As anyone who reads my blogs will know, I love mountain biking... whether way marked trail centres, off piste single track, natural rock gardens, or muddy adventures over the moors; every time I get on my bike I am filled with joy (even though I tend to fall off a lot - I doubt that will ever change!). Everything about it just makes me smile; the friends you meet, the muddy face selfies, the adrenaline, the chance to explore new places, and of course the cake!
Recently I had been coming back from rides with a lot of pain in my lower back (long term injury) and regardless of physio, strength training and core strength exercises it was getting worst. Climbing was the culprit, and it was really starting to impact my enjoyment of riding. I was constantly anxious of the climbs on the ride and worrying whether my back would go in to spasm or not. It was time to look at other options so I could keep riding...
I've always been a bit anti electric bikes; it seemed a bit like cheating... I mean surely the whole purpose of mountain biking is to work your butt off on the techy climb to enjoy the immense thrill of the fast flowing downhill afterwards? The amount of times I've been at trail centres blowing out of my arse, struggling up the hill as an eMTB flies past, and me thinking 'blooming cheats', is not uncommon; but on the other hand I was rather jealous. There they were chatting to their mates climbing the hill, getting more runs in and enjoying the descent as they weren't shot from the climb. Maybe there was something to the idea of e-bikes; were they actually making riding more accessible for people?
I've noticed over the past year the popularity for all types of electric bikes increasing; in fact as the pandemic hit and the first lockdown stretched on, the demand for bikes in general went through the roof; my local bike shop couldn't keep up with demand and that was a common theme across the country. People were rediscovering the pleasure of being out in the outdoors, watching the world go by from the saddle. The joy of an e-bike was no longer just for the more mature population out for a gentle spin on the local cycle paths, the pros were turning to them too and the spec of eMTBs moved forward in leaps and bounds. Gone were the bulky battery packs and super heavy bikes; a new lightweight eMTB was emerging and with it a new audience.
My mind turned to whether I should get in on the action. Would an eMTB help me to be able to continue to love riding but without the pain associated with the sport? Was it time for me to give it a go and to drop my prejudices towards the idea of a powered bike? I liked the idea that I could have a bike that was still reasonably lightweight, didn't look like an e-bike and yet had the option to give you a little gentle assistance when required...
More and more of the people I knew and rode with were turning to eMTBs; not just guys and girls out for a mooch around their local trail centre, but also those who shredded the trails, mountains and moorlands on a regular basis; even those who raced with the big boys were waxing lyrical about their new found love of e-bikes.
So off I went to trial an eMTB... I was nervous; would it be easy to ride, would it be too heavy to corner and maneuver over features, would I be able to hike-a-bike with it where required? Would it feel like I wasn't putting in the effort? Would it make it uncomfortable to ride with my non e-bike chums? Would the battery last long enough to get a good ride in? And most importantly would it fit in my van!
I borrowed a Specialized Turbo Levo SL Expert Carbon... 'hello beautiful'... I won't go in to the spec, as those who care will check it out and those who don't care can just enjoy knowing how awesome my trial ride was! My friend and I headed out over the moors on our eMTBs to see just what the bike and I could handle. I popped it in Eco mode (the lowest setting) and off we went over a challenging, boulder strewn track. It was weird; I could suddenly roll over obstacles I would normally be intimidated by, the little boost of power just helped keep the momentum up to help me through the tricky terrain. Next a lovely wet and boggy hill climb... wow, popping the bike in to boost mode I even found I needed to change up a gear on the climb! I'm not saying it was easy; my legs still burnt and I could feel the extra weight of the bike through my muscles and I found I sat in the saddle more which led to a sore bum (!), but my back wasn't feeling as if it may rupture at any second; in fact other than a good feeling of exhaustion and muscle burn, I felt awesome. Was this really the solution I needed?
After a couple of hours flying over varied terrain I was in love... but hang on what's this up ahead? Oh, a boulder field and some serious hike-a-bike action. Now most eMTBs have a walk assist feature but that doesn't make them any lighter! And certainly doesn't help when the boulders are above head height and you need to lift the bike! Yet, it was achievable; I could lift the bike. I even managed to get it on my shoulders for a steep climb up the river bank; not as easy as throwing Beti on my shoulders and certainly at least double the weight, but it was doable.
Finally, a fun descent lay ahead... we whooshed and screamed like girls as we whizzed down the hill; rocks, tufty grass, natural mounds and drop offs were no issue for this lovely bike. My confidence was boosted and I was riding over features I may have shied from on normal outings. As we rolled back in the car park I was covered in mud, my shoes full of water and my face was plastered with the biggest grin. This was it; this was the future for me... I was an eMTB rider and proud!
Two weeks later my very own Specialized Levo arrived (aptly named Liz) and every time I get out on a ride I'm no longer anxious of the long hill climbs, or the fear that I'll not be able to keep up with my chums. I've become a better cyclist, more confident of tackling features and even wanting to learn to jump. And the best thing? I'm no longer in pain... for me that's worth everything.
See you on the other side!
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