Salsa e-Bikes - Bikepacking Options

[jabberwocky]

Its a shame this bike design was a season ahead of Bosch's new intube batteries. The 600wh is essentially the same as the Tributary's 625wh(rounded up by Bosch) powertube but 1.5 lbs lighter.

Yeah, but if they just came out it will be a while before bike mfgs modify frames for the new battery dimensions. I've always kinda wondered what cells Bosch/Yamaha/etc are using. I don't think its the latest and greatest. I assume the new batteries just upgraded cells to better capacity and as a result were able to drop a P-group to reduce the battery weight.

I wager I'd have a difficult time feeling 1.5lbs on a 42 pounds bike anyway. Especially non-rotating weight in the middle of the frame.

 

[Rás Cnoic]

@Rás Cnoic, something for you!

View attachment 190696
An EBMN man carries a full power e-MTB over a wooden fence, climbing on the fence Meanwhile, Steve Jones explains e-MTBs will become heavier and heavier...
(I can see the channel got a lot of money from the brand WHYTE as EMBN now only shows Whyte e-MTBs in its videos...)

Full video

Steve also talks some utter bullshit. He says an Enduro MTB weighs 19 kg and he says adding a big Bosch battery and the motor would make a 22 kg e-MTB Given the battery itself is 4 kg and the motor is 2.8 kg, the maths here looks funnily!

I did watch that video, but I kind of switched off mentally! It just seemed just more Steve Jones waffle - more content to justify him escaping the dark wet Welsh winter to escape to sunnier climes!! I think non electric enduro bikes have always been heavy as they need to be robust with that long reach suspension and heavy tyres. Horses for courses. I notice for instance that when reviewing enduro EMTBs they always get annoyed when brands go for light tyres to save weight and immediately replace them with more robust better grip downhill ones to test the bike properly. Whereas XC bikes are pared down carbon fibre as light as can be, like road bikes in a way. Different styles of riding, different weight situation.

I always get the sense that Steve J doesn't like SL emtbs at all. Always giving them a dig.

I'm still exploring 'full fat' with the Ep6 motor and it's made me examine the weight v power debate more closely. As this is only the second e bike I've owned so comparisons with the Mahle SL motor 35nm v the Ep6 85nm is very stark. Of course without any suspension the Cairn these days is an oddity, its very capable off road but without suspension is not designed to bomb down tracks. In other words I don't have a full sus, full fat emtb to try out and see if the 50lbs+ makes a difference or if the powerful motor and full suspension negate it.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I think non electric enduro bikes have always been heavy as they need to be robust with that long reach suspension and heavy tyres.

Our talk drew my attention to the fact Specialized has no full power Kenevo (Enduro e-MTB) in its offer anymore! Only Kenevo SL is on the offer! The declared weight is 20.45 kg. I wonder what has happened to the old good Kenevo: it was a very heavy monster!

 

[jabberwocky]

The Kenevo has always been an odd one. The OG full power one was a full on DH bike with double crown fork, 220mm rotors, etc. The SL they tried to make more Enduro with single crown forks and a little less travel. I've never seen one in the wild, most people going Spec seem to opt for the Levo in my area, even in the trail systems with shuttle trails. I kinda guess that the Kenevo wasn't a great seller; the problem with the pure DH market is they are already used to getting back up the hill some other way than actually riding the bike (either shuttle cars or riding lift served trails).

 

[Stefan Mikes]

the problem with the pure DH market is they are already used to getting back up the hill some other way than actually riding the bike (either shuttle cars or riding lift served trails).

This also occurred to me.
I wonder whether Giant Reign E+ is still being manufactured.

 

[jabberwocky]

This also occurred to me.
I wonder whether Giant Reign E+ is still being manufactured.

Its still being sold, but not sure if its still being made. The Reign is more enduro than pure DH (so geo and build is more in line with the Kenevo SL than the original Kenevo).

The general emtb market seems to be really healthy. Every manufacturer under the sun has at least one. And my personal observation (with a lot of MTB friends) is that even die hard no-ebikes-for-me people are picking them up. Gotta be tough when all your riding buddies got ebikes...

Not going to say my experience is representative of the market as a whole, but almost everyone I know has gotten a heavier duty ebike (so if they ride something more XC, they get an e-enduro with more travel to start). The ones getting lightweight low power emtbs are generally getting them as second ebikes.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Some year, a Kenevo that didn't sell (my frame size) was offered at a huge discount at Specialized Warsaw on Black Friday. I said I was tempted, to which the store manager sadly said 'No offence but this bike would be a waste on you'