The Future of E-Bikes

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Whether riders like it or not…e-bikes are here to stay.

Every mountain biking manufacturer is coming out with their own electric lineup and the industry is currently trying to figure out the exact configuration that optimizes the technology. There is a new trend that is coming to the e-bike community and I believe it will be the largest segment over the coming years.

The lightweight e-bike.

Specialized had already released their Levo SL and just this week Trek released their Fuel EX-e. What makes these bikes different and why do I think they are really the future of e-bikes?

These lightweight e-bikes feature smaller motors with less torque. The smaller motor also means that it requires less power which equates to a smaller battery and overall profile. When you look at the bike…you can barely tell it is an e-bike if you can tell at all. From 10 feet, you won’t know the difference. That makes it so that the new Fuel weighs in around 40 pounds which is a full 10 pounds lighter than it’s Rail counterpart.

Why do I think these are the future of the e-bike industry?

There are several reasons and this comes from someone who requires one to ride now.

More Widespread Acceptance and Appeal

One of the things that has plagued the e-bike industry is a lot of misconceptions on what an e-bike is and how it really functions. You hear the comments like ”it’s a motorcycle” pretty often and this also runs into issues with land and trail access. With these new lightweight e-bikes, not only will it look like a regular bike out on the trail…but it will also help with more acceptance with the lower torque motors.

I have been riding an e-bike for the last couple of years. My Trek Rail does no more damage to a trail than a conventional mountain bike. However, that is not what most people think when they are in the anti-e-bike crowd. It is a step in the other direction when you start to talk about lower torque motors and could help with the discussion.

The overall design and look of the lightweight e-bikes also make it so you could take one in areas that they are technically still not allowed (not advocating this…just a side point). Who is going to say anything when you can’t tell it is an e-bike without REALLY looking closely?

Most People Do Not Need TURBO!

Even with my leg issues, I very rarely ever use Turbo mode. It’s simply too much torque and I am not riding an e-bike to crush climbing Strava segments. If you are a rider that doesn’t have an injury, is older or has some other outside reason for riding an e-bike, you don’t need 1/2 the torque that some of these modern motors have.

So why an e-bike then? These lightweight e-bikes will be able to enable riders to ride for longer distances, enjoy your favorite downhill more and still act like a regular bike if your battery goes dead. I couldn’t imagine riding my Rail with a dead battery but with a much lighter bike and a lower drag motor? It’s possible.

While it is fun to look at the stats of the latest motor releases, much like with cars, you don’t need most of the power you have. These new crop of e-bikes are a perfect fit for a much larger segment of riders.

Evolution is good for the E-Bike Industry

Seeing this sort of evolution away from just stat chasing is good for the e-bike industry. It is great to see lower torque, silent motors that can help gain more widespread appeal. In many ways, e-bikes are still in the infant stage of development and the technology will only get better as time goes on. I have personally experienced and seen how they can help riders get back out on the bike and bring more people to riding mountain bikes. Hopefully, we can see more advancements like this that will continue to progress the views of those that might be against them.

There are going to be asshole riders in all aspects of the sport. There will be e-bikers that try to blow past you on climbs just like there are roadies that take up too much of the road and blow stop signs…just like Stravahole that cares more about his segment than being safe on the trail…just like the XC racer type that jumps in front on downhill. These people are the minority of riders even when they can seem like the majority. With advancements like this with e-bikes, hopefully we can get to a place where we can get more access and have a better overall conversation.