The Pros and Cons of eBikes...Here are the facts

During my 3 months of having an eBike in my fleet I've assembled a list of the pros and cons of owning one.
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[@stuarthirsch]

What I have found since I got my e-bike last year. Con e-bike, 1) Extra cost of battery, bike, and maintenance 2) Should get a spare fully charged battery and keep it with you 3) Difficulty of maintenance 4) If you get a rear hub drive handling and balance is thrown off 5) Weight of an e-bike even with the battery removed Pro's: 1) Torque for hill climbing 2) Great for commute and errand running for distances of 5 miles or less each way 3) Can sustain speed for longer time and higher gear 4) Almost a must for Sr. citizens, people with heart conditions and/or other physical conditions, and out of shape or overweight people 5) More relaxing than a conventional bike because you can pedal at an essayer pace with less effort

[@mmaaddict78]

If you have a hub drive bike, you're doing it all wrong.

[@uncrunch398]

@@mmaaddict78 Maybe if it's high wattage. Mine is 350w rear mounted. For a "low" budget ebike, I prefer it over the chain maintenance required for a center motor. It feels the same to me as a regular bike except I'm not peddling as much and can go 19mph up most hills.

[@Wieber84]

My wife and I ride together a lot but she was born with a heart condition and the type of exertion from climbs isn’t the best thing for her have been considering getting her an E bike to open up some new options for where we can ride together

[@bryandunn7539]

My wife recently got one because of bad knees, and it is a game changer for her. She blows me away on the uphills now.

[@oddjob4877]

Good summary Clint. I ride both E and normal MTBs as a result I now ride 6 days per week rather than 3.

[@snip_king428]

Super awesome!!!!

[@fwood1231]

Great objective assessment. I agree on all points. At 71 and with reduced muscle mass from injury and age, I still wanted to ride to improve my fitness. And the ebike I purchased has been such a great help for me. I use my Vado LTD as more gravel bike and not much MTB. Loading the bikes (also bought Como for my 70 yo wife) on the rack isn't bad in the morning but can be a challenge after riding 30 miles. And I haven't seen anyone other than you mention the issue of getting the bike on the bike stand for maintenance. It can definitely be a task even with the battery removed. And you are correct in that the ebike can easily cause you to exceed your technical abilities level if you don't watch it. Ebike has allowed me to ride with my son and his MTB and at the same time shown him more interest in gravel biking. He left his older '06 Stumpjumper with me and I replaced the forks and fixed it up and have been riding it also. Now I'm considering getting myself an unassisted MTB. Thanks again for your objective reviews. Just subscribed. I hardly ever use turbo mode. Using no assistance for downhill and mostly Eco when riding assisted. You can definitely get a cardio workout.

[@mickmoggers]

Haters will always hate, fact of life! Ex dirt bike rider and now in my fifties, I'm in good health and I've ridden mtbs since 1991, I still ride a Giant Trance, but recently bought a decent ebike and absolutely love it. Gonna be riding both and enjoy cruising up those climbs plus I'm able to keep up with my 2 very fit sons on the long rides. Result!

[@tarstarkusz]

With relatively few exceptions, anyone not healthy enough to use a regular mountain bike should not make up for that by using an e-bike. People underestimate how dangerous mountain biking is and the extent to which you can be injured and killed. I fully endorse and support e-bikes on the road, on the bike path and in the park and maybe even for help climbing mountain bike trails. That is all well and good. But you don't put someone so unacclimated to bicycles that they need an ebike on a mountain bike trail!

[@khronin]

@@tarstarkusz I am an ex mountainbiker and most folks are not going to take an ebike to a heavy mountain trail.I ride on a mountain trail with my ebike and the trail i ride is used more as a walking trail cause noone on a mountainbike could pedal up the steep hills--that is where the ebike shines.bTW there are diffrent levels of trails and most folks should be able to look at a trail and tell if they can do it.The guy that started this comment and myself can probably handle an ebike on a true mounatin bike trail.Also when you say mountain bike--there is a big diffrence--I am not jumping or riding aggresivley on my ebike like I did on a tru mountain bike--I just like to cruise through off beaten paths and the ebike--especially a fat tire is great. I quit mountainbiking years ago--just no fun--especially getting tired and riding with Type A mountainbikers. I also just sat in my house for a year becaue of covid playing video games.I got my ebike 2 weeks ago and ride daily--I keep the assist on PAS 3 and pedal 90% of the time--a very medium on hills to very very light pedal on flat.My legs were sore for the first few days and it is also great cardio.Most ex pedal bikers like to pedal and getting us on again is beneficial.Alo they say light long cardio is better for health then short strenous exercise.

[@tarstarkusz]

@@khronin I don't really disagree with what you are saying. Your ebike use-case is a great one. I was just saying that anyone who needs an ebike to do what the term "mountain biking" describes is probably not skilled enough on a bicycle to handle rough terrain, let alone jumping or technical aspects of mountain biking.

[@khronin]

@@tarstarkusz All good--there is no way to jump an ebike as I see it--they are not made for that with the weight and baance.I was going to get a surron but even when I mountainbiked--all jumping ramps or riding fast on rough terrain did was cause the bike to need more maintenence. I like "riding" mountainesque trails for the scenery and experience--not hard core jumping or mountainbiking--but I am also on trail that require skill to do because you do need experience and balance to do them.

[@tarstarkusz]

@@khronin I suggest you watch Sam Pilgim's channel. Lots of jumping and even flipping on an ebike. That experience and balance is what most people who would "need" an ebike lack.

