In last few years the MTB E Bike has surged through the popularity ranks. However, they are still misunderstood by some mountain bikers who haven’t had the chance to try them out. So let this article tell you everything you need to know emtb!
- Part 1: What Is A MTB E Bike
- Part 2: How Long Does The Battery Last
- Part 3: The Three Types Of Electric Mountain Bike
- Part 4: Advantages Of Owning A MTB E Bike
- Part 5: Buying Guide
Part 1: What Is A MTB E Bike
An electric mountain ebike is much the same as your regular trail bike. The difference is that they use a small electric motor to boost you as you ride. A lot of people may think that this takes the effort and exercise out of mountain biking, but this is not the case. You still have to pedal and will still find yourself breaking that all important sweat. The electric motor just boosts the power already created by your own pedalling. On most electric mountain bikes the motor will boost you up to a maximum speed of 20mph, then will cease to assist. There are some eMTBs that propel you faster than this though, as this limit can vary from country to country.
Part 2: How Long Does The Battery Last
Because these bikes are electric, they need to be charged between rides. Currently, most fully charged electric mountain bikes will last you between 20 and 50 miles, depending on much you pedal. With some premium models able to last 80+ miles. Generally, the higher wattage (Wh) battery the mtb e bike has, the longer it will last before having to be charged. Once the charge has run out on your ebike mountainbike, there is nothing to stop you from replacing it with a spare that you carry along with you in your backpack.
Alternatively, you can carry on riding the bike without power assistance. Though you may prefer to remove the battery before doing this if you’re able to, as the battery increases the bike’s weight substantially. You’ll find that without the motor going there’s a little more pedal resistance than you’d find on a regular mountain bike, unless the battery is removed.
Part 3: The Three Types Of Electric Mountain Bike
There are currently three categories emerging in the electric mountain bike world. Power, light, and all-round. Each of these three categories will give you a completely different riding experience, and it’s important to know their properties before you make a decision on which ebike mt you want to buy.
Power
It’s in the name here. These types of eMTBs are for when you want the most powerful motor you can buy on the market. They make trekking uphill a breeze and will minimize the amount you slow down when climbing up high. The bikes that fall in this category come equipped with a motor that can be pushed harder than those fitted on bikes belonging to the other categories. The downside to this is that when pushed to its peak power output, the battery on these bikes will drain rather rapidly. It’s great if you’re on a short ride, but if you want to ride longer you’ll have to utilise the lower support modes. It’s certainly useful to have the option of getting up a hill faster, then slowing down when you want to be more economical. These are the heaviest of ebikes, weighing in at over 25kg.
Light
Light electric MTBs are great for when you want to enjoy a more natural riding experience. They provide you with less power-assistance, requiring more pedalling on your part, but they still give a satisfying electric boost. If you want to ride consistently with friends who own non-motorized mountain bikes, this category of ebike mountainbike will help keep you all together. They’re light and responsive in handling, and also lighter in weight, with most of these bikes equalling the weight of analogue mountain bikes.
All-Round
All-round eMTBs take up the vast majority of your choice on the market. These are the classic electric bikes that started the trend. Providing you with an all-round riding experience, they’re suitable for riders of all skill levels. They’re powerful when in the highest mode, but also economical when selecting a lower assistance mode. They also offer the feel of a natural ride.
Part 4: Advantages Of Owning A MTB E Bike
Owning an ebike mt has many benefits, with regular mountain bikes being the logical point of comparison. It all depends on your riding preferences when it comes down to it, but there are undeniably a lot of advantages to going electric.
Exercise More
There’s no doubting that owning an eMTB will help motivate you to ride more. The pedal-assisted boosting will help you up all the hills on the trail with ease, as well as helping you to beat high wind-resistance without frustration. Parts of the ride that may seem a bit daunting after a long day at work are less of a mental block with electric mountain bikes. If you know you’ll have to do all the hard work yourself with a standard bike, it can be difficult to get motivated to go out riding consistently. With an electric bike, it helps you out with the hardest parts, and can make for a more consistently enjoyable experience. The more you ride, the fitter you’ll be!
Cover More Distance
Because of the boost they give you when riding uphill, against wind-resistance and on plain flat surfaces, tiredness whilst riding becomes less of a factor. Although you are still having to work for your miles and will be getting plenty of exercise, it will be a lot longer, for the vast majority of riders, before you feel too tired to carry on and have to make the decision to turn back. Electric mountain bikes are amazing for sight-seeing for this very reason. When riding a trail for the atmosphere you’ll simply be able to travel more miles, and be able to witness the natural beauty over greater distances.
