Trying my best to decide on an eMTB

[batmantis]

Greetings all, hoping to get some advice.



In the US and attempting to decide on an eMTB. I believe an all mountain style bike falls into my needs. I plan on doing trail riding, some bike park stuff, and some minor bike packing with my Astro photography gear.



I am trying to focus on Bosch drives or if Shimano, the ep801. The bikes I'm currently considering are:



Canyon Spectral:On CF8

Orbea Wild H10 (2023)

Orbea Wild FS M10 (2022)

Trek Rail 7 Gen 3

Commential Meta Power TR Bosch



Right now I feel like the H10 is in the lead in my head. Really like the clean look and the new Bosch smart controller style but the CF8 mullet setup and price is tempting.

 

[Plummet]

They are all good bikes.

You cant remove the battery easily on the 23 wild. That could be a deal breaker if you think you might want to ride more than 3.5 hours.

 

[Chaboi]

They are all good bikes.

You cant remove the battery easily on the 23 wild. That could be a deal breaker if you think you might want to ride more than 3.5 hours.

You can easily get more than 3.5 hours out of a 750 watt hour battery.

 

[2WheelsNot4]

Have you looked at Scott ?. I';ve been very happy with my Genius 920 over the last 2 years.

 

[batmantis]

They are all good bikes.

You cant remove the battery easily on the 23 wild. That could be a deal breaker if you think you might want to ride more than 3.5 hours.

Unless I am riding full power I'd think I can get more than 3.5 hours out of the M10. I could be wrong.

 

[batmantis]

Have you looked at Scott ?. I';ve been very happy with my Genius 920 over the last 2 years.

I have not. I do know I want a full suspension but I'll give them a look.

 

[2WheelsNot4]

I have not. I do know I want a full suspension but I'll give them a look.

It is a nightmare trying to choose.
I looked at Scott,Specialized,Cannondale,Giant,Cube,Commencal,Trek,Focus,Marin,Orbea,Kona and Canyon.

At the time I'd settled on a Focus, (Jam 6.8)and was set for that but thanks to the covid wasteland of not being many about the dealership came up with Scott by themselves and I opted for that rather than wait another 8 months.

I'd initially narrowed it down by sticking to Bosch. The reasoning is Bosch pretty much business model is battery tools- a motor driven by battery power. Many of the others ebike motors are a new concept for them.

 

[batmantis]

It is a nightmare trying to choose.
I looked at Scott,Specialized,Cannondale,Giant,Cube,Commencal,Trek,Focus,Marin,Orbea,Kona and Canyon.

At the time I'd settled on a Focus, (Jam 6.8)and was set for that but thanks to the covid wasteland of not being many about the dealership came up with Scott by themselves and I opted for that rather than wait another 8 months.

I'd initially narrowed it down by sticking to Bosch. The reasoning is Bosch pretty much business model is battery tools- a motor driven by battery power. Many of the others ebike motors are a new concept for them.

Bosch is my ideal candidate for a motor. I'm sure the Shimano is fine but I am not a fan of the eps lack of repairability. Seems wasteful.

I also really like their new led controller in the center of the bike. That was what was drawing me to Giant/Yamaha as well but heard too many things regarding their motors overheating.

 

[Plummet]

Unless I am riding full power I'd think I can get more than 3.5 hours out of the M10. I could be wrong.

You probably can in Eco. But where's the fun in that? I too thought a 750wh would be enough. But after testing discovered I can burn the 750 wh out on big park days in less than 2 to 3.5 hours. To do a full park day I need 2 batteries.

 

[Plummet]

You can easily get more than 3.5 hours out of a 750 watt hour battery.

I know exactly what I can get out of a 750wh battery on a Bosch system as I have them

Sure you can tootle around in Eco at similar to meat bike speeds. Or cruise along on the flat for ages without using mutch battery.

But if you use the bike as intended. Ie blaze up hill and down fast that's what you will get. 2.5 on emtb/turbo combo and 3.5 on auto/tour+/emtb.

The big question is, di you foresee a moment where you might need to use 2 batteries in a day, if the answer is yes then the 23 wild is off the table. If no then it's back on.

 

[batmantis]

You probably can in Eco. But where's the fun in that? I too thought a 750wh would be enough. But after testing discovered I can burn the 750 wh out on big park days in less than 2 to 3.5 hours. To do a full park day I need 2 batteries.

