2021 Trek Powerfly 4 eMTB 100 Mile Review + Upgrades
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- I've had my 2021 Trek Powerfly 4 for a few months now and I've turned 100 miles. In this video, I will share what I've learned, and the upgrades that I've installed. Here are links to everything in the video.
Post Mount Brake Adapter for 203mm rotor - amzn.to/3zXR7fJ
My favorite Bike Torque Wrench - amzn.to/3A2eK6L
Shock Pump - amzn.to/3jaJ3BJ
Stem Spacers - amzn.to/3jb9jf7
Sid Ultimate - amzn.to/3nZsg7l
Star Nut Install Tool I purchased and returned - amzn.to/3zWrtrO
Torque Wrench I purchased and returned - amzn.to/3C4ihDr
You are the man. Ran in to the exact same fork/brake issue just now and you've solved my problem.
Glad to hear it!
I'm baffled why you and so many commenters are willing to buy a $ 5,000 bike and then have to add another $ 5,000 in modifications to make it "comfortable?" " adequate?". Maybe you folks should do a little more research and look for a bike that already has all the features you need or want.
The bike was only $3,800 and the upgrades were $1,500. The bike with everything is over $10K
The conical washers allow additional fine tuning of the fit. When you torque the bolts down the additional play allowed by the washers is stopped. If the pads are rubbing after installing then loosen the bolts and very lightly tighten then apply the brake with the brake lever and tighten while applying the brake. Check the fit by spinning the wheel and if the fit is good(disk not rubbing) then torque the bolt down.
interesting! glad I saved them
Not sure if you should be posting instructional videos if you aren’t sure what the conical washers are for…
I’ve got tannus armour in my PF5. No punctures 400 miles in. More weight but I can hammer the bike on fairly gnarly trails and feel confident about punctures. I’m 110kg too and used to lots of pinch flats.
How much more weight do you think it adds? $60 per tire is kinda pricey but could be a good option until I move to tubeless
@@CarolinaCowboys they weigh 320g each so 640g total and I do feel a little extra rolling resistance but the peace of mind of no punctures overrides that for me. I still carry a spare inner tube with me though, incase I run over a nail etc
@@DerkDerglass I replaced my stock tube with a Slime self-healing tube. If it fails I'll give Tannus a try.
What you need are a pair of Tannus Armour inserts in BOTH of your rims and run your inner tubes with sealant. Mega cheap upgrade, no more bottoming out your tires. Happy Dazes.
I thought about those but they are heavy and are over $100 for tube tires and almost double that for tubeless!
@@CarolinaCowboys You’re joking! Here in the UK, we’re not getting ripped off (yet). Tannus Armour inserts are one of most cheapest and cost effective upgrades Pound Sterling can buy for your e-mtb. Seriously have a look on eBay and FB marketplace and see if you can pick up a bargain!
@@johnchristopher5075 I will have to check that out, I was looking on Amazon, maybe they are imported from the UK!
Those funny little washers help align the caliper to the rotor. Keep it all a little loose, give the lever a good squeeze, and then tighten the bolts. That should get your rotor centered between the pads :)
Good tip!
I have two Turbo Teros and they are very similar to your power-fly, the Teros come TR but with tubes so I converted them over easily. Teros also have a junk fork and I’m going to replace it someday but I must say the Power-fly and Tero are not really suitable for anything but light trails IMO but the FS Specialized and Treks definitely are amazing on almost anything. XC bikes are fast but light these are very heavy XC builds so to speak and are clumsy to say the least but I’m going to see what I can get out of mine with some upgrades like you are doing. Mine gave more than enough power and range but suspension struggles greatly. Very nice bikes and fun to play around with, I love ours. My wife and I have five e-bikes and these are our favorites. I’m curious to see how your upgrades improve yours. 👍
I just finished the brakes and posted that video a few weeks ago. HUGE improvement making the bike so much faster. I've been able to do everything I want on this bike. I wish I could go over 20MPH but I don't want to spend the $ on the mod.
@@CarolinaCowboys yep! I’ll take a look at your break job.👍
The Powefly 4 is the only Hardtail model available in Australia. It looked ok for the price but hearing bad reports of the suntour fork and non tubeless wheels and tyres scared me off. Will keep my powder dry for the moment. The fork upgrade looks like a wise decision.
