Gravel bike selection

[jpershke]

New to all this and the forum. Shocking to me how the ebike manufacturers make this so hard but anyway...i wanted an ebike to ride around my mountain place. I'm not really planning offroad but have VERY steep paved and gravel roads.I bought a Specialized Vado 3 per recommendation from local bike shop and road it in town for a couple weeks. It was awesome. I stopped using my car essentially.

Now have it in mountains and two issues....1. I now want one both at home for city use and one in mountains. 2. The Vado isn't ideal here in mtns..... It is a little underpowered and, or needs a lower gear.... to get up my mountain ( or rather I am underpowered!). And it is tough on the gravel, rock roads where I could use a bigger tire. I'm thinking I need 80nm of torque and not sure if you can get a bigger tire without going to the super fat which seems extreme to me ( and seem very heavy).... It is 47c which I assume is mm or about 1.75" so I'm thinking something more in the 2-2.5" range

It seems all the 80nm mid drives are on VERY expensive super high end emtb's which I don't need and can't afford.

Suggestions?

 

[Alaskan]

I have a Cannondale Topstone Neo Carbon 3. It has the Bosch 28mp, 85 Newton Meter Speed Motor. It is every bit as much at home on steep gravel mountain roads as it is on the road. I have tubeless, 47mm WTB Byway tires on it which are excellent on and off road and quite comfortable at 30 psi for off road riding plus it has the lefty front fork and kingpin rear suspension. The bike weighs just 39 lbs.. quick and sporty on the road, has a great range with it light weight and modified aero ride position. Like all ebikes right now it is hard to find.

 

[jpershke]

thanks - but back to the super expensive part . I'm looking at the lower cost topstone neo's but of course they don't make it easy to find torque (or weight)....the 5 (non-carbon I guess) looks like same motor which is fine but has skinnier tires and still $5k. Any suggestions that are less expensive?

 

[Rás Cnoic]

It's like that infernal triangle; you can have 2 out of the 3; lightweight, good on gravel hills and cheap... but not all 3... Because of the supply problems, is it worth you looking in the used market for a very good but 2 or 3 year old high end bike? I don't know what ebay etc is like in the States right now but generally high quality bikes a couple of years old should have plenty of life left in them - if you can find any of course.

 

[jpershke]

One more question - it almost seems easier to find the motor you want and work backwards to the bike....is there any good source for this?

 

[jpershke]

It's like that infernal triangle; you can have 2 out of the 3; lightweight, good on gravel hills and cheap... but not all 3... Because of the supply problems, is it worth you looking in the used market for a very good but 2 or 3 year old high end bike? I don't know what ebay etc is like in the States right now but generally high quality bikes a couple of years old should have plenty of life left in them - if you can find any of course.

I'm not THAT concerned with weight other than it just gets hard to manage if too heavy - my vado is 50ish pounds and not crazy about going higher than that if possible. I was just more curious and odd to me these manufacturers don't readily list it...