Commuting with a 160mm Enduro

[Billy Rail]

I just got a Trek Rail and immediately I can see that it will handle the offroad and downhill I'm intending to do.

It's just occurred to me that it might also be useful for commuting if I pump up the tyres. My round trip to work would be 15miles and my question is:
Does anyone else do something similar
Does anyone think this will put the battery and motor into over use and I'll see them degrade quickly
Is it just a crap idea and I should use a Rd bike for commuting?

Mainly concerned about how well the battery will manage on a daily grind like this also has anyone bought a second battery for the Rail? What were the overall costs?

Lots of questions. Feel free to chip in!

 

[Astom22]

I just got a Trek Rail and immediately I can see that it will handle the offroad and downhill I'm intending to do.

It's just occurred to me that it might also be useful for commuting if I pump up the tyres. My round trip to work would be 15miles and my question is:
Does anyone else do something similar
Does anyone think this will put the battery and motor into over use and I'll see them degrade quickly
Is it just a crap idea and I should use a Rd bike for commuting?

Mainly concerned about how well the battery will manage on a daily grind like this also has anyone bought a second battery for the Rail? What were the overall costs?

Lots of questions. Feel free to chip in!

In my opinion unused things have problems faster than frequently used things. I have my YT Decoy and have over 1000 miles on it since quarantine. I use it both off road and on with no issues. After we finally get released, I'll use it to commute a couple of days a week as well, a 30 mile round trip. With my other battery powered items, drones etc., I find using them doesn't hurt them as much as not.

Now the tires will take a hit, but compared to driving my truck to work and back, it will be cheaper in the long run to buy a new rear tire every 1500 or so miles.

 

[Billy Rail]

Good point on the tyres. Ideally I'd put a lightweight bald tyre on for midweek but in reality it took me about 3 hrs to get my Eddy Current tubeless on!!!!!!

 

[Astom22]

Good point on the tyres. Ideally I'd put a lightweight bald tyre on for midweek but in reality it took me about 3 hrs to get my Eddy Current tubeless on!!!!!!

Yes, I compared another set of rims and swapping and the money doesn't make sense. I'll just buy a new tire every 3-4 months at the most.

 

[Billy Rail]

Yes, I compared another set of rims and swapping and the money doesn't make sense. I'll just buy a new tire every 3-4 months at the most.

So u reckon that it will mainly be the rear to go? Cos I don't mind about the rear so much

 

[Astom22]

So u reckon that it will mainly be the rear to go? Cos I don't mind about the rear so much

I still have another 500 or so miles left in my rear and it has over 1100 on it. My front looks fine. I'm 230lbs, so seated riding eats up my rear tire way more than the front.

 

[WildGuy]

Perhaps you won't get so much chance to use it where you are so thinking to commute just so you can be on the bike. That's fair enough, but apart from that I'd have thought it wasn't a good idea. Unless there's a massive hill on your route to your work or you were going to override the motor assistance limit which is meant to be hard to do on that motor anyway then you should be faster on a cheap commuter bike. The battery life is dependent on charge/discharge cycles so you will be reducing it's capacity doing this. Plus it's not just the expensive tyres you'll be getting through. Every 6 months or so your forks and shock will now be due expensive service, or maybe you won't have had them done and when you do go for a serious ride on the bike you'll find everything not quite as good as it should be. Things like the frame pivot bearings will wear too. It's such an expensive bike it just seems a waste to achieve very little to commute on it to me, and definitely less chance that it'll get stolen if as few as people as possible know you've got this bike which might not fit in with commuting on it.

 

[R120]

Bare in mind that the vast amount of Bosch Gen 4 motors are to be found in hybrid commuting bikes, EMTB's are a small part of the ever growing EBike market place, so its really not going to be using it for anything it wasn't designed in mind for.

Someone built a killer E-Sommett commuter bike a few years back with big slick tyres, reckon it would be a lot fun, just make sure you have the best lock money can buy!

 

[Astom22]

Perhaps you won't get so much chance to use it where you are so thinking to commute just so you can be on the bike. That's fair enough, but apart from that I'd have thought it wasn't a good idea. Unless there's a massive hill on your route to your work or you were going to override the motor assistance limit which is meant to be hard to do on that motor anyway then you should be faster on a cheap commuter bike. The battery life is dependent on charge/discharge cycles so you will be reducing it's capacity doing this. Plus it's not just the expensive tyres you'll be getting through. Every 6 months or so your forks and shock will now be due expensive service, or maybe you won't have had them done and when you do go for a serious ride on the bike you'll find everything not quite as good as it should be. Things like the frame pivot bearings will wear too. It's such an expensive bike it just seems a waste to achieve very little to commute on it to me, and definitely less chance that it'll get stolen if as few as people as possible know you've got this bike which might not fit in with commuting on it.

