This is what I really want e-bikes for. Just enough motor to shred uphill, while still being light and agile. A trail transformer, to make xc trails feel much more thrilling.
I ride a Levo SL. I chose a lightweight ebike because I still wanted to feel like I was riding a mountain bike, just with a little extra oomph to enable longer or more challenging rides. So far, after several hundred miles, I'm very pleased with my choice. I still regularly ride my "acoustic" bikes, too-a lot more than the ebike.
SL strikes the happy balance between a traditional MTB & full fat e. A tail wind up the climbs, but still getting a good workout + without that drag factor, the boat anchor feeling over 16mph!
This is a really informative video into the motivations for people buying into this genre of emtb. I wish more people would take note. Unfortunately, reading through the comments here and other videos about this genre of emtb, it seems that there a lot of people who are maybe too young, too fit or just not mentally adept enough to comprehend that their riding scenarios are not the same as every other rider out there. Just accept that there is a place for all of us in emtb and indeed analogue mtb and get along.
Since buying a full fat Turbo Levo last year, several friends have gone the “lightweight emtb” route. Every one of them is regretting going light. Once they ride a full power bike, they realize their bike is weak at climbing - the most enjoyable aspect of emtbs. I love the weight (and power) of my bike - more stable and no less capable than any bike on the trails. Given the price is about the same, seems silly to buy something pretending to be something else. I’m not ashamed of riding an ebike - especially when I ride twice as much as befor and my amish bike friend.
I'm mid 70s now and had my Orbea Rise 18 months it allows me to ride and keep up with my local group ranging from full fat ebikes to analog bikes and fit riders.
As a senior Whistler Mnt bike rider (67 years old and 37 years Mnt biking) I was finding as my fitness is diminishing my technical skills were starting to decline also. Most of the big tech rides in Whistler are accessed by climbing up crazy black diamond assent trail. Even the blue assent trails are steep and full of tight switch backs. Getting to the top was a massive ordeal and when I managed to do it I was totally blown. Riding down was sketchy at best and more aptly described as a series terrifying linked recoveries. This did nothing for my confidence. Also it was getting harder to find ride partners. The boys I used to ride with aren’t boys anymore. I had been following the change in e-Mnt bikes to light weight and when Orbea came out with the Rise H10 I bought one right way. What a game changer. Up or down it rocks. I could go on and on about it but I’m sure that everyone is getting the idea. There is one thing that I would like to mention which no one has talked about and that is the great handling that comes from all the weight that is now low down. The motor and the battery lowers your centre of gravity which only effect’s the handling in a good way. Balance and rolling obstacles is amazing.
I have a COMMENCAL meta power 2018 year. What is getting my attention is the trek ex e. I’m hoping that and the fazua motor will show some serious reliability improvements over previous e bike motors. I actually just purchased a second e 8000 motor from Shimano because my e8000 is clanking at 5000 miles. So hopefully the two German motors will demonstrate durability. The weight issue is definately something that if you ever lug my COMMENCAL around you realize you aren’t Popeye the sailor. But I doubt there is any bike out there with an appreciably better suspension and ride as I get with my rockshock 160 mm fork and a matching coil. Just going back to an air shock is a major trade off. And that means that all the extras have to be the most top of the line to make it a wow ride.
I think you are overlooking a group of riders that fit the Lightweight EMTB profile. I currently own a Specialized Enduro and Kenevo SL. I love the boost the Kenevo SL gives me while still feeling very similar to the Enduro on the trails. I owned the newest Levo for about a year and sold it because it was difficult to switch between the full power bike and the my Enduro. Now I can do my race pre-rides on my Kenevo SL and race the Enduro without having a big adjustment period when I switch between the two bikes. I will never stop riding traditional MTBs because they are still too much fun, and the Kenevo SL makes the perfect compliment to the traditional MTB. To be clear, I don't continue to ride traditional MTBs for exercise, I just think they are more fun on certain types of trails.
Oh my God I did the exact same thing! I had an ibis ripmo when I bought a turbo levo, and rode it for a year but it had too much power so I changed over to the Kenevo SL. A few weeks ago I traded out my IBIS for a new Enduro and absolutely love it for all the exact same reasons you mentioned there.
I started my e-bike journey with a Giant Reign E+1 that weighed 25kg. A tank. It also had a super low BB that made riding tech an issue. I upgraded to the Levo SL last year and it's incredible! I actually get MORE range on it that I did on the Giant. The bike is nimble and I get a fantastic workout on it. For me, that is important. And as you mentioned, I have young kids, so getting a great ride in without gassing myself got harder and harder.
I greatly preferred the light full suspension Levo SL when summiting Mt. Tamalpais, over the standard Levo, and gravel Grail:On. For the smoother Mt Tam terrain with lots of climbing and braking, it was easily the most fun. You touched on loss of fitness as we age, and many, if not most times it's not from laziness, which is often implied, but accumation of illness and injury. And that includes their effects on handling the bike when not riding, such as loading it on and off a vehicle or rack. The 23+ kg bikes are really hard on my back. The Levo SL was a dream to handle after the much heavier standard Levo.
I have an Orbea Rise and have been riding Mtb for over 30 years. I bought the Orbea for several of the reasons mentioned in this video. When I first got it I was holding up fitter guys on mtbs due to being less fit. I also mainly ride natural trails and don't hanker after climbing really steep, technical sections. The main reasons full power bikes don't appeal to me is that, as Steve has said in the past, it's almost a different sport. Well, I've loved mtb over the years and I don't really want riding to feel like something different. Also, I am in the camp of not liking big, ugly batteries and motors. I ride the Rise mainly in eco and can easily clear climbs I've never made on an mtb in trail (set at 32nm), so I don't see why I'd need 85nm. But that's just my scenario. We are all entitled to use them as we wish.
At 58, and 25 years of riding, I've been struggling with my MTB fitness. I've worked on diet, exercise routine, yoga, etc, but sadly, it just feels like I've hit a fitness wall that I can't get past. I demoed a Levo, and loved it but it felt too big and cumbersome, especially when braking and laying it down into corners. Demoed the KSL, which I also loved but, if I'm honest, I don't need that much bike. I bought a Fuel EXe, which I'm hoping is a nice middle-ground between the Levo and the KSL. Will find out next week when I pick it up from the shop.
Sincerely hope you love it! Similar situation with hitting walls and cramping on long days out. I picked up a Rise earlier this year and I don't regret ditching the analog enduro bike for a second.
I could have have written this right down to the 58 years old and hit a wall thing, I don’t mind putting in masses of effort but I need is some assistance after I’ve hit the wall just to get me home. Tried the full fat kenevo which felt like a motorbike, definitely not for me .
