"The Trouble with eMTB, An open letter to the Bicycle Industry"

[Kaelidoz]

Meh, I just found this so here it is.

 

[JimBo]

The guy makes some solid arguments on some bullshit points, IMO...

 

[JimBo]

Like something about how people naturally go right to turbo mode and come back "scared shitless"

 

[Pendo]

I knew about the EU/USA speed difference but not the power 250W/750W .
Thought the presenter at first was over thinking things but after watching the whole video he made some valid points.

 

[Changleen]

America’s legal landscape provides different context to other areas, which of course have their own. I think, as the chap in the video says, if they don’t shut down these bigger bikes there’s gonna be a world of pain for them. I really don’t want that to happen where I live.

I agree about the max power. I ride all sorts of bikes all my life and the current motors are pretty much ‘enough’ if we want to be on the same trails. Fancy living somewhere where the nearest ‘eMTB access’ trails are 10x rarer than regular trails?

My 18, even my 28 year old self can’t believe I’m saying this but if you want access to ride good, fun, MTB trails, current bike power standards are enough. Let’s just aim to get this power into <100cm3 and <500g by 2030 eh?

More speed and power is gonna start causing much more serious injuries, deaths, bigger issues, and it’ll all end in less access and tears. 25-30mph crashes on trails quite often end in broken bones, head injuries, ‘6 month injuries’.

Boosting your 2000w off a rock drop at 45mph? Deaths will be the common result of mistakes.

So, 250w is fine I think. (Honestly, I can take probably go 20mph over 15mph tbh, I just think that’s a real life useful speed), but that’s pretty much gotta be it. What about torque? Maybe torque is more fun, maybe there’s less of a limit on torque but honestly 1000km drivetrains already if you’re a ‘normal’ maintenance person? $$$ — and I already can climb basically anything the bike doesn’t physically tip back over on — at the torque I have now.

This might just have to grow as materials tech can grow at providing longer lasting drivetrains. Internal gears and belt or shaft drive might make that OK soon I guess. Doing trials stuff (viz; hops) on a super sensitive high torque motor would be fun but again the danger level goes up so quick.