E-bike haters, happened again

R

rider95

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322
Location
North west Indy
It was the first nice weekend of the yr, so the gf and I went to bike on the local bike pathway the mono that runs through Broad Ripple. This is a very popular stretch of the trail and was very crowded with every thing bikes kids on kick scooter ppl walking, ppl walking their dogs, just a lot of ppl out enjoying the day. Then here they come, the roadie guys, they're all decked out in there outfits, riding fast, weaving in and out of the crowds, they get really pissed if they have to brake or go around a group of walkers, it seems the bike path is their race track and the rest of us are in their way.

I passed one guy and pulled up next to my gf and stopped, the guy yells at me as he goes by GOD DAMMN Elec Bike!, my gf says to me the same guy yelled at her to get out of the way and was yelling at a little kid. I catch up with the guy pull up beside him and ask him you yelling at ppl?? He says to me keep pedaling with a surprise look on his face, I tell him this trail is for every body and not just his race track. I go on to tell him that just because he is a dick most of the time that its the weekend and he should relax and enjoy the day and stop being a dick for one day. This is the second time on the same bike path this has happened. From now on I will have my gopro with me so I can record them. that should really piss them off !!!

[moderator edited for title spelling]
 
There will always be some agro guys in lycra. They think riding is about suffering, and hate you for not suffering.

Confronting the guy is pretty pointless, he's a dick 24-7, and isn't going to suddenly stop. Why he rides in a crowd beats me, just shows he's both a dick and an idiot. Likely he watches 24-7 news channels all the time, and thinks shouting is just talking. :roll:
 
I used to get some of that yelling too. After commuting the same route for a few years, waving at them, slowing down when passing, saying hi, stopping and asking when they have a flat if they need anything, it seems to have improved, I haven't had any negative yelling for a long time. There are some lycra wrapped riders that will wave back, some ignore me but none are yelling. It takes time, but we must be good neighbors. I've thought about carrying some patches and tools that could help them, but I've never had any of them need anything. I don't fix flats on the road, so I don't normally carry patches or tire tools. I do carry a multi-tool and a phone.

I got flagged down when driving the 4Runner to work on this same route one time by a group who had one disabled bike, I tossed it on the rack and gave the rider a lift to his house. I didn't have my ebike that day but we talked about it, so he knows, and I'm sure he told his riding buddies about it, so I made a few friends that day.

There will always be a few haters, but if we recruit the rest we will be better off. Even the haters may turn out to need an ebike someday for some purpose, many cyclists have an application for a different use-case and may end up joining the ranks later. Don't make a war of it, instead just teach that it is a different tool for different purposes and share the roads.

When you do have to pass them (and it is fun), make sure to do it safely and with respect.
 
well said Allen when I ride MTB trails I never have this problem I have been high five more then once out on the trails ,to me the roadies act like well horse ppl they seem to hate any other trail user but Allen is right.
 
Don't generalize. People only remember the ones that act bad, and apply the same properties to everyone else with the same clothes. Lycra is the most suited bicycle wear for rigorous exercise and aerodynamics on a road bike. I am a considerate "lycra guy" (which is obviously a negatively charged work), and so are all my friends. drivers hate us, pedestrians hate us, and now even fellow cyclists. I guess we should just move to a different planet.
 
You're dealing with a hormone on wheels don't expect it to act naturally.

The higher the levels of testosterone the greater the lack of empathy and increase in selfishness. If your cycle was in the morning chances are levels of testosterone will be even higher.

Humour is a good weapon if you do have to engage with these people.
 
dogman dan said:
Confronting the guy is pretty pointless, he's a dick 24-7, and isn't going to suddenly stop.
Click to expand...

He is if you grab his brake lever. :mrgreen:
 
Generalizing the idea of electric cyclists is much like the idea of generalizing humans who wear tight fitting clothes. All people are different all over. There are assholes who ride electric bicycles just like there are assholes who wear lycra, being an asshole isn't specific facet to any other stereotype one may cast. Lets not needlessly place people into groups nor treat a person unfairly.
 
In our neck of the woods, the racers usually use the road parallel to the bike MUT because they just go too fast. We have comraderie waves to them and returned. I carry a good tool kit and have helped several times to repair tires for them. They usually ride 25-30 mph, way to fast for a path with tourists on bikes, dog walkers and families. I do wish there were safer places for them to ride, but at 30 mph, that trail would be downright dangerous. We rarely go over 15 mph and often need to slow down to 5 mph to pass dog walkers with courtesy and minimize problems. No agro here.
otherDoc
 
some interesting points from everyone here.

i have had mostly good experience with lycra riders.
i remember one time i followed a couple of them into town from my place(about 10k) i think they were training for a race, i was astonished at how fast they were going.
i was chugging along at 40-45kh as usual, but they were pretty much able to stay ahead, i think they were doing 50kph for a fair bit of the time(on flat)

i was actually on a cargo setup with my wife and daughter riding on the back. we pulled up at the lights together and i made a comment that i was very impressed with the speed they were capable of.
they were very friendly and loved to see my wife and daughter sitting behind me(always melts hearts)and we continued into town in a comradery fashion.
it was a great day.
 
