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.

Test rider Keerati (IG @ms_keerati) takes a fast line around a tight corner in Malibu on the Zero FXS. Zero Motorcycles started in 2006 with one motorcycle, the Zero X. It was designed by a former aeronautical engineer who had also designed mountain bike frames for the likes of Santa Cruz, Trek, Mountain Cycle and Haro. The Zero X weighed a mere 140 pounds, had 3-inch motorcycle tires and was on the spindly side, but it could rip its way up to nearly 60 mph in about 3 seconds. It was properly scary, but really fun to ride. “It begs you to bathe in the thrill of the torque!” Since then, Zero has gotten away from making what would today be considered overbuilt mountain bikes, and they’ve moved stridently into the world of manufacturing full-fledged e-motorcycles. They now offer three main platforms—SR (sportbike), the FX (trail and on-road) and the DS (dual-sport). Additionally, they also have a few specific models that are more sport-specific to the main three. The FXS tested here is a Supermoto version of the FX. We reviewed the DS last year and loved it, and they asked us if we’d like to try the FXS. Do you think there’s even a 1-percent chance we’d say no? THE BIKE Each of the Zero bikes has its own frame design. The FX platform traces its roots back to the Zero X. The black aluminum frame encloses the battery, where you’d expect the internal combustion engine to be found in a regular motorcycle. There are two options on this bike—one with a 3.6-kilowatt-hour battery that is removable/hot swappable and one with the built-in 7.2-kilowatt-hour battery. Both have about 10 percent more capacity over last year’s models. Without a doubt, the Zero is a true motorcycle. Instead of an internal combustion engine, the permanent magnet motor sits behind the battery near the base of the swingarm. Most of the plastic cladding is found on the front of the bike near what would normally be a gas tank. Dual headlamps are in a high-beam/low-beam configuration and have a more modern look than a single headlight would. As Henry Ford once said, “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants, so long as it is black.” Zero follows suit here by only offering the FXS in black. It looks so good, and the black cloaks the fact that the bike is electric to most people. The IP is fully customizable via the Zero app and shows the information in an easy-to-read format. THE MOTOR The Z-Force motor is designed to be both powerful and efficient. It delivers up to 70 horsepower and 116 pound-feet of torque. The motor and battery technology is something that Zero has engineered from their experience in a decade of making electric motorcycles. The new 550-amp controller is virtually overheat-proof, even at high loads for long periods of time. Improvements for 2017 include 19 percent more torque and 11 percent more power, and a wider, stronger drive belt to handle all of that. The battery is warranted with a five-year, unlimited-mileage replacement guarantee. Zero claims the battery is good for 300,000 miles before it’s down to 80 percent of its rated capacity. By then, you’d likely want to upgrade to a new model. At the rate they keep adding capacity, your next battery could be your last. The belt drive helps keep the FXS silent, and the minimal drivetrain puts a tremendous amount of torque at your fingertips. Zero worked closely with Showa to design the front and rear suspension with full adjustability in spring preload, compression and rebound damping for a customized ride. It made for a supple and very predictable ride, even over uneven roads. WHO IT’S MADE FOR With so much torque and power, we almost hesitate to say the Zero is good for beginners, but you can ease into the power easily in Eco mode. With no clutch or shifting to deal with, riding the Zero is much simpler than a traditional motorcycle. It’s definitely one less thing to think about while riding. Experienced riders will miss it, but beginners will welcome this. You don’t need a “friction zone” to get going slowly. Starting at $8495, the FXS is the lowest-priced electric bike of the Zero line, making