He continues to race mountain bikes and has racked up some impressive results at the Downieville Classic and the Lost and Found Gravel Grinder. This is a little less than half of the competition, and that is the intention. Bike Perfect is supported by its audience. We rode the Decoy 29 for over 24 miles and 4,000+ vertical feet on multiple singletrack test rides and finished with gas in the tank. A semi-carbon frame on the Canyon Spectral:ON CF 8 keeps things light, while a mullet wheel size setup keeps things fun and shreddy. DT Swiss H1700 Hybrid rims are outfitted with Maxxis rubber. It is important to note that all of these systems work pretty well; their differences are relatively subtle but noticeable. Testing electric mountain bikes on moto legal trails near Lake Tahoe, CA. It makes the rider work harder, and it may be preferred for some riders. The E-150 stands out because of its low center of gravity and balance of stability and agility which really shone when railing turns. The Specialized Turbo Levo SL was a bit of an outlier in this metric. The somewhat moderate trail riding geometry lends itself to responsive handling, while the power of the EP8 motor helps you blast up climbs once considered impossible. Check out our Canyon Spectral:ON CF 8 review. During testing, we analyzed each bike's design and build and rated them on their uphill and downhill performance, distance range, power output, and user-friendliness of the e-bike controls and interface. The 'Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EPAC) Amendment Regulations' mandates that electric assistance can only provide 250 watts of aid and must cut out at 25kph. A steep seat tube props the rider up comfortably, and the pedal assistance and length help you power up the climbs. The e-MTB pedal-assist motor is typically built around the bottom bracket and provides varying levels of pedaling "support" directly into the drivetrain while the cranks are turning. All of the e-bikes we tested are Class 1 with a top supported speed of 20 mph and have several support modes offering varying levels of pedal assist support. New York, Read our thoughts on the Scott Patron E-Ride 900 Tuned when we took it for a first ride. A short reach makes climbing a bit twitchy, but it's that same geometry that makes this bike a riot on tight, corner-filled trails. Commencal wasn't messing around when they designed the Meta Power TR, and this bike is definitely long and slack. Need a new full-face bike helmet? Perhaps the only thing missing that would make this a near-perfect e-MTB are slightly smaller tires to improve handling precision - which can be easily swapped out if you want. He has been a racer, bike shop owner, mechanic, and guide. The Rail's flip-chips also give the rider the ability to adjust the geometry to their terrain or preferences. We test these e-bikes for countless hours on the trail along with head to head testing for direct comparison. The Specialized Turbo Levo Comp is another favorite on the uphills, especially now that the new motor system doesn't have the somewhat abrupt power cutoff that plagued earlier models. The bikes we tested all use a variety of e-bike motor systems, and the controls, the primary user interface, are an important element we rated but didn't weigh as heavily as some of the others. Supplying the power is a Shimano EP8 motor with a full-size 630Wh battery so you can cover lots of ground. The YT Decoy 29 Core 4 is a very competent climber. Keep reading to see our choice of the best electric mountain bikes or skip to the bottom if you want to know how to choose the best electric mountain bike. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison. In addition to the Bosch drive system, the bike uses a mix of SRAM GX, NX, and SX Eagle drivetrain components and SRAM G2 R brakes. Sure, there are more aggressive bikes out there, but it takes a lot to rattle the Spectral:ON's cage. Lighter weight and less powerful, the Turbo Levo SL still doubles your effort and handles a lot more like a traditional mountain bike than its full-power, heavyweight counterparts. The new crop of pedal-assisted mountain bikes has reliable drive systems, great components, and excellent suspension, making them a blast to ride. If you are looking for the cutting edge in e-MTB features then Scott's newest Patron E-Ride should be top of your list. Merida does this by using a mullet setup with DT-Swiss HX1501 Spline ONE 30 Hybrid wheels along with Continental tires. The Turbo Levo SL doesn't pack the same punch as the full-power models but its lighter weight and middle-of-the-road geometry handle well on the climbs. Each bike's geometry, handling, and power output all played a role in how well these bikes performed on the ascents, and we had plenty of time to test them while rallying back uphill for more downhill laps. For an e-bike, the new Levo SL is impressively lightweight thanks to their new SL 1.1 motor and a smaller 320Wh battery. For more details, check out our Focus Jam2 7.0 review. Specialized recently introduced the Specialized Turbo Levo SL Comp, a line-blurring e-bike that splits the difference between the non-powered Stumpjumper and the full-power Levo. Combined with a relatively low bottom bracket height means that bottoming out on the skid