Hype This! – Essentials for your first eMTB
In this edition of Hype This, we’ll look at products that you should buy along with or before your first eMTB. To do so, we’ve combined the forces of our editorial team and made a list of products that we personally can’t live without. Hype This: the Editors’ Special.
Pedals
Pedals are essential number one, of course, because most bikes today are sold without them. No pedals, no riding. However, we won’t make a recommendation here because we take an in-depth look at the topic of pedals in our big pedal group test. So, if you are still looking for the right pedals, you’re guaranteed to find what you’re looking for in our comprehensive group test.
Price: from approximately € 50–300
Endura Hummvee Flat Pedal Shoes
If you’ve found what you’re looking for in our pedal group test, you’ll also need the right footwear. Beginners tend to use flat pedals because they make it easier to put your feet down, but apart from that, they also promote good riding technique, as you aren’t able to just pull up on the pedals. That’s why we chose the Endura Hummvee flat pedal shoes. They fit nicely between the worlds of performance mountain bike shoes and casual sneakers. The soles are flexible enough to let you walk comfortably when taking a break at your local pub, but stiff enough to perform decently on your mountain bike. The same holds true for the rubber compound of the soles: it’s soft enough to provide a good level of grip on the pedals, but hard enough to last for more than a dash to your local grocery store. The shoes are available in four cool colours and have an RRP of € 99.99, which is relatively affordable for mountain bike shoes. If you shop around online, you can even find them for € 60 or less, which makes them an absolute value or money hit.
Price: € 99,99
Info: endurasport.com
Giro Fixture MIPS II
Safety first! Even if you occasionally see mountain bikers weaving through the forest without a helmet, this isn’t something we’d recommend and consider it an absolute no-go! That’s why we’ve picked an affordable helmet that ticks all the right boxes. It goes for € 100 and is available in three versions: one 50–57 cm women’s version, a standard version for 54-51 cm heads, and an 58–65 cm XL version. The standard version is available in eight different colourways, whereas the women’s version only gives you a choice of five designs, and the XL version comes in just two designs. Despite the affordable price, the helmet comes equipped with the popular MIPS system. It’s there to reduce the rotational forces of lateral impacts, thereby preventing concussions or worse. In our opinion, the € 20 you’ll save on the model without MIPS isn’t worth it. After all, you’ve only got one brain ;).
Price: € 100,00
Info: giro-sports.com
100% Terratec Plus
If you crash on a mountain bike, you’re likely to fall on your knees, which can cause serious harm, especially in rocky terrain. This is where the 100% Terratec knee pads come into play. They were awarded the Best Buy in our 2022 trail knee pad group test, and not without reason. 100% designed the Terratec knee pads according to the principle of putting all the right material in all the right places, but they’re amongst the warmer knee pads in our test due to the wide and firm thigh cuff. The protector provides Level 1 impact protection, which is standard for lightweight knee pads. The stretchy fabric between the protector and the cuff on the thigh makes them super comfortable to pedal in. What makes them stand out are their comfortable fit and low price of just € 84.90 – well deserving of the Best Buy award.
Price: € 84,90
Info: 100percent.com
Ergon BP1 Protect
Ergon’s motto for their BP1 Protect back protector is less risk, more fun! The BP1 Protect has been specially developed for gravity riders and reduces the risk of injury to the lower back due to its extended length. It can be worn over or under your jersey and comes with storage space for essential tools and a few snacks, closing the gap between backpacks and back protectors. What sets the BP1 Protect apart from conventional back protectors is that you can retrofit 1.5 litre hydration bladder – our personal highlight. The pouch for the hydration bladder attaches to the lower back where it hardly bothers. The safest protectors are the ones you actually wear, and in the case of this one, that’s something you’ll love to do. It’s no surprise that we awarded the Ergon BP1 Protect the 2017 Design & Innovation Award.
Price: € 129,95
Info: ergonbike.com
Dakine Hot Laps 2L
If your back protector doesn’t have pockets, as in most cases, a hip pack is a great thing. The Dakine Hot Laps 2L is one of the favourites from our hip pack group test. It lets you store everything that you can’t or don’t want to store on the bike. By now, almost all modern mountain bikes can accommodate a bottle cage, but you’ll still find a few outliers that can’t. For all these as well as the heavy drinkers amongst us who just need more than one water bottle, the Hot Laps comes with two bottle pockets, which can also be tucked away when not in use. In case it isn’t obvious, the capacity of the Hot Laps 2L is 2 litres, it has a fleece-lined bag for your smartphone or eyewear, and there are rubber bands in the main compartment for a CO₂ cartridge or the like. Simple, effective and relatively affordable at € 45.
