XC Bike VS eBike | Athlete's Effort Compared

[@krazyjey]

I never get on my MTB for fitness or exercise but for Fun. However on my Emtb , I became an animal , riding like i am 17 and stopping only cause the battery is exhausted and me too. i am 53 years young.

[@ManchurianCounterweight]

exactly

[@lozetchells9164]

Snap. EMTBs make me want to get out there constantly.

[@kevinhart1667]

Im the same at 50 years ..i ride more often and for longer on my eeb

[@thecyclesaint]

Same. I'm 52 and riding harder and more often since purchasing my eMTB.

[@OldBeanMTB]

Yes sending more than ever at 54.

[@ken46120]

I am not lazy but I do have disabilities which severely limit my climbing ability. I just ordered an ebike to keep up with my expert level wife and son. I saved 5 years.

[@gavinmeikle4676]

Well done mate, by the way, you don't need to justify anything as to why you're getting an ebike. They are great fun, enjoy 😉

[@gatonero6261]

Same here, mate. After a severe heart surgery I switched to a Scott eGenius and it blew my mind....not my heart. Stay safe and keep Rock'n'Rollin'. 🤜🏾🤛🏾

[@rickywoods3101]

​@@gavinmeikle4676ya , I have an e-bike and I'm in really good shape . Sometimes I get a better workout in the e-bike opposed to my Enduro bike but you can for sure be lazy on a e-bikes if you want too.

[@michaeloeser]

It simply proofs what should be obvious: eMTBs are simply modern, state of the art, training machines if you allow them to be. And they are fun. And they are comfy. And they enable things you neve thought are possible. And so much more. Love 'em.

[@АнтонАлексеенко_044]

They sure can be. Maybe 1% of riders uses them as training machines. I'm being generous with 1%.

[@lozetchells9164]

100% on the fun though. That's what the haters miss. EMTB are so much more fun.

[@FIGHTTHECABLE]

I can climb hill inclines I could never do before, cause I can keep the torque up on the wheel. I also have less front wheel lift. But only if not too mudy

[@evveeess925]

I love my motorcycle. I can go 160km/h, ride 10x further than i can on my regular bike and its sooo much fun!

[@FIGHTTHECABLE]

@@evveeess925 only 160km/h?

[@davec1179]

E bikes change miles to smiles. I’m 77 and my ebike takes me to places I thought I would never get to again

[@Biffo1262]

Absolutely. As a 76 year old disabled rider with heart failure I would simply die as a couch potato if it weren't for my Ebike. If it does kill me so be it but at least I am achieving something and enjoying every minute of it.

[@peterb8500]

I’m fitter since I got an emtb coz I ride longer and more often because you get more fun, not in zone 5 as much which is no bad thing.

[@worldstallestmidget]

Like I tell people all the time. You can make an e bike ride as easy or as hard as you want!

[@Megabear90]

Exactly. On days I don't feel like giving it all (and honestly wouldn't even think about getting on a normal bike!) I just crank up the assist. That usually gets my blood pumping and motivates me to give it more effort, go longer and do more laps. Conversely it gets me home when I'm worn out from going down my favorite trails countleys times. Nothing worse than having to go 20+ kms if your legs are shot.

[@roddas26]

Classic to see how competitive Jones still is 😁

[@JohnFarnhill]

I don't have an emtb, but I do find it sad that people are almost apologetic & excusing themselves for having one. Whatever reason you have for having one is good enough!! I work part time in a bike shop & hear so many reasons why people want one, getting to work less sweaty, saving fuel, to keep up with the kids, being able to go further in the time they have or just to make it easier on the trails. There will always be haters who recon it's just lazy, that's what I tell my ebike friends, but getting people on bikes is all that maters. Keep up the good work.

[@tobyehillier]

Having ridden my Orbea Wild with some seriously fit XC Guys, I can tell you it's hard work. 43km 1600m elevation in 2hrs and 20 mins using mostly tour+ mode and it was hard going to keep up and I had only one bar of battery left. I literally only ride emtb now when I'm with lads I know I can't keep up with on the regular bikes, or with the fun gang just out for the craic on emtbs who stop for chats all the time. The real guys just keep grinding

[@The.JZA.]

