084 – E-Bikes. Are They For You?

Todays Guest

We chat with Robert from Freewheelin’ about the E Word and find out if an E-Bike is really for you.

Its episode Eighty Four and we are talking about E-Bikes. Yes the dreaded E-Bike conversation. You either love them or you hate them. But are they for you and should you be looking at buying one?

We welcome back Robert from Freewheelin’ to discuss the whole e-bike debate and fill us in on the Vitus E-Sommet he had for a test review via the guys from Chain Reaction Cycles.

I love the e-bike debate, both Robert and myself after doing episode number 82, where we reviewed the 2019 Vitus Escarpe 29 VRX (listen here), decided to publish a further episode about an e-bike he recently reviewed on his website. The discussion ended up more of a chat about e-bikes in general than an actual review. We both came to the conversations not knowing each other’s views or opinions regarding the introduction of e-bikes into mountain biking. Robert recently spent several weeks riding Vitus E-Summit which the guys from Chain Reaction Cycles kindly lent him. Robert reviewed his experience on his website, and after reading the article (see below), I thought that it would be interesting to get him on the podcast to chat about his first experience on an e-bike.

We talk about the differences between an e-bike and a regular bike, how they handle differently, what trails they are suited for, the benefits, the drawbacks, uses and market prices.

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Find Out:

How Robert got a lend of his Vitus E-Summit e-bike
His first impression riding the e-bike
Robert’s general option of e-bikes for mountain biking
What Robert thinks e-bikes are best suited for
The trails Robert tested the e-bike on
Roberts opinion on battery life and ease of use
If e-bikes are changing mountain biking
What you can expect to pay for an e-bike
Why 90% of the bike companies now produce e-bikes
Who are e-bikes marketed towards
Are e-bikes the future of mountain biking
When are e-bikes better than a regular mountain bike
Would Robert buy an e-bike

I really enjoyed my chat with Robert regarding e-bikes. It is a conversation that has replaced the 27.5 Vs the 29 debate. We chat a little about how the e-bike has been received differently in other countries- especially the USA, where they have been banned from a large number of the trail networks. Companies are increasingly promoting e-bikes as the next new thing and are seeing a dramatic increase in sales. There is no doubt that as battery technology advances to become smaller and lighter, e-bikes will continue to get better mileage, handle better and handle more like regular mountain bikes. But does this make them right for you?

We chat about how an e-bike can be advantageous for specific trails and some riders but does this mean that you will want one sitting in your garage? We talk about a level entry e-bike is the same price as a mid-level mountain bike and if it was a case of purchasing one or the other. We discuss some of the pros and cons of e-bikes that will help you to decide if you should buy one.

So charge up your batteries and find out a little more about e-bikes and if they have a future in the world of mountain biking.

To Connect with Robert and Freewheelin’:

Website: freewheelin.ie

Facebook: freewheelin.ie

Instagram: freewheelin_mtb

Twitter: FreewheelinMag

Resources in this Episode:

Freewheelin’ – Vitus E Sommet Review: http://freewheelin.ie/cycling-ireland-approve-e-bike-class-for-2019-mtb-enduro/

Chain Reaction Cycles

Website: vitusbikes.com

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