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eMTB handling?
- Thread starter wb3jma
- Start date
I don't know how to answer that. What would you say if someone asked you how a 35 pound bike handles downhill, climbing, tight banked turns, jumps, and drops. How does a 25 pound bike handle downhill, climbing, tight banked turns, jumps, and drops? What we really need to know is how do YOU handle downhill, climbing, tight banked turns, jumps, and drops?
Plummet
Flash Git
There's a wide range of e bikes out there so answers can range as wide as the different types of bikes available.
Best you give a bit more detail.
Best you give a bit more detail.
Better than you’d expect, in general.
It varies a bit because some ride like
(as do some regular bikes) and some ride amazingly. There’s roughly a 9kg weight difference between the lightest SL and a lardy full fat, so you might need to narrow it down to what you’re looking at.
It varies a bit because some ride like
(as do some regular bikes) and some ride amazingly. There’s roughly a 9kg weight difference between the lightest SL and a lardy full fat, so you might need to narrow it down to what you’re looking at.
I suspect that the OP has just bought an emtb, or is about to, and is now appalled at the weight vs his current mtb. All he has to do is to go on a test ride to find out. 
Who’s There
Member
The downhill racers are adding weights to their bikes around the bottom bracket area to make their race bikes work as good as their e-bikes.
That should tell you all you need to know.
That should tell you all you need to know.
Highland Wheels
Well-known member
Oh aye, they are all adding 10kgs onto them
Montana St Alum
Active member
Cornering well requires getting the bike leaned over to engage the cornering knobs on tires. E-bikes tend to have slightly higher CG's combined with more mass, so swinging that mass from one side to the other requires some minor technique adaptations. It's not difficult, just a little different.
Climbing, well, you have a motor! You no longer have to be too concerned about putting on grippy (and heavy) tires, and suspensions can be used that don't require as much climbing efficiency.
Descending just requires some adaptations in suspension, which manufacturers have done pretty well through shock tuning and such.
Jumps and drops aren't a big deal. Again, it's just a matter of degree and adapting technique a little bit. People ride 250+ pound motocross bikes. A 50 pound E-bike is not a huge jump up from a 35 pound DH bike, in comparison.
Climbing, well, you have a motor! You no longer have to be too concerned about putting on grippy (and heavy) tires, and suspensions can be used that don't require as much climbing efficiency.
Descending just requires some adaptations in suspension, which manufacturers have done pretty well through shock tuning and such.
Jumps and drops aren't a big deal. Again, it's just a matter of degree and adapting technique a little bit. People ride 250+ pound motocross bikes. A 50 pound E-bike is not a huge jump up from a 35 pound DH bike, in comparison.
RickBullotta
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
My take: many heavier/longer wheelbase eMTBs tend to have a bit of understeer. Also, the bike design can make a huge difference in how it feels coming off jumps/drops - bikes that are nose-heavy can be downright scary at first vs a regular MTB. I find that I run my bars about 20mm higher on the eMTB to help balance things out a bit.
RickBullotta
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Depends on the specific frame geometry - largely HTA and wheel size.
Montana St Alum
Active member
Both of my E-bikes (My wife's Trance X with a 160 fork and my Ari Nebo) have forks with 44mm offset. Both have 65 degree HTA's. For my application, I doubt I'd notice the difference with an offset of 52mm.
Bad Mechanic
Member
The weight and and low CG of an eMTB mean they actually handle really well and rip downhill. The additional sprung weight also helps the suspension perform better. Between that and their weight they have loads of traction.
Montana St Alum
Active member
Funny you mention that. On my wife's Trance X, I did extend the fork from 150mm to 160mm. It was easy to do, but I didn't really notice a difference there either. But I think for my wife, the more upright the sitting position is, the better - for comfort and reduced back stress. She's 72 and this was the first season for her, exclusively riding an E-bike. So far, that geometry hasn't had any negatives.
I agree, though. In most cases, the differences are very subtle.
Montana St Alum
Active member
I think you're right.
RickBullotta
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
...as long as its not excessively nose heavy.
How much is excessive, how much is too little, and how much is just right?
RickBullotta
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
IYKYK. It's when the weight balance is radically different from a regular MTB and you go between them. I almost killed myself on a big drop on my first eMTB (KTM Macina) because it was soooo nose heavy. Levo was bit better but still , Rise was good, and Amflow is good. Can be quite butt puckering when the front of the bike dives in off a jump!
irie said:
Are you saying that the excess weight assessment applies only when swapping between using a regular MTB and an eMTB with radically different weights?
The heavier they are, the worse they handle compared to a 25-35 lbs MTB. You DO get used to it though but you will likely never get it to feel as nimble or pop off features as quickly and easily as a 30 lb MTB. I ride both...my fastest downhill times are on my Ibis Ripmo and the Specialized SJ EVO. I have to brake less on those and can fly over things easier and pump easier. The eMTB is MUCh more planted and grinds down and of course takes more effort to brake.
RickBullotta
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
It’s not the weight though - it’s the weight balance.
Do you mean the weight balance difference when, as you said above, swapping between two bikes?
RickBullotta
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Yup
irie said:
Then that's due to your inability to deal with the inherent differences between the two bikes when moving from one to the other.
RickBullotta
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
No, it's due to my desire not to deal with a nose heavy bike if I can avoid it. Raising the bar height 20mm helps.
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