So off the back of a rubbish ride at fod where I felt that I was holding everyone up on the climbs I’ve decided to put the Hightower up for sale and start looking at ebikes.

I’ll be honest and say I know nothing about them. How they work, how long they last and also what to look at or avoid.

Which motors are best and which to dismiss

Most importantly is will it help me get fit?

I would want a 29er with 150mm both ends or there about.

Budget if I can sell the Hightower would be £4500 to £5000.

All help would be great

Cheers

Steve.

The good news is I did the weekly shop, and the biscuit tin is brimming, nay overflowing…..

Can’t help with specifics because haven’t owned one yet but you need to get to your nearest dealer and ride one asap. They’re brilliant.

Personally I’d buy a Specialized because they’ve nailed the whole system and the Kenevo is basically my perfect bike. I also live 2 minutes away from my local Spesh dealer so I can take it for warranty work when it breaks down which it definitely will.

I’m probably a couple of years away from buying one but if you can get a demo ride on some proper off road trails you’ll love it. I was giggling like an idiot when I first realised what they were capable off on grim trails in horrible conditions.

Damn it, I want one.

First thing to do is find ones you like the look of and go demo them!!

Next join the E-MTB forum and ask all the questions you have about a particular brand

Ask about what dealers to use, known issues etc… warranty and dealer service is very important with e bikes, get it wrong and you could be with no bike for weeks if you have an issue and pay full RRP, get it right and they can be fixed the same day whilst you wait and get nice discounts off the full RRP

For me it was the Specialized Levo (Expert model) the fact the bike is very tuneable in the app, Specailized’s warranty is well known, along with some other things, my dealer (Chris Reilly@Berkshire Cycles) is known as the Levo king, same day repairs, good discounts off the RRP (1k off and Expert, £600 off a Comp)

In short, test ride, research, research, chat to dealer, get it right and go enjoy your e bike

Most importantly is will it help me get fit?

Riding your bike will help you get fit.

An e-bike isn’t a quick fix to getting fit, you still have to ride often, and more than you probably currently are.

If the rest of your riding buddies aren’t on e-bikes they probably won’t like the fact that you’ll be much faster up the climbs than them.

And lastly, who cares about the climbs? They’re for having a talk whilst slowly winching up a boring fire road. If you get to the top before the rest, you wait. Them’s the rules.

Going by the ‘most importantly…’ bit, you may be looking at e-bikes for the wrong reasons, IMO.

I must stress that there is nothing at all wrong with the Hightower but I’m just starting to admit that maybe I do need a bit of help with the bloody climbs 😂

No bike in the world will get you fit.

You will get you fit, if you really want it.

The good news is I did the weekly shop, and the biscuit tin is brimming, nay overflowing…..

Hope you are sharing the chocolate hobnobs 😀

Not a chance renton!

I lost weight and got fitter when i got an ebike.
Not because you work harder, (you definitely don’t) but because I didn’t feel so totally **** after a ride i was more likely to go out again.
I definitely rode more after i got mine.
Mine is a cube stereo, which has a bosch motor.
I’d recommend it.

I was at fod today. Feeling like a minority group on my steel hardtail.

Sooooo many ebikes. Blummin whirring……things.

Fod was rammed with them on the day I went.

When I say get me fit I mean encourage me to get out more and not feel so flat the day after.

And lastly, who cares about the climbs? They’re for having a talk whilst slowly winching up a boring fire road

Someone needs to find some more interesting climbs on their rides…
OP, based on what I’ve read about you and your riding I think you’re a great match for an eBike. They’ll get you out more, you’ll feel less beaten up at the end of a ride and you’ll likely enjoy it more…which mean you’ll ride more. Will it get you as fit as doing intervals up the local hill? No, but given you likely won’t ever do intervals up the local hill it’s a moot point.
In truth, I know very little about them but I do know I’d want to buy one from an LBS as I rather they can have a few warranty issues. Race Co Cycles in Stourbridge have a good rep for them if you’re local.

Depends where your fitness is now as to whether an ebike will get you fit, if you are seriously unfit then I could see that an ebike could make a substantial improvement to your fitness (but then so could a normal bike) , but if you already reasonably fit then you probably won’t get any fitter with an ebike,but with a normal bike You could get very fit.

You certainly won’t be the last up the hill if you have an ebike, unless your mates are all world class xc riders.

If your riding has a lot of hike a bike, or gates and stiles then you may want to reconsider an ebike – they are heavy beasts in general.

The main motor systems in use are the brose (used by specialized and a few others), bosch (used by loads), shimano e8000 (used by loads but just superceded), shimano ep8 (superseded the 8000,but not actually available to buy right now), they all have pros and cons, but all will get the job done.

Then it’s just like buying a normal bike.

They are ace though, they open up so many new options for rides that you couldnt/wouldn’t do before an ebike because you’d be too knackered/not enough time. Your fitness stops being the limiting factor, the limiting factor becomes the battery life or the time you have available.

