Vitus E-Sommet VR
- Thread starter Iain at the back
- Start date
Yep! I am aiming to head down to Somerset end of the month with it if you’re able to? Could possibly stretch to FOD.
Interesting
If possible, also mention some of the negatives and compare it to other bikes.
I find that far too many "reviews" end up being a bunch of riding footage, some information about the bike that is also easily obtained from looking at specs and a statement about "this bike is good".
Youtuber MTByumyum has about 40 similar videos with basically this exact formula in it, and I know he is getting to loan his bikes from the local shop in hopes of selling more, but in the end his videos are useless because there is hardly any differentiation.
I hope I am not insulting anyone here (I just used MTByumyum as an example), that's not at all my aim, and I am not saying your other reviews are missing anything - just sharing some observation from the past year when viewing reviews of bikes. Use it if you want
For me there are 3 negatives with the bike to date:
- No bottle cage bosses, this is a personal thing as i like to ride packless if possible, so i have a water bottle strapped to the frame instead.
- Dropper post insertion, this is discussed in depth in this thread, i actually like the brand x post, and it works great, but for my dimensions i wish i could shove it down a bit further into the seat tube.
- Area above motor/below shock in frame, this area is difficult to clean out due to the design, its a minor gripe and i have bike dryer which i use to get dirt out of there, but if you come back from a muddy ride you end up scooping the crap out of the area as its not somewhere you want to be putting any sort of pressured water into.
The only real thing i would change on the bike is to have the top tube run like the line in this pic, and Vitus put some bottle bosses on the under side of it, as the extra space in the triangle would allow a cage and bottle to be easily fitted - i think the only reason it is like this at the moment is to allow standover height for people sizing up, but for me at least its got a low standover so i don't think would cause any issue. I might even suggest it to them!
Wouldn't it be possible to add bosses even as it is now? Looking at your picture with the bottle strapped on the top tube it doesn't look like there is a whole lot of clearance for just any cage, but they could use it as an opportunity to sell a cage and bottle that fitted those dimensions, just like YT who charges a horrid price for their cage and bottle just because noone else makes one that fits the tiny hole under the shock.
Also, I like your tool placement on the bike. I think i'll copy that!
I totally agree. In fact, the review I did of the Scott E-Genius had some negative specific aspects to it, where I talk about the things I didn't like. Its important to me to be balanced in feedback.
Last edited:
I have played around with a load of options and the cage, interferes with the battery, the bottle strap solution actually works really well
Thread on subject here:
Drink Bottle Mount Alternatives
Last edited:
Did any of you guys switch the 11-42 for a 11-46 cassette? Just wondering if it's a problem with a motor to get up the steep stuff with "only" 42 when the front is 34t. I am obsessing over weird stuff, sitting at home far too distracted to work - waiting for DHL to show up.
No, getting up things won’t be a problem! If anything it might make it more difficult as if you are in boost on a very steep section in a low gear traction becomes you enemy - if you stop and then try to start again on a steep incline in boost, a low gear is almost impossible to start in as it just spins up
.. I did think about it, as my previous (temporary) e-mtb had a 11-46 and it was excellent but then I was more interested in riding the Vitus when it arrived, than waiting for more parts to arrive. TBH you just up the power mode if it gets to hard to push the 42 toothed sprocket. i will probably buy an 11-46 when the time come to replace the old one though
The problem with looking for faults, is that it can become nitpicking or personal preference, and can ruin a review. You've only to check out magazine reviews and it become the reviewers dislike for "the width of the handlebars" that makes one bike better than the others in a group test. I'd go as far as suggesting very few bad mtb's are now made, more likely the bike if it does review badly, it's because the reviewer isn't using it for it's intended purpose (specialisation).
I've found two serious problems with this bike..
1. Everytime I go out for an hours' ride I find myself two hours late coming home
2. I am finding myself covered in bruises because the bike is so good at climbing obstacles I keep finding harder and harder stuff to try.
What a cracking bike .
