ebike or not?

Another fat, slow ebike rider here.

For me, the action of turning the cranks on a bike simply to generate enough speed to do the actual riding of the bike – the cornering, pumping, jumping etc

For some people the action of turning the cranks is what it’s all about.

To the OP, sounds like you are in my camp, you’ll love an ebike. I’d recommend a Trek Rail. Look for a 5 then upgrade it as parts wear out.

I was thinking of getting one so I could check out lanes to ride my Enduro bike on. I don’t like riding my Enduro bike on my own as If I hurt myself its a lot harder to get the bike sorted and put somewhere safe etc.

I could do it on the normal mountain bike but that limits the range a bit.

Inquired about a rail, got an email back saying due to supply chain issues with Bosch parts, it’ll be December 2023.

Ooft.

Blimey. My LBS had a 5 in stock the other day, don’t know if it sold

beaniekipper.
You forgot to mention trail erosion and how ebiker are ruining your sport.

I’ll give you one out of ten and a must try harder.

After holding out for so long (mainly in denial 😂) I took the plunge and bought an ebike last year and have to say it was a revelation.

I’ll freely admit I’m fat and unfit and could do with losing a couple of stone and as such was struggling to keep up with my fit mates on their normal bikes when I had a normal bike, so much so that I’d make excuses not to go riding as I was embarrassed.

Getting an ebike has totally transformed that and I can keep up and actually enjoy the downhill bits as I’m not done in from climbing.

However …. They have now got ebikes and Im usually at the back again now 😂.

I started out on an XL Whyte 29er and it was like steering a cruise ship down the canal. Very cumbersome on tight stuff and I found the higher power settings would be too much in the twisty stuff too.

Now moved onto an Orbea Wild FS and it’s lots better for me. Very poppy and I’m able to get some air on it plus it’s very flickable.

I’d say go for it 👍👍.
More than welcome to try mine if you are Midlands based.

Nice Renton.
Looks a bit like mine. 😊

Inquired about a rail, got an email back saying due to supply chain issues with Bosch parts, it’ll be December 2023.

Blazing Bikes looked to have a couple in Saturday just.

Ha nice bike Kayak 👍👍

How do you find the Zeb?

I think the Fox 38 on mine is amazing.

Would love a ebike, just have to wait 18 months for stock

The Zeb seems mint yeah. Need to put some tokens in it I think though as I’ve bottomed a few times. Ebikes are heavy! Plus I’m obese too obvs…

Had one since 2017, a Turbo Levo.
I tend to swap between riding my Enduro and it on a regular basis.
I’m a lightweight rider and would say I’m probably average on fitness and my riding ability.
Don’t have a problem throwing the Levo about and I think its probably improved my skills.
What suprized me about it was how versatile it is on the DHs.
We took them out to Sospel, San Remo and Finale last September and never felt underbiked. Without them the first half of the holiday wouldn’t have been as good as we couldn’t get uplifts and they made the trails accessible.
To me what ever I’m riding its all about the fun.

I’ve just recently got an Orbea Rise, & cant find anything negative to say about it, handles just as well as my normal bike (YT Jeffsy) & although a bit heavier easy enough to lift over gates & stiles, I used to hate climbs, but this makes them fun.

Well, after being told 2023, I managed to find a Rail 9, Blazing bikes had one in XL coming into stock in october, so I pressed the button. Cannot wait.

^^^^ yaay :) I took the Levo Sl on the Arran Club ride round West Kilbride etc the other week and it was awesome fun going up Kaim Hill !

Magic. Aye, I was up Kaim on saturday, it’s a fair hoof, had plans to ride the quarry descent then go back up to the top and ride the hill race route as a descent, but the clegs had other ideas. I’ll gie ye a shout when it comes, show ye the good stuff up there, canny be telling these islanders though…. :-)

:) :)

we came down the quarry route, one proper steep right hander was a bit scary !

Nobeer.
Give us a shout when you get it and we can try and sort a ride out.

@singlespeedstu for sure mate, will do.

Think it’s time for a ‘What munro for ebikes?’ thread :-)

Well, after being told 2023, I managed to find a Rail 9, Blazing bikes had one in XL coming into stock in october, so I pressed the button. Cannot wait.

Nice one, welcome to the Rail gang, fantastic bikes. Just check all of the bolt torques when it comes (especially shock mounts and cranks), I had a few loose ones.

Yet mine had none. It was an early one though so perhaps the assembly line wasn’t bored of them at that point.

Cool, will do. Need to get a front tyre sorted, don’t fancy the stock ones, got a 2.5WT DD Aggressor for the rear.

