Looking for a jack of all trades bike

[Ironhorse]

Hi all - Looking for a bike good on trails but also for commuting.

Currently looking at these two:

• https://www.specialized.com/ca/en/turbo-tero-4-0/p/199755?color=320265-199755 for $6000 CAD
• https://cube-bikes.ca/reaction-hybrid-pro-500-hardtail-mountain-ebike/ for $4800 CAD

The specialized seems nicer, is it worth 1.2k more? Open to other suggestions as well but supply might be an issue.

Thanks for any help,

 

[PedalUma]

Hi all - Looking for a bike good on trails but also for commuting.

Nice bikes. For a commuter, do you want bosses for racks? And also fenders so you do not have a stripe down your nose and up your back? The best commuters tend to have internal gears.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Tero 4.0:

• Far bigger battery (justifying the price difference)
• Far better electronics/connectivity
• Twice as fast charger

Cube:

• Air fork as opposed to steel coil fork.

Uma: If the OP didn't ask for a trail/commuter e-bike but for the commuter only, I would have said Vado 4.0 2022.

The best commuters tend to have internal gears.

Please do not generalize. Please do not derail yet another thread.

 

[celbii]

The best commuters tend to have internal gears.

Not great for the trails though.

I think the main question is what dealer do you have near you? That would factor into my choice between the two if you want to factor in having your bike store do any warranty work on either of them. The spec def will demand the premium, but you also get premium quality and service with it, I do not know much about the cube but I am assuming they are also a good bike. I think as stefan pointed out one of the main things is the battery off the rip, though this mainly depends on how much battery you need, its always better to go bigger the first time if you are planning to keep this one bike for a long time. The fork can be upgraded if you feel you need to, and if you don't go for a super high end air fork you can probably find a fox 32 air fork for pretty cheap as a take off since alot of riders will buy them and take them off to upgrade to a higher fox air fork( Not me though, my 32 works perfectly fine )

 

[harryS]

Buy two bikes. Seems like you have enough budget.

 

[rich c]

No such thing as the perfect jack of all trades. You know the old saying, "Jack of all trades, master of none" applies to eBikes too. Trails is a general term too. Rail trails, fire roads, paved multi-use trails, etc... Commuting this time of year in Canada seems like a real test of wills.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Rich, I have ridden a Tero 3.0. It was meeting my needs both off-road and on-road.
Still, if I had to choose, that would be the new Vado.

Specialized Turbo Tero Step-Through 3.0 Review (Demo Ride)

First impression 'I am an off-road e-bike' -- the new Tero seems to be telling you -- 'I love to be ridden among the miracles of Mother Nature. I will gladly help you leave the urban jungle for the forest but don't condemn me for spending my whole life on the pavement!' is the clear message...

electricbikereview.com

 

[indianajo]

Both specialized & cube have 11 speed rear sprockets. If you commute very much, you're likely to have to change the chain every 1000 miles or less. Road bikers report 1000 mile life on 11 speed chains even without power.
Both have mid drives. Great for off road rock climbing. Better not run out of battery. The Cube has a Bosch motor, very likely to drag the motor with your feet unpowered. Their top of the line model does not, and I don't think CX is the top of the line. Specialized has their own motor, no telling if it drags unpowered. But mid drives known to freewheel the motor when unpowered are Yamaha, Brose, Shimano Steps.
The specialized has bosch 500 battery, rather small if it is 500 wh. Spare Bosch batteries are not cheap. the Cube is 710 wh, which might be okay. I chew up 2/3 of a 840 wh battery in 27 miles on windy days, and 100% when I had a ebikeling motor. But I cross 66 to 80 hills.
2.4" tires would be very useful on and off road. My bike allows 2.1" and I use all of that for better ride, on road. 2.4" tires won't float on powder snow, but then powder snow turns to ice in a day usually anyway, and you need spiked tires for that.
I ride without power 80% of the distance, and 100% of the distance mid December to April. LiIon batteries don't take well to freezing. Don't ever charge one below freezing. I put my battery in the garage under a heat pad the winter months, and re-install it when freezing weather is over. With that regimen, my battery is working fine going into its fourth year. My geared hub motor rides around like a 7 lb weight on the front axle all winter, balancing the load of tools supplies & groceries I put in the pannier at the rear. No drag unpowered from geared hub motors.
As far as winter commuting, I rode 8 m RT to the grocery today at 38 F & 13 mph wind. You just have to wear clothes. Got a bit damp against the wind, had to unbutton & unzip some. I've been out at 6 F, but a helmet liner is necessary, and oven mitts over farmer wells-lamont mittens to prevent frostbite. Wrap around glasses too, and plastic wrap over the vents in my helmet.

 

[TrevorB]

Checkout Moustache FS Xroad.

 

[GenXrider]

Uma: If the OP didn't ask for a trail/commuter e-bike but for the commuter only, I would have said Vado 4.0 2020.

I like the new 2022 version. Why do you recommend the 2020?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I like the new 2022 version. Why do you recommend the 2020?

A typing mistake. I meant 2022.

 

[TrevorB]

Both specialized & cube have 11 speed rear sprockets. If you commute very much, you're likely to have to change the chain every 1000 miles or less. Road bikers report 1000 mile life on 11 speed chains even without power.

I'm getting 3000-3500kms from 10 and 11 spd shimano chains, commuting and trekking. That is to 0.75 wear mark. MTBing its more like 1000-1500. Not sure how often to replace 40t chainring, I'm working on every 2nd chain at this stage. Planning to completely wearout drive train on 2nd chain as I was going to replace everything, guessing 5000kms before I get problems.