[@richdome1]

AS a 63 old retiree whom as a kid living in NYC during the 60's pops use to visit Long Island,and dreamed about mini bikes and grind the trails. Now 50 years later, started MTB ! I agree with you grinding up hill,no mountains on Long Island, to earn the reward of downhill. I cross train now MTB and MMA! I ride the ebike once a week ,grind the rest! Great insight!

[@bretonshaw2745]

I swapped my GT for an EMTB 3 years ago, GT is garage bound now, i wont ride anything else now, my up hills are fast and flowing, down hills so planted the extra weight is great, after a good ride im still blowing like a train, they are awesome, its still all you...only faster

[@chuckdavis572]

I used to be a Cat 1/2 racer and almost never finished lower than 5th in any of my races. I came down with chronic fatigue syndrome a few years ago and had to quit cycling all together. I am buying an ebike to A assist with my physical therapy and B be able to ride with my friends again - which I havent been able to in years. Ebikes can be life changing just as much as cycling in general can be.

[@OliverReinhard]

Clint, I liked your thoughtful, balanced views on this somewhat touchy subject.

[@kenson6725]

I find your list pretty spot on. Last bike-TREK Fuel 100, no way I was riding a mountain bike again at 65, w/o an e mtb. Get the best you can, they can get you in over your head. Amazing bikes!

[@johnsheehy6172]

I ride with a friend and we originally rode mtb's. As I'm in my mid 70's and he's in his mid 50's He was usually 50 to 100 yards ahead of me and frequently had to stop till I caught up. Now we both have ebikes and he sets his pedal assist two stops lower than me and we now both ride together. He gets his workout and I just enjoy the ride ( I've sweated enough).

[@Benderlaiv]

In 25 years of riding, I have never had to pedal on any of my motorcycles. Everything else you said makes perfect sense.

[@phoenixeasyrider6026]

WOW! One of the best EMTB reviews I've watched (and I've watched plenty). New to this channel, found it when I searched for Niner Jet reviews, also a very good video. I'm 68 and 3 years back into MTB riding. Was able to increase my fitness and skill by combining an Acoustic ride with an e-bike (Turbo Levo) ride in ECO mode.

[@pc.9008]

I've owned ebbs for 2 years and all those are fair points. Good video👍

[@tycojewel7979]

I enjoyed hearing your thoughts on EMTBs. Some of your cons can be eliminated by purchasing a half power EMTB such as the Specialized Levo SL which I currently ride. It is much lighter and rides just like a regular FS MTB. I have a 2018 Giant Anthem Advanced FS that I rode in Tallahassee and elsewhere in Florida, GA, NC, until I moved to Albuquerque for a job promotion. While I found lots of trails here on which to ride my Giant, there were also lots of trails I avoided due to not wanting to ride uphill. I am 58 and despite being very physically active my entire life, to include a career in the Army, I never have had the heart/lung capacity others seemed to have to process oxygen into my bloodstream. Genetics I guess. So the Levo SL has been a great addition to my life. It has opened up so many more trails to me and I have been riding more during the spring, summer, fall. Here in New Mexico, my favorite trails are snowed over in winter so I ski instead. I have run into lots of EMTB riders on the trails in Albuquerque. All were like me, experienced riders who got older and did not want to struggle uphill anymore. I have not yet run into anyone riding outside their skill level due to being on a EMTB. I think that is attributable to the co$t of EMTBs. To buy one, you really are likely to be an experienced serious MTB rider, not some newbie. Yes, the assistance levels do take some finessing thru trial and error to find your perfect settings when climbing on a techish section but it is far from an obstacle as you figure it out pretty fast. I rarely use Turbo setting on my Levo SL, so was surprised to hear you used it so often in Florida. I mainly use Eco and the medium Trail mode with Intermittent Turbo on some brief very steep sections on trails I have done thus far. My only issue with the Levo SL is that it's a 29er. Yes, I know you have done a video on this topic. I prefer 27.5 like my Giant. I expect in a couple of years EMTB will offer more in 27.5 which us shorter (5'3") riders prefer.

[@tedbellWRV]

After decades of riding conventional bikes, my wife and I now own 4 e-bikes. Two daily riders for fitness riding, plus one e-cargo bike and one "back-up" e-bike. Three are Bosch Performance Line and one is Shimano E-8000. I use them due a physical limitation and my wife to keep up. We have a combined 15,000+ miles on the e-bikes. Firstly, no issues with the motors at all. However, many issues with "connectivity", meaning a connection problem with either the bike's display unit or the Rohloff E-14 (on two bikes). A connection problem shuts you down - either the motor won't boot, or no electronic shifting. We love, love, love our Rohloffs, but the E-14 is not perfected as of yet. (Hence, we bought a "back-up" bike for the down time.) You will find derailleur e-bikes are more reliable and shift quicker - but feel very primitive after you get used to the Rohloff E-14. Our batteries show absolutely no degradation after hundreds of rides. That includes being subjected to many days over 100F, here in Southern Arizona. Modern Lithium Ion batteries are good for a thousand cycles - and we typically only use about 50% of the battery in a 20 mile daily ride. We ride about 100 miles per week. Paradigm shifts when riding an e-bike. Weight is much less of an issue, and a hunched over riding position on drop bars, is no longer needed to prevent getting brutalized in a head wind. I would not buy a drop bar e-bike. Do know that in some cases old school roadies will verbally assault you for riding an e-bike - calling you out for "cheating". As if cycling can only be a competition. This is especially upsetting to my wife.

