E-bikes aren’t for lazy people they’re for consistent riders
Posted by WillaCrest9034@reddit | ebikes | View on Reddit | 70 comments
I used to think e-bikes were about doing less effort. Now I think they’re about removing excuses. Bad weather? Still ride. Tired? Still ride. Long commute? Still ride. It feels like e-bikes don’t reduce cycling—they just make it more accessible every day. Do you agree or disagree?
fireflyhaven20@reddit
They make biking more accessible, period.
I have multiple joint issues from military service. I couldn't ride a normal bike on the trails that I ride, but I am able to do them on my Class 1 Bulls Aminga and keep up with my friends and husband without issue.
BWWFC@reddit
mmm not really bikeing more accessible...but riding above skill level and danger speed.
imagien back in the day you wanted to go any distance, even over flat pavement at +20mph... had to be IN SHAPE and pay attention to what you were doing lol it was work. now anyone, even inebriated/high/sluggish sleepy can do that one-handed face in phone earbuds in streaming podcast/music, anywhere any time with no real idea of the mechanics of emergency stopping a bike or evasive maneuvers or dangers of obsicals.
fireflyhaven20@reddit
Whatever, dude. Take your ableism somewhere else.
BWWFC@reddit
better days, peace!
PreferenceAny3920@reddit
JFC… stop. Just. Stop. Every single convo you turds are in here with these silly statements. Enough already.
BWWFC@reddit
jfc, repeating yourself, turds? enough... already? that's a fervor, got non-ebike issues, near future okay? it's a reach, but take no agreement with my idea of "lazy" and how it impacts, cool. but fwiw:
evaan-verlaine@reddit
I have some health stuff that makes biking difficult. I've been trying to get out and bike for the last year, but didn't feel confident in my ability to get back from places I could theoretically bike to. I'm so excited for the class 1 ebike I recently ordered! I have a list of places I want to ride it to!
Light_Butterfly@reddit
I've got a meniscus tear and reduced mobility, the ebike has saved my life and my knees! Doctor recommended!
wturber@reddit
My experience is that for the masses they are about practicality. They make bicycles generally more useful and more accessible. I've used an ebike as a partial car replacement for about eight years now. If my trip is in town, I'm on the ebike about 99% of the time. If my trip is out of town, then I drive my car about 90% of the time.
Having an ebike definitely means I ride a bike more often.
I ride my conventional bike without a motor on for fun/exercise.
2007endeavor@reddit
Wow beautiful. Does the Vbrake on the front wheel provide enough braking power?
wturber@reddit
I suppose the Vbrake is good enough. I have about 3200 miles on it so far and it hasn't crashed yet. But a disc brake would probably be better. And in the last two weeks I've had a couple "almost" close calls with inattentive drivers. The Surly fork has the mount for a disc brake, but the wheel hub doesn't have a disc mount. I'd get a different front wheel, but I really like the red rim. :\^). What I should do is get a new front hub with a disc flange, relace the front wheel, and install a disc brake. Just what I need. Another project.
Damin-216@reddit
If losing 200 lbs riding eMtbs is cheating and being lazy, then I am a lazy cheater! ;)
Knaifu69@reddit
my god, congratulations dude. Ebikes aside that's a really good accomplishment!
Knaifu69@reddit
I'm 16, I use it to get to school because it's relatively far. I also do enjoy taking it out and just riding around the neighborhood, safely and responsibly ofc. Sometimes I like using PAS. sometimes I like using the throttle. Sometimes I just like pedaling without the motor at all. It really just does depend on the mood.
frogs_fear_me@reddit
Bot account
blissin21@reddit
How can you tell?
Laserdollarz@reddit
New account, zero posts until now
They post vague open ended questions and stories like this in order to get karma/engagement.
Generic ai written text
internetjay@reddit
Ugh, reading it back, there's the en dash and italicized text and everything
BiblioFlowerDog@reddit
There have been sooooo sooo many posts of this ilk in r/ebikes!
