First Look: 2021 Trek E-Caliber - A Motorized XC Machine

Feb 25, 2021
by Daniel Sapp  

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FIRST LOOK
Trek ECaliber

The eMTB has come a long way in the last few years. Many of the models we've seen are geared to the bike park or more aggressive trail riding, but Trek's new eCaliber is a bit of a different take than. Aimed more at the distance chasing, marathon cross-country crowd, the E-Caliber aims to give the long-distance 'XC' style rider a little more gas in the tank on those epics.

The E-Caliber looks quite similar to Trek's XC race bike, the Supercaliber, except with a larger downtube where the battery and Fazua Evation drive system lives, but there are a number of other differences between the two.
Trek E-Caliber Details

• Wheelsize: 29"
• Travel: 60mm (r) / 120mm (f)
• Carbon Frame
• 67.5° head angle
• Fazua Evation drive
• 250 Wh battery
• Weight: 34 - 40 pounds
• $6,500-12,500 USD
• trekbikes.com


While the E-Caliber uses the same IsoStrut suspension system and 60mm of travel that the Supercaliber does, it has a 120mm fork, and a slacker 67.5-degree headtube angle. The reach is also between 10-15mm longer depending on the frame size for increased stability at speed.

The E-Caliber is designed to fit somewhere in the middle of the gap from standard non-pedal assist bike to eMTB. It's not a full throttle with minimal effort style of ride, and riders will still need to have some fitness. Trek calls it more of an equalizer for riders who may want a little extra assist, for instance, you trying to keep up with your World Cup level friend on their recovery day without it feeling like a World Cup race to you.

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Frame and Drive System Details

The E-Caliber uses Fazua's Evation drive system to deliver 55Nm of torque. This is powered by a 250 watt-hour battery giving the bike a range that Trek's team claims to be in the 30-80km range - a huge variance, but it depends on terrain and rider weight and riding style. The bike can be ridden without the electric assist and the battery can be removed and replaced with an included cover. This drops about 6lbs or 2.7kg off the total bike weight, giving riders the option of riding it as an XC bike without the heft of the complete eMTB system, with a huge portal for storing food and snacks. Complete bikes weigh between 34-40 lbs, depending on build.

The Fazua system is tuned specifically for mountain biking. Their new "Black Pepper" tune is said to give better assistance at higher cadences along with more differentiation between the three assist modes, a more responsive start, and the ability for riders to customize the support modes.

There are three separate modes on the remote. The remote is smaller and more ergonomic than Fazua's previous model and the system can be turned on from the remote. There's an LED battery indicator along with a 'rain mode' which can disable the touch interface making the mechanical button the sole control.

The modes are Breeze- a gentle constant 100 watts, compared to a strong tailwind, River- a more progressive and sporty mode for extra strength and support which tops out at 210 watts, and Rocket- an aggressive power for going up steeper sections of trail with moderate driver power, which tops out at 250 watts. The maximum power is 450 watts. Additionally, there is Bluetooth LE connectivity for connecting to phones or a bike computer. All of the modes are completely tunable through Fazua's app and there are sub 'eco' modes to each of the mode settings which can help even more fine-tune range and power.

Tire clearance on the E-Caliber is a generous 2.4", up from the claimed and more conservative 2.2" on the Supercaliber. In our experience, Trek is historically cautious with this number so riders can likely run an even larger width tire than advertised, they'll just have to check fitment. Brake rotor size also gets a bump up from the Supercaliber with a 180mm direct post mount being standard with bikes having the clearance to run a 203mm rotor. All frames are compatible with dropper posts - the small has 205mm of insertion and the M-XL clearing 270mm posts.

All of this is built into the unique chassis Trek developed for their Supercaliber race bike a couple of years back. For more information on how the IsoStrut system on that bike operates, check out the article and video from the XC Field Test.

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The Fazua drive system integrates cleanly and the battery is removable to shed weight and make an extra-large snack compartment.

Geometry
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Build Options

The E-Caliber is available in a number of different builds depending on the market. Not all builds are available in all countries, but there are plenty of options to choose from. Starting with the base model E-Caliber, there's a full carbon frame, Shimano 12-speed drivetrain, RockShox 35 Gold 120mm fork, Kovee wheels, dropper post, and 4-piston brakes fir $6,500 USD.

There are several models moving on up with both SRAM and Shimano build options. The top of the line E-Caliber 9.9 XX1 AXS has a SRAM XX1 AXS drivetrain, RockShox SID Uptimate 120mm fork, Kovee XXX carbon wheels, an XXX seatpost, and SRAM G2 Ultimate 4-piston brakes. It sells for a wallet burning $12,500 USD.

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The E-Caliber 9.9 XX1 AXS
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The E-Caliber 9.9 XTR

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For more information, visit trekbikes.com



Posted In:
eMTB Reviews and Tech First Looks Trek Trek E Caliber


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461 Comments
  • 1151 22
 lol
  • 78 330
flag racecase (Feb 25, 2021 at 8:29) (Below Threshold)
 Totally, I hate new thing. I can't stand companies that try different things.
  • 128 20
 Agreed. Just because you can , doesn't mean you should!!!!
  • 259 20
 I was kinda behind the whole e-bike thing..but on a xc race machine...this is truly wrong in every way imaginable.
  • 116 39
 @radrider: I've actually been thinking about this because for a structured XC training program you need to put in a lot of miles at low heart rate in the endurance zone, but it's freaking boring riding for 4 hours at a slow pace. This would allow you to get those training days in and still have enough pace for it to be fun.
  • 123 7
 *checks calendar* Nope, April 1st is still over a month away
  • 85 5
 Guaranteed they will sell every one they make.
  • 69 2
 @dthomp325: why not just train on an ebike with usable rear suspension? The Turbo Levo SL is competitive with this weight wise and is a 150/150 trail ebike
  • 110 4
 If you want to "feel" like a world cup XC racer, I think that you need to feel some suffering, because those guys suffer.
  • 12 9
 @hamncheez: because they want the same geometry as their normal bike, not a bigger trail bike.
  • 82 3
 @radrider: I still don't know why DH bikes seem to be the last bikes going E. Wouldn't they make the most sense? Having an XC E bike is such an oxymoron.
  • 13 2
 @salespunk: that seems like a very, very niche product
  • 7 1
 @bedell99: Everything is Sold out till 2022.
  • 85 1
 Not a weight-weanie, just a weanie.
  • 24 6
 I’m accepted that some pot smokers in BC who totally tip, but they’re older and just want to sweat the downs might ride a ebike. But the xc ebike is just a f*cking joke.
  • 16 7
 They’ll sell a tonne of them though.
There are so many older rich xc types who like slack seat angles and steep head tubes, who don’t want a trail bike because it scares them
  • 2 13
flag radrider (Feb 25, 2021 at 10:36) (Below Threshold)
 @leon-forfar: Pretty bad pedaling geometry, especially going uphill. And most DH guys have a shuttle setup or lift access.
  • 8 0
 @radrider: right... Maybe where you're from but that's a gross generalisation mate.
  • 7 1
 @racecase: f*ck me man i dont think ive ever seen so many neg props over a comment about a bike????
  • 6 1
 @SlodownU: And you won't find an extra 200 grams of extra weight on a XC bike let alone 10lbs.
And pedal it without a battery Hahahahahahahahahahhahahahhaahahah!
  • 3 5
 @landscapeben: its a gross generalization that DH bikes have bad pedaling geometry? OR the lift shuttle access? Do you really bike(walk) your DH rig uphill?
  • 2 0
 @lake-st: i sometimes try this on that thing my partner owns a trek somethingfly , weighs more than my van , you can tell when you do ten miles on that
  • 2 0
 @dthomp325: agreed. if you have an extra 6-12k to spare.
  • 6 0
 @SlodownU: I could set that thing to "Rocket" and go FULL suffer and come out the other side slower than Nino.
  • 2 0
 @hamncheez: Amen, my brother! If you are on the bike for four hours, why not enjoy all that extra travel for a similar weight?
  • 2 0
 @leon-forfar: Specialized Kenevo comes close. I’m not an E guy and I’ve never ridden it, but I’ve heard good things and I agree that it seems like that would be the target demographic.
  • 7 1
 @radrider: E-bikes are not about cheating, except when they are.
  • 12 0
 @williamwallis @leon-forfar Haibike have been making an e-downhill bike for a while, but no one cares because its ugly.
  • 8 1
 Need to get this in end of year most upvoted comments...
  • 6 1
 @leon-forfar: Totally agree-i was very anti until i started doing laps on a local gravity system with fast descent and grueling climbs. All of a sudden, e-bikes made sense. But for XC....that is bizarre.
  • 1 0
 @jclnv: Not everything, but yeah supplies are definitely limited right now. Either way, Trek dealers in cross country type riding areas and states are salivating. I bet riders who are located in the MidWest states can't wait for this type of bike. Me personally, nah!!
  • 3 0
 @leon-forfar: yeah, basically just built in shuttling. Solves the fundamental problem with owning DH bikes.
  • 2 0
 @bedell99: Midwest rider here, and...no
  • 8 10
 @Compositepro: it’s not a bike, it’s a moped
  • 4 3
 @leon-forfar: I rode a kenevo which is probably closest to DH bike at the moment and it was so much slower downhill than my 6" trail bike it wasn't funny. Too much weight in the turns, much slower corner speed. Mate who was interested in one had a demo and we rode a trail we both knew well, kenevo up front and my bike out back. We switched riders too to double check, but both of us easily kept up with the kenevo at 80% of the effort required ride the E bike fast. They make sense in steep terrain if you have no shuttle options, but other than that, not so much.
  • 5 1
 @JiminOz: Yeah, we sell tons of Kenevos at the shop I work at. The current offering is quite heavy and needs to be pushed hard to get anything back, *cough*whenthekenevosldropsthatwon'tmatteranymore* cough* excuse me! It makes total sense why these companies don't make an E version of their smallest Sku bike which sells in small numbers to begin with. I'm just a guy dreaming of smashing Dh laps on a proper DH bike without needing a chairlift or shuttle rigs.
  • 2 1
 @hamncheez: I like that Trek has gotten this ebike (XTR) down to only 34lbs, but only 60mm of rear travel and 110mm fork is not enough..
  • 9 0
 @blakestory You just set the record for fewest characters to most props ratio in PB history. congratulations and well done.
  • 3 0
 is this going to be one of the comments of the year?
I like it alone for how minimalistic the comment is
  • 1 0
 Well said!
  • 1 0
 I can vouch for that Wink @williamwallis:
  • 2 0
 @ccolagio: Yeah, c'mon get it over +1000 people lol
  • 4 3
 What pinkbike users hate most...E bikes and treks!
  • 1 2
 @dthomp325: how would this bike make it more fun..?? Endurance training should be steady, if you are serious about it... so making it fun, whatever that means, means making it less effective..
  • 1 2
 I could see this appealing to lots of different types of riders, especially those new to the sport that don't want a 50 pound e bike. But the price is a bit expensive. They will sell them regardless.
  • 1 0
 so symetric
  • 2 0
 @Richt2000: Oppossed to all the "down and out" enduro and downhill types?
  • 1 0
 @toddmorsetucker:
Not at all, they are buying £8k specialised kenevos!

