eMTB Options For 2024

[Browneye]

For me it would come down to price and availability.
I think a little competition and alternative models benefits us all.

I'm looking forward to some new trail riding over vacation. My BIL is going to be my tour guide in AZ. He's been at it for many years and knows all the trails over there.

 

[PDoz]

Not buying N+1

I only wonder why all that excitation with Orbea Rise if S-Works Levo SL weighs just a kilogram more?

Orbea is 30 % cheaper for comparable spec level, has 60 nm instead of 35 , and you can vary the components at the time of purchase which ends up being even cheaper / less hassle than buying then upgrading bits. To be fair, I'm excited by the m10 orbea , it'll probably be the same weight as a levo sl expert carbon, but the forks are fox kashima factory instead of just fox performance, I'm a brand victim who prefers shimano gears to sram ( cheaper cassettes to replace) , and I get to order pretty custom paint if I'm willing to wait.

Oh.....and a shimano motor can be replaced with another shimano down the track ( after the global doomsday event when we're cycling around the wastelands looking for relics)

Honest truth, if I walked into the shop and they offered a spec sl at close to orbea prices I'd jump at the chance.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Clear enough
Personally, I don't deserve owning an e-MTB. The Trance E+ is already "too much of a bike" for me, and I don't actually use its capabilities really, treating the bike as a luxury vehicle for light off-road... Good I didn't buy a Levo. I would be suffering (if you know what I mean), like, having a Formula 1 racing car in the garage and not taking part in racing.

 

[PDoz]

Realistically my giant is more than enough for me , but there are times I'd like something lighter. Mostly when I've stuffed up, but occasionally it'd be nice to be able to flick the back into a corner or play around a bit more in the air. Oh, and when I'm loading the bike after a big ride...

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Probably no need to post this one here, but what the heck.

I think Chris here tried to convince his audience to just buy an e-MTB, not the N+1 one My observation is, with N = 3, the maintenance cost starts killing you. More time is spent to keep your N bikes in shape that it is worth of... If I ever think of the N+1 e-bike, I ask myself this question: "Will it make me a better cyclist?" (The answer is "not"). Sometimes, I think I might want to replace my Trance E+ tyres with something like Schwalbe John Watts. The next thought is "Are you going through another tubeless mess?" (The answer is "no")

 

[FlatSix911]

Good point on too many bikes!
Sometimes it is easier to have multiple wheelsets for different conditions... just swap wheels and lock the quick release.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

just swap wheels and lock the quick release.

And remember to have the speed magnet(s) installed on each rear-wheel you own... I can remember an EMBN video with a guy telling his case when he installed an alternate rear wheel from his arsenal and drove the bike to the trail...

 

[Deleted member 18083]

I keep a spare magnet on the front wheel. It hasn't been needed… not yet.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I keep a spare magnet on the front wheel. It hasn't been needed, not yet.

My e-bikes have all their magnets in the rear brake rotors

 

[Saratoga Dave]

No, no, no, Stefan, it’s “will it make me a better looking cyclist”! Of course! A nice Trek Domane or a Creo and you’re off to Mont Ventoux.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

No, no, no, Stefan, it’s “will it make me a better looking cyclist”! Of course! A nice Trek Domane or a Creo and you’re off to Mont Ventoux.

I'm unable to jump on the diamond-frame e-bike! Getting off would be even worse And... I don't need a road e-bike in the 25 km/h world Next!

 

[Browneye]

I really like having the two wheelsets - the road set converts the Trance for road very nicely. A true dualsport.
All setup with magnets and discs - just swap out the axles. Wifey really still likes to do some bike paths. And the Trance does really well for range on it's 500w pack - pretty sure I could get 60 miles out of it if you pedal it some.
I just have to change the cateye computer for wheel diameter - there's about a 100mm difference in circumfurance.

 

[linklemming]

I really like having the two wheelsets - the road set converts the Trance for road very nicely. A true dualsport.
All setup with magnets and discs - just swap out the axles. Wifey really still likes to do some bike paths. And the Trance does really well for range on it's 500w pack - pretty sure I could get 60 miles out of it if you pedal it some.
I just have to change the cateye computer for wheel diameter - there's about a 100mm difference in circumfurance.

