E-bikes are an enormous development on the planet of biking in the meanwhile, and so they aren’t only for the informal riders or vacationers. Professional cyclists are competing in electric-powered bike races as nicely. One such athlete is Jeroen van Eck, e-MTB professional bike owner for CST PostNL Bafang MTB Racing Group, one of many world’s most famed UCI elite mountain bike groups.
Why e-MTB?
The 28-year-old van Eck likes to pioneer. Years in the past he believed within the new idea of Cross-Nation Eliminator (XCE), and two years in the past he began racing within the e-MTB class — and never with out success! In XCE competitors, he received the World Cup twice and have become a two-time European champion, and in 2021 he received the World Cup e-MTB as nicely. However why would a professional bike owner select to race on an electrical mountain bike?
“I used to be skeptical earlier than my first experience on an e-MTB as nicely,” van Eck admits. “Why ought to I do that, and what is going to folks assume? Me as a professional athlete on an e-bike? However after a couple of laps, I used to be like ‘holy cow, that is cool!’ Allow them to assume no matter they need, however I’m going to race with e-bikes!” He believed sooner or later and the entire idea of racing with electrical bikes. “I need to change the notion folks have about e-bikes. There is just one approach — you might want to make it cool and horny.”
What’s the distinction between a standard MTB and an e-MTB?
Simply add a motor and a battery to a mountain bike and also you’re completed, proper? Not fairly. As a result of the burden of the bike will increase lots with the additional equipment (e-bikes can weigh anyplace from 20 to 24 kg in complete), you want larger brakes to cease it. An extended spring journey can also be added, plus the tires are extra strong and wider. Needless to say the utmost velocity of e-bikes is regulated to 25 kph, and the identical goes for e-MTB. This will likely sound not very quick, however on the very technical trails of e-MTB, you infrequently attain that velocity.
In response to van Eck, your MTB rides will completely change with an e-MTB. The advantage of the additional energy just isn’t solely the truth that you’ll experience sooner, however now you can additionally experience uphill with larger ease. The place you’d usually climb one mountain throughout your coaching experience, now you can do a second or perhaps a third climb in that very same experience. You merely get far more out of 1 experience.
“Even on a flat path, the expertise is completely completely different. You’re going sooner via the corners and sooner up and downhill. You’ll discover it is going to turn into a very completely different path, purely due to the distinction in velocity and the problem that comes with that,” van Eck says.
Racing with an e-MTB
OK, to date all of it sounds fairly simple, however how does the additional energy have an effect on racing with these electrical monsters? van Eck explains that e-MTB races are technically extra demanding and sooner than customary MTB races. The place you’d usually go 5 kph uphill on a cross-country bike, for instance, you’ll now go 15 kph uphill. This implies it’s important to pay extra consideration, and also you want extra focus, which makes it mentally more durable. Don’t make the error of considering these races have much less affect in your physique, as the total Garmin ecosystem van Eck makes use of clearly exhibits.
On the races he makes use of the very compact Edge® 130 Plus bike pc to trace his knowledge, and when he trains, he makes use of Edge® 830 to import this coaching schedules from TrainingPeaks and for his routes when he’s overseas. Along with the Rally™ XC 200 energy meters, he additionally wears a Forerunner® 745 to trace his sleep and different actions off the bike.
his stats throughout an e-MTB World Cup race, van Eck’s common coronary heart charge continues to be 182 bmp, which is the same as a cross-country race for him. The rationale for this? Your legs might have to provide much less energy, however you utilize extra vitality out of your higher physique to manage the ability and weight of the bike. Talking of energy: van Eck’s peak energy is 2200 watts, add one other 500 watts of peak energy from the motor to that, and also you perceive how highly effective and quick this class is! And sure, it’s nonetheless racer in opposition to racer in these races — all bikes roughly have the identical energy. So if you wish to go sooner than your opponent, you’ll have to put extra bodily energy into it. Merely put: Similar to in any MTB race, you simply must pedal sooner.
Inside e-MTB there are a number of disciplines, however enduro is by far the most well-liked. However the place you’d usually take the ski carry and bomb downhill with an MTB, now you can experience uphill with the assistance of the electrical motor. The truth is, this has turn into part of the race as nicely. Now it’s important to first conquer a really technical uphill path earlier than you begin your downhill experience.
Then there’s the e-MTB cross country-oriented races, and that is the class van Eck takes half in. In these one-hour races, the professional cyclists all begin collectively on a lap of two.5 to three km. “These laps are a bit shorter than a cross-country race, however they’re very, very technical. Rather more than any World Cup Cross-Nation; it’s actually on one other degree,” the Dutch bike owner explains. “As a result of these bikes have an extended spring journey, 150 mm in comparison with 100 mm on a median cross-country bike, the programs might be far more technical. Consider biking up a steep mountain climbing path stuffed with tree roots and rocks it’s important to bounce on. These climbs can take up 2 to five minutes, with typically gradients of 20 to 23%. Bodily, it’s very demanding and if you’ve reached the highest, you get an enduro type of downhill with jumps and drops. Usually on non-existing trails as a result of they actually put some tape between a few bushes!” Jeroen expects that the e-MTB class will develop lots sooner or later. “The truth that the UCI has embraced e-MTB says lots. I don’t count on it is going to turn into as large as cross-country, however e-MTB is right here to remain. In addition to, there are some superior technical developments arising that may make it much more thrilling,” van Eck concluded.
Largest pitfalls throughout first experience on an e-MTB
Have you ever turn into enthusiastic about e-MTB? Nice! However earlier than you hop on a robust bike like that, listed below are some ideas from van Eck to ensure you don’t appear to be a idiot throughout your first experience:
- Don’t put the e-MTB in full turbo mode straight away since you’ll turn into a passenger on the bike. Simply begin with the traditional or eco mode with a view to get used to the additional energy.
- An e-MTB is at the very least 50% heavier than a normal MTB (typically even double the burden). This requires a unique strategy through the experience: It’s a must to work tougher together with your higher physique within the corners, when leaping over logs and rocks, and many others. The truth is, it’s extra of a core exercise than simply pedaling together with your legs.
- Due to the additional weight of the bike, braking right into a nook is kind of completely different. Ensure you break earlier.
On the lookout for extra ideas? Watch Jeroen right here.