FlatSix911
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Congrats on your new ride... and thanks for posting your review. Any photos? 
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The infamous Motobecane HAL E-MTB. I bought one…
- Thread starter Spark
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I’ll get some pics up soon. I photoed the whole unboxing process. A couple of other things to share. There is actually a bash guard over the motor that seems pretty robust. Also, it has 175mm cranks and I had no issues with pedal strikes. It’s all about technique. Around here, lots of rocks sticking up and narrow passes on the trails threatening your pedal stroke and bottom bracket. You see lots of scratches from analog riders chain rings over many crossings, some of them I can claim as my own. You quickly learn to neutralize your pedal position and do little quarter strokes in tight areas. The E7000, as I rode it in ECO, was so responsive that I could pull off these short strokes very easily. Of course, on some sections that I’d normally power through with a more seasoned bike, I chose to walk the bike since it’s still all shiny and new.
Iced my knee last night, you know, the one with the torn ACL, and will get another ride in today. It rained yesterday so it might be messy.
Iced my knee last night, you know, the one with the torn ACL, and will get another ride in today. It rained yesterday so it might be messy.
LimboJim
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I'm glad Bikes Direct added motor bash guards to their eMTBs, or at least the newer one. I had one of the first HAL eBoost Pro units (2017), and it not only lacked any kind of motor protection, it had a gaping space between the seat tube and rear shock base. All kinds of stuff got caught in there - bugs, leaves, twigs, stones...
Mine also came with no dropper for the same $3500 they're charging for it now...
robrob
Member
I just took delivery of a Motobecane HAL eBoost Pro 2020. I had to pivot the motor down to adjust the dropper seat cable but other than that assembly went very smoothly. I used the RockShox Trailhead app for suspension tuning.
All I've done so far is a 23 mile road ride shakedown run. The bike was fantastic on the road. I plan to post the details of the seat post adjustment in the near future with pics.
Here's the rim/spoke tension specs. The rim max spoke tension spec is from the WTB website:
All I've done so far is a 23 mile road ride shakedown run. The bike was fantastic on the road. I plan to post the details of the seat post adjustment in the near future with pics.
Here's the rim/spoke tension specs. The rim max spoke tension spec is from the WTB website:
Attachments
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bob armani
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Congrats. Great looking bike in that stealthy black shade. Did you happen to post the unboxing on YT? Just curious.
FlatSix911
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I just noticed that BD raised the price of the HAL eBoost Elite to $2,900 (was $2,475) while the HAL eBoost Pro remains at $3,500.
Both are still are a good deal, however, the Elite with Shimano E7000 may have been underpriced compared to the Pro with E8000.
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products...-hal-eboost-elite-electric-mountain-bikes.htm
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products...ebikes-hal-eboost-electric-mountain-bikes.htm
Both are still are a good deal, however, the Elite with Shimano E7000 may have been underpriced compared to the Pro with E8000.
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products...-hal-eboost-elite-electric-mountain-bikes.htm
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products...ebikes-hal-eboost-electric-mountain-bikes.htm
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robrob
Member
Spoiler: I love this bike.
Full suspension electric mountain bike with Shimano E8000 motor and running gear, 27.5" wheels, Rockshox Pike fork and rear shock, 1x11 gearing, big 504 amp hour battery, Boost (wide hub) through axles, hydraulic disc brakes and dropper seatpost with internal routed cable for left thumb actuation. The bike is also compatible with 29 inch wheels.
I put a couple of hundred miles on a KTM electric mountain bike in Hungary in 2019 and really liked it. It was a $6000 bike but I didn't care--I wanted one for my own. When I got home to the USA I started searching and was disappointed to find KTM doesn't sell their electric bikes here so the search began. I ended up buying an Aventon Pace 500 street cruiser style electric bike and love it. I put 1000 miles on it in the first four months and I lost 25lbs due to the exercise and fresh air. I got so into shape I decided to get a non-electric road bike and ended up with a BikesDirect.com Motobecane Immortal Disc Pro SL carbon fiber gravel bike. It was an amazing value and I put 1000 miles on it in about four months too.
When it was time to replace my 1996 Cannondale Super V 900 full suspension mountain bike I went to BikesDirect.com first but I also reviewed all other popular electric mountain bikes. I believe in "buy once, cry once" so I wanted a premium bike with high level components and the Motobecane HAL (highly active link) eBoost Pro fit the bill perfectly. The price difference between the HAL eBoost Pro and other comparable bikes is pretty shocking. The competition started at around $5,500 and went up.
