Electrically assisted mountain biking : let’s try together !

Electrically assisted mountain bikes, or VTTAE as they are known in French, are beginning to really grow in popularity. After all, the idea of climbing steep hills without too much of an effort, is pretty appealing, isn’t it? Just recently, it is now possible to rent electrically assisted mountain bikes in the Massif Cantalien area. Many shops are now equipped and offer mountain bike rental. Also, there are more and more specially marked out routes for mountain biking, particularly around Le Lioran and the Puy Mary. Read on to find out though if electrically assisted mountain biking is really all that’s it’s made out to be. I went along to the heart of Le Lioran resort to test this new experience … Follow me and find out more!

First of all, what exactly is an electrically assisted mountain bike?

It’s possible to rent out an electrically assisted mountain bike at the Lioran resort. The first thing to do is to make sure that the bike is suited for your height and that you are comfortable with. Needless to say, these bikes are pretty impressive when you’re a beginner like me! It’s a far cry from the normal mountain bike that you may have at home. The team at Lioran Sports shop welcomed my colleagues and I for an introductory session to try things out. After a few explanations and instructions, we were ready for action and headed towards the Prairie des Sagnes.  Wow! No sooner had I started pedalling, did I feel how easy it was! It felt a bit strange to begin with. The electric assistance is provided as soon as you force a bit on the pedal and any effort is almost completely removed! I would go as far as saying that I was impressed even! Progression on to an uphill slope is made so easy thanks to the electric assistance and pedalling isn’t any more difficult than on the flat. Test tried out, now I’m ready for the tracks!

Circuit around the Font d’Alagnon: Easy peezy!

Having immediately got a feel for the capacities of this new bike, there’s no stopping me!! All set to  ride up and down the slightest mound and enjoying the sensation of the back wheel skidding slightly. It’s no time at all before I can enjoy the sensations I felt out mountain biking a few years ago. The route we took was the Cirque de Font d’Alagnon, and with a friend, it was great fun embarking on an uphill challenge. Easy as pie! We quickly got to the top, the electric assistance providing an extra boost (with the help of our legs as well of course!) You can feel the power of the engine as soon as you push down on the pedals. In this way, it’s easy to manage the difficulties linked to the variations in the terrain, while enjoying the biking experience.  Slopes and going uphill is no longer an obstacle to enjoying mountain biking!

Electrically assisted mountain biking – tried and tested … and not just once!

Our session over, we are won over by this experience! A big thank you to the team at Lioran Sports for looking after us so well. For me, electrically assisted mountain biking has well and truly lived up to its expectations. Mountain biking in the Massif Cantalien is made accessible for everyone. Winding your way across parts of Cantal’s great volcano on a mountain bike is an amazing experience.  So, if you’re on the look-out for some thrills or simply want to head out mountain biking with the family, then I can offer just one word of advice …Go for it!

Practical information:
Click here to find out more about the rental of electrically assisted mountain bikes.

par Valerie
le 28 March 2018