EMTB for Aussie trails

[Kevlasultanpus]

Looking for advise re buying EMTB in Australia (Canberra to be specific). I'm 55, been riding for 13 years and would consider myself intermediate skills rider, its just that I get fatigued quicker and that makes ride time shorter and more sketchy. Currently ride Trek Fuel ex 8 (130mm 29er trail) and this suits me fine. Don't see the need for more travel unless the extra weight of an eEMTB dictates that is what I should do.

I don't get great confidence from Canberra bike stores re their knowledge. Maybe I'm just too well read being partaking in emtb youtube vids etc.

Any feedback appreciated especially with tech support etc.

Brands being considered TREK FOCUS NORCO ROCKY MOUNTAIN MERIDA

Thanks

 

[ozhutcho]

I went through the same thing a couple of weeks ago. Took a spin on the Rocky Mountain, Trek, giant, spesh levo and the merida e160 900e.

I am 50ish, rode for a long time, used to race XC and DH then had a bit of a spill in 2010, broke myself and said that'll do - Although I kept a 29er single speed and a 29er XC 100mm hardtail to tootle around on. FFwd to last year and my young fella now a teenager trashed an old Norco XC duallie and asked for a Trek Roscoe 8 for his birthday/xmas combined. He also nags me to take him to Stromlo. all. the. time.

Started riding with him again and realise that my knee and hip are too arthritic to keep up with him (and i got fat in the last few years).

After research I took the above bikes for a spin. The top three are the RM, the Levo and the Merida - all for different reasons. Not of fan of the feel of the bosch motor and the Giant, when I arranged the ride, gave my weight to the muppet and checked it was set when I turned up. I reckon the suspension was set for Pharlap's rider. I asked and was assured that was how they felt (and sat in the suspension stroke). Did about 200 metres and gave the bike back. Rightly or wrongly, this ruled the giant out.

The RM was the most playful and the engine was the pick (IMHO). The Levo felt the most familiar seeing as I'd ridden 29ers since they became a trend. The Merida was fun and stable and half the price of the RM.

If I had the fun vouchers I would have bought the RM. Although now if I was looking the 2020 Merida tickles my nether regions - 'e160 10K please Merida'.

As for suspension travel. I reckon 150-160 is the sweet spot as that offers all the travel I will need, oodles of comfort, and the upgrade in suspension tech since 2010 and the motor means that they don't peddle like a pogo.

my 2cents

Hutcho

 

[CjP]

Looking for advise re buying EMTB in Australia (Canberra to be specific). I'm 55, been riding for 13 years and would consider myself intermediate skills rider, its just that I get fatigued quicker and that makes ride time shorter and more sketchy. Currently ride Trek Fuel ex 8 (130mm 29er trail) and this suits me fine. Don't see the need for more travel unless the extra weight of an eEMTB dictates that is what I should do.

I don't get great confidence from Canberra bike stores re their knowledge. Maybe I'm just too well read being partaking in emtb youtube vids etc.

Any feedback appreciated especially with tech support etc.

Brands being considered TREK FOCUS NORCO ROCKY MOUNTAIN MERIDA

Thanks

I’d go the Merida out of that bunch.
That new 10K is real horn looking!
Not sure on after sales service of the others but my brothers Merida had great after sales service through 99bikes.
He’s only ever had two issues and they were dealt with within a couple weeks. Otherwise great value for money and great to ride!

 

[ozhutcho]

yep I got the e160 900e from 99bikes for a rather good price.

 

[CjP]

Yeah hard to beat their value.

 

[Swissrob]

Myself I bought a Levo and very happy but it is about the store as much as the bikes as they are all pretty good. Similar age and 150 travel is not too much given how you can tune the suspension nowadays. I am not in Australia anymore but would go with the Levo as it is the quietest and Specialized has a good reputation (and cult following!) so resale will be better.

