Also did I say I'm not a fan of carbon on an MTB E or otherwise, maybe just personal
Re cadence - the Rise and Bosch SX both work best with high cadence. I think it’s only the big full fats that don’t
Personally I didn’t like the whyte . Very capable bike, but was just like driving a VW car. Does everything you could want but just dull
That Rise H10 is still gvfm
Dont get hung up on SL/Mid/Full fat. Concentrate on battery size and motor power. All components mix around that to make the bike weight. Obvs a 800wh battery weighs 2-3kg more than a 400wh battery
I bought a Gen 3 Levo for me and have no regrets. I would like to get one for the wife next but she definitely doesn't want to ride one that weighs 24-25 kilos, she finds mine a bit scary.
Following this thread and all the options I wonder if that Merida SL SX doesn't tick all the boxes, especially as it appears to be mulletable.
Range wise, I've said this before, if I'm off on a big solo ride I do the first 5 miles without assistance, I don't notice the weight too much until I've used the motor.
I've just had my first ride with a rear Shredda up front and even that didn't feel too bad. I do still ride my non-eebs too.
@oldfart I'd like nothing more than to buy local but the nearest Orbea dealer is around 40 minutes away on the train and they don't have any ST H10s in stock. I'm sure they'd help with any warranty issues though.
I'm like you, prefer alloy frames. I've used carbon bars for years though. I'd just worry too much about any little scratch or scrape on a carbon frame. I appreciate that worry is misplaced though, and that alloy frames can crack too, having cracked the chainstay on SX Trail myself.
@FunkyDunc I guess you get used to whatever motor you have.
I don't see a Whyte in my future.
The Rise offers the most complete package of battery/motor/bike for me I think, and I would happily ride the non e version (Occam).
@mugboo I do still love the idea of a Levo but I think I've come to the realisation that's it more than I need at the moment.
The Merida SL does look like a solid option. As does the Cube AMS One44 that @towzer mentioned. A very nice bike that, and one I was looking at too.
Good idea about doing the first few miles unassisted.
I'll be selling my Roscoe 9 mtb but keeping my gravel bike as I do like putting the miles in on that and scouting new places to ride the mtb.
I would probably have bought that Orange but non removable batteries are deal breaker for me
I would probably have bought that Orange but non removable batteries are deal breaker for me
I'd prefer removable too, but won't rule fixed battery bikes out.
The Orange seems like a great bike from the review, but maybe a little too enduro for me. The head angle crosses post codes 😆
There's pros and cons for removable and non removable batteries. I've had both.
With a removable battery i had a bit of water get into the battery compartment on my old cube ebike. Didn't affect the bike but I was a bit concerned as the battery cover wasn't a great seal against water.
But brilliant to remove if you're putting the bike on a rack or in the boot which makes it easier to lift. The cube was also heavy as the frame needed strengthening due to having a cutout on the downtube to remove the battery.
The battery rattled a bit as well in the frame.
With a non removable battery its completely sealed against the elements and the frame can be made slightly lighter as theres no removable battery so no cutout on the downtube.
You need to decide where you will charge the bike as well. If in the house you may be better with a removable battery.
It's a 5 mile road cycle from my house so great for a blast after work. Probably ideal for a mid power bike to get a few more loops in.
I tend to venture a bit further at the weekends though, to places with a lot more climbing, both trail and fireroads, hence the partial desire for a full power. Aberdeenshire has a lot of stuff to offer. Perhaps that is worth compromising for a more suitable daily driver though.
Even if you ignore all my other advice... Heed this... Buy the bike that best suits the majority of your riding, and compromise on the "occasional" stuff... You'll thank me later!
As I said above, I think that's why the Rise has so much appeal as its almost two bikes in one (for the bigger battery models). I could also grudgingly loose my bottle for a range extender on bigger days out.