I've been fine without tubeless wheels it's not a bad thing. I'm planning to get some nice brakes next.
Hi from the U.K. 👋🏼 just got a Trek Powerfly 5. In grateful for your insights. R
Awesome! I'm glad these were helpful!
Great video 👍
Thanks! Are you going to get one?
So far for my 2022 Powerfly 4 upgrades has been the following:
- xr4 tubeless 2.6 front and rear
- PNW loam 150 mm internal dropper and loam lever (did not have to drop the motor, just patience and a lot of finesse to route the cable)
- Bontrager line comp 30 wheels and hubs
- 108 pt rear upgraded pawls
- PNW Range Stem 50mm
- PNW Loam Grips
I would say the biggest upgrade was the line 30 wheels and hubs, as it’s instant engagement and completely got rid of the pedal sloop. Dropper post was a lot of work and took a bit of effort but we’ll worth it. Next upgrades will be the brakes. Thinking of going with shimano 520’s or 6120’s. I was able to find the dropper as a refurbished on their website and the rims and tires from eBay for a really good price.
Very nice, I've been super happy with my XT brakes. I'm curious why the line comp 30's would make that much of a difference?
@@CarolinaCowboys the biggest reason was being able to run 2.6 tires. The stock rims were too skinny and the comp 30s are wider and can accept a wider tire giving a flatter profile. Also allowed me to go tubeless easier.
Also it was a simple plug and play and did not require changing any of the group set. The Alec 35s also would have worked but I found these for a deal on eBay and couldn’t pass them up for being brand new and a direct plug and play.
How did you get the line comp 30 that isn’t made for the 10 speed, did you upgrade your cassette also?
@@CarolinaCowboys you just change out the xd driver to a free hub for 8/9/10 speed. I ordered the part for $80 and it was a simple pull off the xd and slide on the new one. No other adjustments required. I did upgrade the pawls while it was off for instant engagement. I’m over 100 miles on my setup now and it has been flawless
Good video. Air shocks aren't made for guys who weigh 200 lbs. Don't forget the bike is already heavy,then adding the rider,more weight, suspension will compress more and bottom out easier,wear faster. Just sayin eh.
There's an app you can download where you enter your weight and it gives you the optimal air pressure. It's been a good unit.
@@CarolinaCowboys ...and? Still a lot of weight!
Several questions: (1) Have you thought about inserting Tannus Armour in the tires? They get great reviews ..,preventing flats. (2) Will that frame accommodate a 35mm wheel? If not, do you know how wide of tire the wheel will accept. (3) Understanding its subjective ...how many miles and how long did the stock battery last?
Yes I've considered Tannus but it's super expensive! What do you mean by a 35mm tire? The max wheel size is 29" but you can put up to a 2.6" width tire on it. I'd say you can easily get 20 miles of hard riding and 40 miles of normal riding on a charge.
@@CarolinaCowboys Sorry ...I meant 35mm rims
Very useful and efficient
Glad you liked it
More reviews please…
Debating on between getting the Powerfly 4 Gen4 or Specialized Tero 3.0.
All things equal I think Trek has better brand support with all the retail stores.
Change seat and seat post .. enjoy my friend.
The seat is pretty good. Why would I replace the post? Are you talking about a dropper post?
I recently purchased a Powerfly 4 Gen4 - Maybe from your same dealer I am in China Grove and got the Bike in Kannapolis -- I wonder if you have any more recent thoughts isnce the newest video was about 2 years agor - Still Have the Powerfly - I have a place in the mountains so plenty of trails and gravel road to run down - I'm thinking of the starting with the fork replacement - but the bike is still brand new so I figure I have break it in first. Keep up the ggod work
Gosh has it been 2 years already?? I will post an update video. I was going to buy it from the Kannapolis store but it wasn't in stock and I had to buy it from Raleigh. But I go to the Kannapolis store all the time and they are great, honest, and very helpful. Well depending on what bike you had before will determine if you need any upgrades. I was already spoiled with my last biking having Shimano XTR everything, so I had to pursue getting the bike up to the level I was expecting.
