The problem with E-bikes in the UK.

[kingsknight]

I've been super into E-bikes since buying one 3 months ago and love them to bits! I honestly think they are the best way to get around!

But!! The main issue I have had with people is people calling me a cheater. I know it sounds silly but it makes me really angry. I've had maybe 10/15 random people over the last few months say things along the lines of "isn't that cheating? That's cheating, cheat"

I'm not sure if it just my town as I've only ever seen 2 other e bikes in the whole time on the road but there are a LOT of standard cyclists. I use the bike racks in town all the time so I speak to cyclists all the time but I'm starting to get very aggressive with people who keep saying I'm cheating! Who the hell am I cheating? I'm going to the bloody coffee shop lol

I think a big part of this could be that people do not know what an Ebike is in England. 90% of my friends and family thought an Ebike is just a slow moped with a throttle. I'm getting bored of explaining to people that throttle controlled Ebikes are illegal in the UK and you HAVE to cycle to make the bike move.

I've traveled the world and seen Ebikes all over the place and they are a standard form of transport in many parts of the world but we are very behind the market over here.

I look forward to the day where I see e bikes everywhere lol

I don't want this post to be a negative one but I'm sure I'm not alone here! I've just gone from cannot shut up about them to not really wanting to tell anyone that I ride one!

 

[Nealh]

You are wrong on throttles, bikes built before 2016 are allowed throttles. After this date throttles are allowed but have to be configured that you need to pedal to activate them as they are not allowed as a stand alone power source.

 

[Nealh]

Just tell them they are wrong and confused, tell them it's an EAPC/e-bike and not a bicycle as there is a difference.
It is about education as most people are ignorant to the facts, no use getting angry or abusive. They don't know what thy are missing until they try one, this is the new millennium not the old one.

Tell them it's the future/ the way ahead for low impact cheap local transport needs, I sing the praises of e-bikes and tell all about them if they enquire whether good or bad remarks. Usually quoting it's cleaner and more environmentally friendly then an ICE car.
Don't be shy of it be proud of it.

 

[Julie]

Just ignore them, I really don't care what other people think, I know riding an ebike is better for my health and environment than driving a car, I don't feel I need to justify my choices to anyone.

 

[Andy-Mat]

I've been super into E-bikes since buying one 3 months ago and love them to bits! I honestly think they are the best way to get around!

But!! The main issue I have had with people is people calling me a cheater. I know it sounds silly but it makes me really angry. I've had maybe 10/15 random people over the last few months say things along the lines of "isn't that cheating? That's cheating, cheat"

I'm not sure if it just my town as I've only ever seen 2 other e bikes in the whole time on the road but there are a LOT of standard cyclists. I use the bike racks in town all the time so I speak to cyclists all the time but I'm starting to get very aggressive with people who keep saying I'm cheating! Who the hell am I cheating? I'm going to the bloody coffee shop lol

I think a big part of this could be that people do not know what an Ebike is in England. 90% of my friends and family thought an Ebike is just a slow moped with a throttle. I'm getting bored of explaining to people that throttle controlled Ebikes are illegal in the UK and you HAVE to cycle to make the bike move.

I've traveled the world and seen Ebikes all over the place and they are a standard form of transport in many parts of the world but we are very behind the market over here.

I look forward to the day where I see e bikes everywhere lol

I don't want this post to be a negative one but I'm sure I'm not alone here! I've just gone from cannot shut up about them to not really wanting to tell anyone that I ride one!

I have been riding e-bikes for 7 years now, the best type of bike ever. Furthermore, they are known to keep you fit. For example (I am 72), my doctor told me in January that I have the lungs of a 30 year old! Ex-smoker, I last stopped in 1997!
With an e-bike, we all cycle further and faster than we did with a normal bike.
"The wind comes from behind "- always!!
I have completely convinced some sceptical people by letting them have a ride, they change "sides" instantly.
I also ask some if they have a bike and when they last rode it, that proves to be embarrassing for them!
I have no problems with bad weather, I still go out!
I ride mine up to 6 times a day....I get shopping with it and I have a dog trailer, (from my previous dog, the present dog does not need it, she can run 20 KMs) if I have a lot of shopping to carry!!
As we say in the UK, the best thing since sliced bread!!
The critics have never ridden one I find.....
Enjoy your bike, ignore the idiots!
regards
Andy

 

[flecc]

I've been super into E-bikes since buying one 3 months ago and love them to bits! I honestly think they are the best way to get around!

But!! The main issue I have had with people is people calling me a cheater. I know it sounds silly but it makes me really angry. I've had maybe 10/15 random people over the last few months say things along the lines of "isn't that cheating? That's cheating, cheat"

I'm not sure if it just my town as I've only ever seen 2 other e bikes in the whole time on the road but there are a LOT of standard cyclists. I use the bike racks in town all the time so I speak to cyclists all the time but I'm starting to get very aggressive with people who keep saying I'm cheating! Who the hell am I cheating? I'm going to the bloody coffee shop lol

I think a big part of this could be that people do not know what an Ebike is in England. 90% of my friends and family thought an Ebike is just a slow moped with a throttle. I'm getting bored of explaining to people that throttle controlled Ebikes are illegal in the UK and you HAVE to cycle to make the bike move.

I've traveled the world and seen Ebikes all over the place and they are a standard form of transport in many parts of the world but we are very behind the market over here.

I look forward to the day where I see e bikes everywhere lol

I don't want this post to be a negative one but I'm sure I'm not alone here! I've just gone from cannot shut up about them to not really wanting to tell anyone that I ride one!

