Why pay the extra for R&M?

I

IanE

New Member
Hi - I’m thinking about buying a Nevo 3. My problem is that I’ve been riding my wife’s Cube Touring Hybrid Exec 2020 step through for a few months and I find it hard to fault. It retails at £2,500. The components seem to be at least as good as the Nevo and it’s a comfortable ride with a very good range of gears, excellent brakes etc etc.

However - I love the look of the Nevo and I am prepared to pay for quality (the only criticism of the Cube I have is that the paintwork chips easily).

Without wishing to offend anyone, I’m genuinely interested to know why it’s worth paying quite a lot more for the Nevo - with a luggage rack limit of 20kg as opposed to 25kg regarding, at least from my research, the more normal 25kg? (See my other post)

I live in Cumbria and it’s hard to get a test ride (two local bike shops have just become stockists but they don’t have Nevo in stock)

Thanks in anticipation

Ian
 
IanE said:
Hi - I’m thinking about buying a Nevo 3. My problem is that I’ve been riding my wife’s Cube Touring Hybrid Exec 2020 step through for a few months and I find it hard to fault. It retails at £2,500. The components seem to be at least as good as the Nevo and it’s a comfortable ride with a very good range of gears, excellent brakes etc etc.

However - I love the look of the Nevo and I am prepared to pay for quality (the only criticism of the Cube I have is that the paintwork chips easily).

Without wishing to offend anyone, I’m genuinely interested to know why it’s worth paying quite a lot more for the Nevo - with a luggage rack limit of 20kg as opposed to 25kg regarding, at least from my research, the more normal 25kg? (See my other post)

I live in Cumbria and it’s hard to get a test ride (two local bike shops have just become stockists but they don’t have Nevo in stock)

Thanks in anticipation

Ian
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You are not describing which model you are considering, so I’ll just make general comments.

i own a Nevo Rohloff and a Tern Vektron. The former cost considerably more than the latter. If satisfaction, and riding pleasure scaled with price, I would never use the Vektron. Yet, I find myself at times weary of the heavy, stocky Nevo. Or perhaps I select the Tern because it’s easier to secure outdoors. OTOH, if I’m really not in the mood for 20” wheels, off I go on the R&M.

As of today, the unique R&M “it” factor is the combination of belt/IGH (Rohloff or Envolio)/full suspension/dual battery, which you won’t get with the Nevo3. I have a belt on my Nevo, which I love, but I don’t mind the derailleur on my Tern, which I actually shift faster with.

i would say the price you pay for the Nevo3 will be “worth it” only in an absolute sense — bc you love your Nevo3 so much. Relative to a bike you’re already happy with? Probably not!
 
Hi Ian. Small world. I’m local to you in South Lakeland.

Love my 2020 R&M Delite.

Regarding the rack: you could add the front rack option to give a bit more capacity. Got one on mine - really useful.

Regarding is R&M worth the extra cash: That’s tricky. I guess you pay for what you value the most.

Most bike brands at this price level are good quality especially with a Bosch drive set up. R&M bikes come with good components. The Nevo3 has the latest Gen4 85Nm Performance CX motor, probably a significant step up from the Cube Gen3 65Nm you’ve been riding. But you can get that new motor on a £2700 Decathlon MTB with reasonable full suspension and folk are raving about that new bike.

You obviously value the step through. And the Nevo3 has to be one of the best looking designs in that format.

I did test the previous Nevo at Cycle Heaven York. It felt super comfortable and solid as a rock. All R&Ms seem hefty. But in motion that heft seems to translate into a secure feel. When I lug the Delite around the garden/garage it’s a handful... but on the go it all combines to make a great ride.

Also another appeal to R&M is drivetrain choice. The best there is. No other brand (in the UK) offers so many products based around the Gates belt. Again what do you value the most? If you’re a tinkerer then a chain is probably appealing. If like me you prefer just to ride rather than maintain then the belt is most valued.

R&M go big on Dual Battery choice. The Nevo3 now has amazing battery choice. If it were me, with my less than Froomelike power and a hefty bike draining the juice and all those wonderful Lakeland hills crying out to be conquered... I would definately go 1125Wh. The rack mount battery is a great design solution by R&M this year. But again what do you value most. Dual battery has a price attached!

I’ve now bought 2 R&Ms and what I’ve learnt is get the drivetrain and the battery choice right for your needs. Look at it the opposite way... what’s your ultimate spec and how much over budget are you each year of ownership... is it worth the extra? Don’t be tight, it’s a big purchase that can’t really be changed after the event.


Good to see from you that Wheelbase is now a dealer. I got mine from York. I know Cycle Heaven are keen on the Nevo along with the Charger and Tinker. They may have your size to try. Testing is essential and like you say so few shop models are around especially with the just released Nevo3, but I expect the previous Nevo will be very similar sizing. Have a word with Piers Maffett he’s the co-owner and a really nice chap.

Have fun mate. Perhaps cross paths in The Lyth valley some time 😉. Hope it’s a shiny white N3.

PS. Take it from me a Vario won’t get you up Wrynose. Such a shame... it’s by far the best shift format.
 
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@IanE, your post reminds me of advice I got from a audio system salesman many years ago, and maybe this will help you. (I would say decades ago, but that makes me sound too old.) I was trying to decide how much to spend for an audio system. The guy advised me to start by listening to the most expensive audio system I could afford, and then keep trying less expensive systems until I can hear a difference. He said to buy the least expensive system I can find that still sounds as good to me as the best system. I think the same approach could apply to bikes. I got an R&M Superdelite because I wasn’t happy with anything less. In short, the choice is all subjective.
 
is like to write in a lamborghini related forum: why have I to pay so much for a Lamborghini when i can go to work with a fiat?

