Vitus E-Sommet VR eMTB - Review
Vitus Bicycles have a huge heritage in road cycling, where they were one of the first companies to create frames from alloy tubes bonded into alloy lugs without welding. Nowadays, Vitus is part of the ChainReaction group and sell a whole range of bikes directly online.The E-Sommet is their first eMTB, and takes its basic shape from the human-powered Sommet enduro platform.
The E-Sommet boasts 170mm of travel at the fore with a RockShox Lyrik, matched with a Super Deluxe rear shock controlling the 160mm of rear travel. The build kit is reasonable and chosen to reflect the bike's travel and intended use, which is basically a short travel downhill bike with an electric winch to get you back to the top. Thanks to the direct sale model, the E-Sommet drops in at a bargain £3599 GBP (€4078 approx.).
E-Sommet VR Details
Intended use: trail / enduro / self-shuttling DH
Travel: 160mm rear / 170mm front
Wheel size: 27.5"
Frame construction: Hydroformed Triple Butted 6061-T6 Aluminium
Suspension: RockShox Lyrik RC / Super Deluxe RC3
Motor: Shimano STEPS E8000
Battery: Shimano external 504wh
Sizes: S, M, L, XL
Weight: 22.39kg (XL, tubeless, DDown tyres, w/o pedals, actual.)
Price: £3599 GBP (€4078 approx.).
More info: vitusbikes.com
Intended use: trail / enduro / self-shuttling DH
Travel: 160mm rear / 170mm front
Wheel size: 27.5"
Frame construction: Hydroformed Triple Butted 6061-T6 Aluminium
Suspension: RockShox Lyrik RC / Super Deluxe RC3
Motor: Shimano STEPS E8000
Battery: Shimano external 504wh
Sizes: S, M, L, XL
Weight: 22.39kg (XL, tubeless, DDown tyres, w/o pedals, actual.)
Price: £3599 GBP (€4078 approx.).
More info: vitusbikes.com
 | Despite the 23kg weight, the E-Sommet rides with incredible lightness and agility, it simply floats over the terrain, pops easily and changes lean direction on a dime. |
Contents
Construction, Features and Motor
The E-Sommet uses a full hydroformed tube set made from 6061-T6 aluminium. The chosen motor is a Shimano STEPS E-8000 system that is becoming commonplace in the eMTB market, if not taking over. This motor is linked to a standard Shimano external battery mounted on top of the downtube.
![There s a bunch of housing hidden out of view under the shock]()
The frame meets the standard requirements of 2018 including a tapered head tube, internal cable routing, Boost hub spacing, and post mount brake adaptors. There is nothing fancy on this bike; everything is just there to do a job at a good price.
![The Shimano motor is protected by a bashguard which took the brunt of a few impacts.]()
There is one potential deal breaker, though – no bottle cage...
![Nukeproof take care of the handlebar and stem]()
![Shimano s external battery my choice at the moment for a small light and easy to change power pack]()
![Super Deluxe]()
![Shimano s motor and crankset were as relaible as ever.]()
The E-Sommet uses a full hydroformed tube set made from 6061-T6 aluminium. The chosen motor is a Shimano STEPS E-8000 system that is becoming commonplace in the eMTB market, if not taking over. This motor is linked to a standard Shimano external battery mounted on top of the downtube.
There's a bunch of housing hidden out of view under the shock
The frame meets the standard requirements of 2018 including a tapered head tube, internal cable routing, Boost hub spacing, and post mount brake adaptors. There is nothing fancy on this bike; everything is just there to do a job at a good price.
The Shimano motor is protected by a bashguard which took the brunt of a few impacts.
There is one potential deal breaker, though – no bottle cage...
Nukeproof take care of the cockpit with an 800mm handlebar and 35mm stem.
Shimano's external battery, my preferred choice at the moment for a small, light, and easy to change power pack.
The RockShox Super Deluxe RC3 offers air spring, rebound, and a compression adjust lever for climbing.
Shimano's motor and crankset were as reliable as ever.
Geometry & Sizing
![Vitus E-Sommet Geometry]()
The E-Sommet has a range of sizes spread that grow approximately 20mm between each size between S and XL, giving reach numbers between 435mm and 493mm. The headtube also grows 10mm per size to increase the stack height as well as the reach. There's a 65.5º head angle up front and 75º effective seat angle, linked with a 444mm chainstay, which is on the shorter side for an eMTB. The bottom bracket is low with -25mm drop below the axles, and between these axles is a lengthy 1267mm wheelbase for the XL size tested.
