Giant Toughroad E+ GX

[GravelGrindR]

New bike..well, new to me, first Ebike, also own a Specialized Diverge E5 Comp.
I live and ride in Nova Scotia, and do a mix of back roads and rail trails.

I haven't picked it up yet, as it is being serviced prior to pickup, but I did take it for a decent...and fast test ride...fun fun fun...seriously.
Size L and I swear the first owner must be my long lost identical twin, as it fits like a glove. No seat adjustment, reach is fine...it's almost like someone put an electric motor on my Diverge.

I have read some posts here about some confusing specs. One concerns the location of the water-bottle cage mounting bolts. If I read it right (sorry should have found the quote) the owner said it could not fit a tall bottle? Well, my mounts are low on the frame and I can't see how. Am I missing something? Different model? Smallest frame? Also, i there any way to fit a second bottle? Hot summers, long dusty rides...you know....and I tend to ride hard.

Secondly, I have read American posts saying theirs get 28mph..stock. Mine, and all Canadian units are governed to 20mph (32kph) and that was my assist max on my test ride.
So..what gives? ...and being that 20kph is the posted max speed on all trials here, that makes sense. Buuuuuut, I am a complete newb to Ebikes, but also a geek and gadget nerd, so I do appreciate a good hack from time to time...especially if it will make me go faster on the road...so what are these "magical" devices/upgrades/hack I hear of?

*edit* figured out the easy hack...not convinced I need it for now..pretty happy cruising along @32kph )

Finally, I currently have my phone mount (Quad Lock) on my Diverge where the Giant has the "dash"...so I'm guessing relocation is not an option to accomodate both?
I am kinda spoiled having my Cyclemeter data in front of me while riding...map/HR/Cal etc...so if not, does Giant offer a different . larger display that displays that info in real time?
Any advice, suggestions or feedback would be welcome
*edit* The QuadLock from my diverge fit..reversed

*edit* aaaaaaand after typing all that, I came across this...

 

[PedalUma]

Welcome!

water-bottle cage mounting

Try the Topeak Versa Mounts. I use fiber grip paste to make them solid. This is the stuff used on carbon bike's seat posts. I love the Diverge. Here is my unlocked Chisel. A relative of the Diverge. The motor is between the pedals.

 

[GravelGrindR]

Welcome!

Try the Topeak Versa Mounts. I use fiber grip paste to make them solid. This is the stuff used on carbon bike's seat posts. I love the Diverge. Here is my unlocked Chisel. A relative of the Diverge. The motor is between the pedals.

VERY cool! ...Luckily my QuadLock from my Diverge worked *whew*
Now I am tackling the second water bottle location project lol...spoiled with 3 bottle option on the Diverge...going to 1 not an option for me.
During the summer...and yes it gets into the high 80's low 90's here in Canada...not all icebergs and igloos ;^/ ...so on a 2 hr ride I can easily go through 2 bottles...and I always take a couple of electrolyte tablets along as well

 

[PedalUma]

I am in the alternate CA. That third photo was taken in January. The Summers get cold in the afternoons and evenings as the Central Valley heats up and air rises, it brings in cold air and fog from the Coast through the Petaluma Gap. I sometimes use those Versa Mounts to hold a battery. Here is a girly girl bike with them supporting the battery. Snow is best when you can view it 100K away on a mountain top. Then it is lovely. I grew up in NY State and lived in North Dakota where it would be -36C on the walk to school.

 

[GravelGrindR]

That's a real purdy bike ...mine is gravel, so not so shiny most days lol.
I was born and raised on southern Vancouver Island. off the left coast..no snow..except in 1996...we wont's discuss that...still in therapy ;^/
Now I live on the right coast...out in the boondocks by the ocean, so we get a mixed bag of weather, but nothing too severe save for the odd hurricane

 

[Stefan Mikes]

*edit* aaaaaaand after typing all that, I came across this...

Don't get carried off The Scott Addict e-Ride is equipped with the Mahle x35 low power hub-drive motor, and a smallish battery. The benefit of all x35 e-bikes is their low weight. However, it is the PAS system only (before newer X20 e-bikes will become available). The nature of the hub-drive motor is it is adding constant power per the assistance level, and the ride experience is quite binary (you get 100% of assistance allowed for a given PAS level independent of how hard you are pedalling).

The real counterpart of your Diverge is the Specialized Creo: low power mid-drive motor, a small battery, low weight.
-------------
Having said the above, I hope you enjoy riding your Giant! A full power e-bike with a bigger battery, an excellent mid-drive motor. Why ask for more?

