E-Bike Types: E-MTB vs. Road E-Bikes, and More

From the get-go, before I even had the idea to create Direct Current, I’ve wanted an e-MTB. Of all the types of e-bikes, this was most enticing and practical. 

I didn’t want a commuter e-bike, because for two-wheeled errands, I prefer to take my motorcycle. It has more carrying capacity, it looks cooler, and even with an electric boost, the 2,000-foot climb up to my house from town is pretty stout.

Also, I wasn’t interested in a drop-bar e-bike, that is an e-road bike or an e-gravel bike. When I head out on my gravel or road bike, I am looking to test my fitness and endurance. Plus, some days I like to ride really, really long, and I don’t want to stress about battery life when I’m approaching mile-100 with plenty of riding to go before I get home.

I’ve been a life-long mountain biker, and at some point, I’ve owned practically every kind of MTB: Singlespeed, XC hardtail, cross-country race bike, downcountry bike, trail bike, enduro bike, downhill bike, and even a dirt jump bike. I love the variety of mountain bike technology, and it only made sense that I’d want to expand my experience to include e-MTB too. 

Plus, the terrain I like to ride, the trails that are right in my backyard, actually, is ideal e-mountain bike terrain. The steep canyons in the Colorado foothills make for crazy amounts of vertical on even the least ambitious rides. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I don’t shy away from tough grinds on the mountain bike. After all, I’ve raced Breck Epic, Leadville 100, Appenninica, and countless other tough MTB races. But you know, sometimes you just want to shred trails without shredding your body. 

Finally, I’ll confess that in recent years, I’ve taken a shine to riding dirt bikes. I love how they can cover so much ground. 

But I get it, everyone has their own preferences and needs. So here’s a run-down of how you choose between e-mountain bikes, e-road bikes, e-gravel bikes, and e-commuter bikes.

Why You Should Buy an E-MTB

For starters, are you a mountain biker? Do you want to be one? If not, you can skip this section! Okay, if you’re still here, consider a few factors. For starters, do you have local trails that are open to e-bikes? If not, you might think twice about getting a bike that will require long drives simply to access singletrack. So you do have trails for e-mountain bikes? Lucky! You should consider an e-MTB if your trails have tons of climbing. Flat trails can still be fun on e-bikes, especially if you like covering a lot of ground, but for my money, the biggest benefit an e-assist offers is on the climbs. 

Why You Should Buy an E-Road Bike

From what I’ve seen, the e-MTB market has matured quicker than the e-road market. But that doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from an e-bike on your local road routes. If you live somewhere with precious few miles of dirt, an e-road bike could be a fun way to ride your toughest climbs, or keep up with faster riders. Just remember to save your Strava rides as e-bike activities!

Why You Should Buy an E-Gravel Bike

Plot twist: Most people who think they want an e-road bike should probably get an e-gravel bike instead. Why? It gives you so much more capability, in case you want to avoid the traffic on a nice, quiet dirt road. Plus, the bigger tires will offer more traction for cornering, and with the e-assist, the extra rolling resistance won’t be much of a drag.

Why You Should Buy an E-Commuter Bike

City living can be revolutionized by an e-bike for around-town errands and activities. Look no further than Europe or progressive American cities like Portland to see how many commuters have adopted the technology to make long bike commutes a breeze. Plus, e-bikes give commuters some very elegant features like built-in lights and locks. You can also go big with some of the e-cargo bikes that let you tote tons of groceries, a dog, or your offspring. 

Conclusion

Your ideal e-bike depends on what you have to work with in your city, town, or area. It also depends on what sort of riding experience you have or are seeking. For me, it’s an e-mountain bike all the way. If I lived in town and wanted to regularly run errands, it wouldn’t be long before I picked up an e-bike for commuting. I’m not as enticed by e-road or gravel set-ups, but maybe that will change. What do you think? Drop me a comment with your thoughts or questions!

P.S. We use affiliate links here at Direct Current. If you’re considering buying a Specialized e-bike, we’ll get a little kickback if you purchase using a link from this story. 😀