Specialized Turbo Levo By Alex Boyce If there is one bike brand determined to maintain a pioneer status when it comes to mountain bikes, it would be Specialized. Long known for the impact that their original Stumpjumper had on the still-infant sport back in 1982, though not always successfully, Specialized has nonetheless fought hard to lead in every new dirt bike category. And so it remains true in the world of e-bikes. When they first rolled out their Levo back in 2014, no other big bike brand at the time had anything to compare, and in few the years since, the bike has only gotten better. For 2019 Specialized brought a pool of journos to Croatia to get a first-hand look at the new Turbo Levo. It’s based around 29-inch hoops and both a carbon and aluminum frame with a completely new form factor. Headline specifications include a 700 Wh battery and Brose’s latest S-Mag motor, which was developed with Specialized and is given the 2.1 denomination. THE BIKE Specialized used their latest frame-styling techniques borrowed from both their modern downhill bikes and the Stumpjumper. The mid-frame cross-brace of the carbon front triangle is just enough to add the right stiffness for the frame and shock support. The down-tube is very slim, and in the flesh it looks like a “normal bike.” We always like the low level of clutter on the handlebar, with their new display and just a small functional remote that is the best on the market. The front triangle only needed a brace around the shock on one side. It keeps access clear to the shock. One key feature of the Levo is the range of adjustability to accommodate different wheel sizes. The 150mm travel fork can be extended to 160mm, with a fork upgrade for use with 27.5-plus-inch tires and a Flip Chip on the rear that adjusts the bottom bracket height accordingly. The Brose motor is not only slimmer and lighter, but better integrated and optimally placed in the frame. The big S decided to stick with an 11 -speed drivetrain because they felt the 12-speed is unnecessary, and the heavier weight of the 12-speed cassette was not to the product manager’s liking. GEOMETRY Performance as much as style are always at the top of the list for Specialized, and the numbers behind their “stiffer, faster, better” claims are essentially a 66-degree head angle and longer reach compared to the previous models. The numbers follow Specialized’s range philosophy with handling being about stable speed and manageability. Their chainstay length is not a world-beating short stay, but it’s very good for a “quick in the corners and stable on the climbs” performance. The reach is long enough that the rider doesn’t feel cramped if they like to get aggressive, but not so long that one might feel overstretched. THE MOTOR This is where a lot of energy, design and research have taken place. First, the designers have ditched to the old-style cradle that held the motor; the motor is now directly attached to the frame. This creates space and also reduces weight, which has allowed Specialized to increase the battery capacity, working in conjunction with a new cell specification, 21700. This is where Tesla has decided to go with their car batteries. They are larger and actually cheaper to produce. The 700 Wh is a lot of juice! The rear end is pretty traditional, and the well-placed stay cover gives a silent ride. Let’s be clear from the outset, we turbo’d around all day, and only at the very end of the day after non-stop riding did we get to 10-percent power left. It’s one of the longest-lasting batteries we have ever used, and it really shocked us how much energy we had left. We have tried a lot of combinations across the market, and this is a new battery performance standard that should make other brands pay attention. The 2.1 Specialized motor, which is based around a magnesium case and Specialized’s own custom software, is fundamentally the best e-bike motor we have tried. It’s quiet, smooth, has endless power support throughout the cadence range, and consumes an acceptable amount of current (i.e., doesn’t suck the battery). As you ride uphill and reach the limit of the power compared to other motors, the Specialized 2.1 motor keeps on pushing, making climbing more fun than ever before. The new motor unit is clearly slimmed down and cast in magnesium. The motor’s different power modes are very complementary to rider inputs and are tunable via the app. It’s not a free ride; you have to tell the bike what to do with your legs, but its sensitivity is excellent. When you pass the assist boundary, the transition is very smooth, also the power application sensation is one of the best we have felt to date. Electronics have been moved to the top of the top tube, and this is where you find a small LED plastic display. It’s a reasonable solution, although we still prefer no display at all, but what is cool is within the app you can turn all the lights off and ride around in stealth mode. Alternatively, with the three LED combination, you can see which power mode you are in and how much battery is left. “They have updated it with this version, and the rest of the industry is going to have to play catch-up for a while.” We quizzed Specialized on hacking the electronics to make it go faster or whatever many riders try to do to their bikes to circumvent the speed rules. The system is now basically closed. All the apps around won’t be able to hack the bike in the same way as before. You need a PIN, which is printed on the bike to attach your app to the bike. We think this is all a good thing, because even dealers can’t hack the bike anymore; they can only access the bike’s settings according to the country they are in. Also, it’s worth noting if you do try and hack the bike, your warranty is void and Specialized will know you did it. The intelligence of the system has jumped up quite a few levels. Also, your data is safe. Nothing you do with your rides or bike is shared with anyone, thanks to new European GDPR rules. Here’s a look at how the battery is installed. WHO IT’S MADE FOR Based on price alone, the is an easy question to answer—the Levo is intended for the serious rider. However, this question gets harder to answer as time develops, because it seems each new Levo becomes a benchmark for the next year or two in the industry. The Levo will appeal to those who like to ride hard and verge on the more performance-oriented side rather than just cruising around and blasting descents. The top-of-the-range version is pricey at $10,000+. The Expert level, which we tested, is more accessible and comes with the 700 Wh battery. THE RIDE We rode a lot in every direction in Istria, Croatia. Our rides started in the morning and finished in the late afternoon. We rode up and down on some very beautiful trails, and no one changed their battery. That was our first impression, then technically we found ourselves riding with a different feel compared to a 27.5-plus-inch bike. Roll-over uphill is smoother, grip, though, is similar we think, but the sustainability of the power inputs from your legs on steep climbs is greater due to improved motor performance as it cuts in. Gear shifting uphill is one click, so no chain grinding anymore. Cornering uphill is smooth and balanced, rider position is where you would expect to maintain forward momentum in difficult corners, and it rides much like a Stumpjumper, which is a good thing. We found shifting to be less straining on the chain, as you can only click one gear at a time, while the gear range fitted our desire for what we typically ride from a ratio point of view. DOWNHILL AND TRAIL Our test rides included lots of short trails and some Italian-style wooded descents with some rocky chutes and trails. A mix of riding gave us a good understanding of the balance of the bike and what you can do with it. The Turbo Levo is not like other 29er bikes on the market that we’ve ridden. With the 2.6-inch tires and wide rims, it added to the 150mm of travel and updated geometry to give it a supple and smooth ride. We would like to tune the fork a bit for our own preferences, and we didn’t spend as much time on suspension settings as we would like; we were too busy riding, eating and enjoying the location. The open head angle and specification of the frame layout give the rider a definite aggressive feeling if they want it. You don’t feel overstretched or uncomfortable, and the neutral point of balance on the bike is quite wide, which is a good thing. It gives the rider the ability to play more and move around above the frame, looking for a different feeling at different points of control they need not worry about to actually remain in control of the bike. As the trail changes from up and down, the rider has a machine that adapts well to the different possibilities, stand up on the pedals to boost yourself through some trail sections or blast down steep sections; the new Levo has you covered. After one section in the trail network that got very rough rocky and fast, we found ourselves flying along probably on the edge of control and sanity, but never out of control. The larger wheel size gives you added stability and a sense of security when it gets sketchy. Hanging off the back of the bike with larger wheels means we had a bit more contact with our shorts scraping the rear wheel. Maybe we were riding faster on steeper trails and were over-compensating. Whatever it was, we were super happy with what we could achieve on the test trails with the Levo. Eventually, we’ll need more time on our home trails to really understand what the designers have come up with compared to the rest of the market. There are lots of new ideas in this product that need exploring and defining better. We felt there was a greater performance envelope to explore within the ride characteristics that we experienced during the short time testing. THE VERDICT During our time on the Levo, we found ourselves contemplating life and bikes. Our conclusion was simple—if this is the next stage on the road of bike electrification, then we are all going to have to accept that e-bikes are going to take over. Specialized is one of the market leaders. They have created their vision of what an e-bike should be four years ago with the first Levo. They have updated it with this version, and the rest of the industry is going to have to play catch-up for a while. The open head angle and new layout gives the rider a definite aggressive ride feeling if they want it. You don’t feel over-stretched or uncomfortable on board, and the neutral point of balance on the bike is quite wide, which is a good thing. This gives the rider the ability to play more with the bike and move around more in the sweet spot of the bike’s balance. If you are experimenting with body positioning and trying to find the limit in corners or on jumps or climbs, the bike remains stable and gives constant positive feedback about where it is heading and what will happen next. SPECS 2019 SPECIALIZED TURBO LEVO MSRP: Base, $4900; Comp Alloy, $5900; Comp Carbon, $6900; Expert, $8200; S-Works, $12000 Motor: Brose S-Mag, 250W mid-drive Battery: 36V, 700 Wh Charge time: 4–5 hours Top speed: 20 mph Range: 20-40 miles Drive: SRAM XG-1175, 11-speed, 10-42t Brakes: Code-R, 200mm rotors Controls: 3-LED ride mode display, APP. Handlebar remote with walk assist. Fork: RockShox Pike RC29, 150mm Frame: FACT 9m Carbon w/M5 alloy rear triangle, 29 Trail Geometry (as tested) Tires: Butcher Gripton, 29×2.6” Weight: 43.78 lb. (19.9 kg) Color choices: Carbon/Monster Green, Stomr Grey/Rocket Red Sizes: 17” www.specialized.com THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO GET ELECTRIC BIKE ACTION In print, from the Apple newsstand, or on your Android device, from Google. Available from the Apple Newsstand for reading on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch. Subscribe Here For more subscription information contact (800) 767-0345 Got something on your mind? Let us know at hi-torque.com The post Bike Review: Specialized Turbo Levo appeared first on Electric Bike Action.

