Which are the more snappy/nimble ebikes?

[Eddy Current]

Hi there mates!

Looking for replace my BH Atom X. When I get this ebike i was a beginner, now after a year I find it a little bit sluggish.

Everybody praises the Shuttle and the Norco as the most responsive ebikes in the market, I know the carbon Levos are playful too ... can you name others ebikes with this kind of handling?

Thanks a lot ️

 

[Zimmerframe]

I think @Gary and @R120 would say the E-Sommet. @R120 has test ridden several bikes recently and might have some other views.

I recall someone saying the rocky mountain was quite responsive.

Where are you based ? (other than the place with 1 standard earth gravity), as market availability will influence your choice to a degree.

 

[Eddy Current]

I think @Gary and @R120 would say the E-Sommet. @R120 has test ridden several bikes recently and might have some other views.

I recall someone saying the rocky mountain was quite responsive.

Where are you based ? (other than the place with 1 standard earth gravity), as market availability will influence your choice to a degree.

Hi Z I’m in Spain

Thanks for you answer

 

[R120]

I think the new Whyte E-150rs is the most playful of the new bikes I have tried, but answering the question requires a bit of context, in that all EMTB's are big old bikes and it takes a while to adjust your riding to learn ow to get the best out of them.

I find the Mullet bikes and 29'r EMTB's can carry a lot of speed, but most of the ones I have ridden are not as playful or manoeuvrable at a 27.5.

One of the issues with a lot of the older 27.5 bikes is they came with plus size 2.8 tyres, which rob the bikes of a lot of feel and feedback IMO, and as such tyre choice on an EMTB can have big effects on the feel. One of the reasons the E-Sommett is so good is that its built and specced to rip, and at the time it came out having 2.5 tyres made a big difference to how it rode when compared to a lot of its plus size tyres rivals.

As everyones riding style and where you ride varies, you really need to get out and try a few.

 

[Eddy Current]

What about the Rocky Mountain ebikes with their claimed regular bike geometry? They certainly got really short chainstays but that’s only a part of the equation

 

[R120]

They have a good rep, but are pretty rare - I have never had the chance to ride one

 

[Eddy Current]

Im interested in my hometown brand Mondraker. They enduro bikes are (or were!) very very good but I don’t if they achieve to translate their concepts to the ebikes

 

[Zimmerframe]

You shouldn't overlook orbea too if you're going "local" .. There's a recent Rob video on one ..

 

[Eddy Current]

You shouldn't overlook orbea too if you're going "local" .. There's a recent Rob video on one ..

im afraid the new Orbea is more on the stable safe side and more focused on straight fast descends rather than a poppy zig zag bullet

would be nice if our dear Rob do a nimble ebike contest. Be nimble doesnt always mean be better, it usually comes with a higher focus levels and demand skills that no all the riders want or have, it’s important to clarify this. Many riders dont want to go as fast as possible or trade a comfy safe ride for a faster stressful one

 

[Husky430]

Maybe a bit biased, but I have also read it somewhere, and when first started we hired three different makes, Kona, Giant and the Merida.
The Merida was hands down the nimblest and more playful of the three. Short chain stay again, and have gone to a 2.6 on the rear and a 29" with a 2.3 on the front, just my 2 cents worth for what it's worth.

 

[Gary]

I think @Gary and @R120 would say the E-Sommet.

No I wouldn't. Goany no try an pre-empt my thoughts dude? it's kinanoyin'
The E-sommet is a long wheelbase, slack, low BB 160/170mm travel bike weighing 22kg (stock) that comes with heavyAF tubes and DH casing soft compound tyres. Pretty much the opposite of what makes any bike nimble.

My own E-sommet is snappy and nimble. but that's down to the size I chose to ride and the set-up I choose to run. Particularly down to tyre choice and suspension setings.
If I had bought the Large/XL (as a lot of riders my exact height might) and left the tyres/tubes as stock it wouldn't be anywhere near as nimble for me as mine is.

I agree with everything @R120 said above regarding playfulness of Eebs.
Except I'd also add lighter overall weight and lighter wheel/tyre weight make an absolutely massive difference to playfulness/nimbility.
Suspension set-up and settings make a pretty huge difference too. (This is true of all bikes BTW)

 

[Eddy Current]

Well a bike has to be nimble in his territory. You cant ask a 65 slack angle to performance as good as a 67 one in a flat trail, and you cant ask a 67 to go as fast a 65 on downhill.

Having said that two differents bikes with same angles, one can be more nimble that the other

Newbies tend to think wow that’s my bike when they see some like a kenevo and then realizes the Levo is a much better all rounder

A 66.5 head angle will do better all round (Climb, flat, cornering, descend) than a 65 will do all round. In my experience, every less degree is much more noticeable on the other way than a degree more is on the other way. But most people prioritize or do mainly downhill stuff so ...

 

[eebit]

Pivot shuttle was the most poppy, playful bike I have ridden out of something like 20+ different eBike models. It is Super fun to ride, but that tight back end blows through the travel quite quickly when the trail gets more gnarly. Other than that probably the Spectral ON I found the most nimble. And Haibike AllMtn 7.5.

