2020 Giant Explore E+ 2 GTS, I think I found my bike!

[Hobie65]

Hi everyone,

Been reading for over a year about ebikes with intentions of getting one this spring. The bikes that are appealing to me are in the $4500-$5000 range such as the Vado 4 or 5, Trek Commuter 7, Moustache Samedi, OHM Quest.
Just few days ago, I end up on the Giant site and see this bike 2020 Explore E+ 2 GTS at about $1000-$1500 less than my list of potential ebikes! It's got the 500w battery, lots of torque, like how the rear rack is secured to the bike etc, Yamaha motor etc.

Is this a hidden treasure?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

It would be good if you could ride some of these bikes prior to the purchase. NB: I think Trek Super Commuter 7 has been discontinued.

 

[Hobie65]

It would be good if you could ride some of these bikes prior to the purchase. NB: I think Trek Super Commuter 7 has been discontinued.

Agree, very hard to try anything where I live, however I'll be trying some when I go vacationing this summer at my folks place near Montreal.
Trek is still available at some stores at a reduced price!

 

[Mtl_Biker]

Agree, very hard to try anything where I live, however I'll be trying some when I go vacationing this summer at my folks place near Montreal.
Trek is still available at some stores at a reduced price!

It can be a bit difficult to try a bike before you buy, and then even more difficult to actually buy one! In fall I was lucky enough to get an Explore E+3 to try for a day and I liked it, but found the (medium) frame a bit too large for comfort. I was thinking that I would wait for the 2020 models, try one out and then buy one. But dealers already had waiting lists! And I wanted a small frame size... none were to be found anywhere except for the very last one in Canada and it was in Edmonton (I'm in Montreal). So I bought that one (2019 Explore E+1 GTS) and had it shipped (expensive) to me. Then I found that while the height of the small frame was fine for me, everything else was also smaller... the handlebars were just too close for me and then with a lot of changing components, I found a handlebar stem with the longest offset and that made the bike much better. Not perfect though.

It's real important to try before you buy, and to try exactly the model and size you intend to buy. In your case that will probably be very difficult. And if you wait until summer and your visit to Montreal, chances are the selection of available bikes will be very limited. E-Bikes seem to be flying out the dealers' doors!

You're in Paradise NFLD? As far as I'm concerned, Newfoundland *IS* paradise! Wonderful place! Just hard to get to.

Good luck!

 

[Hobie65]

Great info and advice! It's Paradise without the palm trees!

 

[Browneye]

Personally mine has proven to be a true steal-deal. Love it!
It was $2300 otd all in.
The only problem is now I want a eMTB. Maybe a trance-pro.
Haibike is worth looking at - Lenny's bikes stacks them high and sells them low. Especially with a pw motor.
When I found out Yamaha was making ebikes I was in - you just can't miss with them.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

The only problem is now I want a eMTB. Maybe a trance-pro.

You should have bought the BH MTB when it was available at Crazy Lenny's Closeout Too late, buddy! Have you ever considered a Specialized Turbo Levo, one of the cheaper models (I do not talk S-Works, to be clear)?

 

[Browneye]

You should have bought the BH MTB when it was available at Crazy Lenny's Closeout Too late, buddy! Have you ever considered a Specialized Turbo Levo, one of the cheaper models (I do not talk S-Works, to be clear)?

Yeah, that's the 'Lynx' model, right? One of our LBS's had one, sat on it, liked it. Yammer drive. Hoop-doop shocks. Very cool.

I also looked at the Levo when we were up to the kid's place over Thanksgiving . The shop is right next door to a tap-room with 86 beers on tap. You can even walk over with beer in hand. Oh dear god.
They had a pretty good sale going for black friday - quoted me $5000 out the door. Awesome bike. 29" wheels too. I didn't dare ride one. If the weather had been better (it rained the whole time) I might have rented one for a day - $100 for 24 hours and apply the $$ to purchase.

I'm still on the fence on getting one. Wife wants me to ride with her when we have free time for a bike ride, and she has zero interest in riding mtb trails. So I don't know when or how I would actually use one. I've spent my entire lifetime riding dirtbikes, so it's a natural extension. But have been so broken from crashing I had to stop, and surely I would do the same on a mtb.

