How do you guys think about E-roadbikes?
Posted by SpadzTT@reddit | ebikes | View on Reddit | 21 comments
i understand that eMTB and e-commuter bikes are a trend, and they serve their purpose, but e-roadbikes???
Recently read about a interview with a company investing A LOT on fabricating e-roadbike, his point of view (summarized):
- He used to be a rider and trained himself
- In his 30's he found the health and riding ability failed him (bro only 30's really????)
- Riding an e-roadbike makes him feel confident and young again (still, really???)
As a road bike rider myself, i may find that cheating on this 'sport', bcs no matter your health level, if you chose to ride a roadbike in the beginning, means you want to exercise (no matter the intensity). Also there's no need to show off your speed / compare to others / beating others by adding electrical power.
What do you guys think?
LSpliff@reddit
My emtb is my e-roadbike. If you're going to go e-powered why short yourself on comfort? Finding a decent one that can do 28mph without spending 10k+ is a challenge though.
Worried_Document8668@reddit
but why would anybod buy a mtb if they wanted to ride a roadbike?
tearycroc@reddit
As long as you are not racing, riding e-road bike is NOT cheating. Some people like the speed and the wind in the hair it brings. May be they used to be fast and are not as fast now. May be they just want to have fun (riding an e-bike is fun).
None of your or my business.
LSpliff@reddit
Fun, no struggle is what ebikes are all about imo. Some people want to suffer through the climbs as it makes them feel good about themselves, I never experienced that feeling, always hated climbing, but now going up is just as much fun as going down.
ExpensiveBookkeeper3@reddit
Of course it’s “cheating” but who cares.
Buscabulla33@reddit
Im 100% for all pev's!!! Everyone should be able to get around and have fun doing it. Honestly cars are just fking boring these days and driving anywhere in a car sucks with traffic just getting worse every year.
Inciteful_Analysis@reddit
Road biking evolved for speed. Lightweight frames, lightweight components, rigid forks, aerodynamic postures, narrow tires, dropbars, lycra outfits.
All of which are largely unnecessary with a motor and a battery. Speed is now mostly a function of legal limits, safety, and range management. Not strength. Not weight. Not low drag.
If you are going to add a battery and motor, why would you want to retain all the legacy encumberments of road biking?
698969@reddit
If you have a lightweight e-bike, you can go fast on flat sections even if the motor cuts off, and on uphill section you get assist and don't have to exert yourself as much.
SpadzTT@reddit (OP)
yeah totally!!!! for me the concept of 'electrical power' and 'road bike' fight with each other. Exact the reason why this product confuses me a lot
420Aquarist@reddit
I have an sworks creo 2 amazingly fun. Weighs about 28lbs. I can ride it with the motor off. If I get tired at a hill turn it on. Most fun bike I’ve ever had. Performs like a beast. Don’t knock it until you try it.
KostyaFedot@reddit
Try to think outside of cliches....
At my work people choose eRoad bicycles because road geometry is most sufficient for cycling, but climbing to office is insane.
And learn basics of aerodynamics. Increase of profile doesn't do much at such low speed as road cycling.
Inciteful_Analysis@reddit
Sure, I'll do that when you learn English and how to make coherent arguments.
Worried_Document8668@reddit
because some light assist here and there can turn something you couldn't finish otherwise into a nice and long zone 2/3 workout.
The e-road and gravel riders i know use it exactly for this kind of range extension and still are exercise oriented riders. Most of the riding is done above the max assist, with the motor helping to smooth put the worst climbs.
still absolutely riding for exercise and when riding like thaz all the typical roady equipment choice remain totally sensible
Worried_Document8668@reddit
most e-road and e-gravels are of the light assit variety and tend to require more work to begin with compared to full power e-bikes.
most of them also are built so they don't feel any different from a regular bike when going above the max assist speed or when shutting off the motor.
in my experience riding long distance tours on e-gravel, a light assist motor takes the edge off the worst climbs that would leave you wrecked otherwise. Enablig longer tours in zone 2 while still having some heartrate spikes on the climbs if you don't use too much assist.
it gives the option to tailor the workout you want to do instead of having to say you just can't physically do a certain tour.
and it can allow weaker riders to keep up in a group setting, so everyone can have fun.
also helps when you consider loads for bikepacking.
of course you can still waste all that potential exercise by going high assist only. And of course as soon as you add a motor and don't switch it off, you won't get the level of workout as climbing on roads or the brutal physicality of enduro mtb
SpadzTT@reddit (OP)
i get your point, so the e-road/gravel motor is very different from those of the commuters? i used to suppose that they're the same, for commuters you barely need to pedal.
nivaOne@reddit
….for commuters you barely need to pedal.
Mine has 5 levels. It is not mandatory to use level 5 at all times.
Worried_Document8668@reddit
light assist systems tend to require higher base cadence to really get theor power delivery going and don't have the kind of max torque and wattage as the full power ones, making for a more active riding style.
you could still adjust the assist so that you barely have to pedal but that's not what these systems are really good for and not how i see them used around there.
imo it's best to think of e-road and gravels as the same exercise tools they have always been but with the motor to adjust the exact intensity level of the workout or a rane extender.
you can always just switch off and have a slightly heavy but otherwise normal feeling bike
KostyaFedot@reddit
I'm finding it rude to question someone health statement.
You don't understand road cycling?
It is most effective way of pedaling. On most sufficient surface. The rest is variations.
So, adding climbing assistance is nothing different from eMTB.
I have seen eRoad riders at LBL.
Ph1lomena_b0redem@reddit
I'M FOR 'EM!
derping1234@reddit
If you want to explore a hilly area on a group ride, a motor could be beneficial. You could simply turn on the motor for a little bit of assist to help you go up a climb which you would otherwise struggle with. Nobody is using an e-roadbike in sport (well.... they shouldn't), but if you want to use it on a casual ride I don't see an issue with that. But to be fair it seem rather niche.
Ur-in-a-tor@reddit
I agree that the cadence sensor can be considered some sort of cheating but the torque sensor is nothing short of a game-changer in all sorts of cycling. You can keep yourself in the zones while still having speed when climbing. With a good motor you do not get the feeling of braking when the motor disengages at its max speed, it just continues as a regular bicycle.