The Best ebikes for 2024

[Alexbn921]

Specialized Kenevo is still the best bike ever made!

 

[InRustWeTrust]

it's a shame that orbea didn't choose a removable battery and the mullet because then it could have been the emtb of the year 2024. I think many people opt out of orbea now just for that reason.

Nothing can beat the strive ON right now . Good price and components , mullet and a battey you can Change and the most imported its rides damn good.

 

[Mikerb]

"Best" requires a lot of qualification!
1. Performance on the trail
Obviously a primary requirement is how the bike performs on the trail but the type of riding we each do varies quite a bit, so what might impress impress one may not impress another. The frame design and geo are certainly parameters that can determine how the bike responds to different terrains but equally important is type and travel of suspension and a riders a bility to set that up to best advantage.

That is not the full story however to determine "your" best bike.

2. Build quality and reliability.
OK all bikes have some form of warranty usually limited to 2 years or thereabouts but I would bet most riders would want a bike that does not break, and does not have engineering or component weaknesses that lead to early failure. Sadly there are far too many examples of lack of reliability, many of which are totally avoidable.

3. Value for money
VFM is different to price! The pricing of EMTBs in the last 2 years has been very confusing; firstly greatly inflated prices due to supply and transportation costs, followed by anything up to 35% discounts from those pricing levels due to overstocks and lower demand. So determining what is a reasonable price once all of that settles down is not easy. Even so, VFM actually means you pay a price commensurate with the value it delivers to you individually; and for that initial assessment of VFM, the bike has to continue performing flawlessly for a long time and many miles. VFM for most probably also includes the close support of the company that sold you the bike.

Frame fractures, headsets that last 5 minutes largely due to silly stem/headtube cable routing, cutaway downtubes that let in dust and water, fork crowns that hit the downtube with only ineffective knock blocks to prevent that, unreliable electrical systems, motors with poor reliability records, and unproven new releases appealing only to early adopters/ guinea pigs!........................are all factors that discount many bikes from my "best bike" list!

 

[E Bob]

"Best" requires a lot of qualification!
1. Performance on the trail
Obviously a primary requirement is how the bike performs on the trail but the type of riding we each do varies quite a bit, so what might impress impress one may not impress another. The frame design and geo are certainly parameters that can determine how the bike responds to different terrains but equally important is type and travel of suspension and a riders a bility to set that up to best advantage.

That is not the full story however to determine "your" best bike.

2. Build quality and reliability.
OK all bikes have some form of warranty usually limited to 2 years or thereabouts but I would bet most riders would want a bike that does not break, and does not have engineering or component weaknesses that lead to early failure. Sadly there are far too many examples of lack of reliability, many of which are totally avoidable.

3. Value for money
VFM is different to price! The pricing of EMTBs in the last 2 years has been very confusing; firstly greatly inflated prices due to supply and transportation costs, followed by anything up to 35% discounts from those pricing levels due to overstocks and lower demand. So determining what is a reasonable price once all of that settles down is not easy. Even so, VFM actually means you pay a price commensurate with the value it delivers to you individually; and for that initial assessment of VFM, the bike has to continue performing flawlessly for a long time and many miles. VFM for most probably also includes the close support of the company that sold you the bike.

Frame fractures, headsets that last 5 minutes largely due to silly stem/headtube cable routing, cutaway downtubes that let in dust and water, fork crowns that hit the downtube with only ineffective knock blocks to prevent that, unreliable electrical systems, motors with poor reliability records, and unproven new releases appealing only to early adopters/ guinea pigs!........................are all factors that discount many bikes from my "best bike" list!

Rob did say this was this was HIS Best list, And Bikes HE would recommend to family and friends. On a side note, i completely agree with him too.

 

[mustclime]

You clearly Havent rode one, Or Contacted them to see what deal you could have got... They Would need to make a lot of jerseys, EVERY bike theyve made has sold...
I Like most riders, knew what i wanted, Geo, Travel, Wheel size and Motor, Crestline made what i wanted, I'm Not a rich man, Idiot or rocket scientist, but im savvy enough to ask for a deal, And let me tell you, it's Worth every penny.... Literally twice the bike the s works levo is, and cheaper too...

