That climb looks so easy on video haha... Can we just take a moment to appreciate that climb was WAY steeper than it appeared 😂😂😜😜

If only they could be a bit more lightweight for your wallet

Man, by the title I was expecting you're going to bash the lightweight e-bikes but you've done the exact opposite, make up your mind.

Just by a full fat ebike for less, be disciplined and use eco mode, problem solved.

The point is to let us older mountain bikers ride with our 30 year old son who has a VO2 max of a Tour de France domestique. I don’t want a motocross bike to go up the trail I still want to work at 65 years old

The industry has been peddling light weight components for mountain bikes and asking big cash and now it has become the limiting factor in e-bike development. I’m for proven technology , it’s just that I don’t want to be the test dummy on my own dime. One the dust settles, I’m in

I think that the cycling industry has as a whole has completely missed a huge segment of the market on bikes. We currently have the entry level eMTBbrands and models which are mostly a pumped up fat bike for those who are not real serious cyclist who want to cruise the city or beach and then we have the hardcore trail/ enduro eMTB bikes which every bike brand is targeting. But why is there no great options for the aging 50 - 80 year old cyclist who still loves to mountain bike but is not doing gnarly trails and taking big risk riding or is just not able to ride like they use to beaus of age or health limitations? Should they be forced to ride a 140mm 40+lbs bike just to get the advantage of the electric assist? Ebikes should be allowing people better access to getting out and riding or riding with a stronger partner and not making a climb easier for someone who just wants to do more downhill shuttle runs. Earn your turns!

I have never heard anyone on the trail say "I wish that climb was harder" Take away the factor of added weight and the case for having an ebike instead of a regular bike, becomes almost infinite. Your telling me you want to do more and have no option to make riding easier at any point? Your not more driven than me, I just don't believe you. haha

Lightweight e-bikes are great for strong riders who already have MTB skills. I have been racing XC MTB and gravel for a long time, and on the MTB, I have always had to compromise between weight and suspension. I recently got a Transition Relay, and between my weight and FTP, it can actually feel overpowered. However, now I have a 160mm suspension that has me climbing and descending over things I never could in the past. And I don't feel like I am riding a motorcycle, which is key for people who are used to riding featherweight bikes. Bottom line, I don't think mid-power bikes are the best bikes for the weaker riders but rather for people who have been riding a long time and are looking for that +1 "bike,". I would also say I don't waste your money on shaving grams, it simply does not matter, and it is nothing more than the marketing guys playing into our race obsession. I have a GX build and it is perfect.

I ride my LYKE lightweight eMTB and think it's the best thing since sliced bread and the only bike I need, just pure agile poppy exhilaration. Then i ride my full power bike and think it's much faster most of the time, way better at climbing and just as fun on the downhills, and the lightweight bike is underpowered. Then I ride the lightweight bike again and love it... Hopefully that answered the question.

The biggest issue with lightweight e-bikes is the price. When you buy a full power one an extra kilo doesn't matter that much. So you can easily go for an aluminium frame and cheaper components. However with a light weight e-bike you're much more inclined to get the lowest weight possible, making everything way more expensive.

I actually like the extra weight of my 23kg full power ebike. The extra weight generates more grip and more speed/confidence in downhill chunder. For me, an ebike is about getting you up the hills to enjoy the downhill fun.

I've owned a Fuel Exe 9.7 for about 1 year and sold it.

There for me that's for sure, Ive been riding MTB's since the 80's and the SL's are just the ticket - I'm riding the Rise carbon at a ticket price below £5k - Great power to weight ratio at 19kg and 60nm - Ive done back to back rides against my analogue Yeti and the rise is way more fun and that all I ride for "it's the fun factor" and I'm still fit if not fitter as i'm out more often.😀

Being able to actually bunny hop trail bits using the same effort as I do with my acoustic bike is why I like lightweight eebs (like an Orbea Rise M series).

Great video, love my Rise. Did Snowdon on it last year. Epic. I would love to see you do that climb on the full power, SL and an analog bike so you can show the difference between the three.

Good video Rob !

I gave you a thumbs up for that realistic crash xD

Thanks for the video. I like pedalling and used to ride heaps more than I do these days but I appreciate the gentle hand of god assistance that a lightweight eMTB delivers on a climb. Everywhere else it just feels like mtb! I’ve owned a full power eMTB and I was not a fan. I moved it on.

Just serviced my sl & been riding it around for a bit.