eBike? YOU’RE FIRED!

Tim, to me this is the most inspirational bicycle channel out there for me. I relish every new post that you make! I'm low income, and live in an eastern burb of Cleveland. I'm 68 y/o, and have owned a vehicle for a year and a half out of the last 14 years. Yeah, the de-industrialization of America has devastated the midwest, particularly places like Cleveland and Akron. But, you and your crew have managed to make the best of it. My favorites are you people standing around a campfire drinking beer. I can relate, lol. Bikes are fun, affordable, and health promoting. What more can you ask for? Beat the system, buy a bike. And ride it!!!

the positivity of your channel and your discord community was a MAJOR influence in me getting back into cycling (on a pedal assist ebike) so thanks

Bought my wife a specialized e-bike earlier this year. It’s been a game changer for her We now are riding together again and she’s not intimidated by a thirty mile ride. It’s pedal assist so she still has to pedal but it’s just been great to have her back on a bike. Thanks for sharing your experience and thoughts

Nice rant! No e-bike for me, yet. The only thing I have against e-bikes is people using them to go fast in situations where more speed isn't a good idea, like crowded tow paths. So, to be clear, that's not specifically an e-bike problem, it's just a dumb people problem. Thanks for the cherry blossom shots! Here in Colorado, it hasn't stopped snowing yet.

I bought my ebike in September 2020 when I first got back into cycling. I received the same "cheating" comments as you have even though most of my rides have been 90% powered off and 10% powered on. The best thing it did for me was motivate me to pick up road cycling which required another bike. This has been life-changing as my weekends in the warm weather revolve around my rides. I continue to use my ebike on casual rides with my wife and don't regret the purchase for a second. Continue to make great videos and ignore the haters.

Well said Tim! Anything that gets folks out on a bike is a good thing. Keep enjoying the ride.

This is my first video that I watched on your channel it popped up in my KZfaq feed. Thank you for the comments and how you were very respectful.

My dad loved his E-bike. He rode it almost every day. So I’m glad it was there for him.

Definitely on point! There’s a bike for everyone and what they ride is their choice.

I am 64 years old, but my knees feel about 90. I've recently been planning rides only on flat trails because the knees can't do climbing like they used to. After watching your last few videos, I've decided i am going to get that ebike you ride and get back some of my freedom of choice. It's unfortunate that so many d-bags have such an attitude about them, but that is the nature of bike snobs. Thanks for the great videos.

Love you Tim! And not just bc I agree with your views on eBikes. It's not my favorite bike per se, but there are times when I am so glad I have one. Avoiding traffic jams, taking my daughter in the buggy for a ride, or just saving energy getting to work when I'm feeling under the weather. It meets so many needs.

For many of us, it's less about the e-bikes themselves and more about the people riding them. I routinely encounter people who ride recklessly and at speeds that far exceed their biking skills. A couple of close calls has left me wary of potential collisions. Slamming into an inordinately heavy bicycle piloted by someone riding way too fast is not something I want to experience. I'm all for more people getting out and riding, regardless of what they're riding, but just because you can go fast doesn't mean you should. Edmond is a very cool cat! 😻

20 of the 200 miles on an e-bike? Well, you might as well just do the entire 200 miles driving an H-1 Hummer, missing its muffler, towing a Cadillac Escalade, and blaring Kid Rock at full volume! (Sarc, BTW.)

At the end of last season my partner experienced a mild hip injury during a bike-camping trip and are still recovering. Last month we took a trip to Taiwan, decided to rent bikes and bike down the west coast for a few days, and having the option for them to rent an ebike just in case it acted up was amazing, I don't think we would have been able to do the ride without that safety net.

Man I love your Channel. I Totaly dig your view on bikes and ridding. You have one of the coolest channels about just ridding bikes. You And Terry B are both great but I realy think you both have great content and down to earth bike riding. Thank you.