@@CarolinaCowboys Thanks for the response - I am in the process of debating doing the same mods as you - Anything you would change on reflection? - Deciding whether to do it myself or have it done - With the videos I think I can do it plus I'll learn the bike and I assume Cabarrus will bail me out if I screw up - Additionally I am thinking of adding a dropper post (Lots of steep downhill in the mountains), a 625 Watt battery and 2 sets of wheels - One for off road and one for on road - I can do a 20 mile ride on the parkway and I want to stretch it
@@tmb52 Ok yeah if you've already max'ed out the battery and need to go further then it's probably worth it but you are going to be adding weight. Yes you can do it yourself, the biggest mistake I've made is tightening things too much, I got a bike torque wrench I think I put a link to it in my video, best money I spent on the bike.
Hello. Really like your videos and the manner you share your experiences. Thank you for that. As i have same bike and considering to do very same fork upgrade wanted to know if you managed to find the way how to better control front wheel when you do steep climbs. My concern is that new SID ultimate fork is over 50% lighter than fork in initial spec and that that could be persistent issue no matter how you adjust your riding position. Best regards 🙋🏻♂️
It didn't make that big of a difference. You have to shift forward anyway when climbing. There's more of an inherent issue with e-bikes that if you shift too far forward the rear wheel will just spin. In the future I may buy the larger battery which will shift some more weight toward the front.
@@CarolinaCowboys Thank you for very much. Interesting solution.
Do you wish you got a full suspension? I can’t decide, love the bike!
No! I prefer the hardtail! There are videos out there that show the pros and cons, the hard tail wins!
@@CarolinaCowboys but do you think the cons of a full suspension are still applicable on an e bike though?
I test rode a rail and a powerfly, didn't really notice that the rail was any slower
@@getstrongby4038 From a speed perspective they both have the same motor and will go the same speed. I was talking about speed through the trails, generally a hardtail is faster. For me, I'm not chasing speed I am just trying to casually ride and get exercise, I wasn't willing to pay what they want for a Rail
@@CarolinaCowboys I hear you, but that's not really that full suspension has cons it's that you didn't want to pay more
Very nice for the price
Ya considering the major brands are between $7K-$10K, but having this bike now for a year some of these upgrades I've done are definitely worth it, but i'm still less out of pocket
I'm looking at upgrading my PowerFly4 along lines similar to the path you've chosen. Different fork being considered - the 2023 RockShox Pike Ultimate Charger 3. Considering Dissector for tires or a mix of Dissector and either Rekon or ???. The 2023 version of the PIke isn't due in inventory until July/August so no rush. I was considering having the Trek dealer/shop perform the fork upgrade since I don't have a bike stand. However, during the discussion, the dealer rep indicated that it would make more sense to get a Rail rather than upgrade my PF4, given my upgrade want list.
The more I think about this, the more questionable I think that recommendation is (unless it is just an upsell tactic). I mean if a $4k EMTB isn't worth spending any $$$ for suspension upgrades, then what is? I have no interest in the 9.x Rails as I don't believe the upcharge for the carbon is worth the extra. I like the Rail 7, but the more I think about it, the more I struggle with the concept that the PF4 is not worth any expense on upgrades.
Your thoughts???
The PF4 has the same motor which was my number 1, then even with all my upgrades I'm still way cheaper than a Rail and it's been a very strong bike.
can I use 625w battery in trek fs 4 that originally came with 500w battery?
Yes I was told by the shop that you can!
Lockable shocks will help with going uphill
Have you used a remote lockout?
@@CarolinaCowboys nope. But a remote lockout will help you immensely with seamless switch
Did you put the bike in 'walk' mode for when you had a flat and had to push it home?
That would have been the smart thing to do
Hello - great video. I recently purchased a Trek Powerfly 4 and am also looking to upgrade the fork (in my opinion a major weak point on the bike). What offset did you go with? The reason I ask is that Treks website description of the Powerfly 4 lists offset as 44mm in the “spec” section, but in the “geometry” section it lists as 51mm (for size large bike). While my Trek dealer also indicates that the Bontrager Connection wheels are not tubeless compatible there is a RUclips video on converting the Bontrager Connection wheels (20mm int width) to tubeless (Converting To Tubeless Tires / 2021 Trek Marlin 7 Bontrager Connection. Wondering if you have considered that?
I went with the SID Ultimate which comes with a 44mm offset and my understanding is that the offset is designed for 29" wheels. For wheels I would get the Line Comp 30 TLR Boost wheels. I splurged and ended up getting the Line Pro version which I will talk about in an upcoming video. For tires I went with the SE4 Team Issue.