I mean Im excitedly awaiting mine and I know how it will benefit my life, but geez Im tired of these bot posts!
I can tell what they are without even clicking to open the full text!
blissin21@reddit
Oh ok i see, thanks
Laserdollarz@reddit
Report them for a few things. If the account is really obvious it gets auto deleted.
No-Bottle-300@reddit
It makes me do double the laps at the bike park which is my main aim
SirHustlerEsq@reddit
My class-3 ebike allows me to occasionally commute with traffic, since I live in a place with zero bike infrastructure.
joshmuthaf@reddit
Agreed, I ride analog mtb and gravel and real diirtbikes, E bikes allow me to squeeze in time crunch rides, still able to get exercise in just cover more ground faster !
Financial_Lab4827@reddit
My work is about 25km from my house in downtown toronto. I'd be a sweaty mess and take twice as long riding there on a pedal bike. It let's me get outside, save money on gas, and enjoy biking. I otherwise would never pedal bike to work.
rshetts1@reddit
Screw the gatekeepers. Ebikes help people get out and ride who otherwise may not be able to. I am a great example of this. I have rheumatoid arthritis and my e-bike allows me to get out and ride where I otherwise would not be able to. I use pedal assist almost all of the time but having a throttle is a nice safety feature for me. If the ride ends up causing a flare up, I can still get home using the throttle. On a regular bike I would have to call someone to come get me. It also allows people to ride much further that they would be able to on a regular bike. It is also a great alternative for urban transportation. E-shaming is weak sauce.
Strawb3rryPanic1_1@reddit
My e-bike keeps me on a bike every day. My full time job is a hilly 24 mile commute that I can do on a regular bike, but it kicks my butt and is hard to do consistently. My e-bike allowed me to sell my car and get fresh air every day. Now I use my regular bike recreationally and to cruise around town. Love both, but the accessibility removal of car dependency desperately needs to be part of the e-bike conversation instead of this strange sense of elitism.
BlackberryHill@reddit
Timely post for me. I have all the kinds of acoustic bikes. Heavy comfortable steel commuter and light sprightly gravel bike are the usual choices for my hilly 9 mile each way commute. I only do the full 9 if there is daylight. I hate riding a loaded bike, but when I checked my efforts, I’m only in zone 2 on the hills, so maybe not making that much effort. An ebike would mean even less. Still trying to justify buying an ebike, because if it is bad weather I’m more inclined to drive.
kinnsao@reddit
Ebikes are also for people with disabilities. I have two severe chronic illnesses and my ebike means I can still ride when I am flaring
waineofark@reddit
Yes this is what I say! I got my first ebike when my kid was an infant. I didn't want to do the 2-hour RT commute to work because it meant less time with her. But with the ebike, I could make that commute faster OR bring her with me by dragging a trailer, something not physically possible for me otherwise.
My commute also has a nasty section shared with cars that I couldn't figure out on my analog bike. With my ebike, I can either take it faster (closer to the speed of cars) of add 2 miles of bike path for the same time.
BigFattyOne@reddit
In a city with a lot of hills an ebike is not just for lazy people.. I want to enjoy my ride, not be drenched in sweat when I arrive at my destination
Sweaty_Handle_2526@reddit
Well, ya’ll need to learn some basics of being out in the wild. For instance a bike horn instead of a full side car horn would be great.
Announce yourselves when before you overtake someone
Also obey the speed limit around actual cyclists.
I’m happy to see more people out there. But you’ll literally have a silent dirt bike. And it’s very startling to someone zoned out and putting in the work.
Other then that welcome and enjoy
LocalAd5537@reddit
E-bikes are for people that like E-bikes.
