# Honest Question: Demographic of Average E-Bike Buyer



## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

Just wondering who the average E-Bike buyer/rider is.

Is it someone who remembers riding a bike as a kid and thinks "That looks like fun, I can do that" as a way to get out and get some exercise?

Is it someone who is aging or is otherwise incapable of the full effort required and can no longer ride a non-assisted mountain bike?

Is it someone else entirely?

Is it all of the above?

Just curious.


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## bchampig (May 15, 2017)

Ok, I'll bite. I've been an avid mountain biker for about 30 years, and dirt biker for 40 years. I basically love riding anything on two wheels. I have always ridden for the fun of it, not to compete with anyone(except for the occasional cross country mtb race or dirt bike hare scramble). I am also an engineer and enjoy building stuff. For me, my ebikes(mostly mid-drive Kits with lots of custom work) have qualities I like fom bikes and dirt bikes. They are a blast to ride, and I have fun riding them, just like I enjoy riding traditional mountain bike and dirt bikes. They also let me design, fabricate, and keep my creative juices flowing. Yes, they are motorized, but I am not ashamed of that fact. They also have pedals...not ashamed of that either. I still ride on dirt bike trails, some of which I created 40 years ago on my dirt bikes. The trails still look and ride the same, except for the occasional fallen tree. Now I get to enjoy them without making noise,

my 2 cents,
BC


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## AGarcia (Feb 20, 2012)

I'm not sure if I'm the average e-mtber... But here's me:

Late 40's. Married with kid. Above average weight, above average income. 

Been riding road bikes since high school. Been riding standard mtb since not too much later than that. For the last 10 years or so, been riding mostly standard MTB. I average about 1800-2k miles per year. I'm overweight, so I'm slower than average on the uphill climbs, but I always make it to the top. I ride 3-5 times a week. Most of my local rides are 1 1/2 to 3 hours. The rides get longer if I'm riding out of town or exploring. I tend to take a few MTB "vacations" or excursions with various friends each year. Earlier this year was Tahoe and Colorado Springs is next week. Last year I took an MTB trip to Sedona and Northern Georgia. The year before that it was Pisgah in NC and Gooseberry Mesa in Utah. The year before that it was.... well you get the picture. 

I rarely ride alone. Riding is a social thing for me.

I currently own two, late model, standard mtbs (Pivot Mach 429SL and Specialized Stumpjumper). My 8 year old son now rides his mtb (Transition Ripcord) on tame trails around my home as well. 

Last year, I bought an e-mtb (Specialized Levo) for my wife to use and join my son and I. She rides primarily on fire roads or on roads around town. My wife is 5'8" so she uses a medium frame. I'm 5'10" and I also use a medium frame. So I can fit her Levo if I want to ride it. 

I've ridden the Levo from time to time (I've probably put 100 miles on it now) and enjoy it. 

The Levo would never replace my other bikes for me, but I've enjoyed riding it with other e-bikers I've met on this forum, and also enjoyed riding it a few times when I didn't necessarily feel like putting in a big workout but I still wanted to get some fresh air. 

In sum, the e-mtb is just one option among many for me. It's the least used option for me, but it's there for me if I want it. For my wife, it's an alternative to not getting out to ride at all. She doesn't do mtb for herself. She does it for me and my kid, so it's the least painful way to getting her out with us from time to time. I'm ok with that.


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## Gutch (Dec 17, 2010)

X2 for me.


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## Walt (Jan 23, 2004)

The (very limited) number of folks I've seen on the trails on e-bikes are about a 50/50 mix of out of shape middle aged noobs (literal backwards helmet noob in one case) and elderly people of indeterminate fitness. Plus one guy who is a pro quad racer who's young and fit (but that was a DIY super illegal DH bike with a giant motor you could hear coming from about a mile away). 

On the bike paths around town it's 90% ladies (of all ages), and 90% townie/10% cargo bikes. Not sure why the dudes aren't into it (maybe the ladies do more kid/grocery hauling in general) but Pedego is absolutely *killing* it in Park City. Seeing more Radpower cargo setups, too (in fact, I just got my wife one for... hauling the kids).

-Walt


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## eFat (Jun 14, 2017)

For what I see here in Switzerland and on the french forums I would say the majority are 40+, have a long background in MTB, are more enduro oriented and want to ride more in their shrinking available time.


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## Gutch (Dec 17, 2010)

This^ and a lot of ex motocross guys including myself. 40+, slightly above average fitness with ebike as an addition to the stable, just for the days when you have no gas but wanna screw around or your riding with Sagan.


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## slapheadmofo (Jun 9, 2006)

50 this year, riding MTB regularly since 91, building trails since ~2000. 

I don't have an e-bike, but I would consider adding one to the stable for the wife / son to come riding with me, for trail work/break-in (I sometimes use my sons old CRF 100 for that stuff) or for when I just feel like going for a less-strenuous cruise. I have tons of unrestricted trails in my area, so there are no legal or access issues, and I really don't GAF about proving my fitness or 'purity' to anyone. Hell, I built many of the trails; if someone ever gave me **** about it, I'd tell them to pound sand and go find a different place to ride. 

Also think my dad, who's 74 and still rides a few times a week, albeit very slowly, would have a great time on one. 

Be nice if the prices came down some; we shall see.