Crazy-Lenny's definitely has the bargains, eh??

 

[Ofarrell]

Hi everyone,

Been reading for over a year about ebikes with intentions of getting one this spring. The bikes that are appealing to me are in the $4500-$5000 range such as the Vado 4 or 5, Trek Commuter 7, Moustache Samedi, OHM Quest.
Just few days ago, I end up on the Giant site and see this bike 2020 Explore E+ 2 GTS at about $1000-$1500 less than my list of potential ebikes! It's got the 500w battery, lots of torque, like how the rear rack is secured to the bike etc, Yamaha motor etc.

Is this a hidden treasure?

This Giant (same model) is at the top of my list also. Anyone have an opinion on the stock tires and puncture resistance?

 

[Browneye]

This Giant (same model) is at the top of my list also. Anyone have an opinion on the stock tires and puncture resistance?

Nothing special, and I didn't care much for them. They have some dirt-grip and are soft, so that's what they've got going for them.
I thought larger tires would work better so I went with big apple 60's and they're great. If you want the best puncture resistance install the Marathons/plus. You can get them the same size if you like, or there are other options. I have a take-off set if you want them for cheap.

The bike comes with tubeless-ready wheels so that's another option.

Remember, tires are a personal preference and cheap to change to suit.

 

[Rick53]

Nothing special, and I didn't care much for them. They have some dirt-grip and are soft, so that's what they've got going for them.
I thought larger tires would work better so I went with big apple 60's and they're great. If you want the best puncture resistance install the Marathons/plus. You can get them the same size if you like, or there are other options. I have a take-off set if you want them for cheap.

The bike comes with tubeless-ready wheels so that's another option.

Remember, tires are a personal preference and cheap to change to suit.

Would that steered stem accept the RokForm stem mount ? I rode one of these yesterday Set up in one of those stationary trainer stands : So it's a little deceiving But it seemed like it was easy to get flying on it. They had it setup with some software using a giant app I think : Seemed like 25 MPH was easy to get to. Keeping in Mind I had no road resistance : I couldn't really try the Front Suspension either. Compared it with Trek Verve + and there wasn't a comparison :

It was a Nice way to test one of these More for Frame Geometry then anything else :

The Motor seemed quieter then Court's review Indicated : Maybe because of the trainer stand : I was surprised they were doing this : I've been to Trek LBS and Specialized > None of them offered this testing option :

Didn't order Yet . Seems the way to go though Do you miss no Clutch ? I suppose you could upgrade that rear Derailleur fairly cheaply

It appears like giant gives you more of a Bike and you supply the display : The Sales guy was pretty New and didn't seem to know much : He led me to believe I can purchase a Display or Downlaod an App and use my Phone : That's why I asked about the RokForm Stem Mount

 

[Browneye]

Rockform is excellent - had one on the BMW. And yes, your smart phone gives you nav and trip data just like a display. You need a way to power it though, it's a resource hog and will run your phone out in short order.
It does work well though.

Clutch? What clutch? LOL And the derailleur works perfectly. It's a class 1 so the motor starts to cut out at about 19mph unless you de-restrict it. I will then do up to 30mph, or as fast as you can pedal it. That eats the battery for sure. It is fairly easy to ride past the motor cut off but you can sure feel the drag of the bike without assist. Great for downhill, otherwise the assist is what keeps it going. oh, and the motor is silent - you can't hear it over any wind noise.

And yeah, it kicks the Verve+, I test rode one extensively and liked it. Did not need or want fenders but did want a suspension fork.

I am open to a fork upgrade - nothing confirmed as of yet. Maybe you can pioneer that.
t

 

[Jim Conboy]

Hi everyone,

Been reading for over a year about ebikes with intentions of getting one this spring. The bikes that are appealing to me are in the $4500-$5000 range such as the Vado 4 or 5, Trek Commuter 7, Moustache Samedi, OHM Quest.
Just few days ago, I end up on the Giant site and see this bike 2020 Explore E+ 2 GTS at about $1000-$1500 less than my list of potential ebikes! It's got the 500w battery, lots of torque, like how the rear rack is secured to the bike etc, Yamaha motor etc.