I’m a 70kg rider with an Orbea Rise H15. I’m also pretty fit for my age (53) and I’m getting so many Kom’s over full powered bikes, here in the Pyrenees
I'm on a Rise. Got it because I was recovering from multiple surgeries. I'm not sure I would have gotten back out on the trails without it. I'm converting it to a 160/160 mullet this fall.
I bought the trek EXE 9.5 . I was so impressed with the feel of the TQ motor I took EVERYTHING of. Improved the spec. Now turn the motor off and you have a 15.8kg MTB . Turn it on and you quite literally have a flying machine.
Steve hit the nail on the head, it all come down to battery size, the difference between full fat & lightweight is minimal. Personally at 95kg I'd rather have a burly build and the range a full fat bike offers also I'm riding better and more confident on a 24kg bike than I've ever done on a conventional bike. The industry has such a hang up about weight, for me it's all about good geometry and sensible burly build specs for real world riding.
Changed my life for the better. After skating for 20 years I punished the body too much and my knees and back just could not handle the uphill. after riding my regular mtb I had pain for days. Got a Levo SL and its perfect. helps me on the uphills just enough to not get in pain and lets me ride more laps than ever before. ❤
As Chris says - he would choose a full power bike except when he is doing a mega jump day / whip off competition. For us mere mortals its full power all day long. The lighter ones are just a sales ploy to tempt across the undecided who are worried its too different to their old bike. They need to throw away all those years of 'lighter is better' which is true on old fashioned manual bikes. But it just isn't on Ebikes! When I first made the switch I was slower on Strava everywhere for a month, but then I broke every single personal best!
So what's wrong with me not wanting the riding experience to be different to what I've known for years. Why do so many people in these comments sections think that their opinion is absolute?
I have a 2016 Haibike with 80 Nm. I typically run it in Eco which cuts the power to 50% max, so roughly 40 Nm. On very steep sections I use Standard which I estimate somewhere at 60 - 70 Nm max with a 48 tooth bottom gear and 32 tooth chain ring. (by 'very steep' I mean rear tire losing traction and front wheel lifting off the ground steep). I have my eye on one of these 50 - 60 Nm bikes. I think they would do just fine, especially with these big cassettes we have now a days.
I'm at 110 Kilos, my new Trek Fuel ex e 9.5 has all the power I need, I ride twice as far as I did with my previous MTB. I ride in Arizona and Colorado. Cheers!
For me, yorkshire based, ex roadie, now mid 40s and 100kg I went from a rallon to rise and I can now ride anything anywhere local-ish in the time I've got each and every ride. Max smiles! You have to have the bike for 80% of your riding!
I have a 2022 Trek Rail 9.7 carbon in medium. It comes with a Bosch motor with 85nm of torque. I’ve upgraded the fork to a 180mm Fox Factory, rear shock to a RockShox Ultimate Thru-shaft with reservoir, Bontrager carbon rims, 29x2.5 Assegai tires, One Up carbon 35mm bars, 220mm Magura rotors, 155mm crank arms and a PNW 170mm dropper. After buying the new components, and selling off the old stuff, I’m all in for approximately $9000USD. My full powered bike weighs under than 22kg! I win! Seriously though, I can’t wrap my head around these “SL” bikes. They’re usually expensive and don’t have the power for serious uphill riding. What gives?
The thing is, not everyone wants to do what you call serious uphill riding. I want a bike to assist my ageing legs on trail climbs and the riding experience not to be completely different. As was mentioned in the video, I don't want to feel like a passenger, which on my rise, boost (further restricted to 47nm in mode one) already does, so for me, 85nm is just so mu h more than I need.
Weight does matter in some circumstances I already noticed it in some of the comments but away from the riding you do still need to lift the bike to get it over a fence, on your roof rack (yes you can use a roof rack in this case!), push it up the hill in those places where really nothing would be able to climb it, even a full power emtb or simply carry it upstair in to you apartment - that is what I do to keep my mtb safe. 14ish kg id enough workout to getg it there and hang it on the wall especially with my back not beign like it used to be. I can't imagine doing that with a 25kg bike!
Steve finally hit it with the battery exposé. Let's face it the e system overall weight dictates the overall bike weight going upwards from what a conventional comparable bike is.
An used, fullpwr TL S-works gen2 weight 20,4Kgs (Lsize) and cost less these light e-mtb. And if you tune it, you can even drop below 20kgs. Max cost/benefit..Think about
I’m intrigued by the Fuel EXE because I occasionally ride with purists who don’t want to ride with ebikers. Pop the battery out and it’s not much heavier than a similar trail bike. Fly with it and just use the range extender. Or put both batteries on and you have a rangey capable trail bike. Seems like the closest thing yet to a single-quiver electric/analog bike.
not a perfect analogy but strikes me as being similar to the 27.5" wheel; the MTB manufacturers tried to migrate us to 29" from 26" but for many people it was too big a jump, so they stuck with their 26". So to get us to spend some money the manufacturers invented a halfway house - the 650b/27.5, which was very popular for a considerable time but gradually lost out to 29" as people felt comfortable migrating from 27.5 to 29, and as 29er bikes improved.
I like that they are looking more like a normal mtb than looking like a big clunky box tube looking heavy weight, and I agree with Steve, the bikes are for people that are transitioning over to an ebike. I've seen more and more people on ebikes at the bike parks now than ever before.
An older guy (even older than I) that I ride with on occasion, has a Trek LW on order. It will be great to see this on the trails and get a real time review. My 2019 Trek HW is getting WORN OUT with just 20,000+Km...
I love the look and design of the Kenevo SL, arguably the best looking EMTB around. Always wanted an Enduro…I also like the concept of shuttle up and blast down. For me this would be the E-bike I’d probably go with as technical climbs don’t really interest so much and I don’t have an EMTB so I’m not used to the power of a full fat.
When the difference is just a few kilos, keep it in perspective and see that some riders carry that much in a CamelBak - water, tools, spares, food, rain gear, extra battery for longer rides etc... the full power bike gives you that extra level of reserve for unknown trails or steeper inclines... being able to dial down the power and conserve battery and increase range is the most useful feature... I can see that the lightweight bikes are useful for smaller people and casual riders, but for some people who go on long or multi-day treks, or for bigger riders or more hardcore trails, the full size, full power bikes are probably a better choice...
I have a orbea rise and often on my local trails pedal just above the assit of level (15.5 mph 25 kph uk) and wouldn't want a bike that was any heavier .. and I have to lift it over some gates etc on some too
I've had several transitions and am eager to see what the relays specs are also. I understand why they announced it early but a few more details would be appreciated.
I would be interested in the difference these lower powered bikes have on the wear of the drive train because as you know it can be expensive to maintain these bikes properly.
