The infamous Motobecane HAL E-MTB. I bought one…

[gehu]

Hmm -- I emailed BD and they got back pretty quickly that the e27PLUS is the "better" bike, but I guess that depends on what specifically they're looking at? The "MSRP" is slightly higher on the e27PLUS. I was leaning towards the Elite being better because of the e27PLUS similarities (specifically the frame design) to the cheaper e29, but I really don't know.

Still getting caught up on these threads lol. Quickly thrown together here. Wonder who at BD said that and did not mention the frame diff between the 2 bikes. (E27Plus is a better bike because of the Revelation fork maybe in the build but not to me.), Elite and Pro is the newer frame I think where they dialed in the geometry a bit better. (someone correct me if I am wrong which i am allot.) They tightened it up vs e27Plus. Elite and Pro shorter wheelbase, climbs better with the tighter angles (see below); yet has the same travel at 140mm & more efficient via better shock placement and redesigned rear triangle to more modern geometry. Confusing because not clearly stated that the elite/pro are different frames and modernized geometry verses the E27Plus which again, appears to be the older model frame. (I am not saying they are brand new lol, I think maybe new design came in around 2018 but...better climbing and responsiveness; with just as good descending....potentially. ) Don't know why they would not put the Revelation on the Elite and Pro except that they can sweeten the deal and push the sale of the older frame that they must still have allot of in inventory or they would not be doing that and telling customers that. I have many bikes and have one with a 140mm Revelation as well as another with a 140mm Recon and the Recon really isn't that much of a worser fork imho.
Oh yea, and motobecane said on the new design also "As well as dropping almost 1/2 pound for the frame. "(it was somewhere around ~.46 of a pound.) Again just my analysis of the geo and what Moto actually said. So again, looking at the shock placement and more upright seat angle as they help shorten the rear triangle and add to overall handling improvements for a big ole heavy machine ebike is really important to me.
Here is a quick geo, etc look (nothing else to do long time before my frame gets here months from now lol.): Check this stuff, I make many mistakes....
So again #3 or so, looking at the wheelbase (slightly shorter 1cm with chain stay of only 17.3 444mm on fs bike with 140mm of travel! verses 17.7 on the plus and 17.9 on Specialized Turbo Levo,17.36 on Pivot Shuttle with 140mm travel [my E8000 e-mtb hardtail boost is at 17.12 435mm only 1cm shorter), seat angle higher(shorter than plus), head angle (shorter than plus), shock placement more efficient. So, same travel but will climb better and should still descend just fine I would think.... They basically kept the bike in competition for the class leading geo designs, at least on paper. Oh yea, and a couple of grand cheaper than Alum Levo and ridiculously cheaper than 11,000 dollar Shuttle lol (only comes in the carbon frame. (wonder what the margin is on that one.*)
Of course the motor is not in the same class as the Powerfly, the Levo or the Ep8 on the Shuttle but for 2k less and a motor I will be fine on. (The motor encasing on older shimano's not exclusively but around the ep8 are backwardly upgradable such as the EHals Shims.) I have a 50nm Bosch gravel bike that I do the narly stuff sometimes and I can clear most heights here in Colorado. Also have an 70nm E8000 that is more than enough to clear anything. The steps 7000 60nm from my research, will work great.
I mean just my opinion (not worth much ) but seems like whomever manages tech R&D developments at Motobecane sure knows what they are doing and they have really changed over the last decade.
Prejudice against Bikes Direct....
I certainly understand my friends that get a lot of joy out of riding the latest and greatest, & buying and selling nearly every year. What ever makes you happy !!! I have a couple of homes in diff states and need to get the same functionality at the best price so I don't have to schlep bikes around.
e27PLUS frame on top Elite and Pro frame on the bottom

From Shimano's home pages on Steps the frame they used to demo their engines. Notice shock lower bolt placement.

The Pro and Elite Moto frame

 

[JRA]

The n600 is the one I’m waiting for

 

[pvk750]

I currently have a Luna X-1 Enduro that I thoroughly enjoy. Would also like to get a

Save Up to 60% Off eBikes LTD QTYS of these eBoost Mountain bikes 2023 Motobecane HAL eBoost M600 with SRAM / E8000 Electric MidDrive 27.5PLUS Full Suspension Mountain eBikes SRAM Hydraulic Disc Brakes Rockshox LockOut 140mm Forks | Save up to 60% o

Does anyone have one and can you provide feedback on the ride, range and durability? Also any idea when bikes direct will have these back in stock?

