Avinox is deliberately trying to reframe the debate in its latest statement. It argues that it’s not the wattage that matters, but the intended use. According to the manufacturer, more power doesn’t automatically mean more speed or danger. Instead, the motor is designed to make technical uphills more controllable, assist heavier riders, and give more people access to mountain biking. The slogan: Power with Purpose. Technically, that’s not even wrong. Anyone who rides modern e-mountain bikes knows: traction, precision, and control are often more important uphill than top speed. This is exactly where the Avinox M2S really shines. Even critics admit that the new generation of motors performs impressively in terms of riding dynamics.

But the real problem lies elsewhere. Not on the trail, but in perception. While Avinox talks about sensors, software, intelligent power delivery, and a strong customer focus, many outside the bubble see one thing above all else: the 1,500-watt figure. And with it, an SUV-like vehicle that is moving further and further away from the classic bicycle.

It is precisely this that not only associations but also many riders—for example, in the relevant forums—are now warning against. The concern: If manufacturers activate “arms race” mode, trail access, the 250-watt rule, and ultimately the bicycle status of the e-MTB as a whole will come under pressure.

And this is precisely where things get dangerous for the entire industry. Because as long as e-MTBs are socially regarded as bicycles, they benefit from the current freedoms: no registration, no license plate, no mandatory insurance. If this acceptance wanes, a technical debate will quickly become not only a political problem, but trail access will be threatened.

Avinox may be right when the manufacturer says that power does not automatically mean speed. But the industry should not be fooled: in the public perception, technical details don’t matter. It’s the big numbers that stick in people’s minds. And that is precisely why the current power craze could be the very moment when the e-MTB loses its most important status: that of a bicycle.