[@ClintGibbs]

Some old school roadies have security issues.

[@adamtedder1012]

It's nobodies business everyone rides their ride. Nobody has to ride the ride somebody else approves. Ride your ride and tell them to mind their business.

[@scott9141]

A very thought-provoking consideration. Thank you.

[@Acceleronics]

Please publish an update when you are 67!

[@malsmith475]

Or 68 ! EBikes are a no brainer, I love them.

[@richardharker2775]

I'm 66 and can tell you now they are a game changer. Big battery, powerful motor. Eco for the flats and turbo for the steeps. No worries. No going around the hill now.

[@faceinthecrowd5810]

Bought a 2021 specialized turbo levo comp, love it!! As a 64 year old dirt rider since 1966, this EMTB is the most fun ever.

[@faceinthecrowd5810]

Side note, I’m a fit 167 lb. silver warrior at 64, can ride my vintage hard tail up a hill, just have more fun on my turbo Levo!!

[@neilmonisit8781]

There are a lot things here that I learn from... good job man!! from a new subscriber 👍

[@type1fun476]

Thank you for addressing the benefit for those with disabilities. My husband and I have five children that are on the trails and gravel rides with us. Our fourteen year old son at this time can keep up with us (I am riding with a two year old behind my gravel bike on a weehoo or on a MacRide on my mountain bike when on the trail) and my husband is assisting our six year old and nine year old as needed. As our son gets taller and needs more deliver to farther regions of his body his single ventricle heart is going to struggle to provide. His O2 already runs in the high 80s and low 90s. I know it is hard for others to understand, my husband and I struggle with it too, but he will struggle to keep up with others his age and not due to lack of effort or lack of muscle strength. An e-bike in the future will allow him to continue being physically fit and participate with peers. I hoping that trail access issue can be worked out for those with disabilities to be able to access them as well. I also hope we can raise our son to surround himself with friends that will adjust their riding speed to have fun with a friend and keep it positive and then maybe he won’t feel he needs one to keep up.

[@ClintGibbs]

Great post. Thank you.

[@nolowatt1]

Good job summarizing the pro’s and con’s. I’m in my early 70’s now and some health issues with heart and COPD have slowed me down considerably and reduced my stamina and overall strength. My new Giant Trance mountain bike is getting me moving again, and allowing an exercise routine which is both fun and challenging where I live in western Nevada, especially with 5 power assist levels!

[@ClintGibbs]

That’s awesome! So glad to hear you found something that will keep you outdoors and active. To me this is one of the best benefits of ebikes.

[@dshow1658]

I have the Levo SL carbon I LOVE IT! I find myself riding a lot more than I would on regular bike and it’s light enough to flick.

[@jap7856]

I think you missed one big pro of a eMTB, climb challenges. I found myself not just doing more downhill, but taking on more techy climbs.

[@cansurmeli]

This was a great video!

[@estevangarcia9499]

Great list and very objective. As an ebike owner, I personally agree with everything you said. Oiling the chain without being able to spin the crank backwards is super annoying. Im still not used to that.

[@debokkenrijder7521]

I live on quite 'un-challenging' MTB terrain/area. By using an eMTB it is possible to maintain speed and get more thrill on those mellow tracks.

[@MikeErman]

I rode one a week ago and first impression is yes if I understand you correctly. I was shooting up and down the road before I realized I was in the hardest gear and just zipping along fast with minimal effort to get started or maintain. I was trying to do wheelies and manuals though and that didn't really go well.

[@tombryan1]

I get my intense cardio on a stationary bike. I get my thrills riding my Ebikes around where I live. I get to see so much more in less time, can do errands, take off from my house, it's very satisfying. While not quite accepted yet in the greater biking community, it is growing non the less and will be an ever expanding industry. Good video by the way.

[@jongolsteyn9680]

I have an e-bike and I love it. I get great workouts with my bike, and I am able to push myself a lot. I ride it in the lowest setting (eco) most of my 30 mile ride. If I hit a hill and want to get some help, I will use the throttle and pedal as hard as I can to get up the hill. It helps but you still have to work to get up the hill. Without killing all your energy on hills, you can ride a lot farther than you ever thought. They are incredibly versatile. I can see all kind of advantages for all different types of riders. They help all kinds of people get off the couch and get some exercise. That is great.

[@MichaelE.Douroux]

Excellent pro point number one. Just watched a video of a group of men and women who rode one of the recent Tour de France climbs. Some of both the gals and guys would not have been able to keep up without e-assist. A good time was had by all.

[@gavinwilkinson1602]

You can always turn of the motor and get a better workout 2 bikes in 1 for those who ride with both groups of people

[@benharding716]

I have just passed 500 miles on my ebike, in 3 months. More than I did in the last 3 years. I only drive to work when the weather is too poor to ride. & I ride for fun. Something I really stopped doing a few years back due to a knee injury, and hills.

[@peterwright9451]

Good balanced report. In Australia (where I manage trails and ride for my own recreation) I welcome eMTBs and have no issues or conflict with them. However, as a fit person in my mid 50s I personally much prefer pedal power only. Where I do see a big pro is on long distance trails, which are tough to manage on a standard MTB, eMTBs make this far more achievable. I recently (before COVID) spend 6 months in the UK and Europe with my Whyte S150, and on long rides (50km plus) saw how much easier they were on the eMTBs which cruised past me! I was in 18 countries, and on big rides in Scotland, England, the Pyrenees, Portugal etc. I would have happily ridden an eMTB.

