rgsby

Last time I posted on here (a couple of years ago), I was looking at a Giant E-MTB. In the end, I compromised and got a nice gravel bike (as I wanted to put it on the roof-rack and I'm not a weight-lifter). However, I am not getting any younger and am not enjoying my commute - it's not a long way but has some severe hills and pot-holed roads that my old body struggles with. So, given these requirements would people recommend an Electric Mountain Bike or an Electric Hybrid. I am possibly looking at a Scott E-Scale 710 MTB or a Scott E-SUB Cross 10 Hybrid.
Thanks...

2old

They're both mid-drives so get the one that's most comfortable. There's not too many good reasons not to get the (probably slightly heavier) MTB since you'll have the motor.

Doc_Wui

How about a trailer hitch and a rear rack? I couldn't be putting bikes on the roof anymore. I did it in the early 90's.

rgsby

Yes, it's an option, though we don't have a tow-bar and Audi wanted an extortionate amount to fit one (I could go independent I suppose). Conversely, we already have roof racks and 4 cycle carriers...

rgsby

Yes, that's probably where I was going. While it's primarily for commuting, I can imagine, if it starts to make the hills more of a pleasure, that I could easily find myself on more varied terrain and then I might regret not getting the MTB

donheff

The Audi price may have been for a towing package that includes a lot of modifications. A hitch from U-Haul works fine for bikes and is cheap.

unterhausen

OTOH, if it does involve upgrading things other than the tow bar, the towing package might be worth doing. For example, an oil cooler. Otherwise, the aftermarket tow bars are usually pretty good.

I think an eMTB is a good idea. You should be able to get one with rack and fender mounts, and you can always put slicks on it if you find yourself mostly riding on the road. My current plans involve converting an mtb frame to electric

fietsbob

Hunters have been the 1st ones to go for electric motor conversions on MTB.. here..

rgsby

Was looking at a few option and noticed this bike claiming to be only 13.5kg!! Can that be for real?! It's a silly price of course. Does anyone have any experience of it?

badangel

are all these about e bike ?

rgsby

Yup!
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chas58

Wow, you got a nice gravel bike! Bummer it doesn't give you what you want. For comfort, I just cram big tires on there, & go tubeless. At 30 psi, its going to be about as comfortable as a mountain bike. Actually, my (and several others) gravel bike is more comfortable than a nice mountain bike. I assume that its because mountain bikes are designed to be jumped, while a gravel bike is not. For extra cush (in my older bikes), I sometimes use a thud-buster seat post. Nice and cush!

I'm assuming you don't want to electrify your carbon bike, so that doesn't really address the hills.

rgsby

i did think about it - the superpedestrian Copenhagen wheel appealed but I think I will just keep the gravel bike for family rides (I don't yet need assistance to keep up with my 7-year daughter!) and get the eMTB for commuting and solo riding

rgsby

My (possibly) last quandary is whether to go for 27.5 or 29" wheels...

BrocLuno

27.5" being slightly smaller is easier on the drive train. If going mid-drive that may have factored all that in.

But, since you will not really be using it as a true MTB, why not look at options?

I'm converting a Specialized Hardrock Sport (hardtail) into an e-Bike. I junked the useless heavy front fork for a nice used Manitou R7 that took more than 2 lbs off the bike and is much more supple and responsive. I'll install a Thud-Buster suspension seatpost to help with the hits to the rear end. And I'm running a Schwalbe Fat Frank in the rear. At 40 psi it'll absorb quite a bit before it even gets to the seatpost

Point being, you can kit build a commuter around a nice sturdy MTB frame (this one is aluminum). With the battery out, it's prolly liftable to a roof rack. Certainly it'll go onto a bike carrier on the back (hitch mount). And the ride is very decent on rough'ish roads.

I'm using a TSZD2 mid-drive that has built-in torque sensing crank spindle so it's pretty intuitive and natural. No throttle, so pretty much Class 1

Kits are here: TSZD2 Kits

rgsby

Hi. Thanks for the response. I actually bit the bullet back in August and got a Focus Bold2 29. So far it's only been used for commuting, other city (still very hilly) riding and a couple of easy trails that I can get to from home. I've not really solved the transportation question as I've not taken it anywhere to ride. That said, I love it and while it might be a little over-specified for a commute is great at the job. With hindsight, I'm glad I went for the MTB rather than the Hybrid...

BrocLuno

Nice bike, good on you

I get that the MFG's are really trying to make most MTB's versatile. They have to climb and descend. The climbing bit is where the chassis design becomes street friendly. So they ride OK on the street, if they are not strict DH bikes. A motor helps, but rolling resistance is not good for either you or the battery ...

All my MTB's have cross purpose tires now. None would be good a actual shredding down a Black Diamond trail anymore. The tires are way to compromised. But they are good on gravel, smaller roots & rocks, and pavement. And since they are now "family" bikes, that's the way they'll stay for the foreseeable ...

The combo on the Hardrock Sport (Schwalbe Marathon up front, Fat Frank out back) is really good on most surfaces. Not great in mud, or slippery wet leaves, etc. But short of that, they work pretty well on most everything. And they are not hard to pump on the street when aired up

The other bikes are a bit less able all around, but still good. It's a bit of a hunt to find the best compromise with only one set of wheels... If two sets of wheels, you can have dedicated street tires that roll easy, and dedicated "country" tires that do trails really well