Big guy, which motor might be best?

[daCaTindaHaT]

Hi, I’m 60, 6’3” and currently 215 wants to get back to 180. I live at 7525 feet. I used to be able to do slickrock with only a couple dabs, but 5 years ago I was crushed by a f150 driving over me. My Yeti sb5 has gathered dust because I’m too out of shape. Because of the accident my reach is some what compromised because I shattered my scapula.

Im looking for my first ebike and because I’m heavy and at altitude the motor needs to be tough! What would you recommend?

I’m looking at the Specialized Turbo Levo Comp Alloy as a good local dealer sells them and I like the 4x assistance and the 700+ battery. They also have nice Yeti and Santa Cruz, but I’m not sure I’m good enough, anymore, to get the most out of those bikes.

I’ve been on dirt since I got my stingray 55 years ago. So, any of you that had similar paths to ebikes please give me your wisdom! What surprised you and what should/would you look at more closely? All help is appreciated.

 

[steve_sordy]

Whatever you do don't get a Brose motor on a Speccy, they break down far too frequently, although the customer service policy on replacement is good. I like the Shimano motors as I have a had a very good ownership experience (some say "lucky"). I've had an e8000 and currently an EP8, both flawless. But they cannot be maintained. Correction, they are not designed to be maintained by the user, but they can be serviced without a warranty thanks to the unavailability of certain bits of electronics. So that's the Shimano out of contention. I know very little about the other motors other than the Bosch. The Bosch's biggest plus in my book is that it is relatively easy to service. Not that I would service it! Instead, I'd send it to someone who does it for a living. As this will be your first emtb, and you seem to be choosing solely on the motor, then go for a Bosch. Buy a bike that has the Bosch motor from an LBS as near to you as possible.

PS: I didn't choose my first emtb by what motor it had, I was in the happy position that it was pre-pandemic and I could test ride many bikes. I chose the bike that felt "best" to me. By that I mean that it was an emtb that when I rode it, it felt like me on a good day. I could forget that I had a motor and just enjoy the ride. The difference to all the other non-Shimano motors was very noticeable to me. It just happened to be the first Shimano motored bike (a Focus Jam2) that I had ridden and I decided to buy it there and then. The Speccy Levo even then was a highly sought-after bike, but I just didn't take to it one bit. (Lucky escape!)

 

[04fuxake]

Maybe the Giant Trance X E+1 is an option?

I’ve been on a Giant (Yamaha PW-X) for years and it’s been more than capable of hauling me up hills. It’s a grunty motor and I rarely need to go over 125% assistance (I think it does 350% max).

 

[Zimmerframe]

All of the FF (full fat - not "lightweight") motors will give you "ballpark" similar assistance.

Hopefully you won't be needing to use it in Turbo/Boost all the time and just the lower levels will suffice to get you moving comfortably whilst you get your strength fitness back - but obviously it's nice to have Turbo/boost there when you need them.

In terms of "tough" altitude won't make any difference. Cadence will be important - if you plan to ride with a very low cadence then the Brose would be a bad choice - though in fairness, any of them would be a bad choice if you plan to climb lots at low cadence - it causes the motor to run very inefficiently which will create heat, waste energy and potentially cause problems.

Ultimately, they should all be capable of what you want and yes, everyone will have different experiences of reliability and unreliability with every motor.

 

[daCaTindaHaT]

Thanks everyone.

Do you feel it’s worth the extra expense for carbon? It should be stronger, but it adds well over a grand to the price.

 

[Durrti]

Thanks everyone.

Do you feel it’s worth the extra expense for carbon? It should be stronger, but it adds well over a grand to the price.

I think shimano and Bosch are your best options for motors. Avoid Brose they seem to fail more with big guys riding hard. I’ve heard alloy frames act as a heat sync helping cool the motor, where carbon act as an insulator. Who knows

 

[steve_sordy]

@daCaTindaHaT I would not be concerned about the strength difference between carbon and alloy frames, they are both designed to bear the same weight. And 215 pounds is not that heavy, I weigh more than that with my riding gear and I do not consider myself overweight (well OK, maybe I could lose 7 pounds). Most bikes are rated at 120kg and some up to 150kg, either will suit your needs, but why pay extra?

