I agree entirely here. It all depends on what you get out of your eeb. Personally I love it because it’s the nearest thing I can get to a motorbike for ripping through the woods.I see 2 very different types of Emtb groups. Mountain bikers who ride mountain bike trails and motorcycle riders who want to ride Emtbs on motorcycle trails. The standard derailleur is fine for mountain bike trails but fails for the more varied motorcycle trails with lots of debris and mud. Personally I would like to see Emtbs designed differently for the two different markets. Motorcycle riders need a type I Emtb without a derailleur and sealed against water ingress. Design the motor/transmission like a motorcycle. It works.
Specialized has the right idea with the SL for mountain bikers (although these bikes should be less expensive than the Levo). They could totally redesign the Levo to be watertight with a mid-motor-transmission. There is a very lucrative market for an Emtb that can be ridden anywhere (and you can actually wash the mud off without worrying about destroying the electronics).
I loath the chain/derailleur system because it’s about as inappropriate as it’s possible to get for mountain bikes.
What I do worry about is eMtbs evolving into something the ramblers/governments go to war with. Again, I love my eeb in the woods because, due to legislation, I’m not allowed to use a motor cycle. If eebs evolve into motorcycle replacements then we’re in trouble. As long as they look and feel like the humble bicycle then we should be safe.
Am I correct in thinking Millyard used a Honda epicyclic gearbox in his DH bike?