 

[JRA]

They haven't made any yet, it's a 2021 model, and probably none available until summer is the word I got.

 

[pvk750]

Thanks for the insight. For some reason I thought they were taking orders on this bike a few months ago.

 

[Catalyzt]

Jumping in here, just got the Motobecane Ultra e-Adventure (not the hard tail, which has a similar name) with the E5000 back from the LBS, where it was being assembled. Thought you might be interested in my very preliminary reactions, but I also am searching for ANY advice on the BEST way to update the E5000 firmware.

It is a very different beast from the bikes you are describing, still very interested in your thoughts. I noticed that the Ultra e-Adventure does seem to be a slightly different frame from the other HAL series bikes, just based on the pictures-- the metal mount where the rear shock connects to the frame is different, as well as the angle of the shock for one thing-- but it is branded as a HAL, and I wonder if it's an earlier version of the frame or something.

It is hard to trust my first impressions, because I'm now running a 100.3 degree fever-- almost certain it's my autoimmune condition, (though I suppose it could be COVID even though I'm super careful, trying to decide whether to isolate and sleep in the office)! Fever was only 99 when I went to the LBS, which is not unusual for me, and of course I was double-masked. So my energy level is very low, and my reactions are not to be trusted. My 40-pound Trek 930/e-Bike conversion might feel heavy today, too!

Anyway, my first impressions are very mixed. I got the 48 cm frame, which seemed like the right thing to do-- I am 6'1" and 150 pounds, 63 years old and pretty fit, the reach seems just right. But the bike is at the upper range of the weight I expected, seems to be 49 pounds on the bathroom scale, maybe 48.5, I was hoping it would be a pound and a half or two lighter. The bike does feel very comfortable, and the suspension is going to be fine for my purposes, I'm not going to do any rock gardens or drops or jumps, I just don't want to worry about dumping the bike if I hit a pothole or terrible pavement at 30 MPH in the dark, and it does seem stable. Was fine at least just on the way home managing potholes and cracked pavement. Much less skittish than my Trek 930 conversion for sure, but...

My concern is power-to-weight ratio with the E5000. In eco, basically, the bike felt like it had no assist at all except once I'd been pedaling a bit, hard to imagine what I will even use it for! The middle setting is fine for the flats, though noticeably slower than my 250W hub drive throttle on the Trek, and the high-assist setting seems to be mandatory for any incline whatsoever. I do notice the thing that they say about mid-drives-- e.g., it could probably go up 15% grades, but it's much slower on the hills than my other bike, feels like a bit of a tank after the Trek.

This doesn't quite make sense; I know the E5000 is used on bikes that weight 55 pounds by riders who weigh 180, and they've said the 40 Nm of torque only feels weak on the steepest worst hills.

There are a few things I have to do to really evaluate this bike properly:

Soon...

* Ride it when I don't have a fever!
* Raise the seat-post a half inch or so. Due to the geometry of my body, I've always liked having very high seats, so high I can't quite put both feet on the ground.
* Update the firmware-- and man, I could use some advice about that! The reviews on the E-Tube app are forbidding, seems like it can brick your bike! What would you guys recommend-- iOS, Android, OSX or Windows 10, I have them all, would love to do it on my M1 Macbook Air. I think this would address a lot of the issue that I have, which is getting to 30 Nm or so of assist-- I'm aware that for the E5000, even after tweaking with E-tube, you're basically stuck with max 40 Nm.

Maybe later...

* I'm thinking of unlocking the motor with some non-Shimano apps to try to increase the max torque, though I might wait until the warranty expires if I keep the bike-- and I REALLY want to make this bike work for me if I can. The outlaw apps have much better reviews than E-tube does, even just for connecting!
* I can probably drop a pound or two by swapping out the seat, sawing off the seat post, going with CF handlebars-- I'm not sure I need them to be quite that wide-- and maybe a CF stem. I can also decrease my own weight by going to dedicated riding armor, which only weighs 2.5 pounds, as opposed to my 5-pound armored motorcycle jacket. (I'm on blood thinners, so I want as much protection from internal bleeding as possible if I crash, though I never do.)
* Also wondering about WTB Riddlers, they may be overkill for the off road riding I'm doing. Something a bit lighter and with less rolling resistance might make a difference.

I just don't understand why 40 Nm doesn't seem like enough right now. My 250 Watt conversion e-bike can't have more than 28-30 Nm of torque, so I figured 40 Nm would be sufficient for a lightweight guy like me, even on a bike that's 8 or 9 pounds heavier.

