eMTB vs Mountain Bike - Marin Alpine Trail XR vs Marin Alpine Trail E2 - Head to Head Power Hour!

[@rcilluminati26]

Cool to see the results show exactly what I feel riding E vs standard. I end up riding more miles, more often and have more fun. Ultimately, I push myself just as hard, maybe my max heart rate is a bit lower but honestly, that’s prob healthier. I really don’t miss that “I’m about to have a stroke” feeling at the top of a tough climb.

[@TheLoamWolf]

Haha. What about the taste of pennies?

[@hxcdynasty]

I love this video!! My EMTB has been a game changer. I still love regular bikes but the fun factor on an EMTB is hard to beat

[@TheLoamWolf]

Awesome to hear it!

[@richardseller3733]

Heck yes it's all about the smiles per miles and hard not smile on EMTB. I rode regular bike and EMTB back to back days last week and about same results. However left smiling both nights and way better than sitting home on the couch. Keep the top notch content coming!!!

[@TheLoamWolf]

Well said! And thanks very much for watching.

[@mikenimmick3920]

This is to anyone who is on the fence with emtb's. I have a Trek Rail 9.7...the difference between an emtb and reg bike are literally night and day. Take an emtb for a ride...you won't want to ride your reg bike ever again...it's that big of a difference. GREAT honest review. Kudos LW.

[@TheLoamWolf]

Thanks very much Mike. Glad to hear you enjoy your Rail as well.

[@MysticalDragon73]

Glad to hear it. I just got a Rift Zone XR on order but now im debating on upping that to the E2. double the price if I can get one but wow. The more I see them the more impressed I am with them.

[@rickphil8026]

I love Marin for its simplicity, geometry, and reasonable price compare to other brands. That even an average earner like me gets to have an experience of a full-suspension bike

[@MysticalDragon73]

This is why I ordered a Marin as my first bike as I get back into the sport. They have the quality, often times better specs and parts for less money than many others.

[@dmarqu84]

Keep the hard work and excellent video content team Loam Wolf !! Love the ebikes reviews 👌

[@TheLoamWolf]

Thanks so much Daniel.

[@MysticalDragon73]

Thank you for yet another amazing video. You are quickly becoming my go to channel. I'm just getting back into riding after a 30 year break. I dont expect to be doing much jumping or racing just paved or groomed trails mostly. I've got a Rift Zone XR on order arriving next month. However I've now been looking at ebikes a bit as I understand them better. This one has me curious for sure.

[@TheLoamWolf]

Thank you very much!

[@ononewheel7]

Great video that place looks like so much fun! Ebikes are such a blast man its hard to choose sometimes!

[@TheLoamWolf]

You got that right!

[@roguesender]

Great video! I'll always have my acoustic bikes but when I want to hit the steep and deep mountain climbs on some of the most epic runs here in my backyard of the PNW, I'd much rather get in twice as many runs on an eMTB than half. Great job on collecting this data. I truly feel this will help when local area politics start to get involved when deciding on whether or not to allow eBikes. This is the kind of data that makes logical sense and needs to be presented.

[@rod2emmaus]

Ebike is the Future 😎

[@bbarker5766]

I would love to see this between the Rocky Mountain Altitude and Altitude Power Play.

[@tsalesto]

This is why I have an EMTB.

[@TheLoamWolf]

Yes!

[@pickkle106]

I just got the E1 and its awesome. great video

[@TheLoamWolf]

Enjoy it

[@NickyNicest]

How do you like the e7000 motor? There's an e1 near me and the main thing that made me just want to wait for a preorder of the e2 was the motor..

[@pickkle106]

@@NickyNicest it works great. It does it’s job just fine. No complaints

[@marin_bikes]

Awesome stuff guys

[@TheLoamWolf]

Thank you for the opportunity.

[@jonathandahood]

Went on a new ride this am, trails were different then expected. Fire roads, dirt roads, and snowmobile trails between mtb trail network. Didn't go to the dh trails i wanted due to being spent, the whole time thinking "I wonder if a ebike would be just as fun to ride..." this video is making me want a ebike!

[@NickyNicest]

This was my deciding factor. Climbed up 1500 ft and the whole time I was thinking how much more enjoyable it would be an ebike. By the time I hit the top and started downhill I was absolutely gassed and just wanted to get to the bottom. A week later I pre-ordered the Alpine trail e2

[@MysticalDragon73]

@@NickyNicest how have you liked it so far?

[@thecount1001]

i gots to imagine the eeb is also a bit easier on the knees, despite the greater milage? it's one of the main reason i've ordered one. left knee gives me grief on long hard climbs anymore and i'm hoping the eeb reduces some of the grind factor. the mid 50's is frustrating in some ways!

