My mtb and ebike journey began last October with the purchase of my Scott e-genius 730 full suspension bike. I'd had a mountain bike years but never used it as I had other hobbies and tbh my fitness wasn't up to going as fast as I wanted, not having the time to improve this I just didn't bother. Fast forward to turning 50 and dropping the expensive hobby (trackdays and racing motorbikes) I needed to replace the adrenalin and get fit to boot. I logged into strava and having a trail centre local I used the red route to measure my progress, tbh just in general fitness and well-being the improvements have been huge without having to measure anything buy my mindset is one of liking to dissect a ride after the event.
So October, bike charged and off I go on an unknown route and strava running. I know from years ago it took me 1h12mins on my 2007 Giant XTC, I said I’d had a bike years and 2007 was pretty much when I last used it !, so 57minutes later I had completed a lap and had a base target to chase. I was completely knackered too. I carried on doing this once and sometimes twice a week till mid November I was down to 48 minutes. Knowing I needed some help on how to ride a mtb a friend who does a bit of racing on his normal mtb joined me. For him it was an eye opener as it was only the downhill sections he could pull a small gap, I was happy as it also showed me how to commit a bit more. The week after I dropped my times some more and was now in the 44 minutes. By end of the year my fitness was improved massively I could finish a lap and recover very quickly so much so 2 laps were becoming the norm and 3 occasionally. Even the old ’07 Giant was being bought out on trail rides with my 5 year old daughter who had started riding, she was regularly doing 6 mile rides and I didn’t dare take the ebike 😊
Almost up to date now and early January saw a dry day and dry trail so I thought I’d go for a proper run trying 110% and using full assist, something I hadn’t done for a while despite my times dropping. With this in mind I set a time of 38 minutes something I was very pleased with, I had during these months enjoyed jumping the bike, remembering I am a new to this 50 year old so when I say big jump I mean a few feet off the deck !, but the day after my quick run I went over a usual jump and with the landing being flat the suspension took a big hit and the forks didn’t enjoy it and lost all damping. So the bike went to the dealers who sent the forks off for a rebuild.
I couldn’t be without a bike for 2 weeks or so and I’d been thinking of a hard tail bike for more general trail riding and found a basic spec Cube reaction with the same Bosch system so I could share batteries. Being a hard tail and lower spec I knew it wouldn’t take the same abuse as my other bike but I took it for a few sections just to see and enjoy the ride, apart from the less comfort on the rough sections I was surprised to see I set 4 fastest sector times, 2 downhill and 2 uphill, 1 each of those was much quicker. The bike turned a bit faster and it was easier to pedal and quicker to speed than my FS but even so I was very surprised at the times.
I’m looking forward to getting my FS back and doing some back to back rides, as my fitness is getting better I’m also considering a non ebike !, I can genuinely say the ebike journey so far has given me the incentive(speed) to keep going out and finding time to ride which my normal bike never did, it’s also given me a fitness level that means I am now enjoying some normal bike rides 😊
Ebike faster than non ebike shocker!
Good work 😁
Ebike faster than non ebike shocker!
Both his bikes are E-bikes that are mostly in this discussion.
One is an EGenius and the other a new CUBE
We had a laugh with me chasing him a couple of weeks ago on my T-130..... I lost.... badly.. Well, apart from the segments where ability came into it, not engines... then i beat him...
But not by much !
LOL both ebikes, but importantly getting me out there and thinking about a normal bike too
as my fitness is getting better I’m also considering a non ebike
Why not?! Although more help on the ups will help you spend more time going down until you've got the skills to beat weeksy everywhere!
Both his bikes are E-bikes that are mostly in this discussion.
Apart from the Giant that does 1hr12 minutes laps.
Yeah but that was when he was fatter and slower and it's 15+ years old so that one doesn't count now. It has been really interesting seeing his progress and his falling in love with MTB stuff as he never really used to understand when I talked about it, he would glaze over and go back to Ducati talk instead.
Now he rings me to ask what Morzine is like and how long the drive takes.
I thought in honesty I'd stick with him on my t130 but absolutely no chance. Some sections, maybe, but by the time you finish it you're about to collapse!
Today's big debate has been about why he's quicker on the lower spec cube HT than the higher spec eGenius Scott.
Good work! If there's one very positive thing that ebikes have done for the sport, it's to open it up to those who wouldn't have normally thought about riding due to fitness. The more guys coming back to the sport after decades away, and girlfriends/wives being able to ride with their other halves, the better.
Watching McTrail rider and his missus who I don't think would be riding if they didn't have an ebike. They are great levelers too and allow vastly different abilities/fitness levels to ride together.
