silkyrhino

@Mtbdialed: Uh, what? You guys are all over the place. I thought we needed to toughen these kids up, and now we can't expect a 6yr old to work their way up to riding 10 miles of rad trails on an emtb? What happened to all that complaining about soft parenting ruining our kids? That's probably 3 miles of equivalent effort on a regular bike.

@andrewmajor: Yeah, it couldn't be Tiktok and other social media, broken homes, and parents not having time to do ANYTHING with their kids and hiring nannies to raise them. Much more logical that it would be caused by fun outdoor activities enjoyed with their parents.

@sonuvagun: And a rally car driver, fighter pilot, Moto GP racer, all require different mindsets and emotional focus and different hardships to get through... All just sitting there. Lol, lack of experience eh? I started racing cross-country mtb 27 years ago as a teenager and competed nationally, raced in open ocean swims in Hawaii, and played competitive water polo. Somehow I'm still able to logically decouple from this silly notion that a child's successful mental and physical development will be hindered by going emtb riding with their mom or dad, for one of the activities they enjoy. The more you write, the more evident it is your opinions are based on you being stuck in a bubble of illogical outrage. Pop it and expand your thinking.

@andrewmajor: The reason for bringing up those other activities is to highlight the absurdity of it all... No one is over in the comments of the Whistler bike park opening day article going off about terrible parents failing their children by taking them to the bike park where you don't have to ride to the top. It seems islandforlife, and you believe that “physical struggle” is the main factor in building character and resilience. You both seem to view e-bikes for kids as a symptom of an easier life, or what you term 'soft parenting.' But it's just an overemotional way to gatekeep the sport and feed the need to be outraged by modern society. Just because it's an e-bike doesn't mean they aren't exercising. They're still pedaling, using their muscles, and working their cardiovascular system, just with some help… Probably still burning half a day's calorie intake on a decent ride. This is still a physical activity that will build strength, endurance, mental acuity, and coordination – all while enjoying time outdoors. That’s all positive stuff. Regarding the crappy parenting aspect – The crux here is not the bike type but the bonding and active lifestyle it facilitates. The parent's presence and commitment to shared outdoor activity outshine any e-bike vs. traditional bike debate. Remember, many kids lack even this opportunity. Lastly, this assertion that e-bikes are part of a 'growing phenomenon of soft people raising soft children' is not only insulting but also flawed. Life is filled with challenges and struggles that cannot be avoided (outside of any type of bike riding). And it's worth mentioning the ability to overcome obstacles and build resilience is not solely dependent on physical hardship. Character and resilience are not exclusive to struggling up a hill on a mountain bike. The parent's role is to instill these values in their children in various aspects of life. Making blanket statements about what constitutes proper parenting or implying that parents who buy e-bikes for their kids neglect their duties is a narrow-minded view of a complex issue. We should encourage more participation in outdoor activities, regardless of whether it's on an e-bike or a regular bike. The goal is to get kids moving and get them outside.