The Bosch Performance CX is a firm fixture among eMTB motors. Over the years, it’s become a perennial favourite and is the most widely used motor on the market. But in the meantime, the motor has gotten a bit long in the tooth and we have to ask ourselves: when will Bosch announce the successor and what will it look like? Yearly model cycles have lost importance in the bike industry. New products are usually released when they’re ready for the market. We’ve been expecting big news from Bosch for some time, but instead of a new motor, all they’ve announced in recent months was their new Kiox display and a new quick-charger. But it can’t be long now – and there are several reasons for that. The Bosch Performance CX is a firm fixture in the motor segment. But the successor will not be long in coming. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-0'); }); Three good reasons why we’ll see a new Bosch motor being released soon The motor determines the bike manufacturers model cycles The model cycles of eMTBs are strongly determined by the innovations in the motor industry. It makes no sense for bike manufacturers to release a new bike with an “old” motor when only a few months later, they could have had the new motor. Many manufacturers, who primarily rely on Bosch motors, have not released new bike for some time now, although they’ve already announced the first presentation details. It’s about time. If Bosch was to introduce a new motor in the near future, we will surely also see a wave of new bikes. The EUROBIKE MEDIA DAYS will take place from the 2nd to the 4th of July this year. Will we see the new Bosch motor there? The current Performance CX is getting old It ‘s become clear in our big eMTB group test and our motor test: compared to the competition, the current Bosch Performance CX motor has become outdated. It is heavier, louder, has more internal resistance and takes up a lot of space in the frame, which limits bike manufacturers in their design and construction. If Bosch want to continue asserting themselves in the market, reliability alone is not enough – the performance has to be there too. Clearly visible: compared to other motors, the Bosch Performance CX (middle row, right) is the bulkiest. Besides the motor, the battery also needs an upgrade Until recently, a battery capacity of 500 Wh was the measure of all things. Meanwhile, however, more and more manufacturers are offering batteries with capacities ranging from 600-700 Wh. Since the Bosch Performance CX is a closed system which only takes Bosch’s own batteries, we are confident that the new motor will also feature a larger capacity battery. What will the new Bosch Performance CX motor look like and what will it be capable of? Although we are very sure that it will not be long before a new Bosch Performance CX motor is released, the actual details of the motor are pure speculation on our part. Nevertheless, here our assumptions: Smaller, lighter and more powerful In terms of size, the Shimano E8000 STEPS currently sets the benchmark that many manufacturers appreciate. We suspect that the new Bosch motor will also be smaller and lighter and, on top of that, have a bit more power than the current Bosch model. Less internal resistance and a larger chainring in front Currently, the Bosch Performance CX is the only motor with a transmission between it and the crank, which means that it has a lot of resistance when switched off or riding above the 25 km/h threshold. Bosch have already proven that they know how to reduce internal resistance with the release of their new Active Line. The Active Line motor is easy to pedal over the 25 km/h cut-off speed, and thanks to the larger chainring in front they’ve been able to do away with the internal transmission. We assume that the new motor will be similar to the Active Line concept. More battery capacity for increased range At 500 Wh, the current Bosch PowerPack batteries and PowerTube batteries are at the lower end of the capacity scale. Therefore, the new generation should have at least 600 Wh or more. However, Bosch is unlikely to reveal a new super-cell, achieving more capacity by packing the cells tighter instead, possibly also resulting in an increase in weight and size. A battery capacity of 500 Wh is too little for a classic eMTB to keep up with the competition. We’re sure that the new motor will have a larger capacity battery. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-1'); }); Difficult to tune For a long time, Bosch has been strongly opposed to the illegal tuning of eMTBs. Nevertheless, the 25 km/h limit can be overridden relatively easily with the current Performance CX. However, in a new law, the legislator requires that manufacturers themselves have to actively prevent tuning. We’re sure that the new motor will not be so easy to tune – and that’s a good thing! A new display is questionable Bosch introduced their new Kiox display a little over half a year ago, and to this day the full range of functions is not yet available. We suspect that the Kiox display will continue to be used on the new motor. Whether a more compact remote unit will follow, possibly even without a display for aggressive use, is questionable. The Bosch Kiox display is only half a year old, and they will certainly continue using it Hotly awaited – the release date of the new Bosch motor It could happen any day now. However, we suspect that the new motor will be revealed between May and July. New bikes will follow shortly afterwards, just in time for EUROBIKE at the latest. When the first bikes will become available remains to be seen. Der Beitrag The rumour mill: When will we see the new Bosch Performance CX motor? erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

Ready for the hunt? YT, one of the world’s hottest mountain bike brands, is entering the eMTB segment, and they’ve brought out the big guns in the hunt for the top spot: with potent numbers and clever detailed solutions, the brand new YT DECOY promises a whole new level of electronically-assisted endorphin binges. We were in the south of France to test ride the new YT DECOY. South of France, March 2019. Rumours about YT’s first eMTB have been going around for some time. Accordingly, we were very curious to see what one of the most popular mountain bike brands currently around would conjure up for the eMTB sector. We already knew before the official presentation in southern France that YT would rely on a Shimano STEPS motor: so a bike like any other Shimano eMTB? Far from it – as we quickly realised in the presentation given by CEO Markus Flossmann and CTO Stefan Willared. YT DECOY CF Pro Race | Shimano STEPS E8000 | 540 Wh custom battery | 160/165 mm (f/r) | 29”/27,5” (f/r) | 22.3 kg (in size L) | € 6,599 googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-0'); }); In contrast to brands such as Haibike, Husqvarna or Greyp Bikes, with the new DECOY, YT deliberately aimed to create an eMTB that looks and rides like a regular mountain bike. Meaning: maximum integration and minimal evidence that it’s an ebike. The YT DECOY, according to chief developer Stefan Willared, is meant to “be a true YT”: fast, with extremely potent, downhill orientated handling. And of course, the look and feel of the design should also speak for itself: look, I’m hot, I’m a YT. To achieve that, the German brand reached deep into their bag of tricks and went at it very professionally, coming up with a lot of clever solutions in developing the YT DECOY: the electrified version of the YT CAPRA. The YT DECOY’s namesake: A duck as a decoy…let the hunt begin! Even before the official release, the brand new YT DECOY eMTB has been through a lot: chasing through Scottish woodland with the movie star Vinnie Jones, the first eMTB double backflip, and a name that might be a little confusing at first: what’s the YT DECOY got to do with an actual decoy? Watch the video to find out: .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } The YT DECOY in detail: custom YT battery and other highlights The YT DECOY features a carbon frame, fitted with a Shimano STEPS E8000 motor, and an E7000 display and remote on the handlebar. The motor is fed by a removable 540 Wh battery, specifically developed for YT by SIMPLO, one of the biggest battery manufacturers that also produce for Apple. With 160 mm travel at the front and 165 mm at the rear and mixed wheel sizes – 29″ front, 27.5″ rear – the key data of the YT DECOY sounds like it promises to be a monster on the trails. Before we get to the first ride review, let us take a look at the technical details and features of the DECOY. Balanced proportions: YT has designed the proportions of the carbon frame in such a way that the oversized downtube doesn’t immediately stand out. Everything in the design that could point to this being an eMTB is deliberately dialled down and hidden, the entire frame is oversized to help the large downtube, which contains the battery, inconspicuously blend in with the rest of the bike. YT’s custom 540 Wh battery is kept in place with two Allan bolts, while an elastomer on the lower mount helps isolate the battery from shocks and vibrations. One of the recurring problems we’ve encountered on many eMTBs is the battery coming loose and rattling, which YT has tried to solve with the elastomer. Besides being beautifully and neatly integrated into the downtube, YT tried to keep the centre of gravity as low as possible. Although the battery is 460 mm long, about 140 mm longer than current Shimano or Bosch external batteries (albeit with 40 Wh more capacity) it has a height of only 65 mm (including the cover) keeping it 25 mm lower than said external batteries. According to Stefan Willared, every centimetre drop in the height of the battery makes a noticeable