Having had a Rise (albeit an earlier Gen1), I had hoped it would be the Jack of all trades whilst being master of none... Truth be told, it was too flimsy/flexible to be much good on the bigger terrain (even when beefed up with a Cascasde link and burlier spec), and it always felt out of its depth far too soon for my tastes. It was the only bike in a long, long time I've been OTB on, and it dumped me OTB more than once too! I know the Gen2 bikes are better, but they're also a touch heavier, and with an alloy frame and 630Wh battery you're up around 22.5kg which really is right into "full fat" territory for a bike that's still IMO quite under-gunned... And it still has the EP801 motor and all its foibles! Don't get me wrong, the EP801 isn't terrible, but it's 5yrs old and things have moved on, and it's still one of the more quirky motors in terms of faults and it does tend to make a bit more noise than most when descending.
My Canyon Neuron OnFly is a much better mid power eBike, with a better chassis and motor (for me, might not be for everyone granted). If I want more range on it, I can attach a 250Wh range extender, albeit I have to sacrifice the on bike bottle storage to do so...
A "full fat" eBike will generally have a stiffer chassis with better geometry than the Rise, which will make it descend much better, and a stronger motor that will make it climb more easily. There's an argument for either when there's 5kg difference between them, but when that gap is only 1.5-2kg because you're comparing an alloy Rise with the 630Wh battery... The Rise is out of the equation for me.
The Bosch SX is starting to sound more appealing too, although I keep reading that it benefits from a higher cadence and I'm not sure how that translates to how I ride as its not something I've ever considered in 30+ years of mountain biking. The "change gear" notification seems useful though!
Think about your equipment and how you've ridden over the years... Are you the kind of person who sits and spins up a climb, or gets out of the saddle and pushes a big gear? Do you pick a 28/30T chainring to your 1x setup so you have the gears to get up every climb seated, or have you fitted a 34/36T chainring as you never used 1st gear with a smaller chainring anyway, and you want the extra top end speed anyway... If the former to both questions, you'll love the SX... If the latter, then you'd hate it!
From the SX bikes I've looked at tonight the Merida e160 SL 6000 stands out. Seems to get great reviews and the Marz shock and fork are meant to perform well. A penny under budget in the sales too. I'll check out reviews for other SX bikes over the weekend.
It does look good I'll admit, and i did consider one for a while before deciding I wanted a touch less travel on a lighter weight eBike myself... Also worth looking at the Mondraker Sly in the same vein... Has an alloy frame and does away with the headset cable routing too! Same geometry and suspension platform as on my Crafty, which is fantastic...
Genuinely though... See if you can get even just a quick ride on a few different bikes, even just to see which motor system you prefer... I'd be surprised if you rode a Bosch CX, SX, Gen3 & 4 Levo's, Avinox, any of the more recent Giant/Yamaha offerings etc. and then came back to buy a bike with a Shimano EP801 fitted... You'll have ideas about geometry, suspension travel and spec you like already I'm sure given your experience, but at least get and try a few eBike motors to get an idea for feel so you can see what you do and don't like there...
Good idea about doing the first few miles unassisted.
You'll find that on a sub 20kg bike with a Bosch SX motor that this is genuinely viable, as long as it's pretty flat anyway. Less so on a heavier full fat bike, but then you've got a larger battery anyway, so swings and roundabouts...
Good luck with whatever you buy!
With a non removable battery its completely sealed against the elements
Sorry but that's not true, my mates Rise had a battery failure which, according to Orbea, was caused by water ingress
Well... drum roll please... I've just ordered a large 2025 Rise LT H10 in black/olive from MTB Monster. Also added shop fitted Invisiframe protection as I regretted not doing it on my current bike when it got scuffed by a Thule clamp.
I could go back and forth between bikes until the cows come home but it was one of the first bikes that made me really want an eMTB and this thread has helped me decide to go for it.
As for charging, the bike will live in my basement, so charged via an extension cable.
I'll post a NBD thread when it arrives 😊
Thanks again for everyone's input, it's been much appreciated! And sorry for the replies I've just missed.
I've just ordered a large 2025 Rise LT H10 in black/olive from MTB Monster.
Great news. That's where my mate bought his rise.
And good decision for the frame wrapping.