 

[GravelGrindR]

Thanks for the feedback Stephan...aaaaand, funny you should mention the Creo lol...when we were researching Ebikes, my wife mentioned that she would love to have an Ebike that was as close to her beloved Sirrus X Carbon as possible...well, research showed the Vado SL 4.0 was almost identical in geometric specs...so, it was a no-brainer for her. I had done similar research, and although had identified the Creo as an "electrified" Diverge, the price-point for both bikes would have put us over budget...so the "compromise" was the Toughroads, and I am so glad it turned out for both of us.
Being that the speed limit here in Canada is 32 kph, it really doesn't matter...yes, the Creo would be "prettier" but there are so many things the Giant offer that IMHO are better value for the $$$ considering I "only" paid $3,000 for a freshly serviced, gently used..except for 2,365km's on the odometer, for the Giant, and the Creo would have been over double the price IF you can find one to ride this summer lol, and although I love my Diverge, its' not screaming "drop the cash!" ..at this point.
And, the other details that brought the Giant into my garage was the details....SRAM, 45 tires, 48T crank, QR wheels...made for a great deal...considering most spec with 42T out of the box :^).

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Thanks for the feedback Stephan...aaaaand, funny you should mention the Creo lol...when we were researching Ebikes, my wife mentioned that she would love to have an Ebike that was as close to her beloved Sirrus X Carbon as possible...well, research showed the Vado SL 4.0 was almost identical in geometric specs...so, it was a no-brainer for her. I had done similar research, and although had identified the Creo as an "electrified" Diverge, the price-point for both bikes would have put us over budget...so the "compromise" was the Toughroads, and I am so glad it turned out for both of us.
Being that the speed limit here in Canada is 32 kph, it really doesn't matter...yes, the Creo would be "prettier" but there are so many things the Giant offer that IMHO are better value for the $$$ considering I "only" paid $3,000 for a freshly serviced, gently used..except for 2,365km's on the odometer, for the Giant, and the Creo would have been over double the price IF you can find one to ride this summer lol, and although I love my Diverge, its' not screaming "drop the cash!" ..at this point.
And, the other details that brought the Giant into my garage was the details....SRAM, 45 tires, 48T crank, QR wheels...made for a great deal...considering most spec with 42T out of the box :^).

That's all fully understandable!
I only say Scott Addict eRide was not that fantastic as it seemed to be (And that Specialized e-bikes were superior in the light weight segment).

 

[GravelGrindR]

Well, yesterdays' ride was my first of any distance over 25k..I rode 61.33k in 2:15:10 and burned 1590 cals.
All, except for a 2k paved bit, on mostly level gravel.
The battery stats are the most interesting...I started with 100% ,and finished with 27%. A mix of eco/eco+ normal and sport...sport only used for a 5l stretch, no sport+used. So, for me, the question remains, how much distance will I be able to get from the battery before i'm out of juice?
I am still learning the consumption-by-mode stats, and as they all vary person by person...body weight, gear, tires/pressure etc, I will take a bit of trial and error before I figure out just how fast that last 25% will degrade in each mode.
But seeing it go from 100% to 27% in 60k would have me believe 80 +- would be achievable? I hear of many enjoying well over 100k on a single charge, but have not seen or heard battery stats from other Toughroad riders, so any views, opinions or experiences are welcome :^)

*Ride notes* weather: 26c and sunny, slight breeze, dry and dusty trail, only 2 other cyclists, 1 dirt bike, 1 atv, 2 dog walkers.
Pre-ride fuel: 2 scrambled eggs on a piece of whole grain toast. I Stinger gel and 3/4 of a water bottle.

 

[Saratoga Dave]

I’ve got a 2018 ToughRoad that I absolutely love. It has been a great bike for 6400 miles now. Solid as a rock. The 2018s were Class 1 (20mph) while the 2019s and the Revolts afterwards are Class 3.

The one thing you have to watch out for with the range is that the thing falls right off a cliff once the battery gets below 20%, in my experience. It just goes away, and once you hit 10% you’d better pretty much be in the parking lot you started at.

A little exaggerated, to be sure, but I would suggest running it down below 20% a few times on purpose when you’re not somewhere you actually need the range to get back. See for yourself how it does. I’ve seen the same thing on a Yamaha Civante, also a Yamaha powered bike.

Don’t have a single other negative thing to say about the ToughRoad, hope this one never dies. I’d buy a Revolt in a heartbeat to replace it if they still come with the Yamaha motor.

