So I started to crave a 'normal' bike....

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
Author
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2018
10,496
10,702
the internet
@Bongofish nice mate! I like it and good price too. I bought a £180 Apollo from Halfrauds. Gary. My Apollo is way better than Bongofish’s Boardman, .....right?

£180?

You must've bought the one they stick on a shop floor in aHalfords store in the back of beyond they use so they can get away with the £80 OFF signs on alll their other Apollos :p
 

R120

Moderator
Subscriber
Apr 13, 2018
7,819
9,190
Surrey
My wife doesn't actually know how many bikes i have - i am still dreading the day she clocks i actually have 2 EMTB's
 

All Mountain Coaching

E*POWAH Elite
Oct 3, 2018
1,332
980
GB
I think if you have been riding non e bikes for years then you will always have to have one or two in the garage. I love my e- bike, but there is something about having a blast on a light weight hard tail or full Susser, especially when you hit the 15mph barrier and it floats through it !

Yep, 3 rides in and that barrier is starting to become a hindrance.
 

outerlimits

E*POWAH BOSS
Founding Member
Feb 3, 2018
1,241
1,575
Australia
The biggest thing that lets the e bike down for me is hitting over the limiter and then it really is like treacle .

This does not happen with Brose motor as there are 2 sprag clutches that totally disconnect the motor and it’s gears. It’s a virtually seamless transition from power to no power.
My Specialized Levo fitted with Brose motor is also infantly adjustable in its tune via the app and this is great to get the bike motor to feel how just you like it.
Also the software allows the power to taper off as it approaches the limit and this makes it feel way more natural. It’s really just like pedaling a normal bike when the power limit is reached. Not Treacle of spinning the dead motor and it’s gears. Brose is the only motor that has 2 clutches to get rid of that awful treacle.
 

Bongofish

Member
Aug 27, 2018
299
252
Leeds
Yeh I felt/feel like that. But I'm looking forward to having a non e bike for the winter months so on the real bad weather days I can go bike park still and not worry about my e bike getting damaged with salt from road etc etc. I know e bikes are built to handle all weather but it's still the most expensive bike I've got And hate the idea of driving around in the rain at 60mph on the motorway with everything going in motor. So for them days I can take the new bike and not worry and keep my e bike nice and clean in shed ?, also really looking forward to having a do up bike. Although .. @Gary and @R120 do you think this bike ok s ok to upgrade over time with new forks and drivetrain? No problems as the frame is 7005 rather than 6061?
 

valium64

Active member
Sep 16, 2018
78
66
Massa, Italy
I love my eMTB but I could never give up having a MTB, at least until I manage to take away some satisfaction and have fun with her too. For now along with my Focus Sam2 I have a Norco Sight C7.1 with fork excursion increased to 160mm, in the future I'm considering whether to add as a third bike a strong enduro type like Norco Range or Mondraker Dune or even pure DH to be used for ascents with van or bike park by ski lifts.
 

Mb2rrf

New Member
Jul 29, 2018
5
5
Bolton
I had the feel Ebike was being fixed so I purchased a Orange segment RS 29er Got giddy put it in the back of the car and went to my local. Got it out and set off on it pulled up to do a wheely and fell off ?. I was loving it until I got to the first hill, that’s where I was thinking to my self the ebike has taken somthing away from my riding. So I’d say definitely have both and mix your rides up.
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
Author
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2018
10,496
10,702
the internet
Although .. @Gary and @R120 do you think this bike ok s ok to upgrade over time with new forks and drivetrain? No problems as the frame is 7005 rather than 6061?

7005 is fine for a frame so long as it's been manufatured well. (6061 is not without it's flaws .. No Aluminium is) what's more important is that it fits you and the geometry is suitable for use.
You do realise the frame is just another component and can also be "upgraded" at any point too?
 

Dax

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 25, 2018
1,706
2,074
FoD
You do realise the frame is just another component and can also be "upgraded" at any point too?

