Hope you're doing good mate. I used to live and work on Lake Tuxedo near Greenville, thinking I may have to come out with tools and help rebuild in the spring. For now, any displaced Appalachian riders are welcome to come out to Southern Arizona this winter and I'll host em.
Makes sense now. I was slightly happy to see the at least some of the trails held up, but the I realized... Its such a shame. I have spent so many hours riding those areas. Beautiful part of the country, but now...
@@robertmcfadyen9156typically, you’re correct. But, as he stated near the beginning of the video, he sent his camera person home and went solo on this one.
I'm in my own weight loss era right now and your progress is inspiring. Stoked you made your goal weight so quickly when for some it takes years congrats man.
That is how children feel on their children bicycles. A child bike may look and weigh just fine for an adult, but for them to lift their bicycles over obstacles is hard.
A month ago I was riding near the town in the forest and I've meet 4 ~14 yr children that had hard time with hauling their bikes up the short but steep hill. Helped them, sticked around to help them more and gone my way :v
I remember we were adventuring where we shouldn'r (or thought we shouldn't, our parents probably wouldn't have cared) and my friend dropped his bike into the concreted-off end of a ditch. Three of us (two if you discount the one who was a little brother and thus useless) had a whale of a time getting that back out.
In Seth's defense I bought that exact same bike in a year newer version. And made the exact same mistake because I bought in winter and needed to remove the battery in order to store it in a cold garage. The local bike shop could not be bothered to explain this. As far as the premise of the video, I was entertained, and I think a lot of people learned "something"; if only that, as usual Seth's right, it's heavy - without power. But any tourist that can't check the battery level before leaving most definitely should not be on those particular trails. An analog bike would not have saved them. Full body armor might have. 😁
I remember the summer I grew out of my Asthma when I was 12. I was able to run down my street to the first side street without stopping. A couple days later I made it further and further. The next summer I ran a 3K without stopping in a 5K race. It was just an awesome feeling being able to finally keep up with my friends and later surpass them by being able to push harder than them since my lungs didn't hurt as bad as when I had asthma. It kind of made me a bit stronger knowing it was way worse before.
Dude I’m glad you verified I was pretty sure. My first WNc mtb experience was here and my girlfriend and I ran out of water before we even got to the peak where you go down. That literally ended up as a scary but amazing experience.
Being a 45 year old man who used to mountain bike until I moved to Florida in 2015 (and is the reason I am leaving). I get it. I used to ride like a champ and I know when I move back to the mountains I am going top need a lot of work. Diet is getting adjusted now so I will be able to keep up with you guys. The mountains are the greatest gift to us by far.
Diet, legs, lungs, heart, blood. Everything has to adjust to riding at higher elevations. I ride regularly in Florida. I went for a similar difficulty ride in Montana and couldn’t find my breath, let alone catch it.
@@guol1806 oh I agree 1000%. It will be a good thing to get my body in better shape also. But yeah dude I went snowboarding in Colorado a few years ago and hadn’t been riding in a while. Totally winded like never before.
My friend, I'm 1 month and 21 days into quitting smoking after 23 years, Breathing? I feel ya there! every week the climbs get easier, I have not ridden my ebike in over 2 months (my son hates that i don't bring his chair lift to the trails anymore). Keep up the good riding and the fun videos! Glad your out here doing this and not me! yet...
Congratulations! I quit smoking almost forty years ago when I found out I was carrying Seth❤️ It is by far, the best and hardest thing I ever did. Keep up the good fight. I promise those days that you think one puff would be nice will vanish and you will wonder why you ever started smoking in the first place.
This was fun to watch and a good break from Helene disaster videos. Riding a mountian bike with a group of friends all on ebikes is a great workout and a bonus when someone brings a tow rope.😎 Dreaming of being able to ride Black Mountain again someday.
I laughed at the attempt to remove the battery and noticing the power plug. Same mistake I made the first time I tried removing the battery from my Levo!
I've had first hand experience with this and i was also surprised how "normal" it felt. Sure its pretty heavy but getting from point A to B still worked.
@@michaelmartin9022 Yes, ebikes are more like a plug-in hybrid than an electric motorcycle. Just heavier than acoustic bikes and lacking granny-gearing for climbs.
Thanks for suffering to make this video Seth. It answers some silly questions we all have. It's great you are feeling so much better with your health, we need you around for a long time to come. Another option for the post ride reward: Tacos MADE from invasive animals! At least you are not dealing with gators and pythons anymore. Take care, be safe
Can we just take a moment to appreciate the camera stabilization? Imagine the shakes and bumps on the way down at that speed, yet the footage is so smooth. We’ve been spoiled to take this for granted. Another great video Seth!
He did. But he was speaking in the context of the difference between a high end race bike and a cheaper bike that weighs 10-15 lbs more, not an ebike the weighs double a standard bike. Especially since the weight distribution is so different . The cheap standard bike would just be heavier everywhere in general, while the ebike is weighted differently all together. ✌🏼
@@jackolson8775 not really, most full size ebikes arent that much more heavy and dont are even that heavy if you allready have a overbuild mtb. The difference to e-mtb is mostly 15 lbs. to my bike less then 10 ...
I ride an e-bike in the UK where pedal assist is allowed everywhere and it hadn't occurred to me that there was a risk to people's safety using them. Thankfully here almost every valley of any size has a road or track at the bottom. You could really get yourself into trouble not managing your battery enough though, I see ebikes as a 2-4hr toy, not an all day adventure.
There is none - tourists here in the alps get into really deep trouble all the time just by hiking beyond their capabilities. Painting e-bikes as dangerous just makes it easier for the folks trying to ban MTBs outright. Risk awareness vs. bans … Sadly the latter approach often seems easiest.
The old, non-electric bike I had in high school in the 1990s was something like 45 lbs and back then I only weighed maybe 100. I still rode it 8 km each way to school and back, usually taking about 25-30 minutes, but that was all flat terrain and for obvious reasons I was definitely not good on hills. When, just after high school, some friends and I rented some bikes for a ride in the mountains, I was completely shocked by how light they felt. I still sucked riding uphill, though. Now 25 years later: this would kill me. :D
It's something many of us who don't ride e-bikes wonder about. I too mountain bike in a very hilly place and share trails with them all the time. Some days, it's all that's out there. Many of the riders, (especially on the weekend), are carrying quite a bit of extra luggage if you know what I mean. A lot! If an e-bike gets someone out to exercise it's awesome in my book but that has to impact battery capacity. Mistakes are made too. I did see an ebike being towed. A guy was towing a woman out using a strap hooked to his ebike. She did not look happy. They were going very slow up a steep grade miles from the parking area. I really don't like the comparisons. E-mountain bikes aren't bicycles, motorcycles or mopeds as folks often call them. They're their own thing. Something new. Speaking of mopeds, I owned a moped in the 80's. You couldn't really pedal it without the engine running - at all. Not even on flat pavement for more than about 10 feet, lol. Cheers.
With the one exception of gearing though. Just got my e-bike and already swapped my freewheel for one with the largest rear gear sprocket that would fit. E-bikes are useually able / going a little faster so they get geared for it and dont have great analog foot pedal torque normally. Thats a bigger deal then the weight Imho
Some people I’ve asked don’t like that it makes it easier to do the trails more often/more people/more laps, creating more impact on the trails. I suppose trail builders have a gripe there, but I think most people are just jerks about it. If ebikers do trail work vs a non ebiker riding the trails without contributing, than the ebiker has more claim in my opinion. But really, everyone has claim to public land
I ride in Colorado, we have super humans of all ages pedaling around everywhere who don't get why anyone needs an E, but most often, they still don't care. What matters is how you treat people out there. I have an amazing time talking to other bikers, hikers, and horseback riders. I stop and give way because it's so easy for me to restart, we shoot the breeze, exchange information, etc. The friends I bike with don't do that, they are too tired, too out of breath, too zoned to even look at the views. That's fine, that's cool, I still ride with them. I realize and fully respect that people have different goals when they swing a leg over. If you want to find people who complain about them, you will find a lot more in the comments section than you will on the trail.
10:02" Seth says "you don't see a lot of people up here, because it's hard to get to. And you can hate me for it, but the day it is easy to get to here I will be sad for it". For me this the biggest issue against ebikes. It took me years to get the fitness and skill to be able to conquer technical climbs and I was rewarded for this effort knowing I earned it. Being in nature without technology and machines is a gift, not a burden. But, now in our instant gratification society anyone with enough money in their pocket can buy their way to the top. The ebike phenomena is a perfect example how abnormal gets normalized. Having motor bikes on bike and hiking trials in nature is one such situation.
I concur with this. I live in an old head area, but they ALL use ebikes on the tech trails now, and I still hear them say they "rode for 6 miles" no you didn't, you sat upon an electric motorcycle and had your ass toted across the trail. BIG difference
someday you people will realize that you do it for you. and stop caring about other people. i got to that conclusion a long time ago. if they like to ride their electric mountainbike up there let them. no one is forcing you to do so aswell.
I'm not sure if you are annoyed that you don't get to be there alone, if you feel your achievement is somehow taken away from you or if you are afraid others respect your achievement less as they don't understand the difference between it and that of those ebikers. I really don't see anything taken away from you, unless you want to enjoy remote areas alone. If you are just against doing it with unfair advantages, cause it is not what MTB means to you, I got news for you. Anything past a rigid metal frame mtb bike is kind a compensating for lack of skills, or pushing the sport away from what it was originally.
@@ilmarimujunen9180 Mountain biking used to attract people who wanted to escape from technology-people who craved the simplicity of a bike, a trail, and their own two legs. It’s about having a moment of solitude away from the digital noise of everyday life. But with e-bikes, that tech-free experience is eliminated. They bring motors into a space where many of us just want to escape the modern world. They’re turning what was once a space for quiet effort into yet another place where machines and motors dominate. For some of us, mountain biking was one of the last places we could go to escape our tech-filled lives. We chose this sport because it requires patience, persistence, and perseverance. Now, with e-bikes, it feels like the instant gratification mentality is taking over yet another space. Instead of earning the reward of a hard climb, you just hit a button and go. It’s like mountain biking is being turned into just another convenience-and that convenience comes at the expense of what made it special in the first place.