Oh you guys *just* bought a bike? I mined the iron ore by hand and forged all the parts like a "real" cyclist. Fitzzy you are such a chill dude i dont inow how anyone could possibly watch your content and feel obliged to be a jerk. Keep being a beacon of good vibes in rough waters, you inspire us all.

“Don’t mind if I doooo” 😂 I see that board sitting there every day when I get to work.

I like the rakes on your bike. I do not have an e-bike but I would enjoy one in my 60s.

You make me want to visit Akron. And also, port is an awesome and underrated wine.

A rarely mentioned benefit of ebikes is that you rarely arrive to your destination as sweaty as in a traditional bicycle. This greatly increases the types of trips that people are willing to take by bike over a car. Ebike also allow people to haul a lot more cargo. Many families in my city use ecargo bikes to haul groceries and kids, allowing them to downsize size from 2 cars down to 1.

As usual Tim, great thoughts clearly communicated… I agree with you on all points. I have no issue with e-bikes, think it gets people out and off the couch and maybe learning all transportation does not involve a car. However I do wish that many of the newer riders would learn cycling etiquette.

I had no idea cyclists could be like that, I've got aspergers so I keep myself to myself for the most part and probably don't pick up on a lot, I love all bikes and the variety you see out especially on the weekends ,everybody on their "squizzit" either cruising the promenade or riding trails, big cycling clubs, families ...just everybody out having fun, socialising ,keeping fit, getting to work, everyone is on a different rig that serves their purpose.. I couldn't imagine criticising someone on what they ride thinking I know what they need better than they do 😂 madness! It's all about miles of smiles 😄👍

Tim, I appreciate you and your opinions on bikes. Keep up the great work and stay positive!

Bicycles should be fun however they’re used. I would love to have a bicycle oriented community to live in. After driving a car for a living for a 12 hour day, I’ve come to love bicycles like I did when I was a kid. 52 year old kid that is.

I got into cycling again by way of an ebike purchase in Feb 2023. Now I have 5 bikes and have found your channel. Ebikes are great!

Yes, great to hear you saying what you like Tim. There's not too much of that on KZfaq. 😁

Have fun on your bike! Which ever one you want! Haters gonna hate!

Hi Tim. Idaho Ed here. GREAT video. Watch many channels but yours and one other my favorites. I have been riding for 45 years and my wife has cancer. The only way I can get her out there is on an e-bike. I have 11 bikes I pedal, my wife has one e-bike. Don't care what others say about them either. See you in Ohio later this year!

Hi Tim. I’ve been subscribed a few months now and have been catching up. I love your videos and honest opinions. So refreshing to have someone on KZfaq without an agenda to sell us something, either products or themselves. I love the common sense attitude and non judgmental approach. I feel happy to use my bike for whatever I choose and not feel guilty that it wasn’t 50 miles in record time. A 10 minute ride to the library or cafe is just as good a reason to get the bike out of the shed as any other. And I will get an ebike when the need arises.

Thanks' for the has usual very cool video, I just turned 73 and got back into riding 4 years ago to attempt to get back in shape after getting my $120.00 pawn shop bike . And yes I want a lighter bike my solution for now, but hips and knees let me know there is a E bike in the future there is no way to avoid hills and headwinds in eastern Missouri .

Bought an e-bike 2 weeks ago for running errands close to home. Less time driving - I think they are great. Enjoy your channel

Great video, as always. Nice touch including your cat. Keep 'em coming!!

You have a great attitude Tim and my wife loves her ebike!

Thanks Tim!

We have a cherry blossom tree in our front yard. It looks like a big stick of cotton candy for about two weeks in April before it loses its petals and the green leaves come in.

