Newish-bie...... Now bikeless. *** UPDATE ***

[Major Stare]

Had my Cube Stereo Hybrid 625 for just over a year and sold it last week.
As confidence has grown on the trails and rides I found I needed an upgrade (and the medium frame was a little small in the cockpit).

So now I'm bikeless.

I have looked at the usual brands.... Trek, Specialised etc but I keep being drawn to the following....
Nukeproof Megawatt 297 Comp - £4,500
Focus Jam Squared 6.8 - £4,600
Vitus e-sommet 297 vrs - £4,300

Which would you choose of those 3?
Buying blind as non available to view within 100miles.

 

[Bummers]

All capable bikes but I'd be looking at the spec lists and seeing which has the better suspension.

 

[Dirkieuys1]

All great bikes. Depends on what type of riding you want to do i guess.

 

[Major Stare]

All great bikes. Depends on what type of riding you want to do i guess.

Trial at local bike parks, single track, blue & red runs. Surrounded by Sherwood Forest and Derbyshire, so some lovely routes.

 

[Major Stare]

All capable bikes but I'd be looking at the spec lists and seeing which has the better suspension.

Focus - FOX 34 Float Rhythm 29.
Nuke - RockShox Domain, 29
Vitus - RockShox Zeb Select 29

 

[Chris ledger]

Try and decide what motor you want too

 

[steve_sordy]

If you can't find any specific reasons to choose from specs and reviews, buy the one with the closest dealer!

 

[Major Stare]

Try and decide what motor you want too

EP8 or Bosch, not fussed either way.

 

[Expidia]

If you can't find any specific reasons to choose from specs and reviews, buy the one with the closest dealer!

This is a great point Steve makes here about the closet dealer. I'll also add an "ebike qualified" dealer. From reading various threads in this forum even though ebike issues may be few and far between if it happens to you (error codes, bad motor etc) it's not just the one trip back to the dealer . . . it may turn into many back (and forth trips) after you leave it there for a warranty (or any repair) then have to go back again to pick it up and that's if you are lucky and they fixed your issue the first time. Ebikes are also a new technology to most repair shops. Some parts, warranty or not, are taking many weeks now. I'm starting my 3rd week just waiting for a shorter stem from Bontrager.

* Also, after reading a horror story thread of a member here that left his bike at a shop and they were robbed of 12 bikes including his. Last I read he was still fighting with the shop to replace his bike at full value. And if that happened to me my particular model was not available within a 250 mile radius of my house other than the one I found. This is why I prefer to learn how to repair or upgrade myself, without leaving my bike at a shop if at all possible.

I traveled 2 hours (4 hrs round trip) a few months back, to pick up my new Trek at a Trek store. Upon bringing it home, I also have one qualified Trek shop 2 miles from me and another 30 min north of my house ( Both did not have my model in stock) I paid MSRP anyway, so I would have rather bought locally. Even so, they can do any potential warranty work for me locally now.

 

[Chris ledger]

EP8 or Bosch, not fussed either way.

Dont discount a giant stance the yamaha is a good motor too

 

[Expidia]

Dont discount a giant stance the yamaha is a good motor too

I also have a 2nd ebike a 2021 Giant Explore with the 80Nm Yamaha. It is overall quieter than the 2022 Trek 85Nm Bosch Performance CX. But the Yamaha when in eMTB mode and in a certain gear has a nuts and bolts rattle sound which is annoying. But the Yamaha tops out smoothly at 28 mph with a very smooth handoff to peddle power after 28 mph.

The Bosch motor tops out at 20 mph and sarting at around 18 mph it's like a "heart punch" with the handoff and insant drop in power at 20 mph. Thats my biggest complaint with Bosch that their power hand off sucks!

Since I'm stuck with Bosch's 20 mph speed limit, if I read that the new Trek Fuel light weight bike does not have that hand off issue anymore . . . I would probably sell the 2022 Powerfly and go for the Fuel, but not until they pump up the Nm's and the battery life from where it currently is now.

 

[Major Stare]

Nipped i to a well known and respected bike shop today. They had two Vitus in for a service. Nice bikes and decnet spec but for some reason i wasnt drawn to them enough to buy one, so thats off the list.
Bike shop said all three were good bikes, the Focus would suit my needs better than the Nukeproof.
So, it looks like the Focus

 

[Bomble]

I would be a bit wary of buying a Shimano powered bike second hand as I don’t think the motors are repairable out of warranty by the usual companies.

