Hydra ! My Turn

[Cuz Vinny]

Just came back from a tire tube sealant spreading run I can bunny hop this bike! Me. An old ( tired ) 200 pounder and I can get BOTH wheels off the ground!

I hit the throttle on the tallest cog and promptly did a power wheelie

 

[Merle Nelson]

Reed mentioning the dropper seat post earlier and it had me remember/realize how much I'm looking forward to that for comfortable everyday use of the bike. My preferred seat height has my current bike too tall to sit on and stand still with bike.

Tell us more Vinny.

 

[reed scott]

Reed mentioning the dropper seat post earlier and it had me remember/realize how much I'm looking forward to that for comfortable everyday use of the bike. My preferred seat height has my current bike too tall to sit on and stand still with bike.

Tell us more Vinny.

Vinny has his own thread up on his now very unique Hydra. It looks fantastic!

 

[Merle Nelson]

Ohh, thanks - I missed it.

 

[Merle Nelson]

I hit the throttle on the tallest cog and promptly did a power wheelie

I looked back in another thread and saw you definitely have the 2300 w version. That's what I want. I've come up to steep hills a number of times on my current 500w bike and was just out of juice in my legs and out of help from the motor and had to jump off before I fell backwards. I'll be using that power.

 

[reed scott]

Reed mentioning the dropper seat post earlier and it had me remember/realize how much I'm looking forward to that for comfortable everyday use of the bike. My preferred seat height has my current bike too tall to sit on and stand still with bike.

Tell us more Vinny.

I can tippy toe from the seat but never feel that comfortable doing it. I have to learn to remember now I have a dropper.

Occurs to me my just being able to tippy toe probably tells me something about my thinking I'd like to have a bigger framed bike.

 

[reed scott]

Finally Screwed Up The Courage ...

To cross the slimy dam. I've had my first bike for months and have never taken it across. The moss/sliime is as slick as ice. No exaggeration, so I've been Leary of riding across it. I took the PA down to zero and edged out into the unknown. No slippage. Made it across and now back no problem. I think I was smart to not use motor power though.

This allowed me to get out to the 'airplane field' ( one plane landed there about 25 years ago ) where it's open and flat. You can see the deer BEFORE you run into them. I had aired my Nobby Nics up to a whole 25 psi where I had been running both my bikes around 20 or under. Got to the open part and opened the Hydra up in Sport 5 and high gear. Ran several deer out of the field and a small flock of turkeys but hit 34 mph.

Really loving this bike. Thinking I'll be spending some doh re me on her. She's truly worth it.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Ha, sounds great. I've been looking forward to you posting.

I totally agree on having power cut in that situation. A friend once let me try out his Mach 1 with a 428 Cobra Jet engine. On a rainy day or rain and crossing railroad tracks you had to work really hard to not let the power put you out of control.

That sounds like a great learning experience and ramping up to much more to come.

Edit: What would you spend money on? What more could you want?

 

[reed scott]

Ha, sounds great. I'very been looking forward to you posting.

I totally agree on having power cut in that situation. A friend once let me try out his Mach 1 with a 428 Cobra Jet engine. On a rainy day or rain and crossing railroad tracks you had to work really hard to not let the power put you out of control.

That sounds like a great learning experience and ramping up to much more to come.

Edie: What would you spend money on? What more could you want?

I have a special fear of slimy water crossings. 13 or so years ago when I was into 'adventure bikes' I had a big KTM and I found a fantastic natural flat stone water crossing on the Llano River here in Tejas. Problem was we could not get across it. You couldn't even walk across it. That's how slick it was. Only maybe 10 inches deep but even cars often slid off it into deeper water. Well we got out of it somehow. I think I had to have my younger more skilled riding buddy save me. He found a rout off to the side that offered some traction. At the time I hung out on a board much like this one comprised of adventure bike enthusiasts. They all laughed at the story but then they poo pooed my report saying it could not really have been that bad.

