eMTB Options For 2024

[Browneye]

At one stage I was running a high roller on the back with a dhf up front - amazing stopping power in a straight line but it was weird riding with more traction on the rear than front. Perhaps keep the high roller for shuttle assisted days?

My intention for this bike in the first place is to truck to the top of the mountain and ride down. I'm not pedaling all the way up. LOL
Well, surely sometimes that won't be an option. My Trance ebike is still my main ride, climbing is nearly effortless.

The riding opportunities open up in a very big way on a pedal only, here in the US. I would say 80% of routes are closed to eMTB's. I really wish we could get even close to the adoption you have in OZ, even GB.
I'm hearing there are stellar routes in UTAH and New Mexico, but all are designated 'no ebikes'. I intend to load up the RV and do some touring and riding, bring both bikes.
With the extra wheelset with road tires, the Trance does double duty for road and path riding with the wife. I think I'm going to do the front chain-ring update, add a couple of teeth on it. The Explore is going on Craig's, much as I really like it for road riding.

Here are the three tread patterns - the HR-II has a very open knob spacing and very soft compound. Great for soft surfaces, but draggy otherwise. DHF is the gold standard really, with the matching DHR.
It's been said elsewhere that the 'F' was for freestyle, and the 'R' was for race. Most people recognize the 'R' as optimized for rear with it's crossbars to enhance braking grip, although it has the same shoulder knobs as the F. Some advocate running either one in both locations. Notice the HR-II appears to be a near match but more open tread pattern as the DHR II.

Here's another one that really accentuates the differences:

 

[Browneye]

Drug the scale out...
OCCAM M30 size M carbon, alloy wheels, tubes, stamp1's, ready to ride: 30.4 lbs or 13.8 kg.

That's $141.75 per pound. Ouch.

EDIT: A pair if innertubes weigh 1.5 lbs.
LBS had new take-outs for $4, got a couple.
I think I’ll try tubeless on this one, just to check it out.

Most of the offroad trails thru parks around here are ‘no ebikes’.

 

[FlatSix911]

Drug the scale out...

OCCAM M30 size M carbon, alloy wheels, tubes, stamp1's, ready to ride: 30.4 lbs or 13.8 kg.

That's $141.75 per pound. Ouch.

30.4 lbs is not bad... you can get under 30 as OEMs always weigh the bike without pedals.

Better to measure the cost per mile... it gets better over time!

 

[PDoz]

Wish I had the high roller on the back today - wet trails, the dhr struggled for traction

 

[PDoz]

But wet trails means water in the creeks - magical riding

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@Browneye: Congratulations for the purchase of your new MTB!

@PDoz: please give me an advice. The sealant was good to make further ride possible. However, I (much) later removed the thick latex patch from the outside of the tyre and it is flat again (I did it out of curiosity before packing the Trance into the car). What should I do next? Fix the tyre with the "bacon strip" properly?

 

[PDoz]

@PDoz: please give me an advice. The sealant was good to make further ride possible. However, I (much) later removed the thick latex patch from the outside of the tyre and it is flat again (I did it out of curiosity before packing the Trance into the car). What should I do next? Fix the tyre with the "bacon strip" properly?

If you have a decent cut in the tyre, a plug is the way to go - sometimes 2/3 plugs. It gives the sealant something to stick to. Leave the mess ( within reason)

 

[Browneye]

They don't patch tubeless motorcycle tires - if they are punctured they are replaced.
My BMW 1200 had $2200 wheels and $200 tires, so I bought a hazard insurance plan when I bought the bike - $650 for 5 years. If either tire or wheel are damaged for any reason, you just have to get it to any dealer for free replacement. It was factory coverage, so any dealer would honor it.. I thought it was a good plan for a touring bike.

The day after I bought it I came out and the front tire was flat - picked up a nail on the trip home - they installed a new tire.

They won't properly patch car tires from the inside anymore either. They will plug it, but not if you already did with a rope plug - then it's new-tire time. DAMHIK.

I would just replace the tire if it has a hole in it.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I would just replace the tire if it has a hole in it.

I don't think it works that way with MTB tyres but I luckily have a spare tyre: the Minion DHF

 

[PDoz]

I don't think it works that way with MTB tyres but I luckily have a spare tyre: the Minion DHF

Save that dhf for when you decide to go tannus

 

[Browneye]

Front Minion already arrived...wow what a difference in knob spacing here. They're both 29x2.5, 3C XO TR, WT.
I picked up tubeless stems, going to give it a whirl. I got a degree in youtube-vid.
No wonder the HighRoller is called draggy. DHF is several steps lower in rolling resistance.

 

[FlatSix911]

Nice new shoes!

 

[Browneye]

The tubeless stems went in really easy, got the rectangle-base ones from Trek, they look like the dtswiss ones, but it's just a round hole so I think the regular tubeless stems would be better. They were all the LBS had, said they were for road but would work anyway. The m1900 rims come with tubeless tape already installed.
Yep, went together super easy, I had some latex from the Trance, and now I'm riding tubeless.

You need an allen wrench to remove the rear axle - I wonder if there's one with a hand-lever on it.
They had super thin 2.35 tubes installed in it, and those only weigh 12oz for the two of them. Re-weighed the bike, ready to ride, and it's still 30.4 lbs.

The Fizik saddle is like a human torture device. Ordered a WTB Rocket again. Found a vid on how to measure sit-bones and what size saddle to get.

