Essentially when you ride with us, you're simply riding a bike suitable for rough terrain, trails and the road - the only difference being that it is a bike with assistance.
Modes : Our MMR brand e-mountain bikes come with 3 modes :
"eco" - which is a battery saving mode and good for use on flat terrain or, should you wish to beast yourself a little, putting in more physical effort. This mode offers limited but some assistance.
"trail" - this is an excellent "all day mode" and can pretty much tackle anything terrain wise, without using too much battery.
"boost" - this is a special mode and powerful. Boost mode will get you up the toughest of hills, effortlessly. However, it is important not to get too addicted to this fabulous mode or using it all day long. Over using boost mode will drain your battery and shorten your day.
The top speed of our ebikes on flat ground or ascents is 25km per hour - the legal limit for an ebike. Downhill, you can ride as fast as your bravery will allow you to.
Batteries : The MMR ebike batteries are 630 watts. On this kind of hilly terrain, they are good for tours of around 65km - sometimes more. This however depends on the rider. If you're heavy then the bike will need to make more effort, thus using more battery. If you're a smaller, lighter rider, then the bike will use much less battery. Being mindful about which mode you are in depending on the terrain, will lengthen your day if you choose to go far.
Fitness & pace : Some that have never ridden and ebike believe that riding one is completely effortless. It is and it isn't. If you only rode the ebike using boost mode then that would certainly be the case. One can make the experience as hard or as easy as one prefers. Everything, except perhaps for the Via Verde cycle route is a hill around Algodonales and the Sierra. This is perfect country for the ebike - they were built for this kind of landscape. An ascent up to the top of our local mountain "Mogote", will have your legs working if you wish to push yourself. Take it easy and the ascent will be made with minimal effort. Likewise, the 1000m climb up and over the Sierra de Grazalema will increase the heart rate too, if you so desire to go fast. That said, our ebike tours are not about going quickly, in fact, quite the opposite. There is so much scenery to digest here, that we like to set an easy pace. Nearly all of our tours are 50km or 60km loop routes and the ascents are just as fun as the descents.
Gears : Like a normal mountain bike, our ebikes have gears (12) and they should be used like you would riding a bike without a motor and battery. Because the ebikes are heavier than a standard bike, it is important to already be in an appropriate gear when at the foot of a steep hill, rather than changing half way up. Crunching through gears midway on a challenging hill is not great for the ebikes. We like to make sure that our ebikes are as happy as their riders. Anticipate the hill and think about your gear changing as you approach it.
Brakes : In Europe, the brake levers on the handle bars are the opposite way round to those fitted on bikes in the UK. We recommend that our riders always use both brakes simultaneously. This is better for the over all braking system of the ebike and prevents the rider getting in a muddle over which is the front brake and which is the back.
What to bring : Bring a bottle of water. There are usually water sources at points along our routes where these can be refilled with water from local springs. Bring some snacks - for a little energy boost along the way, if needed. We will provide helmets but of course do wear appropriate outdoor activity clothing for the time of year. Depending on the time of year, we might get a little muddy in winter or in the dry months - dusty. Suncream is essential for those warmer days - of course.