@@CarolinaCowboys Thanks for the reply - actually it is my understanding that the movement towards 44mm offset for 29er’s only happened within the last couple of years - prior to that most 29er’s came with 51mm offsets. That’s why I wanted some clarification. Not sure if I will attempt to make the stock rims tubeless - Bontrager just released (new for 2023) a Kovee 25mm int. width alloy rim targeted for the XC crowd. The set weighs 1675 grams and seems to be a very good value at $400.00. That and I feel the 25mm internal rim width hits the sweet spot for the tire size (2.20 ~ 2.30 ) I prefer. Thanks again for the reply.
@@Rick-jq8ng Ya I heard of the Cove, I don't know anything about them. Also I heard it's impossible to make the stock rims tubeless.
What's the warranty on the motor and electronics? I'm considering either a 2022 powerfly 4 or specialized tero 3.0 but leaning more towards the trek. I've heard the bosch motors are more durable than the brose. I plan on commuting 16 miles per day to and from work.
I think you get 2 years or 500 cycles warranty on the Bosch electronics. I've been very happy with mine so far
Thanks for a great video. I have the same bike and just purchased a Rockshox 35 Gold RL fork for it realizing, that I have exactly the same problem with the brake. Do you happen to recall, what was the exact adapter model that solved this issue for you. I feel that I´m totally lost with all the available options in different shapes and sizes… Thanks in advance!
Responding to myself… Just realized that in my adapter version it indicates which end should go up and I followed that instruction having this described problem. However, I decided to turn the adapter around and the caliper seems to fit perfectly now with the disc.
Thank you, I posted links to all the parts in the video description
@@teemupekki3472 did the Rockshox 35 gold RL feel better than the one it came with? Have just ordered the same
@@whereisbenny69 I wouldn’t call myself an expert, but in my opinion it made a huge difference. The main reason for me is, that I simply don’t like the coil spring in the Suntour fork compared to the air suspension in the Rockshox. I also thought that the 35 Gold RL was a logical choice as it is used in the Powerfly 7.
Hey I wanted to ask about the mileage i don’t know if i go for the 625wh or the 500 wh is ok? And what do you think between powerfly 4 and cube reaction?
I don't know anything about the Cube, but what I do know is that you can use both he 500 and the 625 in the 2020+ Powerfly 4, mine came with the 500, and is enough juice for me to go on 3 hours. The 625 will be heavier so I probably wouldn't ever get it.
Hi, what does it exactly mean at 1:00? "As soon as last dot goes away, the whole bike dies". Does the screen turn off completely in this case, or only the assistance by the electric motor will be terminated? I wonder if the display and the odometer still work? How hard is it to run this system with the engine turned off?
The whole screen goes blank and the bike gets REALLY heavy. I just did it again the other day because I forgot to charge it and I was determined to ride anyway. I rode a trail on ECO mode and got 3 miles in and had to ride the last mile without power and it was brutal!
@@CarolinaCowboys Thanks. So engineers took an easy way and just turn the screen off, even though it has own internal cell battery. And a user has no clue on trip distance value. Can you get trip distance after charging? You can get odometer for sure (it is stored in motor itself), but it is interesting if trip mileage value survives
@@andrewdatar9880 definitely the trip prior to the battery dead, but after it dies I want to finish up as soon as possible that thing was heavy!
you were supposed to buy powerfly 7 fs right away and you are not changing everything now
The discontinued that bike!
has anyone with the trek powerfly 4 2022 model gone up from the 120mm travel to the 130 mm travel
I kept the 120 because people told me it would mess up the geometry
What Generation is your bike? I see on trek website the newer one’s are powerfly 4 gen 4
Mine is the 2021 model which at the time I think was generation 2, so if they come out with one every year, they are on gen 4.
I done 200 plus miles and no punctures on my powerfly 4 and ive been giving the bike some off road abuse . must just be bad luck.
It's all about the tire pressure, the day I pinched the tube I had about 28PSI and was sitting down when I went over a tree root, and blam.
@@CarolinaCowboys ahh i have quite high 30 plus no problem on boulders etc. I love my powerfly but will be putting a dropper post on it. Maybe a fork upgrade. Does it ride better with the new forks???
Hi Great video. I have same bike and found the forks are budget, the springs are too soft unless you are 8 stone. I would like the SL but are they worth £800 cost here in UK.
