Sharing a dirty little secret

[Smaug]

I guess it depends on age and physical condition prior to getting the eBike. I was 46 and in OK shape. (30 lbs overweight compared to BMI stats)
Now, I'm 25 lbs. overweight but in much better shape and eBikes were the "gateway drug" to get back into cycling.

 

[WHEELZ]

I try to do 40 min. a day of swift walking, or standard bicycling, my BP stays in acceptable ranges so no BP med's or cholesterol drugs (I'm in my 60's). I love the e-bikes, but they just don't seem to give the cardio benefit standard bicycling does. When I take the e-bikes out on the same routes as standard bicycles, I appreciate that assist, because I know how much effort those climbs take manually.

 

[Smaug]

Update: I commuted in on my gravel bike this morning; just two miles. Yet I arrived sweaty. I find it damned hard to not put in sweating effort on a drop bar bike. First time in awhile it was sunny and above 50 and I immediately was sweating. Perhaps the eMoped is safe after all.

I got used to winter commuting and never having to break a sweat. When I got hot, I'd just open the jacket and have an arctic cooling airflow. Now, my blood will have to thin down again for the spring/summer.

 

[addertooth]

Update: I commuted in on my gravel bike this morning; just two miles. Yet I arrived sweaty. I find it damned hard to not put in sweating effort on a drop bar bike. First time in awhile it was sunny and above 50 and I immediately was sweating. Perhaps the eMoped is safe after all.

I got used to winter commuting and never having to break a sweat. When I got hot, I'd just open the jacket and have an arctic cooling airflow. Now, my blood will have to thin down again for the spring/summer.

Yes, I am expected to arrive at work "looking professional". They do have showers at work, but when you add that time to the time to cycle in, it would mean getting out the door about 45 minutes before the work day starts.

 

[kmccune]

I bought an acoustic road bike yesterday, a Trek Domane AL3 Disc.

"What spurred THAT on, Jeremy? Why waste perfectly good eBike money on an mBike?" Glad you asked; storytime.

I went to a road bike ride last weekend, figuring I could take my Aventon Level.2 on a bike rack and my Lectric XP Lite in a tote in the back seat for my daughter. There were 27 mile, 41 mile and 62 mile loops. Well, the Aventon wouldn't balance on my cheap strap-on rear rack. It's tail-heavy and wanted to swivel. So at the last minute, I decided to take my acoustic bike, a hybrid Trek Verve 3. I figured with its higher tire pressure and thinner tires, maybe I could keep up with my daughter on the eBike and the peloton of (mostly older) road bike riders. Boy was I wrong! My daughter stayed with the peloton and I was dropped almost immediately. I had a moment when I wondered: "Am I out of shape because I'm an eBiker and not a 'cyclist'? Is it the more suitable hardware they have? Or are they really just in top shape?"

When I finished the race, my daughter had already finished lunch and I found out she'd stayed with the group the whole time! (no worries about leaving Dad behind to ride with a bunch of strangers) She finished a 27 mile ride with about half the battery left, so she was definitely doing her fair share of work. (the bike is rated for 15 miles @ throttle-only, 20 miles at PAS3 and 31 miles at PAS2. I estimate the group was going about 15 mph)

Anyway, I decided after that ride that:
a) I need to get in better shape
b) I need a road bike if I'm gonna compare my fitness to that of others

So, I joined the local bike club and am planning to look like Prime Greg Lemond in a couple of weeks.

right!

 

[CaptainOzone]

I re-read my first post and went back and added all the miles from my Strava account on this bike. 1602 so far, and I'm sure there is another 100 miles I didn't log in Strava. To me, that's not bad, having had the bike less than 9 months. It's about 189 miles per month, just on that bike.

Here's a recent shot of me on the Domane in the local velodrome.View attachment 13575

I got up to around 20 mph but it was not fast enough to really get up on the banked walls. (I was already a bit tired, as we rode 18 miles already to get there)

Is that the original poster? I thought it was Greg Lemond.