Hobbymate_@reddit
As a motorcycle rider and a guy with far too many hobbies for my wallet to be happy, I find e-bikes an unbelievable money-sink
Everything gets extra wear on an e-bike and the e-parts are way too expensive
If you actually service your bike properly, you might as well consider motorcycling for ~ the same amount of money spent
Unlucky_Battle_6947@reddit
I don’t know where you got your info from, but I am in decent shape and lazy as fuck. That’s why I bought my Ebike so I would go exploresice
VegaGT-VZ@reddit
Don't worry about what strangers think
babar_the_elephant_@reddit
I agree and the results speak for themselves. I went from being an analog biker hating on ebike riders, who managed my rides factoring in sweating. to buying a cargo bike for bringing my kid places, to always riding my cargo bike everywhere now. I'm at 4100 miles in two years of ownership and live in the center of a global city. It replaced my usage of public transportation, cars, taxis, I don't use them at all anymore and I've lost 15 kgs. I don't really care if I'm being called lazy for running a battery.
DirtyBeard443@reddit
Similar for me, wanted to start riding my standard bike for a 6 mile commute and wanted to see if I could maintain. Stuck to that for 3 months in the summer so I bought a cargo ebike. Now I use my cargo bike all the time and haven't driven my van for a whole year. I've lost 15-20 lbs over the past year and a half. I love riding my bike and will get constant eye rolls from my wife when she offers for me to take her car.
IronMew@reddit
Don't care.
Ebikes are tools. They are for use by anyone who needs them. Whether the need is to have a motor push you without effort or to be motivated to ride is immaterial.
RealWeekness@reddit
They do pretty good in the rain?
DirtyBeard443@reddit
I ride mine regularly. Just usually have to protect the screen.
PuzzledActuator1@reddit
I can only speak to mountain biking, but I'm out there for twice as long as on my normal mountain bike and hit 3 times as many trails. It increases my enjoyment.
BeardBoiiiii@reddit
I moved to the Netherlands a week ago. I have to commute to work with bike but even tho I have a drivers license for bigboybikes and love riding, I hate cycling. I ordered an ebike because Im lazy and I want it to feel less tiring while having pace.
niffcreature@reddit
Disagree. Plenty of consistent and inconsistent riders either way. Currently my stamina is more defined by how my ass is feeling.
Ok_Bath_5379@reddit
"E-bikes are for lazy people" so what if they are?
Like I love biking riding to get outdoors and see shit but I absolutely hate exercise. I sure as shit won't ever ride a regular bike for fun 😂
This world is already hard enough to live in - there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing something easier
kloyoh@reddit
I work hard as a cook. Some of these hills I climb have been nothing since I got an ebike. The energy I save from biking makes work and after work easier. If I want to ride a normal bike I go on low mode or get out my single speed bike. Do u. Don't worry about what others think...
reedx032@reddit
I realize this is an e-bike sub and you’re looking for validation, but those same statement apply to analog bikes and just about anything else. I bike to work and back as many days as possible, 32 mile round trip, and the things that stop me are just the days when it’s so cold that I can’t stop ski goggles from icing over. I suppose if I had a 50 mile round trip, an e-bike would start factoring in, but that starts getting further than I’d want to go even in a car.
Adept_Spirit1753@reddit
Yeah, OP just went with a brain-dead take
Laserdollarz@reddit
Its a bot lol
reedx032@reddit
Dead internet theory?
Laserdollarz@reddit
Dead internet reality
Adept_Spirit1753@reddit
Who would have thought.
frog_mannn@reddit
I was anti ebike for a while ill admit it, now I own one and I commute 5 days a week. Its total game change and even tired I'm still biking is huge
Big_footed_hobbit@reddit
I take the same argument for a regular bike.
“It make moving easier. It is a machine. So why don’t you walk? Oh you don’t even bike. You take a car and hate e-bikes.”
With that one can end the discussion.
Adventureadverts@reddit
Biking is just for people too lazy to walk
SamanthaJaneyCake@reddit
My bike is my year-round commuter.
KalamariNights@reddit
Using AI to write one paragraph 🤢🤮
blissin21@reddit
Yes exactly this! Also its for people who jusy want a leisurely ride to work in office clothes and no sweaty mess
travlngus@reddit
They can be about all the things you said but it is 100% also about putting in less effort. That's not coming from a negative place. Disabled, elderly, tired parents trying to keep up with their kids. Not wanting to put in max effort isn't necessarily about being lazy but i don't see how you're missing the reduction of effort when it does the most strenuous part for you.
