Looking to buy for my wife...

[Delane]

I have a Rocky Mountain non-electric Instinct BC edition and am 5' 10". I may ride this bike as well for fun...but it needs to fit her at 5' 3". I narrowed it down to 2 models based on price and performance. My wife is 5' 3", so looking at a small. It won't be ridden too hard, she not terribly adventurous. Mostly on a 10 mile trail near our home. Approximately 500 ft elevation gain on a switchback ascent, similar descent. I have researched motors and components somewhat, but would love to hear your thoughts and recommendations...
Contender #1. 2019 Felt Redemption-E 30 16" $3,500 USD (new)
Contender #2 2020 Specialzied Levo 29 Women's Small $4,200 USD (barely used - new condition).
Option...2018 Focus Jam2 Plus LTD - reconditioned $3,600

 

[Zimmerframe]

For the prices you've listed I'd go with the Levo. It has the most warranty left, is a newer bike and is not significantly more expensive for those points alone.

 

[Mikerb]

I decided the best policy with an Ebike was to buy new and to buy from a local bike shop. Given the type of riding my wife would be doing I considered a full sus bike over the top and it would be heavier to handle plus need more maintenance. So....hard tail/local shop/new. For me the obvious choice was a Cube Access and I bought the EX500. My wife loves the bike. It has the newest motor design..ie the Gen 4 Bosch and reasonable spec kit. I would have liked a better fork but have been surprised how well the stock fork has performed for her type of riding. The only mod I have done is to fit a dropper post. Modern bike Geo means riders can rarely get their feet on the floor with the saddle at a good riding height....and lady riders find that awkward when the bike comes to a standstill, made worse by the weight of the bike. The dropper post resolves that issue and also makes getting on and off the bike much easier. So I don't know if you have a Cube dealer local to you but I can certainly recommend the Cube Access .

 

[R120]

Liv make some good women specific EMTB's, based of the Giant platform with the yamaha motor

 

[Cabby.]

Liv make some good women specific EMTB's, based of the Giant platform with the yamaha motor

What he says. My partner has a Liv xs and I'm trying to get her to get their e model.

 

[Delane]

Thank you for the great advice! The Liv was my first choice, and the Chameleon Mars color would look stunning on my wife ;-) They are really great value, but It was about a $2K premium compared to the deal I was getting on Felt (last years model, no sales tax). The Felt has similar level of components except derailer, 11 speed vs 12, and E8000 vs Giant's Yamaha SyncDrive Pro.

 

[OldGoatMTB]

I have a Rocky Mountain non-electric Instinct BC edition and am 5' 10". I may ride this bike as well for fun...but it needs to fit her at 5' 3". I narrowed it down to 2 models based on price and performance. My wife is 5' 3", so looking at a small. It won't be ridden too hard, she not terribly adventurous. Mostly on a 10 mile trail near our home. Approximately 500 ft elevation gain on a switchback ascent, similar descent. I have researched motors and components somewhat, but would love to hear your thoughts and recommendations...
Contender #1. 2019 Felt Redemption-E 30 16" $3,500 USD (new)
Contender #2 2020 Specialzied Levo 29 Women's Small $4,200 USD (barely used - new condition).
Option...2018 Focus Jam2 Plus LTD - reconditioned $3,600

Been very happy with my Felt that I bought about six weeks ago. All Shimano and other name-brand components so should be able to get it serviced anywhere. Some brands (Specialized/Trek among them) are notorious for their proprietary components. Incidentally, I purchased through Amazon and was able to get 18-months 0% financing on my Amazon credit card, if that makes a difference. Also, the e8000 motor is excellent, and I got the 2020 model.