eMTB Options For 2024

IMG_20211114_095758.jpg


Well this happened. A ridiculous amount of fun! Thanks to @PDoz for being my enabler and the forum here for all the advice.
 
Last edited:
pmcdonald said:
Well this happened. A ridiculous amount of fun! Thanks to @PDoz for being my enabler and the forum here for all the advice.
Click to expand...

You're going to love it !

Does the alloy frame model have the cabling through stem like the carbon bikes?

My mate with the e8000 is looking for a bike for "his wife" who has essentially claimed his e8000 , trouble is they need to fit a weeride toddler seat , which clamps around the spacers under the stem - that doesn't work with the oval spacers on the e8000.
 
DaveMatthews said:
Which model/frame size?
Click to expand...
Trance Small is current #1, but no hurry. My Fathom is still very suitable. Just watching the market trying to sort itself out. I went back to work at the end of July, so there's little budgetary constraint, other than my normal frugality in some things...
 
RandallS said:
Trance Small is current #1, but no hurry. My Fathom is still very suitable. Just watching the market trying to sort itself out. I went back to work at the end of July, so there's little budgetary constraint, other than my normal frugality in some things...
Click to expand...
For some reason I thought your Fathom frame size was a med.
 
Stefan Mikes said:
Congratulations, Paul! So N+1 has happened!
Click to expand...
It has Stefan. And I'm glad I took the advice here - it felt like an indulgent purchase (huge shout out to my understanding partner for the nod) but it really is night and day on the trail.

Whereas I was carefully threading my way down technical sections of single track on my Giant Explore avoiding all the rocks, roots, diverting around drops, etc now I just pick my line and let rip! It just ploughs over anything (so far). I'm particularly enjoying how approachable the full sus bike has made rock gardens.

The combination of tyre traction, energy-absorbing suspension and the slack geometry totally open up new possibilities on the trails.

The EP8 is an interesting creature too - definitely not overwhelming in the power department (the 85nm output feels weaker than my 70nm Syncdrive Sport motor) but is always there in a very natural fashion, intuitive when I need it.

I'm really enjoying the early steps of learning my way through the MTBing space. The brilliant 'How to bike' resources featuring Ben Cathro have been a huge help.

PDoz said:
You're going to love it !

Does the alloy frame model have the cabling through stem like the carbon bikes?

My mate with the e8000 is looking for a bike for "his wife" who has essentially claimed his e8000 , trouble is they need to fit a weeride toddler seat , which clamps around the spacers under the stem - that doesn't work with the oval spacers on the e8000.
Click to expand...
It does I'm afraid. The integrated light (weird addition but actually halfway okay) and Shimano display controller are both routed through the stem. They could be diverted to the downtube ports but the stem spacers are oval on my model too (Merida e160 500).
 
Last edited:
pmcdonald said:
The EP8 is an interesting creature too - definitely not overwhelming in the power department (the 85nm output feels weaker than my 70nm Syncdrive Sport motor) but is always there in a very natural fashion, intuitive when I need it.
Click to expand...

Are you aware the ep8 has adjustable settings ? I think it comes stock in setting 1 and can be changed to setting 2 for more immediate punch (battery sucking torque) . I'm not a fan of the higher output setting because it chews through battery and seems to encourage low cadence riding , but if you like technical rock gardens it's pretty nice.

For what it's worth, I'd describe the ep8 as more sophisticated than the giant , at least the pwx2 in mine- slightly slower to engage, yet still at least as grunty down low, possibly less torque at higher cadence (similar high cadence to a pwx1) , less over run. It builds up rather than hammers, so is less intrusive. You feel the difference in low traction environments - greasy mud and loose steep rocky conditions, plus perhaps the first few seconds when you swap from one to the other.
 
PDoz said:
Are you aware the ep8 has adjustable settings ? I think it comes stock in setting 1 and can be changed to setting 2 for more immediate punch (battery sucking torque) . I'm not a fan of the higher output setting because it chews through battery and seems to encourage low cadence riding , but if you like technical rock gardens it's pretty nice.

