Awesome! I have definitely not given up on the Freesky! I was out of town and came back to rain and snow. I am planning on riding this weekend if the trails are dry and open.
Hi new subscriber here. Nice ride I like what you did with your bike. I was wondering if you can give me some advice because im buying my first ebike. I like the freesky warrior with 2 motors and the swift horse with the Bafang motor like yours. Thanks
Thanks! I am impressed with the quality of the Freesky bikes I have (Swift Horse & Rocky). I haven't seen the Warrior in person but it appears to have the same build quality. The Swift Horse weighs in at 90+ lbs and I imagine the Warrior adds another 15-20 lbs to that, they are heavy bikes! Bike racks for heavy bikes like these are significantly more expensive than standard mountain bike racks if you intend to haul it with a car. The Swift Horse climbs like a beast so I can only imagine what you could climb with two 1000 watt motors. Having more than a 750 watt motor and a throttle puts these bikes in a class that may be restricted on some trails and paths, you would have to look at your local laws to know for sure though. Having the 4 piston brakes is a significant improvement over the 1st generation. I am not sure what size brake rotors they come with but if they should be able to be upgraded for $30-$40 if they are 160mm. I would recommend 203mm front and rear for a bike weight this much. You will have to buy the rotors and the appropriate adapters if you do. These bikes are great and have a great reputation for build quality and overall fun factor, especially at their price point. I recommend them for people who ride on the road, paved paths, & dirt trails that are not overly technical. The suspension on both of them is not going to be great compared to a higher end bike but it can be upgraded if it isn't meeting your needs.
Thank you very much for the answer. I decided to go for the swift horse because of the weight as you mentioned, and the Bafang motor that I think is of better quality than the motors in the warrior, and for what I've seen is fast and strong enough for what I need the bike for, that is commuting to work, light trails and just cruising around with the family. Maybe make some small modifications to improve the ride
Thanks for the well done guide, it's going to be very helpful for me as I start upgrading mine! One upgrade I've ordered, but yet to install, is an improved 14-34T rear cassette/freewheel to get better climbing capability without giving up top end speed from a smaller crank sprocket. I'm curious if you looked at something similar? There are lots of versions of the 14-34 freewheel, but most of them just take the stock cassette, and replace the 28T first gear with a 34T, making the step between 1st and 2nd gear way too large IMO. But SunRace makes one where they modify the 3 largest sprockets to make the steps more uniform. I'm looking forward to being able to climb better :)
You're welcome! I just installed a 14-34T freewheel/cassette last weekend. I ordered it from aliexpress www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805494409516.html. I also downsized my chainring to a 40T which is probably a bit too small. I have very little chain/chainstay clearance when I am on the 14T, however, I am not in 7th very often and when I am it is on a smooth surface so I am not worried about it. Having the 9 levels of PAS and the smaller chainring and 14-34T cassette makes it so much better on the technical climbs. It doesn't even feel like the same bike.
Do you plan on suspension upgrades? I am thinking about buying a front 150x15 hub and lacing it to the stock rim. That will open the door to several fork options without spending a lot of money on an entire wheel.
@@sandnap How do you like the big jump between 1st and 2nd gear on that Shimano cassette? I was worried about that, then found the SunRace one, which ups the size of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th to make the steps consistent. I still haven't gotten it, so can't tell you how good the freewheel is, but I think I'll get along better with it than the 24T - 34T jump between 2nd and 1st on the Shimano (and lots of others as well).
The jump is noticeable but a lot better than stock. If I found the SunRace option before I ordered the Shimano I would have went with it. Perhaps I'll replace it next year. The gearing overall is just too high for mountain biking so the more higher tooth count gears the better.
