Canyon Goes Electric with the Spectral:ON - First Ride
Germany is the world-leader in terms of eMTB acceptance and usage. Most brands have at least one in their line-up and sales reports are massive, there is the first official "uphillflow" trail sponsored by Bosch, and loads of people have electric assist bikes for shopping, touring, and full-on all-mountain smashing.
It's no surprise to see Canyon introduce an eMTB; it's actually surprising that they didn't have one already. Are they late to the party or are we still in this new sector's infancy and they've struck at the perfect time? Canyon is taking it slow and the :ON will initially only be available in five countries.
It's no surprise to see Canyon introduce an eMTB; it's actually surprising that they didn't have one already. Are they late to the party or are we still in this new sector's infancy and they've struck at the perfect time? Canyon is taking it slow and the :ON will initially only be available in five countries.
Canyon Spectral:ON Details
Intended use: all mountain / trail
Travel: 150mm
Wheel size: 27.5+ / 29"
Motor: Shimano STEPS E8000 motor w/ external Shimano 500wh battery
Frame construction: Aluminum
Sizes: XS-XL with women's models available
Availability: UK, DE, FR, IT, AUS
Pricing: €3799 - €5999
More info: www.canyon.com
Intended use: all mountain / trail
Travel: 150mm
Wheel size: 27.5+ / 29"
Motor: Shimano STEPS E8000 motor w/ external Shimano 500wh battery
Frame construction: Aluminum
Sizes: XS-XL with women's models available
Availability: UK, DE, FR, IT, AUS
Pricing: €3799 - €5999
More info: www.canyon.com
Upon invitation to Nice, I was excited to see what Canyon was ready to drop but was met with something planted firmly in the middle of the road: 150mm travel, trail bike angles, a 27.5+/29" wheel mix and direct-sale level pricing. The battery is external, the motor is Shimano, and the look is particularly normal. Judging by Canyon's spiel, this is likely to be that start of a full range of :ON models that will mirror their standard models.
Frame Details
The :ON is not a straight carbon copy (or even an alloy copy) of the recently announced Spectral. While the lines and geometry are similar, for the electric version Canyon has bulked up the tubing strength and increased the bearing and hardware sizes.
The Shimano battery side-loads and semi-integrated into the downtube which has the left-hand side cut away, and they also managed to make room for a custom bottle cage. Like many other brands going with the Shimano flow, Canyon didn't make their own battery, as they want the riders to have Shimano after-sales service in the future. They've opted for the external Shimano battery because they believe the only real benefit of an internal battery is the aesthetic, claiming that their choice is lighter and smaller than the internal option.
The direct sellers have also created an eMTB specific cardboard crate to deliver the heavier bike, which doubles as a stand to build the bike and will make a great travel case, too. There is also an option to buy an extra battery with the bike at the time of order for a discounted price of €579 (instead of €699), which still sounds like a lot, but isn't much more than the price of a new EX1 cassette. Canyon has also developed an eMTB specific pack in conjunction with Ergon which has a pocket to hold the spare battery.
The four-bar linkage design follows on from the recently released Spectral :Off platform.
The battery is a standard external 504wh chunk from Shimano, and it's partially integrated into the frame.
Just like the Spectral, then :ON version features an integrated seat clamp with an internal shim that helps spread the load and clamping force on the dropper post.
Thank the lord, there's a water bottle mount, even if only a small bottle will fit. I think an extra battery could be squeezed in there with some intelligent gaffer taping for some 60-70km epics.
Frame Options / Build Kits
Aluminium is the only option for the eMTB chassis, but there are four models to choose from with a full range of XS-XL sizes in each build, prices range from €3799 - €5999, and there are two WMN versions for €3799 - €4399 with XS, S and M sizes.
The wheels are mismatched with a 29" front and 27.5" rear, with 30mm and 35mm wide rims respectively. Maxxis Minion's in 2.5" and 2.8" were spec'd on our test machines. The idea here is that the front wheel will roll over obstacles more easily and be more accurate when pushing hard on descents, while the bigger contact patch on the rear tire is there for traction control on technical or loose uphills.
All :ON machines feature this funky saddle designed by Canyon. The idea is that the step will stop you sliding backward when tackling steep climbs, and it's something seen in the moto world.
