so now all of a sudden everyone here finally believes lighter weight Emtb's do actually handle better?

[Gary]

Well done SPECIALIZED

 

[Gary]

for those on less than a 10k bike budget heres my Top Tip:

Choose a size small and remove the pedals... you'll feel slightly better about your wealthy friends new bike's weight deficit... it's not like you'll be riding with them anymore

#DembeRidinUnicornsNAObro

 

[stiv674]

I'll believe it when I can afford to buy one...

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

no, they dont.

 

[Dirt_Ebike]

Invest $16,000 so your E bike will be easier to put on your… Roof rack

 

[mtbbiker]

Nope, I personally have no interest in the SL. My Strava stats says my DH times are all about within seconds and doesn’t matter which of my previous bikes I’ve been on. To me, when I got my Tazer, it took me one downhill trail to readjust my riding style and I can ride it just like my past bikes. The Tazer turns on a dime and more than willing to catch air.

 

[kombos]

Dang....I've only had my Levo for a month and was enjoying the hype of the increased weight keeping the bike planted better........

 

[Simoto123]

no, they dont.

I’m with you. Eebs More planted for sure. That sort of thing is influenced by rider preference, which brings the topic into a subjective area.
Gary is in my view dead right about tyres, the narrower I go the more I like it. This might support Gary’s thread title as it is making my bike feel more like a regular Mtb. However, that is a tyre thing. I disliked plus size tyres the first time I rolled on them and I still feel that way.
Certainly not to be argumentative, bit of a sweeping statement though.

 

[miPbiP]

I reckon there's a sweet spot somewhere between a Stumpy and a full fat Levo.

Perhaps the SL is on it ...

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

I’m with you. Eebs More planted for sure. That sort of thing is influenced by rider preference, which brings the topic into a subjective area.
Gary is in my view dead right about tyres, the narrower I go the more I like it. This might support Gary’s thread title as it is making my bike feel more like a regular Mtb. However, that is a tyre thing. I disliked plus size tyres the first time I rolled on them and I still feel that way.
Certainly not to be argumentative, bit of a sweeping statement though.

yea, apart from my initial struggle to 'get it up' (the front end) I really like the weight of the bike, especially over a savage rocky downhill where you want that extra weight.
I think like a lot of other people here ive come from an mx bike and its like the best of both worlds..

 

[Jamsxr]

Depends on what you mean by better. I’ve noticed a large number of riders getting back into (e)MTB who gain confidence riding a heavier, more stable and predictable bike, that’s probably better for them.

I still ride my trail/enduro bike most of the time, not sure it’s better, okay yes it’s better but I still love my weighty eBike. Personally I don’t want noodle forks and a less powerful motor, I have my MTB for getting a proper workout.

 

[Gary]

. I’ve noticed a large number of riders getting back into (e)MTB who gain confidence riding a heavier, more stable and predictable bike, that’s probably better for them

TBF modern mtbs are generally slightly heavier, longer and slacker with larger wheels and gripper tyres giving a more stable confidence inspiring ride to anyone.
The downside is these bikes are a bit less playful /maneuverable.

 

[MattyB]

Well done SPECIALIZED

You were clearly a prophet before his time. If only you’d have lived in Bond villain lair in the Alps spouting marketing BS with an S logo emblazoned on your matching fleece and baseball cap they’d have believed you... ?

 

[Maxb]

Well done Lapierre!
They did it first just don't have the massive budget of specialized to push the current specialized marketing onslaught!.

 

[Fivetones]

Well done Lapierre!
They did it first just don't have the massive budget of specialized to push the current specialized marketing onslaught!.

It’s not always what’s written on paper that matters though. It’s the delivery of the final product and how it works. Watch the Singletrack review vid. The reviewer has had an eZesty so is in a position to compare.

And no I don’t own a Specialized, nor am I a fanboy. The SL has got me interested in trying it though.

 

[brizi2003]

TBF modern mtbs are generally slightly heavier, longer and slacker with larger wheels and gripper tyres giving a more stable confidence inspiring ride to anyone.
The downside is these bikes are a bit less playful /maneuverable.

Gary - that's all part of the plan to get you to buy an ebike as its only slightly heavier now the weight gap is getting closer - I've been wondering for some time when this would happen. I simply can't accept that heavier is better! Its a well known fact that suspension for one thing works better when there is less mass to control. Plus all the manufacturers spend thousands trying to make their bikes lighter. The only reason to make them heavier is to provide more strength - not to improve the handling.

 

[B1rdie]

Specialized is the new Trump!!!!

 

[Couchy]

Imagine how good they’d be if you removed the motor and battery, you’d have an awesome 12kg bike how good would that be ?

 

[kombos]

Imagine how good they’d be if you removed the motor and battery, you’d have an awesome 12kg bike how good would that be ?

You may be on to something....

 

[JimBo]

If I were a rock-hopping, clipped-in rider, I'd be all over the eZesty/WildFlow/Levo SL bikes. For me, however, the hilly, flowy and twisty trails with platforms are where it's at.

 

[Beatn1K]

Imagine how good they’d be if you removed the motor and battery, you’d have an awesome 12kg bike how good would that be ?

Oh...like an eZesty, you mean...!!

 

[Gary]

You were clearly a prophet before his time. If only you’d have lived in Bond villain lair in the Alps spouting marketing BS with an S logo emblazoned on your matching fleece and baseball cap they’d have believed you... ?

 

[Gary]

Its a well known fact that suspension for one thing works better when there is less mass to control..

