Pathlite ON 5 SUV wheel size?

[BikerG]

29 or 27.5. Their description page is not clear as to which wheel size is spec’d. Perhaps depends on frame size?
Anyone know? I’ve asked them directly, no reply…

 

[Stefan Mikes]

27.5 x 2.25" (57-584)

Besides, a single glance at the e-bike photo tells an experienced eye it is a 27.5" wheel

 

[BikerG]

That’s exactly the first thing I did, looked at the label on the tire. But in the specs it mentions 29…
Anyhow, I received a reply from Canyon this afternoon and they state that it is indeed 27.5 and the motor is their Performance Line Speed Motor, and not the CX….

 

[Stefan Mikes]

the motor is their Performance Line Speed Motor

You'd certainly like the assistance up to 28 mph The CX is Class 1.
27.5" wheels have become a standard on SUV e-bikes as you can fit a wide comfortable tyre without making the e-bike overly high.
It is not practised to make a line of bikes/e-bikes with different wheel size for different frame size as the wheel size determines the frame construction and geometry. The only exception is the "mullet" setup with differently sized wheels front/rear.

 

[BikerG]

I didn’t want to go 29 as my 2 other mtbs (non e-bikes) are 27.5‘s. Besides, with my height and inseam, I ride a small frame and a 29’er just seems out of proportion…

 

[Stefan Mikes]

OK, agreed. Just note the 29'er usually comes with far skinnier tyres. We compared the 29x2" wheel size to 27.5x2.6" one, and both wheels turned out to be almost the same outer diameter... That's why owners of 29'ers often replace the wheels with 27.5" ones but with wider tyres if the frame clearances allow it.

 

[BikerG]

So, I ordered the bike on Tuesday morning and it was delivered this morning. Wasn’t expecting a 24 hr delivery service…)

 

[BikerG]

So, I got the bike delivered last week, assembled it, installed my own pedals and an old Brooks saddle, and took it out for a spin a couple times. Never having ridden an e-bike before, I really didn’t know what to expect. But so far, so good, I like it, and the amount of assist I feel just staying in the ECO mode, even on hill climbs.
I did not like the 42t chainring so I immediately ordered and swapped that out for a 34t. I’ll also be swapping out the stock, 170mm cranks for a set of FSA 155’s. I should be getting those in a few days. I’m able to spin more efficiently with shorter cranks with my 29” inseam. I‘ve been running 160mm cranks on my fixed gear for many years now. My mountain bikes are running 170’s and I feel like I’m spinning too big of a circle.
I will be using this bike strictly as a single, overnight, bikepacking rig. I’ve been bikepacking quite regularly these past few months and I decided I needed an electric assist to power up the steep, fire road climbs, carrying 30 lbs of camping gear.

 

[BikerG]

Installed a 34 ring and took it for a spin. Much better, I get better use of the cassette range now. Still waiting on the shorter cranks. I’ll also be installing an Aeroe dry bag cradle over the front fender.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Installed a 34 ring and took it for a spin. Much better, I get better use of the cassette range now.

That would limit your speed on the flat though?

 

[BikerG]

That would limit your speed on the flat though?

Yes, but on this bike top speed is not important. Bike will always be loaded with panniers, mostly ridden on dirt or gravel fire roads. 34x11 yields about 85 gear inches which is plenty high enough for me.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Yes, but on this bike top speed is not important. Bike will always be loaded with panniers, mostly ridden on dirt or gravel fire roads. 34x11 yields about 85 gear inches which is plenty high enough for me.

Do you really need 18 gear-inches for an 85 Nm motor? I'm sure you know your needs the best!
As for me, the minimal gearing I used for high mountains with a 90 Nm motor was 23 gear-inches (a 38T chainring) but again, I'm not bikepacking (Yes, I used panniers).

 

[BikerG]

Do you really need 18 gear-inches for an 85 Nm motor? I'm sure you know your needs the best!
As for me, the minimal gearing I used for high mountains with a 90 Nm motor was 23 gear-inches (a 38T chainring) but again, I'm not bikepacking (Yes, I used panniers).

Thank you… You bring up a good point. I’m forgetting that this is an e-bike.. LOL..
Good thing is I have a bunch of 104 BCD 1x rings I can further experiment with as the stock chainring was mounted on a 104 BCD spider.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

It's really up to you There are two schools. One of them teaches you should use a small chainring. The smallest sprockets of the cassette will get worn first but Shimano cassettes as yours are serviceable, so you could be just replacing the smallest sprockets as they wear out. The other school says you should use a bigger ring to spread the stress out onto bigger cassette sprockets; the users of non-serviceable SRAM cassettes would love that approach!

 

[BikerG]

I can already see my alloy chainrings wearing way quicker than my cogs…. Lol..