How Hard Can You Ride A Hardtail E-Bike?

Hardtail electric mountain bikes, just how hard can you ride one? We sent Chris to Wind Hill B1kepark with a hardtail e-bike to find out and to test his E-MTB skills. Are they able to do big jumps, large drops and gnarly natural trails?
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It doesn’t matter if you’ve only got a hardtail E-MTB, you’re guaranteed to have fun with the extra capabilities of an e-bike.
Whats the gnarliest thing you’ve ridden on a hardtail? Let us know in the comments below
Thanks to Wind Hill B1kepark for the use of their park! gmbn.eu/wind-hill
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[@soostibi]

I think 90% of riders don't need FS. In your videos you've focused on FS bike so far, with this video you put the balance back a little bit, thanks.

[@simonbradford3422]

Finally a show dedicated to Hardys, showing how great and they really are. I love my Hard Tail, i sold my full sus because i get a better ride out on my Mondraker E Vantage hard tail. Well done Chris Smith for showing how capable and fun a Hard Tail can be.

[@gcbsglobalcanicrossbikejor2162]

Like anything , there will be haters and lovers ! Personally I think a avid hardtail rider is a special breed . Yes they aren’t as comfortable and yes they have limits but that’s why we love them so much , theirs nothing wrong with going against the grain ! Nice to see Chris pushing it to it’s limits on the big stuff 😃👍

[@RobRidesEMTB]

I think the best thing about the hard tail is the value. The Vitus E-Sentier is £2399 which is pretty amazing considering its spec. Nice vid 👍

[@gcbsglobalcanicrossbikejor2162]

Rob Rides EMTB I picked up my 2018 E-Sentier for £1700 . Absolute bargain ! And a awesome bike 😃

[@RobRidesEMTB]

Nice! Thats a bloody bargain! I'd also have one at that price :-)

[@sztanga6632]

I bought Marin san quentin 2 last month and I'm super happy about it! :D

[@Derestricted1]

The Haibike SDURO HardSeven 1.0, the entry level version of the bike in the vid is even cheaper, only £1,749

[@JobeMI6]

Rob you managed it; not a “SPECIFIC” in sight 🤣

[@islandaerial3414]

Cube HT here. Great for all types of riding except for maybe Black Diamond down hills... Love blowing by peddlers on the up hills. Riding up some trails is good fun too...

[@nikosathanasopoulos5257]

To everyone who's here: Yes e-hardtails can jump...

[@Offroader74]

that big chainring on the Haibike disturbs me every time

[@HappyJack279]

Excellent! More hardtail vids please. I’d like to see how the Vitus e-sentient rides with the 140mm forks. 🤘

[@gcbsglobalcanicrossbikejor2162]

HappyJack , I’ve got the 2018 model and it’s bloody awesome 😎

[@Dracurosu]

Reinstalled some of my motivation in my trek powerfly HT back in the bikeparks ! Thank you ! For too long I have cringed at Steve's HT unfair and prejudiced comments. Almost as if HT's are not competitive real bikes ! I love my Trek HT ! Thank you again !!

[@5492sparky]

We all love a Hardtail. Great look at what they are capable of.

[@likeher9]

Awesome film Chris God, I wish I could handle a bike like you!! But it is now official, hardtails big time rock, not My words, the words of The Man.... Chris Smith! And that's good enough for Me. Top stuff Chris

[@melone7263]

I ride a Focus Bold 2 plus with a loooooooot of Changed Parts from Race Face.all I can say is,this Bike is pure Fun.greets from Germany,keep on riding Guys!!!

[@danieloffroad1652]

Hi! Nice video as always! Could be nice to see a test/review/comparisons on some fat e-bikes rides.. i got the cube nutrail from some time and i'm still getting load of fun out there trough trails.. see ya!

[@dimensionsofearth]

Absolutely love a hardtail!

[@beardedvikingmtber]

Here’s some suggestions for some content. 1. Entry level emtb 2. How about going up to the Lake District or the Yorkshire dales or the Peak District to see how they fair up here 3. Get more content with Sam pilgrim

[@nickd6056]

They took an entry level emtb up Snowdon bout a month ago.

[@beardedvikingmtber]

Nick D I mean a decent one not a bag of shite one

[@nickd6056]

@@beardedvikingmtber hahaaaa. Yea it was shat. 🤘🏼

[@volt8684]

Thanks for identifying the bike you road. I watch all your channel vids, and they are brilliant. I would just like you to identify the exact bike you are riding. Ie the canyon neuron and spectral comparison it doesnt mention which model ie 5,6,7,8 or 9. I am looking to upgtade from a full sus marin mount vision (22 yrs old) and at my age 61 want to get the best as i still like jumping ( have a broken leg at mo) :). Aklways missed hardtail on climbs but my god that Marin has been faithful. I dont have a huge budget and identifying the exact model will help people choose. I have found trying to get a demo very difficult. Sat with m6 leg up watching your channel and the chemistry between you gives me the same fun factor as the old top gear crew. Keep it up this is not a criticism just my preference in helping me choose a bike.