The E-Sommet has a range of sizes spread that grow approximately 20mm between each size between S and XL, giving reach numbers between 435mm and 493mm. The headtube also grows 10mm per size to increase the stack height as well as the reach. There's a 65.5º head angle up front and 75º effective seat angle, linked with a 444mm chainstay, which is on the shorter side for an eMTB. The bottom bracket is low with -25mm drop below the axles, and between these axles is a lengthy 1267mm wheelbase for the XL size tested.
Suspension Design
![Side view]()
The E-Sommet uses a Horst link suspension layout, but with the lower shock mount attached to the chainstay. The means the shock is pushed upwards from the chainstay, and downwards by the upper rocker link simultaneously.
![Vitus E-Sommet Review - Pedal kickback]()
![A trunnion-mounted RockShox Super Deluxe takes care of the 165mm of rear travel]()
![Vitus E-Sommet Leverage Ratio]()
![Vitus E-Sommet Review - Anti-squat]()
The E-Sommet uses a Horst link suspension layout, but with the lower shock mount attached to the chainstay. The means the shock is pushed upwards from the chainstay, and downwards by the upper rocker link simultaneously.
Vitus ESommet Pedal Kickback
A trunnion-mounted RockShox Super Deluxe takes care of the 160mm of rear travel
Vitus E-Sommet Leverage Ratio
Vitus E-Sommet Anti-squat
Build
![Nukeproof saddle]()
![The XT drivetrain still isn t the ideal eMTB option.]()
![Vitus lock-on grips and Shimano XT shifter on the right.]()
![Nukeproof take care of the handlebar and stem]()
For the price of £3599 (there is an even cheaper version for £3199 too), the build gets off to a good start with a Lyrik RC and Super Deluxe RC3 shock. The Guide RE brakes with 200mm rotors are a great option that challenge, or beat the power of the bigger Code R brakes, although they're not as powerful as the RSC with the SwingLink in the lever body. A mix of XT and SLX drivetrain puts the power to the DT-Swiss M1900 wheelset.
Finishing touches are well thought out for such an aggressive machine, including the slim Vitus lock-on grips, the 800mm Nukeproof bar (780mm S/M sizes) and 35mm stem. A Tranz-X seatpost with 150mm drop is topped with a Nukeproof saddle. Finally, there are a pair of Maxxis Minion DHF tires, in the chunky 2.5" WT width and DoubleDown casing.
![Guide RE levers]()
![Guide RE brakes with 200mm rotors front and rear.]()
Nukeproof also supply the saddle
The XT drivetrain still isn't the ideal option for the extra power of an eMTB.
Vitus lock-on grips and Shimano XT shifter on the right.
Nukeproof take care of the handlebar and stem
For the price of £3599 (there is an even cheaper version for £3199 too), the build gets off to a good start with a Lyrik RC and Super Deluxe RC3 shock. The Guide RE brakes with 200mm rotors are a great option that challenge, or beat the power of the bigger Code R brakes, although they're not as powerful as the RSC with the SwingLink in the lever body. A mix of XT and SLX drivetrain puts the power to the DT-Swiss M1900 wheelset.
Finishing touches are well thought out for such an aggressive machine, including the slim Vitus lock-on grips, the 800mm Nukeproof bar (780mm S/M sizes) and 35mm stem. A Tranz-X seatpost with 150mm drop is topped with a Nukeproof saddle. Finally, there are a pair of Maxxis Minion DHF tires, in the chunky 2.5" WT width and DoubleDown casing.
Guide RE brakes with 200mm rotors front and rear.
