One bike for everything? Commuting, Exercise, MTB/Gravel. Reality or Myth

Mr_Reality

Mr_Reality

New Member
I have been thinking is there one bike that can do everything. Commuting, fitness, light MTB/gravel. I am intrigued by the Trek Powerfly FS9 Equipped as a one bike to do all things. Seems like this bike has good capabilities to do the kind of riding I enjoy. For those of you that have this bike or one like it does it compromise too much on the road or dirt (jack of all trades, master of none) where you miss having 2 bikes? I am getting older everyday and my aversion to crashing on MTB rides has turned into more of a gravel grinding. I have really gotten to love mixed rides on tarmac and flowing trails.

What are your thoughts?
 
Mr_Reality said:
I have been thinking is there one bike that can do everything. Commuting, fitness, light MTB/gravel. I am intrigued by the Trek Powerfly FS9 Equipped as a one bike to do all things. Seems like this bike has good capabilities to do the kind of riding I enjoy. For those of you that have this bike or one like it does it compromise too much on the road or dirt (jack of all trades, master of none) where you miss having 2 bikes? I am getting older everyday and my aversion to crashing on MTB rides has turned into more of a gravel grinding. I have really gotten to love mixed rides on tarmac and flowing trails.

What are your thoughts?
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I don't ride that bike, so can't speak for it, but as you know any bike can be ridden in any environment... just not very well.
Do you have an option to test ride, or better yet rent one for a few hours, and ride on the type of terrain you like?
 
My thoughts are that what the rider is capable of is more important than the bike. I'm not a great rider, but I probably take my ebike where it shouldn't go sometimes, and all is well. I think we specialize so much that our hobbies become much too expensive and our storage cluttered. It's kind of like playing music. Some of us just need hours of practice and buying the best musical instrument is not going to make you a pro, where someone who is an expert can make a cheap violin sound good.
 
With those requirements (which are very similar to mine), and a suitable budget (which I don't have) that would be my choice. In my case I'd also keep my lighter weight road ebike to go with it but for all the other jobs it looks almost perfect. Personally I'd also chafe under the Bosch system lockdown ... but that's just me and I'm sure I could get used to it.

The other immediate requirement would be for a very serious locking system, as I think the Trek is desired by everyone else too.
 
Exactly @Cowlitz . I doubt that the powerfly designers intend this, but ...
20210606_110317.jpg
 
Mr_Reality said:
What are your thoughts?
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No doubt the Trek Powerfly FS9 Equipped is a very capable and universal luxury e-bike.
Mr_Reality said:
where you miss having 2 bikes?
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I would say my Vado 5/6 (a special Euro version) could be an universal e-bike for me (even if it misses the suspension). However, there is a moment in your life when you start hating your heavy e-bike and want something lightweight and more resembling a traditional bike. Hence, my choice of a Vado SL for the everyday (lightweight) e-bike.

Because an e-bike like the FS9 EQ could do almost everything but you would certainly not lift if high with a single hand (see my profile picture) :) (Try carrying the Trek upstairs and you will understand what I mean).
 
Mr_Reality said:
I have been thinking is there one bike that can do everything. Commuting, fitness, light MTB/gravel. I am intrigued by the Trek Powerfly FS9 Equipped as a one bike to do all things. Seems like this bike has good capabilities to do the kind of riding I enjoy. For those of you that have this bike or one like it does it compromise too much on the road or dirt (jack of all trades, master of none) where you miss having 2 bikes? I am getting older everyday and my aversion to crashing on MTB rides has turned into more of a gravel grinding. I have really gotten to love mixed rides on tarmac and flowing trails.

What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...
Everything's a compromise, and you've got to pick your own.
Assuming your goal is not to mimic Stefan's Avatar to show you can lift a bike ( :D ), and you aren't concerned with carrying up stairs, tires are a usual compromise point, and the Trek Powerfully seems to cover some of the other emtb 'gaps' in that it has an attachable rack. Fitness can be covered on nearly any torque-sensing ebike, just in some cases via longer rides. Commuting comes down to how much you value 'trail-ability' versus needing to strap things to the bike/cargo.

