Honestly an E-bike has been a game changer for me and the riding I like to do, there is no way I would have progressed as fast on an analogue bike. It's the sheer amount of extra runs I can get in before I'm fatigued. I ride with a friend who has an analogue bike and I'm easily getting twice the amount of runs in a day at bike parks.
I get if you're super into fitness an E-bike may not appeal to you (though you can easily get in just as hard of a workout as on an analogue bike, in the right modes and with a lot of restraint) but the fun factor of an E-bike is leaps ahead, including technical climbs which are actually fun instead of plain out gruelling.
I have to agree, the 16mph limit is a real drag, especially with a heavy bike on downhill casing tyres, it's like hitting thick mud.
I'm used to it now but an increase to 20mph would be the sweet spot I think, especially if you have to do any stints on road where the 16mph can be to slow to let traffic flow.
The worst part for me is if I'm coming up to a bigger jump and need to put a few extra pedal cranks in and I'm already past the limiter.
I'm probably going to derestrict mine but not until the warranty is over. Being the Bosch smart system they make it hard to do, though there are some workarounds, namely disconnecting from the flow app and letting the system self shutdown after rides. It seems a mixed bag, some people get constant error codes while others have zero issues.
As for maintenance / wear and tear, it depends on how mechanically sympathetic you are and the type of riding you do. Expect to go through brake pads, rotors and tyres a lot quicker.
Drivetrains is a mixed bag. Peddling at higher cadence, anticipating gear changes and not changing gear under load (quickest killer of chains and is very easy to do) can massively improve the life span of your drivetrain, and regular cleaning and lubing.
Regular bolt checking is essential too, I discovered my crank arm was dangerously close to falling off after my last park day, a common issue with the Bosch.
Other than that they are epic fun, you're going to love it!
I get if you're super into fitness an E-bike may not appeal to you (though you can easily get in just as hard of a workout as on an analogue bike, in the right modes and with a lot of restraint) but the fun factor of an E-bike is leaps ahead, including technical climbs which are actually fun instead of plain out gruelling.
I have to agree, the 16mph limit is a real drag, especially with a heavy bike on downhill casing tyres, it's like hitting thick mud.
I'm used to it now but an increase to 20mph would be the sweet spot I think, especially if you have to do any stints on road where the 16mph can be to slow to let traffic flow.
The worst part for me is if I'm coming up to a bigger jump and need to put a few extra pedal cranks in and I'm already past the limiter.
I'm probably going to derestrict mine but not until the warranty is over. Being the Bosch smart system they make it hard to do, though there are some workarounds, namely disconnecting from the flow app and letting the system self shutdown after rides. It seems a mixed bag, some people get constant error codes while others have zero issues.
As for maintenance / wear and tear, it depends on how mechanically sympathetic you are and the type of riding you do. Expect to go through brake pads, rotors and tyres a lot quicker.
Drivetrains is a mixed bag. Peddling at higher cadence, anticipating gear changes and not changing gear under load (quickest killer of chains and is very easy to do) can massively improve the life span of your drivetrain, and regular cleaning and lubing.
Regular bolt checking is essential too, I discovered my crank arm was dangerously close to falling off after my last park day, a common issue with the Bosch.
Other than that they are epic fun, you're going to love it!