I do my own shock maintenance, have the e8000 motor that is used in commuter bikes, and bought this bike to ride as much as possible. If parts wear out, they will get replaced. I enjoy riding it, on road or off (prefer off). I understand what you are saying, but I don't have other bikes, so this is the one that I'll be riding, my cost/mile v. enjoyment/mile is leaning towards joy for sure.

 

[Billy Rail]

Perhaps you won't get so much chance to use it where you are so thinking to commute just so you can be on the bike. That's fair enough, but apart from that I'd have thought it wasn't a good idea. Unless there's a massive hill on your route to your work or you were going to override the motor assistance limit which is meant to be hard to do on that motor anyway then you should be faster on a cheap commuter bike. The battery life is dependent on charge/discharge cycles so you will be reducing it's capacity doing this. Plus it's not just the expensive tyres you'll be getting through. Every 6 months or so your forks and shock will now be due expensive service, or maybe you won't have had them done and when you do go for a serious ride on the bike you'll find everything not quite as good as it should be. Things like the frame pivot bearings will wear too. It's such an expensive bike it just seems a waste to achieve very little to commute on it to me, and definitely less chance that it'll get stolen if as few as people as possible know you've got this bike which might not fit in with commuting on it.

I'm sort of leaning towards this way of thinking about it. I primarily bought it to have fun in the woods and outdoors and if I want to commute maybe I should consider the RD bike. After all 7.5 miles each way is not a lot and my mountain bike would suffer from unnecessary usage. Its just not worth it now I think about it more.

 

[Billy Rail]

Bare in mind that the vast amount of Bosch Gen 4 motors are to be found in hybrid commuting bikes, EMTB's are a small part of the ever growing EBike market place, so its really not going to be using it for anything it wasn't designed in mind for.

Someone built a killer E-Sommett commuter bike a few years back with big slick tyres, reckon it would be a lot fun, just make sure you have the best lock money can buy!

I get ya bud but my beloved ebike is not commuter I've decided. If there was a little bit of sick downhill along the way that would be different but it's very flat and a lot of RD. Motorbike rain cover and a big lock already at work would be a must!

 

[Gary]

Someone built a killer E-Sommett commuter bike a few years back with big slick tyres, reckon it would be a lot fun, just make sure you have the best lock money can buy!

I have a spare wheelset with a 2.4 Big ben (rear) and 2.8 MotoX tyre (upfront) run at around 55psi and an 11-25 cassette I swap onto the Esommet for commuting. it actually rolls (downhill freewheeling) on roads faster than every roadie I've ever encountered in the last year and is 10 minutes quicker than the car (pre-COVID) from the edge of Edinburgh into the centre.
They're fucking lethal leant over on frost/ice though.

 

[R120]

I was toying with putting some rigid forks and slicks on the Sentier recently as a kind of lockdown conversion - however blew the motor today so that plans on hold

 

[Gary]

unnecessary usage.

hahah
care to explain this phenomenon?

 

[Gary]

I was toying with putting some rigid forks and slicks on the Sentier recently as a kind of lockdown conversion - however blew the motor today so that plans on hold

Aw... shit mate.
Not the best time to sort warranty out.
(I assume it's still in the 2yr window?)

I didn't even like commuting on my ESentier all that much.
For commuting I had 2.2 Big Bens on it and I run HT forks super stiff anyway (DJ habits die hard). so it was fast but those stays were too just long and that, the reach and all the weight combined made it possibly the least playful hardtail I've ever ridden .Should have bought a small really.
The Esommet remains playful even with the commuting wheels.

 

[Neiljk]

I commute on my Vitus eSommet, at least I did before lockdown. 52km round trip.

I have two sets of wheels, one with schwalbe marathon and the other with the original Assegai.

Works a treat.

(And yes, I know it’s ugly!)

 

[Gary]

I know what that needs...

GLITTER !!

 

[Lad]

30km round (hilly) commute trip 5 days a week. Swap to original wheels on weekends to hit local trails. Why would I buy cheap commuter, lets get my money back by using the expensive bike as much as I can.

I can do my fork and shock maintenance, 5 years worth of chains and cassettes is still cheaper than dedicated commuter. More than 2500km on those Schwalbes, still looking like new.

 

[tomato paste]

30km round (hilly) commute trip 5 days a week. Swap to original wheels on weekends to hit local trails. Why would I buy cheap commuter, lets get my money back by using the expensive bike as much as I can.