plate may occur in some situations. With mountain bikes already carrying hefty price tags, the cost of adding an electric pedal-assist motor might be enough to send the value-conscious rider's head spinning. According to Scott, that should be enough to give you 2,000m of climbing in ECO mode. It impressed us with its damp, ground-hugging feel, and it seemed eager to get up to speed. Canyon really impressed us with the new Spectral:ON CF 8. Due to the Levo's adjustable geometry, however, this may not always be the case as its handling can be altered so dramatically. To test this, we rode the bikes downhill a lot and took them down various terrain, from fast and flowing open trails to tight low-speed technical and everything in between. But the eONE FORTY 9000 is designed to occupy the middle ground as an enjoyable all-arounder. Read more about this bike in our fullMerida eONE FORTY 9000 review. While it's still no drop in the bucket, it is pretty affordable compared to mainstream brands, especially with rising prices. Got feedback? It isn't just a one-trick pony, however, as it was also quite fun to rip around on flow trails and mellower terrain. Scott has mounted the Bosch Kiox 300 display above the stem for easy reading while riding. Put together, this all means the Bullit is a beast of a bike. Want to know more? While it's about half as powerful as a full-power model, it still roughly doubles your output to help you ride faster and farther, albeit with a little more effort. It really comes alive at speed and feels confident and composed in aggressive terrain, yet it's still fun to rip around on mellower trails. With a geometry that is nearly identical to the Stumpjumper along with the reduced weight, the Levo SL is more nimble and handles a lot more like a normal trail bike than any other e-MTB we've tested. One thing we do know, e-MTB's can be used on any trails that are legal for motorized use, so we took advantage of the wealth of OHV trails in the greater Lake Tahoe area for our testing purposes. The result is a shockingly well-balanced bike that remains impressively maneuverable and lively despite its heavy weight. The shock is hidden within the top tube, keeping it away from dirt penetration and maintaining the futuristic look. Material on GearLab is copyrighted. That said there is a lot of spec considerations that will affect the way a bike performs off-road. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. This bike is ready for anything. This 29er has 140mm of travel with a 150mm fork and a seriously long and slack geometry. Our testing regime puts each bike through a multi-point performance analysis to rate its performance as a true mountain bike and its ability as an e-bike. However, a build featuring strong and lightweight carbon wheels along with one of the best dropper posts, the Fox Transfer Factory, makes the Decoy a solid option that's also cheaper than the Decoy Core 4 model. Maxxis Assegai and Minion DHR II tires hook up in all kinds of conditions, and Fox Factory suspension keeps the bike planted and supple, adding to the build's value. As with analog mountain bikes, full-suspension reigns supreme when it comes to e-MTBs, and with the right suspension tune, the extra weight can improve descending. Not only is it comfortable, but it is highly maneuverable with responsive handling for tackling whatever you may encounter on the trail. Whyte's E-150 S is an outstandingly sweet-handling chariot, Sensible geometry, mullet wheel setup and playful characteristics make the eONE-SIXTY a superb all-rounder, Playful descending characteristics suit a range of trail types, Controlled delivery of power helps with ambitious climbing, Could do with additional armor for the motor for added peace of mind, Signature Mondraker geometry in a great package, Lifetime frame, bearing, and wheel warranty, A futuristic all-mountain e-MTB that's packed with intregrated components, Superb climber with supportive pedaling and excellent traction, Bosch Gen4 system has excellent power and massive range with its 750Wh battery, Rats nest of handlebar cables due to TwinLoc system, Balanced and easy to ride e-MTB geared towards fun flowy riding, Slightly tall, steep, long-stemmed and unsupportive for shredders, Looks expensive before you price up wheels and battery, A lightweight semi-carbon chassis with a mullet setup, Super-agile, corner-smashing, mixed wheel size bike, Shortness reduces stability and is cramped when climbing, Long seat tubes remove sizing up option, An agile all-rounder that will put a grin on your face, NanoMatrix carbon front, hydroformed alloy rear, How to choose the best electric mountain bike, Schwalbe Racing Ralph Performance Line tire review good in the wet, safe in the rough, Schwalbe has come up with the most eco-friendly bike cleaning product ever, Rapha Explore Merino t-shirt review a go-to technical top for everything off-road, Hutchinson Skeleton Racing Lab tire review a fast and affordable XC tire, Best trail bikes 2022 top all-around mountain bikes for hitting the trails. These types of e-bikes resemble modern mountain bikes, but they have significant battery packs and small motor units integrated onto and into the frame design. In the market for the best new e-bike? We subjected each bike to