It’s been great to get out and ride with mates like weeksy who I wouldn’t otherwise be out with. As well as myself another mate needing fitness has joined in too.
The mtb(e) journey is continuing and I'm gaining knowledge and speed as it goes. The list of places and trails to visit is growing too !
Having been on my hardtail ebike for a couple of weeks I've had prob 8 rides out so time to get used to it and track my progress. Using my local sherwood pines as I know it well he HT has been quicker in a fair few sections. It definately slides more which I put down to the tyres (smart sams) and it definately picks up quicker and is easier to pedal once assist stops, I've since learnt this is because of the tyres so gaining knowledge. The FS has minions on it and they def have a lot more grip although I assume a lot more drag. Today I got my FS bike back and the standard rockshox RL which had broke on a jump have been replaced by a set of Fox rhythm 34's. I have to say they feel superb and there was no harsh kicks or bumps coming through to me, I took the same jump that damaged the rockshox at the same speed and it landed smoothly and without drama. Couldn't compare times as today was muddy and icy but on a couple of sections I beat my previous time for the FS bike but not as quick as the HT bike, these being smoother less rough sections. Can only think going down them faster on the HT has dragged me faster on the FS.
I'm almost at the stage I wanted to be having started this 4 months ago and can stop comparing times although hit does add a bit of interest, I'm glad to have found enough speed to make a trail entertaining and glad to have found a sport to replace motorbike racing and trackdays. Won't be long before I'm on a non ebike too as fitness is increasing quite a lot 🙂
Can't wait to get BPW booked up and see how you find it.
Can’t wait to get BPW booked up and see how you find it.
There’ll be directions on their webpage
Great thread by the way, keep the updates coming
On the subject of trackdays, years ago I knocked 6 seconds off my Oulton Park average by getting fit again.
I used to be knackered after 2 laps when the tyres were up to temp, got fit/strong and I could do full sessions easily
I'm sure fitness is playing a massive part too, I'm also reading and watching everything I can to improve my technique. With motorbikes I just used to get on them and ride them and it was good enough to get me a few trophies in my time, but starting this at 50 I thought it best to read up and watch some stuff to get an idea 😉
Nice one op and welcome to the forum!
Look forward to reading about some of your adventure this year.👍
Welcome back to mountain bikes!
chasing the clock is a great way a getting the fitness back! sounds like you need a non e-bike to continue the progress though.
Small update, I changed the tyres on my hardtail from smart sams to minions, I'd been sliding round a lot on the sams but still setting some times a little quicker than the FS bike on minions especially the more open sections where the HT was definitely quicker.
So I put a set of minions on the HT and tubeless'd them too and as anyone who knows about tyres they are massively better and I went quicker still. So much so I'm only 4s off a KOM on one section so my riding must be improving too. With the extra grip and speed of the minions though I really missed the FS bike, hitting stuff harder and faster it was the forks I miss the most on the FS bike as my HT only has basic RS Judys.
Not sure where to go yet but BPW next week for the first time. As fitness is increasing it's getting close to buying a normal non ebike, lets see if I enjoy BPW 🙂
I bet you will love BPW mate and sounds like you have really been bitten by the bug!👍
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"On the subject of trackdays, years ago I knocked 6 seconds off my Oulton Park average by getting fit again.
I used to be knackered after 2 laps when the tyres were up to temp, got fit/strong and I could do full sessions easily"
The reason I got into (push) bikes was to improve my fitness for endurance racing motorbikes, started with a £35 road bike and over the years have accumulated 2 road bikes a T130 trail bike and a DH bike, but unlike the OP (who I think I've met at Cadwell years ago) I wasn't bright enough to give up motorbike racing and trackdays, so now I've got 2 expensive hobbies, genius!
So this week the ebike journey has led to me buying a normal bike but first an update
Took the ebike to bpw and managed to hang onto the back of a fairly quick rider all day, had the best time I’ve had on a mtb full stop and the ebike didn’t seem to have any downsides at my level.
I’ve since been using it a lot at Sherwood pines and riding as hard as I can physically and have took some quickest ebike sector times. I like the additional element of timing as i enjoy the competition side. My fitness has improved massively since starting this in October and I’ve dropped 12lbs in weight.
I’m off to bpw again with the ebike but joining it now in the garage for trail rides and family rides is a new clockwork bike, my 12yr old giant is being replaced by a calibre bossnut evo. I’ll still use the ebike for fast runs for now as I’ll never get the same speed out of s normal bike but for trail rides the normal bike will be getting used