 

[AleksR]

Hi all - Looking for a bike good on trails but also for commuting.

Currently looking at these two:

• https://www.specialized.com/ca/en/turbo-tero-4-0/p/199755?color=320265-199755 for $6000 CAD
• https://cube-bikes.ca/reaction-hybrid-pro-500-hardtail-mountain-ebike/ for $4800 CAD

The specialized seems nicer, is it worth 1.2k more? Open to other suggestions as well but supply might be an issue.

Thanks for any help,

Riese and Mueller supercharger 2 is the jack of all trades with two batteries and nice suspension.

 

[mschwett]

Both specialized & cube have 11 speed rear sprockets. If you commute very much, you're likely to have to change the chain every 1000 miles or less. Road bikers report 1000 mile life on 11 speed chains even without power.
Both have mid drives. Great for off road rock climbing. Better not run out of battery. The Cube has a Bosch motor, very likely to drag the motor with your feet unpowered. Their top of the line model does not, and I don't think CX is the top of the line. Specialized has their own motor, no telling if it drags unpowered. ...

i've heard this "fact" stated many, many times. i've got 5000+ miles on my 1x11 speed bike and the second chain is barely elongated. i'll end up getting around 4,000 miles per chain without even going to the recommended replacement point. i think i paid $30 for the replacement, less than a penny a mile. i ride pretty hard and fast on steep terrain, gravel, rain, city streets, and am no lightweight.

the specialized motors don't drag unpowered. there's a clutch, they're literally not engaged.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Hi all - Looking for a bike good on trails but also for commuting.

Currently looking at these two:

• https://www.specialized.com/ca/en/turbo-tero-4-0/p/199755?color=320265-199755 for $6000 CAD
• https://cube-bikes.ca/reaction-hybrid-pro-500-hardtail-mountain-ebike/ for $4800 CAD

The specialized seems nicer, is it worth 1.2k more? Open to other suggestions as well but supply might be an issue.

Thanks for any help,

If you are in Atlantic Canada, we will be happy to offer our bikes for a demo test ride.

Zen Samurai - Built in Canada - shipping since June 2022

E-bike enthusiasts and EBR readers, We are happy to announce that we are ready to accept pre-orders for the Zen Samurai model. A very capable bike that has the Bosch Gen-4 CX/speed motor, dual battery capability, Gates belt drive, internal gear hubs like Enviolo and Rohloff, and other premium...

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Our bikes are particularly designed for harsh Canadian weather - Gates belt drive, Enviolo/Rohloff hubs, Bosch Gen4 motors, and all the nice components to make it an all-around commuter and light off-road capable bike.

 

[Ironhorse]

I found a Turbo Tero for sale - But the problem is it's in Size Medium and i'm 6 feet - Would that be a bad idea? Thanks for any advice

I also have this bike available to me in a large: https://ca.bikes.com/products/instinct-pp-a50-22?variant=41238774218915 but it's a bit expensive and i'm unsure on the bike itself

 

[Comfortably Numb]

No such thing as the perfect jack of all trades. You know the old saying, "Jack of all trades, master of none" applies to eBikes too. Trails is a general term too. Rail trails, fire roads, paved multi-use trails, etc... Commuting this time of year in Canada seems like a real test of wills.

I understand a lot of you folks in the states view Canada as a country-wide, tundra wasteland during the winter, but saying commuting in Canada this time a year is a real test of wills is simply ridiculous. It depends where you live. That statement is pretty much like saying commuting in Seattle, Washington or Portland, Oregon during the winter isn't doable.
You're right on about 'Jack of all trades' bikes tho'. I'm not sure there's a one bike out there that will do both decently. I hope the OP lives where there are enough decent commuting days to justify the cost of an e-bike. I wouldn't want to commute very far on a bike that is satisfying on trails and vice versa. I'd try determine how far I'd commute a year, versus trail riding per year and pick a bike that was best one way or another or get two bikes. CN

 

[PedalUma]

The bags hold 42 liters each. The E50 tires 160 Kg each. 90Nm, Class 3, 750W, 504Wh, with an 11-47 cassette to a 42 ring. It can get fenders. It can take one week's worth of groceries plus two kids up big hills. This is just one example of a groundswell of people giving Putin, Texas, and the Saudi Princes the finger. Besides it is more fun than waiting at red lights and the other CA's bumper to bumper "freeways." This is part of the Mother Load movement. https://vimeo.com/ondemand/motherload Last week a kid ran away when his parents tried to put him in a car seat, Franco climbed onto their Mundo cargo and wouldn't budge. The mom started quoting Susan B. Anthony on bikes to her friends. The dad is tired of paying $450 US per month for gas, only to then be stressed, revving, stuck in traffic at the next light.

 

[Comfortably Numb]

The Cube has a Bosch motor, very likely to drag the motor with your feet unpowered. Their top of the line model does not, and I don't think CX is the top of the line. Specialized has their own motor, no telling if it drags unpowered. But mid drives known to freewheel the motor when unpowered are Yamaha, Brose, Shimano Steps.

I can tell you that my Cube Kathmandu with a Bosch CX has absolutely ZERO drag when unpowered.
It's a heavy bike so you have to work when it's unpowered but it's not drag from the drive at all.
I am not fit at all and my lungs are junk, but I ride my bike all the time unpowered when I feel no need for assist. CN