Well worst case, the Orbea is compatible with an external battery pack. But the fun being, I need the exercise . Going uphill I'll def take advantage of the power modes but I presume I'll be in eco mode going down hill and maybe eco - a mid mode for bike packing.

 

[batmantis]

I know exactly what I can get out of a 750wh battery on a Bosch system as I have them

Sure you can tootle around in Eco at similar to meat bike speeds. Or cruise along on the flat for ages without using mutch battery.

But if you use the bike as intended. Ie blaze up hill and down fast that's what you will get. 2.5 on emtb/turbo combo and 3.5 on auto/tour+/emtb.

The big question is, di you foresee a moment where you might need to use 2 batteries in a day, if the answer is yes then the 23 wild is off the table. If no then it's back on.

And I think this is where the Commencials probably make some sense. Personally, I do not need to blaze downhill but assitance going uphill will be nice. I am looking to have fun vs trying to be the quickest. But I suppose a good question to ask is about how long does it take to charge your Bosch's from depleted to full?

Also, either way I don't see myself buying a full extra battery anytime soon. I will admit the option would be nice however the initial cost of the eMTB will be enough of a drain to start with

 

[Plummet]

And I think this is where the Commencials probably make some sense. Personally, I do not need to blaze downhill but assitance going uphill will be nice. I am looking to have fun vs trying to be the quickest. But I suppose a good question to ask is about how long does it take to charge your Bosch's from depleted to full?

Also, either way I don't see myself buying a full extra battery anytime soon. I will admit the option would be nice however the initial cost of the eMTB will be enough of a drain to start with

I will admit, I havent purchased a second battery yet either. The wild is an awesome bike and was on the top of my list until i decided that I needed at some point to swap out a battery.

I would say maybe 4 hours to go from dead flat to fully charged. But an hour or so charging while you eat lunch will still give you a chunk of time to ride after lunch.

Its the blazing uphill that uses the battery. DH uses hardly any. For the record I hide Hard. I'm not a cruiser. I will push my limits up and down. I'm not using the assistance to ease the pedaling load. I'm using it to get me to the top of the hill faster to do more laps and more laps.

 

[batmantis]

I will admit, I havent purchased a second battery yet either. The wild is an awesome bike and was on the top of my list until i decided that I needed at some point to swap out a battery.

I would say maybe 4 hours to go from dead flat to fully charged. But an hour or so charging while you eat lunch will still give you a chunk of time to ride after lunch.

Its the blazing uphill that uses the battery. DH uses hardly any. For the record I hide Hard. I'm not a cruiser. I will push my limits up and down. I'm not using the assistance to ease the pedaling load. I'm using it to get me to the top of the hill faster to do more laps and more laps.

Fair. What bike did you go with?

 

[Plummet]

Fair. What bike did you go with?

I went full mania and got a 190mm Pole Voima. That was another part of my learning through testing. I decided i might as well go big travel if I was buying and e-bike. But I am hitting big features and riding DH on it. So a bit different to you.

The lesson I learned is to spend the time to go and test some bikes. Hire them if need be. Get some real testing in the forest on tracks that you intend to ride. Then you can formulate an opinion that suits you. I went from wanting light weight to going full power full battery max travel through testing bikes.

You can only take the internet experts like myself and others with a grain of salt as we are not you. Get out there and ride some bikes. Drain a battery down riding at the speeds you think you would like to ride at. Then you will know.

 

[batmantis]

I went full mania and got a 190mm Pole Voima. That was another part of my learning through testing. I decided i might as well go big travel if I was buying and e-bike. But I am hitting big features and riding DH on it. So a bit different to you.

The lesson I learned is to spend the time to go and test some bikes. Hire them if need be. Get some real testing in the forest on tracks that you intend to ride. Then you can formulate an opinion that suits you. I went from wanting light weight to going full power full battery max travel through testing bikes.

You can only take the internet experts like myself and others with a grain of salt as we are not you. Get out there and ride some bikes. Drain a battery down riding at the speeds you think you would like to ride at. Then you will know.

