eMTB recommendations

[Docca]

Decided to move this to a separate thread.

Before the considerations of reliability of Brose engines, I was sorely tempted by the Specialized offering (still am).

However, looking for recommendations for Bosch alternatives please. Budget £4-5k (or less)


Criteria: XC stuff. I'm not one for launching myself down mountains. Range is a key consideration, and preferably any bike with a back up battery as a seek out longer rides. That said, anything that will comfortably man 50miles will be sound.

Sorry for sounding lazy, or perhaps naiive, but i'd prefer bikes that have as much trick stuff out the box; dropper posts or tubeless tyres etc would be fab, but again not essential (just additional expense)

Nothing massively heavy as I have to lift the bugger over styles around here.


Much appreciated folks

[millemille]

Decided to move this to a separate thread.

Before the considerations of reliability of Brose engines, I was sorely tempted by the Specialized offering (still am).

However, looking for recommendations for Bosch alternatives please. Budget £4-5k (or less)


Criteria: XC stuff. I'm not one for launching myself down mountains. Range is a key consideration, and preferably any bike with a back up battery as a seek out longer rides. That said, anything that will comfortably man 50miles will be sound.

Sorry for sounding lazy, or perhaps naiive, but i'd prefer bikes that have as much trick stuff out the box; dropper posts or tubeless tyres etc would be fab, but again not essential (just additional expense)

Nothing massively heavy as I have to lift the bugger over styles around here.


Much appreciated folks

Full suspension or hardtail?

[Docca]

ah, I forgot the basics!

Full suspension. Definitely full suspension. My back and shoulders can't take HT

[millemille]

ah, I forgot the basics!

Full suspension. Definitely full suspension. My back and shoulders can't take HT

And are you in a hurry to get it?

Ebike sales have gone through the roof during lockdown and stocks are pretty thin on most of the big name machines..

[millemille]

https://whyte.bike/products/e-150-s

I know there's Whyte's to be had at dealers. I've had several Whyte Amish bikes and been impressed with them. They're not as good value as the big name offerings because they don't have the buying power to get the components at knock down prices.

https://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/bike ... dark_black

Trek are in short supply so you may have to look all over the country to find one. My e-mtb is a Trek and I'm very happy with it.

[weeksy]

I hate to sound negative, but you did a 45km ride the other day.... You also have a brilliant XC bike... What's the issue here ?

[G.P]

I hate to sound negative, but you did a 45km ride the other day.... You also have a brilliant XC bike... What's the issue here ?

If the man wants an e-bike, let the man buy and e-bike!

Besides, I'm interested in this although my budget will be around £3k

[Docca]

I hate to sound negative, but you did a 45km ride the other day.... You also have a brilliant XC bike... What's the issue here ?

That's not negative at all mate; i'm on a knife edge (that sounds dramatic) with regards to my do i / don't i on eMTB.

My rides are becoming more stretched- and i'm loving that, but for me there are places that I feel would be more accessible with a bit of motorised support. I love my current bike and i'm going to put the thing on a wall in celebration of how it is saving my life...and I WILL get the tubeless done (still need to get that sorted ) but i'm also worried about what happens after the sun stops shining. In the late autumn and winter, when it is all slimy and slippery, will I be more tempted to go out on an ebike?

[weeksy]

In the late autumn and winter, when it is all slimy and slippery, will I be more tempted to go out on an ebike?

Kinda curious as to why that would be ? Arguably a manual bike is easier to maintain and less likely to get issues with grit/grime/ etc ? *question for Ebike guys i guess)

the only thing that winter brings in the riding context is less speed and in some ways more fun. You'll go slower but still work just as hard and still be out for just as long, just covering less distance.

Based upon what this lot are saying, it likely you may have more fun on the Ebike in some ways... That i cannot say. What may be worth doing is borowing/renting one for the day from your closest shop and seeing how you feel on a decent test, you may enjoy it more, or indeed less.

[G.P]

^^^^^ - Renting ebikes - now there's an idea. I might look into that.

[G.P]

interesting tool: Bosch's range calculator -

https://www.bosch-ebike.com/range-cockp ... peed%5D=10

[millemille]

interesting tool: Bosch's range calculator -

https://www.bosch-ebike.com/range-cockp ... peed%5D=10

There's too many variables to get any accurate prediction of range.

[mention]Couchy[/mention] and I rode exactly the same route in the Peak District, around Ladybower, a few weeks ago. 20 odd miles, about 2,000 foot of climbing, proper gnarly off road.

I'm 2 stone heavier than couch and on a gen 3 bike compared to his gen 4. By rights he should have had loads more battery left at the end of the ride, but he was literally on the last knocking of charge whereas I had 20% left.

Tyre size, tread pattern, cadence and so many other small things couple with all of the obvious significant variables - like terrain, gradient, mode used - all conspire to make it a bit of a lottery when predicting range. it comes with experience and learning how to ride an emtb and make the most of it.

[G.P]

interesting tool: Bosch's range calculator -

https://www.bosch-ebike.com/range-cockp ... peed%5D=10

There's too many variables to get any accurate prediction of range.

