Have you Ever Tried an Electric Bike?

[Betty Rubble]

I've not tried one, but I am interested in them.

[rkcjaxx952]

I haven't ever tried an electric bike but I would love to! I've wanted an electric bike for so long. I just can't afford one. It would be amazing to win one and it would be a dream come true! 😊

[CatnMule]

I haven't tried one but hope to. Haven't been riding much lately but even when I was riding 120-140 miles a week, I just was not able to improve my speed very much. My endurance was excellent -- I did 5 metric centuries that year -- I could ride for 6+ hours but never above 15 mph and usually around 14. I was REALLY slow on hills. I was too slow for the faster groups but too fast for the beginner groups, plus I wanted to put in more miles that the beginners.
SO... I am wondering if an electric bike would help me keep up with my friends and others on a group ride. I still want to pedal and propel the bike myself as much as I can but, especially on hills, the boost might help me keep up. Sounds like the motors are pretty heavy and clunky though so don't know how this would work with a road bike.
Right now I just have to get started again -- I have had a lot of surgeries the last three years and lost most of my fitness -- heck I am even having trouble clipping in and out, something I thought I would never forget once it became second nature... and I have Look pedals, the easiest of them all.
Can't wait till these motors get a little slimmer and lighter -- would love to try them on my bike. I'm not going to buy a new bike, though -- my Felt is "old" now but it's still a higher end bike and I love the ride. Interested to see where all of this goes.

[Kimmy]

Well, technically not an electric bike but actually an electric trike. My grandpa got it for my grandma so she could accompany him riding around the neighborhood. She loved it. I still ride it occasionally.

[Ablang]

I haven't yet tried an electric bike.

I haven't seen any in person that wasn't less than $1000.

[Jramish]

I'm excited to try one. I used to do triathlon and race bikes but stoped when i got nerve damage in my leg. Electric might get me back into biking again.

[Rhonda Martin]

(05-05-2021, 09:24 AM)Nicholas Wrote:  Hello, bike riders!
Are you sceptical, neutral or excited about electric bikes?
Have you ever tried riding one? What are the reasons for yes/no?

Join the poll and let's discuss e-bikes

I'm excited about electric bikes!

[Andrew F]

We have one in the family. I've ridden it, but it's not my regular ride.

[Sue E Eades]

My mom had an electric trike but I never rode it.

[TomC]

I bought an electric trike for my wife several years ago, she rode it frequently before she passed. I ride it occasionally, so do other members of the family. I'd like to get a serious eBike, but good ones are awfully pricey.

[MrGok]

Haven't tried one yet, but might be nice for running errands

[Xaun Loc]

Never tried one (yet)

[Ashley]

My sister has one. I tried it once. I guess it was ok.

[SLR]

I’ve never rode an electric bike but would love to try one out.

[JellyfishJourney]

Hopefully able to buy one for use on college campus

[Pedal49]

(05-05-2021, 09:24 AM)Nicholas Wrote:  Hello, bike riders!
Are you sceptical, neutral or excited about electric bikes?
Have you ever tried riding one? What are the reasons for yes/no?

Join the poll and let's discuss e-bikes

I have used an electric recumbent velomobile to shop, and commute. It is faster and perhaps safer when going 30 miles. My average speed is 15 MPH vs 8 on a recumbent. The motor makes hills easier and eliminates shifting - I just stay in high gear all the time. I added the motor after finding that riding a 70 pound velomobile was difficult on hills. The motor and battery increased the weight to about 100 pounds but that is not a problem, as long as there is power. I have ridden a mile or so without any power on days that the battery ran down.
The aerodynamics makes hills really F A S T. After finding myself across the center line on a downhill reverse-banked turn; I have had to learn to use the brakes on downhills, something I seldom did in the past.
Drivers approaching from the rear either follow or pass across the center line. I had one driver follow me to the local bike shop and admit he did not know how to pass the velomobile. One of the mechanics said "just wait until it is safe." I suspect the driver was just interested in seeing the velomobile up close.

[Kathy Scott]

I have not tried an Electric Bike but my son has one and he thinks that I would love it.

[Knitknot]

I tried an electric bike when I was in Barcelona, Spain in 2016. It was a rental. I road it along the beach. The bike itself was heavy. It only gave me a tiny boost of power. But it was a rental and maybe it was not taken care of as it should be. My concern is the weight. There was a DEFINITE weight problem in the rear. I would not like to try to carry this bike up a flight of stairs. Before I put my money down to buy one it most definitely would need to give me an edge going up hill and they will have to do something about the weight problem.

[Dave McCausland]

Never tried an electric bike but they seem like they could be a lot of fun

[Carrie Capehart]

(05-05-2021, 09:24 AM)Nicholas Wrote:  Hello, bike riders!
Are you sceptical, neutral or excited about electric bikes?
Have you ever tried riding one? What are the reasons for yes/no?

Join the poll and let's discuss e-bikes

I'm excited about them