Just saying that unfortunately there is a market for it.
  • 2 0
 @leon-forfar: Because the industry doesn't want full face dudes with a test protector and a dual crown fork bike al looking like a motorcycle riding on bike paths and city park trails. Storm troopers scare people
  • 1 0
 @SlodownU: yep those guys and gals suffer. A lot
  • 1 0
 @SlodownU: yep, those guys and gals suffer big time.
  • 1 0
 C'mon guys, the Specialized Epic has had really strong sales lately. We have to do something about it...
*Bored employee scrolling on phone* PING! E-bike sales rising...
I know! To make a better XC bike, we should add a crap ton of weight!
Facepalm
dilbert.com/strip/2021-02-16
  • 1 1
 @racecase:
  • 1 0
 @MildMildWest: and the numbers are still growing after the link from here www.pinkbike.com/news/video-pinkbike-academy-season-3-ep-8-content-is-king-pt-2.html
  • 247 6
 this seems a little dumb, maybe that’s just me
  • 164 6
 no. it is dumb.
  • 30 1
 So now we’re supposed to create a new category of racing, e-bike and now e-xc?
  • 7 1
 There are two of us, it seems dumb to me too.
  • 6 0
 @Hayden2248MTB: Because the UCI banned XTC
  • 106 109
 What's dumb about it?

Imagine all your buddies ride XC bikes, you want to ride XC bikes with them because riding bikes with your buddies is fun but your fitness isn't what theirs is and you have a full time job and a baby so you can't train to be as fast as them because they are all single and ride several times a week. You could buy this and ride with them once every week or two and still keep up and have a great time with your friends instead of feeling like you are holding them up while you puke up a lung on every climb.

It might not be right for you but that doesn't make it dumb.
  • 72 1
 @Patrick9-32: Friends who bike? What the hell are those?
  • 28 1
 @Patrick9-32: Until the single guys that you ride with, that weigh a good 150 lbs with a full Camelback, show up at the trail head with a new eCaliber...
  • 42 11
 @Patrick9-32: Sounds like a dumb lifestyle to take up.
  • 60 0
 @Patrick9-32: Couldn't you get a normal trail ebike then? That way you could actually have fun when the trail goes down, and still keep up with your friends on the up? Would also probably be cheaper.
  • 25 9
 @lelandjt: Which part? Having friends, having a family or having a job?
  • 16 23
flag CircusMaximus (Feb 25, 2021 at 8:53) (Below Threshold)
 @Patrick9-32: so in your scenario “you” are a middle aged father hanging out with 20 year olds?
  • 33 9
 @CircusMaximus: Plenty of fathers out there under 30. Plenty of XC weight weenies over 40. Very weird point.
  • 43 5
 @Patrick9-32: the part where your solution to being out of shape, having no free time, and "friends" that don't want to ride with you because you're too slow, is to buy an e-xc bike for 6.5-12.5k.
  • 24 1
 @thegoodflow: But what if they ride faster than 25 km/h?
  • 3 1
 @Patrick9-32: yes it does.
  • 53 2
 @Patrick9-32:does this crowd really exist? Fat dads on e bikes riding with their fit xc racing buddies?
  • 38 10
 @Patrick9-32: Alternatively you could just, you know, get fit
  • 21 10
 @radrider: You don't have to be fat to get utterly left behind by people you kept up with a year ago if they keep training and you have 3 hours sleep a night and one ride a week. Doesn't mean you aren't friends and they don't value your company on the rides when you can make it.
  • 19 12
 @BenTheSwabian: Clearly you're not in that demographic yet. You'll come around to appreciating his point of view in time.
  • 36 6
 @Patrick9-32: dude you’re reaching here. Being slower than your hypothetical friends doesn’t necessitate buying a completely new bike to ride with them. If they’re not willing to wait for you, then are they really your friends?
  • 12 5
 @nyhc00: They should wait, also, sneak in workouts to build the fitness back up, its very satisfying. Everyone wants a shortcut for some reason and easily justified by being to "busy" (daddy can still find time for rides)
  • 37 0
 @nyhc00: Let’s give poor @Patrick9-32 a break here. He’s just honing his argument here to make the hard sell to his wife. Gangsta planning.
  • 25 4
 @nyhc00: That is true, but equally: If bike choices were 100% practical we would all be riding low cost road bikes to and from work only and only replacing them if they snapped. We choose to buy expensive fun bikes that allow us to do things we otherwise wouldn't be able to, this definitely falls into that category. I am just giving one example of a scenario I can think of where a bike like this would make sense. Everyone getting very defensive over a bike they don't want having a purpose for someone else is a bit odd.
  • 5 11
flag doctor-m (Feb 25, 2021 at 9:46) (Below Threshold)
 @Patrick9-32: Exactly. Now, dumb would represent the quality of basic grammar being used in this thread.
  • 2 0
 @Hayden2248MTB: and it shall be raced in the Transcontinental.
  • 23 8
 maybe you can hire a full time nanny to raise your kids so you don't have to work hard at that either, effectively an e-bike for child rearing, and then you can go train and ride with the fit single bros. or you can accept that you can't have everything in life, stop trying to jam it all in, and enjoy what you have. i dunno. i'm sure some of them wish they were in a relationship with a family and raising a kid of their own, but they don't have that at the moment, they have bikes and fitness. these bikes are for people who want everything and are willing to dole out endless cash to try and make that happen. the grass is always greener.
  • 11 0
 @Patrick9-32: if you have a motor and a battery why not add 500 gr more and have a trail bike? A light one, like the Orbea Rise.
  • 17 3
 @Patrick9-32: No, there is no purpose for this bike, except for pro riders using the normal caliber who want more training at high speed on a familiar cockpit.
Why would you want a bike that is designed specifically to be as efficient as possible, and then take away all the benefits of that efficiency by throwing a motor on it. Why not throw a motor on something designed to be enjoyable to ride, and the lack of efficiency gets negated by the motor...
The only circumstance where this would be more enjoyable than an e-enduro bike would be if it loses power...
Will you wear race bibs while you ride this?
  • 27 11
 @thepwnstar39: when did mountain bikers become such joyless scolds? Why do you care how someone spends their money, or how they rationalize it, it what gets them stoked? It doesn't make sense to you, cool, go ride your bike. This is all supposed to be fun, remember?
  • 1 1
 @dark-o:

Dear Lord
  • 35 10
 @withdignityifnotalacrity: When did casuals become so fat and lazy?