ATB Frank
1. Everytime I go out for an hours' ride I find myself two hours late coming home
2. I am finding myself covered in bruises because the bike is so good at climbing obstacles I keep finding harder and harder stuff to try.
What a cracking bike
.ATB Frank
I got mine yesterday, and it's a hoot! Super fun and size wasn't a problem at all. I initially cursed at the dropper, but it turns out that it was just installed pretty badly and a large kink in the cable prohibited it from working correctly. There were also several bolts that wasn't tight and the brakes rubbed a lot. The spoke magnet was also in the wrong place. All to be expected really, except for the kink in the cable.
After some fiddle with e-tube the firmware got updated and it was smooth sailing. Until the bike stopped. E010 was shown on the display 2 times. Reboot of bike and configuration "backup" seems to have worked. I haven't seen it since.
I also got a W013 a few times. I found out that if you turn on the bike while pedaling the sensor won't initialize properly and an error will show.
But other than that ... wheeee! Can't wait to get home from work today!
Good times!
After some fiddle with e-tube the firmware got updated and it was smooth sailing. Until the bike stopped. E010 was shown on the display 2 times. Reboot of bike and configuration "backup" seems to have worked. I haven't seen it since.
I also got a W013 a few times. I found out that if you turn on the bike while pedaling the sensor won't initialize properly and an error will show.
But other than that ... wheeee! Can't wait to get home from work today!
Good times!
Last edited:
First breakage Destroyed the rear rim coming down the Cobbler this evening. Think it was at least (more than) partly my fault. There are hundreds of drainage channels across the path and they need clean bunny-hops. Rear weight is difficult (for me) to manage good hops.
Anyway, I'm thinking Deemax but will decide tmrw.
Destroyed the rear rim coming down the Cobbler this evening. Think it was at least (more than) partly my fault. There are hundreds of drainage channels across the path and they need clean bunny-hops. Rear weight is difficult (for me) to manage good hops.Anyway, I'm thinking Deemax but will decide tmrw.
Sounds like you need some rat bites in your tyres ,First breakage
Anyway, I'm thinking Deemax but will decide tmrw.
Today I had i strange squeak from the bike every time the rear suspension bobbed. After much faff and taking the shock off, greasing bearings etc etc, I find out that the squeak is coming from the chain guide.
It was wrongly placed by wiggle so it touched a part of the rear triangle on compression of the shock.
It has eaten it's way through the rubber on the chainstay, and was starting to eat chew in the aluminium - thus making a noise.
I would probably have been pretty upset if it was a carbon bike, but I can't be bothered doing anything about this. I see no structural damage or anything, but it was seriously annoying and took a long time figuring out where it came from, mostly because I put in 2 extra tokens in the rear shock to make it more progressive as from factory it either has to have way too much pressure, or blows through the travel with moderate jump. Anyway, I thought it was part of my modification of the rear shock that in the assembly has messed up the bike, so I took everything apart again and again - cleaning and regreasing many times.
That's 2 hours I won't be getting back hah.
It was wrongly placed by wiggle so it touched a part of the rear triangle on compression of the shock.
It has eaten it's way through the rubber on the chainstay, and was starting to eat chew in the aluminium - thus making a noise.
I would probably have been pretty upset if it was a carbon bike, but I can't be bothered doing anything about this. I see no structural damage or anything, but it was seriously annoying and took a long time figuring out where it came from, mostly because I put in 2 extra tokens in the rear shock to make it more progressive as from factory it either has to have way too much pressure, or blows through the travel with moderate jump. Anyway, I thought it was part of my modification of the rear shock that in the assembly has messed up the bike, so I took everything apart again and again - cleaning and regreasing many times.
That's 2 hours I won't be getting back hah.
Interesting, i double checked everything when my arrived, and the PDI was really good from CRC, much better than my BMC i got from Evans which hadn't had brakes bled properly, badly working dropper and a bent rim!
