Explore+3 +4 GTS And Sister Amiti - Review • Comments • Q&A

[pmcdonald]

Hello Everyone
I’m a newbie to Ebikes as well as this forum, been most enlightening reading, so thank you for the reads.

I’m in the market for an XS frame e-bicycle for mostly scenic paved paths but must also be able to handle some “non technical off-road” riding (eg uneven rough firetrails or a mild trail up in the Snowy’s eg old Kosciusko Road or the Thredbo Valley Trail to Crackenback) A local bike store tracked down one Amiti e+1 (2021) which looked really good on the website. I’ve been assured it handles off-road as well but some websites list it as a Road Ebike. Hence be helpful to hear firsthand user experience if anyone has done the 2021 model or previous (if there are no spec changes)

In real life, the 2021 Amiti is missing that awesome embedded integrated running daylight (a selling point for me), the bike also felt really heavy, looked chunk instead of sleek with rude welding welts at the joints (not something I expected from a model with a AUD5k price tag. It’s marketed by Giant as an adventure bike (what’s that mean) and has tire grips with the word “gravel2” on it (a heartening observation).
The prior year models look quite different.

I’ve noticed some changes in the 2021 Amiti model and wondered whether the (compromises?) changes are due to covid supply constraints or whether a change in manufacturing site. There also appear to be quite a few available left in stock (other sizes) on the bike exchange. Reviews have been limited and hard to find.

I’m wondering if it is too heavy or frame agile enough to manage some occasional surprises on the trail.

Also, speed is not something I need and by Australian law, there is a speed cap at 25km/h. That said, then would the 70-80N torque be wasted (physics is not my forte). I am 60kg and sometimes bring my 9kg mutt for a ride.

I’ve actually already done a down payment yesterday, as stocks are ltd, I was a little hasty for FOMO. . Your experience/ knowledge / feedback would be appreciated. Ta.

With a deposit down on a different bike, sight unseen, I relate to that FOMO feeling.

I can't help with Amiti specific experience but I ride the Explore E+1, so essentially the Giant-branded Amiti. They're great bikes for the money. Mine has seen a lot of use lately on firetrails and even some single track (hence the deposit on something more suitable). The bike has done great on unsealed trails, but if you encounter anything more technical - drops, steps, tree roots, rocks, badly graded roads - I'd consider that the limit of the Amiti/Explore's application.

The Sport motor is a fantastic performer with immense low down torque. It'll see you handle steeper firetrails in the Snowies no problem. I weigh similar to you and the bike will loose traction before the motor reaches its limit. The electronics have a reputation for reliability and I've certainly had no errors in my 18 months of ownership (the water sealing on my EVO display is rubbish, but your model has the newer display so hopefully that's a thing of the past).

The Cross Cut Gravel 2 tyres offer good width and cushioning, and okay grip (not great, not horrible). I did find them wafer thin though, so quickly switched them for something with more puncture protection for the daily commute. I'd recommend carrying a puncture repair kit, getting Tannus Armour inserts installed or consider a tubeless setup if straying far from base. (The tyres are tubeless ready.)

The weight is the weight Consider what that looks like for transporting the bike though - even with the battery off it's a lot of weight to heft onto a car rack. That weight is pretty universal for this price point and spec. I also find the Giant/Liv designs lacking somewhat in the looks department - the lines are bulging and disproportionate - but they generally are well built, reliable and very competitive spec-wise. I'd be at peace with the down payment and I think you'll really enjoy the bike. If it's your first ebike it opens up so much more exploring. I ride longer and further than I ever did since switching to an ebike.

