I bought a bike!

[Whambo]

After mulling around different ideas of acquiring my first mtn bike, I finally settled on something and the timing was perfect. I considered building from scratch, buying a Chinese built Alibaba bike, or converting a mtb to electric. I ended up ordering this (hopefully) awesome bike, which is a revision to the popular Luna X1 when it was listed in stock today. It happens to be the carbon fiber frame E10 that was featured on the Cheeb. I ordered it with the Ludicrous option. Super excited!

Total: $5081 w/ shipping and tax and the $400 ludicrous option which allows you to tune your bike via your phone.

X2 Enduro Ebike

Carbon fiber mid drive beauty.

lunacycle.com

 

[Mabman]

Man those sold out fast! I have been waiting for them to pop up and by the time I got there they were gone......so I did the next best thing and ordered a Z1. For sure a heavier bike which is not great but plenty of power without any ludicrousing. Z1 Enduro EBIKE supposed to be really reliable also and eggrider V2 able I just read on here.

Way I figure it they will sell out also and so if I don't like it I can easily pass it on. But I have been waiting a year or more for a new type bike after riding DIY stuff for the last 4 years so something had to give and it was my bank account. Got out cheaper than you though @ 4350 shipped up here to the OR. We will have to compare notes after we get them!

 

[Whambo]

Man those sold out fast! I have been waiting for them to pop up and by the time I got there they were gone......so I did the next best thing and ordered a Z1. For sure a heavier bike which is not great but plenty of power without any ludicrousing. Z1 Enduro EBIKE supposed to be really reliable also and eggrider V2 able I just read on here.

Way I figure it they will sell out also and so if I don't like it I can easily pass it on. But I have been waiting a year or more for a new type bike after riding DIY stuff for the last 4 years so something had to give and it was my bank account. Got out cheaper than you though @ 4350 shipped up here to the OR. We will have to compare notes after we get them!

Yeah they flew off the shelf. I checked the website at 8AM PST and there was no medium size frame. I was bummed out. I've been checking daily, some times multiple times a day and I thought I missed it. It wasn't until 10 AM that they added mediums to the list for the X2 and that's when I snagged one. I was contemplating not getting the Ludicrous mode but decided to get it for the programmability. I think the Z1 or X2, you can't go wrong. When I was researching bikes I really wanted that Ultra motor that comes with the Z1. It wasn't until I found Luna and learned that they hot rod Bafangs that I said, ok, the M600 will do.

Yes, the bank account took a hit here too but I guess it could be worse. I expect Luna's prices to continue to rise as time goes on, as the industry has been doing so in general.


I'll definitely share my thoughts after this thing arrives. I called Luna to make sure my order is squared away and the guy I talked to said the bikes are in stock and they're just configuring them as they're ordered (ie. ludicrous controllers going on bikes that are ordered that way, etc) and then they ship out next week. I don't have any gear yet so I need to think about that now. Brand new to this sport.

 

[Mabman]

Cool @Whambo. You will be well into it I'm sure and to me the best thing about pulling the trigger was the fact that Luna actually waited until the bikes were in stock before they put them up. I could never get behind the idea of throwing down on a bike that may show up at some further date and have to wait. But in the meantime I had bikes to ride anyway. I thought I had more of an inside line going on the X2 but never got the heads up and wasn't astute enough to be dogging the site....oh well. In the end it will probably only bother me when I have to lift the bike over a log or something. Certainly more XL than SL.

As far as the amount of flexibility in programming goes it is nice that Luna got ahold of the UART motors for the Z1 so all you need is a programming cable or perhaps the Eggrider V2. I hope the ludi controller works out for you on the M600 as well. For as much as Bafang has always been about open sourse programming in the past, or in reality just not paying attention to proprietary hijinks, it really doesn't make sense to me that they are foiling that game going forward because it certainly isn't like their potential customers are asking for it, at least the end users that is.

 

[steve_sordy]

@Whambo Welcome to the world of emtb, that looks like a great bike.

You say "acquiring my first mtn bike". Did you mean your very first mtb or your first emtb? If the former then I urge caution and I would recommend some mtb skills classes before first ride. I know that probably sounds like I'm being a total wet blanket, but mtb skills are an extra layer on top of basic bike skills. Your emtb pleasure will be enhanced following a few skills classes. I can still clearly recall my first ever mtb skills class, a revelation!

 

[Whambo]

@Mabman I think this round of bike offerings and Luna's strategy of waiting until they have stock before putting them online is in response to feedback they got. I've never spent so much on a bicycle before so it's nice knowing that it's coming soon (hopefully). I wasn't expecting to buy the X2. I don't know if there were rumours about it or not but I was under the impression that I would be buying an X1 when it shows up on the website. Z1 or X2, we got better bikes than the previous offerings in many ways, IMO.

I hope the programming perks don't end up being gimmicky. Time will tell.

@steve_sordy Thanks! It's my first real mountain bike period. I've had a Wal-Mart Mongoose mtb 10 years ago but I only ever rode it on the street and it was as basic as it gets. I've been watching a lot of Youtube videos but I think a class would really do me well, good idea. I might have to ask around, I'm sure there's something out there.