I'm coming from a long history with dirt bikes and dual-sport motorcycles, the latter doing some pretty large trips in and out of the dirt, riding knobbies on pavement, etc. I prefer having suspension even for on-road use (can always lock out shock and forks if you must, but you did mention fitness, so why? Or maybe lock out suspension for commutes only..). You'll either wind up deciding what/where you plan to ride most, put the right tires on for that activity and live with the 'shortcomings' on the opposite (e.g. riding full dirt/mud knobbies on the road, or worse IMO - street tires going into mud), or find a compromise that isn't standout great at either but is 'good enough' for both/all. Eventually on my motorcycles I found an ok 'dual-sport' tire that was good enough in the dirt and good enough for street riding - still more knobby that street tire, and had some 'hum' to it, probably wore through them faster than if I had done the street miles on more street oriented tires, but overall - was pretty happy.

I run Johnny Watts in 27.5x2.8" as my 'dual-sport' compromise tire on my eMTB, doing a mixture of road and dirt, and for where I'm riding now, it's a good compromise..for me. Aside from the inability to add a rack to my (carbon fiber frame) bike, I'm happy with it being a FS all-arounder and see no need for a more 'road or commuter oriented' bike, although range does matter as well.

The right compromise for you - may need you to consider your real percentages of time on different terrain, and how hard/aggressively you're riding off-road, IMO.
I think the Trek PF FS9 is a pretty good candidate for an 'all arounder' as long as you're not trying to find some 9/10 or 10/10 level off-roader AND commuter in one.
 
@Mr_Reality, I think you can do this. Each of my bikes have racks and I am crazy for gravel tires. One of my go to bikes is a hardtail air fork mountain bike with a rack and a Condor II gravel bar, and Schwalbe balloon Big Ben tires. These tires are fast on road, take gravel and have done muddy climbs. @DaveMatthews Stance is sweet. 70Nm is a fine rating. Nm is more important than volts, or watts. Over 90Nm causes drivetrain problems. Under 50 is anemic IMO. Welcome to EBR.
 
rtp said:
I run Johnny Watts in 27.5x2.8" as my 'dual-sport' compromise tire on my eMTB
Click to expand...
That is a very good comment! A "kosher" e-MTB (one to be only ridden on trails) has many features making it unsuitable for urban rides. For instance, the low gearing makes an e-MTB slow on pavement. Lowly attached, extremely wide handlebars perform their role on technical trails perfectly but are a nuisance in the city. Knobby tires ensure a perfect grip in rough terrain but are noisy on the pavement. No rack, no real fenders, no integrated lighting, no kickstand? Many people buying a "true" e-MTB soon realise they never wanted to ride technical trails but visit mild off-road only occasionally. The first thing they do is equipping their e-MTB with e-SUV tyres such as JWs. Then they raise the bars. Add more and more equipment. (Been there done that with my Giant Trance E+ 2 Pro).
rtp said:
I think the Trek PF FS9 is a pretty good candidate for an 'all arounder' as long as you're not trying to find some 9/10 or 10/10 level off-roader AND commuter in one.
Click to expand...
Trek PF FS9 EQ has been designed as a SUV e-bike from the very start. The beast allows "urbanizing" it as much as the user wants. For instance, the e-bike comes with a 34T chainring which is perfect for steep climbs but is hopeless when you want to ride at speed on the pavement. Trek has been aware of that! You can ask the LBS to swap the MTB chainring even with an "urban" 46T one for speed! (The LBS has to get a permission from Trek and Bosch to do so but it is doable). The whole concept is similar to the automotive SUV: You would drive the car on pavement mostly but you could ride into mild off-road, too. Same with the PF FS9 in the cycling world.

Yes, there are compromises in that e-bike. The componentry is not as great as would be applied in a "performance" e-MTB. For instance, the shocks are not of the top-class. Still, the e-bike is the excellent combination of both urban and off-road features.

I need to play the role of the devil's advocate though. What if you meet a fallen tree on your trail?...

1646810243356.png

Will you be able to lift your e-bike? (There is my heavy Vado in the picture. Eventually, my riding buddies helped me carrying my e-bike over obstacles). That's the principal reason I prefer my lightweight Vado SL on so-called "gravel cycling" trips.
 