For a sanity check the obvious competitors are: Trek Verve or Allant, Specialized Vado or Como, some form of Merida eSpresso, and various Cube offerings if you can find a dealer. As left-field options Lekker make a mid drive with belt drive and internal gear hub for $4k, and XDS are about as cheap as you'll get for a mid drive - both with Bafang motors. Momentum (yet another Giant brand) have a few options too, but these tend to be more sealed or city bikes with less power. With the big names you'll get something similar for similar dollars with Merida. Specialized and Trek will cost more to get to similar or better specs (a lot more in the case of Specialized). The elephant in the room is availability. There are huge wait times on many bikes at the moment (I was quoted an 11 month wait on a Merida emtb I'm looking at). It's really a brutal marketplace, so if a dealer has stock then that ain't nothing, as they say. It could potentially mean many months of enjoying riding instead of sitting on a waiting list. The Amiti is competitive and a great package - it sounds like it'll suit your riding needs well. And the fact that its in stock is a huge bonus.

 

[CyclehoundDU]

With a deposit down on a different bike, sight unseen, I relate to that FOMO feeling.

I can't help with Amiti specific experience but I ride the Explore E+1, so essentially the Giant-branded Amiti. They're great bikes for the money. Mine has seen a lot of use lately on firetrails and even some single track (hence the deposit on something more suitable). The bike has done great on unsealed trails, but if you encounter anything more technical - drops, steps, tree roots, rocks, badly graded roads - I'd consider that the limit of the Amiti/Explore's application.

The Sport motor is a fantastic performer with immense low down torque. It'll see you handle steeper firetrails in the Snowies no problem. I weigh similar to you and the bike will loose traction before the motor reaches its limit. The electronics have a reputation for reliability and I've certainly had no errors in my 18 months of ownership (the water sealing on my EVO display is rubbish, but your model has the newer display so hopefully that's a thing of the past).

The Cross Cut Gravel 2 tyres offer good width and cushioning, and okay grip (not great, not horrible). I did find them wafer thin though, so quickly switched them for something with more puncture protection for the daily commute. I'd recommend carrying a puncture repair kit, getting Tannus Armour inserts installed or consider a tubeless setup if straying far from base. (The tyres are tubeless ready.)

The weight is the weight Consider what that looks like for transporting the bike though - even with the battery off it's a lot of weight to heft onto a car rack. That weight is pretty universal for this price point and spec. I also find the Giant/Liv designs lacking somewhat in the looks department - the lines are bulging and disproportionate - but they generally are well built, reliable and very competitive spec-wise. I'd be at peace with the down payment and I think you'll really enjoy the bike. If it's your first ebike it opens up so much more exploring. I ride longer and further than I ever did since switching to an ebike.

For a sanity check the obvious competitors are: Trek Verve or Allant, Specialized Vado or Como, some form of Merida eSpresso, and various Cube offerings if you can find a dealer. As left-field options Lekker make a mid drive with belt drive and internal gear hub for $4k, and XDS are about as cheap as you'll get for a mid drive - both with Bafang motors. Momentum (yet another Giant brand) have a few options too, but these tend to be more sealed or city bikes with less power. With the big names you'll get something similar for similar dollars with Merida. Specialized and Trek will cost more to get to similar or better specs (a lot more in the case of Specialized). The elephant in the room is availability. There are huge wait times on many bikes at the moment (I was quoted an 11 month wait on a Merida emtb I'm looking at). It's really a brutal marketplace, so if a dealer has stock then that ain't nothing, as they say. It could potentially mean many months of enjoying riding instead of sitting on a waiting list. The Amiti is competitive and a great package - it sounds like it'll suit your riding needs well. And the fact that its in stock is a huge bonus.

With a deposit down on a different bike, sight unseen, I relate to that FOMO feeling.

I can't help with Amiti specific experience but I ride the Explore E+1, so essentially the Giant-branded Amiti. They're great bikes for the money. Mine has seen a lot of use lately on firetrails and even some single track (hence the deposit on something more suitable). The bike has done great on unsealed trails, but if you encounter anything more technical - drops, steps, tree roots, rocks, badly graded roads - I'd consider that the limit of the Amiti/Explore's application.

