SRAM GO ELECTRIC WITH NEW GEARS & DROPPER POST
Your questions answered
A helping hand
I’m still suffering the aftereffects of a serious injury I had a couple of years ago, which is scuppering any plans I have to ride my bike. I’m at the point where I’m considering selling my bikes (both mountain and road). Currently, if I ride – regardless of how long or how far – my ankle (which was just a part of a larger injury) becomes extremely painful. A friend suggested trying an e-MTB, but to be honest, I really don’t understand how they work. Do they provide assistance when you’re pedalling and when you’re not? Any idea if a bike like this could help me? Thanks in advance. Malcolm Hutchens, via email
Malcolm, we’re really sorry to hear about your injury and how it’s affecting your life, even after so much time. The e-bikes you can buy in your local bike shop all use a motor and battery that only provide assistance while you’re pedalling. This system is designed to boost whatever power you put through the pedals yourself. The amount of assistance will vary, depending on the motor and the mode you’re riding in. Some motors, when in turbo mode, will up your output by 300 per cent or more. All road-legal e-MTBs are limited to a max speed of 15mph though, and above that the assistance cuts out.
Not knowing the extent of your injury, it’s tricky for us to say whether or not an e-bike would be any help. What we can be sure of is that it would make life easier when climbing, because you don’t need to put as much effort in – providing the battery doesn’t run out and you’re in the right mode. Before you go and sell your bike or fork out for an e-MTB, it might be worth seeing a sports physio for your ankle (if you haven’t already), because there may still be hope. Good luck!
For cleats’ sake
I’m new to riding clipped-in, but can’t seem to get the cleats in the right place, and even after trying a few positions, they don’t feel quite right. What cleat position would you recommend for general trail riding?
Mike Sutcliffe, via email
Unfortunately there’s no easy answer to this, because cleat position is subjective. Placing the cleats as close to the ball of your foot/your toes as possible will help to engage your calf muscles while pedalling, but will also tire your legs out if you spend any time stood up out of
the saddle when descending. Positioning the cleats close to your midfoot feels a little more akin to riding on flat pedals and doesn’t tire your legs as quickly when you’re stood up, but isn’t as efficient when pedalling. We’d suggest trying both of these positions, then somewhere in the middle, to help you decide. Don’t forget, some cleats also offer side-to-side adjustment, and you can angle your cleats to mimic the natural position of your feet on the pedals.
Protect ya neck
With my confidence currently soaring, I’m tackling more and more challenging terrain, regularly riding bike parks and jump spots. With all of this daredevil riding, I’m starting to worry more and more about what’ll happen when I crash. How much body armour should I be wearing while riding bike parks, for example?
Gary Sexton, via email
We’d recommend wearing a full-face helmet and knee pads as a bare minimum, and ideally some kind of back protector. A set of good elbow pads that extend down your forearms will protect against abrasions and cuts, although they won’t prevent broken bones. If you have the cash, something like the SixSixOne EVO Compression Jacket is well worth a look. This includes a back protector, shoulder pads, chest and kidney protection, and decent elbow pads. It’s super-slim too and doesn’t get in the way while riding. If you want to go the whole hog, get a neck brace too, although it can take some time to get used to wearing one.