I am 205lbs.
So far I've been riding on them and I think by far the weight difference makes it worth it. As far as performance I think all the air shocks are about the same.
Just bought this bike, and I weigh 8stone. So I’ll let you know if you’re right about that when I finally get the bike ;)
Are you still going to do the brake upgrade? Any thoughts on what ones?
I just finished the upgrade and I'm doing riding tests now, stay tuned!
it seems to me if you are paying $4000.00 for a bike it should come with quality components.....
It does have quality components, just not high performance components.
RockShox SID Ultimate Charger 2 RLC Boost Fork is that the forks you got in this video please if u can confirm 👍🏻
I'm not sure but I put a link in the video description
@@CarolinaCowboys yeah I went to link but I checked everywhere on other sites but they show up as Charger 2 RLC, how are the fork’s holding up since? And are they 120mm travel or 100mm
@@konvicbob If you do a google search for RockShox SID Ultimate Race Day you should see it at a lot of stores. It's definitely 120MM. I like them a lot, I was worried they wouldn't be strong enough because they're so light but they're good with everything I've thrown at them.
Where did u get ur front shocks at?
I found them at a bike shop, but they're on amazon now - amzn.to/3nZsg7l
how much your pay for 2021 powerfly4 wi 800 miles?
They go for about $3,500
How long is the battery warranty..tq
2 years or 500 cycles
The SID Ultimate on this bike is the definition of over-capitalizing. A bike with super outdated geo (super long rear end and short front end... 2009 29er geo in 2023) for actual MTB riding, some of the worst hydraulic brakes you can buy combined with wire bead tyres run non-tubeless. One of the worst specced eMTBs for the price on the market.
I agree a lot of the stock components are low end, but as I said in my video it was the cheapest eMTB between the major brands and I've done several upgrades since then, here's another one - ruclips.net/video/661BjhTrLm4/видео.html
@@CarolinaCowboys Yeah for sure - your upgrades were necessary to make it trail worthy. One of those cases where spending a little more up front goes a long way. Unfortunately you're still stuck with the geometry. If I was in your position and started riding more singletrack (as it seems like you are) I'd chuck in a -1 degree angleset to increase the front center by about 12-14mm as at the moment is super front weight biased with that huge 455mm rear end (at least for a XC MTB).
@@lenolenoleno Actually since the bike was designed for that heavy front fork, the SID ultimate made it more 55/45 which does make it challenging when going up a steep hill. Right now I'm about $7K into the bike and I'm still $3K shy of a Rail which has the same components.
@@CarolinaCowboys A bike is not 'designed' for a heavy fork to dictate front center and rear center balance. The difference between an XCM 34 and a SID is a fair amount but inconsequential vs. your body weight.
The Powerfly is $6,000 AUD here. The Trek Rail 5 is $7,500 AUD. $1500 AUD (about $1000 USD) gets you 4-piston Deore brakes which are identical in power to the XTs your bought (vs. the cheapest weakest two piston hydraulic brakes from Tektro), 30mm ID tubeless ready rims (vs 20mm ID non-TR rims), dropper post (vs. Rigid), a 35mm Rockshox 35 Air fork (vs. Cheap Suntour Coil), Rockshox Monarch rear shock and linkage vs. a hardtail. At least for a size L and XL the front center and rear center is balanced for actual MTBing.
In Australia at least, the base model Rail 5 = Powerfly 4 + a SID Ultimate. The Rail 5, with the most basic Rockshox 35 will outperform the Powerfly in all situations except maybe riding on roads (but you have a motor and a lockout so who cares about minor road efficiency gains).
All that side, your videos are entertaining and looks like you had fun making them.
@@lenolenoleno ok I see, prices are definitely different, but ya I have really enjoyed it so far, Trek told me I can trade the bike in anytime for another model, maybe I’ll look at that in the future.
Socks off ☑
It's my signature thing at this point
I want one but they are so expensive!
Gotta save up, that's they only way I was able to get one. I did some tech support on the side and sold some stuff I didn't need.
The battery and motor make up most of the cost, for example a spare 500w powertube retails at about £700.
thank you for showing that the Firefly 4 is junk. Good bikes don't need upgraded
I never said the base bike needed to be upgraded. I just have high expectations and low funds.