I am sick and tired of carbon( plastic) bikes. You brake enough of them and miss rides for months waiting for replacement parts, you will understand. Santa Cruz Hightower…. 3 month waiting for a rear swing arm that cracked on a rock. Trek top fuel…. 2 months waiting on an a seat stay that broke with a stick in the derailleur, ended up replacing it with an alloy peace because trek couldn’t even get the carbon piece. Specialized stump jumper, waited 2 months waiting for a front triangle that cracked from a rock strike on the down tube….. they couldn’t supply a medium so I ended up getting a large just so I could sell the frame. All of the frame failures would have been paint and minor tubing damage on an alloy frame. That’s over 7 months of missed rides on my high dollar plastic bikes….. I’m 61 years old and I just don’t want to miss anymore rides because of fragile plastic bikes can’t take a hit.

 

[RoJo]

I am sick and tired of carbon( plastic) bikes. You brake enough of them and miss rides for months waiting for replacement parts, you will understand. Santa Cruz Hightower…. 3 month waiting for a rear swing arm that cracked on a rock. Trek top fuel…. 2 months waiting on an a seat stay that broke with a stick in the derailleur, ended up replacing it with an alloy peace because trek couldn’t even get the carbon piece. Specialized stump jumper, waited 2 months waiting for a front triangle that cracked from a rock strike on the down tube….. they couldn’t supply a medium so I ended up getting a large just so I could sell the frame. All of the frame failures would have been paint and minor tubing damage on an alloy frame. That’s over 7 months of missed rides on my high dollar plastic bikes….. I’m 61 years old and I just don’t want to miss anymore rides because of fragile plastic bikes can’t take a hit.

Sounds like some rotten luck you have been having. Alloy isn't perfect either, my first Merida e160 cracked on the weld between seat tube and top tube, and I have destroyed countless aluminium wheels.
I take your point with rock strikes though, often not enough protection in critical areas, where alloy would dent but carbon delaminates.

 

[Plummet]

I am sick and tired of carbon( plastic) bikes. You brake enough of them and miss rides for months waiting for replacement parts, you will understand. Santa Cruz Hightower…. 3 month waiting for a rear swing arm that cracked on a rock. Trek top fuel…. 2 months waiting on an a seat stay that broke with a stick in the derailleur, ended up replacing it with an alloy peace because trek couldn’t even get the carbon piece. Specialized stump jumper, waited 2 months waiting for a front triangle that cracked from a rock strike on the down tube….. they couldn’t supply a medium so I ended up getting a large just so I could sell the frame. All of the frame failures would have been paint and minor tubing damage on an alloy frame. That’s over 7 months of missed rides on my high dollar plastic bikes….. I’m 61 years old and I just don’t want to miss anymore rides because of fragile plastic bikes can’t take a hit.

I've broken 4 alloy and one carbon.

The good thing about carbon is that it can be repaired easily and made stronger.

Alloy isn't viable to repair.

 

[RustyIron]

I am sick and tired of carbon( plastic) bikes. You brake enough of them and miss rides for months waiting for replacement parts, you will understand.

You seem pretty upset about this. You must be a pretty good rider to go bashing into rocks at high speed with such frequency. Why aren't the factories more reactive to getting you the parts you need? Surely they would want to get someone of your caliber back on the trail and representing their product.

I'm just an average rider, and never do I have to wait long for parts. When the swingarm from my aluminum Santa Cruz cracked, all it took was a phone call. They told me they were out of swingarms in my color, but they'd be powder coating more in a couple weeks. If I wanted an immediate replacement, they could send me either raw or a different color. I chose a color that I thought would look cool, an it was at my door in a couple days. I had another cracked aluminum swingarm on a Specialized that was purchased used. This one actually took about two weeks to resolve. Specialized sent out a replacement right away, but it turned out to be from a slightly different model. When the problem was explained, they investigated further. Unfortunately, because it was an older bike, they didn't have any more swingarms. However, they had one on the shelf that wasn't new, but was still in great condition. I said that would work, and they sent it out.

 

[Chiefworm]

it's a shame that orbea didn't choose a removable battery and the mullet because then it could have been the emtb of the year 2024. I think many people opt out of orbea now just for that reason.

Nothing can beat the strive ON right now . Good price and components , mullet and a battey you can Change and the most imported its rides damn good.

Interestingly they are the two things I would not buy a bike based on. I am a taller rider so mullet is not for me and I don’t need or want a removable battery. I think a bike that can accommodate either full 29 or mullet with a sealed but easily removable battery is the way forward. The Orbea will have a linkage to convert to a mullet no doubt but it’s not for everyone.

