The Electric Mountain Bike Debate: Pros and Cons

The Electric Mountain Bike Debate: Pros and Cons

Electric mountain bikes popularly known as e-MTB are battery-powered “pedal assist” bikes. They are machines integrated within the bike to give your pedaling. As our lives get busier and busier and we are increasingly struggling to juggle between work and family pressures, the electric mountain bikes are an excellent solution.

However, the rise of the electric mountain bikes has spiked a debate in the cycling world of how the pedal-assisted bikes are making the world a lazier place. To balance this discussion, we have to take a look at the benefits and detriments of the electric mountain bikes. For more info, read this review.

Pros and Cons of Electric Mountain Bikes

Let’s start with the pros and cons as follows:

• FAST AND FLEXIBLE

Electric mountain bikes have a higher speed than normal mountain bikes. The center drive motor performs best on trails and is great for climbing hills or rocks. This makes it easier for a beginner or an out of shape rider to get some mileage. In just a few hours you can ride the same route that used to take you all day.

• GREAT FOR COMMUTING

An electric mountain bike requires little to no effort to ride. The rider does not need to break a sweat riding while on their way to work or school. Another advantage is the ability to evade the traffic on the road as it can be ridden beside motor vehicles, on sidewalks or through the parks to work areas, schools or home.

• TRAVEL FURTHER

The assistance provided by the electric motor enables riders to go further than they might otherwise have if they had normal mountain bikes. It allows riders who are physically less capable or out of shape to keep up with younger and more in shape individuals. Many senior citizens can now partake exercise activities with their grandchildren. Electric mountain bikes also allow for long comfortable bike rides where the rider does not feel tired or is in pain.

• STRENGTHENING BONES, MUSCLES AND JOINTS

An electric mountain bike is heavier than a standard mountain bike with the motor and its mechanisms accounting for that added weight. With that extra weight, an electric mountain bike hence has the added benefit of improving your strength throughout your body brought by maneuvering the bike.

• WIDE VARIETY OF DESIGNS

With technology, everything is almost possible and as the marketability of electric mountain bikes, for example those offered by Bikester increases, variety of designs are being manufactured to accommodate everybody’s needs. Be ready to answer questions from the many curious onlookers that will be interested in how cool your bike looks and works.

Regardless of which side of the fence you are on, the one thing we can all agree on is that electric mountain bikes are a hotbed of technological development. However, the bikes are faced with some cons which are detailed below.

• A BIT ON THE PRICEY SIDE

Using an electric mountain bike requires a significant upfront investment. However, the good news is that once you have spent the money to purchase a high-quality electric bike, there are relatively few expenses required to operate it.

• COMPLEXITY OF THE ELECTRIC MOUNTAIN BIKE

The electric mountain bikes have more parts than normal mountain bike meaning a higher chance of something going wrong. Most bike shops can easily fix normal bikes as it is easy to swap out whatever component is faulty with a brand new one to get the bike running again but an electric one can put a challenge.

• HEAVY WEIGHT

Electric mountain bike adds an electric motor, battery and controller among other things and this doubles the weight of the bike. This is not a problem when the battery is charged and the rider is using the electric motor but it can make it harder to pedal when the battery is out of charge.

• CONSTANT BATTERY MAINTENANCE

The battery needs to be charged after each ride. It is also important not to let your electric bike sit unused for a long period of time because there is the chance of the battery dying. It is best practice to use your electric bike at least once a month to keep the battery in good shape.

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