You are looking at world class endurance machine with a support assist for the fat.. it is ridiculous.
I'm struggling to find comparisons.. VR lawn mowing... vegan bacon... strip clubs for the blind.. It's just not right.
  • 6 2
 @Patrick9-32: You described my riding buddy, every ride he makes it to our weekly ride(every other month or so) he complains he should have bought an e-bike instead of his Carbon xc rig to keep up.
  • 13 10
 @Patrick9-32: @Patrick9-32: Non of these people have children. Don't listen to any of them. I hear you buddy.
  • 1 2
 @oldschool43:... And remain single forever
  • 7 3
 @Patrick9-32: I don't condone riding XC bikes, but I think you hit the nail on the head with who will buy this bike.
  • 11 6
 @withdignityifnotalacrity: because we are mountain bikers not electric bike riders
  • 13 8
 @Patrick9-32: you have a baby so you cant train, my momma would have said “ you should have thought about that before you stuck your dick in it”
  • 2 3
 @nyhc00: i disagree any excuse to buy a new bike is a good one
  • 5 5
 @Patrick9-32: buha ha that must be the most dumb reason to buy an ebike like that.
  • 15 2
 @Patrick9-32: Those are some serious mental gymnastics to defend why this bike might exist.

I'm struggling to understand why an out-of-shape father would also want a bike with no descending capabilities, all for the same price as a bike that can beat this bike uphill and downhill, with hours of range available.
  • 9 10
 @Patrick9-32: ride more -> get fit -> have fun. Good things are earned. Your buddies did not just magically show up with fitness, they worked.
  • 2 1
 @KJP1230: people make far dumber decisions all the time. Watch this bike be a hit and sellout immediately. I'd never want it but there are definitely some who would.
  • 1 0
 @Hayden2248MTB: Ummm, hate to break the news to you but the evil deed has already been done www.cyclingnews.com/races/uci-mountain-bike-world-championships-2020/men-e-mtb/results
  • 7 3
 This bike makes a lot of sense in flatter parts of the country. Trails are more fun when you go faster right?
  • 13 16
 @Patrick9-32: Hows about you give up the fake dream of living two lives, accept you have made life choices and have kids, spend the money on the kids future and education above what the state provides of their future or future riding with you and support your partner rather than effn off for a ride with crew who did not make the same decisions while justifying the pollution of XCE racing with cheat products that make the rest of normal humanity want to vomit.
  • 4 2
 @transitter: Never ride with whiners who blame their equipment.
  • 7 1
 @Patrick9-32: what’s dumb about is if you’re going to buy an ebike you might as well get some with at least trail like geo and travel to enjoy the downhill and promote confidence when riding a heavier bike. If you want to keep up with XC friends any other ebike would be more fun, more travel, more power, more range. I just don’t get it
  • 13 5
 @BenTheSwabian: exactly the point. Riding bikes used to be about starting out unfit, getting fitter, getting skills and enjoying the whole process. A few years later you're a decent rider who loves the sport. Seems to be more about catering for lazy f*ckers that just can't be arsed to put the effort in now. I've ridden several now, mostly when I had no other option (hire bikes etc) and I only enjoyed it once. I wouldn't ever feel like I'd "achieved" anything on an E bike. I suppose lifting one onto the back of your car/truck is something of an achievement?
  • 1 0
 @Em1400: Exactly. There is no reason for a short travel emtb.
  • 1 1
 @FoesKnows: Every group needs a whiner...
  • 3 0
 @transitter: I prefer a nice chardonnay
  • 3 0
 @FoesKnows: you realize the average guy can afford an mtb and still support a family right lol? It's an either/or option for most.
  • 1 0
 @Compositepro: you do make a valid point.
  • 7 6
 @JiminOz:

That sounds like the same argument as the folks back in the day said about suspension on MTB's. They would argue that a "Real" mountain biker could do everything on a hardtail with a rigid fork if they weren't lazy and developed mad riding skillz. Suspension was for the lazy to make up for their lack of skills.

And don't get me started on SS'ers or MTB Uni-cyclists. ya'll are napping in the middle of trails in their minds.

Basically, everyone is someone else's vision of fat, lazy, and unskilled. Shrug
  • 4 1
 @Patrick9-32: sounds to me like a bad group to ride with. What’s the purpose of group riding if you’re just going to drop slower people? Kinda defeats the point of group riding.
  • 5 5
 @withdignityifnotalacrity: when motorbikes started appearing on bike trails
  • 1 0
 @Hayden2248MTB: yea man. xc race, downcountry, downEcountry, trailduro etc
  • 4 1
 @Patrick9-32:
Or you could buy any e-bike and do that. At least you would t be buying a very expensive bike to specifically ride with your friends once or twice.
  • 1 0
 @radrider: It does now
  • 2 0
 @Patrick9-32: Ah yes. That way you can remain within earshot while your buddies relentlessly rinse you for riding this monstrosity.
  • 2 0
 @Stoaks: I just feel like its always some justification being presented for ebikes. I'm a dad, I'm older, I'm getting back into it, just admit you aren't into fitness and working hard is just too exhausting. I want to do 10 laps and really not break a sweat, I'm into the DH only, I'd probably be shuttling if I didn't have an E-bike, just put it out there. Just yesterday at a local XC area I saw these massive fat tire, step through Ebikes with guys riding with half-lid motorcycle helmets and huge puffy jackets, that's who everyone wants on the trails with their 80ft lbs of torque but only "500w" motors.
  • 163 6
 Doesn't this defeat the entire purpose of XC i.e. endurance, fitness, etc?

"Think how much further you could go on a XC motorcycle and you dont even have to move your legs!"
  • 51 22
 Riding this bike is similar to driving a Prius when they first came out. .They need a fart redirector so you can smell your own smug ass as you ride.
  • 3 0
 Entirely, and if this catches on there will likely be a separate e-xc (e-mtb) race league of its own.
  • 27 1
 Agreed. Doesn't it also defeat the purpose of ebikes? Doesn't the motor mean that you don't need a light, short travel, terrible-for-the-down kind of bike?
  • 11 11
 theoretically, this bike would allow an avid XC cyclist to have more control over their heart rate during HR based training
  • 4 6
 Yes. And that's exactly why you wouldn't catch me riding an e-bike
  • 8 0
 I don't always increase and improve my endurance and fitness, but when I do it is with a bigger battery.
  • 5 15
flag sjflow (Feb 25, 2021 at 15:12) (Below Threshold)
 It doesn't defeat the purpose at all. Two reasons: (1) With an e-bike you can go farther with the same effort. One of the reasons I ride instead of run is because you can't really go anywhere on two feet without it taking forever or being an insane effort. With a bike you can see more things. Same logic with an e-bike instead of a regular bike: you can go farther and see more things. (2) You can probably get more consistent training on an e-bike. You can crank up the support on climbs so your heart rate isn't going through the roof. So you can better modulate your heart rate without having to stop, slow down to a crawl, etc.
  • 21 1
 @sjflow: of course it does. You are missing the point. It's not about e-bikes per se, but about e-bikes with a XC racing oriented geometry.

XC bikes focus purely on pedalling efficiency. Trail bikes give up some of that efficiency in order to be more capable & fun on the descents, on technical stuff etc.