The HAL eBoost Pro Shimano E8000 motor and running gear are top rate along with the RockShox Pike front fork and RockShox Monarch rear shock. The frame is a high quality unit from Taiwan with a strong track record and reviews of the bike are very strong--it's a very capable mountain bike and at 48lbs it's as light as any other electric mountain bike.
Motobecane HAL eBoost Pro
The RockShox Pike front fork is adjustable for air pressure, rebound and low speed compression. The front fork and the rear wheel have 140mm (5.5") of travel. The rear RockShox shock is adjustable for air pressure and rebound. It also has a lockout lever when you'd prefer a hard tail.
I ordered the bike from BikesDirect.com on Wednesday and it was delivered six days later by FedEx. The bike arrived without a single scratch. I took my time assembling it in about two hours. Assembly requires installing the seatpost (seat already attached), front brake disc, front wheel, handlebar and pedals. The steering stem had one spacer above it so I removed the stem and placed the spacer below the stem to get the handle bar as high as possible. The bike looks like a freakin' sex machine.
Well Packed With No Damage
The bike didn't have a single scratch. Nice job BikesDirect.com.
Putting It Together
Don't remove the front disc caliper plastic spacer until after the caliper is installed loosely on the fork, the front brake disc has been installed and the wheel is ready to go on. With the wheel and brake disc installed and while applying the front brake, tighten the caliper bolts. This will center the caliper on the disc. I was really surprised by how light the big fat wheels and tires were. They will be even lighter when I pull the tubes and go tubeless.
Pivot The Motor
To install the seatpost you have to pivot the motor down to allow the seatpost dropper cable to slide past the motor. Remove the two small bolts holding the motor front skid plate. Loosen the two upper-forward motor bolts and remove the others. The motor bolts take a Torx T-30 security bit.
To get to the motor bolts you have to remove the 4 chainring bolts to access 2 of the motor bolts. The chainring bolts take a Torx T-25 security bit. You do not need to remove the crank to get to the motor bolts. The motor only needs to drop an inch or so to allow the cable to slide. Get the cable connected to the seatpost actuator then pull on the dropper cable where it exits the frame near the handlebar. Lower the seatpost into position as you pull the cable.
Spoke Tension Chart
I use the Park Tool TM-1 Spoke Tension Meter to check and adjust spoke tension. Since 25 (120kgf) is max I plan to set spokes to 23 (96kgf).
The WTB rims are "tubeless compatible" and need tubeless tape installed. To go tubeless I will remove the tubes, install tape on the rims, add tubeless Presta valves and add 4oz of Stan's No Tubes Sealant to each tire. I added an Elemnt Bolt bike computer with speed, cadence and heart rate sensors. Other than that the bike was just about perfect for my needs.
Shimano E8000 controller at right, Elemnt Bolt bike computer added at top. The Bolt monitors and records GPS track, speed, distance, pedaling cadence, heart rate and calories burned and uploads workouts to Strava.
Frame Made In Taiwan
The fork and rear shock have red o-rings to help you set sag and monitor stroke length and bottoming. Remove the cap at upper right to access the air valve to adjust air pressure. Low speed compression is adjusted using the knob at the top of the right (left in picture) fork tube. Rebound is adjusted using a knob at the bottom of the fork leg.
P.S. I have no affiliation with BikesDirect.com, I'm just a very happy customer.
Full suspension electric mountain bike with Shimano E8000 motor and running gear, 27.5" wheels, Rockshox Pike fork and rear shock, 1x11 gearing, big 504 amp hour battery, Boost (wide hub) through axles, hydraulic disc brakes and dropper seatpost with internal routed cable for left thumb actuation. The bike is also compatible with 29 inch wheels.
I put a couple of hundred miles on a KTM electric mountain bike in Hungary in 2019 and really liked it. It was a $6000 bike but I didn't care--I wanted one for my own. When I got home to the USA I started searching and was disappointed to find KTM doesn't sell their electric bikes here so the search began. I ended up buying an Aventon Pace 500 street cruiser style electric bike and love it. I put 1000 miles on it in the first four months and I lost 25lbs due to the exercise and fresh air. I got so into shape I decided to get a non-electric road bike and ended up with a BikesDirect.com Motobecane Immortal Disc Pro SL carbon fiber gravel bike. It was an amazing value and I put 1000 miles on it in about four months too.
When it was time to replace my 1996 Cannondale Super V 900 full suspension mountain bike I went to BikesDirect.com first but I also reviewed all other popular electric mountain bikes. I believe in "buy once, cry once" so I wanted a premium bike with high level components and the Motobecane HAL (highly active link) eBoost Pro fit the bill perfectly. The price difference between the HAL eBoost Pro and other comparable bikes is pretty shocking. The competition started at around $5,500 and went up.