The Sport motor is a fantastic performer with immense low down torque. It'll see you handle steeper firetrails in the Snowies no problem. I weigh similar to you and the bike will loose traction before the motor reaches its limit. The electronics have a reputation for reliability and I've certainly had no errors in my 18 months of ownership (the water sealing on my EVO display is rubbish, but your model has the newer display so hopefully that's a thing of the past).

The Cross Cut Gravel 2 tyres offer good width and cushioning, and okay grip (not great, not horrible). I did find them wafer thin though, so quickly switched them for something with more puncture protection for the daily commute. I'd recommend carrying a puncture repair kit, getting Tannus Armour inserts installed or consider a tubeless setup if straying far from base. (The tyres are tubeless ready.)

The weight is the weight Consider what that looks like for transporting the bike though - even with the battery off it's a lot of weight to heft onto a car rack. That weight is pretty universal for this price point and spec. I also find the Giant/Liv designs lacking somewhat in the looks department - the lines are bulging and disproportionate - but they generally are well built, reliable and very competitive spec-wise. I'd be at peace with the down payment and I think you'll really enjoy the bike. If it's your first ebike it opens up so much more exploring. I ride longer and further than I ever did since switching to an ebike.

For a sanity check the obvious competitors are: Trek Verve or Allant, Specialized Vado or Como, some form of Merida eSpresso, and various Cube offerings if you can find a dealer. As left-field options Lekker make a mid drive with belt drive and internal gear hub for $4k, and XDS are about as cheap as you'll get for a mid drive - both with Bafang motors. Momentum (yet another Giant brand) have a few options too, but these tend to be more sealed or city bikes with less power. With the big names you'll get something similar for similar dollars with Merida. Specialized and Trek will cost more to get to similar or better specs (a lot more in the case of Specialized). The elephant in the room is availability. There are huge wait times on many bikes at the moment (I was quoted an 11 month wait on a Merida emtb I'm looking at). It's really a brutal marketplace, so if a dealer has stock then that ain't nothing, as they say. It could potentially mean many months of enjoying riding instead of sitting on a waiting list. The Amiti is competitive and a great package - it sounds like it'll suit your riding needs well. And the fact that its in stock is a huge bonus.

 

[Twin Valley]

With a deposit down on a different bike, sight unseen, I relate to that FOMO feeling.

I can't help with Amiti specific experience but I ride the Explore E+1, so essentially the Giant-branded Amiti. They're great bikes for the money. Mine has seen a lot of use lately on firetrails and even some single track (hence the deposit on something more suitable). The bike has done great on unsealed trails, but if you encounter anything more technical - drops, steps, tree roots, rocks, badly graded roads - I'd consider that the limit of the Amiti/Explore's application.

The Sport motor is a fantastic performer with immense low down torque. It'll see you handle steeper firetrails in the Snowies no problem. I weigh similar to you and the bike will loose traction before the motor reaches its limit. The electronics have a reputation for reliability and I've certainly had no errors in my 18 months of ownership (the water sealing on my EVO display is rubbish, but your model has the newer display so hopefully that's a thing of the past).

The Cross Cut Gravel 2 tyres offer good width and cushioning, and okay grip (not great, not horrible). I did find them wafer thin though, so quickly switched them for something with more puncture protection for the daily commute. I'd recommend carrying a puncture repair kit, getting Tannus Armour inserts installed or consider a tubeless setup if straying far from base. (The tyres are tubeless ready.)

The weight is the weight Consider what that looks like for transporting the bike though - even with the battery off it's a lot of weight to heft onto a car rack. That weight is pretty universal for this price point and spec. I also find the Giant/Liv designs lacking somewhat in the looks department - the lines are bulging and disproportionate - but they generally are well built, reliable and very competitive spec-wise. I'd be at peace with the down payment and I think you'll really enjoy the bike. If it's your first ebike it opens up so much more exploring. I ride longer and further than I ever did since switching to an ebike.

