Whyte e-mtb

[highpeakrider]

Always liked my T130, could be hard to resist ?

 

[Dirtnvert]

I don’t really see whyte over here. Site shows N American distribution though. Hopefully they bring over emtb’s (canyon doesn’t). E180 with a removable 625w battery would be $$$$. I think their geo stacks up close to special ed, not crazy long chainstays and not great stand over but acceptable.

 

[TonyW]

Any idea on pricing and release date?

£4750, £5250 anf £5750 are the expected rrp's although, as always these may change last minute.

 

[R120]

Not bad at all

 

[R120]

£4750, £5250 anf £5750 are the expected rrp's although, as always these may change last minute.

Are they 29, 27.5, or Mix?

 

[TonyW]

Are they 29, 27.5, or Mix?

27.5+

 

[MattyB]

Are they 29, 27.5, or Mix?

27.5 x 2.5" both ends on the spec sheet I saw. The dealer asked me not to post it as he was not sure if it was still considered sensitive, but the specs on the top models are pretty decent - X01 Eagle 12 speed, Lyrik fork, Code R 4 pot brakes etc. They also seem to have gone with the Purion controller which (for bikes of this type) seems probably the best choice of those available.

 

[SquireRides]

Can we have a 'Purion Mini' please Bosch?

I'm fine with basic functions.
I'm fine with the retro mono LCD styling.
Just make it 30% smaller and maybe the option to mount either on or under bar...

Pretty please?

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

Can we have a 'Purion Mini' please Bosch?

I'm fine with basic functions.
I'm fine with the retro mono LCD styling.
Just make it 30% smaller and maybe the option to mount either on or under bar...

Pretty please?

Agree. Or a Purion Nano. ?

 

[R120]

Surely with 3D printing etc it can’t be that hard for someone to repackage the controller into a switch unit with LED’s showing mode and battery status?

 

[Doomanic]

£4750, £5250 anf £5750 are the expected rrp's although, as always these may change last minute.

How many versions of e180 are there?

 

[Russell]

The Whyte looks very good but why would you put the hole for the battery in the dirtiest, shitiest on a bike? Even if the cover is made of substantial aluminium with a decent gasket, hinge and catch (it will be flimsy plastic clipped in) even then changing the battery half way through a day, you will end up with a load of mud and crap inside the frame. All this form over function is utterly retarded, it's like the people who design these bikes have never ridden on anything other than a dry day in the middle of summer!

 

[R120]

No different to every other integrated battery - all of them have the same issue

 

[Russell]

Thats no excuse though is it, I'm no engineer and I can see a way around it. It annoys me because I thought Whyte were supposed to be innovative and have good design.?

 

[Dirtnvert]

A downtube protector is worth 10x their purchase price in resale on a frame on a regular bike. Almost crucial for an emtb, not to mention piece of mind. I'm down with a good one even with the added battery change time. I've got time but no $

 

[Neverbeentomoab]

This is just what I need another bike to add to the list of potential purchases.
It's getting harder and harder to choose.
At this rate I'll be buying an emtb in 2025?

 

[Jamsxr]

This is just what I need another bike to add to the list of potential purchases.
It's getting harder and harder to choose.
At this rate I'll be buying an emtb in 2025?

If there’s anything I’ve learned since getting my ebike it’s that I wish I had done it sooner. I’m getting so much more riding time in, and that’s why we do it, right.

Ultimately new bikes always look great but there’s not much different to what’s on offer now. Go pull the trigger and get riding!

 

[MattyB]

The Whyte looks very good but why would you put the hole for the battery in the dirtiest, shitiest on a bike?

Because if they are going for a fully integrated battery and an alloy frame the only way to retain enough strength in the down tube without excessive weight is to exit the battery out of the bottom. As soon as the tube has a cut-out underneath or in the side they have to add reinforcement, and that means additional weight and bulk. The only alternative is using carbon, but obviously then the cost goes up dramatically too (see the price differential between the old Merida E160 and the new versions).

I don't disagree with your post overall and much prefer non-integrated batteries for the reasons you suggest, but it seems like we are not going to have that choice in the near term - focus groups, sales figures and profit margins are all telling the manufacturers to go integrated.

 

[Russell]

If they are doing it to be light weight then that is also daft. Who cares about an extra 500g on a 20kg bike that, has a motor! All the logic is flawed.

 

[Gary]

I care.

