“When I get one it’ll be my only MTB, my days of multi bikes are long gone.”

I feel that would be tempting fate on the reliability front with an ebike’s much greater complexity. I did sell my other full-sus but I kept my gnarly hardtail and enjoy how different yet similar it is to my Levo. I’m a bit sad that the hardtail’s just gained a WeeRide toddler seat but I’ve managed to keep the dropper on it so I can take the seat off the extra toptube thingy when I want to enjoy a lack of suspension or power.

My lbs is great Chief, I’d buy from him, and he wouldn’t wee me stuck.

Eebs are amazing things and if you are slightly injured or have long term issues I think one is exactly the bike you need.

I find that the assistance levels are way too high and I only use trail in the deepest slop or ridiculously steep bits. And that’s reduced to the lowest setting in the trail power band. Boost is just stupid.

I really wanted a fauza motor as the assistance is more gentle and the bikes are lighter but I could not find one I liked.

I grin like an idiot every time I ride it up a hill. I am a winch and plummet rider. Although with the eeb I’ll be more likely to pick a challenging uphill rather than an easy route.

Definitely rides differently but you adapt quickly. I can throw it about a fair bit now.

Boost is just stupid

Agreed.

My buddies all flew up hills like homesick angels when they first got them. The realisation didn’t take long that this severely restricted the number of descents they got.

All ride in eco now!.

Only time i’ve gone over eco+ is when i was injured and had a dead leg, and when i was testing the bike to see what it could climb up until loop out. After that it’s been Eco and Eco+, although the bike is not really set up for efficiency with tyres and weight, i was a bit stunned to see how it takes more energy from me to get to the same speed as my normal bikes on road in eco mode!

I find the more you ride with normal riders the more you forget anything other than eco, especially this time of year when traction is not the best anyway.

Hence part of the reasoning behind replacing my Orbea Wild FS with a much lighter and lower powered Spesh Levo SL. The Orbea was just too much bike for me, whereas the Levo seems ideal for what I want to ride, with the benefit of being a lot lighter to throw around and lift over fences etc.

Good questions, I guess the answer to a lot is that it depends on you. I have ebikes and normal bikes, including the new Orbea Rise. My most ridden bike is the non-electric, despite having a big hill out the back door. Not seen any issues with hub deep stuff, deeper than that you need to watch out for water ingress in the charging point. Fitness? Sorry but no. Ebike fitness isn’t anything like normal bike fitness. Even the rise which encourages you to pedal, you don’t get that max effort fitness.

Similar questions to those I was asking before I took the plunge in March and plenty of good answers here already.

Be sceptical of claims that “E” necessarily equates to lazy and un-natural, assist levels can be dialled back and most of the big brand software is very good at providing a fairly natural ride feel.

It is hard to see E as equal to regular riding for fitness as the ability to dodge that knee trembling gut wrenching slog to the top is at always at hand. That said “E” works for me now that I have moved to the far south west, stunning local scenery but most riding is a constant sequence of steep ups and downs with little flow.

I am probably fitter than I would be without one as like many I get out more and for much longer than I otherwise would. Despite being lucky enough to have other very nice bikes (Mk4 Nomad and Ti Gravel amongst) they are hardly ridden anymore. That said my primary reason for riding has always been for pleasure opposed to seeing it as part of a training regime or out of any desire to be very fit.

The most liberating aspect of the Ebike has been freedom to explore new terrain. If something looks interesting I go explore it, no worries about wasting energy on a tough pedal out or reservations about meandering way off an established trail to see where I end up. Also enjoying the whole ride is far more pleasurable than wishing away climbs to enjoy the downs.

Anyone looking for a 150mm travel “do it all” bike has to consider which of the different emerging paths to follow. Heavier, bigger battery powering motors with more torque or sub 20kg bikes that have smaller batteries and motors producing less torque (Levo SL, Orbea Rise). Mine falls somewhere between the two, Carbon Focus Jam2, 20.5kg bike with shimano e8000 (70nm torque), 378wh in frame battery and 378wh clip on extender.

Research the motor power/range/weight/handling/price trade offs and think about how it will affect how you ride an E bike opposed to your regular bike as it may be different and demo to see what type (even if not exact bike) you enjoy riding. Also plenty of model specific info and friendly advice on Emtb forums.

Yes its important to ensure whatever you buy can be serviced within a reasonable distance of home and if possible buy from somewhere you are going to get service from. Its not worth buying from afar to save a few £ but for me getting the right bike inside my budget was more important than worrying about how long a motor problem that may not materialise during the warranty period (2 years) might take to get sorted out. As for after warranty, there are now so many E bikes out there a spares/repair market has to develop further than it already has.

Its a new way to ride and its bloody great fun, cant think of a good reason why you would want upgrade a reasonably contemporary bike to an “on trend” bike over getting an Emtb.

Fitness? Sorry but no. Ebike fitness isn’t anything like normal bike fitness. Even the rise which encourages you to pedal, you don’t get that max effort fitness

Like most im ebike tempted as they are a shit load of fun, however not really a fan of how full power/weight ebikes handle so something like the Orbea Rise is what I’d be looking at.

However, any which way you cut it your fitness isn’t going to the same and after covid/brexit f’off I’d very much like to be back out in the mountains of Europe with @doug_basqueMTB.com and the likes, still challenging myself on an ordinary bike.

If I go ebike that fitness isn’t as easy to get back once you give it up.

Fitness? It all depends how you ride it! I put pretty much the same effort into riding my ebike – any reduction in effort is covered by increased distance. Yes you can be lazy but you do not have to

Fitness? Sorry but no. Ebike fitness isn’t anything like normal bike fitness. Even the rise which encourages you to pedal, you don’t get that max effort fitness.

I can’t really comment on max effort as I struggle to do max cardio effort before my legs stop working. What I did notice after 3 years of almost exclusively riding an ebike for non-commuting was that I lost leg strength. I will caveat this with my legs don’t work properly anyway but after a year of barely touching the ebike and riding a normal hardtail they’re certainly a lot stronger now.

“ However, any which way you cut it your fitness isn’t going to the same”

If you pedal as hard on an ebike (I often seem to pedal harder because I’m less bothered about pacing myself) you don’t lose pedalling fitness. If you go downhill as fast then you need more strength so you get stronger.

Or you could be a lazy passenger. It’s up to the rider.

Has anyone here ever used a rowing machine? Have you noticed that it requires very little effort to go back and forth and look like you’re rowing. Like an ebike you can coast and have a lazy time. Or you can work hard. Same for exercise bikes. Or weights in the gym – you choose how hard to lift.

This guy made the next logical step and put a jet engine on his bike and rode across Death Valley. Not convinced it looks safe…