The HAL eBoost Pro Shimano E8000 motor and running gear are top rate along with the RockShox Pike front fork and RockShox Monarch rear shock. The frame is a high quality unit from Taiwan with a strong track record and reviews of the bike are very strong--it's a very capable mountain bike and at 48lbs it's as light as any other electric mountain bike.
Motobecane HAL eBoost Pro
The RockShox Pike front fork is adjustable for air pressure, rebound and low speed compression. The front fork and the rear wheel have 140mm (5.5") of travel. The rear RockShox shock is adjustable for air pressure and rebound. It also has a lockout lever when you'd prefer a hard tail.
I ordered the bike from BikesDirect.com on Wednesday and it was delivered six days later by FedEx. The bike arrived without a single scratch. I took my time assembling it in about two hours. Assembly requires installing the seatpost (seat already attached), front brake disc, front wheel, handlebar and pedals. The steering stem had one spacer above it so I removed the stem and placed the spacer below the stem to get the handle bar as high as possible. The bike looks like a freakin' sex machine.
Well Packed With No Damage
The bike didn't have a single scratch. Nice job BikesDirect.com.
Putting It Together
Don't remove the front disc caliper plastic spacer until after the caliper is installed loosely on the fork, the front brake disc has been installed and the wheel is ready to go on. With the wheel and brake disc installed and while applying the front brake, tighten the caliper bolts. This will center the caliper on the disc. I was really surprised by how light the big fat wheels and tires were. They will be even lighter when I pull the tubes and go tubeless.
Pivot The Motor
To install the seatpost you have to pivot the motor down to allow the seatpost dropper cable to slide past the motor. Remove the two small bolts holding the motor front skid plate. Loosen the two upper-forward motor bolts and remove the others. The motor bolts take a Torx T-30 security bit.
To get to the motor bolts you have to remove the 4 chainring bolts to access 2 of the motor bolts. The chainring bolts take a Torx T-25 security bit. You do not need to remove the crank to get to the motor bolts. The motor only needs to drop an inch or so to allow the cable to slide. Get the cable connected to the seatpost actuator then pull on the dropper cable where it exits the frame near the handlebar. Lower the seatpost into position as you pull the cable.
Spoke Tension Chart
I use the Park Tool TM-1 Spoke Tension Meter to check and adjust spoke tension. Since 25 (120kgf) is max I plan to set spokes to 23 (96kgf).
The WTB rims are "tubeless compatible" and need tubeless tape installed. To go tubeless I will remove the tubes, install tape on the rims, add tubeless Presta valves and add 4oz of Stan's No Tubes Sealant to each tire. I added an Elemnt Bolt bike computer with speed, cadence and heart rate sensors. Other than that the bike was just about perfect for my needs.
Shimano E8000 controller at right, Elemnt Bolt bike computer added at top. The Bolt monitors and records GPS track, speed, distance, pedaling cadence, heart rate and calories burned and uploads workouts to Strava.
Frame Made In Taiwan
The fork and rear shock have red o-rings to help you set sag and monitor stroke length and bottoming. Remove the cap at upper right to access the air valve to adjust air pressure. Low speed compression is adjusted using the knob at the top of the right (left in picture) fork tube. Rebound is adjusted using a knob at the bottom of the fork leg.
P.S. I have no affiliation with BikesDirect.com, I'm just a very happy customer.
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The $2475 HALeBoost ELITE was a different frame. The 2020 version that was just raised from $2699 to $2899 has the same frame as the PRO.I just noticed that BD raised the price of the HAL eBoost Elite to $2,900 (was $2,475) while the HAL eBoost Pro remains at $3,500.
Both are still are a good deal, however, the Elite with Shimano E7000 may have been underpriced compared to the Pro with E8000.
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products...-hal-eboost-elite-electric-mountain-bikes.htm
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products...ebikes-hal-eboost-electric-mountain-bikes.htm
View attachment 48373View attachment 48374
My experience was similar to robro’s. However I ordered my bike in mid February for $2699 and it arrived Mar 24th (just as the advertised shipping date stated). Maybe that’s why the sticker on the frame said #001..
I left the spacer on the the steering tube and was able to pull the dropper post cable back through the frame without dropping the motor. The E7000 motor may allow this vs the E8000. Everything else went the same however I just checked each spoke by hand looking for obvious loose ones rather than re-torquing them.
Yesterday, I finished removing all the warning stickers and the dork disc. I also set the tires up tubeless. My rims just had the nylon liner, no tape. I used 1inch Gorilla tape, Joe’s sealer and new valve stems. This was my first time doing this and I just had a hand pump. Using the technique of setting the tire bead in the rim 1/2 way around on each side starting at the valve stem using a tire lever, both tires seated just fine. Hopefully these will hold up against the onslaught of goat head spurs come Fall.
