# Rode an enduro ebike today on a real track for the first time...................



## plummet (Jul 8, 2005)

Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarken Awesome!

It was a Commencal Meta power 29er
COMMENCAL 2021 | META POWER 29 OHLINS EDITION 2021 (commencal-store.co.nz)

Of course it went up sweetly. It took it down a tight steep over camber rooty down. I was sweetly surprised that it handled the jandle on the down very well. A real nice bike to ride.

I certainly can see the worthyness for a down orientated dude like myself. You would be able double to amount of down you can do in a ride.

Jumping back onto my Slayer. Instantly I could feel the extra playfullness and chuckability of my standard bike had. The E Bike was more like an old school heavy rig, solid and plowing the track. Still lots of fun. Interestingly I wasn't offended at getting back on the no engine bike. In fact I had more fun after that chucking my bike around.

I can see room in the stable for both.

Now here's my problem with ebikes. You have to sell your left testicle, your dead grandmothers ashes, and your first born child to get a decent one. Then you also need to sell your spleen and kidneys and be on dialysis for the rest of your life if you want a carbon frame with a carbon wheels!......

Arrrrrrrrgh!.......

It will be a while before I step into an ebike based on the fact that I demand the fruit, but am unwilling to relinquish both kidneys, a spleen and a testicle.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

No need for carbon frame & wheels with an ebike.
Only reason to go there is if one’s ego demands it.
=sParty


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## CRM6 (Apr 7, 2021)

My Intense Tazer MX Expert with DVO suspension was only $6K.... and has a carbon frame! There are several others out there too...


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## Mudguard (Apr 14, 2009)

My problem with e-bikes is that I'd never ride my normal bike. I generally can only ride once a week due to travelling for work so I'd get home and which do I choose?


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## Tickle (Dec 11, 2013)

I've been riding my ebike 3 days/week since I've gotten it and have had no desire to ride my other bikes, anyone want an Intense Primer? 
Sh!t ain't cheap no doubt early adopters tax, just hang tight for a couple years bet they will get better and cheaper


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## TNC (Jan 21, 2004)

Sparticus said:


> No need for carbon frame & wheels with an ebike.
> Only reason to go there is if one's ego demands it.
> =sParty


This is what a lot of riders will find out. You don't have to be gram conscious like we've usually been on our pedal-only bikes. The weight flat out disappears where it would be negative, and I think it becomes a positive in technical, rough, places where you can easily get knocked off line. I'm not claiming your emtb should be a freakin' 500cc dirt moto level weight, but the bike becomes more stable. People are different, but this has been my revelation on the added weight that I didn't expect at first. I am a dirt moto guy, and I should have considered that might happen. Weight is not always a positive, but on a dirt moto or a good emtb, the bike is more stable when it counts. And I don't really notice that weight becoming unwieldy in tighter sections. I think the bike's geometry and such will have a bigger impact on that.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Mudguard said:


> My problem with e-bikes is that I'd never ride my normal bike.


Maybe, maybe not. I have all three types of off-road 2-wheeled contraptions (mountain bike, motorcycle & ebike) and if for some unimaginable reason I had to give two up and only keep one, I'd definitely keep the mountain bike. That's not to imply that the dirt bike and the ebike aren't absolute blasts to ride, it's just that there's something about the mountain bike... I consider it the ultimate machine for taking me places I love to go in my personal favorite way to go there.


Mudguard said:


> I generally can only ride once a week due to travelling for work so I'd get home and which do I choose?


That's a good problem to have. The bad problem to have is only having one day a week to ride. I'm lucky -- retired, healthy, fit -- so I ride them all, sometimes all in the same week.


TNC said:


> This is what a lot of riders will find out. You don't have to be gram conscious like we've usually been on our pedal-only bikes. The weight flat out disappears where it would be negative, and I think it becomes a positive in technical, rough, places where you can easily get knocked off line. I'm not claiming your emtb should be a freakin' 500cc dirt moto level weight, but the bike becomes more stable. People are different, but this has been my revelation on the added weight that I didn't expect at first. I am a dirt moto guy, and I should have considered that might happen. Weight is not always a positive, but on a dirt moto or a good emtb, the bike is more stable when it counts. And I don't really notice that weight becoming unwieldy in tighter sections. I think the bike's geometry and such will have a bigger impact on that.