difference in the bike’s handling. You’ll have to take the increased length into account if you’re considering carrying a spare in your backpack for long rides. The complete dimensions of the battery are as follows: 460 mm x 65 mm x 80 mm, and it weighs 3.17 kg. The 540 Wh battery is the same for all five frame sizes (S, M, L, XL, XXL). Beyond that, YT is planning to release a 700 Wh battery, which will also fit into DECOY. As soon as it becomes available, the bigger battery is said to be offered to all existing DECOY owners at a discounted price. Due to patent issues, YT couldn’t implement a quick-release system, but once you’ve gotten used to it, removing the two bolts to get to the battery is quick and easy. YT decided against the option of a lock for the battery. The ON switch of the bike is hidden on the underside of the top tube, while still being easily accessible. The haptic is nice! The charging port for the battery is covered by a rubber plug on the underside of the downtube Typical ebike cockpit: all the cables need to be properly fastened and tidied up. An easily accessible channel for the cables on the inside of the downtube is supposed to keep everything quiet and facilitate easy servicing, which is particularly important for a direct-to-consumer brand! Thanks to the cable duct, fitting a Lupine SL F e-bike lamp should be very easy. The StVZO-compliant (German road traffic regulations) headlight will be directly available from YT in the near future. With a sensor regulated daytime light, a glare-free 900 Lumen night light, and 1100 Lumen high-beam, it’s definitely an option we can recommend! The cable inlets are fitted with rubber lugs. Unfortunately, they came loose on our test bike and didn’t stay put. According to YT, the production model won’t have this issue. The special aluminium derailleur hanger covers a large portion of the dropout to protect the carbon frame in case of chainsuck To further quieten the bike on the trail, the chainstay protector on the drive side features special knobs to reduce the noise of the chain slapping Safe and hidden: the sensor of the motor is hidden in the rear linkage and the magnet is integrated into the brake rotor. Losing spoke magnets is a thing of the past. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-1'); }); The kinematics of the rear end have been adapted to the unique aspects of the electric motor in the YT DECOY. Compared to the pure muscle power driving a non-motorised mountain bike, the electric motor provides a much more constant flow of power. Pedal kickback has been reduced by about 30% compared to the CAPRA 29, as it is an unwanted counterforce to the motor. The ACROS AZX-260 headset has an integral stopper to prevent the fork crown from contacting the down tube, especially on the smaller frame sizes. Unfortunately, it’s not yet available, but YT has plans for a 500 ml bottle that will fit into the front triangle. YT DECOY: geometry and sizes The YT DECOY is available in five frame sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL. In terms of geometry, the YT DECOY is based on the YT CAPRA 29. Overall, however, the DECOY is a bit more upright and more compact than the CAPRA 29, meaning the reach in size L is 10 mm shorter (455mm) than the CAPRA. Noteworthy is the almost 10 mm lower bottom bracket of the YT DECOY compared to the CAPRA 29: on the one hand, this is because the DECOY has 5 mm less travel at the rear, and on the other hand, because the short 165 mm cranks offer more ground clearance! Size S M L XL XXL Seat tube 400 mm 420 mm 445 mm 470 mm 495 mm Top tube 568 mm 589 mm 611 mm 634 mm 657 mm Head tube 95 mm 100 mm 105 mm 115 mm 125 mm Head angle 65°/65.5° 65°/65.5° 65°/65.5° 65°/65.5° 65°/65.5° Seat angle 76°/76.5° 76°/76.5° 76°/76.5° 76°/76.5° 76°/76.5° Chainstay 442 mm 442 mm 442 mm 442 mm 442 mm BB height 36/20 mm 36/20 mm 36/20 mm 36/20 mm 36/20 mm Wheelbase 1,178 mm 1,200 mm 1,222 mm 1,247 mm 1,271 mm Reach 415 mm 435 mm 455 mm 475 mm 495 mm Stack 620 mm 625 mm 629 mm 638 mm 647 mm The geometry of the YT DECOY can be adjusted via a flip chip in the shock mount: the seat tube and head angles vary by 0.5° (76°/76.5° seat tube angle, 65°/65.5° head angle), the bottom bracket height by 7 mm (340 mm/347 mm). At 442 mm, the chainstays are not particularly short, and it’s meant to be that way! According to chief developer Stefan Willared, the goal is not to make the shortest possible chainstays, but to achieve a good balance between agility, composure and climbing prowess. A unique aspect with YT is that most riders can choose between at least two frame sizes due to the low standover height. If you like your bike to be agile and prefer a much more upright sitting position, you’re better off reaching for the smaller size, for maximum composure, go for the larger frame size. For our 178 cm tall test rider we went for the size L YT DECOY. We also tried the bike in size medium for a short while, which had a significantly more compact and upright sitting position and was more agile on the trail, but at the cost of composure and high-speed stability on the fast and technical singletrack around Nice. Der Beitrag First Ride Review: YT DECOY – the new Specialized Levo Killer? erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

Husqvarna are one of the big newcomers to the eMTB market and the brand has gotten off to an impressive start. The team has managed to offer a complete product portfolio by its second season. At the top of the range, they’ve got the Husqvarna Hard Cross 9.0. For more information on the group test head to: The best eMTB you can buy Husqvarna Hard Cross 9.0 | 24.72 kg | € 7,199 The Husqvarna Hard Cross 9.0 stands out from the crowd. While most manufacturers try to integrate the motor into the frame as inconspicuously as possible, the motor on the HC 9.0 stands at the forefront of the design. The Shimano STEPS E8000 motor is visually separated from the front triangle by a thick band of colour, but it still looks like it belongs on the bike. The motor receives its power from a removable 630 Wh battery integrated into the down tube. As is suitable for an eMTB for demanding off-road use, Husqvarna relies on sturdy components. The HC 9.0 comes with FOX Factory suspension with plush 180 mm travel, powerful Shimano XT four-piston brakes and eMTB specific DT Swiss HX 1501 wheels. Full steam ahead! Even the most demanding trails seem tame on the HC 9.0. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-0'); }); The large battery capacity and the sturdy components bring the total weight of the € 7,199 bike to a whopping 24.72 kg. We didn’t like the unergonomic position of the dropper post lever or the mediocre workmanship on the frame. Since the bike sizing tends to be on the larger side, riders who are in between two sizes are better off choosing the smaller option. Husqvarna Hard Cross 9.0 in Detail Fork FOX 36 Factory 180 mm Rear shock FOX FLOAT X2 Factory 2-Position 180 mm Motor/Battery Shimano STEPS E 8000/Simplo 630 Wh Drivetrain Shimano XT Di2 11-speed Brakes Shimano XT 4 piston 200/200 mm Seat post Husqvarna Enduro Dropperpost 150 mm Stem Husqvarna Performance MTB 40 mm Handlebar Husqvarna Performance MTB 780 mm Wheels DT Swiss HX 1501 SPLINE Tires Schwalbe Magic Mary 27.5×2.6″ Visible integrationWhile the battery disappears completely inside the down tube, the Shimano motor is deliberately emphasised under the front triangle. The design concept is beautiful. Poorly protectedThe neoprene chainstay protector not only looks very cheap, but it’s also far too short, resulting in ugly paint chips after only a few rides. Upside downThe dropper lever was mounted upside down on our test bike, making it difficult to operate. We recommend mounting it on the other side googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-1'); }); Super plushThe rear suspension offers enormous reserves. As a result, the wheel literally floats over rocks and gnarly roots. Geometry of the Husqvarna Hard Cross 9.0 Size 42 44 46 48 Seat tube 420 mm 440 mm 460 mm 480 mm Top tube 589 mm 609 mm 633 mm 654 mm Head tube 120 mm 120 mm 140 mm 140 mm Head angle 66° 66° 66° 66° Seat angle 76° 76° 76° 76° Chainstay 455 mm 455 mm 455 mm 455 mm Wheelbase 1212 mm 1232 mm 1260 mm 1280 mm Reach 435 mm 455 mm 475 mm 495 mm Stack 618 mm 618 mm 636 mm 636 mm Husqvarna Hard Cross 9.0 in Review Helmet MET Roam | Backpack EVOC STAGE 12L | Jersey Dainese Awa Jersey 2 | Shorts Dainese Hg Shorts 2 | Shoes ION Rascal The bike’s heft and the long travel is noticeable on the trail. The Husqvarna HC 9.0 is extremely composed and still has reserves when other bikes are at their limit. Yet the bike isn’t all too cumbersome. The rear suspension offers plenty of feedback which means that quick direction changes can be implemented directly and precisely. On challenging descents, the bike holds its line with confidence, no obstacle big enough to upset it. Tuning tip: Shorten the cable on the handlebar and adjust the dropper lever according to your own preferences However, you can feel the bike’s weight as soon as you try to jump anything or actively pump it. Tight sections of trail also require a bit more muscle. When things get really steep, you have plenty of room to move on the bike, thanks to the low standover height of the top tube, providing you with a bit more composure and confidence. The Husqvarna surprised us on the climbs too. The Shimano motor provides a powerful push, and thanks to the comfortable sitting position even the longest climbs are easy to master. In technical sections, the assistance of Trail mode is easy to modulate and even on steep sections, the front wheel always remains in contact with the ground. Riding Characteristics 5AgilitysluggishplayfulStabilitynervousstableHandlingunbalancedbalancedRiding