Sorry dude but you have this "fact" completely wrong. The mass on a bicycle frame is sprung mass and the wheels, fork lowers and swing arm are unsprung mass.
suspension on an Emtb actually works BETTER than a regular bike BECAUSE OF the extra weight of the motor and battery as it creates a better sprung to unsprung mass ratio.

If you want your suspension to work better, Get rid of your overkill DH/Ebike tyres, reduce your wheels/cassette/mech weight and ditch those stupid 230mm rotors

 

[Topov]

Lets look at how they saved the weight!!!

Lighter motor (but much less power)
lighter battery (but less range)
Want more range add an extender (weight is back) cost is up
Use smaller lighter tyres (now only 29x2.3) we were told wider is better
Use a smaller fork (now Fox 34 instead of Fox 36) upgrade to get your weight back

What do we get for all the weight saving? ( a £250 price increase across the board )

Don't worry if you have loads of money and are fit and young (or fit) you too can have no chance of ever getting a decent Strava time again

 

[Simoto123]

Sorry dude but you have this "fact" completely wrong. The mass on a bicycle frame is sprung mass and the wheels, fork lowers and swing arm are unsprung mass.
suspension on an Emtb actually works BETTER than a regular bike BECAUSE OF the extra weight of the motor and battery as it creates a better sprung to unsprung mass ratio.

If you want your suspension to work better, Get rid of your overkill DH/Ebike tyres, reduce your wheels/cassette/mech weight and ditch those stupid 230mm rotors

I was just sitting there thinking, no way is gary gonna let that stand.

 

[brizi2003]

Sorry dude but you have this "fact" completely wrong. The mass on a bicycle frame is sprung mass and the wheels, fork lowers and swing arm are unsprung mass.
suspension on an Emtb actually works BETTER than a regular bike BECAUSE OF the extra weight of the motor and battery as it creates a better sprung to unsprung mass ratio.

If you want your suspension to work better, Get rid of your overkill DH/Ebike tyres, reduce your wheels/cassette/mech weight and ditch those stupid 230mm rotors

Yes - Gary, sorry, you are absolutely correct, about unsprung mass/sprung mass ratio. Ideal is unsprung mass of zero and sprung mass of infinity. So, as you said, a heavier frame/rider/load should allow the suspension to work better (i.e. keep the load still whilst the unsprung parts track the ground). A rough calculation showed me that a 10kg increase in sprung mass (say heavier rider) equated to the same change in mass ratio as about 0.5kg less unsprung mass (say lighter wheels/tyres). I guess my argument for lighter weight being better should have focused entirely on handling (i.e. braking, accelerating and changing direction) all of which are improved by less total weight. Or as you put it more playful/maneuverable.

 

[Gary]

@brizi2003 My E Sommet is 47lb (WITH pedals). So lighter than an off the shelf standard Levo I think (Happy to be corrected if I'm wrong)

2 weeks into owning my first one I removed 2kg of weight from the OEM wheels tyre set-up. (2.5 Dual ply soft compound minion DHFs and V. heavy tubes to Exo minion DHF/SS and the hardest compounds and swapping out the tubes for tubeless)
This was an absolute revelation as there was a massive improvement in the bike's playfulness/maneuverability.
changing the tread/compound to massively lower rolling resistance options also improved the bike's acceleration and poppiness.
downside being less overall grip... But I actually like less grip

Talking of weight savings. I also run a lighter 10 speed 11-36t cassette and SS cage mech which is a further 150g+ off the unsprung mass. (I suppose the shorter/lighter chain is partly unsprung too). I simply don't need any lower gearing
The only other weight saving parts on the bike are the135g SLR saddle, 36T Alu NW chainring and composite BURGTECs. None of which were fitted just because of their weight. I'd never choose lower weight over preference like dumb lightweight grips for example. And I'll never run carbon bars.

 

[brizi2003]

@brizi2003 My E Sommet is 47lb (WITH pedals). So lighter than an off the shelf standard Levo I think (Happy to be corrected if I'm wrong)

2 weeks into owning my first one I removed 2kg of weight from the OEM wheels tyre set-up. (2.5 Dual ply soft compound minion DHFs and V. heavy tubes to Exo minion DHF/SS and the hardest compounds and swapping out the tubes for tubeless)
This was an absolute revelation as there was a massive improvement in the bike's playfulness/maneuverability.
changing the tread/compound to massively lower rolling resistance options also improved the bike's acceleration and poppiness.
downside being less overall grip... But I actually like less grip

Talking of weight savings. I also run a lighter 10 speed 11-36t cassette and SS cage mech which is a further 150g+ off the unsprung mass. (I suppose the shorter/lighter chain is partly unsprung too). I simply don't need any lower gearing
The only other weight saving parts on the bike are the135g SLR saddle, 36T Alu NW chainring and composite BURGTECs. None of which were fitted just because of their weight. I'd never choose lower weight over preference like dumb lightweight grips for example. And I'll never run carbon bars.

Lighter wheels & tyres are always the best place to loose mass - and best place to loose mass is around the wheel rim as that's rotating mass too. Sounds like you've noticed an immediate improvement, 2kg - that's quite a bit! Not so sure I could cope with less grip!

 

[Gary]

That was 2 years ago mate.
Been running that set-up ever since.
(on my second ESommet now)

finding/controlling Grip is about line choice and weighting the bike as much as it is about tyre compound. I wouldn't forgo good tread design for lower rolling resistance though.