I have a Trek Rail 7 (aluminum frame) and one of my riding buddies has a Trek Rail 9.8 (carbon frame plus slight components upgrade). His carbon-framed ebike weighs 2 lbs less than mine and costs $2000 more. Weight difference is indistinguishable while riding.
Meanwhile my ebike weighs 200 lbs less than my dirt bike. 
=sParty


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## Fajita Dave (Mar 22, 2012)

Mudguard said:


> My problem with e-bikes is that I'd never ride my normal bike. I generally can only ride once a week due to travelling for work so I'd get home and which do I choose?


Wouldn't that make an e-bikes the better choice? I imagine it's hard to get a decent amount of fitness riding only one day a week.


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## Mudguard (Apr 14, 2009)

Fajita Dave said:


> Wouldn't that make an e-bikes the better choice? I imagine it's hard to get a decent amount of fitness riding only one day a week.


The fitness I'm not so worried about, as long as I get a ride in. But it's no good me getting a 30km ride in if riding buddies can only do 20km.


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## IMeasure (Oct 5, 2020)

If it


Mudguard said:


> My problem with e-bikes is that I'd never ride my normal bike. I generally can only ride once a week due to travelling for work so I'd get home and which do I choose?


Having both an enduro ebike and a short travel modern geo trail bike, I would say if it's about fitness and riding fun, then it's analogue all the way. But if your priority is one ride per week with a focus on miles covered and fun then it's the ebike.

But if your one ride per week is with friends on analogue bikes, I would do what the pack is doing.

One thing I will add, if you get a spare hour during the week and you are able to ride to the trails from home, an ebike will get you there and back with no effort and you will find yourself sneaking in rides that in the past would not have been practical.


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## Bills (Jun 13, 2009)

One day I will ride one, I’m sure by the next day I will have one.


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## LMN (Sep 8, 2007)

During my wife's pregnancy we got my wife a Levo SL. Bonus we take the same size of bike, so I have been spending some time on it. At 150Front and 140 rear and angles a bit more to trail side, it isn't an Enduro bike but it still descends well. Actually it does everything my conventional trail bike does, I do not find any disadvantage to extra 8lbs or so. 

But climbing on it is like riding an 18lb XC hardtail. It is so easy to punch out a couple of laps really quickly. And as a new dad who is generally shattered from lack of sleep all the time something to make the climbs easier/shorter is really appreciated.


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## MX9799 (Feb 11, 2018)

plummet said:


> Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarken Awesome!
> 
> It was a Commencal Meta power 29er
> COMMENCAL 2021 | META POWER 29 OHLINS EDITION 2021 (commencal-store.co.nz)
> ...


You can get a good emtb spec'd out well for a tick north of $6k. It's not that much more than most equally spec'd carbon regular bikes, and cheaper than some high end regular bikes (Pivot, Santa Cruz, etc.).


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## Mudguard (Apr 14, 2009)

MX9799 said:


> You can get a good emtb spec'd out well for a tick north of $6k. It's not that much more than most equally spec'd carbon regular bikes, and cheaper than some high end regular bikes (Pivot, Santa Cruz, etc.).


I had a look at the pricing for that Commencal. Think I'd rather keep my normal bikes and buy a CB650R with the $10k.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Mudguard said:


> I had a look at the pricing for that Commencal. Think I'd rather keep my normal bikes and buy a CB650R with the $10k.


That's a good option, too. 
=sParty


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## MX9799 (Feb 11, 2018)

plummet said:


> Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarken Awesome!
> 
> It was a Commencal Meta power 29er
> COMMENCAL 2021 | META POWER 29 OHLINS EDITION 2021 (commencal-store.co.nz)
> ...


You can get a good emtb spec'd out well for a tick north of $6k. It's not that much more than most equally spec'd carbon regular bikes.

I was at a local trail about a mon


Mudguard said:


> I had a look at the pricing for that Commencal. Think I'd rather keep my normal bikes and buy a CB650R with the $10k.


Where you seeing $10k? The website I'm seeing shows the 2021 meta power 29 ohlins edition for $7500. The most expensive meta power is $7600. I don't know about the math you learned in school, but that's far from $10k where I'm from.....


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

MX9799 said:


> Where you seeing $10k? The website I'm seeing shows the 2021 meta power 29 ohlins edition for $7500. The most expensive meta power is $7600. I don't know about the math you learned in school, but that's far from $10k where I'm from.....


