Hi new member here!

[Oakhills]

I have been reluctant to get an ebike for a while but it has been growing on me. I bought my wife a Trek Powerfly 5 three years ago so she could keep up with me on rides….actually she’d kick my butt if she wanted to!

As many first timers to emtb, my dilemma is whether to get a SL low power bike (Kenevo Sl) or a full fat such as the Gen3 Levo. I typically ride analog 3-3.5k feet in elevation per ride, 2-3 times per week. At 51, my knees are starting to feel it, so originally thought of the SL bikes. the full fats might not handle as well on the downhills that I ride, but would open the door to ride further than with an analog or SL bike….

Also, I ride up to go down as fast as my mind will allow, used to race DH 30 years ago…. Love it!

Thanks for letting me join the community and hope to add benefit to this site!

 

[steve_sordy]

Welcome to the Forum!

Based upon personal experience, plus reading the posts of others in a similar situation, I would suggest that you go full power. Once your knees start to go, they can become troublesome much faster than you would forecast. And full power emtbs are so much fun downhill.

 

[Oakhills]

Thanks Steve, that may be the way to go.

 

[RustyIron]

I typically ride analog 3-3.5k feet in elevation per ride, 2-3 times per week. At 51, my knees are starting to feel it, so originally thought of the SL bikes. the full fats might not handle as well on the downhills that I ride,

Hey, Oakland.
I'm a couple years older than you, and would ride my Amish bike 2-3 days a week. I would have ridden more, but if I didn't get in enough recovery, things would start to hurt. I never wanted to go eMTB, and never gave it much thought, but one day I just decided to go buy one. Now, I can ride more days per week, and I'm not as beat up afterwards. Since I'm not expending as much energy climbing up hills and over obstacles, I have more energy to devote to technical stuff. Speeds, times, and skills have all improved.

Since you're getting assistance from the motor anyway, there's not as much downside from getting a burlier bike. While I really like my current bike, if I could wave my magic wand at it, I'd give it a bigger battery and a little more travel.

 

[KnollyBro]

I have been reluctant to get an ebike for a while but it has been growing on me. I bought my wife a Trek Powerfly 5 three years ago so she could keep up with me on rides….actually she’d kick my butt if she wanted to!

As many first timers to emtb, my dilemma is whether to get a SL low power bike (Kenevo Sl) or a full fat such as the Gen3 Levo. I typically ride analog 3-3.5k feet in elevation per ride, 2-3 times per week. At 51, my knees are starting to feel it, so originally thought of the SL bikes. the full fats might not handle as well on the downhills that I ride, but would open the door to ride further than with an analog or SL bike….

Also, I ride up to go down as fast as my mind will allow, used to race DH 30 years ago…. Love it!

Thanks for letting me join the community and hope to add benefit to this site!

I was in the same situation a few years back. I am 10 years older and play hockey and ride bikes 5-6 days a week so my body has taken a beating as I have aged and gotten injured. My wife would kick my ass pedaling up the mountain so she suggested I get an ebike. I bought a Kenevo as I am more of a DH/Freerider than an XC rider but found it was way to heavy (the bike would tell ME where it was going) on the trails I like to ride, on the way down the mountain. During that time, my wife bought a Levo SL so she could keep up to me. I ended up selling the Kenevo and buying a Levo SL and modifying the suspension to make it better on the way down and have found it to be enough to get me up any of the mountains I want to ride (North Shore to Whistler). I have since upgraded to a Kenevo SL. To be clear, I don't ride XC/trail all day like some people like to do on their full powered emtbs as my rides last around 3-4 hours (with battery to spare). My advice is to buy the bike you want to ride DOWN the mountain.