E-bikes are a thing

[Patrick]

It takes several weeks on an e-bike till you figure out how to climb the steepest or most technical climbs. Just throwing it in Turbo doesn't usually work well. I'm not sure what bike you were on but on a Specialized you need to adjust the acceleration response and power output to keep the power coming, but not surging. Switchbacks also require specific techniques with an e-bike.

was on a carbon Moterra - i figured out the switchbacks the other day.
Between the power and the weight it was very interesting!

Maybe it was surging ??? I can go back!!! It gets really steep that last 30' or so.
I also didn't learn how to use the walk mode, so the 55lb rolling bag of potatoes was nice.

 

[Kaleidopete]

I'm kinda shopping for an eBike. Really wasn't looking for one.

Riding the Cannondale Moterra with tools to do trail work was great.
Then taking it out for a proper bike ride, it felt heavy whenever rolling got slow.
Which is often for me. Thing is, ya just hit the pedal and power through.
Almost like it was hinting at mountain biking without really being mountain biking.
The bike looks big, and feels big. Big power and great braking. Really wide bars.
Limited air time. Maybe it is a different sport?

Jumped on Matty's Rise and bam. It immediately wafted notes of mountain bike.
At 15lbs lighter, and more conventionally size frame tubes, it looked and felt like a mountain bike.
Did about a mile or so, and it was a totally different experience than the Cannonwhale.
Couldn't have too much fun tho, as my SPD shoes did not get along well with his flats.

At the end of our two hour/15 mile ride through Stephens on trails that were hard to recognize because of the quick roll,
I was tired. Had to push my watch up my arm because my glove keeps hitting the pause button, so the HR data is bad.
It was a different type of tired. Sure my legs were beat-up, but more whole body. Maybe from dealing with the heavier bike?
Maybe more DH or handling everything at a higher speed?

What isn't there is cresting a hill and needing a couple minutes to recover.
While I don't need to stop in most cases - just a couple minutes of easy pedaling to let the HR come down,
I just let it rip (being relative of course) -

Maybe it is like being on a trainer with the red knob. On an ebike it is reversed!
The Moterra has 4 boost levels - the lowest being ECO. ECO is more than enough until it gets steep,
so pop it up 1 notch, or two! Do you tell yourself that it just compensates for the weight of the bike?
Nah, it is just dialing in more fun, and less suffering.

In the end, the legs are ready to go again the next day.

Will it ruin the fun and reward of riding on an analog bike?
Making it hard to go back if both are in the quiver?
Good question. Do DH people ride XC?

Signed,
Perplexed in Central Jersey

PS - i'm heading over to RV to make the impossible climb in turbo mode.

Rise is a hard find I think, few & far between

 

[serviceguy]

I'm kinda shopping for an eBike. Really wasn't looking for one.

Riding the Cannondale Moterra with tools to do trail work was great.
Then taking it out for a proper bike ride, it felt heavy whenever rolling got slow.
Which is often for me. Thing is, ya just hit the pedal and power through.
Almost like it was hinting at mountain biking without really being mountain biking.
The bike looks big, and feels big. Big power and great braking. Really wide bars.
Limited air time. Maybe it is a different sport?

Jumped on Matty's Rise and bam. It immediately wafted notes of mountain bike.
At 15lbs lighter, and more conventionally size frame tubes, it looked and felt like a mountain bike.
Did about a mile or so, and it was a totally different experience than the Cannonwhale.
Couldn't have too much fun tho, as my SPD shoes did not get along well with his flats.

At the end of our two hour/15 mile ride through Stephens on trails that were hard to recognize because of the quick roll,
I was tired. Had to push my watch up my arm because my glove keeps hitting the pause button, so the HR data is bad.
It was a different type of tired. Sure my legs were beat-up, but more whole body. Maybe from dealing with the heavier bike?
Maybe more DH or handling everything at a higher speed?

What isn't there is cresting a hill and needing a couple minutes to recover.
While I don't need to stop in most cases - just a couple minutes of easy pedaling to let the HR come down,
I just let it rip (being relative of course) -

Maybe it is like being on a trainer with the red knob. On an ebike it is reversed!
The Moterra has 4 boost levels - the lowest being ECO. ECO is more than enough until it gets steep,
so pop it up 1 notch, or two! Do you tell yourself that it just compensates for the weight of the bike?
Nah, it is just dialing in more fun, and less suffering.

In the end, the legs are ready to go again the next day.

Will it ruin the fun and reward of riding on an analog bike?
Making it hard to go back if both are in the quiver?
Good question. Do DH people ride XC?

Signed,
Perplexed in Central Jersey

PS - i'm heading over to RV to make the impossible climb in turbo mode.

Not sure what you’re riding as you’re shopping for an e-bike…or you’ve got one already? Does air-bike count as e-bike?

 

[Steve Vai]

Didn't make it - the distribution of weight on the bike made it impossible to get low enough to keep pedaling and keep the back wheel planted while not having the front wheel come up.
made it a bit farther than the fatbike when i was in good shape -

there was this tho.
I even dabbed a couple times on the Zee Climb.

View attachment 183009

Going relatively hard, took me an hour to get all the way around RV. It is usually 2+.

Hey jerk.

 

[Patrick]

Not sure what you’re riding as you’re shopping for an e-bike…or you’ve got one already? Does air-bike count as e-bike?

@jdog lent me his Moterra for trail work, so getting a few days on it.
Going back tomorrow

 

[tonyride]

trek rail is NOT a fatbike, its not even plus tires (2.5 according to their website)

"Full Fat" in the eMTB world doesn't imply fat tires. It just means full power (85+ NM of torque).

