Why? It's a mountain bike. Even though it is assisted, it has no torque like a dirt bike does. I.e. you can't spin the rear tire or anything like that. It just takes away some of the muscle force needed to turn the pedals. It's no different than having someone with bigger muscles pedal your bike. And if you turn off the motor there's no assist at all.

I can see the appeal of an "pedal assist" bike. It would let people access places that would normally limit them. Honestly I wouldn't get my underwear in a bunch if I was to see someone at my local trail riding one. Like shopkins said...it doesn't make enough power to spin the rear tires...and I would assume its that kind of power that would tear up the trails like a motorcycle.

What is the top speed of the Haibike?

I <3 Robots, the motor stops assisting once you reach 20 MPH (but as you stated it doesn't get you there it only helps you get there). After 20 MPH you're riding without any help from the motor at all as it completely turns off. You can go faster than 20MPH but it would be all you pedaling 25 and on a mountain bike that's pretty hard since they don't really like to roll like a road bike.

So if I was pedaling uphill...will the assist get you to 20mph? Thats where I can see a potential hazard. Imagine if someone is riding uphill at 20mph and trying to pass a slower rider say going 7-8mph...or encountering a rider coming downhill.

better question is: you like that $5k bike up with a $5 combo lock?

I don't know if you could get to 20 MPH going uphill on a trail. I have been able to get to 20-22 going up a hill on the road and I was pedaling pretty hard (suspension locked, standing on pedals). On a trail you'd probably lose traction from the bobbing which would slow you down. I'm not saying it couldn't be done but I'm not able to do it.

Even though the bike could do 20 MPH uphill on a trail (or faster if someone really strong was pedaling), it's like anything else: you go as fast as the safety warrants. In other words, my SUV will do 167 MPH but I don't go 167 MPH. Going uphill at an unsafe speed in a congested area is no different than going down hill at an unsafe speed. As far as passing someone uphill who is going slower, well it's no difference than passing someone going slow on a flat stretch. You tell them you are passing, slow down, and pass.

Crazy huh? Unfortunately a $200 lock gets cut/defeated just as easy as a $5 lock.

it does have torque, obviously, and while I can't find a rating for your bike now I'm sure it is at least 1 horsepower. the difference between 1 or 2 horsepower the smallest piston-engined dirtbike is at least tenfold, and not meaningfully comparable to the type of bike any adult would ride.

so your e-MTB sounds harmless enough. but yours is a first-generation bike. (maybe 2nd?) what happens when/if they start selling extremely well, where's the obvious place for a company to make a competitive difference between themselves and rivals?

engine output.

truly: your bike is fine by me. but that slope is quite slippery.

E-bikes are not allowed on the trails here. Anything other than a human powered motor is no longer a bike in my book. Any type of assist, motor, whatever, it is a pedal assisted scooter.

The motor on my Haibike is 350 watts (at the motor, who knows what makes it to the wheel) or a little less than half a horsepower.

They do indeed have more powerful electronic bikes. In Europe and the USA there are classes, which each class getting specific legal rights. For instance mine is a Class 1 and it is allowed to be ridden on the road without title/registration/license plate and is considered a bicycle and not a motor vehicle (even though it has a motor). Class 2 and above is not.

Our local trails say the same. 'no motorized vehicles' doesn't allow much discretion for a 1/2 HP e-bike.

Luckily in PA they ruled that a class 1 is not a "motor vehicle."

Here's a quick video I just did on going uphill on the bike at different power levels:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmC60E8d-jo

Here's a break down on my bike for anyone who thinks it is a dirt bike or would some how rip up trails, etc. As you can see from the videos, it's just a mountain bike.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlqGtBHaZbU

posting on photo bucket is a waste if time since it is automatically removed from being seen. .

Nice videos.

I can see where the benefits of pedal assist can come in. There are two local downhill spots in my area...and to get to the top is a 30 minute push up the hill. Its a 3 mile return trip back to the car with a 2.5 mile pavement climb to get back to the point where you start pushing. You pretty much have to shuttle with a couple cars.

At the same time all the extra weight from the motor + battery can really affect the way the bike handles. I guess you can't have it both ways.

I'm also curious how the motor handles being banged on rocks and whatnot. I've nailed my chainring on rocks more than a few time when I was being careless.

If I were to get into this e-bike foolishness, I wouldn't screw around with pedals, nosiree - - I'd go all in . . . .

and thats a blasphemy all in itself.

ugh that sound.

^^ Slot car hater.

I picked up two fairly unique mountain bikes in the last couple weeks. Both are 1989 models. The blue/green bike is a Haro Extreme and the red bike is a Reflex ALX89. The Haro has Deore components and the Reflex has Mountain LX/Deore components. I have $11 total invested in the Haro and $28 in the Reflex. I will keep the Haro (my first mountain bike) and sell the Reflex.

2015 Kona Unit. Awesome bike!!! SS for now...

Lovin my Tallboy

Giving the Gravity G29 a shot. So far, so good for a cheap bike.

Sweet jeebus, bars keep getting wider and wider.

Someone needs to go for the gusto and release a one meter bar.