funboringlivelyMotor feelingdigitalnaturalMotor powerweakstrongValue for moneypoortopTechnical DataHusqvarnaHard Cross 9.0Size: S M L XLWeight: 24.73 kgPerm. total weight: 130 kgMax. payload (rider/equipment): 105 kgMotor torque: 70 NmBattery Capacity: 630 WhTravel (f/r): 180/180 mmWheel Size: 27.5"Price: € 7,199Rider typeBeginner 1Touring Rider 2Trail rider 3Extreme rider 4 Conclusion The Husqvarna scores with lots of stability and comfort. Those who like to go fast and put a lot of emphasis on composed handling will find the right bike here. However, due to the plush suspension and the hefty weight, the bike lacks some agility. Finally, the price also seems a bit steep with regards to the quality of the finishing and workmanship. Topsconfidence inspiringbold, unique designvery plush suspension with lots of reservesFlopsheavypoor finishpricey For more information head to: husqvarna-bicycles.com For more information on the group test head to: The best eMTB you can buy All Bikes in Test Canyon Spectral:ON 9.0 | Focus JAM² 9.8 DRIFTER | GHOST HYBRIDE SL AMR X S 7.7+ LC | Giant Trance E+ 0 Pro | Haibike XDURO AllMtn 8.0 FLYON | Husqvarna HC 9.0 | Intense Tazer | Lapierre eZesty AM LTD Ultimate | MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 900E | Mondraker Level RR | Scott Genius eRIDE 900 TUNED | Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo FSR | Thömus Lightrider E1 | Trek Powerfly LT 9.9 This article is from E-MOUNTAINBIKE issue #016E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine is published in a digital app format in both English and German. Download the app for iOS or Android to read all articles on your tablet or smartphone. 100% free! Little or no eMTB experience – mainly rides on gravel paths and very easy trails.↩"The mountain hut is the destination, not the trails" – rides mainly on gravel paths and flowy singletrack, comfort plays a crucial role.↩The focus is on riding fun. Riding skills: from beginner to experienced – the range extends from flowy singletracks to demanding technical trails.↩A rider with very good bike control – rides on demanding and challenging technical trails, uphill as well as downhill.↩The rating used for riding characteristics refers to the bikes in the group test and the current state of development of eMTBs. The best bikes managed to blend supposedly opposite riding characteristics, feeling both lively and stable at the same time. The handling describes the balance of the bike on downhill sections. The information regarding motor-power refers to the ride-feeling in the overall context of the bike and not exclusively to the motor – that’s why the same motor can present different values.↩Der Beitrag Husqvarna Hard Cross 9.0 Review erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

There you have it: the brand new, Canyon Strive 2019. It was only a matter of time before the direct-to-consumer brand released a 29″ enduro bike. With a revised Shapeshifter, improved suspension and updated geometry, the bike is reaching for the enduro crown. Brand new: the 2019 Canyon Strive with 29″ wheels. Shown here with the € 5,499 Team spec. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-0'); }); The heritage of the Canyon Strive 2019 is unmistakable. The silhouette of the new bike is very similar to that of its predecessor – albeit more modern. Canyon has thoroughly revised the design as well as the technology on the bike, however. The new Strive will come exclusively with large 29″ wheels and a carbon frame – no aluminium option. Canyon will be offering two variants, however, CF and CFR. Regarding stiffness, geometry and solidity, they’re identical, but the higher-end, more expensive CFR version will be about 300 g lighter. The cables are routed internally through foam sleeves, for weight saving reasons. While light and effective in keeping things quiet, the mere thought of replacing the cables through those sleeves is giving us a headache. The Strive also features Canyon’s proprietary thru axles with an integrated quick release. For the bottom bracket, Canyon is relying on good old threaded BSA BB’s – good going! The frame of the all-new Canyon Strive 2019 will only be available in carbon, coming in two different fibre grades, and for 29ers only Like its predecessor, the new Strive features Canyon’s Shapeshifter, … … which has been integrated a lot more tidily and promises to be noticeably more durable Unlike the Torque and the Spectral, the Strive has internally routed cables. The reason: weight savings. There is space in the front triangle to accommodate bottles with a capacity of up to 650 ml (size S will max out at 500 ml) All models offer 150 mm of rear-end travel. As with their other bikes, Canyon has implemented the philosophy of their tried and tested three-phase kinematics: sensitivity at the top, a lot of mid-stroke support, ramping up progressively towards the end. The CF models come specced with 160 mm travel forks, whereas the CFR models will be offering a 170 mm of front travel. As with the predecessor, Canyon has positioned the Strive between the 180 mm travel Torque and its little brother, the Spectral, offering 150 mm of rear travel – both on 27.5″ wheels. The bike should convince professional racers as well as ambitious weekend warriors. The two CFR models have 170 mm of front travel, the CF models offer only 160 mm The chainstay protector is bolted on The Canyon Strive 2019 – Shapeshifter 2.0 What is the Shapeshifter? The Shapeshifter mechanism works on a gas piston that shifts the position of the shock mount on the rocker link, thus changing the geometry and kinematics of the bike at the touch of a button. The bike, therefore, has two riding modes. In climbing or XC mode, the travel of the Strive 29 is reduced to 135 mm, the head and seat tube angles are steepened by 1.5° and the bottom bracket is raised. Besides a change in geometry, the anti-squat increases by 10% to approximately 118%. The reduced anti-squat in downhill mode reduces pedal kickback, making for more active suspension. Nicely displayed here, the Shapeshifter changes the geometry and kinematics of the Strive at the touch of a button. Depending on the selected mode, the kinematics and the anti-squat values vary for the optimum riding performance Granted, the first version of the Shapeshifter from 2015 had some reliability issues, to begin with. The gas piston had a few teething issues. Over the years, however, Canyon has come to grips with the system and learned from past mistakes. The new Shapeshifter has been developed in collaboration with the suspension experts from FOX, promising to be a lot more reliable than its predecessor. To improve reliability, the pressure in the chamber been reduced and the seals, as well as the overall design, have been optimised. The new Shapeshifter has also gotten a two-way valve, making it a lot easier to operate. The new Shapeshifter was developed in cooperation with FOX and promises to be a lot more durable. Should it ever become necessary, both Canyon and FOX will be able to take care of the service. The previous Shapeshifter requires you to coordinate shifting your weight to change the mode of the bike. The new Shapeshifter now has two levers – one for each mode. If you press the lever, the bike automatically changes its mode at the next possible opportunity. Once you’ve pressed the XC lever, for example, momentarily unweighting saddle is enough to change the mode, if you switch to downhill mode, the first hard hit will shift the mount. Thanks to a non-return valve, changing from one mode to another can happen over several smaller shifts. The old Shapeshifter uses a single lever and requires very deliberate weight shifting and accurate timing With the new lever, you can simply activate the desired mode – the bike does the rest. Canyon has positioned the dropper seat post lever under the levers for the Shapeshifter. The direct-to-consumer brand has also developed its own lever for mechanical dropper seat posts. In downhill mode, the gas piston gets retracted. If you activate climbing mode, the piston pushes the shock mount forward. The geometry of the 2019 Canyon Strive The Shapeshifter does a lot more than increase climbing efficiency, it allowed the Canyon team to design the geometry to be more downhill specific. The huge 36 mm BB drop in descend mode is particularly striking. The Germans have also spent a lot of time refining the bike’s steering geometry: they’ve given it a head angle of “only” 66 ° or 65.5 ° on the team model, and they’ve specced forks with a short 44mm offset to increase the trail. A slacker head angle would have moved the front wheel further away from the handlebars, which would have made it harder to keep weighted when going through corners. Canyon specs short 40 mm stems paired with 780 mm wide handlebars on all of the available models. Handlebar rise varies depending on the frame size. The rest of the geometry is anything but extreme. To make space for the larger wheels and to improve the overall balance, the chainstays have grown by 8 mm to a total of 435 mm. The reach in size L is 470 mm, the stack is 640 mm. Canyon will be making four frame sizes (S-XL), catering to riders from 1.58 to 2.0 meters tall. Size S M L XL Seat tube 400 mm 440 mm 455 mm 500 mm Top tube 600 mm 627 mm 660 mm 695 mm Head tube 95 mm 100 mm 110 mm 130 mm Head tube 66°/67.5° 66°/67.5° 66°/67.5° 66°/67.5° Seat angle 73.5°/75° 73.5°/75° 73.5°/75° 73.5°/75° Chainstay 435 mm 435 mm 435 mm 435 mm BB Height 336 mm 336 mm 336 mm 336 mm Wheelbase 1169 mm 1196 mm 1230 mm 1268 mm Reach 415 mm 440 mm 470 mm 500 mm Stack 626 mm 631 mm 640 mm 658 mm The post First Ride Review: Canyon Strive 2019 – large 29″ wheels and a new Shapeshifter appeared first on ENDURO Mountainbike Magazine.

