Electric Mountain Bikes VS Non-Electric Mountain Bikes!

[sauravgartaula]

Here is the thing. Some mountain bikers claim to enjoy riding non electric mountain bikes more and are more thrilled by their bikes. Then again, some claim that electric bikes have brought a very positive and innovative upgrade in the world of mountain biking.

Everybody can have their very own opinion towards this matter. No matter what opinion you have, let us see how many of us prefer non electric bikes to electric mountain bikes or vice versa.

 

[BarnFish82]

I think many people haven’t yet ridden one but will slate them. I never thought that I would like them at all but since having a demo I knew I would buy one.

 

[EddieJ]

I have brilliant fun on the eMTB, but get nowhere near to the same sense of satisfaction that I get from riding my analogue mtb. For me, knowing that you have put 100% of the effort in to reach the top of a climb, is far more rewarding.

Whilst I put lots of effort into riding the eMTB, I still see it as a cheat, and these days I kind of see the eMTB as the after work lazy option. This opinion seems to have developed proportionately with my own fitness level.

Both offer fun, but in different ways.

 

[BarnFish82]

I have brilliant fun on the eMTB, but get nowhere near to the same satisfaction that I get from riding my analogue mtb. Knowing that you have put 100% of the effort in to reach the top of a climb, is far more rewarding.

Whilst I put lots of effort into riding the eMTB, I still see it as a cheat, and these days I kind of see the eMTB as the after work lazy option. This opinion seems to have developed proportionately with my own fitness level.

Both offer fun, but in different ways.

How do you decide which one to ride? Lol at analogue bike, I’m going to use that phrase!

 

[EddieJ]

Bio bike and analogue bike. Or Bio and retro.

These days I tend to ride the eMTB for rushed after work rides, where I can go out at night time, put in 20-25 miles of off road fun, still get a work out, but still have the option of increasing or decreasing my work out.

I also use it for exploring remote or new trails, where repeated turning around etc, becomes tiring on an normal mtb.

I suffer from muscle wastage in my legs, and the eMTB helps in respect of longer rides, or rides that have a significant elevation gain.

I tend to use the pedal bike for shorter rides of say 15-20 miles, and for when riding out with non eMTB owners.

I do have a rather lovely mtb though. A Giant XCT Advance plus one.

Which has recently replaced my superb KTM Ultra 1964. A bike that I really rated, and put a lot of miles into.

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

Wow, what an amazing pair of bikes. I also have a ‘vintage’ bike (retro/bio?) that I also use on rides with my children. @EddieJJ how do you take such brilliant pictures with the bikes upright? Do you use a stand then photoshop it out?

 

[EddieJ]

I wondered when that would crop up, as it is a frequently asked question.

I tend to try to be clever when prepping the shot. It doesn't actually take much to hide a stand, as these two example below show. Both highlight the stand, but as you can see, it only takes a slight change of position to almost obscure it, and in the chosen shot, it wouldn't be seen at all. Even square on, you can usually hide the stand behind a tyre. Occasionally I will clone it out, but don't really like to.

The stand is also telescopic, and very thin. I use two types, one is a fishing rod stand, and one came with a Lidls workshop stand. The Lidls one is superb, and it has a rubber grip that can be used to wrap round things for support.

 

[sauravgartaula]

Thank you for all your opinions.

My opinion is that eMTB are quite amazing but it doesn't beat the kicks and thrills of an analogue mtb. I mean, just like @EddieJJ said, it feels amazing to reach a destination knowing that you have given your 100% effort.

I don't mean to criticize those who think eMTB is better than analogue ones because every one has their own perspective and opinion.

 

[ccrdave]

I dont think analogue bike are better than emtb's or visa versa, they are both brilliant fun and we each can get out of them maximum pleasure in many different ways
. I am 68 with a dodgy knee and I could reluctantly see the end of my mountain biking in sight, until ebikes came along, now im riding faster further and having just as much fun as I did 25 years ago. Some people think its cheating but its usually the ones who know nothing about ebikes and have never ridden one. I can get as much of a work out on my ebike as I can/could manage on an analogue bike, its just a question of choosing which mode to ride in. And interestingly enough since having an ebike my Knee is starting to heal yay!

 

[Japuserid]

I love it when people say "That's cheating" "That's not real mountain biking"

Cheating Who? Who's Reality?

Normally I hear this on a climb, mostly from collapsed riders trying to get their lungs back in their chest's Mostly it's older guys like me, but who have yet to face the fact that they are getting older and do not wish to accept that they can no longer do what they used to be able to do

I some times wonder if they realize, that you still have pedal it, I'm still getting a damn good work out, its just faster and takes me further, more spread out. Why kill yourself on one lap when you can do two, in the same time? less intensive but I'm still knackered at the end!

For me it all comes down to one simple thing, do I ride my bike for Pleasure or Pain?

