EMTB BENEFITS

[Will Ridealpine]

What are the benefits you can list over a regular MTB? Here are some of mine: An EMTB allows for bigger tires without having to ride something like a specialized Epic bike with 2.0 tires for climbing, bigger suspension for better handling on the fun stuff, no more clipless pedals because not worried about that much efficent climbing and therefore don’t have to worry about being clipped in and can now wear more comfortable shoes, can now wear more protective gear like removable full face, shin guards elbow pads, knee pads & chest protection without worry about weight and over sweating. Count up all these benefits and let’s see some of yours.

 

[MitchF]

:Assistance makes cycling easier so I’m riding more often and getting fitter and better bike skills.
:The power and torque of a motor makes mountain biking more fun for me.
:I will take on tougher terrain and hills that I would not have done on my std mtb.

There mine Will, it’s great question , hope everyone sticks to the question for responses. But I’m sure the experts will be long soon to pull apart and challenge peoples responses and hijack a good topic.???

 

[coggbike]

With a small business and a small child, I just can’t get out more than once a week for a couple of hours these days. I used to ride a lot, and was fit enough to stand up on half the uphills. And I’m 58 (yes, with a small child, I started late ), and 2 bad knees.

On my MTB I just wasn’t staying fit enough with such a small amount of riding like I was when I rode frequently. So I just wasn’t enjoying my limited ride time on the MTB very much. Painfully slogging it uphill, looking down at the trail, too tired to hold my head up. And then tired for the downhill.

On my eMTB it’s just so much fun in that limited time I have. Instead of grimacing, I’ve got that eMTB grin.

 

[Will Ridealpine]

:Assistance makes cycling easier so I’m riding more often and getting fitter and better bike skills.
:The power and torque of a motor makes mountain biking more fun for me.
:I will take on tougher terrain and hills that I would not have done on my std mtb.

There mine Will, it’s great question , hope everyone sticks to the question for responses. But I’m sure the experts will be long soon to pull apart and challenge peoples responses and hijack a good topic.???

Yep, also forgot to mention that on an EMTB you get to enjoy the uphills on the entire trail which makes for twice the fun.

 

[Will Ridealpine]

With a small business and a small child, I just can’t get out more than once a week for a couple of hours these days. I used to ride a lot, and was fit enough to stand up on half the uphills. And I’m 58 (yes, with a small child, I started late ), and 2 bad knees.

On my MTB I just wasn’t staying fit enough with such a small amount of riding like I was when I rode frequently. So I just wasn’t enjoying my limited ride time on the MTB very much. Painfully slogging it uphill, looking down at the trail, too tired to hold my head up. And then tired for the downhill.

On my eMTB it’s just so much fun in that limited time I have. Instead of grimacing, I’ve got that eMTB grin.

Also how about how awesome it is for some people being in some big epic areas and now being able to reach a pristine area in a certain amount of time then return back and have time to spend with family.

 

[Jamsxr]

My eBike has got me riding loads more and enjoying my MTB even more, I really appreciate the nuances of each bike.

I get on my trail bike and I’m now so much more in control after managing the weight of my eBike, it feels ridiculously fun and playful.

Jumping on my eBike and I can ride up anything, the suspension feels amazing and it just ploughs when you point it down. It’s given me access to trails I would never have discovered and allows me to session jumps over and over without much fatigue.

 

[Will Ridealpine]

:Assistance makes cycling easier so I’m riding more often and getting fitter and better bike skills.
:The power and torque of a motor makes mountain biking more fun for me.
:I will take on tougher terrain and hills that I would not have done on my std mtb.

There mine Will, it’s great question , hope everyone sticks to the question for responses. But I’m sure the experts will be long soon to pull apart and challenge peoples responses and hijack a good topic.???

Yep, makes riding more often happen and more fun for me also. Would be awesome to ride some great places never been to.

 

[steve_sordy]

An emtb compensates for my dodgy knees! I already had all the benefits listed by @Will Ridealpine on my clockwork bike

 

[Gary]

Agree with @Will Ridealpine's points but disagree with almost all others.
Emtb doesn't get you fit in less time than a regular bike at all.
Doesn't help your mtb skills as much as riding an mtb (there are too many subtle handling differences between them and rider input is very different in certain circumstances).
Proper fat tyres are mainly found on actual fat bikes and they're awful for anything but bimbling rocky surfaces or making better progress on properly soft surfaces.
SPDs on a mountain bike have more advantages for control than pedalling efficiency.
Ebikes are cool and loads of fun but don't get carried away believing they have any more advantages than riding (same speed or quicker) for lower effort. Or the increased stability of 15lb+ extra weight placed down low and centrally (which also has a downside).

 

[davarello]

"Emtb doesn't get you fit in less time than a regular bike at all."

Unless you have a heart condition like me, and then the emtb I can ride two or three times a week for two hours plus with hundreds of metres of climbing is doing me a lot more good than my last regular bike I could only ride on flatter trails,

 

[jbrinsfi]

"Emtb doesn't get you fit in less time than a regular bike at all."

I find that the way I have my Emtb set up, I frequently see higher average heart rates over a riding session on my Emtb than on the same route riding my pedal bike. I try to alternate my rides between pedal and Emtb.

 

[Jamsxr]

Agree with @Will Ridealpine's points but disagree with almost all others.
Emtb doesn't get you fit in less time than a regular bike at all.
Doesn't help your mtb skills as much as riding an mtb (there are too many subtle handling differences between them and rider input is very different in certain circumstances).
Proper fat tyres are mainly found on actual fat bikes and they're awful for anything but bimbling rocky surfaces or making better progress on properly soft surfaces.
SPDs on a mountain bike have more advantages for control than pedalling efficiency.
Ebikes are cool and loads of fun but don't get carried away believing they have any more advantages than riding (same speed or quicker) for lower effort. Or the increased stability of 15lb+ extra weight placed down low and centrally (which also has a downside).