We rode the 8.0 version which is specced with SRAM's EX1 drivetrain. The cassette is machined from steel and wears well in our experience, thankfully, as a replacement costs nearly €500.
SRAM's Code brakes are spec'd front and rear.
The 8.0 version comes with a 160mm travel, E-Optimized Fox 36, and the other models all have 150mm travel forks.
Go 200mm or go home.
The :ON 8.0 (tested) is priced at €4999.
...there are also two women's versions. Here is the WMN 7.0 costing €4399.
The top shock mount has some adjustability to change to head angle +/- 0.8 degrees
Geometry
The :ON's geometry is aimed for the trail and all-mountain sector and is similar to the "acoustic" Spectral. Designed around the added trail of a 29" front wheel, the head angle is actually a little steeper, reach numbers are similar, and the chainstay is 5mm longer on the :ON. The chainstays are still very short for an eMTB at 430mm – something I have not been keen on so far. The bottom bracket height changes by 11mm with the adjuster, and I believe Canyon is the first brand to pressure Shimano into supplying 165mm cranks: extra pedal clearance is a must for eMTB.
We only spent one day riding above Nice, on the trails of Blausasc with Fabien Barel, who knew them like the back of his hand. We rode a mixture of loose grey earth, technical and switchbacked uphills and some real downhill track descents. In a truly first-world experience, handily placed backup vans with spare batteries turned it into an 8-hour epic: arguably not in the spirit of e-mountain biking, but I depleted four batteries and, f*ck, we had a good time.
Climbing and Trail: The Spectral got :ON with the job on the climbs, the rear suspension had good support, and the funny saddle did actually do what it promised to, in a gentle bum-cupping fashion. The higher volume rear tire delivered traction in spades when the bike was pointed up. I'm still yet to find an eMTB that's geometry can outclimb the motor and rear wheel grip: maybe I am just too tall for the seat angle/chainstay relationship, or maybe I just suck at climbing and end up looping out before I run out of power.
Along the techy and trials-like ups and downs Barel chose for us, the bike is easy to move around and pop on to and roll off obstacles.
Not sure who the guy on the right is, but he pretends he knows what he's talking about and took us on an 8-hour epic ride.
Descending: Not being billed as a true descender, I feel the Spectral, can outperform equivalent powerless bikes on the downs in many ways due to the low and centralized weight. Despite run-of-the-mill angles and 150mm travel, you can shred with more confidence and control than you might expect. It sits into the corners well and is happy taking on some big hits.
Canyon has done a great job silencing this bike, but I had a rattling battery from the outset; we fixed this thanks to the Abus locking system that can be adjusted if and when the mounting points wear.
The mismatched wheels and tires (29-inch wide trail on the front, 27.5+ out back) appeared to work as described, and the bike felt more normal than you might expect. I'd like more time to evaluate combinations like this in the future.
The bike is well spec'd for downhill with big rotors and powerful Code brakes, good tires (although with a flexy casing), and suspension that supports the added motor and battery weight in the mid-stroke.
Overall, the Spectral:ON does everything asked of an eMTB and keeps things simple. The attention to details and total package offered should rival anything currently out there.
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Oh it got boring ja?
Fight for your right to ride you subservient fool, like you fight for all your other rights!... Oh erm...
Yeah I think more people use this approach. I thought they did this with Intense and Nicolai bikes last year. Jared Graves has also stated that he'd rather have some weight down there. UK Dirt magazine (currently only online) has a number of articles about their experience with these e-bikes. It made them push harder on the climbs (which I can imagine, I also push harder with a tailwind or when going down simply because it is more rewarding but harder nonetheless) and they also felt it gave them more stability on the descends. It just takes more upper body strength, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
*under
It's like EMTB are a oppressed minority so we should all strive to integrate them into our communities and treat them equally.
What's next? EMTB Caffes, whole branch of government dedicated to keeping them safe etc?
Retail price on a new EX1 chain and cassette is €492! But, during my testing so far, they seem to last ages as they are machined out of a lump of steel.
