eMTB choice for the older gentleman 😀

If I were buying I would avoid anything with the shimano motor, but maybe that's not as much of a consideration if it's mainly dry where you ride.

Add orbea wild fs to the short list, looks really good.

My Dad is 84 and is getting a new Giant Trance X E+ 2 Pro 750 .

And I get his old Spesh Levo :-).

Some super dooper deals with Giant at the moment.

Add orbea wild fs to the short list, looks really good.

Yes - it does, doesn't it. From a quick glance, though, the poverty spec one that is close to my budget is "only" 160mm front travel, and a bit, well, poverty spec compared to some others.   But I will add it to the list, looks like a good option, thank you.

I have the latest carbon Wild and love it, the handling is amazing. Can't remove the battery easily though and rim magnet very expensive to derestrict and not proven yet, if that matters to you.

Brother has the Strive:On, equally great reviews but has a battery latch issue which may or may not be fully resolved.

I would be sticking with Bosch. Nearly got a Levo but they don't really do it for me either and despite the warranty support I'd rather not have to use it. Had a Vitus with Shimano for 4 years before, great bike but had a new motor about every 12 months and bear impossible to get serviced.

Despite owning a new Defy I wouldn't go near a Giant ebike due to their recent handling of warranty claims

And I've just seen a rave review on STW of the Haibike NDuro 7.   I personally think it looks terrible, and although that shouldn't matter it does a bit.  My wife has a Haibike trek bike which is really good, though, and I think I can get good deals on them through her work (she works in a ski school that does eMTB stuff in the summer)

I got the "povvo" spec one on sale, wouldn't have considered it before, way overpriced, 7k for a bike with Rockshox 35s? Give over.

I then changed pretty much everything. With your budget you could make a few sensible changes to the suspension and wheels maybe with a bit of savvy shopping. I got a new Zeb Select plus for £450 from Bike Discount (pretty much an Ultimate) , a warranty replacement X2 factory for £400 (and bonus points for mismatched suspension) and a pair of pretty much new DT Swiss H1700 for £300. Sold the new stuff for £450ish

Haven't Haibike also got a shocking warranty rep? And yeah, they're minging

I know what you mean about haibike, they just look awful, and in a bad way, as opposed to a geometronwhich looks awful in a good way.

The way a haibike looks shouldn't matter, but I wouldn't buy one purely because of the way it looks

My Dad is 84 and is getting a new Giant Trance X E+ 2 Pro 750 .

STOP! STOP him now.

Two of them here. Both on second motors, both had all the wiring looms replaced at least twice. Only thing not replaced has been the battery. Mine feels like it needs yet another motor, but is now out of warranty 😪.

Having said that they are great bikes. I've been a Giant Maestro suspension fanboy for years. I think you're close to me if he wants a decent test ride? Small and medium available to try.

How dare you call yourself old. 54 years young here. Alps, get a road bike too

76 year old here.... bought a Cube Stereo Hybrid 160 HPC SLX 750  a few weeks ago. Bosch motor/750, 170/160,   Suits me and so far absolutely loving it. It's been a game changer for me. First e-mtb and decided to go that route as, like many before me, I wanted to get more runs in and the climb back ups were getting harder. I was still making them but I was aware that I was making more traversing type runs to save losing too much height.

Haven’t Haibike also got a shocking warranty rep? And yeah, they’re minging

Yes and yes. See also Cube.

OP, have you considered a mid-power eBike? I like the look of the Conway Ryvon LT;

STOP! STOP him now.

Two of them here. Both on second motors, both had all the wiring looms replaced at least twice.

That's not exclusive to Giant sadly. My Rail had to be repaired (out of warranty) after 2700 miles, my KSL is on it's second motor after only a few hundred (the replacement has done a few thousand) my Powerfly went through 4 motors in 2500 miles (but that was the old Bosch motor). Every single one of my riding buddies with Brose/Spesh motors has had at least 1 replacement. In fact, the only bike in the group menagerie that didn't have a new motor was a SC Bullit with the dismal Shimano e8000 motor, but he didn't own that one long.

The moral of this story is to buy from a good, local bike shop if at all possible.

Decathlon Stilus, that way its easier for warranty etc

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/29-27-5-full-suspension-electric-mountain-bike-stilus-e-big-mountain-green/_/R-p-X8829440?mc=8829440&c=green

From your list I would have to say buy a Specialized. Your new E bike will go wrong and purchasing from a local shop will make the whole warranty issue much less painful.

