No love for electric gravel bikes? This is my review of Specialized Creo
03-29-20, 03:24 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 167
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 82 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
8 Posts
No love for electric gravel bikes? This is my review of Specialized Creo
Trying an electric gravel bike was one of my biggest goals since I began my gravelbikes.cc project where I test gravel bikes and bike parts that helps improve the overall comfort without losing the fun factor. I simply wanted to know if electric gravel bike will be the ultimate gravel comfort machine. Finally, I got the chance to test one of the newest and most expensive electric gravel bike and not in one, but in two variants (carbon and aluminum). Riding Specialized Creo was very entertaining but the wonderful experience of having an electric motor is unfortunately hampered by the law (speed restrictions) and the current state of technology development (in my opinion we still did not reach the stage where we can have a really seamless experience, a perfect harmony between the motor and the rider). I am very interested in your opinion about electric gravel bike. This is mine:
https://gravelbikes.cc/tests/special...-bikes-review/
Cheers!
https://gravelbikes.cc/tests/special...-bikes-review/
Cheers!
03-29-20, 05:58 AM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 1,851
Bikes: Lemond '01 Maillot Jaune, Lemond '02 Victoire, Lemond '03 Poprad, Lemond '03 Wayzata DB conv(Poprad), '79 AcerMex Windsor Carrera Professional(pur new), '88 GT Tequesta(pur new), '01 Bianchi Grizzly, 1993 Trek 970 DB conv, Trek 8900 DB conv
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 758 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 809 Times
in
471 Posts
Buzz Marketing
https://www.marketing-schools.org/ty...marketing.html
https://www.marketing-schools.org/ty...marketing.html
Likes For fishboat:
03-29-20, 07:22 AM
#3
Some Weirdo
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Rexburg, ID
Posts: 502
Bikes: '86 Schwinn Prelude, '91 Scott Sawtooth, '73 Raleigh "Grand 3"
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 223 Post(s)
Liked 141 Times
in
92 Posts
Got one in at the shop a couple weeks ago for a customer, was not impressed. Yeah, it's cool to be able to soft pedal up hills at 24 mph, but it has issues (IMO). The biggest gripe I have is the monstrous Q-factor. It's like riding a fatbike in a road position. We've had in other Turbo models and none of them have been set up like that. The other issue is the motor. It doesn't increase its assistance when you increase your power. I know, I know, it's an assistance motor, but when you get out of the saddle, it feels like you're dragging the full weight of the bike along. You sit back down and it suddenly feels fine. For a bike that starts around $6000, it sure doesn't wow like it should.
03-29-20, 08:46 AM
#4
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,601
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10943 Post(s)
Liked 7,469 Times
in
4,179 Posts
No love.
03-29-20, 10:29 AM
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 167
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 82 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
8 Posts
Got one in at the shop a couple weeks ago for a customer, was not impressed. Yeah, it's cool to be able to soft pedal up hills at 24 mph, but it has issues (IMO). The biggest gripe I have is the monstrous Q-factor. It's like riding a fatbike in a road position. We've had in other Turbo models and none of them have been set up like that. The other issue is the motor. It doesn't increase its assistance when you increase your power. I know, I know, it's an assistance motor, but when you get out of the saddle, it feels like you're dragging the full weight of the bike along. You sit back down and it suddenly feels fine. For a bike that starts around $6000, it sure doesn't wow like it should.
Likes For sweetspot:
03-30-20, 02:37 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Point Reyes Station, California
Posts: 4,524
Bikes: Indeed!
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1506 Post(s)
Liked 3,452 Times
in
1,128 Posts
There's an Electric Bike forum for those folks who need motors.
Brent
Brent
Likes For obrentharris:
03-30-20, 05:54 PM
#7
Randomhead
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
Posts: 24,383
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 3,684 Times
in
2,508 Posts
Moved here from gravel bikes. Ebike threads go in ebikes, period.
03-30-20, 06:06 PM
#8
Junior Member
You can put 40-42C gravel tires on a Domane+ (the Bosch ones). Did that on mine and (per another user) so long as you don't mind mostly sitting and not standing to pedal, it's totally fine (and pretty enjoyable) to ride on gravel!
03-30-20, 06:19 PM
#9
Randomhead
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
Posts: 24,383
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 3,684 Times
in
2,508 Posts
what specifically precludes standing? You can't really stand much around here because you are either climbing or descending, and the climbs are too steep
04-04-20, 08:16 AM
#11
Randomhead
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
Posts: 24,383
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 3,684 Times
in
2,508 Posts
I'm pretty sure he meant it would work
04-04-20, 09:37 AM
#12
Junior Member
05-11-20, 03:23 PM
#13
Newbie
Not impressed? I am....
I downshift prior to stopping so when I start up again, being in a lower gear, it's easy to get the cadence up and have the motor kick in soon enough. As for the "monstrous" Q-factor, I don't notice it unless I try to and, even then, it's quite subtle to me. I've own, and continue to own, many bicycles (7 currently) and my Creo SL fits like a glove and is a total joy to ride.
Got one in at the shop a couple weeks ago for a customer, was not impressed. Yeah, it's cool to be able to soft pedal up hills at 24 mph, but it has issues (IMO). The biggest gripe I have is the monstrous Q-factor. It's like riding a fatbike in a road position. We've had in other Turbo models and none of them have been set up like that. The other issue is the motor. It doesn't increase its assistance when you increase your power. I know, I know, it's an assistance motor, but when you get out of the saddle, it feels like you're dragging the full weight of the bike along. You sit back down and it suddenly feels fine. For a bike that starts around $6000, it sure doesn't wow like it should.
