# Training - ebike and a non ebike



## jann71 (26 Feb 2019)

I've entered a sportive to ride with one of my friends, unfortunately ebikes are not allowed.

Which is a shame as I'd be doing 66 miles with a smile on my face all the way round.

Since buying my ebike early last year it's the only bike I've ridden. Still have others.

I'm currently riding to work and back (10 miles round trip X 4 or 5 days a week) + 30 mile ride at weekend, all on my ebike.

Does anyone here ride an ebike and a road bike?
Do you feel any benefit on road bike after doing miles on ebike?


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## Pat "5mph" (26 Feb 2019)

jann71 said:


> I've entered a sportive to ride with one of my friends, unfortunately ebikes are not allowed.


What sportive is this?
Strange ruling, a sportive is not a race, I don't see why an ebike should not be allowed.


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## gbb (26 Feb 2019)

10 miles round trip commuting, I'd give my right arm for that, I'd be doing it regularly on my roadbike and loving it. It's just the right distance.
For me, 14 miles each way is too much, time wise and arriving at work sweaty if on a roadbike. Once the light is right and the cold has cleared, I'll hopefully be doing it regularly on my crossfire e, time is about the same but to arrive fresh and not sweaty is marvelous.
So I have both types, road and e. Truth is, it's so easy to just jump on the e, I don't have to get changed particually and of course it's easier...and I need that in the winter, I hate winter and generally hibernate so the ebike given me the opportunity to get out more than I would have on the roadbike...so maintained some level of fitness.
But as the warmer weather approaches, the roadbike will get more non commuting rides.


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## jann71 (26 Feb 2019)

Pat "5mph" said:


> What sportive is this?
> Strange ruling, a sportive is not a race, I don't see why an ebike should not be allowed.



Etape Loch Ness.
If I hadn't read the FAQs I wouldn't have noticed.


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## Ming the Merciless (26 Feb 2019)

Try a similar distance Audax, e bikes are allowed.


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## jowwy (27 Feb 2019)

My commute is 15 each way.....all done on my ebike now. Sod the pedlar, causes me too much pain when climbing

Epowah all the way for me now


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## Slick (27 Feb 2019)

I'm surprised that's an Etape rule and a bit disappointed if I'm honest.

A silly rule which highlights they are just behind the times. I would just do it anyway.


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## Phaeton (27 Feb 2019)

jowwy said:


> My commute is 15 each way.....all done on my ebike now. Sod the pedlar, causes me too much pain when climbing


Sorry for going off topic but does the Cube cope okay with 30 miles round trip a day?


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## jann71 (27 Feb 2019)

Slick said:


> I'm surprised that's an Etape rule and a bit disappointed if I'm honest.
> 
> A silly rule which highlights they are just behind the times. I would just do it anyway.


Me too, expensive event to enter ☺️

I've dropped them an email asking why.


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## jowwy (27 Feb 2019)

Phaeton said:


> Sorry for going off topic but does the Cube cope okay with 30 miles round trip a day?


Ive done 57 miles on it and still had 2 bars of battery left.........


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## Phaeton (27 Feb 2019)

jowwy said:


> Ive done 57 miles on it and still had 2 bars of battery left.........


The 500 or the 400, £200 difference to buy, seems a lot


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## jowwy (27 Feb 2019)

Phaeton said:


> The 500 or the 400, £200 difference to buy, seems a lot


i have both batteries.....as have 2 x cube's

the 500wh battery is the one i did the 57mile ride on, but today i am riding on the 400wh battery for todays commute ( forgot to recharge 500 after yesterdays commute).....so far after 15 miles, with a 3mile 350ft climb at the start of the commute, i still have the full 5 bars showing available and will report back when i get home this evening how many bars were left once i take the 15 mile return trip with 1200ft of climbing


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## jann71 (27 Feb 2019)

Thank you for your email. We are looking at the possibility of allowing e-bikes at future events, but unfortunately, they are not allowed in the 2019 event.


