EBikes, eScooters, and eMinis
Two eBike incidents within the past week have gotten me on a little bit of a soapbox, and quite frankly concerned for everyones safety…
Let me start by saying that I think pedal assist eBikes are fantastic and allow people who wouldn’t normally be able to ride very far on a bike to be able to go outside and get some exercise while enjoying the great outdoors. When riding an eBike the rider has to work, but has a little bit of assistance when going up hills, going longer distances, etc. And someday, I may need a pedal assist eBike to continue doing the sport I’ve come to love.
I could be wrong, but I feel like many of the eBike riders I encounter on the W&OD Trail (and in parking lots) are perhaps going faster than their skill level allows, especially for those who haven’t biked for years and suddenly find themselves on one of these snazzy behemoth bikes. When we were in South Dakota last summer on the Mickelson Trail, eBike riders were absolutely flying, didn’t call out that they were passing, and overall didn’t seem to understand basic trail etiquette. I sometimes find this true on the W&OD Trail as well.
Most eBikes are very heavy and if one lands on the rider or an innocent bystander serious damage could be done. Case in point:
- • This past Tuesday my husband and I came across a rider down as we rode along the W&OD Trail on our way to the gravel roads in the western part of our county. The downed rider had been riding a heavy electric bike with huge tires and lost control on a sharp turn hitting his helmeted head on the metal railing and crushing his bare knee between the bike and pavement. He was speaking with a 911 dispatcher when we arrived and my husband stayed with him while I quickly rode to meet the ambulance and direct them in the right direction. We left as soon as EMS arrived and on our return trip from our gravel portion of our ride saw his bike locked to the railing just to the west of where he’d crashed going under the bridge. I hope he’s going to be okay.
Now here’s where the real soapbox begins… I’m seeing more and more kids on those mini eBikes that appear to need very little pedal assistance – basically they’re little electric motorcycles. First of all, why? Shouldn’t these kids be getting exercise? Back to my soapbox… many don’t wear helmets, dart in and out of traffic, and are an accident waiting to happen. Case in point:
- • Last Saturday I was walking from my car into the grocery store and watched a kid (probably middle school age) go FLYING down the main drive in front of the store. Just as I stepped out onto the drive from the parking spaces, another kid whipped around one of the pretty tree and bush islands and passed a couple of feet in front of me. Other nearby pedestrians and I turned to gawk as he sped by and I was thankful it was only a near-miss. Had I or someone been pulling out in a car as he whipped around it could have been catastrophic. I should mention that neither boy was wearing a helmet. By the time I came out of the grocery store, the parking lot was buzzing with kids – boys and girls, some helmeted, some not – on eBikes and eScooters.
Overview of the Week
Before getting into each day’s workouts, here’s an overview of my workouts from this past week. Scroll beyond the infographic for daily details…
Sunday
Cycling: 36 miles
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle GX Spin
• Average speed: 15.2 MPH
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 7:23 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 66° in the basement, 66° (feels like 61°) and partly cloudy outside
• What I wore: bike shorts and sports bra
Even though I’d not gotten to bed until almost midnight after cleaning up from our super fun Italian dinner party, I woke up at 6 AM and couldn’t go back to sleep. I hopped on my spin bike for a nice little ride and finished in plenty of time to drive to 10:30 mass. I should have waited and walked to a later service because I got busy during the afternoon and never made it out for a walk.
Monday
Strength training: 1 hour of total body
Walking: 3.32 miles
• Average pace: 15:16 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 203 feet
• Start time: 8:30 AM
• Location: neighborhood trails
• Weather: 63°, sunny, and breezy, climbing to 66°
• What I wore: shorts, s/s shirt, and visor
Cycling: 33.61 miles
• Bike: Specialized Roubaix Comp
• Average speed: 13.3 MPH
• Surface: paved
• Elevation gain: 1,385
• Start time: 12:09 PM
• Location: W&OD Trail Ashburn/Hamilton loop
• Weather: 71°, sunny, and windy, climbing to 74°
• What I wore: bike shorts, s/s jersey, and fingerless gloves
With a bike ride scheduled for later, I hadn’t planned to walk, but when I stepped outside after training my 7 AM client I knew I had to get outside and enjoy the glorious weather. A few hours later when my husband and I left for our ride, the wind had picked up and we fought it as we rode west, but enjoyed a tailwind when we turned to ride home.