Strangely, the best thing about ebikes is that they identify people you don't want to know, haha. Really appreciate that you decided to give an ebike a try, and that you're pushing back against the fools. I really think a big part of it with bikes is that people have been identifying with the idea of "non-motorized" for so long, but maybe it's time to replace that with "low impact" instead, and be inclusive of ebikes, and other forms of electrified transportation with less than one horsepower -scooters, one wheels, etc

I'm glad you did the e-bike vid. I'm getting to the age where I've been thinking of them more and more. I've never ridden one and was always curious about how heavy they are and what would happen if your battery went dead in the middle of nowhere. I've also thought about how it can help safety, Riding around here where we have to get on some busy roads to get to the other roads we ride can be dangerous so it would be nice to crank up the power and get off of them as quickly as possible.

The best approach is to have at least one type of every bike, including e-bikes. They are all joy machines, in their own special ways. Get out and ride whatever you can!

I bike Pittsburgh a ton, and am heavily considering getting an e-bike myself even though I'm in the best shape of my life. I do strength training three times a week and I currently drive to give my body rest. An e-bike would let me rest and use my car less. Someone shared with me a chart showing that e-bikes are apparently, pound-for-pound, the most efficient powered vehicles, and makes me think about how I could flirt with the idea of not replacing my car when it comes to retiring it. E-bikes are cool and are a vehicle more people should consider, no matter what your fitness level is. Thanks for sharing your perspective on them!

Really great photos of the festival. I love tooling around on my e-bike. I turn off pedal assist when I want a workout and kick it on on the hills like you mentioned.

Thanks for posting this. Although I don't own an ebike, I have come to appreciate them. One of my friends had her knee replaced and her ebike has allowed her to get out on longer rides. She was happy to have ridden 20 miles today. I'm sure that I will need an ebike as I get older. I'm in my mid 60's now (still young).

I have this weird hope that the upcoming Edmund content means that Tim will be hosting an alleycat with alley cats in handlebar cat carriers. I think this makes me some kind of monster.

I love your channel Tim and I also enjoy the honest and open discussion(s) -- it is refreshing as a lot of the bike community has gone to that "Elitist" mindset. So thanks for keeping it real!

💯!! I go into the office 1-2 times per week. 80km one way. Too far for a bike commute. But what do I do? Drive half way! Haul the bike off the rack and ride the rest of the way into the office. Totally agree commuting as much as we can will help increase infrastructure. Sure there are a few small area I need to stay safe and hop onto the sidewalk. And I know people will flame me on line for that. But my view is I’m careful and courteous to pedestrians. I go slow around them. And get back onto road as soon as safe. I’ve been in Netherlands a few times and the infrastructure is crazy. Separate bike roads between towns. Here in greater Toronto area best you can hope for is a wide shoulder. Fortunately for me there are full showers at work so I can choose to really push it there if I want. And I still get surprised reactions from people about be cycling 30km to work like it’s some Gran Fondo length! Perhaps our only disagreement will be your penchant for cats. 😂😂 And I’ll leave it to you to convert to miles. 😉 Keep it up Tim. Great stuff.

I agree, lets drop it and keep riding.

Have fun your way. that’s what makes it fun.

Thanks Tim - Good perspective on E-Bikes. Sometimes, they are the right tool for the job.

My nose was running just watching this video. Cherry blossoms!

Thanks Tim, I really enjoy your vids, I've just got back from visiting Antwerp and Leuven in Belgium and the bike culture is much like the Netherlands, you would love it, Bikes are everywhere, students, parents, workers, kids on their way to school, cargo bikes, upright comfortable commuter bikes, old steel racers, mountain bikes, e bikes, rental bikes. I was so impressed by the lack of cars and them defering to cyclists. Im a bit saddened that the UK where im based is far behind, there is often an Elitism around having a £5000 carbon road bike or you aren't a proper cyclist, and cars drivers are very patchy in their treatment of cyclists. So much more could be done by councils, Govt and education.

the more sense you make the harder it is for some to hear, great content! thanks

Stepping or pedaling up your game with these last couple. Obviously the winter funk is dead and inspiration is in the air. Lovin it.