For a sanity check the obvious competitors are: Trek Verve or Allant, Specialized Vado or Como, some form of Merida eSpresso, and various Cube offerings if you can find a dealer. As left-field options Lekker make a mid drive with belt drive and internal gear hub for $4k, and XDS are about as cheap as you'll get for a mid drive - both with Bafang motors. Momentum (yet another Giant brand) have a few options too, but these tend to be more sealed or city bikes with less power. With the big names you'll get something similar for similar dollars with Merida. Specialized and Trek will cost more to get to similar or better specs (a lot more in the case of Specialized). The elephant in the room is availability. There are huge wait times on many bikes at the moment (I was quoted an 11 month wait on a Merida emtb I'm looking at). It's really a brutal marketplace, so if a dealer has stock then that ain't nothing, as they say. It could potentially mean many months of enjoying riding instead of sitting on a waiting list. The Amiti is competitive and a great package - it sounds like it'll suit your riding needs well. And the fact that its in stock is a huge bonus.

My wife bought her Amiti almost 2 years ago and loves it today just as much as the first day. I would concur with all of pmcdonald's well written summary. She (hope I don't jinx us) has had no issues with the gravel tires that came with her bike. The amazing part of the Amiti to me is the number of km she gets to a charge - probably twice as much as my Specialized Turbo and she usually rides with more assist than I. Our rides together usually are on paved cycle trails and packed fire roads - as she is not interested in my more challenging ventures into the mountains her bike is perfect for her. She has had no problems with her bike and I wish I could say the same for my Specialized - however, I am a way harder on my bike!

 

[CyclehoundDU]

@pmcdonald Thank you for your most generous detailed advice. You’ve preempted a few Qs and filled in the gaps for me, painting a very clear pic of The Amiti’s capabilities & limitations. I know what to expect now of the bike ... So it’s good for the slow innocuous meander but not so nimble on the trail...But fingers crossed not clumsy?

A particular section of my local firetrail worries me as it has 3 short steep sections - one of which is has an unnatural rise/ drop before a rocky slope and I’m just thinking with a BB clearance of just 60mm and it being such a heavy beast, perhaps not so nimble. I don’t want to chance it, be stuck and tip over.

Tyres - You’ve mentioned replacing your tires with something more robust for the commute - what would you recommend. I ‘d requested that the tyres be set up tubeless, the rep said they would throw it in (with sealant)

Loading - Yes transporting the bike was one major consideration for me. I tried lifting it and found it v front heavy - barely left the ground. (The Merida espresso is lighter. Another shop could get me one for 3.5-3.9k depending on battery size). We had to take off the front wheel to get it into my hatch (middle seats down and front passenger pushed further front). I had reservations at first but the rep demo’d how the front wheel comes off easily.I better bring my bike stand along to hold it up for dismantling. Come to think of it, I should try to load it myself.
My current car has no towbar. - hence I cant use a bike rack. Anyone any suggestion what might be a good way to transport it aside fr riding it to trailhead?

Have you any advice on locks/ anti theft gadgets?

I’m feeling more assured now... looking fwd to picking up the bike next week and putting on some miles. Thank you once again.

 

[pmcdonald]

@pmcdonald Thank you for your most generous detailed advice. You’ve preempted a few Qs and filled in the gaps for me, painting a very clear pic of The Amiti’s capabilities & limitations. I know what to expect now of the bike ... So it’s good for the slow innocuous meander but not so nimble on the trail...But fingers crossed not clumsy?

A particular section of my local firetrail worries me as it has 3 short steep sections - one of which is has an unnatural rise/ drop before a rocky slope and I’m just thinking with a BB clearance of just 60mm and it being such a heavy beast, perhaps not so nimble. I don’t want to chance it, be stuck and tip over.

