The 2 Issues I Have with E-Mountain Bikes

I'm 70 and have been mtn biking in Utah for 33 years. I just got an E-bike and love that the rides I do in HR zone 5 can now be done in zone 3 even at the lowest power setting. The one thing I noticed right off, though, is that you have to be careful in the climb as you approach climbing switchbacks with poor sightlines! Corners you'd normally approach at 4mph, you'll now approach at 7 or 8. It makes for significantly shorter response times! We all slow for descending turns like that (I hope!) but it's not intuitive to do it climbing.

It's definitely more of a user issue. Fitness level could also allow newer riders to ride above their skill level. Because I mainly ride enduro style though, I hadn't thought a ton about the impact on XC trails. E bikes on XC trails definitely changes the speed of the rider on the trail to a pretty drastic amount.

All in all though... if people are thoughtful and courteous, there really won't be an issue. Appreciate your thoughts Clint! Cheers!

All valid points. I haven't had any issues with ebike riders on the trails personally and think its great to get some people on the trails that normally wouldn't be able to. But, at the end of the day, I'm a bitter, old, 21 year old who doesn't like the idea of someone with less skill going faster than myself on an ugly, obese bike. And I'm not even that good lol

The US seems to have a lot more issues with E-bikes than everywhere else. Strange.

Can't this be said of regular bikes or even sports in general? You can get in over your head in any sport pretty quickly.

Definitely more of a people issue. I don’t have a problems with sports cars. Even though people with no experience decide to get behind the wheel. Can’t blame the tool.

I would think someone riding too quickly for their skill level, learns a lesson on their first downhill (with turns) or first set of switchbacks. 20mph isn’t all that fast, but I guess if one hasn’t grown up riding, it could get hairy. As far as e-bikes being on non ebike trails. Everywhere around here, people are using pedal assist bikes on those trails (not surons). I’m pretty sure everyone just accepts them around here as long as they are respectful. In fact Troy Lee (of Troy Lee Designs) was recently riding an ebike around here on non ebike trails and someone tried to publicly shame him (without know who he is) and that didn’t go over very well. Troy has been riding and building the trails around here longer than most riders have been alive

Struggling to understand the logic here if we're talking about class 1 eMTB's (pedal assist). "Riders going too fast when they don't yet have the skills..." That would apply to analog or e-bikes equally. E-bikes are no faster on the downhills; in fact, many people claim that an analog bike is faster on the downhills. Yes, e-bikes will go faster uphill, but then we're talking about moderate speeds where the risk of crashes and injury is fairly low.

You can’t stop people from driving and using their cellphone so you can’t stop idiots from getting on an e-bike and going full throttle. Love your videos but you can’t fix Stupid!

Did your dentist friend ride a yeti ?

E-bikes allow for handicapped , obese and out of shape people to get out and enjoy the outdoors

I have 2 problems with people that have 2 problems with e bikes. 1 is when they get going too fast with their opinions and bump into logic. The other problem I have with them is that they just wont admit that ebikes are more fun than grinding long steep climbs.

I also feel threatened by aggressive ebike riders- just imagine being hit by a heavy rider on a heavy e-bike. Than there’s all that excessive wheels rolling -noise that just disturbs being in nature. I sometimes see wildlife on my bike but the big heavy rolling e-bikes scare anything off before you have a chance to see it. E-bikes reflect our overweight oversized excessive society. It’s up to the current times and I really don’t like it. You can all say what you want but fat people on fat bikes riding humongous SUV‘s to the trail is just a hideous picture.

A big problem with E-bikes is they increase the likelihood of head-on collisions with other cyclists. This is because bicyclists climbing up hill go at a slow speed, but e-bikers rocket up the same hill. Typically descenders have more time to react to spotting a cyclists pedaling up the hill on a real bike, but that e-biker is going to be heading up hill at descending speeds. So now you have two people heading toward each other much faster. This is a huge problem in blind corners. E-bikes are not really bikes. They are electric mopeds if you ask me.

No sure what you are getting at. Everything you said applies to all mountain bikers.

There are many uses for an e-bike ! Whether for exercise , sport, hunting , commuting ,etc…. they offer mobility at a price people are able to afford .
My justification had some to do with exercise but more to do with the ease of transport to and from the woods and getting to places a 4 wheeler can’t !
A four wheeler is expensive , loud and harder to transport !
You can get an E-Bike in many configurations , allowing you to use it as a work horse and not just recreational sport !
Totally agree , we have a responsibility to stay within the laws to prevent ruining e-bikers access to what they offer ! 👍

Are you talking about uphill “pinning it”. It doesn’t go any faster downhill lol.