I love your channel for your broad knowledge of all things bike! And yes, I agree that positivity is key. If anyone can shed some light on the multiple positive aspects of ebikes then you can do it. IMO, the lighter ebikes become, the more it will make sense to a broader spectrum of riders. The battery anxiety should disappear. I'm not an ebike owner but love the positive impact they have on people's lives.

You tell them, Tim. Bikes are whatever one wants them to be.

Emily Litella: " What's all this I hear about eclectic bicycles? Why can't people express themselves?!" Chevy Chase: "Emily... that's ELECTRIC" Oh, Nevermind! Thanks for another great video. Bonus in this vid is Sand Run! The wind has been crazy still and the bugs are wild. I need to get a mesh mask. Extra protein is not always desired. Looking forward to more eclectic bike commentary.

I agree with u riding any bike is ok . Metal heath . Keeping fit . Making friends . Seeing the world instead off a phone .

I look at it this way. I've owned just about every kind of bike (roadie, single speed *the current one, mountain bike, three wheel, a short lived ebike, a motorized bike). Are you riding a bike? Boom. Doesn't matter. Just ride and leave well enough alone.

I’m 70+ and have a E-MTB and E fat tire bike I love riding them both. In my 30-40’s I was a road biker, average 250 miles/week to escape a bad boss and stressful job. If you were in front of me on the road or trail you would soon be behind. E BIKES ARE GREAT FUN, WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE. 😂😂😂

Tim, your channel rocks, I luv the industrial rides you do, your musical taste is *great*, and.. Erin is lovely :) eBikes..? Well as a fit 61yr old, I get it. I'm not there yet but it's good to have the option..

Great Allegheny passage and the Chesapeake and Ohio Towpath. Were a blast only took a month lol . Let's do the capital trail in Virginia!

I agree with your assessment that most of the hate stems from people viewing the bicycle as a recreational vehicle rather than transport. For commuting they are perfect, E cargo bike and you don't need a car so much but they're not for everyone or so it seems.

60 years old here, no plans of owning an e-bike, but I try not to say "never". I have no problem with them unless they are bearing down on me at high speeds with throttle only on the MUP.

I have been following you for a while now. I was semi surprised to find you have an ebike. Not in a bad way surprised pleasantly surprised. I don't own a car never have. My ebike keeps me able to ride to work easier. I also have a regular bike I'm fixing up for pleasure riding I've had friends ask me do you think of it as cheating having a motor? Not even a little bit. It helps me stay in shape it also makes easier getting home up 2 large hills at night.. Those that stick their nose up to them they are just as fun as any regular one. I laughed when you said I'll have pedal assist on full when riding home in the rain and nothing you can do about it. Love that Riding has never been about working out for me that's just a bonus it's my stress relief and my escape from the world Ride on brother

great vid, Tim! Beautiful trees and oodles of wisdom.

The quality of the video and stills is amazing on this video. Always good but special on this one.

Great vid, as usual, good points well made. Love the routes you show & chat as you go along👍 Presumably the e-bike haters are still riding wooden or steel bikes with the pedals attached to the front wheel, wooden wheels, perhaps with steel hoop tyres like a cart... I mean, anything more advanced, like a carbon bike & pneumatic tyres & gears, would be cheating🤔 For those who don't think you get a work out, my e-bike means I can get a zone 2 workout for 30 miles in 2 hours, or I can get a full gas workout just by reducing the power on the hills/into a headwind. But my main use is so I can ride with my mates & socialise, which is great for my mental & physical health, something I could not do before getting it due to a health problem. Keep going & keep pedalling, you are doing great 👍

When my knee is not feeling so great and I need that ride my wife’s ebike rocks!(Vado SL specialized). also, when someone who is not in as great as shape as others and want to hang with the group it’s the best!! it’s a smile maker😁

Your rational objectivity is very refreshing in this time of contentious polarities. I ride a retro roadbike with nice kit and have zero problems with ebikes. In fact a few friendly ebikers have even let me draft in a stiff headwind (ala derny style) so no issues whatsoever. Bummer that the purists came down on ya so hard. And there's some excellent shots in this vid. Hello again from Tucsonistan and great to see Ohio cyclists thriving!

