eMTB Options For 2024

[BillH]

What other bikes can we explore?

Anyone hear of or know much about the Fazua motor? I started reading about the system and there was a lot to like and some not so good. The good is that the motor and battery fit into a insert that goes into the downtube and connects to a gear box. The whole battery/motor combo can be removed and an insert cover is used in it's place so one can ride the carbon frame bike sans motor and battery.The bikes weigh about 43lbs with battery/motor and should be way under 40lbs without the combo in place. The bad is the weaker 250w motor and more so the 250wh battery.

I love the fact that they are almost indistinguishable from a 'acoustic' mtb.

This is the Bulls Wild Flow EVO RS

Lapierre EZesty

 

[Jimbo08]

Rode this today...more later.
It’s so much fun it should be illegal

Very interesting thread so far. Great collection of opinions, thoughts and experiences. Will be very interested to hear your emtn biking thoughts in a year. Usually much different than what you expected!!
I would think a little grey, rainy weather in SoCal would be welcome every once in a while given potential fire situation.

 

[Browneye]

Cool looking bike @BillH

 

[Jimbo08]

Big Five Ten fan for years. I have the Freerider Contacts now but for years rode, and still do, wearing the original Camp Four or Tennie Canvas. C4 rubber, hard friction sole, but they work. I prefer the overall fit of the old vs the new. Still not convinced quality hasn't taken a hit since Adidas acquisition.

Never could get the FiveTens to fit comfortably. Giro has a couple of similar models. The Jacket give all-day comfort for me. The Riddance is more protective, but not as comfy imo.

 

[Browneye]

Evidently bike-specific shoes are the ticket? They look like skater shoes. And they're expensive.
Thanks for joining us Jimbo. Sounds like you've done some riding.


I'm more used to this type of footwear for riding. LOL

My go-to workboot...

 

[BillH]

Never could get the FiveTens to fit comfortably. Giro has a couple of similar models. The Jacket give all-day comfort for me. The Riddance is more protective, but not as comfy imo.

All my Five Tens except the Contacts and Camp Four GTX are pre Adidas. Camp Four GTX fit is fine.....Contact is still up for debate. Short rides no problem, extended continuous rides my feet feel whole lot better with them off.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I'm wearing LOWA Renegade GTX Mid for long rides on my Lovelec out in the cold with Stamp 7 pedals. With Gore-Tex membrane, they protect my poor feet for a long time before I have to switch my e-socks on. I wear Shimano MT-301 for the clipless Shimano pedals. Those are made for warm weather so I have to start heating the socks soon and also use either Gore-Tex warmers or windbreaker/rainproof trousers that cover the shoes (any sort of covers protects the shoes against being soiled, too). The FiveTen Freeride Pro will be for the platform pedals when the warm season comes.

 

[PDoz]

Evidently bike-specific shoes are the ticket? They look like skater shoes. And they're expensive.
Thanks for joining us Jimbo. Sounds like you've done some riding.


I'm more used to this type of footwear for riding. LOL

My go-to workboot...

Don't joke, I tried my short forma adv boots and pretty much every boot / shoe combination before paying for 510's - must have scottish ancestors

 

[PDoz]

Tannus also touts that the insert offers vibration dampening, you feeling that @PDoz ?

Also known as a slightly dead feel....I'm sure I'll get used to it, and I probably only noticed because I was concentrating on how the bike rides

 

[Browneye]

As an aside...another of my hobby interests is shoe cobblery. Yes, I taught myself how to sole shoes. I was cutting the soles off these and plunged a utility knife into my leg. Kind of left a gash. LOL
It healed up, and my chukka's got a new black sole instead of the unsightly white ones. I have a handful of pairs of redwing boots. If I need a job in retirement I can resole shoes, or repair smartphones. LOL

I'll try my work boots out on the trail and report.

 

[PDoz]

Soo...tannus trials mk 2

Sprog 3 has a 2017 norco optic, so 27.5 x 2.3 tyres on an evil bztrd rim. Back when plus size rims / tyres were just starting to get popular but norco couldn't decide if it was a good idea. I think they are 23 mm .

