I know it’s unlikely, but my giant E-commuter has gone back again so I’m thinking of my options. I’d love a full-suss ebike to play on, but could It double as a commuter with a change of wheels, and maybe gearing?
Obvious concern over mudguards, and actually pedalling the thing.
As I’m typing this I realise it’s impossible.
40 Mike round trip.

Lock out the suspension, a 625 battery would eat up 40 miles, gear ratios are v wide, can’t see the problem. Main concern would be theft.

Impossible why ? it’s perfectly possible…

Why even change wheels ? just ride it… sure you may lose a minute or 5 on a commute, but who cares ? Just leave 5 mins earlier.

I used to do a 30 mile round trip commute on a normal bike. So yeah perfectly possible todo 40 miles roundtrip on an ebike.

I see a guy every morning vomiting on his e-reign (or whatever it’s called) he seems happy enough.

My only concern with 40 mile round trips would be wearing out expensive mtb rubber quite quickly so a second set of wheels with commuting tyres is probably not a bad idea.

Agree with above, I don’t think it will be an issue other than running costs.

Wet, salty roads will kill bearings in no time. Ebike torque will wear chains and cassettes quicker than your average commuter too.

If you are happy with the higher running costs then its a good way to justify a weekend toy. Personally I’d be tempted for a reasonably priced e-commuter that will be efficient, can take full mudguards and you don’t mind neglecting a bit.

I see a guy every morning vomiting on his e-reign (or whatever it’s called) he seems happy enough.

I know Giants are generally quite ugly but that seems excessive

Yeah there’s a difference between a 20 mile sunny Sunday ride and 20 miles in all weather, twice a day.
tyres aren’t cheap these days, so the minimum would be a set of marathon tyres and full length mudguards, c/w flaps.
A spare set of wheels would be better, with their own cassette and matching chain.
Consider making certain* that any new bearings fitted are pumped full of grease, they’ll last a lot longer.
And undertake your own routine maintenance of things like the shock/forks, a regular spray with some suspension lubricant does wonders for longevity.
All of this would apply equally to any bike though.
The cost difference between running a hardtail and full susser wont be massive tbh.

*do it yourself, it’s the only way to be certain.

I do have a Giant full suss e bike that I need to move on, low mileage, few years old but rarely used, wife prefers a step through.

North Cotswolds.DM if interested.

Unlike MTBing your chain will just be in 2 or 3 cogs most of the time rather than spreading the wear over the whole cassette, you’ll be going through them at a fair rate!

Usually it’s not possible to put a larger chain ring on either due to chainstay clearance.

i dont think gearing will be an issue, you arent going to be pushing beyond the motor assist often.
A second set of cheap, skinnier wheels with much freer rolling will help no end, 20 miles of pedalling on flat bars might be less than fun mind
and consider the charging cycles you will be putting on the battery and if it’s the best idea

As we appear to be doing stealth ads I’ve got a Trek Rail with a 625Wh battery and a recently refurbished (by Performanceline Bearings) motor. I’ve even got a spare set of spanking new 29er wheels with GX cassette I could be persuaded to part with.

The answer is you need more than one bike. I have a commuter, which is an old 90’s MTB and my 10-13 mile each way is either totally off road (canal) or a mix of surfaces. I wouldn’t entertain pedaling the full sus to work !

With commuting you need reliability and to some extend economy – expensive chain rings/cassettes wear out.

An e-MTB is a very expensive way of wearing out parts.A fast e-hybrid is the way for your commute.

In order of what would be importance for me.
Every mile on the eBike eats into it’s effective e-life. Cost includes the fact that once the stuff wears out you have an expensive, heavy brick if its outside warranty.

As a minimum you need some suitable tyres… this being winter stuff that grips and corners well on singletrack will be a death trap on roads

It’s going to need a bloody good clean every day in winter… or the drivechain is going to be shot (The same for an ecommuter but that’s likely cheaper to replace)

I commute on a Merida eOne-Twenty. Mods include 29″ wheels with Thunderburts, custom linkage pannier rack, decent mudguards and wired lights. Works very well and still makes a decent enduro MTB when 27.5×2.8 wheels are refitted.

Thanks all, some good advice, especially wear on a FS during winter doing between 100- 200 miles a week.
GFJunky, Do you have a pic of your set up, it’s what I had in mind if I did do it.

Sure, will upload one this evening, don’t have any on my phone.

second set of wheels sounds ideal to me.

assuming 650b mtb wheels for offroad use, you could certainly fit 29er wheels with smaller tyres in, (something like a 1.5″ slick for example), and a more road appropriate cassette,

I did a few runs on my e-reign a while back, i ended up trying to do as much off-road to work as possible, as it was not pleasant on road, especially flat or slight gradients, as that 15.5mph cut out really is on the line for me, and the motor was cutting in and out way too much for my liking, i just use my normal full susser now for commutes, it just feels like less effort, unless you have really big climbs or the likes.