Ask them if they want to draft you. They'll love it because they can go maybe 5-10mph faster when you break the wind for them, lol. I've done this multiple times..
 
neptronix said:
Ask them if they want to draft you. They'll love it because they can go maybe 5-10mph faster when you break the wind for them, lol. I've done this multiple times..
Click to expand...
thats a great idea. it might make my ridiculous peddling actually look like its doing something if they are also travelling at 50kph :lol:
 
ridethelightning said:
GUYS IN LYCRA....the very sight of them makes my throttle hand itch 8)
Click to expand...

it reminds me an E_BOARD ride where I once let such a lycra guy passing me, he had an arrogant word when passing me by "get of my way", then I went WOT and he could hardly stay ahead of me pedaling like hell : I asked him at what speed we were while riding, he never replied.

This being said, I do my best to skip any conflict initiation, since I truly believed MOTORIZED VEHICLE ARE NOT ALLOWED ON BICYCLE PATHS
 
I been rejected on my ebike by ebike haters, you just gotta accept it.
Look what happened to me when I tried to ride my ebike into a nightclub/bar with 3 bouncers at the entry and asked "can I come in?"
It was 1:30am and I was just riding through to grab some money out of the ATM.

I was kind of cheeky and when they rejected me with "not on that", I said "ah too good for me". Looking back I dont know what I was thinking at the time.

[youtube]jufiE312mto[/youtube]
 
I found a lycra guy carrying the back of his bike. His derailleur was jammed in the spokes, so his back wheel wouldn't turn. I managed to unjam it so the wheel could turn, but the bike was still not possible to pedal. We were at the bottom of a mile-long hill, and he lived near the top so I towed him all the way to the top by holding on to his jacket. I think this changed his impression about electric bikes. He was asking lots of questions along the way.
 
I've had multiple businesses reject me walking in with an ebike before. Given that they often have no area to park a bike, i kind of see it as a form of discrimination against bicyclists. It's rare, but it does happen. Some of the places that reject me can be worked with and eventually allow the bike inside. It usually takes knowing a few employees on a bit of a casual level first.

But i do appreciate being discriminated against; you know why? i don't want to give my money to any person or company that dislikes bicycles. I consider my dollar a vote for wins and who loses the business game.

Recently, my local radioshack pushed me out of the store just for bringing the bike in. My jimmies were rustled, because i thought that would be the least likely place for that to happen. This caused me to go to the local electronics store instead, which was 15 miles away, so that sucked.. BUT.. the owner of the local store was there, noticed that my bike was electric, and started asking questions about it. Eventually he rode the bike at 4000w and had a wicked e-grin on his face.

Safe to say, i think those guys will be okay with me bringing my ebike in! and i'll spend my hundreds of dollars per year there instead of at shitty radioshack now.... :)

Discrimination can be a good thing!
 
A strange response Kiriakos. I think that regular, low powered ebikes are what cyclists dislike the most as they appeal to lazy/cheat cyclists in their eyes. A high power Ebike is a different proposition entirely and not a perceived threat to their hobby. I think the truth is that there are many dicks in the world and you're bound to come across them whatever you do.
 
Kiriakos GR said:
Jackrabbit said:
A strange response Kiriakos. I think that regular, low powered ebikes are what cyclists dislike the most as they appeal to lazy/cheat cyclists in their eyes. A high power Ebike is a different proposition entirely and not a perceived threat to their hobby. I think the truth is that there are many dicks in the world and you're bound to come across them whatever you do.
Click to expand...

There is not low powered e-bikes in this planet.
Power starts from 1mW and goes up to hundreds kilowatts.
Science and engineering proved after many tests that for this application (which is about to push a human body of 120Kg max, over a bicycle that can accept 160Kg max) is the power of 250W.
Electric assistance is here to serve only one true goal, and this is to take away portion of the fatigue which a bicycle rider usually accepts.
Personally I have no more crazy hart beat in my uphill root, by body has power to travel in longer distances, and this is the all gain.

If you pay attention to advertising campaigns of serious companies, you will note that pictured e-bike riders has an age of 60 years old.
Young and healthy people do not need electric assistance.
Click to expand...


Well thats cute in your tiny little corner of your world... but thats not how it is everywhere.
Here for example, there are no bicycle areas... putting all 250watts of your perfect little body on the pedals would get your butt run over by an SUV. You either go with traffic at atleast moped speeds, or you get the hell out of the way.
After I run your ass over in my 35" (0.889 meters) tall tires in m 4500lb(2041Kg) vehicle... I am sure you will appreciate the assistance ebikes can provide... :mrgreen:
 
Kiroia: You have a way with words lol.
And I'm sorry about the poo, you know it was fake right? I thought it would be funny to keep people from stealing your seat you see? Glad you got it sorted.

I think you're right on this. And if the rambunctious youngsters make it out of that phase they'll admit you're right.

That being said I'm making a 4000 watt bike because I can. And I plan to ride it. But I do plan to be responsible and show others kindness and deference. And I don't think that's unlike jackrabbit or most.


Hehe Alan you just posted. He's saying 250 is more than enough to use a bike as a bike seeing human input is 100 or so watts only. So he'll just keep arguing. Because with what he's saying he really is right.
 
The post was simply how some (not all) roaders with there matching racing shorts and jersey are very arrogant when using a bike path as there race track riding way too fast for the amount of ppl walking and all other forms on the same bike path. Weaving in and out and not respecting all the others even yelling at ppl to get out of the way , there is a white Bike all white including the tires that's bolted to the side of the trail and sadly there's more than one of these all white bikes mark a spot were a person was killed . To ride that fast when the path is so crowded shows a lack of responsibility and arrogance doesn't matter if its a E bike or just a plain bike or anything . And Kiriakos what the hell are you trying to say lol
 
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