Couple of questions: for the shock replacement, so you went from the stock 150mm to 165mm is the effect of that to lose 15mm of travel would it not make bike sag a bit at the seat when rider on? The stock shock is rated 750 lbs right? How does this compare to your new shock whats the equivalent range of adjustments is it like 300-1000 depending on how much air i. It? Im 5 10 230 lbs i have a exa form 562 which isnt great but at least adjustable but i haven't really played around feels quite harsh compared to my old coil shock mtb. 8:48 Do you think it woukd make a difference vs stock.? Ill be getting the updated swift hirse in a couple of days. 25 ah samsung and 180mm rotors main diff i think. 2. They claim the battery and motor are ul listed - do you see any evidence of that? 3. Chainring - a have a 52t i want to use but is the chainring not bolted on to the crank like standard? Im returning a hyper mid drive mtb that walmart sells. Not enough power for my weight, only get 14.miles its only 360 wh. I enjoy it but the assist is barely noticeable and range way too low unless on 1 or 0 thr whoke time. A lot of people seem to enjoy it though i only paid about 450 usd on sale. Anyways will be returning it. Its definitely thr cheapest mid drive bike on earth at that price.
Increasing the shock length increased the travel at the rear axle by about 28mm and raised the bottom bracket by about 16mm. It also steepened the head tube angle a bit but I offset that with fork having a longer axle to crown length so that the final angle with the Manitou fork is about 66 degrees where it was closer to 68-69. The DNM rear shock sag is adjustable with the high pressure air chamber. I weigh around 180 lbs and run it at 120 psi in the high chamber and 75 psi in the low chamber. Because I lose pressure when I remove my shock pump I have to inflate both high and low beyond where they settle but this depends on the pump you use. According to the manual the max air pressure in the high chamber should be 165 psi and 75 psi in the low chamber. In their chart they suggest the max pressures for riders weighing 220 lbs. I don't see UL markings anywhere on the battery or motor but they are both marked as CE listed. The chainring/crank were one piece on my swift horse, I assume they still are. I replaced both as you can see in the video. I never had a problem with the chain coming off with the stock bash guard. I added the guide as a precaution because I no longer have the bash guard.
Great video my friend. I just bought a Swift Horse and I love it. But I have a question. You said you upgraded the front brakes to a 203mm. I am thinking about doing the same thing, but this newer model came with a 180mm front disc already. So, will that adapter that you used work for me? Did you say you went from 160mm to 203mm? Or should I look for an adapter that goes from 180mm to 203mm. I would greatly appreciate your help. Take care and ride safe.
Thanks! You will have to find an adapter that goes from 180mm to 203mm. I have the older version of the Swift Horse which came with 160mm front and rear. I have ordered and sent back a couple of off brand adapters that didn't fit right. On my latest build I am using a Shimano and it works well. I used an affiliate link to the part on Amazon because it's short :), which means I make a small commission at no cost to you order through the link. You might be able to find a better deal for it elsewhere or find an off-brand that looks like it. amzn.to/3TOH3RX or this looks like it would work too and it's a few bucks cheaper amzn.to/3J8XWBX
Hey there, my friend. I just found something out about my Swift Horse. They classify it as a pro version, the latest version. It has a special connection and will only fit the 25Ah battery and not the 20Ah battery. I have to wait a while before I can buy a backup battery. Also, this bike has four piston brakes front and back, and you can see that they have an adapter on it already that took it from the standard 160mm to 180mm. It seems to stop fairly well, so I might stay with the 180mm. All great stuff.
With the stock fork or Himalo fork the parts are below. This 203mm rotor will work for both front & rear: amzn.to/3GJ9bzy The front adapter: amzn.to/3tkqP9R
Thanks! I have had success with KMC chains. I ordered a KMC X8 from Aliexpress to have around when the stock one snaps or stretches beyond it's serviceable limit.
Is it pro version? Or not? Because they sell now 25AH version. What is your weight and how long you can ride on 1 charge on full throttle and flat road if your average speed is around 15mph. Next question is about the frame size. Im 6.3. Will it be good for me? How do you think? Thanks in advance!
