shoulder of Wild Boar Fell. After 48km, and 1000m
of ascent, the battery readout was below 20%. An
extra few km, and more importantly 300+ metres’
extra ascent, could very well have flattened it. For
the foreseeable future, such limitations on range
are going to be inescapable with e-bikes.
Jon cruising over Park Crags,
with Coniston Water and the
Coniston Fells behind.
>>>> GETTING TECHNICAL
I still hadn’t really tested the bike on sustained
technical trails. The OE commission asked for
a bike report combined with recommendations
for good trails in the Lakes. Where better than
Grizedale Forest? Not the purpose-built North
Face Trail but the bridleways and byways that
weave through the forest and beyond. And this
time Bernie was on an e-bike too; it seemed only
fair. We hired a very tasty Specialized Levo from
Grizedale Mountain Bikes.
To cover plenty of great trails, we’d planned
another substantial day, ultimately racking up
35km and over 800m of ascent. Hodge Close,
Oxen Fell, Iron Keld, Park Plantation, Park Crags,
Seven Wells/Moor Lane... it’s a litany of joy for
6 Outdoor focus | spring 2019
any vaguely competent rider and (Torridon and
Queenstown notwithstanding) my favourite place
to ride in the world. Several descents on this route
have always been in that (slightly scary) sweetspot
at the outer limits of the comfort zone. But the
bikes handled everything with aplomb and we felt
confident throughout.
During the day Bernie came up with what
I reckon is the best e-bike soundbite I’ve ever
heard. I therefore make no apologies for repeating
it in several articles: “It’s like a quantum bike. It’s
really heavy and yet it’s really light.”
We had a great time riding the e-bikes and it
meant I could keep on doing something I love
when my health would otherwise have held me
back. Still, though rapidly running out of space,
I must acknowledge that e-bikes have aroused
controversy. I’ve already mentioned the ‘cheating’
slur. I see little to suggest that e-bikes cause
significantly more erosion than normal mountain
bikes (a subject I’ve addressed, in depth, more
than once). Some see other issues too, but maybe
the place to discuss those is on the Guild Forum?