Personally id avoid anything with a Shimano motor and id avoid Giant altogether after reading the warranty issue someone on here had

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/wwstd-giant-warranty-content-ebike/

Normally id suggest a Levo (ive had a couple and a Kenevo) as the warranty is great, deals can be had, motors can be repaired when out of warranty, you say your not a huge fan, is that due to the looks or how it rides?

My next E-mtb will be a Transition Repeater PT (not the Repeater EP8)

The Repeater PT comes with a Brose motor (Same motor Specialized use) and a 720WH battery

https://www.transitionbikes.com/Bikes_RepeaterPT.cfm

I've had a Whyte E-160 rsx for about 6 months now and while its heavy, even by ebike standards, I really can't fault it so far. 150 travel with a 160 fork and they've reduced the price by £1000 for the latest top of the range version version to £7000 so there should be some decent deals around for last years models

Avoid anything with a shimano motor.  Absolute shocking after sales and very poor design. Fortunately I have a very good local bike mechanic who lowers my distress levels.

How about something like.

https://www.blazingbikes.co.uk/index.php/trek-rail-9-8-gx-axs-gen4-2023-satin-deep-smoke-electric-mountain-bike.html?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA5fetBhC9ARIsAP1UMgHjYht2dQ2SRCFGbPVQLlWuk3KqLzK-tJsOV5dAYHJFbhXqePvjFR8aAjIJEALw_wcB

So much hatred for the Shimano motor 😔

Makes this Orbea Rise have sleepless nights 😳

Thanks for all the thoughts.  I'm getting closer to a Canyon Strive:On or a Commencal Meta Power SX, but there are a few other options in the thread that I'll look at, but some brands I'm pretty sure I'll struggle to get in France (Whyte, for example)

Haven’t Haibike also got a shocking warranty rep?

That may be importer related.  Here in France, my wife's brand new Haibike Trek had a small issue with a broken charge cover out the box.   A replacement arrived a couple of days later.   Was purchased through her work, so maybe the B2B channel is better.

Alps, get a road bike too

Yeah, no.   I'd rather get the roman road up to the Col du Petit Saint Bernard then "enduro" down it, than ride up the road to it.  I have friends who are of the same mind as you, but it really doesn't float my boat.

My next E-mtb will be a Transition Repeater PT (not the Repeater EP8)

Yes, that looks interesting.  Not sure if anywhere round here does Transition, but I'll look into it.

Normally id suggest a Levo (ive had a couple and a Kenevo) as the warranty is great, deals can be had, motors can be repaired when out of warranty, you say your not a huge fan, is that due to the looks or how it rides?

I haven't ridden one, but it seems a lot of cash for a fairly bog standard spec compared to other brands (the online ones make it particularly obvious).   I also don't think it's particularly good looking, but it's no haibike either.

if you’re in Bourg and you want to ride out from Bourg when the lifts are not running, I’d consider something with the ability to take a range extender. 1000m of climbing will pretty much do for a 625wh battery. We nursed 1250 out of ours yesterday, but it was properly hard to do. Latest Bosch can take piggyback batteries into the charge port.

Love my whyte. It’s a bit soulless, but it really works very well indeed.

As a curveball my mate rides a Fulgur Mula. It seems to be utterly brilliant.

@daveosaurusruex my wife has a neur:on and its battery latch will suddenly let go of the battery even when its fully locked.  Have canyon said they’ll do anything with yours?

I thought the Kenevo was the go to ‘Enduro’ ebike ?

Personally getting older bike weight is a thing for me. Not so much when riding, but lifting the dam things

if you’re in Bourg and you want to ride out from Bourg when the lifts are not running, I’d consider something with the ability to take a range extender. 1000m of climbing will pretty much do for a 625wh battery. We nursed 1250 out of ours yesterday, but it was properly hard to do. Latest Bosch can take piggyback batteries into the charge port.

Yes - battery capacity is definitely something I'm concerned about.   The Strive:On has a bigger battery option, that I'll get, and the Commencal does have the extender (but the extender feels a bit "kludgy" compared to a bigger battery).

I haven’t ridden one, but it seems a lot of cash for a fairly bog standard spec compared to other brands (the online ones make it particularly obvious).   I also don’t think it’s particularly good looking, but it’s no haibike either.

Yes the spec can be poor for the price, you can normally get at least 1k off the retail price here in the UK, prices have dropped recently too

They did do a frame, motor, battery, cranks and associated wiring etc... version so you can just swap all your parts over from your normal mtb, was around 5k

2nd hand can be an otpion too, warranty is transferable, i know of a 2022 S-works which was purchased in 2023 that is up for 8k

Transition's French distro

https://www.racecompany.fr/fr/

Yes – battery capacity is definitely something I’m concerned about.