I’ve been e-biking for a couple of years now and I agree that you can get a really good cardio workout on an e-bike but I have definitely lost muscle mass in my legs. By the end of a season I used to have huge quads but now at the end of a season, even doing more kilometres, my quads aren’t anywhere near as strong as they used to be. In some ways I wish I never bought an e-bike but on the other hand I also love my e-bike.

[@uraishahmad3695]

I am waiting for my first ever ebike and I always thought if I ever wanted a workout. I would just switch off the motor and get the workout.

[@The.JZA.]

@@uraishahmad3695 Haha while that’s possible in theory, it’s hard to do in practice because the power is addictive. The best thing to do is find a hill and ride up it.

[@SlikkTim]

@@The.JZA. Turning off the assist leaves you with a 25kg monster that's horrible to pedal.

[@The.JZA.]

@@SlikkTim Agreed!

[@jeanmarc_in_Hudson]

Eco mode will get your quads back 😉

[@MTBPerspective]

Last fall I used my Giant Trance X E+ in my first eMTB race. I was utterly spent and then tired/sore for the better part of the following week. Using an eMTB at full power (20 mph usa version) adding your own full power made for a brutal 15 miles. I used to race marathon XC and was rarely that tired/sore after 3-4hr efforts. Upper body takes a lot more effort to control that much more bike at sustained higher speeds.

[@dadventuretv2538]

Glad to hear this honest report. I’m a pretty strong guy but day after I ride my 53 lb Oso hard like I do, especially if it involves jumps and drops and such, and I can really feel it in my upper body, especially shoulders, neck and back. Was beginning to wonder if I was becoming soft. Lol.

[@danrobinson5519]

I couldn’t agree more!

[@matthewgary1192]

My findings are similar. I competed in many XC races. Now I have Yamaha 07 and it’s awesome to ride. My heart rate can be controlled with the different power assist levels. For a 62 yo rider this is important and helps me to keep riding and stay fit. Fun and informative video, good show!

[@notme-kc3pq]

I find this stuff hilarious and fascinating as it is the opposite of what I do. I have an emtb because for the same effort level I get to ride for longer and further. So more laps of verderers and freeminers. For me it is about fun and the fitness is a happy side effect. I have structured fitness at the gym.

[@LooneyFarmGuy]

Me as well , I can go farther and much longer that ever before . A longer sustained ride and more enjoyable , and if I hit a bad head wind i don't have to walk home 😂

[@moosicman101]

their chemistry is excellent! please put them together more. rich has the guts to reel in steve’s unhinged comments.

[@richardpayne5176]

HA HA HA it’s like going fishing for a swordfish….. your always gonna get a fight but eventually you feel them in 😂

[@dadventuretv2538]

I like to ride the way Rich just did- as fast as possible, all the time. It is so much fun ripping singletrack as fast as possible on an emtb. That has been, for me, the biggest eye opener of emtbs- if you’re a speed addict these things are a godsend- all fast, all the time. Especially on a full fat.

[@_Jake.From.Statefarm_]

Can you do this same thing with an Enduro bike vs an SL on some all mountain loops? Where it's not just a pedal fest and you can't just chill because the trail wont let you.

[@jesuisFORTIO]

its all about how you setup your assist, in my trance x e + 2 ive set up the first lever of assist to just make the bike feel like isnt 25kg. I wasnt a big fan of ebikes before being gifted this bike and now i just love it. I only suffer if i want to.

[@JamieHamelSmith]

I did this on my Fluid VLT as well. The lowest assist mode just makes it feel like a regular bike; that's how I ride it most of the time. When I'm getting too tired, I use the assist modes so I can keep going.

[@tahosrfr]

The numbers make sense for that kind of rider (avid, semi pro, extremely fit) I would like to see this same test done with somebody who’s maybe more of a weekend warrior average mountain biker guy. I bet the numbers would be more of a contrast. Also see what kind of Calorie burn is occurring. Good Stuff tnx!