Price: € 44.96–59.95
Info: dakine-europe.com
7Mesh Foundation Bib Short
A lot of newcomers to the sport aren’t sure what bib shorts are, which is a pity, because they can make all the difference to your butt. The 7Mesh Foundation Bib Short makes for an ideal base layer and ensures a comfortable ride with its chamois. To reduce heat build-up in sensitive areas, the Force Platform chamois features cut-outs at the front for ventilation. In combination with the mesh fabric that these shorts are constructed of, they provide ample ventilation with the same level of comfort as traditional bibs. The bib shorts have three large back pockets, providing additional storage options on your ebike outings, and they’re available in five sizes from XS to XXL, priced at € 130 each.
Price: € 130
Info: 7mesh.com
Muc-Off Ultimate Tubeless Kit DH/Trail/Enduro
Most mountain bikes, both electric and analogue, come with tubes in the tires, but we’re long past the time of using tubes, and a conversion to tubeless is worthwhile – especially in terms of puncture protection and performance. Muc-Off offer several variants of the Ultimate Tubeless Setup Kit. It’s the DH/Trail/Enduro version that we’re interested in, suitable for the wide rims of eMTBs. The kit includes everything you need to upgrade to tubeless: rim tape to seal the rims, the appropriate valves, and a small supply of tubeless sealant (enough for about two fillings of your tires). This small all-in-one package is available for € 50.99 and Muc-Off even provide a step-by-step video on their website.
Price: € 50,99
Info: muc-off.com
Lezyne Digital Pressure Over Drive
An essential tool when you want to convert to tubeless and inflate your tires: a pump. It doesn’t matter if it has a secondary chamber or not; you should come right more or less without one. But if you want to spare your nerves and save time, a secondary chamber definitely makes sense. That said, they’re not all equal, which is why we conducted a group test to find out which perform the best. The Lezyne Digital Pressure Over Drive turned out to be our favourite. Above all, it impressed us with its high flow rate, high-quality workmanship and one-shot pressure. At a price of € 164.95, the pump certainly isn’t cheap, but you can expect it to last a long time. Besides, more than just a pump, it’s a highly functional designer piece for your workshop.
Preis: € 164,95
Info: lezyne.com
SKS AIRCHECKER
Many riders disregard the importance of tire pressure, simply checking it by feel, which is about as accurate as playing billiards with an excavator ;). Even the pressure gauges of many pumps are inaccurate with big variations from one brand to the next. However, the tire pressure has a significant effect on your bike’s handling, so it’s better to get an accurate gauge! Like the SKS AIRCHECKER, for example, which costs about € 25 and comes with a swivelling head so that you can always read the display. The duo head is compatible with both Schrader and Presta valves. You lose minimal pressure when placing the head on the valve, which, together with the pressure release button and real-time measurement, greatly improves its functionality. The maximum pressure is 10 bar or 144 psi and if you forget to turn it off, it will shut down automatically after 30 seconds.
Preis: € 24,99
Info: sks-germany.com
OneUp EDC Pump
With the OneUp EDC Pump, you’ll be prepped for all eventualities on your rides.
At first glance, it’s just a pump, but in reality it can do a whole lot more than inflate your tires. It’s designed to work with various OneUp tools which you can store inside the pump and attach to your bike. There’s the practical OneUp EDC tool, for example, featuring a chain breaker and much more. The pump can house a CO₂ cartridge or a tubeless repair kit and, of course, it functions as a high-volume pump. It is available for € 74.50 in a 70 cc or a 100 cc variant, indicating the pump volume. Compatible tools are sold separately. This makes sense because everyone has different needs and preferences for what they want to take with on the trail, but it’s quite expensive for just the pump. However, it lets you do without the hip pack that you would otherwise need to carry your pump and tools.
Preis: € 74,50
Info: oneupcomponents.com
Pedros Burrito Tool Kit
At some point, every bike will need a service. For the DIY queens and kings among us, Pedro’s offer the 24-piece Burrito Tool Kit. When rolled out, it measures 60 x 40 cm, covered in numerous pockets of various sizes, including a large mesh pocket with a zipper. The X-Frame system is designed to transform the flexible roll into a rigid tool pallet. Simply insert the rods of the X-Frame system, hang the kit on a repair stand or tool case, and get started. Due to the flexible design of the tool roll, the Burrito Tool Kit is ideal as a mobile workshop on your next bike park trip. The tool kit includes everything you need to completely disassemble and rebuild your bike. Among the tools are a cassette lockring socket, a chain whip, a socket for direct-mount brake rotors, a pair of decent tire levers, a chain gauge, and much more. This practical tool kit has an RRP of $ 329.99, though you can find it for $ 269.99 or less online, so it’s worth shopping around ;).
Preis: € 315,00
Info: pedros.com
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Words: Philip Grünewald Photos: Hersteller
