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eMTB Fitness Results

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Discussion starter · #61 ·
francois said:
Yeah, the emtb workout works very well when complemented with another painful, power form of exercise.

The lowest setting on the ebike is good. And so is turning the motor off. But for the long term... they're not very sustainable. It's possible to work very hard on an emtb, but it's not very rewarding, so few can keep it up.

But the true test.. time trial up a 2000-foot hill on a regular mtb and check the data.
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Why is it not sustainable? I did 90% or more of my ride on one of the mesa outside of Hurricane UT with no assist. Was keeping up fine with the crew on their regular bikes. And by your own words, it is possible to work very hard on an eMTB, so the fitness potential is there. Weakness/lack of discipline from a rider does not make the bike useless. It would be like saying squats aren't useful because most people use crap technique and never go deep enough...
 
Discussion starter · #62 ·
RickBullottaPA said:
YMMV. Even on technical terrain, eMTB rides do not have the same cardio impact as a regular MTB ride. 20-30 bpm lower. Hands and upper body are just as worked, maybe more, but it's simply not going to get you in peak fitness riding only eMTB unless you're also pushing yourself REALLY hard and keeping it in eco mode or power off. I find myself using my eMTB for occasional fun rides and the MTB and gravel bike (and gym) are where I build fitness.
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100% agree that if I do the same ride on my eMTB as I do on my geared bike it will be easier, as the geared bike doing the same ride as my SS will be easier. But I also KNOW FOR A FACT that I can push my eMTB and get my HR just as high as I can on my SS. Fitness doesn't care what trail you are on...if I can duplicate the zones and times by riding differently, I am getting the same benefit. BUT I can also take my eMTB out for a true recovery ride the day after throwing around a ton of weight in the gym...which is not possible without impacting my gains or my sanity on a regular bike. The entire point of the eMTB is the option to make it harder or easier on my terms, not just the trail's.
 
#63 ·
Everyone has a different idea of “fitness”, 6 hours a week for some, 12 or more for others, not sure I get how one type of bike is better than another for fitness assuming someone is being deliberate and targeting zones according to a well thought out plan. I can TOTALLY see how an e-bike could be an epic training aid for a) getting low hr (z2) training in steep areas, heck here in socal lots of the trails are so steep I can’t even do a legit Z4 interval up some of them, have to bust into Z5 on many of the sections just to keep enough speed to have momentum and traction. And similarly being able to run laps on a good trail without absolutely killing your legs, even on a low intensity day…sounds like a recipe for getting better skills too. Also, I wouldn’t hate being able to ride 15mph+ up the roads to my trails instead of flirting with death doing 4mph 3ft from 40mph vehicles…reducing the speed delta sounds much safer.
 
#65 ·
kevjob said:
listen up snowflake. This is the ebike forum talking about yup you guessed it ebikes!

If you cant figure out to just not click on threads or subforums you don't like maybe go ride your bike and give the internet a rest from your bs.

I am jerk to posters who act like victims about how the ebike threads force themselves onto the unsuspecting poor victims like yourself.

Hopefully I am on your snowflake I mean ignore list!
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Just going to post the community rules for you and also as a reminder for the moderators because for some reason these rules don’t seem to apply to e-bike propagandists in the e-bike subforum:

We expect our members to treat each other respectfully on MTBR. Although ideas and opinions may be challenged, name-calling, personal attacks, or other inappropriate behavior will not be allowed and may cause your account to be banned.
 
#67 ·
Muse MTB said:
100% agree that if I do the same ride on my eMTB as I do on my geared bike it will be easier, as the geared bike doing the same ride as my SS will be easier. But I also KNOW FOR A FACT that I can push my eMTB and get my HR just as high as I can on my SS. Fitness doesn't care what trail you are on...if I can duplicate the zones and times by riding differently, I am getting the same benefit. BUT I can also take my eMTB out for a true recovery ride the day after throwing around a ton of weight in the gym...which is not possible without impacting my gains or my sanity on a regular bike. The entire point of the eMTB is the option to make it harder or easier on my terms, not just the trail's.
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No doubt. I did an eMTB race a couple years ago (part of the GNCC series) and my heartrate was pegged for an hour, like a cyclocross race. I also find that I can actually get a BETTER workout for my upper body/hands on the eMTB sometimes. Partially from doing more mileage on technical trails and partially from wrangling that heavy beast around.

