UK stock of small e-mtb's?

[smokey_jo]

So let the wife borrow mine this morning and she's hooked. So now the search begins for a bike for her. Looking for a small or maybe an xs full suspension, ideally with a Shimano motor but struggling to find stock of anything around the £3k mark on stock to try.

Anybody seen anything on their travels or on the web or can point me in the right direction?

 

[smokey_jo]

Actually don't worry gone for e-sommet vr got the last small one in stock!

 

[Gary]

Great choice but it's not a small bike.
How tall is your wife?
I'm 5'11" and ride a E-Sommet VR in size small.
it has a reach of 435mm and a wheelbase of 1200mm
That's actually pretty big/long. longer than the previous years Sommets were in Medium. It's by far the longest bike I own.

The problem with sizing now that we no longer have 26" wheels as an option and most manufacturers have lengthened and slackened their entire sizing range is that there actually are no genuine XS or even S sized FS bikes anymore.
Riding style also comes into sizing choice though. ie. I could ride a large fine but I'd have to change my riding style to ride it as well as I ride my small but I wouldn't enjoy riding it so much.

 

[smokey_jo]

I'm 5'7 and ride a medium e-sommet Deore, she had a go on mine this morning and other than the dropper having to be at the bottom found it ok, so fingers crossed with a bit of fiddling with the dropper she'll be ok

 

[Gary]

other than the dropper having to be at the bottom

Do you mean with your dropper post fully dropped? or just fully inserted in the frame but extended?
If the latter, the droper shouldn't be an issue, All the E-sommet frames' seat tubes seem to only be reamed to 165-170mm deep. So If she could get your dropper to the correct height on your medium she'll manage fine with the 120mm dropper on the small.
If you mean the former, she may struggle and need to get a shorter dropper.
With the OEM 120mm Brand X dropper post at the lowest it can be inserted into the frame and the dropper fully extended on a small e-sommet it's right around 600-605mm centre of BB to centre of saddle rails.(or 650-55mm top of saddle to centre of BB)

 

[smokey_jo]

I'll need to sort the dropper so it doesn't fully extend but I managed that with mine ok so I think we'll be ok

 

[Gary]

I'll need to sort the dropper so it doesn't fully extend but I managed that with mine ok so I think we'll be ok

How did you do that?

Shorter cranks and/or lower stack saddle might help both of you still be able to run full/more drop

 

[smokey_jo]

By limiting the travel of the dropper internally using a patented solution similar to how the new one-up dropper shim works

 

[Gary]

bit of plastic and scissors?

Sweet!

 

[smokey_jo]

4 bits of plastic and scissors actually ?