GET FITTER ON YOUR E-BIKE
Mountain Bike Rider|July 2023
WITHOUT EVEN TRYING! Having a motor means you can pick and choose when to go hard and perfectly target your training zones
GET FITTER ON YOUR E-BIKE

Without getting lost in the weeds of training theory, all you really need to achieve a high degree of fitness for mountain biking is to W go really hard fairly regularly, then go relatively easy most of the time. It's called polarised training and it's really effective at inducing the physiological adaptations we're after in order to become much fitter and faster on our bikes.

The problem? It's really hard, if not impossible, to do quality polarised training on an analogue mountain bike as most of your rides, even when actively trying to take it easy, end up being kinda tough. Not tough enough to elicit the peak performance gains we're after, and not easy enough to promote recovery or aerobic base fitness. The end result is your fitness gets lost in no man's land and you fail to make progress. It's why lots of pro riders use other modes of training, like running or road riding, as the terrain doesn't dictate the intensity of the workout to the same degree.

Unfortunately, other training modes mean less time on a mountain bike, so they do nothing for the specific skill development of mountain biking. And this is where the e-bike is invaluable. Go for a big ride on the weekend, where you are forced to use a lower power mode, just to cover the distance, and you'll probably be working really hard, especially if you run out of battery. Then, during the week, you can pop out for a couple of shorter rides using the higher power modes, which, depending on the terrain, can make it surprisingly difficult to get your heart rate elevated at all. It's why e-bike riders need to wear warmer clothes. 

Esta historia es de la edición July 2023 de Mountain Bike Rider.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición July 2023 de Mountain Bike Rider.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDERVer todo
Best places to ride with your kids
Mountain Bike Rider

Best places to ride with your kids

Five top venues to keep the nippers entertained this summer

time-read
3 minutos  |
August 2023
CANNONDALE MOTERRA NEO CARBON 2
Mountain Bike Rider

CANNONDALE MOTERRA NEO CARBON 2

It’s got more suspension tunes than a Hitchcock movie, but will this Moterra thrill us or chill us?

time-read
5 minutos  |
September 2023
100% GLENDALE GLASSES
Mountain Bike Rider

100% GLENDALE GLASSES

When it comes to eyewear, having a large lens not only offers a lot more protection from trail splatter, it puts the frames further out from your field of view, allowing you to focus on the terrain in front of you. The Glendale is absolutely vast, and actually has a lens size akin to a full downhill goggle, so you literally can’t see the top or sides of the frame.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2023
DMR STAGE 2 MTB RAIL SADDLE
Mountain Bike Rider

DMR STAGE 2 MTB RAIL SADDLE

DMR's new Stage 2 MTB Rail is one of those new/old products. The shape and construction are identical to the existing Oi Oi saddle, but the company has wrapped it in a new skin and added some harder-wearing reinforcement to the edges. It's also toned down the lairy graphics; this saddle only comes in plain black.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2023
STRAIGHT TORQUING - GUY KESTEVEN
Mountain Bike Rider

STRAIGHT TORQUING - GUY KESTEVEN

Has tech taken the hard work and fun out of mountain biking, or should we embrace evolution and roll with it?

time-read
3 minutos  |
September 2023
STORM FORCE
Mountain Bike Rider

STORM FORCE

Manon Carpenter may have retired from downhill competition, but her new role as a trail advocate is achieving results far beyond the race track

time-read
8 minutos  |
September 2023
SWEAT AND SLATE
Mountain Bike Rider

SWEAT AND SLATE

We ride 140 miles through Snowdonia on Cycling UK's newest and gnarliest long-distance trail

time-read
9 minutos  |
September 2023
HEAD SPACE
Mountain Bike Rider

HEAD SPACE

New guidance reveals how to spot concussion, and how best to treat it

time-read
4 minutos  |
September 2023
LATE SUMMER LOVIN'
Mountain Bike Rider

LATE SUMMER LOVIN'

Classic UK holiday hotspots that really shine when the crowds have gone

time-read
2 minutos  |
September 2023
HOT STUFF
Mountain Bike Rider

HOT STUFF

WHAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS MONTH

time-read
3 minutos  |
September 2023