Mine is the original 20AH version. I am probably not the best person to ask about full throttle or flat road range. Hopefully someone else can chime in. I removed my throttle and ride PAS only and I ride it mostly on mountain trails where I climb between 1500-3000 feet per ride. I did, however, take it on one 30 mile relatively flat ride after doing 16 miles of mountain trails and had one bar left on the battery. If I had to guess I bet I could get around 60 miles on flat ground. Another rider who was around your height said it felt cramped. I put flat, wider bars (no upward bend) to extend the reach which helps for taller riders. You could also add a longer steering stem. I measured the geometry on it and it sits somewhere between a medium (reach) and a large (stack height) in most mtb manufactures line up. If you normally ride an extra large it might feel a bit cramped.
@sandnap thank you for your answer! I still can't make decision... I need full suspension bike with powerful motor and huge battery. This bike has 25a battery and 1600w peak motor. Not bad, but I'm not sure about quality and size. And I want to make sure that their batteries are really samsung. Not fake, you know.
It weighs in at 72 pounds. The fork is substantially lighter and the shock, bars, cranks, pedals, and seat are also lighter. I leave the kickstand off when I ride and I removed the throttle and didn't install the light or fenders.
@@sandnap thanks for the quick reply, I’m thinking of getting the Swift Horse Pro and this would be my first e-bike I wasn’t sure if the weight would be a problem for general trail riding.
It has more than enough power to overcome the weight and walk mode is handy if things get too steep or you find yourself on an uphill gravel or sand climb. Bigger rotors and controlled braking help keep the downhill speed in check
@@sandnap ok one more question lol.. how about range I know it’s subjective but I’m 165lbs if I road easily with pedal assist what kind of range do you think I could achieve.
I would love to hear from people who have more experience riding on flat ground. My estimate is pretty rough because 90% of my riding has been up and down mountain trails. I would say more than 60 and less than 80 miles on the 20AH but again, that's a rough estimate. Perhaps someone with more miles on flat ground can chime in.
Nice! It's a lot of bike for that price. You'll have to post your thoughts once it's delivered. Overall I definitely found it to be a bike worthy of spending money on to make it my own (obviously haha). Great build quality,.
Got my SwiftHorse Pro and love it! Question though on the rear shock, I cannot get it to move I weigh 165lbs and it’s like the shock is stuck or frozen or am I just not heavy enough.
Nice! I couldn't get it to move much either and neither could my wife on her Rocky. I replaced both of ours with the DNM AOY36RC which is a huge improvement.
TERRIFIC info, thanks!!! a question...for on-road/flat paths-only riding, what ebike would be "best"? this one of yours is TERRIFIC for all-road, for sure 🙂sub'd/liked
Thanks! There are so many good options out there right now. Most everything I have heard about Freesky is good and my experience has been good. Their support is great and they have a wide variety of options. If you don't care about having a rear suspension the Himalaya is a good deal. The Eurostar is also a good deal for a dual suspension. It mostly depends on your budget.
Dude, for all the money you spent on this build, you could have just bought a really nice ( nicer ) bike to begin with. I'm kicking myself for buying one of these, it said they're good for riders up to 6'8...NOT. Im 6'5 and it's waaaaay to small for me. Waste of 2k basically. I put wider bars and 203mm brakes on it but just for commuting purposes. Off road? Eff no. If you're over 6' tall, run away. Anyone want to buy a lightly used Swift Horse? Lol.
I agree on the rider height exaggeration. Especially for aggressive riding. The measurements on this bike (seat tube length, reach, stack, & effective top tube length) put it between what popular brands label medium to large size. They are pretty close to the measurements on my medium Specialized Enduro. I am 5'8" so it works perfectly for me but I would say the max height for aggressive riding should be 5'11". As far as price, I purposefully avoided putting expensive parts on it other than the Manitou but the sale price on that made it worth it to me. If I decide to sell the bike I can always sell that fork on ebay and recover what I paid for it. I am in it just over $3k and honestly for my use cases it would be hard to beat that. Other contenders like the Cyrusher Ranger & Himiway Cobra ($2.8k & 2.2k respectively) offer better rear shock travel and a torque sensor but if I bought them I would still want to upgrade everything that I have on the Freesky other than the rear shock which would put them way over 3k. My next build will be a light-weight all mountain carbon electric mountain bike. Hopefully around 42lbs :).
