Recommendation: full suspension and belt drive?

[Mackie]

Hello all, I am new here and looking to buy my first e-bike as my knees just don't like the hills around my home anymore.

I do mostly pavement riding and prefer a somewhat upright ride. I also really love belt drive, and need full suspension. I would sometimes be using the bike for errands such as grocery runs. I'm pondering the Riese & Muller Homage but also wanted to check out any other bikes that might fit my needs. I haven't found any other non-mountain bikes that are full suspension with belt drive. Does anyone know of any other options? I do love the Homage but the $$$$ are hard to swallow (although I will save up and get it if that's my only option)

 

[Slowpoke]

I'm looking at belt drive and IGH drive train,and have been thinking about the EVELO bikes.https://www.evelo.com/ R&M is the other possibility.

 

[Mackie]

Thank you Slowpoke. I've looked at those and don't see a model with both full suspension and belt drive. Did I miss something?

 

[Slowpoke]

oops I thought the Aries mid drive was belt drive

 

[Dewey]

You mentioned Riese and Muller, the Homage, Delite, or Culture models, with the Vario or Rohloff spec, or a Nicolai eMTB $$$$. You would open up more affordable options if you were to consider a hardtail with a suspension seatpost.

 

[smorgasbord]

Only R&M has figured out/got approval for a tensioner on a Gates belt, which is needed since the rear axle to pedal axle distance changes on a full suspension bike.

Best advice is like Dewey says, to give up the rear suspension or to give up the belt drive.

 

[Mackie]

Thanks for all the feedback!

If I give up the belt drive: what full suspension bikes would you recommend? The boxes I'd like to tick:

1. somewhat upright riding position
2. step through
3. errands such as grocery
4. mostly pavement riding

 

[Chris Nolte]

Thanks for all the feedback!

If I give up the belt drive: what full suspension bikes would you recommend? The boxes I'd like to tick:

1. somewhat upright riding position
2. step through
3. errands such as grocery
4. mostly pavement riding

You could go with the R&M Culture GT Touring and save a bit of money over the Homage. We actually have a floor model on sale which might tick all of your boxes. There aren’t too many step through full suspension bikes out there.

 

[smorgasbord]

@Chris Nolte is right about the dearth of full suspension step-thru bikes.
Another way to go would be to give up full suspension and get a step-through with Gates. The Evelo Aurora Limited Edition (https://www.evelo.com/electric-bicycles/aurora-ltd/ ) is one such bike.

 

[PatriciaK]

Not full suspension, but the Giant Lafree E+ 1 or 2 sound like they might work for you. The +1 is belt drive, the +2 chain - both are mid drive.