[@oettam20]

I usually ride XC bike during the week and a full power Rocky Mountain on the long enduro ride of the Saturday. My AVG heart rate is higher on the eMTB but the peaks are higher on the XC. XC is about muscular power, eMTB is more about the aerobic capacity with less leg power but with much higher cadence and more effort ( and fun ) going downhill.

[@Rowdyness11]

Great content lads!! YES... 'would love to see it again on clear course (if at all possible...?) & sectors!!! 'Love it!

[@Magoo71]

Rich and Stevie get on in a funny manner! I really enjoying watching them....and listening to their banter !!!

[@matthewwheatley4740]

A key variable left unmeasured in these comparisons is FUN. All else equal (including fitness)I have WAY MORE FUN on my emtb. If you do similar comparisons in the future, get a junior statistician involved to compare the means and variances. Whoot!

[@raphaelwolff8205]

Very interesting stats when you break it all down.Great effort by you both.May get an emtb in the future.

[@darrenleslie7710]

I didva similar test. A 90min time trial around the NZ National XC course at Halswell Quarry in Christchurch, using my Trek Rail and Trek Top Fuel. On the Rail I managed 4 laps (20km) and on the Top Fuel I managed 3 laps (15km). What was especially interesting to me was that BOTH rides were achieved with an identical Average HR of 170BPM. So both rides (bikes) were equally effective workouts. 🤓👍

[@zacbaca6127]

What assistance mode on the rail?

[@MrAndrew2509]

I train on my Specialized Creo, to keep fit for my Kenevo sl. I've been training like this on e-bikes since 2016. I find it lets me train harder for longer in your zone. When you would normally start to struggle to hold your zone on a regular bike, that wee motor just lets you hang there on your e-bike.

[@rogerquenault7207]

Great video as always and very interesting, as others have mentioned I don’t have the health to ride an analogue bike any more so having an EMTB still gives me a workout that I would not get.

[@beardedraleigh1649]

Another great video this morning.

[@lozetchells9164]

Interesting point about the cadence. I ride mainly long treks on my full fat emtb and I tend to stick between 90 and 100rpm and it just feels natural for me and for my motor, and it's great for fitness. Goes without saying that you can be lazy on an EMTB and not put in the effort if that's what you want. However, I'm type 1 diabetic and quite often bike at lunchtime just to get my insulin working. My continuous glucose monitor shows me graphically something that most people will never realise: you're doing your body SO much good just by getting out there and doing some sustained exercise, however intense or easy. The way even a non diabetic's body uses insulin to lower your blood sugar is transformed, which does you a power of good.

[@nigellaver1]

This video is GREAT. THANK YOU for making it. In South Africa there is still such a stigmatism against emtb. Mostly the price which creates all the bad opinions. I've ridden an ebike as fast as I could for 4+hrs till the battery ran out as a test for a stage race once. I had the best time for all of those hours. As a 50 year marathon, xco and road top 10 contender, if I could afford one NOW I'd go and train and race with the elites just for the fun of it. Sadly in our country some race organisers are still putting ebikes in their own start pens or not allowing them to enter. It would be awesome if we could just let rip with the unassisted bikes. Viva emtb, VIVA!

[@InfiniteMishaps]

I use the lowest level of assist or no assist in some cases when I ride with a group of Regular Mtbs (Amish Mtb) on Sundays. Even when I turn the assist off I sometimes can pull ahead. I think it is a result of the extra ebike weight rolling faster in and out of downhill sections. Ppl ask me why I ride an ebike with the lowest level of assist or no assist. It's not because I am lazy. I still maintain a high heart rate in the 160s. I just have a knee who likes to complain if I dole out too much stress on a climb back to back. Its funny to me that ppl think riding an ebike = laziness. Sure its possible, but you can be lazy or crazy on any type of Mtb.

[@marcopaganotto9125]

You're limited to 15mph and nobody rides past the limiter, so naturally the speeds posted by 2 different riders will be very similar. Ultimately the industry needs to stop the magnetic brake feeling at the limit point, if there was no resistance after the limit, it would transform the emtb completely.

