E-MTBs: Confessions of a UK Technophobe!
The benefits of E-MTBs are clear, power, performance and range, however, in the UK at least, they have yet to become fully accepted in the mountain biking community! I am perhaps not the target market for an EMTB, enjoying the climbs as much as the descents, and considering myself a ‘proper’ mountain biker (whatever that means). I must admit to feeling skeptical about the use of E-MTBs on our trails, riders in the UK have fought long and hard for access rights and E-MTBs are the new kid on the block that could upset the apple cart! However, I was excited to try an E-MTB out, and see what it could do!
Now e-bikes have been around for a while now, but have previously been confined to big, ugly power units, retro fitted to an entry level hard tail or commuter frame, about as much use off-road as a chocolate teapot. But things have changed; we are now seeing super powerful Bosch motors fitted to high end 140mm enduro bikes, E-MTBs have gotten serious! Eurobike this year was full of e-bikes, and they are starting to be a common sight on trails over most of continental Europe. I remember climbing solidly for 2 hours to reach the 2000m peak above Ischgl, to find folks whizzing about happily on E-MTBs, there was even a free charging station!
The UK however is a different beast entirely. Most UK riders are proud and self confessed Luddites, liking their bikes simple and practical, where else would an agricultural looking single pivot bike with 2 bearings be one of the most popular choices? In the land where carbon fiber is still ‘new fangled’ and ‘e.I’ is ridiculed, even the mention of taking an E-MTB onto local trails gets tongues wagging and causes more than a few disapproving murmurs. Now it seems that every manufacturer is strapping motors to high end bikes, giving us an answer to ‘if we could’, however, no one seems to be asking whether ‘we should’!
Unpacking the Cube I was immediately unimpressed with the weight of the bike, in an age where bikes are getting lighter and lighter, the cube stereo has a considerable heft. Rolling the bike out of the workshop I was ready for the first test. There was no manual and the display was in German, and there seemed to be multiple speeds available, so obviously max speed was immediately selected (turbo) and I hopped on board. Now there are two things that happen when you first turn the pedals on an E-MTB, a strong forward force smoothly cuts in and you are propelled down the road like Bradley Wiggins, the second thing that happens is that you begin to grin like an idiot! There is no throttle, as you start to pedal the bike starts to help you out, hills become flat and traffic is your prey! But it is one thing to hoon around on the road, what about on the trails?
Now, before we get swept away with the ethics and politics of E-MTBS “are they a bike or a motor vehicle” and get too wrapped up debating if they should be allowed on the trails, let’s give them a fair go, and first see how they actually perform! Uphill, they are incredible, even with fat tires and soft suspension you can climb like a Lycra clad roadie, it is almost effortless, but everyone already knows that! The big question is how they handle on the downhills?
So on a rare, sunny day in Scotland, I turned off the technical single track climb, marveling at the ease of the ascent. Normally I would be panting for breath and trying to get my heart rate back under control, not this time, this time I had simply glided to the top of the hill, faster than ever before, total STRAVA domination! And it was not down to fitness or a great winter training program, but the fact that I was riding the Cube Stereo Hybrid E-MTB.
Now, its uphill prowess was clear, but surely it would be rubbish downhill; the heavy weight must compromise the handling! As I looked down at the options, there were a few easy flowy trails and one rough, ‘nibbley’ number, a steep technical showpiece that challenges even the best enduro bikes. It was time to put this E-MTBs into its place. I engaged turbo mode, opened the suspension and dropped in, a couple of easy pedal strokes leapt the bike up to speed, the first corner jumped forward, fearing the worse, I dived in! Holy s@:t….
The answer was nothing short of a revelation, as I hit that first corner I was expecting a cumbersome, podgy response, but no, the Cube dived in, held its line and tracked beautifully. It almost feels like a downhill bike from 5 years ago, loads of weight but all down low. If you stall out in a corner or get hung up, the instant you are back on the pedals the bike is back up to speed. There is a feeling of great stability and momentum, of course it lacks the nimbleness of a 28lb race bike, but the E-MTB has certainly got game, and I was loving it!
Arriving at the bottom of the trail, I was left with as many questions as answers! My impressions of the capabilities of the bike could not have been more wrong. Indeed were I to turn on STRAVA, I could certainly light up every scoreboard in the valley, but that would certainly end in a lynching! With great power comes great responsibility and I can see this technology being misused! Indeed, a few day later I felt a small pang of frustration when riding a normal bike, while my buddy took the E-MTB for a spin, gasping on the climbs while he spun effortlessly away! Technical climbs become a breeze with power, and with a range of more than 60km, nowhere is safe! However, I could also see great potential in these bikes, recovering from injury or if unable to pedal, bikes like this would reopen the trails and bring back the stoke. For mixed ability couples an E-MTB could level the playing field for big trips away. The capacity to explore is far greater, covering more ground with ease.
The bottom line is that E-MTBs are capable, high performance and above all excellent fun, they allow you to climb like you are dosed on EPO, and carry you over massive distances without breaking a sweat, and surprisingly they are also great fun on really technical downhills! Does it mean that we all have to go out and buy E-MTBs, of course not, does it mean manufacturers will stop making normal bikes, hell no! There will certainly be people who don’t like the idea, believing in purity and toil, but let us be honest, with F1 inspired suspension, GPS and a host of other gadgets available, could biking still be defined as pure? As to my own personal opinion, I have not quite decided, but at the end of the day, I love biking, and want to keep hitting the trails forever, E-MTBs are on the market and they work, I for one am glad they are here!
Just as I was writing this, Nico Vouilloz released a video of his thoughts about E-MTBs. Now Nico Vouilloz is a legend in the biking world, and after suffering some heavy injuries in 2013 looked like he would be off the bike for a long time, however an E-MTB changed that and Nico is now well on the road to recovery!
Words and Photos: Trev Worsey
Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of E-MOUNTAINBIKE, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality cycling journalism. Click here to learn more.
