Electric Bike Thread

**meter-man** · 08-13-2019, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by ACH

Curious, have any mountain bikers here that have also ridden dirt bikes/enduros for an extended period of time crossed over to riding an e-mtb as a replacement/substitute?

I have the same question. I was thinking of getting my first dirt bike recently, and the whole eMTB has me reconsidering. Wonder if dirt bikes are cheaper than eMTBs LOL...

**joetron** · 08-13-2019, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by James-J

Everything will depend on what exactly you want. More speed or longer ride. Unfortunately, bikes with electronics can do one thing. I myself use the motor only as a last resort, when I need to rest or when I understand that the slope is incredibly steep and I can not handle it.

So otherwise you’re just pedaling an extra heavy bike around?

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**rod9301** · 08-13-2019, 11:00 AM

An e bike is not the same as a dirt bike.

You don't have the same instant throttle response that allows you to crawl up steep rocky faces.

The torque is a lot less, you can't just spin your rear tires at will on the uphill.

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**ACH** · 08-13-2019, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by rod9301

An e bike is not the same as a dirt bike.

You don't have the same instant throttle response that allows you to crawl up steep rocky faces.

The torque is a lot less, you can't just spin your rear tires at will on the uphill.

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Uhmmm, yeah...
The question wasn't how are they different...
The question is, has anyone who has ridden moto for years (that also mountain bikes), moved over to riding e-mtb instead of said moto.

**grinch** · 08-13-2019, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by ACH

Uhmmm, yeah...
The question wasn't how are they different...
The question is, has anyone who has ridden moto for years (that also mountain bikes), moved over to riding e-mtb instead of said moto.

Not me but i do see a number of them on the emtb forums. Some still do both and some mainly on the emtb now. Off hand, one 40 something guy races both and does well. Not sure of his ratio of moto vs emtb is but looks like he gets a fair amount of time on the eeb

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SB · 08-13-2019, 01:23 PM

Of course the lines get blurred when you look at the new edirt bikes.

I have been looking at a dual purpose bike, something like the venerable Honda 650.

I have a friend who used to ride dirt bikes a lot but has been a Mtn bike only rider for many years. He has tried an Ebike but he is still fairly young, 40s and stll has not seen the light.

**jm2e** · 08-13-2019, 01:33 PM

I have no dirt bike experience. But a buddy of mine is a recent moto > mtb convert and we let him and his wife spend a half a day on our bikes while we rode their mtbs.
He said it was more like a mtb. Apparently moto handles very specifically with the way throttling/braking, huge travel, huge tires and weight change everything with traction obstacles and mostly control in the air. He said the Ebike feels like an mtb but less arduous to climb. None of the handling advantages of a dirt bike.

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**grinch** · 08-13-2019, 04:21 PM

Most of the puzzling done today. Lowered the sag to 35% , couple extra clicks of rebound on both tge front and back and brakes are fully bedded in and aligned. Noticeably more playful than the devinci ac(shorter cs and lower bb maybe?) and carries more speed being a mullet bike. Super fun looking for things to jump off on the trail. Sales a little further than the spartan29(must be the weight/momentum)
All trail mode today. Ive just climbed 3200 ft in 2 days and my battery is at half or there abouts. 1200ft in eco and the rest in trail.

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**jm2e** · 08-13-2019, 06:01 PM

The How-Far How-Fast How-Much-Battery Question is so interesting. Because, Pre-Ebike it seems so cut and dry, but really there’s no answer.
We’ve got a backcountry enduro loop we like to do. Nobody knows about it, nobody is there, super chunk, super sustained downhill. 10 mile loop. 2.5 miles flat paved. 5 miles gravel climb. 1 mile barely visible Ridgeline traverse, 1.5 miles down. 1,800 ft. First lap uses 3 bars of battery. Second lap used 5 bars of battery. Once I commit to using more juice, there’s no going back. Could do 3 laps if we kept the assist down.
I can say, this is one of the best loops we’ve done. Oh, and it’s totally shuttleable. But that would require a truck and a bunch of dudes. Now we do it whenever we want.

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**grinch** · 08-13-2019, 06:27 PM

Sick! Sounds great. 1800ft is perfect for laps. Had super fun today. Really like this bike. Im rusty af and cautious but got enough in and warmed up and having fun throwing it around. Nothing crazy or big just hitting corners and little doubles. Hopefully check out 5620trail on the hill later this week after i get a bit more mileage in

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**skysos** · 08-13-2019, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by ACH

Curious, have any mountain bikers here that have also ridden dirt bikes/enduros for an extended period of time crossed over to riding an e-mtb as a replacement/substitute?

