MBA: Mountain Biking Australia
MR: Mark Rycroft
RI: Reynaldo IlaganMBA: So just to start us off, what’s the
Australian market like for e-MTBs?
MR: It’s been growing at an unbelievably
rapid rate in the last, I would say, two years. It’s
accelerated unbelievably to the point where we
actually couldn’t supply the market. The uptake
has been incredible, obviously the application of
the e-Bike really fits with what the rider is looking for.
The segment where it’s growing the fastest
is probably men 40 and over all the way up to- We’ve seen a prolific growth in that area but
it’s driven by people that are lapsed mountain
bikers, as in they’ve raced in competition and
enjoyed it but maybe they don’t have the time
The e-MTB. A relative newcomer to the
mountain bike scene, the electronic mountain
bike has certainly divided opinion. Its in-built
motor, capable of a slight boost all the way up
to full throttle has revolutionised the industry
and ignited a debate about its application.
Merida are at the coalface of this burgeoning
area. Merida is physically based in Taiwan but
retains a creative and commercial presence
in Germany. Earlier this year they announced
a new platform, the updated e-One Sixty, to
Australian audiences with the MY2020 platform
coming a couple of months later.
Mountain Biking Australia sat down with
Merida’s Australian Product Manager Mark
Rycroft as well as their global Head of Product
Manager Reynaldo Ilagan to discuss what’s going
on with e-MTBs and what the future may hold.
“There is a perception that the e-MTB is for people
who are lazy but this just isn’t true. The point of
the e-MTB is that it gives you more choice.
You can go faster and further.”
to train now and be fit. Maybe they’ve put on
weight or had injuries so it’s prevented them from
doing what they enjoy. Then along comes the
e-MTB and they just go well this is the best thing
ever! Now I can actually go ride and enjoy it.
With mountain biking the fun part is going
downhill. Climbing is not the fun part, that’s the
suffering part. So if you give people the option
to go and have fun without having to endure
so much suffering, to get up to the top and
enjoy more downhill runs and more distance
it’s just a recipe for fun.MBA: And how does it compare to say,
the European one?
RI: When we see the sales figures from Australia
they are incredible. Merida are probably the
strongest e-Bike brand in Australia.Q&A WITH MERIDA