False Starts?
The history of BMX had many false starts as far as organizing bodies. Cycling has also had it's own share and even Electric Motorcycle Road Racing has seen it's fair share of Balkanization.
I don't mind people complaining about what I post.
But you might try making an ACTUAL ARGUMENT that attempts to refute what I'm saying rather than going on the personal attacks.
We live in a Balkanized EBRR world now. ePower got the ball rolling by knowingly making a racing class that specifically encouraged recumbents over other more aggressive bike designs. So if we want to talk about "original sin" then it has to be pointed there.
Arizona, the "Death Race" and ES... well... throw in two more racing classes that will never make it to mass production.
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Bill Gates
When I was really into the computer scene the stories were all about how Bill Gates had ARGUED FORCEFULLY that software needed to be patentable so that companies could sell software and make a profit. Prior to Bill Gates no one even had the vision of a "software industry" and assumed that software came with the computer. Once Bill Gates secured software from threat of theft it opened the door to the most explosive growth the computer industry ever saw. We are still benefiting from the very thing Bill Gates did for us. (thanks Bill)
My argument for making EBRR as street legal as possible runs along the same line of thinking as Bill Gates. We cannot expect that EBRR will
ever amount to much until the major bicycle manufacturers get into it in a big way and mass produce the machines for us. As far as making a profit personally in EBRR that's tough to do. I used to work at a bike shop and know that the profit margins are some of the lowest in any retail business. So I don't think anyone is going to get "rich" selling EBRR, but being able to at least be moderately rewarded for good work would be nice.
So my focus is on EBRR as a "growth industry" and not so much any kind of selfish racer perspective or really even significant profits. EBRR growth is in effect "entertainment" for me. (growth is the one thing missing in todays economy)
From my perspective things are proceeding well in EBRR... not perfect...
(in 2007 no one even cared... so active debate and controversy is better than nothing)
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When Alberto Contador wins the Tour de France he rides on a Specialized bike which will then promote more sales of that bike to the public. Ideally EBRR will have the same kind of effect where you might watch the sport on VERSUS some day and see someone win on a bike and then people go out and buy it. If EBRR retains some connection to legal ebikes the general public will have access to close to the same bike as the racers use.
(I was rooting for Andy Schleck... maybe next year)