eMTB Options For 2024

[PDoz]

This time last year, 2 activities 4 days apart that aren't an option in 2020

23 August up in the snow at Mt Hotham, 27 August sailing with dolpins on the gippsland lakes.

Oh well, guess I can go for another mtb ride around the same trails again tomorrow

 

[PDoz]

So back to Bikes, I took a workmate out riding last weekend to try and help him evolve. There's a nice 5 km loop up a set of switch backs then down an intermediate fast flow trail . We did it 3 times with him starting on the norco optic, then riding the scott genius 940 , then my giant emtb. I was pretty sure he was converted, but the lbs is talking him into a giant trance x29 - I can see the argument. Sweet looking bike, 150 mm front and 135 mm rear, a mix of 2.4 and 2.5 inch 29 ers and a flip chip so you can swap geometry between trail and down hill.

If giant could bring out an ultralight emtb version of that similar to the spec sl I'd be all over it. To be honest, I'm a but scared that after riding it I might have to buy another memtb!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

a flip chip so you can swap geometry between trail and down hill.

How is it done?

 

[PDoz]

How is it done?

My daughters scott has a similar flip chip and trek have been doing it for years - imagine an off set hole in a bushing for the suspension pivot point that allows you to raise / liwer the bottom bracket and effectively change the geometry by raking out the front end a couple of degrees

 

[Stefan Mikes]

My daughters scott has a similar flip chip and trek have been doing it for years - imagine an off set hole in a bushing for the suspension pivot point that allows you to raise / liwer the bottom bracket and effectively change the geometry by raking out the front end a couple of degrees

It's going a little bit overboard if you ask me...

 

[PDoz]

It's going a little bit overboard if you ask me...

My daughters scott 940 also has the ability to switch the rear shick from 150 mm to 90 mm travel via a handle bar switch - it achieves a very similar function by reducing rear sag / sharpening the steering in the 90 mm travel setting. You can definitely notice the difference and she flicks between settings as naturally as I use my dropper post - 150 mm down hill, 90 mm uphill.

I think if she was intending a full day of lift assisted down hill we'd also use the flip chip to liwer her bb / rake out the front - doesn't hurt to gave the option

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Doesn't the "Firm" setting of the shocks perform the role of more efficient riding uphill?

 

[PDoz]

Doesn't the "Firm" setting of the shocks perform the role of more efficient riding uphill?

yes, but it also changes the geometry - by reducing from 150 mm to 90 mm the base possition with , say, 30% sag is 100 mm or 120 mm - ie raising the rear by 20 mm and that steepens the steering

 

[Browneye]

Saw a new X29 at the LBS yesterday. Very nice for the money. Only XL size left, or I would have bought one. They also carry the Orbea bikes, as well as Kona, Scott, pivot, Rocky Mountain. All high-dollar.

Asked my dealer when they thought they could get me a X29, or even a regular alloy trance 29. The longer travel X with the flip-chip is pretty darn cool. And a very small bump in price. Giant is still the value leader in this segment. The boutique brands are all sold out, long lead times. YT are sold out till next year now. Fezzari said they have no bikes to sell. Comencal Meta are due later this month - also on my radar.

Also test rode a Trance Advanced Pro 29 3 - CF pedal bike. Very nice, very light. A little more than I wanted to spend ($3350 no discounts) but probly should go for it. The same bike in alloy frame is 30% less, 10-20% heavier. [shrug]
Size M was perfect. That new Marzochi fork is pretty nice. Even the base level 3 has decent spec.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@PDoz , thank you very much for recommending the Maxxis Rekon tyres. These are -- if not silent as no knobby tyres can be silent -- far quieter than the stock DH ones. There is less rolling resistance, too. Riding the unrestricted Trance, I could make 47.5 km/h. My brother hit 56 km/h riding up a slight incline...
Very nice tyres indeed. I may keep them all the time as you had suggested.

Unpleasant discovery: The tubeless stock tyres turned out to be tubed. Since I had no valves for the tubeless solution, I keep the inner tubes, and the tyres are inflated to 2 bar (30 psi) now.

 

[bob armani]

I would think so. You're talking a half inch difference in tire width. Your WT rim is either 30 or 35mm bead width. It should say on them.

You don't really need wide road tires, other than for some additional cushion. Here's my Maxxis 2.8 vs E6 Hardcase in 2.4. Trance rims are 35mm wide:

2.3's on the Explore, 2.4's on the Trance. The Explore rims are 19 and 21. I've since gone back to a 1.75" on the Explore, put 2" on the wife's LIV:

Thanks Chris for clarifying! Good to know I have more tire options out there than I thought. As FlatSix has indicated in this thread, I was also considering the Schwalbe Smart Sams as a replacement for my Nobby Nics. They are 2.6mm, so those could also be a candidate. I also found tire pricing is all over the place. You can find these anywhere from $46 dollars per to over $80 dollars a tire. Pays to shop around a bit.

