Answered How do you carry an EMTB over a gate?

[Beekeeper]

I saw a video of someone do this recently but have forgotten. (I think it was Chris Smith from EMBN). It looked so easy and was a very swift movement. I think it involves lifting on their back somehow and lowering down the other side. Can’t remember exactly.
Is there a recommended technique?

 

[Gary]

Exactly the same way I lift any bike over a gate.
It's just a slightly heavier bike.

 

[Zimmerframe]

I saw a video of someone do this recently but have forgotten.

There was something on an embn video. I carried mine back from the woods using the technique a few months back.

I think it was "switch off" - so you don't chainsaw your head off accidentally.

Turn front wheel 90 degrees.

Bend down .. and bend the knees ...

Grab a fork leg with one hand and then, depending on your bike, grab it above the motor with you other hand. Lift it up and over your head so it rests on your shoulders.

Jump over fence in one motion.

It looks difficult, bit it's not actually that bad.

If you don't fancy jumping the gate, you can just lower it over the other side instead.

Alternatively, open the gate. Remembering to shut it behind you.

 

[Mcharza]

Using this method. Starting from 2:51

 

[Beekeeper]

Using this method. Starting from 2:51

Yep that’s the one!

 

[Beekeeper]

There was something on an embn video. I carried mine back from the woods using the technique a few months back.

I think it was "switch off" - so you don't chainsaw your head off accidentally.

Turn front wheel 90 degrees.

Bend down .. and bend the knees ...

Grab a fork leg with one hand and then, depending on your bike, grab it above the motor with you other hand. Lift it up and over your head so it rests on your shoulders.

Jump over fence in one motion.

It looks difficult, bit it's not actually that bad.

If you don't fancy jumping the gate, you can just lower it over the other side instead.

Alternatively, open the gate. Remembering to shut it behind you.

I’ll have to give that a try. Often confronted by locked gates in odd places

 

[Gary]

What a faff! EMBN really do love to over think everything to eek out their content don't they?
Living rurally some of my local routes can have 10 gates in less than 5 miles
just lift it straight over picking it up one hand on the fork leg the other on the seat stay. Zero need to switch it off or put it on your shoulders. It honestly wouldn't be worth leaving the house for a quick blast at all if I had to do all that shit at every gate!

That video makes a complete mockery of all Jonesey's stupid Ebikes get you fitter videos.

The real irony is that Chris Smith is actually capable of trials hopping onto and over gates like the one in the video on a trail bike.

 

[Grannyjones]

Locked gates really are the worst thing in mountain biking and especially so with an E Bike.

I'm glad someone posted that video - I try to avoid locked gates but sadly my local riding (Rivington/Chorley) is full of them - it means I can't access almost half of the trails that are in the area!

 

[Grannyjones]

The real irony is that Chris Smith is actually capable of trials hopping onto and over gates like the one in the video on a trail bike.

I'd be impressed if he could hop a 23kg EMTB over a Gate!
I can just about manage a kerb at the moment, after 5 years of trying.

 

[Tonybro]

Locked gates really are the worst thing in mountain biking and especially so with an E Bike.

I'm glad someone posted that video - I try to avoid locked gates but sadly my local riding (Rivington/Chorley) is full of them - it means I can't access almost half of the trails that are in the area!

That's my stomping ground too. A lot of the gates have had their locks broken off, some you can just open as you would a normal gate...

 

[Grannyjones]

That's my stomping ground too. A lot of the gates have had their locks broken off, some you can just open as you would a normal gate...

Yes but there's also plenty of fences where you have to lift over if you want to ride some of the tracks around there. Particularly some of the footpaths. There's also a few custom trails around there that people have dug and most of these are behind fences.

 

[steve_sordy]

I not as strong now I'm 69 and with arthritis in my hands and knees and a dodgy back as I was when I was, even only five years ago. It would be stupid of me not to acknowledge it, despite hating the fact of it. It catches me out from time to time, because the real me is still young inside.

I had to get past a metal kissing gate near the church in the next village. I tried lifting the bike over, but the gate was too tall and too wide, The Hawthorne hedge either side was too tall and thick as well. I didn't fancy retracing my steps so I thought I'd upend the bike and walk it through in an upright position. I was part way through and really struggling when I heard a disembodied voice "do you need any help with that?" There were no houses that I could see that were close enough, in fact the only building nearby was the church. The voice sounded high up and I confess I gave the church a bloody good look, thinking in terms of divine intervention....
Then the offer was repeated.

I saw an arm waving. It was a guy on a ladder cutting his hedge. He had seen me struggling from 70-80 yards away. I said "yes please!" and he wandered over. He was an ordinary looking guy in his 40's and he lifted the bike clean over the kissing gate and placed it gently on to the ground (just like I would have been able to do only a few years ago). I thanked him with all the grace and dignity that I could muster and cycled off vigorously. Yes, I was grateful, but boy!, did I feel old!

 

[Beekeeper]

Ebikes are so heavy it’s easier to lift the gate over the bike

 

[Gary]

I'd be impressed if he could hop a 23kg EMTB over a Gate!
I can just about manage a kerb at the moment, after 5 years of trying.

Be impressed then.
A 23kg Ebike can be hopped just as high as a 15kg mtb. It's technique.
If you're struggling after 5 years of practice you're practicing wrong.

 

[steve_sordy]

Be impressed then.
A 23kg Ebike can be hopped just as high as a 15kg mtb. It's technique.
If you're struggling after 5 years of practice you're practicing wrong.

I'm doing it wrong.