[@bluefungi]

I ride a foldable to work and bought my 1st MTB now I wanna use the MTB for bike camping and MTB stuff. I tested it out today and, I already love it.

[@GFClocked]

Thanks for down to earth thoughts. often a lot of youtubers hype ebikes without discussing any shortcomings whatsoever. I'm thinking of getting a cheap ebike for my gf to increase her pace so we could ride together easier. Thought about and really was going to get an ebike myself, but I've realized I'd just be better suited to buy a lighter bike as I'm very overbiked with 15.5KG almost enduro level bike on, let's be honest here, XC trails for 90%.

[@ahighervibe4086]

By "Cheap" you mean $3000-$4000 right? B/C anything less than that and you'll be wishing you'd spent more!

[@evilbanks]

Great video, man. Very objective. I'll pass on riding an eBike but cool to hear the pros / cons.

[@glockasauruswrex6362]

Good stuff, as an e-bike builder (hobby) I'd say your analysis is on point. I'm disabled now with 5 back surgeries in the last 2 years...got hurt hunting pigs in Texas. Got into ebike conversions outta boredom. Yup they're heavy n nope ya can't just flick them around like a 20 pound bike. But, they flatten out the hills n descents are still a blast ya just gotta stay ahead of it. I've taken buddies out on my 85 pound fat tire bike n they do fine, it's climbs like a goat 🐐. I'm on board 4 life!

[@brandihodges9548]

Regular bike riders can ride above their skill level also...that is a personal issue. Most ebikers I know are not "training". We want to ride longer and enjoy the outdoors. And this BS about loosing fitness ....I ride Eco or Tour, my avg heartrate is in the 130s and high 160s-170s.

[@jeeprubicon6650]

Fantastic review.

[@alexanderofrhodes9622]

I wouldn't be doing any exercise at all without my ebike. My lung condition makes my endurance really bad, but with this it doesn't matter

[@chipsutcliffe7110]

Just went for my first e MB ride with some experienced riders in very good shape. They mostly don't use the battery except on the very steepest sections of trail. They said that makes their conventional bike feel like feather, and gives them a (psychological) boost.

[@Vam1500]

I built my own ebike from an old mtn bike and was using it commute, which is the perfect use for an ebike. I mostly ride non-e road and gravel bikes now. E-mtn bikes are a little more questionable IMHO. I see a lot of young guys, decades younger than me, riding on trails on ebikes and I have to admit, part of me wants to tell them to man up. Old people gently riding trails on ebikes when they wouldn’t be out there otherwise, ok makes sense. Under 50, unless you are injured or disabled, do yourself a favor and enjoy your youth and test what your body can do on its own.

[@rong1924]

I'm 56 and ride my Stumpy 3-4 times a week. I'm thinking about getting an e-bike, when I get old..

[@WorldwideDarts]

I've always been into bikes. Started out in the 1980's as a BMX freestyle dude. Then into mountain bikes for the next 25 years. Back into BMX and now into electric longboards. I've always wanted my girlfriend to go out on rides with me but it wouldn't be much fun as she wouldn't be able to keep up. Enter an e-bike. She's now out there ripping it up with me and it puts a smile on her face each and every time. It's awesome to be able to get outside with her and have some fun. That just wasn't going to happen on a normal bike.

[@MikeJRe2ipi]

Great video!

[@speedsweets67]

Hi Clint, love your take on this. There are some sides that i want to mention. My wife and i are riding Emtb for about a year now. My wife is 56 and was losing here motivation on a analog bike having to go very deep in exertion to keep up or to do a decent ride in her perception. We lost a lot of nice pedelling time due to recuparation. Now she rides every day in a holliday and puts in all the miles again. Her fitness got better, and her heartrate is so much more on the safe side. She actually got a better fitness. As for me, all the rides give me a better basefitness. I train alot more in the lower zones. But a lost FTP as you mentioned and explosive power. So for that I use my analog MTB to follow my wife in uphills and general rides. The EMTB is really a great equalisation tool. My wife and i ride allmost always in ECO. I changed the settings on my bike for a assist of 20%. My wife rides normal settings. This is really a revelation, since i can get really tired just to follow her. It really helps to save some battery to. The weightdifference is 20 kg. Now we ride together and could do rides up to 2200 mtrs off ascent and 76 km. And at my age that would really be a challenge on my MTB. So, all positive for us. As for your take on commuting. Over here in the Netherlands ebikes changed commuting a lot. People want to get to work in a heulthy way without parking issues or having to be in a traffic jam. Sales surged during the last two years. Hardcore commuters often opt for Speed pedelecs, which are the fast ones, up to 45 kmh.

[@ClintGibbs]

I was sent an e-bike commuter to review. First video comes out Sunday.

[@justingrady1964]

I ride a emtb. I have back issues, that being said, I discipline myself to go no higher than assist level 3. Most times I stay on 1 or 2. My assist level goes to 9. I get plenty of exercise, go twice as far, enjoy nature, and I look forward to it.

[@selsien]

What about the 62 years old who MTB all his life making the sport what it is today, Ebike make me feel and go energized again...Heihei! Trail forever!

[@johnreese3762]

At 79 I sold my Gary Fisher. If it wasn't for E Bikes, I wouldn't be riding mountain bikes. Love mine! On running the chain backwards: saw a trick where you put an allen wrench in chain ring mount bolt and turn crank back to wrench and it will turn backwards.. Great info BTW!

