The topic of electric bikes attracts divisive views from modern bikers who are quick to embrace the new technology and “old heads” who are stuck in the nostalgia of traditional riding.
While one faction considers it to be “cheating”; the other one swears by what it has done to improve the biking experience.
Whichever side of the divide you belong to, one thing we can all agree on is that electric bikes have revolutionized how we move from point A to B!
For the doubting Thomases who are skeptical about these motorized vehicles, this post gives you 7 valid reasons why you should try an e-MTB!
They Make Trail Riding More Entertaining
The added oomph you get from the motor on an e-MTB ensures that clearing both mild and steep trails will be a piece of cake for you. No more pushing yourself to limit just to the summit! The thought that nothing can constrain you serves to boost your courage on the trail and makes you want to conquer anything that comes in your way.
Because of this, you’re always looking forward to the next off-road challenge with zeal. In short, electric bikes can expose you to the endless possibilities on the backcountry terrains when you know you have a little help to supplement your leg power! It doesn’t get more exciting than that!
Free Speed Riding
Electric mountain bikes enable you to go “fast and furious” on the trail. Nothing gets your adrenaline pumping than rushing through dirt uphill roads full of sharp turns with nothing to slow you down; not even physical fatigue.
The sensation you get from achieving high speeds on a tricky trail makes you want to test the limits of the bike with every opportunity that you get!
Encourages You to Ride Harder
Critics of electric bikes assume that the motor bears all the brunt of the work, but this is not really true! For a Class 1 and Class 3 e-MTB, it is your pedal effort that determines the amount of assistance you get from the motor. So, the harder you pedal, the more you get to feel the power of the motor.
This can be pretty addictive when you’re trying to determine the full boost of the e-bike. Furthermore, the fact that you’re not wearing yourself down encourages you to ride harder and longer; sometimes without even realizing it.
Increases Your Capabilities
Riding a battery-powered MTB makes you a more capable rider on the challenging off-road terrains. The assistance you get helps to take your focus off the physical struggle and channels it towards the technical challenge of conquering obstacles that you wouldn’t dream of facing on a regular mountain bike.
This not only boosts your courage in tricky and possibly risky descents and rocky climbs but also improves your technique in overcoming these barriers.
They Provide Great Upper Body Workout
Riding in mountainous trails involves a lot of front tire lifting to get over obstacles like undergrowth and protruding boulders on the surface. The addition of a motor and battery on an e-MTB gives it quite a bit of extra weight, which means you’ll have to put in additional effort to manage the ride in such situations.
This constant lifting and steering of the hefty bike provide great upper body workout and the results soon begin to show when your biceps/triceps tighten!
A Great Way to Improve Your Downhill Riding
It is pretty easy to climb a steep hill when riding an electric mountain bike, considering that you’re getting plenty of boost from the motor. However, tables are quickly turned when you have to rip down the same hill you had no trouble climbing.
The sheer weight of the bike makes managing the descent an “uphill task”, and your troubles are compounded by gravity pulling you downhill even faster.
This may actually turn out to be an opportunity for you to improve your control and balance when going downhill. With every drop you make, your confidence grows and your skills become even better. You soon begin to feel like a pro on Red Bull’s X-games!
Increases Your Range
The boost in speed that an electric MTB offers means that you get to cover greater distances in a shorter time. Assuming your weekend biking sessions are limited to just one hour; this means you will cover more ground on an e-MTB that you would on an MTB.
In the end, you get to see more sights and tackle more challenges when riding a motorized bike. This in turn enhances your biking experience even when you’re dealing with time constraints.
Final Thought
Mountain biking is a fun and interesting pastime! But if you want to take the experience to a whole new level, all you need to do is thrown in a “little help” in the form of a motor to the bike. With this, you will always look forward to getting on the rugged trails!