it a great entry-level way to get into an electric vehicle. And unlike any affordable electric vehicle out there, it’s something you’ll find any excuse to ride because of the fun factor. It’s also great if you live in an area full of houses or apartment complexes, especially if you leave for work early in the morning. Unlike those neighbors with loud cruisers, nobody will be awakened by your departure. The high and low beams are found in two separate projector bulbs and make for great visibility. THE RIDE It’s strange to turn the key on a bike, then slide the rocker on the start switch and hear nothing. There’s no engine to turn over. It is dead silent. No vibration under you, nothing. That can be a little off-putting and even misleading. If you like to blip the throttle, you can’t here. Since there’s no transmission, there’s no clutch. When you twist the throttle, the bike moves. Simple, but if you’re used to a conventional motorcycle, it’s a foreign concept. There are three power modes. Beginners will enjoy the Eco mode. It allows you to ease into riding this beast. It offers a slower power curve, conserves battery by not accelerating like a banshee and when you let off the throttle, the direct-drive motor offers some regeneration. At the other end of the spectrum is Sport, which offers some of the highest performance and quick acceleration we’ve ever experienced. The third mode is called Custom and is set wirelessly via a mobile app that allows riders to customize the power output, regen and more. We loved this mode, setting the torque, top speed and power at the highest settings, but also maxing the regeneration. This allows for all the performance you can get, but enough motor drag to feel like you’re downshifting when you let off the throttle. In town we were able to use little to no braking at all coming up to lights this way, and in corners it felt natural with a little drag going in, then transferring to power on the way out. Showa suspension is adjustable and provides a very supple, planted ride. RANGE ANXIETY When we first took the bike out, we tried it on a twisty road near the office. Getting to the road (about four miles away) used 10 percent of the battery. Now, we were riding in Custom or Sport the whole way and not sparing any acceleration when leaving lights. Why accelerate slowly when you can get to the 50-mph speed limit in a couple of seconds, right? The long climb up that road with a lot of elevation gain didn’t seem to take that much out of the battery after that. In fact, we did get about 1 percent per mile, depending on how hard we hit the throttle. Electric bikes use more energy the faster you use them, and Zero claims that at 70 mph on the freeway, you can get as little as 30 miles per charge. It’s made more for commuting. We split our time on the bike between city riding and canyons. The DS model we had last year had a nearly 14-kilowatt-hour battery, twice the capacity of the battery in the FXS. We did get 100 miles out of the DS. The longest ride we put in on one charge was a 55-mile ride, ending up with 38 percent of the battery left. That seems to equate to almost 90 miles, especially if it was kept in Eco and ridden modestly, which is really, really hard to do on this bike. It begs you to bathe in the thrill of the torque! Cornering was fantastic on pavement. The bike felt so planted in corners, it almost felt like it had traction control. The only time the Pirelli tires slipped was a hard turn through a painted crosswalk at an intersection, but it never lost full traction. We spent a lot of early mornings or late afternoons after work playing around in the canyons in Malibu. At first, we were concerned about range on some rides up Pacific Coast Highway, but even at highway speeds, the concern over range didn’t worry us. After a week or so, our range anxiety disappeared. For longer rides, we did think that an optional windscreen would be a great idea to help with wind resistance and to help battle fatigue. Even without that, the ride is still sublimely quiet; all you can hear is the wind in your helmet. Riders used to playing music while riding could keep it at a