I have a Cannondale Neo with a full sized Bosch engine, I have enjoyed it but found that riding with people on regular bikes was kind of embarrassing in that I was barely working - even in Eco mode. I also noticed that my fitness didn't increase much compared to a regular bike. I recently bought a Levo SL and feel like it is a better solution for me, much better for mixed groups and a much better workout in the same time frame.
I see loads of SL e-bikes for sale hardly used. I have just received the new spectral on, I have done 7000km on the 2019 spectral, the bigger Batt will be perfect for long adventure days
Thanks for the video! One question though: You are talking about the Transition Relay as if it would be available already. As far as I have seen it will be available only in Spring next year.
Another place for lightweight "stealth" EMTBs is here in the western US where land access for MTBs has been hard won, and the MTB purists along with other user groups want to ban EMTB access. A quiet, lightweight EMTB enables my old bod to keep riding after 35 years of MTB (and keep up with my 34 yr old son on his MTB) without being hassled by Trail Nazis.
I've had a Giant Stance...and even in ECO the assist was insane, that's why I sold it. Now I'm looking at an Levo SL 2022 that's 30% off...still undecided.
I'd like to know if the 'motor drag' is still present on the TREKs. They look cool and I like the idea but what I find problematic is the drag of the motor, when it's in 'ECO' it's not like riding a analogue bike, you still have motor drag and it's more of an effort. If there is no drag with the TREK then I'm tempted. If we could disengage the motor somehow, then I think that is more beneficial than flipping ABS FFS.
Haven’t ridden mtn bikes for over 20 years but now keen to commute to work and ride some trails on the weekend. Watched so many of these videos but still can’t decide. Thought I like the levo SL but also the full power trek ro levo….still don’t know what to buy 🤷♂️
Currently I have a kenevo comp, but I'm curious and wanna try the new trek Fuel EXe. But even if I like the middle power ebike I will keep my kenevo to the harder terrain
Well I sport my first eBike that is 160Nm and 1100Wh battery so she in the 50lb + range.....One of these days I'm actually gonna swing my leg over one of my old race bikes with 26" wheels but they weigh only 22lbs! So I gotta see which is more fun.....
I‘m 31 and 72 kg. I’m Coming from XC/Tour/Marathon, some years ago I was fitter but with a family and a full time job training time is rare. Nevertheless I never had any problems to climb any hill. In the last years I’m slightly moving to ride (built) trails more often, so I thought about an E-Bike to take 2-3 laps in the same time compared to a bio-bike (no shuttles or lifts here at my home trails). I tested a Orbea Rise vs. a Mondraker Crafty RR: I had no need for the full-power of the Mondraker, but the Lighter Rise felt much more nimble! And: I had more than enough range with the „small“ battery of the Rise (Carbon model)! I would have bought a Rise, but I NEED a removable battery for charging reasons, so I will wait to test the Fazua Ride 60 on the Nox Epium or Transition Relay. In my opinion the ratios of rider weight to bike weight and rider weight to bike power are very important as others said!
Full powered for me all the way. I mostly ride a self shuttle DH park and I can do 3x the amount of runs and get back to the top of the mountain 3x as fast as an SL. More power=more riding in less time
what is the lightest weight highest power bike for around 5k? I want light weight for the fun down hill and also if that battery quits on me but I want max power for the uphills and long days
I just need a a bike that i can get a few extra runs with my ageing legs, with through about geometry to handle a few redy blackish trails and some twisty blues. any suggestions? my present rid is a HOPE 1.30
Looking into buying my first emtb, stuck between the new fuel exe, haibike lyke or the new spectral on. I really like the idea of the quite exe that's still agile but will I regret not going for the power and range of the spectral? I have nothing to go off as I never ridden an emtb. Please help!?
I want to buy an ebike when i ride alone but also want to ride with my friends who doesn't have ebikes. Which mid assist bike would be best to have the functionality of both? Can I remove battery of trek fuel exe and would it ride close to a normal mtb or put it in eco mode to ride slower with them and still get abit of a work out?
My 52 lb mid-drive, 250W bike is perfect; just enough power for a boost if I need it. My goal is to use assist for zero percent of the time (or some small percentage).
Remember that if you have a long winter with a break from cycling, start the spring with a normal MTB and then feel the kick when you switch to your e-bike😊, switch between these bikes during the season and feel more of these kicks😘
You are wrong.. Heheeeeeeeee.. I will never return to a regular bicycle. And I think most of people over 60 will agree. If you are young you do not ever need an ebike. But for elderly ones it is a game changer. So do not generate an opinion for any one else. Happy eridings
Being that battery tech is the only issue holding back every industry from being in the foreseeable e-future I say give it 3-4 years, maybe less with the way things are going, and the standard with be sub 35lb ebbs with lots of power, travel and crazy 100km+ ranges. 'Full-fats' will become a thing of the past much like 50lb downhill bikes of the early 2000s did.
EMTB is becoming a minefield. Most of us can only afford one. Second bike is an orange p7 hardtail built up from old parts for bikepacking / winter / mucking about. I love it for its handling and simplicity. My main bike is a ep8 Merida 160 which is fantastic. 85 nm gets me to so much more … until you have to hike a bike or get out of the van. Then I’m just cursing and sweating. Mid power wasn’t a buying option at the time. But if a trek fuel exe can get me to the same places with just a bit more pedal then it’s perfect but I’m not convinced that 50nm will do those steep climbs. It’s a big if
I rode a full Levo for almost two years, but it was not light after better brakes, coil shock, and better 160mm forks, now I ride a Rise also with bigger brakes coil shock and 160mm fork, so not as light as from the factory. I would take the Orbea any day, way more nimble, way lighter than the Levo. also lifting the Levo was noticibly heavier than the Rise
I can only afford one bike so I want one that has enough battery for a 5+ hour ride in the mountains on the weekend... without any range anxiety. No use for a super light. Still waiting for availability on that Cube 140 TM 750. Can never find it in a Large.
If it wasn’t for the assistance, at 64 i would not have started trail riding. I went fullfat as it is the best pleasure to power ratio FOR ME at 90 kg. For my wife at 30 kg less a fullfat felt like a tank, she went for an SL and the power to weight is quite close between our set-ups. So rider weight is critical, as much as desired rider effort.