Thanks!

 

[JackNCA]

Small Rant. I ordered my 2nd Motobecane HAL EMTB Elite on Feb 4th. The site clearly stated "SHIPS DURING APRIL". When I got the email receipt it showed a shipment range from 20 Apr to 20 May. Well I waited until Mid April to reach out to them asking if they had any more current shipping information. The best they could say is that it shows on track to ship by 20 May. I can only imagine that once it's in the container on a ship from the East, they have no updates. That and the completely unpredictable delays off loading at whatever port they enter. I get it, but just don't put the big "SHIPS DURING APRIL" banner right above the part where I fork over thousands of hard earned dollars.

 

[Browneye]

You takes your chances or you buy from your dealer. We derove 200 miles to get the last bike of its kind in the state. $4550 plus tax, no discounts! LOL

 

[JackNCA]

True.. It’s only a small rant since I’m riding the Motobecane HAL EMTB Elite I bought last Spring. This 2nd one is for family and friends to use. Still wish they had a better tracking/update system. I blame COVID. I always blame COVID. I hit 5 red lights in a row and blamed COVID.

 

[Catalyzt]

Yeah, in hindsight, I'm feeling very lucky I got my bike when I did, which I guess was about five weeks ago. Shipping took about 10-12 days, then another week for assembly (which I'm glad I did, I know nothing about hydraulic brakes.) I DEFINITELY have nothing to complain about!

I have totally bonded with the ULTRA eAdventure, I have so much more range than I did with the kit bike, it's so much faster and more stable going downhill at speed-- on asphalt anyway, I'm really just learning singletrack, dirt, gravel, etc. Riding more trails now, it's very stable even on the sandy, slippery stuff, I love being able to downshift and ride at super-slow speed without dumping it or having to get off and walk.

My shifting technique has improved, I've gotten stronger, and I actually think the motor has broken in-- it only feels underpowered in certain very specific situations, mainly variable upgrade from, say, 8% to 12%, a little hard to find the most efficient cadence. Going from 5% to 15%, however, is no problem. The first few days I had it, I considered returning it; now I'm like, "What was I thinking?! This is the perfect bike for me right now."

I blame everything on COVID as well. I've had pseudo-COVID at least four times-- mild fever, aches and pains, once even a weird sense of smell, though it was a change in smell that I'd had before-- always turned out to be some other health condition. Then one of my buddies gets two out of those three symptoms, or some other symptoms that seem like nothing, and it turns out that that was Covid. (Fortunately, no death or long term disability among my friends, though one heart attack and one stroke that likely were related. Both made full recoveries.)

Hate Covid. So yeah, go ahead and blame COVID for the red lights, you'll get no argument from me!

 

[john peck]

Looks great. Just need some better pedals.

Spokes look a mite spindly for a mtn. bike.

 

[sendler2112]

I ordered a Motobecane HAL eBoost Pro from Bikesdirect on February 18 and received it on May 11. It is now the fastest bike I own. Uphill and down.
.

Motobecane HAL eBoost Pro

. . New bike flies. This is now the fastest bike I own, up hill and down. Despite the extra weight. And by far the most comfortable and plush. Motobecane HAL eBoost PRO 2021. Shimano E8000 mid-drive motor. 500 Wh external battery. E7000 compact display, Solid pedaling and plush HAL four bar...

electricbikereview.com

.

 

[Catalyzt]

I ordered a Motobecane HAL eBoost Pro from Bikesdirect on February 18 and received it on May 11. It is now the fastest bike I own. Uphill and down.
.

Motobecane HAL eBoost Pro

. . New bike flies. This is now the fastest bike I own, up hill and down. Despite the extra weight. And by far the most comfortable and plush. Motobecane HAL eBoost PRO 2021. Shimano E8000 mid-drive motor. 500 Wh external battery. E7000 compact display, Solid pedaling and plush HAL four bar...

electricbikereview.com

.

Uphill, of course, is very different for me with the E5000.

While I know I have little basis for comparison, and my frame is a bit different-- it has what I call the "steampunk" bracket for the rear suspension-- but I am shocked by how fast the ULTRA eAdventure is going downhill, particularly since I swapped out the WTB Riddlers for Maxxis Ikons.

I ride a lot on fairly steep canyon roads with sharp hairpin curves in the Hollywood Hills, and when I come over the crest of a hill? Holy mother of God, it accelerates quickly with no motor involved at all.

