Lets Go E-Bikes!

15th August 2022

Last modified on August 17th, 2022

I’m not even going to get into the increasingly pointless arguments about e-bikes v ‘real’ bikes.

Suffice to say if you still think that’s an argument worth having, it isn’t.

You need to get yourself to an event like the recent E-Bike Festival in Tignes/Val d’Isere.

Why?

Well, there are several reasons.

You may wish to see competitors in the E-Bike World Tour duking it out on the 85-km E-Tour de Haute Tarentaise.

It also involved 6,100m of climbing.

Easy with an e-bike you say?

Ha! You try it.

Victories for French riders Hugo Pigeon and Laura Charles.

You may want to compete yourself in the Bosch E-MTB Challenge.

It gathered together more than 100 novice and expert e-bikers to test their orienteering, riding and battery management skills.

All over a choice of Red or Black routes featuring 35km of undulating trails with 1,000m of climbing.

And,  thank you very much,  a well-stocked food station.

Or you might prefer the more relaxed options of hanging out in the festival villages in each resort.

You could try everything from fine-dining ‘Gourmet Tours’ by e-bike.

Then discovering the joy of e-road riding on the mythical Col de l’Iseran.

Let me tell you, ‘joy’ is the last word you’d use to describe riding up this beast on a ‘regular’ bike.

Or just spend hours testing the latest e-bike models from leading e-bike manufacturers.

Being a bit of a lazy bones I went for the e-bike testing and hooning around on the excellent trails in each resort.

I found that what really makes this event so much fun is the inclusivity.

E-bikes, for obvious reasons, appeal  to all ages, sizes and shapes of rider.

As such there’s an easy-going, relaxed atmosphere about the event, with lots of smiles and general bonhomie.

As far as I’m concerned that is what riding a bike should be all about – electrified or otherwise.

They talk about the ‘e-bike smile’ and it’s readily apparent all weekend at an event like the Tignes – Val d’Isere E-Bike Festival.

But be warned.

If you don’t already have an e-mountain bike when you go to an event like this, you’ll either come away with one or find that an e-mtb has suddenly gone to the top of your Christmas pressie list.

Even if you have to buy said pressie for yourself.

Image c/o PlanetSKI