You sound pretty fit so range anxiety shouldn't be a factor unless you are planning on turbo-ing everywhere and a lighter bike handles better.

I buy the one you've a local shop for...  they all break, having a local place to get it fixed (quickly) trumps any discount to me. I was 8 week without my first mail order bike, when it broke out of the box, I won't be doing that again.

I thought the Kenevo was the go to ‘Enduro’ ebike ?

As a Specialized fanboi over the years and owner of a gen 1 Kenevo, the current one leaves me wanting something other than a Kenevo.

They seem to have given up with it (maybe because Levos are so popular). The design hasn't changed for 2-3 (maybe 4) years. It's still full 27.5 and they still insist on putting triple clamps on the top models. No need when 38's or Zeb's etc are so good. I get that it may be a 'bike park' bike in the US, but how many people in the UK just ride bike parks?

Yes – battery capacity is definitely something I’m concerned about.

A mate just bought a Norco Sight, I think, which has a 900wH battery option. Also one of the evil Shimano motors. No idea how well it rides as he's not been on it yet after a month due to terminal neshness.

As a Specialized fanboi over the years and owner of a gen 1 Kenevo, the current one leaves me wanting something other than a Kenevo.

They seem to have given up with it (maybe because Levos are so popular). The design hasn’t changed for 2-3 (maybe 4) years. It’s still full 27.5 and they still insist on putting triple clamps on the top models.

I think YouTube's algorithms served up a thing by the Rob rides emtbs fella, where he'd converted to 29" wheels and posh suspension which - before I stopped watching - seemed to have made him very happy for the brief bit I could be bothered watching.

I guess the general problem with the 'enduro' e-mtb is that in general terms, a lot of e-mtb 'trail' bikes now might as well be 'enduro' bikes for all the difference it makes, same big downhill-type tyres, just as much travel. Round here, loads of them seem to be ridden along canal tow-paths by elderly gentlemen at a relaxed pace, which is fine, but a little odd.

There's some pretty good deals on a Cannondale Moterra Neo LT - any love for those here?  EDIT : Also the Focus Sam2 looks good and there are some good deals to be had (like this from ze germans : https://www.bike24.com/p2703579.html?sku=2403353 )

I have to admit that for the moment the Strive:On probably has it for me.   It gets great reviews and is quite a lot of bike for the money and is in stock to ship quickly...

No-one here seems particularly enthusiastic about the Meta Power SX and reviews of the Bosch version are rather scarce.  Having only a 625wH battery does concern me a bit, because although I may be fairly fit, there are some big climbs round here, and 1000M D+ would not be unusual (I'm about 800M above sea level and some of the trails I would want to ride to start around 1500M...)

The strive:on gets good reviews, and is decently specced for the money, I think its a bit ugly looking, but that shouldnt really be a consideration.

The main thing that would cause me to think about it a bit more is that its a direct sales bikes, so no local canyon dealer. The bosch motor system has a global warranty so in theory any issues you get should just be fixable by taking it to whoever your local bosch certified dealer is regardless of brand of frame. I bought my bosch bike from germany , and I had warranty issues sorted by my local bosch dealer, and that all worked fine, but it might just be worth calling whoever is your local bosch dealer and asking them if they would be willing to take on warranty issues for a bike bought direct from canyon - they should say "yes no problem", as thats what the bosch warranty terms say, but you neverknow. You dont want to be sending it back to canyon if it breaks.

The strive:on gets good reviews, and is decently specced for the money, I think its a bit ugly looking

Yes - it's not the best looking.  That's the Commencal, in my eyes.  It looks like a real bike.  I'm still tempted by the Commencal, and I'm now looking at the very spendy spec Strive:On so the Zeb equipped Commencal looks cheap(er..) 😀

@orangespyderman

There’s some pretty good deals on a Cannondale Moterra Neo LT – any love for those here?  EDIT : Also the Focus Sam2 looks good and there are some good deals to be had (like this from ze germans

I’ve got the Cannondale Monterra Neo Carbon 1, the top of the range one, Bosch system with the 625w battery. Not the LT, but same rest of it (or at least very similar) from memory

I love mine, it’s bloody awesome. The Bosch system and the dale design / riding position etc just work really well. It’s no oil painting in the pictures, but in the olive green finish with all the factory stuff it actually looks quite good. (possibly biased as I have one)

I don’t live in the alps, but I’ve never come close after a long ride to running out of battery, even after doing the entire ride in turbo just to see how it went.