So an XC e-bike completely defeats the purpose of XC bikes since you have a motor anyway, so you no longer need a XC racing geometry like the original Supercaliber.
  • 3 1
 @f00bar: Exactly
  • 8 2
 @sjflow: hmm yes, train harder by making it easier. Why squat 315 when it's less strenuous to do 135?
  • 2 2
 @pinkbike-daily-reader: an avid XC cyclist wouldn’t be training with HR.
  • 1 0
 @pinkbike-daily-reader: no it wouldnt.. shifting gears gives plenty control over workout intensity
  • 1 0
 @GZMS: There are actually apps for e-bikes that let you dictate how high you want to keep your heart rate . It will change the amount of assistance and keep you in a specified zone.
  • 2 5
 @f00bar: First off, this bike absolutely was designed for maximum pedaling efficiency. If you think you know more than the bike's designers, that's great. But you don't. And second, an e-bike with an xc-racing geometry will obviously handle differently on cross-country terrain than, for example, a downhill-oriented e-bike. That's what a bike like this is for. Unless you think that a motor obviates *all* differences in bike geometry for *all* disciplines and *all* terrain, which seems to be the logical extension of your argument. It doesn't. The e-caliber has a place for cross-country riders, and this bike is well suited for them.
  • 2 2
 @windclimber: hmm yes, because weight training is the same thing as training your cardiovascular system for long-distance or endurance events. /s. No, it's not. Most endurance athletes spend most of their training at low heart rates to build an aerobic base. They don't go 180 bpm all the time. That's idiotic. I'd educate yourself and look up heart-rate training— particularly phil maffetone's method used by ironman triathlete mark allen. People disagree about the precise mix of low and high heart rates, but they're not doing the cardiovascular equivalent of squatting 315 all the time.
  • 2 1
 @sjflow: it's called an indoor trainer. No one is heart rate training on a knobby tire moped outdoors, save for maybe some Europeans on factory rides, and even then it would just be a shtick for whatever brand of power wheels they were riding.
  • 120 8
 Dude check out my new 40 lb XC machine!
  • 5 2
 Lmfao
  • 26 2
 Put a 38 or a Zebulon on it and go füll e-enduro
  • 14 4
 Lol all the comments are literally my thoughts.
  • 113 9
 why
  • 26 3
 Dafuq
  • 20 53
flag racecase (Feb 25, 2021 at 8:12) (Below Threshold)
 Don't knock it, till you rock it.
  • 25 3
 Unfortunately, I know why.....mass-market weekend cruiser that looks the part.
  • 2 2
 beat me to it...
  • 33 1
 @whiteboarder: ~50% of ebikers I see are riding 140-170mm Trek or Specialized ebikes on paved and flat dirt fire roads or XC trails.
  • 9 2
 the 'why' doesn't matter- this will sell very well.
  • 3 0
 @downcountry: exactly! A lot of the ebike market are older and have barely ridden in 20 years. I know se of my parents friends (retirement age) just bought trek rails. These would be much more appropriate for their type of riding an strength. Plus it leaves the limited supply of big bikes to the rest of us.
  • 3 2
 @downcountry: exactly this! Seen a lot of fat lazy people on the local rails trails on e bikes, that my 8 year old daughter can ride without any issues. People have been getting lazier for about 40+ years now and this is a bad as it gets.
  • 4 4
 The important thing to take away is that Pinkbike commenters hate it, which means its actually good.
  • 70 2
 Yes - I really want the benefits of an E-bike but I must be as uncomfortable as possible and have 3/10 fun going down while looking like a world cup XC racer.
  • 7 0
 IK! I'm fine with ebikes, but isn't the point of a motor to make the bike more capable? aka have a bike that goes good uphill and down?
  • 70 2
 When a cow decides to try ballet.
  • 59 3
 Also that 60mm of travel is going to get eaten up REAL quick on any downhills with a bike that weighs 40lbs...
  • 29 0
 Flex seat stay goes snap!
  • 5 35
flag SprSonik (Feb 25, 2021 at 8:44) (Below Threshold)
 Even though all the extra weight is BELOW the suspension? Not sure it works that way, and a 200lb rider is a bigger concern than 8 lbs of electronics
  • 14 4
 @SprSonik: ummm no. I assume you are referring to "unsprung weight"? Unsprung weight is anything not supported by the suspension. All the weight of the battery, motor, etc is in the frame i.e. supported by the suspension. If the motor and battery were in the hubs, rims, or swingarm it would be "unsprung"...
  • 9 0
 @SprSonik: Also, add 8lbs in a backpack on your back - go ride a hill, then add 8lbs directly on the frame of your bike - go ride the same hill...

Tell me which feels harder.
  • 3 0
 @scitrainer:...and then put 4 pounds on each wheel and see how that feels.
  • 2 0
 @SprSonik: was about to say all the neg props were a bit harsh, we all make little mistakes

Then I saw you went FULL CAPS so no mercy here
  • 49 0
 Nino would still kick my ass
  • 49 3
 I dont know which is worse Trek's XC ebike or Pivots Gravel E-Bike.
  • 4 0
 That's a toss up for sure!
  • 30 0
 I honestly see the use for a gravel e-bike for than this thing.
  • 19 0
 @HB208: yeah an e-grav bike could be useful in cities with shitty streets and long hills. An E-XC bike...uhh hmm
  • 7 0
 @sjma: Yeah, it might actually be nice as a commuter bike/rest day bike. If I am taking an e-bike into the mountains, why would I choose something without travel?
  • 3 0
 I was going to say, the only practical use for this trek would be to put drop bars on it an e-gravel. But egravel doesn't make the most sense, but still makes more sense than eroad
  • 38 1
 TBH the most impressive thing about this build is the lack of the dropper post on an e-bike lmao
  • 34 1
 Trek Engineers after the 4th happy hour beer:

"Ok, so you know how XC racers are willing to trade nearly all downhill capability to make their bike more efficient for pedaling? What if we target the folks who don't care about fun on the descents AND who don't like to work on their fitness!"
  • 34 1
 Wait, no dropper post?
  • 6 1
 What would be the point, it's not like you are going to send it with 60mm rear travel.
  • 28 1
 @mikelevy its obviously to save weight. Dropper post on an XC race machine is too heavy.
  • 13 0
 @Baoas: Ah yes, too heavy. Sorry Smile
  • 2 7
flag MaplePanda (Feb 25, 2021 at 23:54) (Below Threshold)
 @Snowytrail: The supercaliber is far more capable than you’re giving it credit for.
  • 2 0
 @MaplePanda: glad you cleared that up for us

