Keen to be Seen to be Green....

I do have one put-down that I've used to good effect, though it's not a quickie. I just make an observation about the prodigious amounts of electricity used to produce the materials in their superlight high tech bike which helps them get up the hills so much easier, pointing out that their current was used in advance instead of during journeys.

The added sly observation that if they were serious about being green they'd use a gas brazed old tech all steel bike really shuts them up.
.

Ha...Ha.. rather liked this Mr Flecc,

my standard response now, ( having suffered this slight on numerous & boringly repetitive instances ) is this, a bicycle which is electrically assisted, has a smaller carbon footprint, this being fact in my own experience, from the amount of energy i need to get from A to B, when i cycled a normal push-bike for 20 miles, i would take a range of refreshments with me, this might be a bottle of lucozade and some chocolate or a bag of mints, or an apple, usually something to drink & something to munch, on the electric bike i do not require the additional sustenance.

the saving on the extra energy is only off-set by the five pence it takes to charge my battery for this journey.

when tackling hills & headwinds, i no longer puff & blow like i had to on the push-bike, so i output less carbon dioxide in exhaled breath.

i fully expect to be able to charge my batteries from direct sunlight in the near future, effectively getting the extra energy for free, less the cost of replacement batteries.

the cost of buying food and preparing it to provide the energy for any journey, will then surely out-weigh the cost of electrical assistance.

but the real plus of course, as pointed out elsewhere in the thread, is that i am enjoying myself.

beeps

 

[flecc]

I would rather be fit enough to cycle to work every day and hopefully I will be in some months time. But maybe I am the enemy because I have lycra (if not the really bright kind) and don't have an electric bike yet. I don't have the legs either

Anyway, I am old enough not to give a toss what other people think, if they have a problem it is thier **** to deal with, not mine

BM

Quite right BM, wouldn't we all love to be young and fit enough. I have no problem with the Lycra brigade and am friends with a number of them, but if they start on the cheating thing, they get as good as they give from me.

Interestingly I've found the most serious club cyclists and professionals are the least likely to be awkward about ebiking, often showing real interest, even extending to having a ride on mine.
.

 

[peckerman]

If anyone tells me I'm cheating whilst riding my steed, I promptly dismount, walk up to them in a calm fashion, and beat them repeatedly around the head with my battery until they collapse in a life-less heap on the road. I then lower my bottom onto their face and break wind in their face. That usually does the trick to be honest.

 

[burncycle]

The only people im cheating on is the oil companies.
I used to do 600-700 miles in the car a month.
Now my average is 60-70 miles a month.
The tank never seems to empty.
Tell people that fact and they soon stop talking rubbish.

 

[flecc]

If anyone tells me I'm cheating whilst riding my steed, I promptly dismount, walk up to them in a calm fashion, and beat them repeatedly around the head with my battery until they collapse in a life-less heap on the road. I then lower my bottom onto their face and break wind in their face. That usually does the trick to be honest.

So that's where the 22% increase in violent assaults just reported on the news came from. It was you all along!

You should expect a letter of thanks from David Cameron for drawing attention away from George Osbourne and his Russian yachting pursuits.
.

 

[Phil the drill]

'Cheating' what race am I missing then? (puzzled look) - I didn't realise I'd stumbled into some sort of competition! I'm just going to work (/home) .
And I don't have to look like lost Russian ballet dancer to do so... .

Phil

 

[Cyclezee]

If anyone tells me I'm cheating whilst riding my steed, I promptly dismount, walk up to them in a calm fashion, and beat them repeatedly around the head with my battery until they collapse in a life-less heap on the road. I then lower my bottom onto their face and break wind in their face. That usually does the trick to be honest.

Are you a script writer for Little Britain by any chance Peckerman

J hn

 

[Hooligooner]

I usually just say,

"Well, if it gets me up the hill everyday, then it's doing it's job."

Bit of background: I am a larger person, and the hill is a doozy.

 

[essexman]

'Cheating' what race am I missing then? (puzzled look) - I didn't realise I'd stumbled into some sort of competition! I'm just going to work (/home) .
And I don't have to look like lost Russian ballet dancer to do so... .

Phil

er the great commuter race? I could tell you about it but the first rule of RaceClub is, you do not talk about Race Club.

If you are interested check out the longest forum thread in the world on bike radar.....

 

[HarryB]

er the great commuter race? I could tell you about it but the first rule of RaceClub is, you do not talk about Race Club.

If you are interested check out the longest forum thread in the world on bike radar.....

Great just been there. Now I realise why they don't like being overtaken - they lose 14 points every time I go past them. Now I know that I will make more of an effort.