My experience with cassette wear is not necessarily the removal of material, more the displacement. When the teeth develop burrs, they catch the chain and cause it to skip. It takes some work with a Dremel-type tool to get it back in working order.
if a cassette is riveted you will get a peak load where the rivet meets the wall of the hole. this will then result in things like creep and that will lead to faillure at those places (if you apply a lot of force over a long time). machined parts also have tighter tolerances i think. But you also pay for that ofcourse.
to summarize: it all comes down to force distribution. I believe methods like the finite element method are used to calculate these things.
@mattwragg. I honestly don't know how many km I ride on a cassette. Of course these e-bikes often come with a computer that keeps track of distances and such. But yeah 250km would be very little so I'm curious whether a cassette ten times the price lasts an equivalent amount. That said, if you were using that on an e-bike it wouldn't be fair comparison anyway.
I am using e-bike chains though (on an unassisted mtb). Just because they're more stretch proof so that in turn will make the other bits last longer too.
Work hardening is another thing I'm curious about. I never heard of work hardening due to a cutting process, only due to impact (like forging or shot peening) or bending. So if anything, I'd expect the rolled sheet these rings are stamped out of are work hardened, not the machined cassette that appears out from the middle of a solid block of steel.
@fussylou : Yeah as I mentioned that is a likely advantage. Would be interested to see how they compare though. I usually buy the cheaper cassettes which are a bit bulkier and have quite some support material between the rings (which go all the way to the freewheel, so not on a carrier). But yeah I have noticed that these lighter cassettes come with very low profile rings so I can imagine these might flex more. And then the kind of support they get from the spider (whether it allows them to rotate a bit or whether it is completely fixed like you'd have with a machined cassette) determines the amplitude.
Either way, a comparison is interesting. Now I think these e-bike cassettes (unlike their chains) aren't quite ideal for regular mountainbikes because of the steps between gears. But quite simply if the same amount of money allows me to ride longer on machined cassettes than on (a number of) conventional cassettes, these are worth a consideration.
Joking aside, are you against this? If you don't want to support more breathable air because you don't want to sound like a communist, you need to reassess you're approach to life. As for the rest you're probably right.
The way sustainability and environment care looks in this country is overally good. The net goodness goes in the right direction. However there is a great deal of bullshit involved. Once they label something as Eco-friendly, be it an e-bike or e-car, they close their eyes and ears shouting blab bla bla bla, not listeniiiiing. For instance, several years ago they imported Austro-German "passive-building" which is meant to be super eco, low emission thing with "sustainability" written all over it. But in reality these are heavily ventilated bag in a box environments with poor light conditions. Now Austrians and Germans are beyond this recognizing that a building that has a giant machinery installed isn't exactly "passive" and the production energy is rather high. Same goes for health risks related to lack of clean air and low light. But in Sweden it is still the situation where if you say, "passive building? not sure about that" - ooooh you fkng fossil fuel, meat eating shill!
Check this sht out:
www.pinterest.se/pin/1125968626995404
and majority of these are e-bikes. Then you have fkng freight monsters:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freight_bicycle#/media/File:Modern_Cargo_Trike_In_London.jpg
And what politicians do, is throw vision pictures of future cities, with no consideration of potential (yet obvious) negative consequences. I say, get that sht on roads, I don't want that on cycle paths. And you know how does that work in many maaany cases? (all cases of people i know having them) - Oh cars baaaad, immoral! I have this hippie thing and an e-bike, there is no need for cars. Now in small letters: oh BTW my parents have a car we borrow whenever we need.
Car drivers behave exemplary in center of Gothenburg. Most respectful users in traffic. The only black sheep are small lorry drivers. Just watch out for Reanult Kangoo, maybe for a cab, and you'll be fine. Even white audi will let you through. It's got the the point where on certain occasions I get irritated that a car driver let's me pass. Cyclists by average are careless a*sholes. That was my first impression when coming to Gbg and crossing a large street where there is no crossing. Let the bike pass, first car lane, safe, two lanes of trams, rather safe, another car lane, safe, ok let's... BANG! Killled by a cyclist! Or at least shouted at. Those entitled fks and their ring bells ding! ding! ding! They will try to use ring bell 5 times before thinking they have brakes and handlebar. I take an Iphone zombie taking his time to cross the street in front of my car, over those fkrs.
On the other side of course some companies like Foes, Liteville etc have offered such bikes in the near past but had abandoned them since they were not that appealing to people but still I can clearly see some benefits there. Better rollover from the front wheel, faster response from the rear and also better cornering if you believe the reviews.
