Electric mountain bikes can be categorized in several ways. The most basic is by suspension. Hardly any mountain bikes are fully rigid these days, but that's how the sport began way back in the 1960's in Marin County on Mount Tamalpais (in Larkspur where the New Wheel's second location is). Today, most products are either hardtail (meaning that they have a suspension fork only and the back end of the frame is rigid) or full suspension (meaning that both the front and rear wheel are connected to the bike through a suspension system).
- Rigid Frame - this is the lightest and most efficient approach, fully rigid frames transfer the most energy from your legs directly through the pedals, crank arms, frame, and into the wheels for movement. It's why many suspension shocks have compression adjust and lockout, to simulate a rigid frame for climbing. Locking suspension out will reduce bobbing (when the bike frame moves up and down on the suspension as you pedal and shift body weight). Some purist mountain bikers will take rigid frames to the extreme by building or converting them to single speeds which further reduces weight and mechanical complexity.
- Hardtail - this is the second lightest approach, hardtails are frequently chosen for cross country and light trail riding where bumps aren't as extreme and the top speed may not reach that of a downhill ride. Individuals looking to save money might also target this type of bike because they tend to be less complex and thus, less expensive.
- Full Suspension - this tends to be the heaviest approach because it requires additional tubing, joints, bearings, and attachments for a rear swing arm and shock absorbing system. This type of product can offer the most comfort and traction, keeping both wheels in contact with the trail vs. bucking the rider (and bike) up and down.
- Cross Country (XC) - Suspension travel length: 4" to 5" (100 mm to 130 mm) generally hardtail but some full suspension. Often abbreviated as XC, this type of riding consists mostly of packed earth or forest / desert single track or double track trails with limited boulders and more gradual rolling landscapes. Bonus fact, this is the only type of mountain biking to become an Olympic sport according to Wikipedia! Within Cross Country, there is a sub-category called Cross Country Race with shorter suspension travel around the 4" (100 mm to 120 mm) range.
- Steepest head tube angle (70–71°) for quicker turning and limited descents.
- Narrowest tires for efficiency and weight savings.
- Smallest disc brake rotors to save weight and handle limited descents.
- Trail / Cross Country Trail - Suspension travel length: around 5" (120 mm to 140 mm) generally full suspension. Sometimes referred to as Cross Country Trail, this type of riding balances the efficiency of short to medium travel suspension and lightweight frame design with comfort for rougher sections with medium sized boulders and small drops. This is the most popular mainstream mountain bike category because Trail bikes can be ridden on Cross Country terrain and also handle a bit of All Mountain riding when necessary, but keep the weight and cost down.
- Slacker head tube angle (68-69°) for medium descents.
- Wider tires for traction, float, and comfort.
- Medium disc brake rotors to handle steeper descents.
- All Mountain (AM) / Enduro - Suspension travel length: 6" to 7" (150 mm to 180 mm) always full suspension. Often abbreviated as AM and sometimes overlapped with Enduro (which is a race in which at least four descent stages are timed but climbs or "trasfers" are not, originating around 2003). This type of riding includes steeper descents, larger hits, and terrain that might include larger boulders and medium sized drops. These bikes can handle steep climbs and steep descents which means they have wider gear ranges 11-40T, 10-50T or even a double chainring. An Enduro focused electric bike will probably offer nicer and longer travel suspension due to the emphasis on enduro racing where downhill sections are timed.
- Slacker head tube angle (65-66°) for heavy descents, boulders, and drops.
- Wider tires for traction, float, reduced deflection off of rocks, and comfort.
- Large disc brake rotors (especially the front rotor) to handle steep terrain and higher descent speeds (better power and cooling).
- Freeride (FR) / Downhill (DH) - Suspension travel length: 7" to 8" and sometimes as much as 10" (180 mm to 200 mm+) always full suspension. This type of riding includes the steepest descents, largest hits, and terrain that includes large boulders and large drops. Freeride mountain bikes are similar to Downhill but emphasize strength and may weigh more because they are often used for jumping. These frames can handle heavy impacts, whether from large drops or crashes.
- Slackest head tube angle (63-64°) for heavy descends, boulders, jumps, and large drops.
- Wider tires for traction, float, reduced deflection off of rocks, and comfort
- Largest disc brake rotors to handle steep terrain and higher descent speeds (best power and cooling)