Many thanks
  • 26 2
 if you're going to get an E-Bike, go with more suspension and comfort since it's doing all the work for you anyway
  • 12 0
 That's what I don't get. If I'm gonna haul around 40lbs, I might as well have 200mm discs, 180mm travel, huge tires, etc. Now, maybe its a question of range. Maybe the E-Caliber gets like 100 miles on a charge or something absurd, where as my E-Enduro only gets 25 miles. Still, I don't have the time to ride 100 miles, but I do have time to sprint up the local mountain and bomb back down again a few times between 5pm-6:30pm.
  • 2 0
 You've got to remember systems like the fazua are not winches to get you to the top like Bosch or the other high power units in the market, they are a helping hand, I'll start off by saying I won't be buying this bike.. but if they did a fuel ex version of this instead of a supercaliber I would buy one as it would allow me to keep pace with my much fitter friends or stick the missus on it and she would be able to keep pace with me....
  • 36 13
 Has anyone told them that motorbikes already exist, and are much cheaper?
  • 16 3
 They look more comfortable too. Who needs to be aero and ergonomically efficient when a motor is doing the work?
  • 3 0
 @TerrapinBen: what if you need to exceed 25 kph?
  • 3 0
 @hamncheez: 50 and 125cc my man!
  • 8 1
 What's increasingly happening is e-bikes are not permitted on MTB trail systems, meanwhile, Moto clubs are growing and becoming more active trail builders and advocates. In my area at least, surrounded by millions of acres of public land, I'm not sure I'd want to pay the premium for an e-bike when I could ride a moto further and on equally interesting trails. Heck, even some E-Motos are getting pretty good with mileage between charges.
  • 8 0
 @Matt-W For comparison, this top of line Trek has an msrp of $12,500US. A 2021 Honda CRF450RWE (Works Edition) has an msrp of $12,380US. Not exactly apples to oranges but in a value for your dollar....
  • 4 2
 @h82crash: how well does that Honda pedal? Looks heavy compared to the Trek... ????
  • 6 0
 @tycall13: Better power to weight ratio than the Trek.
  • 1 1
 @tycall13: some people don't get sarcasm
  • 2 1
 @TerrapinBen: fazua motors are not so powerful that they do all the work, I personally like the idea of half power e bikes, anyone who rides regularly who jumps on an e bike suddenly becomes overpowered on a climb if their mates are on standard bikes, I like the idea of the lower power lighter systems such as this and levo SL that feel much more lively on the trail. That being said as someone who owns a p1 trek slash (so I'm not afraid to throw money at trek) I would buy a levo SL over this bike every day of the week for its increased trail capability, aren't the descents where it's at anyway??
  • 1 1
 @h82crash: honda motorbikes will be made largely of steel, this is largely carbon fiber, last time I checked they materials are about 5x more expensive on the push bike so it's pretty stupid to ask why lush bikes cost so much when people demand such high quality materials!!
  • 1 0
 @netracer-enduro: So you don't think that a Ti Yosh exhuast or Showa works suspension costs much? Not to mention how much more materials overall and design required to make a moto.
  • 1 0
 @netracer-enduro: Also the CRF frame and motor are aluminium (except the magnesuim head) - not steel. I don't see carbon mountainbikes costing 5x that of alloy ones like you state.
  • 24 4
 What happened to those physically capable of pedaling a normal push bike? As a 43yo male I’ll ride nothing but a traditional bike until I’m physically unable and hopefully that’s not for another 20 years or so.
  • 34 2
 As a 63yo male I'll ride nothing but a traditional push bike until I'm physically unable and hopefully that's not for another 20 years or so. If you keep riding enough on your push bikes, you won't need an e-bike. I'm fitter now than at any other time in my life because I ride hard 3-4 days every week.
  • 16 1
 right? be the DAY you see me buying an ebike. juvenile idiopathic arthritis in almost all my joints. i will pedal my slow ass up that mountain on an "acoustic" bike til my knees stop working.
  • 1 0
 gone now.
  • 2 0
 @Marquis: nice!
  • 4 0
 @Marquis: I aspire to be this level of hard nose old man mountain biker in 30 years. Assuming there's such a thing as non electric bikes by then
  • 2 0
 @Marquis:well done sir, sadly speaking as someone who basically sells e bikes for a living you are now in the minority in terms of new bike purchases Frown
  • 20 1
 We know who to blame for the incoming locusts and plagues. Maybe frogs too, I can't remember how that goes.
  • 20 3
 This would be perfect for my 77 year old father. Would let him cruise bike paths and gravel in comfort and would be light enough for him to lift to put on racks.
  • 36 4
 It'll also eat up a large portion of your inheritance.
  • 11 1
 @woofer2609: I'd argue it has the ability to actually preserve some inheritance if he used it enough. It is much cheaper to age as a healthy fit human rather than fat, out of shape and diseased. Ebikes I've found have a great capacity to get people out much more often.
  • 1 0
 That's definitely one of the use cases. I am bit worry that so many people here have so much hate and negative emotions towards this bike. And yet go fast forward 50 years and most of them will buy exactly that. A light E-Bike. I'm pretty sure there are more use cases for this bike. Not everybody wants 23kg E-Bike.
  • 19 2
 Tempted just for the food storage. Is there a cheaper version available without the battery?
  • 4 4
 Yes. Super Caliber
  • 21 1
 @ols532704: joke / your head
  • 3 1
 @hamncheez: what
  • 1 0
 @ols532704: you missed the joke....
  • 1 0
 @ols532704: 2nd joke / your head...
  • 20 2
 Dumb bike is dumb.
  • 15 2
 Really digging these new light emtb but this isn't light enough not to displace the specialized levo or the orbea rise.

also... $6500 to $12500 and it's the same frame? how much is axs nowadays?
  • 16 0
 The "have a world cup level friend" market can't be *that* big, right?
  • 7 0
 Lol, probably like 500 people at most and I bet the "world cup level friend" would not approve of a xc e bike. Only way I could see someone wanting one of these is pacing for elite level athletes (i.e. have a coach on one of these setting a pace). Other than that, IDK.
  • 7 0
 @HB208: Yeah, I've seen coaches use e-bikes to shout at their riders on climbs in XCO events. This bike would be good for that, I suppose.
  • 15 4
 this is so stupid who is going to pay for an xc ebike. it defeats the whole puropse of xc riding, who is going to pay $6,500 for 60mm of travel when they could pay the same price and get a heckler or levo that have 150mm. what were trek thinking
  • 5 0
 They were probably thinking that there are a f*ck tonne of old people with money to blow on e-bikes to go ride their local gravel trails and ride round the local lake. They walk into a shop and say "I want an ebike for x" shop boy says, "all the trek rails are currently out of stock and you really don't need 150mm of travel and a Zeb that's for guys doing big jumps. This much lighter bike that will be comfortable and easier to lift onto your car. Now for $12,500 please?"
  • 3 0
 Dentists, accountants, politicians' girlfriends...
  • 13 0
 Literally almost the same weight as a lot of the trail EMTB's with 40mm more travel. SMH
  • 9 0
 40mm? At least 80-100mm more travel while having a comparable weight.
  • 13 1
 with that swollen belly, i feel bad for those poor seat stays
  • 29 2
 those swollen bellies of the middle aged men in lycra buying this crap will be a bigger problem
  • 5 1
 Yes, flex, flex, flex, snap, ow, what the, crash, wait, no, my twenty thousand dollar bike!
  • 8 1
 @f00bar: perfect for pulling out the battery and bringing some subway footlongs
  • 12 0
 Couldn't we of just called it the ExCalibur. Missed a trick there
  • 1 0
 I see what you did there
  • 4 0
 @thatguy404
Who would want to pull it out though? I'd be happy to leave it forever in the shop window.
  • 2 0
 @JiminOz: at that price, darn right too
  • 7 0
 What is the market for this bike? Surely anyone looking for a 40 lb eMTB wouldn't mind a little more travel, and anyone looking for a short travel e bike to mess around with on trails/fire roads probably isn't going to want a full xc race spec. Are brands just adding motors to every single bike because they can, or does Trek really think eXC races are going to become a thing?
  • 1 0
 the only people i could see riding this would be trek factory xc riders for a recovery ride. this product is an actual waste of money, orbea rise is about the same weight (for the weight weenies) and has twice the amount of travel for pretty much the same price.
  • 9 1
 In Italy we say "we are at the fruit", to say that we have reached the end of dinner, that there is nothing else and we can get up and go home. Here today we arrived right there.
  • 11 2
 I didn't read all the comments, but has anyone said: this doesn't make any sense?
  • 31 0
 No, your the first one to bring that up. Everyone else is stoked on this
  • 10 1
 it's like they are just taking a piss at this stage lol
  • 9 4
 know who's gonna buy this? The dad who want to take his kids "mountain biking", for older people who see the bigger tires and think it's a comfortable bike where they can ride to and from the paved bike trails.

The local paved bike trails, once ruled by roadies are now clogged by ebikes. I see it all the time, older people buy big enduro emtb bikes to ride on paved/gravel roads. This trek bike is catering to them. And that's fine, it's nice to see people who otherwise wouldn't be riding, on an ebike enjoying the outdoors.
  • 7 2
 E-dorks clogging up paved paths is better than them clogging up the rowdy trails that their motor gets them up to, but their skill can't get them down.
  • 3 5
 @windclimber: no need to call people who ride ebikes names. I do agree with you that people need to ride trails that are within their ability.
  • 11 6
 People are nuts if you don't think there is a market for this, tons of people are shopping for the lightest ebikes you can get, something still playful and you can load easily on your car and will let you keep up with your cycling buddies when you get dropped at your local ride. Sure it's expensive but lots of the people buying this are loaded, this is like 3 months of car payments to them it's in the noise, they spend more money winterizing their yacht.
  • 8 0
 turbo levo is lighter, with real rear travel...
  • 5 0
 Playful...Easily loaded...ITS 40LBS!!

Not sure either of those terms apply...