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## jowwy (27 Feb 2019)

jann71 said:


> Thank you for your email. We are looking at the possibility of allowing e-bikes at future events, but unfortunately, they are not allowed in the 2019 event.


how would they know? what ebike you got?

id ride the route anyway, nothing they can do about it, as its a public road and not a closed road event


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## Phaeton (27 Feb 2019)

I really do not see what difference it makes, clearly somebody has got a 'cheating' attitude on the commitee


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## Slick (27 Feb 2019)

Surely it's just a case of opening another category? 

Doesn't make sense to me and actually appears to be very unfair. 

Just turn up and ride the route anyway, what they gonna do.


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## Phaeton (27 Feb 2019)

Slick said:


> Surely it's just a case of opening another category?
> Doesn't make sense to me and actually appears to be very unfair.
> Just turn up and ride the route anyway, what they gonna do.


I certainly would do this if I'd paid


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## Phaeton (27 Feb 2019)

@jann71 Where did you find the exclusion of e-bikes? https://www.etapelochness.com/terms-and-conditions/


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## jann71 (27 Feb 2019)

Phaeton said:


> @jann71 Where did you find the exclusion of e-bikes? https://www.etapelochness.com/terms-and-conditions/



In the FAQs - 
https://www.etapelochness.com/event/etape-loch-ness/#13


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## youngoldbloke (27 Feb 2019)

What a lot of rules and regulations! I'd stick to Audax.


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## Phaeton (27 Feb 2019)

It's the T&C's that you have to agree to, if it isn't in them then they can't enforce it, that's your contract, or at least that would be my stance


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## jowwy (27 Feb 2019)

@Phaeton 

Just rode home and this is the stats

31.4miles - 1545ft climbing
400wh battery - 1.5bars of battery left (out of 5)
18st 9lbs rider
22kg bike and kit


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## Phaeton (27 Feb 2019)

jowwy said:


> @Phaeton
> Just rode home and this is the stats
> 31.4miles - 1545ft climbing
> 400wh battery - 1.5bars of battery left (out of 5)
> ...


Thank you very much, Think I need to get my credit card out


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## cyberknight (27 Feb 2019)

Is the ride supported in case of a mechanical ?
Maybe there could be issues fi an e bike dies roadside and the roving mechanics cant fix it .


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## Pat "5mph" (27 Feb 2019)

Slick said:


> Just turn up and ride the route anyway, what they gonna do.


That's what I would do too, how are they going to find out anyway, are they going to check all the bikes??


cyberknight said:


> Is the ride supported in case of a mechanical ?
> Maybe there could be issues fi an e bike dies roadside and the roving mechanics cant fix it .


That is possible, some Ebike retailers, I know of Bosh, will invalidate the warranty if a non Bosh trained mechanic has touched the bike.
Surely though, this would be at @jann71's own risk?


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## jann71 (27 Feb 2019)

jowwy said:


> how would they know? what ebike you got?
> 
> id ride the route anyway, nothing they can do about it, as its a public road and not a closed road event



My friends suggested I cover the battery with my jacket

It's a closed road event.

I have a Bergamont eHorizon 6


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## Pat "5mph" (27 Feb 2019)

jann71 said:


> My friends suggested I cover the battery with my jacket


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## jann71 (27 Feb 2019)

Maybe it's because there is a timed king of the mountain stage.


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## Slick (27 Feb 2019)

jann71 said:


> My friends suggested I cover the battery with my jacket
> 
> It's a closed road event.
> 
> I have a Bergamont eHorizon 6


So has Mrs Slick, she loves it and I'm super jealous.


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## derrick (1 Mar 2019)

jann71 said:


> I've entered a sportive to ride with one of my friends, unfortunately ebikes are not allowed.


Why would you want to do a sportive on a Ebike? Surely the idea of a sportive is to test yourself. I have nothing against Ebikes at all, But cannot get my head round this one.


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## Phaeton (1 Mar 2019)

If it's on closed roads & goes places that you cannot normally go


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## Pat "5mph" (1 Mar 2019)

derrick said:


> Why would you want to do a sportive on a Ebike? Surely the idea of a sportive is to test yourself. I have nothing against Ebikes at all, But cannot get my head round this one.


The only sportive I've ever done was for fun.
It was a 50 mile sportive, lots of my friends attended, it was fun.
To challenge myself, a few years later I did the same sportive, then rode back home another 50 miles.
That was less fun at the end of it!