It's quite rare around my way, the last time was a couple of circa 10 year old boys calling out "cheating" as they waited for a bus to take them 800 yards to the local shopping centre!

As others have said, ignore them, or do as I do and join in the joke by saying with a smile something like "I know, good innit", or to an unpowered cyclist, "you're just jealous".
.

 

[kingsknight]

Just ignore them, I really don't care what other people think, I know riding an ebike is better for my health and environment than driving a car, I don't feel I need to justify my choices to anyone.

Trust me, this is what I try to do but I cannot help but get angry lol I don't ever justify myself to anyone but it's like other cyclists want you to justify riding a ebike!

I LOVE talking about them and believe they are the future! I wasn't expecting other cyclists to be so freaking judgemental! I've pretty much given up driving and riding my motorcycle lol

 

[Gubbins]

There are so many ways of dealing with this with advice offered on similar threads but my view is that if you become annoyed or are feeling the need to justify yourself or become confrontational then you are allowing others to control you and how you feel.
I have all sorts of responses which I refine as time goes by but one I am experimenting with is with an air of inocent confusion to deny it's an ebike, not understanding what they are on about, then depending how the conversation goes the penny drops and I offer wow! I wondered why it was easy to ride.. is that why I have to plug it in?
I use this tack with cold callers at home, trying to keep them on the line as long as possible...

 

[kingsknight]

There are so many ways of dealing with this with advice offered on similar threads but my view is that if you become annoyed or are feeling the need to justify yourself or become confrontational then you are allowing others to control you and how you feel.
I have all sorts of responses which I refine as time goes by but one I am experimenting with is with an air of inocent confusion to deny it's an ebike, not understanding what they are on about, then depending how the conversation goes the penny drops and I offer wow! I wondered why it was easy to ride.. is that why I have to plug it in?
I use this tack with cold callers at home, trying to keep them on the line as long as possible...

that honestly made me laugh!! Love it!

 

[D C]

If you get annoyed they win, just laugh it off then you win.
Dave.

 

[kingsknight]

but why the hell is it even a thing? I wasn't expecting this crap to be honest lol

 

[LeighPing]

but why the hell is it even a thing? I wasn't expecting this crap to be honest lol

It's because they don't like that you're not suffering like they are. No pain, no gain and all that strava rhubarb!

 

[soundwave]

just throw empty beer cans at them

 

[Trevormonty]

It's because they don't like that you're not suffering like they are. No pain, no gain and all that strava rhubarb!

Those riders MTB orRoadies don't have any problem driving to their ride start. Understand with MTB but road bike should be ridden everywhere.

 

[flecc]

but why the hell is it even a thing? I wasn't expecting this crap to be honest lol

It's unique to Britain and has come about due to cycling becoming widely seen as sporting in nature.

That in turn happened because utility cycling almost disappeared in Britain between the 1960s and 1980 when the first mountain bikes appeared, something that didn't happen in mainland Europe where they kept up cycling as transport.

As a result nearly all British cycling for almost 40 years has been distinctly sporting in style, MTB or drop handlebar road bikes. Just look at the way so many British cyclists ride helmeted and lycra clad at a furious high effort 20 mph or so, then compare that to The Netherlands where they cycle in a leisurely fashion at very moderate speeds, sitting upright and helmetless in street clothes.

Hence anyone using a motor here can be seen as cheating, pretending to be more capable cyclists, when all they're doing is using a bike in a sensible way as transport.
.

 

[lyme]

I'm a club/hobby cyclist and average 100/150 miles a week with several sportives and audaxes thrown in as well over the year but after having converted an ebike this year I am sold on them. My wife and I use them when we go away with our motorhome and I also use mine at other times as well and certainly do not count it as cheating. The question I ask to other people who say anything is can they cycle over 100 miles in a day, most don't reply.

 

[LeighPing]

The question I ask to other people who say anything is can they cycle over 100 miles in a day, most don't reply.

On one charge?

 

[Gubbins]

It's unique to Britain and has come about due to cycling becoming widely seen as sporting in nature.

That in turn happened because utility cycling almost disappeared in Britain between the 1960s and 1980 when the first mountain bikes appeared, something that didn't happen in mainland Europe where they kept up cycling as transport.

As a result nearly all British cycling for almost 40 years has been distinctly sporting in style, MTB or drop handlebar road bikes. Just look at the way so many British cyclists ride helmeted and lycra clad at a furious high effort 20 mph or so, then compare that to The Netherlands where they cycle in a leisurely fashion at very moderate speeds, sitting upright and helmetless in street clothes.

Hence anyone using a motor here can be seen as cheating, pretending to be more capable cyclists, when all they're doing is using a bike in a sensible way as transport.
.

Just to add to this. There are two sorts of cyclists.. there's are the head down ar*e up no pain no gain club, and everyone else.
The former go to great lengths and unbelievable expense to shave of the grams and thereby the seconds, put in massive painful efforts for years to strive for greater kudos and admiration from their peers. Everyone else offers no competition so are generally beneath their notice and are only acknowledged as being there when they get in the way. To join this club takes years of practice and a willingness to spend thousands on the never ending quest for excellence.... until along came ebikes which short circuit the natural order of things so it's actually understandable that any ebike cheaters should be suitably admonished.

 

[soundwave]

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/major-project-begins-on-gloucestershire-canal

there upgrading my race track

 

[James63]

If you're not competing you're not cheating. Don't pay any attention to other people's negativity. If it's just someone teasing you, smile and pedal on.