I Am Seeing A Lot Of New Ebikes With No Front Suspension

[fooferdoggie]

As to fat tires, it won't matter if you have a beefy motor like an ultra motor with a throttle and 48V battery with 21 Amp Hours, it's kind of the whole point of an Ebike with fatties making sure you got the power and run time to go with it, so you can just ride.

but you add a lot of weight and the bike will not be as zippy. I want to be able to move my bike with as much of my own power as I can I don't want to become a e couch potato.

 

[AHicks]

but you add a lot of weight and the bike will not be as zippy. I want to be able to move my bike with as much of my own power as I can I don't want to become a e couch potato.

You don't want a fork? Fine for you, but your priorities may not match everyone's. Not all of us are minimalist gluttons for punishment. Do you ride commando style to save you the weight of underwear? That should lend to a "zippy" feeling too! And frankly, commando style makes about as much sense as a fixed fork on an e-bike.

 

[Ebiker33]

but you add a lot of weight and the bike will not be as zippy. I want to be able to move my bike with as much of my own power as I can I don't want to become a e couch potato.

There is another way to reduce weight too, carbon fiber frames, Watt Wagons is going to strike a good balance on one of their new Ebikes with 3" tires and Carbon Fiber frames with the ultra motor X1 you can control everything. Put it on PAS 1, and you will get plenty of exercise, want to dial back even further, you can do that too with their programming cable to create basically a .5 PAS 1 if you really want to get almost analog style exercise, a setting like that would make up for whatever extra weight an Ebike has.

 

[Dallant]

but you add a lot of weight and the bike will not be as zippy. I want to be able to move my bike with as much of my own power as I can I don't want to become a e couch potato.

I’m sorry but by virtue of the fact you are riding an ebike makes you a biking couch potato to most analog riders.

 

[fooferdoggie]

I’m sorry but by virtue of the fact you are riding an ebike makes you a biking couch potato to most analog riders.

no it does not it depends on how much your assist you use. if your getting your heart rate up and spinning and just going faster then your getting the same workout. there is a big difference riding a e bike like a bike and riding it like a e bike.

 

[Dallant]

no it does not it depends on how much your assist you use. if your getting your heart rate up and spinning and just going faster then your getting the same workout. there is a big difference riding a e bike like a bike and riding it like a e bike.

Owning an ebike is tantamount to couch potatorey in the eyes of analog bikers. They don’t know what assist you really use, just that you can pass them up a hill.

 

[reed scott]

I still maintain it's about cost and availability of decent suspension forks. Plenty of demand out there and solid forks are a dime a dozen compared to good shocks. So sell em a bike with no front suspension. They'll buy it anyway.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Owning an ebike is tantamount to couch potatorey in the eyes of analog bikers. They don’t know what assist you really use, just that you can pass them up a hill.

thats their problem. I mostly pass e couch potatoes slow peddling up hills or using a throttles. nothing like getting my heart racing passing them uphill. I have been passed by roadies at 25mph. all that matters is I am getting exercise. I know how many watts I am putting out and my heart rate. and I got 9000 miles in a year.

 

[Dallant]

thats their problem. I mostly pass e couch potatoes slow peddling up hills or using a throttles. nothing like getting my heart racing passing them uphill. I have been passed by roadies at 25mph. all that matters is I am getting exercise. I know how many watts I am putting out and my heart rate. and I got 9000 miles in a year.

And you call others e couch potato’s because you can pass them. I guess that’s your problem.

 

[mogulskier]

I’m sorry but by virtue of the fact you are riding an ebike makes you a biking couch potato to most analog riders.

Around these parts, that is accurate. There aren't many fat out of shape analog riders, they are in pretty decent shape and unlikely to pass them unless you are at the upper levels of PAS and/or using the throttle.

I use PAS level 1 most of the time, and with PAS level 1, I can keep up with analog riders, but cannot pass. If I were to use PAS level 2, I could chase them down and make a pass, but I don't do that.

I take pleasure in the fact that I am getting a real good workout.

Some analog riders are in terrible shape, but they don't care, they are just out for the ride, and I don't care either as I am out for a ride as well.

But there is just this competitive spirit that when I see another rider, instinct kicks in and it can be competitive until you just tire out and cannot continue the chase.

It's all fun.

 

[Dallant]

Around these parts, that is accurate. There aren't many fat out of shape analog riders, they are in pretty decent shape and unlikely to pass them unless you are at the upper levels of PAS and/or using the throttle.

I use PAS level 1 most of the time, and with PAS level 1, I can keep up with analog riders, but cannot pass. If I were to use PAS level 2, I could chase them down and make a pass, but I don't do that.

I take pleasure in the fact that I am getting a real good workout.

Some analog riders are in terrible shape, but they don't care, they are just out for the ride, and I don't care either as I am out for a ride as well.

But there is just this competitive spirit that when I see another rider, instinct kicks in and it can be competitive until you just tire out and cannot continue the chase.

It's all fun.

I think most folks are doing what they can and I would never consider someone out riding their bike a couch potato.

 

[fooferdoggie]

I think most folks are doing what they can and I would never consider someone out riding their bike a couch potato.

who knows. we were on our tandem going at 18.5 to 19 right at the point where the motor cuts off. had a guy on a rad trying to pass us on throttle only he had to peddle to get past us. I felt so bad for him (G) he had to keep peddling off and on to keep just ahead of us. too bad there were no hills then we would see who had the real torque. we were working well spinning with out heart rates around 120 to 130.

 

[goldconch]

It might be more useful to board users to compile a compendium of after-market front suspension options by wheel diameter, brake type, and hub widths, rather than debating the merits of underpants and potatoery. If someone wants to retrofix their ebike with a front suspension, they don't need anyone else's consent to do that, just direction on where to find good stuff that will work.

 

[BigNerd]

I appreciate the speed/lower weight of my fixed fork bike... but I also like the bump absorption of my suspension fork bike. Funny thing is I found out that the Dual Sport Trek with lockout is about the same weight as my Verve so I could have had both in one bike.

But is it okay to like both?

 

[Asher]

What's a good rigid thru axle 27.5" wheel fork?

I can recommend the Salsa Cromoto for 700C/29" wheels.

 

[Cyklefanatic]

I think you need to spend big bucks to get a front suspension fork that works well. I had an entry level fork on mine and swapped it for a solid fork and much happier with that. Also, saved around 5 lbs off the front end.

I did the same. My Vado fork was heavy and I did not weigh enough to make it work. I am much happier with a rigid fork for my type of riding. Road and bike path only. A fully adjustable air fork would probably be better but most ebikes don’t come with them.

 

[RunForTheHills]

If you don't have a suspension on a bike, your knees are your suspension. You have to get your weight off the seat and into your legs (and arms) and suck up the bumps with your knees. That is easier to do if you are pedaling as you are already putting weight into your legs. E-bikes tend to discourage hard pedaling and encourage keeping your weight on the seat, so a suspension on an e-bike helps more than on a non-electric bike.

 

[Asher]

E-bikes tend to discourage hard pedaling and encourage keeping your weight on the seat, so a suspension on an e-bike helps more than on a non-electric bike.

Entirely depends on the rider and bike / bike type. I rode a Juiced CCS hard and I'm sure many others did too, and many others didn't.

 

[Kayakguy]

Yeah I don't think humans have great understanding of speed on wheels. We are so used to going fast in our cars and such that we think 30 is a crawl. The difference, I suspect, between a crash at 20 and a crash at 30 is, if not exponential, would be at least double. Adrenaline is a dangerous drug. Very addictive to some personality types.

I confess to being an adrenaline junkie; fortunately, I'm very easily frightened.