Enjoy your videos, absolutely agree with positivity… San Diego,Ca

100% with you on ebikes. I have a few bikes and one of them is a cargo ebike. I use it to take my kids to school and replace all kinds of car trips. I also credit it with getting me into shape for a lot of the cycling I do now. When I first moved to the burbs, I wasn't up for the 8 miles each way with 600 feet of elevation gain in the last 2 miles on the way home. I rode the ebike for a season on ever-decreasing assist levels until I was in shape enough to ride other bikes on the same route. This bullshit puritanical "It doesn't count if you don't suffer" mindset needs to die. It's the same world view that's dragging this country down on pretty much every social metric.

ebikes, ain't bad, we got one, I use it in wyoming in the summers. Look, it's all about 2 wheels, or 3 is fine also. Scooters, moto's, Bicycles, Ebike, they are all way good to go!

Totally agree with you my dude what ever get you out and enjoying life👍👍

While your commentary about people's comments about e-bikes may cost you a view viewers, you've cemented mine! I don't even HAVE an e-bike, but I do support anyone that wants to.

Last mountain bike ride I went a lot of ebikes out mostly older folks that I am happy to see out riding. on the exercise issue, I sometimes run errands on a bicycle where we don't have infrastructure to do so. Its very inconvenient to use a bike to do mostly anything, I still try doing it because I enjoy it. Maybe one day it will be more evenly distributed.

👏🏻🌟🚴🏻‍♀️ agreed

BRAVO on your ebike comments. I still like my bikes, but there are times I need my ebike to e joy a bike ride. "Bike a mile on my tires." Be positive.

Good idea on the VO utility bars for the e bike!

Hey Tim, just found your channel, i like the messages that you bring in regards to bikes......although i'm from the land down under.....the message is the same.....it's a new subscribe from me. Cheers!!🚴

Amen. Preach Brother Tim.

i've been thinking about getting an e bike for awhile now. rode my first one (well 3) at my brothers in Tampa. two small RAD and REI electric and a CANNONDALE . WOW WHAT FUN!!!! He does have all the normal and carbon fiber bikes too. but riding the cannondale for 20 ish miles was eye opening and like you i didn't use the pedal assist much, just played around with it.

I ride in the canadian winter and people think I'm crazy because there's no infrastructures locally. I agree, you have to be a bit silly 😂

Just remembered my second favorite part about e-bikes you never have to charge the headlight 🎉🤘

In every niche there is a clan. I can cycle by a large group of parked up MTB’rs near me and say Hi and they will blank me for being a “roadie” - part of me wants to shout “hey I have 2 MTB’s in my garage”.. then you realise how strong the clan thing is. I think I mentioned this before but Freud has a theory called “the vanity of small differences” - the concept being that in every walk of life we explore the small details and define ourselves by the differences rather than what makes us similar. So rather than than just recognising a kindred spirit on 2 wheels we will look first for what makes us different. I think it’s a bit more prevalent in the UK / US because I sort of feel we have a lot of class snobbery where folks use money/kit/groups to define these bra. You don’t see it as much in the rest of Europe which is what you said about Holland. I would love an e-cargo. How cool would getting around with a ton of shopping or gear. New camera! Tell us more.

I love my mid drive e bike it’s still a good workout compared to hub drive.

More Edmund, please! 😻 Does he ride on bikes?

Edmund for the finale!

Never ridden an e-bike, but I don't get the hate, either. It's another tool, whether people use it when they need to carry stuff, to go up some hills, to arrive to work without sweating, recovering from injury, or because they don't feel like using an acoustic bike altogether. It doesn't matter, really. It's one less car on the road, and it is still active transportation.