[@markusilomaki8922]

America is taking your brave emtb talk well, congrats on the progress Drew 😀

[@TheLoamWolf]

Haha. Thank you Markus! We're trying and it's exciting to see the shift.

[@dhosekowski1391]

Would like to see a Marin vs Fezzari vs Canyon vs YT ebike showdown.

[@waldowsxxghostxx8577]

Is the rock shox lyric ultimate comparable to the fox 38performance elite? Or is the lyric ultimate a higher end fork? Or does it compare to the Zeb ultimate?

[@gpearce11]

If I could have any bike, but only one, I must admit I'd rather an "acoustic" bike, but if I could have any two (again, money no object) then one of them would definitly be an eMTB. I also think it would have been better to compare the top-of-the-line AT Carbon 2 instead of the AT XR, as it costs almost identical to the AT E1, and would be a better comparison for someone who's considering the AT E1/2 (because let's be honest, if you're considering any of the alloy models, you're not looking at the E models).

[@Shauny808]

This 👌🏼

[@TheLoamWolf]

Thanks for insight Geoffrey, and regarding a one and only bike, you could be correct because we love riding bike parks and currently, not many allow ebikes on the lifts. Regarding the models tested, I'm sure you guessed...COVID and availability dictate what brands have and can send... We still had a good time though!

[@jimmyteter]

The E2 is the bike I'm getting once they get in stock!!

[@MysticalDragon73]

did you get it? how did you like it?

[@daynmitchell7543]

I don’t have a EMTB yet. But I do have a juiced scorpion and I ride it all the time. My next bike is gonna be a EMTB though!

[@billycarroll4230]

You guys are going to have to ride ebikes at wednesduro and thursduro next time you come to highland 🤙🤙

[@TheLoamWolf]

Sounds good!

[@bikingwithryan5968]

How do you like the alpine trail xr? What’s your opinion on that bike and the transition setinal? I’m torn between the two. Thanks

[@trytubeniceok]

i just wish i could find an e2 in stock...nothing available brohams....nothing

[@brhoades3870]

Which bike would you ride at Mammoth or Big Bear where you can take a lift up?

[@vegaa]

E2 or Specialized Levo?

[@phillippedege4853]

Finely a review between Ebike and MTB. Let`s not be afraid to say that Ebikes are the certainly the better choice.

[@yakbiker75]

I picked up a second hand performance Elite x2 for my Marin e2 that I'm yet to buy. 😂🤘 Will be fun when it arrives.

[@TheLoamWolf]

Congrats and enjoy it!

[@yakbiker75]

@@TheLoamWolf cheers!!! 🍻

[@gregoriovargas6241]

Park address please

[@simonsays171]

Say you have a 6k budget. This or an entry level strive on or a higher speced acoustic trail bike like a norco sight or guerilla gravity smash? Where would your money go?

[@TheLoamWolf]

Tough question SImon! The Spectral;ON is a helluva machine! This will likely be a bit more composed on super gnarly DH and big hit terrain whereas the canyon is lighter and more playful, although it has a really low BB, so crank swap will likely be necessary... Depending on if you love riding bike parks/chair lifts, that could also be a deciding factor in E vs A bikes. If you watched our 2021 eMTB SHootout, you'll know this bike scored very high, winning an award, so it's clear to see we love it, but the Spectral ON wasn't there, and likely would have placed as well. Inventory and your riding style are ultimately going to be the factor to be honest, either way you won't be bummed!

[@simonsays171]

@@TheLoamWolf Yeah. I have been given the green light for ONE toy! Which is awesome but which one is killing me. For context live in Houston so local are flat but they are rooty. My hardtail is beginning to kick my ass on rides literally so looking for more comfort but still fun. I do like to get out and go to spider and TX hill country which are rocky also Bentonville is on the menu this year! So many great bikes out there. Love the reviews!

[@thim8009]

Once you go e its hard to go back

[@camwells9726]

Hey mate , do the trek rail and the focus ride similar? The rail 9 and Sam 2 are similarly priced here in Australia, Curious to know your thoughts between the two as a comparison ?

[@TheLoamWolf]

Hey Cam, we've not had the opportunity to ride a Focus. We've reached out many times however it just seems they're not quite interested enough.... Good luck though.

[@jroase1658]

Eeebs turn the flats into fun . I choose how hard I want to work every time. Haters are gonna hate but I still love ya’ll workin so hard for those climbs. Give yourself a pat on the back

[@TheLoamWolf]

Thank you very much! The numbers don't lie, we were workin hard for that hour! haha

[@JoshuaDomoslai]

So the trail e2 handled everything fine you threw at it? The way you rode is probably the hardest I’ll ever ride as I’m getting older and still just getting back into it. So if it will last with whatever upgrades down the road I’ll be more then happy. Doubt I’ll ride crazy like when I was a teen. I’m more about having fun and just getting out. How was the battery life?

