I love riding bikes, but I’ve never been too interested in entering races or competitions. For me, riding is my escape from the daily grind, computer screens, and anything else that can be stressful. However, Bosch invited me to enter the eMTB Challenge during Crankworx Whistler, and I decided to give it a try.
The eMTB Challenge is a race, but outside of the pro category, plenty of the competitors aren’t hell-bent on getting on the podium – Some riders were just there to enjoy a curated ride on Whistler’s trails with a big group of eMTB enthusiasts. Thanks to Devinci Cycles, I was able to borrow an E-Troy Lite to race on, and aside from one little hiccup on my part, I enjoyed the experience!
Bosch eMTB Challenge – The Course
Since this was my first e-competition, I entered the amateur class. Amateurs rode a shorter course than advanced and pro riders, and from start to finish it took me two and a half hours to complete the event. That includes transfer stages (and taking a few wrong turns), so in terms of timed sections the top two amateurs completed every stage in under 23 minutes. Fitness-wise, this event was not a big challenge for me, which was appropriate for the amateur category. You don’t have to be a superstar athlete to finish the route I rode.
You would expect good trails in Whistler, and I thought the route featured some really fun runs. There were two short bike park descents, but the second stage was a great example of Sea-To-Sky gnarliness. We descended two of Blackcomb’s trails, which were fast but technical runs with plenty of big rocks, roots, and some smaller slabs. The second-to-last stage took us down a rocky route with bigger, rougher slabs that demanded proper line choice… they aren’t double black level features, but one did take someone out of the race.
Navigation
With no experience racing enduros, navigation was my biggest challenge. Thankfully, I have the Trailforks app, as Bosch provided GPX files of the race route. They did have paper maps as well, but checking those regularly would have been tedious. Following stage two, I met with a group of advanced riders and rode well past a turn I should have taken. At least that wasn’t timed, but during stage three I went off course and cost myself a few precious minutes. I started down the wrong path again, transferring to stage four, but had my phone handy and quickly corrected it.
Most of the route was reasonably well marked, and marshals were positioned to help us cross public paths in one area, but some parts of the course could have been taped off a lot more obviously. One short section of a transfer route wasn’t even an actual trail, and there was no tape to be seen. I do think the organizers could do a bit better at marking the timed stages at least… I heard rumors that one pro rider went off-route and wasn’t too happy about it.
My Results
Well, I didn’t place dead last, but not far from it! Had I not gone off course in the third stage, I would have placed much better, but with my screw-up, I landed pretty low on the list. I also blew it in both technical sections where we got penalties for putting our feet down, giving myself an extra 10 seconds. On the upside, I seem to do alright on downhill sections! On both the 2nd and last stages, only four riders posted faster times than me.
The Bike – Devinci E-Troy Lite
A huge thanks to Devinci Cycles for loaning me an eMTB for this event! I’ve tested several of their MTBs and their rep lives very close to me, so I asked them for a bike, and they came through! I reviewed the E-Troy Lite in 2024 so I knew what to expect from it.
While descending the second stage, I was reminded how slack and long the E-Troy Lite feels for a trail bike. It’s too short on travel to be called an enduro, but it basically rides like one with a bit less squish. I’m sure you’re all wondering how a ‘Lite’ eMTB did for this event, and it got me through just fine! That said, a full-powered motor could have cut down my climb times, and the 400Wh battery would not have been sufficient for the longer advanced or pro routes.
I finished the race with two red bars on the display, so I didn’t fully use up the battery but got close. Being somewhat conservative with the assist, I used a fair bit of Trail mode and Bosch’s self-adjusting eMTB mode for tougher sections. I didn’t use Turbo at all, but that’s because I found it easier than expected to complete each stage as I went. The E-Troy Lite got me through the race with no mechanical issues.
Lessons Learned
The number one lesson I took away from this race was this: I wouldn’t dream of competing in another enduro without acquiring a mount to keep my phone on my stem or handlebars (unless the route is fully taped off). I rode a good portion of this race with my phone in one hand, and I can’t count the number of times I checked it to make sure I was on course.
The other big takeaway for me was the need to be patient about getting race-related information. The day before the race, I called my friends who had entered in a near-panic state because we still didn’t know a few things… like where the start line would be early the next morning! Obviously not revealing the course until the last minute is important, but I expected we’d know where and when to begin, if the race ends near where it starts, clothing and gear requirements, etc. at least a few days in advance.
I did find the gear requirements on the Crankworx website, but Bosch sent their email with all the other pertinent info at 9:35 pm (an hour and a half later than planned) the night before the race. Talking to more experienced racers, it seems this is not that atypical. I guess you just have to prep yourself and your bike, and wait for information to possibly come at the 11th hour. I’m sure some organizers do better than others in this regard.
Thanks to Bosch for inviting me to participate! Despite my poor result and crappy navigation skills, I finally got the experience of competing in an (e)MTB race. I learned a few things, enjoyed riding some great Whistler trails, and socialized with some new people. I sure don’t have a trophy to put on my shelf, but at least I have a number plate!
