The EMTB industry is booming! Almost all bike companies now offer a number of EMTBs, and the variety is steadily expanding. But how can you go through the jungle of products, various models, continuous new releases, and special deals to discover the one that best matches your own riding preferences? We’re here to support you in making a choice.

Electric Mountain bike enthusiasts will probably agree that mountain ebikes are at the top of the ebike hierarchy. It won’t take you long to realise why EMTBs are a good demonstration of the electric bike market due to their plenty of power and rock-solid durability.

With so many bikes available at a wide range of pricing, selecting your first mountain ebike may seem difficult. There are several important things you need to know to ensure you get the most value for your money, even if it is easy to spend thousands of dollars to go out riding in the hills.

Tips Of Choosing The First Mountain E-Bike

How much should I spend?

We believe that you should be a minimum of $1000. While it may appear to be a lot, you’ll be sure to have an ebike that can handle all but the toughest terrain without breaking down after a few trips. Spending more also leads in the bike being lighter, which makes climbing hills simpler. Increasing the budget any further will result in even greater weight savings, smoother gearing with more ratios, and better quality components. Stretching that budget to $1500 will buy you a generally well-sorted ebike that is intended with off-road riding in mind. That takes us conveniently to the following point you should take into account.

Do I need suspension?

Any type of full suspension design is certainly something you should probably avoided. While there are many bikes available that appear to be functional, it’s very likely that negotiations have been made in order to keep the price of the bike low. As a result, you’ll likely end up with a bike that is incredibly heavy and poorly controlled and is more likely to hinder you than assist you when the going gets tough. Budget at least $3000 if you want a full suspension ebike that can handle the task. Although there have been some decent full suspension ebikes that cost a little less than that, they are hard to find and will still have a significant weight penalty.

Which frame size is best for me?

For electric mountain bikes, the majority of manufacturers will include a sizing chart along with the seat tube length and potentially a frame designation that also takes rider height into account. That’s certainly a fantastic place to start, but we can’t emphasise enough how important it is to try the bike’s fit for yourself. Generally speaking, the aim is to have as large a frame as you can while still maintaining adequate standover, or the distance between you and the top of the bike frame when you’re standing over it with both feet on the ground, to enable quick dismounts. You’ll likely understand why that’s crucial, for obvious reasons.

How many gears should it have?

Off-road performance also depends on the drivetrain’s range, which is the difference between the easiest and toughest gear to pedal. There is sufficient range to climb steep hills with smaller front chainrings and a cassette with larger rear sprockets, however if you frequently ride on tarmac you could find yourself spinning out sooner than you’d like. A cassette with more sprockets typically has an advantage since it allows for fewer gear steps and a smoother shift and ride. Five-speed cassettes are common on entry-level ebikes, but seven, eight, nine, or even ten-speed blocks are ideal, while being more expensive to buy.

The total number of gear combinations is frequently stated by manufacturers; for instance, a bike with a seven-speed cassette and three chainrings up front would be described to as having a “21spd” drivetrain. On the other hand, a drivetrain with only two rings up front and a ten-speed cassette at the rear, sometimes referred to as a double, may be called a “20spd” or a “2x10spd” and could appear to be less efficient on paper. Keep in mind that the latter combination would perform far better in practise with fewer duplication ratios. Due to relatively wide ratio cassettes, many current bikes just feature one chainring up front to conserve weight and simplify the design while maintaining the same total gear range.

What else should I look out for?

A set of brakes that still operate when it is wet. It is a massive bonus for any bike that will spend a lot of time on riding in typical weather. Therefore, car-style disc brakes placed on the wheel hub are preferable as compared to the rim brakes. They continue to operate consistently, and they won’t eventually damage your rims. The best disc brakes are those that run with hydraulic fluid since they require very little maintenance and have more power and feel. However, even those that operate with a cable are still extremely functional and have a significant advantage over traditional rim brakes.

Considering that you’ll be sitting on your saddle for long periods of time and that it helps absorb shocks and vibrations from the path, a comfortable seat saddle is obviously a need. Don’t fall for the myth that bigger is better, however, as huge saddles with tonnes of padding can sometimes be more uncomfortable over time than smaller but the better-shaped ones.

This guide should have let you with all the information you need to know to make the best decisions when choosing your first mountain ebike.  You should have been able to set a budget, avoid overly complicated and heavy bikes, select the wheel size that best suits your needs, and ensure that the frame is the exact fit.

We’ll see you on the trails, and good luck!