I personally use my eMTB not so much as a fitness tool but instead as a replacement for the buzz I used to get on dirt bikes. Riding at the limit on an eMTB is a sh*t ton of fun. Had to sell my dirt bikes after wadding both shoulders, and the eMTB is the substitute.
 
#68 ·
Spacechopper said:
Does anyone know if it’s possible to omit the e-bike subforum from showing up on my homepage? I keep clicking on this garbage and I’d rather just not see it.
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LOL what? I don't want to read about gravel bikes so I simply don't click on any of those threads. Give not clicking a try, it works great!
 
#70 ·
Spacechopper said:
Just going to post the community rules for you and also as a reminder for the moderators because for some reason these rules don’t seem to apply to e-bike propagandists in the e-bike subforum:

We expect our members to treat each other respectfully on MTBR. Although ideas and opinions may be challenged, name-calling, personal attacks, or other inappropriate behavior will not be allowed and may cause your account to be banned.
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We’ve got folks who’ve never tried using an ebike as a training tool coming in here and spouting off about how it’s not possible. Meanwhile we’ve got others here who’ve used them to demonstrably positive ends trying to share our experience. Who’s the toxic propagandist? Just gtfo and ignore the thread.
 
#71 ·
RickBullottaPA said:
I also find that I can actually get a BETTER workout for my upper body/hands on the eMTB sometimes.
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Riding at 50lb bike hard on DH trails definitely gives my arms and shoulders more of a workout than my 35lb bike does. I really like that aspect. If it's "leg day", I just ride my regular bike.

Of course not everyone has and understanding wife like me and can have more than one bike. If I could have only one bike, I'm not sure which I'd choose. Last year it would be my pedal bike 100%. This year with more and more of my friends switching to primarily ebikes..... Eeeh... I dunno.

Glad I have both tho. Going for some "regular" rides down in slow with people who like to pedal this weekend. I love that I can do both.
 
#72 ·
Spacechopper said:
Just going to post the community rules for you and also as a reminder for the moderators because for some reason these rules don’t seem to apply to e-bike propagandists in the e-bike subforum:

We expect our members to treat each other respectfully on MTBR. Although ideas and opinions may be challenged, name-calling, personal attacks, or other inappropriate behavior will not be allowed and may cause your account to be banned.
Click to expand...
Popping into the ebike forum to bash ebikes and complain about how you don't want to read about them, and then threatening others with community guidelines when they react negatively to your provocation seems pretty antagonistic. Were I a mod, I'd probably give you the boot for trolling.
 
#73 · (Edited)
francois said:
So, so true. Peak fitness is unlikely with ebike. One may ride in ECO or turn the motor off a few times but... in the long term, it is unrewarding so it's hard to stay motivated. Good to take the XC or trail bike out once in a while and hammer OR get hammered and then try again.
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Nah, if you’re out there on your ebike, constantly hammering and trying to get PR’s or KOM’s, up and down, (what I often do) your peak fitness doesn’t diminish, it increases. How much it does or doesn’t just depends on how much you’re pushing and for how long. And like Plummet said earlier, mode doesn’t matter, it’s your effort and output. My heart rate on my ebike is often in the 170’s on the really steep technical climbs and long chunky technical descents and I’m in my upper 50’s. On my regular mtb, I can get the same heart rate, but it’s just a much slower pace and shorter distances and it’s not nearly as fun. Mainly grinding slowly up climbs on the Amish bike vs hauling up steep challenging climbs and way more DH on the eeb.
 