I raced motocross for years, then did a lot of XC type enduro riding in Colorado and New Mexico. When I moved to California I gave that up. At some point I just didn't want the hassle of loading up motos to drive to far away riding areas. I switched to mountain biking for a short while but that never really took.

When I hopped on my first eMTB 1 1/2 years ago I was hooked instantly and got back into the cycle sports. Yeah, it's nothing like the enormous horsepower and suspension of a motocross bike, but it's safer and a lot quieter. At this point I just like exploring on the bike and not really into jumps or shit like that that I used to do on motos.

**grinch** · 08-13-2019, 06:39 PM

Thats what i was just planning. Going to check out some trails that i rarely ride. Small area with a few trails. EZ to spin over and explore for a few circuits and see where all the little branch offs go.

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**Beaver** · 08-13-2019, 11:49 PM

I work in an e bike shop. All we sell are e bikes, mostly to old people who haven't been on a bike for years. They're great for that demographic, it gets them off the couch and occasionally they leave the car at home. One of the perks is that I get to demo bikes. Of all the mid drives I've ridden the Brose is my favorite. I've ridden a BH Atom X with 7" travel with the Brose and it killed all the stuff i normally decend. Super smooth and responsive power. Then going down I was blown away, all those little spots where you throw in a couple pedal strokes was like throwing in 8. I fucking flew down the mountain, airing shit that I normally get a tiny pop off. We've got fat bikes too, they're the best thing ever in the snow

We sell Magnum bikes too, 500w hub motor that will do 45kph with pedal assist. Great on the street but hubs are not so good for mt biking, they're too powerful yet don't put the torque to the dirt like a 250w mid drive can.

My favorite for going to the coffee shop is the Ray Volt cruiser. It's got a direct drive 1000w hub motor that easily does 45kph without pedaling. It's design is based on the old Indian bikes. It turn heads. Not much of a pedaler though but who cares.

I also ride one to work, my daily driver is my old Rocky Mt Slayer with 5" sus and a beefed up Bafang Bbs02 running at 28A 48V (About 1350w). I had to change my front Chainring from a 52 to a 42 due to horrid driveline issues but I can still move it at about 60kph (40mph) if I pedal. As for not getting exercise, bull shit, I get more because I want to go faster and faster. I've got my commute to 11 minutes, that's faster than I can do it in a car. I love this bike, when I'm at a light and it goes green I am fucking gone, through the intersection I have to work to keep the front wheel on the ground. I usually clear a 2 lane intersection at about 40kph from a dead stop.

**grinch** · 08-14-2019, 12:18 AM

Haaa rad. Need some drag bars on that whip. Youve got a whole fleet of fun. Didnt know there was an ebike store down there. Im "following" "krafty bikes" on ig. It was a sponsored ad that popped up and they look cool so thought id follow. Probably out of my current wallet range. Be nice to ad a baofang town cruiser/grocery getter to the quiver at some point. Probably pay its way in petrol savings

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SB · 08-14-2019, 07:19 AM

Originally Posted by Beaver

I work in an e bike shop. All we sell are e bikes, mostly to old people who haven't been on a bike for years. They're great for that demographic, it gets them off the couch and occasionally they leave the car at home. One of the perks is that I get to demo bikes. Of all the mid drives I've ridden the Brose is my favorite. I've ridden a BH Atom X with 7" travel with the Brose and it killed all the stuff i normally decend. Super smooth and responsive power. Then going down I was blown away, all those little spots where you throw in a couple pedal strokes was like throwing in 8. I fucking flew down the mountain, airing shit that I normally get a tiny pop off. We've got fat bikes too, they're the best thing ever in the snow

We sell Magnum bikes too, 500w hub motor that will do 45kph with pedal assist. Great on the street but hubs are not so good for mt biking, they're too powerful yet don't put the torque to the dirt like a 250w mid drive can.

My favorite for going to the coffee shop is the Ray Volt cruiser. It's got a direct drive 1000w hub motor that easily does 45kph without pedaling. It's design is based on the old Indian bikes. It turn heads. Not much of a pedaler though but who cares.

I also ride one to work, my daily driver is my old Rocky Mt Slayer with 5" sus and a beefed up Bafang Bbs02 running at 28A 48V (About 1350w). I had to change my front Chainring from a 52 to a 42 due to horrid driveline issues but I can still move it at about 60kph (40mph) if I pedal. As for not getting exercise, bull shit, I get more because I want to go faster and faster. I've got my commute to 11 minutes, that's faster than I can do it in a car. I love this bike, when I'm at a light and it goes green I am fucking gone, through the intersection I have to work to keep the front wheel on the ground. I usually clear a 2 lane intersection at about 40kph from a dead stop.

Sweet! Thanks for the input. Never heard of Brose but am on my way to check that out.