A carbon frame may save you 900gm or so vs an alloy frame. If bike weight is important to you that may prove to be an important factor. In the UK, we have five-bar gates, stiles and other farmer made obstacles to lift the bike over. You may not have that problem where you live in Colorado. But you may have to lift the bike on/off your truck, you may have a bad back, or your hip may cause you lifting problems - I don't know. I do have back problems which is why I paid extra for the carbon frame and paid for a tow bar and rack, so that I didn't have to put the bike in the back of my car.

 

[Gaper]

Heavy girl - about your weight and LOVING my Specialized Turbo Levo Comp. Not riding at your altitude, but still put it through the paces at 3300'. I would buy my bike again and again. Just my .02 YMMV.

 

[Durrti]

Heavy girl - about your weight and LOVING my Specialized Turbo Levo Comp. Not riding at your altitude, but still put it through the paces at 3300'. I would buy my bike again and again. Just my .02 YMMV.

As a bigger dude that had a Gen 3 levo. I went through 2 motors and decided to sell the bike. Riding group had 7 new motors in 8 months all on the Gen 3.

 

[steve_sordy]

Yep, what did I say about the Speccy? (See post #2)

 

[Zimmerframe]

Yep, what did I say about the Speccy? (See post #2)

You did .. but as we said, everyones experiences will differ ... you only have to look two posts down on the feed and you find :

anyone gone back to a normal bike?

Nope..and never will. Forget about going downhill for a moment ..my ebike allows me to climb so much more technical stuff than I have ever managed on a normal bike and that is where the additional fun comes in . As for downhill ..it isn't shy about getting little bits of air-time..but I've never...

www.emtbforums.com

 

[daCaTindaHaT]

I’ve had good luck with my Bosch power tools lol. The other mental block I have is I’m used to certain companies being MountainBike makers and there are many new players in the ebike world. I do want to purchase in person and if needed there are shops all over the Denver area.

The weight saved, about a pound, on a 50 pound bike, is insignificant. My wonder is if you crash the bike is so heavy it could be damaged. Though, probably best for me to behave myself lol. I’ve only got one or two lives left.

Our local stores carry, Specialized, Trek, Yeti, Santa Cruz, Scott and Giant. I used a Santa Cruz superlight for 15 years and loved it, so the Heckler is on the list. I just wonder why they go out of their way to paint them in light sage green.

 

[Zimmerframe]

you cant get these parts for any other motors not even bearings

So .. not Polini just as an example .. and the Yamaha uses bushings, not bearings.

 

[z1ppy]

Big guy here, gone from a 19 Ali Levo with 5k all year round off-road miles, to a 22 Ali Levo. As I’m happy with their performance, excellent handling & real world reliability. No fan boi, as I’d never had a spesch previously, just great bikes.

 

[ResRN]

62, 205 ride a S4 Kenevo. I wanted a longer travel bike for downhill. Love it so far, but haven't ben to the bike park yet. I live near Four Corners.

 

[Zimmerframe]

but Polini is new to the market

2016 ? I guess that's pretty new in terms of electric motors generally.

Anyway, sorry, we're getting off topic.

 

[spicker]

I've got 1,600+km on my 22 Alloy Comp in S4. I'm 6'1" at ~200lbs. No issues with the motor so far. Having a good LBS/dealer support that you're happy with is important regardless of the brand.

 

[RickBullotta]

KTM fuel injected 300 2 stroke.

 

[spicker]

KTM fuel injected 300 2 stroke.

I've ridden Slick Rock and the area around Moab with a carbed KTM 300 2 stroke. Great fun.

 

[Bearing Man]

I can guarantee that a riders weight will make no difference to any ebike motor. After all, you're not going to weigh more than a cargo bike and they don't have motor issues any more than a light weight rider. We see motors from big dispatch riders with legs like tree trunks and from skinny 85 year olds. Inside the motor wear or damage from rider weight or power will be identical.

