EMTB: You're actually an enduro rider and were one of the fastest German racers in the Enduro World Series. How did you make the switch to e-bikes? Have you given up your racing career or will you now be racing on e-bikes?
Tobias Woggon: I've always been enthusiastic about trying out everything that's possible in mountain biking. I was one of the first to ride 29-inch bikes in enduro racing. When the EWS was new, I raced for two years and took part in just about everything there was.
Now I'm happy to take the opportunity to ride the BH e-bikes off-road, but I certainly won't be racing. You should never say never, and the e-bike offers me so many uses, but racing is not one of them in my eyes.
You travel a lot by bike to foreign countries. How exactly does that fit in with e-biking? How do you do it when travelling by plane?
Travelling with an e-MTB works very well. Especially in regions where there are no signposted mountain bike trails, an e-bike offers huge added value. When I'm travelling to Alaska or Patagonia, for example, I never know whether I'll be able to ride on the trail or whether it will end in the pampas at some point. Now with the e-MTB, I can just try out trails at random - even without knowing where they will take me. As flying with an e-bike battery is still prohibited, I always look to see where I can get a battery. There are now lots of shops that lend out batteries. If necessary, I simply send the battery a week in advance.
Many people say that e-bikes are for pensioners. You are now 28 years old and yet you are already on an e-bike. Does that mean you've already said goodbye to sporty cycling?
On the contrary, I still train a lot on my racing bike or go on tours on my mountain bike. I don't believe that e-biking will replace "normal" biking without assistance. I see it as a huge gain in fun and flexibility. I can still go on a longer tour even if I don't have enough time. I also don't have the feeling that I'm under-utilised after an e-tour. I simply ride faster on the trails and am quicker, especially on the arduous handlebar climbs. However, the fitness factor remains very high with my riding style.
