Help!

[Tienhaara]

Hey folks, newbie and no e bike yet. In dire need of help tho.

Done my best to narrow down the options to:
Levo comp
Whyte 150 rs/180
Propain Ekano 165
YT Decoy

What the hell should I do? How to make a chokes that wont be ”old” in the fall?

Tried the Levo and it rides like the thoughts run, absolutly marvellous. Any of you ridden more of the bikes on the list to make a solid differance?

 

[rb.]

Yt descends better than the Levo and is much cheaper.
Levo has better attention to detail, more power, better batteries available, and better software/app.

 

[roQer]

Take also Trek Rail into consideration. Since my Decoy is to YT for battery exchange I‘m riding now my wife’s Rail. Very capable and fun bike as well. The EMTB mode in the new Bosch motor is really good. The geo is much better for enduroish riding style than in Levo, IMO.

 

[Tienhaara]

Dude, not more options. Trying to narrow it down....

 

[lumpy]

Levo

 

[Zero]

For me trail geo is finished.

Nothing a trail bike does better that an enduro bike cant do 95% as well but the enduro will seriously beat it on jumps drops and stability which means downhill is just more fun and confidence inspiring.

Today I was clearing 4 foot drops which other people were doing on their downhill fox 40s

 

[Tienhaara]

Nothing a trail bike does better that an enduro bike cant do 95% as well but the enduro will seriously beat it on jumps drops and stability which means downhill is just more fun and confidence inspiring.

I agree, also in my opinion the e mtb goes to waist riding cross country. I might be wrong since I'm new in the game. If I want to go for a monotone ride I take out me road bike and lycra.

 

[Zero]

Nothing a trail bike does better that an enduro bike cant do 95% as well but the enduro will seriously beat it on jumps drops and stability which means downhill is just more fun and confidence inspiring.

I agree, also in my opinion the e mtb goes to waist riding cross country. I might be wrong since I'm new in the game. If I want to go for a monotone ride I take out me road bike and lycra.

Even if I'm trail riding I want to hit the features and plow the drops and technical sections.

I hope that YT comes out with a dual crown 180mm decoy in the future. With the motor there just isnt any downside now. There is literally nothing I cant climb even with only 11 gears. I am literally riding back up the downhill trails to have another run. If you can climb like that on an enduro bike then trail bikes will be relegated to the lycra brigade.

I'm also finding that more riding builds strength and the easier it gets moving the bike and popping off the jumps. Kind of like if you want to get stronger you wouldnt go to the gym and ask for the lightest and smallest weights. If you want to get better on a bike then pick the bike that can handle the hits and build up your strength and skill.

 

[YokoOno]

I'm with Zero. I haven't found anything I can't ride on my Decoy Mullet.
Fork extended to 170, front & rear suspension converted to coil and cush core added. It's a monster superbike.

I just updated the Shimano software via the Shimano e-tube app and I swear I can perceive a difference in the motor response. It's hard to describe but the power feels smoother since updated the software - not as jerky.

I demo'd an Orbea fire recently with the Bosch motor - it really didn't strike me as any "better" than the Shimano motor.

 

[Zero]

I'm with Zero. I haven't found anything I can't ride on my Decoy Mullet.
Fork extended to 170, front & rear suspension converted to coil and cush core added. It's a monster superbike.

I just updated the Shimano software via the Shimano e-tube app and I swear I can perceive a difference in the motor response. It's hard to describe but the power feels smoother since updated the software - not as jerky.

I demo'd an Orbea fire recently with the Bosch motor - it really didn't strike me as any "better" than the Shimano motor.

I just put mine in to US mode and the difference is quite stark. I can now power to 20mph and hit jumps in short run ups. I also notice the power tapers 18.5-20mph In EU mode its like a brick wall at 15.4mph

The limit in EU is way too low.

 

[Tienhaara]

Thanks guys,

Having kind of a first world problem deciding at the moment since I tested the Whyte 180 and the KTM Macina Prowler back to back. Maybe should stop reading the forums with people posting all problems and just go for it.

 

[rb.]

Thanks guys,

Having kind of a first world problem deciding at the moment since I tested the Whyte 180 and the KTM Macina Prowler back to back. Maybe should stop reading the forums with people posting all problems and just go for it.

