Starting riding again after five years off! New bike help please!

Hi all,

Long time, no see! Wishing you all a happy new year.

It’s been five years or so since I hung up my helmet due to changing jobs and life getting in the way. I sold my bikes and cracked on with life without two wheels. This year I’m going to get back at it. I’ve missed riding dearly and can’t wait to see where I can get to this summer.

I’m going to treat myself to a new bike. Last year I bought a gravel bike just to spin the cranks, but truthfully it’s not my cup of tea and I’ve not used it much (anyone want a SC Stigmata?). I’ve always ridden 130-150mm trail bikes, and love the versatility they provide. However, this time round I fancy trying a ‘lite’ ebike. Not because I’m getting older, or that I’m lazy. Just because I like the idea of them and want to try something new. I’d love to eventually build up an ‘analogue’ bike for winter duties and to have the option of going full leg power, but maybe later in the year.

Am I just being silly going straight for an ebike? I just fear that finding it hard riding for the first few months will leave a bad taste in my mouth if I went back to full leg power straight away – hence the idea of a SL ebike, to maintain some normal’ish feel and to at least make me work a bit.

I seem to of narrowed it down to the Orbea Rise LT, Cannondale Moterra SL and the Orange Phase Evo. The Orange looks really appealing to me. I’ve had a few Orange’s previously and love the way they feel. Can anyone provide any insight into any of these or any other suggestions?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Cheers

Whilst I don’t own an ebike, I’ve read most of the threads on here pertaining to one and the general consensus seems to be that if your going e-bike, you might as well get a full fat e-bike and just limit the assistance.  There’re a some drawbacks in terms of heft (in terms of lifting it, handling it, etc) but there’s more choice, cheaper prices, and more fun to be had from going FF e-bike.

I’m sticking with clockwork for the moment, but can see the appeal from a fun perspective.

I used to think that a full fat ebike was the way (I don’t actually own an ebike, but I had a ride on a Focus Vam2 SL (9.8 I think) and it was great, only 130/125mm travel but it felt great on all the usual XC and fun mini DH/jumpy stuff I normally ride at FOD,  I also had a spin on a Lego SL and liked that as well.

Now I’m torn between what to get.  I think if all my friends go full fat then I probably will, but if there’s a mix the an SL one full fat I’ll probably go SL or mid weight.

Test ride some eebs of different styles before you spunk that much cash?

Could a nice light trail bike be a good alternative if you’re not sure about wanting an eeb?

I’ve got a medium Orange Stage Evo to sell here 😉

i’d avoid the orbea personally, a friend had one and it took months and months to replace the engine, 12 weeks before any progress. my own personal experience of orbea, wobbly back end due to small crap bearings/bushings that needed replacing frequently. IMHO they arent built for UK riding wet/mud. they had no interest in a warranty claim

Test ride as much as you can.

I’ve ridden quite a few full power ebikes and hated all of them.  They all felt like monster trucks, powering up climbs then smashing through everything on the way down.  Too heavy to move around and impossible to lift over gates which for me is a deal breaker.

Then last year due to Long Covid I couldn’t ride at all, so I went for a second hand Orbea Rise which was a bit of a punt.  It’s like riding my proper bike but with a fit and strong rider powering it – me on a good day pre covid!  It’s 18kg so just about OK to lift over gates and I’ve never wanted any more power (mine is 60nm).  I’ve never used Boost mode except to see what it’ll do and with a mixture of eco and trail I’ll get 600m climbing and 35km with the battery down to around 50%.  For me it’s perfect.

BUT

I virtually always ride solo – if you ride with others on full power bikes you might struggle to keep up.  I also weigh 70kg fully kitted up so if you are heavier you may need more power/bigger battery to get up the hills.  My riding is also very XC with a few big climbs and descents.  If you are more into “winch and plummet” where you want the climbs as fast as possible with as many runs as possible then you may want something different.  There are a few bikes now which are more of a half way house between lightweight and full power so the sweet spot for you is there, but it’s really worth testing to see what suits you.

I’m very much in the “if you want an ebike go full power”camp, I have a Whyte E160 which I love for it’s geometry,planted feel and powerful motor/range. It feels like overkill for local woods stuff though so I also got a light but full power Giant Trance E Advanced (gets my son out riding too). You get a smaller battery but with a range extender can have similar capacity to a full fat bike. I think Whyte have also recently brought out a light but full power ebike too,the Elyte Evo

Thanks all for your input. To be honest I’ll mostly be riding solo, so not too fussed about others on full fat eebs. I did wonder about the Orbea on Peak District grit. Something rather hardy is needed round here. The Orange seems to be tickling my fancy in that respect. Also, I’ve read that Bosch are great with after sales care and dreaded repairs if needed, so the Orange wins there too. Any Phase Evo riders?