Why not go with something like a garmin edge 25. No calibration required and works for anything (hiking, cycling, running or just a walk around the block).

You now have a log of all your activities you can view at anytime and with alot of detail

Add a heart rate monitor and you can track calories burned as well.

I loved my cateyes way back, moving to the garmin edge 25 was a significant jump (I have 5 bikes at the moment and 1 edge 25)

 

[Browneye]

Why not go with something like a garmin edge 25. No calibration required and works for anything (hiking, cycling, running or just a walk around the block).

You now have a log of all your activities you can view at anytime and with alot of detail

Add a heart rate monitor and you can track calories burned as well.

I loved my cateyes way back, moving to the garmin edge 25 was a significant jump (I have 5 bikes at the moment and 1 edge 25)

Looks like a great option.
For nearly $200 it provides a lot of information I just don't care about.

If I find I'm doing a lot of trails in new locations unknown to me and need more navigation assistance, I would be looking for a GPS option. Did this a lot on the motorbikes, but gee, the distances we could cover in a day, it became a necessity. Like out in Death Valley - if you got lost and ran out of gas it could be days before someone came along to rescue you.
Out and back and some downhill runs on the mountain bike seem pretty simple to me. Although I can get completely lost even WITH a GPS. LOL. Before the advent of GPS we were CONSTANTLY lost. Run out of gas, running around in circles in the forest.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I just use a smartphone and proper apps.

 

[Browneye]

Pretty cool vid here - on Orbea custom-painted bikes. Found it over on mtbr...
I like my Occam so much I might be willing to trade my Trance for a Rise. I really like this company as a bike builder.
Makes me wish I was twenty or thirty years younger.

 

[BBotts101]

Bring all your ideas here for mountain bike options for 2020.

We had a lot of great discussion on bikes and models in Lenny's 50% off thread but some members complained about the thread content being relevant. So here's a thread to discuss all the options and bike styles, what you like and don't like, and what brought you to e-mountain biking.

Tomorrow I have scheduled a test ride on the YT Decoy 29 Pro at the factory store in San Clement CA. I'll take a few pics and report.

Welcome to the asylum.

I've seen a lot of the 2020s. TY looks AMAZING. Many nice looking brands for sure. I still see a lot of brands with down tube battery bulk; some still look like motorcycles. I would never touch one of these. I think Specialized is a year ahead of everyone else (that I've seen). The Specialized SL looks and rides like a mtn bike for the most part. I would like to see Specialized with a 400w Levo with a spare water bottle power option.

 

[BillH]

Pretty cool vid here - on Orbea custom-painted bikes. Found it over on mtbr...
I like my Occam so much I might be willing to trade my Trance for a Rise. I really like this company as a bike builder.
Makes me wish I was twenty or thirty years younger.

Did you see the estimated ship dates for the Rise @Browneye? I looked at the two lower priced bikes and ship date is September or October of 2021. Unbelievable.

 

[Browneye]

Yeah, they pre-sale all their bikes. You may well find one in stock at one of their dealers though. Their authorized dealers put their orders in for the model year - factory fills those orders first. THEN they open their custom orders and build those. So the internet sales lead times are WAY WAY out there now.

YT Industries is completely sold out of everything through next year - you have to wait for 2022 to get one of their bikes. And pre-pay for it. And WAIT. Pfft.

 

[PDoz]

Did you see the estimated ship dates for the Rise @Browneye? I looked at the two lower priced bikes and ship date is September or October of 2021. Unbelievable.

It's getting worse. A week ago shipping on a team or ltb was jan, the m10 or m20 was june.
My lbs had one on order but no idea of when the eta is

The Orbea really speaks to me, but I can't justify ordering a bike with a years wait - especially at the moment with so much global uncertainty.

I'm quietly hoping the ep8 gets fixed soon and all those recalled ep8 bikes flood the showrooms, then all the spec sl owners decide they need to sell and buy the latest flavour emtb....flooding the market with cheap sl's ?