Oi...Emtb'ers

The mountains around me ( My house is in the valley below) :thumb

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If we use the definition of "mountain" as a hill over 300m, then yes I have, often. North Wales is on my doorstep. My local ride however only has a peak of 171m, and a trough of 85m, but by going up and down it numerous times per ride, on different tracks, gives me a regular 350 to 400m climbing (and descending :green gri) per ride. What is it you actually want to know?
Mark
 
What is it you actually want to know?

Not sure really, probably just trying to convince myself to cough up the 4 grand+ to buy one. However, to do so, to get the best out of one it needs to be thrown in a car and driven about an hour to ride "up the mountains" where I've gone before but just wouldn't entertain now.

I get why they are popular and interested to know how hard work they would be get up a mountain that may not be rideable, even on a lecky bike.
 
Not sure really, probably just trying to convince myself to cough up the 4 grand+ to buy one. However, to do so, to get the best out of one it needs to be thrown in a car and driven about an hour to ride "up the mountains" where I've gone before but just wouldn't entertain now.

I get why they are popular and interested to know how hard work they would be get up a mountain that may not be rideable, even on a lecky bike.

They are good, but I'm not sure they are "that" good. On a legal pedal assist bike you still have to put effort into it, but the assist part can be up to 4 times stronger than you (apparently). I have turned round and ridden back up downhill lines to have another go at something, which wasn't possible for me on a non assisted bike, but sometimes even full power assist isn't enough. I appreciate that this isn't exactly answering your question, sorry.
Mark
 
I'm not expecting to be able to ride up anything with one, what concerns me is buying mainly to "mountain bike" then finding out they are too heavy to get them up a mountain as there will be a fair bit pushing, possibly carrying.

I guess unless you've pushed, pulled, dragged and carried a mtb up a mountain, it's a difficult question to answer.
 
Ive gone up quite a few steep climbs where the wheel is fighting for traction and trying to lift the front wheel at the same time, its the big rocks and deep ruts that cause issue with pedals catching, just need to learn how to get around those. they also have a walk mode to help if you need it, not used my function yet though.
 
I'm interested to know how many of you ride them up the mountains as opposed to general hills/xc riding ?

Yes, in Austria, longest was six miles up a winding single track past several cable car stations. The hairiest moment was coming down with the discs glowing red and having to try a ease of the brakes. Bottom gear in Turbo with a Bosch CX. Eats the battery power quickly though......
 
You should try the Col de la Forclaz at the bottom of Lake Annecy! :eek: 1150 metres of complete stupidity! The track is that narrow in places you can’t physically walk alongside your bike. The drop off to the left was ridiculously steep in parts that I was shitting myself. I didn’t even want to look down in some places.
Apart from that it was the hardest bike ride I’ve ever done in my life! :blast
I completely refused to ride back down it because it was too dangerous.
It was too steep and slippery with loose rocks to ride some of it even in turbo mode.
The view from the cafe at the top though was totally stunning! :thumb2
 

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Cabby - Not many mountains near me but some very steep climbs that I’d avoid on an MTB or just plan a loop that went down them.

It’s amazing what they’ll go up. On one of my routes I cut through an area of woods where in the past clay for bricks has been taken and the locals have several routes and jumps all designed to take advantage of the hill - I ride through it the wrong way, low gear turbo, keep peddling and position to keep the front down.

What you’ll find is an EMTB has you picking routes you’d normally avoid or ride in a different direction - If found some great trails that are new to me because I now ride them in the opposite direction, if that makes sense.

I trail you might include riding in the downhill direction because it flows well that way on an mtb now with assistance also flows well uphill
 
Are you not overthinking the 'Mountain' bit of it?
I used to do a twice yearly event called the Polaris Challenge back in the very early to late 90s. A 2 day MTB orienteering event where you carried all your overnight kit and rode for 7 hrs Saturday and 5 on Sunday, visiting well placed checkpoints. 600 teams of two entered. We never went up to the top of Snowdon or Scafell but rode in some stunning areas in the UK (Keilder, Galloway, Lake District, North Pennines, Wales) Forest tracks, bridlepaths, singletrack (this obviously before the days of trail centres) You'd be gobsmacked at how much stunning riding there is in the UK. Buy any OS map and get it spread out on the table/floor and start to mark up BOATs, white lanes, bridlepaths and then string a few together.

I'm not old enough for an eMtb yet but have had a total change in thinking about them. On my current £4k non e MTB, I ride locally or it goes on the rack of the car. With an eMtb I'd still ride from home, but it would open up a far bigger area to explore. I get it (didn't think I would)
 
Just stop dicking about and buy the bloody thing. You’ll miss all the decent weather at this rate.
 
I'm not old enough for an eMtb yet but have had a total change in thinking about them.

