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I'm looking for an XC bike to do local gravel, singletrack, roads etc.
Due to ongoing health issues it needs to be an ebike.
I've not bought a new bike for ages, and would appreciate some insight into what's decent in the short travel ebike market.
I'm thinking 100-120mm max.
It’s an interesting question. I’m not sure I’ve come across a short travel ebike. I assume you mean full suspension. Even the light ones seems to be engineered on the basis that as you have a motor you might as will have plenty of travel.
Based on reading 2 bikes have caught my eye. The trek fuel ex-e snd the orbea rise. But I’ve never actually ridden an ebike. There are lighter ebiked
Focus Vam2 SL? I had a go on one and really liked it. I tried the 9.8 and it felt like a fun bike. I’ve even considered if I’d get one instead of a longer travel ebike for the South West.
I think it’s 130/120 travel.
Do you actually need a short travel bike if its an ebike?
I get not wanting an enduro sled for your proposed riding but I've always thought the point of short travel bikes was that they were built lighter and more efficient than a longer travel bike likely used for harder riding. In a non assisted world, that makes perfect sense but when you add in the motor, the efficiency thing becomes less relevant.
A 140 or 150mm frame with the suspension set up correctly would be absolutely fine for what you're riding and would open up a whole load more choice.
Rise SL or Fuel EXe would be worth a look. There is also the Haibike Lyke CF which I'm sure was around 19kg. Levo SL is another light one but small battery. They're all more travel that you're after though.
there's a couple i can think of, eg Trek E-Caliber, might not be current mind
is it def a short travel full sus needed? plenty of lovely e-gravel bikes...
I've had the pleasure of demoing the last 2 gens of Orbea Rise, but these are definitely more trail bike, and they don't ride like a short travel snappy bike, I mean I've never ridden an xc bike but it's definitely more bike than a my Top Fuel
Very little choice and I don't personally see much point in a short travel Ebike, there is this but it's not cheap
https://www.emtbforums.com/ams/introducing-the-forestal-e-cygnus-a-downcountry-and-xc-emtb.120/
Scott lumen?
I absolutely see the point in a short travel ebike, same way e road and e gravel exist.
Typically lighter with shorter range but extendable with a bottle battery.
The market has to provide for age/physical compromised riders and those that just want to get out for a short ride. Doing a ride round the woods on a full fat Enduro e-sled and getting back with 70% battery remaining is plain silly.