Sam Pilgrim in an interview – E-Bike Freestyle on Haibike

Feb 2, 2018

Sam Pilgrim in an interview - the likeable Brit from Colchester has been riding for the Schweinfurt bike manufacturer since 2018 , focusing on e-mountain bikes . He now particularly likes to show that his tricks are not inconsistent with modern e-MTBs in his entertaining videos, which are followed by tens of thousands of subscribers. The edits on his Haibike Xduro 10.0 Allmtn are very impressive, and some world premieres on the e-bike make prejudices about sluggish boxes due to the motor and battery fade away. Sam Pilgrim in an interview with questions and answers - have fun with it!

Sam Pilgrim in an interview – Haibike Xduro 10.0 ALLMTN

Sam Pilgrim in an interview for Liquid-Life

Liquid-Life: Hi Sam! Cool to see you on your new fun machines from the Xduro series! Your switch to the German brand Haibike has provoked many different reactions in the MTB scene. Did you expect the emotional posts from some of your fans who were disappointed and how do you deal with it?

Sam Pilgrim: Yeah, the response was really good, most of my fans were happy and most Pinkbike users weren't haha. But I knew this would happen. I'm here to let people know that e-mountain bikes are awesome and that they are definitely not motorcycles ! It's great to be able to change people's minds on this topic!

When did you first really test an E-MTB and how has your opinion on this trend changed?

I've tried a few over the years and I like all things that are fun . I didn't really try e-bikes until the end of 2017 after meeting HAIBIKE and from that day on I was hooked !

Sam Pilgrim as an e-bike ambassador - that was quite a surprise for many. What do your closest friends think about your "senior machines"? Have you already changed some of their minds about EMTBs?

The other pro riders like them because we are all open-minded. I think deep down everyone wants an e-bike .

Germany, Great Britain, USA or Canada – the MTB scenes in the different countries seem to have very different attitudes towards e-mountain bikes. What do you think?

Europe and e-bikes are a perfect match! People know what's going on before they ban or hate everything outright . It seems that riders across the pond need a bit more know-how - then they wouldn't hate e-bikes!

Big jumps with your Haibike Xduro 10.0 ALLMTN and tricks in the skate park – do you want to push the boundaries of what is possible on eBikes or how do you come up with these ideas?

It's just fun and a new challenge for me!

Which Haibike e-bikes will you test in 2018?

ALL OF THEM!

E-bikes are also part of racing formats such as the Enduro One series. Does something like that appeal to you (for example, there is an e-bike race at the Dirtmasters)?

No, I don't like racing! So hopefully I don't have to do it, haha!

What would you change about modern e-mountain bikes? Where do you see potential for improvement?

It's all super new to me and so far I think they're great as they are ! Maybe if they could be a bit lighter and have a longer battery life - that could be cool.

“I like to show what is possible on e-bikes” Sam Pilgrim in an interview

Guido Tschugg won the Masters DH World Championship on a “normal” downhill machine from Haibike. Will you use a Haibike without e-support for the NINE Knights event or the Xduro downhill e-bike from your new sponsor?

Yes, I will be getting some non-electric bikes soon. Riding a mix of different bikes is the most fun!

You haven't officially retired from slopestyle contests in general, but you seem to be letting the young kids have their place in the discipline. But you're still doing crazy combo tricks and progressing. Do you take your Haibike dirt bike prototype to some contests? Do you still have that hunger for winning?

I will go to as many of the FMB events as I can! I still love contests and will aim to get on a podium again this year! 😉

Now you’re riding for a German brand – are you planning to visit German event highlights like the iXs Dirtmasters Festival?

Yeah, I'll definitely be at the Dirt Masters in Winterberg , I love that event! And I'll be at the dealer days for Haibike. Hopefully the FMB Tour will have some German events !

Some e-bike pro riders with a trials background love to look for challenges and try some things on their e-MTB that would be impossible on regular enduro bikes. Have you tried trials uphill trails on your Haibike?

Yes, this is one of my favorite things to do on an e-bike. It's crazy how e-mountain bikes make the boring uphill stuff fun to climb !

We have an uphill bike park trail in Bavaria. Would you like to have something like this in your parks in the UK to have more fun on the mountain?

Sounds like a great idea, I want to check it out!

Sam Pilgrim in an interview – quick questions :

Rise of the handlebars on the dirt bike?

3 inches

Width of your handlebars on the Haibike xduro10.0 Allmtn?

Completely normal (740 mm I think!)

Which slopestyle / freeride pro rider inspires you the most?

Travis Pastrana

Which downhill pro rider is your favorite on World Cup courses?

Brendan Faircloth

Sam Pilgrim on the Red Bull Hardline course – fun or survival mode?

Not interested, haha!