far lower level than on a regular motorcycle. We did take the bike off-road, and it’s pretty capable on rutted dirt roads. Suspension was a little stiff for major off-road use, but still capable of some fun. The FX version, with different tires, is a better setup for dual-purpose riding. Our sister zine, Dirt Bike magazine, tested the bike last year, and it proved to be faster than any 250cc two-stroke or four-stroke and was encroaching on 450cc territory. The air-cooled Z-Force motor is the heart and muscle of the system. THE VERDICT Zero has come a long way since they began production, and they now have some of the best range and performance available in the relatively small electric motorcycle space. Their technical, design and manufacturing experience really shows in this bike. We think beginners will love the FXS because it has no clutch or shifting duties to worry about. The price is great, with the smaller, swappable 3.6-kilowatt-hour version coming in at just over $8000, or the 7.2-kilowatt-hour version at $10,495. Experienced riders, too, would like the Zero despite missing the thrilling noise and audible feedback that you get with an internal combustion engine. It has decent range if you’re using it for a couple of hours a day, whether commuting or just getting out of the office for a bit to ride some twisties and clear your head. There’s virtually no expense to running this bike, other than electricity, which is far cheaper than the cost of gas. Maintenance includes occasional belt checks, tires and brake pads. It can be charged overnight from a 110-volt household plug, or there are some third-party supercharging setups to cut that time to about two hours. If it makes sense to you for the rides you take and you can afford the up-front costs, you might want to find a dealer near you for a test ride. SPECS ZERO FXS ZF7.2 MSRP: $10,495 (as tested, $8495 for the ZF3.6 Modular) Frame: Zero aluminum Fork: Showa 41mm inverted cartridge with adjustable spring preload, compression and rebound damping Rear shock: Showa 40mm piston, piggyback reservoir shock with adjustable spring preload, compression and rebound damping Motor:Zero Z-Force Battery: Z-Force 7.2 kWh Controls: Sevcon/Zero Charge time: 9.7 hours from 0% Top speed:85 mph Range: 40–90 miles (tested) Drive: 90T/18T Poly Chain HDT carbon belt Brakes: J Juan with Bosch Gen 9 ABS, 320mm/240mm discs Tires:Pirelli Diablo Rosso II 110/70-17 (F), Pirelli Diablo Rosso II 140/70-17 (R) Weight:293 pounds (133 kilograms) Color choices: Black www.zeromotorcycles.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 Test-Zero FXS ZF7.2 appeared first on Electric Bike Action.

Compared to a regular mountain bike, elevation gain is a lot quicker and easier on an eMTB. But even with the support of the motor, climbing has its pitfalls. The following three tricks should help you remain confident when getting going from a standstill, when dismounting and when using the walk assist. Basic technique – getting going from a standstill It even happens on an eMTB sometimes that you come to a stop in the middle of a climb – because the ground is loose or you simply feel like admiring the view. There are a few points to consider before you can get going again without too much stress. Position Ideally, place your eMTB to the side of the path, facing upward at a 45-degree angle to the incline; as long as the trail isn’t too narrow, getting on to the bike is a lot easier in this position. Select a low support level and an easy gear. Also, keep both brakes applied so that the bike doesn’t roll back. