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Pace 1234

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Right first off please no lectures and all that crap . Basically I’ve been a die hard mtb er for all my life . I love to put in the big miles and have no issue climbing hills and really enjoy this aspect of mtb ing . I unfortunately for me got offered a few rides on different ebikes at demo days and thought why not gotta be worth a try . I was blown away and had a blast on both occasions . I’ve got few niggles regarding my back and stuff and north of 40 so was thinking maybe it’s time to down tools and move to e bikes . Finding it really hard to cross the line with the decision as I still want to ride a normal bike but can’t afford to keep the regular bike and purchase the e bike due to cost . Anyone else been in the same boat ?
cheers
 
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I’m fortunate that I have my ebike and regular pedalled.

I got/kept my regular bike because I wanted to keep an analogue ride… but I do t use it. It doesn’t even have pedals on it now. And tbh it’s not a shit bike either.

I wasn’t a fan of the idea of ebikes. Then I took one out as a demo for a few hours. I flew round the loop I’d normally do. Got a bunch of PB’s on descents (and climbs of course).

Thing is, I don’t think of them as cheating. It’s a different experience. But just as much fun and you can do back to back hard rides - even if you are like me, at the tail end of 40 and fairly overweight.

Get one, buy new because it will go wrong, And don’t look back.
 
Buy but never get rid of ya normal bike, I’ve gone full circle. Back on a normal bike and looking for a ff later in the year. Had a lightweight but was a great bike but couldn’t do what I wanted.
 
Pace 1234 said:
Right first off please no lectures and all that crap . Basically I’ve been a die hard mtb er for all my life . I love to put in the big miles and have no issue climbing hills and really enjoy this aspect of mtb ing . I unfortunately for me got offered a few rides on different ebikes at demo days and thought why not gotta be worth a try . I was blown away and had a blast on both occasions . I’ve got few niggles regarding my back and stuff and north of 40 so was thinking maybe it’s time to down tools and move to e bikes . Finding it really hard to cross the line with the decision as I still want to ride a normal bike but can’t afford to keep the regular bike and purchase the e bike due to cost . Anyone else been in the same boat ?
cheers
Click to expand...

That’s why they invented 0% finance. Let someone else pay for it for a few years whilst you chop in a few quid a month. Interest free is a no brainier for me.

You’ll enjoy owning both. E and non-E are different experiences in many ways.
 
If you can't afford both, simply sell the MTB now whilst demand is high and get an E-MTB
if you still feel the need for a regular MTB, hire one for £60 a day, that one day will probably be enough
 
I was in the same position as you. Also, my reluctance to buy an ebike was that none of my riding friends have them. But as I mostly ride alone I decided to do it anyway.
Decided to do part cash part 0% finance and keep my regular bike for social rides and to see if I like the Ebike or not

Now I've had a couple of decent ebike rides I will probably look to keep both bikes.
 
I'm probably in the minority here but I don't believe debt is a good thing. Especially on a depreciating item like an ebike. The tech is still fairly new and unreliable in some cases. The lifespan on current ebikes is also not certain. It would really suck to buy an expensive ebike and then have major issues while still owing thousands of dollars and not being able to use the bike due to issues or parts availability. It still sucks if its paid for but not as much as being in debt for it. I'd sell your current bike and buy what you can afford or keep the bike and save.....maybe get a good deal on used ebike.
 
Just been through the same dilemma, eventually took the plunge and purchased emtb. Pushing 60 it’s been a revelation, absolutely love it. Just do it ?
 
Recently been in your shoes and took the plunge. No regrets.

Final clincher was a mate saying "YOLO" and explaining what it meant to me.
 
Pace 1234 said:
Right first off please no lectures and all that crap .
Click to expand...

Dude! Where's the fun in that?
Just relax, endure my lecture, and hopefully it won't be too painful.

It seems like your question is whether you should abandon Amish riding for Electric. Both are hella fun. Both can shred gnarly trails, both can jump, both can provide a great workout. There are a lot of pros and cons, but one thing they don't tell you at the eMTB store is that riding with your Amish friends won't be as fun any more.

You know how it is when you're riding with a newby or a bumbly? You ride slower and wait around a lot. It can become tedious after a while. When you're with your good mates, you all shred at a similar pace, you can challenge each other, and it's the best thing ever. All that goes out the window when you're the only one on an eMTB. Maybe you've experienced the opposite: riding an aMTB in a group of eMTB'ers. It kind of sucks.

So to answer what I think is the question, if a substantial part of your riding involves your friends, keep the bike you have. If most of your riding enjoyment is going solo, then an eMTB might be a good choice. I would never tell you to "push the button." On this side of the pond, we "pull the trigger." ? ?? Thanks for the lesson in multiculturalism this morning!
 
