Lifestyle Get Outside with an eMTB – Electric Mountain Bike 10/16/2024 | By Eric J. Wallace Injuries and aging can diminish our abilities to get outside, explore nature, and stay fit. Writer Eric J. Wallace explores the benefits of using an eMTB – electric mountain bike – to reconnect. Mountain biking trails range from challenging to easy, but they all have one thing in common: they’re naturally invigorating and beautiful. It was 2018 and mountain bike hall of famer Bill Cockroft was feeling depressed. He’d had both knees replaced and “was trying to come to terms with the fact that it was now impossible to ride my bike in the woods,” says the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area senior vice president, now 77. Cockroft’s life had revolved around the sport for going on a half-century. “I was having a bit of an identity crisis.” Mountain biking was more than his go-to for warm season exercise. Rides carried Cockroft deep into wooded nature areas filled with wildlife and helped him recharge from the stress of working in a leadership capacity at one of the nation’s biggest and busiest four-season resorts. The activity also had a cherished social element. “I’d been riding with the same group of friends for probably 30 years,” Cockroft says. They didn’t hang out at bars or do potlucks: “We hit the trail and rode.” So it felt like he was in danger of losing those relationships. The situation was looking grim when an industry acquaintance introduced Cockroft’s wife to next generation electric mountain bikes. Rigs like Salsa Cycles’ Notch Deore 12 have plush dual suspension systems that soak up bumps from rocks and roots to smooth out riding experiences. Premium components and specially engineered frames make them much lighter than road models and handle extremely well in the woods. Best of all, battery-powered onboard electric motors and pedal assist functions can minimize – or even completely remove – the strain of uphill riding. The latter makes eMTBs “far more inclusive than traditional bikes, letting people of all ages and fitness levels access both the fun and well-documented health benefits of mountain biking,” writes PeopleForBikes senior editor, Kiran Herbert, in a 2022 story exploring those benefits. When riders “feel that pedal-assist kick in and are able to make it up a big hill, that builds confidence – it’s a gateway drug to more activity and to better behavioral changes around their health.” Like many traditionalists, Cockroft was skeptical. Then he took an eMTB for a spin on Mammoth’s trails. “I was blown away, just immediately hooked,” he laughs. The bike let him once again take long rides with friends, enjoy the health boons of being outside, and catch workouts that felt more fun than obligatory. “And the amazing thing was, I could dial in the pedal assist so that I was getting plenty exercise without putting too much pressure on my knees,” says Cockroft. Then things got even better. Joint issues had forced his wife to give up riding around 2014. Before that the couple had been diehard pedaling pals and spent countless evenings in the woods surfing trails. Cockroft’s 360-degreee turnaround inspired his wife to try an eMTB of her own, and the two were soon spending more time on-trail together than ever before. Friends sidelined by similar health issues took notice. “For us, it was a total game-changer,” says Cockroft. The eMTBs let “my wife and I regain access to a sport that we both loved deeply and thought we’d never get to enjoy again.” And as luck would have it, “that galvanized many of our friends to follow in our footsteps.” The positive experience inspired Cockroft to become an advocate for eMTBs. He encourages seniors in particular to give them a try whenever the subject comes up. And an onslaught of industry advances have made it easier than ever to take up the sport. “EMTBs have come a very, very long way in the past 5 years,” writes Marisa Dobrot, a spokesperson for Salsa Cycles in an email. While early offerings were scarce, virtually all major bike brands now have models that range from introductory to advanced. And improvements around engine and battery technologies have made them lighter, more powerful, and able to go farther on a single charge than ever before. Related: An Introduction to Electric Bikes Read More Eric J. Wallace Eric J. Wallace is a career journalist who writes about food, drink, the outdoors, and the wondrous intersection thereof. His work has appeared in noteworthy publications like “WIRED,” “Best American Food Writing,” “Outside,” “Backpacker,” “Reader's Digest,” “Atlas Obscura,” “All About Beer,” “Modern Farmer,” and “VinePair.”