eMTB Options For 2024

[BarryS]

DIY e-mountain bike? I suppose if you don’t intend to do real mountain biking imho.......

What are you talking about ? Watch Rob Rides EMTB . Why would you say what you said . Obviously you haven't researched Frames . Maybe you think Bikes are some sort of Rocket Science ? It would be pretty easy to do . You do know that bafang makes frames that the engines mount right in right ? If you have the correct frame DIY is relatively easy

 

[McCorby]

What are you talking about ? Watch Rob Rides EMTB . Why would you say what you said . Obviously you haven't researched Frames . Maybe you think Bikes are some sort of Rocket Science ? It would be pretty easy to do . You do know that bafang makes frames that the engines mount right in right ? If you have the correct frame DIY is relatively easy

And what Rob did was “easy”? Compared to what? ......than buying a well sorted bike from a LBS? I guess everyone has a different definition of what “relatively easy” means, right?

I have looked at some online Chinese frames and most of their geometry is questionable and outdated at best.

 

[McCorby]

You do know that bafang makes frames that the engines mount right in right ?

Bafang makes engines for bikes now to? I wasn’t aware. I thought they made electric motors......Where do you put the gas?!?

......just yanking your chain!

 

[PDoz]

What are you talking about ? Watch Rob Rides EMTB . Why would you say what you said . Obviously you haven't researched Frames . Maybe you think Bikes are some sort of Rocket Science ? It would be pretty easy to do . You do know that bafang makes frames that the engines mount right in right ? If you have the correct frame DIY is relatively easy

Rob still hasn't taken his deng out in anger, and certainly hasn't had the chance to clock up thousands of km. Nor will he likely be telling us about difficulties he has sourcing suspension bushes in a couple of years....there's no social media scores for that content.

The norco sight 27.5 is a bloody good bike with frame geometry that was well ahead of it's time when it was released in 2019. Lively, fun, light, but not really the steam train plough machine that is currently trendy. If they came with the e7000 motor in Australia , I'd be riding one instead of procrastinating between an orbea rise and spec sl. Unfortunately we only get the e8000 versions here, and the noise annoys me. Having said that, if the lbs had one on the showroom floor , I'd really struggle to not take it home.

 

[PDoz]

For perspective, I've got a 2017 norco optic in my shed, it originally replaced my 2009 giant teance x. Both bikes now belong yo my kids. I'm a fan of both giant and norco, but for different reasons.

Giant build sensible bikes. It's a huge company with the resources to have committees decide on what works and sells. Great bikes to own.

Norco are similar to orbea but without the European eccentricity . Enthusiasts making the decisions, and you can feel it when riding the bike back to back with a giant. The frame has spring, just enough to be playfull but not enough to feel wobbly. There's not a straight line on the bike, and I thought it was faulth when first looking at it, but it works.

Reading between the lines, Robs deng fu is " stiff" - I suspect clinical? Probably fast, and modern geometry, and perfectly capable....but a robot.

 

[JackNCA]

BarryS.. I agree that the assembly of bikes is not rocket science, but oh so time consuming even if someone else has done all the legwork of parts compatibility and availability. Especially if you are acquiring all the individual part on you own. Just asking, not judging, have you built a DIY EMTB? I only ask since you used future tense phrasing not past tense.

The positive of building from ground zero is that you get to choose the exact components for your bike. The negatives are costs (each individual component has it own profit built in), acquisition of the multitude of required specialty tools, warranty service that would only be through the manufacturer of each component and most of all TIME. I'd venture to say you'd be missing out on a lot of great riding days spent in your garage trying to decipher why you chain alignment is 10mm off. Then again, some of us enjoy the building as much or more than the riding.

 

[reed scott]

2021 update...Covid-19
Been offline for a bit fighting covid-19. Yep, tested positive 5 days ago, about 10-12 days in now. Mild symptoms, probly get back to work late next week.
And wife got it too, a couple of days behind me, fewer symptoms than I had. She probably got it from me.

We now have a fancy digital thermometer, and a pulse-oximeter which I had never heard of prior. My blood O2 never dropped, fever never went over 99 - my normal body temp is 97.7, so anything over 98 I can feel it. Had a half-degree fever off and on the duration, could even just be normal fluctuations. Bad cough subsiding now, bad aches fatigue early on, but everything gone now and feeling like my old self. Even went out and cleaned the pool and the patio yesterday after our winter storms.

The standard of temp scans to detect covid carriers is false - don't rely on it. I could have walked into any facility using a temp scanner and be allowed in, even at the height of my symptoms. It's just not a good indicator. And I've talked to a number of people now that had it and never ran a fever. Stats show about 40% of patients run a fever, the rest do not. About one in five have immune reaction complications and end up in the hospital, or worse. Aware of a few deaths now as well. All had co-morbidities.