So ... I invited about 20 of them to my small ranch in the Hill Country for a ride day followed by a Bar B Q. I was ride leader. I adamantly told them all, we were not going near that crossing but that we would circumvent it by another route over the river by bridge. I also paused the ride at the turnoff to the bridge route. Several riders wanted to go to the natural rock crossing. I forbade it. I remonstrated with them. I told them in no uncertain terms that the most skilled rider we all knew ( my riding buddy who had grown up in Britain on trials bikes ) could not make that crossing. About half of them ignored me. The rest of us went along to watch the fun. We parked our bikes and watched them all literally drown their bikes. Picking a big bike up on solid secure ground is one thing. On ice or slimy rock it is near impossible. Three or four of them had to be hauled out by truck to my place. Every foundered bike took three people to haul it out. Back home finally, while I grilled ribeyes they were busy pulling their plugs and turning their bikes upside down to drain the water out.

At least they all had a good steak, baked potato and lots of beer. The message board the next couple days was lots of fun for me I tell ya.

So I have for twelve years fretted about this dam we have and warned everybody to be extra careful. Often to no avail and several bruised bottoms. I am just glad I have finally conquered my nemesis!

 

[reed scott]

Ha, sounds great. I've been looking forward to you posting.

I totally agree on having power cut in that situation. A friend once let me try out his Mach 1 with a 428 Cobra Jet engine. On a rainy day or rain and crossing railroad tracks you had to work really hard to not let the power put you out of control.

That sounds like a great learning experience and ramping up to much more to come.

Edit: What would you spend money on? What more could you want?

Oh ... let me think .... Bars. Yeah. The finest bars. Then ... dang. What AM I gonna get for her? Better chain lube. Yeah, that's the ticket. Maybe better shoes. Though she HAS pretty nice shoes now. Dang! Somebody help me out here. What DO you get for the girl that has everything?

 

[Art Deco]

Oh ... let me think .... Bars. Yeah. The finest bars. Then ... dang. What AM I gonna get for her? Better chain lube. Yeah, that's the ticket. Maybe better shoes. Though she HAS pretty nice shoes now. Dang! Somebody help me out here. What DO you get for the girl that has everything?

Clothes. Lots of spandex. Grin.

 

[Merle Nelson]

And.....you broke the 30 mph speed barrier.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Reed I was hoping to see a picture of your Hydra with seat up in your normal riding position you've chosen and like. Maybe a picture out in the sun that shows off your paint color? If you're willing to do that, thank you.

How is your ride over rocky parts of the ranch roads? Gotten to any of the steeper or harder sections yet?


Edit: I smile at the thought of having to be careful about where and when riding so as to not slam into the side of a deer.

 

[reed scott]

Reed I was hoping to see a picture of your Hydra with seat up in your normal riding position you've chosen and like. Maybe a picture out in the sun that shows off your paint color? If you're willing to do that, thank you.

How is your ride over rocky parts of the ranch roads? Gotten to any of the steeper or harder sections yet?


Edit: I smile at the thought of having to be careful about where and when riding so as to not slam into the side of a deer.

Busy for a while so any more pics will have to wait. The pics on the first page ARE with the seat at my riding height. No tricky riding yet just short hops close to home as its too hot to go far and I'm busy moving as well.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Ahh. Great, I'll go back and look.

I was just helping a thankless complaining in law move today. Wish we were closer to you. "No sorry, already promised to help a human being."

 

[Limmet]

Hey! I saw that you @reed scott also have an am1000, would you recommend hydra over it, despite the price difference? do you think hydra can handle a little downhill tracks if you choose the slightly more expensive dampers? any other upgrades you recommend?

 

[reed scott]

Hey! I saw that you @reed scott also have an am1000, would you recommend hydra over it, despite the price difference? do you think hydra can handle a little downhill tracks if you choose the slightly more expensive dampers? any other upgrades you recommend?