I would not go with KTM. They are not up to par with other bike manufactures on their bike design/quality from my observations. If you want a KTM, get something with a bit more power.

 

[Aceman]

I had similar dilemma and today im collecting my Turbo Levo Expert Carbon!

 

[Tienhaara]

I would not go with KTM. They are not up to par with other bike manufactures on their bike design/quality from my observations.

True, it did not feel at all like the Whyte. The frame, although carbon, felt bulky and pretty heavy to muscle around. Speedsensor on the spokes and a very loose dropperhandle. All in all felt like it was a proto.

On the positive side it is a mullet and all Shimano.

I’m also under the impression that it’s a diffrent company from the motorbikes, just a hunch tho.

Feels like I’m down to deicide between the Whyte and the Decoy. Talk about first world problems?

Still a little worried about the kind of old Shimano engine, will there be a new relese in the fall? Are all the problems with YT customerservice just a few peoples bad experiences? Are the problems with the engine-battery also just a few unlucky?

The happy owners with properly working bikes just shadowed by the mondayproducts?

Guess every manufactor’s got their features.

During my search I’ve learned that you can’t have it all in a e-mtb.
A long travel deacent enduro looker with all Shimano comps and a 600wh battery.

Guess the Deacoy comes closest?

 

[R120]

There are new Shimano motors and bigger batteries coming out later this year, and next years models from most brands that use the Shimano system will have them - there is nothing "wrong" with the current Shimano motors in terms of power output, in fact all the mainstream motors are plenty powerful enough, and most people once they settle in to ownership find they tend to ride in the less powerful modes for the majority of the time.

The way I would view the suspension travel side of things is that unlike on a normal MTB, there is no tangible benefit from going with a shorter travel bike, as a shorter travel EMTB isn't going to weigh less, or have any handling benefits that you might see for example on the current "downcountry" type normal mtb's. On the flip side if you get a big travel monster like a Kenevo Expert will dual crowns you will notice that it is slower handling and harder to throw around, especially on tighter trails, than a bike with slightly less travel.

Essentially a lot of emtbs's reflect the handling benefits of their enduro bike cousins, but the motor negates the downsides of peddling efficiency and uphill handling that are usually a compromise on regular enduro bikes.

It is worth remembering though that a bike like a Levo or a Decoy 29 are still perfectly capable of hitting big jumps, downhills, drops etc, and are extremely capable bikes, you get a bit more of a safety net with more travel, but TBH from my experience some of the long travel bikes (180mm both ends for example) only really come alive when being pushed to their limits on the proper terrain. I would put the Kenevo Expert in this category, its amazing at full tilt in the Alps, or on serious dh tracks, but a bit boring and lethargic to ride around the Surrey hills for example (I know plenty of people use them round there, just my opinion )

 

[YokoOno]

^ I generally agree with R120. I feel like I do have it all with my Decoy

- the current Shimano motor and battery works quite well. I certainly don't need more power and have not yet exhausted the battery on a single ride. My biggest thus far entails 4000' of climbing over 25 miles and my Garmin showed 22% battery life remaining. I'll only use boost mode when very fatigued or when I feel I have battery to spare and want to get up a boring road quickly. I live in the Rockies and am looking forward to bigger mountain adventures when the snow melts.

- In my opinion, the limiting factor on these bikes is the OEM suspension, not the motor.The stock suspenion may feel ok out of the box new, don't expect them to hold up to the additional forces that the E-bike subjects them too - both because of the mass of the bike, and the fact that one will likely put in more distance and more descending over a given period of time than one would with a pedal-bike. My mullet Decoy's stock supension has been replaced with the Yari extended to 170, a Push ACS3 coil kit and Push HC97 damper and Push 11.6. I could push this bike quite hard in any terrain and have yet to find it's limits. About the only negative, if one would call it that, is that it can be a handful to navigate in tight switchbacks.

 

[Jeffsy29]

@Tienhaara - If you are concerned about warranty issues and issues-handling you should check this out if you haven't already: Consumer Rights - Where do I stand in getting a refund on my Decoy? - EMTB Forums.

I'm likewise considering the YT Decoy and Spec. Levo Comp .....and Trek Rail 7 (shhh....).