Tuesday
Cycling: 41.2 miles
• Bike: Salsa Warbird
• Average speed: 11.3 MPH
• Surface: gravel and paved
• Elevation gain: 2,382 feet
• Start time: 9:37 AM
• Location: W&OD Trail to Thomas Mill, Digges Valley, Shelburne Glebe, Canby loop
• Weather: 57°, sunny, and breezy, climbing to 69°
• What I wore: bike shorts, s/s jersey, jacket, and fingerless gloves (took jacket off 12 miles in)
After the slight delay from coming upon the cyclist who had crashed on his eBike, we made our way to the gravel roads by climbing my favorite 1¾-mile long hill for the first time this year. Once we crested the paved hill and started down the unpaved backside it was so good to hear the crunch of gravel under my tires! The roads were surprisingly dusty after last week’s rain, but it has been quite windy which dries out the roads rather quickly. We encountered one distracted driver and a few cars going way too fast – both situations are rare during our gravel rides and I hope this isn’t the new normal.
Wednesday
Strength training: 1 hour of total body
Thursday
Cycling: 52 miles
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle GX Spin
• Average speed: 15.2 MPH
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 6:29 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 64° in the basement, 54° and raining outside
• What I wore: bike shorts and sports bra
Walking: 2.1 miles
• Average pace: 15:38 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 108 feet
• Start time: 11:27 AM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 60° and mostly cloudy, climbing to 62° and raining
• What I wore: shorts, velour jacket, and visor
I was back with Kim for a morning spin after missing last week for Bike to Work Day. With no clients on tap for the day I had plenty of time so I stopped after 34 miles to eat a delicious eggs and avocado breakfast my husband made. After breakfast, I hopped back on my bike to finish my ride. This ride moved me to 6th place out of 413 participants in the Great American Ride.
It stopped raining and the sun peeked out after I finished my ride so I happily went out for a walk. My weather app warned of rain starting at noon, but it arrived slightly earlier leaving me to get wet during my final quarter mile. I got lucky, though, because just after I got back inside the light rain I’d experienced turned to a heavy deluge.
Friday
Strength training: 1 hour of total body
Balance and stretching: 45 minutes
Even though it was gorgeous (but a tad on the chilly side) my schedule didn’t allow for me to get outside for a walk as planned, but it did allow for me to do some shopping therapy. 😉
Saturday
Cycling: 50.1 miles
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle GX Spin
• Average speed: 15.6 MPH
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 6:51 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 65° in the basement, 51° and mostly sunny outside
• What I wore: bike shorts and sports bra
Walking: 2.14 miles
• Average pace: 15:20 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 63 feet
• Start time: 11:30 AM
• Location: neighborhood trails
• Weather: 62° (feels like 56°) and partly cloudy
• What I wore: shorts, tank, and light jacket
When I hopped on my spin bike I checked the Great American Ride stats and realized that some other girl that I hadn’t seen in the top 15 before moved into 1st place overall. She must have just logged a bunch of back miles. That pushed me back to 3rd place female and 9th place overall (a couple of guys and I are constantly jockeying for 6th-9th position). Later in the day, Chuck noticed that the girl who had moved into first place had entered a 1919.4-mile ride and might have meant to enter 19.4 miles (her previous longest ride was 23 miles). I understand how easily that can be done because on Tuesday, I accidentally entered 412 miles instead of 41.2 miles and when I saw that I had moved into 2nd place overall and realized my mistake, I absolutely panicked. I quickly figured out how to correct the mistake, but if she isn’t checking her stats carefully she might not have even noticed.
This ride moved me back into 8th place overall position, and more importantly, I learned from our two Chucks that Dawn Patrol is in 2nd place overall in the team competition. Go Dawn Patrol!
This ride also earned me the Garmin May 40K cycling badge.
Last Week’s Blog Posts
In case you skipped checking in on my blog these past weeks, here’s what you missed…
- • Sunday – Weekly RunDown: May 11 – 17 / Joining My Friends for Bike to Work Day
- • Tuesday – 2025 Bike to Work Day
Questions:
- • What are your thoughts on kids riding eBikes rather than pedaling and getting exercise the old fashioned way? ~ When I see children on a regular bike, I give them and their parents a mental thumbs up.
- • Have you helped out a fellow exerciser who’s gotten hurt while out? ~ We’ve come upon a few downed cyclists and one runner over the years.
- • Which workout from the week stands out most for you? ~ Our gravel ride was tough!
And that’s my rundown… Have a great week!
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I’m linking up with Deborah at Confessions of a Mother Runner and Kim from Running on the Fly for their Weekly Run Down. Be sure to check out not only the hosts’ posts, but those of the other great bloggers joining in on the fun!
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Glad you two were there for the downed rider. We’ve seen a lot of ebike v. pedestrian incidents in Central Park, and while the re-laning will help, it’s not enough because some are just a menace. Any fun finds in shopping therapy?
Based on the comments, it appears eBikes are an issue on many trails. I have two friends who ride them, but they stay with our group and don’t ride out of control. I do tease them as they pass me on all the uphills, though. 😉
I got a couple of cute new tops and a pair of dressier shorts while out shopping!