Tyres - You’ve mentioned replacing your tires with something more robust for the commute - what would you recommend. I ‘d requested that the tyres be set up tubeless, the rep said they would throw it in (with sealant)

Loading - Yes transporting the bike was one major consideration for me. I tried lifting it and found it v front heavy - barely left the ground. (The Merida espresso is lighter. Another shop could get me one for 3.5-3.9k depending on battery size). We had to take off the front wheel to get it into my hatch (middle seats down and front passenger pushed further front). I had reservations at first but the rep demo’d how the front wheel comes off easily.I better bring my bike stand along to hold it up for dismantling. Come to think of it, I should try to load it myself.
My current car has no towbar. - hence I cant use a bike rack. Anyone any suggestion what might be a good way to transport it aside fr riding it to trailhead?

Have you any advice on locks/ anti theft gadgets?

I’m feeling more assured now... looking fwd to picking up the bike next week and putting on some miles. Thank you once again.

I'd say the Amiti makes a reasonably capable trail bike - certainly as much as the competition. From experience these bikes can do a lot more than we expect of them. I've taken mine on technical blue rated MTB trails. It performs as well as you'd expect a hardtail with limited suspension travel to, but they'll soak up mild abuse. In my case I want to push it harder, so I'm opting for a full suspension bike. I'd say the biggest limiting factor will be the tyres, and the Cross Cut will do a reasonable job of maintaining traction. My Explore (large frame) has about 200mm BB clearance and I've only had to lift it over one obstacle on the trails.

If you found yourself regularly riding rocky trails you can look at a suspension seat post, such as the Suntour NCX or Cane Creek Thudbuster. Also, the added wear and tear will translate to more frequent servicing to tighten those squeaks and rattles that inevitably crop up with rougher riding.

For a little more suspension travel and BB clearance you're looking at the Liv Tempt. Less money but it'll need some accessories to match the lights, rack, fender and kickstand on the Amiti. The motor is quite a bit weaker too, down about 25% in power. That may or may not be an issue. A friend rides trails on a 50nm Shimano bike and finds it fine, though he does have to put some leg work in. The Syncdrive Sport motor just dissolves hills into nothing if you can keep the pedals spinning.

I too transport my bike in the boot - Outback in this case (long story, towball thing). It'll swallow the whole bike... just, but it's a punish. Even with the battery off it's a strain, and the action forces the back to bend in ways it shouldn't under load. It's really a two person job if you want to avoid back injury. Strip off as much weight as you can - so remove the battery and packs or panniers. The Cross Cut tubeless will be a nice lightweight wheel solution, so that'll help. This sounds a little crazy but I read someone using a cheap ironing board as a ramp to walk the wheel up into the boot. Could be a cost-effective solution?

Next week - that's exciting! It's a great bike for the money. Post back when you take it for a ride and let us know how you find it. You can think about bits and pieces down the track like suspension seatposts.

 

[Browneye]

Amiti is good on paved trail or groomed hardpack. It is not an 'offroad' bike - suspension is meant to absorb surface irregularities, not for mountain trails.
It is a good road and bike-trail bike. Yes, supplies of them have been severely limited. If you like riding road and bike trail, it's a very good ebike.
We have graduated to all-mountain type eMTB's -they are twice the cost but go twice as far on trails.

 

[CyclehoundDU]

I'd say the Amiti makes a reasonably capable trail bike - certainly as much as the competition. From experience these bikes can do a lot more than we expect of them. I've taken mine on technical blue rated MTB trails. It performs as well as you'd expect a hardtail with limited suspension travel to, but they'll soak up mild abuse. In my case I want to push it harder, so I'm opting for a full suspension bike. I'd say the biggest limiting factor will be the tyres, and the Cross Cut will do a reasonable job of maintaining traction. My Explore (large frame) has about 200mm BB clearance and I've only had to lift it over one obstacle on the trails.

If you found yourself regularly riding rocky trails you can look at a suspension seat post, such as the Suntour NCX or Cane Creek Thudbuster. Also, the added wear and tear will translate to more frequent servicing to tighten those squeaks and rattles that inevitably crop up with rougher riding.

