If you are thinking about buying an electric mountain bike, you have to consider that there are many variables that will determine which one is best for you. As with conventional bikes, there are electric mountain bikes for XC (suspension from 100 to 130 mm), Trail (generous travel from 130 to 150 mm) and Enduro (up to 180 mm). As with all other bike categories, women's electric mountain bike versions are available.
Hardtail or Full Suspension?
First of all, it would be necessary to see what kind of routes you do and what is their level of technical difficulty. If you are going to ride in difficult mountain areas, it is more than likely that a full suspension e-MTB is best, with longer fork and shock travel, the more complicated the route.
The most successful and best-selling electric mountain bikes are the FS trail bikes, thanks to their greater versatility. With them you can afford to carry a bike with longer suspension travel and wider tires than with a conventional trail bike. This bike, although slightly heavier than an XC, will maintain good rolling qualities thanks to the assistance. For this reason, the offer of XC full suspension electric models is still scarce. One XC model we can highlight is the BH iLYNX Race.
However, if you know that you will always ride on asphalt, urban areas, trails or mountain areas with few difficulties, a good option may be a hardtail eMTB. Fork travel will be about 100 millimeters. Some models of this type are the Specialized Turbo Tero, Orbea Keram, Giant Talon E+, and Cannondale Specialized Turbo Tero, Orbea Keram, Giant Talon E+, and Cannondale Trail Neo.
Power and Motor Location
The 250 W maximum power of this type of motor is the most common figure for most of these bicycles, except for some models in the lower ranges with significantly lower power ratings. Apart from the power figure, we should look at the maximum force or maximumtorque figure, usually between 50 Nm and 90 Nm.
Another important factor that can affect the behavior of the bike is where the motor is located. There are electric bikes with the motor located on the front wheel, on the rear wheel or in a central position, in the bottom bracket area.
When we talk about electric mountain bikes, the most common, except for cheap electric mountain bike units, will be the central motor, for its better performance and a more similar operation to that of an unassisted bike. The weight of the motor placed on the front or rear wheel compromises, to some extent, the dynamic behavior of the bicycle. Especially, when installed at the front. As a supposed minor drawback, the mid-engine models are more conditioned by the design of the bicycle frame, which will always be specific.
E-MTB Range and Batteries
The battery is another really important component of the mountain eBike. The range, the number of kilometers that we will be able to travel with our bicycle, will depend largely on the characteristics of our battery. But there are many other factors that will influence this range such as the unevenness of the terrain, wind, power provided by the rider, weight of the rider, weight of the bike, the management of the possible assistance modes, gear ratios used, tire size, age of the batteries, etc.
Some of the characteristics that will influence the performance, behavior and possibilities related to the batteries will be:
-
The capacity in watt hours (Wh) or energy stored in the battery. This data is obtained by multiplying two values, the electrical energy supplied each hour to the circuit in amperes per hour (Ah), and the voltage of our batteries in volts (V).
-
Number of possible charge cycles (battery life).
-
Time required for charging (usually between 2.5 to 5 hours).
-
Possible removal of the batteries for easy charging and to carry and use a spare battery.
E-MTB Control and Software Configuration
The different modes or levels of assistance can be managed through a display or by connecting to compatible devices, such as cell phones(smartphones) and also with some GPS devices. In addition to the assistance levels, we can also manage other parameters of the possible configuration of our bike.
Other Electric Mountain Bike Components
Most of the components of the mountain bike are similar to those of other conventional bikes. The criteria for choosing these will therefore be similar to those for any other bike. It should be noted, however, that more and more components are being manufactured specifically for eMTB. These products are perfectly designed for the peculiarities of these bikes, such as their high total power and their generally higher weight. A good example would be the chain, which will last significantly longer if it has been developed for the unique requirements of electric mountain bikes. Other specific components in the transmission, brakes, suspensions, etc. will also improve the experience of such demanding riding.