Going downhill on any bike without skill would hurt anybody

I drove all the way to Pisgah National Forest from Ny to ride. Didn’t realize they did not allow e bikes until I got there. So I took the battery out and rode for 3 days mid week with no issues until my last day. Some dude started talking crazy shit to me. I told him the bike was off and had no battery in it. I even showed him wile I passed him climbing a hill. It’s a specialized SL so you can peddle with no assistance. It’s not like a regular Levo.. Anyway these guys where pissed🤷‍♂️ I thought I was being respectful by removing the battery. I can’t understand what the problem with that is? Am I wrong?

Picking a minority of e bikers to complain about, its one way to do it.
Put any normal mt bike on a downhill and the same no nothing rider will be hauling ass even faster than an e bike rider.

Its almost a year since this video came out, and the bicycle industry is welcoming e bikes more and more every day, its money, many shops have gone beyond doing 50% of their business with e bikes, e mt bikes in particular. And yet some of these shop people are anti e bike.

Every time I go out to one of our many great mtb riding areas, its more and more e bikes. Like 90% were e bikes the last ride.
If the money is no longer in amish/manual bikes they will be the small minority.
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In Europe, e bikes and amish bikes go on same trails, they are both fun and there isnt the same perception of one being better or worse.

I have no problems with ebikes. If it gets people out great. I have a couple friends that have back problems and if it wasn't for ebikes. Will say though I wonder how it's going to be with strava ?

E bikes are for people that get older o have some kind of disability 😅.

To each their own . I'll take the regular one until my body says enough .

Specialized Globe Haul ST for life.

I am a long-time 75 year-old rider (both road and mtn), who at age 72 converted to ebikes,. Between age and injuries, it became obvious to me that an ebike was the only way I could continue riding. I happily contribute to lMBA, SORBA and my local trail maintenance clubs. My bikes are all light weight and low power, and I rarely ride in Turbo. I am polite on the trail. I like to travel, and I do not understand why Pisgah, Dupont, Tsali, Bend, Sedona, Moab and other great riding spots are closed to people like me. I believe that most government agencies don't care, but the groups who maintain the trails are behind the bans. The rules need to be changed, and I believe they will be as more riders age, but I do not want to wait. If I need to carry my driver's license to prove my age when I ride, I would be happy to do so. I try not to ride on no ebike trails, but I'm running out of patience with selfish rules. You have a loud and important microphone. Please help us get the rules changed to accommodate older riders like me. Thanks!

Maybe mountain e-bike’s should be limited more so than road or gravel bikes.

It’s simple really… there will always be beta males and alpha males. The beta males ride e-MTB’s and the alphas don’t

What? I said with all due respect!

im fortunate enough to have a ridden an ebike for 25km yesterday (my friend sells them ).
pedal down and i felt the surge of power from the motor, just amazing . we literally blasted up and down the hills with minimal effort . and i was fresh even after an epic day of riding.
are Ebikes cheating ? i'd say for myself who is still healthy and able bodied, yes its cheating as far as cardio is concerned.
skill wise its just the same , if not just a little more difficult.
but however my friend he just got a knee surgery due to a MX accident 3 months ago and the e-mtb is absolutely instrumental in helping him get fit and happy.

This isn't about "issues with ebikes" it's about "issues with ebike riders"! Good points tho. In the USA, a lot of new guys will run you over.

People mess everything up. Technology comes around that amazing and ppl tend to act like idiots and mess up for others.

It's a bit like a day at the park, anyone can sign a weaver and take the lift, dangerous newbie ebikes users are more of problem for other unsuspecting riders on easy trails, lack of skills and speed is a really ishy mix...

For me, i switched back to regular mtb. I rode emtb for 3 years. Yes, i did multiple laps. Still not healthy for me, cholesterol and sugar level went up. Sold my ebike. Im good i am on my best shape

If you're healthy enough to ride a pedal assist ebike, then you're healthy enough to ride a real bike.

Honestly cannot stand ebikes anywhere. They are mopeds at best or electric motorcycles at worst. Get them off our sidewalks, bike paths, and ESPECIALLY off our trails!

The problem is ebike riders just don't give a shit about anyone else on the trail.

