eMTB Options For 2024

[Stefan Mikes]

Good point regarding the speed limit hacks... much easier to do with the old style spoke magnet.

I can afford having one slower bike and the range should be great at low speed. Still, I might be interested with de-restriction after couple of months. I am afraid carrying a spare battery could be hard on a bike without a rear rack.

 

[BillH]

Just ordered the E.Trance and paid a small deposit Hopefully I

Grat's on the purchase Stefan. Looking forward to your first impressions.

Agree with @Browneye, the color scheme on your new bike is well done.

Reading up on some of the features and PedalPlus with slope inclination sensor and an accelerometer stood out as a pretty cool feature. And then having an Automode feature where the bike will change the pedal assist when needed by itself. That I like.

Enjoy!

 

[e-Noob]

here I am... dreaming to get a deal on 2020 Trance e+1 pro

Giant is virtually sold out of bikes for the year, says my LBS. Their sales volume has been five times greater since the pandemic started. They don't know what they're going to do - no bikes left and can't get them.

cross my mind...

I toy with the ideal of selling off the Explore. I'm sourcing a second wheelset for the Trance so road tires could be easily swapped out, or for spares. I could probably get by with just the Trance. But every time I ride the Explore it reveals how great it is on the road.

 

[PDoz]

NB STEVE DO NOT UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE on the new trance . I'm not sure where giant are up to with this, but a few weeks ago there was an issue where the auto mode was wrecked with the latest upgrade. Check on this with the lbs before they do the predilivery , you will find more details over on

https://www.emtbforums.com/community/threads/ride-control-update.10547/

I haven't looked lately, I'm perfectly happy with my 2020 motor so see no need to corrupt it.....

 

[PDoz]

Reading up on some of the features and PedalPlus with slope inclination sensor and an accelerometer stood out as a pretty cool feature. And then having an Automode feature where the bike will change the pedal assist when needed by itself. That I like.

Enjoy!

I have mixed feelings about auto mode. It's definitely easier, but also a bit spooky to feel the assistance increase in response to slope etc. Perhaps I'm just a control freak... and I might be delusional , but it felt like the bike was learning and adapring to my riding style - the first outing it was slow to respond to changes in slope but now it feels seamless - perhaps the angle detection was calibrating?

 

[e-Noob]

My Explorer E+4 GTS "auto" mod is out of wack after firmware update. For the limited time that I tried ("auto"), assist level is similar to level 1 and never increase/decrease when i ascend/descend.
Will give it another try tomorrow.
I can't verify/confirm, but it seems to have also altered the preset assist percentage on level 2 and 3 (by feel).

 

[Browneye]

Once they release an update, you have no choice but to install it if you're going to connect with the app. The bike I borrowed connected right on, but not without updating the firmware. The primary fix is for walk mode on the '19's, and it looks like an update for auto mode for the later ones as well. The whole purpose of the 6-sensor technology was to make the auto-mode adjust itself to your riding conditions. I'm happy to set mine where I want it.

Now with some time on the bike I refer mode 2 for general riding, upping the assist level based on the grade. For a really steep hill it's 5 in second gear, for lessor grades the 3 and 4 work fine. My cateye odometer says I have 160 miles. By gosh, I'm still a noobie.

I did get a stock wheelset off a LIV Intrigue, same spec as stock - $150 with rotors. A 11-gear cassette is about $70. I can throw a set of road tires on them and swap out with the knobbies in about 3 minutes.
Or a backup if I dent one. I'm looking at a set of Schwalbe Moto X in 2.8 if I can find any in stock. Seems they've been backordered for some time.

Oh, and my shop had the ODI Rogue grips in stock so I got a set and installed them tonight. Oh my.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@BillH, @PDoz, @e-Noob, @Browneye, thank you for the information! The Auto mode sounds interesting although I have a feeling it might chew on the battery. I intend to make the first ride with as low assistance as practical (I'll be riding with my slow "pedal-only" friends). No assistance on downhill sections whatsoever. If I see I wouldn't make the 30 miles on the first hilly ride, I just go back to their place. It is rather silly to try out the bike with reconnaissance by fire but I like having adventures I certainly need water (I hope my spare water-bottle cage would be practical), the set of Allen keys and the chain tool in my backpack. I don't even know how to patch a tubeless tyre, so no patch kit or an inflator. Good thing is I'll be riding around Cracow, which is a big city with perfect cab services in case of trouble. Ah. Taking my extremely small compact camera with me. Or no camera at all. Kalon carries his Pentax K-5 and lenses in his pannier

As lion share of the route will be on paved roads, I intend to attach my portable lights to the handlebar and to the dropper post. I also consider mounting my smartphone on the bars for RideControl app.

All provided Michał "Perry" from the Bikeman LBS can deliver the bike by Thursday. Bikeman has spotless reputation but nothing is simple under covid. I would be happy to do the Cracow ride on my Vado I'm familiar with but the Warsaw Specialized LBS let me down, still keep my bike, and I won't buy anything from them in the future.

Has anyone solved carrying the spare battery on an e-MTB?

 

[Browneye]

StephanMikes was asking about my mods...

1. Minion DHR II on the rear, replaces the Maxxis REKON.
2. WTB Rocket saddle, wide
3. Cateye Quick bike computer
4. Giant LED taillight, REKON TL
5. Alloy bottle cage
6. ODI ROGUE grips
7. RaceFace 31.8 x 800mm- 40mm rise mtb bars
8. 55mm 8* stem
9. CrankBros Stamp 1 pedals
10. Front white-light reflector
11. And I just ordered a HL500 led headlight. I nearly got blacked-out last night.

