Buy a ebike, work on my fitness or a lightweight full suss
Discussion
Several people I ride with are fitter and slimmer since getting an ebike as they get out far more often.
I am in my early 40s and still pretty fit, but a several hour ride wipes me out for at least a couple of days now
I like the SL, but if you want to do all day rides then it won't be enough
I am in my early 40s and still pretty fit, but a several hour ride wipes me out for at least a couple of days now
I like the SL, but if you want to do all day rides then it won't be enough
Personal experience and opinions, so someone will be along soon to tell me I’m talking b******s, but just what I’ve experienced.
I’m in my mid-50s and started mountain biking more or less from scratch about 5 years ago. I started with something that I just bought on a whim via Facebook and really enjoyed it. However, soon decided that I wanted more and bought a year old carbon hardtail for back in the UK, then went to a full suspension Stumpjumper 3 years ago and still absolutely love it. My fitness is probably better than it’s ever been in my life currently. However, I’ve noticed the climbs where I live are just getting a bit too much and I’m not enjoying it, so have picked up an e-bike having borrowed a friends several times.
I’ve gone for a 750wh battery as I plan on doing long rides with big climbs to maintain / improve my fitness. Personally, I’d say buy whatever will mean you go out and ride. One long ride every fortnight is no use compared to 10 30 minute rides over the same timeframe.
As for those saying e-bikes don’t give you any feel or whatever, I’d suggest that the reviewers in magazines are at a far higher riding standard than many on here. I’ve raced MX bikes & enduro bikes though, so may be biased with feel and weight arguments.
I’m in my mid-50s and started mountain biking more or less from scratch about 5 years ago. I started with something that I just bought on a whim via Facebook and really enjoyed it. However, soon decided that I wanted more and bought a year old carbon hardtail for back in the UK, then went to a full suspension Stumpjumper 3 years ago and still absolutely love it. My fitness is probably better than it’s ever been in my life currently. However, I’ve noticed the climbs where I live are just getting a bit too much and I’m not enjoying it, so have picked up an e-bike having borrowed a friends several times.
I’ve gone for a 750wh battery as I plan on doing long rides with big climbs to maintain / improve my fitness. Personally, I’d say buy whatever will mean you go out and ride. One long ride every fortnight is no use compared to 10 30 minute rides over the same timeframe.
As for those saying e-bikes don’t give you any feel or whatever, I’d suggest that the reviewers in magazines are at a far higher riding standard than many on here. I’ve raced MX bikes & enduro bikes though, so may be biased with feel and weight arguments.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
That’s fair enough, like I said, I may be talking b******s. I don’t think reviewers are better than everyone, but certainly better than many on here who will be parroting stuff without really knowing what they’re saying. A lot of stuff in the car sections reads like that. I’ve bought a Mondraker Level RR, but I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie and downhill is what I really enjoy. The battery power is to get me up to the top of the hills that I’m struggling with a bit at the moment. Probably overkill, but as I’ve said, it gets me out on the bike a lot and means I’m not dying with aches and pains the next day.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I have a commencial meta hardtail as my electric bike, i don't actually like the bike, however i'm saving up for a nicolai full sus electric bike. hopefully will have it in time for april next year.When i uplift or ride down hill i use my normal nicolai full sus
Whether or not you'll get fitter using an ebike vs a lung powered MTB is subject to how you will ride the ebike. If its on the same trails for the same distance/time then you'll likely not gain fitness except if you use it in minimal assist mode. Thats what i found with my recent swap from Full sus lung powered to a rather nice Mondi Crafty ebike. If I want to get the same/similar strava effort I used to get on my analogue rides, I have to add in additional difficult climbs that tax my legs and lungs on the lowest level of assist needed to clear them and to ride farther . Even then I see more time in the lower HR ranges than I did on the analogue rides. I'm not saying its not possible but perhaps more thought is needed on where and how you ride trails rather than it happening organically because they only way to move forward/up involved just legs/lungs and mechanical gears. PS The Mondi is lots of fun though slightly less nimble (weight and its a longer slacker geo than my old bike) I've not chipped it so once at max assist of 16mph the only way I'm going faster is if I pedal harder /faster this means my local downward trails are only moderately quicker than I was analogue powered but the uphils are far easier even in low assist mode, hence the need to ride challenging upward trails to compensate usually ones I couldn't clear under my own steam as they maxed out my cardio capacity.
ruggedscotty said:
e bike....
did wonders for me, and got out and about a lot more with it, used it for a commute in and out of work broxburn to Edinburgh loved it..... 26 miles a day 5 days a week.....
