Electric Mountain Bike vs. Traditional Mountain Bike: Which Is Best For You?

Are you thinking about purchasing a mountain bike? When you buy a mountain bike, there are two options you need to choose from: an electric mountain bike or a traditional mountain bike.

An electric mountain bike has functions similar to a motorcycle but doesn’t operate using fuel. Instead, it draws power from the electricity stored in its battery. This makes it a more sustainable and environment-friendlier option compared to motorcycles.

If you’re looking for a reliable electric mountain bike, you might want to check out this NCM mountain bike and see if it fits your needs. You may also visit your local bike shop for more options and accessories.

On the other hand, a traditional mountain bike is a conventional pedal-assisted bike that has been around for several decades. It doesn’t rely on electricity to work but rather on pure pedal power.

When choosing between electric and traditional mountain bikes, the first thing you’ll probably consider is the price. And when it comes to the price, conventional mountain bikes remain less expensive than electric bikes due to some factors that’ll be discussed later in this article.

However, your decision shouldn’t be influenced by the price alone. This post will guide you through some important differences between an electric and traditional mountain bike.

What Are The Differences Between An Electric And Traditional Mountain Bike

Electric mountain bikes are vastly different compared from traditional mountain bikes. Here are the following differences you might want to know between the two to help you decide what’s the perfect fit for your needs:

1. Different Bike Parts

When you look at an electric mountain bike and a traditional mountain bike and compare them side by side, you can easily determine that their parts and mechanisms differ.

Unlike the conventional mountain bike, an electric mountain bike has plenty of built-in complex features, such as motors, sensors, controls, displays, and batteries. Additional components include:

• Motor Engine: This part delivers an additional upgrade to your pedaling.
• Battery: This is an electric bike’s source of electric power. Think of it as a mobile device. If its supply gets drained, all features powered by electricity won’t function, particularly displays and pedal boosts. Fortunately, it’s quite easy to charge. All you have to do is remove the case and charge it with a socket.
• Controls: These are the buttons on the handle and display bar that allow you to modify and adjust functions and boost levels.
• Displays: These show crucial information about your electric mountain bikes, such as distance traveled, power levels, speed, battery capacity, and other essential features.
• Sensors: These send a message to the motor if you need an extra boost to your pedaling.

Furthermore, other parts and mechanisms may not be the same, depending on the type and brand of your electric mountain bike. For instance, some bikes have an integrated display panel that provides additional controls to the users. This is true, especially when it comes to highly-advanced e-bikes.

2. Maintenance And Repairs

When it comes to bike repairs and additional maintenance, the traditional mountain bike may yield fewer issues and problems compared to its electric counterpart. This is because of the added features and mechanisms that may need repairs and maintenance over time.

On top of that, you might need help from a professional e-bike specialist when fixing potential issues and damage, which may cost you a lot. Fortunately, such unwanted situations may be avoided by taking good care of your electric mountain bike in the best way possible.

In addition, both electric and traditional bikes may have similar maintenance and repair needs, particularly when it comes to specific components. These include handlebars, bike seats, brakes, bike chains, bike frames, tires, and wheels.

Lastly, the cost of fixing similar components may be the same, regardless of their type.

3. Riding Experience

When it comes to the riding experience, there’s not much difference between riding an electric mountain bike and traditional mountain bikes. Nevertheless, many people believe that it’s more exciting to ride an e-bike and that excitement begins when you start moving the pedals around.

As you start hitting the pedals around, the electric motor and sensors will start functioning. At first, everything will be pretty much the same until the pedaling pressure gradually lightens and becomes more relaxed. This mechanism makes biking much easier.

With an electric mountain bike, it’ll be much easier to glide across hills without feeling tired, out of breath, and exhausted. This is because of the additional power the motor provides, so you don’t have to push the pedals forcefully.

On top of that, electric mountain bikes allow you to adjust the pedaling assistance based on the pressure you want to exert. If you lower the settings, you’ll need to push the pedals harder. But if you increase the settings, driving the pedals will be quick and easy, and you won’t get exhausted during your travels.

4. Speed Capacity

Since electric mountain bikes provide an additional power boost to your pedaling, does that mean they can go faster than a conventional bike?

Electric bikes have an average speed of 25 km per hour (15.50 mi per hour). This is the average speed limit placed on most electric mountain bikes. So, going faster than this will temporarily shut down the electric motor system. As a result, you have no choice but to rely on pure pedal power to continue moving.

This is why electric mountain bikes aren’t banned from marathons and other sporting events. It suddenly stops assisting the rider once it reaches the maximum speed limit. And to clear things up, it’s not broken if it stops boosting your pedaling.

Nevertheless, it’s still better to ride an electric mountain bike on normal occasions, such as leisure bike trips and traveling to work. Also, it reduces travel time by helping you get back to your normal speed when you stop and pull the brakes.

Which Is The Best For You

The answer to the question will strongly depend on your needs. If you plan to use a mountain bike for work, an electric one would be better. It provides extra pedaling power that’ll prevent you from getting exhausted. And it maintains a constant speed, even after countless breaks and stops, helping you reach your destination in a shorter period.

But if your objective is to push your fitness goals to the highest level and get your adrenaline rush, a traditional mountain bike will be your best bet. It has no pedaling assistance, so you have no choice but to push yourself and get those pedals moving using your own energy.

Final Words

When choosing a mountain bike, you need to choose between electric and traditional.

As mentioned earlier, the best option depends highly on your goals and needs. If you don’t plan on participating in a sporting event in the future, an electric one would be better. Otherwise, you’ll need to use a regular one. Hence, the main factor you need to consider when choosing is your needs. Once you clearly define your goals, choosing the best option will be much easier.