Anyway I don't expect it to be that popular soon and I am willing to give a try. The 29/27.5 combo I mean, not the end bike!
PS. OK maybe even the e bike!
All :ON machines feature this funky saddle designed by Canyon. The idea is that the step will stop you sliding backward when tackling steep climbs, and it's something seen in the moto world
you see - "Moto World" not mtb world.
E-Moped
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moped
What have motorcycles ever done for us? Suspension, dampers and linkages, dual crown forks, disc brakes, 'moto-style DH kit,' and big knobbly tires.
What did road cycles do for us? Shit geometry, narrow handlebars and massive stems, weak lightweight parts, triple chainrings and derailleurs. After more than three decades we have rid ourselves of most of that.
*Note: I realise I am cherry picking...
What If the battery is empty and you have to pedal up a lot of hills to go home ?
What if you have to carry the bike on your back over difficult terrain ?
Which cable/charger do you need to charge the battery ?
Or they should make the battery look like a water bottle cage.
Genuinely curious. The e-bike debates are getting really old and no one has yet been honest with why they're so against them.
And let's distinguish between these pedal assist things, and actual motorised pseudo motorbikes.
It's really not a free for all pass to ride without drawbacks.
And if it means someone with a medical condition can go ride their bike, who are you to say they can't ride a pedal assist bike? Especially because they don't actually damage the trails any more than a push bike.
You're not suddenly going to get a huge influx of people taking up MTB - they'd already be riding if they were interested.
A lot of people I've seen on E-MTBs, at least where I'm from, are new, inexperienced riders. They buy assisted bikes because it enables them to ride long distances without it being to exhausting and therefore kind of skip the initial phase where you have to exercise to slowly get better. This in itself wouldn't be a problem, since I'm all about getting more people on the bike and letting our sport grow.
What they unfortunately also lack is the knowledge of proper trail etiquette, proper breaking technique and so on. I know that this applies to some non-assisted riders too, but they have far less reach and therefore piss off far less people in the process.
So for me it's not really the technology I don't like, but the "I payed 5k+ for my bike, I'm invincible on the uphills and I don't need any help learning this sport" mentality of the people using it. The situation here is already tense enough as it is...
I imagine the anti e-bike brigade to be like the people who owned horses in the early 1900s, that when they first saw a car they said "I don't like it, kill it with fire" etc. etc.
People divide into 5 basic categories for any product or sector of products they come across, it's the diffusion of innovation curve.
Innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority and laggards.
Anti e-bike people are in the latter half of the curve in regards to e-bikes, but when enough people have them some of them will start desiring one. The laggards however will never change, they're the 26" till-I-die people, the cheap 9 speed cassette people. They don't like change in that particular sector of their lives.
Cognitive bias makes it difficult to change your opinion on things in some instances. So they just hate on the bike industry new standards etc. and progress in whatever form that takes. Without realising that you don't have to buy it and that there is a choice of buying second hand if you don't want to move with the industry.
That's my opinion of it, does that shed any light on your enquiry?
To me, they aren't the sport I do... even if they are very similar. People can go and do that activity/sport, and I'll do MTB. But I don't like when people conflate the two.
I hope this makes some sort of sense, I know the line between the two is subtle, especially when shuttles and lifts are brought into discussion, but I feel that it is a line nonetheless.
Improper breaking technique is what you get when more people start learning to ride, it's really a case of ride somewhere else and live and let live if you can't stand it. You'll never stop the progress of e-bikes so you might as well get on with it.
@Ozziefish if you're on Facebook Instagram etc. Then you're bound to get bombarded with adverts because that's what those platforms are. Targeted advertising machines thinly veiled as a tool for keeping in touch with friends and relatives.
Let them do their thing and I'll do mine, anytime some new challenge comes along everyone gets so wound up. In 10 years time you'll have gotten used to it and there will be something else to worry about.
@mych79: "the 26" till-I-die people, the cheap 9 speed cassette people" You called? Small correction : til my bike dies
E-mtb is not mtb. Yes we ride the same trails but the bikes are different and so is the riding style.
