Which Allant+ Model?

[RDSChicago]

Hi,

I'm a reasonably fit 60-year old moving to the foothills outside of Denver from the flat Midwest. With the hills I'll be facing, I figured I'd need some assistance. I'm a casual rider who will be riding mostly for recreation and health. I've focused on the Allant+. The question is which model I need, assuming I can afford the 7s, 8s and 9.9s? I understand the 7s has a front suspension, whereas the 8s and 9s do not? What are the advantages of the more expensive models? If I bought the more expensive 8s or 9s, would I be missing the front suspension? Are all of these models sufficiently powerful enough to deal with significant hills?

Finally, is there any reason to choose a Specialized, like a Turbo Vado, over the Allant+? I haven't yet looked at the Specialize brand.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[fooferdoggie]

I don't think they make the 9,9 now and I could not see it worth the extra over the 8 with the 2.5" tires I have not needed front suspension. my bulls bike with 1.5" tires I needed good front suspension and even then it was harsher then the 8. those bigger tires do slow the bike down some though. I owuld plan on buying a nyon though right away.

 

[RDSChicago]

I don't think they make the 9,9 now and I could not see it worth the extra over the 8 with the 2.5" tires I have not needed front suspension. my bulls bike with 1.5" tires I needed good front suspension and even then it was harsher then the 8. those bigger tires do slow the bike down some though. I owuld plan on buying a nyon though right away.

Thanks. What did you mean when you suggested buying a "nyon" right away?

 

[rayray]

I have an Allant+ 9.9S Stagger (Though its been ridden only by friends since I bought a Specialized Turbo Creo). It’s a pretty stiff bike, and in its stock form takes bumps (such as root heaves) rather harshly. I added a Redshift Shockstop seatpost, along with a Brooks saddle, and was satisfied with the result.

Also, note that the 9.9s has a proprietary stem, so any fit issues may be difficult to overcome.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Thanks. What did you mean when you suggested buying a "nyon" right away?

they come with the smartphone hub and it sucks. ya I can see offroad it could be an issue these are not really offroad bikes as such. maybe trail bikes at most.

 

[RDSChicago]

Is the 250 watt motor sufficient to get up fairly steep and long hills? I weight 175 pounds.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Is the 250 watt motor sufficient to get up fairly steep and long hills? I weight 175 pounds.

How is this? 18% grades take some work but I can do it in eco this is 22% and I can just get up it.

 

[TrevorB]

Trek alliants geometry is setup for more commuting than touring, placing lot more weight on flat wide handlebars. For leisure riding look for trekking/touring bike with more upright seating position and ideally curved handlebars. Good front fork, rack, mudguards, lights and kick stand are also good idea.
Some examples, Specialized Tero or Vado, with Vado offering more relaxed riding position. Cube Tourer or Katmandu, Gazelle range, Moustache Xroad.

The usual advice applies. Do lots of test rides and long one on bike you want to buy. The higher spec bikes have better shifting gears and greater range, better fork which makes difference especially for exploring rough fire roads, better brakes.

 

[Alaskan]

I have had an Allant 9.9S (the S is for speed, with 28mph cap on assist) for a little over 2 years with 3,400 miles on it (not my only ebike). There are plenty of Allant 9.9s bikes available in several Trek shops, as well as a few lightly used ones to be had from time to time at the pros closet. If there is not one available at your nearest Trek shop, ou could buy it anywhere, have it shipped and they could service it for you, if you are not a guy who works on his own bikes.

The 9.9 is significantly lighter with its carbon fiber frame, which also absorbs vibrations from road imperfections quite nicely. I did add a Kinekt suspension seatpost to give it more comfort under the tush and a Baramind City handlebar which gives much more comfort for the hands and forearms. It also has the greater gear range of the Shimano 12x1 drive train. I am 71, 6' tall ,185 lbs. and did a 48 mile ride on the Allant, with a 5,000 foot climb, up to Artist Point near Mount Baker in Washington. Piece of cake and great fun. I used the two batteries and had 48% of the battery power remaining at the end of the ride.

Kinekt Active Suspension Seatpost

Kinekt suspension seatposts smooth out the ride, no matter what type of bike you choose, or what type of terrain you are on, increasing in-the-saddle comfort and reducing back, leg, and hip fatigue, ensuring that you get the most enjoyment out of every pedal stroke, on every ride. All Kinekt...

cirruscycles.com

Ride

Riding Baramind with a lot of good vibes!

www.baramind-bike.com

It is a very refined and able ebike with a good range that can be extended with the Trek second battery option. With the 2.4 inch tires, the Kinekt seatpost and Baramind handlebars it is a very comfortable bike on longer rides As @fooferdoggie mentioned the smart phone hub really sucks (too many connection glitches and phone getting thrown out of the mount by bad roads or trails. It should be replace with a dedicated Bosch Nyon display/computer, an added cost but well worth it.

I upgraded the cassette on mine to a 10-51 tooth, replacing the 10-45 tooth that came stock. That gave me a lower ration bottom gear for serious climbing, which, in Colorado, would be a good modification. I also put a Sram AXS wireless derailleur on mine, an expensive upgrade but worth it to me.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

The only issue with Allant+ e-bikes is all of them are based on the older Bosch system (not the latest Smart System) while all new Specialized e-bikes are equipped with the latest Mastermind system. Also, the Bosch displays are rather a confusing thing. Specialized comes with a single unified Mastermind TCD display that offers full connectivity to external devices such as smartphones or bike GPS computers.

If you prefer choosing a Trek Allant+ @RDSChicago be aware that an e-bike such as Allant+ 8S (equipped with pretty wide tyres) is superior to one equipped with a cheap suspension fork (Allant+ 7s).

 

[RDSChicago]

Thanks for the replies. I rationalized my way up the chain and purchased a Specialized CREO SL EXPERT CARBON EVO. I chose a 2021 model and saved 25%. Picking it up in a few weeks when I arrive at my new home in the hills. Thanks for the input!

 

[rayray]

Thanks for the replies. I rationalized my way up the chain and purchased a Specialized CREO SL EXPERT CARBON EVO. I chose a 2021 model and saved 25%. Picking it up in a few weeks when I arrive at my new home in the hills. Thanks for the input!

Essentially the same progression I made (2021 S-Works Creo at 25% off), except I first actually bought the Allant+.

I like your approach much better!

 

[Sparky731]

I have an Allant 7s — chose this over the 8 and 9 for the front suspension and a more utilitarian rear rack. I have upgraded all of the drive train components. And, upgraded the battery to the 625w and added a Range Boost 500w. 4,300+ miles and find joy every time I ride. My only “wish” is for a drive belt vs., a chain.

 

[RDSChicago]

Went for the Allant+ 9.9s as the LBS was having a killer sale and I couldn't pass it up. So far really enjoying it. The carbon frame definitely makes for smoother riding when the road gets a bit bumpy.