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## derrick (1 Mar 2019)

Pat "5mph" said:


> The only sportive I've ever done was for fun.
> It was a 50 mile sportive, lots of my friends attended, it was fun.
> To challenge myself, a few years later I did the same sportive, then rode back home another 50 miles.
> That was less fun at the end of it!


But you did it unaded.You tested yourself.Good for you.


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## Pale Rider (2 Mar 2019)

derrick said:


> Why would you want to do a sportive on a Ebike? Surely the idea of a sportive is to test yourself. I have nothing against Ebikes at all, But cannot get my head round this one.



Because the OP likes riding his/her ebike, and a sportive is an event where people like to ride their bikes.


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## derrick (2 Mar 2019)

Pale Rider said:


> Because the OP likes riding his/her ebike, and a sportive is an event where people like to ride their bikes.
> 
> It's really not complicated.


A sportive is testing yourself, not your battery,


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## youngoldbloke (2 Mar 2019)

derrick said:


> A sportive is testing yourself, not your battery,


Actually, it could be both, and as British Cycling explains "Some ride for health reasons, some for the social side, some to challenge themselves or train for another event, and some to raise money for charity."


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## jowwy (2 Mar 2019)

derrick said:


> A sportive is testing yourself, not your battery,


But what are you testing yourself at?? Its not a race, theres no prizes..just enjoyment.

Why cant someone enjoy it on an ebike just as much


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## youngoldbloke (2 Mar 2019)

jowwy said:


> But what are you testing yourself at?? Its not a race, theres no prizes..just enjoyment.
> 
> Why cant someone enjoy it on an ebike just as much


You can enjoy it on an ebike, you can enjoy challenging yourself on an ebike. The challenge might be in cycling further than you have ever cycled before, or riding the distance quicker than before - this is testing yourself isn't it? You can challenge yourself to get more miles from the battery by using less assistance, or riding over the cut-off speed. I don't ride sportives myself, but get some of the same satisfaction from Audax rides - and ebikes are allowed.


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## Pale Rider (2 Mar 2019)

derrick said:


> A sportive is testing yourself, not your battery,



You are being purposefully (I hope) obtuse.

Sure, sportives attract some weekend warriors on their carbon dream machines who sup gels and talk about 'burning matches' and all that cobblers.

But I suspect they are in the minority, the majority of participants are there to enjoy the ride, company, and experience.


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## Pale Rider (2 Mar 2019)

An ebike race would be a test of your ability and your battery.

I believe there has been a couple of organised ebike races, but the idea has not caught on.

I'm sure I read somewhere there are also ebike classes in some mountain biking events.

Not sure how that works.


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## sight-pin (2 Mar 2019)

derrick said:


> Why would you want to do a sportive on a Ebike? Surely the idea of a sportive is to test yourself. I have nothing against Ebikes at all, But cannot get my head round this one.



I thought "sportive" meant, to have fun.


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## derrick (2 Mar 2019)

Cyclosportives — commonly referred to as sportives — and gran fondos have become a firm fixture on the the worldwide cycling calendar in recent years, offering both seasoned racers and newcomers to the sport a challenge that can be as gruelling or straightforward as they wish.


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## cm2mackem (2 Mar 2019)

jowwy said:


> Ive done 57 miles on it and still had 2 bars of battery left.........


Can the ebikes cope with 100 miles , asking as they are now allowed in the London 100


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## jowwy (2 Mar 2019)

cm2mackem said:


> Can the ebikes cope with 100 miles , asking as they are now allowed in the London 100


Mine can.......


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## cm2mackem (2 Mar 2019)

jowwy said:


> Mine can.......


I been looking at the Ribble and have been quoted 60 miles at best which is putting me off


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## jowwy (2 Mar 2019)

cm2mackem said:


> I been looking at the Ribble and have been quoted 60 miles at best which is putting me off


I have two batteries.....500 + 400 wh

Can do over hundred no problem


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## Pat "5mph" (2 Mar 2019)

*Mod Note, please heed it!*
The bickering in this thread is not helpful to the OP - sorry about this turn of events @jann71.
The OP is not asking about the morals (if indeed they are any) on using an Ebike in a sportive, they are asking:


jann71 said:


> Does anyone here ride an ebike and a road bike?
> Do you feel any benefit on road bike after doing miles on ebike?


