The False Electric-Assist Bike Debate….

There is an intense and emotional debate raging on bike forums around the world… It concerns electrical-assist bicycles. 

On one side, we have people who claim that electric-assist bikes are driven by bad guys who destroy the environment.  On the other, we have users who, seduced by the technology, defend their freedom of expression. At the heart of this debate, we have a few bad users, that we will call “crazys” who have inappropriate behaviours and who do not represent the majority.

This debate is recurrent in our society. It is only the expression of change. 

When the internet was first introduced into our lives, people railed against the toxicity of this new technology. It was said that the internet would destroy the minds of young people and these accusations were justified with the existence of abusers who used the internet to facilitate inappropriate behaviour, such as child pornography.  At the heart of this debate were a few bad users, known as “crazys” who engaged in inappropriate behaviour and who did not represent the majority.

The Internet is not gone. People who go to the library to find answers to their questions or use the yellow pages to find a phone number still exist but the majority has accepted the benefits of technology.

Chairlifts, the electric motor for skiers, will not disappear… They have made sport accessible and they allow people of all ages, from the 3-year-old to the 77-year-old grandfather, to practice a healthy outdoor physical activity.

The electric-assist bike is a revolution for cycling. It’s as big as the invention of the chairlift for skiers. This technology will not go away because it makes the sport accessible and it makes the differences between age groups disappear. The electric motor is inclusive and allows the athlete, the child, the person with a disability and the grandparent to ride together.  Everyone benefits, with different levels of assistance.

Beyond the false debate, let’s focus on promoting respect, courtesy and protecting the trails through responsible behaviour.

Thank you.