Been there,my first e bike two years ago,had no idea of battery management,30 mile trail,mostly emtb and turbo modes,bike died 3 miles from the end,i then found out how hard they are to pedal,luckily a lot of the 3 miles was gravity rolling,but with some push ups! Never again!
This is why I have a 38 pound E bike (Shuttle SL). Run in without the motor all the time. I can't even pick up those heavier bikes.... At least you gave yourself an out (the other downhill).
Black Mountain! This was my first genuine hike-and-bike mountain trail, done November last year. And I had NO IDEA it was a black diamond! Tons of work, but gratifying to finish in one piece, especially as a novice/intermediate rider! Great to see it survived the hurricane intact!
Having ridden that loop myself on an analog bike. I can attest it is no easy feat. The hike a bike is real. But, the three descents are so worth the effort. Black mountain is an amazing trail. Most would take the fire road up. Even that is a grind. Way to go Seth. You earned those Tacos.
Seeing you suffer up those hike a bike sections gave me flashbacks to Marji, a crazy endurance race I did a few weeks ago. The climbs weren't so gnarly that you had to carry it over your head but they got so relentless I almost bailed out.
@@330_Crew Congrats to you too! I also did the 50. It was so much fun I'm going to do it again next year. Going for less than my 16 hour finish hopefully, haha.
It was interesting hearing you say carrying extra weight on the bike is harder than carrying extra weight on the body. I was always told the opposite was true. But, I suppose I’m thinking of pedaling the entire time. You had to hike the bike and I can see how it would be easier with a lighter bike because you’re not straining yourself carrying a heavy bike.
3:28 "they're out here writing tickets ... if it's just connected or something, they're gonna know". They're gonna have to catch me first >:D Good luck when we get to a 10% grade and I smash that turbo button 🚴♂💨🚳🚳🚳👮♀🚴♀👮♂ (and fwiw, I clearly remember e-bikes being used to test these trails during development)
I own that bike, it is a PIG! I get scared if the battery drops below 18%. Rides super well with a motor uphill. Rides great with no motor downhill! It is super fun to ride a full powered emtb uphill, using brakes for step ups and switchbacks. It’s updhill! Great premises, video and channel. All the support to WNC and recovery. I know trail work is a bit away at this time but trails can be rebuilt! Sometimes even better! Feel for the kayakers that lost the Green River Narrows. They lost a natural friend forever! I’m a NWNC resident and feel the pains.
E-bike hate is a wierd thing. They are literally the only way I get to ride bikes with my grandparents. I’m sure they get a lot of people out of the house that wouldn’t otherwise be able to go. Now I know to double check the charge for them before we go.
E-bikes are the biggest advancement in transportation efficiency since the train. It’s more efficient, cheaper, and better for the environment to charge an e-bike with enough juice for you to ride 30 miles than it is for you to eat enough food to ride an acoustic bike 30 miles. And regular bikes were previously far and away the most efficient mode of transport for a person.
Ebike hate is silly. Though where I'm at in SoCal, there has been a massive glut of mtbers who now ride emtb at least some of the time. Get over that "shame" and you realize just how awesome it is. Ride more, longer. Climbing doesn't waste you. Can ride to and from the trails efficiently.
@@ashurany it’s cool because a bike ride is both a workout, and a means of transportation. With an e-bike you can “choose your level” of workout and do everything from work harder (battery off) to not working at all using throttle. All that should matter as far as rules is speed limits.
Just for fun, I did last year's commute on my new ebike (the current commute is only 20 minutes walking!) and it would absolutely have been doable. Train and bus fares were about ¥15,000 a month and the bike was about ¥85,000 (with many loyalty card points to discount it!), so it would have 'paid for itself' pretty quick
Seth, as someone who lives the Hike-a-bike life, I appreciate this video! The tacos look amazing, but I couldn't catch the name of that taco shop, and would like to visit sometime! I hope they were unaffected during the floods. God bless you man!
So first off please don’t eat me alive: I’ve rode an e-bike a couple of times and it’s really cool. I heard Seth speaking about e-bikers trying to go through the correct channels, but why is it so bad to use e-bikes on trails that were and/or are made for analog bikes? I ride motocross and I completely understand not taking something like that on a mountain bike trail, but it didn’t seem like the torque on any of the settings of the Specialized I rode would create ruts or dislodge debris on trails. I’m not trolling just asking from a genuinely honest perspective as someone that’s not actively in the biking community.
Literally isn't an issue, in fact the more people using your trails the less likely you are to lose them. I ride EUC (Electric Unicycle) out in southern UT on both OHV and suitable MTB trails, I also Donate and help out with our local Trail Alliance when I can! I remember bumping into the president of our trail alliance out on the trail before I joined and he had the attitude of "the more people who recreate on our trails, the more our city will allocate for trail maintenance and new construction." No surprise So.UT is building an All-Wheels park with dirt and asphalt sections, a skate and scooter section, and a splash pad. E-Bikes and PEVs are not going anywhere, especially when they fill such a astounding gap in our public transportation, or lack thereof, in the US. Be respectful of local laws, be respectful of the trails, and ride safe! Also side thought, but a lot of the push back on E-bikes, ironically, feels like it's aimed towards how accessible it makes the hobby to the masses. Similar to how artists weren't too thrilled with AI art. "These guys are REAL mountain bikers."
@@orang3blaz3 I agree with everything except the AI bit. I think you're missing the whole point of why artists are pissed about it. They're pissed bc that AI was trained by illegally STEALING other ppls art aka intellectual property, it's not bc it lowers the entry level. Artists don't give two shits about more ppl getting into the arts, if they did they'd be boycotting art schools. They don't want their art stolen by some scumbag company who decided they're going take everyone elses talent, hard work and art without any compensation, so they can then use it to make money. 🤷 How would you feel if you spent your life creating art only to have it stolen from you all so some other dickhead can get rich off your work?! Bet you wouldn't be too happy about that would you! Edit: Spelling
@@TheUncleRuckus Bruh I'm a freelance digital artist, I know all this. We're talking about bikes here. I think artists also think of themselves as engineers or doctors when in reality there's only so many ways to draw a line and artist don't really get to claim a style. Can't imagine having to pay royalties to some artist because something I drew actually used their trademarked 2px blur, 5px jitter brush technique so I'm actually in infringement of some furry artists intellectual property. Arts been stolen from the start, maybe what you make just isn't worth someone paying for? Artists are mad that they're uncle can generate his shitty company logo now instead of paying us. I literally don't care that my shit has trained AI, I use it now as a tool in my artist belt. 🤓
First, they are not "analog" bikes, they are mountain bikes. Second, an ebike is a motor bike, not a bicycle. It is just another manifestation of our instant gratification society wanting everything without effort.
Yeah yeah, the joy of e-bikes. I haven’t had the experience of a dead battery, but what’s also a nice experience is having really fit friends on normal bikes who constantly ride above e-bike speed on fire road and transfer roads. That’s fun, trying to push a e-bike above the max speed.
@@BiecherBender Even in EU, that restriction isn't for 'off road' use. Trails ( most of them anyway, check your local laws ) are not public road, and hence traffic laws aren't enforced there. If you emtb is only ridden off road, there is no one who will check if it's still restricted. There is even an EU wide stipulation which states that you're allowed to ride an unrestricted bike on public road, as long as it's in a direct path from your house to the place you're riding off road on. Good luck trying to argue that in court though. My issue here is that all trails have sections where they utilize public road... Ahh well, haven't seen the police put up dynometers at the mtb trails ( unlike their attempts to catch unrestricted fatbikes near schools and malls ).
"Now it's just you and me for the ride!" - immediately cuts to a shot where the camera sits on the side of the road, having you walk an extra few hundreds meters to set it up, go back to your bike, ride past, walk back to pick it up, and back to your bike again. It speaks for itself that you only do this one other time for the rest of the video :D
Honestly I'm surprised that these modern E-bikes don't come with regenerative charging. It would also allow you to brake the motor instead of the disc giving greater braking performance.
Regenerative braking is possible with hub motors, but they are not good for climbing or weight balance when riding. Mid-drives have freewheeling built in, as do regular rear hubs, so no way to get the motion/power back up the chain to the motor without a lot of extra weight, complexity and non-standard parts. I read comments from a commuter with a big rear hub motor ebike living at the top of a hill, they can't leave their house with a full charge because the energy reclaimed while rolling down the hill could damage the battery.
It was frustrating to learn that my wife and I couldn't ride Berm Park (or basically anywhere in your neck of the woods) this past summer because she has a pedal assist e-bike due to developing arthritis in her knees. She didn't ride with me for two years until we got it, and it's been great to be back out on the trails with her. We were so hoping to visit and stay a few nights in the Ranger Station back in August. :(
No e-bikes is nonsense, because all smart bike companies are now making and selling MTB ebikes. Being 72 my ebike allows me to ride and enjoy. Cannot fathom no ebike rule?
I am 68 and ride a glass 1 mountain bike on "trails" in South Florida. Forbidding class one ebikes is pure discrimination against those who are older and/or face physical limitations. I always bring an extra battery!
Truly awesome and impressive video! Your videos are fun to watch, plus informative and educational. I know no one needs to say to you, "Keep Going!" Ride on, ride on.
Kudos for clearing the trail on that one section, I'm sure it will be appreciated by others riding through there. A FAFO series could be fun, just be safe out there. No need to put yourself in danger or punish yourself in order to make content. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday everyone 💚 Edit: Congrats on the health progress and being able to breathe, long may it continue. Dairy isn't worth it.