Quite a lot actually

My logic isn't flawed at all.

where did you read the Whyte was as light as 20kg? 20kg is incredibly light.

 

[MattyB]

If they are doing it to be light weight then that is also daft. Who cares about an extra 500g on a 20kg bike that, has a motor! All the logic is flawed.

They are not doing it to be lightweight, they are doing it to be slightly less heavy . And yes, lots of us do mind (Bosch bikes in particular have a reputation for weighing a tonne - 23kg+ in their previous iterations).

 

[R120]

If you ride an EMTB that has a power tube/internal battery you will really notice how far the weight is up the down tube compared to say a Commencal/Vitus/Canyon with the external batteries where the weight is far more cantered towards the BB where you want it.

Whyte have taken a leaf out of Specializeds book by angling the motor so that the battery sits in front of the motor, keeping the weight lower down - it looks like Cannondale have done the same with the new E-Habit.

If you go from a 24 + EMTB like a Kenevo or a Cube to a 22kg bike like a Vitus or 2019 Levo you can really notice how much more nimble the bikes feel.

Part of this is the reduced weight over the front end, but also the placement of the weight.

 

[Dirtnvert]

All of a sudden , just crickets in here. Something happen today? ?

 

[steve_sordy]

.............

where did you read the Whyte was as light as 20kg? 20kg is incredibly light.

The Focus Jam2 9.6 NINE size large weighs 20.4kg.
To save anyone looking it up, that's a carbon front triangle 29er with a 378whr battery in the down tube that is not easily removable. It also has the additional mounting plate to take the TEC pack.

 

[Gary]

The Focus Jam2 9.6 NINE size large weighs 20.4kg.
To save anyone looking it up, that's a carbon front triangle 29er with a 378whr battery in the down tube that is not easily removable. It also has the additional mounting plate to take the TEC pack.

Thanks
I assume the weight is without pedals? Which makes it right around the same weight as my Vitus
with 126Wh less juice that doesn't make it especially light.
not bad for an internal battery bike though.

 

[steve_sordy]

Thanks
I assume the weight is without pedals? Which makes it right around the same weight as my Vitus
with 126Wh less juice that doesn't make it especially light.
not bad for an internal battery bike though.

That's correct, no pedals. Also tubeless with sealant and heavier Ergon GP1 grips. And about 2m of 75mm helicopter tape.

 

[Gary]

Gotta love when someone spends an extra grand for a 200g lighter carbon front triangle then sticks 150g of sticky tape all over it

 

[steve_sordy]

Yes I did spend a bit more, about £400, but the bike weighed almost a kilo less. I know that all of that would not be the frame. Over the previous few years, I had got used to the general rule (for me anyway) that bike weight saving is about £1000 per kilo, so that seemed quite a good move to me.

I am comparing the 9.6 NINE against the 6.8 NINE, which was the one I almost bought before changing my mind. The £400 also got me what I believe to be a better fork. The change from alloy to carbon also put me in a different place on the manufacturing schedule and I got the bike 10 weeks earlier, although I didn't know that at the time. Happiness abundance!

And once I had got the bike, I did what I do to every bike I get: I put 2m of 75mm heli tape on it!

For those that want to know the weights of the various 2019 Focus models
https://www.focusitaliagroup.it/upl...umenti_2019/MOD_F19176-1_11_Tabella-Pesi1.pdf

 

[Gary]

a grand per kilo?

er... not really until you get to the point where you are trying to lighten components that are already very lightweight in the first place

Did you miss my weight loss/cost spreadsheet?

 

[steve_sordy]

I have done equally well when replacing cheap heavy kit with much better stuff. But where I first got the idea of cost per gram was when looking at saddles. The saddle that came with a bike I had was the WTB Rocket V SLT. Eventually despite loads of gaffer tape it fell apart. I replaced it with the basic Rocket V Race. It was £60 cheaper and weighed 60 grams more. Hence £1 per gram or £1000/kg. If it had worked out at £863/kg it might not have stuck in my head!
Once I had the idea in my head I started to notice it more and more. It doesn't work on everything of course, tyres most noticeably, but whole bikes in a range seem to fall into that category, clockwork ones seem to, not looked at emtbs. I'm not anal enough to have kept records of examples just so I could illustrate my point, but if you look they are out there. I guess that could be just me only looking for items that "prove" my theory - not very scientific I agree. But as a guide it works for me.