By the way, Yamaha do have external bearings like all other motors. But, also like most motors, they do use a couple of bushes internally.

 

[Moshe]

I am 71 years old, 6'4", and 318lbs. I ride a 2022 Specialized Kenevo SL with a 35nm motor. I like that the bike is much lighter than a full-power e-bike. Most of the time the power is adequate, but on really steep hills I have to work hard. That would be on hills that on a regular bike I would have to walk.
My last bike was a Haibike with a Yamaha motor. This is the same motor as the Gaint e-bikes. It was extremely reliable and was easy to ride since it had plenty of power at low cadences.

 

[timmers]

Hi, I’m 60, 6’3” and currently 215 wants to get back to 180. I live at 7525 feet. I used to be able to do slickrock with only a couple dabs, but 5 years ago I was crushed by a f150 driving over me. My Yeti sb5 has gathered dust because I’m too out of shape. Because of the accident my reach is some what compromised because I shattered my scapula.

Im looking for my first ebike and because I’m heavy and at altitude the motor needs to be tough! What would you recommend?

I’m looking at the Specialized Turbo Levo Comp Alloy as a good local dealer sells them and I like the 4x assistance and the 700+ battery. They also have nice Yeti and Santa Cruz, but I’m not sure I’m good enough, anymore, to get the most out of those bikes.

I’ve been on dirt since I got my stingray 55 years ago. So, any of you that had similar paths to ebikes please give me your wisdom! What surprised you and what should/would you look at more closely? All help is appreciated.

Hello. I'm now 66 yrs old. I bought a 2020 Turbo Levo Alloy model with a 500w battery in August of 2020. It's the XL size. I'm 6'-2" and about 210 lbs. I live a bit lower in elevation than you, but do ride the higher elevations as well. For example a couple weeks ago I spent a few days at a local ski resort taking the lift from 4000' ASL up to 7000' ASL and zooming downhill at breakneck speeds (eg.: as fast as I dared go). My bicycle now has 9000 kms on it. I just replaced both tires (first time for front tire, and second time for rear tire) - they're tubeless if that matters. I also had F&R brake pads replaced (second time for both). And had the shock and fork serviced (I have that done yearly). Last year I changed the stock 150mm stock fork to a 170mm Lyrik Ultimate because I like downhill and wanted longer travel front. I love climbing on my bike, and the longer travel front fork has not hampered my ability to climb even the steepest slopes - it's just a matter of shifting and lowering my body. I got about 6000 kms on the stock chain, then changed it, the front chain ring and the rear groupset at that time. I wash my bicycle frequently, using the garden hose. I use Muc-off spray on, a bit of brushing, then hose it off. I use a Park Chain tool every 2 or 3 rides and then use a good quality dry chain lubricant. I live in an area which is quite dry, so lots of dust. I don't like wet weather, so you won't catch me riding when it's muddy. I don't baby my bicycle, because I have a feeling they're well engineered, well built, and suitable for the type of riding I do. Based on my experience the past 2 years, I think you'd be perfectly happy with the Turbo Levo model, especially with the 700w battery. Good luck.

 

[Dynamo]

I am a bigger guy and picked up a Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay and I am loving it!
By all means listen to what people have to say and do your research by reading reviews but make sure you get out and test ride all the bikes you can.
There is a lot of info out there but just remember to take it all with a grain of salt. Some will tell you the one they bought is the best for one reason or another and pros reviewing bikes in YouTube videos aren’t going to give you much negativity about any bike as the manufacturers generally look after them one way or another.
Do your research, find out who has bikes in stock and get out and try them.

 

[dave_uk]

as far as the motor is concerned you will find the shimano lacking in power, the specialized is far more superior IMHO - owned both.

I now ride a Specialized Turbo Kenevo Comp 2020 and it rarely fails on any uphill section (I take it on extreme climbs), great torque and power, smooth delivery and dependable.

