EMtb’s to feature in National championships

Kind_cir

Likes Dirt
I think the courses for ebike racing should be designed to challenge the rider, as much as the bike. Slow technical areas, can be more challenging in some instances with a eMtb. Throw in some steep climbs to help drain the battery, a lengthy course so one has to manage power usage, and some long flat sections suitable for overtaking.
There would need to be Some scrutineering of Bikes to make sure they are speed limited to 25kmh.
Fitter more skilled riders would win over lest fit or less skilled riders. Pushing a heavy eMtb past 25kmh to overtake requires a lot of effort.

With the right format, I think eMtb racing could become every bit as challenging as Mtb racing. Just challenging in different ways to Mtb racing
 

notime

Likes Dirt
No issues with people riding ebikes socially if they choose. The 250w pedalec 25kph limit is sensible as long as bikes stay unmodified. They don't have any detrimental affect on trails.

Competition Mountain biking is a human endurance sport, it has nothing to do with motors.

Another body should be formed by the riders if they want a competition, leave my MTBA membership dollars out of whatever sport e mountain biking becomes. As for private promoters that include ebikes I will just spend my entry money else where. Rocky Trail is one who lost my entries because they have allowed ebikes. I really just don't have any interest in sharing a race course with a motorised bike unless they are a marshal medic etc. I have no issue at all getting stuck behind the slowest rider on course up or down, it gives me an opportunity to encourage them to keep plugging away, this is what our sport should be about and not giving them an extra 250w capability to make life easier.

MTBA need to get their current National Series sorted before they try adding motorised bikes.

My advice to MTBA, contact your clubs and members for once and ask what we want! I'm on the committee of one of the largest and oldest clubs in the county. We have never had an e bike rider approach us about anything and the last time MTBA consulted us on anything was about never. We have had a large bike company contact us to get us on their demo ebikes for a day but we rejected that offer.
 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
You can buy chips for many of these drive systems that let you override the 25km/h limit.
A lot of them a much easier than you think - just software, no hardware changes.

As for races, lets not try hide the fact that it's a motor, just go unlimited power and set a really low battery capacity.
 

bikie

Rock Bottom
Or.. how about elitists stop bitching?

I agree that noobs are a pain in the ass but they're not exclusive to ebikes. If there are actual experienced riders opting for ebikes then there's literally no rationale to your overwhelming suffering and hardship.
 

Plankosaurus

Spongeplank Dalepantski
Or.. how about elitists stop bitching?

I agree that noobs are a pain in the ass but they're not exclusive to ebikes. If there are actual experienced riders opting for ebikes then there's literally no rationale to your overwhelming suffering and hardship.
Or.. how about motorbike riders enter motorsport events?

Pretty sure no one has had a bitch about noobs, almost all of us will encourage and support noobs on mountain bikes. It's when someone enters a mountain bike race on a motorbike that we start prickling up (noob or not, it just makes it more frustrating when it's a noob because some of us have been held up after being overtaken).

You don't put a saddle on an rm250 and enter it into a horse race, just like you don't pop a motor in a bike and enter it into a race designed to test human endurance

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Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
You don't put a saddle on an rm250 and enter it into a horse race, just like you don't pop a motor in a bike and enter it into a race designed to test human endurance

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If I was allowed to of course I would!

Waaaaaaaaaaay too many uppity horse people have had goes at me for riding in state forest on my licenced bike while I wait on the side of the trail with the bike turn off as they go past me. Twots! Nothin better than a nice tuned 250 smoker on the pipe....... mmmmmmmmmm burning castor oil.
 

Stinky

Likes Dirt
Agree that MTBA have some bigger issues around racing than doing this. Our upcoming Enduro series will have a stand alone ebike class race on the Saturday afternoon for shits and giggles (thinking the winner will get an extension lead). This is more a case of testing out some formats and being proactive to these changes, before someone else comes in a makes a mess of it.

Interestingly the EWS team and a number of key teams did an underground E race yesterday as a test. One of the stages was a super tech uphill which I thought was a good idea.
 

bikie

Rock Bottom
Or.. how about motorbike riders enter motorsport events?

