That's Cheating!

[greyfox69]

I used to have a new fangled horn button thingy on my bike as well, it failed in heavy rain on the coast to coast last year, I ride a lot on disused rail tracks and need a bell so bought a brass bell, back to manual for me nowt to go wrong

 

[Gubbins]

To understand you have to stand in the accuser's shoes.

From their point of view they see someone pedalling, then perceive a motor driving.

They know nothing about relative motor powers or pedal control to apply power, what they see or believe is apparently someone being driven along by a motor while pretending to pedal.

That to them is the cheating, someone pretending to cycle while being wafted along by a motor. That view isn't unreasonable, it is what it looks like to the layman who knows nothing about e-bikes.
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But in transport terms the really bad cheater is the person whose car has automatic transmission!

That really is unforgiveable, the height of laziness. Though electric window winders come close.
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I have never seen electric winders.. Mine doesnt have any winders.. The windows are push button operated...

 

[flecc]

I have never seen electric winders.. Mine doesnt have any winders.. The windows are push button operated...

Yes, my careless use of shorthand, should have been electric window winders,

But your push buttons do operate electric winders, winding the windows up and down!
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[Gubbins]

Anyway there is nothing wrong with automatics.. The problems arise when you need to drive one thats manual..
At my last service I took a courtesy car which was a brand spanking straight out of the box new with all the latest VW tech, Audi A3 . It has 6 forward gears, yes 6!! Not only do you have to press that extra pedal in every time you change gear, but also every time you stop!! And dont get me going with hill starts with an electronic hand brake....
Was I glad to get it back, and the receptionist asked with a beaming smile.. "How did you like it?"
Too many gears says I, I am only used to two.. one forward and one reverse.

 

[Apprentice]

Embrace it
I would just agree with them
Yep im cheating and i love it
Now dont strain yourself walking from your desk to your car

 

[Tugwell Gibson]

I'm looking forward to a stranger shouting something negative to me. Especially a fellow cyclist. I will have a lot of fun.

 

[Artstu]

It has 6 forward gears, yes 6!!

hmm, it sounds like a manual version of this may not be right up your street 10-speed, sorry about the boring video, I should have watched it before posting it.

 

[EddiePJ]

I used to have a new fangled horn button thingy on my bike as well, it failed in heavy rain on the coast to coast last year, I ride a lot on disused rail tracks and need a bell so bought a brass bell, back to manual for me nowt to go wrong

I have taken that a step further and use a duck call whistle. Even less to go wrong, and it gets a better reaction. People also don't ignore it in the same way that they pretend not hear a bell.

 

[Izzyekerslike]

Anyway there is nothing wrong with automatics.. The problems arise when you need to drive one thats manual..
At my last service I took a courtesy car which was a brand spanking straight out of the box new with all the latest VW tech, Audi A3 . It has 6 forward gears, yes 6!! Not only do you have to press that extra pedal in every time you change gear, but also every time you stop!! And dont get me going with hill starts with an electronic hand brake....
Was I glad to get it back, and the receptionist asked with a beaming smile.. "How did you like it?"
Too many gears says I, I am only used to two.. one forward and one reverse.

Electronic handbrakes are really good but take a little getting used to.
VAG group cars need you to have your seat belt on then it will release automatically when you set off. If you activate the Autohold switch then the hand brake will apply itself when you stop and release when you set off.
Some other manufacturers electronic handbrakes do not require the seat belt to be fastened.

 

[RobF]

Yes, my careless use of shorthand, should have been electric window winders,

Strictly speaking, it should have been 'electrically operated window winders' because the window winders are still manual, or rather mechanical.

While I'm all in favour of correct use of English, it is a living language and the term 'electric windows' has come to mean 'a car window lifted and lowered by an electric motor'.

Thus 'electric windows' had entered the lexicon and can properly be described as correct.

But it is interesting to note that if you said 'electric windows' to an Englishman in the 1930s he would probably not know what you meant.

 

[Croxden]

Most people in these parts didn't have that new fangled 'lectricity in the house during the '30s, no good will come of it they'd say.

 

[ttxela]

No-one so far has said a word - and I've been doing a 30 mile round trip on a fairly busy cycleway for 3 weeks or so.

Funnily enough though the wife had an operation before last Christmas which made it difficult for her to paddle her kayak, I rigged up an electric trolling motor for her so she could still accompany me on river trips. Virtually every passing motor boat made the cheating comment which actually reduced her to tears at one point

 

[flecc]

Funnily enough though the wife had an operation before last Christmas which made it difficult for her to paddle her kayak, I rigged up an electric trolling motor for her so she could still accompany me on river trips. Virtually every passing motor boat made the cheating comment which actually reduced her to tears at one point

People can be such idiots. Commenting like that just shows how rude, narrow minded and ignorant they are, unable to see beyond their preconceptions to other legitimate circumstances.
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[anotherkiwi]

cyclist: "That's cheating!"
Me: "do you have a car?"
cyclist: "yes..."
Me: "this is my car..."
cyclist: "Oh! Sorry..."

Translated from Spanish

 

[Tugwell Gibson]

I've had my ebike only 8 days. I've ridden over 70 miles. Nearly all fields footpaths and woodland. I have not seen another adult riding in all those hours.

So I'm getting fresh air and exercise. So can't even say I'm cheating myself.

 

[LeighPing]

I've ridden over 70 miles. Nearly all fields footpaths and woodland. I have not seen another adult riding in all those hours.

Nor will you, on those virginal ebiking routes.

 

[flecc]

I've had my ebike only 8 days. I've ridden over 70 miles. Nearly all fields footpaths and woodland.

It won't be cheating, the challenge you're most likely to get on any public footpaths will be from ramblers protesting that you shouldn't be riding on a footpath.

That you'll just have to accept and shrug off, since they're in the right.
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[Gubbins]

It won't be cheating, the challenge you're most likely to get on any public footpaths will be from ramblers protesting that you shouldn't be riding on a footpath.

That you'll just have to accept and shrug off, since they're in the right.
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Mmmmmmm. Even the canal towpath has signs saying pedestrians have priority over bicycles

 

[flecc]

Mmmmmmm. Even the canal towpath has signs saying pedestrians have priority over bicycles

In almost all cases canal towpaths have express permission for bicycles from British Waterways.

Bicycles are permitted on bridleways by the Countryside Act 1968, and there are a number of Sustrans routes on which there is bicycle permission.

But in general bicycles are not permitted on public footpaths, except where the local authority specifies shared use.
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[Gubbins]

In almost all cases canal towpaths have express permission for bicycles from British Waterways.

Bicycles are permitted on bridleways by the Countryside Act 1968, and there are a number of Sustrans routes on which there is bicycle permission.

But in general bicycles are not permitted on public footpaths, except where the local authority specifies shared use.
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Ebikes don't really suit footpaths as it's hard to get them over the styles. [emoji12]