Is the Neo 650b Jumper worth the extra money over the Neo 650b Hardtail?

[Alex Edwards]

Hey guys, my first post so please tell me if this is the wrong section or format.

So I have gotten a job and am saving for a 650B hard tail. At my age its going to take around a year or so to earn the money for but I am wondering, is the 650B Jumper worth the extra money. I'll be using the bike for mainly trails and getting around the city but no extreme downhill or anything. What are your thoughts on this topic as I am looking at a lot more money to get the Jumper. I have read that the back suspension does a lot for you but I don't know if its worth the $1000.

Thanks, Alex.

 

[Admin]

Hi Alex, good question... I think it depends on how you intend to use the bike but in a word, YES.

Given the tendency to ride further and faster on electric bikes you tend to absorb more jolts and vibrations which can lead to a sore neck and back. I owned the Easy Motion Neo Jumper (26" version) and loved it. There's a reason all scooters, motorcycles and cars have suspension. Electric bikes are just on the boarder given their lighter weight and relatively slower speeds but if you plan to ride a lot it might be worth spending a bit more for this feature. It's not something you can add easily later

Now here's the flip answer, if you're young and fit and it's going to take a whole year to save the money for a full suspension Neo electric bike then you might be better off going with the hardtail. Prices might even drop or change by the time it takes to get the full suspension version and if you've got any electric bike in the meant time it might make getting to your job more affordable and allow you to save even faster.

 

[EddieJ]

Hi Alex, firstly welcome, and congratulations on the job.

From my experience of owning and riding a hardtail Neo Xtrem and using it on very varied terrain, I can safely say that one modification that I am grateful for, is my suspension seat post. You could check out the Thudbuster like I have or the Body Float.

I've yet to ride a full suspension bike, but I can well imagine from just using my seat post, that the difference must be very good. Arguably though, if you aren't going to be riding in extreme conditions, I would be tempted to save my hard earnt $1000 and buy a hardtail, then fit a suspension seat post.

If money wasn't so much of a deciding factor then I might think differently though. The one thing that you don't want to do, is over stretch your budget, then have your potential enjoyment spoilt by worrying over the cost of a bike. On my assumption that you are young, you have years and years ahead of you to upgrade and change bikes.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Hey guys, my first post so please tell me if this is the wrong section or format.

So I have gotten a job and am saving for a 650B hard tail. At my age its going to take around a year or so to earn the money for but I am wondering, is the 650B Jumper worth the extra money. I'll be using the bike for mainly trails and getting around the city but no extreme downhill or anything. What are your thoughts on this topic as I am looking at a lot more money to get the Jumper. I have read that the back suspension does a lot for you but I don't know if its worth the $1000.

Thanks, Alex.

As Eddie mentioned, adding a thudbuster to Neo 29er or Neo 650B would be a very pragmatic idea to get the best of both worlds.
FYI: Jumper 650B comes with Rockshox Xc30 with lockout and it certainly is a better product than the SR Suntour XCR on the Neo 650B. Of course, its not like Fox or Magura but still better than SR. The XCR's should be good enough for mild trail riding and you can always upgrade them to Fox if need be. So, if you are constrained by Budget, hardtails could be a better option.

 

[Alex Edwards]

Hi Alex, firstly welcome, and congratulations on the job.

From my experience of owning and riding a hardtail Neo Xtrem and using it on very varied terrain, I can safely say that one modification that I am grateful for, is my suspension seat post.
I've yet to ride a full suspension bike, but I can well imagine from just using my seat post, that the difference must be very good. Arguably though, if you aren't going to be riding in extreme conditions, I would be tempted to save my hard earnt $1000 and buy a hardtail, then fit a suspension seat post.
If money wasn't so much of a deciding factor then I might think differently though. The one thing that you don't want to do, is over stretch your budget, then have your potential enjoyment spoilt by worrying over the cost of a bike. On my assumption that you are young, you have years and years ahead of you to upgrade and change bikes.

Interesting, how does battery handle the vibrations of riverbed type surfaces? At this stage my main concern is for the safety of the bike, I don't want the battery or computer being damaged from large jolts or vibrations. Another quick question, how strong is the frame on the hard tail and can it take a few small jumps (I am going to assume your Xtrem would be pretty similar)?

Hi Alex, good question... I think it depends on how you intend to use the bike but in a word, YES.

Given the tendency to ride further and faster on electric bikes you tend to absorb more jolts and vibrations which can lead to a sore neck and back. I owned the Easy Motion Neo Jumper (26" version) and loved it. There's a reason all scooters, motorcycles and cars have suspension. Electric bikes are just on the boarder given their lighter weight and relatively slower speeds but if you plan to ride a lot it might be worth spending a bit more for this feature. It's not something you can add easily later

Now here's the flip answer, if you're young and fit and it's going to take a whole year to save the money for a full suspension Neo electric bike then you might be better off going with the hardtail. Prices might even drop or change by the time it takes to get the full suspension version and if you've got any electric bike in the meant time it might make getting to your job more affordable and allow you to save even faster.

I was just comparing my cheap (under $200) full suspension bike with my fathers hard tail Giant on the trails and the difference was surpassingly large as the full suspension handled small jumps and downhill a lot smoother (Both have 26 Inch wheels and similar tread). I am beginning to lean towards the jumper as it also seems to be the more popular/widespread model.

But on the other hand, in your reviews the range, ride time and charge time seem to be a bit confusing, with the Hardtail having much longer ranges but shorter ride and charge times and the jumper being the opposite, although they both mentioned being on the new 12 ah battery. Would that just be based of the ride times you guys averaged on them?