I think the fact that they aid disabled people to access the sport I love is great. However it seems to me, the reality is that they are marketed at able bodied newbies and lazy riders. (After all, that's where the money is) We have loads of e-bikes on the trails in south wales. The vast majority of these riders are the latter mentioned demographic. I've seen e-mtbs on uplifts more than once. I have only met one disabled e-bike rider. Dude had prosthetic legs from the knees down. Fair play to that man! I blame the age of instant gratification to some extent. People don't wanna go through the process of getting fit enough to climb and desend to their hearts content. They want it now. I believe E-mtb offers people a short cut past a vital part of the learning curve. Getting fit enough to go out into the mountains and get back again safely when shit goes wrong. (Cos shit goes wrong).
We don't really have trail access issues here (yet). But I sympathise with those who feel their trail access is at risk due to e-mtb use.
Also I don't like change
#26ain'tdead #e-pinkbikeplease #29ersaregay #f*ckthemalltodeath #untilmybikeisdead
E-mtb is not mtb. Yes we ride the same trails but the bikes are different and so is the riding style.
I think the fact that they aid disabled people to access the sport I love is great. However it seems to me, the reality is that they are marketed at able bodied newbies and lazy riders. (After all, that's where the money is) We have loads of e-bikes on the trails in south wales. The vast majority of these riders are the latter mentioned demographic. I've seen e-mtbs on uplifts more than once. I have only met one disabled e-bike rider. Dude had prosthetic legs from the knees down. Fair play to that man! I blame the age of instant gratification to some extent. People don't wanna go through the process of getting fit enough to climb and desend to their hearts content. They want it now. I believe E-mtb offers people a short cut past a vital part of the learning curve. Getting fit enough to go out into the mountains and get back again safely when shit goes wrong. (Cos shit goes wrong).
We don't really have trail access issues here (yet). But I sympathise with those who feel their trail access is at risk due to e-mtb use.
Also I don't like change
#26ain'tdead #e-pinkbikeplease #29ersaregay #f*ckthemalltodeath #untilmybikeisdead
E-mtb is not mtb. Yes we ride the same trails but the bikes are different and so is the riding style.
I think the fact that they aid disabled people to access the sport I love is great. However it seems to me, the reality is that they are marketed at able bodied newbies and lazy riders. (After all, that's where the money is) We have loads of e-bikes on the trails in south wales. The vast majority of these riders are the latter mentioned demographic. I've seen e-mtbs on uplifts more than once. I have only met one disabled e-bike rider. Dude had prosthetic legs from the knees down. Fair play to that man! I blame the age of instant gratification to some extent. People don't wanna go through the process of getting fit enough to climb and desend to their hearts content. They want it now. I believe E-mtb offers people a short cut past a vital part of the learning curve. Getting fit enough to go out into the mountains and get back again safely when shit goes wrong. (Cos shit goes wrong).
We don't really have trail access issues here (yet). But I sympathise with those who feel their trail access is at risk due to e-mtb use.
Also I don't like change
#26ain'tdead #e-pinkbikeplease #29ersaregay #f*ckthemalltodeath #untilmybikeisdead
E-mtb is not mtb. Yes we ride the same trails but the bikes are different and so is the riding style.
I think the fact that they aid disabled people to access the sport I love is great. However it seems to me, the reality is that they are marketed at able bodied newbies and lazy riders. (After all, that's where the money is) We have loads of e-bikes on the trails in south wales. The vast majority of these riders are the latter mentioned demographic. I've seen e-mtbs on uplifts more than once. I have only met one disabled e-bike rider. Dude had prosthetic legs from the knees down. Fair play to that man! I blame the age of instant gratification to some extent. People don't wanna go through the process of getting fit enough to climb and desend to their hearts content. They want it now. I believe E-mtb offers people a short cut past a vital part of the learning curve. Getting fit enough to go out into the mountains and get back again safely when shit goes wrong. (Cos shit goes wrong).
We don't really have trail access issues here (yet). But I sympathise with those who feel their trail access is at risk due to e-mtb use.
Also I don't like change
#26ain'tdead #e-pinkbikeplease #29ersaregay #f*ckthemalltodeath #untilmybikeisdead
E-mtb is not mtb. Yes we ride the same trails but the bikes are different and so is the riding style.