IMHO weight is a key parameter. I am fine with a bike between 15 and 20 kg, not more - then choose between trail (lighter) and enduro (heavier), then choose the motor strength (50-80+ Nm), then choose battery size (350+ Wh) and be able to backpack 1-2 extenders for long days, rather than always carrying a lot of battery. Why not make a poll for the industry about this? Heavy e-bikes also make sense and represent a well defined use case (like the Pole Voima, full Kenevo etc) - but it's not mine, at the moment. I think Specialized nailed it with the SL range, but was limited at motor strength. Today they could increase the motor strength in their SL line and keep the weight almost the same. The Orbea Rise filled the power gap, but is limited mainly to trails, even with a 160 mm fork (I'd much prefer an e-Rallon). The Fazua 60 bikes, Rotwild, Nox and the Trel Fuel EXe look like the versatile frames you could use both with trail and enduro geometry/weight, with good enough motor power. Also, I love your point that one could come from the other end, down-build a full power ebike to be lightweight for the trails. My perfect one-bike would be similar to the Kenevo SL, with stronger, possibly removable motor and battery (like a removable Fazua 60) to allow me ride the old ways time to time with the same (expensive) components and a known bike. The industry seems to slowly converge in the "stronger Kenevo" direction, and hopefully that could bring price levels down, too, but it might take more years.
I ride with lads on analogue bikes and they are far fitter than me. I'll ride my e160 8000 in eco most of the time as I don't want to be riding on my own up hills. Maybe a lightweight emtb will suit riders like me. Besides i find it very difficult to put the power down in boost on uphill tech stuff, too much weight on the front wheel and the back wheel loses traction, too much weight on the back and the front lifts and I come off this doesn't happen in eco mode btw. I love the feel of the bike as it's planted downhill I just would like something a little bit lighter and more playful.
The e-bike technology and market are constantly changing. Anyone who is interested in battery technology will know that better batteries are coming from the EV makers. That will also benefit e-bikes, a solid-state battery that can hold twice the power in half the size and weight may be coming soon. Manual bikes may be domed like petrol motors?
Still think 90 percent of ebikes are ridden at trail centres and local trails Maybe twice a year on a mountain. Get Neil to do a time round Degla on his Kenevo then on a regular levo be interesting what the time difference is over 13 miles
I never liked the look of the big battery and motor on the full power e-bikes. The lightweight bikes are visually appealing but I can't speak to how they ride in comparison. There are still a lot of e-bike haters in north america so I appreciate the stealthiness of these lightweight e-bikes.
I have a kenevo SL, to ride with my "dino-bike" buddies and a Levo for riding with the "full-gas boys". I do wish the Kenevo had a bit more beans as riding in eco riding with my 20 year old (I'm 50) ride buddies is a tough ask and riding in trail kills the battery on some days.
Can’t decide whether to go for a carbon ebike at around £5500 with ok spec or a alloy for same money with slightly better spec. Is the cheaper carbon bikes worth it?
I don't know why full power bikes don't have range extenders instead of cramming in bigger, heavier, and longer batteries that aren't needed for most rides. Also, removable batteries need to be modular so the can be taken apart into smaller batteries that would allow them to be taken on an airplane then reassembled for riding.
Im a Light rider, 65kg, i have a canyon spectral on 2019 and i feel that shimano e8000 motor have to much power for my 65kg, actually i ride my motor with max 50 torque on trail and Boost mode and its a great value for more natural ride and range battery. My bike have 24kg, if i have a trek fuel exe with - 20kg wooo i fly away 😅 full emtb its very good to explore trails and for low tecnhical riders, for emtb enduro low weitght ebikes make the differenc for more capability riders.
I don’t really get low powered emtb’s, you only really need mtb or full power emtb, the low power category just confuses and doesn’t show new riders what the full potential of emtb’s are and what adventures you can achieve on them.
I love both I have low power and full powered I don’t know what one I like but they are all fun it depends how you fell that day what bike you want to ride that day
Full power for me, I have a Specialized turbo levo comp carbon 3rd gen, best mtb I've ever owned it's fantastic enabling me to 60/70km of riding in & around the Yorkshire Dales & still 40%battery life left when I arrive home. Loving my turbo levo pure magic. 🔥🔥👍👌🌲🌲🚵🌲🌲
Ride with analog riders on my YT Decoy. I am not working hard enough. Trek EXE on the way. Work a little harder and the fact that its nearly silent is a huge driver.
I'm really not very fit (hoping to improve this) and after coming back to MTB after years not riding I wasn't prepared to spend too much and bought a hardtail. After remembering how much I enjoy MTB but my knees don't due to old injuries I'm thinking I should go full sus and maybe EMTB. Looking at the range/weight thing and the fact that with two young kids I don't get much time on a bike anyway I'm thinking maybe something like the lower end Rise would suit me as I can't go for a higher spec to save weight on a big rig but also worry about riding a full power MTB if I run out of juice if I ever do get caught out if I get chance to ride an all day or something. I'm thinking it's that happy medium for people like me who don't have the time to strip down half the bike and rebuild it depending on where I'm going 😂
Do you prefer "full-fat" E-bikes or lightweight E-bikes? Let us know in the comments below! 👇
I went from MTB to Orbea Wild but didn’t feel I was getting a good enough work out, so changed to Orbea Rise which I love. I’m now 60 years old
This is what I really want e-bikes for. Just enough motor to shred uphill, while still being light and agile. A trail transformer, to make xc trails feel much more thrilling.
I ride a Levo SL. I chose a lightweight ebike because I still wanted to feel like I was riding a mountain bike, just with a little extra oomph to enable longer or more challenging rides. So far, after several hundred miles, I'm very pleased with my choice. I still regularly ride my "acoustic" bikes, too-a lot more than the ebike.
SL strikes the happy balance between a traditional MTB & full fat e. A tail wind up the climbs, but still getting a good workout + without that drag factor, the boat anchor feeling over 16mph!
This is a really informative video into the motivations for people buying into this genre of emtb. I wish more people would take note. Unfortunately, reading through the comments here and other videos about this genre of emtb, it seems that there a lot of people who are maybe too young, too fit or just not mentally adept enough to comprehend that their riding scenarios are not the same as every other rider out there. Just accept that there is a place for all of us in emtb and indeed analogue mtb and get along.
Since buying a full fat Turbo Levo last year, several friends have gone the “lightweight emtb” route. Every one of them is regretting going light. Once they ride a full power bike, they realize their bike is weak at climbing - the most enjoyable aspect of emtbs. I love the weight (and power) of my bike - more stable and no less capable than any bike on the trails. Given the price is about the same, seems silly to buy something pretending to be something else. I’m not ashamed of riding an ebike - especially when I ride twice as much as befor and my amish bike friend.
Light weight is for people that are afraid of ebikes. They get their feet wet and realize taking the battery out is the dumbest thing you could do.
Depends how you ride too, hike a bike ain’t fun with 25kg on your shoulders
Orbea Rise FTW - Hydro model - best price-performance ratio and long rides with the extender
I'm mid 70s now and had my Orbea Rise 18 months it allows me to ride and keep up with my local group ranging from full fat ebikes to analog bikes and fit riders.