[@biketothetop]

Some very good skills deployed... back in 2000 when I got my 1st full suspension bike I was so much less sore in my back after riding trails with climbing. Based on the amount of downhill work being done in this video, I would say the seat is not necessary and therefore a full suspension would be unnecessary as well, but if you're going to spend any time on a seat climbing hills, hitting anything other than pavement, a full suspension pays off with far less body fatigue. Efficiency is less of a concern when you have a motor! But okay, young lads without money can certainly be better off with a hardtail as opposed to not having a bike at all! Also, their body can take a lot more abuse, but that'll catch up with them too :-)

[@Accu53Mation]

Puke-on the weekend riders (weight weenies), that laugh at hardtail bikes. Recently purchased a Kellys Tygon 70 29er. Love the stealth paint-job. The hardtail accelerates super fast, and rockets-up hills ahead of any full suspension rig. And, if ya can pilot the hardtail, and have strong bones...you can fly down hills. Best yet, My hardtail is never in for maintenance. Over seven-hundred miles and the STEPS 8000, engine is perfect. Awesome for everyday use (which I use 365 days). No need to hull around a rig with a ridiculous 160mm of travel. You're less likely to tire-out on trails and open-road. The only drawback (as with any E-bike) is battery life & recharge time. We're sure companies will add a few hundred dollars to a bike-price$, when something better than a lithium-ion comes along. For now. If you are a Wounded Warrior , handicapped, a senior citizen with joint problems. E-bikes are perfect. If you're in good health...why bother? Save your money and buy a car, instead.

[@patricklee8789]

Got a KTM hardtail ebike 29 and complete XT & Bosch PerfCX. Thing shredds like hell. Literally was half of the money of its fs counterpart.... Insanely stiff, direct and pure uphill power. I won't do 1m drops into a bunch of rocks but y'all know - how often you really have to? Riding up and down stairs isn't fun either but everything else goes at least as easy as on a fs bike.

[@thecakeisalie7070]

That no-hander was soooooo clean!

[@nihilisticsoup2919]

My home conversion BBSHD Voodoo Bizango does great! Motor is indestructible, frame is nearly indestructible although I did have to upgrade the wheels to Rhino wheels as I hit curbs HARD, I mean insanely HARD! Now I have ultra tough 29" wheels I can ride it like I stole it everyday.

[@eddiejefferies3659]

As you know Chris, I'm a firm advocate of hardtails and my sold FS eMTB because it sat in the back of the shed abandoned for nearly a year, as without fail, I always grabbed the HT in preference. Next time that you and Steve do a trials challenge, grab the hardtail instead. :) Thumbs up from me. :)

[@jaumemuro6797]

Gracias. Muchas cosas han quedado claras. Una de ellas que los límites están en los riders.

[@jamestoms2488]

Good to see this video. Was only looking at full sus e-bikes, but the costs are seriouse. Food for thought. Thanks

[@sickcunt9386]

Such a good video you've proved me wrong 🔥🔥

[@simonwhite8092]

Great vid Chris. Almost regretting getting a full-sus now!! Wonder if I’m still in the 30-day returns period....

[@chrise723]

You guys are brilliant! Thank you very much for this video :)

[@davidmstephenson69]

I have Spez Levo HT and I love the bike, I've thrown it into trees down ditches and its had to put up with my crap riding. I love HT's the cost makes it a no brainer if you are after cheap(ish) entry into EMTB. Just over 2k is more than enough to be spending, I will never pay big bucks for these Electric Full Sussers. What I will say is it can do pretty much everything as proved here, but in some cases you will be hanging on for dear life, but hey thats part of the buzz.

[@davidmstephenson69]

PS -good forks are a must have.

[@Ivansmith6]

I have the hard tail, the shop sets the tyres to 70 psi which does shake me up on the bumps, but I love the real feel of this bike on long rides and would not change a thing, just the weather at times...lol

[@neilelliston]

22psi is comfy. 70psi is slick tyre roadside surely

[@squirerides8371]

I ride electric and clockwork hardtails. Everything they say about emtbs being more stable and planted is true for hardtails. When gravity kicks in, my emtb is the faster bike.

[@kevinquinton9838]

Good review

[@subscriberswithnovideosc-wi6op]

Nice video

[@CeleronS1]

I got hub motor at back and i have killed like 10 tubes already and few alloys. 2.2" tir runnign at 3bar.

[@adamwood4463]

Be good to see some entry level e bikes and their capability

[@basingstokedave4292]

guys can you do a show of e bikes just for comuting to work and not mounting bikes plus comfi bikes where the guys dont have to bend forward ,putting your back out . urben bikes i guess with lots of power and range cheers

[@simonwhite8092]

They mentioned this a few months ago, but stressed that the show is EMTB, and are focussing on that. I agree with you, though. A show for commuters and longer distance trail / gravel type riders would be a good niche for someone to fill.