I think the fact that they aid disabled people to access the sport I love is great. However it seems to me, the reality is that they are marketed at able bodied newbies and lazy riders. (After all, that's where the money is) We have loads of e-bikes on the trails in south wales. The vast majority of these riders are the latter mentioned demographic. I've seen e-mtbs on uplifts more than once. I have only met one disabled e-bike rider. Dude had prosthetic legs from the knees down. Fair play to that man! I blame the age of instant gratification to some extent. People don't wanna go through the process of getting fit enough to climb and desend to their hearts content. They want it now. I believe E-mtb offers people a short cut past a vital part of the learning curve. Getting fit enough to go out into the mountains and get back again safely when shit goes wrong. (Cos shit goes wrong).
We don't really have trail access issues here (yet). But I sympathise with those who feel their trail access is at risk due to e-mtb use.
Also I don't like change
#26ain'tdead #e-pinkbikeplease #29ersaregay #f*ckthemalltodeath #untilmybikeisdead
E-mtb is not mtb. Yes we ride the same trails but the bikes are different and so is the riding style.
I think the fact that they aid disabled people to access the sport I love is great. However it seems to me, the reality is that they are marketed at able bodied newbies and lazy riders. (After all, that's where the money is) We have loads of e-bikes on the trails in south wales. The vast majority of these riders are the latter mentioned demographic. I've seen e-mtbs on uplifts more than once. I have only met one disabled e-bike rider. Dude had prosthetic legs from the knees down. Fair play to that man! I blame the age of instant gratification to some extent. People don't wanna go through the process of getting fit enough to climb and desend to their hearts content. They want it now. I believe E-mtb offers people a short cut past a vital part of the learning curve. Getting fit enough to go out into the mountains and get back again safely when shit goes wrong. (Cos shit goes wrong).
We don't really have trail access issues here (yet). But I sympathise with those who feel their trail access is at risk due to e-mtb use.
Also I don't like change
#26ain'tdead #e-pinkbikeplease #29ersaregay #f*ckthemalltodeath #untilmybikeisdead
E-mtb is not mtb. Yes we ride the same trails but the bikes are different and so is the riding style.
I think the fact that they aid disabled people to access the sport I love is great. However it seems to me, the reality is that they are marketed at able bodied newbies and lazy riders. (After all, that's where the money is) We have loads of e-bikes on the trails in south wales. The vast majority of these riders are the latter mentioned demographic. I've seen e-mtbs on uplifts more than once. I have only met one disabled e-bike rider. Dude had prosthetic legs from the knees down. Fair play to that man! I blame the age of instant gratification to some extent. People don't wanna go through the process of getting fit enough to climb and desend to their hearts content. They want it now. I believe E-mtb offers people a short cut past a vital part of the learning curve. Getting fit enough to go out into the mountains and get back again safely when shit goes wrong. (Cos shit goes wrong).
We don't really have trail access issues here (yet). But I sympathise with those who feel their trail access is at risk due to e-mtb use.
Also I don't like change
#26ain'tdead #e-pinkbikeplease #29ersaregay #f*ckthemalltodeath #untilmybikeisdead
E-mtb is not mtb. Yes we ride the same trails but the bikes are different and so is the riding style.
I think the fact that they aid disabled people to access the sport I love is great. However it seems to me, the reality is that they are marketed at able bodied newbies and lazy riders. (After all, that's where the money is) We have loads of e-bikes on the trails in south wales. The vast majority of these riders are the latter mentioned demographic. I've seen e-mtbs on uplifts more than once. I have only met one disabled e-bike rider. Dude had prosthetic legs from the knees down. Fair play to that man! I blame the age of instant gratification to some extent. People don't wanna go through the process of getting fit enough to climb and desend to their hearts content. They want it now. I believe E-mtb offers people a short cut past a vital part of the learning curve. Getting fit enough to go out into the mountains and get back again safely when shit goes wrong. (Cos shit goes wrong).
We don't really have trail access issues here (yet). But I sympathise with those who feel their trail access is at risk due to e-mtb use.
Also I don't like change
#26ain'tdead #e-pinkbikeplease #29ersaregay #f*ckthemalltodeath #untilmybikeisdead
E-mtb is not mtb. Yes we ride the same trails but the bikes are different and so is the riding style.