Please stick to answering the OP, derailments will result in thread bans.
Thank you.


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## cm2mackem (2 Mar 2019)

jowwy said:


> I have two batteries.....500 + 400 wh
> 
> Can do over hundred no problem


Is yours a drop bar Orbea or a Ribble, they're the two I'm interested in


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## jowwy (2 Mar 2019)

cm2mackem said:


> Is yours a drop bar Orbea or a Ribble, they're the two I'm interested in


No.....I have a cube acid pro one, flat bar emtb with carbon forks (not suspension) 47mm conti tour tyres, hydraulic brakes and Shimano di2 groupset


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## keithmac (2 Mar 2019)

It's very odd, 9 times out of 10 when an ebike is involved theres always either "racing" or "cheating" mentioned.

People don't ride ebikes to race "normal" bikes, I often get passed on my Gtech plodder on the way home and think nothing of it.

I was faster on my "normal" mountain bike overall but after a day on my feet at work the ebike is a far nicer proposition to get home on..

People use them to go further, help with joint issues as well. A person with bad knees or hips is not cheating, you should be glad they are still making the effort to cycle.

I could have bought a motorbike or worse still drive the car every day but plumped for an ebike.

Legally they assist up to 15mph so any "roadie" in good shape should see one off no problems..


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## jann71 (29 Apr 2019)

The answer is yes riding an ebike stills helps.

Completed 66 miles Etape Loch Ness yesterday on a "normal" bike having pretty much only trained on my ebike. 
Furthest I had been in training was 30 miles, once on flat bar road bike.
Struggled up the hills but I've always struggled on hills which is why I bought the ebike


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## Tenkaykev (8 May 2019)

Pat "5mph" said:


> *Mod Note, please heed it!*
> The bickering in this thread is not helpful to the OP - sorry about this turn of events @jann71.
> The OP is not asking about the morals (if indeed they are any) on using an Ebike in a sportive, they are asking:
> 
> ...



I can't be the only person who comes late to a thread and enjoys it when it veers off course and sometimes gets a bit heated.
I read through from the beginning with a mental " hear, hear" or "boo hiss" according to the opinion being put forward.
Perhaps we could have a " Best Of " compilation, I'd certainly subscribe


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## NickWi (9 May 2019)

jann71 said:


> Thank you for your email. We are looking at the possibility of allowing e-bikes at future events, but unfortunately, they are not allowed in the 2019 event.



When I was looking at the Velo North in Durham a while back, I also saw they had a no e-bike clause (along with no trikes or recumbants), so I emailed the organisers to complain. I used the arguement that:-

1. Their policy was discriminatory against both older and less able bodied riders who aren’t as young or as fit as we once were, but still who like to get out riding and would relish the chance of riding this type of event. 
2. They were supposidly working with a Council who have an active program of events that cover sports for all and thus they were discouraging that.
3. That their T&C consituted disabled discriminatation. 

The latter was probably pushing it a bit, but it worked. I got a polite note back to say they were looking into it, then another one a few days later saying they'd change their T&Cs to allow e-bikes. They didn't budge on the recumbants or trikes though which was a little disapointing, but on a mass start event is understandable (but also easily rectified).

I know Etape Lock Ness and Velo North are run by different organisations, but it shows what can be done with a polite question, making a good arguement and a bit of cheek.


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## Slick (12 May 2019)

NickWi said:


> When I was looking at the Velo North in Durham a while back, I also saw they had a no e-bike clause (along with no trikes or recumbants), so I emailed the organisers to complain. I used the arguement that:-
> 
> 1. Their policy was discriminatory against both older and less able bodied riders who aren’t as young or as fit as we once were, but still who like to get out riding and would relish the chance of riding this type of event.
> 2. They were supposidly working with a Council who have an active program of events that cover sports for all and thus they were discouraging that.
> ...


Nice, well done.


