Top 5 reasons why electric mountain bikes make great commuter bikes

[FlatSix911]

Posted on Electrek... Electric mountain bikes are usually designed for winding around dirt paths and climbing steep mountain trails.

And they’re great at that, but they can do so much more. That they can make perfect commuter bikes too, and often perform better than your typical comfort or city bikes.

Top 5 reasons why electric mountain bikes actually make great commuter bikes

Electric mountain bikes are usually designed for winding around dirt paths and climbing steep mountain trails. And they’re great at...

electrek.co

 

[TomD]

Gawd, electrek can't seem to get enough of pimping that overpriced M2S M600 bike. I wonder how much they got paid to promote it? What a load of nonsense. SMH.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I completely disagree with the author. e-MTBs:

1. No fenders
2. No rack
3. No lighting
4. Typically poorer range on flats than for hybrid bikes
5. Commuter e-bikes have large batteries nowadays, except, perhaps, some of e-MTB as the latest Levo models or BH ones with a 700W h battery. Dual battery of 1000 Wh can be found in several Bosch-based touring e-bikes
6. Hardly any e-MTB is of Class 3. A typical e-MTB has a small chainring, which is ideal for climbing but hampers achieving high speed.

Riding comfort is not everything for a commuter. A FS commuter e-bike? Riese & Muller. Sturdy construction and sporty character? Giant, Trek, Specialized, Haibike to name only a few. Need rear suspension? Install a suspended seat-post.

It seems to me the author of the article was strongly influenced to justify him riding e-MTBs. I am sorry but top e-MTB brands don't use Bafang motors.

 

[Captain Slow]

I completely disagree with the author. e-MTBs:

1. No fenders
2. No rack
3. No lighting
4. Typically poorer range on flats than for hybrid bikes
5. Commuter e-bikes have large batteries nowadays, except, perhaps, some of e-MTB as the latest Levo models of BH ones with a 700W h battery. Dual battery of 1000 Wh can be found in several Bosch-based touring e-bikes
6. Hardly any e-MTB is of Class 3

Riding comfort is not everything for a commuter. A FS commuter e-bike? Riese & Muller. Sturdy construction and sporty character? Giant, Trek, Specialized, Haibike to name only a few.

It seems to me the author of the article was strongly influenced to justify him riding e-MTBs.

Completely agree.

The whole point about a powerful motor and big battery is significantly negated by the upright and inefficient riding position. My Juiced CCS has a 614 wh battery with a 650 watt hub motor. My Creo has a 320 wh battery and a 240 watt mid drive. The Creo has better range and if travelling at 35 km/hr. or so the battery in the CCS drains really fast. The only time I prefer the CCS when commuting is when it's raining because it has fenders!

 

[TomD]

Hardly any e-MTB is of Class 3

Nor was his "e-MTB" from M2S. Class can be de-restricted so that's no more a barrier than lack of lights, fenders or rack. But why try to fit a square peg in a round hole? If you invest in a legit eMTB you are paying a premium for performance. The bike he is passing off as an e-MTB with low end spec is probably better suited as a commuter than MTB so of course it makes the case for him. Review something like the Luna X1 and make the case for it as a commuter and one will quickly realize the stupidity.

 

[17Stratton]

Will take a different view. I just took my new Luna Apollo on my 57 mile round trip commute. I also do this commute on a Stromer ST2S. Agree with the downsides mentioned above - I had to buy fenders which are clip on, I had to buy a light which is not integrated, no rack which led me to the dreaded back pack. But the full suspension is divine. Absorbs NYC bumps with ease and hands down is safer than my ST2S which gets thrown around even with the air fork and body float seat. Next up, the throttle. On such a long commute, really comforting to have the option of a power boost if battery capacity allows.

The really nice thing about the Apollo is that it is a fully capable mountain bike. I had the opportunity of riding a Delite for a week, and the bike felt very heavy, more a trail bike than a mountain bike, and the price is absurd.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the ST2S (which I bought used), and will easily admit is a better commuter. But if I only had to have one bike, it would be the Apollo b/c handles the commute very nicely and is also a bad ass mountain bike.

 

[TomD]

But did you swap out the stock saddle? I thought Eric made it quite clear you are not allowed to put a comfy seat on that bike.

Fast forward to 19:55

 

[17Stratton]

Not yet. I think he said I am "allowed" to consider a Brooks saddle, will research that ...

 

[TMH]

Many of us are quite blessed (myself included), having the means to have multiple ebikes which are specialized in application and can therefore better serve specific purposes. We have the luxury to ride the one which best serves the purpose of the day's particular ride, instead of only being able to have one, 'do it all' bike.

But thinking about Electrek's most basic premise (getting folks out of their ICE cars, and using alternative forms of transportation for cleaner air and less road congestion), the article/video makes perfect sense to me.

But I think that a title of "Don't let the fact that you can only have one ebike keep you from using it for commuting during the week and then having fun on weekends" would have been as good as the title Micah chose...

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Given the definition "Hybrid bicycles blend characteristics from more specialized road bikes, touring bikes and mountain bikes. The resulting "hybrid" is a general-purpose bike that can tolerate a wide range of riding conditions and applications", it is very funny to try and present a specialised e-MTB as a general-purpose-bicycle.

 

[TMH]

But I still really don't think that this was his base premise in this video. To me he is just trying to make an argument that 'you can get out of your car and commute on an ebike, even if all you have is an eMTB.' I don't hear him saying to go out and buy an eMTB if you are thinking about using it for daily commuting. But I do hear him saying that if you have an eMTB already, think outside of its standard use profile, because it can work as a commuter tool as well.