I’ve got a medium Orange Stage Evo to sell here ?

I love the look of the Stage Evo! Would be a contender for a winter build in future…

This really depends on how you are going to use it (well, duh?)

A) If you still want fitness and the feel of riding a regular bike but with a bit of support then go SL

B) If you want to cover longer distances at faster speeds and max out the fun then go full fat.

Suggest you really need to know which of these is your real need or you’ll end up with serious buyers remorse. If you get an SL and actually find you now love battering up the climbs and going everywhere at speed you’ll find you range is quite limited. If you can try both options first id really recommend it.

My approach was to keep the regular bikes i have for fitness purposes and supplement with a full fat ebike for big days out with a focus on fun.

My view…

Not because I’m getting older, or that I’m lazy

Am I just being silly going straight for an ebike?

Yes. Or at least you’re not beingi honest with yourself.

I just fear that finding it hard riding for the first few months will leave a bad taste in my mouth if I went back to full leg power straight away –

You make it sound like pedalling a normal bike is some traumatic hardship.  Honestly, it’s not, it’s as easy as… well..y’ know

A) If you still want fitness and the feel of riding a regular bike  then go for regular bike

FTFY

B) If you want to cover longer distances at faster speeds and max out the fun then go full fat.

Fair enough on the faster speeds and more fun bit, but I’m really not seeing the ‘longer distances’

I realise that the above opinion is purely mine based on liking riding bikes. It sounds like you want an ebike so go for it.

A full fat ebike changes the riding paradigm in a way that SL eebs only dance around the edges of. I know this from owning both.

Route choices widen because it’s doesn’t cost as much to do that horrendous climb anymore that puts you back in a better position at the top of the hill. You end up with a wider network with more permutations because there is less off limits. Purely from the perspective of stamina/energy cost.

Uphill climbing singletrack becomes as fun as descending singletrack.

Average traverses can get supercharged into fun roller coasters.

You can dispatch dull transitions between fun bits with aplomb, making for bigger and more fun packed rides.

Let’s not forget that supplementing your own efforts with electric assist doesn’t necessarily make you work less hard, but it can do and depends on the rider.

I’ve had lazy boy rides when I’m tired or a bit ill and still been able to enjoy a ride because of the assist. Equally, I’ve done high power ‘tempo’ rides where I’ve stripped all the energy out of me and the battery and had to sit down for a bit before I could put the bike back on the car.

I’ve only had a quick go on a couple of e-bikes. One was a Rise, the other some full fat Cube thing.

The rise felt like it had plenty of power tbh – not having ridden lots on a full fat eeb. Eco felt like me on a bloody fantastic day, trail felt ridiculous. Don’t think I tried the boost mode. I feel like for me riding on my own or with people who don’t have full fat eebs this would be plenty. Riding downhill it felt fairly normal bike like – albeit it didn’t feel as nice as my normal bike for tech stuff.

The Cube felt monstrous both in terms of power output and how it rode. Felt like a heavy plough.

I think if you can get a few test rides it’ll give you more of an idea what you want. I think stuff like the Moterra you mentioned is full fat but light as well so it might be a decent middle ground. Just check Cannondale haven’t done any weird proprietary things with it.

Then there’s the whole reliability thing – it feels like Bosch has more repairability and quicker warranty support than say Shimano who have had some issues with stock of replacement motors.

The elephant in the room is that new DJI motor – it seems like the Amtech bike it’s currently in is a decent trail bike, light and as much power / range as you want. It’s not however been out long enough to know about reliability and warranty support.

Then there are a load of other motors like the Fazua (maybe Santa Cruz / Transition / Lapierre) / TQ (Trek Fuel Exe) / Yamaha (Giant) which have varying feedback. Giant seem worth avoiding to me. The TQ looks good as it’s really small and the least ebike looking.

Fair enough on the faster speeds and more fun bit, but I’m really not seeing the ‘longer distances’

You conserve more of your own energy and therefore can ride a lot further. I can do double the distances i can compared to my regular bike before i’m knackered OR i can do double the distance in the same time window.

You conserve more of your own energy and therefore can ride a lot further

But just until the battery runs out surely, which from posters here seems to be somewhere between 800hm and perhaps 1500hm ( I appreciate that’s height rather than distance, but they’re pretty much linked)

For all the ebike love here I don’t think I’ve seen anyone posting about doing actual long rides.

Which is fine because that doesn’t appear to be a goal of eebers. But it’s weird you mention it as an advantage.