In response to @RustyIron's post about losing your mtb mates. I had already stopped riding with my mtb mates. They were all younger than me and untroubled by arthritis. I hated the thought that I was holding them up in the climbs and reducing their fun. They were mates, so they never said anything, but I was a mate, so I chose the rides I went on to minimise the impact, (long climbs were my downfall) then eventually my distances dropped, so I stopped riding with them altogether. :(

Then I bought an emtb and I was reborn! :)

But when I rode again with my mtb mates, it was like Rusty said, but not quite. I did not romp to the top of the hill and crow about it, I hung back. But when we got to the flat sections, they didn't hold back at all, but blasted along at their top speed, which was a lot more than the 17mph that I could manage on my non-spoofed bike. When I caught up there was the usual joshing about tardiness, but aimed at the bike. I was starting to feel a little bit disenchanted with them. Then I went on a meet-up with other emtb riders, none of who I had met before and it was BRILLIANT! :love:

I tried to keep in touch with my mtb mates, but one by one they all slipped away. I now ride with a different bunch and they are all great fun. :)

@Pace 1234 get that emtb bought, do it on 0% interest if you can. JE James and other bike retailers do it (called "V12 Finance"). Even if you can afford to pay cash, it is better to keep that cash invested or available, because you will gain from that. Zero % interest will cost you nothing, and you can pay it off anytime without penalty if you wanted to do so. I left my money in Premium Bonds instead of cashing them in to buy my bike. You never know this time next week, I could be a millionaire! :ROFLMAO:

Edit: Look out for the Rideouts, where you can meet and ride with like-minded individuals.
 
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Pull the trigger - Push the Button - Just Do It. if you can get 0% from you LBS its a no brainer ;)
 
Pace 1234 said:
I still want to ride a normal bike but can’t afford to keep the regular bike and purchase the e bike due to cost .
Click to expand...
Let me understand the predicament better: You need to sell the regular bike to be able to afford an ebike? Must be one hell of a valuable regular bike then :-)
Or does it have to do with keeping both on the road (maintenance,..)?
 
blueglide said:
I'm probably in the minority here but I don't believe debt is a good thing. Especially on a depreciating item like an ebike. The tech is still fairly new and unreliable in some cases. The lifespan on current ebikes is also not certain. It would really suck to buy an expensive ebike and then have major issues while still owing thousands of dollars and not being able to use the bike due to issues or parts availability. It still sucks if its paid for but not as much as being in debt for it. I'd sell your current bike and buy what you can afford or keep the bike and save.....maybe get a good deal on used ebike.
Click to expand...

I get your point of view but I’d be more pissed if I’d spent £4/6k on a bike in cash and had issues whilst not owing but having £4/6K sat doing nothing in a depreciating asset.

4 years 0% is probably a bit long for a bike but as long as you budget for it. You’ll forget about after a while.

I buy mine on 12 months 0% “buy now, pay later”. I save to pay it off. Worst case I’d sell the bike to clear as I usually put in 20% deposit. I have done that for years and any loss when I sell down the line I put down to a cost of a healthy heart, exercise and fun.

Ebikes are such a different experience it would be a shame to lose a standard bike to buy an E.

Ebikes residuals will be solid for the next 12 months so it’s a great time to buy…….if you don’t like you’ll get your money back (as long as you can get one in the first place).
 
jerry said:
Let me understand the predicament better: You need to sell the regular bike to be able to afford an ebike? Must be one hell of a valuable regular bike then :)
Or does it have to do with keeping both on the road (maintenance,..)?
Click to expand...
It is one hell of a valuable mtb , and she’s a cracking bike !!
 
RustyIron said:
Dude! Where's the fun in that?
Just relax, endure my lecture, and hopefully it won't be too painful.

It seems like your question is whether you should abandon Amish riding for Electric. Both are hella fun. Both can shred gnarly trails, both can jump, both can provide a great workout. There are a lot of pros and cons, but one thing they don't tell you at the eMTB store is that riding with your Amish friends won't be as fun any more.

You know how it is when you're riding with a newby or a bumbly? You ride slower and wait around a lot. It can become tedious after a while. When you're with your good mates, you all shred at a similar pace, you can challenge each other, and it's the best thing ever. All that goes out the window when you're the only one on an eMTB. Maybe you've experienced the opposite: riding an aMTB in a group of eMTB'ers. It kind of sucks.

So to answer what I think is the question, if a substantial part of your riding involves your friends, keep the bike you have. If most of your riding enjoyment is going solo, then an eMTB might be a good choice. I would never tell you to "push the button." On this side of the pond, we "pull the trigger." ? ?? Thanks for the lesson in multiculturalism this morning!
Click to expand...


This is a very valid point
RustyIron said:
Dude! Where's the fun in that?
Just relax, endure my lecture, and hopefully it won't be too painful.

