Unboxing E-Bike for Test and Review ;-)
Sharp eyed viewers of the Bike Corris Instagram page may have noticed an extra little box appearing on my handlebars in some photos. Have I turned my back on the pure steel feel of Cotic and sold-out to a future of “cheating”? No. But I have added an ebike to the fleet.
Truth is, I’ve been e-curious for the a while, but haven’t had the finances and use-cases to justify buying one until now. Thanks to friend selling one on and a surveying contract to make the most of it, I took the plunge with no research and a test ride of only an hour.
To help others looking on with interest, here’s what I’ve learned.
Cheating? Or enlightened?
What is an ebike?
It’s a pedal bike with a motor. There are two basic styles available at opposite ends of the mountain bike spectrum: Cruisers and Shredders. If you’re looking for a comfy bike for commuting or gentle touring, this article isn’t for you. You are welcome to read on, but for the best advice I would recommend visiting your friendly local bike shop. If you’re an experienced mountain biker, you may either be e-curious (“my mate’s got one and it looks great”) or a dead-set electro-hater (“IT’S CHEATING!!!”). Either way, you’ve got this far so let’s find out more.
Forget the motor, let’s look at the BIKE.
The ebike I’ve bought is a 2020 Vitus Sommet, a design very much of the Shredder style. Many magazines jump straight in with the electrical details, so you can read up on that elsewhere. Here we will take a look at the actual bike. Standing back, the silhouette is pretty much that of a big Enduro machine. Looking more closely at the design, we find a 65degree head angle, short chain stays and a low bottom bracket. Sporting 170/160mm suspension travel, the 203mm brake rotors and 2.5” tyres, the finishing spec complements the gravity biased geometry.
What does it feel like?
Jumping onboard and scooting along, it feels very much like a downhill bike to pedal and manoeuvre. Rolling along flat ground needs constant pedalling, big tyres require lots of input to corner and any rocks smaller than house-bricks are barely felt. Dropping my heels makes the front end surprisingly easy to pop, given the weight, and the whole package feels familiar and confidence inspiring. Hitting some of the steepest trails in the area, in the dark, confirmed this impression - safe, planted and fun were the words that kept coming to mind. Evening without a motor, this would be a fun ride.
Bad photo. Good handling.
So what’s the motor for then?
Ah yes, the motor. This is what divides opinion about ebikes more than any other factor. My Vitus has the Shimano E8000 system with three power modes. “Eco” provides just about enough energy to overcome the weight and tyre-drag and make “normal” progress along a trail with very little interference. “Trail” gives more pull, but a sharper on/off feeling, while Boost is hilariously quick but difficult to modulate.
The key to understanding ebikes is understanding what the power does to the type of bike it’s propelling. Electric or not, any big-tyred, long-travel bike will feel dead and dull on a flatish trail. In eco power, this remains the case - there is so much grip and suspension absorption you could ride round most red trails with one hand on the bars. In higher power modes, the excitement increases, but at all times I felt I was riding a big-travel bike in short-travel terrain. There’s also the strict power cut-off at 15mph, feeling like a bungee pulling you back just when the fun starts. These factors combined to make this ebike feel less fun than a hardtail over fast flowing terrain.
However, as soon as things turned steep, the fun factor shot up! Dropping into some of the most technical trails in Dyfi, the bike felt immediately alive and capable. Without the need for constant pedalling, the bike found its own pace and felt poised and confident in the roots and ruts. When a few pedal strokes were needed, the response in Eco mode was both quick and controllable - just enough to gain speed, but not enough to spoil the handling. I also think the extra weight of the motor system adds to stable and planted feel when descending. On the steepest, gnarliest tracks in Dyfi, where many bikes struggle, the Sommet was massively capable and huge fun.
On the right trails, it’s a game changer…
Should I buy one?
If you are a solid technical rider who likes trails steep and technical, an ebike will be a game changer. From my door I have five such tracks within sight of the house. The snag is the 300m climb to get to the top of each one! Within 90 minutes, on a light trail bike, I could manage two trails. On an ebike I can manage the lot. The bike has bought me a whole extra ride! If your riding time is becoming more pressured (job, family, life… I know where you are…), but you still want to keep up the technical trails, go and get one.
Likewise, if you’re returning to the bike with reduced fitness after accident/injury/time off, go and buy one. The difference in moral from being able to ride with your mates is a massive lift, plus you’ll enjoy the descents more for feeling fresher. Also, despite the naysayers screaming “CHEAT!”, several locals have lost weight and got significantly fitter since going electric!
However, there’s one type of rider who I’d advise caution: Those who are fit, skilled and prefer flowing red grade trails to steep gnar. While the extra power on the climbs is fun, the 15mph ceiling along the flat and descending sections can really damp your flow. A mate at Specialized is singing the praises of newer motor technologies which disengaged without drag. I’m very keen to try these, but until then I’d say speak to your local shop and take a test to make your own opinion.
Will Bike Corris offer ebike tours?
I’m working on it. The key in this area will be managing battery life - I’m currently getting about 25km, riding non-stop in freezing conditions. To get the best from an ebike in Dyfi, I need to tweek my routes as trails too steep to climb suddenly become excellent shortcuts to the next descent. Stay tuned to see what we come up with…
Overall, eBikes will not be replacing “real bikes” any time soon, but they are here to stay. It would have been easy to pick a side and hit CAPS LOCK without ever knowing what they’re about, and how they would fit your cycling life. If you’re sitting on the fence, get testing and plug in!