eMTBs have already revolutionised the world of mountain biking – is a revolution in the urban and trekking segment imminent? eMTBs are excellent all-rounders, suitable for almost everything from a relaxed Sunday ride to the lake to alpine adventures in the mountains. In E-MOUNTAINBIKE issue #014, we found out how well eMTBs perform in everyday life and what you should pay particular attention to before buying.
Why are we, an eMTB magazine, suddenly reviewing trekking, touring and urban ebikes? This is a question some of you will undoubtedly be asking yourselves. There are several reasons for doing so. Firstly, we’re enthusiastic about all new cycling concepts. Secondly, in our reader survey, 53.55 % of readers stated that they mainly travel on gravel and paved roads. And thirdly, we believe in the enormous potential that these bikes offer, which will play an essential role in future mobility concepts.
Update 2020: By the way, we recently added DOWNTOWN, our own magazine about modern, urban mobility, to our portfolio. The topic E-SUV or SUV E-MTBs was covered in the first issue, so feel free to take a look!
These new bikes are fun and confidence inspiring, and they offer smart transport solutions – true everyday heroes!
But before we go on about commuting, urban mobility and SUV e-bikes, we would like to take a quick look back. Previously, bicycles have become more and more specialised, being divided into ever more categories. Efficiency has always been a driving factor for bikes without motors. For manufacturers, the overriding goal has always been to build a bike that is as efficient, light and stiff as possible for a specific type of riding. Factors such as stability, practicality and comfort were taken into account but often played a subordinate role.
The electric motor promises to turn this old way of thinking completely upside down. With a powerful motor, it suddenly doesn’t matter whether a bike is 3% more efficient or 4% heavier. But it has taken some time for most manufacturers to recognise and implemented this new way of thinking – and there continues to be manufacturers who don’t. In the early years, we often saw that the build spec on eMTBs was identical to their non-motorised counterpart.
SUV eMTBs unite the best of two worlds!
But that is largely history now – thank heavens! The next logical step followed: concepts that would not have been possible without a motor, developed from the ground up. These are bikes that cover an extremely wide range of applications, inspire confidence in the rider and include practical solutions for everyday riding. One example is the brand new SCOTT AXIS eRIDE Evo. The variety in this new category of SUV eMTBs will continue to grow significantly in the coming years. At EUROBIKE, Haibike’s new TQ driven FLYON series has given us a glimpse of what’s possible regarding integration.
But even with all the technological advances we often still have to deal with the same questions. One that many cyclists ask themselves is: full-suspension or hardtail? For eMTBs this question has mostly been settled – the only thing going for hardtails is the lower price point. But what about trekking ebikes? We had two near-identical bikes from Centurion go head to head – one of them was a clear winner.
Your weekly shopping, sports gear or even the kids – cargo bikes offers plenty of storage space
In big cities, cargo bikes have already become a familiar part of the cityscape. In the countryside, however, we still seem unable to get by without a car. But are we confusing the comfort that a car supposedly offers us with laziness? To find out, we’ve embarked on an experiment in the tranquil village of Prien in bavaria. An overview, which different types of cargo bikes are available, and which of them fit to whom, you can find from the colleagues of DOWNTOWN.
In case these articles inspire you to use your eMTB more in everyday life, we’ve compiled a list of commuter essentials.
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.
Words: Photos: Christoph Bayer, Valentin Rühl