For what it's worth, I'd describe the ep8 as more sophisticated than the giant , at least the pwx2 in mine- slightly slower to engage, yet still at least as grunty down low, possibly less torque at higher cadence (similar high cadence to a pwx1) , less over run. It builds up rather than hammers, so is less intrusive. You feel the difference in low traction environments - greasy mud and loose steep rocky conditions, plus perhaps the first few seconds when you swap from one to the other.
Click to expand...
The bike cam with the low-rent 5003 display without the bluetooth connectivity (I might eventually upgrade but it does what I want for now - the shop can adjust between the two modes if I need it). I think Boost and Trail as configured both access the full 85nm, but deliver it quite differently.

The Yamaha motor definitely pulls like a diesel motor off the mark and climbs a couple of steep hills on the ride to the trailhead a tad easier, but yeah I don't find the EP8 lacking at all. It offers more than enough power (I found I backed it off to Trail on steep climbs because Boost lost traction more readily), is small, compact, quiet and very, very natural. I need to spend more time on it but I think I know what you mean by a more sophisticated motor - it just has a lot more nuance, to the point where I wasn't constantly riding settings and didn't even think about it functioning. It just sat there in the background doing its job in a very intuitive way. There's something to be said for a motor that doesn't draw attention to itself.

At the end of the day that's a part of why I opted for the Merida over a Rail 5 (the other bike I could get in a reasonable timeframe). Both brilliant bikes in the category by all accounts - a mate is down on the waitlist for a Rail and I think it'll be perfect for him - but this time round I was after something a little more subtle than the Yamaha and a little more playful to learn to MTB on. The stoke factor would have been equally high whichever bike I settled on!
 
Last edited:
This seems to be a bit of a catch-all thread for all things MTB so I'll ask my gold plated noob tyre questions here...

At purchase I had the front swapped to a Maxxis DHF 2.5 setup tubeless by the shop. The rear is the stock Kenda Regolith, tubed. It's not the grippiest. I've had some advice to leave the rear stock for now and swap once it's worn. I'm looking at the venerable Maxxis DHR II or Aggressor. The e160 is a mullet, so the back will be 27.5. My questions are:
  • Any other tyres I should be looking at for dry, loose, sandy conditions? (Think Spanish or Sierra conditions)
  • Is it worth forking out more for the DD casing? It's about AU$30-40 more expensive here. There are some great tracks about 10 minutes from work I'd like to ride the odd lunchtime break (how good is that), so I do have half a mind to something puncture proof.
  • I was thinking going tubeless at the rear when I swap the tyre. Does that make sense for the odd commuting trip?
  • And on that conversion, I'd like to try and do it myself (the LBS wasn't cheap). The rims are Merida Comp TR, so tubeless ready. Does that just involve buying some tubeless valves (like these), fitting the tyre and valves, adding the sealant, pumping up till the bead seals then to pressure?
Cheers. I have so much to learn.
 
Yes, tubeless is as simple as that. Pretty much the same as a tube but you don't install the tube. Get one bead on, the other about 3/4's, then pour in a couple of ounces of Stan's or equal. Rotate up and slip the rest of the bead on, pump to 40psi and you're golden. A compressor air source has the added benefit of a quick burst and makes getting the beads to seat a little easier. I've had to deflate, break the bead, or in many cases it never set, and spray some window cleaner in there, then try re-inflating to seat. I only recall this on tubes though, the tubeless seem to mount up a little easier.

Had I known how easy they were I might have gone that way sooner. I keep tubes in tires I change out often, but even then I may still go tubeless on them.

The added benefits are less weight - no tube. Can run a little lower pressure and not pinch a tube. They're more or less flat-protected/self-sealing.
The cons are if you really blow one open you need to put a tube in to get home, so I carry a spare tube. It can be messy, although I've serviced mine at the next season and they're pretty easy to just hose out with a garden hose and wipe down. And yes, they need to be serviced regularly - dismount, collect sealant if there's any left, clean it out, add new.

I would get either Maxxis tire - I have both and they're both great. For the DHR get the exo casing one, the top of the line, it's more durable, yes costs a little more. Not sure what specs you can get with the Agressor.

Get a pair of stems and then you'll have a spare. They're rather fragile, the valve can get messed up pretty easy. Lately I don't even remove them, just press to deflate and go. They can get sealant in them though, and plug up. And a bottle of sealant. I've only used Stan's so far - easy-peasy.
 
pmcdonald said:
View attachment 106847

Well this happened. A ridiculous amount of fun! Thanks to @PDoz for being my enabler and the forum here for all the advice.
Click to expand...