Seeing the title of the video I thought you were going to check how much power you could brake gen. Kinda missed opportunity but I liked seeing the nature :)
A couple years ago, I watched this channel and not much else. I have other interests now, but this was a refreshing and wonderful video to come back to.
Fantastic on your healthy weight loss journey. I'm 6'4" and was 230lbs in the past. I focused on proper weight loss and got down to 167lbs (6mths). I have since maintained a healthy 180lbs for the last 6 years (54 now). Own both a gravel bike and emtb. When e biking my average ride is 3000 feet in elevation over 20-30 miles. Pumps the heart in a solid zone 2. I ride so I can hike and climb mountians... Love you found a new life
Drinking milk or eating dairy products doesn't cause asthma. However, if you have a dairy allergy, it may trigger symptoms that are similar to asthma. Also, if you have asthma and a dairy allergy, dairy may worsen your asthma symptoms. About 45 percent of children with asthma also have dairy and other food allergies. Keep up the weightloss, great to see you in shape.
It could be worse....having a Shimano powered E8000 e-mtb with Di2 powered off the main battery going flat - loose 100% of your power and you've lost gear changing as well...!
Trail looks like a couple of my favorite running trails in Kentucky- very nice! So I saw something out on the local greenway this weekend-section which has switchbacks and 6-8% grades- a gentleman old enough to know better was on his e-bike towing his wife's bike using rope tied seatpost to headtube. I initially didn't register what I'd seen, but the gopro footage showed I was not mistaken. Towing bikes never worked out well when we were kids on Stingray style bikes, I hope they got home home safely.
haha rad video as usual. Ebike tip - when you need to "yank" to clear something just preload the suspension instead. Then you only need to pull slightly to hop anything.
A shame that e-bikes can't regen brake on downhills to get some battery charge back. The cost would be having the chain spinning at all times, and thinking about when I've had to stop pedaling immediately to save the derailleur, that cost is probably too high... :)
Hub motors can, I was able to enable it on mine jumping a pin on the controller, It adds another 20% to the range its really worth it, and with how heavy ebikes are it saves so many pads
Hub motors are a poor choice for eMTBs, very power hungry on climbs and very tail heavy / unbalanced to ride on technical trails. You can get controllers that are very good for regenerative power on downhills, and you can get 3,000 to 6,000 Watt hub motors (needed for climbing). Most factory eMTBs are 250W or less, aftermarket mid-drives can be 500W to over 1600W, and mid-drives use the bike's chain and gearing for better power delivery, especially on climbs.
@@davebrown9725 The center of mass on mine is really high, I get okay climbing from 1200w but it stalls out so easily. I am tempted by 2wd to see how that fares as the motors can be smaller
So glad to see you taking effort to better your health. It’s not easy! This was a whole new level of suffering though. You make us endurance guys look weak! I know that feeling of being out of water all too well. But I love trails that are hard or exposed. Less trail traffic and I’m left to my own thoughts (and suffering 😊).
Depends very much on the temperature though. I can ride 3 or 4 hours without drinking anything when it's under 10 degC (Around 50 degF) - you don't need to replace water you're not sweating out, and the human body, unsurprisingly given humans had 2-300 000 years without quick and easy access to water to survive through before the last maybe 50-100 years where drinkable water was quite easily to come by.
@@peglor I'm a heavy sweater, so two water bottles are a must for me. On cooler days I don't drink as much, but I still bring two bottles because I never want to risk getting stuck on the trail without adequate hydration.
This is very nostalgic for me... I was that tourist! Except I was on a SC Hightower and that bike made all the difference on me getting down safely and up without too much trouble! Hightower and a Gatorade bottle, not exactly what I would recommend for amateur MTBer first time at Pisgah but it was definitely better than hiking an e bike all the way up there!
We need to get over this exclusion of e-bikes. It is an arbitrary exclusion. And of all the reasons to say “stay off” this one is the most spurious! There is a local place that uses that reasoning. Like people can’t turn around, or people don’t experience mechanicals, or are unable to make decisions on terrain selections.
@@greggoldman893 spoken like a true ebiker. And you are 100% incorrect, public trails belong to non-motorized forms of transport. You ebikes are just normalizing the abnormal.
As an old school rider in the deserts around Las Vegas in 1972, I and the group I rode with, went upwind or uphill on the way out so that when you were low on water or tired you had an easy ride home. I had theorized that if I had a E-bike I'd use the same l logic to avoid getting into a tuff situation. I now live in Utah and frequently ride in the deserts around Moab. I don't have or want a E-bike but I've noticed that most of the trails down there have signs that E-bike are prohibited. I suspect that too many tourists that rent a E-bike would go on a trail, get way out, run out of battery, run out of water and then end up in a life threatening crisis. I know you could get into trouble out in the wilds wherever or whatever you ride. I hope your cool video about running out of battery could get tuff, but also note in some situations it could become fatal. I alway love your videos! It would be fun to meet you on the trails! I'd never be able to keep up with you for sure.
I have pushed my e-bike home on several occasions. It's a first gen DIY e-moto that weighs about 170lbs. The worst time was when the hub motor failed and I was fighting against the magnets all the way down the decent. Places you would think you would roll freely simply didn't.
@@NeelTheHuman Everything beyond that is a full on motorbike by most classifications, since it's more powerful than a lot of 50 cc mopeds that already need motor vehicle insurance and a licence.
@@peglor yeah, In Germany where I live even 25km/h throttle e bikes and 45km/h pedal assist e bikes are considered scooters So no bike paths or anything, street only and a license plate as well
It’s easier to ban a whole group than specify a workable solution unfortunately. 70% of “e-bikes” that the general public buys isn’t class 1 though. Most people on e-bikes have purchased minimal viable class 2.
I've gotten right into similar situation where we went down a new trail (to us) and it turned out to have some big scrambly hike a bike uphill sections. I had to haul my Rocky Powerplay and my wife's too up similar rock walls. What a workout.
Fines for assisted bikes are so stupid. Dear EMTB hater: Every single thing on a modern MTB was designed to make your ride easier, faster or more fun (light weight frames, suspension, transmissions, dropper post, hydraulic brakes, spoke wheels, rubber tires) electric motors are just one more thing. Unless you ride a 1700s solid steel bike with wooden wheels and no brakes it’s hypocritical to complain about ebikes just because it makes mtb easier or more fun for some people. Like yes some people want to limit the “effort” they put into a ride, and that some people includes every single person bitching about ebikes, or am I wrong and you set your transmissions in gear 8 before a big climb Mr. Athletic? Thats my rant of the day
The difference is that all bikes are 100% human powered machines while e-bikes are not. The motor converts energy from the battery to propel the bike. I’m not a opposed to e-bikes on trail systems unless they are wilderness, but e-bikes are not just like rubber tires or carbon layup
Around here, I think the issue is that the USFS has rules against motorized travel in some areas...and electric motors are...motors. Threading the needle with this would take time, especially with US government and all the interest groups that'll lobby. Other motorized users might get upset about being discriminated against. Personally, I've seen that ebikes allow people to keep biking that otherwise couldn't, from what they've told me when I've met them, and are quieter than dirt bikes. The local paved 7 mile long pathway is explicitly signed allowing ebikes, which is nice. And some nice mountain bike trails, like Monarch Crest along the continental divide, are on trails that allow motorized travel (a few dirt bikes passed by). But some other places that restrict motorized travel may take quite some years of permission seeking. Just my observation.
@@bearcubdaycare they shouldn’t revise the wilderness restrictions on e-bikes, in fact many wilderness trail should not be biked in general. Moto-trails are perfect for e-mtb
@@deankruse2891 The point is that this difference doesn't matter, unless you are in a competition. It is still just technology being used to make things easier. The only fair point one could make against e-bikes in the wilderness is the potential for accidental fires and stuff like that, this much I can agree with, otherwise just let people enjoy their hobbies in whatever way is best for them.
Congrats on hitting your fitness goals!!!! I think its always worth it for people to try to switch things up, like cutting out dairy, and just seeing if it helps or makes your life better.
Because for some reason, they assume they are like a dirt bike. I go but I have to pedal it's just more fun for me. It's a mountain bike but just like a little heavier. Hell some of the lightweight emtb are basically the same as a little heavier rider on Seth's normal mountain bike.
One of the main reasons I see it done locally is mostly due to the larger non pedal type surrons etc as they tear up the trails. Rather than trying to say which types of ebikes are allowed and get into arguments everytime they try to enforce it. They just do a blanket ban to make it easier to enforce.
Seth you legend. This video was awesome. Glad to hear you are feeling better on the bike. I loved the trail preview aspect of this video. It was a journey for sure. Please do more videos like this.
@@JayRock907which is wrong, these class 1 emtbs are not much different to a Pedalbike. these regulations are just bullshit made up by people that dont know shit.
There are a few reasons e-bikes are banned on many bike trails. The primary being that with an average e-bike tipping the scales at 50 pounds, plus the added torque from the motor, it puts more wear and tear on the trail surface, especially if someone is using something like turbo mode where there's a greater possibility of the rear tire regularly spinning out, and with the increased speed comes the need to brake harder which will further erode the trail surface.
@@Durwood71 So they should ban "overweight" people or people with above average leg strength? Possibly we should fine or ban those riders that roost berms? its a silly rule and you all know it, but i guess you've picked your "side"
Not quite - the EU regulations have power (250 W) and speed (25 km/h) limits that the US ebikes don't have. If you go beyond that you're into moped territory anyway, so motor tax, insurance and a driving licence are needed and motor vehicles of this type are already banned from most trail systems. Anything with a hand throttle (And the walk mode may qualify as this depending on jurisdiction, though its speed is so limited it shouldn't be) also means it's a motorbike and not a pedelec (Pedal powered electrical assisted). There are enough people on youtube showing how to derestrict ebike speed limiters as well as increase the motor power, that people riding what effectively are weak MX bikes with no licence or insurance, riding at motor vehicle speeds around people who go there to get away from the danger of being around motor vehicles and chewing up trail surfaces, are a genuine problem in places with delicate trail surfaces and mixed use trails.