According to PinkBike Editors, "Playful" bikes must be 30lbs...
  • 2 0
 That should be SUB 30lbs
  • 1 0
 @scitrainer: I thought the turbo levo is heavier? It's not the same XC geo either. I agree this bike needs to win on weight or price or both.
  • 8 0
 Instead of 2JZ every car, just electrify every bike.
  • 2 1
 LS all the things, and death to mopeds
  • 9 1
 World is officially coming to an end.
  • 12 5
 I want one of these just to mess with all the xc sweats in my area
  • 8 1
 Some niches are untouched for a reason.
  • 4 0
 Wish somebody would touch my niche.
  • 3 0
 What is smart is being able to remove everything, slap on a cover and ride it as a regular bike. I wish my Commencal had that feature for bike park days....no assist needed but shedding a bit of weight would be cool. Even if it was just the batt.
  • 4 1
 This is and should be the future of e-bikes. Easily removeable battery and motor. Two bikes in one: Analog and Electric. Ride with your pedal crew one day, your e-crew the next. On the same bike.
Manufactures will be hesitant to do this as they'd rather sell you two bikes.
  • 4 0
 I don't get it. If you're already signed up for a heavy-ass bike and motor assist to get up hills, why not get one with the geo and brakes to go bombing back down the hill you got up?
  • 4 1
 Palmer's review over at beta is starting to sharpen the picture of what this bike is about.
www.betamtb.com/bike-tests/e-mtb/first-ride-trek-e-caliber/?utm_campaign=later-linkinbio-betamtb&utm_content=later-14809214&utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram
It's not for me, but it makes a certain kind of sense. I bet it'd fun for a quick rip around local trails, but if I am spending $6k on a lightweight ebike I'm getting the Levo SL. Kind of with Trek had gone with the Top Fuel for their lightweight electrification efforts.
  • 6 0
 $1000 /lb more between entry and high end. crazy
  • 7 4
 Wtf... next is E-hardtails....never seen a supercaliber in the wild so no reason to expect to see the E version... yikes they can't get enough bike to the shops and they waste oxygen on this..
  • 2 1
 Don’t give them ideas, noooooooooo!
  • 13 1
 Ehardtails are already a thing....
  • 4 0
 Rocky Mountain makes a e-Growler hardtail. I believe norco makes a E storm as well. could be wrong.
  • 6 0
 Ah. Allow me to introduce the powerfly 4
  • 6 0
 E hard tails make sense because, like any hard tail, they are generally a lot cheaper, simpler, less maintenance, etc. Think an efat bike. Those are way fun in the snow.

What doesn't make sense is upwards of $12,000 for "60mm" of rear travel...
  • 3 0
 @hamncheez: I've given some though to an e-hardtail. I have some trails I can string together on my 10 mile commute and still be able to lock it up outside of my building. It's a tempting proposition.
  • 8 5
 Live and let live fellas.. somewhere out there someone thinks this is the perfect bike for them. If it gets them pumped to ride, brings more ppl into the sport - then its a success for all of us.
  • 5 0
 Agree with your first point... But after that you have to start considering the non-stop dumbing-down of every decent trail within reach :'(
  • 3 0
 @WoodenCrow: The hidden gems you can't shuttle and have to work to get to are consistently getting thrashed now because the sons of E-narchy can get to them, but lack the skill to effectively pilot a 50lb bike with chunky tires down them.
  • 3 1
 I was almost sold on the e-bike idea, with this thought: maybe it would let me climb way into the backcountry on secluded moto trails when the close-to-town trails are crowded.

But then I read that most of them will only take you 30-40 miles and 4,000 ft. of climbing. Is that correct? If so, I just really don't see the point. I can pedal that without assistance.
  • 1 0
 Not an eBike advocate, but one thing I've seen is that people bring a lot *more* bike out into the wilderness. E.g. Henry Coe, here in California— a huge state park with massive climbs where you could get lost and never found. Used to be a lot of XC bikes to get up the climbs. Now the most common choice is an eBike with like 170 mm travel and 203 mm rotors.

Not sure if that's a good thing or not.
  • 3 0
 i've always thought the point of ebikes is to get laps gnarly terrain that has long fire roads, essentially just a way for gravity focused riders to train This seems to defeat the point of even owning an ebike.
  • 3 0
 2 main camps. The one u suggested(like me, dual crown E plz); and, the crowd loving the opportunity to go up techy terrain-stuff that really cant be done by most on reg bikes.
Many are moto guys.
  • 3 0
 @jrocksdh: Seems like this bike serves neither of those camps.
  • 1 0
 @nattyd: I agree. More for someone whom isnt riding up or down anything too techy.
  • 3 1
 This bike is the clear winner in the category of;
"Highest # of triggered anti eebers that dont get it"
2nd place in this category is a distant 2nd
Slow clap for trek designers. Well done boys. Chapeau! After this article this XC bike has given me a delicious grin. Soo fun on the xc trails!
  • 3 1
 I would just like to go 1 day, on any site or magazine, without ebike content.
Not that I'm totally against them. Although I don't ride one and have no desire to, I have a couple of friends where injuries have took them off a non-motorized bike onto an ebike.
I'm just getting tired of ebikes taking up space.
Maybe an ebike only site?
  • 3 1
 Www.pinkmoped.com
  • 2 0
 I love it. My epic is 26.6lbs same as the trek without motor. I would love to have a bike I can train on that is that weight, and then on rest days when I just want to get out use the Ebike and save my legs. All of the climbs where I live are grueling and are tough on rest days and this gives me two bikes in one. Great job Trek
  • 4 2
 If I'm going to spend that much money to ride moto trails on an electric powered vehicle I may as well get one of these and have some fun.
www.ktm.com/en-us/models/e-ride/freeride/ktm-freeride-e-xc2021.html
  • 1 0
 @hamncheez: or a cross be a suron and something like the husq dh E(E downhill with steep seatube/dropper)
  • 1 0
 Are these not the ones where you can take the battery and motor out and you more or less have a normal bike. Ace! Think Lapierre do similar with more travel and also kinetics. Seems to tick a few boxes. I would never commit to spending all my money on an ebike
  • 6 5
 Carbon frame, carbon wheels, lithium battery.... queue obligatory...."what about the children, ocean and whales" comment.

Kidding aside, I really do care about the environment, but seeing someone other than myself get super fired up is a guilty pleasure of mine.
  • 7 6
 "It's not a full throttle with minimal effort style of ride, and riders will still need to have some fitness."
This is such a frustrating misconception.

As a passionate mountain bike rider I come home just as gassed ( if not more due to throwing around the heavier bike) as I would on my regular bike. I still give the same effort when climbing.
I just get more laps in less time. No need to faff around with shuttle vehicles or piss off the wife. Just bang out a bunch of fun fast and be done so that I can get back to running a business, being a dad etc.
  • 4 0
 For billy madisons accountant neighbor with the huge ass to blow up all your strava segments. coming to a trail near you!
  • 1 0
 Came on here to be like "not sure why this needed to exist..." but seems like several hundred people beat me to it.

I'm not an e-bike guy, but it seems like a lot of the appeal is that you can have big bike travel and tires without the penalty of having to muscle it to the top of the climbs...
  • 2 0
 And even still that's a misconception. The "penalty" of a modern enduro bike is minimal and only affecting probably the top 3% of cyclists and KOM hunters. I have a 10k foot day I repeat a few times a year, never felt like my big bike could ever be justified in being a moped because it's "harder" than my short travel.
  • 1 0
 @windclimber: I'm impressed you're riding an enduro bike on 10k foot days. I'm an XC/Marathon whippet, and I don't have a lot of days that big, even on my 21 lb Epic. I used to have a Stumpjumper, and it was definitely substantially worse to climb on than the Epic, but I felt like it was a particularly bobby bike to ride, especially out of the saddle.
  • 1 0
 @windclimber: I checked Strava, and I've actually *never* done a 10k day on a MTB. A couple on gravel and a bunch on road (including 16k through the Alps, up the Galibier), but yeah, wow, that's a lot on fat tires.
  • 1 0
 @nattyd: thanks, several of those days were (mostly) off road centuries too. If you saw my build, you'd think I might fit the bill of an e-dork, but I'm just a stubborn idiot with stamina.
  • 6 4
 All these negative comments. Have you all forgotten that bikes are toys and you're supposed to have fun on them. If this bike gets you to where you want to go and you have a great time then who frig'n cares.
  • 3 2
 “XX1 AXS has a SRAM XX1 AXS drivetrain, RockShox SID Uptimate 120mm fork, Kovee XXX carbon wheels, an XXX seatpost, and SRAM G2 Ultimate 4-piston brakes”

... then add a heavy-ass battery

Hahahahahahahahaha this is so stupid
  • 1 0
 Is this a joke? You really think XC riders want a heavy bike with a motor?
The whole point of E-bikes is that it makes it easier to pedal, which means you can have beefier suspension and components that otherwise drive away the weight weenies.

