EMTB RIDING TIPS
Posted by Tom Lee on
Advice for a better e-mountain biking experience
No matter what kind of eMTB you have, we’ve put together some simple tips to improve your rides on the trail.
Get the right set up
It's important to get the right set up to ensure you feel safe and comfortable on your e-bike.
Make sure that everything on the cockpit is easily accessible, e.g. your brakes are angled effectively, and your display is mounted in a good position. This will make it easier to adapt your bike during different stages of the trail. Another key element to get right in the setup is achieving a comfortable saddle position. For beginners, a lower saddle can give you more confidence as it allows you to put your feet down with ease, however, as you become more confident, a higher saddle can help you to pedal more effectively.
Familiarise yourself with the electronic display
Now you’ve got the right set up, make sure you know how to use it.
Ensure you are aware of the different assistance modes and how to change and control them on your display. With practice, you will learn when it is appropriate to shift between them. We would recommend starting with the lowest assistance and building it up throughout your ride. This can help to increase battery life and avoid a sluggish feel. If you start in a high-power mode, you might struggle going back down to the lower power modes later in your ride.
Work on your body position
As most of your time on an eMTB will be spent stood up, its key to get your body positioning right.
As soon as the bike starts to roll downhill, stand (with your knees slightly bent) and shift all your body weight to the pedals. Although you will be holding the handles, it key not to hold your body weight on your arms (light hands, heavy feet). Most MTB riding is done in the mid-zone of the bike, so ensure you are not leaning too are forward or backwards and become comfortable being central. These two techniques are really important to keep you safe and comfortable on your eMTB.
Perfect your pedalling technique
Getting your pedalling technique down is essential to conserve battery and improve efficiency.
Use the front section of your foot to pedal instead of the heel or mid-section. Ensure you use a smooth and consistent circular motion and avoid stomping, even when stood up. Shifting your weight quickly from one foot to the other can contribute to running your battery out quicker and is less effective at building momentum. Use the right technique and you’ll find that you can go further.
Account for extra weight
This will impact the ride.
The extra weight of the bike affects your stopping distance, resulting in a longer stopping time. This makes it important to get used to the brake speed on your eMTB to ensure you keep control over your bike. The extra weight can, however, be a good thing at times. It can help to track the ground on uneven trails, keeping you more secure to the floor and able to tackle some trickier sections with more ease.
Be prepared for higher speed
Remember, this is not a regular MTB.
With assistance modes, it's no surprise that eMTBs can travel much faster than regular MTBs. This makes it important to look further ahead on the trail and be prepared for what seem to be far away obstacles. They may be upon you sooner than you expect!
Now you’ve got the tips, go and test them on the trail. Do you have any tricks that have helped you improve your eMTB rides?
