[EasyRider]

@huskerdont 167013 wrote:

The general public will not differentiate between ebikes and regular bikes

Yep, that’s the future. All of the big bike companies are betting big on e-bikes, and in 10 years, every other “bike” will be an e-bike.

[EasyRider]

@baiskeli 166358 wrote:

Well, one can’t just look at a cyclist and know they aren’t physically challenged.

That’s true, appearances can be deceiving. But in the following sentence Hozn wrote, “Most were running at 25-30mph down the W&OD.” I struggle to think of a disability status, obvious or not, that justifies going that fast down the W&OD.

[EasyRider]

@komorebi 166272 wrote:

trey197 reported on Strava that there’s been a game camera hidden in the trees for weeks. It doesn’t seem to be doing the job, though, because there was glass on the MVT airport bridges this morning (and an NPS maintenance crew sweeping up the shards).

Really the only good a camera might do is give a clue to the vandal’s schedule so that an officer could spend an hour waiting to catch them, at a time and place they had appeared before, on camera. If they don’t keep a regular schedule, it’s pretty much useless, and isn’t going to identify anybody in the dark.

[EasyRider]

Trouble in paradise:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/22/older-dutch-cyclists-warned-surge-electric-bike-deaths-police-netherlands

[EasyRider]

@dasgeh 165982 wrote:

What are you talking about? What negative externalities does a long-haul ebike have that a bike doesn’t have?

I’m talking about MUPs full of Gearcrushers.

[EasyRider]

High-speed.

[EasyRider]

@mstone 165911 wrote:

The key phrase was “easy to get”. I don’t really care about the fun, I care about the safety. As much as the hyperbole about the current e-bikes is overblown (the weight and speed deltas just aren’t that great) the impact (literally) of vehicles going 50% faster will be much more significant, and the numbers will get a lot higher as the technology gets cheaper. If you want fun, go play in the road–or even better, on a closed track.

Yes, I agree, and this is what I meant when I said earlier that political support for e-bikes has a limit for me. That limit is about 20mph.

What I mean is, I don’t support turning the MUPs into high speed, long-haul transit routes for e-bikes because it’s somehow “better” than having those people in cars. E-bikes used in that way have their own negative externalities.

[EasyRider]

Of course they’re no solution to really bad actors on any kind of bike, and aren’t enforceable, but speed limit signs are a cheap, simple way to let people know there actually is a speed limit, and to express a behavioral norm (like the PAL signs).

[EasyRider]

@mstone 165846 wrote:

With the standard 10 MPH leeway, that’s a 25MPH speed limit.

Side note: trail speed limits are idiotic, because they’re too low when the trail is empty and too high when the trail is crowded.

One might say the same of road speed limits for automobiles, but it’s not a great argument for doing away with them.

[EasyRider]

@lordofthemark 165834 wrote:

There is already a 15MPH speed limit on the MVT, at all times. Hmmmm.

Really? I must be going so fast that I can’t see the speed limit signs! I’d better slow down.

[EasyRider]

@sjclaeys 165803 wrote:

In sum, if e-bike advocates would just recognize that a greater degree of care should be given for driving e-bikes because of their relatively greater mass and speed, then I’d be happy to move on.

Good luck with that. Does ANYBODY on this thread actually support “banning” e-bikes from MUPs and existing bicycle infrastructure? I’m among the skeptical voices about e-bikes and I don’t; I just think there should probably be speed limits during rush hour. Response when I floated the idea here? Crickets.

BTW, that Post editorial recently linked to here didn’t call for “banning e-bikes” either. It called for requiring A BELL on all bicycles, and mentioned that it would be especially welcome on heavy bikes that go fast (e-bikes).

[EasyRider]

@lordofthemark 165773 wrote:

ebikes’ role in increasing the number of riders is more politically important than any particular concerns with weight, etc, is well taken though.

This has some limits for me.

[EasyRider]

Might it be time to raise your handlebars?

Agree with the PT recommendation. Riding a bike is fun but doesn’t do much for building core strength. I’ve had a bulging disc in my lower back for at least 10 years. PT helped immensely. I would ride there on my bike in pain, and ride away feeling GREAT.

[EasyRider]

@ian74 165132 wrote:

Let me know what you think of them, I’ve been curious about them for some time. I hesitate as they offer almost no protection against flats. I’ve been riding Panaracer Pasella 38s (on my second set) for the last year, so these could be a nice change. I was also thinking about the Soma Shikoro tires for my next round of tires. There’s more choices than ever for plush tires.

I’m also curious about the Barlows, and am running 700×38 Paselas (non-tourguard) presently. Also curious about the 700×42 Soma Cazaderos. And the WTB Riddlers (37, tread looks like the Schwalbe Thunder Burt), and Resolutes (42), and … someone should start a tire loan library.

[EasyRider]

Looks pretty cool. If 200 is too steep, the Stampede Charger is about $70 less, has a hand brake and a quill stem so that the handlebars are adjustable.

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