The bicycle industry has reinvented the wheel multiple times over the past couple years, looking to find the perfect tire and rim size for everyday trail riders. Plus-sized tires (2.8- to 3.25-inch wide tires) quickly grew in popularity due to the benefits of high air volume and increased traction and stability. On the other hand, we saw rim companies widening the internal width (inner channel) of their rims in order to give standard-sized tires a wider profile. These new wider rims, however, weren’t designed for tires of the past, thus another new tire size was born, known as “Wide Trail.” Wide Trail, or WT for short, is a phrase coined by Maxxis to describe tires specially designed for wider rims. While Maxxis may have rights to the term Wide Trail, almost every other tire manufacturer and rim company has taken note of this new trend. We reached out to Pivot Cycle’s founder, Chris Cocalis, who works closely with Maxxis, along with our friends at RideFast Racing, Bontrager, DT Swiss and WTB, to see what the deal is with the new trend of “wider than standard yet not quite plus-sized” tires. Our mission was to find out if Wide Trail is the new golden tire size. Here’s what the experts had to say. CHRIS COCALIS EBA : What is Wide Trail? Pivot: In the simplest terms, Wide Trail tires are basically tires designed to work correctly with internal rim widths between 30mm and 35mm. Most tires on the market were designed for rims less than 30mm wide. In most cases, trail tires were really designed for rim widths around 23 to 25mm. As rim widths became wider, there was a bit of lag time in tire development. When a standard tire is used on a wide rim, the casing and tread pattern don’t allow for the tread to properly line up with the sidewalls of the rim. The tire can bottom on the side wall, allowing the tire to pinch flat more easily. It also means that the overall tire profile becomes flatter on wider rims and does not function as well as it could. Even a tire like a Maxxis High Roller II (27.5×2.4 inches) that is a nice, wide tire will have this issue. The Wide Trail designation means that the knobs and tire profile have been optimized for the wider rims. Tires in 2.4 inches and 2.5 inches with the WT designation are optimized this way, as well as 2.6-inch tires, even if they don’t carry the WT designation. Just by the nature of their size, they are also designed for internal rim widths between 30mm and 35mm. Wider tires—2.8 inches and up—are considered “plus” tires, as their casings are even larger and are designed for rim widths between 35mm and 40mm. We always want to match the proper tire to the rim width. This is why the Mach 6 with 35mm rims uses a 2.6-inch tire, whereas our Firebird with 30mm-wide rims uses a Minion DHF 2.5WT and Minion DHR 2.4WT combination. This way, we are able to match the tire and rim combination for maximum performance and durability. Maxxis Aggressor AARON CHAMBERLAIN EBA : What does the phrase “Wide Trail” mean? Maxxis: Before we get into the “what,” let’s address the “why.” Over the past few years rims have gotten wider and wider. Wider rims let riders run lower tire pressures, improving ride quality and traction. Those are great benefits; however, there is such a thing as too wide, or at least a rim that is too wide for a particular tire. When you pair a traditional trail tire, say a 2.25-inch or 2.30-inch, with a rim in the 30–35mm range, the resulting profile can get overly square. If the tire profile is too square, your cornering knobs are no longer on the edge of the tire; they’re on top. That becomes very problematic when it’s time to corner. You lean over, but there’s nothing there to lean into. Wide Trail is what Maxxis did to address that problem. Wide Trail refers to specific tires within Maxxis’ mountain bike offerings. Maxxis tires that are denoted with a “WT” after the width measurement (i.e., 27.5×2.50WT) have been optimized for use on 35mm-wide rims (internal). Riders can choose to run down to a 30mm rim if they prefer a slightly rounder profile, but we don’t recommend going narrower than that. Our engineers optimized the tread layout by moving the blocks around to avoid the issue mentioned above. EBA: Does Maxxis believe Wide Trail will replace plus-size? Pivot: Not at all. The initial hype around plus tires has cooled a bit, but there are still tons of riders out there who love 2.80- to 3.25-inch-wide tires. The Maxxis Wide Trail tires are significantly narrower with a shorter profile than our 2.80-inch plus tires, so it’s best to think of them as a happy medium between traditional trail tires and our plus offerings. EBA : What are the benefits of a Wide Trail tire over a standard or plus-size tire? Maxxis: If you’re running rims in the 30mm- to 35mm-wide range, you should really have a tire that was designed to work properly with them. You’ll be able to run lower pressures. You’ll get better traction, have a more comfortable ride, and you’ll have better cornering control compared to a non-Wide Trail tire. Compared to plus, it more or less comes down to the ride quality. If you want a pillowy ride with a large margin for error, go with plus. On the other hand, if you want a sportier, more responsive ride, Wide Trail is your best bet. EBA : Anything else you would like to add? Maxxis: Wide Trail tires are really in their own category. They shouldn’t be used on rims narrower than 30mm wide, but they also shouldn’t be used on a dedicated plus bike in place of true plus tires. The reason is that the shorter profile will lower a bike’s bottom bracket, which can lead to increased pedal strikes. Maxxis Wide Trail tires are for trail riders using the wider rims that have become so popular recently. SCOTT PARSONS EBA : It seems like 2.6-inch tires have become the new happy medium. Do you believe Wide Trail tires will replace plus- and standard-size tires? Ridefast: I do think that 2.6-inch tires will decrease the number of true plus-width tires manufactured and sold, because they offer many of the same benefits that plusbike riders are seeking, such as improved traction and forgiveness, at a lower, more performance-oriented weight and with less uncontrolled air volume, which leads to more predictable handling across more conditions. The new 2.6-inch tires may also convert some current 2.35- to 2.5-inch tire riders (also for the improved traction and forgiveness), but I don’t think they will entirely replace standard-width trail tires simply because many people ride in conditions where standard trail tires offer plenty of traction and cornering capability but at lower, more pedal- or climb-friendly weights. SE4 Team Issue tire ALEX APPLEGATE EBA : The SE4 Team Issue tire from Bontrager is available in all three popular tire widths—2.4, 2.6 and 2.8. How can a rider determine which tire size is best for him? Bontrager: A 2.4 tire will generally have a more precise feel. They require more pressure, but, when tuned to the right psi for a given rider, will have a little more lateral support for a more consistent feel under hard cornering. A 2.8 tire will absorb the trail a little more and give a rider some added traction and confidence but have less sidewall stiffness, so hard cornering in berms can feel a little wallowy for really aggressive riders. EBA : Does Bontrager believe 2.6-inchwide tires are the new happy medium? If so, do 2.4- and 2.8-inch-wide tires still have a place in the market? Bontrager: In many ways, yeah, with 2.6 you get a lot of the benefits of bigger tread—traction, cornering, lower tire pressures and compliance—all without a lot of the drawbacks of added weight and less sidewall stability in hard corners. That said, all of the options are here to stay. An intermediate rider will see an immediate increase in confidence with a 2.8 tire, while a very aggressive rider could overpower it and may be best suited to the precise feel of a 2.4 tire. So long as they both tune their tire pressures for how and where they ride, they should be fine. CLAYTON WANGBICHLER EBA : WTB was an early pioneer of high-air-volume tires. How has that changed over the years with advancements in rim technology? WTB: WTB introduced the first 27.5-plus-inch tire and tubeless Road Plus tire about three years apart. We love the benefits of high-volume tires and look to increase performance in any and every way possible. Rims are a big part of the final equation. Put a wide tire on a narrow rim and you’ll experience folding. Pump them up to a pressure where you don’t experience folding on a narrow rim and you’ll be left with a tire that’s harder than a rock. Wide rims have totally changed how high-volume tires perform. The wider inner-rim width provides a more supportive base for the tire casing to sit on. It’s like giving somebody a push when his legs are braced in a