BabalonBimbo@reddit
My 80 year old father rides the throttle hard but has arthritis and enjoys being outside. He used to ride motorcycles but his vision and balance aren’t great for that anymore. He gets to safely have fun and it gets him out of the house. Not enough people understand the importance of fresh air and the enjoyment just being outside can give people who don’t have the mobility to pedal. Maybe that’s “lazy” but I see real benefits to it every time we ride together.
BabalonBimbo@reddit
They are also for lazy people. They are for anyone who wants one. Manufacturers just want to sell them. They don’t care who buys them. Only snobs who want to gatekeep something that might get a lazy person outside and maybe even more active.
Worried_Document8668@reddit
if you are a consistent rider with the mentality for it, you will be on muscle-powered or electric bikes.
e-bikes are a convenience tool, making some things more relaxed(hauling things,commuting) or extending range(doing a looong zone 2 ride with a smooth heartrate instead of burning yourself out on some climbs) and also an enabler for the ones that couldn't really go out riding otherwise
but to be devil's advocate: they can totally trick you into thinking you are getting more workout than you actually are, unless you ride without assist from time to time.
RipOk3600@reddit
Yep that’s exactly right for me. I have ADHD and so struggle to maintain doing things (doing it once or twice is easy but maintaining that is impossible). I have an elliptical in my lounge which I struggle to use, I bought dumb bells and I struggle to continue using them.
However my bike is different. I bought it and I ONLY use it. I have a car which I loaned to a friend because I wasn’t driving. Last time I drove was Christmas and that was because I was going interstate to visit family. Before that it was so long the battery on the car had gone flat.
I have wet weather gear on the bike, I have cold weather gear I can use when it gets really cold, I have lighting so I can ride at night. I basically only ride now.
My bike was in for an extended time for service because of a battery issue and I said to my GP that I was anxious to get it back because it forced me to exercise and WANT to exercise. I didn’t have the issues maintaining that because “I need to go to the shops” ride my bike, “need to go to work” ride my bike ect
madmax727@reddit
Or for people who don’t understand bikes or have experience. I grew up somewhere without much bike culture and no infastrcture. When I moved I found I didn’t feel confident or excited about bikes. When I got an ebike and learned more about bikes through my excitement I now have a regular bike and love riding in general.
Ebikes are for lazy ppl is a dumb haters statement or for kids who cruise the throttle for sure. Most of us adults love them and accumulate so many miles exploring on them. It’s a great source of excitement and great hobby for me.
Otherwise_Twist3560@reddit
What’s wrong with cruising the throttle? Some days I want a bike, some days I want a moped.
madmax727@reddit
That’s true. Good call, as long as you out and enjoying who cares.
Far-Resource3365@reddit
It depends on a ebike. I have lightweight (14kg) ebike with small battery and even smaller motor. In EU specs so 25 kmph max and I have to move my legs for it to work. After 62km in strong winds on analogue bike my legs needed to recover for few days and commuting on "I'll add 20nm to your power" we're exactly what doctor ordered :)
rcayca@reddit
I don't want to ride in bad weather regardless of what kind of bike it is. When it's cold, the wind is amplified by an e-bike. Plus you have a chance of killing the bike if the weather sealing isn't perfect.
Altruistic_East8902@reddit
I hope so I'm about to get my first one and looking at it as another vehicle rather than an activity. Hoping to use it as a way to supplement exercise as I sit a lot for work
Butwhatif77@reddit
Truth is that it is both a utility vehicle and a toy. I got my self a cargo ebike recently and I am loving it.
I use it on the regular to just pop over to the grocery store, I work from home and don't really have much in the way of errands haha.
But also I routinely later at night after most traffic has died down, take my bike out for a spin and enjoy feeling the wind in my face. Even with my PAS set to a 3 out of 5, I can still peddle fast enough that I get in a work out if I want, the difference is just how far I travel and the sites I get to see along the way.