As a senior Whistler Mnt bike rider (67 years old and 37 years Mnt biking) I was finding as my fitness is diminishing my technical skills were starting to decline also. Most of the big tech rides in Whistler are accessed by climbing up crazy black diamond assent trail. Even the blue assent trails are steep and full of tight switch backs. Getting to the top was a massive ordeal and when I managed to do it I was totally blown. Riding down was sketchy at best and more aptly described as a series terrifying linked recoveries. This did nothing for my confidence.
Also it was getting harder to find ride partners. The boys I used to ride with aren’t boys anymore. I had been following the change in e-Mnt bikes to light weight and when Orbea came out with the Rise H10 I bought one right way.
What a game changer. Up or down it rocks. I could go on and on about it but I’m sure that everyone is getting the idea. There is one thing that I would like to mention which no one has talked about and that is the great handling that comes from all the weight that is now low down. The motor and the battery lowers your centre of gravity which only effect’s the handling in a good way. Balance and rolling obstacles is amazing.
Loving my Orbea H15 at 57 years old. Makes exploring so much fun
I have a COMMENCAL meta power 2018 year. What is getting my attention is the trek ex e. I’m hoping that and the fazua motor will show some serious reliability improvements over previous e bike motors. I actually just purchased a second e 8000 motor from Shimano because my e8000 is clanking at 5000 miles. So hopefully the two German motors will demonstrate durability. The weight issue is definately something that if you ever lug my COMMENCAL around you realize you aren’t Popeye the sailor. But I doubt there is any bike out there with an appreciably better suspension and ride as I get with my rockshock 160 mm fork and a matching coil. Just going back to an air shock is a major trade off. And that means that all the extras have to be the most top of the line to make it a wow ride.
@@cyclopath1000 Cant the motor be rebuilt? Ive heard 150 to 200 will rebuild an e motor.
I think you are overlooking a group of riders that fit the Lightweight EMTB profile. I currently own a Specialized Enduro and Kenevo SL. I love the boost the Kenevo SL gives me while still feeling very similar to the Enduro on the trails. I owned the newest Levo for about a year and sold it because it was difficult to switch between the full power bike and the my Enduro. Now I can do my race pre-rides on my Kenevo SL and race the Enduro without having a big adjustment period when I switch between the two bikes. I will never stop riding traditional MTBs because they are still too much fun, and the Kenevo SL makes the perfect compliment to the traditional MTB. To be clear, I don't continue to ride traditional MTBs for exercise, I just think they are more fun on certain types of trails.
Oh my God I did the exact same thing! I had an ibis ripmo when I bought a turbo levo, and rode it for a year but it had too much power so I changed over to the Kenevo SL. A few weeks ago I traded out my IBIS for a new Enduro and absolutely love it for all the exact same reasons you mentioned there.
Levo SL , it's still a mtb but with some help. Plus it's reliable.
POWER…. Everyday ALL DAY !!!
EBIKE and PROUD OF IT😊
I started my e-bike journey with a Giant Reign E+1 that weighed 25kg. A tank. It also had a super low BB that made riding tech an issue. I upgraded to the Levo SL last year and it's incredible! I actually get MORE range on it that I did on the Giant. The bike is nimble and I get a fantastic workout on it. For me, that is important. And as you mentioned, I have young kids, so getting a great ride in without gassing myself got harder and harder.
I greatly preferred the light full suspension Levo SL when summiting Mt. Tamalpais, over the standard Levo, and gravel Grail:On. For the smoother Mt Tam terrain with lots of climbing and braking, it was easily the most fun.
You touched on loss of fitness as we age, and many, if not most times it's not from laziness, which is often implied, but accumation of illness and injury. And that includes their effects on handling the bike when not riding, such as loading it on and off a vehicle or rack. The 23+ kg bikes are really hard on my back. The Levo SL was a dream to handle after the much heavier standard Levo.
I have an Orbea Rise and have been riding Mtb for over 30 years. I bought the Orbea for several of the reasons mentioned in this video. When I first got it I was holding up fitter guys on mtbs due to being less fit. I also mainly ride natural trails and don't hanker after climbing really steep, technical sections. The main reasons full power bikes don't appeal to me is that, as Steve has said in the past, it's almost a different sport. Well, I've loved mtb over the years and I don't really want riding to feel like something different. Also, I am in the camp of not liking big, ugly batteries and motors.
I ride the Rise mainly in eco and can easily clear climbs I've never made on an mtb in trail (set at 32nm), so I don't see why I'd need 85nm. But that's just my scenario. We are all entitled to use them as we wish.
I sometimes ride where I need to lift my bike over a fence. Weight definitely makes a difference.
At 58, and 25 years of riding, I've been struggling with my MTB fitness. I've worked on diet, exercise routine, yoga, etc, but sadly, it just feels like I've hit a fitness wall that I can't get past. I demoed a Levo, and loved it but it felt too big and cumbersome, especially when braking and laying it down into corners. Demoed the KSL, which I also loved but, if I'm honest, I don't need that much bike. I bought a Fuel EXe, which I'm hoping is a nice middle-ground between the Levo and the KSL. Will find out next week when I pick it up from the shop.
Sincerely hope you love it! Similar situation with hitting walls and cramping on long days out. I picked up a Rise earlier this year and I don't regret ditching the analog enduro bike for a second.
I could have have written this right down to the 58 years old and hit a wall thing, I don’t mind putting in masses of effort but I need is some assistance after I’ve hit the wall just to get me home.
Tried the full fat kenevo which felt like a motorbike, definitely not for me .
Far better Motor Then Specialized. I would instantly buy one With 160mm
@@lakaldrak it hasn't been proven just yet how good it is. It appears to be brilliant so. Time will tell.
@@roddas26 ITS louder Then full ebikes. They are behind and overprized. Inhope they come With some better Motors in Future Like fazua Ride 60
The Rise H10 has a 540Wh battery and is still only 19kg 👍🏼
I’m a 70kg rider with an Orbea Rise H15. I’m also pretty fit for my age (53) and I’m getting so many Kom’s over full powered bikes, here in the Pyrenees
I'm on a Rise. Got it because I was recovering from multiple surgeries. I'm not sure I would have gotten back out on the trails without it. I'm converting it to a 160/160 mullet this fall.
I love this portal AC. We can move around the house. Definitely need it for the hot summer.
I love the feeling on my Spech SL above the 15mph cutoff compared to any EMTB
I Love the Feeling above 30 mph With my chiped Motor 👍
@@lakaldrak how
@@ectoplasm358 A chip, or black box plugged in does away with restrictor.
I bought the trek EXE 9.5 . I was so impressed with the feel of the TQ motor I took EVERYTHING of. Improved the spec. Now turn the motor off and you have a 15.8kg MTB . Turn it on and you quite literally have a flying machine.