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## GRPABT1 (Oct 22, 2015)

E-bike's are expensive. Nobody is going to consider one unless they were at one point an established mtb rider. Generally an aged or injured person who has been around long enough to have some coin to splash on and expensive rig.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

slapheadmofo said:


> 50 this year, riding MTB regularly since 91, building trails since ~2000.
> 
> I don't have an e-bike, but I would consider adding one to the stable for the wife / son to come riding with me, for trail work/break-in (I sometimes use my sons old CRF 100 for that stuff) or for when I just feel like going for a less-strenuous cruise. I have tons of unrestricted trails in my area, so there are no legal or access issues, and I really don't GAF about proving my fitness or 'purity' to anyone. Hell, I built many of the trails; if someone ever gave me **** about it, I'd tell them to pound sand and go find a different place to ride.
> 
> ...


 But it better have a chainsaw rack on it for him.


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## slapheadmofo (Jun 9, 2006)

leeboh said:


> But it better have a chainsaw rack on it for him.


You know him - he'll figure something out!


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## ghoti (Mar 23, 2011)

Around here it's mostly guys 50+ who just can't take the steep climbs. Usually they say they have some sort of injury and thus need the bike. 

There's also a smaller contingent of guy in their 20-30s who buy them to brap. Typically wearing full face helmets and riding in larger groups of 5 or more people. Not sure of their background but either the bikes are unwieldy or they aren't very good riders as their descending skills leave something to be desired.


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## Turd (Jul 21, 2005)

I do not ride much in the more popular, higher traffic areas. Only seen 50+ ages on mtb and 60+ commuting.

Need to watch myself with the commuters. Drove past an old woman on an uphill and did not realize she was moving faster than a hammering road biker. I made a right hand turn onto Side Street, she was on my asss quick and it was uncomfortably close.

Don’t have an ebike. (Someday?) Probably end up an overpowered and illegal DIY kit slapped onto a retro 90’s v-brake race bike and a ticket to the hospital.

Honestly, at 44 I would probably only have interest in some type of modular kit that could sense torque and weighted a few pounds. 100? or so watts, making it possible to climb a steep Uinta ATV/jeep road or the like. Basically a bit of juice in the granny with a bunch of effort to be able to climb something that most can’t or would even consider riding.


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## KiwiPhil (Jun 2, 2008)

Late forties, ex Motox, Race Quad, Road (motor) bike rider (in fact anything with wheels) who has also ridden MTB's since they first made an appearance. Injuries and poor health in recent years made my passion for riding MTB's diminish. Test riding, and subsequently buying a Levo, has not only spurred me back into riding, but helped me get fit again, lose weight and became more motivated in my other past times (hunting and fishing).
Still ride standard MTB as well...But with the steep terrain where I live, the Levo means I can still ride with my super fit mates and enjoy it with them.


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## Klurejr (Oct 13, 2006)

I don't have one, but the 2 guys I know that do:

* One is in his 50's, is diabetic (the type you can't fix with diet) and loves all things technology. He built a throttle powered eBike on a Kona Stinky. I rode it, it was fast and felt weird cause I did not need the pedals. He also has a regular MTB, but does not really ride either very often.

* Other guy I rode with once, he lives out of town, also in late 40's or early 50's. This is his third eBike, was a pedal assisted model, i do not recall the name, said he spent nearly $12k on it. He was in shape and liked it because it meant less work on the climbs.


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## PinoyMTBer (Nov 21, 2013)

45 years old and have been riding since I was a little kid. From BMX, DJ, MTB, Dirtbikes and now Ebike. I love them all!

Im also a bit of a technology geek. My rides are my usual escape from the grind. I considered myself an anti-ebike at one point until my last injury got me looking for a way to ride efficiently again. I demoed a few and I was amazed how much fun they were!

So I bought one! That was about a year ago, the ebike helped me rehab my injured knee/ankle while enjoying this new experience. Now I'm a bit stronger, so I'm also back to riding my MTB for the workout rides in my favorite loops around MidPen (off limits to Ebikes ATM). The Ebike is my go to rig for recovery rides and exploring new trails..Ebike group rides are so much fun too....where they are allowed of course!


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

Thanks for the responses guys. It helps me understand (not that I need to) who's buying them. Anything we can do to understand the other guy's perspective helps open up dialogue, right? My opinion of E-Bikes has evolved. I've gone from, "Hell no, not on my trail!" to, "It really doesn't affect me, so why get worked up over it."

I've said it before, I don't see myself owning one but I don't know when my situation may change. At this time, I'm very fit for my age (55) and plan on riding til I drop. If something happens to change that, I'll cross that bridge then I guess.


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## hobbit (Apr 23, 2007)

My take. I'm a 55 year old who has been riding mtbs for over 30 years. My fitness isn't what it used to be and my knees are playing up. I currently ride a capra and ride with guys 15 years my junior who will be the first to admit that I'm a bullet downhill and the first one to go off any gap jump. But... I've never enjoyed the climbs... it's all about the downhill, adrenaline, and ultimately the fun factor - which is why I got into it in the first place after a background in MX. So, 3 weeks ago I test rode a Levo and it was a revelation; the climbs were fun again requiring skills and line choice that I hadn't used for 10 years, downhill times were improved as I was back up to speed quicker. Uphills were 100% better and downhills were 95% of the fun of the capra, but the key is on any given day I got to ride twice the downhill distance I would have done on the capra. I'm UK and ride 100% trail centres which are one way and you can go as fast as you like. For me, and my riding, it's a no brainer and has doubled the fun factor. Picking up my Levo Carbon next week.


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