[@LooneyFarmGuy]

It is like hitting a very strong head wind when you hit the limiter 😡 You can't even take advantage of a down slope . It can be discoraging to try to push yourself when you know you are going to hit that wall 🫤

[@streddaz]

I regularly ride past the limit on my Levo SL, even uphill. You hardly notice and drag.

[@LooneyFarmGuy]

@@streddaz Interesting , those must have a different system than the Giant 🤔

[@streddaz]

@@LooneyFarmGuy I can ride mine like a normal bike with zero assistance. It’s just like a heavy bike. I’ve ridden a Trek EXe and that’s very similar.

[@LooneyFarmGuy]

@@streddaz Interesting 🧐

[@RobHill00]

I’ve done that lap on a Kenevo SL, 35nm version in around 29 minutes can’t remember if I had any traffic but I was going as fast as I could, going to try it on my full fat tomorrow and see how it compares?🤔 thinking traffic might be an issue😂

[@bigglesrsvr]

As has been shown it depends on the rider, his or her capabilities and desire to work, cruise or chill. I bought a Fuel EXE last November a mid assist 50nm TQ Motor. My other bike is a Scott Spark RC XC bike which is a rocket. My ride last Sunday on the e-bike was at a rapid rate and I got a great workout but not as hard as had I done the same on the Spark. But the e-bike is brilliant, I climb trails I only used to come down and now rather than thinking I had better pace myself, on the Trek as I only use the first assist level 90% of the time I have yet to use up all the battery. At Afan on the Trek in Jan I came back with 6% left, BPW earlier this Month (no uplift) came back with 4%. So it’s horses for courses but as I am 73 it’s like having 20 year younger legs on the Trek.

[@Plasmo20]

Ive an Orbea Rise 2022 and with the ride group that includes analogue riders, I turn off the motor and just use it as an MTB. When I chase the full fat emtbs in the bunch, I'm chasing hard and flat out. The full fats jump up to trail speed faster that mine, but I then catch them up in the agile sections and tighter sections. What I dislike is when loading and unloading the bike to/from the van as the succer is heavy (i'm 60+ and muscle mass is wasting away these days) and all that prep work. Also what I hate is the depreciation of an eMTB. Last weeks bike is old tech and so is largely worthless in the used market, I cannot sell the Rise because I wont stomach the $$ loss.

[@lsugimoto8361]

I ride about 75% manual vs 25% eMTBs. I can get similar cardio workouts on both but can not get near similar leg workouts on an eMTB. I mostly ride in Tour mode, rarely eMTB and never in turbo. .

[@22Jeffers]

I’d stick my neck out and say most people buy emtb’s because of the assist to make the effort easier in a ride. Getting more runs in or going further is a by product bonus.

[@FamilymoirGoogleAccount]

Rich mentioned the key words here... "mindset" and "attack", and Steve mentioned "unhinged". Bottom line is that you can push just as hard on an eMtb as a normal mtb, simple as that (I've raced both). A few years back I did a 4-Hour XC race (a loop similar in skill level this one)... I was 63 years old then and my average heart rate was 156bpm and spent 61.5% in Zone 3 (140-157) and 37.2% in Zone 4 (157-174). I pushed very hard, same as I would racing a normal mtb. It's all in the head and it's about the effort you want to put in (or not)... not the bike.

[@Meesamitch]

I am lucky enough to have both a emtb and a regular mtb. I found that doing a as the same 10k loop of my local track my heart rate hits essentially the same I burn 100 less calories on the ebike but get the ride done about 9 mins faster. Fitness gains are definitely possible on an ebike if you want it but it is definitely a choice/ mindset you have to make/ have at the start. You put it in eco mode and send it

[@shaneweightman]

I’m an old knackered twat , who has had 2 heart attacks , sadly can’t afford a emtb at the minute so ride a normal hardtail , in the future I intend buying a hardtail mid drive , mainly to help me with the hills, on beta blockers as well as other meds so my heart rate is 120 max flat out steaming like a train , great video cheers shane uk 🇬🇧

[@endurorideraja6766]

I've been riding my Bronson for quite a while now, and just a few weeks ago i got a trek rail 9.8, and I still get my workout as usual, but i'm feeling it more in my upper body and my legs aren't being gasses out after 7 hill climbs to the top, which is nice. I still have to catch my breath at times because i like to do a lot of trails quickly so i do a lot of go go go and not stop until i need to get a drink and some air Lol. Now my trek is my daily ride and my bronson is my, go out for a quick fun session, ride.