I can do my fork and shock maintenance, 5 years worth of chains and cassettes is still cheaper than dedicated commuter. More than 2500km on those Schwalbes, still looking like new.

View attachment 30648

We will be doing this as well, but we're hoping to keep one set of tires on the bikes, as we aren't focused on very technical or wet terrain, just fireroads and well maintained single track when not commuting. Any recommendations for a tire that works well enough for this combo?

 

[R120]

Aw... shit mate.
Not the best time to sort warranty out.
(I assume it's still in the 2yr window?)

I didn't even like commuting on my ESentier all that much.
For commuting I had 2.2 Big Bens on it and I run HT forks super stiff anyway (DJ habits die hard). so it was fast but those stays were too just long and that, the reach and all the weight combined made it possibly the least playful hardtail I've ever ridden .Should have bought a small really.
The Esommet remains playful even with the commuting wheels.

It will be dropped of at LBS on Monday and the motor sent off, so shouldn't be too long.

 

[Billy Rail]

Loving these slick tyred commuter set ups. Very urban and nice styling

 

[Billy Rail]

hahah
care to explain this phenomenon?

All I'm saying is that I ride the hell out of the thing on the weekends. Maybe riding midweek to and fro from work ain't the best idea. It's bound to wear out quicker no?

 

[MrBrownstone]

All I'm saying is that I ride the hell out of the thing on the weekends. Maybe riding midweek to and fro from work ain't the best idea. It's bound to wear out quicker no?

That’s what bikes are for. Meant to be ridden hard and often. Ride it like ya stole it!

 

[Billy Rail]

That’s what bikes are for. Meant to be ridden hard and often. Ride it like ya stole it!

? That's funny

 

[Seabird55]

bump to an old thread. i'm considering using my rail 7 to commute but my dilema is tires/wheels...don't want to spend $$ on another wheelset but want to be able to do trail riding during the week as well in the evenings. just stick to regular trail tires and buy more often or wheelset or...are there other creative ideas out there. i don't want to have to swap tires every other day...too much work.

 

[Doug Stampfer]

bump to an old thread. i'm considering using my rail 7 to commute but my dilema is tires/wheels...don't want to spend $$ on another wheelset but want to be able to do trail riding during the week as well in the evenings. just stick to regular trail tires and buy more often or wheelset or...are there other creative ideas out there. i don't want to have to swap tires every other day...too much work.

I'd suggest that it comes down to 2 things - can you get away with cheap crappy tyres on your trails that you can wear out on the road & have no problem replacing every few months or if you need good quality tyres for your trails, are you happy spending that amount of money every few months.

On a different note for me mtbing wouldn't be the same escape if I rode my bike to work every day.

 

[Planemo]

bump to an old thread. i'm considering using my rail 7 to commute but my dilema is tires/wheels...don't want to spend $$ on another wheelset but want to be able to do trail riding during the week as well in the evenings. just stick to regular trail tires and buy more often or wheelset or...are there other creative ideas out there. i don't want to have to swap tires every other day...too much work.

Or maybe consider fitting a trail/road tyre depending on how gooey your trails are. I fitted a Schwalbe Johnny Watts to the rear of my bike recently as I was ripping the Maxxis DHR to shreds with all the road work I happen to be doing at the moment. Works really well for my use case. Plenty enough grip for mild off road stuff (forests etc, which I still ride through), especially in 2.8". I am considering putting one on the front now as well, although the DHF isn't suffering nearly as much as the rear was.

 

[Seabird55]

Or maybe consider fitting a trail/road tyre depending on how gooey your trails are. I fitted a Schwalbe Johnny Watts to the rear of my bike recently as I was ripping the Maxxis DHR to shreds with all the road work I happen to be doing at the moment. Works really well for my use case. Plenty enough grip for mild off road stuff (forests etc, which I still ride through), especially in 2.8". I am considering putting one on the front now as well, although the DHF isn't suffering nearly as much as the rear was.

thanks for the idea...looking quickly at the tire that might be a great solution...seems like a good off/on road option. i have a dhf on the front and dhr ii on the rear but know they will not last long on the pavement....will look into

 

[Rosemount]

All I'm saying is that I ride the hell out of the thing on the weekends. Maybe riding midweek to and fro from work ain't the best idea. It's bound to wear out quicker no?

A ship is safe in the harbour .
But , that`s not what ships are built for ...

 

[maynard]

I've done around 3500 to 4000 kms on my levo commuting. First motor went around 2500/3 km mark . Only cost 100 bucks for new motor . Shore beats driving a car . It's about 25kms round trip each day . Unless I go the long way . Which happened alot at the start. My girlfriend sometimes wonders why it takes me 2 hours to get home.