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-0'); }); Climb on You climb on from the side of the higher ground, sit down on the saddle and bring the outside pedal up to the height of the down tube. Point the front wheel in the direction you want to ride and keep your focus on the trail ahead. If you’re on a particularly steep passage, sit on the tip of the saddle to prevent the front wheel from lifting when you start riding. Tip: if you’ve got a dropper seat post, keep the saddle dropped, it’ll be easier to maintain your balance. Even pedal strokes Start riding while sitting down and without shifting gears, with your elbows slightly bent and hard but even pedal strokes. Keep your focus on the trail ahead. If you’ve got a dropper seat post, let it slowly come up. Once you’ve gotten back into rhythm, you can select a higher support level or shift gears, depending on the incline. Basic technique – get off the bike on a climb Mastering the technique of dismounting the bike mid-climb is crucial on an eMTB. Because of the weight of the bike, getting down with the bike between your legs is not an option, as you would be too unstable. It is no coincidence that the area between the saddle and stem is also called the death zone – it is absolutely taboo! Dismount When you start losing your balance, or you’ve got no more strength left on a climb, you should consider dismounting. It is best to find a relatively even spot where you’ll be able to stand. Uphill foot Turn slightly and put down your uphill foot (the side facing the incline). You’re closest to the ground on the side facing the incline. Put your foot down and apply both brakes. That way the bike won’t roll back, and you’ll keep your balance. Downhill foot Slowly lift the Downhill foot on the opposite side off the pedal and swing your leg over (not jerkily!) off the bike to the side of the incline. Stay on the brakes and keep a firm grip on the handlebars. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-1'); }); Here are three more tips to master climbing: – always look far ahead so that you stay in the flow – ride with an even, high cadence – try not to breathe erratically and relax your shoulders Basic technique – using the walk assist to get your bike up the mountain You’re in a dilemma. You’re not able to get going on an uphill! Most eMTBs have a feature for moments like these to help get you out of trouble. The walk assist can be operated via a lever or button on the handlebar. Before you go riding you should find out how to activate this function, as it works differently depending on the manufacturer and model. Easy gear The rear wheel is spinning and losing traction. You have to get off. But before you use the walk assist, lift the rear wheel and shift to an easy gear. To do this, find an even spot where you can stand. Push Push the lever and, driven by the rear wheel, the eMTB will immediately get going, reaching a maximum speed of up to 6 km/h. It will take some practice to push your eMTB over twisty or slippery sections. It often helps to push with one hand on the saddle. That should give the rear wheel more traction. Important: always keep a hand on the brake in case the bike wants to get away from you. Position As soon as the trail evens out and you think you can get back on the bike, position the bike on the side of the trail, if possible, facing up at a 45-degree angle, and get back on your way. To mount the bike, refer to the tips above in the section “Basic climbing technique – getting going from a standstill”. That was part 1 and 2 of our two-part series on riding technique. Here you can find the introduction. In the next issue, you’ll learn how to master descents, technical climbs, and proper cornering technique. This article is from E-MOUNTAINBIKE issue #014E-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! Der Beitrag eMTB Skills 101 – Basic riding techniques when going uphill erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

Bergamont presents the new E-Trailster at Eurobike. The 160 mm travel eMTB is available with either 27.5″ or 29″ wheels. With a new drivetrain, updated geometry and female-specific components, the Hamburg-based company has reinvented the E-Trailster. The E-Contrail has also gotten a few updates. Besides which there is a new 24″ and 26″ eMTB for kids, the E-REvox. The new Bergamont E-Trailster with 160/145 mm of travel (f/r) googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-0'); }); Bergamont has opted for a Shimano STEPS E-8000 motor in the E-Trailster, instead of a Bosch as before. The riding modes can be selected with the STEPS E-7000 Remote The real advantage of the integrated battery: space for a water bottle No bridge on the seatstays… …and 