Urge to buy a non ebike !!! Am I crazy anyone still regularly use a non ebike

ilostmypassword

Active member
Apr 5, 2022
397
431
New Zealand
Yeah u get a great workout but doesn’t build muscle in legs like normal bike, but that doesn’t matter if u don’t ride normal bike,
The problem with light emtb is they cost twice the price at the moment
My legs get a massive workout on my ebike TBH. I do ride a lot of technical off road trails though- and out of the seat moving around a lot. Lots of sharp pitches too and rocky obstacles. I really feel it in my legs.

Even on boost up fire roads I feel the burn in my, hammys and abductors too so not sure I agree.

I do like walks in the park and hills a lot too so I guess balance is key 👍
 

Donga

Member
Feb 8, 2020
13
48
Hartbeespoort, South Africa
Still have my 6 year-old Pyga Stage Max (carbon frame, carbon wheels) and 2021 Levo SL - ride SL 2 to 3 times a week, but still look forward to Pyga ride every Sunday! Flickable in the twisties, light over the rocks - but SL for the climbs every time..........Love them both!!
 

militantmandy

Well-known member
Jan 18, 2022
399
369
Tweed Valley, Scotland
a very good point I would be looking a xc rides only and never really thought about a hard tail I was mainly looking at something like a Santa Cruz Tallboy but can’t really justify 4grand
Where a fairly decent hardtail would be cheaper I guess

any nice light hardtails that recommended?
How tall are you? If you'd fit a small, I could sell you a Tallboy for a lot less than that!
 

Endoguru

Active member
Aug 21, 2019
142
131
Usa
I bought a non eeb again last year. Rode it 3 times and sold it after 5 weeks.
Pushing uphill seems pretty pointless. I didn't see a reason to own a bike that offered less riding. I won't buy another.

I agree with cozzy. I want to love a non-ebike, so I built up a Stumpjumper Evo. I’ve ridden it 6 or 7 times and it just isn’t as fun. Time to sell it. Maybe age (66). The lighter, less power ebikes are the perfect balance for me. Currently a Kenevo SL, but looking seriously at the new Trek.
 
Oct 26, 2020
14
7
Wiltshire
I have a Whyte E150 RS and a Giant Trance 1 non ebike. This is great when riding with my Mrs and its smaller and lighter to put into the back of the car. I confess I'm not riding either at the moment 54 years old and after 30 plus years of mtb riding have never ridden so little and only seem to ride at a bike park occasionally when I'll always take the ebike.
Need to get the mojo back 😬
 

cappuccino34

Active member
Nov 24, 2020
530
329
Helmshore
I've got a selection of both.
I mostly ride my favourite E (Fulgur Mula), but I still ride my 'poverty' bike (Pivot Trail 429) about 30% of the time.
 

Gavalar

Active member
Feb 4, 2019
350
222
UK
Basically have a trek rail and orbea rise I totally love both bike for difference reasons I am more of a xc / light trail rider and the bit I miss the most is the fast light trails above the 15 mph cut off

I don’t want to de restrict either bike for warranty reasons and I would spend to much of my time worrying about giving the motors a hard time

but I don’t enjoy the feel of riding over the limiter and obviously compared to a light trail bike ( like a Santa Cruz Tallboy) it’s a fair bit harder and also the simplicity or a non electronic bike

but I wonder how much I would actually use it as I love the ebikes !!!

do I ditch the idea and man up over the limiters ha ha. Or do many of you guys and girls have regular mountain bikes for this similar reason ??
I have a Yeti SB130 and an Ibis HD4 which I use on a regular basis, probably more than my Levo which I've just sold as I'll be replacing it with the new Pivot SL.
 

Streddaz

Active member
Jul 7, 2022
297
424
Tasmania
Basically have a trek rail and orbea rise I totally love both bike for difference reasons I am more of a xc / light trail rider and the bit I miss the most is the fast light trails above the 15 mph cut off

I don’t want to de restrict either bike for warranty reasons and I would spend to much of my time worrying about giving the motors a hard time

but I don’t enjoy the feel of riding over the limiter and obviously compared to a light trail bike ( like a Santa Cruz Tallboy) it’s a fair bit harder and also the simplicity or a non electronic bike

but I wonder how much I would actually use it as I love the ebikes !!!

do I ditch the idea and man up over the limiters ha ha. Or do many of you guys and girls have regular mountain bikes for this similar reason ??
I still have my nonEbike for riding with others on nonEbikes. For most of my solo rides at the moment I take my Levo SL. I don't find the speed cut that noticeable and I ride mainly single track so getting over 25kph is usually only on the descents.
 

Hob Nob

Active member
Jun 4, 2020
152
149
UK
My eeb is my least used bike. Have a Spur which is my most used, then my longer travel bike.

It’s not that the KSL is a bad bike, (it’s really good!). It’s just not as good as the others. If I had to get rid of one, the KSL would be the first out the door.
 

Cb750stu

Well-known member
Subscriber
Nov 6, 2020
504
471
United Kingdom
I bought a Vitus gravel bike a month ago and I've used it quite a bit tbh , I actually think I've become a bit lazy on the ebike so wanted something I can go off-road and do some good milage and get a really good work out and my van has been off the road so I've had no way of transporting the eeb 🤟
 

F4Flyer

Member
Sep 30, 2020
113
54
Denver
Yeah, I still prefer regular mountain bikes. I have an Ibis Ripley and Ibis Ripmo as well. The Ripmo is my favorite. I ride it the most.
 