 

[bobcat931]

I bought an acoustic road bike yesterday, a Trek Domane AL3 Disc.

"What spurred THAT on, Jeremy? Why waste perfectly good eBike money on an mBike?" Glad you asked; storytime.

I went to a road bike ride last weekend, figuring I could take my Aventon Level.2 on a bike rack and my Lectric XP Lite in a tote in the back seat for my daughter. There were 27 mile, 41 mile and 62 mile loops. Well, the Aventon wouldn't balance on my cheap strap-on rear rack. It's tail-heavy and wanted to swivel. So at the last minute, I decided to take my acoustic bike, a hybrid Trek Verve 3. I figured with its higher tire pressure and thinner tires, maybe I could keep up with my daughter on the eBike and the peloton of (mostly older) road bike riders. Boy was I wrong! My daughter stayed with the peloton and I was dropped almost immediately. I had a moment when I wondered: "Am I out of shape because I'm an eBiker and not a 'cyclist'? Is it the more suitable hardware they have? Or are they really just in top shape?"

When I finished the race, my daughter had already finished lunch and I found out she'd stayed with the group the whole time! (no worries about leaving Dad behind to ride with a bunch of strangers) She finished a 27 mile ride with about half the battery left, so she was definitely doing her fair share of work. (the bike is rated for 15 miles @ throttle-only, 20 miles at PAS3 and 31 miles at PAS2. I estimate the group was going about 15 mph)

Anyway, I decided after that ride that:
a) I need to get in better shape
b) I need a road bike if I'm gonna compare my fitness to that of others

So, I joined the local bike club and am planning to look like Prime Greg Lemond in a couple of weeks.

Good for you my brother! Keep riding acoustic as long as you can. Massive difference in the workout you get vs. the ebike using pedal assist vs. none using throttle. That said, I did a 25 mile ride last week facing a 20-25 mph headwind for much of the way...and a few hills. The ride would not have been fun, maybe not doable in my condition, on acoustic. Certainly would have been a struggle. My Cannondale Synapse ebike made the ride doable and enjoyable. As much of the ride possible on the least pedal assist necessary and got in a good bit of cardio. A good bit, but nothing like the average acoustic ride. Electric is cool, enables us to do those rides at our age and in our condition we might otherwise not be doing, but don't give up on riding accoustic!

 

[Smaug]

Good for you my brother! Keep riding acoustic as long as you can. Massive difference in the workout you get vs. the ebike using pedal assist vs. none using throttle. That said, I did a 25 mile ride last week facing a 20-25 mph headwind for much of the way...and a few hills. The ride would not have been fun, maybe not doable in my condition, on acoustic. Certainly would have been a struggle. My Cannondale Synapse ebike made the ride doable and enjoyable. As much of the ride possible on the least pedal assist necessary and got in a good bit of cardio. A good bit, but nothing like the average acoustic ride. Electric is cool, enables us to do those rides at our age and in our condition we might otherwise not be doing, but don't give up on riding accoustic!

You're right about there being a massive difference in the workout, esp. in the wind.
All of our club rides so far here this year have been in 20-35 mph winds until last night's ride. That was only a 12 mph and it felt relatively easy!
...but I'm not always in the mood for such a workout, or to have to go 5 mph, hence the eBikes.

I met someone in a club meeting last night who is shopping for an eBike, but she doesn't want to spend $4k+ like the other club members who have Domane+ eBikes; she wants a commuter. She found the right guy!

There's room for everything and everyone in cycling!

 

[th 'fern]

Why ride only one type of bike? Road, mountain, cruiser, electric assist. It is a silly question, unless constrained by budget.
I also have more than one type of rake, shovel, hammer, screwdriver, chair, fork, plate, shirt, shoes, etc.


Just need to license the motorcycles with (unused) pedals, put them on roads and keep them off bicycle paths. That's the secret.