He might have been doing the currency conversion from NZ dollars (13,699NZ) in the OP's link to USD ($9977)


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## Mudguard (Apr 14, 2009)

MX9799 said:


> Where you seeing $10k? The website I'm seeing shows the 2021 meta power 29 ohlins edition for $7500. The most expensive meta power is $7600. I don't know about the math you learned in school, but that's far from $10k where I'm from.....


The Op is in New Zealand. The bike is almost $14K NZD which is about $10K USD. Bikes are expensive here. 
I still think we should use Big Mac pricing!


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## shreddr (Oct 10, 2009)

plummet said:


> Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarken Awesome!
> 
> It was a Commencal Meta power 29er
> COMMENCAL 2021 | META POWER 29 OHLINS EDITION 2021 (commencal-store.co.nz)
> ...


My home grown ride with carbon frame and wheels. I sourced the parts direct, and assembled it myself all under $4000, and yes it totally kicks a$$









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## Jack7782 (Jan 1, 2009)

Cool bike, I love the look even with the external battery. Just curious, can a normal person source the parts or do you have to be in the industry?


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## shreddr (Oct 10, 2009)

I’m not in the industry, I just did some digging and found what I needed in various places. Anybody could do the same thing. 


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## natrat (Mar 20, 2008)

LMN said:


> But climbing on it is like riding an 18lb XC hardtail. It is so easy to punch out a couple of laps really quickly. And as a new dad who is generally shattered from lack of sleep all the time something to make the climbs easier/shorter is really appreciated.


When i was riding just my regular xc bike i could 2 days maybe 3 and i was burnt, exhausted. So i had to split it up with the gym or whatever. Now that constraint is lifted, but the fewer days now spent on the regular bike tend to be pretty good


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## shreddr (Oct 10, 2009)

Jack7782 said:


> Cool bike, I love the look even with the external battery. Just curious, can a normal person source the parts or do you have to be in the industry?


I'll add that when I sourced the frame there was a model that used a Darfon internal battery, but I couldn't get the battery without being an OEM manufacturer. I ended up getting the frame that used the external Shimano, because I knew I could get those. Turns out to be a blessing in disguise, as Shimano has released an upgraded 630wH battery and mount which fits this frame, and the ability for a quick battery swap on long rides is simple. I already have a spare 504wH battery, so with the upgrade and carrying a spare my range is far!

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## dirtdawg21892 (Jul 20, 2009)

shreddr said:


> I'm not in the industry, I just did some digging and found what I needed in various places. Anybody could do the same thing.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


You got a build thread or anything? I'm intrigued too.


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## shreddr (Oct 10, 2009)

dirtdawg21892 said:


> You got a build thread or anything? I'm intrigued too.


No sorry but I'll try to help. I scored the frame and wheels from Light Carbon, but you can get the same things in many places DIYcarbon.com or Alibaba.com. The STEPS bits were a little more problematic, but ended up getting some of the parts from BlueSkyCycling.com and the rest off eBay. You need to figure out the parts you need as there is no Shimano build kit and there are lots of models. You will need: motor, chainring, chainring fixing ring, cranks, battery, battery mount, display, mode shifter (left), speed sensor, and dI2 wires from shifter to display, and display to motor. I learned a lot about ebikes doing this myself, and saved myself a bunch in the process. All in all a good deal! If you intend to try, my suggestion is to find the motor and battery first, then source the frame that fits. You can find some BAFANG kits out there, but I wanted the Shimano system. Good luck!

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## 33red (Jan 5, 2016)

Just order a Giant Ebike, there is no need to pay more.


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## DtEW (Jun 14, 2004)

Jack7782 said:


> Cool bike, I love the look even with the external battery. Just curious, can a normal person source the parts or do you have to be in the industry?





dirtdawg21892 said:


> You got a build thread or anything? I'm intrigued too.


The Admin for the eMTB forums has a build thread for people of a similar mind. You can see it turned out great.





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My Chinese frame and motor build. The CHEEB, V1.0 - Build Thread


This thread is the Official Technical "CHEEB V1.0" build thread. Most of your questions will probably have been answered if you read through the thread, so please take the time to do so before posting a question. If you just want to "Chat CHEEB" there is an alternative thread ...




www.emtbforums.com


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