Agreed. Unfortunately the only bike in my area from my list available for test is the rail. Everyone is just out of stock locally

 

[Plummet]

Agreed. Unfortunately the only bike in my area from my list available for test is the rail. Everyone is just out of stock locally

Then take the rail for a ride. Also go for a holiday out of town to a place that has a bike park and hire/demo options.
Its worth the time and money to invest in testing at the front end as its a lot of cash to spend if you get your selection wrong.

 

[RiderOnTheStorm]

Have you looked at Scott ?. I';ve been very happy with my Genius 920 over the last 2 years.

@batmantis, if you can find a Scott dealer in your area, take a look at their Trail/All-mountain models.

I recently picked up a Scott eRide Strike 930 (MY22). I found that the overall build quality, geometry, equipment and motor were awesome considering the attractive price point. I got this model for the proven and reliable Bosch CX Gen 4 non-smart motor, 625Wh battery, which I very much prefered over bosch's newer "smart system".

You can find more info here:

 

[batmantis]

@batmantis, if you can find a Scott dealer in your area, take a look at their Trail/All-mountain models.

I recently picked up a Scott eRide Strike 930 (MY22). I found that the overall build quality, geometry, equipment and motor were awesome considering the attractive price point. I got this model for the proven and reliable Bosch CX Gen 4 non-smart motor, 625Wh battery, which I very much prefered over bosch's newer "smart system".

You can find more info here:

Thanks. After the last Scott suggestion, did some searching an non of the local Scott distributors have any Scott bikes in stock. Le sigh.

 

[kauaibobby]

Greetings all, hoping to get some advice.



In the US and attempting to decide on an eMTB. I believe an all mountain style bike falls into my needs. I plan on doing trail riding, some bike park stuff, and some minor bike packing with my Astro photography gear.



I am trying to focus on Bosch drives or if Shimano, the ep801. The bikes I'm currently considering are:



Canyon Spectral:On CF8

Orbea Wild H10 (2023)

Orbea Wild FS M10 (2022)

Trek Rail 7 Gen 3

Commential Meta Power TR Bosch



Right now I feel like the H10 is in the lead in my head. Really like the clean look and the new Bosch smart controller style but the CF8 mullet setup and price is tempting.

Canyon has 900wh battery. That should help. But not on small frame

 

[timcking]

For what it's worth, I'll share my brief eMTB bike experience. As an active 75yr old, I can foresee transitioning to an eMTB. In anticipation of this I purchased a Yamaha YDX Moro because of it's brand familiarity and excellent price. What I found out from riding it though, is although I live in a mountainous area, I don't enjoy the extra weight. As a result, I sold it to concentrate on my current mtn bikes. If and when I do return to purchasing an eMTB, I'll be getting one of the light weight ones. +50lbs is not my idea of mtn biking, regardless of the power assist.

 

[1oldfart]

The Giant/Yamaha is my suggestion.
Probably some ETrance.

 

[batmantis]

The Giant/Yamaha is my suggestion.
Probably some ETrance.

Giant/Yamaha was off my list due to various reports of motors overheating. Test rode the e trance earlier this year but for bike packing, I need to have a bit more trust in the motor

 

[batmantis]

For what it's worth, I'll share my brief eMTB bike experience. As an active 75yr old, I can foresee transitioning to an eMTB. In anticipation of this I purchased a Yamaha YDX Moro because of it's brand familiarity and excellent price. What I found out from riding it though, is although I live in a mountainous area, I don't enjoy the extra weight. As a result, I sold it to concentrate on my current mtn bikes. If and when I do return to purchasing an eMTB, I'll be getting one of the light weight ones. +50lbs is not my idea of mtn biking, regardless of the power assist.

Yeah I get it. The orbeas rise comes to mind in that regard but I still think something akin to the wild is better for me.

 

[batmantis]

Canyon has 900wh battery. That should help. But not on small frame

Yeah. Hence why I am leaning towards a wild. I want to like the canyon, and honestly might have gone with it if they had a Bosch motor but I think it's at the bottom of the short list right now

 

[cyclebot]

I recently bought a Canyon Pathlite:On. It’s hard to beat Canyon’s prices, and the quality of the bike is superb. It also sold me on the Bosch smart system. That said, I didn’t go with a Spectral:On when I ordered an eMTB because I wanted Bosch again. I ended up getting an Orbea H10 Wild. I even changed the order to the 625Wh battery to save some weight (2lbs) and cost. For me the advantages of a stiffer and lighter frame outweighed the inconvenience of a difficult to remove battery. In my thinking, almost all of the people I’ll be riding with will not have a spare battery anyway. On the other hand, it’s said that once you’re experienced at it, you can swap the battery in 15-20 minutes.

