# We need a forum moderator



## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 1996)

Any volunteers? 

This forum will be a hotbed of growth and controversy so we need someone who is knowledgeable and level-headed. Someone who owns an e-bike and has been riding for a while is good.

There is an opportunity to build FAQs on the subject and inform about the key technologies and issues.

fc


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## Justin MD (Sep 30, 2013)

I would hate that job. Whoa.


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

Great idea especially since e-bikes represent growth for bicycling. From what I've experienced, e-bikes supplement rather than replace p-bike sales. You might consider Ron, spinningmagnets, a well respected journalist in the e-community. He is very knowledgeable and fair minded. Additionally, he dislikes name calling and threats as much as most of us.


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## vadimhellbike (Mar 23, 2015)

I will volunteer for the "weekends and holidays" shift. I could also do weeknights, but I am unavailable during work hours.


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## rider95 (Mar 30, 2016)

spinningmagnets would be a good one E bikes are a growing aspect of the bike world with all us old MT bikers , I travel around the Midwest and south riding my E bike loving every bit of it .


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## scottzg (Sep 27, 2006)

The forum would require a lot less moderation if you did the sensible thing and took it off the mountain bike website.


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## Centurion_ (Aug 13, 2011)

^^^
Agreed


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## rider95 (Mar 30, 2016)

I am a long time MT biker and I ride a E MT bike now I think its great to have a E bike section


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## vadimhellbike (Mar 23, 2015)

scottzg said:


> The forum would require a lot less moderation if you did the sensible thing and took it off the mountain bike website.


The good thing about having an e-bike section is that will enable _*all*_ of the other sections to be free of discussion about motors, controllers, batteries and other electronics.

Having all of the other sections having pure pedal bike content is a good thing indeed!


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## Centurion_ (Aug 13, 2011)

vadimhellbike said:


> The good thing about having an e-bike section is that will enable _*all*_ of the other sections to be free of discussion about motors, controllers, batteries and other electronics.
> 
> Having all of the other sections having pure pedal bike content is a good thing indeed!


Same could be said of a road bike forum. Or a Cross bike forum. Or a Harley forum.
Or even a horsey forum. or...how about an electric wheel chair forum? Looking forward to reading the pros and cons of carbon vrs. alloy wheels, pneumatic vrs inflatable tires, tire sealants, and perhaps a thread about the best way to secure oxygen tanks for those that need em.

Thing is...this is a MOUNTAIN BIKE site.

Or so we thought.


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## rider95 (Mar 30, 2016)

Yes agree I ride a MT bike


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## vadimhellbike (Mar 23, 2015)

Centurion_ said:


> Same could be said of a road bike forum. Or a Cross bike forum. Or a Harley forum.
> Or even a horsey forum. or...how about an electric wheel chair forum? Looking forward to reading the pros and cons of carbon vrs. alloy wheels, pneumatic vrs inflatable tires, tire sealants, and perhaps a thread about the best way to secure oxygen tanks for those that need em.
> 
> Thing is...this is a MOUNTAIN BIKE site.
> ...


I agree 100%. I think the admin did this as a matter of *containerization*. Put *all* the ebike content in one discrete spot.

Without an e-bike section, the rest of the forum would forever be poised to be diluted (some would say _polluted_) with electronics content.

We have seen e-bike enthusiasts (myself included) post in *all* of the other sections, knowing full well that this content belongs in Off Camber.

When I had problems with flat tires, freewheel widths, chainring size, etc., I posted on mtbr because of the extensive knowledge base here, and it helped me solve all of my mechanical problems. As I have previously mentioned, my greatest challenges in building my bikes were mechanical, and it stands to reason to come to a place where these very mechanical problems have been solved.

I eventually learned to *not* mention my electronics and mention *only* the pure pedal bike aspects of my bikes. In many cases, however, my unusual (i.e. high speed) application became a pertinent piece of data and I quickly realized that my bikes do not belong on mtbr. Point being, other ebike enthusiasts will certainly continue to come on mtbr and post content about their e-bikes.

If you want the rest of the forum to be pure pedal bike content (as I think it should be), then the admins have to have some strategy for sweeping that electronic content *out* of the rest of the forum. The only strategies I can think of are deletion, moving to Off Camber or the aforementioned containerization.

Finally, when I was younger my hobby was MTB. Now, as someone who builds, maintains and rides e-bikes every day, I can honestly tell you that the experience of those two hobbies is almost identical. The amount of time I spend on pure pedal bike stuff (brakes, tires, gears, etc.) is 95+% of the hobby. Point being, other e-bikers are going to continue to come on mtbr asking about brakes, tires, gears, etc. With the e-bike section, all of those posts will be shuttled away.


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## spinningmagnets (Jun 17, 2014)

I am humbled by the votes of confidence in me, but I must confess I am already swamped right now, and I just couldn't give this forum section the attention it deserves.

I only started posting when I noticed that mtbr has an electric-specific section, and I was curious to see if I could be helpful. Although this started as an MTB site, there are already many sections that address bikes that are not MTB (roadies, commuters, vintage, etc). If nobody here has any ebike questions, I won't be posting much.

endless-sphere.com is obviously the premier ebike website, but they have the most activity with hot-rodding and experimentation (every nationality, especially USA, Canada, Germany, Australia, etc). Luna's forum has grown rapidly with new ebike street commuters. There are a dozen ebike websites in the EU, but the French website is pretty active with low-power street commuters. The German website is VERY active, with lots of off-road activity, both factory and DIY. The only other highly active ebike website is the Russian.

Whether mtbr gets a piece of the growing ebike pie, only the members can decide. If you click on these links below while in Chrome as a browser, it will ask if you want it to automatically translate (always good for a laugh).

https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=21

Pedelec-Forum

Cyclurba, le vélo utile

The last link for Russian ebikes isn't showing up. It is

http://

*followed by*

electrotransport.ru/ussr/index.php


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Something else to consider is that any deviation from the norm will require a period of adjustment. 

For example, the anti Bikes Direct "coalition" gradually faded, but was pretty onerous for a solid year.

I'll admit that I was anti ebike until the gears turned long enough that I started seeing things with a more practical eye.

I believe this forum belongs on MTBR, though the content should be more mountain bike focused. Give this forum another season to settle.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

scottzg said:


> The forum would require a lot less moderation if you did the sensible thing and took it off the mountain bike website.


Umm, good thought.


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## NEPMTBA (Apr 7, 2007)

Interesting.

It is working out, and threads have started to advance to a point where other users are starting to ask good questions. there are a few who continue to post the trails and who can and can't use them.

It will take time for the state and feds to get on board and everyone to sort out all that will exist. Predicting the future is tough


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

NEPMTBA said:


> Interesting.
> 
> It is working out, and threads have started to advance to a point where other users are starting to ask good questions. there are a few who continue to post the trails and who can and can't use them.
> 
> It will take time for the state and feds to get on board and everyone to sort out all that will exist. Predicting the future is tough


The key is communication. Too many people misunderstand how the bikes work and what makes them different from a motorcycle.

Even though I'm a convert "in process", I already find myself explaining to people that these bikes assist pedaling, they will not power themselves, hence Ebike versus moped/scooter/motorcycle.

I'm actually pretty stoked that my wife will soon be able to ride with me, that is worth more than any "shame" I might feel or teh effort it takes to explain "why" an Ebike.

That said, I'm still not riding one 

Is there a moderator?


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## NEPMTBA (Apr 7, 2007)

^^ I'm the moderator


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