My grandfather's axe is the same :) I know the theory, but whenever I upgrade a frame, I seem to replace about 2/3 of the other components at the same time because stuff is a bit worn or doesn't fit
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
Author
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2018
10,496
10,702
the internet
the ebike has taken somthing away from my riding.
^^ This X1000 ^^

I rode my roadbike yesterday for the first time in weeks... it felt so smooth and pure and nimble (and is faster than my Ebike overall, just slightly slower on long/steep hills)
 

Bongofish

Member
Aug 27, 2018
299
252
Leeds
7005 is fine for a frame so long as it's been manufatured well. (6061 is not without it's flaws .. No Aluminium is) what's more important is that it fits you and the geometry is suitable for use.
You do realise the frame is just another component and can also be "upgraded" at any point too?
Yeh I guess that's true. I would just like to have a bike in maybe a year's time that's had various upgrades over the year to be the dogs testies in terms of hardtail. Get a nice 140mm fork on front and nice drive train, good brakes, put dropper post in. Just making sure this Boardman can have all that done to it without complications before it gets dispatched. My first thing to do will be to get maxxis ardents put in it as the tyres in comes with don't look good...to me at least...I may be wrong....
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
Author
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2018
10,496
10,702
the internet
I seem to replace about 2/3 of the other components at the same time because stuff is a bit worn or doesn't fit
Top Tip:
Probably look after your parts a bit better and choose frames which are compatible with more of your components :p
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dax

R120

Moderator
Subscriber
Apr 13, 2018
7,819
9,190
Surrey
This does not happen with Brose motor as there are 2 sprag clutches that totally disconnect the motor and it’s gears. It’s a virtually seamless transition from power to no power.
My Specialized Levo fitted with Brose motor is also infantly adjustable in its tune via the app and this is great to get the bike motor to feel how just you like it.
Also the software allows the power to taper off as it approaches the limit and this makes it feel way more natural. It’s really just like pedaling a normal bike when the power limit is reached. Not Treacle of spinning the dead motor and it’s gears. Brose is the only motor that has 2 clutches to get rid of that awful treacle.

Most of the motors are fine Past the limit, the treacle feel IME is down to having the motors assistance in dealing with a massive set of off road tyres disappear.

If you ride a Shimano or Bosch hybrid E-Bike you won’t clock any resistance Past the cutoff
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
Author
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2018
10,496
10,702
the internet
Yeh I guess that's true. I would just like to have a bike in maybe a year's time that's had various upgrades over the year to be the dogs testies in terms of hardtail. Get a nice 140mm fork on front and nice drive train, good brakes, put dropper post in. Just making sure this Boardman can have all that done to it without complications before it gets dispatched. My first thing to do will be to get maxxis ardents put in it as the tyres in comes with don't look good...to me at least...I may be wrong....
Stop worrying
Your overthinking it
The best upgrade to ANY bike is tyres. Then after that grips... The rest really doesn't make all that much diffference between mid level and uber high level.
 

Kernow

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Patreon
Founding Member
Jan 18, 2018
1,436
1,149
Cornwall uk
If your buying to upgrade why not look at a frame and build it , have you seen how cheap the lovely hardtail frames from vitus and nukeproof are in the current sales
 

Bongofish

Member
Aug 27, 2018
299
252
Leeds
Most of the motors are fine Past the limit, the treacle feel IME is down to having the motors assistance in dealing with a massive set of off road tyres disappear.

If you ride a Shimano or Bosch hybrid E-Bike you won’t clock any resistance Past the cutoff
It's not often I have to disagree but I do on this. I can only go by my experience but on my e sentier I literally spent just short of £100 changing tyres to thinner and less knobbly as to make a difference and it may have made a slight difference...maybe....but defiantly nothing really noticeable and feels like a waste of money to have done it. Literally hit 15mph and pedalling like mad and the motor resistance is that much sometimes when I'm in the swing of full on aggression pedalling stood up it can nearly OTB me when motor kicks out and then it hits the treacle....
 