Steve hit the nail on the head, it all come down to battery size, the difference between full fat & lightweight is minimal. Personally at 95kg I'd rather have a burly build and the range a full fat bike offers also I'm riding better and more confident on a 24kg bike than I've ever done on a conventional bike. The industry has such a hang up about weight, for me it's all about good geometry and sensible burly build specs for real world riding.
Changed my life for the better. After skating for 20 years I punished the body too much and my knees and back just could not handle the uphill. after riding my regular mtb I had pain for days. Got a Levo SL and its perfect. helps me on the uphills just enough to not get in pain and lets me ride more laps than ever before. ❤
As Chris says - he would choose a full power bike except when he is doing a mega jump day / whip off competition. For us mere mortals its full power all day long. The lighter ones are just a sales ploy to tempt across the undecided who are worried its too different to their old bike. They need to throw away all those years of 'lighter is better' which is true on old fashioned manual bikes. But it just isn't on Ebikes! When I first made the switch I was slower on Strava everywhere for a month, but then I broke every single personal best!
So what's wrong with me not wanting the riding experience to be different to what I've known for years.
Why do so many people in these comments sections think that their opinion is absolute?
Have both a Levo and SL Levo, Levo has 5k miles on it, SL has 600 miles on it. I think the mileage says enough on the one I prefer to ride.
I have a 2016 Haibike with 80 Nm. I typically run it in Eco which cuts the power to 50% max, so roughly 40 Nm. On very steep sections I use Standard which I estimate somewhere at 60 - 70 Nm max with a 48 tooth bottom gear and 32 tooth chain ring. (by 'very steep' I mean rear tire losing traction and front wheel lifting off the ground steep). I have my eye on one of these 50 - 60 Nm bikes. I think they would do just fine, especially with these big cassettes we have now a days.
50% doesn't mean 40Nm. Otherwise boost at 200% and 300% would exceed 80Nm.
I'm at 110 Kilos, my new Trek Fuel ex e 9.5 has all the power I need, I ride twice as far as I did with my previous MTB. I ride in Arizona and Colorado. Cheers!
My friend Blondie rides a levo SL.
It's suits her completely as she's the same size as smurfette 😃
For me, yorkshire based, ex roadie, now mid 40s and 100kg I went from a rallon to rise and I can now ride anything anywhere local-ish in the time I've got each and every ride. Max smiles! You have to have the bike for 80% of your riding!
I have a 2022 Trek Rail 9.7 carbon in medium. It comes with a Bosch motor with 85nm of torque. I’ve upgraded the fork to a 180mm Fox Factory, rear shock to a RockShox Ultimate Thru-shaft with reservoir, Bontrager carbon rims, 29x2.5 Assegai tires, One Up carbon 35mm bars, 220mm Magura rotors, 155mm crank arms and a PNW 170mm dropper.
After buying the new components, and selling off the old stuff, I’m all in for approximately $9000USD.
My full powered bike weighs under than 22kg! I win!
Seriously though, I can’t wrap my head around these “SL” bikes. They’re usually expensive and don’t have the power for serious uphill riding. What gives?
The thing is, not everyone wants to do what you call serious uphill riding. I want a bike to assist my ageing legs on trail climbs and the riding experience not to be completely different. As was mentioned in the video, I don't want to feel like a passenger, which on my rise, boost (further restricted to 47nm in mode one) already does, so for me, 85nm is just so mu h more than I need.
Weight does matter in some circumstances I already noticed it in some of the comments but away from the riding you do still need to lift the bike to get it over a fence, on your roof rack (yes you can use a roof rack in this case!), push it up the hill in those places where really nothing would be able to climb it, even a full power emtb or simply carry it upstair in to you apartment - that is what I do to keep my mtb safe. 14ish kg id enough workout to getg it there and hang it on the wall especially with my back not beign like it used to be. I can't imagine doing that with a 25kg bike!
Steve finally hit it with the battery exposé. Let's face it the e system overall weight dictates the overall bike weight going upwards from what a conventional comparable bike is.
An used, fullpwr TL S-works gen2 weight 20,4Kgs (Lsize) and cost less these light e-mtb. And if you tune it, you can even drop below 20kgs. Max cost/benefit..Think about
I’m intrigued by the Fuel EXE because I occasionally ride with purists who don’t want to ride with ebikers. Pop the battery out and it’s not much heavier than a similar trail bike. Fly with it and just use the range extender. Or put both batteries on and you have a rangey capable trail bike. Seems like the closest thing yet to a single-quiver electric/analog bike.
You need new friends to ride with. Choose the bike you want,not what they want 😊
Get rid of people who don't want to made to look fools.
not a perfect analogy but strikes me as being similar to the 27.5" wheel; the MTB manufacturers tried to migrate us to 29" from 26" but for many people it was too big a jump, so they stuck with their 26". So to get us to spend some money the manufacturers invented a halfway house - the 650b/27.5, which was very popular for a considerable time but gradually lost out to 29" as people felt comfortable migrating from 27.5 to 29, and as 29er bikes improved.
I like that they are looking more like a normal mtb than looking like a big clunky box tube looking heavy weight, and I agree with Steve, the bikes are for people that are transitioning over to an ebike. I've seen more and more people on ebikes at the bike parks now than ever before.
An older guy (even older than I) that I ride with on occasion, has a Trek LW on order. It will be great to see this on the trails and get a real time review. My 2019 Trek HW is getting WORN OUT with just 20,000+Km...
I love the look and design of the Kenevo SL, arguably the best looking EMTB around. Always wanted an Enduro…I also like the concept of shuttle up and blast down. For me this would be the E-bike I’d probably go with as technical climbs don’t really interest so much and I don’t have an EMTB so I’m not used to the power of a full fat.
When the difference is just a few kilos, keep it in perspective and see that some riders carry that much in a CamelBak - water, tools, spares, food, rain gear, extra battery for longer rides etc... the full power bike gives you that extra level of reserve for unknown trails or steeper inclines... being able to dial down the power and conserve battery and increase range is the most useful feature... I can see that the lightweight bikes are useful for smaller people and casual riders, but for some people who go on long or multi-day treks, or for bigger riders or more hardcore trails, the full size, full power bikes are probably a better choice...
I have a orbea rise and often on my local trails pedal just above the assit of level (15.5 mph 25 kph uk) and wouldn't want a bike that was any heavier .. and I have to lift it over some gates etc on some too
I’m waiting the Tansition Relay specs and price be available to make a decision about going eMTB.
I've had several transitions and am eager to see what the relays specs are also. I understand why they announced it early but a few more details would be appreciated.
I would be interested in the difference these lower powered bikes have on the wear of the drive train because as you know it can be expensive to maintain these bikes properly.