Specifications
![Specification]()
| Specifications | ||
| Release Date | Spring '18 | |
| Price | $3599 | |
| Travel | 170mm / 160mm | |
| Rear Shock | Rockshox Super Deluxe RC3 | |
| Fork | Rockshox Lyrik RC | |
| Headset | FSA | |
| Cassette | Shimano SLX, 11-46T | |
| Crankarms | Shimano STEPS E-motor | |
| Chainguide | Shimano STEPS E-motor | |
| Bottom Bracket | Shimano STEPS E-motor | |
| Rear Derailleur | Shimano XT | |
| Chain | KMC X11E | |
| Shifter Pods | Shimano SLX | |
| Handlebar | Nukeproof alloy 25mm / 800mm | |
| Stem | Nukeproof alloy | |
| Grips | Vitus | |
| Brakes | SRAM Guide RE | |
| Wheelset | DT Swiss M1900 | |
| Tires | Maxxis Minion DHF 2.5 3C/TR | |
| Seat | Nukeproof Neutron | |
| Seatpost | TRANZ-X 150mm drop | |
Test Bike Setup
Finale Ligure served as the rocky test zone for the Vitus E-Sommet, and where better to test such an aggressive eMTB. I rode the XL sized bike which has a 493mm reach and 35mm stem. Thanks to the 800mm bar being my preferred width and slim lock on grips, the bike was raring to go.
After some fiddling, I settled on the suspension with 20% sag front with three Bottomless Tokens, and 25% rear with the shock maxed out with three tokens. +4 clicks of LSC on the Lyrik and the shock open, rebound set fairly fast front and rear. 24/26psi in the Double Down tires (tubeless) seemed ideal for uphill traction while giving enough support for heading down the hill.
Overall, Vitus ship a bike that, with the addition of pedals and air pressure, is ready to go straight up and then down the gnarliest trail you can find.
Paul Aston
Location: Finale Ligure, Italy
Age: 32
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 75kg
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @astonator
KM's ridden: ca.500
Location: Finale Ligure, Italy
Age: 32
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 75kg
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @astonator
KM's ridden: ca.500
Climbing
The Vitus has the most upright and far forward saddle position of any eMTB to date by a few millimeters, (measured 185 millimeters behind the BB at my 795mm saddle height from BB), this makes it climbing easier when it gets steep. The short-ish 444mm chainstay counters this slightly compared to bikes with longer chainstays, but the long front end and slack head angle leave the front wheel out front as a counterweight to keep the front down. The long front center did make it tough to keep the front end on track on tight switchbacks, it needed precise attention and power control, but I think this is more of an issue with saddle position and chainstay length than the front wheel position.
The E-Sommet has -13mm of pedal kickback at full travel (where the cranks are forced to rotate backward from the chain tension); this seems to be much less than most eMTB's which allows the E-Sommet to float nicely when pedaling through, and over rough terrain.
![Vitus E-Sommet Review]()
The Vitus has the most upright and far forward saddle position of any eMTB to date by a few millimeters, (measured 185 millimeters behind the BB at my 795mm saddle height from BB), this makes it climbing easier when it gets steep. The short-ish 444mm chainstay counters this slightly compared to bikes with longer chainstays, but the long front end and slack head angle leave the front wheel out front as a counterweight to keep the front down. The long front center did make it tough to keep the front end on track on tight switchbacks, it needed precise attention and power control, but I think this is more of an issue with saddle position and chainstay length than the front wheel position.
The E-Sommet has -13mm of pedal kickback at full travel (where the cranks are forced to rotate backward from the chain tension); this seems to be much less than most eMTB's which allows the E-Sommet to float nicely when pedaling through, and over rough terrain.
Descending
After getting the suspension dialled, which took a few rides to get the correct amount of spacers I needed and air pressure, not too soft, not too hard, but just right, the E-Sommet came into its element – hands down the best descending and cornering eMTB to date, being stable with my hands far enough behind the front axle of the 170mm fork even in really steep terrain, and railing corners like a downhill bike.
To the non-E-believers, you're going to be heading straight to the comments section now, as I say that despite the 23kg weight, the E-Sommet rides with incredible lightness and agility, it simply floats over the terrain, pops easily and changes lean direction on a dime.
At 329mm from the floor, the bottom bracket is also the lowest eMTB tested to date, especially considering the 160mm travel; this gave added to the stability of the bike and really helps it to tear through corners with tonnes of available grip. The downside of this being the shorter cranks that were striking the ground more on the climbs – but, luckily, the short crank revolution is coming with Ghost already fitting 155mm cranks, E*13 making aftermarket solutions, Bosch supposedly have something in the works, and Miranda have options ready to buy from 150-170mm in 5mm increments.