It seems like your question is whether you should abandon Amish riding for Electric. Both are hella fun. Both can shred gnarly trails, both can jump, both can provide a great workout. There are a lot of pros and cons, but one thing they don't tell you at the eMTB store is that riding with your Amish friends won't be as fun any more.

You know how it is when you're riding with a newby or a bumbly? You ride slower and wait around a lot. It can become tedious after a while. When you're with your good mates, you all shred at a similar pace, you can challenge each other, and it's the best thing ever. All that goes out the window when you're the only one on an eMTB. Maybe you've experienced the opposite: riding an aMTB in a group of eMTB'ers. It kind of sucks.

So to answer what I think is the question, if a substantial part of your riding involves your friends, keep the bike you have. If most of your riding enjoyment is going solo, then an eMTB might be a good choice. I would never tell you to "push the button." On this side of the pond, we "pull the trigger." ? ?? Thanks for the lesson in multiculturalism this morning!
Click to expand...


This is a very valid point, and worth thinking about.
lt's not just riding with mates, it's riding with anyone.
l am in a local MTB group and since l got my ebike l've not been out with them much, because it's not much fun going out with regular MTB riders either for you, or for them.

However the rise of ebikes is relentless and l have started to find friends with them now, in fact l am going out with two of them tonight.
 
7869hodgy said:
I get your point of view but I’d be more pissed if I’d spent £4/6k on a bike in cash and had issues whilst not owing but having £4/6K sat doing nothing in a depreciating asset.

4 years 0% is probably a bit long for a bike but as long as you budget for it. You’ll forget about after a while.

I buy mine on 12 months 0% “buy now, pay later”. I save to pay it off. Worst case I’d sell the bike to clear as I usually put in 20% deposit. I have done that for years and any loss when I sell down the line I put down to a cost of a healthy heart, exercise and fun.

Ebikes are such a different experience it would be a shame to lose a standard bike to buy an E.

Ebikes residuals will be solid for the next 12 months so it’s a great time to buy…….if you don’t like you’ll get your money back (as long as you can get one in the first place).

[/Ebikes residuals will be solid for the next 12 months so it’s a great time to buy…….if you don’t like you’ll get your money back (as long as you can get one in the first place).

I would not agree with this, you should expect the value to depreciate around 20% in the first year.
Click to expand...
 
Hey There
I am 41, i have been riding MTB since 91’. Freeride,DJ, XC and Downhill. I love it. I would have not said this one year ago. The E bike i bought in April changed my life.
My mate lent me an ebike at the beginning of the year and i got on the mission to get one.
There is a lot of BS when it comes to these but all i have to say is that i ride 4x more, 2x faster and am buzzing for the next ride.
The weight keeps them planted at the bike parks, the battery/motor means you can do all the trails at the trail centre and still want more. I bought a gps to help with finding more loops. Get one with a good size battery 620+ as you will want more.
At the jumps it become my uplift and my jump bike.
Recently at BPW mine did 8 runs in one day with me ride it to the top, more than i do on my Intense M9 on an uplift !! I also beat my times on my favourite track.
I have a Specialized Kenevo Expert S4, i am 5’10 plus a spare battery, this thing does XC riding in the Surrey hills and DH in Wales, with a weekly ride to the bull track for some jumps too.
I need to sell a DH bike, a Jump Bike and a XC bike this thing does it all.
You will not regret it.
 
No lecture, no crap......Truly never heard of a person getting an Emtb and thinking..."this sucks"......"I don't like being able to fly on these trails, up or down or around...."
I understand your thinking .....we've all wondered if it's a mental/physical compromise before purchasing the first Emtb.
Get used to being faster and having more fun because of it, regardless of who you ride with....you can always turn down your power and grind it out with your 'Normies".... when you feel like it
 
My my case, my ego was not my amigo. None of my friends have ebikes and we're long time, dedicated riders, plus there's lots of athletic ability "identity" in this little Olympian producing town. We are all over 60.
I pulled the trigger on a levo SL in February and it took me about a week to decide to shuck my old bike. Sold it for more than half of what I paid for it in 2018 and that's after swapping the better parts off to my new bike (carbon rims, derailleur and cluster)
It's only 10 lb heavier than my old bike and the main selling point I can share is that I can ride every day now and hit the trails I want.
I predict my friends will all have them within 2 years and that the current ridiculous laws restricting access, will be changed.
To sum it up, an e-mtb is FFF.
Farther, Faster, Funner.
 
@blueglide generally agree with you on not having debt but with interest rates so low and inflation ripping, cash is trash. Better to own hard assets (yes, even a bike). That bike will be more expensive next year for sure.

I ride my SL almost exclusively but kept my old Stumpjumper. Couldn’t really ride with my neighbors because they are all on analog…. Except 2 of 3 just got ebikes ;)
 
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