 

[FitmanNJ]

trek rail is NOT a fatbike, its not even plus tires (2.5 according to their website)

As you'd probably expect, I don't think there are that many true fat ebikes out there currently. If I recall correctly, I think Norco makes one that appears to have quality components and is priced in the $5K-$6K range (so, probably "in the middle" if I'm understanding current ebike prices). I never had a chance to test ride it, though, so I'm all ears regarding persons who have actual experience with any "quality" fat ebike.

 

[rick81721]

Anybody try one of these yet? Sub-35 lbs and more stealth than most ebikes:

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/...ikes/e-caliber/e-caliber-9-9-xx1-axs/p/35773/

 

[rick81721]

As you'd probably expect, I don't think there are that many true fat ebikes out there currently. If I recall correctly, I think Norco makes one that appears to have quality components and is priced in the $5K-$6K range (so, probably "in the middle" if I'm understanding current ebike prices). I never had a chance to test ride it, though, so I'm all ears regarding persons who have actual experience with any "quality" fat ebike.

I see a bunch of e-fat bikes down here. No idea what brand

 

[shrpshtr325]

"Full Fat" in the eMTB world doesn't imply fat tires. It just means full power (85+ NM of torque).

Well thats a stupid to use the sane term for two meanings in the same industry

 

[Steve Vai]

I see a bunch of e-fat bikes down here. No idea what brand

RAD Power. They're everywhere.

 

[iLuveketchup]

Rise is a hard find I think, few & far between

I have a Rise M10 (albeit MyO) on order since last Dec. Hopefully will arrive next month or before the technology becomes obsolete. Whichever comes first.

 

[FitmanNJ]

RAD Power. They're everywhere.

Rad Power: Just under 70 lbs, wheels could double as flywheels for exercise test bikes, front suspension fork provides that perfect "rigid fork feel." On a more positive note, they do come with fenders that really work on days that you need them!

 

[EJphotos]

If I ever get another ebike, I think I'm gonna get one of those foldable death traps with 20" fat tires.

 

[mattybfat]

@jdog lent me his Moterra for trail work, so getting a few days on it.
Going back tomorrow

Don't forget to drop that credit card on your that new ebike 😉

 

[Ian F]

As you'd probably expect, I don't think there are that many true fat ebikes out there currently. If I recall correctly, I think Norco makes one that appears to have quality components and is priced in the $5K-$6K range (so, probably "in the middle" if I'm understanding current ebike prices). I never had a chance to test ride it, though, so I'm all ears regarding persons who have actual experience with any "quality" fat ebike.

Christini has a e-fatbike, and adds AWD to it:

Not terribly priced at $6300... ...although the 65 lbs part stings a bit.

I think one of these would be fun in the snow... if we ever get snow again...

 

[tonyride]

Well thats a stupid to use the sane term for two meanings in the same industry

I agree. I don't know why they labeled it that way and I was confused in the beginning also but it is what it is. Could be the same guy who decided to pluralize the single handle bar and fork on your bike and many just followed. The main difference is when you're talking about full powered ebike it is called "Full Fat" as opposed to bikes with tires wider than 4" are called "Fat Bikes". So full fat=full power and fat bike=4"+ tires. Yeah,, lame I know but I think it's better than saying "I just got a new handle bars and a new forks for my bike". But I digress.

 

[Patrick]

I agree. I don't know why they labeled it that way and I was confused in the beginning also but it is what it is. Could be the same guy who decided to pluralize the single handle bar and fork on your bike and many just followed. The main difference is when you're talking about full powered ebike it is called "Full Fat" as opposed to bikes with tires wider than 4" are called "Fat Bikes". So full fat=full power and fat bike=4"+ tires. Yeah,, lame I know but I think it's better than saying "I just got a new handle bars and a new forks for my bike". But I digress.

Many motorcycles have separate bars - i'd also guess forging or whittling early bicycle bars were more easily done as two pieces, even if eventually joined.

I'm more in the singular fork camp when speaking, but aren't dual crown forks a two piece design?
Hence i could replace the left fork leg, meaning there must be forks? (seems a reach but those damn brits and parisians.)

best guess anyway.

 

[tonyride]

Many motorcycles have separate bars - i'd also guess forging or whittling early bicycle bars were more easily done as two pieces, even if eventually joined.

View attachment 183239

I'm more in the singular fork camp when speaking, but aren't dual crown forks a two piece design?
Hence i could replace the left fork leg, meaning there must be forks? (seems a reach but those damn brits and parisians.)

best guess anyway.

I hear what you're saying but here's my take... on a mountain bike, which is what we're talking about on this forum, the handle bar is just a single strip of fancy tubing. It is not an assembly comprised of multiple parts put together. There can be examples to counter just about any argument but that usually deviates from what the focus is. Even in the picture example you had to find a motorcycle with a 2-piece handle bar design where there are plenty of motorcycles with a single handle bar design... and you had to step out of the mountain bike world to prove your point. As for the suspension fork. I go back again to it being an assembly of parts rather than calling out the individual parts to make the whole. Yes, a single fork may have multiple parts such as the legs but how can we let the number of legs justify the pluralization of the single fork assembly? It is a single suspension fork with multiple legs and many other parts. A single typical mountain bike has 2 wheels, two pedals, and multiple gears and we still say it is a single bike by not letting the parts that make up the bike influence the pluralization of it.

 

[mattybfat]

I'm just super pump that my buddy Hayes is running out to PA today to pick up the giant trance E plus, Yeah more people to ride with.
He brought up a good point he wanted to ride after the race Saturday on Sunday but felt too tired ired now he has no excuse. Plus hes going to use it for training and pre riding race courses.