Issue Six - Spring 2013 - Electric Bike Magazine

+ELECTRIC MTBS
Mountains
to molehills
Electric mountain bikes can take out the hard work
of off-road riding, turning mountains into molehills
and enhancing the pleasure of scenic, traffic-free
cycling even if you’re not an athletic rider.
We check out the pros and cons, investigate the
legal aspects, and go on to review some of the latest
electric mountain bikes on the UK market.
ff-road’ can cover a huge range
‘Oof different types of terrain
and riding styles, from trundling
gently along farm tracks to tackling
technical downhills at speed, with
non-competitive leisure riding in
challenging terrain somewhere in the
middle. While most bikes, electric
or not, can tackle the easiest of offroading,
there’s really no substitute
for a purpose built machine when the
terrain gets more serious.
Proper mountain bikes have
fat, knobbly tyres for traction and
impact resistance. Handlebars are
wide for plenty of leverage and
control. ‘Hardtails’ have suspension
forks but no suspension for the
rear wheel, while ‘duallies’ or full
suspension bikes provide suspension
on both wheels. Adding (good)
rear suspension does typically add
noticeably to cost, weight and
maintenance, so many off-roaders
stick to the lighter hardtail designs,
which are often also more responsive
uphill (because rear suspension can
often bounce as you pedal, soaking
up some of your energy).
But full suspension comes into its
own on the downhills – perhaps the
most enjoyable aspect of mountain
biking. As well as greater comfort it
also offers, more importantly perhaps,
greater control.
It’s the flip side, the uphill grind,
where electric assist can really make a
huge difference. Instead of dragging
yourself up in low gear, the motor power
lets you keep up a decent speed and
without huge athletic effort. It’s also
great where you might otherwise ‘bog
down’ – in heavy mud, gravel or snow.
Electric mountain biking opens up
the countryside for a huge cohort of
riders who for whatever reason find
the fitness demands of unassisted
MTB riding a barrier. With the most
8 Electric Bike Issue 6