Bongofish

Member
Aug 27, 2018
299
252
Leeds
More and more I'm starting to see my E Bike as a adventure bike. Gets me to places I would never get to inactivity. Normal bike...top of hills and cliffs and spend hours exploring and not being knackered and sweaty....but...as I progress at the bike park is m not sure if I'm starting to feel the weight and drag is holding me back from progressing as quickly.....I could just be a shit rider who knows ??
 

R120

Moderator
Subscriber
Apr 13, 2018
7,819
9,190
Surrey
It's not often I have to disagree but I do on this. I can only go by my experience but on my e sentier I literally spent just short of £100 changing tyres to thinner and less knobbly as to make a difference and it may have made a slight difference...maybe....but defiantly nothing really noticeable and feels like a waste of money to have done it. Literally hit 15mph and pedalling like mad and the motor resistance is that much sometimes when I'm in the swing of full on aggression pedalling stood up it can nearly OTB me when motor kicks out and then it hits the treacle....
No problems - Remember i have an E-Sentier too, and am still running the stock tyres - i don't find it to be an issue, but its definitely noticeable, more so if riding on the road.. The simplest answer to the problem is to buy a little box that removes the issue, but you may not want to do that :cool:

We have 2 Bosch powered dutch style bikes in the family too, running on proper road tyres, and for a motor which has a bad rep for pedalling beyond the limit it really isnt noticeable, and they are heavier than both my EMTB's
 

Bongofish

Member
Aug 27, 2018
299
252
Leeds
No problems - Remember i have an E-Sentier too, and am still running the stock tyres - i don't find it to be an issue, but its definitely noticeable, more so if riding on the road.. The simplest answer to the problem is to buy a little box that removes the issue, but you may not want to do that :cool:

We have 2 Bosch powered dutch style bikes in the family too, running on proper road tyres, and for a motor which has a bad rep for pedalling beyond the limit it really isnt noticeable, and they are heavier than both my EMTB's
The amount of times I've thought about that little box.....haha. but then I really would feel like cheating pedaling with a motor at 25 -30mph just seems to cross too much over into motorbike territory for me. All I want is a 12Kg e bike with a 1000wh pedal assist that once assist kicks out it feels exactly like a normal mountain bike.....in black...with gold stanchions....it's not too much to ask!! Oh and for under £3k!

I really believe having my non e bike will be interesting. It might be a case of I just forgot how hard it is to keep a MTB at 15+mph even on a non e bike.....or I'll zoom right past it and be like 'this is what the e bike is missing'. I'm even looking forward to going up some hills on non e bike just to remind myself how crap it feels as I've totally forgot and think pedaling any bike is as easy as an e bike now ??
 

R120

Moderator
Subscriber
Apr 13, 2018
7,819
9,190
Surrey
The reason a lot of people fit the box is to improve the flow of the ride, it doesn't actually make you ride faster or at higher speeds. The main issue is once you fit one you wont go back, though i share your sentiments.

I think one of the main issues with E-Bikes is learning not to use the motor modes like gears, if you use the gears as normal, using the full range and really trying to replicate how you would ride on a normal make it makes quite a difference - so for example if you are pushing a high gear in a low cadence on Turbo and hit the limiter you will really feel it, but if you are in trail, or ECO, and pushing a higher cadence its less noticeable, at least to me.

But thats the beauty of them is that they have a different place for different folks, and the ability to go exploring on them is one of the best aspects.
 

D

Deleted member 1275

Guest
Of the little boxes that should not be named, I have to admit I am curious about them. My Mondraker has the Bosch Performance Line CX is there a prefered lttle box for that motor?
 

EMTB Forums

Since 2018

The World's largest electric mountain bike community.

552K
Messages
27,903
Members
Join Our Community

Latest articles


Top