I see your cheating then!

Warwick

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 24, 2015
731
225
Warwick
My favourite 'not cheating' moment was when I was gradually overtaken by a group of mature riders on road bikes in all the lycra gear whilst out riding in the local countryside. I was on an unpowered Orbit Orion with hub gears, flat bars and a stem raiser. Totally unaerodynamic, yet I was easily able to ride at just about their pace. One of them rode side by side and accused me of cheating. How's that then? I asked. He'd assumed that my hub dynamo was a hub drive and took some convincing otherwise. I lost interest in persuading him and turned off onto my usual bridleway route.
 

Ballynoes

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jul 13, 2017
257
146
Perthshire Scotland
I was questioned by a total stranger out in the hills once.

"Isn't that cheating was the comment"

Before I knew it I had said (and no offence to anyone who is)

"not if you have a disability" ..... they quickly apologised and went a shade of red.... their other half gave them a scowl, which I smirked at whilst riding off.

This seams to be the best comeback I have used, no confrontation and no reply, job done.

I have also seen them look me up and down, looking for the disability..... "not every disability is visible " I say.

And if they press further I just quote my wife's rare muscle disease, which totally confuses them, and I tell them to Google it.

It appears to be the one which makes them feel bad, and stops the conversation in it's tracks, with no more confrontation.

I don't care if strangers want to question whether I am or not cheating .."In their eyes", this just snubs it out straight away.

Again apologies to anyone who has a genuine disability, I have no intention of making fun of anyone.
 

EddiePJ

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jul 7, 2013
4,632
4,013
Crowborough, East Sussex
www.facebook.com
My weekly riding partner gave me the ultimate 'put down' this week when we were out on one of our regular night rides on the retro mtb. I never use the eMTB when out with him or other groups.

Towards the end of the ride on the last climb, he came up along side me and simply said "do you think that you have become unfit, or is it just a mental thing" I thought you bastard, I have been working almost six and half day weeks since the end of July, I have had a reoccurrence of glandular fever, and me knees are burning with pain through endless ladder work. I'm burnt out! I'm also riding a hardtail on summer tyres, and I'm loosing valuable energy through tyre slippage. I'm not changing the tyres though, as I like the loose slippery feeling.

That one remark has inspired me to make sure that I put more effort into my fitness though, not that I thought that I hadn't been. I suspect that he gave me the remark intentionally to spur me on during the last climb, as he is an ex semi pro road rider, so used to taking and giving remarks that could wind you up motivationally. His heart is in the right place! :D
 
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Powerbikes

Trade Member
Sep 11, 2017
82
31
39
Whitehaven
www.powerbikes.uk
"Cheating? To what rules?"

Or something along those lines is often my response.
Followed by "It's fun!" then a conversation about how it takes all the good bits of cycling and gets rid of the bad. Seems to get people talking and interested.

Thinking about it I've had the same conversation quite a few times now.
 

anotherkiwi

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2015
7,845
5,786
The European Union
My weekly riding partner gave me the ultimate 'put down' this week when we were out on one of our regular night rides on the retro mtb. I never use the eMTB when out with him or other groups.

Towards the end of the ride on the last climb, he came up along side me and simply said "do you think that you have become unfit, or is it just a mental thing" I thought you bastard, I have been working almost six and half day weeks since the end of July, I have had a reoccurrence of glandular fever, and me knees are burning with pain through endless ladder work. I'm burnt out! I'm also riding a hardtail on summer tyres, and I'm loosing valuable energy through tyre slippage. I'm not changing the tyres though, as I like the loose slippery feeling.

That one remark has inspired me to make sure that I put more effort into my fitness though, not that I thought that I hadn't been. I suspect that he gave me the remark intentionally to spur me on during the last climb, as he is an ex semi pro road rider, so used to taking and giving remarks that could wind you up motivationally. His heart is in the right place! :D
I have been riding analogic for a few weeks. All sorts of people are passing me and I don't care! I am happy just being able to ride places I couldn't ride to on an upright. Take him to work with you for a week and let him do the ladder work...
 

STEVEMANFA

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 27, 2015
731
359
60
Forest of Dean
Just to answer the question about the Forest of Dean is to busy
The size of the forest is 20475 acres so it's a big forest and most like to ride around pedal a bike away and it's always busy there but we have some fab trails away from the crowds and I'd be more than welcome to show anyone some of the trails.
 
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Trevormonty

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jul 18, 2016
1,135
564
17
NZ
In local MTB park found rarely used up hill track, great track in tour. Was probably main uphill track to top of park before shuttle made it redundant. Great find as it allows me to bypass 2kms of boring forest road plus save bit battery.

Saw a party of older riders doing forest roads on Specialized HT, found out they 70-82yrs both sexes. Something I doubt most would've been doing without ebikes.
 

Planemo

Pedelecer
Jun 30, 2015
201
81
As regards to the 'acceptance' of eMTBs by rufty tufty hardcore MTBers, I was staggered to see how many electrified bikes there were whilst I was in Morzine this summer. If there was any place which would create such a divide then I imagined it would be there, but this did not appear to be the case. There were huge numbers of eMTBs and I did not witness any animosity at all. Further, just about all the hire shops I saw were also supplying eMTB's, all of which were top spec to boot. I have never seen so many Haibike and other blue chip eMTB's in my life. Given that Morzine is largely catered for by the uplifts, I was even more surprised at the proliferation of eMTBs. Maybe riders are taking the opportunity of being able to cycle back up and get more saddle time rather than 'cheating' on the uplifts...

I certainly wouldn't have wanted to accuse any of them as cheating because they were using eMTBs...many of them were seriously skilled downhillers that I am sure would be capable of destroying many analogue riders.
 
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Steve A

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 28, 2016
704
414
Ashford, UK
As regards to the 'acceptance' of eMTBs by rufty tufty hardcore MTBers, I was staggered to see how many electrified bikes there were whilst I was in Morzine this summer. If there was any place which would create such a divide then I imagined it would be there, but this did not appear to be the case. There were huge numbers of eMTBs and I did not witness any animosity at all. Further, just about all the hire shops I saw were also supplying eMTB's, all of which were top spec to boot. I have never seen so many Haibike and other blue chip eMTB's in my life. Given that Morzine is largely catered for by the uplifts, I was even more surprised at the proliferation of eMTBs. Maybe riders are taking the opportunity of being able to cycle back up and get more saddle time rather than 'cheating' on the uplifts...

I certainly wouldn't have wanted to accuse any of them as cheating because they were using eMTBs...many of them were seriously skilled downhillers that I am sure would be capable of destroying many analogue riders.
Totally agree, I was there 2 years ago and loads of ebikes then
 

anotherkiwi

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2015
7,845
5,786
The European Union
Some stock answers:

- God is it that obvious? Don't tell my wife/husband/SO...
- Yes! Am I in the lead?
- Is this candid camera?
- Come again?
 

Altop1

Pedelecer
Oct 27, 2016
107
76
58
Lincolnshire
I know some of you commute to work on your bikes in all weather's and theres alot who drive less than 2or 3 miles to work whos cheating. I like being on my bike if its got a battery for more fun more riding time then bring it on.
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
16,912
6,512
you should get a tshirt made.

you can
kiss my
ass but
your not
fast enough
:)
 

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