triangle compared to with their feet together. The support is increased, but, more important, the support isn’t lost when running lower pressures. Elite-level enduro athletes are running pressures in the teens where they would have had to run over 30 psi to run tubeless. Another example is dirt bike wheels. Take a look at the ratio between the width of the rim and the casing of the tire. We’re finally getting to the ratio that decades of motorcycle engineering has determined is best. EBA : How does rim width affect the overall shape and size of a tire? Is there such a thing as a perfect rim/tire combination? WTB Trail Boss 2.4 & 2.6 WTB: There are many factors that determine the overall shape and size of a tire. Using a wider rim width will always create a wider casing profile. Tires designed with a 54mm casing can easily jump up to a measured 64mm casing width on a wider rim. One of the biggest factors is what inner rim width the tire was designed around. Until a few years ago, all trail tires were designed around inner rim widths around 20mm. Some were designed around even narrower widths. Riders were still using those tires when wide rims came out, and it increased the volume greatly. The farther you get away from the designed inner rim width, the more bulbous the casing will get. Also worth pointing out—tires that are mounted to a wider rim than they’re designed for will gain a flatter profile. The benefit of this is having more of the tread pattern contacting the trail at one time. This was another benefit of the initial wide-rim craze, but it left sidewalls exposed. With tires now being designed around wider rims, you’re able to dial in the ideal tire profile, increase tire volume and ensure the sidewalls are still protected via proper tread overhang. EBA : Larger rims and tires can add rotational mass to your bike. Do the added benefits of comfort and traction from a wide 2.5-inch tire make up for the disadvantages of the additional weight? WTB: There are many varying opinions when it comes to this, and it all comes down to personal belief and what is most important to you. For some people, it’s all about lightweight rims and tires with lightweight casings. High-volume tires may not be for those people. Others seek traction above all else. Those folks will love a wide 2.5-inch tire. My personal opinion is to run bigger, burlier tires. If they hurt on the climb, then they’re making you stronger. I promise you they’ll be more fun and durable on the descent. Also, know that a lot of times added effort comes from loss of traction. Stay hooked up on the climbs and you’ll conserve energy while minimizing overall body fatigue. Stay hooked up on the descent and each one of your pedal strokes will go farther.   DT Swiss HXC 1200 SPLINE 30 MATT THOMPSON EBA : DT Swiss offers wheelsets with multiple inner widths. How can a rider best choose the right wheelset for his or her riding style and location? DT Swiss: Choosing the right wheel for the job is often a daunting task with a variety of options in the DT Swiss wheel lineup. The right choice comes down to the rider’s style, preferred tire width, and local terrain and trails. Narrower rim widths (25mm or less) are generally suited better for riders looking for the fastest times and greatest weight savings. The midrange of rim widths (25–35mm) suit most trail riders, proving a great balance of performance, traction and ride comfort. Wider rims support the tire better and allow for lower tire pressures. As rim and tire widths increase, rolling resistance (and wheel weight) consequently increases, but we’ve found 30mm-wide rims provide a nice compromise for most riders. The extra air volume in wider rims and tires provides help to absorb more of the sharp hits found on chunky trails. Wider rims and tires also improve cornering and climbing traction. For riders who prefer the impressive traction and cushion of plus tires, 35–40mm rims fit the bill. There is some overlap in rim width and intended use, and that is where our specific rim extrusions come into play. DT Swiss Cross Country, All Mountain, Enduro and Freeride wheels, built with application-specific rims, offer a solution for every riding need. Cross Country rims provide the ultimate in weight savings. All Mountain rims offer improved strength and durability while still offering good weight savings. Built with ultimate strength in mind at the cost of a few extra grams, Enduro and Freeride rims provide unmatched trail-shredding performance. Our recommendation is to choose a rim or wheel series that matches your durability requirements. EBA : What are some of the specific differences between cross-country, trail and enduro wheels? Photo by: Martin Baumgartner Photography DT Swiss: DT Swiss Cross Country wheels come in 22.5mm and 25mm rim widths. Designed for riders searching for every gram of weight savings in their quest for the best Strava times, DT Swiss XRC, XR and X wheels are solid performers. DT Swiss Cross Country wheels offer precise handling, stiffness and uncompromising performance. The 2.25–2.35-inch tires are optimal for these wheelsets. The XMC-, XM- and M-series All Mountain wheels come in the widest range of widths in DT Swiss’ wheel lineup. Width options range from 25mm to 40mm, depending on the specific wheel model. All Mountain wheels are for riders who enjoy lively climbs but who do not wish to sacrifice confidence-inspiring performance on the descents. The 25–30mm-width rims are perfect for tire widths ranging from 2.35–2.6 inches. The 35–40mm rim widths are better suited for 2.8–3.0-inch plus-width tires, . DT Swiss Enduro wheels are perfect for riders who attack the trails with abandon and are looking to hit that next berm a little harder. Oriented towards heavier or more aggressive riders, our Enduro wheels are offered in 25mm and 30mm rim widths. We recommend paring our EX- and E-series wheels with 2.35–2.6-inch tire widths. Chosen by top riders such as Aaron Gwin, Jared Graves and Richie Rude, DT Swiss Enduro wheels offer world-class performance. Built for riders who push the absolute limits of their equipment, DT Swiss Freeride wheels provide unmatched strength and durability. Designed with input from champions such as Danny Hart and Brendan Fairclough, the FR1950 Classic wheelset features a 27.5mm rim width. Swissengineered for the highest level of professional competition, DT Swiss Freeride wheels provide extreme downhill and freeride performance. EBA : How does a rim’s internal width affect a bike’s handling? DT Swiss FR 1950 CLASSIC DT Swiss: Rim width has a marked effect on a bike’s handling and riding characteristics. Narrow rim widths can give a bike a more precise steering feel and greater feedback from the trail. Narrower rims and tires provide faster rolling performance but often sacrifice the smoother ride of wider rims and tires. As rim and tire widths increase, the bike may feel more confidence-inspiring. Wider rims and lower tire pressures help absorb trail chatter, improve climbing traction and increase cornering grip. At the plus end of the spectrum, the smoothness of the bike’s ride noticeably improves, along with improved traction potential. However, rolling resistance increases as well, and the bike may feel a bit slower or “sluggish.” Another factor to consider—if your bike has the frame clearance to switch between plus and 29er wheelsets—is the bottom bracket height can change when switching wheelsets. I’ve often found moving from plus wheels to a 29er setup gives a bit more pedal clearance, preventing annoying pedal strikes. That said, most riders who try plus tire sizes love the riding experience and often choose plus bikes as a primary or secondary ride. EBA : Is there a rule of thumb for finding the best combination of tire size and inner rim width? DT Swiss: A good rule of thumb we’ve used over the years is to multiply inner rim width by two and take the resulting figure as a good starting place for tire width. For example, 30mm x 2 = 60mm, which equates to a 2.35-inch tire. Of course, this is just a rough guide, but it does give a good starting place when choosing a tire for acceptable performance under most conditions. Most riders will find that going with a bit wider tire will give great results. In our example with the 30mm rim, 2.5- or 2.6-inch tire widths are a great choice. THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO GET ELECTRIC BIKE ACTION In print, from the Apple newsstand, or on your Android device, from Google. Available from the Apple Newsstand for reading on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch. Subscribe Here For more subscription information contact (800) 767-0345 Got something on your mind? Let us know at hi-torque.com The post What Are Wide Trail Tires? appeared first on Electric Bike Action.

