Cycling is a great form of exercise that burns a lot of calories without putting too much strain on the body. If you are considering getting a mountain bike, consider getting an electric mountain bike. Such a bike allows you to ride for longer, go on steeper trails, and take your bike out a lot more. Riding a mountain bike is slightly different from riding a conventional bike. Here are some tips that can help you get the most out of your electric mountain bike.

A Higher Cadence is Better

You need a lot of torque if you take your bike out on a trail. A major benefit of an electric bike is that the motor can provide the extra torque you require for a better riding experience. One thing to note is that the bike provides more torque as you increase your cadence. Your cadence is often dictated by how many revolutions you make per minute. A higher cadence, around 50-60 rotations per minute, makes the motor more efficient and gives you the power you are looking for when out on a trail.

Be Careful With Turbo Power

Turbo power refers to the amount of power you get from the motor to assist your rides. A higher power setting gives you more assistance but drains your battery quickly. This can be disadvantageous if you hit a steep part of the trail and do not have the power to assist you as you climb. 

To get the most out of your bike, try to use the higher battery power setting on steeper parts of your trail. One thing to remember is that switching from a low power setting to a higher one can cause you to flip backward. To avoid this, try to increase the power gradually, slide forward and lean forward when using the higher power setting.

Consider Getting Insurance

While most people understand why you need insurance for your car or home, many cyclists do not think that they need insurance for their bikes. An electric bike, especially a mountain bike, can be pricey, and thus you need to protect it by getting the right insurance. The good news for cyclists is that there are companies that now provide electric bicycle insurance. Companies like Velosurance provide cover for crashes, theft, and loss in transit. Velosurance also allows you to add additional coverage to your plan to include uninsured motorist coverage liability protection and medical bill coverage. Their e-bike insurance coverage covers all electric bicycles below 750 watts.

Master How Your Bike Rides

An electric bike is heavier than a conventional bike, which changes how you ride the bike. The bike will follow any trails and contours on the ground, so watch out for that. When you jump over something you will drop faster than you would if you were riding a conventional bike, so this is something else to keep in mind.

A heavier bike also means you have more traction. You will be able to ride in areas where you would have slid on a conventional bike. The additional traction also makes you feel like you can ride faster but avoid doing that, especially on a trail.

Watch Out for Strikes

Anything sticking out from the ground can cause pedal strikes on the downstroke. Because you will be riding the electric bike at a higher cadence, that increases the chances of a strike since there are more downstrokes. This means you have to be careful when picking your line and vigilant of where you ride. When negotiating tricky parts of a trail, you can opt to coast on the bike.

To avoid this issue, many electric mountain bikes have shorter crank arms. Shorter crankarms make an electric mountain bike feel weird, especially when you consider you will be riding at a higher cadence. You will feel like you are spinning the wheels faster than you are. The good news is that this feeling goes away once you ride the bike for some time.

Learn How to Anticipate Stopping

The battery and motor added to the bike make it faster and heavier. This means an electric bike does not stop like a conventional bike; you need more time to stop. This means you need to anticipate corners and anywhere else you need to reduce your speed. 

Electric bikes also come with pedal assist, which helps you carry momentum around corners, so lean more into the corner as you go through one. 

An electric bike can be an excellent option for those who want to ride on trails but do not want to expend too much energy. They can help you take on more challenging trails and make climbing steeper portions of these trails easier. Just remember to charge your bike and conserve as much power as possible, so you have it when you need it.