Increased Stability
There’s both a disadvantage and an advantage in the fact that most electric mountain bikes come a lot heavier than a standard mountain bike. Yes, they may be heavier to carry and move, but when you’re riding they provide you with much more stability. The weight provides a low centre of gravity, making it a lot easier for the bike to stay upright at all times, on all kinds of trails. The last thing you want is for your bike to buckle underneath you in dangerous situations, and eMTBs provide you with unparalleled stability and safety in all instances.
Great For Commuting
You don’t just have to save them for the trail! Electronic mountain bikes are fast, incredibly economical, and environmentally friendly, so why not use them for your work commute? These bikes are especially good for commuting because of their power-assistance. They allow you to bike to work without turning up exhausted from the ride you just had. Whether you’re two, five, ten or even twenty miles away, biking to work on a eMTB is a perfectly viable and handy option to have. If need be, just charge your bike’s battery at work ready for the commute back.
Keeping Up With Your Friends
If you’re someone who loves to go biking every so often with friends that go riding daily, electronic mountain bikes are a great option for keeping up with the pack. When riding on a standard bike with friends that frequent the sport more than you do, it can be disheartening to fall behind, even though there is absolutely no shame in it. It can be difficult to find the time to go out riding daily when you find that your daily schedule is jam packed with things to do. EMTBs will help you keep up with your buddies on any kind of trails, they may even help you get ahead!
Part 5: Buying Guide
Now that we’ve covered what electric mountain bikes are and how they can benefit you as a rider. W’d like to tell you about some of the best there are on the market today.
Trek Rail 9.5
Price – £5,595
Frame Material – Carbon
Wheel Size – 29″
Battery – 625Wh
The all new Trek Rail 9.5 electronic mountainbike is a quality bike that is priced mid-range. It has a 625Wh efficient battery that will help you to go on for many miles on one charge. It also boasts a suspension that is great for long-travel and will absorb a lot of impact over bumps. Its light weight carbon frame offers a fast and responsive wide, allowing for more technical riding. The powerful Bosch battery can easily propel you up climbs. There’s also an intelligent eMTB mode that will automatically adjust the amount of assist you get from the motor, depending on the terrain you are riding on.
Vitus E-Sommet VR
Price – £3,599
Frame Material – 6061-T6 Aluminium
Wheel Size – 29″ front, 27.5″ rear
Battery – 504Wh
The Vitus E-Sommet VR is the cheapest electric mountain ebike on this list, whilst still being a great choice for mountain bike enthusiasts, amongst all its competition. The efficient 504Wh battery will reliably help you up hills, and will give you great range when you want to go far. Not quite up to the Trek Rail’s standard, but still good. The bike is made for going down the hills it climbs at fast speeds. Reassuringly, the brakes are instant and strong so you’re always in control no matter how fast you’re going, and the tires have great grip. Its handling is stable when going fast, thanks to its geometry, and it features a smooth suspension system.
Turbo Kenovo SL Expert
Price – £7,400
Frame Material – Aluminium
Wheel Size – 27.5″
Battery – 700Wh
Lightweight and great for sharp turns, the Turbo Kenovo SL Expert is a more premium option that performs excellently. The battery is big whilst still keeping the bike light, plus it has a powerful motor that will help you go fast and climb the biggest of hills. The bike has great grip and super tight handling. It’s versatile enough to travel very fast and brake hard, clean, and safe. This is a light mtbebike that will give you a very natural riding feel whilst simultaneously boosting you generously.
YT Decoy Shred
Price – £5,399
Frame Material – Aluminium
Wheel Size – 29/27.5″
Battery – 540Wh
The YT Decoy Shred is another great option on this list. Designed with gravity in mind, this bike will keep you grounded. And it allows you to ride jump trails with confidence. It’s high stability is one of its stand-out features, but there are plenty of great reasons to choose this bike. It is quite heavy, but still manages to be agile. The brakes are fast and responsive, whilst the bike also boasts great power and acceleration. It also features rubber mounts on the battery casing to eliminate any rattle as you ride, as some eMTBs do have this problem.
Scott Patron eRide 910
Price – £6,349
Frame Material – Alloy
Wheel Size – 29″
Battery – 750Wh
Whilst the Scott Patron eRide 910 is a mid-range purchase in the electric mountain biking world, it boasts the biggest battery on this list. This really is a great selling point as it will afford you many miles. It is without you having to worry about changing the battery or going home to charge. It was designed this way to be ready for all day trail riding. The frame is alloy and extremely strong and robust. It allows for great airflow helping the bike to rarely become hot as the motor speeds you along. The eRide 910 is also another option with great stability and handling. Endurance biking at its best.
It hasn’t been long since they were first introduced. But there are so many great mtb e bike options on the market now. Innovations in technology have allowed for bikes to go further, go faster. And we can ride with greater control across all types of terrain. Now is a great time to purchase one if you’re thinking about it. They truly are wonderful motivators for exercise. And we know you’ll have a great time exercising on these speedy inventions.
