As the e-bike market continues to grow and is attracting new cyclists who are starting their journey through the world of E-MTBs, we want to help them to level up and become confident E-MTB riders. In our E-MTB frequently asked questions (FAQ) series, join Rob Warner (Former Pro rider and World Cup commentator) and Chris Gibbs (H+I Adventures lead guide and Shimano trained mechanic) as they answer the five most-asked question on E-MTBs on the internet!
Which E-MTB is right for me?
In this, our second episode of E-MTB frequently asked questions, Rob and Chris are stepping into the minefield of “Which E-MTB is right for me?”.
Chris immediately makes the most important point in solving this conundrum: “What kind of riding am I really going to be doing and what riding do I aspire to be doing?” Remember, be honest with yourself. You want to find the correct bike for your terrain, be it a full suspension model for trails in big mountains that’s also comfortable on fire road riding or rough commutes. Or a hardtail, most suitable for leisure off-road rides and gravel rides that’s a little easier to maintain than its full suspension cousin, all the way to an SUV or step through e-MTBs, convenient for all urban areas and riding.
But don’t stress the decision, this is supposed to be a fun time, trying bikes, setting up a new bike and learning a new sport. Rob uses his full suspension E-MTB equipped with EP8 for all of his riding - downhill, cross country and even shopping! It does it all for him.
Rob and Chris also have a different opinion on the assist modes. Chris is enjoying exploring all the assist modes (ECO, TRAIL, BOOST), using the E-TUBE PROJECT Cyclist Cyclist app to adjust his settings, and comparing how he rides trails on the E-MTB versus a traditional MTB. Rob, on the other hand, is 100% committed to riding E-MTB all the time, in every situation, and happy with TRAIL mode and the factory set up that SHIMANO loaded onto his bike at time of production. Rob lives in TRAIL mode and treats himself to BOOST now and again - well, everyday! Is Chris a man of balance? Is Rob right? They’re never going to agree on this one!
Both Rob and Chris have decided which bike suits them, and given a lot of insight into where certain bikes would be best suited to each rider type. However, another topic that came up during their chat was the importance of testing e-bikes before committing to buying, and if you tune into the next episode, you’ll find out more on “Where can I test ride an E-MTB?”.