The Butchers Levo SL is at 3,500m & still the original chain & block...😂
See my channel for some carnage. Just blew another rear wheel bearing too
I have a Cannondale Neo with a full sized Bosch engine, I have enjoyed it but found that riding with people on regular bikes was kind of embarrassing in that I was barely working - even in Eco mode. I also noticed that my fitness didn't increase much compared to a regular bike. I recently bought a Levo SL and feel like it is a better solution for me, much better for mixed groups and a much better workout in the same time frame.
I see loads of SL e-bikes for sale hardly used. I have just received the new spectral on, I have done 7000km on the 2019 spectral, the bigger Batt will be perfect for long adventure days
What's the SL stand for? Super Light !
Thanks for the video! One question though: You are talking about the Transition Relay as if it would be available already. As far as I have seen it will be available only in Spring next year.
Another place for lightweight "stealth" EMTBs is here in the western US where land access for MTBs has been hard won, and the MTB purists along with other user groups want to ban EMTB access. A quiet, lightweight EMTB enables my old bod to keep riding after 35 years of MTB (and keep up with my 34 yr old son on his MTB) without being hassled by Trail Nazis.
I've had a Giant Stance...and even in ECO the assist was insane, that's why I sold it. Now I'm looking at an Levo SL 2022 that's 30% off...still undecided.
I'd like to know if the 'motor drag' is still present on the TREKs. They look cool and I like the idea but what I find problematic is the drag of the motor, when it's in 'ECO' it's not like riding a analogue bike, you still have motor drag and it's more of an effort. If there is no drag with the TREK then I'm tempted. If we could disengage the motor somehow, then I think that is more beneficial than flipping ABS FFS.
Transition Relay🤟 Stealth, 160 rear travel, and shedding 10 lbs from my Trek Rail to lose just a little torque. Now I can ride ANY trail?🍻
Haven’t ridden mtn bikes for over 20 years but now keen to commute to work and ride some trails on the weekend. Watched so many of these videos but still can’t decide. Thought I like the levo SL but also the full power trek ro levo….still don’t know what to buy 🤷♂️
Currently I have a kenevo comp, but I'm curious and wanna try the new trek
Fuel EXe. But even if I like the middle power ebike I will keep my kenevo to the harder terrain
Well I sport my first eBike that is 160Nm and 1100Wh battery so she in the 50lb + range.....One of these days I'm actually gonna swing my leg over one of my old race bikes with 26" wheels but they weigh only 22lbs! So I gotta see which is more fun.....
I‘m 31 and 72 kg. I’m Coming from XC/Tour/Marathon, some years ago I was fitter but with a family and a full time job training time is rare. Nevertheless I never had any problems to climb any hill.
In the last years I’m slightly moving to ride (built) trails more often, so I thought about an E-Bike to take 2-3 laps in the same time compared to a bio-bike (no shuttles or lifts here at my home trails).
I tested a Orbea Rise vs. a Mondraker Crafty RR: I had no need for the full-power of the Mondraker, but the Lighter Rise felt much more nimble! And: I had more than enough range with the „small“ battery of the Rise (Carbon model)!
I would have bought a Rise, but I NEED a removable battery for charging reasons, so I will wait to test the Fazua Ride 60 on the Nox Epium or Transition Relay.
In my opinion the ratios of rider weight to bike weight and rider weight to bike power are very important as others said!
Full powered for me all the way. I mostly ride a self shuttle DH park and I can do 3x the amount of runs and get back to the top of the mountain 3x as fast as an SL. More power=more riding in less time
This has been a fantastic video. Thanks guys!
I am waiting for a 40# or less with full power. We are getting closer!
what is the lightest weight highest power bike for around 5k? I want light weight for the fun down hill and also if that battery quits on me but I want max power for the uphills and long days
My personal opinion of the best all rounder do everything emtb is the specialized kenevo SL, my 1st bike choice if I had the money. Its a no brainer
I just need a a bike that i can get a few extra runs with my ageing legs, with through about geometry to handle a few redy blackish trails and some twisty blues. any suggestions? my present rid is a HOPE 1.30
I want to see you guys do a diy "cheeb" ebike like the channels Rob Rides EMTB has done and put it against the expensive emtb you have in the shop.
Looking into buying my first emtb, stuck between the new fuel exe, haibike lyke or the new spectral on. I really like the idea of the quite exe that's still agile but will I regret not going for the power and range of the spectral? I have nothing to go off as I never ridden an emtb. Please help!?
I want to buy an ebike when i ride alone but also want to ride with my friends who doesn't have ebikes. Which mid assist bike would be best to have the functionality of both? Can I remove battery of trek fuel exe and would it ride close to a normal mtb or put it in eco mode to ride slower with them and still get abit of a work out?
How does this bike ride on wet beach sand Just wondering if the gears hold up in salt and sandy conditions.
Do you have a review on new Specialized Turbo Levo Carbon 2023
My 52 lb mid-drive, 250W bike is perfect; just enough power for a boost if I need it. My goal is to use assist for zero percent of the time (or some small percentage).
Remember that if you have a long winter with a break from cycling, start the spring with a normal MTB and then feel the kick when you switch to your e-bike😊, switch between these bikes during the season and feel more of these kicks😘
You are wrong.. Heheeeeeeeee.. I will never return to a regular bicycle. And I think most of people over 60 will agree. If you are young you do not ever need an ebike. But for elderly ones it is a game changer. So do not generate an opinion for any one else. Happy eridings
Being that battery tech is the only issue holding back every industry from being in the foreseeable e-future I say give it 3-4 years, maybe less with the way things are going, and the standard with be sub 35lb ebbs with lots of power, travel and crazy 100km+ ranges. 'Full-fats' will become a thing of the past much like 50lb downhill bikes of the early 2000s did.
EMTB is becoming a minefield. Most of us can only afford one. Second bike is an orange p7 hardtail built up from old parts for bikepacking / winter / mucking about. I love it for its handling and simplicity. My main bike is a ep8 Merida 160 which is fantastic. 85 nm gets me to so much more … until you have to hike a bike or get out of the van. Then I’m just cursing and sweating. Mid power wasn’t a buying option at the time. But if a trek fuel exe can get me to the same places with just a bit more pedal then it’s perfect but I’m not convinced that 50nm will do those steep climbs. It’s a big if
I have a Kenevo Sl. Best all round machine out there. If you can only have one bike this is it!
I love the POWERRR of the Trek Rail XT 9.8
I rode a full Levo for almost two years, but it was not light after better brakes, coil shock, and better 160mm forks, now I ride a Rise also with bigger brakes coil shock and 160mm fork, so not as light as from the factory. I would take the Orbea any day, way more nimble, way lighter than the Levo. also lifting the Levo was noticibly heavier than the Rise
I can only afford one bike so I want one that has enough battery for a 5+ hour ride in the mountains on the weekend... without any range anxiety. No use for a super light. Still waiting for availability on that Cube 140 TM 750. Can never find it in a Large.