Not old enough yet? :nenau

I was chatting to one of the park rangers in Windsor Great Park yesterday, and he said that he and a load of his mates, all in their 20’s have them, and wouldn’t go back to normal MTB’s. Plus I’ve seen a lot of younger blokes riding them, much younger than me, and I’m only 44.
 
You should try the Col de la Forclaz at the bottom of Lake Annecy! :eek: 1150 metres of complete stupidity! The track is that narrow in places you can’t physically walk alongside your bike. The drop off to the left was ridiculously steep in parts that I was shitting myself. I didn’t even want to look down in some places.
Apart from that it was the hardest bike ride I’ve ever done in my life! :blast
I completely refused to ride back down it because it was too dangerous.
It was too steep and slippery with loose rocks to ride some of it even in turbo mode.
The view from the cafe at the top though was totally stunning! :thumb2

Did you have to lift/carry it at any time and if so how far and how difficult was it ?

Are you not overthinking the 'Mountain' bit of it?


Not really no, have you been up any of the Munros in Scotland ?

Just stop dicking about and buy the bloody thing. You’ll miss all the decent weather at this rate.

Went to another fairly local dealer yesterday as I couldn't get through on the phone, they were closed :blast

There is yet another slightly farther away, already called them this morning but guess I'm too early and I've already been told there is no stock unless I buy online, I'm not prepared to do that given the PITA things will be if in the event of warranty issues.

Also, I'm not a soft southern shandy drinker, I don't need good weather to go out ;)

Cabby - Not many mountains near me but some very steep climbs that I’d avoid on an MTB or just plan a loop that went down them.

It’s amazing what they’ll go up. On one of my routes I cut through an area of woods where in the past clay for bricks has been taken and the locals have several routes and jumps all designed to take advantage of the hill - I ride through it the wrong way, low gear turbo, keep peddling and position to keep the front down.

What you’ll find is an EMTB has you picking routes you’d normally avoid or ride in a different direction - If found some great trails that are new to me because I now ride them in the opposite direction, if that makes sense.

I trail you might include riding in the downhill direction because it flows well that way on an mtb now with assistance also flows well uphill

As I've said, I'm more concerned about weight issues where terrain becomes unrideable, i.e. upwards of Scottish Munros where carrying would be required and at over twice the weight of my current steed that's quite an effort.
 
I'm interested to know how many of you ride them up the mountains as opposed to general hills/xc riding ?

if you are taking an eMTB up in the mountains or over lengthy rides in the hills, just buy a spare battery and stick it in the rucksack. Spare battery aint cheap but are worth having.
 
Did you have to lift/carry it at any time and if so how far and how difficult was it ?




Not really no, have you been up any of the Munros in Scotland ?



Went to another fairly local dealer yesterday as I couldn't get through on the phone, they were closed :blast

There is yet another slightly farther away, already called them this morning but guess I'm too early and I've already been told there is no stock unless I buy online, I'm not prepared to do that given the PITA things will be if in the event of warranty issues.

Also, I'm not a soft southern shandy drinker, I don't need good weather to go out ;)



As I've said, I'm more concerned about weight issues where terrain becomes unrideable, i.e. upwards of Scottish Munros where carrying would be required and at over twice the weight of my current steed that's quite an effort.

No, not up that specific climb I didn’t have to carry it. I did, however, had to use the “walk” function a bit. It was just too steep and slippery to ride at times. That is a brilliant function. :thumb2
There’s a 10 mile loop in the forest and surrounding tracks that I do on a regular basis around here that involves about 4/5 styles / kissing gates that you can’t get the bike through. I have to lift it up over my head to continue. Yes, it’s a fair bit heavier than a standard bike but once you have the knack of getting your hands in the right places it does get a lot easier. :thumb2
 
if you are taking an eMTB up in the mountains or over lengthy rides in the hills, just buy a spare battery and stick it in the rucksack. Spare battery aint cheap but are worth having.


Not the point I'm trying to get at.


Very nice but again, not quite what I'm trying to find out.

No, not up that specific climb I didn’t have to carry it. I did, however, had to use the “walk” function a bit. It was just too steep and slippery to ride at times. That is a brilliant function. :thumb2
There’s a 10 mile loop in the forest and surrounding tracks that I do on a regular basis around here that involves about 4/5 styles / kissing gates that you can’t get the bike through. I have to lift it up over my head to continue. Yes, it’s a fair bit heavier than a standard bike but once you have the knack of getting your hands in the right places it does get a lot easier. :thumb2

Yes knack is the key, just trying to understand how difficult it will be cause I know from experience what a ballache carrying a bike is.

This isn't me but an example of a Munro bagging bike expedition, where half the height has to be gain with a bike on your back.

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