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## Pale Rider (12 May 2019)

NickWi said:


> When I was looking at the Velo North in Durham a while back, I also saw they had a no e-bike clause (along with no trikes or recumbants), so I emailed the organisers to complain. I used the arguement that:-
> 
> 1. Their policy was discriminatory against both older and less able bodied riders who aren’t as young or as fit as we once were, but still who like to get out riding and would relish the chance of riding this type of event.
> 2. They were supposidly working with a Council who have an active program of events that cover sports for all and thus they were discouraging that.
> ...



You certainly pushed the right buttons with Durham County Council who like to think of themselves as being very inclusive.

There may an element of truth in that, although the members are still mostly retired pitmen, some of whose attitudes might be a little, er, old-fashioned.


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## jann71 (21 Oct 2019)

Yay, they've updated the policy for 2020.

Thanks for your email. Yes, for the first time in 2020 E bikes will be able to enter the Etape, provided that it is a UK road legal bike with maximum electro speed of 15.5 MPH and rated power output of 250 watts or less.


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## Smudge (21 Oct 2019)

jann71 said:


> I've entered a sportive to ride with one of my friends, unfortunately ebikes are not allowed.
> 
> Which is a shame as I'd be doing 66 miles with a smile on my face all the way round.
> 
> ...



I ride an ebike and 3 unassisted bikes, one of them being a road bike. The only benefit i feel about the road bike is how super light it feels after using my ebike. But there's no way in a million years could do a 66 mile sportive, couldn't even do a third of that mileage on an unassisted road bike. If i could, i would consider that wouldn't need an ebike at all.


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## derrick (21 Oct 2019)

jann71 said:


> Yay, they've updated the policy for 2020.
> 
> Thanks for your email. Yes, for the first time in 2020 E bikes will be able to enter the Etape, provided that it is a UK road legal bike with maximum electro speed of 15.5 MPH and rated power output of 250 watts or less.


That just makes a joke of it.


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## youngoldbloke (21 Oct 2019)

derrick said:


> That just makes a joke of it.


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## Scaleyback (21 Oct 2019)

cm2mackem said:


> I been looking at the Ribble and have been quoted 60 miles at best which is putting me off



How on earth can anyone quote you "60 miles at best" is beyond me.
The battery performance (mileage) on these bikes is so dependant on many factors e.g rider ability/terrain/wind/tyres.
I have had way over a 100 miles on one charge from my Orbea, but this was on a flatish route in favourable conditions.
The Ribble is the same ebikemotion drive system, I see no reason the battery performance would differ much from the Gain.


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## Phaeton (21 Oct 2019)

cm2mackem said:


> Can the ebikes cope with 100 miles , asking as they are now allowed in the London 100


I did my first ebike ride yesterday, set off with 5 bars did 33 miles, 1550 ft climbing & as I came back within the last 5 miles it dropped to 4 bars, I did ride a good chunk with the motor on off.


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## TyrannosaurusTreks (21 Oct 2019)

I recently did a uk cycle event ride on my domane+ & when registering I was asked if I was using a ebike, all the other riders seemed impressed that my bike was even a ebike
36 miles 3000ft elevation 2 bars used,


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## Slick (21 Oct 2019)

jann71 said:


> Yay, they've updated the policy for 2020.
> 
> Thanks for your email. Yes, for the first time in 2020 E bikes will be able to enter the Etape, provided that it is a UK road legal bike with maximum electro speed of 15.5 MPH and rated power output of 250 watts or less.


See you there then. I've signed up for it but if they have finally relented I may well try and talk Mrs Slick in to joining me.


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## steveindenmark (23 Oct 2019)

derrick said:


> A sportive is testing yourself, not your battery,


I thought cycling was about going out and enjoying yourself with your friends. If that happens to be in a sportive, then so be it. If you want to test yourself, thats fine. Other people may have different goals.


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## CXRAndy (24 Oct 2019)

An ebike used for a sportive by a rider who possibly couldn't finish said event without a little assistance. No problems with seeing them 

Using an ebike for recovery to make zone 2 ride possible over hilly terrain- no need to come out of lower zones by increasing assistance. Great idea.

I might convert my commuter bike in the future for such assistance


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