 

[Whitby Chris]

After reading a little about it that looks a very nice bike I hope you enjoy it

 

[rtp]

@Whambo I guess I got 'your' medium. Woke up 8am on Black Friday and had been checking their site as they mentioned a 'black friday surprise' and this was literally the last stop before pressing the buttons on the order button for a ton of parts to build my own M600 bike.

FWIW, the forefather of the v2 controller had some exposure on ES some years back, here by @marcos : Axiom: a 100kW+ motor controller - Page 11 - Endless Sphere

Published Ludi v2 controller info here: Customized Luna “Ludicrous” V2 Controller Option (up to 2500w)

Super excited - no ship notice as of yet, although I know some of the Z1s have started shipping already..

 

[rtp]

@Whambo I guess I got 'your' medium. Woke up 8am on Black Friday and had been checking their site as they mentioned a 'black friday surprise' and this was literally the last stop before pressing the buttons on the order button for a ton of parts to build my own M600 bike.

FWIW, the forefather of the v2 controller had some exposure on ES some years back, here by @marcos : Axiom: a 100kW+ motor controller - Page 11 - Endless Sphere

Published Ludi v2 controller info here: Customized Luna “Ludicrous” V2 Controller Option (up to 2500w)

Super excited - no ship notice as of yet, although I know some of the Z1s have started shipping already..

Was getting so much Black Friday/holiday shopping 'spam' I actually had missed the ship notice. Bike is arriving Wed afternoon here..

 

[CaptKirk]

Hello from Michigan and congrats on the X2. I unpacked mine a week ago and other than some back road snow rides I have not had anything to really test it on. But I will say the difference between "Torque" sensing and "Cadance" sensing is very apparent as the M600 is teaching me now.

 

[rtp]

Hello from Michigan and congrats on the X2. I unpacked mine a week ago and other than some back road snow rides I have not had anything to really test it on. But I will say the difference between "Torque" sensing and "Cadance" sensing is very apparent as the M600 is teaching me now.

Did you get the LudiV2 controller?
I've got a long thread of mods over on Luna's forum, but the controller is great overall, so is the bike for the most part.

 

[CaptKirk]

I did not purchase the "ludi" drive, knowing full well that these are the "EBIKES" that will be the nexus and focus of any and all "Anti" Ebike laws that will be enforced in the coming months. MTB's are made for trails,not streets, and as a rider for over 30 years I know that speeds over 20 mph on single track trails are the reason a lot of people are stuck in a wheeled chair with coloring books for distraction. I am not judging you, but when I started riding all the rules were applied to the "New" mountain bikes being used on the "Hiking " trails. It took years to change the public opinion and allow the creation of exclusive MTB trails, blaming them (mtb's) for excessive erosion, near miss accidents, and possibly pre covid infections (lol) With the"Luna ludi", and a couple other over powered entries, we are putting motorcycle performance into mountain bike frames and creating another hostile showdown and fractionating the MTB biking community when these bikes are used in the wrong environment. If you are fortunate and live out west, Utah, Arizona,Nev, etc you have the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) areas to ride, and yes I envy you. But here in Mich., and the Eastern US in general we lack the massive areas to cut loose and "Rip" and "Shred". The Luna X2 is my third Ebike, and I find that the 12 speed drive train with the M600 stock controller can take me any where I point that Front Maxxis tire. Hoping spring gets here soon, riding in snow is very unpredictable, and I may consider a modified ski for the front next winter. But until then hoping your choice keeps the "Grins" going and helps eliminate the "Dreads" ( up hill grinds) And yes I really wanted to order the "Ludi" drive but my desire to maintain a low profile and ride on motor "restricted" trails was what determined my final decision.

 

[rtp]

I did not purchase the "ludi" drive, knowing full well that these are the "EBIKES" that will be the nexus and focus of any and all "Anti" Ebike laws that will be enforced in the coming months. MTB's are made for trails,not streets, and as a rider for over 30 years I know that speeds over 20 mph on single track trails are the reason a lot of people are stuck in a wheeled chair with coloring books for distraction. I am not judging you, but when I started riding all the rules were applied to the "New" mountain bikes being used on the "Hiking " trails. It took years to change the public opinion and allow the creation of exclusive MTB trails, blaming them (mtb's) for excessive erosion, near miss accidents, and possibly pre covid infections (lol) With the"Luna ludi", and a couple other over powered entries, we are putting motorcycle performance into mountain bike frames and creating another hostile showdown and fractionating the MTB biking community when these bikes are used in the wrong environment. If you are fortunate and live out west, Utah, Arizona,Nev, etc you have the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) areas to ride, and yes I envy you. But here in Mich., and the Eastern US in general we lack the massive areas to cut loose and "Rip" and "Shred". The Luna X2 is my third Ebike, and I find that the 12 speed drive train with the M600 stock controller can take me any where I point that Front Maxxis tire. Hoping spring gets here soon, riding in snow is very unpredictable, and I may consider a modified ski for the front next winter. But until then hoping your choice keeps the "Grins" going and helps eliminate the "Dreads" ( up hill grinds) And yes I really wanted to order the "Ludi" drive but my desire to maintain a low profile and ride on motor "restricted" trails was what determined my final decision.

It's not about pure speed for me, it's improved interaction and responsiveness with the bike. I usually run in L1/2 of 9, with the LudiV2 controller.