Adventure Trail Riding 101 – How to Pick Your New Electric Adventure Bike

Last Updated on 26 June 2024 by Cycloscope

Which Type of Electric Mountain Bike Is Best for Adventure Riding. Different frame geometry, tires, specifics, and suspension type depending on the discipline.

Ebikes have crept into the mountain biking mainstream quietly, and if you haven’t been
paying attention you might have missed their arrival.

If you’re a traditionalist, you might ask yourself why so many people have jumped on the e-
bike bandwagon, especially in a sport that is all about physical activity and challenging
yourself.

The truth is that an electric mountain bike can make your trail riding and exploring
even more demanding.

In fact, an electric mountain bike is a bit like a cup of coffee – while you can go through your
day without it, it’s going to give you that extra speed and make you cover more distance.

Imagine powering through your most challenging trails at a faster pace, and going long after
you would have given out on a normal day.

This is why if you’re an adventure biker and tend to push long distances along dirt roads and
trails, chances are that you’ve had your eye on an e-bike for quite some time!

It’s always a bit daunting to invest in a new technology trend, but e-bikes have been around for so long at this point that we can say it with confidence – jump in, the water is warm.

If this catches your attention, then listen up! If you’ve been thinking about an e-bike for a
while now or if you have only just discovered the possibility, this is the article for you.

Take a look at what you should be looking for when picking out your new electric mountain bike.

The Big Fat Adventure Bike – for the Long Distance Trekkers

Downhill and trail bikes are the ones we usually pick if we like to pack up our saddlebags,
grab a tent, and some MREs and get ready for a weekend in the woods.

Did you know that there are some e-bikes that have been groomed for activities like hunting, camping, and fishing?

We love the fat tire trend in e-bikes, which is proving to be one of the best solutions
for the free spirits amongst us.

This has been the realm of ATVs and heavier equipment, but if you like to glide at a fast
pace in relative silence and not scare every wild animal and bird within a mile radius, you can see how while some fat tire bikes are meant for the beach and the city, there are a number of “hunting bikes” that you can take off the trail and into the wild.

Fat tire bikes do exceptionally well outdoors – this is actually a mix of two relatively new
trends mixed together – and it’s proving itself an amazing asset to offroad adventurers that
don’t want to haul a whole car or ATV.

Or want to carry a bit more than they can with a backpack! The fat tires will ensure a smooth ride while the electric boost will make you power through the trail faster and further.

Some brands to look out for are Eunorau, Bakcou eBikes, Nakto, Ecotric, or Addmotor. These fat boys are is best for:

● Hikers
● Hunters
● Fishermen
● Campers
● Nature lovers
● People who just want to get lost in the woods – as quickly as possible
● All-weather adventure biking (including biking in the snow)

High-Flying and High-Climbing Endurance Electric Bikes

If your thing isn’t trail biking, camping or wilderness but you still need to get away and have
fun in rugged terrain, you should forget the fat tires and go straight for the mountain climbing bad boys.

Don’t think that you can sit back and tackles some of your most challenging trails now that
you have an e-bike.

An electric mountain bike is meant to give you a serious boost – not a free ride. You’re still going to sweat, destress, give your muscles a kicking – but you’ll get top faster and get more “bang” for your effort.

Some amazing E-enduro bikes out there right now are the Vitus E-Sommet, VooDoo Zobop
E-Shimano, Specialized Turbo Levo SL (probably one of our favorites) or Greenbike Electric
Motion Enduro.

If you want to be slick about your e-bike and take people by surprise, bikes like the YT
Decoy CF Pro Race have hidden their battery in the downtube, making it what custom car
enthusiasts call “a sleeper”.

There are too many buyer’s guides to electric mountain bikes to even try to mention. Instead of trying, here are some common options you should consider:

Batteries – there are a lot of different options that come with any e-bike batteries. They can
be integrated into the body or mounted on the outside.

Their location might affect what kind of gear you can mount on your bike. Sometimes, there’s even more than one battery. This might be a better option for you if you’re going the distance. Their charge times can vary.

Motor Location – There are Mid-drive motors and Hub-drive motors. Hub-drive motors are
mounted on the rear wheel and Mid-drive motors are mounted in the middle near the pedals.

A lot of people prefer Mid-drive motors because they feel more stable. Pedal Assist Levels – this is your turbo boost and it’s what makes electric bikes so much fun.

See how many levels an e-bike has, and think about how many you might need to bike comfortably. It’s always a good idea to test drive several bikes before you decide what feels
best.

Accessories – we know, we know – it all depends on the type of adventure you’re in the
market for.

There are so many e-bike accessories that we definitely won’t list them all, but
here are some helpful reviews. These are some of the most useful ones that won’t clutter
your bike:

● Security – you have invested a lot in your e-bike. Make sure it’s protected with built-in
locks and GPS tracking.
● Smartphone integration – this is for all the data geeks out there – you can keep track of your movements on the map, your ride statistics and battery use.
● Lighting – getting the best lights for your bike can mean the difference between
keeping going and ending your fun the minute the sun begins to set. It’s a huge safety bonus, and while lots of bikes have integrated lights, see if they’re strong enough to match what your needs are.

Put a Turbo Boost in Your Next Adventure!

If you have a long trip on the calendar and you’re wondering if you should leave your old
manual bicycle at home this time, go ahead – try an e-bike out.

If you have never done it before, prepare for love at first sight. Electric bikes are for people who want to go further, do more and see more while putting in the exercise and sweat at the same time. Power up!