My impression of the E7000 is still more power than I could ever use. I really think ECO is perfect, even a bit too much in HIGH. I was kinda wishing I could just cycle through just 3 levels of ECO instead of TRAIL and BOOST (I went back and set them both to LOW via the app). That was until my last ride trying to out-race a storm. TRAIL mode was crazy and possibly addictive. I’ll be setting up a counseling group for those of us who have difficulty getting that monkey off our backs. “Hi, my name is Jack and I’m a TRAIL-aholic”.
Also, I went riding with one of my sons. He was on the HAL eMTB and I rode my analog Giant bike. I had to keep asking if had it OFF and was kicking my butt climbing on a 48lb bike. I couldn’t hear the motor unless I was slightly behind and off to one side. The E7000 is very quiet, especially below a cadence of about 70.
Another sunny day in Northern CA today and I have stored electrons to burn..
I left the spacer on the the steering tube and was able to pull the dropper post cable back through the frame without dropping the motor. The E7000 motor may allow this vs the E8000. Everything else went the same however I just checked each spoke by hand looking for obvious loose ones rather than re-torquing them.
Yesterday, I finished removing all the warning stickers and the dork disc. I also set the tires up tubeless. My rims just had the nylon liner, no tape. I used 1inch Gorilla tape, Joe’s sealer and new valve stems. This was my first time doing this and I just had a hand pump. Using the technique of setting the tire bead in the rim 1/2 way around on each side starting at the valve stem using a tire lever, both tires seated just fine. Hopefully these will hold up against the onslaught of goat head spurs come Fall.
My impression of the E7000 is still more power than I could ever use. I really think ECO is perfect, even a bit too much in HIGH. I was kinda wishing I could just cycle through just 3 levels of ECO instead of TRAIL and BOOST (I went back and set them both to LOW via the app). That was until my last ride trying to out-race a storm. TRAIL mode was crazy and possibly addictive. I’ll be setting up a counseling group for those of us who have difficulty getting that monkey off our backs. “Hi, my name is Jack and I’m a TRAIL-aholic”.
Also, I went riding with one of my sons. He was on the HAL eMTB and I rode my analog Giant bike. I had to keep asking if had it OFF and was kicking my butt climbing on a 48lb bike. I couldn’t hear the motor unless I was slightly behind and off to one side. The E7000 is very quiet, especially below a cadence of about 70.
Another sunny day in Northern CA today and I have stored electrons to burn..
robrob
Member
I pulled pretty hard on the cable before dropping the motor so maybe it is the size of the E8000 motor. If I drop the motor again I'm going to spray all the cables above the motor with silicone to help with cable slide.
I had to push the cable where it entered the tube at the base of the rear shock at the same time pulling on it as it came out of the top. Robrob, I see from your pic you are an Air Force flier. I did the same for nearly 15 years and have been with SWA for nearly 20. Discovered mountain biking here in Northern CA before separating way back when. Hope all is well with you during these trying times.
FlatSix911
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Thanks for the correction on the 2019 E29 frame in red... in addition, no seat dropper post was included.
The 2020 Elite (black) and 2020 Pro (black/blue) frames appear to have a different design with the rear shock and pivot as shown in the photos below.
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robrob
Member
The Shimano E8000 manual mentions a main battery powered light which can be turned on and off in the computer menu. It even warns the light is required by law in Germany but is not installed. Has anyone installed a light on their HAL eBoost? Did you route the wire through the frame? If so, how did you get the wire through?