The measurements below might help those of you who are wondering if this bike is a good fit for you. The method I used for taking these measurements should be within 3mm of accuracy but if you have any doubts you should measure for yourself. Freesky Swift Horse (applies to stock or modified bike) - 670mm stack - 432mm reach (BB) - 464mm reach (seat, front 465mm advertised by Freesky) - 600mm effective top tube - 450mm seat tube length As a comparison these are the published measurements of my medium sized Specialized Enduro Carbon. Specialized recommends this size for riders between 5'6" and 5"10". - 609mm stack - 430mm reach (BB) - 575mm top tube (may not be effective??) - 430mm seat tube length The taller stack but similar reach means a slightly more upright riding position on the Freesky than the Enduro. Removing the spacer below the bar clamp and purchasing flat (zero bend) bars would help compensate for this if you want a more aggressive riding position. If you are buying a bike for more casual riding these measurements are not as critical. You can always purchase taller handlebars, longer bar mounts, etc.. to compensate.
Awesome build I have the Himalaya with 2300 miles on it now, been great reliable bike. Wanted to upgrade to another model but now they aren't using the bafang motors and have seen few problems with them on the FB group. It's unfortunate they stopped using them, it's the main reason why I bought my Himalaya.
Great job.... Looks awesome
Thanks! It has been a fun project.
I like the Swift horse it looks good and plenty of power I hear
Thanks for the info. I will look at 180mm to 203mm adapters.
I heard freesky updated their swift horse power and display. I am looking into ur video for replacement parts so thank you for ur video.
You are welcome!
Any future videos of you riding this Swift Horse build the bike looks Awesome!
Thanks! Yes, once the trails dry out I will be getting better quality footage of the Swift Horse on some of the local trails.
Have the trails dried up yet for a video of the swift horse build or did you give up on the Freesky. I’m still lovin mine :)
Awesome! I have definitely not given up on the Freesky! I was out of town and came back to rain and snow. I am planning on riding this weekend if the trails are dry and open.
Hi new subscriber here. Nice ride I like what you did with your bike.
I was wondering if you can give me some advice because im buying my first ebike. I like the freesky warrior with 2 motors and the swift horse with the Bafang motor like yours. Thanks
Thanks! I am impressed with the quality of the Freesky bikes I have (Swift Horse & Rocky). I haven't seen the Warrior in person but it appears to have the same build quality. The Swift Horse weighs in at 90+ lbs and I imagine the Warrior adds another 15-20 lbs to that, they are heavy bikes! Bike racks for heavy bikes like these are significantly more expensive than standard mountain bike racks if you intend to haul it with a car. The Swift Horse climbs like a beast so I can only imagine what you could climb with two 1000 watt motors.
Having more than a 750 watt motor and a throttle puts these bikes in a class that may be restricted on some trails and paths, you would have to look at your local laws to know for sure though. Having the 4 piston brakes is a significant improvement over the 1st generation. I am not sure what size brake rotors they come with but if they should be able to be upgraded for $30-$40 if they are 160mm. I would recommend 203mm front and rear for a bike weight this much. You will have to buy the rotors and the appropriate adapters if you do.
These bikes are great and have a great reputation for build quality and overall fun factor, especially at their price point. I recommend them for people who ride on the road, paved paths, & dirt trails that are not overly technical. The suspension on both of them is not going to be great compared to a higher end bike but it can be upgraded if it isn't meeting your needs.
Thank you very much for the answer. I decided to go for the swift horse because of the weight as you mentioned, and the Bafang motor that I think is of better quality than the motors in the warrior, and for what I've seen is fast and strong enough for what I need the bike for, that is commuting to work, light trails and just cruising around with the family. Maybe make some small modifications to improve the ride
Good choice! I am sure you will be happy with it. I can't speak for or against the new motors but both of my bafang motors have been rock solid.
