E-BIKE SKILLS 101

The most significant difference between electric and normal bikes is, guess what, extra assistance from a small battery-powered motor. With a lithium-ion battery bolted to (or inside) the bike, the motor adds drive with a boost to the crank axle when you push on the pedals. On top of this basic concept of making your legs feel more powerful, e-bikes also handle significantly differently to an equivalent-travel unassisted mountain bike. This is because fitting a motor adds well-positioned extra weight of around 10kg, which also affects the ride quality in many other ways including boosting suspension performance, tyre grip and overall stability.

To resist the extra forces and loads imposed by all the extra weight and grip, e-bikes need to be built tough and solid, something that’s even more important when you’re clocking up more miles and knocking off climbs in a fraction of the time. This means there’s often a more solid and flex-free feel than with a regular mountain bike, a sensation that makes e-bikes feel closer to a downhill rig than an XC