If it wasn’t for the assistance, at 64 i would not have started trail riding. I went fullfat as it is the best pleasure to power ratio FOR ME at 90 kg. For my wife at 30 kg less a fullfat felt like a tank, she went for an SL and the power to weight is quite close between our set-ups. So rider weight is critical, as much as desired rider effort.
Loving my KSL.🥰
Can we have a new measure - Power / weight ratio, that would help :)
IMHO weight is a key parameter. I am fine with a bike between 15 and 20 kg, not more - then choose between trail (lighter) and enduro (heavier), then choose the motor strength (50-80+ Nm), then choose battery size (350+ Wh) and be able to backpack 1-2 extenders for long days, rather than always carrying a lot of battery. Why not make a poll for the industry about this? Heavy e-bikes also make sense and represent a well defined use case (like the Pole Voima, full Kenevo etc) - but it's not mine, at the moment. I think Specialized nailed it with the SL range, but was limited at motor strength. Today they could increase the motor strength in their SL line and keep the weight almost the same. The Orbea Rise filled the power gap, but is limited mainly to trails, even with a 160 mm fork (I'd much prefer an e-Rallon). The Fazua 60 bikes, Rotwild, Nox and the Trel Fuel EXe look like the versatile frames you could use both with trail and enduro geometry/weight, with good enough motor power. Also, I love your point that one could come from the other end, down-build a full power ebike to be lightweight for the trails. My perfect one-bike would be similar to the Kenevo SL, with stronger, possibly removable motor and battery (like a removable Fazua 60) to allow me ride the old ways time to time with the same (expensive) components and a known bike. The industry seems to slowly converge in the "stronger Kenevo" direction, and hopefully that could bring price levels down, too, but it might take more years.
Full power for me, I can ride on mid-settings usually and still have all sorts of options.
Low power would be too much $ for too little assist.
I've got a levo SL. Ride it occasionally, but like being a rider not a passenger on it. Ride my stumpy more.
As a coffee addict, I find the low to mid assist bikes to be like de-caffeinated coffee. A headache and no buzz.😆
I ride with lads on analogue bikes and they are far fitter than me. I'll ride my e160 8000 in eco most of the time as I don't want to be riding on my own up hills. Maybe a lightweight emtb will suit riders like me.
Besides i find it very difficult to put the power down in boost on uphill tech stuff, too much weight on the front wheel and the back wheel loses traction, too much weight on the back and the front lifts and I come off this doesn't happen in eco mode btw.
I love the feel of the bike as it's planted downhill I just would like something a little bit lighter and more playful.
The e-bike technology and market are constantly changing. Anyone who is interested in battery technology will know that better batteries are coming from the EV makers. That will also benefit e-bikes, a solid-state battery that can hold twice the power in half the size and weight may be coming soon. Manual bikes may be domed like petrol motors?
Still think 90 percent of ebikes are ridden at trail centres and local trails
Maybe twice a year on a mountain. Get Neil to do a time round Degla on his Kenevo then on a regular levo be interesting what the time difference is over 13 miles
Still crazy cost for these
I never liked the look of the big battery and motor on the full power e-bikes. The lightweight bikes are visually appealing but I can't speak to how they ride in comparison. There are still a lot of e-bike haters in north america so I appreciate the stealthiness of these lightweight e-bikes.
I have a kenevo SL, to ride with my "dino-bike" buddies and a Levo for riding with the "full-gas boys". I do wish the Kenevo had a bit more beans as riding in eco riding with my 20 year old (I'm 50) ride buddies is a tough ask and riding in trail kills the battery on some days.
Can’t decide whether to go for a carbon ebike at around £5500 with ok spec or a alloy for same money with slightly better spec. Is the cheaper carbon bikes worth it?
I don't think so but my Trek Fuel Ex only comes in carbon.
More importantly,can these lightweight E mtb overtake road cyclist on the main road. My 27kg ,120nm , Haibike Flyon enduro 5.0 can on extreme mode.😂
I don't know why full power bikes don't have range extenders instead of cramming in bigger, heavier, and longer batteries that aren't needed for most rides. Also, removable batteries need to be modular so the can be taken apart into smaller batteries that would allow them to be taken on an airplane then reassembled for riding.
Im a Light rider, 65kg, i have a canyon spectral on 2019 and i feel that shimano e8000 motor have to much power for my 65kg, actually i ride my motor with max 50 torque on trail and Boost mode and its a great value for more natural ride and range battery. My bike have 24kg, if i have a trek fuel exe with - 20kg wooo i fly away 😅 full emtb its very good to explore trails and for low tecnhical riders, for emtb enduro low weitght ebikes make the differenc for more capability riders.
I don’t really get low powered emtb’s, you only really need mtb or full power emtb, the low power category just confuses and doesn’t show new riders what the full potential of emtb’s are and what adventures you can achieve on them.
Perfect eMTB = Light weight 40-45lbs, 60-90nm of torque, 64-64.5 HTA, and 160mm out back, 170mm up front for travel 🤌🏼
Would prefer a lighter bike as well to ease the uphill
Being a newbie going to ebikes what suggestions would any one recommend?
Specialized levo sl
I love both I have low power and full powered I don’t know what one I like but they are all fun it depends how you fell that day what bike you want to ride that day
Full power for me, I have a Specialized turbo levo comp carbon 3rd gen, best mtb I've ever owned it's fantastic enabling me to 60/70km of riding in & around the Yorkshire Dales & still 40%battery life left when I arrive home. Loving my turbo levo pure magic. 🔥🔥👍👌🌲🌲🚵🌲🌲
What we really need is an international standard for motor mount
Ride with analog riders on my YT Decoy. I am not working hard enough. Trek EXE on the way. Work a little harder and the fact that its nearly silent is a huge driver.
Chris looks like he needs to use the little boys room.
100% want a mid power. I want to stay close to the feel of an MTB. I really dont like the weight or look of the full power bikes.
I'm really not very fit (hoping to improve this) and after coming back to MTB after years not riding I wasn't prepared to spend too much and bought a hardtail. After remembering how much I enjoy MTB but my knees don't due to old injuries I'm thinking I should go full sus and maybe EMTB. Looking at the range/weight thing and the fact that with two young kids I don't get much time on a bike anyway I'm thinking maybe something like the lower end Rise would suit me as I can't go for a higher spec to save weight on a big rig but also worry about riding a full power MTB if I run out of juice if I ever do get caught out if I get chance to ride an all day or something. I'm thinking it's that happy medium for people like me who don't have the time to strip down half the bike and rebuild it depending on where I'm going 😂