Grannyjones

Member
May 25, 2020
385
80
England
When my E Bike is knackered and out of date I may not replace it with another E Bike, but possibly a manual bike.
They're too expensive, maintenance-heavy and difficult to take on a plane.
I've not decided for sure yet but can't justify the cons just to make climbing quicker.
 
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Chairman

Active member
Feb 25, 2022
221
121
Nz
I have not found the maintenence to be any more than that of my acoustic bike bike on a per kilometer basis. Really needs a gearbox though. Once I went to a Zerode my maintenance costs dropped appreciably. My next ebike will have a gearbox. Until then I will keep my current Moterra and also keep riding both electric and acoustic
 

Growmac

Well-known member
Dec 4, 2020
384
450
Wilts, UK
I have not found the maintenence to be any more than that of my acoustic bike bike on a per kilometer basis. Really needs a gearbox though. Once I went to a Zerode my maintenance costs dropped appreciably. My next ebike will have a gearbox. Until then I will keep my current Moterra and also keep riding both electric and acoustic
There speaks a rider who (presumably) doesn't ride in a wet, muddy climate. I think the drive chain maintenance on my eeeb over the winter is probably 2-3 times that of my real bike per km, and that's with a careful clean of the drive chain after every ride.
 

dobbyhasfriends

🌹Old Bloke 🎸
Subscriber
Sep 19, 2019
3,254
4,642
Llandovery, Wales
I had a motor failure on the trail last ride out and had to ride my bike back to the van, it was only about 1100 ft vertical and I know the ebike is heavier but it was a set of trails that I would normally session without a thought but when I got back up to the trailhead after the breakdown, I could have done it again but its like everyone says..
ebikes make the trails more 'worth it' where you can session without the consideration of the 20 minute climb being worth the 5 minute descent.
I was also considering getting a normal bike until then.. the only way I would do that is to buy a bikepark bike for uplift only.
 

Chairman

Active member
Feb 25, 2022
221
121
Nz
There speaks a rider who (presumably) doesn't ride in a wet, muddy climate. I think the drive chain maintenance on my eeeb over the winter is probably 2-3 times that of my real bike per km, and that's with a careful clean of the drive chain after every ride.
There speaks a rider who (presumably) doesn't ride in a wet, muddy climate. I think the drive chain maintenance on my eeeb over the winter is probably 2-3 times that of my real bike per km, and that's with a careful clean of the drive chain after every ride.
Yes there is some truth in this I do ride all year but our trails,Rotorua and surrounding areas, do handle the wet very well
 

Gavalar

Active member
Feb 4, 2019
350
222
UK
It's very, very light though; 16.44kg, really?
Yep, apparently the world cup spec is as light as some regular world cup bikes and the performance numbers trounce the new Trek, personally for me the Pro XO1 is the best buy, my only concern is that the rear suspension is less than my regular Yeti SB130.
 

flash

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Patreon
Nov 24, 2018
1,050
986
Wamberal, NSW Australia
No regular bikes for me anymore for trail riding. But I did buy a Spech P3 last week so this old dog can learn a few new tricks. I can't manual and can only sort of bunny hop. Those skills are more easily practiced on a normal bike I think.

Gordon
 

Varaxis

Member
Founding Member
Feb 5, 2018
145
89
California, USA
Some places don't allow ebikes on mtb trails in the US, like in New York state forests.

I feel that I lose something when I don't ride without assist. At the same time, I feel that I can pedal harder through slogs with assist since the breeze keeps me from overheating.

I greatly prefer the sensation of a regular bike, over the sensation of a low-powered motor vehicle. Low-powered motor vehicles feel awful. Some motorhead part of me would just want more power, if the experience felt more like a motor vehicle instead of a bicycle.

I still keep a steel meat-powered bike around since it just feels different when I mash into the gears. It feels more forgiving on the knees than my ebike when pedaling unassisted. Been trying to keep it to just one other, as I came from having 6-8 bikes lined up at one time. I credit the emtb for getting me to ditch all the ones built around going faster (esp. at the cost of durability, reliability, etc.).
 

Zaskar20

Active member
Aug 17, 2021
140
133
UK
My Ebike was one of the only MTBs I've purchased fully built!
The majority of past MTBs have been built from frame up.
The urge to build again has got the better of me.
SC1.jpg


SC2.jpg


Coming along nicely (y) :)
 

Zed

Active member
Feb 26, 2019
369
320
Brisbane, Australia
I've been back and forth a few times. Because of cash restraints when I've changed either way from e to non-e I've generally sold and rebought. This has been my undoing, not having the patience to wait and just own both. I've done it three times now. I go back to regular bike, end up with gradually worsening exertion headaches, and go back to ebike again.

I've come to accept I can't just trail ride my local trails as my only source of fitness. I'd have to road bike ride or get on a trainer to do the long slow rides. And I've come to accept that's just too much like hard work. It's doing a whole training program constantly, just so I can get some enjoyment whilst exercising. With the ebike I can get that enjoyment while exercising, without the training program. The fun bit IS the exercise. It suits me better.

If my fitness was really good, or if I was 20kg lighter, or I like road cycling, or my trails were flatter, or I was younger, or I didn't have to go to work; or some combination thereof - I'd probably still really enjoy a non-e bike.
 
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