They can make some boring trails more fun.

I speak as someone of reasonable’ish fitness.

I’ve just pored a gin and tonic, giving the biscuits a miss till I get back to the gym 😉

Back on track I’ve been alternating between an Ebike and Enduros for the last three years. Turbo Levo 650b but have the use of 29 and the Levo SL.

Its very rare I run it in anything more than Eco but over in Sospel and Finale the Turbo came in handy with out using the uplifts.

I like to think that I’m fairly fit for my age, an average rider and only use the Levo for the fun factor.

Got the Levos as they feel as near to the equivalent Stumpy for feel that I could get knowing that I liked the Stumpy.

I demoed both the Turbo Levo and Kenevo in Finale before getting one and the Turbo Levo felt better for me.

The SL is as near a normal bike as you will get. Our daughter takes it to Wharncliffe and Greno to mess on the jumps and DHs.

Why not hire one for a weekend and ride it with your mates just to be sure. Its a big expense otherwise

Just to add, they are less agile than a regular bike, so a bit harder to hop etc, but that extra weight brings improvements in grip, and the suspension seems to work more effectively so fast rocky stuff feels a lot smoother.

Go to RaceCo.
Talk to them.
Test a few different bikes
Then buy a Spech off them.

Someone needs to find some more interesting climbs on their rides…

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the odd techy climb, but give me a nice fire road climb any day of the week.

Yeah definitely don’t buy without riding the one you want.
And in case you missed it, +1 for the advice above about buying from an actual bricks and mortar shop, all the different motors have their potential issues, you might need to take it back at some point.
I’ll just point out, mine (bosch) has been faultless.
I’ve snapped a couple of chains but that’s it.

If I was in the market I would 100% be looking at the new Orbea Rise. Best of both worlds IMO.

I’ll just point out, mine (bosch) has been faultless.

Yeah bosch here too, no problems so far, but only 300 miles in, a mate also has bosch, no problems there either.

First thing, work out what you are after, is it a 150/150 trail bike to do the normal stuff, and a bit of the enduro style when needed? What are you doing at FoD that requires more assist, if it’s the red/blue can you not cut out some of the climbs, both have little pushes to the top instead of the loop, if it’s the top runs then it’s push or assist.

If so, then there is a ton of ebikes in that range, yes the spesh levo is nice, but way too expensive, for the same price you get better spec Focus Jam2, Cube Stereo, Giant E-Trance, etc with top spec motors and 625wh batteries, they are all in your budget whereas Levo’s start at 5250 i believe.

From my point of view i have a bad hip, not too bad just now as recently had the injection, but op isn’t too far away, so i got an ebike, i got a Cube Stereo HPC 160, it lasted a month and failed, pain in the arse, but another 3 or 4 months pass and it can’t be fixed, refund and i now have a Giant E-Reign +1, cost 5k, comes with a good motor and 630wh battery, lets me do lots of runs in a day, but as per Tracey’s comments, i barely use more than Eco, not saying i won’t, but it’s nice to know there’s more in the tank.

The one thing that i’d be wary off is trading the analogue for digital, i have my enduro still, i use it every week, it lets me do the stuff that’s easier on this one, so again, both have positives and negatives, work them into what you’re after, as that may bring you towards Orbea Rise’s or Levo SL’s.

Thanks for all the replies. Some very good stuff to ponder above.

My two riding mates are as fit as chuff. Both naturally fit and thinner guys where as I’m a stockier guy.

I’ve started wearing a heart rate monitor and I’m finding it very strange. My heart rate could be at around 120 BPM but I’m absolutely blowing and have nothing in the tank.

I know I’m unfit and I’m desperate to get fitter.

Ive give up riding with one of the lads as he is just to quick and always having to wait for me and says “hurry up” all the time. I feel like I’m holding them back and it depresses me.

Having an ebike would enable me to keep up with them on the climbs or xc. I don’t have any issues when the trails head down.

Sounds like you need new riding buddies more than a new bike, our guys go to FoD all the time, do loads of the stuff around there and are mixed abilities, loads more groups going, get into better groups that’ll give you the push you need, rather than pushing you when you don’t need it!

Sounds like a great reason to get an ebike and your mates can enjoy chasing you up the hill. I wish one of my mates would get one as our disparity in fitness means we haven’t ridden together for years.

I’ve a Haibike with the Yamaha motor, which Giant use too, I could only afford the hard tail and got it for a great price from John Atkins cycles Leamington, 500wh battery, its the best fun and I’ve done hundreds of miles this, year compared to the years before. I have a medical condition which has meant I’ve been on steroids for 18 months which have left me almost as bad as the disease. But oh they’re so much more fun than I was having before.