numerous individual tests to rate performance and compare them to each other. The controls have good ergonomics, but the top tube integrated display in the form of LED lights just isn't as easy to read and interpret while riding, though admittedly, it works just fine. One of the primary purposes of an e-bike is transferring power from the motor to the drivetrain to "support" your regular pedal stroke. That's because speeds, line choice and the types of trails ridden are hugely different from the average rider. This battery fits into the same amount of space as the 500Wh battery in the older models while adding only 2 lbs to the overall weight. He is a former singlespeed rider, and his alter ego is known as the Angry Single Speeder. It is impressively stable and ground-hugging on the descents, yet easy to maneuver and get off the ground. It is important to note that adding a motor, battery, controls, wiring, and sensors to a mountain bike creates additional potential for these components to have issues or fail altogether. You get what you pay for in many cases, and the most expensive models are the highest performing. Instead, we treated them all as if they were our own, putting them through the wringer to identify their strengths and weaknesses. This is thanks to Commencal's direct-to-consumer sales model. NY 10036. All of the pedal-assist drive units we tested also have smartphone apps that can be used to customize your support settings, and such changes may allow for more or less range on your electric mountain bike. Federal law defines an electric bicycle as a "two- or three-wheeled vehicle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of fewer than 750 watts, whose maximum speed on a paved level surface when powered solely by such a motor while ridden by an operator who weighs 170 pounds, is less than 20mph.". It took more effort on the part of the rider, but we were still impressed with the range regardless. Kurt Gensheimer is a bike industry veteran and freelance writer. There is no handlebar-mounted digital display, and while the top-tube mounted display works fine, it's outdone by the competition (more expensive models have a new integrated digital display). And, while we love the Maxxis Minion DHR II and Assegai tire combination, the EXO+ and EXO casings, respectively, are not quite beefy enough to handle the weight and charge-ability of the Spectral:ON. The different motor systems are all pretty good but differ slightly. Focus has looked to cater for new and intermediate riders with the Jam2 which means the 150mm of forgiving suspension adds comfort and control. You can see the full map here. While the Ride build didn't really disappoint us on the trail, there are some unimpressive components attached to this bike, most notably the suspension. Power output was smooth and consistent, even when switching between modes, and there was no lag when you pushed on the pedals or abrupt cutoff of power. We tested electric mountain bikes from Specialized, Canyon, Commencal, Trek, and more to find the best. Now it's back in a completely new format: a burly, long-travel e-MTB. There are alsofenders that feature integrated LED lights. Check out our full Mondraker Crafty R to find out why it's such a superb all-round package. A 630Wh battery is also a nice touch, and the Meta Power TR has a pretty impressive distance range. Theoretically, the larger the battery, the longer and farther you should be able to ride, but external variables like rider weight, pedaling input, terrain, trail conditions, and weather conditions may all affect the length of time or distance that a battery charge will last. Some are better than others GearLab is reader-supported. Read more about the Merida eONE-SIXTY 9000 on our review. A powerful motor, excellent range, and a highly capable and versatile ride keep the Turbo Levo at the top of our list of the best electric mountain bikes. Santa Cruz's VPP suspension platform allows for burly downhill riding, while also providing a stable pedaling platform. Joshua Hutchens has spent decades in the bike industry. Our tester rode the Canyon for 38.5 miles with 5,292 feet of elevation gain/loss. On this page, we have listed what we reckon are the best electric mountain bikes currently available. Heres why you can trust us. Read review: Commencal Meta Power TR Ride. Shimano also takes care of the shifting and braking with its XT 12-speed drivetrain and 4-pot brakes with 200mm rotors. It came as no surprise that it was one of the top performers in our range test and our tester rode the Levo 33.1 miles and just over 5,000 vertical feet during our standardized testing. Are you searching for the best electric mountain bike? It is important to note that the less power output you use while riding your e-bike, the longer the battery will last, makes sense, right? This unprecedented level of adjustability really allows the rider to set the bike up to suit their riding style, terrain, and preferences, taking the Levo's versatility to another level. Canyon's consumer-direct sales model also means they offer this bike at a very competitive price, relatively speaking, and we feel it is an excellent value. This impressive performance also translated to real-world trail rides where it easily handled 30+ mile rides