He’s a cheaterI grumbled in between huffs as another e-bike rider passed me in disarray. It is this purist attitude that, for years, has left me blind to one simple fact: electric mountain bikes are fun!
My mindset adjustment happened a few weeks ago, for the first time I rode an Amflow PX Carbon Pro equipped with an incredibly compact, lightweight, and powerful M2S motor from Avinox, a new offshoot of DJI with the likes of Bosch and Specialized on the Edge. The engine doesn’t make for a fast demon, but it allows me to ride better by compensating whenever my bad manners kill momentum.
Mountain biking has a long history of being a gateway to new technology. Purists bemoaned the introduction of fully functional frames, disc brakes, dropper posts, and 29-inch wheels, saying they made the sport “too easy.” Today, that technology is widely accepted and comes standard on many mountain bikes, including the Amflow I was testing. Powerful, just four torquey motors are the next evolution.
Without a doubt, that car makes things easy. It’s on long, steep climbs that I really enjoy taking it easy, turning the climbs into engaging challenges, rather than the cardio tax that slows down my day. But I decide how hard I want to work. Some days I need the help of turbo, and others I’m fine with eco if I really want to push my heart rate into the red zone.
I started mountain biking during covid like many of my friends, I let YouTube teach us the correct body position and how to use it in turns and jumps. Let’s just say I wasn’t much advanced beyond beginner at the time, and I had a bad accident that dislocated my shoulder “in an unusual way,” according to my doctor. I haven’t felt as confident on a mountain bike since. Adding the engine, however, made me feel safer with a greater sense of control.
There is a huge misconception that electric mountain bikes (eMTBs) make you faster. Maybe in the US, but I ride in Europe where eMTBs don’t have throttles and pedal-assist kicks out at 25km/h (15.5mph) — most trail riders can easily exceed 30km/h faster, leaving me struggling to keep up with a heavy e-bike. European bikes also have a maximum continuous output of just 250W, making them slower and less powerful than Class 1 bikes sold in the US, let alone those Class 3 monsters that are just motorcycles in disguise.
I don’t want my MTB to ride me on the trail. Instead, I want the pedal-assisted motor to act as a power multiplier, seamlessly integrated with my rideto provide as much or as little assistance as I desire. That’s what I find with the Amflow PX Carbon Pro and other less expensive eMTBs.
The engine allows me to be extra careful when braking as I approach a turn, take it with confidence, and accelerate quickly and with control out of the other direction. And when my momentum is tight in a technical section because of my riding style, the torque bolt is there to get me out of trouble, and when a blind hairpin opens up unexpectedly on a climb.
The extra power delivered precisely and predictably by the Avinox M2S motor kept me from losing balance, or being forced to land on difficult terrain. It’s also a great benchmark when I go out with more experienced riders who would have dropped me at some point in the first 10 minutes.
As a result, I find myself smiling more, ready to spend more time on the trails, more laps, and more reps. These days I’m having a lot of fun even though my older, middle self is riding the same old trails.
I’m also aware of my new found power, and frankly, I’m a little ashamed of it. Strong riders are not used to being passed at high speeds by someone twice their age. So I stay humble and announce my presence early if I really need to pass. I also don’t know any King of the Mountain titles on Strava like some assholes.
It’s not fair that my epiphany came with the $10,000 Amflow PX Carbon Pro. It features best-in-class specs to my delight. That Avinox M2S engine is capable of delivering up to 150Nm of hill-shaping torque, as well as a temporary boost of 1,500W to conquer long, steep sections. (See Will Greenfield’s e-bike comparison to fully appreciate what Avinox has done.) The carbon fiber frame also helps keep the weight down to 20.6kg (45 pounds), below the average of 22 to 27kg (50 to 60 pounds).
Avinox now has more than 60 bicycle brand partners worldwide. That means it pays to shop around. The cheapest M2S-equipped eMTB I’ve found is the nearly $4,000 CRUSSIS eHard 11.11 hardtail. Otherwise, you can find a variety of budget eMTBs from companies like Ride1Up and Aventon with less powerful motors that still offer plenty of fun.
Ultimately, you don’t need a five-figure carbon rig to feel the change. Whether you’re on a flagship Amflow or a budget horse, the result will be the same: less suffering, more laps, and a giant, goofy grin. The addition of a car will not make you a better mountain biker. But it might make you want to be one.