And for me, I have to say it's definitely for pleasure

In truth almost everyone I meet, while out riding has been very positive about E bikes . But some people just don't like change and for them they will always be the devils work

Time marches on and change is the natural way of things, progress moves us forward, some go along willingly, while others don't and the proof is in the fact that our No's swell everyday,

A very good mate of mine, who has given me so much grief for owning an E-Bike over the last few years has finally seen the light and ordered his first E-bike.

So for me, the true reality , is that Electric assisted bikes, enable ordinary people like me to participate in this wonderful sport for far longer than they would otherwise be able too and surely that can't be a bad thing.

 

[sauravgartaula]

I dont think analogue bike are better than emtb's or visa versa, they are both brilliant fun and we each can get out of them maximum pleasure in many different ways
. I am 68 with a dodgy knee and I could reluctantly see the end of my mountain biking in sight, until ebikes came along, now im riding faster further and having just as much fun as I did 25 years ago. Some people think its cheating but its usually the ones who know nothing about ebikes and have never ridden one. I can get as much of a work out on my ebike as I can/could manage on an analogue bike, its just a question of choosing which mode to ride in. And interestingly enough since having an ebike my Knee is starting to heal yay!

Well said sir! I agree to your point.

 

[sauravgartaula]

I love it when people say "That's cheating" "That's not real mountain biking"

Cheating Who? Who's Reality?

Normally I hear this on a climb, mostly from collapsed riders trying to get their lungs back in their chest's Mostly it's older guys like me, but who have yet to face the fact that they are getting older and do not wish to accept that they can no longer do what they used to be able to do

I some times wonder if they realize, that you still have pedal it, I'm still getting a damn good work out, its just faster and takes me further, more spread out. Why kill yourself on one lap when you can do two, in the same time? less intensive but I'm still knackered at the end!

For me it all comes down to one simple thing, do I ride my bike for Pleasure or Pain?

And for me, I have to say it's definitely for pleasure

In truth almost everyone I meet, while out riding has been very positive about E bikes . But some people just don't like change and for them they will always be the devils work

Time marches on and change is the natural way of things, progress moves us forward, some go along willingly, while others don't and the proof is in the fact that our No's swell everyday,

A very good mate of mine, who has given me so much grief for owning an E-Bike over the last few years has finally seen the light and ordered his first E-bike.

So for me, the true reality , is that Electric assisted bikes, enable ordinary people like me to participate in this wonderful sport for far longer than they would otherwise be able too and surely that can't be a bad thing.

That's a very nice point that you made sir!
Pleasure or pain? Definitely pleasure!

 

[Japuserid]

Made this video a while back and I think it helps to show what a positive thing E-bikes are.......

 

[Doomanic]

I love my eBike. It gives me, an aging rider with Sciatica and Scoliosis, the chance to do big rides in small time with max fun. I've got a 2016 Nukeproof Mega 275 which is an awesome bike and I'm currently hanging on to it in the vain hope I get to go to BikePark Wales sometime.

I think the "Cheating" thing stems from the attitude of some early adopters; i.e. behaving like hooligans, "Trail Trolls" if you will, and carving up analogue riders on climbs. This has happened to me on several occasions and as a result I go out of my way not to do the same. I will always wait at a decent distance until called through and I will always say thanks. I receive generally positive comments out on the trail, the closest I've come to a negative was at the FoD when I scooted past a guided group on a fireroad drag after the guide called me through. He spotted the eBike and said "Oh, no wonder" but fortunately I was 18 miles in at that point and still blowing out of my arse in Eco mode so I think I got away with it.

 

[Japuserid]

You are so very right, a simple bit of Trail Etiquette goes a long way, how hard is it to be polite

 

[Kernow]

I have brilliant fun on the eMTB, but get nowhere near to the same sense of satisfaction that I get from riding my analogue mtb. For me, knowing that you have put 100% of the effort in to reach the top of a climb, is far more rewarding.

Whilst I put lots of effort into riding the eMTB, I still see it as a cheat, and these days I kind of see the eMTB as the after work lazy option. This opinion seems to have developed proportionately with my own fitness level.

Both offer fun, but in different ways.

I agree with you there Eddie . Ebikes do get a bad rap partly because of trail trolls who think it’s cool to bully thier way past normal bikes on climbs then get in the way on the downs,
I could lose wieght and get faster but I’ll never keep up with the kids who are pretty quick now and I want to be able to keep riding with them .
Like you I have a nice giant xtc advanced which is a joy to ride , but on the sort of rides we mostly do I need to ride a full suspension enduro bike and peddling that up hill is a slow affair for me these days . I ride occasionally with a few e bikers both on road and off , every one of them without fail can’t resist flying up the hills then waiting at the top which makes for a tiresome ride if your the only one peddling , Hopefully I’ll turn down the power when riding with normal bikes and just use it to keep up , when with other ebikers it’s different .