Next year Jeff....the e-bike business will get serious. One particular manufacturer will be shifting up here in the US, by lowering MSRP and having the sales force to put their e-bike into more dealerships. The next step of e-bikes is coming at us faster than most are aware. Its' right around the corner
I agree. I rode the older generation Zeros a couple years ago and was very surprised at their capabilities. I rode the e-motion trials bike this year and was 'wow!'
Most people don't seem to be aware of how fast the market will change. And it will change sooner than most expect.
We are in about the same spot that computers were in about 1990 or so. Most people still didn't have them, they were expensive and not very powerful. As the technology improved and costs came down, they hit a tipping point around 1994-1995 when it took right off, especially due to the rise of a thing called the Internet, and software applications.(range)
Ebikes will hit that tipping point probably around 2020 or so and most of the market(85% or more) will be electric by 2025.
The technology is improving very quickly and costs are dropping a bit faster each year. Range is getting better each year as well. Along with charging times etc. At a certain point all those will intersect at a sweet spot and the market will explode. First with the mx market, as their range demands will be met first, then the short course enduro market and then trail riding. The key range target will be about 2.5-3 hrs of solid run time for trails. That's the amount of seat time the average hacker actually spends when going out for a ride. The trials market is already switching quickly. When that range meets the ~$10,000 price point, people will start switching over faster and faster. The kids riding ebikes now will be grown up by then and already used to them.
People will really become used to the amount of maintenance these things don't need.
It will be here before most know it.
I've been using this market shift as ammo in my discussions with govt and land managers when I push for more access. I explain them about how the market is shifting & that ebikes are taking over and they make next to no noise. I ask them if they think it would be better to allow managed access first, or wait till zillions of noiseless bikes are zipping thru the forest uncontrolled and uncatchable? They get my point pretty quick. A kid on a loud mx bike is easy to find. One on an electric one will be like trying to catch Bigfoot......
