# 2018: Best E - MTB Currently Available in the USA?



## ThankYouJerry (Aug 6, 2017)

Seems like the general consensus is that the Specialized Levo and Trek Powerfly are the two best E-MTBs currently available in the USA. Thoughts on these two particular bikes? Other current E-MTB options that give the Levo and Powerfly competition in the USA? Discuss. Thanks.


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## motocatfish (Mar 12, 2016)

Demo both up long steep hills to understand the BIG differences in assist delivery.

Quick & dirty ... Brose for slower relaxed cadence, Bosch for faster "training" cadence & more PEAK power.

But I'd be demoing a yamaha & shimano to understand them too.

I bought the 2017 Powerfly because of more peak power (at faster cadence), & Trek medium fits my short legs a little better than a Specialized medium.

Rode & loved the Levo 1st, and would have happily bought it, had I not found a medium Powerfly near by & rode the same day.

Ride 'em & tell us which you like better.

Good luck,

Catfish ...


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## PinoyMTBer (Nov 21, 2013)

The Focus Jam is now available here in the states as well. I got to demo one in Sea Otter...its way better than my current Haibike Nduro. The power delivery of the Shimano motor is very similar to my Yamaha PW.


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## EricTheDood (Sep 22, 2017)

I finally got a chance to ride the new Specialized Turbo Kenevo yesterday in a parking lot. Holy crap, that bike is amazing - plush and dialed - definitely a big step above the Levo. I was on the fence for a long time and finally bit the bullet and put down my deposit. Delivery to the LBS is in mid December. IMO that bike should definitely be on your list. 

I'm not as familiar with the different power delivery systems as some other folks here, but I have some trail time on the Levo/Brose system and it does what I need it to. My focus is on the descents.

This bike will be my "shuttle" counterpart to my SC Nomad.


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## jplamere1 (Nov 12, 2009)

*LaMere Diode carbon AllMtn eBike with Shimano E8000 motor under 40lbs!*

I am totally biased of course but I think we at LaMere Cycles have it with our 39lb carbon Diode, the first actually available AllMtn eBike in the USA using the Shimano motor which is near instant engagement along with Onyx hubs, Ohlins front fork, Di2 shifting that runs off the main battery, Fox trunnion mount rear shock, 50mm wide 27.5 rims with 3" tires, this is the most amazing bike experience we've ever had..... so fun to catch air on even the flat sections of the trail!


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## PinoyMTBer (Nov 21, 2013)

Sweet rig! Where can I demo one? I live in the SF Bayarea


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## jplamere1 (Nov 12, 2009)

Come here to Minneapolis we will take you riding on it, we have 2 built up right now and a bunch of Haibikes too of course.... the weather is perfect sunny and 34 degrees.


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## eFat (Jun 14, 2017)

jplamere1 said:


> I am totally biased of course but I think we at LaMere Cycles have it with our 39lb carbon Diode


Very nice bike. But the price is nice too! Any plan to offer lower specs versions?


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## ThankYouJerry (Aug 6, 2017)

eFat said:


> Very nice bike. But the price is nice too! Any plan to offer lower specs versions?


What is the price? Didn't see it listed on LaMere's website.


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## eFat (Jun 14, 2017)

ThankYouJerry said:


> What is the price? Didn't see it listed on LaMere's website.


$9500
https://www.lamerecycles.com/deals


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## EricTheDood (Sep 22, 2017)

jplamere1 said:


> the weather is perfect sunny and 34 degrees.


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## PinoyMTBer (Nov 21, 2013)

EricTheDood said:


> View attachment 1165066


Haha, that would be me in that weather! Jplamere1, thanks for the offer, great bike!

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## jplamere1 (Nov 12, 2009)

eFat said:


> Very nice bike. But the price is nice too! Any plan to offer lower specs versions?


Yes! We are just building a Sram EX version, that's Sram's eBike specific grouppo with tool steel cassette, and Fox Transfer dropper post we will sell for $7500. Taking deposits now or if you fit a Med you can buy it this week, but we will be sad to see it go!


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## matt4x4 (Dec 21, 2013)

Why waste your hard earned money on that, just build your own, be a much better performing ebike thats for sure!


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## TNTE3 (Nov 10, 2017)

I have a Bulls estream evo rs3.
Price point is among the best i found has solid components and the bike is solid. 
I converted the front from 150mm to 160mm that slacked the head angle from 68.5 to more stable 66.4 and the bike is a DH bomber. The stock Nobby nic’s Are nice tire but if you ride bike hard they won’t hold up on chunky trails. 
Have several friends with Levo and Haibike and they both wish they test rode a bulls before they spent 7k plus on there ebikes.
here my bike setup, 160mm forks, 35mm riser bars, butcher and slaughter tires-wanted Maxxis but they out of stock needed new tires. 
Added 2 tokens, oil bath revalve Yari forks and on strava i have KOM every DH I’ve done so far. 
I am consistently 8-11 seconds faster on 3:40 DH run on the bulls then i am in equally setup Levo with same tires.