I think the fact that they aid disabled people to access the sport I love is great. However it seems to me, the reality is that they are marketed at able bodied newbies and lazy riders. (After all, that's where the money is) We have loads of e-bikes on the trails in south wales. The vast majority of these riders are the latter mentioned demographic. I've seen e-mtbs on uplifts more than once. I have only met one disabled e-bike rider. Dude had prosthetic legs from the knees down. Fair play to that man! I blame the age of instant gratification to some extent. People don't wanna go through the process of getting fit enough to climb and desend to their hearts content. They want it now. I believe E-mtb offers people a short cut past a vital part of the learning curve. Getting fit enough to go out into the mountains and get back again safely when shit goes wrong. (Cos shit goes wrong).
We don't really have trail access issues here (yet). But I sympathise with those who feel their trail access is at risk due to e-mtb use.
Also I don't like change
#26ain'tdead #e-pinkbikeplease #29ersaregay #f*ckthemalltodeath #untilmybikeisdead
E-mtb is not mtb. Yes we ride the same trails but the bikes are different and so is the riding style.
I think the fact that they aid disabled people to access the sport I love is great. However it seems to me, the reality is that they are marketed at able bodied newbies and lazy riders. (After all, that's where the money is) We have loads of e-bikes on the trails in south wales. The vast majority of these riders are the latter mentioned demographic. I've seen e-mtbs on uplifts more than once. I have only met one disabled e-bike rider. Dude had prosthetic legs from the knees down. Fair play to that man! I blame the age of instant gratification to some extent. People don't wanna go through the process of getting fit enough to climb and desend to their hearts content. They want it now. I believe E-mtb offers people a short cut past a vital part of the learning curve. Getting fit enough to go out into the mountains and get back again safely when shit goes wrong. (Cos shit goes wrong).
We don't really have trail access issues here (yet). But I sympathise with those who feel their trail access is at risk due to e-mtb use.
Also I don't like change
#26ain'tdead #e-pinkbikeplease #29ersaregay #f*ckthemalltodeath #untilmybikeisdead
E-mtb is not mtb. Yes we ride the same trails but the bikes are different and so is the riding style.
I think the fact that they aid disabled people to access the sport I love is great. However it seems to me, the reality is that they are marketed at able bodied newbies and lazy riders. (After all, that's where the money is) We have loads of e-bikes on the trails in south wales. The vast majority of these riders are the latter mentioned demographic. I've seen e-mtbs on uplifts more than once. I have only met one disabled e-bike rider. Dude had prosthetic legs from the knees down. Fair play to that man! I blame the age of instant gratification to some extent. People don't wanna go through the process of getting fit enough to climb and desend to their hearts content. They want it now. I believe E-mtb offers people a short cut past a vital part of the learning curve. Getting fit enough to go out into the mountains and get back again safely when shit goes wrong. (Cos shit goes wrong).
We don't really have trail access issues here (yet). But I sympathise with those who feel their trail access is at risk due to e-mtb use.
Also I don't like change
#26ain'tdead #e-pinkbikeplease #29ersaregay #f*ckthemalltodeath #untilmybikeisdead
E-mtb is not mtb. Yes we ride the same trails but the bikes are different and so is the riding style.
I think the fact that they aid disabled people to access the sport I love is great. However it seems to me, the reality is that they are marketed at able bodied newbies and lazy riders. (After all, that's where the money is) We have loads of e-bikes on the trails in south wales. The vast majority of these riders are the latter mentioned demographic. I've seen e-mtbs on uplifts more than once. I have only met one disabled e-bike rider. Dude had prosthetic legs from the knees down. Fair play to that man! I blame the age of instant gratification to some extent. People don't wanna go through the process of getting fit enough to climb and desend to their hearts content. They want it now. I believe E-mtb offers people a short cut past a vital part of the learning curve. Getting fit enough to go out into the mountains and get back again safely when shit goes wrong. (Cos shit goes wrong).
We don't really have trail access issues here (yet). But I sympathise with those who feel their trail access is at risk due to e-mtb use.
Also I don't like change
#26ain'tdead #e-pinkbikeplease #29ersaregay #f*ckthemalltodeath #untilmybikeisdead
E-mtb is not mtb. Yes we ride the same trails but the bikes are different and so is the riding style.