Everywhere that I touch the bike has been enhanced. A FOX suspension pump has made fine tuning a breeze. I'm still running tubes, not taken the plunge to tubeless as of yet.
It is an absolute delight to ride.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

StephanMikes was asking about my mods...

1. Minion DHR II on the rear, replaces the Maxxis REKON -- I won't touch the wheels unless I'm unhappy with them
2. WTB Rocket saddle, wide -- I own too many saddles to choose from
3. Cateye Quick bike computer -- Will try to use the smartphone. My Honor 20 has extremely good battery life
4. Giant LED taillight, REKON TL -- Knog RoadBlinder R70 here
5. Alloy bottle cage -- Specialized RibCage
6. ODI ROGUE grips -- I will see if I need to change; I ride in thick padded and very well vented gloves
7. RaceFace 31.8 x 800mm- 40mm rise mtb bars -- I will see
8. 55mm 8* stem -- I will see. I might consider a 45 mm stem riser
9. CrankBros Stamp 1 pedals -- Love them. Temporarily I will use my Shimano clipless MTB pedals and shoes
10. Front white-light reflector -- CatEye Volt 1700 here. I own a spare bracket mount for it.

P.S. I own a shock pump.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

NB STEVE DO NOT UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE on the new trance . I'm not sure where giant are up to with this, but a few weeks ago there was an issue where the auto mode was wrecked with the latest upgrade. Check on this with the lbs before they do the predilivery , you will find more details over on

https://www.emtbforums.com/community/threads/ride-control-update.10547/

I haven't looked lately, I'm perfectly happy with my 2020 motor so see no need to corrupt it.....

@PDoz, Android or iOS? People seem to write the Android update works well?

 

[PDoz]

My advice was based on the ios complaints, but to be honest I'm so disillusioned with the giant CRapp that I no longer use it. Back in 2018 it was advertised but didn't exist for several months, the first time I connected it bricked my bike.....so I connected once after my 2020 motor upgrade to reduce eco assistance and will probably never connect again.


Relax re range - I average between 1-2 % battery per km depending in how scary the terrain is. For normal 4x4 tracks you should easily achieve 1%/ km in auto. These things are awesome. Those recons roll really well, and if range is your priority stick with them for now. I run dhf/ dhr but I'm trying to keep up with a 16 yo

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I'm so disillusioned with the giant CRapp that I no longer use it.

If you think Specialized were any better then you are very wrong... It could be better now in 2020. I like to get the info on the ride, especially the current speed and the battery remaining percentage. I hope I can make the use of the Ridecontrol app. If not, my Mapy.cz app even has the speedometer!

 

[PDoz]

If you think Specialized were any better then you are very wrong... It could be better now in 2020. I like to get the info on the ride, especially the current speed and the battery remaining percentage. I hope I can make the use of the Ridecontrol app. If not, my Mapy.cz app even has the speedometer!

Would it be rude to post a picture of my evo screen ? You guys can brag about uncluttered cockpits as much as you like, but I LOVE knowing battery % , distance travelled, estimated range, cadence, real time torque output , and odometer.

I'll conveniently ignore this is my 3 rd screen....original replaced under warranty for water ingress, second was upgraded to match the 2020 motor - again warranty.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Would it be rude to post a picture of my evo screen ? You guys can brag about uncluttered cockpits as much as you like, but I LOVE knowing battery % , distance travelled, estimated range, cadence, real time torque output , and odometer.

I'll conveniently ignore this is my 3 rd screen....original replaced under warranty for water ingress, second was upgraded to match the 2020 motor - again warranty.

Haha! PDoz, my cockpits are cluttered to the max! That's why I'm so irritated with Specialized as I need the TCD-W display, Mission Control and BLEvo functionality and still don't have that

The smartphone is the endangered species on the MTB handlebars. Otherwise it gives me bike GPS navigation with audio assistance, route planning, speedo, distance covered, distance remaining, average speed, time remaining to the destination (estimated), hydration and whatnot. OTOH I understand the hassle-free RideControl remote and the same minimalist approach was endorsed by Specialized on their Turbo Levos from the day one. (Or, "has been endorsed by Specialized since the day one"? There are days I'm lost with my English... but Polish would be harder for you)

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@PDoz could you show me a picture of how the suspension lockout and the dropper levers look like on your Full E? Is your handlebar 35 or 31.8 mm? I'm worried a little bit because there are not many handlebar mounts for the oversized bars of the Trance...

QUESTION: Is the Range Extender applicable to the Trance E+?

 

[PDoz]

@PDoz could you show me a picture of how the suspension lockout and the dropper levers look like on your Full E? Is your handlebar 35 or 31.8 mm? I'm worried a little bit because there are not many handlebar mounts for the oversized bars of the Trance...

QUESTION: Is the Range Extender applicable to the Trance E+?

My bars are 31.8 , but all bars end up the same size by the time you are looking at lever / dropper post mounts etc- they are tapered.

Sorry, it's freezing outside so you'll have to wait for the weekend for a detailed pic. Hopefully this gives you an idea- I've moved dropper lever to left side under bar , thumb operated. Originally the full e had a 2x front chainring so there was a front gear change lever where that dropper lever is, and from memory the lever was on the right.

I'm pretty sure the range extender doesn't fit the trance, but there is an aftermarket comoany that makes range extenders to fit - they look like drink bottles. I'll be impressed if you need extra range.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

The son (2020) and the father (1999). Both are Giant FS MTBs. The "father" belongs to my brother.

 

[Saratoga Dave]

Stefan, is that your new ride? Damn, that color is fantastic!

 

[Browneye]

You got it already???