Whyte E160 MX or Orange Phase emtb?

Hi, I am just getting back in to this hobby after few years out. I can use my work scheme , green commute initiative and have narrowed down two emtb, one is a medium orange

https://winstanleysbikes.co.uk/catalog/product/view/id/595633/s/orange-phase-27-5-pro-2023-electric-bike/category/12530/

Or a large Whyte

https://onyerbike.com/products/whyte-e-160-s-mx?variant=45285760368931

I have previously owned a few orange mtb (Crush, Sub 5 and Five) and really like the brand however Whyte used to be a bit more premium/boutique back in the day, think the superbike was a 46?

Anyway enough rambling, anyone got experience of either?

Will be riding Swinley and occasionally cymcarn mainly

Cheers!

Great prices, can see why you are attracted.

Which one does not have Shimano motor? choose that one.

I’d also say whichever you can get from a shop with good aftersales support – which is why I bought a Specialized from my LBS!

Orange is 27.5 wheels and a Shimano motor, avoid.

I’m a big Orange fan and they are the more premium brand these days.

But I’d get the Whyte for the above reasons.

<p style=”text-align: left;”>Thanks people, are the Shimano really that bad!?</p>
My other option is a Giant Trance

My LBS is £500 more, might see if they will meet me halfway

https://winstanleysbikes.co.uk/catalog/product/view/id/576766/s/giant-trance-x-e-3-2022-electric-bike/category/12530/

Giant and warranty dont go so well together these days. Think this thread covers it nicely iirc: https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/wwstd-giant-warranty-content-ebike/ (and this was following another, non-ebike, Giant warranty horror story)

Errr running out of bikes to compare…Decath!?

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/29-inch-electric-all-mountain-bike-stilus-e-am/_/R-p-X8753489?mc=8753489&c=OCHRE

My other half, has the Whyte E160 MX, really nice bike, Bosch motor.

Nice to ride, we got it at  good price as well.

Have you seen this? https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/psa-privateer-e161-ebike-1600-saving/

Wow that is lovely, just messaged them unfortunately they don’t accept GCI vouchers.

I really like the aesthetics of a mullet!

Whyte hands down. Low c.o.g rides balanced  etc

I was looking at similar bikes and I think that Mondraker crafty rr looks decent too.

The Orange is the better kit, but the Whyte is Bosch and I think thats more important.

Errr running out of bikes to compare…Decath!?

Oh dear 😯

In comparison with the Whyte or the Orange, the Stylus is cack.

Get the Whyte, they ride great

E-bike buying rulez 😉 … .no shimano  motors & definitely no giants

.no shimano due to their crap unreliable/unfixable motors, & definitely no giants, as they ruined the rather lovely yamaha motor with their own crap electronics and then don’t honour their warranty, unless you create a stink on social media.

If you are local to Swinly, talk to Berkshire Bikes about a Levo, good prices and support…

I’ll start by saying this is a personal opinion and many will disagree. I’ve got an E160 RSX (29er), it’s a really good bike (1st ebike) and I would definitely recommend one to anyone interested in an ebike, but riding it around flatter trail centres where you’re generally faster than the cutoff is not as much fun as its basically a very heavy mountain bike above 15mph. I’ve never been to Swinley but I believe its generally flattish flow trails, for somewhere like the Tweed valley it’s a no brainer but I’d be looking at a normal mtb if I was mainly riding trail centre reds. As I say thats a personal view but I would definitely recommend the Whyte based on mine

I am a huge Orange fan, my current stable includes a crush and an alpine 6. Both are amazing bikes. Their e-bikes are a little agricultural in appearance though and I dislike the shimano motor, so when I got lazy, I bought a whyte e180.  This is a behemoth of a bike and, just like the alpine, it simply annihilates terrain. A proper fire and forget bulldozer. Where it differs from the oranges is in its soul. It simply is without emotion. It’s a Kia stinger compared to an Alfa Guila. Totally capable but entirely forgettable and leaves you at the bottom of rides going “what just happened”?

Many thanks for all your comments, I spoke to Orange about my concerns over the Shimano E bits but they hadn’t had any returns and would stand by the product.

In the end my heart won and hopefully I will be getting the Orange soon pending the voucher getting processed.

I really enjoyed my old Oranges, love the industrial design, quirkyness and brand.

Hopefully I won’t live to regret it and will take the told_you_so like a man!

Can’t wait to smoke my c0cky teenage son on the uphills!

but they hadn’t had any returns and would stand by the product

Well that’s very odd, must be that they just haven’t sold any of their e-bikes until today

I spoke to Orange about my concerns over the Shimano E bits but they hadn’t had any returns

Orange don’t warranty the motor, Shimano do. Even so, this is patently bollocks.

I am currently trying to make the exact same choice.  I sat on a Whyte in a shop and it immediately felt just right.  Haven’t even seen an Orange yet.  How are you getting on with it?

Hi, I unboxed it yesterday and quick ride up and down the road. Compared to my old bike (2012 Boardman FS) it is a juggernaut rocket ship!

Hopefully get a ride out over Swinley next week.

I am an Orange fanboi so love the industrial clunky look.

Purchased through the Green commute initiative scheme the tax, ni and pension savings will mean I can always sell at no loss and start up again in another few years if it isn’t reliable…

I would recommend try one for size, I chose a Large and it is quite rangey…

Pics or it didn’t happen….

Essex bikes doing the E160rs for around 4,7k which is a bargain

If it helps anyone, I’ve found these prices whilst ebike hunting:

E160S = £4299

E160RS = £4799

Giant Reign E2 = £3675

Mondraker Crafty R E160S = £4199

Privateer E161 = £4399

Thanks for the update.

In my choice between the Whyte E160 and the Orange Phase, I am currently leaning towards the Orange, but am I right in thinking the Orange is really a ‘downhill’ bike (i.e long/ slack/ long travel) which will not be much fun on longer XC-ish rides?   Or will the addition of the motor negate this to a degree….

I had a Cotic Solaris hardtail a few years back which was long and slack and I hated it everywhere except downhill where it was fabulous – I sold it after a couple of months and don’t want to make the same mistake again.

I think most full fat ebikes are better on steeper terrain, you need some gradient to get the most out of them downhill. If that’s what a long XC ride involves I’m sure they’d both be great, but if there’s lots of relatively flat bridleways and stuff you’ll be riding along at the speed limiter on either bike which will get quite boring.

I take my hardtail if I want to do XC. Ebike is for winch and plummet type stuff.