 

[Browneye]

Thanks Chris for clarifying! Good to know I have more tire options out there than I thought. As FlatSix has indicated in this thread, I was also considering the Schwalbe Smart Sams as a replacement for my Nobby Nics. They are 2.6mm, so those could also be a candidate. I also found tire pricing is all over the place. You can find these anywhere from $46 dollars per to over $80 dollars a tire. Pays to shop around a bit.

I've bought a number of tires from BikeTiresDirect.com Good prices, very fast shipping, very reliable. Highly recommended.
And they price match if they're way off, so it's a can't lose proposition.

The sizing difference between 2.4 - 2.6 - 2.8 is just not that much. The overall width is also reflected in the overall tire volume. So unless you're super sensitive, a pro, or super keen eyeballs, they're REALLY hard to tell apart. For hardcore mountain bikers they can fine tune with PSI, and overall grip, by adjusting tire size. For a black and round donut to ride on, they all work.

 

[FlatSix911]

@PDoz, thank you very much for recommending the Maxxis Rekon tyres. These are -- if not silent as no knobby tyres can be silent -- far quieter than the stock DH ones.
There is less rolling resistance, too. Riding the unrestricted Trance, I could make 47.5 km/h. My brother hit 56 km/h riding up a slight incline...Very nice tyres indeed. I may keep them all the time as you had suggested.

Unpleasant discovery: The tubeless stock tyres turned out to be tubed. Since I had no valves for the tubeless solution, I keep the inner tubes, and the tyres are inflated to 2 bar (30 psi) now.

A bit of tire trivia... you can make tubeless valve stems by cutting them out of the OEM inner tubes.

This hack is not for the faint of heart as you cannot reverse this process!

 

[BillH]

Comencal Meta are due later this month - also on my radar.

Not sure where your budget is for an acoustic mtb but Commencal has this Supreme DH 29 in medium in stock for $3500. Perfect for you since you said the wife would drive your butt to the top of wherever you start from and gravity would then be your friend.

And an inspirational photo

 

[Taylor57]

This time last year, 2 activities 4 days apart that aren't an option in 2020

23 August up in the snow at Mt Hotham, 27 August sailing with dolpins on the gippsland lakes.

Oh well, guess I can go for another mtb ride around the same trails again tomorrow

Where can you sail with Dolphins and play in the snow in August?

 

[PDoz]

Unpleasant discovery: The tubeless stock tyres turned out to be tubed. Since I had no valves for the tubeless solution, I keep the inner tubes, and the tyres are inflated to 2 bar (30 psi) now.

That's a lucky bonus! What was going to be a messy session in the shed turned into an easy swap. Plus you can keep the old tyres.

I find refitting an old set of tyres that had been tubeless more hassle than it's worth, so I tend to just throw them out after an obligatory 24 months sitting in the shed . It's an easy choice between a brand new tyre vs one that has been run tubeless - removing fragments of stans then discovering it doesn't seal because you missed a bit , repeat x3/4, then eventually giving up and fitting that new tyre.

That's why I eventually moved to tannus armour - theoretically I can swap between tyres for different needs without the mess and waste of tubeless. At least that was the theory - covid restrictions have meant I'm not heading into the alps for weekends of lift assisted riding so the magic mary stays on the shelf becoming too stiff to be used, and the recon isn't going to be fitted for long rail trail trips. One of the kids has a spare set of schwalbe x country rubber, but I can't remember if the front is the rocket ron , hans dampf, or nobby nick - so they can just pedal harder on the maxis dh's currently fitted....

Even my motorbike hasn't had the wheels swapped over - life is so much simpler.

 

[PDoz]

Where can you sail with Dolphins and play in the snow in August?

Victoria Australia

 

[Browneye]

Pretty country, love the pics. I was always going to sail there, across the South Pacific.

 

[Browneye]

On another note, I have been shopping mountain bikes like mad, and there just isn't much available, everything is sold out and all the factories closed for months, so they don't even have bikes to ship. Some have lead times out to a year.
There are a few high-end models you can find, but everything cheaper has been sold. The Orbea I liked, won't be available in alloy for a year.

Others list models for sale, but don't actually have them to sell, and can't get them. It's gnarly out there, buyer beware.

Even Giant won't have bikes till October.
My local Trek dealer looks like an empty warehouse.

 

[Taylor57]

On another note, I have been shopping mountain bikes like mad, and there just isn't much available, everything is sold out and all the factories closed for months, so they don't even have bikes to ship. Some have lead times out to a year.
There are a few high-end models you can find, but everything cheaper has been sold. The Orbea I liked, won't be available in alloy for a year.

Others list models for sale, but don't actually have them to sell, and can't get them. It's gnarly out there, buyer beware.

Even Giant won't have bikes till October.
My local Trek dealer looks like an empty warehouse.

What is the best MTB dual suspension value out there that u can get within a month?