Is this a hidden treasure?

My dealer says it comes with 400 battery and 500 could add another $1000, hard to justify that. Any idea if the handle bar can be raised much? i'd like a more upright position.

 

[Ofarrell]

My dealer says it comes with 400 battery and 500 could add another $1000, hard to justify that. Any idea if the handle bar can be raised much? i'd like a more upright position.

In Canada they are showing the 2020 Explore E +2 GTS comes with the Giant EnergyPak 500, 36V 13.8Ah

 

[Mtl_Biker]

My dealer says it comes with 400 battery and 500 could add another $1000, hard to justify that. Any idea if the handle bar can be raised much? i'd like a more upright position.

The Explore E+4 comes with 400v battery, but the E+2 had 500v.

Make sure you try the frame size you intend to buy as all the dimensions are different. I tried a medium frame, liked it, but due to short legs, wanted a lower frame so I ordered the small frame bike. Then I found the "cockpit" was way too cramped for me and I had to lengthen the handlebar stem to move it further away as well as offset the seat to further back.

 

[Browneye]

We don't get the E+2 here in the US.
I get about 40-60 miles on the 400w pack.
I got the M frame and it's plenty big. On the eMTB a large. So yeah, try them out if you can - I'm always an in-between size. I was 5-10, but now when they measure me it's 5-9. ...

I installed one of these - it's nearly perfect, $15 shipped: https://www.amazon.com/Wake-Mountain-Handlebar-Bicycle-Aluminum/dp/B0772TDTCC

 

[Hobie65]

Hi again And hoping everyone is doing well during cov19!
Was at my LBS 2 weeks ago to get pricing on some ebikes, so still trying to pick the right bike.
Now the question that I now face is, do I go it a with regular frame or go with a step thru?
I‘m 54yrs old and still able to get on a regular bike but the step thru seems like a breeze to get on.
so my question, do you have regrets going with regular frame when you had option for a step thru?

tks again

 

[TMH]

I'll be 61 this year and, while I don't have particularly bad knees or anything, I have absolutely no issues with step-over frames. And I definitely prefer their rigidity. Have one bike with step-thru frame for my wife, and it is probably the last bike either of us choose out of the 'fleet'.

Generally I stand on the low pedal, push off a bit and swing my other leg over.

But what works for you will also depend on your height - I'm tall.

 

[Browneye]

I don't, but I'm fairly athletic, even at 63. I've spent the last ten years riding some 55K adventure miles on various motorcycles, the last one was an R1200GS.
Just a few months ago I had severe back pain which made it nearly impossible to walk, let alone ride. But a few visits to a PT and I was back feeling good again. Since then I've even gotten a eMTB and now spend an hour or two each weekend charging trails, riding like a hoodlum again. LOL

So for me, it's a non-issue, but for anyone that can't throw a leg over, the step-thru makes a lot of sense. It's a really great bike either way.
I likely would have given mine to the wife when her bike broke, and her legs are as long as mine, but there was no way she could stand over the top bar on my medium size. I went with a size L on the TranceE.

I just took a quick look at Giant USA and they still have 2019's in stock in size S and L - mediums are sold out at the DC, but you might find a dealer with one. I got about 25% off the msrp for my leftover '19's - all three of them.

The 2020 version has the 6-sensor motor control system with 'auto mode', and for sure the Pro version of the assist motor got an update as well - it's quieter and supports higher cadence. Not sure about the 'sport' version you find in the Explore. To me there just wasn't enough difference to not take the savings. No regrets whatsoever.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@Hobie65, I'm 59 and suffer from mobility issues (while I get onto a bike I can pedal the whole day long though). I have never regretted choosing the step-through frame for my both e-bikes. I would even prefer the low-step one but could not find a low-step e-bike to my satisfaction.

@Browneye, please resolve the mystery. Many Giant e-bikes use the RideControl One, a minimalist remote that relies on mobile devices for revealing the ride data. Some Giant e-bikes sport the full RideControl Evo display. Your family owns as many as three Giant e-bikes. What kind of RideControl are these equipped with?