Forbidden EMTB

Myke

New Member
Feb 10, 2025
71
63
Daygo, CA
I'm pretty interested in this bike, but it's a little concerning that the company doesn't seem very communicative. I sent them a message on their contact form asking if they'd be at Sea Otter, and I haven't gotten a response.

It doesn't inspire confidence when the company that makes your bike is hard to reach. Hopefully actual owners have some phone number or email provided to them for warranty/support.
If you go to the sea otter site and look at the manufacturers attending you can see them and exactly what spot they have.
 

Chairman

Active member
Feb 25, 2022
225
125
Nz
Where from and how much? Did you get any additional details?
In NZ so price not relevant but lots cheaper than Santa Cruz. There are various Sram spec options but frame is same full carbon. Anyone know of any Forbidden frame issues in the past?
 
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jbrown15

Well-known member
May 27, 2020
839
710
Chilliwack, Canada
In NZ so price not relevant but lots cheaper than Santa Cruz. There are various Sram spec options but frame is same full carbon. Anyone know of any Forbidden frame issues in the past?
Working at a shop that sells Forbidden, we have yet had to warranty any frame issues. Which build spec did you pick? Top of the line, middle of the road or the lonely bottom spec? Even the bottom spec costs more than the average ebike....lol
 

Chairman

Active member
Feb 25, 2022
225
125
Nz
Let
Working at a shop that sells Forbidden, we have yet had to warranty any frame issues. Which build spec did you pick? Top of the line, middle of the road or the lonely bottom spec? Even the bottom spec costs more than the average ebike....lol
S hope it performs better than average😁Haven't fully decided on spec yet. Still got some options available
 

DirkWisely

Member
Jun 14, 2024
147
150
California
Working at a shop that sells Forbidden, we have yet had to warranty any frame issues. Which build spec did you pick? Top of the line, middle of the road or the lonely bottom spec? Even the bottom spec costs more than the average ebike....lol
Definitely a premium price, but nothing out of the norm when compared to Specialized/Crestline/other premium brands.
 

DirkWisely

Member
Jun 14, 2024
147
150
California
I called my local dealer and they already have 3 preorders :eek: I think i'll wait. I mean what if it turns out fugly like the trek slash+
My dealer had a deposit, but it's refundable. I figure I might as well get in line while we see what the Levo is like, or any other competitors that come out while I wait.
 

whitymon

Active member
Nov 29, 2023
396
209
Europe
I called my local dealer and they already have 3 preorders :eek: I think i'll wait. I mean what if it turns out fugly like the trek slash+
You can’t compare it to the slash+ makes no sense.
It will be a less travel bike?, bigger motor, bigger casing etc.

The only one that would pick interest in same comparison would be forbidden like geo/travel full power. Norco has already one but too heavy, not playful.
 
Last edited:

bakedbun

Member
Mar 22, 2024
16
16
California
You can’t compare it to the slash+ makes no sense.
It will be a less travel bike?, bigger motor, bigger casing etc.

The only one that would pick interest in same comparison would be forbidden like geo/travel full power. Norco has already one but too heavy, not playful.

I was kidding, but rumors are Forbidden will be using a rocker high pivot suspension design with the shock mounted vertically.
 

Ou812

Well-known member
Subscriber
Jun 26, 2022
941
736
Inverness
I don’t like the looks of the exposed motor, looks unfinished to me.

IMG_6700.jpeg IMG_6699.jpeg
 

Ou812

Well-known member
Subscriber
Jun 26, 2022
941
736
Inverness
I don’t know what is being ridden in this picture. But I can tell you that doesn’t not look like the new eDruid. It also looks like a Sram or Brose motor in that picture.

That’s the debate in another forum, he’s a Forbidden rider so everyone is trying to figure out what it is. They’re saying the E-dreadnaught but it looks like it could be the new Giant Reign to me.
 

jbrown15

Well-known member
May 27, 2020
839
710
Chilliwack, Canada
That’s the debate in another forum, he’s a Forbidden rider so everyone is trying to figure out what it is. They’re saying the E-dreadnaught but it looks like it could be the new Giant Reign to me.
There is no eDreadnought, I work at a shop the sells Forbidden.
They said for 2025 there is only a eDruid. There will be two versions of it.

It’s really close to being released.
 

oettam20

Active member
Mar 3, 2021
112
116
Lugano
Tell us
There is no eDreadnought, I work at a shop the sells Forbidden.
They said for 2025 there is only a eDruid. There will be two versions of it.

It’s really close to being released.
Are the geo of the eDruid similar to the one of the normal Druid?
 

Suns_PSD

Well-known member
Jul 12, 2022
592
502
Austin
I'm really into certain aspects of this bike (i.e. the DJI & the HP), but I did get the geo numbers, and they really threw me off, enough to scare me in to not placing a deposit.