There's nothing "cringe" about it. E-bikes are heavier and deliver higher torque to the rear tire which can increase wear and tear on the trail surface. That's why they're prohibited on many trails.
@@Durwood71 the irony of mountain bikers using that argument against pedal assist bikes is absolutely hilarious. If you're old enough, you'll remember that was one of the exact arguments that hikers used to use to get mountain bikes banned from trails back in the 90s. The hypocrisy is real.
It is absolutely insane that pedal assist bicycles are illegal in the "Land of the Free" and the police will throw you in jail for riding a bicycle. It is more insane that people are ok with them doing it.
They're not allowed on these specific trails, they're not banned in the whole country. I should point out that the US is well off leading the list of world countries in many measures of the actual freedom of their citizens - like freedom not to have their schoolchildren murdered by random people with guns who can't afford psychiatric treatment due to privatized medicine. Also many US spec ebikes would be just as banned in the EU (Without a licence and insurance as a motor vehicle) because they are too fast and too powerful to qualify as mere pedal assist bikes.
Nobody is getting thrown in a jail for riding an e-bike. Likely it's just a $20 fine. And there are good reasons why e-bikes aren't allowed on many mountain bike trails: the increased weight and torque to the rear tire can significantly increase wear and tear on the trail surface. Basically, it's the same reason motorized scooters and dirt bikes are prohibited on those same trails.
@@peglor Your children are more likely to be killed on the car ride to school than being shot. That's always such a stupid argument. I don't care about freedoms of Europe. Europe has never had freedom. You can be imprsoned for a joke in nearly all of Europe.
@Durwood71 there's no conclusive evidence that properly specified and responsibly driven eMTBs wear trails more than their non-electric counterparts. The weights aren't all that different and reducing wheel spin uphills is likely easier on trails. The larger factors are likely increased popularity of mountain biking, rider skill and behavior (riding beyond their capabilities), and trail design and maintenance. We should be open and innovative in finding ways to get more riders into the outdoors in a healthy way.
the first time (in my 50's) i did trails like that was on a old 45lb. Kona DH bike on the Cannell Plunge - i had no idea. i had to push most of the real steep parts. amazing ride
@@sety409 Elite athletes have the skill to deliver the power smoothly enough to not chew the trails because all that skidding is lost power, which they are very conscious of. Also elite level cyclists weigh a hell of a lot less than the average eMTBer, even before adding the extra weight of the bike, so their impact on trails is much lower.
This is like every ride I go on. My wife asks me two questions when I get back from aride: 1. Did you get lost? 2. Did you fall off? The answer to both is always yes… I ride a hardtail xc bike on trails that maybe I shouldn’t… at 51 you’d think I’d know better. But I love it too much to give up. But I always have a backpack with at least 1.5 litres of water. 😂😂😂😬😬😬😬 I also do the same at night with a headlamp, so much fun. I also carry at least two kids sauces with me when I go, they’re a real energy boost,I’d recommend them for every ride.
14:37 you know what would be the proper way? instead of making it illegal by default make it legal by default like it is in europe, hack make these emtbs classed as normal bicycles. that law needs to change, otherwise its just conflicts everywhere.
EU laws are much more restrictive on motor power and max speed than the US ones, so it's not a massive extra risk to allow pedelec type ebikes on MTB trails here. The thing to remember is mopeds have been, and continue to be a thing in the EU from when the first cars were made. Bicycles were already around when the car industry kicked off, but people on normal incomes could actually afford them, so adding a small gasoline motor to a bicycle wasn't a massive jump. Because of this, vehicles powered by a combination of pedalling and a motor have been here forever and have their own laws. For an electric bike to qualify as a pedelec (No licence or insurance needed and can be used anywhere a bicycle is allowed) it has to be max 250 W, have the motor only work while the rider is pedalling with no separate throttle control (So the walk assist might make the bike in the video ineligible, though it shouldn't because it's walking speed only), and the motor assistance cuts out at 25 km/h - anything beyond that is a motorbike/moped and needs a driving licence and insurance to use legally on the road and is banned from biking and hiking trails.
Higher weight and torque to the rear tire increases trail surface wear, which is why e-bikes are prohibited on many mountain bike trails. It makes perfect sense.
@@peglorit doesnt have to be max 250w, read the actual law before claiming that. 250w refers to continous power, maximum can be whatever you want. what is more important is the 25km/h limit, which is akin to class 1, and that is a little higher at 32km/h. you already have the laws in place, but you have to change them according to the time, which you dont do. walk assist is perfectly legal aswell, as long as it doesnt assist you above 6km/h.
@@Durwood71i am talking about emtb. these weigh less than the difference between different riders. oh and also have you actually ridden these? its nothing like a motorbike.
I bought a Levo SL at the beginning of the year and it was the best thing i ever did. 900 miles later im absolutely loving it. Ride it more than any other bike i own including a hard tail and a full squish.
I appreciate the oldschool Seth out in the woods with a camera fafo-ing. Takes me back to the old days on the channel, I love it! :)
It’s my favorite kind of his videos
is it me or he used to talk way less though
It's not oldschool without the profanity.
Except he doesn't crash like the old days.
@@Outsideville agree
Many videos will have been shot weeks before the storm. So things might not make sense without that context.
Where are you riding
Love your vids your my favourite TH-camr
Hope you're doing good mate. I used to live and work on Lake Tuxedo near Greenville, thinking I may have to come out with tools and help rebuild in the spring. For now, any displaced Appalachian riders are welcome to come out to Southern Arizona this winter and I'll host em.
How are the backyard trails at berm peak?
Makes sense now. I was slightly happy to see the at least some of the trails held up, but the I realized... Its such a shame. I have spent so many hours riding those areas. Beautiful part of the country, but now...
More annoying than pedalling that heavy bike would be setting up all those camera shots, and riding past - then heading back to grab the camera... 😢
I was going to say that. I bet that was half of the work!
He would have a producer on hand but not "let - on" of their presence , with his popularity and budgets/revenue.
insta 360
@@mototrailz But the production quality is of commercial standards , though . I have insta 360 and the software isn't that sophisticated .
@@robertmcfadyen9156typically, you’re correct. But, as he stated near the beginning of the video, he sent his camera person home and went solo on this one.
LOVE to see people who leave the trail cleaner than they found it! Reminds me of my papa, RIP ♥
I'm in my own weight loss era right now and your progress is inspiring. Stoked you made your goal weight so quickly when for some it takes years congrats man.
That is how children feel on their children bicycles. A child bike may look and weigh just fine for an adult, but for them to lift their bicycles over obstacles is hard.
A month ago I was riding near the town in the forest and I've meet 4 ~14 yr children that had hard time with hauling their bikes up the short but steep hill. Helped them, sticked around to help them more and gone my way :v
In a mountain bike area invest in your kids bike they sell used easily. My kids mountain bike is under 19lbs.
I remember we were adventuring where we shouldn'r (or thought we shouldn't, our parents probably wouldn't have cared) and my friend dropped his bike into the concreted-off end of a ditch. Three of us (two if you discount the one who was a little brother and thus useless) had a whale of a time getting that back out.
Children bikes are built from just straight up tube steel too. My toddlers bike weighs literally 1/2 that of my mountain bike. It's insane.
@@douglasg14b nobody wants to pay $2k for a kids bike.
As an E-Biker, and bike Mechanic/Salesman, you yanking the battery like that made my stomach turn xD
Mine too! 😫
As a person who has broken things by yanking too hard...that seemed very clear something was wrong.
In Seth's defense I bought that exact same bike in a year newer version. And made the exact same mistake because I bought in winter and needed to remove the battery in order to store it in a cold garage. The local bike shop could not be bothered to explain this.
As far as the premise of the video, I was entertained, and I think a lot of people learned "something"; if only that, as usual Seth's right, it's heavy - without power. But any tourist that can't check the battery level before leaving most definitely should not be on those particular trails. An analog bike would not have saved them. Full body armor might have. 😁
There should be a mechanism to prevent that.
Yeah, it's not the best design. In the previous gen Levo, the battery won't even move until you disconnect the plug first.
I remember the summer I grew out of my Asthma when I was 12. I was able to run down my street to the first side street without stopping. A couple days later I made it further and further. The next summer I ran a 3K without stopping in a 5K race. It was just an awesome feeling being able to finally keep up with my friends and later surpass them by being able to push harder than them since my lungs didn't hurt as bad as when I had asthma. It kind of made me a bit stronger knowing it was way worse before.
I remember my asthma starting at around 18… since then I’ve had problems and at 51 I’m still suffering, but it doesn’t hold me back.
OMG, that’s Black Mtn Loop. That kicks my but on a 32lb. Bike. I can’t even imagine doing it on a dead E-Bike😅 you da man.
Yeah pretty sure upper black
Dude I’m glad you verified I was pretty sure. My first WNc mtb experience was here and my girlfriend and I ran out of water before we even got to the peak where you go down. That literally ended up as a scary but amazing experience.
For real. I thought I recognized that. I did a variation on it with my XC bike. Cool?
I hiked up that in July. Ride down was AMAZING! I seem to remember a few more false summits !!
That's what I thought. Did he go all the way up Clawhammer to the top of Upper Black?
Seth you're already looking lean and fit - I'm down for this FAFO series let's go!
Being a 45 year old man who used to mountain bike until I moved to Florida in 2015 (and is the reason I am leaving). I get it. I used to ride like a champ and I know when I move back to the mountains I am going top need a lot of work. Diet is getting adjusted now so I will be able to keep up with you guys. The mountains are the greatest gift to us by far.
Diet, legs, lungs, heart, blood. Everything has to adjust to riding at higher elevations. I ride regularly in Florida. I went for a similar difficulty ride in Montana and couldn’t find my breath, let alone catch it.