I think the fact that they aid disabled people to access the sport I love is great. However it seems to me, the reality is that they are marketed at able bodied newbies and lazy riders. (After all, that's where the money is) We have loads of e-bikes on the trails in south wales. The vast majority of these riders are the latter mentioned demographic. I've seen e-mtbs on uplifts more than once. I have only met one disabled e-bike rider. Dude had prosthetic legs from the knees down. Fair play to that man! I blame the age of instant gratification to some extent. People don't wanna go through the process of getting fit enough to climb and desend to their hearts content. They want it now. I believe E-mtb offers people a short cut past a vital part of the learning curve. Getting fit enough to go out into the mountains and get back again safely when shit goes wrong. (Cos shit goes wrong).
We don't really have trail access issues here (yet). But I sympathise with those who feel their trail access is at risk due to e-mtb use.
Also I don't like change
#26ain'tdead #e-pinkbikeplease #29ersaregay #f*ckthemalltodeath #untilmybikeisdead
E-mtb is not mtb. Yes we ride the same trails but the bikes are different and so is the riding style.
I think the fact that they aid disabled people to access the sport I love is great. However it seems to me, the reality is that they are marketed at able bodied newbies and lazy riders. (After all, that's where the money is) We have loads of e-bikes on the trails in south wales. The vast majority of these riders are the latter mentioned demographic. I've seen e-mtbs on uplifts more than once. I have only met one disabled e-bike rider. Dude had prosthetic legs from the knees down. Fair play to that man! I blame the age of instant gratification to some extent. People don't wanna go through the process of getting fit enough to climb and desend to their hearts content. They want it now. I believe E-mtb offers people a short cut past a vital part of the learning curve. Getting fit enough to go out into the mountains and get back again safely when shit goes wrong. (Cos shit goes wrong).
We don't really have trail access issues here (yet). But I sympathise with those who feel their trail access is at risk due to e-mtb use.
Also I don't like change
#26ain'tdead #e-pinkbikeplease #29ersaregay #f*ckthemalltodeath #untilmybikeisdead
those ten times
I've owned numerous normal MTB's over the years, averaged 100 miles a week on my CX bike last year. I'm fit enough to get a bike to the top of a hill and skilled enough to enjoy the run down, at my level of course. Last year I sold my MTB and bought a eMTB. Why? because they are simply so much fun, I don't go any further. In fact the battery life can result in limiting my range. But the time spent on the bike is so much fun, going up, as well as going down.
For those that have never ridden one but sit and slag them off, I suggest you go on a demo day. The smile on your face will be very very wide..
My friend, I am truly happy for you. I will no longer fear for your safety.
My fear is that you may be in the minority of e-bike users. while my time on an e-mtb has been limited (due to religious beliefs) it was fun. Similar but different. For me, it takes away to much from the sense of accomplishment. Not to mention and all day adventures with the boys would require multiple e-bike purchases and planned stops where we can charge our batteries. literally. I just see them as slightly different sports. Bit like how mtb is different to mx.
#differentstrokesfordifferentfolks
But we are getting so many pampered bike parks now-a-days that many dont ride uphill anyway .. slap the bike on the back of a trailer and get shuttled up the hill - are those guys, the park rats, which also include all the "cool" fest style guys, and, people like Sam Pilgrim, who is not a climber at all, are those guys in the same hate group that e-bike riders seem to be in? many freeriders openly admit to hating or not being able to climb - in fact I used to think that Pinkbike was the home of the rough-edged, flannel wearing park rat, seems its not, seems its a home of XC hill climbing strava gods?
In 2003, this place was way different. Maybe e-bikes are the price one pays for trying to be all-inclusive. Perhaps other more niche websites would be more suited to those who truly have the hate on.
foesracing.com/bikes/frames/foes-mixer-enduro
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YXDL7P7_zY (French)
Freewheel in the crankset, so you can recharge the batteries when going downhill -- something this extremely expensive Canyon motorbike cannot do.
My countryman Gaston and his "Bidule" batteries :
latetedansleguidon.blogspot.be/2011/07/bidule.html (Belgian French)
travelandpoliticsworldview.blogspot.com/2019/07/an-electric-mountain-bike-is-not.html
Would be almost like you hadn’t been bothered to be interested then.