[@srfrsean]

Great video - very useful and unbiased. You can back spin your chain ring by using a Hex wrench in a chain ring mounting nut then rotate backwards like a normal MTB. eMTB bike weight is a factor, I don't have any issues with bike stands but dead lifting the bike in awkward situations can be a challenge and I'm 6'0' and 225lbs. Drive train wear is a big deal; just replaced Shimano XT drive train chain and cassette after 1000 miles in 5 months. I will be changing chains every 2 - 3 months now (500 miles or less).

[@harleyboyd9998]

E-Bikes are a definite PRO for me Not for you My wife got me out of my Lazey boy recliner & into the local foothills at age 70 with a Haibike Nduro 90 Love it Been riding for 2 years & have lost 60 lbs. & it's fun fun fun Now I'm healthier happier and look forward to exercise with 5 other old guys that have E-Bike, FUN Fun fun

[@stevenleslie8557]

As a 61 year old guy, I thought my mtb riding was behind be. Enter the e-mtb and now I can go places I wasn't even able to when I was younger.

[@michal.stachanczyk]

To lubricate the chain I use an allen key, stuck into chimney screw (of the chainring)... this locks the crank arm, while rotating backwards, and let you lube the chain as you normally would, with regular bike (one cons down :)).

[@ClintGibbs]

👍

[@nhlcfl7733]

Thanks for your honest experience. I plan to continue pondering and dream about an ebike and ... maybe one day it makes sense, but for now I’m happy with my conventional mtb.

[@ahighervibe4086]

I'll bet you've never ridden an emtb out on the trail right? Cuz if you have I doubt you'd still be happy with only a conventional. They are SO much fun!

[@nhlcfl7733]

@@ahighervibe4086 thanks for your reply. I’ve honestly only ridden an ebike a few times, down a street; great. I’d like one, and I almost impulsively bought one in January and then I realized, for me, I could handle holding into that $4-6000 I intended to spend for personal needs rather than this enticing want. Sincerely I’m also going to wait until 2023 and when the pandemic and the variances are behind us; the economy could get even worse in the next 12 months.

[@superelectic45]

@@ahighervibe4086 Try riding a 250cc trail bike, it's even more fun.

[@Tequila628]

Another incredibly insightful video from you! You mentioned changing chains often? How many miles between swaps? I'm on GX Eagle and 3 chains I swap between each 200kms.

[@EBikes420]

Hi, I fractured my spine and had 3 crush virtabre bones in my back in July 2021, I couldn't feel my legs and walking would hurt my back very much. Last March when I bought my e-bike I had major back pain and I was mainly using the throttle. I live in Victoria BC Canada so throttling is allowed, but then my doctor told me to use the pedal assist to ride and get exercise. So, I use pedal assist 3 and ride about 20 km/hr on average and I ride about a distance of about 25-30 km on daily rides (I rode well over 8,200 km since last March). Now I DON'T have any back pain and have full mobility of my back and continue to ride. My e-bike still feels New and I still love it so much. Thank You for this video and Ride Safe.

[@ClintGibbs]

Man, I love this. Thanks for sharing.

[@brianwilliams2907]

Good pros/cons. For me, as a 62-yr-old former Cat 1 racer, the best thing about them is that they allow me to go to the mountains in the summer (Utah, Wyo, Colo)for weeks at a time and not have to take rest days because I can climb pretty much anything without having to get into the hurt locker and have to take some recovery days.

[@ArnaudFalchier]

For lubing: My trick, leave a hex key in the chain rig bolt and slowly reverse pedal when bike is on the ground

[@leerjet18]

Interesting, Can you explain that better? Thanks.

[@nkoeppen]

Great insight and I totally agree with everything you said. I would love to get a E bike for my wife to be able to ride with me. She has a mtb but hates the hills and pushes up most while complaining almost the whole time! I think it would be great for her to see why I love mountain biking so much. On the flip side I would never want to get on it because I know I would get super lazy and only want to ride it! 🤣

[@brandihodges9548]

I can now ride with groups and keep up "with the guys" on my ebike. I'm riding 500% more, still getting plenty workout with heartrate up to 160-170s. Your wife would absolutely enjoy riding more (and may be like me and no longer feel bad because others have to wait on me)

[@leerjet18]

Get her one! She will be happy, and treat you even better. Wink.

[@TheAngryHusky]

I've had a YT Decoy since 2019. It's been bombproof other than going through drivetrain parts much faster as you said. Other than that, it's been great. The chain lubing is kind of annoying but not a big deal, and loading and unloading it isn't a big deal either for me anyway.

[@bonzobanana1]

I'm not sure its been pointed out in the comments as there are so many comments but this video is written with regard a mid-drive motor with hub motors they actually massively extend the life of chains and cassettes as hill climbing is now assisted with the power not delivered through the chain. Also you can spin the crankset backwards without issue. They are much simpler and more reliable but they typically don't provide the maximum torque of a mid-drive motor because you don't have the mechanical advantage of delivering the power through the gears. So a hub motor delivers lets say 45Nm in the fastest gear and 45Nm in the slowest gear at maximum power where as a mid-drive motor may deliver lets say 15Nm in the fastest gear but 60Nm in the slowest hill climbing gear at maximum power. There is also more power loss through the chain maybe 3Nm. A light geared hub motor to help take you up the hill for a downhill run could be a good choice for a mountain bike rider, it will extend the life of the drivetrain and help you get up that hill.

[@MonchoDeLaMota]

This is great food for thought.