Went out on my usual morning blast today on North Downs, which is never exactly the same route, but always pretty similar, and downloaded strava as was interested in hwhat the ride actually comprised of in relation to battery use. The ride below left me with 2 bars of battery, 3 miles of it road, and mostly in Trail except for some silly steep bits, so would estimate no more than 1 mile spent in Boost. As an FYI i am at about 14 stone including all kit etc, and averagely fit, about to hit 40, (don't go to gym but lots of walking and of course time on the bike). My skills are about average, in that i can ride any trail, but you wont find me hucking or whipping of any jumps!
Thought this might be useful for anyone looking at range, the ride does include about 10 mins of stopping for coffee, but not sure if the auto pause feature on strava factored that. Its mostly quite technical single track, a a lot of exposed roots, slippery clay, and heavily rutted tracks from the horses.
Went out on my usual morning blast today on North Downs, which is never exactly the same route, but always pretty similar, and downloaded strava as was interested in hwhat the ride actually comprised of in relation to battery use. The ride below left me with 2 bars of battery, 3 miles of it road, and mostly in Trail except for some silly steep bits, so would estimate no more than 1 mile spent in Boost. As an FYI i am at about 14 stone including all kit etc, and averagely fit, about to hit 40, (don't go to gym but lots of walking and of course time on the bike). My skills are about average, in that i can ride any trail, but you wont find me hucking or whipping of any jumps!
Thought this might be useful for anyone looking at range, the ride does include about 10 mins of stopping for coffee, but not sure if the auto pause feature on strava factored that. Its mostly quite technical single track, a a lot of exposed roots, slippery clay, and heavily rutted tracks from the horses.
Last edited:
Had mine a couple of months now and the usual niggles, dropper post lever very stiff, battery life a bit dissapointing and rats nest of wiring at the cockpit but all this I can sort.
I did have an issue with it not free wheeling very well but that came down to rear brake setup.
Used E-tube to customise map but just turned everything onto low but I don't use boost as it eats the battery as most of you will know.
With this setup I managed 2 loops of Ae forest yesterday totalling 27 miles so that's all good.
One issue I found yesterday is the lower shock bush has some play so fired an email to wiggle and await response.
I'm looking for more tuning options withe the steps motor if anyone has info that'd be great.
Overall a cracking bike at any price point.
I did have an issue with it not free wheeling very well but that came down to rear brake setup.
Used E-tube to customise map but just turned everything onto low but I don't use boost as it eats the battery as most of you will know.
With this setup I managed 2 loops of Ae forest yesterday totalling 27 miles so that's all good.
One issue I found yesterday is the lower shock bush has some play so fired an email to wiggle and await response.
I'm looking for more tuning options withe the steps motor if anyone has info that'd be great.
Overall a cracking bike at any price point.
My lower part of the shock was loose too, but I just tightened it. I tightened all bolts after that. It seems the bike wasn't super well assembled and I have found several errors.
I can highly recommend giving your bike a very thorough check to see if everything is safe and tight.
Did you re-route you're dropper cable the New?
Only real continuing niggle for me with this bike has been the interference between the E8000 controller and the dropper. I have my dropper lever on my other bikes under the LHS bar and am completely used to it. Tried a lot of configurations but in the end bought an E6000 controller.
This completely solves my issues. The only problem might be the sturdiness of the E6000 unit in crashes. It's a pretty light weight build compared to the paddle unit.
This completely solves my issues. The only problem might be the sturdiness of the E6000 unit in crashes. It's a pretty light weight build compared to the paddle unit.
No I used a set of huge pliers to straighten it out and it has worked fine since!
EMTB Forums
Latest articles
-
Santa Cruz Vala X0 review - a new approach to perfection?
The new Vala is Santa Cruz’ first attempt on a Bosch-powered emtb. Like...- Knut Nes
- 6 min read
- Views: 610
- Reaction score: 3
- Comments: 2
-
A new standard for charging ebikes is coming? A quick interview with Bosch - charge2bike
I had a quick chat with dr Vikram Godbole about "charge2bike", a new...- Knut Nes
- 2 min read
- Views: 793
- Reaction score: 7
- Comments: 4