@@guol1806 oh I agree 1000%. It will be a good thing to get my body in better shape also. But yeah dude I went snowboarding in Colorado a few years ago and hadn’t been riding in a while. Totally winded like never before.
Getting acclimatized to higher altitude is something most of us never have time to do in the time we have to spend riding up there.
My friend, I'm 1 month and 21 days into quitting smoking after 23 years, Breathing? I feel ya there! every week the climbs get easier, I have not ridden my ebike in over 2 months (my son hates that i don't bring his chair lift to the trails anymore). Keep up the good riding and the fun videos! Glad your out here doing this and not me! yet...
Congratulations! I quit smoking almost forty years ago when I found out I was carrying Seth❤️ It is by far, the best and hardest thing I ever did. Keep up the good fight. I promise those days that you think one puff would be nice will vanish and you will wonder why you ever started smoking in the first place.
This was fun to watch and a good break from Helene disaster videos.
Riding a mountian bike with a group of friends all on ebikes is a great workout and a bonus when someone brings a tow rope.😎
Dreaming of being able to ride Black Mountain again someday.
I laughed at the attempt to remove the battery and noticing the power plug. Same mistake I made the first time I tried removing the battery from my Levo!
Would absolutely love to see more videos like this. Very entertaining, but also very informative!
I've had first hand experience with this and i was also surprised how "normal" it felt. Sure its pretty heavy but getting from point A to B still worked.
Ebikes: The EV with no range anxiety
@@michaelmartin9022 Yes, ebikes are more like a plug-in hybrid than an electric motorcycle. Just heavier than acoustic bikes and lacking granny-gearing for climbs.
Thanks for suffering to make this video Seth. It answers some silly questions we all have. It's great you are feeling so much better with your health, we need you around for a long time to come.
Another option for the post ride reward: Tacos MADE from invasive animals! At least you are not dealing with gators and pythons anymore.
Take care, be safe
Can we just take a moment to appreciate the camera stabilization? Imagine the shakes and bumps on the way down at that speed, yet the footage is so smooth. We’ve been spoiled to take this for granted. Another great video Seth!
The camera does this, not Seth.
8:24 Seth actually said weight doesn't matter a few years back when he added water and stuff to a mongoose bike
Was that in Florida where there’s no such thing as hills?
He did. But he was speaking in the context of the difference between a high end race bike and a cheaper bike that weighs 10-15 lbs more, not an ebike the weighs double a standard bike.
Especially since the weight distribution is so different . The cheap standard bike would just be heavier everywhere in general, while the ebike is weighted differently all together. ✌🏼
@notatoad yes that was in Florida where they're is no such thing as hills
He used it as a point that you can bunny hop on anything. Not to ride trails with.
@@jackolson8775 not really, most full size ebikes arent that much more heavy and dont are even that heavy if you allready have a overbuild mtb.
The difference to e-mtb is mostly 15 lbs. to my bike less then 10 ...
I ride an e-bike in the UK where pedal assist is allowed everywhere and it hadn't occurred to me that there was a risk to people's safety using them. Thankfully here almost every valley of any size has a road or track at the bottom. You could really get yourself into trouble not managing your battery enough though, I see ebikes as a 2-4hr toy, not an all day adventure.
There is none - tourists here in the alps get into really deep trouble all the time just by hiking beyond their capabilities. Painting e-bikes as dangerous just makes it easier for the folks trying to ban MTBs outright. Risk awareness vs. bans … Sadly the latter approach often seems easiest.
The old, non-electric bike I had in high school in the 1990s was something like 45 lbs and back then I only weighed maybe 100. I still rode it 8 km each way to school and back, usually taking about 25-30 minutes, but that was all flat terrain and for obvious reasons I was definitely not good on hills. When, just after high school, some friends and I rented some bikes for a ride in the mountains, I was completely shocked by how light they felt. I still sucked riding uphill, though. Now 25 years later: this would kill me. :D
It's something many of us who don't ride e-bikes wonder about. I too mountain bike in a very hilly place and share trails with them all the time. Some days, it's all that's out there. Many of the riders, (especially on the weekend), are carrying quite a bit of extra luggage if you know what I mean. A lot! If an e-bike gets someone out to exercise it's awesome in my book but that has to impact battery capacity. Mistakes are made too. I did see an ebike being towed. A guy was towing a woman out using a strap hooked to his ebike. She did not look happy. They were going very slow up a steep grade miles from the parking area. I really don't like the comparisons. E-mountain bikes aren't bicycles, motorcycles or mopeds as folks often call them. They're their own thing. Something new. Speaking of mopeds, I owned a moped in the 80's. You couldn't really pedal it without the engine running - at all. Not even on flat pavement for more than about 10 feet, lol. Cheers.
If you go bikepacking, it is always as if you are riding a heavy ebike without energy left 🤷♂ 😅
But atleast you have food and water included in that weight.
With the one exception of gearing though. Just got my e-bike and already swapped my freewheel for one with the largest rear gear sprocket that would fit. E-bikes are useually able / going a little faster so they get geared for it and dont have great analog foot pedal torque normally. Thats a bigger deal then the weight Imho
@@psavar97 or you use a a bikepacking build that is build for the flat land and dont swap the gearing for the hills.
What I love about this video is that it shows off absolutely technical stunning trails!
Shows them off in both the climb and descent 😂
I don't know if I'd ever get an eMTB myself (when I'm older, I suppose), but I do not understand why pedal assist is such an issue
it isnt, people in the us are sadly often nimbys.
Not an issue at all
@@canieto1 right, I guess I mean I don't get why people care lol
Some people I’ve asked don’t like that it makes it easier to do the trails more often/more people/more laps, creating more impact on the trails. I suppose trail builders have a gripe there, but I think most people are just jerks about it. If ebikers do trail work vs a non ebiker riding the trails without contributing, than the ebiker has more claim in my opinion. But really, everyone has claim to public land
I ride in Colorado, we have super humans of all ages pedaling around everywhere who don't get why anyone needs an E, but most often, they still don't care. What matters is how you treat people out there. I have an amazing time talking to other bikers, hikers, and horseback riders. I stop and give way because it's so easy for me to restart, we shoot the breeze, exchange information, etc. The friends I bike with don't do that, they are too tired, too out of breath, too zoned to even look at the views. That's fine, that's cool, I still ride with them. I realize and fully respect that people have different goals when they swing a leg over. If you want to find people who complain about them, you will find a lot more in the comments section than you will on the trail.
20:02 this is such a real image of a thing to do 😂 love the content bro and keep being a light to the world
10:02" Seth says "you don't see a lot of people up here, because it's hard to get to. And you can hate me for it, but the day it is easy to get to here I will be sad for it". For me this the biggest issue against ebikes. It took me years to get the fitness and skill to be able to conquer technical climbs and I was rewarded for this effort knowing I earned it. Being in nature without technology and machines is a gift, not a burden. But, now in our instant gratification society anyone with enough money in their pocket can buy their way to the top. The ebike phenomena is a perfect example how abnormal gets normalized. Having motor bikes on bike and hiking trials in nature is one such situation.
I concur with this. I live in an old head area, but they ALL use ebikes on the tech trails now, and I still hear them say they "rode for 6 miles" no you didn't, you sat upon an electric motorcycle and had your ass toted across the trail. BIG difference
someday you people will realize that you do it for you. and stop caring about other people. i got to that conclusion a long time ago. if they like to ride their electric mountainbike up there let them. no one is forcing you to do so aswell.
@@SimonBauer7 "calling it your job, don't make it right, boss". (Cool Hand Luke). Simon, your just referring to normalizing the abnormal mate.
I'm not sure if you are annoyed that you don't get to be there alone, if you feel your achievement is somehow taken away from you or if you are afraid others respect your achievement less as they don't understand the difference between it and that of those ebikers. I really don't see anything taken away from you, unless you want to enjoy remote areas alone.
If you are just against doing it with unfair advantages, cause it is not what MTB means to you, I got news for you. Anything past a rigid metal frame mtb bike is kind a compensating for lack of skills, or pushing the sport away from what it was originally.
@@ilmarimujunen9180 Mountain biking used to attract people who wanted to escape from technology-people who craved the simplicity of a bike, a trail, and their own two legs. It’s about having a moment of solitude away from the digital noise of everyday life. But with e-bikes, that tech-free experience is eliminated. They bring motors into a space where many of us just want to escape the modern world. They’re turning what was once a space for quiet effort into yet another place where machines and motors dominate.
For some of us, mountain biking was one of the last places we could go to escape our tech-filled lives. We chose this sport because it requires patience, persistence, and perseverance. Now, with e-bikes, it feels like the instant gratification mentality is taking over yet another space. Instead of earning the reward of a hard climb, you just hit a button and go. It’s like mountain biking is being turned into just another convenience-and that convenience comes at the expense of what made it special in the first place.
I'm so glad Seth is feeling better and able to breath and do all kinds of stuff like this.
Been there,my first e bike two years ago,had no idea of battery management,30 mile trail,mostly emtb and turbo modes,bike died 3 miles from the end,i then found out how hard they are to pedal,luckily a lot of the 3 miles was gravity rolling,but with some push ups!
Never again!
what you mean you had no idea of battery management lol are you new to batteries...did you not have a phone before you got the ebike lol
So good to hear you're on your health journey
This is why I have a 38 pound E bike (Shuttle SL). Run in without the motor all the time. I can't even pick up those heavier bikes.... At least you gave yourself an out (the other downhill).
Black Mountain! This was my first genuine hike-and-bike mountain trail, done November last year. And I had NO IDEA it was a black diamond! Tons of work, but gratifying to finish in one piece, especially as a novice/intermediate rider! Great to see it survived the hurricane intact!
This is some of my favorite videos from Seth
Having ridden that loop myself on an analog bike. I can attest it is no easy feat. The hike a bike is real. But, the three descents are so worth the effort. Black mountain is an amazing trail. Most would take the fire road up. Even that is a grind. Way to go Seth. You earned those Tacos.