Thanks all, some good advice, especially wear on a FS during winter doing between 100- 200 miles a week.

Wear/dirt/salt/stuff on the fact it’s a FS would be less important to me than the fact the whole bike is basically a mix of trash/set of parts/money pit once the battery/motor die outside warranty.

Bearings and stuff can be replaced but what would worry me is motor failure or a battery not made at the point it does eventually die. I try to view mine as a “consumable” so I avoid spending any more on it that’s not transferrable. When the motor or battery does die, if it can be fixed or replaced at a reasonable/economic cost I’d see that more as a bonus than something I’d want to factor in the household finances.

I commuted for a few years on my MTB and I wouldn’t do it again. Commuting trashes a bike and you have to make so many alterations that it becomes unsuitable for MTBing (tyres, full length mudguards, rack?). It also wasn’t great for commuting on.

If I did it again, I would buy a more suitable bike. Do you have a bike to work scheme?

Surely any negative impact on wearing out of parts, charge cycles on the battery, etc would apply equally to a dedicated commuter?

A dedicated commuter you could go cheap on the consumable bits to save a bit in the long run, but you’d still have to go a very long time to make the cost differential work out. And offset that against the ‘benefit’ of actually running your expensive weekend toy into the ground in a reasonable timeframe, thus justifying it’s replacement when the motor/frame are out of warranty or just not fashionable anymore, no point in making it last 10 years if in 3 you’re tempted by whatever’s fashionable by that point.

TINOS I suppose the extra wear is forks shock and frame bearings. The alternative isn’t having both an E commuter and a emtb, it’s just having the commuter.

Are frame bearings and forks that affected though, has anyone actually ridden their MTB on road enough to actually qualify that worry? Could always smear some silicone grease on the pivots to repell any water if it was a worry.

Headset might be a worry, but only because it’s in the firing line of the front wheel, ironically the one on my commuter seems to be one of the longer lasting ones as it’s tucked in behind the mudguard so gets an easy life.

Here she is:

View post on imgur.com

View post on imgur.com

The rack is about 5mm from the saddle at full compression with the seat down 🙂

When I used to commute on bike all year round, the only way to stop components falling apart regularly was to go fixed.

So I’d be looking for the cheapest hub geared ebike with Shimano running gear and from a reputable shop I could find.

The thing that really kills commuter bikes is the salt, this destroys aluminum and steel bikes equally well. Plus when it’s minus temperatures you can’t even wash your bike.

GFJ thanks, that’s a great set up.
I’d probably be looking for something like full length guards which is likely to be impossible.

Hmm
The refund is in, need to choose now.
I wonder if a hardtail would mean I could ride trails and commute and it not be rubbish for both?

I could build a commuter with a tongsheng or whatever… then buy a FSEbike, or even stick an E kit on the spare FS instead.

I pass a bloke on what looks like a Trek Rail (with off road tyres) most mornings on my way to work, guessing he’s on his way to work as well

You’ll end up sitting in the smallest cog on the cassette and eating through cassettes. It’ll feel slow and unless it’s really hilly the 15.5mph motor cut out will mean you will often be riding a very heavy full sus with no assistance.

I could build a commuter with a tongsheng or whatever… then buy a FSEbike, or even stick an E kit on the spare FS instead.

This is what I’d do in a similar situation.

We actually have a bike with a hub motor (Radwagon cargo bike) and IMO it’s perfectly fine for commuting. Not sure the torque sensing stuff is really necessary for that. Saves wear on drivetrain.

It also means you could make it look a bit shabby and then be able to lock it up for going in shops/pub etc.

I wouldn’t exactly call it commuting, but i use it for shopping and general getting about. As I can’t really walk without pain, its my way of getting about anywhere and everywhere.

I keep meaning to do a pic, but here it is in YT vid format(someone elses, but same model/year etc.) I’ve a Thule pack and pedal rack and panniers on mine.

It’ll feel slow and unless it’s really hilly the 15.5mph motor cut out will mean you will often be riding a very heavy full sus with no assistance.

Without assistance any ebike is slow, its a big heavy lump and theres drag from the motor. I keep it on turbo, a few spins take me to about 16mph then i freewheel till that drops to 13/14mph, then give it a few spins more to get back to 16 and repeat that system.

Sod pedaling a 52lb bike anywhere. 😆

I think I’ll build a tip E-bike but have no idea about the kits, is it still Tongsheng or Bafang?
Has anyone bought a kit recently? So many sellers they all seem a bit dodge.

https://www.cube.eu/en/2022/e-bikes/mountainbike/fullsuspension/stereo-hybrid-120/cube-stereo-hybrid-120-pro-allroad-625-flashgreynorange/

MM that’s a good spot thanks

Well, I’ve just ordered a 29 full suss from decathlon.
£3.5k so only a little more expensive than the bike I sent back.
Mudguards will be more but what the heck…