 

[batmantis]

I recently bought a Canyon Pathlite:On. It’s hard to beat Canyon’s prices, and the quality of the bike is superb. It also sold me on the Bosch smart system. That said, I didn’t go with a Spectral:On when I ordered an eMTB because I wanted Bosch again. I ended up getting an Orbea H10 Wild. I even changed the order to the 625Wh battery to save some weight (2lbs) and cost. For me the advantages of a stiffer and lighter frame outweighed the inconvenience of a difficult to remove battery. In my thinking, almost all of the people I’ll be riding with will not have a spare battery anyway. On the other hand, it’s said that once you’re experienced at it, you can swap the battery in 15-20 minutes.

Yeah that's where I am leaning me thinks. Unfortunately canyon doesn't sell any of their Bosch bikes in the US. Commential is in town so might try one of those as well. Specs are similar.

 

[cyclebot]

Yeah that's where I am leaning me thinks. Unfortunately canyon doesn't sell any of their Bosch bikes in the US. Commential is in town so might try one of those as well. Specs are similar.

A Commencal Meta TR (the SLX/$6200 model) was #2 on my list. I just kept hearing so many positive reviews of the Wild that I finally decided to go that route. You can also pick up a new 2022 Wild H30 for $3640 if you're fine with the non-smart Bosch system. Since I have the Pathlite:On, a Kiox 300, a charger, and even the potential to rotate batteries between bikes, I decided to cry once and get a '23.

I think best bang for the buck would be a Polygon T7E. I'm not sure about the Suntour suspension on them - I think it's pretty budget, but still the price is pretty good.

Here's the 2022 Wilds. They have some H30s, H20s, and maybe H10s.

NEW 2022 Orbea Wild FS H30 Enduro e-Mountain Bike - BOSCH Performance

MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE. MAXIMUM FUN Wild tames the wildest trails but always feels alive, energetic, and involving rather than the detached, numb ride of many e-bikes. Wild is first and foremost a fantastic enduro bike, and the frame rigidity, lighter weight, supportive suspension, and e-evolved...

aroundthecycle.com

 

[batmantis]

A Commencal Meta TR (the SLX/$6200 model) was #2 on my list. I just kept hearing so many positive reviews of the Wild that I finally decided to go that route. You can also pick up a new 2022 Wild H30 for $3640 if you're fine with the non-smart Bosch system. Since I have the Pathlite:On, a Kiox 300, a charger, and even the potential to rotate batteries between bikes, I decided to cry once and get a '23.

I think best bang for the buck would be a Polygon T7E. I'm not sure about the Suntour suspension on them - I think it's pretty budget, but still the price is pretty good.

Here's the 2022 Wilds. They have some H30s, H20s, and maybe H10s.

NEW 2022 Orbea Wild FS H30 Enduro e-Mountain Bike - BOSCH Performance

MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE. MAXIMUM FUN Wild tames the wildest trails but always feels alive, energetic, and involving rather than the detached, numb ride of many e-bikes. Wild is first and foremost a fantastic enduro bike, and the frame rigidity, lighter weight, supportive suspension, and e-evolved...

aroundthecycle.com

I actually have a polygon T7. At the end of the day, I am steering away from the Shimano motor as I am not a fan of it's lack of repairability. Otherwise yeah the bike looks nice.

 

[cyclebot]

I actually have a polygon T7. At the end of the day, I am steering away from the Shimano motor as I am not a fan of it's lack of repairability. Otherwise yeah the bike looks nice.

Oh, right! I forgot the Polygon isn't Bosch. I have been so impressed by the latest gen Bosch in my Canyon, along with all the research I did into the different options, that I finally just decided it has to be a Bosch-based bike. I know lots of people have had no issues with other motor systems, but I'm sold on the Gen 4 system and now have spare/compatible chargers, batteries, Kiox 300, apps, etc. A few friends of mine will eventually be getting eMTBs and I'm the one that repairs and rebuilds all our bikes, so I'm laying down the law and insisting on Bosch because I want to focus on one system. That doesn't seem too tyrannical if they're getting free work done