 

[Major Stare]

I would be a bit wary of buying a Shimano powered bike second hand as I don’t think the motors are repairable out of warranty by the usual companies.

Not buying 2nd hand, im buying new. The bike shop had two in for a service so i had a look round.

 

[2WheelsNot4]

Not just the sus bits. I'd look towards the motor too.

Nukeproof Megawatt 297 Comp - Smaller 504wh batt, not so great shimano motor, good shock, basic domain fork, though it is a 38mm.
Focus Jam2 6.8 - Bosch motor, 625wh batt, fox 34/dps
Vitus e-sommet 297 vrs - nice everything except for the shimano motor, so maybe longevity might be an issue.

Its a bastard of a choice this choosing business. Glad im over my brain flummoxing horror show.

 

[Major Stare]

Thanks all
Found a Focus Jam2 68 nearish to me, hope to have time this week to have a look.
I will then make my decision.

 

[RustyMTB]

Tip for the Jam, ride it fast downhill & satisfy yourself it's stable enough for you. It has a relatively short wheelbase & can feel twitchy depending on your attitude.

 

[Major Stare]

Focus Sam 6.8 purchased.
Collect (hopefully) this afternoon.

 

[RustyMTB]

Great choice. This will be you in no time.

 

[Zimmerframe]

I also have a 2nd ebike a 2021 Giant Explore with the 80Nm Yamaha. It is overall quieter than the 2022 Trek 85Nm Bosch Performance CX. But the Yamaha when in eMTB mode and in a certain gear has a nuts and bolts rattle sound which is annoying. But the Yamaha tops out smoothly at 28 mph with a very smooth handoff to peddle power after 28 mph.

The Bosch motor tops out at 20 mph and sarting at around 18 mph it's like a "heart punch" with the handoff and insant drop in power at 20 mph. Thats my biggest complaint with Bosch that their power hand off sucks!

Since I'm stuck with Bosch's 20 mph speed limit

To be fair, you're not stuck with "Bosch's" 20 mph speed limit. It's the Legal limit for any of the motors as a pedelec.

Your Giant/Yamaha must be a speed pedelec, so complys to different legalisation which then normally requires a licence place and insurance to be legal to use on the road.

If you're only riding on private land, you could de-restrict your Bosch and have a similar or higher cut off.

I'm not quite sure I understand your "heart punch" handoff comment ?????? As you say, the bosch starts to reduce assistance at around 18mph and then slowly and gently reduces the assistance over 2 mph until it cuts off completely. It's the smoothest handover of any of the motors and because of the steady transition, the easiest to continue to pedal over the assistance because your body has time to compensate, rather than the sudden ON/OFF which the others motors provide.

If you're finding the the Giant to be easier at 28mph without assistance, where there's considerably more rolling resistance than at 20mph, then logically that must just mean that your giant has very low resistance tyres (no grip and light weight) Whilst your bosch bike must have high resistance tyres (lots of grip and heavy). Pedaling the bike above the assistance limit has no bearing on the motor, only the configuration of your bike.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Focus Sam 6.8 purchased.
Collect (hopefully) this afternoon.

Congrats, I'm sure you'll love it. A well balanced and very capable bike. Do a full bolt check, especially the suspension linkages before you ride it. They used to be a bit lacking on tightening them up, but hopefully they've sorted that out now.

 

[2WheelsNot4]

This will be you in no time.

Or this. Probably this

 

[Major Stare]

Or this. Probably this
View attachment 98987

 

[Major Stare]

Collected.
Shop mechanic has gone through the whole bike, Bosch firmware updates done, shocks set up for me. Even did tubeless for me FOC.
Return in 6 weeks for a check over.
Home now, fit pedals, and set up seat/dropper/handle bar/brake levers/bosh display positions.

 

[Dirkieuys1]

Collected.
Shop mechanic has gone through the whole bike, Bosch firmware updates done, shocks set up for me. Even did tubeless for me FOC.
Return in 6 weeks for a check over.
Home now, fit pedals, and set up seat/dropper/handle bar/brake levers/bosh display positions.

Awesome stuff, Enjoy!!!!!!

 

[Tonybro]

Or this. Probably this
View attachment 98987

I thought I was on my own when that happened!

 

[Major Stare]

First ride completed with no issues.
Shocks are amazing, rides so well. Need to get used to 29" wheels.
The plastic cover under the Bosch motor is just a trap for grass, weeds and muck, i dont get its purpose and suspect it will get broken.

 

[Paulquattro]

Great job