Dig the Sakura of course. Even saw a few Kimono's. As for annoying comment (s) I imagine when you get that much interaction it's bound to happen. But what the hell do I know? I can't really offer advice other than don't get worked up. Cya

I've always thought that the comments a person leaves online say more about them than the thing they're actually commenting on.

Love the spirit!

Converting my gravel bike to a mid-drive e bike soon. I just converted my 2009 Cannondale CAAD9 to Sram Red Etap = smooth as butter. Shut up and .......... RIDE!

I love watching your stuff, I learn a lot. And the ride videos give me that sense of flow I get when I'm riding. I really appreciate that on days when I can't be on my bike. Big fan over here. But I do worry about you. Seems like every video now you say something, any kind of opinion, and then you walk it back or you qualify it. "I like this but you don't have to life this" or "I find this funny, you can find whatever you want funny." And I can see the change in your facial expression, I can see it really bothers you when people misunderstand what you say. I also see you working real hard to be thoughtful and inclusive, especially about gender and physical ability. And that's great! I would never presume to give you advice on how to do your thing better, I'm not a KZfaqr. I just have two wishes for you: One, I hope you find some respite from that stress. And two, lots of people appreciate the effort you're putting in, the care you take in communication. Looking forward to more videos! Have a great Spring!

Will be watching for some CatPacking Videos. That would be Purrrrfect.

Nicely done. Yes, cyclists can be some of the most opinionated people. Years ago, I showed up at a club ride with a new bike with disc brakes. Everyone else had rim brakes at the time. Another rider asked “I don’t understand why you think you need disc brakes” as if asking me why I was wearing a scuba tank! I don’t ride with them anymore.

Nothing wrong with ebikes / "Do your own thing /Mind you own!" E-Bike Haters. Focus on Large SUV/Pickup owners especially the ones trying to compensate.

hey if an e-bike makes a long ride easier for hills use the e-bike your bike your ride

Great ride Tim lovely scenery. 🔥

Okay, okay I confess. I just bought an e-lawnmower. 😆

I think electric bikes are cool. I've been on one before and it was really fast! Not my thing really but it was absolutely fun. Heck I even had an old Sportmaster 26er with ape hanger handlebars that I thought maybe I'd eventually put a little gas engine on - but I sold it instead. Bikes are just how I get around and I usually do it on the cheap, or for free. Expense would probably be the best reason I don't have an ebike, honestly. (Not that I won't ever- who knows?!) I do drive a work truck provided by my employer that sits out back when I am not working now. Otherwise, I'm pedaling. Jodi, my significant Other, owns a giant suv that I do drive at times also but rarely. I know I'm an oddball. I don't ride fast, but I can. I ride slow sometimes. I ride for short and long distances. Sometimes just around the block. My bikes are heavy, funky and cheap but they reflect what I like, what I enjoy doing, and where/how I like to ride. I'm a 57 year old dude who likes the aspect of a bike for transportation, utility, fun, comfort, and the ability to do anything, haul anything, and go everywhere. Its a flippin vehicle. Just like a car or any other. A lifestyle choice. And I've been having an absoulute blast building up a 44ish year old Raleigh Rapide that I scored for free via Farcebook Placemarket. I know nobody really cares about that at all, and HELL YEAH- I like watching your channel and interacting on here and Instagramps with you all because its genuinely fun and because... BIKES! I like seeing what other Folks are up to and how they do things. I might learn or discover something new. Please never stop learning or discovering. Peace, Man. Rob (Rob InRealLife)

Following along from Covid there are some days when my energy levels just decide to evaporate. On my e-bike I just turn up the boost and keep up with the rest of the cycling club without any discussion or dramatics. On my old bike I could never consider cycling with others as 10-15 miles was my absolute maximum. Anyway. I’ve still got my 25 year old Dawes Chilliwak mountain bike. An old Specialised gravel type bike, and a Dawes folding bike (very weird characteristics). All ready to go. Riding any sort of bike always makes me smile. Just stay away from the Lycra clad idiots who are far too special to acknowledge a ‘hello’. Jerks.