Can't wait to get back to some ebiking. Good luck and be safe out there!

What meds did they give you? Asking for when I get it. Don't trust doctors any more.

 

[ruffruff]

Norco is a carbon frame, I feel like there is a lot packed into the package for the money.
I rode a Giant Reign last week. Didn't impress me.

 

[Browneye]

What meds did they give you? Asking for when I get it. Don't trust doctors any more.

Will PM you in an effort to not hijack our eMTB thread.

 

[Browneye]

Norco is a carbon frame, I feel like there is a lot packed into the package for the money.
I rode a Giant Reign last week. Didn't impress me.

The Reign is a really stretched out down-hill oriented bike. Slow handling, long, stable, super long travel. I would not purport it to be an ideal 'all trails' or 'all mountain' type MTB.
Ride a TranceX-E, or even just a TranceE and then tell us.

The component spec on my two (in my sig) are more similar than different. They feel an awful lot similar, but the Occam is about half the weight.

 

[ruffruff]

The Reign is a really stretched out down-hill oriented bike. Slow handling, long, stable, super long travel. I would not purport it to be an ideal 'all trails' or 'all mountain' type MTB.
Ride a TranceX-E, or even just a TranceE and then tell us.

The component spec on my two (in my sig) are more similar than different. They feel an awful lot similar, but the Occam is about half the weight.

That's exactly how it felt, the first thing I said to the sales lady after riding is "Man that front wheel is out there!"
It got crossed off my list pretty quick.
I wish I could find ANY Trance in the area to ride.

 

[PDoz]

That's exactly how it felt, the first thing I said to the sales lady after riding is "Man that front wheel is out there!"
It got crossed off my list pretty quick.
I wish I could find ANY Trance in the area to ride.

If you are not a fan of the long and low down hill style reign , you are likely to prefer the norco 27.5 to a trance. The norco 27.5 has a lively chassis - more playful than a trance. If you can live with a carbon frame, the sight 27.5 is a great bike.

 

[ruffruff]

If you are not a fan of the long and low down hill style reign , you are likely to prefer the norco 27.5 to a trance. The norco 27.5 has a lively chassis - more playful than a trance. If you can live with a carbon frame, the sight 27.5 is a great bike.

Interested in your comment about "if you can live with a carbon frame..." Say more???

 

[Manu]

In downhill the good material is always atsm5 and it is aluminum or steel, carbon is used in enduro,emtb,trail,XC it is not easy to find Ebikes or Downhill pedelecs with all their aluminum equipment and that is light atsm5 ...

In downhill what matters is the jump, more height, more time in the air and the greater weight is less jump at the same speed, cassette 11/42 more light vs cassette 11/52,etc

I want enduro/emtb...lapierre Glp-2 22kilograms atsm4 6000 euros, 21,4kilograms top 8000 euros.(500w)(bosch gen 4)

I want downhill/bikepark haibike downhill 10 2021 atsm5 (500w),23,5 kilograms (yamaha pwx2) full aluminum

Giant reignt atsm4 to enduro/emtb

Classification for Bicycle Usage

Understanding the usage condition of your new bike is the first step to keeping it in good and safe condition.

alutech-cycles.com

 

[PDoz]

Interested in your comment about "if you can live with a carbon frame..." Say more???

Carbon is less forgiving than aluminium , so things that many of us consider fair wear and tear are called neglect by the warranty department. Clamping the frame tightly in a bike stand , for example .

My bike is covered in scratches - 3 years of bouncing off rocks , dirt caught between moving parts, less than meticulous wielding of tools..... I look at some of the deeper character marks and wonder if they could have been terminal in carbon.

I like the feel of my carbon handlebars, but inspect them regularly for scratches or signs of cracks developing. Handlebars are relatively easy to replace if I'm uncertain, but imagine having an irreplaceable carbon frame that looks like it's failing!!!

The reality is that aluminium can also fail, but at least we know to watch the welds rather than having to inspect the whole bike. I'm also more confident in the skills of local welders than I am in the boat builders who would be repairing a carbon fault. At least with the sight , you can buy aftermarket frames to suit a shimano motor. I'm not aware of any aftermarket frames to suit my yamaha .

When the sight 27.5 first came out I was very close to trading in my giant, but the lbs suggested norco would bring out an alloy version so I waited. Unfortunately they only produced the 29 sight in alloy, and it's a completely different beast. I'm starting to accept that carbon is just part of the bargain if I want a high end emtb , but given the choice between a princess that's 300 gms lighter than a waitress, I'd marry the waitress .

