I did it, this ebiker rode 360km over 4 days of racing. Yes, this is my blog and I’ll brag if I want to. In reality, it was harder than I anticipated and the level of rider ability was really high too. I guess I should have expected that – not everyone is going to enter a stage race. But
I have asserted before that riding an ebike regularly keeps you fit. It’s true, I am quite fit. But am I fit enough for a 4-day cycle race? That’s an interesting question… My Challenge I have entered BDO Tour of Northland, a 4-day stage race over 360km going Whangarei-Russell-Paihia-Opononi-Dargaville-Whangarei. Apparently it’s fun, but my bike won’t have a motor. Eeek!
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Yes, but… This is one of the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ in the current ebike market. A nice eMTB costs upwards of $6k and most now can do 32km/h which is a perfectly respectable commuting speed. They generally have big comfortable tyres, around 500Wh of battery and enough grunt to get up any hill. So comfortable, fast enough, powerful. And anyway,
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Bigger bike brands have R&D, manufacturing and marketing resources that smaller ebike brands struggle to compete against.
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I have been reading NZ ebike-related websites for a few years, and every time I see it, I am shocked and surprised at the unprofessionalism of it. Trash-talking a brand that has ceased their supply to you, that is. Some links have since disappeared or been edited, possibly due to legal actions, and some more possibly will as they read
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While I have a few reviews in the pending state including some co-branding initiatives due, I thought I’d offer some benefits of my experiences. Tyres I have been running Schwalbe Marathon Plus and Energizer tyres on my commuter. These are amazing in that you are unlikely ever to get a puncture, and they wear really well. I got over 10,000km
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The European Union styles itself as “The Masters of Regulation” and continue to over-regulate and under deliver on ebikes. In New Zealand, we are largely free of such political meddling and will come up with our own sensible approaches. I’ve often heard people say: “Why do we need our own regulations for ebikes? The Euros practically invented the ebike, make
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I don’t often get abused by motorists (thanks Auckland!) but it does happen, and I know there are frequently head shakes and tut tuts going on. If we can establish two things as fact: (a) the infrastructure we ride on is mostly not well designed for us, often hostile; and (b) the laws favour motorists and typically treat cyclists as
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Recently I have seen distributors trash talking other bikes because they are ‘low quality’, I’ve seen others proclaim their bikes as the best because they have Engine X. Meanwhile, I’ve ridden lots of different bikes and spoken to real owners, and guess what? For the most part they like their bikes, and I liked the bikes I rode. How can
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I believe we deserve a better and more liberal regulatory framework for ebikes in New Zealand – one that perhaps leads the world in its progressiveness. My Bias Let me get it out there – I dislike slow ebikes on the road. They mean that you are forced into being a slow bicycle, even in situations where on a regular bicycle
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This popped up on my email today, and I thought wow! only $1099! I should buy that! NO, I DIDN’T! It is being sold at $1099, “elsewhere up to $3999*”. No, it is not $3999 elsewhere. Not even close. Now I don’t know if I’m crossing some sort of professional line, either moral or legal, but I feel like I have
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“Please don’t be a dicks out there” was the message of a tweet I was mentioned in the other day (not in an accusing way I might add). Apparently two guys had been racing one another on a bike path and nearly cleaned someone out. As it happened, I had been trying to keep up with another fast ebike rider so
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In the year 2026 (10 years from when I make this prediction), in 1st world countries, more than 50% of bicycles sold will have a battery built in. It may just be to change gears (eg Di2) or power a light, but will likely power the bike. eMTBs will be available with smaller less-powerful motors and batteries than commuter and
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e-mountain bikes are polarizing opinions globally.
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