You know, I call myself a SUV type rider. I ride pretty nasty rocky roads around many thousands of acres of Texas Hill Country. But I don't mess with single track. I'm too old and I break easily. Though I used to ride dirt bikes I was never all that good at it. Both of these bikes are well made sturdy bikes but they're too heavy for real single track riding unless you were an expert but then an expert wouldn't choose either of these now would they?

It takes six months to get a Frey bike unless you pay for air shipping. That's something to consider. Don't know what the lead time for a Hydra is right now or even if there are going to be more of them available. The hydra is about ten pounds lighter. They are a form of carbon composite frame. I was always skeptical of carbon for the type of riding I do and to be honest it will be a while before the jury comes in on that. The Hydra is more fun to ride and it definitely looks better.

The Frey frame and construction is more truck like while the Hydra is sorta Porsche SUV like. I've got the Frey set up to haul a 'bob' type trailer and it has a strong rear rack and fenders. The Hydra is stripped and will stay that way. The Hydra is faster than the Frey but I don't go fast very often. You say 'a little' downhill. If that means not much strenuous technical track riding both these bikes can do it and you will probably be OK. There's a well known rider that puts his videos up on this board named Chargeride. He's been riding a piece of crap Chinese fat bike that he makes fun of all the time the last three or so videos and he can't break it riding stuff I would not want to walk over. So .... who can tell? You'd probably have a hard time breaking either of the bikes we are discussing.

Chargeride

electricbikereview.com

 

[Limmet]

thanks for such a detailed answer will check out his videos.
I have an old cheap xc that I built an electric bike from, it weighs around 70 pound and I ride technical trails and a bit downhill with it. Really not built for downhill, but tested once it's was so fun that i cant stop, even though the bike feel like it should break

so I'm looking for an e mtb that is more build for terrain, and preferably one that can withstand a little downhill.
Hope that this is at least better than my current hard tail with hub drive

the question is if i already now should buy a real dh, or a hydra ..
I would get so much more training done with the hydra, this as I unfortunately do not live near a hill with a lift ..
(Im used to have 1600w now, so i dont want to get at dh e bike whith 250w..)
Had little hope that it would work with a small dh competition with the hydra, if you disconnect the battery.
Absolutely understand that it is not optimal, but hey, I am a total beginner and do not expect to win competitions anyway for a while

another question, my current one works very well for transport as it is a hub drive, ie no wear on the chain and I can use the throttle as I want without caring about which gear i have and so on.
it easily doing 31 mph with throttle only. would you say that hydra still works so well for transportation so I could sell my current one and replace it whit hydra?

 

[reed scott]

thanks for such a detailed answer will check out his videos.
I have an old cheap xc that I built an electric bike from, it weighs around 70 pound and I ride technical trails and a bit downhill with it. Really not built for downhill, but tested once it's was so fun that i cant stop, even though the bike feel like it should break

so I'm looking for an e mtb that is more build for terrain, and preferably one that can withstand a little downhill.
Hope that this is at least better than my current hard tail with hub drive

the question is if i already now should buy a real dh, or a hydra ..
I would get so much more training done with the hydra, this as I unfortunately do not live near a hill with a lift ..
(Im used to have 1600w now, so i dont want to get at dh e bike whith 250w..)
Had little hope that it would work with a small dh competition with the hydra, if you disconnect the battery.
Absolutely understand that it is not optimal, but hey, I am a total beginner and do not expect to win competitions anyway for a while

another question, my current one works very well for transport as it is a hub drive, ie no wear on the chain and I can use the throttle as I want without caring about which gear i have and so on.
it easily doing 31 mph with throttle only. would you say that hydra still works so well for transportation so I could sell my current one and replace it whit hydra?

I don't know. Go to Chargeride's you tube channel and maybe you can get him into a conversation with you. He's much more knowledgeable than I. Another guy that could help you here on the board is greeno. Or you could PM either of these guys here on EBR.

 

[Art Deco]

There is a huge active emtn bike thread with the latest tech news on here.

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