Audax on E-bikes.

[T42]

Electricity is beside the point: if the thing went putt-putt and emitted blue smoke would you even consider allowing it to enter?

Perhaps more relevantly, a combination of human and sail power: http://whike.com/en/

My father tried to build me one of those when I was light enough not to serve as anchor.  Or maybe I wasn't: it didn't move.

I can just imagine tacking across the Fens on the homeward leg of LEL. 

[L CC]

For me, much of the pleasure of riding a bike is powering it myself.

I do not expect to be coming out for a ride with mates on a motorbike. Even if it looks like a pushbike and is powered by magic, rather than petrol, smoke.

Horses for courses. I wouldn't ride a fugly Thorn either, and my feelings on Butterfly Bars are well aired elsewhere.

And I may change my mind when my knees are totally (rather than partially) shot and I can't keep my lard below 60% (rather than 50%). I won't be expecting my powered rides to be validated.

I hope the auwd gadgie in the OP enjoys his ride.

[mattc]

I really don't get it.

I don't see a problem with someone on an E-bike coming out for a ride with audaxers. 

<snip>

Bit of a straw man there, Mr Fitz!

[LiamFitz]

Sorry matt - you'll have to explain... my degrading brain is trying to outrun my crumbling legs...

[Exit Stage Left]

It's a favourite YACF standby, call it a 'Straw Man', it gives you time to think.

[Whitedown Man]

The line between "human powered" and "power assisted" seems to be a pretty clear one to me - whether that power comes from a battery or from an internal combustion engine.  I struggle though with where we'd draw the line between one type of power assisted vehicle and another.

I also don't get the "the other guy riding a power assisted vehicle doesn't diminish your achievement" argument. All of the Audax awards, badges and other accolades currently carry a certain cache even if only within the AUK community. Make any of them easier to achieve by allowing them to be power assisted and that cache is diminished for all.

[mattc]

It's a favourite YACF standby, call it a 'Straw Man', it give you time to think.

This isn't a pub - you can take all the time in the world to reply, you know. Give it a try!

[Torslanda]

Sorry matt - you'll have to explain... my degrading brain is trying to outrun my crumbling legs...

OK Matt. You've had nearly 9 hours...

...and you'll still have to explain.

[T42]

The line between "human powered" and "power assisted" seems to be a pretty clear one to me - whether that power comes from a battery or from an internal combustion engine.  I struggle though with where we'd draw the line between one type of power assisted vehicle and another.

I also don't get the "the other guy riding a power assisted vehicle doesn't diminish your achievement" argument. All of the Audax awards, badges and other accolades currently carry a certain cache even if only within the AUK community. Make any of them easier to achieve by allowing them to be power assisted and that cache is diminished for all.

+1.  Same goes for introducing an eAudax brevet or some equivalent dilution of the concept.

I'm on the thin shaky edge of no longer being able to muster Audax averages over Audax distance (>= 200 km, the 100k is an initiation brevet), and when I no longer can then that will be that.  If I ever do get an eBike it'll be so that I can still enjoy the heights and the forest, not to chase after illusory kudos for imaginary brevets.

[frankly frankie]

The line between "human powered" and "power assisted" seems to be a pretty clear one to me - whether that power comes from a battery or from an internal combustion engine.  I struggle though with where we'd draw the line between one type of power assisted vehicle and another.

The line is drawn for us.  What is an EAPC is a matter of definition.  No-one's inviting grandad to dust off his old Kawasaki for a spin.  Of course, no organiser is going to start differentiating between the legal machines and the ever-increasing number of non-legal ones, if they even notice them at all.

[mattc]

Sorry matt - you'll have to explain... my degrading brain is trying to outrun my crumbling legs...

OK Matt. You've had nearly 9 hours...

...and you'll still have to explain.

[I have ridden 180km since that post - please forgive me  ]

Top of the google page:
Debaters invoke a straw man when they put forth an argument—usually something extreme or easy to argue against—that they know their opponent doesn't support. You put forth a straw man because you know it will be easy for you to knock down or discredit

I refer you to my earlier post, for clarity:

I really don't get it.

I don't see a problem with someone on an E-bike coming out for a ride with audaxers. 

<snip>

Bit of a straw man there, Mr Fitz!

[Grandad]

I'm on the thin shaky edge of no longer being able to muster Audax averages over Audax distance (>= 200 km, the 100k is an initiation brevet),

I'm well over the edge, tapering off with 100k rides, the last one 2 years ago.  Even these are now out of reach.

No e-bike while I can still manage 60 miles at my own modest speed and when that time comes I don't envisage returning to audax events.