My next bike will be bought for weight saving , I'd like somewhere between 18 kg and 21 kg - the giant is 23 kg. I'm lusting after an orbea rise but nervous about the carbon frame. I resent that if I bought a specialised levo sl in aluminium I'd be forced to replace half of the components whilst there are carbon framed versions with exactly the spec I would choose. The sight 27.5 comes very close to my target weight - 22 kg for a slight 2, but the carbon frame has me nervous. I really should have just bought the thing 2 years ago rather than spend 2 years worrying about something that might never happen.

 

[Manu]

Uff levo sl.....less mid-drive torque,battery,climp hill vs levo or kenevo ......If it is your first ebike, the levo sl will seem wonderful, but if you already had an ebike with 70/80 nm torque, the levo sl will seem loose, it is much slower when climbing mountains and it will never deliver the power of standard ebikes, it has less battery and you will also suffer. Their range is lower competing with the same levo or a kenevo.

A carbon frame, whether you use it or do not use it in 10 years is weakened, you cannot use the grease or oils on it, that weakens the area in contact, for example the grease used on the seat post.

I have photos of carbon handlebars placed on fox 49 and rockshock broken, with aluminum those scares do not happen.

A carbon handlebar costs up to 3 times more than an aluminum handlebar with the difference in the duration of use before breaking.Aluminium winner x 5

minute 10:40

 

[PDoz]

Uff levo sl.....less mid-drive torque,battery,climp hill vs levo or kenevo ......If it is your first ebike, the levo sl will seem wonderful, but if you already had an ebike with 70/80 nm torque, the levo sl will seem loose, it is much slower when climbing mountains and it will never deliver the power of standard ebikes, it has less battery and you will also suffer. Their range is lower competing with the same levo or a kenevo.

A carbon frame, whether you use it or do not use it in 10 years is weakened, you cannot use the grease or oils on it, that weakens the area in contact, for example the grease used on the seat post.

I have photos of carbon handlebars placed on fox 49 and rockshock broken, with aluminum those scares do not happen.

A carbon handlebar costs up to 3 times more than an aluminum handlebar with the difference in the duration of use before breaking.Aluminium winner x 5

minute 10:40

We're all different. A lighter but less powerful emtb will make a great ADDITION to my 3 yo giant.

The only times I use full power is when I want an intense workout - an hour of hitting the local bike park alone.

80% of my usage is in the lower 2/5 power settings , and I really enjoy the times I swap bikes with the kids and ride their conventional ( lighter) bikes. Even uphill ( for short sections...)

Even towing the kids back uphill on shuttling trips I only use the 4/5 power setting!

Oh, and my carbon bars were only 30% more than the alloy equivalent - I run both on different bbikes and find the carbon bars give subtly better feel . They are 4 years old, I don't have any concern about their value.

Still not 100% certain I can live with a carbon frame, but It's not a deal breaker any longer. Much. Maybee.

 

[ruffruff]

Do you really see/hear a lot of carbon frame failures? I honestly have nothingto base this on but I can't imagine them failing anymore than aluminum. Sure you can trash one, but you can trash aluminum as well.

 

[FlatSix911]

In downhill the good material is always atsm5 and it is aluminum or steel, carbon is used in enduro,emtb,trail,XC it is not easy to find Ebikes or Downhill pedelecs with all their aluminum equipment and that is light atsm5 ...
In downhill what matters is the jump, more height, more time in the air and the greater weight is less jump at the same speed, cassette 11/42 more light vs cassette 11/52,etc
I want enduro/emtb...lapierre Glp-2 22kilograms atsm4 6000 euros, 21,4kilograms top 8000 euros.(500w)(bosch gen 4)
I want downhill/bikepark haibike downhill 10 2021 atsm5 (500w),23,5 kilograms (yamaha pwx2) full aluminum Giant reignt atsm4 to enduro/emtb

Classification for Bicycle Usage

Understanding the usage condition of your new bike is the first step to keeping it in good and safe condition.

alutech-cycles.com

Good summary on ATSM bike classifications. Here is a decent example of a downhill bike.
2020 Haibike XDURO DWNHLL 8.0 For Sale - 39234 - BicycleBlueBook.com

 

[PDoz]

Do you really see/hear a lot of carbon frame failures? I honestly have nothingto base this on but I can't imagine them failing anymore than aluminum. Sure you can trash one, but you can trash aluminum as well.

Most of the carbon failures I've seen were from people who destroy alloy frames as well , but I also sail and carbon masts seem a LOT more fragile than alloy ones.