Same here. I don't go every day on my 26 mile daily commute but at least 50% of the time. I am late 40's and I think the commute would have killed me on a normal bike.....did wonders for me, and got out and about a lot more with it, used it for a commute in and out of work broxburn to Edinburgh loved it..... 26 miles a day 5 days a week.....
I have done 2500 miles in ten months, lost a stone in weight, (now 11.5 stone), toned up and still love cycling in without feeling too knackered.
Edit, just in response to the post above about assistance. I always have my bike (Giant Fathom E+3) on max assistance. I don't stop pedalling for 13 miles in 43 minutes. My heart rate is probably a little high. I just want to get to work as quickly as possible without killing myself. I will rely on the assistance up the hills and then have enough energy to charge along the flat and downhill too. I very rarely freewheel.
Edited by mike9009 on Thursday 6th October 21:16
LordHaveMurci said:
I’m not anti e-bike but for me, off road, they are far too heavy to have any real fun on.
Your riding may be very different to mine, as may your views on it.
I know what you mean you lose a little "finesse" and "feel".Your riding may be very different to mine, as may your views on it.
But not much IME. I have a YT Decoy 29 and it is very good fun either on the South Downs or BPW. If anything it was more fun at BPW than my 13kg FS Mondraker. And you didn't have to take the smelly bus! Even the climb was fun.
But the kicker is, you do twice as many downhills wherever you are, if not 3 times. You can just do loops as you climb back so much quicker and you can choose to not be totally knackered at the trail head!
No clear answer to this but, at the age of 60, I've just bought a new 'analogue' Orange Alpine 5. I considered an E bike but decided I will get one when I can no longer enjoy doing it under my own steam - one of our group is 72 and still rides a 650B hardtail and we ride mostly natural stuff in the Lakes.
Whilst I think E bikes are great, anecdotally I've heard it said that you will retain leg strength for longer on a conventional machine which does kind of make sense.
Another thing for me is we spend a lot of time lifting bikes over drystone walls and other obstacles and the wieght of an E bikes puts me off along with, potentially, the reduction in agility. My wife has a Spesh Vado and it's almost a struggle to lift the damn thing into the back of the car!
...then, there's the cost as well.
Hopefully by the time I'm 'ready' both the cost and weight will have dropped.
Whilst I think E bikes are great, anecdotally I've heard it said that you will retain leg strength for longer on a conventional machine which does kind of make sense.
Another thing for me is we spend a lot of time lifting bikes over drystone walls and other obstacles and the wieght of an E bikes puts me off along with, potentially, the reduction in agility. My wife has a Spesh Vado and it's almost a struggle to lift the damn thing into the back of the car!
...then, there's the cost as well.
Hopefully by the time I'm 'ready' both the cost and weight will have dropped.
I bought an SL just before the first lockdown and it is a brilliant bike. Light enough to sling over a gate or chuck in the car without risking a gonad. It is IME good enough for 95% of off piste stuff and and eats any kitty litter tracks in trail centres but where it really shines is exploring new trails.
You hit a long stretch of grassy/muddy uphill stuff on an analogue and it's a right pain, ebike, just blast up that bit to join the good bits together. in fact technical uphill stuff becomes a fun challenge and you often get to the top absolutely knackered but have enjoyed it. With a range extender they will last all day no problem and are light enough to pedal on bitumen with no power.
One of the reasons I got an ebike is that I was recovering from some poxy unknown virus that had wiped me out and I wanted to get out more.
You can use them to get fitter as well. I have a 2 hour circuit I can ride from home with 25% of it trails. I ride the flattish road with no power then switch it on for the trails. I did that this year to get back on the analogue - Stumpy EVO and did my first enduro event (ArdRock sport).
As mentioned earlier probably best to try one out as a hire at a trail centre.
You hit a long stretch of grassy/muddy uphill stuff on an analogue and it's a right pain, ebike, just blast up that bit to join the good bits together. in fact technical uphill stuff becomes a fun challenge and you often get to the top absolutely knackered but have enjoyed it. With a range extender they will last all day no problem and are light enough to pedal on bitumen with no power.
One of the reasons I got an ebike is that I was recovering from some poxy unknown virus that had wiped me out and I wanted to get out more.
You can use them to get fitter as well. I have a 2 hour circuit I can ride from home with 25% of it trails. I ride the flattish road with no power then switch it on for the trails. I did that this year to get back on the analogue - Stumpy EVO and did my first enduro event (ArdRock sport).
As mentioned earlier probably best to try one out as a hire at a trail centre.
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