Well we've done it :)

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

Finally managed to get the guys at MBR (Mainstream mountain bike magazine) to take an eBike on long term test.

This means the KTM Macina Lycan will be featured every month as they live with it over the season.

It will be interesting to see how quickly they fall in love with it.

We've not had our copy of the magazine though yet, so this photo is just taken from the a KTM owners facebook fan page.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/KTMmountainbikefanpage/

 

[AlanJ72]

Hopefully debunk some of the myths about pedelecs

 

[Nealh]

Only if they test/review with an open mind and their blinkers are removed, getting an unbiased review will be hard for them.

 

[EddiePJ]

As has said above.

A brave but hopefully positive step, for all e-mtb's.

It'll be interesting to see what they do with it. One of my pet hates about long term magazine tests, is that the bike quickly become like Triggers broom, in that almost every component gets changed, only leaving the frame as original. This detracts completely from what the test should be about, which is the bike as factory supplied.

Time will tell, but I bet that their forum will be filled with some pretty negative comments.

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

The guys at MBR are pretty spot on, and having known their testers for a few years now they are not ones to be biased. Alan who's their chief MTB tester is a BIG fan of eBikes, so hopefully you'll see that the magazine gives them a fair test.

We've scanned in and uploaded the first thoughts so you can read them, I think its pretty fair.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.503327633162602.1073741909.193414864153882&type=3

We'll try to keep this thread updated so you guys can see whats being reported as I do think it will be interesting.

 

[Artstu]

"Shredding the trails" perhaps a bad choice of words, no doubt leading to lots of chat about e-bikes destroying the trails.
Shredding trails is I imagine perfectly acceptable when done by human power only. I can just see the comments now. ..

I hope I'm wrong.

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

We're about to start a fairly aggressive campaign of education about eBikes that will be aimed at the key land owners / forestry and event organisors etc etc to make sure they know what eBikes are about so we can hopefully ensure access moving forward before there is a case that results in the whole thing being closed down access wise just as its getting started.

 

[EddiePJ]

Must admit that Stu makes a very good point. Hoonathon and shredding trails as much on the ups, as downs, does make me cringe, and is perhaps a poor choice of wording for such a delicate subject. I hope that the point of an e-mtb to many an owner, hasn't gone sailing over his head.

Shame that he also just said "four power settings". It would have been better, had he said four levels of power assist, plus no assist mode.

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

Don't forget guys, the readers on here are not always the target market

The industry needs to push to people who want to have fun if its to grow, the cycling market in the UK is huge for leisure, not so big for utility.

So I'm afraid you're going to have to come to terms with eBikes being fun

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

December issue of MBR hits the shelves this week, so part 2 of their review is now available to read.

"The bike comes alive beneath you. The first turn of the pedals sparks it to life, then the electric assist kicks in and you're off, the high pitched whine of the motor invariably accompanied by an equally high pitched giggle from the rider. Its not a motor with a throttle, though, so it makes you pedal faster and faster to continue to reap the benefit of the assistance. And before you know it you're at the top of that not inconsiderable incline with barely a bead of perspiration on your brow. Crazy."

 

[soundwave]

should get a review on bike radar as there ebikes suck 1s they got on there;(

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

should get a review on bike radar as there ebikes suck 1s they got on there;(

I spent about 1 hour on the photo to the chief of bike radar last week. They are about to write a big piece on eBikes because they are very very worried about their impact on access rights for all mountain bikes.

 

[EddiePJ]

they are very very worried about there impact on access rights for all mountain bikes.

For which, ridden responsibly and within the letter of the law, there should be no difference on impact. Obviously a topic covered elsewhere.

Indeed, taking last weekends organised ride as an example, I'm 100 percent certain that my use of an e-mtb largely had a beneficial impact when compared to that of a pedal mtb. Sensible climbing speed, and constant and steady torque being transmitted to the rear wheel, created pretty much zero wheel spin and loss of traction. A statement that could not be transferred across to some of the pedal mtb riders, which saw inconsistent pedalling torque, spinning and loss of traction that was creating surface damage. Obviously tyre choice was also a large factor, but not always.

Ridden of the flat, the legal cut off speed made the e-mtb far slower than a pedal mtb, so no risk there.

Down hill, the impact risk is no different, and is purely a matter of rider control and good/sensible riding practice. Skidding into and around corners, whilst great fun, is going to destroy trails and public/official support, whatever the bike.

Lets hope that good sense prevails.

 

[robdon]

Is KTM Bike Industries taking over the forum.
ROB

 

[soundwave]

25k will buy it imo

 

[JohnCade]

Is KTM Bike Industries taking over the forum.
ROB

Wouldn’t take much with the number of posts on here lately. So you could start posting more often...

 

[robdon]

Not many people interested, now D8veh is not posting, he is very badly missed, the professor of ebikes.
ROB

 

[Fordulike]

Not many people interested, now D8veh is not posting, he is very badly missed, the professor of ebikes.
ROB

What have I missed, how come Dave's not posting any more?

... and come to think of it, I haven't seen much of flecc either, has he gone too?

 

[Yamdude]

Not many people interested, now D8veh is not posting, he is very badly missed, the professor of ebikes.
ROB

+1 on that..... knew his stuff did that geezer.

 

[EddiePJ]

I see from the article that Jason rides mainly in the Surrey Hills. There is certainly no shortage of good riding to be had there, and in many respects, it's ideally suited for e-mtb use.