![Vitus E-Sommet Review]()
After getting the suspension dialled, which took a few rides to get the correct amount of spacers I needed and air pressure, not too soft, not too hard, but just right, the E-Sommet came into its element – hands down the best descending and cornering eMTB to date, being stable with my hands far enough behind the front axle of the 170mm fork even in really steep terrain, and railing corners like a downhill bike.
To the non-E-believers, you're going to be heading straight to the comments section now, as I say that despite the 23kg weight, the E-Sommet rides with incredible lightness and agility, it simply floats over the terrain, pops easily and changes lean direction on a dime.
At 329mm from the floor, the bottom bracket is also the lowest eMTB tested to date, especially considering the 160mm travel; this gave added to the stability of the bike and really helps it to tear through corners with tonnes of available grip. The downside of this being the shorter cranks that were striking the ground more on the climbs – but, luckily, the short crank revolution is coming with Ghost already fitting 155mm cranks, E*13 making aftermarket solutions, Bosch supposedly have something in the works, and Miranda have options ready to buy from 150-170mm in 5mm increments.
How does it compare?
The Vitus is by far the cheapest eMTB I've tested to date by a full £1000. Compared to some bikes that cost twice the price, it outrides most of them. For example, the €5250 Thok Mig-R offers similar spec but is more expensive, and is out-descended by the lower, longer, Vitus which also has more travel. The Thok fights back, though, with more ground clearance, better climbing characteristics on tight corners and a more expensive construction due to their fully customized tube set over 'open-mold' products.
The Vitus is by far the cheapest eMTB I've tested to date by a full £1000. Compared to some bikes that cost twice the price, it outrides most of them. For example, the €5250 Thok Mig-R offers similar spec but is more expensive, and is out-descended by the lower, longer, Vitus which also has more travel. The Thok fights back, though, with more ground clearance, better climbing characteristics on tight corners and a more expensive construction due to their fully customized tube set over 'open-mold' products.
Thok's Mig-R is more expensive than the E-Sommet with a similar build
Technical Report
![The Trans-X dropper lever and Shimano motor control had a few spacing issues on the left hand side of the handlebar.]()
![The Tranz-X seatpost was reliable throughout the test.]()
![Minion DHF tyres in a DoubleDown casing were spec d front and rear great to see on a bike at this price.]()
![The DT Swiss M1900 wheelset took plenty of big hits but were unscathed bar a few dings.]()
Ascend Dropper: The stealth routed 150mm drop post from Ascend worked without issue. I did struggle to get it into a decent position where I could reach in along with the STEPS control lever. One of the stem bolts was also blocked by the Shimano display which made it difficult to tighten – both bolt heads on the left-hand side, please.
Minion DHF, DoubleDown 2.5" WT: The DoubleDown Minion DHF tires are a great choice for eMTB. A much better choice than floppy and fragile plus-sized tires.
DT Swiss M1900 Wheelset: DT now have a full range of 'Hybrid' wheels that are optimized for eMTB in various ways. These M1900's are not, but they performed without problem, and gave a good shape to the 2.5" Minions. A few slight dings here and there, but they stayed true to fight many more days after 500km of riding.
The Ascend dropper lever and Shimano motor control had a few spacing issues on the left-hand side of the handlebar.
The Ascend seatpost was reliable throughout the test.
Minion DHF tires in a DoubleDown casing were spec'd front and rear, great to see on a bike at this price.
The DT Swiss M1900 wheelset took plenty of big hits, but were unscathed bar a few dings.
Ascend Dropper: The stealth routed 150mm drop post from Ascend worked without issue. I did struggle to get it into a decent position where I could reach in along with the STEPS control lever. One of the stem bolts was also blocked by the Shimano display which made it difficult to tighten – both bolt heads on the left-hand side, please.
Minion DHF, DoubleDown 2.5" WT: The DoubleDown Minion DHF tires are a great choice for eMTB. A much better choice than floppy and fragile plus-sized tires.
DT Swiss M1900 Wheelset: DT now have a full range of 'Hybrid' wheels that are optimized for eMTB in various ways. These M1900's are not, but they performed without problem, and gave a good shape to the 2.5" Minions. A few slight dings here and there, but they stayed true to fight many more days after 500km of riding.
Pros
+ Bargain price
+ Great component choice
+ Plenty of travel and geometry for hardcore riding
Cons
- Not the king of climbing, but above average
- Cranks are long compared to bottom bracket height
Is this the bike for you?