Hearing about kids riding on those mini ebikes instead of walking or riding a normal bike honestly pisses me off. Kids today get too little movement as it is! Those things should be banned, plain and simple. And while I’m at it, phones and ipads for small kids should be banned too. Kids should be outside playing, moving and learning about how to be human, period.
Good on you though for helping that ebike rider after his accident. I haven’t heard about those problems with ebike riders here (yet).
I can see how easy it can be to make that mistake with the stats! I very much like the possibility to connect Garmin and the likes to something like that to log distances correctly.
Your first paragraph says it all!
And yes, we were surprised we didn’t have the option to sync our Garmins to the Great American Ride website.
Well said on the ebikes. That’s a bit out of control! I’m pretty sure they are not allowed on our rail trail system, but I do see some occasionally. I haven’t noticed many younger riders, but if they have the ability, I’d rather see them using those legs! My aunt and uncle have ebikes and use them a lot, and enjoy them. They tried to convince my mom to get one, but she didn’t feel safe (didn’t want to fall over) so now she doesn’t bike at all. I’m a bit bummed about that because it would be fun to ride with her (slowly, obviously!) but I wouldn’t want her to fall either!
I’m pretty sure we see a lot of eBikes on the W&OD Trail that are not of the class that’s allowed. It would be fun for you and your mom to ride together, but I totally get her nervousness in riding as she gets older, especially if she hadn’t ridden much in recent years.
Total agreement on your “soap box” thoughts. As we discussed, the e-bike thing is a dilemma… it’s great for providing assistance to those who need it, but can also be a detriment to those who don’t respect its benefits (or potential dangers). Nice job on all those miles, though! My workout of choice would be the 30-mile ride (last Sunday). I’m hoping for more of those!
There are so many positives to eBikes, but what gets me most is the out of control kids riding them.
Hope you have more and more days conducive to riding outside!
Yes- there’s a time and place for e-bikes. But kids don’t need them! They can use their legs! I would say it’s none of my business, but if people are going to be riding around recklessly, it is our business. i have to say I haven’t personally been affected by this (yet).
Anyway! Sounds like you had a great week of riding. Your weather sounds really nice! And I love the photo from Monday’s ride.
I feel like such a boomer when I talk about “these kids today,” but seriously, they need the exercise!
And thanks, my husband brought one of his cameras along on our Monday ride.
Oh my gosh!
So I am one of those people who believes everything has a place. Ebikes can be great if you live in certain areas or as a means of commuting.
BUT THESE KIDS!
First, two kids were in awful e-bike accidents in our county. Both were tweens, and neither one was being safe. The one kid was standing up on his bike when he lost control! What the heck? Fortunately, both will be ok, but there is no need for it.
We also have three or four kids in our neighborhood who have e-bikes and e-scooters and they are straight up menaces. We are in “walking distance” from the middle school, so these kids ride. Middle school starts at 7:20, so half the time these kids are riding in the dark with zero safety equipment. They speed, scream, and do not ever stop at a single stop sign.
E-bikes are motor vehicles and I don’t think you should be on them without a license. The same applies to golf carts, which is my other pet peeve. So freaking dangerous.
I’ve heard from other neighbors that they’ve alos witnessed the kids riding recklessly in our neighborhood and the grocery store parking lot.
No! Kids do not need e-bikes!!
Our weather has been so ugly – rain almost everyday and cold.
I got lucky for today’s race… it stopped raining for a while.
It’s great that you didn’t have rain during your race. Hope you had fun!
Your soapbox is well justified!
I am so over the e-bikes! Just last week, in Switzerland, a 57-year-old woman on an eBike hit a cat, crashed, and sadly died in hospital from her injuries. The cat didn’t survive either.
It makes me wonder: would the outcome have been the same if she’d been on a regular bike?
These eBikes are heavy, fast, and not always forgiving. Like you, I love that they help more people get outside, but without proper skills and awareness, they can be dangerous.
Also – massive congrats on climbing the Great American Ride leaderboard again!! You and Team Dawn Patrol are crushing it!
How sad about the lady and the cat, but you raise a good question, would things have been different on a regular bike – mainly would she have been going slower and therefore had more control?
And thanks, Catrina! This has been such a fun event and has gotten Team Dawn Patrol very engaged with all of our emails of encouragement to each other back and forth.
Those E bikes and the people who use them can be very aggressive and out of control! Totally agree with you. On the one hand, they can be great for those who need a little assistance but can easily become dangerous. I see lots of kids on some sort of motorized things and lots with no helmets.
Yes, there are many good reasons to have an eBike. I have a couple of cycling friends who have eBikes for commuting and others who need the extra assistance for riding longer or when climbing. It really is the kids on them that drive me nuts. And what’s with the sudden lack of wearing helmets?