For a little more suspension travel and BB clearance you're looking at the Liv Tempt. Less money but it'll need some accessories to match the lights, rack, fender and kickstand on the Amiti. The motor is quite a bit weaker too, down about 25% in power. That may or may not be an issue. A friend rides trails on a 50nm Shimano bike and finds it fine, though he does have to put some leg work in. The Syncdrive Sport motor just dissolves hills into nothing if you can keep the pedals spinning.

I too transport my bike in the boot - Outback in this case (long story, towball thing). It'll swallow the whole bike... just, but it's a punish. Even with the battery off it's a strain, and the action forces the back to bend in ways it shouldn't under load. It's really a two person job if you want to avoid back injury. Strip off as much weight as you can - so remove the battery and packs or panniers. The Cross Cut tubeless will be a nice lightweight wheel solution, so that'll help. This sounds a little crazy but I read someone using a cheap ironing board as a ramp to walk the wheel up into the boot. Could be a cost-effective solution?

Next week - that's exciting! It's a great bike for the money. Post back when you take it for a ride and let us know how you find it. You can think about bits and pieces down the track like suspension seatposts.

I'd say the Amiti makes a reasonably capable trail bike - certainly as much as the competition. From experience these bikes can do a lot more than we expect of them. I've taken mine on technical blue rated MTB trails. It performs as well as you'd expect a hardtail with limited suspension travel to, but they'll soak up mild abuse. In my case I want to push it harder, so I'm opting for a full suspension bike. I'd say the biggest limiting factor will be the tyres, and the Cross Cut will do a reasonable job of maintaining traction. My Explore (large frame) has about 200mm BB clearance and I've only had to lift it over one obstacle on the trails.

If you found yourself regularly riding rocky trails you can look at a suspension seat post, such as the Suntour NCX or Cane Creek Thudbuster. Also, the added wear and tear will translate to more frequent servicing to tighten those squeaks and rattles that inevitably crop up with rougher riding.

For a little more suspension travel and BB clearance you're looking at the Liv Tempt. Less money but it'll need some accessories to match the lights, rack, fender and kickstand on the Amiti. The motor is quite a bit weaker too, down about 25% in power. That may or may not be an issue. A friend rides trails on a 50nm Shimano bike and finds it fine, though he does have to put some leg work in. The Syncdrive Sport motor just dissolves hills into nothing if you can keep the pedals spinning.

I too transport my bike in the boot - Outback in this case (long story, towball thing). It'll swallow the whole bike... just, but it's a punish. Even with the battery off it's a strain, and the action forces the back to bend in ways it shouldn't under load. It's really a two person job if you want to avoid back injury. Strip off as much weight as you can - so remove the battery and packs or panniers. The Cross Cut tubeless will be a nice lightweight wheel solution, so that'll help. This sounds a little crazy but I read someone using a cheap ironing board as a ramp to walk the wheel up into the boot. Could be a cost-effective solution?

Next week - that's exciting! It's a great bike for the money. Post back when you take it for a ride and let us know how you find it. You can think about bits and pieces down the track like suspension seatposts.

I'd say the Amiti makes a reasonably capable trail bike - certainly as much as the competition. From experience these bikes can do a lot more than we expect of them. I've taken mine on technical blue rated MTB trails. It performs as well as you'd expect a hardtail with limited suspension travel to, but they'll soak up mild abuse. In my case I want to push it harder, so I'm opting for a full suspension bike. I'd say the biggest limiting factor will be the tyres, and the Cross Cut will do a reasonable job of maintaining traction. My Explore (large frame) has about 200mm BB clearance and I've only had to lift it over one obstacle on the trails.

If you found yourself regularly riding rocky trails you can look at a suspension seat post, such as the Suntour NCX or Cane Creek Thudbuster. Also, the added wear and tear will translate to more frequent servicing to tighten those squeaks and rattles that inevitably crop up with rougher riding.