[@chrisrawlings8548]

Excellent topic, please do a follow up and as you say ‘ take the breakdowns stats further’.

[@rayruben]

Love this vid. Dispelling the mis-information. I love my ebike, more laps and miles = more fun. What Garmin watches you guys running?

[@callumjohnson9433]

A message for Steve hope all is well. I recently been looking at the Orange MsIsle pro. I think it looks great, I do love a hard-core hardtail and to see one that is also an ebike is so appealing. I know your a full suspension guy but I'd love to see you on the show riding one of these and giving your thoughts on it. there is litrally no content on KZbin that I can find atleast of this bike.

[@rondavis3232]

60 yr old who just ordered an emtb. I have never ridden one. Glad I will still get a good workout, but now I'm nervous that I STILL won't be able to keep up with my crew!

[@richardpayne5176]

Nice one dude and don’t worry you definitely will, I went absolutely flat out in this and it’s not a full power Ebike so reckon you’ll be absolutely fine

[@MotorSagla-k5f]

I've got a YT Capra and a Decoy MX. My experience on the E-Bike is having more heartrate and less legpower than with the conventional Capra. I like both!😊 Bye the way, I'm so sorry always seeing you riding in muddy and often rain. The British climate is a big dis advantige.

[@haba_15]

Takes me 60 minutes to do that trail on an xc mtb, great fun. You can find zone 6 in most A&E departments 😂

[@gatonero6261]

You've stated what I say to every hater: Ebikes don't pedal themselves! 😄

[@Biffo1262]

I reckon I put more effort into riding my Ebike than I did my normal road bike because I do spend a lot of time 15mph +. The only reason I have the ebike is for mine and also my wife's peace of mind as I am in heart failure and I cannot walk unaided due to nerve damage from spinal injury. I need to be able to get home if one of my regular spasms hits me plus I am very unstable when stopping and starting so I use that initial push from the motor to overcome the instability. Once moving I can push myself as hard as I feel comfortable doing. I simply would not be cycling at all without my Ebike so I believe it is quite literally a life saver.

[@MTBEAST007]

Funnily enough 100% effort is 100% effort on any bike, it's just you are faster on an eeb.

[@helicopter12345678]

I use my Mondraker Crafty XR to do training runs I ride it without power and measure my power output so I can improve on my analogue bike 😅 I would love to see Rich ride an ebike with and without a battery in the bike (be great comparison) for those people who are always worried about running out of power Arthur

[@shellparsley5799]

I've got a Cube Hybrid Action Team 140 emtb and a Trek Full Stache, both insane bicycles but the Cube is more fun.

[@JohnRushworth]

I’ve said it since the beginning. It doesn’t matter what you ride, same effort in same HR Zones on either is same calories burned. In fact you should have quoted them.

[@WaechterDerNacht]

Rich Pine - what a tree of a man! I understood "Rich Pie" though... ...i guess that would be a macabre version of a sausage pie ^^

[@LeaBrattle-parker-pp5sf]

Great video guys thank you. I will be referring all the nay sayers to this episode. Well done to both of you for going balls out and burying yourselves to do that. I've found since owning my ebike I e come back from rides way more tired than on my analogue bike. Once again well done

[@jmo2752]

I think Rich's comment at the end is key - range is always going to limited if you're going flat out in turbo mode doing laps of a bike-park... I think a far more realistic test would be a proper 3 hour mixed terrain ride, with plenty of sustained climbing (with some significant elevation change) to see how much of a workout you actually get compared to a regular bike?