 

[ryturn]

Have a chat to the lads at Tathra beach and bike probably some of the most knowledgeable around , Specialised , Focus and Trek . Tathra has some mighty fine single track to demo on too, if your in Canberra ,Tathra is just down the road .We pestered them with questions and requests , couldn't ask for more than what we received.

 

[Swissrob]

Have a chat to the lads at Tathra beach and bike probably some of the most knowlegable around , Specialised , Focus and Trek . Tathra has some mighty fine single track to demo on too, if your in Canberra ,Tathra is just down the road .We pestered them with questions and requests , couldn't ask for more than what we received. View attachment 20396

Well @Kevlasultanpus looks like the place to go.

 

[brash]

I'm from Sydney but went to Canberra for a weekend to try as many ebikes as I could over a 72 hour period. I got to ride the following.

Rocky Mountain
Base Levo
19 Merida e160 900E
Trek Powerfly LT7 & LT9
Kenevo (2019)

Buy far the RM & Merida were the best of the bunch, the Merida was a $6k cashy where the RM was nudging 10k. The choice was extremely easy after that.

The amount of Merida's you see out on the trails is crazy, for good reason too. Bang for buck in Aus they cant be touched. It's nimble, excellent spec and value can't be ignored. The new one is excellent too but the price has increased substantially.

 

[ryturn]

You may be interested in the EMTB festival at Bright this weekend , all the major manufacturers there for demos and questions and the Mystic bike park to play on. Allterain cycles Bright are putting on .

 

[Pdoz]

Bright then tathra - it'd be an insight into what ebike shops should be like!

 

[Pendo]

I have a 2017 Levo and have loved it - but disappointed at its reliability. Will probably upgrade next year to a RM- love the engineering and fairly quiet.

 

[Husky430]

Another thumbs up here for the Merida e160 900e, I have one, one mate has an exact copy in XL and another mate has the e160 900. Touch wood, none of us have had any dramas with the bikes, all of us can't wait to get out on the weekend and as has been said in the previous posts, great value for the money. You can still find a 2019 model around on line with the 900 going for around $5000 and the 900e for around the $6k mark. Both great bikes with the extra grand getting you up spec'd suspension, brakes, seat post, etc

 

[HORSPWR]

The amount of Merida's you see out on the trails is crazy, for good reason too. Bang for buck in Aus they cant be touched. It's nimble, excellent spec and value can't be ignored.

And they don't go through motors like a whore goes through...um...well...you know!

 

[HORSPWR]

Another thumbs up here for the Merida e160 900e, I have one, one mate has an exact copy in XL and another mate has the e160 900. Touch wood, none of us have had any dramas with the bikes, all of us can't wait to get out on the weekend and as has been said in the previous posts, great value for the money. You can still find a 2019 model around on line with the 900 going for around $5000 and the 900e for around the $6k mark. Both great bikes with the extra grand getting you up spec'd suspension, brakes, seat post, etc

My e160 900e has been faultless, charge and ride, charge and ride.

 

[Kevlasultanpus]

yep I got the e160 900e from 99bikes for a rather good price.

Thanks, Went to the Phillip store on weekend..no bikes on display and they were super busy no time to chat with a sales rep.
Will see if I can tee up a demo on the merida

 

[Kevlasultanpus]

You may be interested in the EMTB festival at Bright this weekend , all the major manufacturers there for demos and questions and the Mystic bike park to play on. Allterain cycles Bright are putting on .

 

[Kevlasultanpus]

Thanks, wish I knew this with a few more weeks notice. Would have been an awesome weekend's play

 

[Kevlasultanpus]

yep I got the e160 900e from 99bikes for a rather good price.

 

[Kevlasultanpus]

How is 99bike's after sales service??? On a recent post reply I wrote of just how busy they are every time I pop in.

 

[ozhutcho]

How is 99bike's after sales service??? On a recent post reply I wrote of just how busy they are every time I pop in.

So far so good. I actually ordered and paid through the phillip shop and had it build and picked up from Mitchell.

Had good service from Mel at Mitchell.

