# Comparing E Mountain Bikes



## Bikebox (Sep 30, 2020)

All, I have been off my mountain bike for too many years, and I find myself in a position that getting back in the woods is very difficult. I live in southern Indiana and finding flat trails to get any stamina up... well there are none. ( I'm 42 and about 300#) 
I keep seeing these E-Mtb's onlilne an they seem very interesting, and could help me defeat some hills on some of the local trails to get me back out and doing this. 
I find that the price range is all over the place, and am unsure why there are hardtails of good quality that are $5000+ and some good quality hardtails that are closer to $2500. 
what is the reason for this large gap in pricing? 
Is it just the brand? or is there significant difference in motors and their controls.
all the reviews I can find like to compare like priced models, but finding what separates these price groups does not seem to be talked about.
I would buy a Talon E+ 29er ( when comes available) outright, but if there is some user advantage beyond what the pro's need I would consider financing a Norco or similar.
Does anyone have any insight in this?


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## mtbbiker (Apr 8, 2004)

You'd have to give us some examples of the ebikes you are looking at such as: is it a name brand bike, some off brand, component specs., etc. 
The bike name ebikes such as: Specialized, Giant, Trek, Scott, Norco, etc... Are going to be more expensive than non-main brands. Then the rest comes to components such as: drivetrain, brakes and suspension. The more expensive, will have better components. But now a days, even the less expensive components, suspensions and brakes work pretty darn good. 

Personally, if you have been off the bike for a while, most likely any price point above $2500 is going to feel pretty good compare to what you had in the past. If you can demo great! If not, buy in your price range and ride the heck out of that ebike. I guarantee you an ebike will put a smile on your face the entire ride!


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## DuncanDana (Oct 1, 2020)

So I'm in a similar situation to you, slightly larger number in one place, a little less in the other...

I recently have been able to pull my bikes out and start riding seriously again and the new E-bikes have caught my eye.

A few months ago at the VIR track I saw one in the paddock. Fat tire, no suspension and I talked to the owner. I don't remember the brand, but he described it as "the cheapest thing" he could find on Amazon, just something to ride around the paddock area. I rode the thing and was blown away by how well it rode. I played around with gas mopeds as a kid and this thing would have crushed them.

My only nit-pick was the brakes. I got the bike up above 30mph and when I went for the brakes the standard bicycle type rotors struggled to get me stopped. I wasn't prepared for how fast it went and I really struggled to get stopped before I blew a stop sign.

I guess my point is that even the cheapest thing out there was a real jump up from what I was used to or expected.

Hope that helps..


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## Mingui 666 (Nov 17, 2019)

Subtitled ENG DEU FRA POR RUS JAP ITA


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## Bikebox (Sep 30, 2020)

Thank you, this does help.


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## tinfang (Sep 2, 2019)

LBS support is pretty important. Having someone to perform updates and maintenance when needed is key. The major manufactures motors are all within 15% or so of performance of each other. You need to decide what type of riding you want to do. XC, Downhill, Trail, Gravel, Greenway, Road. And then if you like to sort of suffer or you want full power when you want it.

You want to suffer either trail, XC, gravel, road - The Specialized SL, Trek Fazua type motors will give you some power but not overdue it. You bike will be lighter and more like an acoustic bike. Look for the E- Supercalibur coming in Spring 2021.

You want downhill XC, trail, greenway - All major manufactures have these types of bikes from Kenevo, Levo, Norco Sight, Santa Cruz Heckler - etc.. You can try the motor types and then look for bikes that have a geometry you like.


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## Flyer (Jan 25, 2004)

Get a bike from a local dealer who can give you support if you need it. For a trailbike that can handle a twisty tight trails, my favorites are the Santa Cruz Heckler and Pivot Shuttle. If your trails are more open and has fast downhills, get the Specialized Levo or the YT Decoy. I hear good things about the Trek but that (these brands) is about where my buying/interest zone ends.


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## Bikebox (Sep 30, 2020)

tinfang said:


> LBS support is pretty important. Having someone to perform updates and maintenance when needed is key. The major manufactures motors are all within 15% or so of performance of each other. You need to decide what type of riding you want to do. XC, Downhill, Trail, Gravel, Greenway, Road. And then if you like to sort of suffer or you want full power when you want it.
> 
> You want to suffer either trail, XC, gravel, road - The Specialized SL, Trek Fazua type motors will give you some power but not overdue it. You bike will be lighter and more like an acoustic bike. Look for the E- Supercalibur coming in Spring 2021.
> 
> You want downhill XC, trail, greenway - All major manufactures have these types of bikes from Kenevo, Levo, Norco Sight, Santa Cruz Heckler - etc.. You can try the motor types and then look for bikes that have a geometry you like.


