Dustfarter

Perhaps I'll be able to plug it into my e-bike and it will form as I ride....

I know this will fall on mostly deaf ears but I really just don't get the e-bike hate from the mtb community. Full disclosure. I own one. I also own an enduro bike, a CC hardtail, a road bike, a dirt jumper and a city bike. Until very recently I also owned a full blown motocross bike. I like bikes. A lot. The is so much false information in the hate being spewed here and there are some facts about PEDAL ASSIST E-bikes that should be set straight. 1. They are motorbikes. They are NOT motor bikes. There is no throttle and you HAVE to pedal to make them go. That's a fact. If there is a throttle and you don't have to pedal then it is absolutely a "motor bike" and should subject to other rules. 2. They will overcrowd the trails! Well then all you of should also boycott any brand the advertises their products for mtb. Since growth in the industry is bad right? There is strength in numbers and we need the sports(s) to grow. 3. They'll wear out the trails!The amount of wear on the trail is the same as any other mountain bike. I depends on your riding style and level of skill. Of course you can get more trails in on a ride. Some trails see high volume and require more maintenance and others don't. That already happens. If you're not doing trails work. You should. The vast majority of riders don't. That's a fact. 4. They're too fast and therefore dangerous. That is also absolutely incorrect. In fact they descend worse ( slower) than a modern enduro bike. At a certain speed (about 15mph for a class 1 e-bike) you get no help from the "motor" anyway. In addition. Anyone descending on pretty much any type of bike will still be gong faster than any e-bike while climbing. As for people going up "downhill" trails? I regularly run into hikers, equestrians, Dh-er's pushing and lycra clad CC riders going up the "wrong" way all the time. If you're outside of a bike park you always have to exercise caution while descending. I own one because it's super fun and it allows me to get deeper with more tools and to dig longer on the trails I love. For others though it can be the difference between enjoying the outdoors and not. Most trails make it impractical for people with disabilities to enjoy them. There is HUGE potential here. If your argument is that it will allow people onto trails that are not appropriate for their skill level. That's ridiculous. The trail self limits a rider with lesser abilities. I see people get shuttle dropped onto trails that are way over their head all the time. Resist the urge to have a negative knee jerk reaction and try one...for real, on a trail. Then reevaluate your position. Ask yourself honestly do you hate them because of what they are or because you feel like you missing out on the fun? Yes they are expensive. Yes our sport is expensive and you fee like you're getting left behind after every new purchase e or analogue. There is no real compelling reason for a mountain biker to be against an e-bike. You could say that it's "cheating". It's only cheating of you're competing. Fuck Strava! I've done lot lot of rides where some were on e-bikes ( due to lack of current fitness for the given ride or injury etc) and others analogue. Everyone got along and had a blast. We're not saving lives here. We're having fun. This a a time to unite as people who like to put wheels on dirt. There are plenty go people that are opposed to bikes on trails in general. This is not a time to separate into different opposing factions within the sport. Its a time to come together and be a common voice for trail advocacy. Embrace the increase in numbers and resist thoughtless hate. Peace.

When you take your gearbox bike out on the trail and everybody yells at you cause they think it's an e-bike....

G-form has saved my ass more than a few times. Love their product.

@bmoore34: Clearly you've never ridden one. Pedal assisted bicycle riding is nothing like riding a motor cycle. To call it a motor bike is a closed minded knee jerk reaction based on fear and an unwillingness to accept something new. That is nothing new to human nature though. With that mindset even within the mtb community let alone the people against regular mtb's I predict issues for sure.

Get over it dude. They're more bicycle than anything else. Try one and you'll understand.

Well whatever they'e doing they're doing a good job. I recently SMASHED my head extremely hard in the bike park and while I got my bel rung it could've (should've) been a lot worse....overjumped a decent size table, bar snapped on impact and the first thing that hit the hardback face of the next jump was the back of my head. Thanks Bell Full 9 Carbon!

Bummed for Mik. He wanted it so bad and to lose by that margin is so cruel. It could've been the Cinderella story that was Greg in SA a few years ago.

@carfreak2000: I enjoy a good climb and a trail ride but I'm never winning the climbs anyway :)

Drop the stem and bars for something shorter/ wider and add dropper and I'd ride it.