If you want to get on the eMTB bandwagon for the lowest price and with great descending performance, then yes. Grab a pair of Miranda's 150/155mm cranks and the climbing will be superb too. Clever component choice leaves the door open for sensible upgrades which would start with the drivetrain, and a spare wheelset for mud. Actually, before all of that, get a second battery and a suitable riding pack and you will be having the rides of your life.
If you want to get on the eMTB bandwagon for the lowest price and with great descending performance, then yes. Grab a pair of Miranda's 150/155mm cranks and the climbing will be superb too. Clever component choice leaves the door open for sensible upgrades which would start with the drivetrain, and a spare wheelset for mud. Actually, before all of that, get a second battery and a suitable riding pack and you will be having the rides of your life.
Pinkbike's Take
| The E-Sommet really did tick all the boxes for me, after a couple of minor tweaks it would be close to 'perfect'. Great price, spec and ride quality. |
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Could you tell me how many tokens the shock came fitted with? and what shock/fork psi are you running? I removed all the tokens from the fork but have been happy with the rear shocks progression but have no idea how many tokens are in there.
I have been riding my E-Sommet for a couple of months now (500miles) and just can't get enough time on it. it's a ridiculously good bike and only gets better as you learn how to use the added weight to your advantage instead of wrestling it. The only thing I've changed on mine are the tyres to tubeless exos (which brought the complete weight down to 46lb and livened up the ride) and the grips to sensus as I ride gloveless. the bike has held up amazingly well to mainly thouands of feet of climbing to access DH/Enduro descents.
One thing I will say though to anyone buying this bike is do a thorough bolt check like you would a with new DH bike. My crank pinchbolts were loose enough the L/H crank arm came clean off during an early ride. Also the wheel sensor kept twisting out of alignment especially if I'd been throwing whips and not landing perfectly straight I eventually realised this was down to the spokes being straight pull and the spoke twisting in the hub rather than the magnet slipping .
Your recommendation to buy shorter cranks interests me. I run 165mm cranks on all my other bikes (including my roadbike) and would have preferred them on this but for pedalling rather than clearance as I don't feel the bike really needs them for the latter but that's more to do with the fact I already ride lower BB bikes and have done for over a decade so pedal strikes are a non issue.
I really don't see the need for waterbottle mounts but it is do-able (mounted to the top tube with aftermarket bottle mounts, You mention purchacing a spare battery, if you can cope with carrying around a 7lb lump of Li-ion cells surely some water in your pack wouldn't be much worse? Personally I can't think of much worse than carrying a heavy bag on such a brilliantly descending and playful bike.
One other thing to watch out for is Vitus only ream the seat tube to between 165-175mm insertion (probably to stop anyone dropping the seatpost down too far and damaging the frame. I'm 5'11" with a 33" inseam and my E-Sommet is a small (I wanted it to ride more like my 26" wheel DH bikes than the currently fashionable looong Enduro bikes) so ordered a oneUp 170mm post for it but despite me being a lot taller than recommended height for a small the lower portion of the post it wouldn't quite insert deeply enough to use the post at full extension. I asked Vitus about havin it reamed out further but as expected they told me it wold invalidate the warranty. FWIW a 150mm brand X fits fine with room to spare. (I only wanted more roo for manualling anyway, it descends and jumps everything absolutely fine at 150mm drop)
The shock came with 2x tokens fitted, I added one more and 175psi. Rebound set fast.
The fork came with 2x and I also added one more, 85psi and +2 LSC. Rebound fast again. This gave about 20% rear sag and 10-12% front. I find I run the eMTB's with about 5-10% less sag than I would with a normal bike to support the extra weight of the motor/battery pushing it through the travel too easily. Dynamic sag will be more than a normal bike due to the weight so you will get a similar feeling.
You're 100% correct about using the weight to your advantage, I think it takes about 10 good rides for people to adjust their timing to use the weight to their benefit - the only time I ever feel held back on an eMTB now is doing pure bunnyhops, any kind of roots or rock to kick off I can hop or jump the same as a super light bike.
I often head out and ride the most horrible technical climbs I can that are full of rocks, so I like the extra short cranks to help with clearance, I also ride flats which have less clearance on average than clip pedals. For €50 it worth a punt on the Miranda's.