I've got the lower end 'Dale - Moterra Neo 3. Was £4K and (apart from weighing the same as a small battleship), can't imagine a more enjoyable ebike to ride. It's just great. Not really that ugly either! Seems good deals on the carbon versions if you do a bit of surfing around 😀

I’ve got the Cannondale Monterra Neo Carbon 1, the top of the range one, Bosch system with the 625w battery. Not the LT, but same rest of it (or at least very similar) from memory

I love mine, it’s bloody awesome.

can’t imagine a more enjoyable ebike to ride.

How unhelpful! The list is supposed to be getting shorter, not longer 😀  Seriously, thanks for the feedback, there is a good deal on a Moterra Neo 1 Carbon LT (the expensive LT one) in a quicksand colour that looks really well spec'ed and frankly, ticks a lot of boxes...

There's a review of the Neo3 on Singletrack Charged by Hannah - pretty spot on.

So...  I have just ordered a Strive:On from the Canyon outlet.  I really like the Commencal, but that battery capacity was a nagging doubt.   The Focus Sam2 was a cracking spec for the money, but is a real chunky bike, and I'm not sure I'd enjoy it as much.  The Moterra too was similar at the price it was, but seemed to suffer from the same "issue" - even though by all accounts it may not be so apparent on the trails.   Ultimately, I'll never know.. 🙂

This particular bike looks in good condition, and was already quite a bit cheaper than new, but Canyon today decided to offer a further 10% off outlet bikes (BTW : PSA - "OUTLET10" will get you 10% off bikes and outlet accessories).   That tipped me over the edge but as a result I ordered the top spec one so in actual fact saved no money at all 😀  I'm a mug.

From your list I would have to say buy a Specialized. Your new E bike will go wrong and purchasing from a local shop will make the whole warranty issue much less painful.

I'm older than you and I've had a Kenevo SL for just over a year.  In 2500 miles it's had 2 new motors, a new battery, loom, TCU and extender battery but never out of action for more than a week as Spesh are very good with warranties.

It's a brilliant bike (170mm travel) and can get up/down anything - yesterday I covered 36 miles and +5,000ft in the Tweed Valley with 30% of battery (inc. extender) left.

Recommend what you ride etc.

I reckon the Strive is a great choice, superb specced bike for the money.
Hopefully no issues though! cos... well direct sales from Germany innit?
Even my Moterra had some issues that had to be sorted under warranty - it was just some loose bolts making the motor rattle, but still had to take it to a local shop to get sorted so as not to void warranty...

Am I tripping, or looking at the Canyon site, am I right in thinking you're knocking on the door of £7k for a REFURBISHED ebike?

I remember when Canyon represented VFM

Hmm... oh yeah he said "top spec one" .. so thats the £9K one?? you pays yer money etc...

The bike I purchased had been ridden.   [Prices in €] In the outlet there were 2 prices for the CFR Ltd (list price 9699, with a 625wh battery): 8399 for ones that had been ridden, 8699 for ones with visual defects but otherwise new.  I went for the cheaper ones, and looked closely at the individual bikes and selected one with the most recent serial number and no obvious "rash" from having been ridden and dropped/crashed; there are photos of each individual bike that's for sale so you can see what sort of wear/defects there is/are.   I also spec'ed the bigger battery, the 750 for an additional 200€; giving me a total of 8599, from which I then got an additional 10% off, taking it down to 7750 or there abouts.

Is it the deal of the century?  No - certainly not.   But it made the top spec bike much closer to the ballpark of the Commencal that I nearly bought, with a bigger battery and much better kit on it.

I also, perhaps naïvely, think that a bike that has been ridden and then inspected (which they say they do) may have less chance of having a silly issue "out the box", but maybe I'm wrong.   The two bike stores near here offer either Spesh (didn't really want a Turbo Levo) or Pivot (would have loved one, but they're properly expensive) or Cube/Haibike etc which I don't want, so was looking at a direct sales either way - it was between the Canyon, the Commencal or perhaps the Cannondale or the Focus, but all were coming via a courrier in a big box.  Maybe I'll regret that, but it's done now - I'll keep you all updated and take the "I told you so" on the chin when it comes 🙂

@orangespyderman

I have the 'cheap' version with the larger battery. I don't think you'll be disappointed with it. My only grumbles are  the Sram brakes (they got sold and replaced with XT 4 pots) and the stupid head tube cable routing.