Thanks for the well done guide, it's going to be very helpful for me as I start upgrading mine! One upgrade I've ordered, but yet to install, is an improved 14-34T rear cassette/freewheel to get better climbing capability without giving up top end speed from a smaller crank sprocket. I'm curious if you looked at something similar? There are lots of versions of the 14-34 freewheel, but most of them just take the stock cassette, and replace the 28T first gear with a 34T, making the step between 1st and 2nd gear way too large IMO. But SunRace makes one where they modify the 3 largest sprockets to make the steps more uniform. I'm looking forward to being able to climb better :)
You're welcome! I just installed a 14-34T freewheel/cassette last weekend. I ordered it from aliexpress www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805494409516.html. I also downsized my chainring to a 40T which is probably a bit too small. I have very little chain/chainstay clearance when I am on the 14T, however, I am not in 7th very often and when I am it is on a smooth surface so I am not worried about it.
Having the 9 levels of PAS and the smaller chainring and 14-34T cassette makes it so much better on the technical climbs. It doesn't even feel like the same bike.
Do you plan on suspension upgrades? I am thinking about buying a front 150x15 hub and lacing it to the stock rim. That will open the door to several fork options without spending a lot of money on an entire wheel.
@@sandnap How do you like the big jump between 1st and 2nd gear on that Shimano cassette? I was worried about that, then found the SunRace one, which ups the size of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th to make the steps consistent. I still haven't gotten it, so can't tell you how good the freewheel is, but I think I'll get along better with it than the 24T - 34T jump between 2nd and 1st on the Shimano (and lots of others as well).
The jump is noticeable but a lot better than stock. If I found the SunRace option before I ordered the Shimano I would have went with it. Perhaps I'll replace it next year. The gearing overall is just too high for mountain biking so the more higher tooth count gears the better.
Couple of questions: for the shock replacement, so you went from the stock 150mm to 165mm is the effect of that to lose 15mm of travel would it not make bike sag a bit at the seat when rider on? The stock shock is rated 750 lbs right? How does this compare to your new shock whats the equivalent range of adjustments is it like 300-1000 depending on how much air i. It? Im 5 10 230 lbs i have a exa form 562 which isnt great but at least adjustable but i haven't really played around feels quite harsh compared to my old coil shock mtb. 8:48 Do you think it woukd make a difference vs stock.? Ill be getting the updated swift hirse in a couple of days. 25 ah samsung and 180mm rotors main diff i think. 2. They claim the battery and motor are ul listed - do you see any evidence of that? 3. Chainring - a have a 52t i want to use but is the chainring not bolted on to the crank like standard? Im returning a hyper mid drive mtb that walmart sells. Not enough power for my weight, only get 14.miles its only 360 wh. I enjoy it but the assist is barely noticeable and range way too low unless on 1 or 0 thr whoke time. A lot of people seem to enjoy it though i only paid about 450 usd on sale. Anyways will be returning it. Its definitely thr cheapest mid drive bike on earth at that price.
Increasing the shock length increased the travel at the rear axle by about 28mm and raised the bottom bracket by about 16mm. It also steepened the head tube angle a bit but I offset that with fork having a longer axle to crown length so that the final angle with the Manitou fork is about 66 degrees where it was closer to 68-69.
The DNM rear shock sag is adjustable with the high pressure air chamber. I weigh around 180 lbs and run it at 120 psi in the high chamber and 75 psi in the low chamber. Because I lose pressure when I remove my shock pump I have to inflate both high and low beyond where they settle but this depends on the pump you use. According to the manual the max air pressure in the high chamber should be 165 psi and 75 psi in the low chamber. In their chart they suggest the max pressures for riders weighing 220 lbs.
I don't see UL markings anywhere on the battery or motor but they are both marked as CE listed.
The chainring/crank were one piece on my swift horse, I assume they still are. I replaced both as you can see in the video. I never had a problem with the chain coming off with the stock bash guard. I added the guide as a precaution because I no longer have the bash guard.
Great video my friend. I just bought a Swift Horse and I love it. But I have a question. You said you upgraded the front brakes to a 203mm. I am thinking about doing the same thing, but this newer model came with a 180mm front disc already. So, will that adapter that you used work for me? Did you say you went from 160mm to 203mm? Or should I look for an adapter that goes from 180mm to 203mm. I would greatly appreciate your help. Take care and ride safe.