 

[E Bob]

I am sick and tired of carbon( plastic) bikes. You brake enough of them and miss rides for months waiting for replacement parts, you will understand. Santa Cruz Hightower…. 3 month waiting for a rear swing arm that cracked on a rock. Trek top fuel…. 2 months waiting on an a seat stay that broke with a stick in the derailleur, ended up replacing it with an alloy peace because trek couldn’t even get the carbon piece. Specialized stump jumper, waited 2 months waiting for a front triangle that cracked from a rock strike on the down tube….. they couldn’t supply a medium so I ended up getting a large just so I could sell the frame. All of the frame failures would have been paint and minor tubing damage on an alloy frame. That’s over 7 months of missed rides on my high dollar plastic bikes….. I’m 61 years old and I just don’t want to miss anymore rides because of fragile plastic bikes can’t take a hit.

Dude.. You Honestly must be the unluckiest Man on the planet... Carbon fiber really is not a weakness anymore, it can be 5x as strong as steel, it's used in planes, Boats, Moto gp etc..
And unfortunately All the best bikes "As per This Thread" Are going to be made from carbon fibre, Not plastic..

 

[wenna]

I am sick and tired of carbon( plastic) bikes. You brake enough of them and miss rides for months waiting for replacement parts, you will understand. Santa Cruz Hightower…. 3 month waiting for a rear swing arm that cracked on a rock. Trek top fuel…. 2 months waiting on an a seat stay that broke with a stick in the derailleur, ended up replacing it with an alloy peace because trek couldn’t even get the carbon piece. Specialized stump jumper, waited 2 months waiting for a front triangle that cracked from a rock strike on the down tube….. they couldn’t supply a medium so I ended up getting a large just so I could sell the frame. All of the frame failures would have been paint and minor tubing damage on an alloy frame. That’s over 7 months of missed rides on my high dollar plastic bikes….. I’m 61 years old and I just don’t want to miss anymore rides because of fragile plastic bikes can’t take a hit.

 

[E Bob]

Dude must be heavy as well as unlucky...
Did i hear crestline use the same manufactures as santa cruz for there frames too ?

 

[mustclime]

You seem pretty upset about this. You must be a pretty good rider to go bashing into rocks at high speed with such frequency. Why aren't the factories more reactive to getting you the parts you need? Surely they would want to get someone of your caliber back on the trail and representing their product.

I'm just an average rider, and never do I have to wait long for parts. When the swingarm from my aluminum Santa Cruz cracked, all it took was a phone call. They told me they were out of swingarms in my color, but they'd be powder coating more in a couple weeks. If I wanted an immediate replacement, they could send me either raw or a different color. I chose a color that I thought would look cool, an it was at my door in a couple days. I had another cracked aluminum swingarm on a Specialized that was purchased used. This one actually took about two weeks to resolve. Specialized sent out a replacement right away, but it turned out to be from a slightly different model. When the problem was explained, they investigated further. Unfortunately, because it was an older bike, they didn't have any more swingarms. However, they had one on the shelf that wasn't new, but was still in great condition. I said that would work, and they sent it out.

Has a lot to do where I ride. I have also been riding a lot longer than most. I live in the northern US and all the trails are loaded with ice age dumped rocks. As for the replacement parts, I find manufacturers respond quickly if the failure is their fault. A stone strike is not their responsibility, going OTB in a rock field is not their fault either. I also tend to ride with people that are better riders than I am, they pile through a rock section, I just end up in a pile. Carbon bikes are just plastic bikes, great for roadies, not so great for hard riding.

 

[E Bob]

Has a lot to do where I ride. I have also been riding a lot longer than most. I live in the northern US and all the trails are loaded with ice age dumped rocks. As for the replacement parts, I find manufacturers respond quickly if the failure is their fault. A stone strike is not their responsibility, going OTB in a rock field is not their fault either. I also tend to ride with people that are better riders than I am, they pile through a rock section, I just end up in a pile. Carbon bikes are just plastic bikes, great for roadies, not so great for hard riding.

Yes, Best stick to ur wooden bikes dude...

 

[mustclime]

Yes, Best stick to ur wooden bikes dude...

The thinking about getting a cast iron Kenevo made, then it’s the rocks that will be braking

 

[kla456]

Here’s my top picks and favourite e-bikes

Not a Shimano-powered bike to be seen or mentioned?

 

[jbrown15]

Not a Shimano-powered bike to be seen or mentioned?

Not surprising at all. Shimano needs to step up their game.

 

[Plummet]

The thinking about getting a cast iron Kenevo made, then it’s the rocks that will be braking

Each to their own. I ride hard too, as evidenced below, and have broken 4 alloy bikes and 1 carbon bike.

