Most E-mountain bikes have a single chainring up front and a number of cogs on the real wheel. A rear derailleur shifts the chain to the cog you select. My Pivot has 12 cogs and that is overkill for an E-mountain bike. You don’t need that many gearing choices. An entry-level E-mountain bike may have around 7 cogs and that makes more sense when paired with your legs and an electric motor.
Finally, some models only have one cog and no rear derailleur. This type of bike shouldn’t be considered an E-mountain bike. It is closer to a motorcycle because the motor will do the majority, if not all, of the work (more on that in Chapter 3). You can ride this bike on trails but be sure your health insurance premium is paid up.
THE ELECTRIC FRONT DERAILLEUR
The front derailleur combined with multiple chainrings that I grew up with may be things of the past but E-mountain bikes, in their unique way, revive this old feature. Only now, it is the motor’s assist-level toggle. Think of your assist-level toggle as an imaginary front derailleur. The Pivot has 4 assist-level settings to choose from, instantly and on the fly. I think of my Pivot as offering me 48-gearing options! That’s 4 assist levels times 12 cogs. And you have the option for no assist at all so I my bike actually has 60 gearing options. Yipes!
WHEN LESS IS MORE
Don’t envy the riders with their skinny chains and 12 cogs. It is overkill and will require more maintenance. If your bike has “only” 7 cogs on the rear wheel and 3 power settings, you still got 21 gearing options and probably a heftier chain. Good on ya.
USE ALL THE TOOLS IN THE SHED
To ride your E-mountain bike effectively and efficiently, you need to use all the gearing and assist levels available to you. Setting and forgetting either the gear selection or assist level is selling your E-mountain bike short.
BEGINNER’S HACK
Take your cool E-mountain bike out for a ride on the pavement. A paved bike path will work too. A slight hill on your course helps. This way you are not dealing with the variable surface conditions or obstacles encountered on a natural-surface trail.
Starting from a stop causes the most problem for newbies so begin by practicing starts and stops. Always choose a large cog and a low assist level for starting. Practice shifting to a larger cog when coming to a stop because when you stop, you can’t shift the chain.
Once up to speed and pedaling at a reasonable cadence (90 RPM at the tops), practice picking different cogs by shifting the derailleur and select different assist levels (usually done with a toggle switch on the handlebar). Practice long enough on the pavement so you don’t have to look at what cog or assist level you are in. Let your legs tell you.
The tips in the following chapters will be way more effective once you get good at shifting gears and selecting power-assist levels.
Chapter Index (Click on any title to read the chapter)
Chapter 1: Intro To A New Breed
Chapter 2: Understanding Your Drivetrain
Chapter 3: Assisted Living
Chapter 4: Climbing To The Top
Chapter 5: Descending
Chapter 6: Cornering
Chapter 7: Trail Obstacles