What’s powers an Electric Mountain Bike (e-MTB?)
The ‘electric’ part of an electric mountain bike is formed of two things: a motor and a battery.
The motor is usually placed either at the hub of a wheel or at the crank. More expensive bikes will all use motors at the crank, this is because it offers some serious performance benefits. Locating the motor at the crank lowers the centre of gravity of the bike which can improve handling. It’s also much more efficient at transferring power from the energy to the drive than a wheel-based motor.
Manufacturers can fit sensors to the motor which monitors the power the rider can push through the pedals, which can help the onboard computer more efficiently manage the power delivery – helping you to conserve precious battery power.
All e-MTBs are equipped with a battery, which is usually located on or in the downtube of the frame. The size of the battery is measured in Watt-hours (Wh) or Amp-hours (Ah). The larger the battery, the longer it will last. Our Rockmachine Torrent INT e50-29 Mens Electric Mountain Bike has a max range of up to 60 miles – enough for an action-packed day of riding.
Don’t worry if you’re not an electronics expert, you’ll find an estimated range provided for each bike. This should give you a good idea of how long a fully charged battery will last for on a ride. However, hills, speed and rider weight amongst other factors will affect range performance – so don’t rely on it to get you home!
Using a head unit on your bike that’s linked to the battery and motor, you can select different levels of assistance. Most bikes come with a variety of assistance levels, from low-level pedal assistance to high-powered turbo support. More sophisticated electric bikes come with more advanced head units that can display useful information, such as speed, distance travelled, battery life and more.
Can e-MTB's be ridden in the rain?
Mountain biking is (for some of us) about getting muddy and mucky. If you’re worried about using a battery-powered system in wet weather, then don’t be.
The electric systems that are fitted to mountain bikes are closed and require very little maintenance. The connections between the head unit, battery and motor have been designed to ensure that water won’t enter them. They’re also protected against corrosion and decay and if serviced and maintained correctly, should give you years of riding pleasure.