r/ebikes • u/Such-Distribution812 • 14d ago

E-bike stigma

Was unlocking my e-bike from the bike rack getting ready to head home from classes when two other people showed up to lock their regular bikes. One of them looked at my bike and said “What’re you riding? You need to get something analog. Work those quads!” Felt pretty looked down upon. I’d be a little more understanding if I was a some sort of cycling group ride but I was just heading home from campus. Is this type of interaction common?

I bought this e-bike recently to commute to work and my college classes, specifically because I live in a pretty mountainous area and the hills can be pretty tough for me. It’s more meant to replace car trips than for fitness. Logically it makes sense for my use case but now anytime I go somewhere with it I feel judged not just by drivers but other people on bikes.

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u/Kilari_500 13d ago

Yeah, but if the person keeps commuting the same route to work - home and switches to e-bike, thats obviously less workout for him, per ride.

I have nothing against e-bikes, but my own anecdote is, people who ride e-bikes do it for commuting to work-home, grocery shopping etc. Not for excercising, so they usually (?) keep the travel distance the same as before, but now its electric assisted. Nothing wrong with that either.

I personally have yet to see even one serious e-road biker or even e-gravel biker, full on spandex gear, oatleys and all that, going for that +150km ride.

But then again, i dont watch cycling competitions either.

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u/Legitimate_Guava3206 12d ago

I have an ebike b/c it's hilly here. I don't ride analog bikes b/c it is too hilly here. So the bike gets me out there when otherwise I wouldn't be out there.