Will Electric Downhill Bikes Become A Thing?

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bturman
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6/8/2016 1:49pm
Here's the beast in action:

owl-x
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6/8/2016 2:36pm
AGR97 wrote:
Ebikes for commuting are a very sensible idea, you can cover more distance, more quickly, and with less effort. Electric mountain bikes? Unless there are extenuating...
Ebikes for commuting are a very sensible idea, you can cover more distance, more quickly, and with less effort.

Electric mountain bikes? Unless there are extenuating circumstances then suck it up and enjoy the sport you signed up for. Like someone said earlier if you don't want to pedal get a moto, pedalling is fundamentally part of riding a mountain bike, and motors certainly aren't. (Not on the bikes at least) I can see E biking becoming it's own "thing" but it certainly isn't mountain biking.

If saying it's cheating is staggeringly arrogant then that's fine by me, the real arrogance is riding a bike with a motor and telling yourself and others that you are "Mountain biking"
Cool, sounds like you're on board! I am unconcerned with semantics, you can call it whatever you want.
bokdoos
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6/8/2016 4:56pm
iceman2058 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmtb.com/photos/forums/2016/06/07/3962/s1200_Haibike_xduro_dwnhll_Pro_emtb_downhill_bikeup_01.jpg[/img] We picked up on [url=http://ebike.bicilive.it/e-magazine/bike-news/haibike-xduro-dwnhll-pro-emtb-downhill-elettrica/]this report[/url] from an Italian eBike show, presenting the all new Xduro Dwnhll Pro from Haibike, the eBike specialists. It combines...


We picked up on this report from an Italian eBike show, presenting the all new Xduro Dwnhll Pro from Haibike, the eBike specialists. It combines some interesting traits: 200mm of suspension travel, a steep seat tube angle and a dropper post, a high pivot point suspension layout incorporating a chain idler, a 63-degree headangle and of course the small detail of a 500W electric pedal assist motor.

Weighing in at 24 kgs (52lbs), the Dwnhll Pro is billed as the ultimate self-shuttling DH bike. Enjoy performance levels not unlike those of the heavy bikes we used to ride not so long ago, then turn it around and point it straight back up the hill and go for another run. Components-wise it looks dialled (Fox 40, Vivid Air, Mavic Deemax, Saint brakes, etc), and the geo has the potential to keep things interesting on any track (the company says it "will tackle World Cup tracks with ease" which may cause some smiles but in reality, we'd imagine it could do pretty well within the limits of reason).

So, would you ride one? Without knowing for sure (or trying one) it's hard to say of course, but let's hear your arguments one way or the other!
People who ride like dicks are killing the sport.
You can still ride down faster on a regular bike...
6/8/2016 8:34pm
Nope.
I won't ride the e-bike for mountain biking.

But, for just commuting or going to work; yes, I will try the e-bike.
E-bike for going to work is just make sense.
When people wanna go to work with longer diatance (> 10km), a faster ride with less trafic jam in rush hour, a fun way, less CO2 / pollutant and also less sweat when they arrive at the office, the e-bike is a perfect solution.

But for doing sport like mountain biking, I still do not get the point.
I don't know, but using an electric motor in a road bike competition is a cheat. Mechanical doping.
So, I guess, it can be a cheat too when a pro DH rider uses a small electric motor in their bike.
This "mechanical doping" can save a couple of seconds in pedaling section.

Please someone correct me if I am writing something wrong here.
Mike Buell
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6/9/2016 10:44am Edited Date/Time 6/9/2016 12:44pm
Looks pretty freaking fun in that video!

Yes and No to answer the question. Depends on the scenario.

When No:
I 100% agree that it is a slippery slope in a lot of the world, and it makes the case for bike inclusion in certain areas even harder, hence all the comments about trail closures. So would I / Should I ride this beast on non-motorized trails? No, I would not, and on mixed use trails you also have to consider the speed without the warning of noise from a motor.

When Yes:
Now I think this application is awesome in some circumstances. Picture a fire road, or other legal motorized climb, that services a killer DH style trail. You use the assist to bust out the climb. Then descend under pedal power like you would on any other DH bike (I assume thats an option? Turn the power off?). Then you bust out the climb and repeat. Now you are getting in 4-6 after work laps instead of 1! You also don't have to dick around with shuttling. Sounds rad to me, and I know plenty of trails I could ride from my home/office that fit this description! I feel like you would still get a good work out covering that much ground, and a 52lb DH bike isn't that bad. Wasn't so long ago that my DH bike weighed exactly that much!


owl-x
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6/9/2016 3:44pm
Nope. I won't ride the e-bike for mountain biking. But, for just commuting or going to work; yes, I will try the e-bike. E-bike for going...
Nope.
I won't ride the e-bike for mountain biking.

But, for just commuting or going to work; yes, I will try the e-bike.
E-bike for going to work is just make sense.
When people wanna go to work with longer diatance (> 10km), a faster ride with less trafic jam in rush hour, a fun way, less CO2 / pollutant and also less sweat when they arrive at the office, the e-bike is a perfect solution.

But for doing sport like mountain biking, I still do not get the point.
I don't know, but using an electric motor in a road bike competition is a cheat. Mechanical doping.
So, I guess, it can be a cheat too when a pro DH rider uses a small electric motor in their bike.
This "mechanical doping" can save a couple of seconds in pedaling section.

Please someone correct me if I am writing something wrong here.
the point?

FUN.

Falcon
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6/10/2016 3:26pm
Falcon wrote:
I'm going to tell a little story from the motorcycle side that I think applies in this MTB instance: A few years back (18 or so...
I'm going to tell a little story from the motorcycle side that I think applies in this MTB instance:

A few years back (18 or so, to be exact,) Yamaha introduced the YZ400 4-Stroke motocross bike. Previously MX bikes had all been 2-stroke engines. People jumped on board despite the 4-stroke drawbacks because the power was immense and easy to use. In fact, an argument can be made that the new 450s can make anyone with a modicum of talent into a pretty fast racer. (One of the reasons I'm a little crusty about it myself. I spent years getting fast on a 2-stroke and now mid-level spodes can go as fast as I do.)

I see the electric downhill MTB doing something like the 450 4-stroke. It will bring new riders into the sport and make less-than-qualified riders into instant semi-heroes. You'll probably see a few extra broken necks along the way.
F1234K wrote:
This technology doesn't make you go faster downhill. It doesn't make you less scared of that gap. It doesn't make you take more chances on sketchy...
This technology doesn't make you go faster downhill. It doesn't make you less scared of that gap. It doesn't make you take more chances on sketchy terrain (which suspension does btw).

All it does is make you less tired going uphill. If you break your neck going uphill...

If the XC guy is irritated with the guy on his DH pedalec riding alongside him on the uphill, well tough cookies I say.
What I meant was that the dude who has no business going down the big line is now going to find it easy to get to the top in the first place.

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