Words by Scotty Laughland

I might be biased, but to me Scotland is still one of the best places in the world to ride mountain bikes. Drive through the country and the landscape is ever changing - from rolling hills and luscious forests to jagged mountains. It's an outdoor-lover’s paradise, and the best part is that all of it is accessible to those willing to venture out with their bike - or in this case an eBike!

Joining me on this trip would be Holger Meyer, for whom I have planned an adventure of a lifetime. Over 6 days we’d explore what I’d class as the 7 best riding locations in Scotland and immerse ourselves in the rich Scottish culture, cuisine and coffee. This epic trip would be made ever so slightly more manageable by the SCOTT Lumen eRIDE, and Holger and I had built ourselves custom, more ‘beefed’ up versions of the bike to mix down country with trail, both rocking 140mm forks on the front.

Despite these, you feel as though you just flow through the forest, almost dancing as you stay on the light on the bike.

The Tweed Valley is a destination that has fully embraced mountain biking and the community that goes with it – there are now multiple bike shops, cafes and hotels that all cater to riders or are rider owned.

A local’s recommendations:

Innerleithen

Coffee: No.1 Peebles Road

Accommodation/Pub: The Traquair Arms

The terrain here is almost Jurassic-like with tall and beautiful trees, big green ferns and vast sections of rock. It's an experience just being in these woods, never mind discovering them by bike. The three trails I took Holger to are fulfilling to master and when you do, you feel connected with the bike, at one with the terrain and it could be said that you almost find that elusive flow state.

We’d close off the day's ride on the edge of the river Tay, sipping a cold pint and Holger questioning if people really do swim in the river.

Our route today would be perfect for the Lumen - HeartBreak Ridge is Scotland summed up in one ride. The climb has stunning views, and upon reaching the top, you feel truly in the middle of nowhere as the landscape stretches out as far as the eye can see.

Dropping in, the trail undulates through the heather, over granite and along the top of a ridgeline. Whilst it primarily descends, there are some short climbs and flatter sections where the TQ HPR 50 system kicks in and boosted our speed, helping maintain the flow - the bike's natural feel meant I’d pretty much forgotten I was riding an eBike.

Finishing down in the forest we rolled into town and headed to Tarmachan Cafe, another favourite spot to refuel.

After Holger’s indulgent culinary experience of a Scottish sausage roll and his first ever flat white, we headed over to Tarland Trails.

Over the last few days we’d been on the outskirts of the Cairngorm National Park, and now our journey would take us into the heart of it. We’d drive into Glen Feshie, park up and start our ascent to Sgor Gaoith. After cruising along undulating single track along the edge of the river and through idyllic Caledonian Forests, we’d eventually reach the hill access path. Some sections were well over a 20% gradient making it a battle to keep the front wheel down, but the 50Nm TQ motor took the edge off the climb and made it admittedly easier.

We arrived at the summit to a jaw dropping view - Holger and I were quite literally blown away

The Loch below was incredible, and as the weather began to roll in, we started our long descent. The trail was a classic Scottish mountain path; narrow and at times and quite hard to follow. It was slightly boggy at points, with plenty of rock, with a few sections being only just rideable.

As we descended into the Glen, the terrain transformed into a stark contrast to the mountain top behind us. A hard pack, purpose-built path lay underneath a canopy of Caledonian Pine with optional line choices.

Our final day would be on the Isle of Skye, a beautifully rugged landmass off the northwest coast of Scotland. The starting point of our ride would be Elgol, where we’d take a boat into Loch Coruisk.

The Skipper, Sandy, shared tales of Sea Monsters, the vicious battles of Cuhullion and Scáthach, and also how the Viking’s once ruled this area. The Cuillin mountain range here got their name from the Old Norse language; ‘Kjölen’ translates as ridge, and today we’d be passing right below them.

Dropping into the unknown, we rode a trail that was littered with loose and slabby rock that would eventually join the Sligachan Path, and we’d use the power of the Lumen to maintain a fast average speed along the undulating trail.

We’d finish by crossing the bridge and arriving at Seamus’ bar for a much deserved -and sorely needed - warming bowl of haggis, accompanied by a dram (measurement of whiskey). It was the perfect to finish what had been an incredible 6 days of mountain biking in Scotland.

To sum up mine and Holger’s trip of a lifetime, Scotland has so much more to offer than just mountain biking. The cultural experiences on offer compliment the riding perfectly, and the trails and access available to the mountains, in my opinion, are world class.

The Lumen is the first eBike that I’d ever consider for a trip like this, the mix of riding requires a light and nimble bike that can comfortably tackle the terrain. Mirror that with the benefit of assistance, which is an essential feature for the long consecutive days of riding.

Photos by: Finlay Anderson

Video by: Robert Grew