 

[GravelGrindR]

Thanks for the feedback Dave.
I'm thinking it must be a directional thing ;^/ ...yesterday...same weather, basically the same trail only going in the opposite direction, with a few more hills.
52k vs 61, using eco+ and Normal, with a few sections of brief Sport and Sport+ just to mix it up..2 hrs..1421 cals burned...*drumroll*...yet 47% remaining charge. Go figure. I suppose if it was all eco and eco+ I'd have 60% or more, but I'm old and lazy ;~0
And yes, I love mine as well...before I rode it, I was concerned about weight...considering I was coming off a 22lb Diverge lol.
The ToughRoad is quite ridable if one runs out of juice...not that I'd care to do it with any frequency, but I'd get home. I actually did a 20k, mostly flat ride with the battery turned off...just to see what I could expect if it happened. Won't win races, but it will get you home.

 

[GravelGrindR]

Well, the "Black Widow" had it's first serious road adventure today. Fun fun fun! Every ride, it reminds me why I love SRAM.
I can't seem to find a definitive answer as to why mine and other Toughroads have 48T and others 42. But I am SO grateful for the 48
I'm learning the mode-to-gear ratio..."mileage" has improved drastically..a 25k, taking the same time, only cost me 28% battery.

*update* tika tika tik*

Well, I now have about 600kms on the bike, and really can't find too much to gripe about...just personal fit stuff that is being remedied.
Stock bars are going into the aforementioned bottomless parts bin, and being replaced with Surly 45cm Truck Stop bars and RedShift Top Grips, all wrapped up in cushy wrap. My wrists will appreciate the extra 13mm rise and comfort lol. I thought I may swap out the 45 tires with 38 Pathfinders, but I've kinda grown fond of the 45's and the shock absorbing they provide now that I no longer have the FutureShock 1.5 to soak up the bumpy bits.
I solved the water bottle issue (a couple of minutes on Google would have solved that before I whined lol) and opted for the RockBros tail bag with bottle holder...I'm not sure how that will work getting the bottle back in the mesh sleeve while riding, but like my wife says.."stop once in a while, yer not racing anymore" so ya...there's that
All in all, I am impressed...no glitches, issues at all. I typically split about 60-40 gravel-road, and it performs well on both...did I mention just how much I love that 48 ring? Yes, I'm sure I did lol...soooo nice to not spin out at 45kph...and yes, 32kph limiter be damned, with a bit of a tailwind on a slight down grade, I can get the "widow" up to the high 40's ...fun fun fun!

A personal aside...my 38 year old daughter just finished (last Saturday) her first century (ride for cancer) in Toronto, and for most that may not seem remarkable, except, she is new to cycling...less than 2 months riding to prepare, and her longest ride prior was 50k which took her 4 hours to complete.
The remarkable bit is that she did it on a $600 chain store bike...right out of the cardboard, lights, bell, helmet, off she went. I actually had to coach her on how to...shift. So the fact that she did 100k with 2 weeks "training" blows me away. Ah youth ..I am sooooo proud of her.

 

[Saratoga Dave]

I’m just a huge fan of the SRAM Apex shifting on my ToughRoad. Interestingly, mine came with a 48 tooth chainring and I went to the 42 for more low end climbing power. Still have the 48, but living around here with the sort of riding I do, I think it is just going to sit at the bottom of my parts box like it has the last couple of years.

I bought the Giant rack for it right at the beginning, and it still feels like it was a part of the bike from day 1. Just a terrific bike, a perfect complement to my new Creo (after several other bikes looking for this balance).

 

[GravelGrindR]

Ya, my Diverge has Shimano GRX 810's loved by many, but does not *wow* me...works great, but IS finicky and took several attempt to dial it in...the Apex is so intuitive, slick and reliable...and I really ask a lot of it. Ya, it's fairly level here, so the 48 is a dream.
Ah yessssss the parts box

I really don't need a rack...I'm retired, so don't commute, and I can carry most of my day ride gear in my bar and tail bags, but if I do get to the point where I need to carry more I will definitely get the Giant rack.

Still looking hard at the Creo but, it's like buying a car..can't get the nav without the entire "lux" package, and all you want is the nav lol....I don't need or want a dropper seat, but want the FutureShok 2.0 not the 1.5 lol...and for the price point there should be at least 6 colour combos to choose from, not 1 or 2.

I am seriously looking at a steeper positive stem and a Surly Truck Stop flared bar with some gel inserts for the ToughRoad..it will work well for our gravel/fire/logging roads up here

 

[Saratoga Dave]

“We’re gonna need a bigger parts box”

 

[PedalUma]

How about some photos?

 

[GravelGrindR]

“We’re gonna need a bigger parts box”

LOLOL! ...a bigger...garage

 

[GravelGrindR]

How about some photos?

 

[PedalUma]

How about one of a giant NS lobster on a picnic table?

 

[GravelGrindR]

How about some photos?

How about one of a giant NS lobster on a picnic table?

How about dinner?