So would you say No to a Fezzari wire peak? Since there would be no brick and mortar service?

Most of the trails around here are wide and hilly, mostly geared toward horses. The post holes at wet times can be annoying. Love how they think bikes are the problem, lol.

Occasionally I would take an hour and half journey to Brown County In. For some really great clean trails.


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## sml-2727 (Nov 16, 2013)

Bikebox said:


> So would you say No to a Fezzari wire peak? Since there would be no brick and mortar service?
> 
> Most of the trails around here are wide and hilly, mostly geared toward horses. The post holes at wet times can be annoying. Love how they think bikes are the problem, lol.
> 
> Occasionally I would take an hour and half journey to Brown County In. For some really great clean trails.


the loam wolf reviews ebikes pretty good, the Fezzari didn't get a stellar review.


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## _CJ (May 1, 2014)

sml-2727 said:


> the loam wolf reviews ebikes pretty good, the Fezzari didn't get a stellar review.


hmmmm, that's not the way I read it.

https://theloamwolf.com/2020/03/04/fezzari-wire-peak-pro-review/

Not the way they said it in their 2020 ebike roundup video either.





(Fezzari at the 5:00 mark)

"All in all, good bike, solid bike, would totally recommend."

Personally, I think local dealer "service" is over-rated, especially if you're a person who knows how to do all their own bike maintenance. There's all too often a ton of attitude being thrown around by "bike shop pros", and then you add in the e-bike for even more attitude. No thanks. I can turn my own wrenches.

Full disclosure: I ordered a Wire Peak about a month ago. They said 7 weeks for delivery at the time, and have since pushed it back to December. I'm not really happy about that, but when they informed me of the delay I looked around and pretty much everything worth having is sold out. Local dealers wouldn't even return my calls or emails, failing to earn my business when they had the chance, so I'm just going to sit tight and wait on the Wire Peak. The 2021 spec on the $3500 bike is head an shoulders above anything else at that price point.

.


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## Bikebox (Sep 30, 2020)

_CJ said:


> hmmmm, that's not the way I read it.
> 
> https://theloamwolf.com/2020/03/04/fezzari-wire-peak-pro-review/
> 
> ...


Yes I'm still looking at them really hard.
I'm sitting between the Fezzari, or waiting on the Giant Fathom E+ to come back available.
And the lack of service isn't normally an issue for me as I live an hour from nowhere anyway, but I'm not sure on the E Bikes weather or not it would be an issue.


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## _CJ (May 1, 2014)

Bikebox said:


> Yes I'm still looking at them really hard.
> I'm sitting between the Fezzari, or waiting on the Giant Fathom E+ to come back available.
> And the lack of service isn't normally an issue for me as I live an hour from nowhere anyway, but I'm not sure on the E Bikes weather or not it would be an issue.


I used to run a web based business, so I'm very familiar with how easily a hard earned reputation can be destroyed on the internet by one bad interaction. A local bike shop (or one an hour away) on the other hand doesn't have nearly the same concerns. New business walks in the door every day, and often they aren't "internet people" at all, so they don't have to be as concerned with service after the sale. From what I've read, Fezzari is pretty good about handling warranty issues.

.


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## MikeTowpathTraveler (Aug 12, 2015)

Bikebox said:


> All, I have been off my mountain bike for too many years, and I find myself in a position that getting back in the woods is very difficult. I live in southern Indiana and finding flat trails to get any stamina up... well there are none. ( I'm 42 and about 300#)
> I keep seeing these E-Mtb's onlilne an they seem very interesting, and could help me defeat some hills on some of the local trails to get me back out and doing this.
> I find that the price range is all over the place, and am unsure why there are hardtails of good quality that are $5000+ and some good quality hardtails that are closer to $2500.
> what is the reason for this large gap in pricing?
> ...


The price differential is usually the difference between using a chinese rear hub motor or mid drive versus a more refined; thus more expensive, Japanese mid drive (Yamaha or Shimano), German drive (Bosch) and Swiss drive (Brose). Bikes carrying these premium drive systems always have a decent to very good component group package, be it Shimano or Sram.

Right off the hand, I'd discount any hub drive motor, which do not do well in extended climbing situations due to overheating.

I'm partial to the Yamaha drive system cause that's what powers my Haibike Full FatSix; 2016 model year purchased Spring 2017 and working on close to 12 thousand miles at this point with absolutely no problems or issues with the drive motor, battery(s), charger or LCD display.

Regards to the differences between Haibike and Giant: Giant has a dedicated US bike shop infrastructure to help support the bike. Haibike's US shop presence is a bit spotty. Both are high quality, nicely specced bikes. Haibike also features Bosch power in their emtb models.....


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