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## TNTE3 (Nov 10, 2017)




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## PinoyMTBer (Nov 21, 2013)

I wish more Emtb manufacturers would offer a frame/motor/shock only options. So far Lamere is the only one offering it. The Pivot Shuttle and Spesh Kenevo would be sweet! Imagine those frames with coil shocks. 

Hopefully when I’m ready to upgrade they’ll be available. For now, Im happy with my Haibike Nduro


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## Varaxis (Mar 16, 2010)

The redesigned Scott eGenius has piqued my attention. The eSpark 710 is all that shows on their website now. I just went in on the Motobecane, which I will write about in its thread here when I get it up and ready.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

TNTE3 said:


> I have a Bulls estream evo rs3.
> Price point is among the best i found has solid components and the bike is solid.
> I converted the front from 150mm to 160mm that slacked the head angle from 68.5 to more stable 66.4


Umm, no, a 10mm increase in fork length will only slack the hta by 0.5deg at most. You're probably around 68deg, not anoticeable difference.


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## Gutch (Dec 17, 2010)

My vote will be the Pivot Shuttle when it hits the US.


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## TNTE3 (Nov 10, 2017)

Nurse Ben said:


> Umm, no, a 10mm increase in fork length will only slack the hta by 0.5deg at most. You're probably around 68deg, not anoticeable difference.


I did this to both my evo rs 3 27.5+ and to my evo45 that's 27.5
It's a huge difference in stability, i also went from Nobby nic to butcher slaughter rods on the plus and Maxxis on 27.5. 
E 45 measures 66.8 ha. And rs3 plus measures 66.4 but i also put a offset bushing in plus. 
If someone let me ride there bike pre and post the fork travel change and they told me that's all they did to settle the bike i would call BS! It makes that much difference. But i also added tokens to the forks when i did it so not only is the static head angle slacked it rides higher in stroke do to tokens and a corner allows rear to squat more and the bike is as stable as my Turner DH bike. I have no hesitations to run this flat out on a chunky steep single track And 8 strava KOM on rock creek DH runs confirm it's very capable bike. Specially when all the reviews on bulls say it's in unstable DH bike. 
At 52yrs old I'm not gonna mob a bike that doesn't have stable platform and unsettled.


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## jfkbike2 (Feb 8, 2005)

Gutch said:


> My vote will be the Pivot Shuttle when it hits the US.


Any knowledge of when it will hit the US? And why did they not sell it into the US to begin with?


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## ThankYouJerry (Aug 6, 2017)

EricTheDood said:


> I finally got a chance to ride the new Specialized Turbo Kenevo yesterday in a parking lot. Holy crap, that bike is amazing - plush and dialed - definitely a big step above the Levo. I was on the fence for a long time and finally bit the bullet and put down my deposit. Delivery to the LBS is in mid December. IMO that bike should definitely be on your list.
> 
> I'm not as familiar with the different power delivery systems as some other folks here, but I have some trail time on the Levo/Brose system and it does what I need it to. My focus is on the descents.
> 
> This bike will be my "shuttle" counterpart to my SC Nomad.


How's the Kenevo now that you've had some time on it (I assume)???

Anyone have info on when the Pivot Shuttle will hit the US?

I'm thinking these two may be the current best e-mtbs available.


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## TNTE3 (Nov 10, 2017)

I spent 3 days in the Kenevo, it’s def 90% better then the Levo. 
But it’s still lacking in some ways. 
Forks are to soft, rear isn’t bad but it won’t take a 3ft drop without using every bit of the travel. 
The battery still on the small side. But the weight is def good. 
The RS3 i feel is still a way better bang for the buck. 
It has its issues as well, rear shock has to big of an air chamber, 150 forks are to short for head angle, but you spend 500 on it and it’s a dam good bull dozer. The Kenevo can be just as good but you have to spend same amount of time and money so you end up with a bike 3500 more for the specialize name and 1.5 lbs lighter and a battery that’s 30% less. 
I have over 20 KOM on strava now with my RS 3. For a bike less then 4500 bucks total after upgrades.


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## Bigwheel (Jan 12, 2004)

Gutch said:


> My vote will be the Pivot Shuttle when it hits the US.


On that note: The Current: E-MTB Talk With Joe Murray | The Vintagent


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## ThankYouJerry (Aug 6, 2017)

^^^ Thank you! Seems like the Suttle is worth waiting for before parting with the $.


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## sparrow (Dec 30, 2003)

Back to OP CURRENTLY available eBikes, I give a strong recommend to the 2018 Giant FullE. The new Yamaha Syncdrive Pro is a solid motor, and parts per dollar are strong. 

Ride one of these for the next 18-24 months then get a Pivot when they begin N American distribution.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

sparrow said:


> Back to OP CURRENTLY available eBikes, I give a strong recommend to the 2018 Giant FullE. The new Yamaha Syncdrive Pro is a solid motor, and parts per dollar are strong.
> 
> Ride one of these for the next 18-24 months then get a Pivot when they begin N American distribution.


I'm gonna agree with this comment, none of the current ebike crop is that much better than their peers. The only bike that has really pushed into the top tier is the Pivot, and the primary reason is weight.

