Update: Well well well, what do you know? This just came out too: https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article317503597.html
Do you ever loathe the fact that E-bikes were invented, like I do? Initially it was a promise that people with mobility issues could use bikes now and pedal assisted bikes would make business commuting on a bike more feasible. Well for some folks that may have been the case, but now what I see more than anything is fat middle aged men using class two and three e bikes on throttle only, who really have no idea how to ride a bike properly in public. They ride in places they shouldn’t and in ways that are dangerous. And they are ubiquitous, there are way too many of them.
The bar for cycling fast has been lowered too much. I miss the days where you could only move as fast as your legs could pedal. The group cyclists use to love to hate on was the wanna be lance Armstrong posers (at the time), who bought a super nice bike and hadn’t really cycled before. Now, there are hordes of class two and three and even class four cycles (e-motos) being riden where cyclists (those riding a pedal (non e bike) use to ride exclusively, many times traveling fast and creating hazards. E bikes have created a group of people who really shouldn’t be on bike as many of them really don’t have the fitness to ride a non e bike. Would love to hear your thoughts and opinions.
Edit:
Looks like a lot of people don’t like my comment about “fat middle aged men”. Sorry about that, it’s just what I see. Sorry that reality is what it is. I didn’t know “fat middle aged men” were a protected class.
By the way, plot twist, I identify as a fat middle aged man too, so I defend my right to use this term. Those that don’t like that I use this term can jump in a lake. Many of those criticizing me are not middle aged “fat men” anyways.
I ride as my ability lets me rather than on an e bike that pushes my speed past my ability.