Another thing is the difference in brakes, are they major. And one last thing, your rating was 4.5 for the Jumper but 5 for the Hardtail, is that rating compared to other bikes of its kind or compared to all mtb's.

As Eddie mentioned, adding a thudbuster to Neo 29er or Neo 650B would be a very pragmatic idea to get the best of both worlds.
FYI: Jumper 650B comes with Rockshox Xc30 with lockout and it certainly is a better product than the SR Suntour XCR on the Neo 650B. Of course, its not like Fox or Magura but still better than SR. The XCR's should be good enough for mild trail riding and you can always upgrade them to Fox if need be. So, if you are constrained by Budget, hardtails could be a better option.

Overall I don't think the XCR's will be a downgrade, I'm use to a terrible "zoom" branded front shocks. But in your eyes how much better are the Rockshox? And if I am correct, their lockout is on the handlebars while the lockout for the XCR's is only onto of the shock.



Thanks heaps guys, you've helped me a lot so far !

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Interesting, how does battery handle the vibrations of riverbed type surfaces? At this stage my main concern is for the safety of the bike, I don't want the battery or computer being damaged from large jolts or vibrations. Another quick question, how strong is the frame on the hard tail and can it take a few small jumps (I am going to assume your Xtrem would be pretty similar)?

Overall I don't think the XCR's will be a downgrade, I'm use to a terrible "zoom" branded front shocks. But in your eyes how much better are the Rockshox? And if I am correct, their lockout is on the handlebars while the lockout for the XCR's is only onto of the shock.
Thanks heaps guys, you've helped me a lot so far !

Some of your concerns like ability to withstand vibrations, console not falling off and etc have been raised before. Jumper can take hard abuse and you can see much more vividly in this video. Eddie has done some hardcore riding and he explain how his Xtrem has held up so far.

 

[Mtnm]

The full suspension of the Neo Jump is very helpful for me.
It certainly is worth the extra money.
It does give you better control of the bike, and improves comfort.
The battery is very secure (almost too secure as it is hard to remove), and will handle any suspension set-up.
Keep back enough money to replace the stock seat, and probably the pedals. Adding a mirror and some blinky lights will also make sense.

But do shop around on prices. Chris Nolte on this forum is a fantastic contact, and I'd encourage you to contact him.

If all you can afford is the hard-tail version it likely makes sense to get that now.
I tried the Thud-busters; they aren't for me. So do try before you spend the money for one.

I am about 5ft 10 in tall, and found the 650b too large. The 26" NeoJumper is as large I would want to go. Be sure to test ride if at all possible.

Mike
Colorado

 

[Alex Edwards]

Ok guys thanks!
For now I am just going to start saving and then as I near the money needed will re evaluate what I want to get as I assume and have observed prices on the bikes fluctuate alot.

Thanks, Alex.

 

[Admin]

Hi Alex! Sorry that some of the stats and ratings between these bikes get confusing. Some of it has to do with timing as new batteries become available and pricing goes down for comparable bikes. Take the stars as a guide and not a precise measure of one bike to the next. I try to capture the details in the pros/cons and full writeups.

Note that vibration can cause bits of battery material to crumble with extended use and this can build up and cause shorts. Increasing your suspension is one way to reduce the rate of this type of thing. It's very common with Lead Acid batteries but also happens with Lithium ones over time.

 

[Alex Edwards]

Hi Alex! Sorry that some of the stats and ratings between these bikes get confusing. Some of it has to do with timing as new batteries become available and pricing goes down for comparable bikes. Take the stars as a guide and not a precise measure of one bike to the next. I try to capture the details in the pros/cons and full writeups.

Note that vibration can cause bits of battery material to crumble with extended use and this can build up and cause shorts. Increasing your suspension is one way to reduce the rate of this type of thing. It's very common with Lead Acid batteries but also happens with Lithium ones over time.

@Court , just saw your video on the Xtrem vs the ST1 and felt so envious , after school, I hit the trails for a couple of hours and my legs are dead now . While most of the trails you filmed where moderately worn and smooth, I do ask how the two bikes handled and felt going over large roots or drops (Seeing neither of the bikes seemed to have thud busters).

On the other hand, as far as the vibrations go, how much do you estimate this could do, and under what conditions do you expect this sort of damage to occur, or should I ask @EddieJ that question.

I'll see if I can get a video of some of the terrain and rides in my area, that way I can get your opinions on what the feel would be like on bike and what effect it could have on the battery.

 

[Admin]

Hi Alex! The suspension fork on the Xtrem (Suntour XCT MLO 80mm) was having trouble, might have been damaged actually because it was bouncing more than cushioning. It's kind of basic compared with the higher end trail bikes from Easy Motion. That said, it was still performing better than the Stromer ST1 Platinum over the bumps. I didn't mind riding without the suspension fork because as you said, the trail was relatively smooth but it was still nice. I could see a Thudbuster coming in handy here but it also changes the ride a bit. I use the stationary seat as a reference point when riding trails to maneuver the bike. It's a different experience than commuting and for this reason I like the full suspension setup... you get the best of both worlds, but of course it does cost more

 

[opimax]

Did the Platinum have suspension or the carbon fork?

Mark

 

[Admin]

Did the Platinum have suspension or the carbon fork?

Mark

The ST1 Platinum had a carbon fork and was quite a bit more jittery (wrists and forearms got tired so we swapped back and forth). That said, it performed really well and had a quieter, more fluid feel when climbing. The pedal assist is great on that bike