My wife has a Levo FSR, nice bike, stable, plush, has poor ground clearance, power response is not subtle, weighs a ton.

If I was in the market for an ebike, I'd get the best deal in my price range, go ride, then wait a couple years for the technology to improve.

Lighter motor and battery, better drivetrain, availability of lightweight frames with good suspension designs.

You can get this ^ now if you have 10k and can source a Pivot Shuttle.


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## EricTheDood (Sep 22, 2017)

ThankYouJerry said:


> How's the Kenevo now that you've had some time on it (I assume)???
> 
> Anyone have info on when the Pivot Shuttle will hit the US?
> 
> I'm thinking these two may be the current best e-mtbs available.


Expectations were high and it has met them.

The Pivot Shuttle is a 140mm bike. The Kenevo is 180mm. Trail vs. mini-DH.

Know what you want and I think you'll be satisfied either way.


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## Gutch (Dec 17, 2010)

The new Focus Jams and Sams look legit. I am also gonna hold my Levo for time being and see what’s around the corner access wise and tech.


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## Bodhii (Nov 21, 2016)

The Lenz eMTB


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

Bodhii said:


> The Lenz eMTB
> 
> View attachment 1185244


Looks gorgeous; how about some details, please.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Wow, I knew Devin was working something, but I had no idea.

Well, if it's anything like his other bikes, that would be on my list.

I told my wife that if I could have my Fatillac built with a motor, I would buy one!

Here's my Fatillac as an example of what Devin can do:









150mm travel, 27.5 x 3.8 B Fat, 16" chainstays, 66deg HTA. She's a beast!


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

*double post*

oops


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## PurpleMtnSlayer (Jun 11, 2015)

What about the commencal meta power?


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## motone82 (Feb 28, 2010)

Well like one gentleman said. 95% of the pivot shuttle for under half the price. It's a sick bike.


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## Double Butted (Jan 27, 2015)

bigwheel said:


> on that note: the current: E-mtb talk with joe murray | the vintagent


love this.


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## camus (Apr 21, 2004)

jplamere1 said:


> I am totally biased of course but I think we at LaMere Cycles have it with our 39lb carbon Diode, the first actually available AllMtn eBike in the USA using the Shimano motor which is near instant engagement along with Onyx hubs, Ohlins front fork, Di2 shifting that runs off the main battery, Fox trunnion mount rear shock, 50mm wide 27.5 rims with 3" tires, this is the most amazing bike experience we've ever had..... so fun to catch air on even the flat sections of the trail!
> View attachment 1164933


Looks like an awesome bike and I checked out your site/bikes a few times before I placed the order for my 2018 S-Works Levo.

I do all my own wrenching. But for an E-bike I believe it's crucial to have a local dealer in case of any motor/battery problems.

Case in point: Motor failed on my 2016 Levo. My LBS installed a new motor and I had my bike back 2 weeks later.

Let me know when you have a dealer in the Bay Area. Would love to check out the bike and have dealer support.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

55# vs 45#

I'm not sure I'd call the Kenevo a Mini DH, it's essentially a Levo with a suspension lift.

Knowing the Levo and the Switchblade, I'd be much more conservative on the Kenevo; Pivot bikes are far and above better than Specialized in all ways.



EricTheDood said:


> Expectations were high and it has met them.
> 
> The Pivot Shuttle is a 140mm bike. The Kenevo is 180mm. Trail vs. mini-DH.
> 
> Know what you want and I think you'll be satisfied either way.


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## camus (Apr 21, 2004)

Nurse Ben said:


> 55# vs 45#
> 
> I'm not sure I'd call the Kenevo a Mini DH, it's essentially a Levo with a suspension lift.
> 
> Knowing the Levo and the Switchblade, I'd be much more conservative on the Kenevo; Pivot bikes are far and above better than Specialized in all ways.


No question Pivot bikes have a great reputation. Though when you get down to it, SC, Trek, and Specialized are no slouches.

My last 5 bikes have been Santa Cruz and I've pounded the S out of them and never had any issues as long as I maintained the pivots.

Serious question though: What is it about a Pivot that makes it so superior? I've never owned one.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

DW Suspension, well thought out, no corners cut, simply the best quality bike you can buy. Of course, the price reflects this 

Nothing wrong with Specialized and Trek, but DW suspension is the best for all mtn riding.

I'd like to see the Shuttle built from aluminum, lower price groupo, see if they can keep it in the 45# range and price it closer to 7k.

We really need lighter motors and batteries to make ebikes more mainstream.



camus said:


> No question Pivot bikes have a great reputation. Though when you get down to it, SC, Trek, and Specialized are no slouches.
> 
> My last 5 bikes have been Santa Cruz and I've pounded the S out of them and never had any issues as long as I maintained the pivots.
> 
> Serious question though: What is it about a Pivot that makes it so superior? I've never owned one.


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## Gutch (Dec 17, 2010)

Pivot, Evil, Yeti. DW is awesome.


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## marcva (Apr 1, 2018)

Luna has some interesting conversations on their site. Ymmv, of course


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