Now you take away ALL the advantages of both an XC and an E-bike, and you expect it to sell? HAH!
  • 1 0
 Unfortunately there's a lot of middle aged dentists and accountants that are a sight in lycra, who will fire roadie the hell out of something like this then congregate at the local Starbucks to discuss how much battery they used
  • 3 2
 LOFL, The Pinkbike Purist Parade is out in full force , displaying their disdain for e bikes in numbers that exceed a normal thread . There appears to be more interest in negativity than praise for their beloved Muscle Power only bikes . Ah youth , where immortality and eternal fitness reign supreme .
  • 1 0
 Liked "Pinkbike Purist Parade"

So many gate keepers. Lighten up Francis!
  • 1 0
 I honestly want to ride this bike and see if i could actually do good in a race. I’m very fast for about 1 min max. I would want to race this against some of the elite men and just see if i could even keep up. I doubt it but it could be fun.
  • 1 0
 I still don't get it. It seems to me like grooming all the steep gnarly ski runs so the intermediates can say they "skied" Corbet's or Rambo. I'm nearing 60 and while I can't put in the miles or the pace like I did 25 years ago, I still enjoy what I can under my own power.
  • 2 0
 This bike is for the rider who has an enduro e-bike and is hooked on them and now wants something racier. After this they get a road e-bike to go with their gravel e-bike.
  • 1 1
 The word you're looking for is "dentist"
  • 30 28
 This is sick. So many folks my parents age want an ebike but dont want a Fking kenevo with a dual crown. Would be great for bikepacking as my parents get older.
  • 11 2
 Not too many dual crown E on offer really.
  • 3 11
flag lefthandohvhater (Feb 25, 2021 at 8:22) (Below Threshold)
 @jrocksdh: brilliant thanks mate.
  • 12 7
 @lefthandohvhater: Exactly, haters are missing the point. I don't want an ebike personally, they're fun and all but not what I want. I see exactly who would want this kind of bike and it'd rock for the right person
  • 7 1
 @aharms: @aharms: I dunno man with the bike weighing around 40 lbs I barely see my dad trying to put it in the car to go trail riding. That being said, most of us are worried about a 60mm travel on a 40lb electric MTB. Its that moment when you go like cool concept, but is it REALLLLLY WORTH IT. and also 6.5 Grands sheesh
  • 3 0
 The 150/150 Turbo Levo and whatever ebike Orbrea just made is weight competitive with this "60mm" ebike
  • 7 5
 Man, I love Trek as a company but they are just way off the mark these days... This was a lame CC bike without the batter, just even lamer WITH the battery...
  • 3 1
 I bet this would sell well if marketed as a flat bar, full-suspension, gravel e-bike. That crowd seems to have money, and middle aged bellies to go with this rig.
  • 3 0
 An ebike a shuttle replacement makes some sense to me. What the hell this is supposed to serve, I'm not quite sure.
  • 5 1
 I'm really glad Trek had the courage to try something new.
  • 2 2
 This is so pointless. Why not just buy an e-bike with decent travel that’ll keep up with your XC racing mates anyway? If there’s an ebike that really needs building it’s something lightweight and that handles like a proper bike like the Orbea Rise or Levo SL but with Rallon/Enduro levels of travel. That would be amazing.
  • 1 0
 I wondered when Trek released the new Slash with the stash compartment even on alu models - was this serendipty from a future ebike design for where battery would go that they could re-brand for a different market?
  • 3 0
 trek should've bounced this idea off of pinkbike first, we could've saved them the embarrassment on this one.
  • 1 0
 Wow... that makes no sense whatsoever.. it's like Swiss Humour? Why bother.. someone who wants to ride an XC bike weighs 75kg at 1.8m and rides like the devil.. why does he need an engine???
  • 2 2
 Trek is going to sell every single one they make and PB comments will still be crying about it months from now. It might be time for everyone to just let it go and accept the fact that ebikes are here to stay and in the not so distant future they will outsell regular bikes and the world will move on.
  • 4 2
 So many of the haters today will own one someday in the future. It's inevitable.
  • 3 0
 I don't think the point of the criticism is that eBikes are bad. The point is that if you're gonna have a motor, it eliminates the big disincentive to a "bigger" bike, i.e. weight. So why make an e-bike that specifically declines the major advantage of eBikes: more capable tires, suspension, and brakes without hating yourself on every climb.

Like, very few XC riders (and I ride/race almost exclusively XC) choose to have short travel or no dropper post because it's a better riding experience. They choose those things because they're lighter, and thus you can go faster.
  • 1 0
 @nattyd have you ridden an eMTB with bigger travel like you describe? they're heavy and handle like shit.
  • 1 0
 @tegnamo: Nope, zero experience with eBikes. They're probably fun. But I spent 15 years getting fast on a bike, so I'm gonna enjoy that while it lasts.

I guess it just seems like this doesn't really fix the weight issue, since it's just as heavy as longer-travel eBikes
  • 3 0
 2021 Trek Ecaliber, winner in Pinkbike's most roasted bike of the decade award.
  • 1 1
 It's all good to mock and ridicule, but when eXC makes Trek millions, keep shouting your original opinion. The market is vast, and there are a diversity needs out there, even for eXC bikes. Sure, I think it's stupid and would never buy one, but I bet they'll sell like hotcakes.
  • 3 1
 LOL at people complaining about the weight. Willing to bet they are not all 155lb Nino Schurters. What... All 190lbs of yourself doesn't count?
  • 1 0
 On my average Marin Headlands ride I see about 3 Turbo Levo's with 150mm of travel. Since it's mostly fire roads, those folks would be much better of with this E-Caliber: it'll sell like hotcakes. It is dumb though
  • 5 4
 My last ride on a Levo SL - I spent 57% in Zone2 and 14% in Zone3. For 23miles and 4k of climbing. I'm decently fit, can do the same ride on my acoustic bike, but would have taken at least 60-90mins longer.
  • 12 0
 It's called a "bike". Not an acoustic bike. Just a bike.
  • 3 1
 With e-bikes looking more and more like regular bikes, how am I gonna know who to hassle on the trails where they're banned? /s
  • 4 1
 Don't worry, they'll tell you, call you a luddite, then moped off into the sunset
  • 2 0
 $12,500. Twelve thousand, five hundred dollars. A KTM Freeride e-XC will run you $10,500. It will hold it's value better and if nothing else, will be worth more in scrap.
  • 1 1
 Then go buy a motorcycle!
  • 1 0
 @mlxjohn: I think he was saying to get the motorbike instead of the motor-cycle
  • 2 0
 I need to see the Venn diagram for the expected customer base of this bike.

The lazy cool young wannabe-downhiller x middle-aged beer-bellied Riva del Garda tourist?
  • 3 0
 The bike for a person who wants a fitness bike to feel fast, but just doesnt like the fitness part
  • 1 0
 Outside of old people on crusher fines, what's the use for this? I guess I could use it to climb all the local DH trails that are otherwise too steep and try to force people to yield to me...

-W
  • 1 0
 It’s the trifecta of things Pinkbike commenters hate! How perfect!

1) Treks that aren’t sessions
2) E bikes
3) XC bikes

You couldn’t do any better to get hated on if you tried!
  • 4 1
 Finally the 35lb XC bike I was looking for
\
  • 2 2
 If I'm going to spend that much money to ride moto trails on an electric vehicle I might as well get one of and have some fun.

www.ktm.com/en-us/models/e-ride/freeride/ktm-freeride-e-xc2021.html
  • 3 0
 Why would you need an e xc mtb? I tho the point of xc was to pedal
  • 2 3
 you guys are all ridiculous! Does riding the lightest possible e-mtb as fast as you possibly could on trails that you never get to ride at the same speed CONTINUOUSLY sound that crazy? Idk e-bikes are fun as hell, I'd get a kick out of ripping this...if I had 12k laying around.