 

[steve_sordy]

That is not the first time I've been told that!

 

[Darren]

Whatever you do don't buy your misses an ebike too - I gotta lump two bastards over now. ?

 

[Zimmerframe]

If you're struggling after 5 years of practice you're practicing wrong.

I hope you're the next pope. They'd get things done a lot faster with a bit more honesty !

 

[Grannyjones]

Grannyjones just start hitting the gym. Start with squats and then cleans. In the barn my granny could throw the bales of hay like me when I was 14. I was impressed.

Oh I have more than enough strength to lift an E Bike over a fence. It's just absolute garbage having to do it. NOTHING kills the flow more.

I paid £6 grand for this Bike I want better local riding please

 

[Nickolp1974]

As previously mentioned, ebikes are heavy, just ride at and through the gate, A-Team stylee!!

 

[Beekeeper]

I once scared a cow with my bike and it charged at a gate and rammed it off it's hinges!

My mate who was with me said "At least that's one less gate to deal with!"

I hope they found the cow or that’s one less gallon of milk to drink each day ?

 

[EebStrider]

I not as strong now I'm 69 and with arthritis in my hands and knees and a dodgy back as I was when I was, even only five years ago. It would be stupid of me not to acknowledge it, despite hating the fact of it. It catches me out from time to time, because the real me is still young inside.

I had to get past a metal kissing gate near the church in the next village. I tried lifting the bike over, but the gate was too tall and too wide, The Hawthorne hedge either side was too tall and thick as well. I didn't fancy retracing my steps so I thought I'd upend the bike and walk it through in an upright position. I was part way through and really struggling when I heard a disembodied voice "do you need any help with that?" There were no houses that I could see that were close enough, in fact the only building nearby was the church. The voice sounded high up and I confess I gave the church a bloody good look, thinking in terms of divine intervention....
Then the offer was repeated.

I saw an arm waving. It was a guy on a ladder cutting his hedge. He had seen me struggling from 70-80 yards away. I said "yes please!" and he wandered over. He was an ordinary looking guy in his 40's and he lifted the bike clean over the kissing gate and placed it gently on to the ground (just like I would have been able to do only a few years ago). I thanked him with all the grace and dignity that I could muster and cycled off vigorously. Yes, I was grateful, but boy!, did I feel old!

One of my routes involves several kissing gates. I tried hopping the bike on the back wheel like a normal mtb, but the weight got away from me once.

Now, I just ride in, lift the back wheel up about a foot, close the gate. Then lift the back wheel and pull it round. Yes, it’s not the most elegant, but with a knackered back, knees and shoulder I couldn’t care less about what other people think, as long as I don’t damage myself even more.

 

[Landy Andy]

For kissing gates when I want bike on back wheel I get off bike, and then stand by the side of it, shove pedal down and then bike shoots forward, and up onto its back wheel, press brake.

 

[Gary]

I mean't after 5 years of VERY regular riding. Of cause I've not been specifically practicing bunny hopping for all this time!

whether you are intentionally practicing or just performing the maneuver if you're not achieving it 5 years in you're doing it wrong.
Dunno about you but for me there's rarely a single ride where I won't perform a bunnyhop. Even commuting.

Bikes with longer-reach like the Nukeproof I still often can't even hop over a kerb sometimes! But bikes with shorter-reach like the Levo and the Stumpjumper I can usually manage that. Why this is I have no idea

Leverage.
It's basic physics.
In order to raise the wheels of a bicycle with a super long wheelbase the rider has to exaggerate their input and weight shift.

 

[Gary]

Oh I have more than enough strength to lift an E Bike over a fence. It's just absolute garbage having to do it. NOTHING kills the flow more.

I paid £6 grand for this Bike I want better local riding please

Do you even dig bro?

 

[Rosemount]

Living rurally some of my local routes can have 10 gates in less than 5 miles
just lift it straight over picking it up one hand on the fork leg the other on the seat stay. Zero need to switch it off or put it on your shoulders. It honestly wouldn't be worth leaving the house for a quick blast at all if I had to do all that shit at every gate!

.

I think we need the @Gary instructional series !

 

[Tonybro]

I think we need the @Gary instructional series !

A man who lives by the JFDI mantra! Just f**king do it!

 

[Zimmerframe]

A man who lives by the JFDI mantra! Just f**king do it!

Do you think he's sponsored by Nike ?

 

[Grannyjones]

I saw a video of someone do this recently but have forgotten. (I think it was Chris Smith from EMBN). It looked so easy and was a very swift movement. I think it involves lifting on their back somehow and lowering down the other side. Can’t remember exactly.
Is there a recommended technique?

Yes, 2:52 onwards

I'm going to try and learn and remember his techique.

Using wrong technique can lead to injury, even on a regular bike but even more so with an E. Lifting the bike up is okay but reaching far down at the other side of a high fence to put the bike down properly puts injury-inducing strain on the shoulders and possibly the back as well. Most people I see are doing it wrong.

The connect technique avoids this:



Even lifting over barbed wire isn't uncommon near me to access some "hidden trails" which the locals have dug

 

[steve_sordy]

...................Now, I just ride in, lift the back wheel up about a foot, close the gate. Then lift the back wheel and pull it round. Yes, it’s not the most elegant, but with a knackered back, knees and shoulder I couldn’t care less about what other people think, as long as I don’t damage myself even more.

That similar to was what I was attempting to do (except it was on its rear wheel). It had worked before on other kissing gates. But the one in my story must have been a tighter curve, or maybe just narrower, because the bike got stuck.