[@keithnuccio3797]

Very easy to lube the chain by using a small wooden dowel or piece of broom stick. Stick in the chainring and pedal backwards slowly until it grabs and the chain goes backwards. Eazy Pezzy👌🏼

[@mattkavanaugh5623]

Thanks Clint for a very thoughtful and objective discussion of this subject. I confess to having an anti-ebike bias but my wife who does not ride expressed an interest in getting one, so I am trying to be more open minded :) One negative you didn't mention is that inexperienced e-bike riders (like inexperienced non-ebike riders) can put other cyclists in danger. I am happy to see that more people are riding bikes, but seeing people ride the wrong way on streets and trails, passing dangerously and other risky behavior makes me resent them putting me in danger.

[@stanleyhache6407]

Idiots are idiots. I find that these standard "racing bike" riders who borrow the same bike trails, bobbing and weaving among other bikes and people walking are a lot more dangerous than those with standardized Class II e-bikes.

[@davidbee9563]

I enjoy the thoughtful content on this channel even though I am not into riding MTBs. Being a new thing ebikes are trending and innovating quickly; Does this mean they will be like cell phones or computers: buy, use, throw away and replace? How much goes into the production of the product compared to the life cycle of the product ( cheaper to replace than repair)? We'll have to see. Many people will modify the controls to allow them to go faster. Scooters and electric motorbikes used to be limited to 40kph. Now you see them going much faster by riders without licence or insurance. More demands on the motor and battery will wear them out quicker. A positive is for companies running bike tours. People can ride together using the assistance they need. This allows groups to ride together and finish a day's ride with the amount of fatigue each person can tolerate. Keep up the good work. We in the North can appreciate but envy how you can get out and ride in the winter. Nothing like dealing with the cold and mess of snow and ice. Cheers.

[@andregroenewalt8026]

Biggest pro is to be able to ride much further (and experience and see much more) during a ride. This is particularly a big benefit if the rider has access to many miles of trails. Another big benefit is that it enables a rider to to ride very steep technical trails or fire roads which are only meant for pros or may even be impossible to ride on normal bikes due to the steep gradients of 23% plus. Biggest down side is wanting to pass other riders on non e-bikes on single track trails - I always feel guilty and apologetic!

[@donnieraby148]

Nice run down........I bought an e-Bike ( physically limited ) and it absolutely inspired me to buy a very nice mountaine bike.

[@jeffriley2502]

Clint, I think you tried to do a fair assessment. That being said, So many factors still come into play. As far as the people not getting as good a work out that's user subjective. For Example I'm 62 years old, i have lost 80 lbs from 250 to 170. Both diet and exercise. Ebike has definitely added to my success. I do a hike and bike with a very fit friend. We hike 7.5 miles in the hills by his house. The we do 2 17 plus or minus ebike rides at 2800 plus elevation gain each, a totalof around ft 7000 totalfor the day. My heart rate is extremely high for my age at a 152 to 157 averages on the bike. I sweat profusely. It's all about personal choice of level. Other issues in the negative are far out weighted by the positives. The fun factor and motivation alone is like nothing else. Love both E and non E. They are here to stay and hopefully only add to the fun and health of our fat sick society. God Bless!

[@ClintGibbs]

Thanks for the post, and congratulations on your weight loss and fitness gains. Really, that is pretty awesome. Yeah, I guess coming from the perspective of cycling for so many years I forget that just getting out and moving is so important for so many people. Thanks for taking the time to share a little bit of your story. Keep it up!

[@michaeldevries2482]

I appreciate your analysis and it seems to me that the pros far outweigh the cons. The riders concerned with the physical aspects of riding aren't in this market anyway. good vid!

[@Antidoton]

After over 40 years riding health reasons stopped it. Electric bikes started it again I went from bed to bike and even the body movement from the tricky sections has strengthened my arms. Running a high cadence just has to be better than an exercise machine . It's still a workout on any level for me.

[@bernsense]

Another way to remedy the backward spinning issue is to put an object like a screwdriver or similar in one of the holes of the front chainring to spin it together with the pedals

[@jasonprfrost1]

Thats Clint perfect for me !

[@superelectic45]

For me the main attraction of riding a normal non e-bike is it's simplicity and ease of maintenance. You also feel an extension of it - you get out what you put in. I see e-bikes as an overlap between a bicycle and a car. It extends a bikes range and flattens out hills so can be used for errands where I'd normally drive, (weather permitting). With fuel prices going ever higher I can see more people moving to e-bikes and hopefully battery technology will improve as 2-4 years battery life isn't as good as it should be.

[@drcoolit]

Excellent presentation. You are a good speaker and project well. Well organized, thorough and logical. This was a very interesting video to watch. I do not have an e-bike of any kind but I DO think about converting some of my bikes to a mid-drive system. At least one advantage of that is if I want to bring the bike back to its original form, that's possible. Having a "chameleon" capability like that allows one more freedom but also you are dealing w/ a bike you're already familiar with. Especially w/ mid-drive conversions, the handling etc. might not be THAT much different after the conversion as it was prior to it. I suppose that one of the things you could have included in this video was the "pro/con" for conversions but perhaps you have a video already that touches on that subject.

[@CT37BN]

Shorter drivetrain wear and novice riders easily riding e-bikes at full speeds are really great points to take in mind. Top tips, real honest facts there. Am just starting to get back with cycling and I really wanted to get and experience one myself but the e-bike/s I was after were all priced astronomically, like 3-4 times higher if I bought a similar spec one w/out the e-motor.