29″/27,5+ forks ensure proper tyre clearance Unfortunately, the Bergamont won’t come with the potent FOX FLOAT X2 shock. The Bergamont E-Trailster in the FMN-Version The women’s version has a specific handlebar … … and saddles designed for women Build options of the E-Trailster With the new E-Trailster, you’ve got the choice between 29″ or 27.5″ wheels. And there is a new option specifically for women too. The FMN model is only available with 29″ wheels. Bergamont E-Trailster Elite 27 Fork FOX 36 FLOAT Performance Elite 160 mm Shock FOX FLOAT Performance Elite 145 mm Motor/Battery Shimano STEPS E 8000 504 Wh Drivetrain SRAM XX1/GX Eagle Brakes SRAM Code R Seatpost FOX TRANSFER Performance Elite Stem Syncros FL2.0 50 mm Handlebar Syncros FL2.0 760 mm Wheelset Mavic E-XA Elite 27″ Tyres Maxxis Minion DHF/DHRII 27.5″ x 2.6″ Price XXX € Bergamont E-Trailster Expert 29 Fork FOX 36 Rhythm 160 mm Shock FOX FLOAT Performance Elite 145 mm Motor/Battery Shimano STEPS E 8000 504 Wh Drivetrain Shimano Deore/SLX Brakes Shimano BR-MT520 Seatpost Syncros 2.0 Dropper Post 150 mm Stem Syncros FL2.0 50 mm Handlebar Syncros FL2.0 760 mm Wheelset Mavic E-Crossmax 29″ Tyres Maxxis Minion DHF/DHRII 29″ x 2.6″ Price XXX € Bergamont E-Trailster Elite 27 Fork RockShox Lyrik RC 160 mm Shock RockShox Deluxe R 145 mm Motor/Battery Shimano STEPS E 8000 504 Wh Drivetrain SRAM NX Brakes SRAM Guide T Seatpost Syncros 2.0 Dropper Post 150 mm Stem Syncros FL2.0 50 mm Handlebar Syncros FL2.0 760 mm Hubs/Rims BGM Pro/Sun Ringlé Duroc SD42 Tyres Maxxis Minion DHF/DHRII 27.5″ x 2.6″ Price XXX € Bergamont E-Trailster Expert 29 Fork RockShox Yari RC 160 mm Shock RockShox Deluxe R 145 mm Motor/Battery Shimano STEPS E 8000 504 Wh Drivetrain Shimano Deore Brakes Shimano BR-MT200 Seatpost Syncros 2.0 Dropper Post 150 mm Stem Syncros FL2.0 50 mm Handlebar Syncros FL2.0 760 mm Hubs/Rims Shimano MT400/Sun Ringlé Duroc SD42 Tyres Maxxis Minion DHF/DHRII 29″ x 2.6″ Price XXX € Bergamont E-Trailster Expert 29 Fork RockShox Yari RC 160 mm Shock RockShox Deluxe R 145 mm Motor/Battery Shimano STEPS E 8000 504 Wh Drivetrain Shimano Deore Brakes Shimano BR-MT200 Seatpost Syncros 2.5 Dropper Post 120 mm Stem Syncros FL2.0 50 mm Handlebar Syncros FL2.0 740 mm Hubs/Rims Shimano MT400/Sun Ringlé Duroc SD42 Tyres Maxxis Minion DHF/DHRII 29″ x 2.6″ Price XXX € googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-1'); }); The geometry of the Bergamont E-Trailster Size S M L XL Seat Tube length 400 mm 440 mm 470 mm 515 mm Top Tube (horizontal) 582 mm 608 mm 638 mm 673 mm Head tube 115 mm 115 mm 130 mm 145 mm Head Angle 65° 65,5° 65,5° 66° Seat Tube Angle 75° 75° 75° 75° Chainstays 462 mm 462 mm 462 mm 462 mm BB Drop 30 mm 30 mm 30 mm 30 mm Wheelbase 1218 mm 1238 mm 1269 mm 1300 mm Reach 420 mm 445 mm 470 mm 500 mm Stack 633 mm 636 mm 650 mm 666 mm The Bergamont E-Contrail The E-Contrail with 130 mm travel will be available with either 27.5″ or 29″ wheels. The Bosch motor of Bergamonts trail bike has also been replaced by the Shimano STEPS E-8000, including fully integrated battery. The geometry and componentry of the linkage driven single pivot bike is aimed mostly at touring riders. Bergamont E-Contrail Expert 27 | 130 mm | 27,5” | XXX € The E-Contrail Pro 29 is the only option that will come with 29″ wheels The E-Contrail Sport 27 rounds off the 27.5″ lower entry range eMTB for kids – Bergamont E-Revox The new E-Revox promises to make the entry into the world of eMTBing child’s play. Bergamont has opted for 24″ + and 26″ tyres and Bosch Active Line motors. The smaller E-Revox Junior 24 uses the Active Line motor with 40 Nm, which is limited to 20 km/h. The Active Line Plus motor available on the larger E-Revox 3 26 will provide a maximum output of 50 Nm and a max speed of up to 25 km/h, as usual. Since weight plays an important role on kids eMTB’s, both models come specced with compact 400 Wh batteries. Bergamont E-Revox 3 26: The entry into the world of eMTB Limited to 20 km/h: Bergamont E-Revox Junior 24 Der Beitrag The new Bergamont E-Trailster: Also new releases for kids and touring riders too erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.