Anybody measure MPH climbing *UP* a hill?

[jimslade]

Likely a strange question...
One argument against eMTBs are how fast they are.
Specifically I heard a claim that the eMTBs can climb singletracks at 15mph, and that speed up is dangerous for a variety of reasons (people not expecting, speed differential, etc).

I never measure my speed so have no concept of what's a reasonable range of climbing speed, but most of my climbs are grinds up rocky trails... pretty certain they are slow but again no idea how slow.

I'm wondering... anybody here actually measure climbing speed? what's possible for a easy to moderate climb? (I know, what's the definition of that, ymmv, etc...)

 

[grantini]

No way do I climb 15mph. I climb at about the same speed I climbed on my hoo koo e koo in 1989. When I was thirty.

 

[James_C]

doubt you'd hit 15 uphill on singletrack unless dead straight and not too steep.

I sometimes hit 15 (as I feel it stop assisting) on a mild uphill bike park I go to. I dont really feel 15 is excessive speed though!

 

[Funkeydunk]

Well that depends on the gradient, some of the hills are slight, other are metal techie climes. So it’s not that straight forward. Like how many miles do you get out of a battery.

 

[Slowroller]

Depends where you are too, which affects what kind of ebike you’re riding. In the US anyway, we have more powerful ebikes than most of you. Agreed though, tough to ride twisty single track at 20 in any direction.

 

[p3eps]

I have a Garmin on my handlebars showing my speed amongst other things.
There’s a hill I often come across that I’d climb in first gear on my Stumpjumper at about 2.5mph in 1st gear. It goes on for what felt like forever. Probably only a 5% gradient on fire track... but it felt right a proper slog!

When I had my Trek Rail, I was flying up there at about 12mph in eMTB mode, in 8th gear. I’d go round a couple of times, as I didn’t feel tired at the top.

Now I’m riding a Levo SL - predominantly in my own Eco setting (35/80), which means I now climb at about 7mph, and in 4th gear.
I’m glad when I reach the top, but am nowhere near as tired as riding the manual Stumpy!

As previously mentioned above - depends on the terrain, steepness, how technical it is... and on how much power your bike is outputting.

 

[STATO]

I think the only danger from eMTB on climbs is to the rider. Most built climbs are not designed to be ridden at eMTB speed so you could hit corners too quick and lose control, this is also because many riders dont realise how fast they are going uphill as its so much easier, so you approach stuff quicker and forget. I know ive boost mode'd myself into a few bushes on trick climbs before as ive cleared stuff faster and easier than anticipated and not made a corner or gone offline, and when its steep its hard to get your line back while still also keeping the bike moving. Its something you get used to, but I see it catching people out and can easily imagine someone getting hurt because they cocked up. Its no different to getting a much more down-capable bike and hitting stuff too soon without getting used to it.

 

[steve_sordy]

I used to think that the power of "e" just allowed me to climb at the speed I used to climb at six years ago before my knee problem. But the longer the climb the less that is true. Emtbs are definitely faster up climbs and I suspect that it is the main thing that pisses off analogue riders.
When I was on an analogue bike, I remember a young lass on an emtb roaring past me on a climb. I now suspect that she was not only in Boost but the bike had been chipped too. The tyres were spitting stones (at me, it felt) as she passed. When she came around for a second time, I stopped her and asked her about the bike. It was her Dad's bike and she said that she just liked going fast uphill. She knew nothing about the bike (and nor did I).

 

[jimslade]

I have a Garmin on my handlebars showing my speed amongst other things.
There’s a hill I often come across that I’d climb in first gear on my Stumpjumper at about 2.5mph in 1st gear. It goes on for what felt like forever. Probably only a 5% gradient on fire track... but it felt right a proper slog!

When I had my Trek Rail, I was flying up there at about 12mph in MTB mode, in 8th gear. I’d go round a couple of times, as I didn’t feel tired at the top.

Now I’m riding a Levo SL - predominantly in my own Eco setting (35/80), which means I now climb at about 7mph, and in 4th gear.
I’m glad when I reach the top, but am nowhere near as tired as riding the manual Stumpy!

As previously mentioned above - depends on the terrain, steepness, how technical it is... and on how much power your bike is outputting.

super helpful thanks this is what I was trying to understand. I'm not a garmin/blevo/etc user.
I totally understand it depends on steepness, terrain, which bike etc. just trying to get a few datapoints as I have none!

I'm reacting to a comment that eMTBs are dangerous because they can go up hills at 15mph, which sounds incredibly fast to me... but again I don't have *any* datapoints. So sounds like its close to possible to achieve those speeds on a proper uphill.