If the motor is set up so you can ratchet, it also means that it will (briefly) keep driving you when you stop pedaling, which can be sketchy in corners.
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If the motor is set up so you can ratchet, it also means that it will (briefly) keep driving you when you stop pedaling, which can be sketchy in corners.
I’m just starting to think about getting an eBike but don’t really even know what bikes are out there that I should be considering.
I just moved to a spot with 4000ft of vert right in my back yard. A nice mellow graded dirt road up, and steep gnarly moto trials coming down. I can put down roughly 2000ft/hr under my own power, and have no problem climbing the 4K to the top when I have time, but I have limited time to ride these days and I’m thinking a moped would be perfect for catching a hot lap after work.
I like to ride fast, smash into things, and get airborne. Currently riding, and loving a 2021 Transition Sentinel.
So, which bikes should I be looking at?
To be honest I haven’t put much thought into that part yet. Enough to get something good, but not dentist tier.
This is where ebikes shine. The Decoy is my only experience with ebikes, and my only minor gripe is I wish they would release the 700 battery. I can get 3500 up and about 30 miles on mine going boost mode the whole time. Some of the moto and <50" ATV trails around here are unbelievably fun. Good luck with your search.
I don't really get what is being discussed (the ratchet thing) but all i have ever ridden is the EP8
I would say the 630 W battery is enough for an afternoon of riding even in boost
First of all, Fuck Right Off. I don’t need to know about this Disney Fantasy Park you just moved to.
Now that that’s out of the way, if you like the down, and you like to charge, just get any of the great 150-170mm options out there. I like alloy, because I beat on my shit. Weight doesn’t matter. You don’t believe me now, but you’ll understand later.
Make sure it’s got great brakes and big rotors. And burly tires with inserts.
The ratchet thing is hard because once you’ve been using pedal assist, not having pedal assist feels super shitty and sluggish. As soon as you stop spinning long enough to ratchet, the pedal assist stops. And it usually takes more than the quarter turn you’re using to ratchet through the little tech spot. So it feels like, “this spot is tech, so I’m going to go without the motor now. And it might kick back on for a second, thrr we n off again. All at really hard to predict moments”.
Most of the time, it’s better to keep spinning through it and say fuck it to pedal strike. Or at least carry more speed into it and try to coast through the first move until you can spin again. It’s just a different technique.
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^^^ Agreed with all of that.
Pick any bike with decent parts and decent geometry. Basically the same component and geometry considerations as any longer travel analog bike. And a bigger battery is better. I'd say 600 Wh minimum.
And personally, I wouldn't bother with the lighter weight, lower power options unless you're looking to 100% replace your regular mountain bike.
yeah i made the ^^ decision to go big or go home and I'm pretty happy with that
also pretty happy with the 630W battery
Ok now i understand what is being said about the ratcheting/tight stuff and I agree its hard to master so i will play with that
Here's an interesting watch/listen
https://youtu.be/88VH9Wv1SAc
Just went through this existential crisis...
Complex and not sure I have the gumption to write it all... well try and add later.
In no specific order:
Santa cruz bullitt
Yt decoy Mx or 29er
Specialized kenevo
Marin e2 alpine trail
Evil when it comes out
Cannondale montero LT
The bikes above are basically Enduro bikes with e assist. Most of them are mullets. I can't see owning a 29er at my height 5'9" unless I was racing. Rather have more fun.
The kenevo comp might be the best bang for buck at about 6k new with 27.5 wheels in the small and mullet otherwise. Good friend of mine that absolutely rips (40 foot gaps) really likes his. Then again another good friend of mine that builds and custom tunes suspension says the Linkage on the comp destroys shocks. The kenevo expert has a dual crown fork up front 180mm travel.
Bullit gets great reviews but is stupid expensive.
Marin has very short chainstays with slackest head tube angle of the bunch making for a supposedly wicked playful bike but not as stable nor as centered. Couldn't find one in stock anywhere.