@Couchy and I rode exactly the same route in the Peak District, around Ladybower, a few weeks ago. 20 odd miles, about 2,000 foot of climbing, proper gnarly off road.

I'm 2 stone heavier than couch and on a gen 3 bike compared to his gen 4. By rights he should have had loads more battery left at the end of the ride, but he was literally on the last knocking of charge whereas I had 20% left.

Tyre size, tread pattern, cadence and so many other small things couple with all of the obvious significant variables - like terrain, gradient, mode used - all conspire to make it a bit of a lottery when predicting range. it comes with experience and learning how to ride an emtb and make the most of it.

That's why I liked that calculator as it measures all those different attributes. Its value is in what difference a change in a single attribute makes to the overall calculation - Or course no ride has fixed profile, ride effort isn't always consistent, wind isn't consistent etc, etc

[G.P]

At my £3k budget, this CUBE looks a favourite. The 625 Battery option is £400

https://www.cube.eu/en/2020/e-bikes/mou ... reen-2020/

[weeksy]

At my £3k budget, this CUBE looks a favourite. The 625 Battery option is £400

https://www.cube.eu/en/2020/e-bikes/mou ... reen-2020/

Only minor thing I don't like is 12 speed eagle. They're a bit quirky and notoriously fussy to setup. But other than that I like it lots and would be ideal.

[Nordboy]

At my £3k budget, this CUBE looks a favourite. The 625 Battery option is £400

https://www.cube.eu/en/2020/e-bikes/mou ... reen-2020/

That's pretty good for a full sus emtb. I have the Haibike xduro allmtn 3.0 (i know, a right gobfull!!), it was retailing at £4k but I had it for £3200 brand new. With the popularity of ebikes at the moment, i'm not sure the dealers would give loads off the price? Personally, I'd go for the 625 battery. It's not often that I do use most of the battery, normal rides for me use just over 3 bars, leaving two left. But I did do a big ride that I then had severe battery anxiety (it's actually known as that ) and I was concerned that I was going to be pedalling a very heavy dead battery bike home! I did get home ok, but I was a bit worried.

A couple of the lads I ride with have the Cube hardtails and they like them and no issues at all.

[Nordboy]

Docca

Have a look at some of the online only stuff, such as Canyon, they are doing some lovely bikes at the moment. I have heard that they're having trouble keeping up with orders though as their bikes are popular.

If I was going to upgrade (and I've been thinking about it) then I'd definitely look at Canyon.
https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/e-bikes/e- ... ection-tab

[G.P]

At my £3k budget, this CUBE looks a favourite. The 625 Battery option is £400

https://www.cube.eu/en/2020/e-bikes/mou ... reen-2020/

That's pretty good for a full sus emtb. I have the Haibike xduro allmtn 3.0 (i know, a right gobfull!!), it was retailing at £4k but I had it for £3200 brand new. With the popularity of ebikes at the moment, i'm not sure the dealers would give loads off the price? Personally, I'd go for the 625 battery. It's not often that I do use most of the battery, normal rides for me use just over 3 bars, leaving two left. But I did do a big ride that I then had severe battery anxiety (it's actually known as that ) and I was concerned that I was going to be pedalling a very heavy dead battery bike home! I did get home ok, but I was a bit worried.

A couple of the lads I ride with have the Cube hardtails and they like them and no issues at all.

Yep, I think I'd go for the 625, and I think you're right about prices, Im expecting everything tot be RRP until 2021 models are out?

Haibike want £4.5k for the allmtn 3.0. The 2.o is £.6k.. YOu did well!

[Nordboy]

At my £3k budget, this CUBE looks a favourite. The 625 Battery option is £400

https://www.cube.eu/en/2020/e-bikes/mou ... reen-2020/

That's pretty good for a full sus emtb. I have the Haibike xduro allmtn 3.0 (i know, a right gobfull!!), it was retailing at £4k but I had it for £3200 brand new. With the popularity of ebikes at the moment, i'm not sure the dealers would give loads off the price? Personally, I'd go for the 625 battery. It's not often that I do use most of the battery, normal rides for me use just over 3 bars, leaving two left. But I did do a big ride that I then had severe battery anxiety (it's actually known as that ) and I was concerned that I was going to be pedalling a very heavy dead battery bike home! I did get home ok, but I was a bit worried.

A couple of the lads I ride with have the Cube hardtails and they like them and no issues at all.

Yep, I think I'd go for the 625, and I think you're right about prices, Im expecting everything tot be RRP until 2021 models are out?

Haibike want £4.5k for the allmtn 3.0. The 2.o is £.6k.. YOu did well!

Mine is a 2019, was new at the time though. I did pretty well, so much so, that the dealer was a bit pissed off when I went to pick it up. I think he talked himself into a deal that subsequently cost him more than he thought!! He was a real w.a.nker at the shop. I have vowed never to go back there

[millemille]

Only minor thing I don't like is 12 speed eagle. They're a bit quirky and notoriously fussy to setup.

Not had a single issue with my 12 sp eagle set up.