Things have gotten a little quieter around the Trek Remedy in recent years because the 29er model, the Slash, has been attracting the lion’s share of the attention. Now the Remedy has made an impressive comeback with a revised version – and for many riders, it’s the better choice than the Slash. For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best trail bike you can buy Trek Remedy | 160/150 mm (f/r) | 13.18 kg | € 6,999 googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-0'); }); At first glance, the Remedy looks very similar to its predecessor, but Trek has tweaked quite a few details and reworked the bike extensively. The new Remedy no longer features a Full Floater rear linkage. Instead – like the Slash – relying on a fixed lower shock mount. The seat tube angle has also become 1° steeper and the seat tube has been shortened to allow shorter riders to use longer dropper seat posts. The travel has remained the same with 160 mm in the front and 150 mm at the rear, whereas the tire width has increased to 2.6″. As is usua l quite a few of the components are from Trek’s in-house brand Bontrager. Fortunately, however, the new 150 mm the dropper seatpost now functions much more smoothly. The package is completed with a FOX 36 Factory GRIP2 fork and a RockShox Monarch shock featuring Trek’s patented Thru-Shaft technology. Shifting is taken care of by a SRAM X01 Eagle drivetrain and powerful Shimano XT four-piston brakes help keep everything under control.   You can’t go wrong with this bike – the Remedy convinces in every aspect! The Trek Remedy 9.9 in detail Fork FOX 36 Factory GRIP2 160 mm Schock RockShox Deluxe RT3 Thru Shaft 150 mm Brakes Shimano Deore XT 4-Kolben 200/180 mm Drivetrain SRAM XO1 Eagle Seatpost Bontrager Line Pro 150 mm Stem Bontrager Line Pro Handlebar Bontrager Line Pro OCLV Carbon 780 mm Wheelset Bontrager Line Carbon 30 Tires Bontrager SE4 Team Issue Weight 13.18 kg Price € 6,999 RevisedThe Remedy’s shock is no longer floating, instead, they’ve fitted a shock with Thru-Shaft technology. Thru-Shaft technology allows the piston shaft to move downwards through the shock, eliminating the need for an IFP (Internal Floating Piston). This results in a more sensitive response. PowerfulThe new Shimano XT four-piston brake provides lots of power and reliability. Spacer towerDue to the short head tube, you’ll have to stack a tower of spacers under the stem. The knock block prevents the handlebar and fork crown from hitting the frame, limiting the steering angle, which can be particularly annoying when loading the bike into your car. ImprovedThe Bontrager Line Pro seatpost has been redesigned, making it perform more sensitively. The travel has also been increased. Whether long-term reliability has been improved remains to be seen. Geometry of the Trek Remedy Size XS S M L XL Seat tube 394 mm 419 mm 445 mm 470 mm 521 mm Top tube 562 mm 588 mm 604 mm 625 mm 649 mm Head tube 95 mm 100 mm 105 mm 110 mm 125 mm Head angle 65.5° 65.5° 65.5° 65.5° 65.5° Seat angle 74.2° 74.2° 74.2° 74.2° 74.2° Chainstay 435 mm 435 mm 435 mm 435 mm 435 mm BB Height 349 mm 349 mm 349 mm 349 mm 349 mm Wheelbase 1140 mm 1167 mm 1184 mm 1206 mm 1232 mm Reach 395 mm 420 mm 435 mm 455 mm 475 mm Stack 587 mm 592 mm 596 mm 601 mm 615 mm Helmet Bontrager Rally | Glasses Oakley Jawbreaker | Jersey Fox Indicator Jersey | Kneepads POC Joint VPD 2.0 Kne | Hipbag Bontrager Rapid Pack | Shoes Specialized 2FO Cliplite googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-1'); }); The Trek Remedy 9.9 on the trail Thanks to the reworked geometry, the riding position on the Remedy is very centred and comfortable. The rear suspension works sensitively and, together with the 2.6″ wide tires, provides enough comfort without robbing you of too much energy. Out of the gate, the Remedy is very lively and accelerates quickly. Up steep climbs, the front wheel reliably keeps on tracking the ground with little physical effort required from the rider – top! On narrow, technical climbs the bike is very easy to control and behaves predictably. We didn’t use the additional help of the climb switch on the shock and so we could hit the trail back down without much adjustment. Descending, the Remedy shines with an enormously balanced ride. The suspension is one of the most sensitive in the test field, yet it doesn’t isolate the rider from the ground too much. It offers plenty of feedback for a very active riding style. Every little root or rock that vaguely resembles a lip is an opportunity for you to pop of off. Despite their width, the Bontrager tires feel precise and offer good grip and puncture protection. Cornering, the Remedy doesn’t reveal any weaknesses, feeling very balanced. Direction changes are snappy and require little input from the rider. When the terrain becomes steeper, the Remedy feels planted, which is due, in part, to the rear remaining fully active when braking. However, at higher speeds the Trek is not quite as composed as the fastest bikes in the test field. Tuning tip: if you want to ride it really hard, we recommend fitting even tougher tires Conclusion The Trek Remedy is the perfect bike when having fun is more important to you than going crazy fast. Its super sensitive suspension and balanced handling make it one of the best bikes in the test field. From flow-trails to bike parks to alpine trails, the Remedy can do it all – an excellent trail bike! Tops – outstanding rear linkage – powerful climber – simply cuts a fine figure everywhere Flops – short head tube requires many spacers Uphill Downhill Stability Agility Value for money More info at: trebkikes.com For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best trail bike you can buy All bikes in test: Canyon Spectral CF 9.0 LTD | Evil Offering X01 | Giant Trance Advanced Pro 29 | Ibis Ripmo | Pivot Mach 5.5 Pro XT | Propain Hugene Highend | Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt BC Edition | Santa Cruz Bronson CC X01+ | Scott Genius 900 Ultimate | Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper 29 | Transition Sentinel X01 | Trek Remedy 9.9 | YT Jeffsy 29 CF Pro Race The post Trek Remedy 9.9 Review appeared first on ENDURO Mountainbike Magazine.

The Powerplay gives solid grip in corners.   E-bikes have now been a main part of the market for a few years. However, the frost towards them from enduro riders and gravity riders has only started to thaw recently. This can be seen with a huge increase in the sales of these bikes. For sure, there is still a huge amount of education to be done to understand what an e-bike is and how it affects the way we ride. On the fringes of the Riva del Garda bike festival, we got the chance to come to grips with a Rocky Mountain Altitude and a Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay. Rocky Mountain is very proud of the fact that their e-bike resembles a normal enduro bike in many ways. The geometry, the build and the look of the bikes are very similar. We spent some time on both bikes learning about how they ride, then compared it to one another. We felt it was an excellent way to get to the bottom of the whole emerging e-bike scene and figure out the performance differences. THE CONCEPT The concept when Rocky Mountain announced they would be doing an e-bike was all about fun, carrying over from their non-e-bike line. Wade Simmons, long-time freerider and Rocky Mountain mainstay, was adamant that fun is the most important factor when riding, and they didn’t want to create an e-bike that was not fun. In our recent reviews, we highlighted the fun element of the Powerplay, but riding it back to back with a normal Altitude was an eye-opening experience. We discovered a few things riding that many would not have thought. The Powerplay up close; it’s great to look at. THE BIKES When looking at geometry, both models are basically the same—the head angle, seat tube angle and chainstay length are exactly the same. The first outcome of this is that swapping bike to bike, your settings are the same. Suspension components and other parts are all the same brands. Fox covers suspension duties, and all other parts are brand comparative across the different bikes. Part for part, the bikes are about as similar as one could find on the market. The biggest difference is the weight. The non-electric version we rode weighed in at 27 pounds, 14 ounces (12.6 kilograms), and the Altitude Powerplay weighed 49.2 pounds (22.3 kilograms). That’s a lot of difference. Otherwise, though, we have got two bikes that—although separated by breed—are close when it comes to physical form. A lot of e-bikes are created with different geometries from pedal bikes because they are electric. Rocky was adamant that there doesn’t need to be a vast difference between the two. Our trail time on the Powerplay over the last couple of months would tend to side with Rocky Mountain on this one in our previous reviews. THE MOTOR The electrical system of the Rocky Mountain is fairly different to other e-bikes on the market, starting with the custom power controller on the bar, which even has a USB in line that can be used to charge devices. However, we would prefer to keep the energy for riding. Which takes us to the power display—there are four lights to show how much battery remains, solid or flashing, as each light has two states to indicate battery status in a sequence. The motor is Rocky’s custom unit that has a chain mounted torque sensor, that as the rider increases chain tension the motor increases its power. Of the more normal main brand e-bikes on the market, we like the power of this motor the most. Lastly, the battery is a 630 w/h unit that is integrated and non-removable. It charges at 48 volts pretty quickly. How this all this compares to the non-assist bike, well we don’t have energy indicators or motors apart from our legs. Ironically it can be quite hard to know how much we have got left in us when riding. Technically speaking we find ourselves more easily able to judge how much more we can ride with the e-bike. On a fast, fun ride we would say on a non-assist bike would be our choice, but for longer rides, the e-bike makes more sense. WHO IT’S MADE FOR This is a tough point to understand with these two bikes. The Altitude is pushed towards hard trail and verging on medium Enduro. It is capable and can do anything, the limit is only that of the rider, it is cool looking and lightweight. It is expensive, but one ride and the rider becomes aware of all the trickery that is in the package. Compare this directly to the e-bike version and much can be said the same, the main difference is the weight, so who will prefer which bike? The geometry and power makes you want to ride it a lot. There is a hardcore group of trail riders out there that like the feel of the e-bike and who want to lightly skip up trails then hammer down the descents. The Altitude is great for that, but it feels pretty obvious in the long term the non-assist bike, although good, is going to become a niche for the dedicated sportsman, not the everyday rider which will be the firm territory of the Altitude Powerplay. THE RIDE The Altitude is sold as a capable trail bike. Honestly though our test trails in Garda were old Enduro trails and we have to say it handled everything