 

[Cb750stu]

I love my Spesh gen 3 , had two motors in a year but 3rd one going strong more powerful imo and I've had Shimano and Bosch , don't go for Shimano or Yamaha or Bosch there all rubbish
Spesh rule

 

[jgusta]

Hi, I’m 60, 6’3” and currently 215 wants to get back to 180. I live at 7525 feet. I used to be able to do slickrock with only a couple dabs, but 5 years ago I was crushed by a f150 driving over me. My Yeti sb5 has gathered dust because I’m too out of shape. Because of the accident my reach is some what compromised because I shattered my scapula.

Im looking for my first ebike and because I’m heavy and at altitude the motor needs to be tough! What would you recommend?

I’m looking at the Specialized Turbo Levo Comp Alloy as a good local dealer sells them and I like the 4x assistance and the 700+ battery. They also have nice Yeti and Santa Cruz, but I’m not sure I’m good enough, anymore, to get the most out of those bikes.

I’ve been on dirt since I got my stingray 55 years ago. So, any of you that had similar paths to ebikes please give me your wisdom! What surprised you and what should/would you look at more closely? All help is appreciated.

Vote for new Spesh Levo Turbo motor. My good riding buddy, who is about 225-230 lbs ride weight loved his much more so than his Commencal SX w/Shimano EP8. Battery just a little bigger (700 vs 630) but he gets at least 25-30% more range, with at least 5,000ft days the norm at elevation. He loves the Spesh phone app for changing power settings and can easily do all his climbs in ECO due to this. I have Trek Rail w/Bosch (625 battery) and, weigh 15-20 lbs less than him and he gets 35% more range than me when riding together and I never ride above Tour (trail lite) setting. My bike is a juice eater for some reason, especially over time and rarely get above 3,000ft/battery unless all climbing in ECO that is fairly weak (not much faster than regular bike). I have to back a second battery on most rides (not my preferred)

 

[daCaTindaHaT]

Thanks again everyone! I’ve kept looking and it seems specialized did update the motor to toughen it up. I’m going to try a trek 9.7 to try the Bosch motor. The reach is too long for treks better bikes so that leaves Scott which is sold by the store I got my last bike. I just can’t find out much about how it rides.

The best bike store near me is a Specialized, Yeti, Pivot and Santa Cruz. I just can’t get past how ugly the heckler is, both in frame and color which sucks because I loved my Superlight!. Im not good enough anymore to make the Yeti worth it. I’ve never road a mixed wheel set so I need to see how that is. I got 27.5 on my SB5 because I like playfulness as much as pure speed So maybe the mixed set will be fun?

Im at the point I need to throw a leg over to get irl feedback. I’ve been in the market for a vehicle too and disagree with most reviews on cars. I’m just hoping by sticking to familiar bike brands they will still ride like I expect.

Because of my accidents I haven’t ridden for a few years, but YouTube videos of riding emtbs has me so stoked (70s dude alert lol) to ride again!

 

[steve_sordy]

..............

................ I got 27.5 on my SB5 because I like playfulness as much as pure speed So maybe the mixed set will be fun?

..........

Have no concerns about the mixed wheel set up! There is little doubt in my mind that 29ers roll faster and better over rough ground. But when the terrain points steeply downhill, that rear wheel often buzzes my arse! A 27.5" rear wheel completely solves that problem, while maintaining the rollover ability of the 29er. Buy with confidence.

 

[Bearing Man]

Have no concerns about the mixed wheel set up! There is little doubt in my mind that 29ers roll faster and better over rough ground. But when the terrain points steeply downhill, that rear wheel often buzzes my arse! A 27.5" rear wheel completely solves that problem, while maintaining the rollover ability of the 29er. Buy with confidence.

And rear mudguards fit better in the winter

 

[CURLYHURLEY]

I seem to be the only guy with a yamaha motor on a haibike! after about 14 months / bout 7.5K mine recently popped, 3 weeks in bike shop all warrantied new motor attached and I'm back on my way!