#74 ·
JohnShroe said:
Everyone has a different idea of “fitness”, 6 hours a week for some, 12 or more for others, not sure I get how one type of bike is better than another for fitness assuming someone is being deliberate and targeting zones according to a well thought out plan. I can TOTALLY see how an e-bike could be an epic training aid for a) getting low hr (z2) training in steep areas, heck here in socal lots of the trails are so steep I can’t even do a legit Z4 interval up some of them, have to bust into Z5 on many of the sections just to keep enough speed to have momentum and traction. And similarly being able to run laps on a good trail without absolutely killing your legs, even on a low intensity day…sounds like a recipe for getting better skills too. Also, I wouldn’t hate being able to ride 15mph+ up the roads to my trails instead of flirting with death doing 4mph 3ft from 40mph vehicles…reducing the speed delta sounds much safer.
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All of those aspects are valid and real.

As a descent orientated racer living in a non- lift served location it is a fantastic fantastic tool to get extra descent training in. Plus the bike is heavier which works the upper body more. I am most definitely more zenned up and riding better than pre e me.

I really enjoy dispatching a boring gravel section really fast. I couldn't care any less for those boring transition sections between fun bits of track.

Another great advantage of the e is when I am on holiday I can ride further, explore more trail before I'm burnt out.

Today I'm in wellington and am going to do a dual battery burn. I'll do 2 hours in the morning then 3 hours in the arvo. That 5 hours of riding distance would take me 8 hours on the mtb...

If I was on the mtb I'd do one of those two rides... and be fried.
 
#75 ·
Shredman69 said:
Nah, if you’re out there on your ebike, constantly hammering and trying to get PR’s or KOM’s, up and down, (what I often do) your peak fitness doesn’t diminish, it increases. How much it does or doesn’t just depends on how much you’re pushing and for how long. And like Plummet said earlier, mode doesn’t matter, it’s your effort and output. My heart rate on my ebike is often in the 170’s on the really steep technical climbs and long chunky technical descents and I’m in my upper 50’s. On my regular mtb, I can get the same heart rate, but it’s just a much slower pace and shorter distances and it’s not nearly as fun. Mainly grinding slowly up climbs on the Amish bike vs hauling up steep challenging climbs and way more DH on the eeb.
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Yep. That's how I roll...
Also I find i push harder on the. On the mtb i leave something in the tank to get home with. On the i can burn myself to oblivion and ot doesn't matter. Hit the hall? No worries jack up the power levels back off the effort and boom shuckalucker you can get home.
 
#76 ·
RickBullottaPA said:
Zone 2 does not help with VO2 max directly - it's just base building so you can do higher intensity work. It's good to do of course, particularly for recovery days and endurance preparation, but unless you suffer occasionally, you're not going to progress. And you can be happily fit just doing lower intensity stuff, but you won't be able to deliver on days where you need to go hard.
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There is research that shows that zone 2 alone will increase vo2 max.
 
#77 ·
I try not to go too hard these days, you hear stories of dudes in their 50's and 60's that are fit and have been fit dropping dead. I know there are guys that old racing and pushing themselves but it seems logical as we age the heart is more fragile to extreme efforts
 
#79 ·
RickBullottaPA said:
There is real world experience that training in zone 2 will not prepare you for high intensity efforts.
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This is definitely true for me. I do lots of zone 2 in the winter on Zwift. Takes a couple of months of harder rides outside, with lots of climbing, before I feel like I can really put down any significant power. Zone 2 is great and it definitely helps with my endurance and overall cardio fitness, but if I want to go hard and I have to spend some time, well, going hard!
I don't currently have an e-bike, but that zone 2 time is the main draw. Trying to do that on a regular mountain bike ride is impossible for me. I can do it on my road bike, but going that easy is so damn boring! I like the idea of being able to do easier endurance rides and recovery days and still get to ride off road.
 
#80 ·
ripn said:
This is definitely true for me. I do lots of zone 2 in the winter on Zwift. Takes a couple of months of harder rides outside, with lots of climbing, before I feel like I can really put down any significant power. Zone 2 is great and it definitely helps with my endurance and overall cardio fitness, but if I want to go hard and I have to spend some time, well, going hard!
I don't currently have an e-bike, but that zone 2 time is the main draw. Trying to do that on a regular mountain bike ride is impossible for me. I can do it on my road bike, but going that easy is so damn boring! I like the idea of being able to do easier endurance rides and recovery days and still get to ride off road.
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Do you lift weights for your legs?
 
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