Googling I found this super nice $295 700 lumen bike made specifically for E8000 bikes: https://www.lupinenorthamerica.com/Lupine_SL_S_Headlight_for_Shimano_E_Bike.asp
Very powerful $80 1000 lumen by Lezyne: https://www.amazon.com/Lezyne-Bike-Macro-Drive-Front/dp/B07CZ39Q6R
$65 Nip front and rear eBike light: https://www.amazon.com/Light-Motion-Nip-n-Tuck-eBike-Headlight/dp/B01FPVJSSS
This is a very nice 37 Euro option for you Europeans: https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/shimano-steps-light-adapter-modul-sm-due01-531450
Googling I found this super nice $295 700 lumen bike made specifically for E8000 bikes: https://www.lupinenorthamerica.com/Lupine_SL_S_Headlight_for_Shimano_E_Bike.asp
Very powerful $80 1000 lumen by Lezyne: https://www.amazon.com/Lezyne-Bike-Macro-Drive-Front/dp/B07CZ39Q6R
$65 Nip front and rear eBike light: https://www.amazon.com/Light-Motion-Nip-n-Tuck-eBike-Headlight/dp/B01FPVJSSS
This is a very nice 37 Euro option for you Europeans: https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/shimano-steps-light-adapter-modul-sm-due01-531450
Closing in on my first 100 miles on the bike. I still can’t believe what a steal the ELITE version is. The only adjustments I've made were lowering all the assist modes to their minium settings via the etube app, a bit of derailleur cable adjustment, cleaning the seat post and attachment points to eliminate an annoying creak and I have an appointment at an authorized Shimano Steps dealer to change the tire circumference. My speed and mileage are off due to the circumference being set too large. 2293mm vs the actual 2100mm I measured. I only care about the difference because the total mileage is tracked on the odometer and it would be off by nearly 10% if it ever came time to sell it. $30 at the LBS seems OK to me. I looked at the STUnlocker app, but will wait until the warranty is done before going that route.
Due to social distancing, I've been mostly riding solo and have found many new local trails. Lots of twisty banked turns and jumps to suit a variety of skill levels. My skill level is at the lower end when it comes to getting airborne (my shins are a mess due to coming off my pedals) due to my age and having an actual fear of death. BUT, yesterday I did the same 1/4 mile section 10 times because at the bottom, I could just turn around ride right back up and do it again.. It was awesome. Cheating? I was out of breath at the top but not gasping for air and needing to recover. Want to get better faster? Get faster at getting better on an emtb. Should've bought one sooner.
Only one incident of emtb hate/envy as my son and I passed a group of 8 young teens (what COVID-19?) on mountain bikes (of varying quality) about to enter a local trail about 1/2 a mile from our house. I was on my old analog Giant and my son (a beginner MTB rider) was on the Motobecane. One of the teens yelled "cheater" as they passed. I think it was more of group false bravo trying to be funny than anything else. I brought to mind 2 youtube videos of Danny Mcaskill on his Santa Cruz Heckler emtb. The first is one of his awesome mind-blowing bike skills videos and the other was him just out riding some downhill with a buddy saying how much he loves his emtb. Easily one of the most convincingly honest promotions of the value emtb's bring to the sport.
I did one ride with a friend nearly 20 years younger than myself who rides and competes on a local MTB club team. I've ridden with him before on my 2001 Giant AC-Air Lite. It's always been pure charity on his part riding with me, but with the Motobecane "equalizer", we had a much better time together. He, of course, beat me to the bottom by a good margin, (although I'm much faster than before) and I would ride with him on the climbs ready for more. Passed 2 of his riding teammates who had nothing but positive things to say about the new emtb trend. They were saying how there are emtb divisions at many of their races now.
If you're reading this forum and on the fence about buying an emtb.. Just do it..
Due to social distancing, I've been mostly riding solo and have found many new local trails. Lots of twisty banked turns and jumps to suit a variety of skill levels. My skill level is at the lower end when it comes to getting airborne (my shins are a mess due to coming off my pedals) due to my age and having an actual fear of death. BUT, yesterday I did the same 1/4 mile section 10 times because at the bottom, I could just turn around ride right back up and do it again.. It was awesome. Cheating? I was out of breath at the top but not gasping for air and needing to recover. Want to get better faster? Get faster at getting better on an emtb. Should've bought one sooner.
Only one incident of emtb hate/envy as my son and I passed a group of 8 young teens (what COVID-19?) on mountain bikes (of varying quality) about to enter a local trail about 1/2 a mile from our house. I was on my old analog Giant and my son (a beginner MTB rider) was on the Motobecane. One of the teens yelled "cheater" as they passed. I think it was more of group false bravo trying to be funny than anything else. I brought to mind 2 youtube videos of Danny Mcaskill on his Santa Cruz Heckler emtb. The first is one of his awesome mind-blowing bike skills videos and the other was him just out riding some downhill with a buddy saying how much he loves his emtb. Easily one of the most convincingly honest promotions of the value emtb's bring to the sport.
I did one ride with a friend nearly 20 years younger than myself who rides and competes on a local MTB club team. I've ridden with him before on my 2001 Giant AC-Air Lite. It's always been pure charity on his part riding with me, but with the Motobecane "equalizer", we had a much better time together. He, of course, beat me to the bottom by a good margin, (although I'm much faster than before) and I would ride with him on the climbs ready for more. Passed 2 of his riding teammates who had nothing but positive things to say about the new emtb trend. They were saying how there are emtb divisions at many of their races now.
If you're reading this forum and on the fence about buying an emtb.. Just do it..
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