I have a Hightower and recently bought a Trek Rail 9.8XT. The ebike is so bloody good. I’m pretty fit and can ride the Hightower without ever getting dropped. I’m reaching for the ebike every time just now because it is just so much fun. As a dad with limited windows for bike time it just gives me so much more time descending. Still need the Hightower for mountains and epic rides though.

Made the shift two years ago won’t go back.
First ebike Giant E+1. Yamaha great natural feeling motor, only fault was chain stay too long.
newer Giants suffering from damp issues in wiring connectors.
Second ebike Cube stereo tm, very punchy motor, some people can’t get on with the free clutch rattle. Lot less noise than a hope rear hub I think, so not a problem for me.
The biggest thing, I think, is the extra weight pushing through turns. Took a few weeks to get used to new braking points on tech DH.

I’ve just bought one(well at start of lockdown) as I was either getting another Bird or an Ebike
It was a close call as the trail bike would have set me back about 3k and been my my ride for at least 3 years, but I paid off my wee bike van and chatting with the wife I was saying I would go to 5k for the Ebike
Next thing I know she’s done an application for a bank loan and 5k was in my account(whoop whoop) so I had a look around and joined some Ebike groups etc too get some feedback
Only Ebike I had ridden was the Focus Sam2 and Jam2
One was 150mm travel on revelations and the other was 170mm on Fox 36’s
Was like night and day
Only problem on Focus. Was the small wh battery and you had to buy booster pack to make up to around 650wh
Was then looking at Merida and Cube when I was approached about buying an Orbea wild fs
Wow,spec was highest scale and was mine for my budget if I was interested
Went to see it,tried it for size and even though it was a large and my other bike was medium it fitted. Perfect
Now I’d never rode 29”
But it’s been a revelation
From where I live I can get to the top of the trails in 25minutes and do all the trails I. An hour
Which is handy when this lockdown is active
Also at Golfie etc it comes into its own
And rides pretty well for the weight
Does take some getting used to with the braking with the heavier weight but my god it’s so much FUN!!!!

This is the most Singletrack thread ever. I mean really? Ride more, get fitter, don’t let one ride and some tosser of a riding “pal” put you down.

My lbs is shifting a shitload of moustache ebikes, my mate just got a game 10, it’s bloody awesome!.

Lawman91, he’s not gonna get fitter, just constantly tries to buy his way to it, never gonna happen, he’d be as well buying an ebike.

@nobeer
Is that David from Sprockets??
Lovely bikes those Moustache
Such a sleek frame and that rear sh Ok he has😳

Aye, it’s a belter innit? Possibly best looking ebike I’ve seen.

Take it you got the wild from them?.

@hainman🤣

OP, all the advice is spot on. Remember now there are light ebikes such as the Levo SL and the Orbea Rise, which in general give about 2x you on full power, and full fat ebikes, which are more like 4x you. The latter are a good bit heavier, more planted, though arguably cumbersome.

I’ve had a couple, initially Orbea Wild FS and now Levo SL. My main advice would be to try a few and once you decide, buy from a good local shop, as they all break at some stage.

I think you’ll really like an ebike. I’m sure I recommended one ages back. I don’t know if it’ll make you fitter but it’ll make you ride more.

I don’t think I lose any fitness when riding the ebike but that’s because I like to regularly make my legs hurt and send my heart rate through the roof – one of the joys of an ebike is you can ride a lot harder because you don’t have to pace yourself, the bike will help you when you need it uphill.

Downhill, especially on tight fast stuff, they can make you stronger, they’re a lot more work to chuck about. Ride it like you mean it, don’t be a passenger.

I got a base Levo (it was the new 2019 model) but had my LBS change the forks for 160mm Lyrik RC2s, the brakes for Hope V4s and added a Revive 185mm dropper. It’s a hell of a bike.

If you let an ebike drag you up all the climbs and don’t rag it downhill then you won’t get fitter or better but that’s all down to you. If you’re having fun, does it matter?

Definitely give CUBE a look. My missus has a Stereo Race 140. She loves it. Carbon front end, 140mm travel at both ends, latest Bosch motor and 625wh battery, Rockshox suspension, Sram drivetrain and Magura brakes for quite a chuck less than the comparable competition.

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Nobeerinthefridge
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Aye, it’s a belter innit? Possibly best looking ebike I’ve seen.

Take it you got the wild from them?.

Posted 38 minutes ago
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One previous owner, 15 minutes of riding old… 🤣

And lastly, who cares about the climbs? They’re for having a talk whilst slowly winching up a boring fire road.

Self fulfilling prophesy that one
You need to find some better routes…

Just to counter the Bosch praise my Kona Remote Control is just over 18 months old and has had two new motors. I had a scary incident a month or so back. An error code came up on the display, it was after a particularly wet Quantocks ride so I popped the battery out to check for damp. All fine switched it back on and without warning the bike shot across my garage and slammed into one of my other bikes and ended up in a heap on the floor. Don’t mind saying it really shook me up! So as has been said buy from a shop.