[@stevenleslie8557]

On the price point, I've seen many top end acoustic mtbs going for $10,000 +. On the flip side, I just bought a decent low end mid-drive e-mtb for $2,500. I have the option of upgrading components, of course, but when I do it's not going to be any where near 10K. So the price issue is becoming less of an issue and fast.

[@paterjo8561]

Thanks, very good balanced review. I was worried that I would slack off and lose fitness if I got an ebike and now hear some confirmation of my concern. But ebikes sure seem like a lot of fun

[@ahighervibe4086]

I find it to be quite the opposite! If you have actual mountains to ride, the uphills are still quite challenging and you'll still be sucking wind at the top! With an emtb you get more of these uphills, and therefore sucking more wind so to speak!

[@bradbell4055]

Got a new ebike for Christmas verve2+and I've had a new regular verve 2 since August and a Marlin 6 since May when I ride as hard as I can in the highest gear in can use I do the same with te ebike I'm still getting agood workout for my muscles and longer for my cardio I also have congestive heart failure both my legs broke about 2inches under my knees when a woman in a van hit me head on my motorcycle and I'm turning 65 in a couple months also had my hip and pelvis broke in 6 places 9 ribs and more but still ride my other bikes the good thing about the my buddies like it when I'm on the ebike I can keep up I can go places in couldn't before but I feel better riding my other 2 bikes I don't feel handylcaped even though I am okay he in better shape some day but never great but made a noticable difference since April good video Clint

[@karolmotala]

Great review :-) One comment on trail access: In Europe (or at least in the European Union) they made it quite simple: if your bicycle has an electric motor of 250W or less, the motor is activated only while pedaling and has a cut-off at 25km/h then it is still a bicycle (e-bike). Anything that exceeds those limitations is considered to be a "small motorcycle" (moped, scooter, etc.) and needs to have a license plate, road insurance, motor cut-off at 45km/h and you have to wear a certified helmet (bicycle helmet is not allowed on them). Thanks to that clear definition, a standard e-mtb is still allowed on mountain trails, both mtb-dedicated and those opened for general public (mtb-ers, hikers, etc.). As for the ecology: 5-year old cheap laptop - 6 battery cells 504W e-mtb battery pack - 40 battery cells Tesla model S 85kW - 7104 battery cells (equivalent of 177 e-bikes) All three use the same size Panasonic 18650 cells. And that's only the batteries - not to mention the aluminum used to manufacture the bike or the car... So the best would be to keep your 20-year old perfectly running car to shuttle you 10-year old bike to the trails to reduce pollution :-) P.S. I own an e-bike and I love it.

[@chrisdavis837]

In the U.S., many states have adapted the EU definitions. However, federal lands are managed by many different agencies/departments in the U.S. Not every agency/department follows the state laws for ebikes or even the federal trade commissions definition of ebikes.

[@MrHoustonismydog]

Great review. I agree with almost everything. I have an e-bike and a gravel bike. I bought my wife an e-bike and we ride together, wouldn’t have happened otherwise. I also ride my e-bike to pickleball and play for 3 hours, I drove before. I ride my gravel bike for workout and only go on trails with my gravel bike.

[@domaves4043]

Not long turned 50. I will buy one when I can't grind up the steep stuff. P.s. I also have a Honda VFR 800, I don't take the around my local trails.

[@mancello]

Another big potential con is will you even be able to buy a replacement battery in the future for your e-bike. No guarantee you'll be able to do so. Even though expensive it might make sense to buy a second battery when buying the e-bike.

[@rrich52806]

Batteries Plus can rebuild them..

[@chrisdavis837]

Bosch and Brose are both EU companies - German I believe. Under EU consumer laws, they have to provide 10 years part support for any major product line. That's why companies like Trek and Specialized tend to go with them for E-Bikes vice Chinese companies like Bafang

[@emtbtrailrider539]

overseas they got companies who can rebuild motors and also rebuild batteries, the same will happen here

[@leerjet18]

There are battery rebuilding companies already in the USA, and more will be opening up in the future I'm sure.

[@reapersolo7134]

Great video Clint - love to hear your objective approach to things. What is your view on Strava Segments and eMTB/eRoad bikes. Should these be put together with non ebikes or separated out? Does it even matter?

[@ClintGibbs]

They need to be separate for sure.

[@cassysamel3914]

I ride both MTB and Emtb. Pro is I can fit my rides into a tight schedule: before work, late in the evening for short periods of time. If I did that on a regular MTB, the mileage wouldn't be satisfying enough. A con is they're damn expensive!

[@byronswogger]

On fitness it's all about discipline. As a general rule I never ride in turbo except for super steep hills you would usually walk up on a manual bike. That way I maintain my heart rate, my fitness, but I still get more quantity miles in than a manual bike. And on lubing the chain you put an allen wrench in the chain ring allen bolts, then when you pedal back it hits the wrench and drives the chain backwards!

[@pilotleader]

Well done! Yes, you touched on some things that are important - Two major negatives of e-bikes - Not all riding regions and pathways allow e-bikes like traditional bikes. Some bike parks in my area outright ban them which restrict the e-bike owner of ride options. Additionally, some traditional loop trails that favor a direction, for example, because of a downhill, become two-way creating the potential for significant trail accidents. On the positive - I'm getting up in age and e-bikes will stretch out my ability to ride.

[@emtbtrailrider539]

@MontalbanJR we just hope u get banned

[@dakkedankos4116]

Ebiker here, and I completely agree.

