Why I changed my opinion on e-bikes
Once upon a time when I was a pretty accomplished cyclist, especially for my age, I used to think that e-bikes were for lazy people. I mean c’mon! I’ve spent years and years hauling my butt up the mountains with nothing more than my own strength and determination. Who do these people think they are, athletes? No way! But then I bought my first e-MTB and I saw the light.
It all happened accidentally when I was living in Sydney, Australia. I was sick and tired (and scared) of riding on the roads with angry drivers so I wanted to get off the road. But the problem was that there were no mountain bikes available in my size. This was in the mids of the first year of the pandemic when everyone decided to start riding and bikes flew off the shelves. Weeks went by until one guy called me back and said he had received an e-MTB in size small. “Are you interested?”
I was hesitant because well, who rides an e-bike, a lazy person. I’m a real cyclist! But I was also curious because a good friend of mine back in the States had gotten one and he was doing these crazy ass rides in the mountains and having a blast. So I asked him about his experience. “This is so much more fun than a regular mountain bike. You can do some serious climbing without having to walk your bike or give up altogether because you’re completely pooped.” So I bought the bike and I’m having a blast.
It’s a real workout
All fun aside, I’ve also had to admit that it is more of a workout than I expected. “I can’t believe you have an e-bike!”, is the most common response from my friends when I tell them I got one. So I patiently explain that although it has a motor, it’s not a moped. I still have to pedal to get forward, and I can always adjust the assistance according to the terrain to make it as easy or as hard as I want. But the best part is that I have yet to find a hill too steep to ride up. I mean who wants to be walking their bike when they can ride? Up I go with my heart bumping hard while I’m “riding like I stole it!”
I believe that e-bikes make riding more desirable and viable for more people. Studies show that when sedentary people were given e-bikes to commute they logged extra miles and rode more often than folks on regular bikes. E-cyclists also recorded higher levels of enjoyment. A study done on eMTB riders revealed that their average heart rate was 94% of that achieved on a regular MTB. E-MTB riders also reported lower perceived exertion levels although they rode faster and completed the route faster.
There are a lot of people who would like to cycle but aren’t willing to risk their lives on the roads, while older and less fit can’t ride the hilly terrain on regular bikes. Exercising with a friend or a group is an important part of staying motivated and having a sense of community for many. E-bikes make it easier for less fit people to join other riders making exercise more inclusive. If our goal as a society is to get as many people as possible off the couch and moving, preferably out in nature, aren’t e-bikes a great solution to this problem?
Trails should be open for everyone
Yet, most of the trails near where I live are off-limits for e-MTBs. I find this rule based on ignorance. I’ve been told that eMTB riders are seen as reckless speedsters who danger the lives of other trail users. The other reason is that e-bikes are heavy so they will damage the trails more than regular bikes. Yet, the same trails are open to horseback riders. Go figure…
I’m sure some riders don’t know or just ignore the trail etiquette and use too much speed, especially on the downhills. But the riders that I’ve encountered doing this most often are the ones on regular MTBs. I also see drivers on the roads every day ignoring the speed limit and general rules of the road but no one seems to care or set limits on them. My point is that there will always be people who don’t give a damn and will ignore the rules and accepted practices of our society. Should we throw everyone under the bus because of a few bad apples? I still strongly believe that the positives (getting more people out riding) override the negatives (a few idiots on the trails).
The thrill of exercise
None of us is getting any younger and injuries and ailments usually start to pile on as we age. I definitely don’t have the power or the energy I had in my 30s or even 40s. I also have several structural issues that put certain sports off-limits nowadays. But I still want to exercise because it’s my happy place. Without an e-bike, I’d be riding less and climbing a lot less. Is it fair that people with injuries and less-than-fresh legs and bodies aren’t allowed to feel the thrill of riding on the trails? I don’t think so.
Even though I won’t ditch my regular road bike anytime soon, the e-bike gives me new ways to explore distant trails and challenge my skills on tricky terrain. It makes me look forward to the steepest of climbs and I sometimes find myself going up these climbs multiple times, just because I can. It can make me feel like a superwoman, even if it’s temporary.