Alternatively, this video might push someone over the edge into their first ebike purchase. Someone who might have said to themself "I would like to try one for commuting, but I really don't like the looks of a city hybrid bicycle, and one of those wouldn't work well where I like to ride on the weekends." Now they might say 'wow, maybe I should buy a powered mountain bike for where I love to ride, because I could also ride it during the week to work.'

This video is not meant for those of us who have fully accepted (with our wallets) the capabilities and benefits of ebikes, but more for those who haven't yet tried or purchased one.

 

[oojoe]

let's face it ..if your trying to turn a mountain bike into a street motorcycle ...everything would like an upgrade..shocks,brakes,lights and tires,,,..this old back of mine likes touring bars...

the best bike is the one your riding today..enjoy it...

 

[tomjasz]

A lousy riding position for commuting in traffic IME! I like the heads up position of a crank forward/flat foot bike.

 

[Browneye]

And those tires...

 

[steve mercier]

Different horses for different courses.

 

[Yamahonian]

I completely disagree with the author. e-MTBs:

1. No fenders
2. No rack
3. No lighting
4. Typically poorer range on flats than for hybrid bikes
5. Commuter e-bikes have large batteries nowadays, except, perhaps, some of e-MTB as the latest Levo models of BH ones with a 700W h battery. Dual battery of 1000 Wh can be found in several Bosch-based touring e-bikes
6. Hardly any e-MTB is of Class 3. A typical e-MTB has a small chainring, which is ideal for climbing but hampers achieving high speed.

Riding comfort is not everything for a commuter. A FS commuter e-bike? Riese & Muller. Sturdy construction and sporty character? Giant, Trek, Specialized, Haibike to name only a few. Need rear suspension? Install a suspended seat-post.

It seems to me the author of the article was strongly influenced to justify him riding e-MTBs. I am sorry but top e-MTB brands don't use Bafang motors.

Disagree on all counts.

1) Buy fenders. Not expensive.
2) Old man mountain makes a aftermarket better rack for mountain bikes than anything else on the market.
3) Buy a light.
4) change tires to something less knobby.
5) you can just as easily carry a spare battery.

You do get the stability of wide tires, the safety of a full suspension when you hit a pothole, the convenience of a dropper post when slowing to a stop, and powerful hydralic disc brakes to slow you down.

Its a win all around IMO

 

[TomD]

My issue with the article is just the level of sheer bullshit. Let's break it down:

"Top 5 reasons why electric mountain bikes actually make great commuter bikes"

1) Comfort is king in e-bike commuting
This is maybe the only legit point. With FS they may be more comfortable. But the riding position is also more aggressive on a true MTB.

2) Electric mountain bikes often have more power
Bullshit. You can get more power with a non euro spec motor. Has nothing to do with MTB vs. non-MTB.

3) Higher-quality batteries
Bullshit. Granted, you can find less expensive / higher capacity batteries for Bafang and other motors, but higher quality? Has nothing to do with MTB vs. non-MTB.

4) Electric mountain bikes are more robust with better frames, chains, pedals, cranks, bearings, saddles, and even paint jobs.
That Chinese import hes riding has a better freame, chain pedals, cranks, bearings, saddles and paint job than a name brand bike? SMH! Has nothing to do with MTB vs. non-MTB.

5) Easier riding when commuting. Tthey are simply easier to ride and require less effort.
Bullshit. eMTB are not any easier to ride than any other ebike.

 

[Browneye]

I wished I hadn't had to buy both. [shrug]
I wouldn't think of commuting on a eMTB. Oh well.

I have to say though, I got my trance set up pretty well, it's comfy and easy to ride. The seat needs more padding. The offroad performance is astounding. But getting on the Explore, it's more at home on the road.
The PW motor is more than enough on the Explore. And the X more punch for the mtb. There's a lot of energy sucked out of a battery to drive all those big knobbies and suspension. The gearing is way low too - but top speed is still class1 at about 20, and it's not hard to maintain that. With some road tires I would ride it for a day on the road in group. I would just flip the lock levers on the boingers and pump up the tires.
We used do this with the dirtibikes, they call them 'super-motards'. It's a euro thing, and way fun. They turn into hotrod canyon carvers. They even put big fat slicks on the back, and smaller wheel up front.

Commuter? Uh, no. Not my cup of tea.

 

[FlatSix911]

I wished I hadn't had to buy both. [shrug]
I wouldn't think of commuting on a eMTB. Oh well.
I have to say though, I got my trance set up pretty well, it's comfy and easy to ride. The seat needs more padding. The offroad performance is astounding. But getting on the Explore, it's more at home on the road.
The PW motor is more than enough on the Explore. And the X more punch for the mtb. There's a lot of energy sucked out of a battery to drive all those big knobbies and suspension. The gearing is way low too - but top speed is still class1 at about 20, and it's not hard to maintain that. With some road tires, I would ride it for a day on the road in a group. I would just flip the lock levers on the boingers and pump up the tires.
We used to do this with the dirtbikes, they call them 'super-motards'. It's a euro thing, and way fun. They turn into hotrod canyon carvers. They even put big fat slicks on the back and smaller wheel upfront.
Commuter? Uh, no. Not my cup of tea.

Yup, I remember the super-moto days well.

Regarding your saddle, you may want to check out WTB... some great models are now on sale.

wtb - Search Results | Competitive Cyclist

wtb - Search Results. Find great deals on specialty road, mountain and triathlon bikes, components, clothing, accessories, and more.

www.competitivecyclist.com

 

[Browneye]

Yup, I remember the super-moto days well.

Regarding your saddle, you may want to check out WTB... some great models are now on sale.

wtb - Search Results | Competitive Cyclist

wtb - Search Results. Find great deals on specialty road, mountain and triathlon bikes, components, clothing, accessories, and more.

www.competitivecyclist.com

That's what I was telling Pdoz.
I ordered a ROCKET wide!