If I forgot to open the lockout, switch on the headlight, or even look at my watch? Forget about it, I'm out of luck, it has to wait for the next stop sign or hill, I wouldn't take my hands off the brakes for a second.

 

[JackNCA]

I ordered a Motobecane HAL eBoost Pro from Bikesdirect on February 18 and received it on May 11. It is now the fastest bike I own. Uphill and down.
.

Motobecane HAL eBoost Pro

. . New bike flies. This is now the fastest bike I own, up hill and down. Despite the extra weight. And by far the most comfortable and plush. Motobecane HAL eBoost PRO 2021. Shimano E8000 mid-drive motor. 500 Wh external battery. E7000 compact display, Solid pedaling and plush HAL four bar...

electricbikereview.com

.

No Fair!! I ordered my Motobecane HAL eBoost Elite on February 5th and just got an email saying the container just cleared customs and they may get the bike next week. The shipping range was 20 Apr to 20 May. Huge backlog of container ships for Los Angeles port.

 

[JackNCA]

Finally arrived on July 15th. Quite a few upgrades. Bigger gearing, redesigned XT Deore brake levers, MAXXIS tires and DT Swiss rims and hubs. The rims were already taped which made tubeless setup a snap. They even included a set of tubeless stems. Well packed with only one spoke slightly bent as far as I can tell. One 7 mile ride so far. A longer test ride planned today.

 

[JackNCA]

New HAL eBoost Elite.. My other is a 42cm with 1500 miles on it since April 2020. This is a 46cm.

 

[LimboJim]

New HAL eBoost Elite.. My other is a 42cm with 1500 miles on it since April 2020. This is a 46cm.

Big improvement on the wheel spec! What's the inner rim width?

My 2017 HAL eBoost Pro, which I sold in 2019 when I got my Commencal MetaPower with the same e8000 setup, came with WTB i29 (pics below).

IMO the 29mm-wide wheels were a bit too narrow for the 2.8" Rekons it came with, so I put 2.6" Michelin eWilds on it...
Handled MUCH better on hairpin turns thereafter!

 

[Browneye]

Nice countryside...where is that?

 

[gehu]

Finally arrived on July 15th. Quite a few upgrades. Bigger gearing, redesigned XT Deore brake levers, MAXXIS tires and DT Swiss rims and hubs. The rims were already taped which made tubeless setup a snap. They even included a set of tubeless stems. Well packed with only one spoke slightly bent as far as I can tell. One 7 mile ride so far. A longer test ride planned today.

That is awesome. I waited for a month and 1/2 past the april 20- may 20 (should only be off by a few days time slot.) Was told they cleared customs. A month later still crickets....finally bailed and found a Giant Stance 70nm motor with s*it parts and a grand more than the Hal E Elite. But; the motor spec is so much better and whisper quiet compared to Shim Steps motors. As well as 5 levels of assist with easy L/M/H in each so I don't have to use Steps Unlocker to get a proper level. (I have another Shim Steps E8000 noisy and 3 assist levels that are not nearly as easy to adjust on the fly as the Giant Syncdrive.) Plus did not immediately have to go and buy 29er wheels (I would have with the Hal Elite.)
Integrated 500watt battery also. Only 120mm of travel in the back but massive clearance. Got a 3.00 29er back there with room to spare so suspension feels like 140mm. Then immediately bought a Rockshox Recon 140mm and a Monarch RL for it. Lol; I know.
Except for the money I am really happy I went with this bike instead. But, would have been quite happy w/ Elite if supplier could have got their stuff together (complete bike market meltdown across the industry still.) Bikes Direct Customer service was still quite awesome and got my money back to me the same day I ask. Then Karla was so nice to remember me a couple of weeks later when they actually showed up and let me know there were a couple in the 2 sizes that I had was going to buy left over if I still wanted them. I would certainly buy another bike from Bike Direct in the future. Not really their fault and again their customer service was awesome to interact with.

 

[gehu]

You takes your chances or you buy from your dealer. We derove 200 miles to get the last bike of its kind in the state. $4550 plus tax, no discounts! LOL

For sure. I drove from here (Denver) to Salt Lake and back 1000 miles to get my wife's https://www.liv-cycling.com/us/embolden-eplus-2-2021 (right before it went up another 200 dollars). Great shop in Kaysville Utah there called Biker's Edge. All of the good giant ebikes are like all the others on the market now; back ordered for months. We feel lucky we found it.
I hope anyone that wants an Ebike gets it now. The prices just keep getting higher and higher.