Haterz go and be somewhere else please 🙂

I am in a fortunate position where I have some spare cash, so an E-MTB appeals, as I have been without an MTB for a few years now due to my knee causing me pain on rides. Because of this, I have pretty much given up riding 🙁 I will be doing rides over Rivi way, trail centres and canal type family pootles.

All my bikes over the last 6 years have been hardtails and I have never had an issue with them, but do hardtails really work as an E-MTB?  Most of the videos show full sussers off road and I keep hearing that full suss is the way to go.  Is it fact or hype?

I have been looking at the Vitus Sentier Linky as for just over £2k (with BC discount) it seems to tick the boxes.

I am waffling now, so over to you.

Based on my touring e-bike…I’d only have full suspension off road.   When the back end drops, it does so hard.   My rear rack has cracked as result of me dropping off kerbs on occasion.  I shouldn’t, but I do.   🙂

Wot he said ^, the back end will be harsh with all that extra weight. Unless you really going to be doing very very tame stuff, I’d suggest a full susser or at least getting a demo of a HT and FS e-bike (any manufacturers, just for you to make you own mind up). It’s the same argument for going long travel on an e-bike, they already weigh a ton, so what a little extra  suspension weight when you’ve a motor to help you along. You do sound like your in a very different position with knee issues, it maybe your riding can’t take advantage of a FS, so then that might be the decider.

Based on scant evidence. I would go full suspension personally. Although +SizeTyres and low pressures would be a compromise.

Ive just ordered a thudbuster for my Yuba Spicy Curry as the roads are rough round here and it’s pretty harsh. Not terrible, but worth improving.

I have ridden a hard tail emtb a couple of times but not far or long enough for it to get tiresome, although I could easily imagine it would. And the increased time you are likely to spend in the saddle would make matters worse.

i get on fine with a 21.5kg hardtail conversion. 

I get on fine with a 38lb hardtail conversion.  Sure hits are a bit harder but hardtails will work just fine – e bike is around a 15lb penalty

I am not going to be riding rad to the power of sick.  I have a race BMX that scares me enough 😆

Hits are always harder with a hardtail though 😀

You can probably get an fs with lockout, you wont get a hardtail with ‘soften’ (*apart from + tyres)

Do you lift a lot (fences, obstacles), as 22kgish is a LOT, esp when you’re cold and wet (and the rear handhold on my bike isn’t that good)and having lifted a carbon hardtail in the showroom  (I lift a lot ) it did make me think (as I’m an xc pootler)

If you ride in the wet/mud and you get forward facing mounted battery then the lock/charge port will get covered in crap, so make a dpc(plastic sheet) flap that you can cover everything with

My emtb has changed the ddistance limiting factor from legs to backside (*am in process of saddle update) but imo comfort will be more of an issue on a hardtail when you do longer and longer rides which I suspect you will do

btw, I said I get on fine, which I do, but if I’d the money, I would probably opt for a full sus.

Well….

I just popped into Halfords and that E-Zobop is rather good for the cash (albeit ‘kin heavy).  Decent kit on it too (OK the Recon fork is not the best).

I may see what the Bank Holiday sale yields.

What are E Bikes like maintenance wise ?? Are they basically the same as a normal bike unless something goes wrong with the motor ?

What are E Bikes like maintenance wise ?? Are they basically the same as a normal bike unless something goes wrong with the motor ?

Yeah, then 99.99% of the time the motor gets replaced under warranty

That Vitus looks like GVFM, I decided that if I was going to go E then Shimano Steps was what I wanted, I went even less GayCore* ™ than you & got a 100mm HT with more conventional angles rather than the new stuff, just over 40lbs after i changed the wheels, bars, stem, seat post, saddle etc etc. For those that say a 15lb penalty I would say nearer or over 20lb as the frames are bloody heavy on factory EMTB’s unless spending megabucks.

Enjoy what you choose.

I got. a Cube 29er hard tail E bike last December after hardly riding for 5 years due to ill health.

it was a way of getting back on my bikes and it has worked, took it round Dalby red route recently and it was fine, handled all the downs just fine and made the climbs almost fun.

Ive never been quick and nimble on the downs so probably not the best to give advice but as long as you don’t want to da anything manic I reckon they are pretty similar in handling to any other hard tail, just a bit heavier.

im also finding that I am now turning the assist off more often, especially on roads,fitness is coming back slowly

I was going to treat myself next year for my 70th but I think it might be this year! I ,like loads of you,  have an FS and a HT so was intending to replace them with one ebike and was having a similar debate about whether to go FS or HT. I was thinking of going for FS simply because the weight saving on a HT aren’t worth it if you have got a motor doing a lot of the work.

What motor system do people favour? Some folk I have spoken to don’t like Bosch because it is too heavy and produces too much drag when just pedalling.

I went even less GayCore*

How can you say that then proudly take about your ebike with a straight face? 😆

What are E Bikes like maintenance wise ?? Are they basically the same as a normal bike unless something goes wrong with the motor ?

Mine has had way more problems than most of my other bikes. Cube FS that I’ve had for about three years now. Rear hub (three times I think), chain x3, centre pivot bolt x2, plus general maintenance. That’s with quite a few spells with no use, probably not touched it for a year and really need to build it back up now it’s got the pivot bolt fixed.

You’re putting a lot more power than normal through those type of components so it tends to find out any weak components. I ended up sticking a set of DH Superstar wheels on it after it left me stranded for the third time and they were holding up fine…

I am carrying too much weight though which won’t have helped!

I looked at the E-zobop and asked them if they could do a discount, after the 10% British cycling they were willing to knock another 10% off taking it to around £2200 and throw in some extras (jacket, helmet, lock and 2 slime tubes), I went for the Vitus E-sommet in the end but worth noting in case you opt for the zobop.

I recently purchased a Merida eOne-Sixty 800 for £3100 from Motocard. It’s bloody ace and comes with pretty solid spec in stock form. The Shimano motor is excellent and very easy to ride. My other ebike is a Specialized Levo, which is also ace but not quite as agile as the Merida. Battery is nicely integrated though. Both are longish travel and big tyres, great combo for heavy ebikes.

How did you get the Merida for that price???

Fog, all the systems are very good (brose, shimano, Bosch, Yamaha [though there mk2 motor is better]) though they have there foibles (noise/drag). I’m sure you’d not be disappointed by any of them. I went for the shimano over the Bosch but would have liked to test the specialised (brose but with spesh’s controller), though to be fair the price was the main reason I ended up with bargain Vitus E-Sommet.

The Merida was a bargain GeForce Junky, again, how’d you manage that?

How can you say that then proudly take about your ebike with a straight face?

Sorry I meant more rather than less 😉

Monkeychild – it’s £3400 on their website plus 10% off code from the internet. I have a spare code if anyone wants it. Make sure you pay in pounds, their exchange rate is very generous. Proper bargain.

Hi,

If you could share ut with me i would be well happy as I tried some but they didn’t work

I bought the Merida eONE Twenty 500+ from motocard. £2713 it was rude not to.

I trialled a focus alongside various FS E bikes and hated the hardtail.

My Kenevo has 180mm each end and I’ve only had one ride on it, however, I didn’t even feel the need to use the climb switch front or back. I’d say the extra traction of a sprung back end is probs a big plus on an e-bike

That Vitus Sentier dropped from £2300 to £2000 today, BC discount of 10% makes it £1800. Just ordered one for the wife.