 

[CjP]

My brother bought his Merida from Qld and moved down to Melbourne and took it in for warranty work no problems. They obviously have to order in the parts but on average the turn around time for warranty work was around 2 to 3 weeks.

 

[Eddy Current]

@Kevlasultanpus

Maybe there’s more ebikes to consider, how rocky, twisty or steep they are the trails you ride? and then if you like or prefer to be more in the saddle and just plow or you like or the trails demands more work out of the saddle, if you come from a 130 hardtail and you’re happy with a slacked LT FS might be not only overkill, it became a dumb handling thing for your rides!

 

[Kevlasultanpus]

@Kevlasultanpus

Maybe there’s more ebikes to consider, how rocky, twisty or steep they are the trails you ride? and then if you like or prefer to be more in the saddle and just plow or you like or the trails demands more work out of the saddle, if you come from a 130 hardtail and you’re happy with a slacked LT FS might be not only overkill, it became a dumb handling thing for your rides!

Hi 80% of what I do is more trail rather than endure thus why my current 130mm trek ex 8 is a great all rounder.
Thinking the merida 140 might be a good choice. It looks like the 120 wont be on offer in 2020

 

[Eddy Current]

Hi 80% of what I do is more trail rather than endure thus why my current 130mm trek ex 8 is a great all rounder.
Thinking the merida 140 might be a good choice. It looks like the 120 wont be on offer in 2020

I don’t know about the ebikes you mention right now but seems you need a 29er, not very slacked, FS is not a problem in ebikes so go for that but dont need more than 140 really

If you’re not into hard cornering, steep descend and all that but want a bike with some room look for some like the Canyon Neuron On, is 130 FS 67.5 head angled, is light, is well balanced, not expensive ... don’t worry about the exposed battery once you’re on the ebike who cares about how it looks! But made sure you’re on M or L sizes, XS and S are 27.5

Theres other trail ebikes but for me this Canyon is the best and is not expensive, only downside is if you don’t like the Shimano or if you want a huge range

 

[CjP]

K

Hi 80% of what I do is more trail rather than endure thus why my current 130mm trek ex 8 is a great all rounder.
Thinking the merida 140 might be a good choice. It looks like the 120 wont be on offer in 2020

Keep in mind that ebikes open up access to many more trails than before so you may want to think about having a little bit of travel in reserve.
Also being motorised it’s much easier to pedal a longer travel bike than an analogue.

 

[Eddy Current]

K

Keep in mind that ebikes open up access to many more trails than before so you may want to think about having a little bit of travel in reserve.
Also being motorised it’s much easier to pedal a longer travel bike than an analogue.

More travel usually comes with slacked front, and this sucks when you’re are in twisty flat or not too steep trail. To me anything below 67 HA becomes a dumb handling thing anywhere unless descending. You’re kind restricted to go down all the way to enjoy those geometrys, not really great all rounder bikes

 

[RAZOR]

I have an E120 with a 150mm fork and it's been everywhere my old Merida 140 went.
I reckon the new E140 would be a good fit - 130 rear and 140 up front.
The E140 8000 looks pretty good!

 

[Eddy Current]

The focus Thron is another trail bike, they came with the new Bosch and 625wh, little heavier, longer chainstays 66.8 head angle ... good candidate

 

[Pdoz]

Don't get too bothered about travel or head angles with merida , extending the forks is always an option if you find speed / difficulty increasing.

Are you expecting to start heading further away for your ruding on the emtb? Eg Thredbo all mountain or lift assist riding? I'm, er, casual about my riding - I came from being happy with a norco optic. After a week at thredbo, I was really looking for better brakes / suspension on my full e pro (203 mm discs but only twin pot , the forks are 34 mm fox ebike 150 mm ) . Places like Tathra are fine for mere mortal bikes, but I've been too scared to ride act because of tales of "gangs" beating up parents on ebikes. ( a couple of years back there were stories of emtb riders getting grief from groups on conventional bikes - has this settled down yet? If not, go as stealth as possible - eg a focus with the small battery?)