I know you did this video a year ago. I figured I had to put my 2 cents in. I Get what You're saying I respect All your knowledge, but I also have experience In mountain bikes. when I decided to get an ebike to go on the trails. Why is it OK for the guys that's dressed like Lance Armstrong to fly on the trails with a bunch of his buddies at 28 miles an hour. But the minute someone shows up with an ebike who does have experience with mountain bikes? All of a sudden i'm an asshole cause i'm going 28 miles an hour. It seems like if you don't have a motor on your bike, it's OK to break all the rules of the trail. Cause you're special You got to dress like Lance Armstrong today. So it's okay to fly up-and-down the trails, no matter if you run somebody over. Even though our trails here in Chicago are listed at 15 miles an hour.
It doesn't apply to them.
Cause they're part of the Lance Armstrong wanna be Tour de France 🇫🇷 Just saying, people have to educate themselves and have an open mind. like you said Some people get older and they need that extra help. Some people have disabilities and it helps them get out on the trails and go further. The young kids that are on the trail that are being reckless gives everyone with an ebike a bad look. But don't put us in that same category. That's all, have a blessed day. Enjoy the trails.

If someone has a problem with ebikes, they are trying to be morally superior for being an asshole

ebikes rule

Super fair video, thank you for your impartiality. What I’m hearing is it comes down to rider responsibility, whether it’s on an EMTB or Acoustic MTB. I agree.I would be fine with restricting speeds to 20 mph, but do think 28 mph would be ok as well and certainly my preference. I think that falls under rider responsibility as well, but again would not complain if 20MPH was the standard. Let me say this loud and clear, any “EBIKE” that exceeds 30 MPH is not an EBIKE, it’s an EMotorcycle. So people on Sur-ons and Talarias do NOT belong on MTB trails, they belong on dirt bike trails. Irresponsible riders of those bikes or bikes that perform like them are a big part of the concern/problem. If everyone puts safety and civility 1st, there is enough room on the trail for acoustic and e-bikes. Do what makes you happy, as long as it doesn’t hurt someone else, cheers!

I have an e-bike but only use the turbo mode going up hill on the road to go to the trail.

I'm just getting back in the woods after the better part of 10yrs and I do not care for e bikes..
I do not think they should get right of way in any situation on the trail.
Too many of them are yahoo's without the skills to ride with unearned speed.

It's not the bike. It's the rider. And there in lies... yada yada. Myself... I'm not there yet. But some people are. Maybe someone blew out their knee? Maybe someone just turned 70? Maybe they're pro and an ambassador? These are good reasons in my books.
When I started riding again, there were e bikes around, for sure, but they weren't good looking. Still aren't...
I wanted to ride a bike in its purest form.... pausing for effect.
And still do.
There are other reasons to want an electric assist bike. Your partner can finally get out for a ride with you... and they can go out as far, now, as you can. But why couldn't they before, I wonder.

Further... I look at electric bikes the way I look at motorized scooters...
Sooner or later you're going to be old enough to need one, but if you get one too soon, you've pretty much just thrown in the towel.
But getting up the mountain quicker would be nice.

Good points, and well made. I'm 60 years old and have owned an E-bike for 3 years, so I ride a lot more than I would otherwise. I don't have the skills for single track riding, so I stay off the trails and stick to forestry and farm roads. (I also don't bounce like I used to when I was 15!)

I find it very weird that some trails are closed to ebikes there in the USA. Here in oz you can ride your ebike wherever you like. It makes no difference what bike you ride, we're all out to have fun.

E-bikes sucks !!

You have riders with zero skill suddenly capable of going 15 mph with no trail etiquette.

E-bikes are emblematic of modern society’s desire for instant gratification. Instead of slowly building fitness and technique over time and with effort, e-bikes offer an easy shortcut to experiencing the outdoors with minimal physical effort.

While this can open up access for those who may not be able to ride traditional bikes due to age or disability, for able-bodied riders, it reduces the reward that comes from working hard and achieving a goal under one’s own power.

In a broader societal context, e-bikes reflect a shift toward convenience and speed, mirroring how technology often replaces effort in daily life. The drive for quicker, easier experiences means that riders may miss out on the deeper, long-lasting satisfaction that comes from gradual improvement and personal achievement.

Clint, add balance drills to your list of skill development in MTB or EMTB. Once a rider can “track stand” and make full lock turns without dabbing they will benefit more from other bike handling skills such as braking, cornering, jumping & rider positioning on bike.