[@rangersmith4652]

At 61, I've got an e-bike inbound after trying one out for about 15 minutes. It's going to allow me to actually enjoy getting back to a fitness level that allows me to do justice to my conventional road bikes that have been languishing. One of the first things I will do is disconnect the throttle. As for trail and path access, we just need to stop using the broad-brush term "motorized." Simply make the wording for trail/path restrictions specific: problem solved.

[@zwingler]

The biggest con i noticed with ebikes was the weight, not throwing it around but the bike being thrown when you crash, there is almost no chance to crash an ebike without breaking something, those things are heavy, i had bent cranks, pedals, handlebars, painchips everywhere and several cables being ripped off. So if you think its hard to affort one, good luck afforting maintenance.

[@billstempek4364]

Good post. Seventy years old. Not an Olympian. Commute 15 miles to work over badass roads. A fifty pound bike is work in eco or tour modes. Everyone has 'off' days. I still make it to work in sport or turbo. Also do groceries with backpack and trunk bag. Game changer for me.

[@ClintGibbs]

Inspirational!

[@godismeme272]

8:13 This is true also with the electric longboards. I've ridden one for years and I noticed after a while my overall pushing fitness went down. And it's not fun to push a heavier longboard. This is why I refuse to go electric on an MTB until absolutely necessary.

[@joeg7755]

You do realise that you can reduce the amount of assist or even turn it off for a period of time. That is what I do and I can get same workout in shorter distances or longer depending on amount of assist I choose. Mine is turned off 60% of my rides, a real workout when the eMTB is that much heavier that the standard MTB.

[@993mike]

I love my ebike. A good buddy of mine and I both bought Levo S-Works bikes last year, and the great thing is when we ride with his son and mine (both in their 20's) we all keep a good pace together, rather than it gapping into two young guys and two old guys that meet down the trail. To keep the fitness up we typically are in Eco mode about 95% of the time, only going higher if we absolutely need to

[@dimitrieanton7290]

when i saw 125 bucks for that ramp, i never felt so poor

[@OSUHARDING1ATECHNICEXPERIENCE]

It’s funny, one of your cons is one of the pros for me. I ride an ebike cause I have so many other life commitments that I can get a ride in 1.5 hrs on the ebike instead of the 3-4 hrs it takes on my regular bike.

[@richardharker2775]

All true Clint. I'm conflicted with the trail degradation issue though. If you're riding pedal assist you will put more torque into the rear wheel and cause arguably little extra degradation. But riders are already going up and down the trails that are already there which will degrade over time anyway. I have seen and witnessed a large percentage of riders who value these trails and are always willing to form groups and maintain them. Arguments against ebikes may be aimed at non pedal assist or or just emotional individuals not wanting change. I'm in the wanting an ebike camp and enjoy riding my wife's ebike. After watching this I better get to my ebike shop and finally take a good look.

[@davidyoung2081]

In Michigan E-bikes are not supposed to be on trails marked bikes only but some people ignore this and they closed a section of trail last summer. Hopefully this does not become an issue.

[@Havale90]

Does anyone know how many miles you can get out of one battery? i know it depends on the ride and more things. Im riding a mtb now to got to my work but noticed ive got some knee problems so im thinking to buy a E-mtb..

[@VadikRamm]

Good informational video for the most part. The only things that I disagree with is 4:16. eMTB are not motorcycles; Department of transportation of United States does not recognize mid drive units as motors, for the very reason that they are not capable of self propelling. Reason for which you are not required to have license to operate it. Only the fact that you are initially required to pedal your eMTB makes is fundamentally different from a motorized vehicle.

[@mikerbwind]

Your focus is clearly on fitness whereas for most mtb bikers the focus is FUN. If you have hilly terrain technical climbing is hard work and impossible on an analogue bike. Tech downhill also gives a good workout. So with the right terrain you have fun and also get a workout...and it is not just quads!

[@markquest6047]

I'm glad that ebikes exist for those who have health issues, for recovery rides, or so families/friends with varied skill levels can ride together. But now that nearly half of the people on my local hills have ebikes it is concerning. And with these increased numbers it is abundantly clear that many people ride ebikes for reasons other than health problems. And to be fair, that's fine. I have three thoughts concerning ebikes: 1. Few (new riders) have the bike-handling skills to ride at ebike speeds around hikers, trail runners, and equestrians. Airlift rescues have gone up around here because everyone got a Christmas COVID bike (electric or not). All mountain biking takes skill. Speeding it up as a beginner seems like a liability that we'll all pay for at some point. 2. Speaking of liability, Clint said, that he sees ebikes as motorcycles. Regardless of your (or my) thoughts, the Electric dirt bike is now in the hills. They are coming fast to a trail near you. They weigh around 100lbs, go 30 to 50mph, are silent, have a throttle and no pedals, and these riders have no clue what the difference between an up trail and a down trail is because of ignorance, or they are avoiding the police. While these electric dirt bikes are NOT your fault, they will draw a lot of unwanted attention, more rules, limitations, and very possibly the banning of any "motorized" vehicles. You might want to politely ask them to leave when you see them. 3. If you're on Strava, great! But don't poach data from people who have earned it. Set up your Strava to ebike. Cheers and Mahalo!

[@onebackzach]

The whole trail access and vehicle classification thing is a big issue that should be addressed. We really should move towards a standardized classification system similar to what California has. Of course with trails and conservation, there has to be some easy to understand rules that distinguish between types of bikes so that you don't end up with people riding electric motorcross bikes on mtb trails. Also it poses a problem in bike paths/lanes and recreation paths for safety and accessibility reasons. Basically there needs to be a distinction between non-motorized bikes, e-bikes, and electric mopeds/motorcycles.