I'm more nervous about alloy because it is not easily repairable. Carbon you can sand it back, wrap some more carbon layers on, make it stronger than before and carry on riding. I'm still riding my broken carbon bike 4 years later. Infact my boy was using it yesterday hitting this jump pictured below.

With that said, My current e-bike is alloy because I couldnt find a similar spec carbon bike in the price point I wanted to pay. I'm hoping I dont break this one.

 

[RoJo]

Not a Shimano-powered bike to be seen or mentioned?

I own a Shimano bike and upgraded to Bosch. The difference is night and day. The Bosch is more natural feeling, better torque and more energy efficient.
On 750Wh with Bosch I can outlast 2x500Wh Shimano. This is something that's not taken into account when looking at motor weights: you could ride a Bosch bike with a much smaller battery and the system weight would be less.

 

[wilbersk]

Each to their own. I ride hard too, as evidenced below, and have broken 4 alloy bikes and 1 carbon bike.

I'm more nervous about alloy because it is not easily repairable. Carbon you can sand it back, wrap some more carbon layers on, make it stronger than before and carry on riding. I'm still riding my broken carbon bike 4 years later. Infact my boy was using it yesterday hitting this jump pictured below.

With that said, My current e-bike is alloy because I couldnt find a similar spec carbon bike in the price point I wanted to pay. I'm hoping I dont break this one.


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The Voima is a DH rated frame with a 5 year warranty though. Ride the piss out of it!

 

[Plummet]

The Voima is a DH rated frame with a 5 year warranty though. Ride the piss out of it!

I am!

 

[mustclime]

The Voima is a DH rated frame with a 5 year warranty though. Ride the piss out of it!

Designed by tall people for tall people, sadly really high stand over.

 

[Onetime]

Designed by tall people for tall people, sadly really high stand over.

You keep saying that, but it’s not. Have you ridden one or even sat on one in person? If your small get a K0 or a K1. You can run it mullet or full 27.5 if you want it lower than it already is. I’m 5’6-5’7” depending on who’s measuring and I have a 30-32” inseam depending. I have a K1 and with my dropper in the low position I can put both feet on the ground. I have plenty of clearance over the top tube. Mine is full 27.5 with 2.8’s and a dual crown 40. Even if the top tube was tall, you either sit on the seat or stand up on the pedals when riding, so it doesn’t matter. In all my years of riding, the top tube height has never been an issue, even when I rode bikes that were way too big for me.

 

[InRustWeTrust]

Designed by tall people for tall people, sadly really high stand over.

The voima looks quite large and long due to its long reach, but when you sit on it, it feels very compact and just the right size

 

[Plummet]

Designed by tall people for tall people, sadly really high stand over.

My 5'1 wife , 5'3 daughter and 5'4 son riding the k1. The limitation is in your mind, not the bike.

Now it's simply physics. You have to shoehorn, 190mm of travel, a motor and suspension into the vertical dimension. There is a minimum height to practically do that.

 

[mustclime]

No , it’s between my legs, the top tube is 33 inches high at the center of the top tube.

 

[RickBullotta]

Here’s my top picks and favourite e-bikes

Hey @Rob Rides EMTB - take a look at the timeline notes on your video on YouTube. They're wrong - musta been generated by AI.

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

Hey @Rob Rides EMTB - take a look at the timeline notes on your video on YouTube. They're wrong - musta been generated by AI.

Thanks. Yes its an automated thing by YouTube. I'll fix it.

 

[Plummet]

No , it’s between my legs, the top tube is 33 inches high at the center of the top tube.

What does that matter?
You don't ride a bike there or stand there with dropper posts these days. It's an irrelevant measurement. I cant remember the last time i stood in between the top tube and the seat. I just put the seat down and sit on that if i need to stop.

 

[mustclime]

What does that matter?
You don't ride a bike there or stand there with dropper posts these days. It's an irrelevant measurement. I cant remember the last time i stood in between the top tube and the seat. I just put the seat down and sit on that if i need to stop.

Posted by someone that seems to no idea what riding tech means…it’s all in where you ride. Tell you what, when you get tired of riding your 190mm travel ebike on dirt roads, go on to YouTube search “ ringwood state park” or “ jungle habitat “…… maybe watch” Wanapop Khonsue “ or “TrailSage” videos, they did a good job filming there. What I am trying to say is when things go wrong, High top tubes equals smashed nuts. I don’t ride dirt roads, I ride rocks.