I think people were commenting on the benefits they’ve experienced, not the ones you agree with ?

My MTB skills have greatly improved since getting my eBike, largely because I’m riding more (thanks to my eBike) but I’m also able to bunny hop a hell of a lot higher due to 4 months of riding a 22kg bike!

 

[MitchF]

Don’t care who agrees with my response and who doesn’t , because somebody disagrees it doesn’t make them right nor does it discount my opinion. ?. To many interesting threads getting ruined or taken off track by the armchair experts ??‍

 

[118]

Don’t care who agrees with my response and who doesn’t , because somebody disagrees it doesn’t make them right nor does it discount my opinion. ?. To many interesting threads getting ruined or taken off track by the armchair experts ??‍

View attachment 18739

There can only be one..!

Getting out on any bike, will always be a benefit. Health, skills, mental wellbeing, can only be enhanced regardless.

 

[KennyB]

There can only be one..!

Getting out on any bike, will always be a benefit. Health, skills, mental wellbeing, can only be enhanced regardless.

Yep, often think people under estimate mental health and well being benefits.

 

[Gary]

I think people were commenting on the benefits they’ve experienced, not the ones you agree with ?

My MTB skills have greatly improved since getting my eBike, largely because I’m riding more (thanks to my eBike) but I’m also able to bunny hop a hell of a lot higher due to 4 months of riding a 22kg bike!

Can you now bunny hop a 12.5kg hardtail mtb any higher?
My point was Emtbs are quite a bit different to mtbs handling and rider input wise.
It wasn't a criticism. Simply a fact.

 

[Jamsxr]

Can you now bunny hop a 12.5kg hardtail mtb any higher?
My point was Emtbs are quite a bit different to mtbs handling and rider input wise.
It wasn't a criticism. Simply a fact.

I can bunny hop my 13kg trail bike quite a bit higher, it’s seems to me fairly obvious that would happen! I’m now hopping obstacles I would previously avoid or roll. I’m sure if you’re already well versed at them it won’t make a difference, but mine have significantly improved along with technique.

I think the fact they’re different is the point, well for me at least, I’m now faster, doing more tricks and jumping further on my MTB.

 

[Gary]

Fair enough man. Progression should happen whatever bike you ride so long as you put in the time and push yourself.
With my question about you bunny hopping a regular hardtail higher. I meant can you hop it higher now you've been in an emtb for 3 months? Genuinely interested to hear.
And yeah my max bunny hop height plateau'd many many years ago. Partly why I'm asking.

 

[Jamsxr]

Yes, I’m hopping higher now I’ve been on the eBike for 3-4 months. I’m definitely guilty of not practicing specific skills, I used to just go out and smash trails and a few jumps. Since getting the eBike, for one reason or another, I’m playing about more, cutties, wheelies, jumping, sessioning stuff etc... I’ve been dialling in stuff on the eBike and then really enjoying it on the MTB, if that makes sense?

Ultimately it’s probably the riding more factor that’s played the biggest part!

 

[Will Ridealpine]

Yes, I’m hopping higher now I’ve been on the eBike for 3-4 months. I’m definitely guilty of not practicing specific skills, I used to just go out and smash trails and a few jumps. Since getting the eBike, for one reason or another, I’m playing about more, cutties, wheelies, jumping, sessioning stuff etc... I’ve been dialling in stuff on the eBike and then really enjoying it on the MTB, if that makes sense?

Ultimately it’s probably the riding more factor that’s played the biggest part!

The area we ride has so much vert that people really love their emtb’s.

 

[Swissrob]

Fun.
Why?
More speed means more distance traveled.

So therefore fun = speed in any 'sport ' that involves rolling or sliding but there are other factors which also affect the total amount of fun these being cost, distance and danger (producing adrenaline which is critical to fun imho)

Fun = (speed x danger x distance)÷cost . So for me to get a decent road bike and ride would be no fun as danger is zero!

 

[Jamsxr]

Fun.
Why?
More speed means more distance traveled.

So therefore fun = speed in any 'sport ' that involves rolling or sliding but there are other factors which also affect the total amount of fun these being cost, distance and danger (producing adrenaline which is critical to fun imho)

Fun = (speed x danger x distance)÷cost . So for me to get a decent road bike and ride would be no fun as danger is zero!

I don’t think fun is an equation for most people.... riding is road bike through central London in rush hour is plenty dangerous.

 

[Gary]

I absolutley love riding roadbikes fast through city traffic.
It's not that dangerous as long as you remain 100% alert think ahead and pre-empt everyone else's next move.

Yeah. fun can't be formulated. Some folk. Like me. Like a little risk in their lives. Some folk buy Volvos.

 

[Gary]

Since getting the eBike, for one reason or another, I’m playing about more, cutties, wheelies, jumping, sessioning stuff etc... I’ve been dialling in stuff on the eBike and then really enjoying it on the MTB, if that makes sense?

Yeah. makes perfect sense. I've always ridden like that. Physically find it difficult not to wheelie, manual, hopand drift any bike I ever swing a leg over. it's why I absolutely hate all the massively heavy overly long Emtbs I've ridden. The 180mm travel mondraker was the worst mtb I've ever ridden. mustv'e weighed 60lb and the front wheel was half a mile infront of my feet.

Ultimately it’s probably the riding more factor that’s played the biggest part!

Yeah. Definitely.
doesn't really matter what the bike is. it's how you ride them.
I grew up riding roadbikes not just on roads though but down the woods and off jumps (actually learned to wheelie and bunnyhop on a roadbike) then BMX came along and I loved it, I've never changed the playful way I like to ride since.