Thinking about the Transend....

[Stillhart]

So I just bought a Giant Roam E+ and I'm not 100% satisfied with it. My main issue is that the chain decided to pop off randomly for no discernable reason while I was riding on a straight, flat, smooth section of road and not shifting. This was on my second "long" ride with the bike ever. Other small issues include not liking the cheap feeling shifter and levers. It's a pretty pricey purchase so I don't know if I want to keep something that has issues at that price. None of them alone are deal-breakers, but all together, it's kind of disappointing.

I was thinking about taking advantage of the 14-day return window and getting something else. One LBS nearby has a '21 Transend and I'm curious what you guys think of it and how it might compare. I've never ridden a bike with a hub shifter but I like the idea of no derailleur to worry about and thus no chance of my chain making a run for it. It doesn't have a front fork, but that's not a big concern for me as I've never had a road bike with a fork and considered it more of a bonus than anything else. I'm a little concerned about having fewer gears, but I almost NEVER use the lower gears on my Roam so far... I don't think I've taken it below 3rd or 4th, even on a big hill... that's what electric assist is for! I know the bike has 28mph assist with the better motor so I assume the highest gears go high enough to make that useful.

Anyways, just curious what your guys' thoughts are on the bike vs something like the Roam. I'm mostly using it for riding street and bike paths for fun/exercise. Thx!

 

[Dewey]

The Transend would be fine for street and path riding. The Nexus 7 IGH has a reasonable range, I have a Nexus 8 with a slightly wider gear range. It helps to be able to shift gear when stationary. You learn to pause pedaling when shifting, or pedal backwards a half turn, to ease up and let it get into gear with an audible click, you can’t shift under load or you hear a crunching sound and your pedal may slip. I haven’t ridden the Transend so I can’t say what it feels like but I would certainly try @Coolbob’s solution to fit a headlight. Also consider having the shop replace the RevoShift twist shifter with a trigger shifter.

 

[Coolbob]

@Stillhart It's no secret on this forum that I'm a huge fan of the Momentum bikes. We recently bought a Vida E+ for my wife and she loves it.

IMHO, the Momentum hits a sweet spot between the all-train capabilities of mountain bike with off road capabilities I don't need. They definitely look cool, but remind me of the guys with the lifted pickup trucks riding on huge tires that never go off road. Commuter bikes with fenders and built-in racks and lots of doo-dads are a little too blah for my taste and I prefer Topeak racks. Some of the commuters with external battery packs remind me of a beige Buick with curb feelers, door edge guards and a 'ask me about my grand kids' bumper sticker. Please don't take offense if you like mountain bikes or commuters, they are the most popular styles so clearly my taste are unique.

I'm using my Momentum as most would use a gravel bike, mostly pavement with occasional trips on a rail to trail path. On long rides I find a cheap pair of bike shorts with a gel pad is all the suspension that is needed. There is so little information out on the Transend that I decided to do a few YouTube videos last week on our bikes. I do mention adding the headlight/taillight as @Dewey points out.

I'd love to have the 500w battery the 2021 models come with, but my 375w battery is plenty for my rides. Here's the stats from my last ride which was about 75% road and 25% trail.

I remove the battery, bring it inside and use the 60% charge feature to charge the battery after a ride. Before a ride I put the battery on the charger for an hour or two which brings it up to 80-90%. If I take a short ride that runs the battery down to 50-70% then I remove the battery and store it inside. I recharge to 60% if it's below 40% after a ride.

Hope this helps!

 

[Stillhart]

@Dewey Thanks, I would definitely consider swapping the shifter at some point. Grip shifters just feel like kids shifters to me for some reason, pretending to be a motorcyle throttle. Similar to @Coolbob 's (highly amusing) comparisons to different cars, it feels like having paddle shifters on a CVT car (and yes, my Subaru embarrassingly has that!). Problem is that they really nail you on the service pricing for swapping out the shifters. Something to consider though for sure. I'd definitely be swapping out the tires first thing though... can't stand those stock whitewalls.

@Coolbob I actually watched your video on the Transend last night. It was very informative and well done. I admit I'm not usually a fan of the vlog type video reviews, I prefer something more scripted and efficient, but you were pretty good about staying on topic and not repeating yourself so well done. You got my thumbs up.

I'm with you for the most part on using the right tool for the job. Why use a mountain bike with suspension you don't need or a commuter bike with fenders or a rack you'll never use because you don't ride in the rain or shop with it? It just adds weight that's harder to pedal and/or wastes battery life.

Anyways, I'm gonna see if the Giant website was correct and call the LBS today to see if I can get my butt on a Transend. I suspect that riding it for a few minutes will be telling.

 

[Stillhart]

Quick update, I rode the Transend today and I really enjoyed it. The riding position was noticeably more upright and the seat was softer. Combine that with the big fat tires and it felt more comfortable overall despite not having a front shock. The more powerful motor was subtle but noticeable, especially at max boost.

The hub transmission felt great! I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't the buttery smooth, precise, silent shifting I got. The range felt like it didn't go as low, but that's not really useful on an ebike so it didn't bother me. I didn't have my app linked so I couldn't see how fast I was going but the top end felt fine to me. What's the reason you don't see more of these around? It felt pretty superior for my needs... less maintenance and better performance!

Overall, I think it's a much better bike for what I need (comfortable street/paved trail bike) than the Roam. I'll definitely be swapping if they let me return it. They have a 14-day return policy but it has to be in like-new resellable condition and the owner gets the final say. Guess I'll know this afternoon.

 

[Coolbob]

Glad to hear your test ride of the Transend went well. I think it's a lot of bike for the money and I love the simplicity of the drivetrain and controls.

If you end up getting the Transend, you might want to remove a spacer from the handlebar stem and see how it feels to you. I did and it changed the riding position for the better in my opinion. I'm thinking I'll remove another spacer to get into even more of an athletic position.

Keep us posted!

 

[Stillhart]

Well Giant took my Roam back and I put money down on the Transend. I'll be picking it up tomorrow or the next day! Pretty excited!

And I agree, btw, the simplicity of the bike is really nice. I doubt I'll be taking out the spacers, the tall bars are one of the things I like best about it. Saves my back and neck.