[@Jcool721]

Thanks, it was a great video! Sure, riding an eMTB requires a different mindset. If you want more fitness, that's entirely up to you! Not the bike at all. That's the excellence of using e-modes! In my experience, I would say an eMTB offers more options for me. It's like more freedom! My thinking is shifted from: "I can't do, it's not possible" to "oh my gosh, what a ride!". It's like night and day difference. Don't get the wrong idea in here, all the misery and pain is still welcome. It's not a bike, they are just bikes and they offer different riding experiences. Good advice for everyone, go and make it your own thing, whatever it is, enjoy it! It's not a bike, it's a Mindset! Haters will hate, lovers will love. I stay with lovers :-) Love and peace, LOL.

[@CeciliaCykelmartin]

To easy tracks really, more like BMX tracks. You dont need a full sus to ride such lines. fun comparement between the bikes, I always have a heavier work on my emtb than my ordinary XC and trail - but I drive my emtb in just 2/5 bars .

[@dadventuretv2538]

I think two reasons why he is so much faster on an emtb: 1. Not as spent from those Zone 5 climbs 2. Geo and bike in general is better for decending than an XC machine. Just my 2 cents.

[@helicopter12345678]

Arthur again... whioe your soing comparison for ebike try with and without battery especially of removable on light or full power now that would throw a few spanner's in the works. Like the way you're thinking out of the bix guys 👍🤛

[@richardmorrall7531]

I just want to know which centre this was filmed at? Great and informative vid though #❤ Orange phase pro

[@PhilosoFox]

I bought an AM e-bike, thinking I would have more fun with it when riding together with my girlfriend, who would naturally need an e-bike to keep up with me. Then she detested the idea of her needing support and bought a barely used 12k€ DC mtb without support for dirt cheap. Guess who is now driving my ebike and granting me the opportunity to get the same workouts out of an ultra light weight DC? You name it. By the way, it's no problem to reach my limits with both machines under similar circumstances with similar results, since my e-bike packs almost three times the weight of her weight weenie world cup racerz. At least if support is on eco it's a close call between both.

[@johnorourke3495]

E bikes are awsome , things happen much faster and elevat the excitement level. When riding an E bike. your moving at a more rapid pace, coming into corners faster, braking harder and exiting faster pushing your skills to a higher level . Hills are no longer a struggle and breaking momentum is no longer a hassel because that little bit of boost is everything. You hold a more steady and elevated heart rate. 60 years old and rocking it . Giant Stance E + 2.

[@Shawn-in-da-Canyon]

I put out the same amount of effort, whether I’m riding a mountain bike or an e-mountain bike. I just go faster, harder, longer and have more fun on the e-mountain bike.

[@Chops00]

On my dirt bike I could smoke both of these bikes around that track. So the real question is… where does this leave E mountain bikes? lol, so stupid

[@richardpayne5176]

🤣🤣 Fair comment, i reckon i could put a quicker time in aswell on my 350sxf...... i'll ask the trail entre if i can have a go lol

[@redbomberr4594]

When I first got my eMTB I just peddled along using the motor mainly to keep me motoring along. However, recently I've been riding with eEnduro racers and have found that on the flats/semi-flats to keep up I have to be above the limiter most of the time. The motor is used to increase acceleration from corners & slow sections and maintain speed up hills. It's bloody hard work on an eMTB and on flatter rides its way quicker on an XC bike.

[@simonr23]

i'm as fit as a jam donut these days. my heart rate gets up plenty high enough while riding at a 'fast pace' on my emtb on turbo mode. same for lactic acid in my legs. tubes and inserts, plus a toddler on their own seat arent helping things. hills feel like im on an anolgue bike when riding like this and not just coasting. ebikes are amazing. they can be easy and slow, or hard and fast, and anywhere in between.

[@kingrat738]

Like both have shown... you have more fun on an emtb 😜

[@stug45]

Low assist or off for training days, higher assist for recovery days. Ride everyday!