Decoy good bang for buck and everyone I know has liked it. My guess is it could use a steeper head tube and angle but we shall see. These sell out within minutes to hours.
There are a few very long travel dh type bikes. I am not familiar with them. I think whyte might make one. Dh type, Might be perfect for you if you are shuttling up non technical road.
Take everything I say with a grain of salt since I have only ridden my dh bike about 4 times in the last couple years and instead spend time flailing around with mototrials and hard enduro. Plus my memory isn't that good.
My wife convinced me she wanted to ride dh and Enduro again after a hiatus for kiddos. We ordered yt decoys mx.
Half the battle will be availability.
Where abouts in general and no specific turns are you located?
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I also just went through this and figured I would chime in on the Kenevo. I wanted to buy from my friends shop so it was basically Specialized or Devinci in my price range. The Devinci wasnt gonna happen any time soon so that left one option.
I ended up going with a Levo Comp Alloy but looked hard at the Kenevo Comp because I figured bigger was better in this case. I really wanted mullet and knew I wanted the 700Wh Battery. The Kenevo is actually 27.5 front and rear in all sizes, that and the 500Wh battery made me go Levo. I am going to put a 170 fork on it and get a cascade link to bump the rear to 160mm. I am hoping that gets me close enough to plow sled status and I am betting it should after one ride at 160/150.
I would echo what others have said, dont worry about weight unless you are trying to replace your normal bike. GX/SLX is just fine on this application no need for the bling.
All three of those you mention became noticeably better. I had been on a Surly hardtail for awhile before that, so I was a little out of sorts those first few rides. The new geo, the added weight, and the excitement of having a new super-fun bike caught me off-guard on those initial rides. I think a lot boils down to my technique or lack of on these newer bikes.
The Turbo Levo Alloy Comp is interesting to me(as well as available), but I’m a bit concerned about the wheels, being generic Speciazed rims and no-name hubs.
Also, how is the stock 36 Rhythm? I’ve generally been impressed by that fork for the price, but is it underwhelming on an ebike, either in terms of chassis stiffness, or damping?
I wish they’d make a Turbo Levo Alloy Expert, I’d be all over that.
I’d buy a YT Decoy in a heartbeat, but any of the well spec’d ones seem to be unobtanium right now.
36 Rhythm is an OEM-only Fox-branded Marzocchi Z1, which people generally like. Chassis stiffness should be exactly the same as any other 36, Grip1 damper is nothing to write home about. For the riding you described I think I'd want a proper enduro fork, Mezzer/38/Zeb.
The wheels have a formula hub, I will likely swap them out to something nicer at some point but I know a lot of people with a lot of abuse on them. I did warranty a fair bit when running a Specialized dealer service department but have been assured they have improved QC which was the issue for sure. The rims are totally fine and you shouldn't be worried about them, they are alloy so a wear item IMO.
The fork seems adequate and is regarded as a good performing product at the price. You can put a Grip 2 damper in it if you so desire. I needed a cheap fork for another project so I am swapping out for a Factory 38 but my 1 ride report is it didn't prevent me from having fun and actually felt better than I expected.
The Mission Control app is pretty sweet and lets you customize the motor settings and track anything you need. This wasn't something I considered as a plus until after purchasing the bike as I was clueless to it.
The Decoy Core 2 spec really isn't that bad. Deore performs pretty well, it's just heavy but its an Ebike so who cares. Buy a cartridge for the fork and let her buck, maybe upgrade the shock at some point I suppose. Do they use a custom 540Wh battery across the whole line? I'm unsure about that... Also still a bit of a wait.
Thanks all for the good beta.
Another question, how much does pedaling an ebike with a dead battery suck?
Is it going to be like pedaling my 50lb bikepacking setup around, which I hardly mind, or far shittier because of drag in the motor?
It's doable but annoying. The sound of chunky rubber rolling slowly on pavement is kinda soothing though. Only happened once and then switched route from CW to CCW to take advantage of it being slightly downhill to get home.