Seeing you suffer up those hike a bike sections gave me flashbacks to Marji, a crazy endurance race I did a few weeks ago. The climbs weren't so gnarly that you had to carry it over your head but they got so relentless I almost bailed out.
Congratulations. I finished the Marji 50 in 2023 and the Mini this year with my son.
@@330_Crew Congrats to you too! I also did the 50. It was so much fun I'm going to do it again next year. Going for less than my 16 hour finish hopefully, haha.
its so nice you took the waste with you and put the branches away, its so exemplary and you cant see that often in videos :)
Black mtn trail is a must ride at the ranger station
Great idea for an interesting take on an e-bike. Thanks for all the notes about not being allowed on the trails.
It was interesting hearing you say carrying extra weight on the bike is harder than carrying extra weight on the body. I was always told the opposite was true. But, I suppose I’m thinking of pedaling the entire time. You had to hike the bike and I can see how it would be easier with a lighter bike because you’re not straining yourself carrying a heavy bike.
It’s definitely true for going uphill on a bike
3:28 "they're out here writing tickets ... if it's just connected or something, they're gonna know". They're gonna have to catch me first >:D
Good luck when we get to a 10% grade and I smash that turbo button 🚴♂💨🚳🚳🚳👮♀🚴♀👮♂
(and fwiw, I clearly remember e-bikes being used to test these trails during development)
I love the Seth's Bike Hacks vibe from this video. Feels classic.
I own that bike, it is a PIG! I get scared if the battery drops below 18%. Rides super well with a motor uphill. Rides great with no motor downhill! It is super fun to ride a full powered emtb uphill, using brakes for step ups and switchbacks. It’s updhill!
Great premises, video and channel. All the support to WNC and recovery. I know trail work is a bit away at this time but trails can be rebuilt! Sometimes even better! Feel for the kayakers that lost the Green River Narrows. They lost a natural friend forever! I’m a NWNC resident and feel the pains.
I love your channel it got me into biking
Yes I think I did learn something today. This is probably the most real video about emtbs instead of all the "ads" that are out there.
What do you mean?
That’s an irrational takeaway. The battery on this thing would do this 3 times.
E-bike hate is a wierd thing. They are literally the only way I get to ride bikes with my grandparents. I’m sure they get a lot of people out of the house that wouldn’t otherwise be able to go.
Now I know to double check the charge for them before we go.
E-bikes are the biggest advancement in transportation efficiency since the train. It’s more efficient, cheaper, and better for the environment to charge an e-bike with enough juice for you to ride 30 miles than it is for you to eat enough food to ride an acoustic bike 30 miles. And regular bikes were previously far and away the most efficient mode of transport for a person.
Ebike hate is silly. Though where I'm at in SoCal, there has been a massive glut of mtbers who now ride emtb at least some of the time. Get over that "shame" and you realize just how awesome it is. Ride more, longer. Climbing doesn't waste you. Can ride to and from the trails efficiently.
@@ashurany it’s cool because a bike ride is both a workout, and a means of transportation. With an e-bike you can “choose your level” of workout and do everything from work harder (battery off) to not working at all using throttle. All that should matter as far as rules is speed limits.
not everyone has crazy stamina to do this climb, ebikes are great
Just for fun, I did last year's commute on my new ebike (the current commute is only 20 minutes walking!) and it would absolutely have been doable. Train and bus fares were about ¥15,000 a month and the bike was about ¥85,000 (with many loyalty card points to discount it!), so it would have 'paid for itself' pretty quick
Seth, as someone who lives the Hike-a-bike life, I appreciate this video! The tacos look amazing, but I couldn't catch the name of that taco shop, and would like to visit sometime! I hope they were unaffected during the floods. God bless you man!
Found it! Taqueria Gonzalez Hendersonville?! Next time I'm in Hendersonville (I live/work around Cherokee), I'll check it out! Love your videos Seth!
So first off please don’t eat me alive:
I’ve rode an e-bike a couple of times and it’s really cool. I heard Seth speaking about e-bikers trying to go through the correct channels, but why is it so bad to use e-bikes on trails that were and/or are made for analog bikes?
I ride motocross and I completely understand not taking something like that on a mountain bike trail, but it didn’t seem like the torque on any of the settings of the Specialized I rode would create ruts or dislodge debris on trails.
I’m not trolling just asking from a genuinely honest perspective as someone that’s not actively in the biking community.
it isnt but people are nimbys.
Literally isn't an issue, in fact the more people using your trails the less likely you are to lose them. I ride EUC (Electric Unicycle) out in southern UT on both OHV and suitable MTB trails, I also Donate and help out with our local Trail Alliance when I can! I remember bumping into the president of our trail alliance out on the trail before I joined and he had the attitude of "the more people who recreate on our trails, the more our city will allocate for trail maintenance and new construction." No surprise So.UT is building an All-Wheels park with dirt and asphalt sections, a skate and scooter section, and a splash pad. E-Bikes and PEVs are not going anywhere, especially when they fill such a astounding gap in our public transportation, or lack thereof, in the US. Be respectful of local laws, be respectful of the trails, and ride safe!
Also side thought, but a lot of the push back on E-bikes, ironically, feels like it's aimed towards how accessible it makes the hobby to the masses. Similar to how artists weren't too thrilled with AI art. "These guys are REAL mountain bikers."
@@orang3blaz3 I agree with everything except the AI bit. I think you're missing the whole point of why artists are pissed about it.
They're pissed bc that AI was trained by illegally STEALING other ppls art aka intellectual property, it's not bc it lowers the entry level. Artists don't give two shits about more ppl getting into the arts, if they did they'd be boycotting art schools. They don't want their art stolen by some scumbag company who decided they're going take everyone elses talent, hard work and art without any compensation, so they can then use it to make money. 🤷
How would you feel if you spent your life creating art only to have it stolen from you all so some other dickhead can get rich off your work?! Bet you wouldn't be too happy about that would you!
Edit: Spelling
@@TheUncleRuckus Bruh I'm a freelance digital artist, I know all this. We're talking about bikes here. I think artists also think of themselves as engineers or doctors when in reality there's only so many ways to draw a line and artist don't really get to claim a style. Can't imagine having to pay royalties to some artist because something I drew actually used their trademarked 2px blur, 5px jitter brush technique so I'm actually in infringement of some furry artists intellectual property. Arts been stolen from the start, maybe what you make just isn't worth someone paying for? Artists are mad that they're uncle can generate his shitty company logo now instead of paying us. I literally don't care that my shit has trained AI, I use it now as a tool in my artist belt. 🤓
First, they are not "analog" bikes, they are mountain bikes. Second, an ebike is a motor bike, not a bicycle. It is just another manifestation of our instant gratification society wanting everything without effort.
Pisgah is a good place to practice hike a bike for sure. Did this same climb once and it was brutal.
Yeah yeah, the joy of e-bikes. I haven’t had the experience of a dead battery, but what’s also a nice experience is having really fit friends on normal bikes who constantly ride above e-bike speed on fire road and transfer roads. That’s fun, trying to push a e-bike above the max speed.
Thats okay, mine’s derestricted
@@jackisonline2you are really fucked in Germany if they catch you. Not an option.
The issue is that in eu e-bike speed is limited to 15.5 miles/hour. So with fit riders, you can get into trouble zone :D
@@BiecherBenderYes fair point, mine’s runs off a USB stick that I plan to eat if Im stopped by the police 😂
@@BiecherBender Even in EU, that restriction isn't for 'off road' use.
Trails ( most of them anyway, check your local laws ) are not public road, and hence traffic laws aren't enforced there.
If you emtb is only ridden off road, there is no one who will check if it's still restricted.
There is even an EU wide stipulation which states that you're allowed to ride an unrestricted bike on public road, as long as it's in a direct path from your house to the place you're riding off road on. Good luck trying to argue that in court though.
My issue here is that all trails have sections where they utilize public road... Ahh well, haven't seen the police put up dynometers at the mtb trails ( unlike their attempts to catch unrestricted fatbikes near schools and malls ).
"Now it's just you and me for the ride!"
- immediately cuts to a shot where the camera sits on the side of the road, having you walk an extra few hundreds meters to set it up, go back to your bike, ride past, walk back to pick it up, and back to your bike again. It speaks for itself that you only do this one other time for the rest of the video :D
Honestly I'm surprised that these modern E-bikes don't come with regenerative charging. It would also allow you to brake the motor instead of the disc giving greater braking performance.
I asked myself the same thing, and apparently it would add even more weight to the bike to implement some sort of recuperation.
Not enough mass to charge battery like a car , alot of the kit esc's /controllers have regen which is fantastic for stopping/braking the bike.
Regenerative braking is possible with hub motors, but they are not good for climbing or weight balance when riding. Mid-drives have freewheeling built in, as do regular rear hubs, so no way to get the motion/power back up the chain to the motor without a lot of extra weight, complexity and non-standard parts. I read comments from a commuter with a big rear hub motor ebike living at the top of a hill, they can't leave their house with a full charge because the energy reclaimed while rolling down the hill could damage the battery.
I missed the seth riding videos, it feels so refreshing to watch !
It was frustrating to learn that my wife and I couldn't ride Berm Park (or basically anywhere in your neck of the woods) this past summer because she has a pedal assist e-bike due to developing arthritis in her knees. She didn't ride with me for two years until we got it, and it's been great to be back out on the trails with her. We were so hoping to visit and stay a few nights in the Ranger Station back in August. :(
No e-bikes is nonsense, because all smart bike companies are now making and selling MTB ebikes. Being 72 my ebike allows me to ride and enjoy. Cannot fathom no ebike rule?
@@douglaskaye1395come to europe and experience riding on every trail there is, couldnt imagine being forbidden to ride, even so id just ride.