[@LeontheKiller11]

Simon White watch electricbikereviews channel, they got lots of commuters bikes

[@Bergwacht]

oh he rides the bike i own, cool its an Haibike Sduro Hardnine 10.0

[@SimonBauer7]

i have an older lower end version of the same bike (same frame, just older, worse components) and it rides just fine.

[@paul3562]

at 0:07, Do you sell the jacket in Black/Grey? cant see it on embn or gmbn sites

[@drivingnirvana5164]

You can have great fun but the aluminium frame can’t handle the stress long term, my Haibike Sduro got a cracked frame after 2 years.

[@SimonBauer7]

mine holds up really good but i dont really do jumps just tech climbs and normal trail riding

[@cliffsangelsphotography]

Can Chris do an e-bike enduro race?

[@2wheelsonline]

Are Haibike struggling with their HT sales and told you to do a feature saying how good they are? I've ridden normal HT a few times over the years and always gone back to FS. And Chris, what are you babbling on about them being better up climbs? OK on fireroads but when there's routes, rocks, whatever they're sh*te! That's when you need rear suspension to soak up the bumps and keep your rear wheel in line with more traction. I did try a HT with plus tyres last year thinking it would be OK... but no! I was thinking of maybe getting an emtb HT for better battery life and a change, but watching this video has convinced me not to bother. I liked the jumps, etc, but you used to do freestyle on a HT and you can do jumps on anything anyway.

[@jensongroff]

DDE music vibes

[@neilelliston]

I struggle to jump my hardtail ebike. Watching this vid I think I must just need more speed.

[@zulvalor7266]

Are you using clip in pedals here

[@thim8009]

If you could have only 1 bike would it be a hardtail

[@hpkiunzy]

i sold my FS for a chromoly hardtail. Way more fun.

[@gcbsglobalcanicrossbikejor2162]

Definitely 😃👍

[@eddiejefferies3659]

Owned both types at the same time, and sold the full suspension in favour of the hardtail. Hardtail all the way for me.

[@normadicn5700]

Hardtail all the way

[@myphotos]

Can hear the motor clattering away 😬

[@nickwooden2103]

Whats price difference?

[@davidmstephenson69]

Quite considerable.

[@manuabecassis]

350 views already :) in 40 mn

[@justinflem]

Dont have to slow down if you're flying over it!

[@SimonBauer7]

blake rode a hardtail down the megaavalance so the argument can you ride a hardtail hard is already answered

[@tehsimo]

make the thumbnail difficult to read could you make it more

[@19bootsy68]

Haha...Steve would of never done this video. I'm sure Steve would love to do his bit of ethnic cleansing when it came to HT ebikes ☠.

[@AleksandarGospic]

This video made me rather depressed cause I think I just made a 5000 euro mistake by getting the full susp ebike 🤔 I am XC rider 90% of the time, never go to bike parks (we don't have them here), sometimes I'll go on rough stuff like rocky or rooty hiking trails but mostly I'm on fire roads and I hate sag, I really prefer hardtail feel. And because of the sag and not long enough dropper post, sitting position is not high enough for my liking, i like to seat really high when I'm on flat or going uphill, so I'm not enjoying this riding position. Bike is brand new but if I sell it I'll lose so much money, so I'll have to live with it now and learn from this costly mistake

[@hondacota4rt]

Just get used to it, and go out of your comfort zone. You'll be more than happy with your choice. I personally find e-hardtails pretty pointless, and this video more of a promotion for haibike hardtails.

[@AleksandarGospic]

@@hondacota4rt that's why I decided for full susp, more versatile, but I was hoping I can make it firm in full lock out, but I'm heavy so it still goes down anyway. Yeah, I'll have to get used to this lower riding position

[@hondacota4rt]

@@AleksandarGospic your weight shouldn't be a problem. Was the sag setup properly? (20-35%)

[@AleksandarGospic]

@@hondacota4rt well i pumped it almost to the max, I think it is around 250psi, but sag is still around 60-70%, if it was 25% it would be ok, that's why it's annoying. I'll try to pump it some more. Changing the rebound rate doesn't do anything to change that from what I noticed.

[@hondacota4rt]

@@AleksandarGospic hmm sounds wierd. Maybe let all the air out again (with the bleed button on you shock pump) and then slowly fill it back up, with pushing through the shock stroke every now and again. (roughly 5 times at least) Maybe there's negativ pressure stuck in your negative chamber. Or bring it to the bikeshop, this shouldn't happen with a brand new bike.

[@chrisdugmore4436]

No need for the e bike at a bike park

[@rainerschulke]

Hardtail is a failiure