The battery is 2.6kg, so I have been using the Ergon eMTB pack with just a couple of tools in it and few spares, so probably not any heavier than many riders packs full of water, tools, clothes, food etc. Depending on how and where you ride you can keep the spare battery at home/in the car/ hidden at the bottom of the trail you are lapping.
Thanks for the info.
I prefer my fork more linear so run no tokens, no compression and reasonably quick rebound and 87psi. Shock rebound one click from full fast and 205psi (27%Sag) and the stock (2?) tokens. the bike is a lot less progressive than my other 170mm bike (YT Capra) but I feel because of the weight and added grip the ESommet has and slightly different riding style required less progressive suspension works well with it anyway. I'm 5'11" and 200lb but choose to ride a small. I'm more of a rear wheel rider and just don't enjoy long reach bikes. Hence the suspension set up and lack of need for fork tokens
I don't ride mine with a pack at all, have a tiny Dakine frame bag with CO2, tool and tube strapped to the underside of the top tube and don't really need a drink on a most Ebike rides under 2.5-3hrs. (big drink before and re-hydrate after). if it's warm I have a minimalist runners waterbottle waist belt that holds a 500ml bottle and has a tiny zipped pocket for car key/money.
Some of my fav local ride (that I no longer feel fit enough to ride regularly) are around 45-50 miles
Will a second battery comfortably achieve this range?
I'm 200lb. local from the door riding isn't awfully hilly but I spend more time riding mine in the Scottish Borders where 4000ft in 10miles isn't uncommon.
I only have the one battery.
Shuttling fireroads/singletrack climbs to ride DH tracks on my own I tend to use boost for every climb and willl get around 4500ft of elevation out of a fully charged battery. If the climbs are super steep or rough or muddy this will reduce that range by upto 25%
Only using Eco I have never managed to use a whole battery charge. Riding anywhere flat (and smooth) means I'm usually pedalling above the 15mph assist limit though and not using any battery at all.
45miles is the furthest I've ridden mine, but climbing was less than 4500ft on that ride and using a mixture of all 3 modes I still had one bar left.
For longer rides I generally still use my normal bikes.
Proper long rides I only do on a roadbike.
hope some of this helps.
Thanks.
I’m around 110 kg but relatively fit. My bigger rides have around 3000 ft but to be fair a lot of the climbing is getting me where I want to be. We have some hellish steep climbs I currently avoid because of their impact on my overall energy my ride length would be greatly reduced if I could take the edge out of those steep climbs.
It sounds like initially it’s trial and error. I’m really just looking for something for xc duties, I intend to keep my dh rig.
Am I likely to be overbiked on the sommet?
To be honest I was looking at the focus jam and the turbo levo.
But the value on this bad boy just screams at you.
I don’t think I’ve ever been in a situation where I have had ask if I had too much travel it seems obvious when you have to pedal it all under your own steam.
Having the motor assist has muddied the water a bit. I could probably run a hardtail on a lot of my local distance rides but where is the fun in that!!
Perhaps 170 is the new 140??
I do ride mine locally too and local from the door riding here is extremely XC orientated. it breathes new life into your tired old XC routes TBH. it's like a FFWD for the rubbish slow bits and an absolute blast on the fun bits. What it's not so great at is flat smooth hardpack riding or riding flat roads between trails.. The assist on all UK Emtbs switches off at under15mph and on my normal bike I ride a lot of the flat parts at 17/18mph. it's still not rubbish riding it above the assist. but you certainly feel the difference.I'm actually a bit slower on a 10minute flat technical (rooty) loop on my sommet than I am on my normal bikes.but it's more fun on the ESommet. it has great pedalling characteristics and the suspension isn't wallowy in the slightest (unless you run too much sag),
I'm just over half an hours drive from Innerleithen and the rest of the tweed valley which is where the bike really shines. Gone are hours and hours of trudging up fire roads to do a couple of DH and hello to 2hr blasts taking in a days worth of descents.Oh... and the bike is actually a more capable (and v.slightly faster) decender than my normal 170mm Enduro bike. Even switched off.
Prety sure the Vitus is lighter than a Levo, and I think the Focus is only lighter because it has a smaller battery.(and less range). And Yeah. it's incredible value. The bike performs like a heavier nukeproof Mega and is spec'd more or less the same as a Mega.Pro (£3350) it's like CRC are giving you the motor and battery for free.