FYI, Ride Kanuga Bike Park and Ride Rock Creek DH Park are good ebike options. Both in Hendersonville.
I am 68 and ride a glass 1 mountain bike on "trails" in South Florida. Forbidding class one ebikes is pure discrimination against those who are older and/or face physical limitations. I always bring an extra battery!
@@Dorkbike Great to know, thanks! We were going to be driving down from Canada for it though, so Berm Park was the hook. :)
Truly awesome and impressive video! Your videos are fun to watch, plus informative and educational. I know no one needs to say to you, "Keep Going!" Ride on, ride on.
EMTB's aren't allowed....... WTF?
Yes, most, if not all public and federal land. It’s silly…at the least, type -1 (pedal assist < 20 mph).
@@bdouglas Legal in most places on the west coast at least where I live in SoCal.
Glad to see you are much more capable and healthier Seth. Asthma looks very difficult to live with, especially if you are mountain biking.
Kudos for clearing the trail on that one section, I'm sure it will be appreciated by others riding through there.
A FAFO series could be fun, just be safe out there. No need to put yourself in danger or punish yourself in order to make content.
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday everyone 💚
Edit: Congrats on the health progress and being able to breathe, long may it continue. Dairy isn't worth it.
i just got a specialized como 4 and have been loving it, thanks for all the fun and info
Love your vids Seth
Seeing the title of the video I thought you were going to check how much power you could brake gen. Kinda missed opportunity but I liked seeing the nature :)
A couple years ago, I watched this channel and not much else. I have other interests now, but this was a refreshing and wonderful video to come back to.
Fantastic on your healthy weight loss journey. I'm 6'4" and was 230lbs in the past. I focused on proper weight loss and got down to 167lbs (6mths). I have since maintained a healthy 180lbs for the last 6 years (54 now).
Own both a gravel bike and emtb. When e biking my average ride is 3000 feet in elevation over 20-30 miles. Pumps the heart in a solid zone 2.
I ride so I can hike and climb mountians...
Love you found a new life
Drinking milk or eating dairy products doesn't cause asthma. However, if you have a dairy allergy, it may trigger symptoms that are similar to asthma. Also, if you have asthma and a dairy allergy, dairy may worsen your asthma symptoms. About 45 percent of children with asthma also have dairy and other food allergies. Keep up the weightloss, great to see you in shape.
This video reminds me alot of the old videos... thanks seth for reviving my childhood 😊
It could be worse....having a Shimano powered E8000 e-mtb with Di2 powered off the main battery going flat - loose 100% of your power and you've lost gear changing as well...!
Trail looks like a couple of my favorite running trails in Kentucky- very nice!
So I saw something out on the local greenway this weekend-section which has switchbacks and 6-8% grades- a gentleman old enough to know better was on his e-bike towing his wife's bike using rope tied seatpost to headtube. I initially didn't register what I'd seen, but the gopro footage showed I was not mistaken. Towing bikes never worked out well when we were kids on Stingray style bikes, I hope they got home home safely.
LOCKED IN FOR TACOS 🌮 🗣️
haha rad video as usual. Ebike tip - when you need to "yank" to clear something just preload the suspension instead. Then you only need to pull slightly to hop anything.
A shame that e-bikes can't regen brake on downhills to get some battery charge back. The cost would be having the chain spinning at all times, and thinking about when I've had to stop pedaling immediately to save the derailleur, that cost is probably too high... :)
the energy you actually gain back from that is incredibly small.
@@SimonBauer7 Yeah, a bike isn't heavy enough to be worth it.
Hub motors can, I was able to enable it on mine jumping a pin on the controller, It adds another 20% to the range its really worth it, and with how heavy ebikes are it saves so many pads
Hub motors are a poor choice for eMTBs, very power hungry on climbs and very tail heavy / unbalanced to ride on technical trails. You can get controllers that are very good for regenerative power on downhills, and you can get 3,000 to 6,000 Watt hub motors (needed for climbing). Most factory eMTBs are 250W or less, aftermarket mid-drives can be 500W to over 1600W, and mid-drives use the bike's chain and gearing for better power delivery, especially on climbs.
@@davebrown9725 The center of mass on mine is really high, I get okay climbing from 1200w but it stalls out so easily. I am tempted by 2wd to see how that fares as the motors can be smaller
Awesome video! A few months ago I did the same exact ride and that hike-a-bike was tough even with a normal bike.
We really need to do something about the Organization For The Proliferation of Invasive Animals, they sound like a menace to society 😂
Exactly what I was thinking! Why do they want to proliferate invasive animals!? Lmao
So glad to see you taking effort to better your health. It’s not easy! This was a whole new level of suffering though. You make us endurance guys look weak! I know that feeling of being out of water all too well. But I love trails that are hard or exposed. Less trail traffic and I’m left to my own thoughts (and suffering 😊).
Why would you bring such a dinky water bottle on a several hour trip like that? I typically carry two 24oz bottles on every ride.
Depends very much on the temperature though. I can ride 3 or 4 hours without drinking anything when it's under 10 degC (Around 50 degF) - you don't need to replace water you're not sweating out, and the human body, unsurprisingly given humans had 2-300 000 years without quick and easy access to water to survive through before the last maybe 50-100 years where drinkable water was quite easily to come by.
@@peglor I'm a heavy sweater, so two water bottles are a must for me. On cooler days I don't drink as much, but I still bring two bottles because I never want to risk getting stuck on the trail without adequate hydration.
This is very nostalgic for me... I was that tourist! Except I was on a SC Hightower and that bike made all the difference on me getting down safely and up without too much trouble! Hightower and a Gatorade bottle, not exactly what I would recommend for amateur MTBer first time at Pisgah but it was definitely better than hiking an e bike all the way up there!
We need to get over this exclusion of e-bikes. It is an arbitrary exclusion. And of all the reasons to say “stay off” this one is the most spurious! There is a local place that uses that reasoning. Like people can’t turn around, or people don’t experience mechanicals, or are unable to make decisions on terrain selections.
Just look at us in Europe. There's no restrictions, and we're doing just fine with ebikes on all the trails. Makes no difference.
Arbitrary? One is a motor bike and the other a bicycle, riding on trails designed for human power. Not all of us want to see machines on our trails.
@@TheAegisClaw exactly!
@@ABikeTrailLessTraveled get over yourself! It is not a motorbike! Public Trails belong to all users, not discriminated based upon mode of enjoyment.
@@greggoldman893 spoken like a true ebiker. And you are 100% incorrect, public trails belong to non-motorized forms of transport. You ebikes are just normalizing the abnormal.
As an old school rider in the deserts around Las Vegas in 1972, I and the group I rode with, went upwind or uphill on the way out so that when you were low on water or tired you had an easy ride home. I had theorized that if I had a E-bike I'd use the same l logic to avoid getting into a tuff situation. I now live in Utah and frequently ride in the deserts around Moab. I don't have or want a E-bike but I've noticed that most of the trails down there have signs that E-bike are prohibited. I suspect that too many tourists that rent a E-bike would go on a trail, get way out, run out of battery, run out of water and then end up in a life threatening crisis. I know you could get into trouble out in the wilds wherever or whatever you ride. I hope your cool video about running out of battery could get tuff, but also note in some situations it could become fatal. I alway love your videos! It would be fun to meet you on the trails! I'd never be able to keep up with you for sure.
I have pushed my e-bike home on several occasions. It's a first gen DIY e-moto that weighs about 170lbs. The worst time was when the hub motor failed and I was fighting against the magnets all the way down the decent. Places you would think you would roll freely simply didn't.
Laurel and Rhodo tunnels are the best! At my height, I got to keep my head tucked, but so much fun.
Who thought it would be a good idea to ban pedal assist
Depends on what kind of ebike you have, but class 1 really shouldn't be a problem for the trails
(Class 1 is 20mph top speed right?)
@@NeelTheHuman Everything beyond that is a full on motorbike by most classifications, since it's more powerful than a lot of 50 cc mopeds that already need motor vehicle insurance and a licence.
A 50cc moped is approx 5 horsepower which us equivalent to 3700 watts not the 250 to 500 most ebikes are capable of
@@peglor yeah, In Germany where I live even 25km/h throttle e bikes and 45km/h pedal assist e bikes are considered scooters
So no bike paths or anything, street only and a license plate as well
It’s easier to ban a whole group than specify a workable solution unfortunately. 70% of “e-bikes” that the general public buys isn’t class 1 though. Most people on e-bikes have purchased minimal viable class 2.
Great video that journey looks like a lot of fun. Now I want to go on a big climb with a great view and have a great ride down.
Why does this feel so real and relatable 💀
I've gotten right into similar situation where we went down a new trail (to us) and it turned out to have some big scrambly hike a bike uphill sections. I had to haul my Rocky Powerplay and my wife's too up similar rock walls. What a workout.
Fines for assisted bikes are so stupid. Dear EMTB hater: Every single thing on a modern MTB was designed to make your ride easier, faster or more fun (light weight frames, suspension, transmissions, dropper post, hydraulic brakes, spoke wheels, rubber tires) electric motors are just one more thing. Unless you ride a 1700s solid steel bike with wooden wheels and no brakes it’s hypocritical to complain about ebikes just because it makes mtb easier or more fun for some people. Like yes some people want to limit the “effort” they put into a ride, and that some people includes every single person bitching about ebikes, or am I wrong and you set your transmissions in gear 8 before a big climb Mr. Athletic?
