Taking your E-Bike on holiday FAQ

Can I Ship my E-Bike battery?

It's an option. However as soon as you declare the size of the battery to the shipping agent, they'll probably turn around and say if you aren't a business client, forget it. You'll also have the potentially disaster of your battery not arriving, or getting damaged in transit. Not to mention if you are British, the Brexit postage problem. Trust us, if you don't have to ship anything smaller than a letter, don't.

What is the simplest and safest way to travel with my E-Bike and battery?

You could drive. This is the simplest way of getting your bike and battery on holiday with you. However this is not always an option. It's expensive if you do it by yourself, regardless of where you are going. It's also time consuming, any destination like Morzine, Aosta or Finale Ligure is at least 10 hours from the tunnel. You may not also have a vehicle that can carry an E-Bike. So while it's simple in principle, driving with your E-Bike for a holiday may not be the best solution.

Can I rent an E-Bike battery?

E-Bike Battery rental. This is the golden ticket. Solving all of your E-Bike travel issues immediately. Take your bike, your components, save weight and save hassle.

Of course you need to make sure you have to right battery waiting for you. A potential minefield as there are so many different options, with technology and models updating year on year it can be hard to find the exact battery to fit your E-Bike.

Fortunately MTB Beds has a solution for E-Bike battery rental. Any Specialized Turbo E-Mountain Bike staying with us has the option to use one of our in house batteries for the week. A service we provide to our Riders Weeks clients completely free of charge. We'll give clients who aren't staying with us an option to rent one of the batteries if they are not staying with us, though a small charge will apply.

This service is available in Morzine, Finale Ligure and Molini, aswell as on our Aosta Valley Epic packages.

Of course you need to make sure you have to right battery waiting for you. A potential minefield as there are so many different options, with technology and models updating year on year it can be hard to find the exact battery to fit your E-Bike.

Fortunately MTB Beds has a solution for E-Bike battery rental. Any Specialized Turbo E-Mountain Bike staying with us has the option to use one of our in house batteries for the week. A service we provide to our Riders Weeks clients completely free of charge. We'll give clients who aren't staying with us an option to rent one of the batteries if they are not staying with us, though a small charge will apply.

This service is available in Morzine, Finale Ligure and Molini, aswell as on our Aosta Valley Epic packages.

How much does it cost to fly with my E-Bike?

It'll be the same as a normal mountain bike, most airlines charge around £40 per flight to carry a bike onboard. The differecen with an E-Bike is it alot heavier, even with the battery out, than a normal bike. You'll easily take up you 23kg - 32kg allowance with an E-Bike (approx 17-22kg) and the bag your carrying it in (approx 5 - 8 kg) so you should be wary of what else you can pack. This may mean checking in additional luggage. Budget yourself £150 all in on top of the flight.

Of course then you have the battery rental, covered earlier in the FAQ. If you're staying with MTB Beds and have a Specialized, this cost is anywhere from zero to £20 per day, dependent on where you are staying. See the information here.

If you are not, budget another £100 for the week for E-Bike battery rental.

Lastly, there is the hassle of lugging it around the airport and into your transfer or hire car. Again if you're staying with MTB Beds the transfer part is sorted, but that bag is heavy, you'll have to dismantle and re-assemble your bike twice. Some bikes this is easy, some it's harder...

What other costs are there when flying with my E-Bike?

There's the extended wear on your components, particularly tyres, rims, brake pads and drive train. Budget yourself a new rear tyre a set of brake pads and a service when you get home. That's if you keep it rubber side up all week!

How much does it cost to rent an E-Bike?

It could be the best solution for a hassle free trip. A Specialized Levo, Levo SL or Kenevo for the week in Morzine will cost you £465 for 6 days. This will save you all of the above hassle, and end up costing somewhere in the region of the same.

So it's a question of what you would rather do than what you can do.

Where are the charging points located in Morzine and the Portes du Soleil?

There are 21 charging points in the Portes du Soleil, equipped by Bosch. If you have a Bosch battery system you will not need to take your charger to use these facilities. If you have any other system they can be used but you will need to have your charging equipment with you. They are free to use, but will provide minimal charge over a short stop, providing 230v of power.

They can be found on the E-Bike map here, indicated with the yellow square.

Can I charge my battery at a restaurant?

Yes, most restaurants would be happy to assist you. We can't think if any that wouldn't if you were eating or drinking with them, though you would need to supply your own charging equipment.

Do I need to take my charger with me?

Yes, we would certainly advise that. Thought there are many charging locations around the Portes du Soleil, expect that they won't be compatible with your E-Bike and you'll be much safer.

I have a Bosch/Shimano/Specialized battery, are the charging points compatible?

If you have a Bosch battery system you will not need to take your charger to use these facilities. If you have any other system they can be used but you will need to have your charging equipment with you. They are free to use, but will provide minimal charge over a short stop, providing 230v of power.

Do I have to remove my E-Bike battery to get on the chairlifts?

Some lifts may request you remove your battery, and here is why. The lifts are designed to carry a certain amount of weight in a certain area. The hooks on the lifts are also designed to hold a certain amount of weight in a certain way. Not all lifts and bike hooks are the same. So if you have a heavy E-Bike to the side or rear of the lift giving it too much ballast this causes safety concerns, it the heavy E-Bike is helf by a system that could be compromised if there is too much weight, there can be concerns over the bikes safety.

There may also be concerns to the lift operators, who on many lifts have to remove the bikes for the rider, the extra weight may not be expected and may cause injury.

So removing the battery is the safest options on all chairlifts, though it is not obligatory unless requested by lift operators or signs provided. If your battery cannot be removed then you should seek advice from the individual chairlifts you wish to access. If it is one of the new, sleek mid weight E-Bikes such as the Turbo Levo SL, then you have no problems.

Telecabine's where the bike is brought inside have no issue with E-Bike access, they are more than capable of taking the added weight of the motor and battery, the only concerns arise when you have to place the E-Bike onto a hook.

Will my tyres fit on the chairlifts?

Many E-Bikes also have larger volume tyres, the lifts in Morzine will accommodate up to a 2.8 + sized tyre without issue, above this may cause some concern for some of the chairlift hooks, particularly the side or rear mounted designs. we would advise against bringing a wide tyre above 2.8.

A concern is the distance that can be covered on an E-Bike by a user who is not competent enough to be so far into the hills and potentially on dangerously technical trails. Someone who is not fit or skilled could find themselves in a dangerous situation quickly. As with everything, know where you are going and understand your limitations, both of yourself and your equipment, and don't exceed them. Carry a map, a working phone, and ideally tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back.

You should always be aware of the trail you are riding and it's rating. E-Bikes are heavier and though this adds stability, it means when things go wrong there is alot more weight to deal with. Steep trails become hard to slow down on, jumps become more technical and harder to correct, aswell as the landings being harsher.