For a little more suspension travel and BB clearance you're looking at the Liv Tempt. Less money but it'll need some accessories to match the lights, rack, fender and kickstand on the Amiti. The motor is quite a bit weaker too, down about 25% in power. That may or may not be an issue. A friend rides trails on a 50nm Shimano bike and finds it fine, though he does have to put some leg work in. The Syncdrive Sport motor just dissolves hills into nothing if you can keep the pedals spinning.

I too transport my bike in the boot - Outback in this case (long story, towball thing). It'll swallow the whole bike... just, but it's a punish. Even with the battery off it's a strain, and the action forces the back to bend in ways it shouldn't under load. It's really a two person job if you want to avoid back injury. Strip off as much weight as you can - so remove the battery and packs or panniers. The Cross Cut tubeless will be a nice lightweight wheel solution, so that'll help. This sounds a little crazy but I read someone using a cheap ironing board as a ramp to walk the wheel up into the boot. Could be a cost-effective solution?

Next week - that's exciting! It's a great bike for the money. Post back when you take it for a ride and let us know how you find it. You can think about bits and pieces down the track like suspension seatposts.

Thanks @pmcdonald, Giant Australia concurs - categorising the Amiti as a gravel bike. Official weight 22kg (battery adds another 1-2 kgs).


i went back for another look and test rode the next size up. The frame was balanced (weight didn’t throw it off) and easy to manoeuvre ... am really pleased with the zippy pedal assist although test was limited to flat riding the tiny car park. I just am needing to adjust to the bigger wheels 27.5”(am used to 26”) And practice my turns.
Will check out the CC Thudbuster if the seat post height permits. My local walking trail isn’t the smoothest. (See photo). Sections like this. It could helpful for my y2khardtail also .

Will definitely keep you posted aftershocks few rides on The amiti. Thanks,sinseh.
Ps the ironing board idea not gonna work.... don’t ask how I know.

 

[CyclehoundDU]

I'd say the Amiti makes a reasonably capable trail bike - certainly as much as the competition. From experience these bikes can do a lot more than we expect of them. I've taken mine on technical blue rated MTB trails. It performs as well as you'd expect a hardtail with limited suspension travel to, but they'll soak up mild abuse. In my case I want to push it harder, so I'm opting for a full suspension bike. I'd say the biggest limiting factor will be the tyres, and the Cross Cut will do a reasonable job of maintaining traction. My Explore (large frame) has about 200mm BB clearance and I've only had to lift it over one obstacle on the trails.

If you found yourself regularly riding rocky trails you can look at a suspension seat post, such as the Suntour NCX or Cane Creek Thudbuster. Also, the added wear and tear will translate to more frequent servicing to tighten those squeaks and rattles that inevitably crop up with rougher riding.

For a little more suspension travel and BB clearance you're looking at the Liv Tempt. Less money but it'll need some accessories to match the lights, rack, fender and kickstand on the Amiti. The motor is quite a bit weaker too, down about 25% in power. That may or may not be an issue. A friend rides trails on a 50nm Shimano bike and finds it fine, though he does have to put some leg work in. The Syncdrive Sport motor just dissolves hills into nothing if you can keep the pedals spinning.

I too transport my bike in the boot - Outback in this case (long story, towball thing). It'll swallow the whole bike... just, but it's a punish. Even with the battery off it's a strain, and the action forces the back to bend in ways it shouldn't under load. It's really a two person job if you want to avoid back injury. Strip off as much weight as you can - so remove the battery and packs or panniers. The Cross Cut tubeless will be a nice lightweight wheel solution, so that'll help. This sounds a little crazy but I read someone using a cheap ironing board as a ramp to walk the wheel up into the boot. Could be a cost-effective solution?

Next week - that's exciting! It's a great bike for the money. Post back when you take it for a ride and let us know how you find it. You can think about bits and pieces down the track like suspension seatposts.