with over 6,000 feet of climbing, and we never once drained the battery or even worried about it dying on a ride. Again, the new Turbo Levo SL falls into a different category than the other bikes in this review. The Commencal Meta Power TR Ride was not far behind with a 630Wh battery and the new Shimano EP8 motor. The new SL 1.1 motor puts out a maximum of 35Nm of torque and 240 Watts of power. This means that the trail networks near your house might not be open for electric mountain bikes, however, some local and state land management agencies have made exceptions. Most drive unit systems offer several support settings that provide pedal assistance that amplifies the user's input to varying degrees. All trademarks property of their respective owners No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. If you have a smaller price range, we also have a guide for the best budget e-MTBs. The additional weight also means the wheels will be built solid, with more spokes and wrapped in 2.5in (or bigger) tubeless tires. It may be one of the least expensive electric mountain bikes we've tested, but the Meta Power TR Ride is a great bike that is a blast to ride. It's worth noting this statute defines the maximum assisted speed of the bike propelled solely by the motor, not when it's being pedaled. The wide downtube of the Spectral:ON houses a whopping 900Wh battery that gives it the longest range of any model we've tested. The Turbo Levo Comp and its 700Wh battery is a good choice. The 2021 Trek Rail 9.7 comes with a 625Wh battery. We scored them on several rating metrics, downhill performance, climbing performance, distance range, power output, and e-bike controls to gain the knowledge to help you in your e-bike buying quest. Many e-mountain bikes come with robust aluminum framesets, but brands are rolling out more carbon options as they get the hang of this new segment of bikes. The new Shimano EP8 on the Decoy 29 works very well. The brakes are Shimano XTdisc brakeswith 203mmrotors. Its long and slack geometry is reminiscent of an enduro bike, and it felt great at speed and in rowdy terrain. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. There are lots of great models on the market, and we hope this detailed comparative review helps you find the right e-MTB for your needs and budget. Santa Cruz's Carbon CC frame is built around a mullet wheel size setup, with a 29-inch wheel in the front and a 27.5-inch wheel in the back. You decide how you want the Levo to ride. With just 320Wh of battery storage capacity, the Turbo Levo SL has the shortest distance range of all the tested models. Modern electric mountain bikes like the Trek Rail 9.7 perform very well on the descents. In Australia, e-bikes are split into throttle operated and pedal assist. While we've been impressed with Shimano's EP8 drive system, we're also impressed by the suspension performance, both on the downs as well as the ups. Colin Levitch The overall geometry is pretty neutral as well with a 65-degree headtube, 76-degree seat angle and 480mm reach (large) to make the bike predictable and easy to handle on the trail. We don't feel the apps are necessary for using any of these e-MTB's, but those with an affinity for technology or personalizing your ride may be inclined to use them. The Turbo Levo Comp's adjustable geometry allows the rider to make dramatic changes to suit their needs and preferences. That said, there are probably some great customizable features of the display that we didn't fully examine. Overall, the Spectral is a lightweight e-MTB with a solid drive system, components, and suspension. Riders who enjoy laying down their own power will find the added boost of the smooth but lighter power output to be just what they need to get up most climbs with ease. This rock climber turned mountain cyclist loves huge rides covering obscene distances. However, this isn't always the case as the Commencal Meta Power TR Ride costs less and performs nearly as well as its more expensive competition. Read our detailed review of theSanta Cruz Bullit 101 to see how it earned a spot in this guide. E-MTBs come with a range of battery storage capacities, most in the range of 625-700Wh, with a few exceptions. The Commencal Meta Power TR Team scored relatively well in this metric, with a small digital display mounted by the stem. The 700Wh battery carries over from the previous version, and gives the bike a very impressive range, while the revised motor pumps out some serious torque with three customizable support settings. The heavy weight of these bikes gives them incredible traction, keeping them planted on the ground, and compression dampening/climbing switches can be left wide open to enjoy the added traction benefits of active rear suspension. Both systems must be limited to 25kph, and the throttle-operated motors can only output 200 watts while pedal assist is legal up to 250 watts. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The heavyweight of these bikes makes them significantly more difficult to ride without the support of the pedal-assist motor. The Specialized Turbo Levo Comp Alloy returns to our electric mountain bike test and claims the top step on the podium for the fourth year in a row.
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