Stunning... and yeah, PDoz is the best!

I'm a rookie myself, and learned a lot just on this page. Went tubeless about six months ago, and don't think I'll ever go back-- loving my Ikons, though at 2.2, they are definitely a bit more skittish than the original Riddlers on the loose, sandy stuff Griffith Park and in the Hollywood Hills. (I'm going to start calling that "Sierra Sand," PMC, I like the sound of that!)

The conditions I ride in are so weird, it's a series of compromises, and that's one I was willing to make-- the lower rolling resistance and lighter weight is really noticeable, and very important because I'm so underpowered (E5000, 40nm). I'm going from pavement to dirt to gravel to broken pavement and dirt, etc... and they are surprisingly stable on the road, I do take a deviant perverse pleasure in doing non-MTB stuff like passing Porsches on Vermont Canyon. Oh, well... nothing against Porsches, but they can't take those speed bumps much faster than 25 MPH, can they? I usually slow down a little so I'm only passing at 30, and I'm sure that they can see me and don't drift into the bike lane...

But what I need is an intense workout in 30-50 minutes; particularly during the school year, that's just all the time I have, though I might get in some 30-40 mile rides over Christmas break. And it's all gotta be out the door because I drive sports cars and can't mount a rack on either of them. A high-end bike like a Trance would be wasted on me at this point (though I guess I could just set the assistance lower). I rode a Rossignol hardtail with an e7000 in Vermont over the summer, and it was a blast, but a completely different experience.

Very interesting about assist / gearing for steep sandy stuff. There is ONE HILL that still defeats me every time-- it's a shortcut into the park from residential streets, and thanks to everyone's advice here, I once got 85% of the way to the top! I'm no longer popping wheelies, but either I get psyched out by narrow passes between rocks that at an angle to the trail and only four inches wide-- there are two of them, the first I usually can handle, the second I'm now about 1 for three tries instead of 1 for 5-- (for months, I couldn't get past them at all) but I sometimes can't correct properly to get aligned with the trail after I get through, or I lose traction, or I just... find the bike drifting into the grass for some inexplicable reason. Or I bonk physically-- only for a second, but long enough to lose momentum-- or the wheels spin JUST enough to slow me down. I have only three assistance settings, so I think I have to stay in granny and High for the whole thing, but the line between too much and too little power (human or motor) is really, really difficult in this one spot.

I'm still astounded that on weekday evenings, I can ride for a couple of miles on the back side of Griffith Park without seeing a soul.

Those ramps are SICK! I confess that I've found myself looking at some of the many staircases around here, some of which have pretty wide steps, but...

No. I'm 64 and on blood thinners, not going to be doing that!
 
I don't bother with double down casing on my bikes - just exo plus. We run them in my older daughters rear because she's an aggressive rock rider and has sliced a few casings , but at my level I can't justify the extra weight / stiffness / extra rolling resistance of double down.

With the tubeless, keep an eye on pressure before each ride - 1/10 rides the momgrels have dropped pressure.

These are a particularly nice tubeless valve https://www.mtbdirect.com.au/peatys-x-chris-king-mk2-tubeless-valves. The cap has a built in tool for removing the core so one less thing to lose, they have a nice tecessed outer o ring to help with the seal under the threaded collar, and the inside tapered rubber bit seems to sit / seal nicely against the tape. I had no idea they were so expensive - the guy I bought my sl off fitted them, and gave me some spares -. I have a sad pile of old cheaper valves with grunge around the base efc contributing to slow leaks - the rectangular rubber ones in particular are nasty.

Stay away from these https://www.mtbdirect.com.au/e-thirteen-plasma-tubeless-valves. The wider stem doesn't play well with some pumps, and the flat rather than tapered inner rubber can leak if a stick catches / tilts the stem.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

W
Open letter to Yamaha re: 2nd battery promo (please sign)
Replies
0
Views
166
wasaabi
W
H
Customer Service Issues with Rad Power Bikes
Replies
8
Views
3K
spokewrench
S
P
2023 Prodigy ST
Replies
5
Views
2K
Sefutau2020
Sefutau2020
W
Frey has released a new eMTB named Frey Dopamine
Replies
19
Views
3K
scrambler
scrambler
Alaskan
Upcoming Bosch Smart System Expansion, Enhancements and New Features
Replies
13
Views
5K
tomjasz
tomjasz
Back