Santa Cruz e-bike factory demo! - Mailboxes Trail at UCSC

I've never been on an e-bike and have been resisting them. A fellow rider and I decided to test ride the Heckler and the Bullit, two e-bikes from the Santa Cruz factory. We biked over to Mailboxes Trail at UCSC. This trail offered the perfect mix of technical challenges and uphill climbs, allowing us to put these electric beasts to the test in various terrains. I give commentary as I am biking, sharing my impressions of the bike as I decide if it’s something I would want.
0:00 intro
0:45 Ride starts
7:58 Left heavy bike over log
10:30 technical downhill
12:20 Rocky river bed
12:48 Climb out
On the ride with me:
@singletrackbandit
Captured with #gopro Hero 12 Black with Media Mod

[@301ws]

Cool vid!!

[@301ws]

I like the narration, makes it educational so I learn something.

[@301ws]

Keep it up!

[@user-rw6xy6rt3w]

Very cool! watch your back when you lift 😎

[@slowerwithdonuts]

If only I could bunny hop over the whole log.

[@K1ngJame5-mtb]

That motor rattle would drive me nuts

[@slowerwithdonuts]

It did drive me nuts. We figured out that the headset was loose, so the sound you are hearing is not the motor.

[@singletrackbandit]

Ha ha ha. I am a mess!

[@slowerwithdonuts]

We both are

[@superaveragedan30]

Nicely done!

[@andrewwood4013]

E-bikes are hazardous trash; hiker killers.

[@slowerwithdonuts]

Thanks for your comment, positive or negative; it helps push the video out on KZbin. In response to your comment, I would probably group regular bikes in with the e-bikes. Happy hiking.

[@andrewwood4013]

@@slowerwithdonuts There’s no boundaries anymore, E-bikes are riding trails that were previously unrideable. There’s no safe place to hike. Mountain Bikes = 30 lbs, E-bikes = 100+ lbs on average

[@slowerwithdonuts]

Thanks for the comment! My analog bike is about 38 pounds, and my e-bike is 49 pounds-definitely far from 100+ pounds. Plus, people weigh much more than the bikes! It’s all about sharing the trails responsibly. Happy hiking and biking!