[@MyBetsie]

Interesting stats. The HR zones were strange, were they apple zones? Normally (Garmin). Z1,2 is below LT1, 3,4 is below LT2 and 5,6,7 above LT2. The fitter you are the more power you can generate below LT1 and you won't go into those top zones. Yesterday's xc saw riders at 145,150bmp whilst going hard and they are trained xc athletes. I ride my eeb like I stole it, a battery lasts 1 hour maybe 1h20 tops in full turbo. Great for smashing out laps, but when I want the most fun on the descents. I still push my DH bike up or take out my regular bike.

[@richardpayne5176]

Hey bud, these were Garmin HR zones. I used a Garmin 840 Solar head unit paired to a HRM Pro plus strap. I can guarantee that the riders in yesterday's world cup xc race will be averaging around the 170's without a doubt, sadly i think at the mo the metrics are'nt too reliable at the races but i know there working on it

[@MyBetsie]

@@richardpayne5176 It will be interesting to see where the riders actually sit over the reported data. The XC and the DH have been pretty consistent with the HR's reported from Bruni riding flat out with a pretty low HR compared to what people might think, although his HR isnt far off what I get if calibrating for age on a race run, I am just on the track for a much longer time!!! I could see his HR being pretty accurate. Yesterday was about managing heat I think for the riders, I imagine most of them were keeping a close eye on their effort and HR. The last lap would have seen some pretty high HR's when they were full gas.

[@tobyehillier]

You always talk about heart rates but I was getting up into Z5 no bothers on the eeber going downhill and when I went back onto the Amish hardtail ( Orbea Alma M50) it took me ages to get out of Z2 climbing. I had to train like a navvy with Johnny to build the leg endurance to be able to push out of Z2. After 6 months of training in the gym I can make Z4 and 5 while climbing. I'm 53 and I've a resting heart rate of 48. I just think it's a bit ebike gay to be judging your fitness on your heart rate

[@The.JZA.]

Most e-bikers don’t ride everywhere on turbo so I feel like this test would have been more relevant if you used tour or whatever the equivalent is on that bike.

[@JackOfHearts42]

Can you put a hub-drive add-on kit onto a mid-drive emtb?

[@Jarymut]

Where does it leave MTBs? As an affordable option. When will eMTBs be affordable? You can have top end Lux Trail CFR AND cheapest Lux Trail CF for less money then that Whyte Elyte.

[@robhaskins3068]

The golden rule of salesmanship is to tell people truthfully what they want to hear. People who's ego allows them to think they belong to the hard core mtb tribe don't want to hear about Emtbs. If you want to go Cycling ride a 7kg road bike. If your ego is looking for a trip ride a Emtb non stop hard and fast flowing up and down for Fun Fun Fun. Its not one or the other but ride both Emtbs and steam bikes to get the benefit of one of mans greatest gravity cheating inventions the bicycle. E=Mtb²

[@mustgofaster6545]

Great video!

[@stefan-norge]

I am surprised that you are surprised about this result. Turn down the motor support and/or go over the speed limit and you can do all the time and everywhere a much harder training than with a MTB.

[@jmo2752]

I agree - whenever they do tests like this they are always running in max power/full turbo for half an hour or so, on pretty much flat trails... A far better test would be a sustained vertical climb of 2000+ft, between a regular bike, and an eMTB at say 30% (eco) 60% (trail) and 100% (turbo) to really compare how much of a work out you can get with an eMTB.

[@TheBrokenMountainBiker]

My HR peaks amd average is exactly the same on my ebike as it used to be on my old bike. I put the same efforts in, I just go faster on my ebike.

[@Johnvdubable]

The stats would be even closer if you worked it out in % of the overall run times, 28 vs 24 mins.

[@nxtlvh]

I can't help. It, I stay in my biggest gear. I go everywhere. I go in my biggest gear. Pedaling fast with the full throttle on. . It's great and my heart rates always up. I could back off on the throttle and gear down and go a little slower but if no one's in my way, it's full throttle biggest gear pedaling everywhere. I go.