Obvs winch and plummet you can just swap the battery in theory. But again, I never seem to see people doing this.

i’d avoid the orbea personally, a friend had one and it took months and months to replace the engine,

+1,  I also have a mate who waited around 8 months to get a new battery for his Rise after it failed due to water ingress. I have a Whye e160 rsx which is heavy but is also a hell of a lot of fun to ride and I would definitely recommend it, only downside is lifting it over gates/fences can be a challenge

mildboreFull Member

I’m very much in the “if you want an ebike go full power”camp

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@thegeneralist Maybe its our differing definitions of long rides and levels of fitness. I have a regular loop from Marple that takes me around 3.5 hrs (goes to  lantern Pike, Hayfield and over by Shooting Cabins) on my regular bike (Cotic Jeht). With my Orbea Wild i can add the classic Edale loop onto it. No way could i complete all that without it.

I’m sure a pretty fit rider could do it. But i’m a mortal who likes lots of beer and cheese

I’ve got a medium Orange Stage Evo to sell here

Thought you liked it? 😉

Spoke to a chap on an Orange e-bike and he loved it. Seem to be some good deals around too albeit probably not with the Bosch motor.

Definitely find a way to test ride some. Also, reliability continues to be an issue for many – so far (just over six years) my Levo has been pretty good – slipping belt a few years in which was sorted by my LBS within 48 hours with a motor swap, at no cost to me.

The best bike in the world is no good if you can’t ride it for weeks or months, so the support you will get is probably the most important thing when spending thousands on any ebike.

Maybe its our differing definitions of long rides and levels of fitness

And TBH I’m probably overestimating my fitness and ability to do long rides these days 🙂 an eeb is defo in my future….

For all the ebike love here I don’t think I’ve seen anyone posting about doing actual long rides.

I’ve a Kenevo SL, regularly do +30 miles and +6000ft.

Quite interesting to see all the ‘hate’ of SL’s from the folk above, who don’t actually ride them…

Before I bought I demo’d/hired a full-fat, mid-power and SL; riding them locally – I’d recommend you do this.

I still ride my normal FS, out yesterday – did +30 miles and just under 4000ft with a bit too much hike-a-bike as the snow was deeper than expected.

I’ve got a medium Orange Stage Evo to sell here
Thought you liked it?

I love it, but I got a Stage 6 Evo frame in their sale and I’m replacing it with that.

🙂

Quite interesting to see all the ‘hate’ of SL’s from the folk above, who don’t actually ride them…

That’s a slightly daft thing to say isn’t it?

Quite interesting to see all the dislike of item x from the folk who don’t actually own item x because they went through a decision process and actually bought what they liked rather than what they disliked.

It’s basically just the cororally of the STW truism ” I’ll just recommend what I have”

Ooh, cororally isn’t in my pixel dictionary…

Quite interesting to see all the ‘hate’ of SL’s from the folk above, who don’t actually ride them…

I didn’t see any “hate” at all in the above replies.

Before I bought I demo’d/hired a full-fat, mid-power and SL; riding them locally – I’d recommend you do this.

How do you know that those with a full fat ebike didn’t do the same?  They might have come to their decision in just the same way.

A full fat ebike changes the riding paradigm in a way that SL eebs only dance around the edges of. I know this from owning both.

I too have owned both. – YT Decoy and Orbea Rise.  The best thing I have found about have a lighter weight E-bike – in my case an Orbea Rise, is that whilst I have enough assist to  provide me with the support I need, but from a weight and manoeuvrability perspective it rides very much like a normal bike.  Even putting it in or on a car is easy enough.  I may be somewhat unusual that as a user of e-bikes – what I am looking for is to ride with my riding buddies – as I used to before chronic illness.  I’m not looking to change the paradigm – more continue riding.

Also, maybe this is just me again but after riding longer travel bikes 150mm+ rear travel and up to 170mm front travel, I find that moving to 29’er wheels means that 150 front/140 rear feels more than adequate.

what I am looking for is to ride with my riding buddies – as I used to before chronic illness.  I’m not looking to change the paradigm – more continue riding.

Well put. And i think this is really at the heart of the question. Im my personal situation its very much an n+1 thing as i’m still riding my FS, Hardtail and Gravel bikes regularly too. So i wanted a big day out in the hills moped that would go both up and down (and across) as fast as possible purely for the fun of it.

Neither SL or FF are better, but they are quite different so knowing what you want and how you are going to use it are essential.

