It’s hard to change an opinion, especially one you’ve nurtured like your favorite plant. E-mountain bikes? To me, they were the SUVs of the forest: big, loud, and completely unnecessary. But then came a test bike, and three months later, everything was… different.



Friends without E
The first surprise? What changes instantly with an e-MTB isn’t the distance you can cover, but your friendships! Mountain biking was always a ritual of togetherness for me. Laughing, enjoying, cursing, sweating– and grinding through those horrendous climbs together. When we made it to the top, there was a shared sense of accomplishment. It united us.
Then came a test eMTB from MERIDA. And pretty quickly, I found myself riding on my own. E-mountain biking feels like a different sport altogether. Same destination, but the worlds rarely overlap. New routes, different pace, more miles– and fewer shared moments. My analogue friends were left behind– not because they wanted to, but because they had no choice. The motor on my ebike drew an invisible line between us.


Naturally, I caught some flak from my crew– no surprise there. Memes like “Team Battery checking in?” or comments like “Julian, are you already getting a belly?” flooded my DMs. Fair enough.
Slowly, but without intention, I made new bike buddies– people who could match my new pace and routes. There were plenty out there, sure. But it felt strange, like I was trading in my old friends– not by choice, but out of necessity. Natural selection, powered by Watts.



If 4 was 9
“More”– it’s one of the first words we supposedly learn as kids. And that’s exactly what an e-bike offers: more of everything. My first ride with the MERIDA eONE-SIXTY took me to the trails of Sintra, just outside Lisbon. Normally, the local uphills drain my energy and take 45 minutes of my precious time. That day, I managed not four runs, but nine! More than twice as many! It wasn’t just a bike– it was a magic carpet. Just like Aladdin on his mystical rug, I was flying from trail to trail.
Rational thoughts about e-mountain biking? Impossible that day. The e-bike turned the hills behind my house into a bike park with its own private lift– and all of that without any queues. In just three months, I covered just as many trail miles as I usually do over an entire year. Even after a late night or on a day when my legs felt heavy, there were no more excuses. And the result? I got faster, better, and I spent more time outside. Perfect, right?
Almost. Because at some point, I had to ask myself: What’s it all for? More trails, more speed, more miles– but did I feel more too? It was like listening to my favorite song at double speed. Everything rushed by, and the melody never stuck. Or, to put it another way: I felt like I was racing through nature the way you rush through a duty-free shop– not to the gate, but to the next trail.

Nature in fast-forward– or user error?
For me, the forest has always been a refuge. The atmosphere, the fresh air, the silence– a world to immerse myself in. But all that faded into the gentle hum of the motor. Birdsong, rustling leaves, the crunch of dirt under tires– my personal soundtrack drowned out by wind and tech. On the eMTB, I zipped through the landscape like a bullet train. Nature became scenery. Nice, but secondary.
Almost automatically, I’d find myself pulling out my phone between two trails– to record voice notes, check Insta posts, or send a few messages. Hands-free, going uphill. Convenient? Sure. Necessary? Absolutely not.
You could, of course, force yourself to stop, breathe, and savor the moment. But who really does that when turbo mode is calling? Why stay in economy when you’ve just been upgraded to first class?



The Quickie
I admit it: I love them. Quick laps between work and sunset. As I write this, there’s still mud on my shins. With my analogue bike, I’d have thought twice about heading out after work. But with the eONE-SIXTY? No discussion needed. Off to the forest!
Even my trail dog Bonnie is out twice as often now. And honestly? It’s fun watching how much he enjoys it. He doesn’t care if it’s muscle-fed or electric. He doesn’t even question the speed. Together in nature, together happy. Hop, hop, hop!



The Fun of the uphill
It’s a feeling you have to experience to understand. Racing your friends uphill in turbo mode, tackling technical sections, and still having the energy to laugh and hit the next descent at the top. Sure, it feels a little like cheating– but it also feels really good.


I´ve got the Power
How did I come home from a ride before? Exhausted, satisfied, relaxed. Snacks, sofa, end of the day– the perfect end to a perfect day. Now? I miss that beautiful sensation, when all the tension is released and you’re happily exhausted. The eMTB lets me fly through time and space, but I often feel like I haven’t truly processed the experience. Everything happens too fast. Physical exhaustion? None. Mental clarity? Rarely. And at some point, the battery dies– but only the bike’s, not mine.


The dark side
Once you go e, do you ever go back? It almost feels like you can’t. The uphill flow, the sheer number of trails, the possibilities– it’s highly addictive. But then I see other riders grinding their way up a hill under their own steam. And suddenly, I feel exposed. “It’s just a loaner,” I often say. “I’m really one of you.” But am I?
An eMTB comes with trade-offs. Battery life, range, technical hiccups– they all dictate your day. There were moments I asked myself: Who’s in charge here, the bike or me?


Should you or should you not?
The answer? Maybe. The ebike showed me what’s possible: more trails, more speed, more adventure. It’s a tool that gives you freedom, makes you more technical, and pushes you to be faster. But it also demands compromises: less pride in your effort, less quiet, less focus on nature.
At the end of my eMTB testing period, I’m not much wiser, honestly! The answer to this dilemma seems buried somewhere in the middle. For now, I’ll keep my connections to both camps – analogue and electric. The question remains: Which world suits you better? The analogue one that grounds (and grinds) you, or the electric one that lets you fly?

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Words: Julian Lemme Photos: Julian Lemme