Thanks! You will have to find an adapter that goes from 180mm to 203mm. I have the older version of the Swift Horse which came with 160mm front and rear. I have ordered and sent back a couple of off brand adapters that didn't fit right. On my latest build I am using a Shimano and it works well. I used an affiliate link to the part on Amazon because it's short :), which means I make a small commission at no cost to you order through the link. You might be able to find a better deal for it elsewhere or find an off-brand that looks like it. amzn.to/3TOH3RX or this looks like it would work too and it's a few bucks cheaper amzn.to/3J8XWBX
Hey there, my friend. I just found something out about my Swift Horse. They classify it as a pro version, the latest version. It has a special connection and will only fit the 25Ah battery and not the 20Ah battery. I have to wait a while before I can buy a backup battery. Also, this bike has four piston brakes front and back, and you can see that they have an adapter on it already that took it from the standard 160mm to 180mm. It seems to stop fairly well, so I might stay with the 180mm. All great stuff.
I want to upgrade my Swift Horse brakes to 203 rotors front AND back. What exact adapters would I need for front and rear?
With the stock fork or Himalo fork the parts are below.
This 203mm rotor will work for both front & rear: amzn.to/3GJ9bzy
The front adapter: amzn.to/3tkqP9R
Great job again !!!
Just picking your brain, Do you have any thoughts on New chain types ???
Thanks! I have had success with KMC chains. I ordered a KMC X8 from Aliexpress to have around when the stock one snaps or stretches beyond it's serviceable limit.
@@sandnap Nice thanks for the Info sounds good. thank you again.
Is it pro version? Or not? Because they sell now 25AH version. What is your weight and how long you can ride on 1 charge on full throttle and flat road if your average speed is around 15mph.
Next question is about the frame size. Im 6.3. Will it be good for me? How do you think? Thanks in advance!
Mine is the original 20AH version. I am probably not the best person to ask about full throttle or flat road range. Hopefully someone else can chime in. I removed my throttle and ride PAS only and I ride it mostly on mountain trails where I climb between 1500-3000 feet per ride.
I did, however, take it on one 30 mile relatively flat ride after doing 16 miles of mountain trails and had one bar left on the battery. If I had to guess I bet I could get around 60 miles on flat ground.
Another rider who was around your height said it felt cramped. I put flat, wider bars (no upward bend) to extend the reach which helps for taller riders. You could also add a longer steering stem. I measured the geometry on it and it sits somewhere between a medium (reach) and a large (stack height) in most mtb manufactures line up. If you normally ride an extra large it might feel a bit cramped.
@sandnap thank you for your answer! I still can't make decision... I need full suspension bike with powerful motor and huge battery. This bike has 25a battery and 1600w peak motor. Not bad, but I'm not sure about quality and size. And I want to make sure that their batteries are really samsung. Not fake, you know.
With the interesting upgrades you made what was your approximate out of pocket costs? 😮
Around $2.9k for everything currently on it
Nice build! How much you figure it weighs in this form, I see stock form is around 80lbs do you think you lightened it any?
It weighs in at 72 pounds. The fork is substantially lighter and the shock, bars, cranks, pedals, and seat are also lighter. I leave the kickstand off when I ride and I removed the throttle and didn't install the light or fenders.
@@sandnap thanks for the quick reply, I’m thinking of getting the Swift Horse Pro and this would be my first e-bike I wasn’t sure if the weight would be a problem for general trail riding.
It has more than enough power to overcome the weight and walk mode is handy if things get too steep or you find yourself on an uphill gravel or sand climb. Bigger rotors and controlled braking help keep the downhill speed in check
@@sandnap ok one more question lol.. how about range I know it’s subjective but I’m 165lbs if I road easily with pedal assist what kind of range do you think I could achieve.
I would love to hear from people who have more experience riding on flat ground. My estimate is pretty rough because 90% of my riding has been up and down mountain trails. I would say more than 60 and less than 80 miles on the 20AH but again, that's a rough estimate. Perhaps someone with more miles on flat ground can chime in.
