THE ELECTRIC MOUNTAIN BIKE … the scourge of cycling purists everywhere!
Looked down upon by many a seasoned pedaller, these motor-assisted rides are often viewed with contempt by those on traditional ‘analogue’ bikes. And rightly so. Nothing ruins the peace and pleasure of riding your favourite trail – close to God and to nature – than the high-pitched whine of a motorised chariot from hades roaring up behind you.
And then, seconds later, comes the holler from behind … “on yer right!”
This (for those who don’t know) is a call used by a rider who has caught up to someone else and wants to pass. The unwritten rule is for the cyclist in front to move left (when able) and let the rider behind go by. Now, those who’ve used their fitness and speed to catch up to another deserve to be let through – and usually (if everyone’s polite!) there’s no problem.
But, when a two-wheeled electric motor whistles past at an unruly uphill speed … that can be difficult to swallow. Not only is it a little humiliating, it also reveals your mortality – particularly when you’re drenched in sweat, your lungs are about to burst, and you’re wishing you’d taken up a less strenuous sport … like playing Fortnite.

Those damned e-bikers, on the other hand, are usually quite chatty – revelling in the fact that their sweatless bodies can effortlessly string sentences together while we mortals struggle to speak a single intelligible word.
The final twist of the knife comes as they press their ‘turbo’ button and disappear into the distance … the high-pitched whine slowly fading along with your self-worth.
It is, however, great sport when we analogue riders get together to mock the e-rider (usually behind their backs). We laugh amongst ourselves about how unfit they must be and how superior our cardiovascular systems are to theirs … that we never have to worry about ‘range anxiety’ or whether our batteries are charged … that, in fact, we are the real mountain bikers, and they’re simply posers who, deep down, wish they didn’t need an electric motor as their crutch.
So, in case you weren’t clear, e-bikes and their riders ranked pretty low on my list of best-to-worst things – sitting somewhere between mosquitoes and Greta Thunberg.
Until recently …

A few months ago, I did something I never thought I’d do. I bought a mountain bike shop. To be more precise, I partnered with my son to buy a mountain bike shop. Despite being in the middle of a recession, mountain biking has grown exponentially in our town. And because he’s a trained bike mechanic and very good at what he does, his services were wanted. So we took a punt we could make a viable business out of it.
The second thing I did that I thought I’d never do was … buy an e-bike! So, for the remainder of this article, please excuse the crumbs as I eat a large slice of humble pie and unpack my controversial decision …
Electric bicycles (e-bikes) have become enormously popular in recent years. In fact, until owning a shop, I had no idea how popular they’d become. Somewhere between a third and a half of all the bikes we service are e-bikes – and we’ve sold more of those than any other type.
Most e-bike riders are older – which probably has more to do with the cost of a good e-mountain bike than anything else. Younger people often don’t have the disposable income to afford something that can be three or four times the price of a regular bike – or even more! However, there are always exceptions. Some have discovered (cough …! as I have) that there are loads of benefits to an e-bike, and that many of the insults I used to taunt e-bikers with, simply aren’t true. More on that soon …
But probably the most beneficial aspect of e-bike popularity, is that more people are riding bikes than ever before. And, for those of us who already ride, they’ve got us riding more often. My wife is a case in point: Before getting an e-bike for her birthday, she hardly rode. Ever. I mean, she used to – back in the day. But now, give her a chance to join me for a quickie in the forest (that’s a bike ride, for all you suspect readers!), and she’ll be a starter.
From my perspective, if I’ve got an hour spare, I can jump on my bike, ride out to our park, and get a bunch of laps in. Prior to my venture into the dark side of mountain biking, I simply couldn’t be bothered. I’m a downhill guy at heart – riding up hills was always a means to an end and something I didn’t enjoy. Now, going up is almost enjoyable … almost! But, best of all, I can once again keep up with my sons, both of whom are exceptional riders.
These days, they love to complain and mock my newfound enthusiasm for pedal-assisted wizardry (which I fully deserve), but any chance they get, they’ll gladly swap bikes with me!

So, are those negatives about e-biking legit? Did I have good reason to mock the pedal-assisted rider?
Well … (excuse me while I take another mouthful of pie), not really. Let me break it down:
- You absolutely can get fit on an e-bike. Funnily enough, I’ve always been more exhausted after a downhill run – even on a regular bike. But that’s because I push pretty hard when pointing down, and tend to cruise the ups. There’s no doubt the uphill is a lot easier on an e-bike. But, if you’re churning out laps with other e-bikers, you can push just as hard going up as before – if that’s your thing.
- Cardio-vascular fitness has more to do with what you eat and how many beers you sink than whether you’re on an e-bike or regular.
- Range anxiety is definitely a thing for some people. That’s mainly because if you run out of battery-power, riding an e-bike without motor-assist is like riding through a pool of treacle. There’s a lot of ‘drag’ from the motor … and a full-sized e-bike weighs a lot. (Unless you have a bike like mine … which doesn’t. Pop into the shop, and I’ll explain!)
- Are we ‘real’ mountain bikers? Absolutely! We have to pedal to make it go – just like a regular ride! We could argue that point if it had a throttle like a motorcycle. But with pedal assist? C’mon, of course we are.
- And yes, they are expensive by comparison. But prices have come down as bikes have got better. If you do find an inexpensive e-bike, make sure it’s not cheap Chinese-made junk. We see lots of cheaper ‘urban’ bikes in the shop that are frankly rubbish. Horrible to ride, dangerous, and difficult to get parts for. If it is a cheaper brand, ensure it has a good warranty from a respectable shop … because you’ll probably need it. But to be safe, buy a reputable brand – especially if you plan on using it offroad. Buy once, cry once!
- Batteries are expensive to replace. Absolutely. There are many variables to battery longevity – how often you ride, number of charge cycles, how it’s stored, etc. If you ride a lot, your battery may need replacing within five years. And that new battery can cost you up to $2000! Be extra careful buying secondhand. You need to check the condition of the battery; otherwise, that ‘cheap’ bike may end up being an expensive dud.
So, how did I end up with an e-bike (I hear you ask)? And was it worth the investment? Well, we had a visit from a mate who owns a successful bike shop in Queenstown, who told us unequivocally: get yourselves an e-bike – now! As a shop-owner selling and servicing bikes, he argued, we needed to understand what our customers rode and why.
He’s a persuasive man … so I did. And, yes, it was well worth the investment.
“On yer right!”
JUST TO CLARIFY, BOTH MIKE AND GRETA THUNBERG LIKE A GOOD LAUGH AND DON’T TAKE THINGS TOO SERIOUSLY. THEY BOTH BELIEVE THAT LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE … AND THAT TAKING OFFENCE ON SOMEONE ELSE’S BEHALF IS JUST SILLY.