Choosing an eMTB

Simply put an electric mountain bike is a mountain bike with a battery and motor to assist you as you pedal. If you’re drawn to mountain biking by the adventure, escapism, and adrenaline rush then an e-MTB will definitely deliver! The power from the motor will assist you up the hills, gently boost you along the flats leaving you to freewheel and enjoy the downhills.

Regardless of your fitness levels an electric mountain bike will keep you in the saddle longer giving you more time and energy to explore and unlock more areas, routes, and trails. So, whether you’re into trail riding, enduro or downhill an electric mountain bike is almost guaranteed to increase thrills, enhance your experience, and leave you wanting more.

Well yes due to the increased weight of the motor and battery - however the assistance the motor gives you cancels this out so is not an issue for most riders.

That depends on your requirements, budget, and frequency of use. If you were looking for a traditional non-electric mountain bike of reasonable quality, you can expect to pay anything from £700 and upwards. A bike with front and rear suspension will be considerably more.

With an electric mountain bike, you’re adding in more components - namely the battery and motor. Other parts on the bike also need to be of a certain standard to cope with the extra forces exerted on them. So, expect to pay around £2000 for a reputable electric mountain bike. There are cheaper options of course but you’ll be compromising on quality in terms of design and quick to wear out parts

Things to Consider?

If you’re looking to get involved with some tricky routes and rough terrain, then a full suspension bike will cling like glue to the trail and absorb the bumps. So, if you’re lucky to have the budget then a full suspension bike is the best option to maximize thrills.

There are a few things to look out for when it comes to choosing the perfect electric mountain bike for you. The battery and motor are really the only things that are different to a traditional bike, but with the added weight and force you may want to consider a few key components

With a dropper seat post you can adjust the height of your saddle via a handlebar lever allowing you to adjust position depending on the terrain.

You may want to insist on bolt-through axles, larger in diameter than your 9mm quick releases, they help with rigidity and great for e-bikes due to the increased weight and drive forces.

Ditch the spare inner-tubes and set up your tyres as tubeless, a real time saver, a squirt of sealant and you’re back up and running. Most tears or cuts to your tyres will cause no problems as the sealant heals them before any air escapes.

If you’ve got a big budget, then a carbon fibre frame will seriously reduce the weight of your bike and is not limited by structural design like aluminum is. However, carbon fibre comes with a price tag and with bike weight being less important on electric bikes we’ll leave this up to you.

Electric bikes can have one of two types of motor, hub drive or crank drive (mid motor). With an electric mountain bike, you really want a crank drive motor, this is positioned in the bottom bracket area of the frame. They add their power through the chainring and are more powerful than hub drive motors. They tend to assist you in a way that feels natural with minimal risk of slippage resulting in a steady and balanced ride.

If removal of the wheels for storage or repairs is required a crank drive motor won’t get in the way. Hub drive motors however make wheel removal a little trickier and are more prone to slipping so not great for technical riding as the weight is unevenly distributed. However, if the relatively sedate woodland trails are your thing, you’ll be fine.

Batteries on electric mountain bikes are almost always located on or in the downtube. They’re measured in Watt-hours (Wh) which is a good indication of range, although the performance of each bike will vary.

The batteries on more affordable bikes tend to be less integrated and often just attached to the frame rather than housed within the downtube. Again, fine for more sedate riding but they are exposed so more prone to damage.

So, whether you’re tackling trails, embarking on enduro or hurtling downhill an electric mountain bike will not only increase your enjoyment but ensure you maintain energy levels to keep you riding and exploring for longer.

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