Well I just ordered my Swifthorse pro with rear rack and bag plus gift package for 1499.00 I couldn’t pass it up.
Nice! It's a lot of bike for that price. You'll have to post your thoughts once it's delivered. Overall I definitely found it to be a bike worthy of spending money on to make it my own (obviously haha). Great build quality,.
Got my SwiftHorse Pro and love it! Question though on the rear shock, I cannot get it to move I weigh 165lbs and it’s like the shock is stuck or frozen or am I just not heavy enough.
Nice! I couldn't get it to move much either and neither could my wife on her Rocky. I replaced both of ours with the DNM AOY36RC which is a huge improvement.
@@sandnap thanks for the quick response I will most likely get that shock then other then that this things a Blast!
Oh yeah! A lot of power.
*Promosm* 💔
TERRIFIC info, thanks!!! a question...for on-road/flat paths-only riding, what ebike would be "best"? this one of yours is TERRIFIC for all-road, for sure 🙂sub'd/liked
Thanks! There are so many good options out there right now. Most everything I have heard about Freesky is good and my experience has been good. Their support is great and they have a wide variety of options. If you don't care about having a rear suspension the Himalaya is a good deal. The Eurostar is also a good deal for a dual suspension. It mostly depends on your budget.
Dude, for all the money you spent on this build, you could have just bought a really nice ( nicer ) bike to begin with. I'm kicking myself for buying one of these, it said they're good for riders up to 6'8...NOT. Im 6'5 and it's waaaaay to small for me. Waste of 2k basically. I put wider bars and 203mm brakes on it but just for commuting purposes. Off road? Eff no. If you're over 6' tall, run away. Anyone want to buy a lightly used Swift Horse? Lol.
I agree on the rider height exaggeration. Especially for aggressive riding. The measurements on this bike (seat tube length, reach, stack, & effective top tube length) put it between what popular brands label medium to large size. They are pretty close to the measurements on my medium Specialized Enduro. I am 5'8" so it works perfectly for me but I would say the max height for aggressive riding should be 5'11".
As far as price, I purposefully avoided putting expensive parts on it other than the Manitou but the sale price on that made it worth it to me. If I decide to sell the bike I can always sell that fork on ebay and recover what I paid for it. I am in it just over $3k and honestly for my use cases it would be hard to beat that. Other contenders like the Cyrusher Ranger & Himiway Cobra ($2.8k & 2.2k respectively) offer better rear shock travel and a torque sensor but if I bought them I would still want to upgrade everything that I have on the Freesky other than the rear shock which would put them way over 3k.
My next build will be a light-weight all mountain carbon electric mountain bike. Hopefully around 42lbs :).
The measurements below might help those of you who are wondering if this bike is a good fit for you. The method I used for taking these measurements should be within 3mm of accuracy but if you have any doubts you should measure for yourself.
Freesky Swift Horse (applies to stock or modified bike)
- 670mm stack
- 432mm reach (BB)
- 464mm reach (seat, front 465mm advertised by Freesky)
- 600mm effective top tube
- 450mm seat tube length
As a comparison these are the published measurements of my medium sized Specialized Enduro Carbon. Specialized recommends this size for riders between 5'6" and 5"10".
- 609mm stack
- 430mm reach (BB)
- 575mm top tube (may not be effective??)
- 430mm seat tube length
The taller stack but similar reach means a slightly more upright riding position on the Freesky than the Enduro. Removing the spacer below the bar clamp and purchasing flat (zero bend) bars would help compensate for this if you want a more aggressive riding position.
If you are buying a bike for more casual riding these measurements are not as critical. You can always purchase taller handlebars, longer bar mounts, etc.. to compensate.
Is there a slight used Swift Horse for sale? I'm in the Central Texas area
Awesome build I have the Himalaya with 2300 miles on it now, been great reliable bike. Wanted to upgrade to another model but now they aren't using the bafang motors and have seen few problems with them on the FB group. It's unfortunate they stopped using them, it's the main reason why I bought my Himalaya.