really well. The Altitude is light weight easy to move about, precise and fun. The suspension is reactive and gives great control, at 160mm up front with the Fox 36, it’s stiff and can take a beating. It is one of their top machines, it feels like it. We loved riding it uphill and downhill. The Powerplay has one of the best-feeling motors on the market when it comes to torque and raw lowdown power. It’s stable and fast in corners, and it also has a great tune on the suspension. Pedal uphill and the Powerplay rockets along with a long battery life that is going to keep most people very happy. Descents are fun, nippy and leave you with a satisfying feeling that you were riding a bike that is not so distant from the non-e-bikes out there. The numbers are the same as the Powerplay, while the lines are slightly skinnier. RIDE COMPARISO The nitty-gritty of the situation is this—we rode both bikes numerous times on the same trail. We tried to take the same lines and have the same amount of fun. We rode back up to the top and understand what was going on between the two bikes. First, e-biking is a bit different to riding a normal bike and not exactly the same thing. The difference in weight and climbing abilities changes what one can do with each bike. We would say that as we rode each bike in turn, we are firm that we enjoyed both bikes for what they are—great machines. The setups were the same and we felt at home on both bikes. We felt the best way to understand is to turn to list form of the key elements we noticed. Riding downhill with both bikes is fast and fun, but if you find yourself in the wrong place with something about to happen that you don’t want, like a rock popping up in front of you, it is easier and quicker to react to the situation with the Altitude. You can shift the bike more instantly and sneak around the obstacle that was going to take you down. The Powerplay is a bike that rides over stuff but does need more anticipation, and you can’t whip it out of the way very easily. Braking is better with the Altitude Powerplay. The bike seems to be more connected with the ground, whatever the surface might be, and the e-bike stops more quickly and does not slide over the ground the same. The Altitude stops, but you lose control more easily, slip and slide, especially on loose surfaces. This surprised us, and the only thing we could think about was the fact that the extra weight maintains better pressure/contact between the tires and the surface. Stability on descents was greater with the Altitude Powerplay. You can blast through stuff and hit just about anything hard and it shrugs it off—really very impressive. The Altitude is super light, whipable and easily jumps over stuff, but needs a greater level of technical ability to control the situation when it gets tricky. Steep drops are a cinch if you have the right technique—with both bikes. Now, we get to our most interesting point. We have been riding e-bikes for a long time now, yet when we jump on a non-assist bike, our trail skills are much better, especially when climbing when compared to before when we only rode non-e-bikes. The fact is that on an e-bike, you spend more time blasting along and riding steep technical climbs. This means you learn to deal with harder uphill sections more and actually ride more tricker situations, whereas before you might have gotten off. When switching back to a non-e-bike, these skills learned and extra time on the bike mean that we are now able to climb things we could not do before on the non-e-bike and preserve our trail flow and be more efficient. Suspension is another interesting point; the tune on the e-bike needs to be right. We could feel the weight shift forward much more on the Powerplay compared to the non-e-bike. This gives a heavy feeling to the bike as you come into a trail feature or loose, open corner. You lose some of the zip in the situation that you have with the non-assist bike. The answer to this is anticipation—try to keep your speed and flow; having to restart a heavier object even if you have motor support is harder; learning to carry through momentum and having a suspension tune that sports this is fundamental; and setting up a harder compression and slightly quicker rebound we discovered was one way to preserve the momentum, also learning to brake less. Rocky-versus-Rocky trail train, keeping each other in close at hand. THE VERDICT There is no doubt that despite the bikes being cut from the same cloth, they are two different machines that ride exceptionally well despite being different. The Powerplay definitely gets close to its non-e-bike counterpart when it comes to cornering and moving around on the trail and, to this day, stands out as one of the most nimble e-bikes on the market. We were lucky to get all the right elements together to do this test, and we found ourselves enjoying both bikes. The results, though, of our testing left us with a few ideas that we will probably see take place in the market as time progresses ahead and e-bikes become more prevalent. “The fact is that on an e-bike, you spend more time blasting along and riding steep technical climbs.” One of these ideas is that we foresee less skilled riders, and those who like to have fun and blast around without too much fuss, getting more out of an e-bike than a non-e-bike. We could foresee e-bikes keeping 70 percent of the market happy, especially those who like to explore and ride around a lot. For those technical riders, enduro or trail die-hards, there is no getting away from the fact that the e-bike has extra weight and the non-e-bike is nimble and exciting. These factors alone mean you can’t ride in the same way with an e-bike as you can with a modern lightweight trail bike like the Altitude, but you need to be fit to get to the top of the hill. Whatever your views, e-bikes are going to become a larger part of the market. They are fun and exciting in their own way, and they give more options and probably a better ride experience for less skilled riders; however, trail bikes will not die, because there are some moments that are hard to beat when you know you have a lightweight trail whip under you that will give you the feeling of flying if you know how to. SPECS ROCKY MOUNTAIN ALTITUDE & ROCKY MOUNTAIN ALTITUDE POWERPLAY MSRP: $7300 Motor: N/A Battery: N/A; 630 Wh Charge time: N/A; 4.5 hours Top speed: N/A; 25 km/h (15.5 mph) Range: N/A; 25-45 miles Drive: SRAM X01 Eagle 12-speed; SRAM EX1 Brakes: SRAM Guide RE; SRAM Guide RSC Controls: N/A; Rocky Mountain Frame: SmoothWall Carbon, RIDE-9 adjustable geometry + suspension pate Fork: Fox 36 Float EVOL FIT4 Factory 160mm; Fox 36 Float EVOL Grip Performance 160mm Rear shock: Fox Float DPX2 Factory, 150mm; Fox Float DPS EVOL Performance Elite, 150mm Tires: Maxxis Minion DHF WT Maxx Terra 3C 27.5×2.5/Maxxis Minion DHR II WT Maxx Terra 3C 27.5×2.4; Maxxis Minion DHF WT EXO Tubeless Ready 27.5×2.5 Weight: 27.8 lb.; 49.2 lb Colorchoices: Blue/black, red/black; yellow/green, black/yellow Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL; XS, S, M, L, XL www.bikes.com The post Bike Test: Mountain Bike vs. E-Mountain Bike appeared first on Electric Bike Action.

News from Canada: Norco has jumped onto the eMTB bandwagon, introducing an eMTB with 160 mm of travel, a Shimano motor and a 630-Wh battery. Read on to find out everything you need to know about the new Norco Sight VLT. The mountain bike scene in Canada is known particularly for its challenging, jump-laden trails. So it’s no wonder that the first eMTB to come from Norco is a potent trail rocket. The powerful Shimano STEPS E8000 motor and the integrated 630 Wh battery will get you up the steepest and longest climbs to the top of Canada’s best trails. Due to the large battery, the Sight VLT can’t be charged with the conventional Shimano charger, but a suitable charger is included, of course. The most affordable model, the Sight VLT 3, comes with a Shimano E7000 motor and a 500 Wh battery. The battery on all models is fully integrated and can only be removed by the dealer. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-0'); }); You’ve got 160 mm of travel available at the front and 150 mm at the rear for getting down the trails. The top end model comes with FOX suspension, whereas the suspension on all the other models is taken care of by RockShox. Thanks to the carbon front triangle and aluminium chainstays, the size M Norco Sight VLT 2 is claimed to weigh 22.4 kg. Unlike its non-motorized brother, the Sight VLT is only available with 27.5″ wheels, factory fitted with 2.6″ wide MAXXIS Minion DHF and DHRII tyres. On technical climbs, the 165 mm cranks should provide plenty of ground clearance. Norco specs the bikes with SRAM’s 12-speed GX and NX Eagle drivetrains, except for the most affordable Sight VLT, which comes with an SRAM NX 1×11 drivetrain. Norco Sight VLT 1 Motor/Battery: Shimano E8000/630 Wh Fork: FOX Performance 36 160 mm Rear shock: FOX Float DPX2 Performance 150 mm Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle 1×12 Brakes: SRAM CODE R Wheels: DT Swiss H1700 Tires: MAXXIS Minion DHF/DHR II 27,5″ x 2,6″ Price: € 7,499 Norco Sight VLT 2 Motor/Battery: Shimano E8000/630 Wh Fork: RockShox Pike RC 160 mm Rear shock: RockShox Deluxe RT 150 mm Drivetrain: SRAM NX Eagle 1×12 Brakes: SRAM Guide T Rims: WTB ST i29 Hubs: Novatec D791SB Tires: MAXXIS Minion DHF/DHR II 27,5″ x 2,6″ Price: € 5,999 Norco Sight VLT 3 Motor/Battery: Shimano E7000/500 Wh Fork: RockShox Yari RC 160 mm Rear shock: RockShox Deluxe RT 150 mm Drivetrain: SRAM NX 1×11 Brakes: SRAM Guide T Rims: WTB ST i29 Hubs: Novatec D791SB Tires: MAXXIS Minion DHF/DHR II 27,5″ x 2,6″ Price: € 4,999 Geometry of the Norco Sight VLT The Norco Sight VLT is only available in sizes S, M and L, which is bad news for very tall riders. The relatively slack 66° head tube angle and the 75° seat tube angle are bang up to date, and the reach ranges from 410 mm in S to a stretched 470 mm in size L. The chainstays are on the short side at 440 mm and the stack height is 617 mm on the largest frame. Size S M L Seat tube 405 mm 435 mm 470 mm Top tube 570 mm 603 mm 635 mm Head tube 100 mm 110 mm 120 mm Head angle 66° 66° 66° Seat angle 75° 75° 75° Chainstays 440 mm 440 mm 440 mm BB Drop 345 mm 345 mm 345 mm Wheelbase 1,150 mm 1,184 mm 1,218 mm Reach 410 mm 440 mm 470 mm Stack 598 mm 607 mm 617 mm Prices and availability The Norco Sight VLT is available in three different configurations, ranging from € 4,999 to € 7,499. The top model will be available in blue, the Sight 2 in a bright red or a simpler grey/black colour scheme and the Sight VLT 3 will only be available in black. All models will be available from your Norco dealer from mid-December. Our opinion on the new Norco Sight VLT The Canadian brand is getting right to business with the Norco Sight VLT. From the first glimpses we’ve gotten, the carbon frame looks very elegant. And on paper, the 160 mm/150 mm travel suspension makes the Sight VLT a very potent bike. We’re looking forward to reviewing the bike for you in the near future! For more information head to norco.com Der Beitrag Norco introduces the Sight VLT, featuring a carbon frame and a 630 Wh battery erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.