Pretty sure no one has had a bitch about noobs, almost all of us will encourage and support noobs on mountain bikes. It's when someone enters a mountain bike race on a motorbike that we start prickling up (noob or not, it just makes it more frustrating when it's a noob because some of us have been held up after being overtaken).

You don't put a saddle on an rm250 and enter it into a horse race, just like you don't pop a motor in a bike and enter it into a race designed to test human endurance

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They do enter "motorsport" events??

Is this why people can't have nice things?? You literally contradicted yourself in the same paragraph. This place is dumbfoundingly hilarious sometimes.

You talk like ebikes or motorbikes don't test human endurance.. Have you ever ridden an actual motorbike before?

Horses don't have wheels by the way.

I agree they don't belong in some specific races or mixed in with elite mtb races but whatever you think, ebikes (not motor bikes) being included in traditional mtb events are here to stay and there's nothing you can do about it.
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
They do enter "motorsport" events??

Is this why people can't have nice things?? You literally contradicted yourself in the same paragraph. This place is dumbfoundingly hilarious sometimes.

You talk like ebikes or motorbikes don't test human endurance.. Have you ever ridden an actual motorbike before?

Horses don't have wheels by the way.

I agree they don't belong in some specific races or mixed in with elite mtb races but whatever you think, ebikes (not motor bikes) being included in traditional mtb events are here to stay and there's nothing you can do about it.
5 hrs on a MTB isn't exactly the same as 5hrs on an e-bike or moto and if enough people pull out of MTB races becasue they don't want to race together the e-mob will have to go elsewhere so I wouldn't go pushing my luck if I was you.
 

bikie

Rock Bottom
Who needs luck when the likes of Intense are releasing brand new ebikes. It's way out of your control.
 

Plankosaurus

Spongeplank Dalepantski
They do enter "motorsport" events??

Is this why people can't have nice things?? You literally contradicted yourself in the same paragraph. This place is dumbfoundingly hilarious sometimes.

You talk like ebikes or motorbikes don't test human endurance.. Have you ever ridden an actual motorbike before?

Horses don't have wheels by the way.

I agree they don't belong in some specific races or mixed in with elite mtb races but whatever you think, ebikes (not motor bikes) being included in traditional mtb events are here to stay and there's nothing you can do about it.
Not sure how I contradicted myself? Must just be that dumb stubborn elitist MTB attitude getting in the way of clarity. In any case I'm sure you get the point right? There's a reason we usually don't have motorised devices alongside muscle power only in competituve events - the playing field is skewed, it's no longer even or competitive. And it goes well beyond the difference between a pro and a weekend warrior.

And I didn't say (or mean) they don't test endurance, of course they do. it's just different and requires either a lot more riding or a different kind of riding to be tuckered on the same level. I've been a moto rider, I'm not blind to it, it's just not even remotely close to the same thing.


It's already been pointed out, riders will vote with their feet. For every ebike (motorised bicycle, or motorbike) that enters, events might lose 5 non-pro peddlers because the event just isn't that important to them. The pros will all still go because they have to, but the field will thin. Event organisers will either see this and go back, or decide it's worth losing a few riders to keep sponsors happy. It'll all sort itself out in the end, and I won't be losing any sleep over it.


For what it's worth, I'm only talking about xc or marathon events. I'm happy the share the field in enduro or dh where riders head down one at a time, can't see how that would impact anyone if they're categorised.

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Flow-Rider

Burner
Who needs luck when the likes of Intense are releasing brand new ebikes. It's way out of your control.
Honda and Kawasaki made MTBs for a while too, it doesn't really mean a thing in this matter and you're contradicting yourself, if these e bikes are so big and popular why don't they race under their own organisation instead of trying to hop on the back of mountain biking events.

I'm still dumbfounded how MTBA can include them in any sort of race without inspecting the bikes or scrutinising them, like any other motorsport event there are rules and an organisation that govern modifications and safety. They also cover rules for equal competitiveness in most category of races. Any fat slob can hop on an e bike that's been modified to go faster and annihilate someone that has trained, lost weight and is running a bog stock standard e bike and this sort of crap is not mountain biking to me.
 
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