Electric Mountain Bikes, Ableism, and ‘Enwheelment’ in Outdoor Leisure

Summary Electric mountain bikes combine user pedalling with electronic and motorised assistance to propel riders within off-road landscapes. Physically, this reduces the amount of effort required on behalf of the user, while allowing riders to cover longer distances in shorter amounts of time. This case study on electric mountain bikers in England analyses objections to electric mountain bike use, arguing that these are often constructed in ways that exclude disabled bodies. In light of these criticisms, the case provides an alternative perspective which shows how, through a process of ‘enwheelment’, disabled e-mountain bike users develop affirmative relationships with cycling technologies and environments that can help make outdoor leisure more inclusive and accessible.