It's about your power output and how much fun/utility you can have with something that amplifies it

blah blah purists blah blah....don't buy an e-bike
  • 1 0
 Ripping fast with 60mm of rear travel... Dont know the trails you ride, but that doesnt sound like a good time for my ankles or ass...
  • 1 0
 @scitrainer: cmaaaan dont be soft
  • 1 0
 Can someone remind me how much that new carbon fiber Ducati costs? About the same price as the top of the line carbon bicycles right?
  • 3 1
 Have we seen many bike park E bikes? Husq has a triple crown but haven't seen many others with rear of 180+(dh)
  • 5 0
 Specialized Kenevo?
  • 2 0
 smoother, faster, and more comfortable than a gravel bike. And a lot more capable
  • 3 0
 Does this thing actually not have a dropper post?
  • 2 0
 I guess now the whole XC weight weenie strategy is out the door. Now the new XC strategy is bigger battery.
  • 3 0
 April 1st already? Sweet, trails must be dried out by now.
  • 1 0
 So its like a supercaliber which is a lovely light fun to even go uphill on bike that they have boshed a motor and battery in doubling the weight ?
  • 2 0
 bruhhh. Lets make a light bike heavy, but still have it descend like an xc bike.
  • 2 0
 If it made a fake motor noise like an electric car I would definitely buy one , maybe two ...
  • 2 0
 Disclaimer "and riders will stil need to have some fitness" How scary does that sound.
  • 3 0
 An overweight accountant in Wisconsin with a rapha kit two sizes two small is penning an angry email as we speak.
  • 2 0
 Not sure which I'd feel less buyer's remorse over purchasing... This or the specialized carbon strider bike.
  • 1 0
 Not a softtail, but has already been done: Focus Raven.

If it exists, especially now, there's (and has been) a market for it.
  • 2 0
 So we now have a XC e-bike but still no true DH e-bike. I live in a strange world
  • 3 0
 Baby jesus cries every time you touch your e-bike...
  • 2 0
 Just my opinion, but I think Trek would have been better off using the Top Fuel as a base for this bike...
  • 1 0
 Sir / Madam, with the purchase of your beautiful new ECaliber can I interest you in some of this crypto currency too? You are obviously a very discerning customer.
  • 2 0
 they're just gonna be like opra with ebikes, you get a motor and you get a motor
  • 3 0
 This is just silly enough to cover most of the e-bike demographics.
  • 1 0
 Let me go find myself a "world cup level racing" friend first; then I will be in the market for this.
  • 2 0
 I'm holding out for the peloton e-bike
  • 3 1
 Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
  • 4 2
 I don't get it. Why would I want this over a Levo SL??
  • 2 0
 Does it come with push assist too? For getting up big hills?
  • 3 1
 $12.5K to keep up with all my WC XC friends, SOLD. Amazing marketing angle
  • 9 1
 Yeah, you'll be able to keep up for like a grand total of 20 km with that tiny battery and then you'll have to pedal around a 18 kg anchor of a bike
  • 4 6
 I don't know about yall, but this bike seems like the perfect midwest rip stick. A lot of guys around me ride lots of miles on roads to get to trail heads and each xc trail system is +10 miles. This looks like the future of midwest MTB to me!
  • 1 1
 Rain mode, Black Pepper tune, Breeze, River and Rocket assist. Trek’s marketing team is as nauseating as their Split Pivot stealing legal department. Hard pass.
  • 5 4
 Everything about this just seems completely wrong. Incredibly pointless really.
  • 2 0
 That looks a lot better than some of the other trek eBikes.
  • 1 0
 No mention you can only fit one bottle now!? Whats the point of the iso strut then lol.
  • 1 0
 A 60mm travel bike that is super firm with a “get after it” head angle.... nah.
  • 2 0
 Funny but I bet they are already sold out haha
  • 3 1
 Massive insult to cross country riding.
  • 3 1
 Just because you can doesn't mean you should
  • 1 1
 They aren't kidding ???? No surprise to me every kid in my neighborhood has an E-Bike in one form or fashion, now their dentist dad's can have one too.
  • 1 0
 I thought a Trek E was a fan of a popular space travel TV show, 'that's bikes Jim but not as we know it!'
  • 3 0
 I don't get it
  • 2 0
 Just here for the comments
  • 2 0
 I'm going back to moto...fuck this.
  • 1 0
 I think this is specifically to win e-bike World Champs races. For anyone buying their own bike to have fun, terrible.
  • 1 0
 Can't wait for the UCI World XC E-bike races. It will now be survival of the biggest battery.
  • 1 0
 Ho! I can ebike as a warm up to my xc race, ditch the battery, race, then ebike home!!! Frick this is stupid
  • 3 0
 KTM 500EXC 12,000
  • 2 1
 Watching you all lose your shit everytime an ebike story comes up is almost as awesome as friday fails.
  • 1 0
 zip ties on a mountain bike in the year 2021? Just silly...
  • 3 1
 sed
  • 7 6
 Moar lightweight, well integrated ebikes, the better.
  • 4 2
 I don't get it.
  • 1 1
 anybody rode the non-motorized version of this and the LiteSpeed Unicoi - comparison??
  • 8 7
 Or, for 95% of riders, just put your big boy pants on and PEDAL!
  • 2 1
 Lighter than a lot of enduro bikes I see.
  • 2 2
 Levy!Levy! Levy! Levy! Levy! Levy! Levy! Levy! Levy! Levy! Levy! Levy! Levy! Levy! Levy!
  • 2 0
 Specialized is ruling the e bike business.
  • 2 1
 Not an ebike fan, but hell yes that's the way to go!
  • 2 1
 one question..............why????
  • 1 0
 But why??? I wonder how that thin carbon that flexes handle the weight?
  • 4 2
 please nobody buy this
  • 1 0
 Next step, the e-caliber evo. Now with 80mm rear travel and 160mm front!
  • 1 0
 A flat bar E-Gravel bike playing XC dress up.
  • 2 0
 Is it April already?
  • 1 0
 12,000 dollar e-bikes with DROPPER POSTS were over-rated anyway.
  • 1 0
 I would ride this bike. I would not buy this bike however.
  • 1 0
 One one hand, the F*&% is this? On the other hand, the F#@$ is this?
  • 1 0
 MichaelJordanStopGetHelp.gif
  • 1 0
 Is it just me or does that Kashima look reddish?
  • 1 0
 It's a bike that doesn't know what it is.
  • 1 0
 Will sell them all, Depends how many they make?
100 yes
10,000 no?
  • 1 0
 my instagram will never keep up with me now
  • 1 0
 I just don't like this...
  • 1 0
 Pinkbike Tenor : „Mimimimi“
  • 2 1
 Why?
  • 1 1
 Biggest bunch of purist snowflakes I've ever witnessed. Triggered!
  • 1 3
 It looks great.... then its $12k!

I love the idea of e-machines but I have not spent that much on bikes in the last 10 years and I aint starting now.
  • 2 2
 I don't even know what to say.
  • 5 4
 gross
  • 1 2
 Interesting. Explain.
  • 5 3
 @ultimatist:
Easy, look at it.
  • 1 0
 Quite the dichotomy
  • 2 2
 Now this. Is stupidity at its finest.
  • 2 2
 Wouldn't it just be easier and cheaper to take a shitload of EPO?
  • 1 0
 But why?
  • 1 0
 Punching the air rn
  • 3 4
 At least now they will always have a bike in stock.
  • 6 6
 LOL E13 CRANKS
  • 2 5
 For nearly twenty thousand dollars I’d expect Shimano XRT Pro Gen 2084 cranks!
  • 7 0
 @Hayden2248MTB: Although $12,500 is not cheap, it is definitely not "nearly" $20k.
  • 2 2
 so dumb yet so light
  • 2 3
 Looks like a ..............turd
  • 1 1
 shudder Frown
  • 1 1
 Grotesque!!
  • 1 2
 Yes, a new product from Honda! Here we go!
  • 3 4
 uhhh file this under electric motorcycles.
  • 3 6
 Plastic, an engine, upside down stem, no tread on the tyres. Almost everything I hate in Mountain Biking. Good job!!
  • 2 3
 Can you say boomerbike
  • 2 4
 Must they?
  • 7 9
 My Levo SL just lol'd
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