**Iwantmy2dollars** · 08-17-2019, 11:07 AM

Anyone upgraded their emtb wheels? Looking at DT and Spank Oozy 27.5 ebike specific wheel sets. They are built up with steel hubs and axles I guess to make them a little stronger. Any other brands making emtb wheels?

**grinch** · 08-17-2019, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by m56b63

Anyone upgraded their emtb wheels? Looking at DT and Spank Oozy 27.5 ebike specific wheel sets. They are built up with steel hubs and axles I guess to make them a little stronger. Any other brands making emtb wheels?

My decoy came with dt ebike wheels. Im using the front one right now but i might sell them. Im probably going to use my hope evo4/light bicycle carbon wheels. Not sure if thats a good idea though. The dt's do have that steel freehub body, beefier axles and bigger bearings. I think i might have to chanhe the aluminium fredhib body on my hopes to steel or maybe a sram freehub. Not surw where youre at but if your looking for a mullet wheelset and tires id sell them for a good price. Theyre the wheels and tires on the yt cf base

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**Iwantmy2dollars** · 08-17-2019, 05:18 PM

Thanks Grinch, I'm in the North East. That's a great looking bike! How do you like it? Where are you?

I'm kinda set on buying new. I'll set them up from a clean start...... I'd be stoked about the DT 1700 hybrids but for some reason they went with 28 hole on the front and rear. I'm 165 lbs but add my 10 lb pack and 58 lb bike and it seems 32h is the more prudent choice. Specially since the weight is not a giant factor on a motorized bike.

**grinch** · 08-17-2019, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by m56b63

Thanks Grinch, I'm in the North East. That's a great looking bike! How do you like it? Where are you?

I'm kinda set on buying new. I'll set them up from a clean start...... I'd be stoked about the DT 1700 hybrids but for some reason they went with 28 hole on the front and rear. I'm 165 lbs but add my 10 lb pack and 58 lb bike and it seems 32h is the more prudent choice. Specially since the weight is not a giant factor on a motorized bike.

Bike has been great . Still kind of dialing in thongs. Fits me really well and has surprised me how playful it is. Feeling dialed on it aftrr a few rides. Maybe a little over confident the last ride and pointed it down this steep wet rooty chute. 30 ft in i was picking up speed , and between the extra bike weight and the lack of braking traction of the smaller rear tire i have on it atm , the feet flew off and riding a bull towards the trees. Managed to get it somewhat together but it was far from graceful and ive ordered similar spec rear tire that is on the dt's. The semi slick tire was great hitting the faster jumpier trails but i found the limitations of the bike,tires and myself in a hurry in that chute. Other than that i might make the fork 170 or 180(for my usage) and i might add 220mm rotor or rotors, but the brakes are working quite good atm. Ill throw on that wider tire with burlier tread and go back to the steeps and decide on jacking the fork and if more brakes are needed. Other than that, super fun ripping turns and popping little jumps. Planted and stable as they say.
With the wheels, im in western canada(revelstoke) so that probably negates any kind of cost savings when we'd have to factor in shipping wheels. I dont have much to say about the wheels other than what looks like we've both read on them. Ive only had 5 rides on the front. Im also curious about the 28hole as opposed to 32? I am wondering if i should keep them too. I dont have much faith in the hope aluminium freehub body on my carbon wheels in this application(emtb). Im just researching steel freehub bodies forvthe hope hub. Chain reaction lists those in the freehub body options in the "desciption" but they dont stock them. Maybe a sram xo/xx1 driver body but then a cheap 11speed 11-46 cassette is hard to find. Maybe itll be easy to find a steel freehub body for the hope hub or should i keep the dt's. Thats the dilema atm. First world problems

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**toast2266** · 08-17-2019, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by grinch

Still kind of dialing in thongs.

Sounds like you're officially an ebiker!

**gravitylover** · 08-17-2019, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by m56b63

Anyone upgraded their emtb wheels? Looking at DT and Spank Oozy 27.5 ebike specific wheel sets. They are built up with steel hubs and axles I guess to make them a little stronger. Any other brands making emtb wheels?

So I did a few things to my bike over the last few weeks and wheels and tires was one. 46mm (inner) Dirt Components Porc'r wheels with 3.0 meats. The other was a burly ass 150mm Wren fork up front. The bike is a fucking BEAST

damn I can't make photo posting work at all now

**grinch** · 08-17-2019, 08:02 PM

Originally Posted by toast2266

Sounds like you're officially an ebiker!

Haa, i left that autocorrect in there. Important to have the right fit in a thong

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**grinch** · 08-17-2019, 08:07 PM

That sounds great gl. Whatnis a "wren" fork ?

This guys funny. Pumped. Checking ojt his vids, he rips. Crazy good bmx vids

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