 

[Gary]

You cant ask a 65 slack angle to performance as good as a 67 one in a flat trail

You're massively wrong here.
A flat trail can be a fast trail (with a fast rider). and this is where the slacker H/A will perform well. (65deg isn't exactly super slack or anything)
There's way more to what makes a bike nimble than HA alone.

 

[Zimmerframe]

I think once you get the H/A correct, it just down to the rider on the steep stuff ..

 

[Husky430]

I think once you get the H/A correct, it just down to the rider on the steep stuff ..

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Ah ZF, you never fail to go that extra yard for everyone’s amusement. Keep up the great work ??

 

[Zimmerframe]

Ah ZF, you never fail to go that extra yard for everyone’s amusement. Keep up the great work

Actually, I think that first one is perfect for @Christian

The Head angle's nicely kicked out, looks like about 300mm of suspension travel at the front.

The front half of the bike has loads of ground clearance ..

No need for a dropper post as you're already nicely back and low behind the centre of gravity..

Mid mounted cassette to avoid all those derailleur tangles

Coil sprung saddle.

"Skull" wheels for strength, extra coolness and the nasal holes double as bottle openers.

It's a DH luxury barge ! I think there's a good chance we'll see Super Bruni on one next year.

 

[CjP]

I swear that’s how my Kenevo looks when I’m sitting on it. Currently has a 61 degree head angle so I’m slowly working my way there

 

[Fivetones]

There’s another thread about EMTB vs MTB that Gary started recently that touches on this too. Never mind EMTB, there’s some discussion happening around the current MTB designs. Are short travel, light, slack and long, trail bikes better for fun than enduro for many Etc etc.

The cynic in me says this is so this years bikes look old in a year but it is certainly how things evolve. Like anything it’s where you’re willing to compromise. I don’t have an answer to the original question but I know as the EMTB market grows there’s room for more variety. Some might want the monster truck style with huge range, big torque, lights etc, and others might prefer sub 18kg chuckable, fun bikes.

 

[Gary]

Are short travel, light, slack and long, trail bikes better for fun than enduro for many Etc etc.

 

[TheBikePilot]

I found the FOCUS JAM2 really playful and fun.

Good ‘value’ also compared to other models. Also comes with a 400wh tech pac on top of the internal battery.

 

[B1rdie]

Pivot shuttle was the most poppy, playful bike I have ridden out of something like 20+ different eBike models. It is Super fun to ride, but that tight back end blows through the travel quite quickly when the trail gets more gnarly. Other than that probably the Spectral ON I found the most nimble. And Haibike AllMtn 7.5.

How do the neuron compare to the strive? If you have ridden both I would like to know your opinion.

 

[Al Boneta]

You’re just going to have ride a bunch of bikes.
My 2018 Kenevo feels super nimble, but to someone else it may corner like an ox

 

[DrStupid]

I know it wont meet many folks criteria for a glamorous bike, but the KHS 6555 is certainly playful. With 67.5 steer angle, 438mm chainstays, and sub 50 lbs weight, I am finding I enjoy it quite alot.

 

[knut7]

Bikes I've ridden.

Canyon Spectral:On
Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay
Merida eOne-Sixty 2020 if you prefer internal detachable battery
Trek Rail is less playfull, but still a playfull bike for a 64.5* HA 150/160mm bike.

 

[Eddy Current]

Few things I noticed

Shimano is the most common motor on nimble ebikes, I don’t know if it’s because it’s the most common motor itself or is the low weight and geometry chances it provides ... Horst link type is also the most common rear suspension on the nimblest ebikes but again it’s seems is the most common type

 

[eebit]

How do the neuron compare to the strive? If you have ridden both I would like to know your opinion.

Sorry, I only rode the Spectral ON version.

 

[comtn]

I’d be curious to try a 19-20 levo with 27.5 tires. My 19 feels super nimble vs the 18 with 29s on it. Quick switchbacks is where I noticed it the most.

 

[Gary]

I’d be curious to try a 19-20 levo with 27.5 tires. My 19 feels super nimble vs the 18 with 29s on it. Quick switchbacks is where I noticed it the most.

Do it!
Fit no larger than 27.5 x 2.5 tyres tho. No horrible marshmallowey plus tyre shit or it'll handle like a pie
The Levo's BB is still quite high. so If you're used to riding properly low BB heights you'll cope just fine with the 20mm lower BB height
Bear in mind your 29er fork's offset will alter trail on a smaller diameter wheel so steering dynamics will also change. (you'll get used to it in one ride, though which you prefer is down to you)

 

[comtn]

Do it!
Fit no larger than 27.5 x 2.5 tyres tho. No horrible marshmallowey plus tyre shit or it'll handle like a pie
The Levo's BB is still quite high. so If you're used to riding properly low BB heights you'll cope just fine with the 20mm lower BB height
Bear in mind your 29er fork's offset will alter trail on a smaller diameter wheel so steering dynamics will also change. (you'll get used to it in one ride, though which you prefer is down to you)

The BB was way too high on the 18's with 29s. Great for pedal strikes but cornering suffered for sure. I like the plus tires at first but I didn't have good front end feel at all. You'd think a fatter tire would give you more bite in corners but the 2.6 29s have a lot more grip. It could be the compound of the butchers also that come on the 18s. I did like the bump absorption of the plus tires but it wasn't worth it in the end.