Anyway....definitely NOT as easy to fit the tannus on thinner rims, and if anyone us currently running tubless but considering tannus - wait until new tyres are justified!!! Cleaning all the stans sealant from the tyre was a major pita, especially getting it off the bead and edge of the rim. It was impossible to get the bead to pop untill that rim and bead were spotless! I guess 60 psi in a tube doesn't translate to 60 psi at the bead after pushing against an asymmetric sponge? There's no way I'd be swapping tubes out on the trail with thus combination - it took 3 good motorbike tyre levers to fit! Right now I'm praying that I didn't pinch that tube whilst fitting , and procrastinating about returning to the shed....

 

[Browneye]

They are still in my cart at performance bike...
I thought they were for wide rims 30-35mm?

I'm going to do a few rides with regular tubes and see if there's a common incidence of flats.

I also got an offer for a set of stock wheels for a couple hundred bucks. Dayum...

 

[PDoz]

They are still in my cart at performance bike...
I thought they were for wide rims 30-35mm?

I'm going to do a few rides with regular tubes and see if there's a common incidence of flats.

I also got an offer for a set of stock wheels for a couple hundred bucks. Dayum...

the 27.5 come in 2 different size ranges - up to 2.5 wide tyre and over 2.6. So make sure you ordered the larger size for the trance!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@PDoz, you're an experienced man. Tell me: Is the SRAM groupset equivalent to a Shimano groupset any better than Shimano or just more expensive?

Besides...

 

[PDoz]

@PDoz, you're an experienced man. Tell me: Is the SRAM groupset equivalent to a Shimano groupset any better than Shimano or just more expensive?

Besides...

uh, not experienced...just very opinionated ...

It's a bit like specialized vs giant - both offer you a choice of price / quality but depending on your priorities one may be ' better" for you.

In the mid price range , the sram cassette has all the sprockets pinned so there's a bit less slop and arguably less wear on the freewheel / carrier. It's also a lot easier to fit an sram cassette. Especially if you drop a couple of hundred $ worth of shimano xt cassette onto the shed floor and have to decide where all the spacers go...

Sram clicks marginally cleaner than shimano in that mid price range, but we seem to wear sram out quicker than shimano ( not very scientific because we're talking different sprogs - I suspect sprogette 1 us rougher on her bikes than sprogette 2).

I prefer shimano on my emtb because I do silly things and it's important to not feel guilty when destroying parts

ps I pressume you know that you need different carriers to swap between sram and shimano cassettes?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

N

ps I pressume you know that you need different carriers to swap between sram and shimano cassettes?

No, I don't even understand this part at all...

 

[PDoz]

N

No, I don't even understand this part at all...

Ok, I think the " freewheel body " is the official for the thing the cassette is mounted on?

sram has what they call an xd freewheel body, presumably short for xtra dollars?

so if you have a sram cassette and want to switch to shimano you'll need to invest in a shimano compatible freewheel body. Last time I forked out for an sram cassette, the lbs told me to think seriously about converting to shimano if I was expecting to replace cassettes regularly - AFTER I had paid for the sram cassette.

 

[LimboJim]

Ok, I think the " freewheel body " is the official for the thing the cassette is mounted on?

sram has what they call an xd freewheel body, presumably short for xtra dollars?

so if you have a sram cassette and want to switch to shimano you'll need to invest in a shimano compatible freewheel body. Last time I forked out for an sram cassette, the lbs told me to think seriously about converting to shimano if I was expecting to replace cassettes regularly - AFTER I had paid for the sram cassette.

Some SRAM cassettes use the HG "Shimano" cassette mount freewheel hub thingy - my Commencal has a SRAM XG-899 that's not compatible with the XD.

 

[FlatSix911]

Here is a nice deal on a brand new (0.2 miles)... $3,582: 2019 Cannondale Cujo Neo 130

BicycleBlueBook

www.bicyclebluebook.com

 

[Browneye]

Like.
What's with those cables???


Another good call on the sleeve armor - G-form Pro. Just awesome! Light and airy, fit perfectly, comfortable, great protection. Elbows knees and hands - the first thing to hit the dirt if/when you go down.