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Read the ebike-mtb review. www.ebike-mtb.com/en/trek-powerfly-fs-9-equipped-review-2021
The requirement of a smart phone app to control the $$$ display computer, plus the provision of a clip to mount the cell phone on the handlebar, requires the rider to crawl back up the bank to the road and wave for help after being knocked off by a car . An accident that has happened more than once in my county. They found one rider's body weeks later, during seasonal mowing. Powerfly FS9 is an okay bike off road, I suppose. I carry my stupid phone in my pocket to call 911 if I wake up in the ditch. Note the rider in the ebike-mtb review with bare knees elbows & chin. Never hit the pavement in his life I suppose, lucky dog. I use a map in the pannier when exploring, not GPS from *****.
I make do with two bikes. My 2.1"x26" knobby tires will do pavement, high grass at my summer camp, gravel in construction zones. Range ~40 miles, supplies capacity 80 lb. No suspension. I'm fit, I lost 53 lb bikeing everywhere instead of driving. With the seals of my motor 12" off the ground instead of 8" of a mid-drive, I can ride back from the HD store through the flooded underpass if water only goes 10" deep. The other bike is a $45 WT Grant 3 speed Austrian "racer", for parking in high crime areas. 1.25" x 26" tires 40 lb wimpy rim brakes. Has fenders, a book clip with fabric shopping bags for carrying two security slings, water, maybe a tire tube. Parked it across the street from the ballet downtown last Saturday. I walked it up the Big Four bridge: not low enough gears.
 
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Timpo said:
I didn't know what Powerfly FS9 was, so I just checked it.

No thanks, cargo weight directly attached to swingarm.
This is going to add more unsprung weight. 😑 Kind of defeats the purpose of rear suspension.
It will cause instability everytime you hit a bump, this is exactly why motorcycle manufactures never attach anything directly on swingarm.
I know Trek is a good company, I really hope they do their homework and improve for the next generation.

Trek Powerfly FS9 Equipped review - Electric Bikes - Bikes - BikeRadar


Well engineered ebikes separate cargo weight from swingarm.
Just like motorcycles, every time you hit a bump, your luggage won't jump up to cause instability.
This way, you can actually let the suspension do the work.

Riese & Muller Homage GT
Riese & Müller 2021 – The biggest eBike novelties for the next year - DOWNTOWN Magazine

Riese & Muller Superdelite GT
The Riese & Muller Superdelite, where the ride is the destination! - eBike Central
Click to expand...
I wish they sold R&m in my area
 
Stefan Mikes said:
That is a very good comment! A "kosher" e-MTB (one to be only ridden on trails) has many features making it unsuitable for urban rides. For instance, the low gearing makes an e-MTB slow on pavement. Lowly attached, extremely wide handlebars perform their role on technical trails perfectly but are a nuisance in the city. Knobby tires ensure a perfect grip in rough terrain but are noisy on the pavement. No rack, no real fenders, no integrated lighting, no kickstand? Many people buying a "true" e-MTB soon realise they never wanted to ride technical trails but visit mild off-road only occasionally. The first thing they do is equipping their e-MTB with e-SUV tyres such as JWs. Then they raise the bars. Add more and more equipment. (Been there done that with my Giant Trance E+ 2 Pro).

Trek PF FS9 EQ has been designed as a SUV e-bike from the very start. The beast allows "urbanizing" it as much as the user wants. For instance, the e-bike comes with a 34T chainring which is perfect for steep climbs but is hopeless when you want to ride at speed on the pavement. Trek has been aware of that! You can ask the LBS to swap the MTB chainring even with an "urban" 46T one for speed! (The LBS has to get a permission from Trek and Bosch to do so but it is doable). The whole concept is similar to the automotive SUV: You would drive the car on pavement mostly but you could ride into mild off-road, too. Same with the PF FS9 in the cycling world.

Yes, there are compromises in that e-bike. The componentry is not as great as would be applied in a "performance" e-MTB. For instance, the shocks are not of the top-class. Still, the e-bike is the excellent combination of both urban and off-road features.

I need to play the role of the devil's advocate though. What if you meet a fallen tree on your trail?...

View attachment 116287
Will you be able to lift your e-bike? (There is my heavy Vado in the picture. Eventually, my riding buddies helped me carrying my e-bike over obstacles). That's the principal reason I prefer my lightweight Vado SL on so-called "gravel cycling" trips.
Click to expand...
A good reason to carry a battery driven chain saw with you.

One time I had to drive during a "silver thaw" aka freezing rain. The ice built up to the point where branches were crashing off trees, and trees coming down on the road. Every guy who drove up in a pickup truck jumped out and grabbed his (gasoline) chain saw. But with the cold and damp air, nobody could get their saws running. Hence, the battery powered saw.
 
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