It is shockingly easy to pedal. I'm ready for a trail loop with it. Ergos are perfect. Adjusted the brakes and shifter, suspension is probly a little firm, which is okay to start, and both lock out with a lever flip. The sram gears are like butter, I'm actually pretty surprised. I've always had shimano.

 

[FlatSix911]

She's a beauty!

 

[PDoz]

Browneye - check to see if the axle tool is amongst the spares - my daughters bike came with this set up , you can either leave the lever in the axle of carry it to reduce unsprung weight / improve security

DT Swiss RWS Plug In Axle

Genuine replacement RWS (Ratchet Wheel System) Axles from DT Swiss. The RWS axles allow for up to 50% more torque than a standard quick release skewer. With the Plug-In RWS axles, you can remove the lever and keep it in your pack, or you can leave it at home and use an allen key to...

www.mtbdirect.com.au

Keep those tubes - you can use them when you convert the trance to tannus.

Those rectangular tubeless valves are great - they stop the valve turning so you are less likely to tear any sealant around the valve

 

[Browneye]

According to DT Swiss, it looks like all of their axles have a hand-lever insert.
At Jenson USA, the thru-axle option for 178mm (I don't know what size mine is) does not have a handle.
I've written the bike shop asking about a spares packet for the bike - it should have had a shock insert for damping adjustment, and tubeless stems - I got ONE. And some sealant. And manuals. They were probly lost at the store. [shrug]

Anyway, it's fine, I carry an allen-wrench tool which is better anyway.
I'm glad to hear about the Trek stems - I had my doubts they would work right, but both tires are holding air. Now I understand how they work - either configuration makes the rubber end-button squish down over the hole in the rim to seal it. Ingenious.

I like how well it all went together, so I may convert the Trance too. Having the sealant inside is a bonus for those tiny thorns and thistles. And a light spare tube is easy to insert if the tubeless setup should fail.
I'm ordering a mobile plug kit.

I also tested out my Co2 inflator I've been carrying for a decade on the motorbikes - could not get it to inflate a tire. Wasted 4 cartridges and froze my finger. I'll be carrying my old CrankBrothers mini-pump.

 

[PDoz]

I also tested out my Co2 inflator I've been carrying for a decade on the motorbikes - could not get it to inflate a tire. Wasted 4 cartridges and froze my finger. I'll be carrying my old CrankBrothers mini-pump.

Be aware there is less than zero chance of re inflating a completely flat tubeless tyre using a compact pump - you simply can't get the volume of air needed to obtain a seal. So at the first sign of it going flat it's time to start pumping BEFORE you break the seal. I hope you have the crank brothers klik with a flexible tube? Anything that moves the valve stem can cause a leak faster than a compact pump can replace air. NB the Klik has a soft alloy screw so be careful when tightening it

I probably sound very negative about tubeless - just remember we have a fleet of 7 mountain bikes that get ridden by kids of varying mechanical sympathy , so anything that possibly can go wrong has gone wrong. My real issue is I can't remember which bikes I've converted to tannus , which still have conventional tubes and which had the tubeless sealant replace when- oh, and we run everything from 26 x 2.3 to 29 x 2.6 and I suspect I'm the only one carrying a pump , spare tube and tubeless repair kit....so what can possibly go wrong?

Just like I'm the only one carrying chain links and tool - and we have everything from 10sp to 12 sp , in fact I think there might even be an old 8 sp amongst the fleet....come to think of it, my wifes IGH uses a 1x chain - glad I have a tow rope

 

[Browneye]

BUT...you can inflate a tube to get you home. I made sure I tried that out.

 

[bob armani]

The tubeless stems went in really easy, got the rectangle-base ones from Trek, they look like the dtswiss ones, but it's just a round hole so I think the regular tubeless stems would be better. They were all the LBS had, said they were for road but would work anyway. The m1900 rims come with tubeless tape already installed.
Yep, went together super easy, I had some latex from the Trance, and now I'm riding tubeless.

You need an allen wrench to remove the rear axle - I wonder if there's one with a hand-lever on it.
They had super thin 2.35 tubes installed in it, and those only weigh 12oz for the two of them. Re-weighed the bike, ready to ride, and it's still 30.4 lbs.

The Fizik saddle is like a human torture device. Ordered a WTB Rocket again. Found a vid on how to measure sit-bones and what size saddle to get.

It is shockingly easy to pedal. I'm ready for a trail loop with it. Ergos are perfect. Adjusted the brakes and shifter, suspension is probly a little firm, which is okay to start, and both lock out with a lever flip. The sram gears are like butter, I'm actually pretty surprised. I've always had shimano.

Nice wheels paired with the new tires Chris! I have the same DT Swiss 1900s. You are going to love 'em. Ride safe!

 

[Browneye]

So, why did I buy a pedal-only mountain bike again????
Here's why...

An upcoming RV trip to TX will take us thru AZ and NM - both have some rather famous routes and trails for mountain bikes.
I was looking through singletracks.com for some good stop-off spots in NM - I've never been to the state - I think it's the ONLY western state I have NOT visited. Anyway, here's a cool looking trail in the forest with a five-star rating:

Cedar Creek Spaghetti Bowl

Cedar Creek Spaghetti Bowl is a singletrack mountain bike trail in Ruidoso, New Mexico. View maps, videos, photos, and reviews of Cedar Creek Spaghetti Bowl bike trail in Ruidoso.

www.singletracks.com

And look at the rules:


Before you go

• No Drinking water
• No E-bikes permitted
• No Fat biking allowed in winter
• No Fee required
• No Lift service
• No Night riding allowed
• No Pump track
• No Restrooms