Ooh, cororally isn’t in my pixel dictionary

There’s a reason for that 🙂

As for bike choice, I know nothing of e-bikes but modern FS 29ers are generally fantastic unless you manage to find a lemon somehow. Obvs pick one to match with your preferred riding generally, but they are very versatile.

There’s a reason for that

Even after looking it up I didn’t see the srap awound!

I tested both full fat and light ebikes and decided against the lighter ones because they left me wanting more assistance and more range (I’m 70 now). I got the Giant mainly to get my son back into biking but also for the times I don’t need a lot of power, eg a 2 hour blast around the woods, it’s perfect for that.

Same as any bike purchase, think about how you are going to use it and test ride the different options then you can narrow your search to specific bikes

I may be somewhat unusual that as a user of e-bikes – what I am looking for is to ride with my riding buddies – as I used to before chronic illness. I’m not looking to change the paradigm – more continue riding

It’s all grown adults riding bikes in circles in the woods at the end of the day,so its really just preference/choice.

I think a full power eeb gives you more choices at a compromise of more weight vs the more limited SL, which feels closer to a clockwork bike.

Pick your poison.

My own pathway was a Kenevo SL first. It was excellent, but within a month I was thinking ‘I could do so much more if I had more power’ and that informed my decision to go full power.

Once I had a full power, I knew it was the right choice.

I’ve said this on another thread somewhere, but I think the weight difference between SLs and full power is overstated. There’s way more variance in differing riders weight than the bikes.

You can dispatch dull transitions between fun bits with aplomb, making for bigger and more fun packed rides.

This is AI-generated, right? 😉

Anyway, my take fwiw – Peak local, accidental owner of a 2017 full-fat Turbo Levo recovery vehicle – is that you seem very keen to jump on an e-mtb based on a sort of vague fear of suffering a bit while you get your fitness back. I sort of get this – mountain biking is hard work with lots of anaerobic peaks – but also suffering is part of mountain biking.

It is, as someone from Specialized says on the latest PinkBike podcast, a fine line between producing a really good e-mtb an a really crap e-motorbike. In my book, unavoidable suffering somewhat goes with the territory. I kind of like it. It makes the experience more colourful and intense, I find e-mtb rides quite different, sort of dumbed down and anaesthetised. YMMV, but don’t expect riding an e-mtb to be the same as riding a mountain bike.

Even downhill, where the sheer bulk of a full-fat e-bike changes the feel of the bike, Some people don’t care, maybe they weight 90+ kilos and the bike feels less hefty to them, I don’t know, but I’d very definitely be getting some test rides of both ‘light’ – and they’re not that light – and full fat e-mtbs.

If you want stone cold, guaranteed reliability, my take would be don’t buy an e-mtb. If you want to do 100km off-road rides in the Peak, don’t buy an e-bike. And if you dislike the sound of a whining motor following you around, don’t buy an e-mtb. And if your regular riding involves lots of lifting bikes over stiles, gates and fences, be prepared to do some resistance training en route.

I’m not anti e-mtb, even though people will get all shirty and indignant about my take, but I do think aspects of it are sort of brushed under the carpet somewhat and I also think it’s a different experience from riding a conventional mountain bike. Not a bad one or one without pluses, but a different one. But basically try a few before buying or not and beware the initial thing where you’re all blown away by the novelty of it all.

Bosch is probably your best bet if you decide to go Ebike. They appear to have less issues than most.

Corollary. Just sayin.

If you have the time and the motivation to get fit then I wouldn’t buy an Ebike, I’d echo what BWD said. I’ve had a Vitus Esommet since 2018 but after losing weight and getting myself fit it’s hardly been used simply because I prefer my Orange Stage 4  for most of my riding. New YT Izzo looks nice

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/yt-industries-releases-izzo-core-range.html

My LBS claimed that no full size adults should buy lightweight ebikes – he said they have been replacing motors to so many of them regardless of brand.
He is quite opinionated guy but as they sell both types I guess they should know their stuff.

It’s all grown adults riding bikes in circles in the woods at the end of the day,so its really just preference/choice.

Woods and hills – but generally what you find works for you.

I think a full power eeb gives you more choices at a compromise of more weight vs the more limited SL, which feels closer to a clockwork bike.

Feeling more like a normal un-assisted bike was what I was looking for.  Lifting my full power E-bike into the car was more difficult than doing the same for my lighter-weight Orbea Rise.

Pick your poison.

Indeed!  If what you have works for you – I’m glad!

Once I had a full power, I knew it was the right choice.

If you made the right choice for you – fair play!

I am pleased that there are options that work for different riders.

Red corollary, yellow cororally… dammit!

ME TOO! Will watch this thread closely as I was about to dupe my own