Thats my rant of the day
The difference is that all bikes are 100% human powered machines while e-bikes are not. The motor converts energy from the battery to propel the bike. I’m not a opposed to e-bikes on trail systems unless they are wilderness, but e-bikes are not just like rubber tires or carbon layup
I think the people who complain about them have never been on one. Riding one would completely change their outlook ❤
Around here, I think the issue is that the USFS has rules against motorized travel in some areas...and electric motors are...motors. Threading the needle with this would take time, especially with US government and all the interest groups that'll lobby. Other motorized users might get upset about being discriminated against. Personally, I've seen that ebikes allow people to keep biking that otherwise couldn't, from what they've told me when I've met them, and are quieter than dirt bikes. The local paved 7 mile long pathway is explicitly signed allowing ebikes, which is nice. And some nice mountain bike trails, like Monarch Crest along the continental divide, are on trails that allow motorized travel (a few dirt bikes passed by). But some other places that restrict motorized travel may take quite some years of permission seeking. Just my observation.
@@bearcubdaycare they shouldn’t revise the wilderness restrictions on e-bikes, in fact many wilderness trail should not be biked in general. Moto-trails are perfect for e-mtb
@@deankruse2891 The point is that this difference doesn't matter, unless you are in a competition. It is still just technology being used to make things easier.
The only fair point one could make against e-bikes in the wilderness is the potential for accidental fires and stuff like that, this much I can agree with, otherwise just let people enjoy their hobbies in whatever way is best for them.
Congrats on hitting your fitness goals!!!! I think its always worth it for people to try to switch things up, like cutting out dairy, and just seeing if it helps or makes your life better.
"pedal assist is not allowed up here" .... i will never understand the fear of emountain bikes :/
I will never understand why that is a thing
I'm so glad it seems to be an American thing, I guess they're afraid it's a threat to they're "Freedom"
its an american thing 100%. in europe these emtbs are legally a normal bicycle, you cant ban them
Because for some reason, they assume they are like a dirt bike. I go but I have to pedal it's just more fun for me. It's a mountain bike but just like a little heavier. Hell some of the lightweight emtb are basically the same as a little heavier rider on Seth's normal mountain bike.
One of the main reasons I see it done locally is mostly due to the larger non pedal type surrons etc as they tear up the trails. Rather than trying to say which types of ebikes are allowed and get into arguments everytime they try to enforce it. They just do a blanket ban to make it easier to enforce.
Seth you legend. This video was awesome. Glad to hear you are feeling better on the bike.
I loved the trail preview aspect of this video. It was a journey for sure. Please do more videos like this.
Why would pedal assist be banned there?
probably because its a technically considered a motorized vehicle
@@JayRock907 Ah, that seems very... goofy and arbitrary.
@@JayRock907which is wrong, these class 1 emtbs are not much different to a Pedalbike. these regulations are just bullshit made up by people that dont know shit.
There are a few reasons e-bikes are banned on many bike trails. The primary being that with an average e-bike tipping the scales at 50 pounds, plus the added torque from the motor, it puts more wear and tear on the trail surface, especially if someone is using something like turbo mode where there's a greater possibility of the rear tire regularly spinning out, and with the increased speed comes the need to brake harder which will further erode the trail surface.
@@Durwood71 So they should ban "overweight" people or people with above average leg strength? Possibly we should fine or ban those riders that roost berms? its a silly rule and you all know it, but i guess you've picked your "side"
Yes please more of this! Feels like old school Seth!
in europe all emtbs are legal, because they are legally bicycle, the fear of emtbs in the USA is cringe.
Not quite - the EU regulations have power (250 W) and speed (25 km/h) limits that the US ebikes don't have. If you go beyond that you're into moped territory anyway, so motor tax, insurance and a driving licence are needed and motor vehicles of this type are already banned from most trail systems.
Anything with a hand throttle (And the walk mode may qualify as this depending on jurisdiction, though its speed is so limited it shouldn't be) also means it's a motorbike and not a pedelec (Pedal powered electrical assisted). There are enough people on youtube showing how to derestrict ebike speed limiters as well as increase the motor power, that people riding what effectively are weak MX bikes with no licence or insurance, riding at motor vehicle speeds around people who go there to get away from the danger of being around motor vehicles and chewing up trail surfaces, are a genuine problem in places with delicate trail surfaces and mixed use trails.
There's nothing "cringe" about it. E-bikes are heavier and deliver higher torque to the rear tire which can increase wear and tear on the trail surface. That's why they're prohibited on many trails.
@@peglori mean they’re the same bikes they just have a digital limit. A YT decoy is a YT decoy no matter where you buy it.
And Europe is weird in general.
@@Durwood71 the irony of mountain bikers using that argument against pedal assist bikes is absolutely hilarious. If you're old enough, you'll remember that was one of the exact arguments that hikers used to use to get mountain bikes banned from trails back in the 90s. The hypocrisy is real.
When the journey is so difficult, the reward is so much better!
It is absolutely insane that pedal assist bicycles are illegal in the "Land of the Free" and the police will throw you in jail for riding a bicycle. It is more insane that people are ok with them doing it.
They're not allowed on these specific trails, they're not banned in the whole country. I should point out that the US is well off leading the list of world countries in many measures of the actual freedom of their citizens - like freedom not to have their schoolchildren murdered by random people with guns who can't afford psychiatric treatment due to privatized medicine. Also many US spec ebikes would be just as banned in the EU (Without a licence and insurance as a motor vehicle) because they are too fast and too powerful to qualify as mere pedal assist bikes.
Nobody is getting thrown in a jail for riding an e-bike. Likely it's just a $20 fine. And there are good reasons why e-bikes aren't allowed on many mountain bike trails: the increased weight and torque to the rear tire can significantly increase wear and tear on the trail surface. Basically, it's the same reason motorized scooters and dirt bikes are prohibited on those same trails.
@@Durwood71 What happens if you refuse to pay?
@@peglor Your children are more likely to be killed on the car ride to school than being shot. That's always such a stupid argument.
I don't care about freedoms of Europe. Europe has never had freedom. You can be imprsoned for a joke in nearly all of Europe.
@Durwood71 there's no conclusive evidence that properly specified and responsibly driven eMTBs wear trails more than their non-electric counterparts. The weights aren't all that different and reducing wheel spin uphills is likely easier on trails. The larger factors are likely increased popularity of mountain biking, rider skill and behavior (riding beyond their capabilities), and trail design and maintenance. We should be open and innovative in finding ways to get more riders into the outdoors in a healthy way.
the first time (in my 50's) i did trails like that was on a old 45lb. Kona DH bike on the Cannell Plunge - i had no idea. i had to push most of the real steep parts. amazing ride
Been missing seeing you ride like this. Please do more videos of you riding again!
There should be zero discrimination in the biking community.
Wait until you’re 55 years old Seth and see how you feel about e-bikes then.
Just allow MX bikes up there too while you're at it, keeping them out is discrimination too, they're all bikes aren't they?
@@peglorhigh power skidding throttle vs simulating elite athlete pedaling. You’re as dumb as they get.
I'm 53 and ride an acoustic bike just fine.
@@sety409 Elite athletes have the skill to deliver the power smoothly enough to not chew the trails because all that skidding is lost power, which they are very conscious of. Also elite level cyclists weigh a hell of a lot less than the average eMTBer, even before adding the extra weight of the bike, so their impact on trails is much lower.
This is like every ride I go on. My wife asks me two questions when I get back from aride: 1. Did you get lost? 2. Did you fall off? The answer to both is always yes… I ride a hardtail xc bike on trails that maybe I shouldn’t… at 51 you’d think I’d know better. But I love it too much to give up. But I always have a backpack with at least 1.5 litres of water. 😂😂😂😬😬😬😬
I also do the same at night with a headlamp, so much fun.
I also carry at least two kids sauces with me when I go, they’re a real energy boost,I’d recommend them for every ride.
14:37 you know what would be the proper way? instead of making it illegal by default make it legal by default like it is in europe, hack make these emtbs classed as normal bicycles. that law needs to change, otherwise its just conflicts everywhere.
EU laws are much more restrictive on motor power and max speed than the US ones, so it's not a massive extra risk to allow pedelec type ebikes on MTB trails here. The thing to remember is mopeds have been, and continue to be a thing in the EU from when the first cars were made.
Bicycles were already around when the car industry kicked off, but people on normal incomes could actually afford them, so adding a small gasoline motor to a bicycle wasn't a massive jump. Because of this, vehicles powered by a combination of pedalling and a motor have been here forever and have their own laws.
For an electric bike to qualify as a pedelec (No licence or insurance needed and can be used anywhere a bicycle is allowed) it has to be max 250 W, have the motor only work while the rider is pedalling with no separate throttle control (So the walk assist might make the bike in the video ineligible, though it shouldn't because it's walking speed only), and the motor assistance cuts out at 25 km/h - anything beyond that is a motorbike/moped and needs a driving licence and insurance to use legally on the road and is banned from biking and hiking trails.
Higher weight and torque to the rear tire increases trail surface wear, which is why e-bikes are prohibited on many mountain bike trails. It makes perfect sense.
@@peglorit doesnt have to be max 250w, read the actual law before claiming that. 250w refers to continous power, maximum can be whatever you want. what is more important is the 25km/h limit, which is akin to class 1, and that is a little higher at 32km/h. you already have the laws in place, but you have to change them according to the time, which you dont do. walk assist is perfectly legal aswell, as long as it doesnt assist you above 6km/h.
@@Durwood71i am talking about emtb. these weigh less than the difference between different riders. oh and also have you actually ridden these? its nothing like a motorbike.
@@SimonBauer7 Yes, I have ridden an e-bike before, and I was able to deliver far more power to the rear wheel then I ever could on my own.
I bought a Levo SL at the beginning of the year and it was the best thing i ever did. 900 miles later im absolutely loving it. Ride it more than any other bike i own including a hard tail and a full squish.
first! I win!
No
@@KyleSantisi what would you know
@@OmarsGarage1 that’s I actually got first
Your parents must be so proud. Now, if they can just get you to move out of their basement and find a girlfriend.
@@TH-camAccount-hq6oz the basement is pretty good, free WiFi
Shout out go go squeeze applesauce😂 Those are made in my town. Never thought about bringing them biking.
That view from the top is so unforgettable. As is the hike a bike 🫶🚵♂️.