I'm a fan of YT's DTC approach and I know YT builds a very competent, fun and high-quality analog bike - I currently own a YT Jeffsy29 Pro. I've had ZERO quality issues w/ my Jeffsy other than broken spokes after 2 years of riding (I'm just heavy). It was fun to self-assemble too - really just putting bars, wheels and pedals on and torquing to spec.

But adding eMTB motor + battery opens up a whole other level of complexity that keeps me from clicking "BUY NOW" today on the Decoy. I need to call around to see how many LBS will actually service a Shimano8000 motor. Luckily I don't see many posts like the one above, but I'm still on the fence as the $2-3K delta on equivalent component specifications is very alluring. I have a street-converted Giant Anthem to ride if I need to ship my Decoy to Germany, but it's definitely an inconvenience compared to just rolling up to your LBS and walking away for a few days.

I would love to see a survey of YT Decoy owners who've had motor/battery issues. I don't so much care about creaks, or other analog bike issues - those are much more easily fixed locally.

 

[rb.]

Norco Sight 29 has a 630wh battery and a 360wh range extender add on that snaps on in the water bottle area. If price wasn’t an option, that would be at the top of my list. Big fan of all the recent bikes they have been releasing too.

 

[rb.]

@Tienhaara - If you are concerned about warranty issues and issues-handling you should check this out if you haven't already: Consumer Rights - Where do I stand in getting a refund on my Decoy? - EMTB Forums.

I'm likewise considering the YT Decoy and Spec. Levo Comp .....and Trek Rail 7 (shhh....).

I'm a fan of YT's DTC approach and I know YT builds a very competent, fun and high-quality analog bike - I currently own a YT Jeffsy29 Pro. I've had ZERO quality issues w/ my Jeffsy other than broken spokes after 2 years of riding (I'm just heavy). It was fun to self-assemble too - really just putting bars, wheels and pedals on and torquing to spec.

But adding eMTB motor + battery opens up a whole other level of complexity that keeps me from clicking "BUY NOW" today on the Decoy. I need to call around to see how many LBS will actually service a Shimano8000 motor. Luckily I don't see many posts like the one above, but I'm still on the fence as the $2-3K delta on equivalent component specifications is very alluring. I have a street-converted Giant Anthem to ride if I need to ship my Decoy to Germany, but it's definitely an inconvenience compared to just rolling up to your LBS and walking away for a few days.

I would love to see a survey of YT Decoy owners who've had motor/battery issues. I don't so much care about creaks, or other analog bike issues - those are much more easily fixed locally.

Aren’t you from the US? You should have access to good customer support compared to what people are experiencing in the UK and rest of Europe it seems. Maybe email their customer support email and ask a few questions to see if that will help make your decision.

Around here (California) Levo’s are the ones having motor issues left and right. When to an undisclosed bike shop today and they had boxes of them waiting to be shipped back for warranty.

 

[Tienhaara]

No man, from Finland-sqeezed up there in the north of Europe next to Russia!
Also understood that the Levo is experiencing some obsticles concerning the motor. Given the owners can manage their problems face to face with the LBS.

 

[Jeffsy29]

Aren’t you from the US? You should have access to good customer support compared to what people are experiencing in the UK and rest of Europe it seems. Maybe email their customer support email and ask a few questions to see if that will help make your decision.

Around here (California) Levo’s are the ones having motor issues left and right. When to an undisclosed bike shop today and they had boxes of them waiting to be shipped back for warranty.

@rb. I am in US (Maryland) - and no, I've never had an issue talking to YT in the US. Overall, I respect YT and I love the products & value they offer. Frankly, I didn't think twice about buying my Jeffsy since it's "just a bike" (anyone can service it if you pay them, or DIY like I have for the most part). However, troubleshooting electrical and communications across several devices (proprietary at that) involves another level of skill, tools and perhaps codes databases.

I haven't yet approached YT about motor/battery issues-handling yet but plan to discuss. I've mostly been trying to locate the closest Shimano Service Centers and calling them to get a feel for how they handle non-LBS bikes and motor warranty issues and the level of service they provide.

I'm encouraged to hear that Shimano motors aren't failing quite as often as Levo motors, and when they do, are getting replaced without significant challenges (as compared to other mfgs/motors).