[@quinncolby]

Technically, you could keep your heart rate that high on a dirtbike too. Anyone who’s ever raced a dirtbike knows that. That doesn’t mean I want them on my mountain bike trails

[@testdirver]

all that data but never hear the weight of the bike, neither the watts/torque of the ebike

[@10to1imjokin]

Weight of the XC bike was 11 kilos weight of the e-bike was 18 kilos

[@rogereheadbyrne4790]

XC EMTB IS SUPERIOR FUN FOR EVERYONE!!! 🚴‍♂️💨💨💨💨

[@martin_323]

So, if you want to push hard but hate maintaining your drive train, could an EMTB with a grear box be the solution? Rich, I'm afraid you'll have to do that route again on such bike ;)

[@stevengoodwin3154]

Good direction for content. Zones 4 and 5 for hours? That's some type 2 fun right there!

[@mece700]

I'm 45 years old and I really push it on my last ride, max BPM 190 and average 173 BPM total duration 2H and 6m. Since I just recently bought a smart watch and I'm totally new to monitoring I'm wondering is that a good score?

[@ridemtns13]

Try same experiment over the same time amount, not distance. Hour for hour, an mtb is gonna be more work and more exercise. You get more laps on a motor bike, meaning more time going downhill not exerting as much effort.

[@22Jeffers]

Should have done it on a full fat e-bike with the added weight to push through at the speed limit.

[@scottjacobs7522]

@embn you should of riden a full power ebike as well to compare the results

[@richardpayne5176]

Watch this space 😉

[@ridedirtymtb9938]

Why is it that e-bike folk seem to always want to prove that they are getting an equal workout? Just a theme I’m noticing 😂

[@MTBEAST007]

I thought Grandad was only in his 50s? What year was he born?

[@johnd1727]

If the assisted bike and the non-assisted bike ride together over the same distance ,of course it is not the same workout. But that is not the attraction - certainly to me - of owning an ebike. I am surrounded by hills 7/9/10%. - at the top of all of them - so arriving back home is a mongrel - especially after a 2-3 hour ride. I am 83 later this year. I ride around 800kms/month - I have ridden over 1000kms/month but have reached my target weight so now I basically do maintenance rides. There is no way I could do that - or want to do that - without an ebike. I average just above 26 km/hr so the assist is not assisting most of the ride as it cuts out at 25 km/hr - by law. p.s. Here if it has a throttle it is regarded as a motorbike not an ebike. So the above is reference to a battery assist - if you stop pedalling you WILL roll backwards on a hill - get ready to bail. And when above 25km/hr the assist cuts out and you wear the 3.8 kg weight penalty of the system. Finally - is an ebike cheating? Of course. Suck it up, princess.

[@mountaincruiser817]

Where did I see this before?

[@Becker333]

NO not on full powered….i never get my heart rate up even in eco mode… that’s why trying to get a Heckler SL. In between er … some work out with some boost when required…

[@shoeboy23john89]

I am not an e-bike hater but stop trying to convince yourselves it is the same workout when you know deep down it is not because it is why you bought an e-bike in the first place.

[@zen933]

The same distance usually isnt, but the point is people take longer rides with ebikes because they can without it turning into a pure excercise without fun, so they get more in shape than with normal bike

[@quinncolby]

Our trails are shared use there’s hikers there’s dogs. There’s horses mountain bikes go fast enough now add E Bikes and trying to get Max cardio workouts. I don’t see that as a good combination.

[@mattyclare]

So in a nutshell, a motorized bike is quicker than an unmotorized bike. Next time can we see a Ebike vs a dirtbike.

[@stevenbond1410]

I do both types of riding the ebike only maintains my fitness i gain on my mtb.

[@stevenbond1410]

The point of having an emtb is to make the riding easier they not made specifically for getting fit might as well just ride a mtb .

[@FIGHTTHECABLE]

120 Cadence!? I do around 80.

[@stevetremlett7917]

And he can still talk while riding at 177bpm!

[@thebodaciousbing3950]

Traditional mountain bikes are going the way of the Dodo bird.