PS anyway don't cross-post please ;)
 
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I try to find value in german brands when it comes to cars and guns and now Ebikes. I looked at the Superdelite, a solid full suspension Commuter. But the new Bulls iconic Evo speed is every bit as good IMO.
 
What can I say? Thank you so much for your replies.

Mike - good to know there are happy R&M owners nearby! Thank you for the helpful comments. I was in fact thinking about the Vario option, hoping that I didn’t need to spend on the Rohloff! I don’t anticipate negotiating Wrynose and the like, but would be regularly heading for the Lythe valley from Kendal (where I live) - hopefully the Vario could handle that kind of thing? I have been to Cycle Heaven and spoken to Piers (yes lovely man and bike shop) about a Gazelle so may return on the R&M quest.

Thanks all again

Ian
 
Cheers Ian. Glad you’ve already had dealings with Piers. He’s always made it a fun experience.

I find the belt idea so appealing. And the Vario is a terrific way of controlling the undulations in the route (the best).

But I’ll tell you a bit more about my R&M world (missed out of the previous post, ‘cos I didn’t want to sound like a smart ar5e)... last December I got a 2020 R&M Load60 Vario. Still got it, still love it. It’s over at my brothers near Whitby. I figured I could spec the Dual Battery and slam it in Turbo and eat up the juice to get up those steep hills and therefore not have to fork out for the Rohloff. In other words compensate motor power for lack of low gearing on the Vario. Not quite worked out like that. I get defeated more than I would like on the North York Moors inclines... but they can be ridiculously steep. Yep the Load60 is super heavy, so it’s an extreme example maybe. But I would have imagined R&M would have compensated for the weight of the bike in the choice of front and rear sprockets.

I’m no tech expert and completely naive and inexperienced compared with most on here, but I have a feeling R&M spec gearing set up to cover the vast market variety that they operate in. Holland has few hills. And the mountainous areas of Europe have roads that ascend in hairpins. Possibly our straight up the hill UK approach is an oddball. Huge areas of the world are flat or undulating or folk mix with traffic or are sporty types... so a high top gear is appealing to those riders.

So the Vario with it’s more limited gear range seems to be set up to please most folk, but perhaps not ideal if you want the best uphill or hyper speed performance. I even found the Rohloff on my Delite with it’s much vaunted 500% gear spread is balanced between low bottom end for steeps and high top end for all out cruising. To me it seems that 500% isn’t all at the bottom end. But it does breeze up hills that would defeat the Vario.

Sorry this is long winded. Just want folk to be super happy with their choice. To me eBiking is a fab way of getting about.

The Nevo3 is lighter than my Load60. You may be fitter than me (6’2” 61 years, slimish but too many years sitting with a mouse in hand 😉). The 2021 Bosch software update gives more power output. So, a Vario Nevo3 may be an epic bike for where you want to go. The Rohloff would breeze up from Underbarrow to Scout Scar - the Vario possibly(?), I just don’t know. But I do know you would be squeezing round that gear dial as far as it would go!

The Vario is by far the best way to control gears... just a wonderful feeling (I prefer it to the Rohloff). And it’s a sensible price. The belt is quiet and no bother. The Rohloff is a lot more but not really if it takes you more places.

Get out on a steep hill on a Vario before you take the plunge.

Have a great time planning your new bike.
 
Thanks Mike (and Squaxor!) your considered comments are appreciated. I’m 66, reasonably fit - and a slightly overweight 5’10”. I’ll think carefully and try what I can, but I’m coming round to thinking I should go for Rohloff or derailleur. In any event, I think I’m going to wait till the new models arrive in September - I’ve gathered from the web that R&M are unlikely to come out with much more than that already described by Propel (YouTube), but I wonder what the likes of Cube might come out with. There may also be attractive offers on “last year’s” models - though I don’t want to go for the last gen CX on a R&M.
 
IanE said:
Thanks Mike (and Squaxor!) your considered comments are appreciated. I’m 66, reasonably fit - and a slightly overweight 5’10”. I’ll think carefully and try what I can, but I’m coming round to thinking I should go for Rohloff or derailleur. In any event, I think I’m going to wait till the new models arrive in September - I’ve gathered from the web that R&M are unlikely to come out with much more than that already described by Propel (YouTube), but I wonder what the likes of Cube might come out with. There may also be attractive offers on “last year’s” models - though I don’t want to go for the last gen CX on a R&M.
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Yup. Nevo3 looks already to be the 2021 bike. A load more belts on a load more brands would surprise me. You never know you might be tempted by an updated Homage... that looks ripe for a revamp. Don’t completely dismiss the Vario... I like it the best to ride (except on those 1 in 4s).

Choices, choices. Happy hunting.
 
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Weight of the rider makes a big difference to climbing ability. It is not all about the hub/gearing. My wife and I both have the vario - she is 30kg lighter than me and goes up 27 deg slopes in sport smiling, Im in turbo full puffing and blowing - I have the gen 4 motor, she the gen 2. She would still burn me off if I had a Rohloff going up the same hill. Rohloff and gen 4 would be wasted on her.

We both love the vario for its intuitive gear changing. Its genius in that sense. I don’t notice the drag of the vario so much with the motor running, but having run out of battery 3 times now you notice it without power!

Back on topic, the drive system is why R&M above the rest. Carbon belts rock when it comes to not having to do needless chain/cassette maintenance using up my preciously time - I can just park the bike up, jump in the spa and spend even more time with my lovely wife. Maybe if there were more bikes using a belt paired with a great globally supported motor I’d consider other brands...who am I kidding I love my R&M!
 
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