I look forward to the reviews and very well might still end up on one, but I lean towards more conservative geo, like the Transition (okay, it's pretty funny calling a Transition 'conservative geo' but comparatively, it is!)
 

Garru

Member
Oct 7, 2021
8
5
Rubiera (ITA)
I'm really into certain aspects of this bike (i.e. the DJI & the HP), but I did get the geo numbers, and they really threw me off, enough to scare me in to not placing a deposit.

I look forward to the reviews and very well might still end up on one, but I lean towards more conservative geo, like the Transition (okay, it's pretty funny calling a Transition 'conservative geo' but comparatively, it is!)
you too..share with us the info you know!😜
 

oettam20

Active member
Mar 3, 2021
112
116
Lugano
I'm really into certain aspects of this bike (i.e. the DJI & the HP), but I did get the geo numbers, and they really threw me off, enough to scare me in to not placing a deposit.

I look forward to the reviews and very well might still end up on one, but I lean towards more conservative geo, like the Transition (okay, it's pretty funny calling a Transition 'conservative geo' but comparatively, it is!)
Which geometry values (e.g., head angle, reach, rear center...) did you find too extreme?
The regular Druid has a fairly conservative geometry overall, except for the "rear center", which grows with frame size.
 

Suns_PSD

Well-known member
Jul 12, 2022
592
502
Austin
Which geometry values (e.g., head angle, reach, rear center...) did you find too extreme?
The regular Druid has a fairly conservative geometry overall, except for the "rear center", which grows with frame size.

I just wanted an E version of the Druid with a bit more travel. The numbers that were told to me, were radically different in terms of Reach and Chainstay length than the Druid.

It would not be right to share specifics and also these were possibly prelim numbers, but the Reach on the size L would be similar to a medium in pretty much anything else, with a CS length being the longest I've ever heard of being about the same as the Reach. And I love long CS. Also, I'm going to assume that those CS's grow a lot at sag, which could just be an even longer CS. It's possible the CS numbers they gave me were at sag, which would be huge, but acceptable if that was close to the max.

I also had the XL geo numbers, and that got the Reach close but then the CS were even longer, and dropper insertion would have been wrecked with a pretty long seat tube. Alos the Stack becomes really high. I don't have the same belief as others that stack is the same as Reach because they have this thing called handlebar rise, within reason.

Have to imagine that a bike with geo like this would be extremely fast in the turns, which is great. But a lot of our stuff is janky and weird drops and the like at slow speed, and it seems this might be hard for me to manual (and I suck at it anyways).

Maybe they are right though. I have an XL Relay and as it's set up, I've measured Reach at 497mm (exactly where is should be as a mullet and with the -5mm reach adjust) and I wish it was shorter. My L Smuggler, sometimes I feel incredibly comfortable on that bike and although the spec sheet says 480mm reach, I've measured it 2x at 468mm. Seems impossible that it could be that far off, and I've always liked long bikes but damn I can go fast at times on that Smuggler. So maybe Forbidden is correct on what a L should have for Reach?

If I were to guess, what Forbidden was going after was a real straight up and down riding posture with the high stack and short reach. Which usually is pretty bad for front wheel traction, but long CS can fix that. Just a guess as I have no experience with geo like this.
 

Hob Nob

Active member
Jun 4, 2020
154
150
UK
Working at a shop that sells Forbidden, we have yet had to warranty any frame issues. Which build spec did you pick? Top of the line, middle of the road or the lonely bottom spec? Even the bottom spec costs more than the average ebike....lol
Which is impressive, as where I ride, Forbidden are a popular choice, for a small brand & there are a lot of people with cracked bikes.

Myself, cracked a V1 Dreadnought, and I’ve been through two lots of seat stays on a V2 Druid, a riding friend who is supported by Forbidden goes through backends on V2 Druids for fun.

I don’t think I’d want to be a guinea pig for DJI & Forbidden on this, even if they have been really good in sending me out replacement parts, it’s a whole other ball game when it’s electrics.
 

mrtrinh

New Member
Dec 11, 2024
19
28
Orange County, CA
I don’t think I’d want to be a guinea pig for DJI & Forbidden on this, even if they have been really good in sending me out replacement parts, it’s a whole other ball game when it’s electrics.

Agreed. I love my druid v2 and haven't had any issues but when it comes to an ebike I want a shop with local support. Right now that's lacking for both dji and forbidden for me (closest forbidden dealer is 2hrs away).

I've been super happy with my crestline and I can't imagine needing anything with more power for socal. It's an exciting time with all the new ebikes coming (levo, forbidden, uno)
 

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