And then, one of the biggest contributers to trial maintenance in the city of Charlotte. BigBikeMike rides a downhill bike on the trails. You better tell him to quit, because a bike that heavy will ruin the trails I

Impaler 58 wrote on 08/03/17 at 9:38am:


OP literally said it's to go faster and longer, and lets be honest that is the majority of why people buy them.  Not saying I'm against them or for them, but lets not beat around the bush.

TitanFlyer wrote on 08/03/17 at 2:10am:


That comment was sort of an eye roller to me.. But I appreciate that people are passionate about the sport.

TitanFlyer wrote on 08/03/17 at 1:13pm:


You didn't start anything, its been brought up more than a few times so no worries.  I can get behind the idea of ebikes getting people on bikes who wouldn't normally be on bikes.  I unfortunately don't think that is the draw for a lot of the people... 

USNWC opted not to have a policy on e-bikes, which implicitly allows them, and I was one of the people who helped make that decision.  This decision was necessary in preparation for cyclofest.  Prior to the decision I rode the same bike the original poster is considering purchasing (and I started with a significantly negative opinion of e-bikes), and by the end of the ride I no longer had a problem with them.   

I don't want to own an e-bike, but most of the concerns people who haven't ridden them throw around are complete non-issues.  Your speed is still largely defined by the trail and your fitness, and they do not damage trails in any way beyond a typical mtb.  The only difference is that you can climb a trail like Goat Hill without being out of breath at the top.  I never felt like I was even riding that much faster than I normally would.....it just felt easier.

So, once Cyclofest came to be, we saw hordes of people riding multitudes of e-bikes all over usnwc, and there were no issues that I was ever made aware of.   
I think they're really dorky, and I currently have no need for one, but they do not present the problems that everyone typically attributes to them.

I'll call out what I think a lot of "experienced riders" observe but don't point out for fear of embarrassing others.  And it's another eye roller every time I read these types of comments.  When people tend to overstate how easily you could be riding local trails and then catastrophically crash into someone coming the opposite direction!  Or you go over the bars because of some demon root that you could almost swear has a mind of its own!  Or even this misconception that aggressive riding on longer travel or DH bikes will, any day now, damage our trails beyond repair.  And then the slower riding sages with their bike bells will be able to say "told ya so."  My immediate thought is that the people making these comments aren't very skilled riders and probably not that athletic but they will comment the most on technique, how different types of bikes handle at speed, and so on.  It creates some unnecessary anxiety and fear when instead we should encouraging other riders to excel and improve.

I don't want to downplay how important it is to ride safe and within your own limits.  But we can reach out to others that we think could help us improve a particular skill or show you a line through a section of trail you are have difficulty clearing.  Personally, I would rather ride with the guy on the e bike vs. someone who is hyper aware of the inherent dangers of the sport and handles their bike accordingly.  My nerves would be shot after a ride like that!

Have fun with your new ride Raptor!

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So you're saying that pushing helmet usage is creating unnecessary anxiety and fear?

For me it's sort of like the shooting sports or flying airplanes. It's people that don't have a safe attitude and approach things with a certain degree of carelessness are the ones that disturb me. Maybe it's an age and experience thing. Wouldn't be the first I've had to carry somebody out of the woods, apply a tourniquet and call an ambulance.

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We agree about this.

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That's exactly what we were trying to do with the OP.

Reach out and explore with him the legality and benefits or lack thereof of e-bikes vs. other options.

I would do the same if an inexperienced rider came here asking about a full rigid SS vs. a geared full squish bike. Different bikes, slightly different skill set and risks.

You should try sky diving. You make sure your homework's done before you get in the plane, take the ride and go out the door. Nerve wracking. Yep, and not for everybody.  

I think the OP now has the information he needs to make an informed decision.

To the OP, a E-Bike is designed for someone in the situation you describe.  It's a great way for you to have a lot of fun and get good exercise at the same time.  They don't look much different than a regular mtb unless someone knows what to look for.  Go buy what you want for your needs and don't listen to the bush, he is adopted!  

I joke around and call them mopeds all of the time but in fact they are mtbs with pedal assist and a lot of fun to ride.  No further trail damage will occur. 

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It's called responding in kind.  

Have you checked out my carbon fiber torture tests down in the gear section of the forum?

I've got 4 bikes. One steel SS, one aluminum FS and two carbon (FS and HT). For the last three days I've ridden nothing but carbon. Does that tell you something about how I feel about carbon fiber? 

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I'm always naturally skeptical of anything the industry is pushing. Because they're in the business of selling bikes. Not necessarily looking out for the welfare of my backside. That's my responsibility. 

Banjopickin wrote on 08/03/17 at 2:41pm:


This is the slippery slope that will have to be dealt with in regards to allowing them on trails.  If a sign is posted stating no motorized vehicles, then technically any e-bike is not allowed.  To say some of them are okay allows the argument for the bikes shown in the link above.  At some point Parks and Rec and WWC and the other entities that run the local trails will have to spell out specifically what is allowed on the trail and what isn't.  I'm not convinced that a bike such as the Specialized causes any more damage than a regular bike, but I do see that something with a more powerful motor certainly could.  Of course, there is more damage being done to trails now by people who go riding on trails when they are closed due to weather than by e-bikes.  That's a bigger argument to have in my opinion.