The exploded diagrams of the Rail showing torque values are on emtbforums.com

Magic!

don’t fancy the stock ones

Don’t write them off too quickly. I thought I would hate them based on reviews, but actually I like them in dry to dryish conditions. So much so I bought a replacement.

I’ve found them surprisingly tough in use. Crap in mud tho.

Crap in mud tho.

In the West of Scotland, tyres choice is pretty much based around mud tbh!.

Test rode an Orbea rise last night, best ebike I’ve ridden so far in terms of feeling like a normal bike. Had a play on a kenevo, levo, levo sl, merida e160, decoy and spectral on, none of them were as nice to ride as the rise. As mentioned above, rode very similar to my jeffsy but whistled up the climbs effortlessly. Will most likely replace Jeff in the near future

Nowt against ebikes and can see the point but I have to keep fit for work and cycling is my favourite form of exercise so I’ll be ‘keeping it real’ for a fair few years yet.

What do you do work wise?.

“ Nowt against ebikes and can see the point but I have to keep fit for work and cycling is my favourite form of exercise so I’ll be ‘keeping it real’ for a fair few years yet.”

I’ve been on a Levo for most of my riding for the last 2.5 years. When I ride my hardtail (which isn’t electric) I’m no slower than before I had an ebike. I think many MTBers are lacking in strength and they’d be fitter overall if they had the head to toe power to manhandle an ebike down twisty trails.

I find riding the ebike is usually more intense than riding my old hardtail. The climbs are over faster so I push harder on them. The descents are faster and there’s just less mental space to chill out because you can lap a hill so fast. I ride the hardtail when I have more time!

More laps = more trail maintenance. Hopefully with all the energy saved, people go on more trail days ;)

More laps = more trail maintenance. Hopefully with all the energy saved, people go on more trail days 😉

‘more’ sounds like you’re assuming everyone does some maintenance as it is, I wish!.

I’d make it mandatory, no build, no ride! 😉

I’m moving to an area with an abundance of trails on the doorstep soon, most of which are steep and involve a grindy climb. The idea of being able to nip out at lunch or after work and smash out 3 trails in an hour is extremely appealing. I will definitely be trying to find a way to afford an eeb soon. I would still ride my normal bike with my pals at the weekend though.

So I guess from my perspective, whether it’s a good idea depends a lot on where you ride.

So I guess from my perspective, whether it’s a good idea depends a lot on where you ride.

Absolutely, if I lived in an area with lots of rolling XC, and that was my bag, then I wouldn’t bother tbh, or if I just rode TC’s, ditto.

I’m moving to an area with an abundance of trails on the doorstep soon, most of which are steep and involve a grindy climb. The idea of being able to nip out at lunch or after work and smash out 3 trails in an hour is extremely appealing.

Golfie ride from last month.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/6979886407#:~:text=%3Ciframe%20src%3D%27https%3A//connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/6979886407%27%20title%3D%27Borders%20Mountain%20Biking%27%20width%3D%27465%27%20height%3D%27500%27%20frameborder%3D%270%27%3E%3C/iframe%3E

I think you might manage more than 3 trails. 😂

Golfie ride from last month.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/6979886407#:~:text=%3Ciframe%20src%3D%27https%3A//connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/6979886407%27%20title%3D%27Borders%20Mountain%20Biking%27%20width%3D%27465%27%20height%3D%27500%27%20frameborder%3D%270%27%3E%3C/iframe%3E

I think you might manage more than 3 trails. 😂

I’m more talking about what I could get in over a very quick <1.5 hour blast, but aye that just sort of reinforces my want for one! It’s Inners I’m moving to :-)

“ More laps = more trail maintenance. Hopefully with all the energy saved, people go on more trail days 😉”

Or in my case, fewer laps than before I had three small children and an ebike but at least some riding in the tiny windows of opportunity!

@singlespeedstu Have you ever thought about a spare battery? £800 seems expensive at first, but for weekends away or a mega days descending, it’s a thought?

Or ye reckon once you’ve descended over 5000′, it’s enough? :-)

I do actually have a spare battery i’ve just never used it.
With my shoulder the way it is ATM i’m pretty destroyed after 1700M.
Bike came as standard with a 500 battery and part of the deal was they swapped it for a 700.
They then sold me the 500 back for a couple of hundred quid.

It will be useful when we start going away for weekends camping again and there’s no electric points on site.

That ride was mainly in eco with the last climb in turbo and I still had two bars left.
Mrsstu is a fair bit lighter than me still had 3 bars left.

Aye, pretty much my thinking, I may end up getting a spare, we’ll see.

See if they’ll do you a deal with the bike?