[@TheLoamWolf]

Absolutely handled it all.

[@kldstl]

That looks like an awesome place to ride. BTW, what's the story on that yellow dump truck?

[@camwells9726]

Nice trails

[@jap7856]

Yea when I go to Sky Park I get about 14-16 runs in, in under 2 hours on eMTB. My MTB buddies tell me that I didn't get a workout and tell them I did, but with an eMTB it's more of a upper-body workout vs the MTB is more of a leg workout.

[@joeevans6884]

What percent of your battery did you use?

[@TheLoamWolf]

It was quite a while ago and can't find the notes, but it wasn't very much. We could have done quite a few more laps if the hour wasn't up...and my arms/shoulders weren't toast.

[@ForestPiperWill]

Great vid! Can I ask, i noticed you used clipless pedals on xr, did you use clipless on the eb?

[@TheLoamWolf]

Yes I did. Been on a clipless kick lately.

[@lemo_manda6076]

Man the XR looks like an incredible bike.

[@TheLoamWolf]

It's pretty rad and a reasonable price too! Stay tuned for an individual review on that bike coming soon.

[@americanjustices1448]

@@TheLoamWolf you guys have great bike shoot outs , just got my ALPINE E2 in Marin county, what peddles did you use on the E2 flats or clips, thanks ED

[@MysticalDragon73]

@@americanjustices1448 How have you liked the bike?

[@thim8009]

The only reason I even have the out dated acoustic, is because there are places that still believe that an ebike is going to ruin trails, or blow them off the map or something that can't be proven.

[@TheLoamWolf]

Sensitive egos out there.

[@smtkelly]

Interesting esp the calories. How did you count them? I like to count mine on my regular bike. I use my Samsung health app but that only has a mtb mode.

[@dtolios]

The "more reliable" way is though a wearable device with heart & breathing sensors, e.g. a Garmin Forerunner could track all the stats you saw at the end, with arguably better accuracy than Samsung or Apple watches in vitals and definately GPS, and the battery lasts a week or more.

[@TheLoamWolf]

I wore a heart rate monitor during the test and also GPS tracker for the ride data.

[@Shauny808]

We get it. You like E bikes.

[@TheLoamWolf]

Haha... More importantly, we like fun!

[@InfiniteVibration]

I ride way more with my EMTB.

[@NickyNicest]

Now if only my e2 will ever show up....

[@Snakesoftheflame]

it has a motor!

[@thedrunkengamer88]

Bit of a pointless comparison video really. Wouldn’t it be better to test the xr against similar bikes in its class and price range?and same for the e2. Also the comparisons are always in favour of the e-bike.

[@rw7269]

Can you try it on a deristricted e bike 😂

[@thecount1001]

restricted for good reasons. just enjoy them as they are.

[@iffy_too4289]

Why Marin put cheap brakes with RS ultimate suspension components? That is truly confusing and sends a shit message to buyers about the brand.

[@MrSupermugen]

to hit that super cheap price point.....

[@yakbiker75]

Other brands do it too, I'll take top spec suspension over brakes any day.

[@ridingdeep8530]

This has really become a wealthy and/or heavily edebted person's sport. Yay. All that fun can be had for the low low price of what I paid for my wife's 2017 Mazda...

[@bbarker5766]

Would you rather spend it on a bike that you can enjoy and get in better shape or spend it on traditional medical bills for being overweight and lazy.

[@TheLoamWolf]

To some extent we agree with you, bike prices are really high for top of the line stuff, which is honestly what people want to see. BUT, you can get really solid bikes for $2,000, go watch our sub-2k bike shootout. That is a completely reasonable and actually impressive price point to do these sorts of things on a piece of sporting equipment.

[@ethancushing3398]

Please don’t call normal bikes acoustic smh

[@TheLoamWolf]

must have been a slip of the tongue... is analog better? personally we prefer calling them Amish bikes.

[@jeffforbess6802]

It’s a fine metaphor, IMO. Just like guitars or drums, on many levels.

[@Shift4g]

The classification should be e-dirtbike imo

[@TheLoamWolf]

We classify dirt bikes as motorized cycles with throttles that don't require pedaling. What are your classification parameters for dirt bikes?

[@jeffforbess6802]

No throttle, no MX. Still gotta work, as the Kcal shows.

[@MysticalDragon73]

Shows you are clueless about ebikes at all. I was leary of them until I educated myself. Now im wanting one.

[@luke4224]

What did you swap the brake pads to on the E2?