Do yourself a favour, if you are riding mainly XC and it's not overly rocky. Switch the tyres to a harder compound, lighter set and go tubeless. it takes 3lb off the weight and the faster rolling speed, acceleration and nimbleness completely transforms the handling of the bike.
That probably goes for all Emtbs. they really don't need the almost DH spec (or plus size) tyres they al seem to come spec'd with. Just be sensible with tyre pressures. As you should anyway with an singleply/Exo tyre.
Thanks bud.
I think I’m pretty much convinced.
I had considered maybe running a standard 29” wheel for my more xc routes.
I just need them to come back in stock in a large
I always have to hold back when i see E-bike articles, because i really think that it's a different kind of sports!
E-bikes as an alternative to petrol engines, yeah, as an alternative to a real mountainbike, nah, not for me!
I don't "hate" people riding E-Bikes but i simply can't see myself riding 1 ... (Am i a bad person ? ;-) )
At some point in my life, i may want to buy one... the reason? injury, illness, handicap, or simply age ...
But for now: NO, it ruins my "romantic" adventure view of mountainbiking!
I bike uphill, i hike uphill, i sweat my ass off, i get blisters, i curse the whole world, but i do it WITHOUT a frickin' motor!
An then there are other factors:
- I really like playful bikes, and E-bikes are NOT playful, a 23Kg Bike makes no sense for me!
- Batteries (compatibility - ecological impact)
- trail access
- ...
Well i'll stop there, now vote me down into oblivion please!
Technology develops fast - who knows what we will be able to ride in 30 years
The issue most of us has, is when we see perfectly healthy people, even if unfit, on an e-bike. Sure maybe we shouldn't care what other people do and want, but this trend of numbing things down because they are hard is highway to hell, and we should resist, if not for us then for future generations... you know the whole "today it's an exeption, tomorrow it's normal" thing.
Biking is a sport, it shouldn't become sitting on your ass doing "almost" nothing.
(Someone had to do it...)
Nice Review, ive had mine (VR in large) about 10 weeks now and love it. I agree on the Cranks but i really dont see upwards switchbacks an issue. Its all about the down. With BC discount its an even bigger deal too.
road.cc/content/review/27971-shimano-alfine-11-hub-and-shifter
1744 g rotating mass (but an NX cassette is already > 600 gr), and you can shift while stopeed, which is great for touring (I mean real human-powered bicycle touring).
I have the virus dominer DH with a a kind of similar derailleur hanger (but not exactly the same) and no issues so far It's the hanger.
My small E-sommet is 20.9kg with pedals since I switched the OEM tyres and tubes to Exo 2.3/2.4s and tubeless.Everythine else bar the grips are stock.
I ride Specialized Enduro 2016, size L and fits me well.
www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/full-suspension-mountain-bikes/ebikes-hal-eboost-electric-mountain-bikes.htm
Wind turbine on an ebike = infinite speed
Buying rather than earning?
Change hobby every couple of years?
Have a taste for ugly?
Have no skills at all, can't even pull a 5 sec wheelie?
Get an e-beik (don't forget to also get all the Summer '18 gear).
is money free suddenly and you don't have to put any effort getting high salary?
All I ask of ebikers is dont fly past me on a fire road then hold me up on the downs. Other than that, I really dont care.
Riding is riding.
shes on diet, goes to gym 3-4 times a week with a personal trainer and she is slim. I'm the one being lazy f*ck eating junk food yet im more fit than her
she simply doesn't have strength and endurance to keep up with me
and unless she goes really hardcore about training there is no way she gets close to me
ebike is perfect solution for her
what issue? why would you ever have a problem with what others are riding???
its not your f*ckin business
i used to not care, but after watching a video of whistler bike park opening recently i changed. I'm giving up suspension and all this crazy shit that makes the bike not a bike... Seeing all of those rich grinning idiots in line for the lift reminded me of Disney World. Its just not my thing man and i'll speak out about it when ever i can. I don't want the sport i love so much to be bastardized, commercialized and ruined like everything else.
Here is a link to the video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pld_xp24ul8
Bike checks...barf
www.youtube.com/watch?v=abgIVmk8FMM
TBH, I lasted about 30 seconds of the first video, and fast forwarded the 2nd (no ebikes in ether) Whistler is always like that on opening day. It is what it is, least it keeps them all contained to one small area of the world!