First EMTB??

[welshrunner]

Looking at getting my first ebike, will be for a hilly commute through the lanes to work and some trail on the weekends.

I have been looking at the following hardtails.

Giant Fathom
Cube Reaction
Trek Powerfly 2019

Not sure on which models on the Fathom and Reaction yet as I'm totally new, my budget is £2800.

Any opinion on the above bikes or any other ideas I could look at.

I'm mainly a runner from North Wales, so fairly fit and weigh 73kg, I live in a hilly area so hills will be a big feature in my commute/riding.

Regards

Craig

 

[R120]

At that price point nothing comes close to the new Decthlon, and its a full suspension

Decathlon STILUS Full Suspension Electric Mountain Bike - SRAM SX - EMTB Forums

 

[Beekeeper]

Also look at Cube reaction hardtails with the 625w battery. These range in price from £2400 to £3000
The higher price ones will obviously have better quality front forks

 

[maynard]

Test ride a duel suspension. If ur really into it your gonna want one later anyway .

 

[maynard]

I have a hard tail cube ebike in the shed . I like my Levo so much more . I commute with my levo now . And just generally ride all over the place with and act like I'm a kid again . Except I'm having more fun now

 

[Simoto123]

Test ride a duel suspension. If ur really into it your gonna want one later anyway .

I’m using the wife’s Hardtail levo at the moment and please believe me the suspension is well worth the extra. The hardtail is fast and efficient but it’s just torture even on the road and near unrideable off it. If there was a steel framed option it might be better but in rigid alu it’s a jackhammer. Admittedly it has pretty poor fork and my reference is a coil sprung Sworks.

 

[maynard]

I’m using the wife’s Hardtail levo at the moment and please believe me the suspension is well worth the extra. The hardtail is fast and efficient but it’s just torture even on the road and near unrideable off it. If there was a steel framed option it might be better but in rigid alu it’s a jackhammer. Admittedly it has pretty poor fork and my reference is a coil sprung Sworks.

 

[Zimmerframe]

I think people generally buy a hard tail because of it's perceived efficiency advantages over an FS bike. These don't really apply with an E-bike.

The other reason is cost, a HT can be a good chunk of change cheaper than an FS bike .

Like yourself I went for a HT, mainly so I could keep up with the OH on horseback. Eventually I strayed and discovered single track and then downhill .. So a few months later I changed to a better HT... I got faster and realised the bike wasn't capable of doing what I wanted .. (Actually, I wasn't capable with a HT of doing what I wanted .... ) So four months later bought an FS bike and instantly regretted not getting one from the start.

as @R120 says, the Decathlon Stilus is in your budget. It's not a home grown decathlon product, it's a re-badged bike and seems really nicely made and equipped for the money.

Decathlon STILUS Full Suspension Electric Mountain Bike - SRAM SX - EMTB Forums

If you look around and want to spend a bit more, you can generally find a Trek Rail 5 for about £3200

Or if you want to stay in budget, want some more "branded" than the decathlon, but lower spec, you can get a FS Focus Thron 6.7 for £2730 or under your £2800 including delivery :

Focus THRON² 6.7 | E-Bike Fully Shop

 

[maynard]

When I jump my cube the fork springs out w a loud clunk . It's horrible . Still a nice bike . But compared to the levo it's cheap .. She's nasty but hey.. I like her.

 

[Simoto123]

When I jump my cube the fork springs out w a loud clunk . It's horrible . Still a nice bike . But compared to the levo it's cheap .. She's nasty but hey.. I like her.

Sorry if my post seemed a bit strong. I've clearly gone old and soft, i have loved some hardtails over the years. To be fair they were mostly steel or some mix of steel.

 

[welshrunner]

I think people generally buy a hard tail because of it's perceived efficiency advantages over an FS bike. These don't really apply with an E-bike.

The other reason is cost, a HT can be a good chunk of change cheaper than an FS bike .

Like yourself I went for a HT, mainly so I could keep up with the OH on horseback. Eventually I strayed and discovered single track and then downhill .. So a few months later I changed to a better HT... I got faster and realised the bike wasn't capable of doing what I wanted .. (Actually, I wasn't capable with a HT of doing what I wanted .... ) So four months later bought an FS bike and instantly regretted not getting one from the start.

as @R120 says, the Decathlon Stilus is in your budget. It's not a home grown decathlon product, it's a re-badged bike and seems really nicely made and equipped for the money.

Decathlon STILUS Full Suspension Electric Mountain Bike - SRAM SX - EMTB Forums

If you look around and want to spend a bit more, you can generally find a Trek Rail 5 for about £3200

Or if you want to stay in budget, want some more "branded" than the decathlon, but lower spec, you can get a FS Focus Thron 6.7 for £2730 or under your £2800 including delivery :

Focus THRON² 6.7 | E-Bike Fully Shop

Thankyou, really appreciated

 

[welshrunner]

I have a hard tail cube ebike in the shed . I like my Levo so much more . I commute with my levo now . And just generally ride all over the place with and act like I'm a kid again . Except I'm having more fun now

Excuse my ignorance, I'm very new, a Levo? So you are suggesting full suspension over hardtail.

 

[maynard]

yeah sorry mate . Yep go full sus . Or at least demo a full suspension.