I'd say the Amiti makes a reasonably capable trail bike - certainly as much as the competition. From experience these bikes can do a lot more than we expect of them. I've taken mine on technical blue rated MTB trails. It performs as well as you'd expect a hardtail with limited suspension travel to, but they'll soak up mild abuse. In my case I want to push it harder, so I'm opting for a full suspension bike. I'd say the biggest limiting factor will be the tyres, and the Cross Cut will do a reasonable job of maintaining traction. My Explore (large frame) has about 200mm BB clearance and I've only had to lift it over one obstacle on the trails.

If you found yourself regularly riding rocky trails you can look at a suspension seat post, such as the Suntour NCX or Cane Creek Thudbuster. Also, the added wear and tear will translate to more frequent servicing to tighten those squeaks and rattles that inevitably crop up with rougher riding.

For a little more suspension travel and BB clearance you're looking at the Liv Tempt. Less money but it'll need some accessories to match the lights, rack, fender and kickstand on the Amiti. The motor is quite a bit weaker too, down about 25% in power. That may or may not be an issue. A friend rides trails on a 50nm Shimano bike and finds it fine, though he does have to put some leg work in. The Syncdrive Sport motor just dissolves hills into nothing if you can keep the pedals spinning.

I too transport my bike in the boot - Outback in this case (long story, towball thing). It'll swallow the whole bike... just, but it's a punish. Even with the battery off it's a strain, and the action forces the back to bend in ways it shouldn't under load. It's really a two person job if you want to avoid back injury. Strip off as much weight as you can - so remove the battery and packs or panniers. The Cross Cut tubeless will be a nice lightweight wheel solution, so that'll help. This sounds a little crazy but I read someone using a cheap ironing board as a ramp to walk the wheel up into the boot. Could be a cost-effective solution?

Next week - that's exciting! It's a great bike for the money. Post back when you take it for a ride and let us know how you find it. You can think about bits and pieces down the track like suspension seatposts.

 

[CyclehoundDU]

Amiti is good on paved trail or groomed hardpack. It is not an 'offroad' bike - suspension is meant to absorb surface irregularities, not for mountain trails.
It is a good road and bike-trail bike. Yes, supplies of them have been severely limited. If you like riding road and bike trail, it's a very good ebike.
We have graduated to all-mountain type eMTB's -they are twice the cost but go twice as far on trails.

Hello @Browneye. Thank you for your most concise take on the bike, I suspect that also that it’s not an off-road technical bike and will be sure not to punish it too hard. First and foremost I will use it to help sustain /improve my riding for fitness and train for ascents. Yes the e-MTBs are amazing pieces of innovative engineering!

 

[Browneye]

Yes, a suspension seatpost is a plus. We had a few of the cheapo satori ones hanging around...better than nothing.
The 'gravel' tires are just okay - much better options from Schwalbe. A 2" wide (50-55mm) can be squeezed onto those narrow rims and work out really well. The Marathon E+ are really nice, but a bit spendy.

Rock outcroppings like that are best avoided - just go around them.

The same bike in both a men's style high bar as well as a 'step-thru' is the EXPLORE. If you can't find a Amiti there's always the Explore. The yamaha sync-drive is dabomb. Big time yamaha fan-boy here. I think they're the best thing going. They just don't break. And you get more for your money from Giant anyway - largest bike manufacturer in the world. There's always plenty of R&D money, and they capitalize on alloy frames. Cheap and good.

 

[416dude]

Got a new 500 WH battery for my 2020 Explore E+4. I have 9,500 miles on my bike and may have lost about 5%. When I first got it, my max range was 62 miles on level 2. I do most riding now in level 3. Last year I could get close to 40 miles on level 3. It's down to 35 or 36 tops. I'm thinking the new battery will give me close to 50 miles on level 3. Will soon find out.

I've attached some pics. The new battery shows 500 wh. The cost was 699.00 battery and 55.00 for the cover.

Part number which is on pic of back of battery: 244M36500F-13V.

this is interesting, the replacement battery have both the cell and further processing in China. Maybe the 500 capacity is made in China and the 400 version is made in Japan (the cell)