Review: 2021 Santa Cruz Bullit - The Electrified Freeride Machine
When I first heard rumors that Santa Cruz had a new Bullit on the way my attention was immediately piqued. I've witnessed some ridiculous riding feats performed aboard the original aluminum single pivot version, everything from telephone poll high skinnies ridden in the rain by a rider whose drivetrain was skipping at the most inopportune moments to big hucks to flat in the Utah desert. I've never owned one myself, but I'll always have a soft spot for that bike, which is why I decided to get the motorized version in for some proper winter testing.
The new Bullit doesn't share much in common with its predecessor, other than the name. It's not aluminum, it's not a single pivot, and instead of 26” wheels it has a mixed wheel, 29 / 27.5” configuration with 170mm of travel.
The new Bullit doesn't share much in common with its predecessor, other than the name. It's not aluminum, it's not a single pivot, and instead of 26” wheels it has a mixed wheel, 29 / 27.5” configuration with 170mm of travel.
Bullit Details
• Wheel size: 29" front, 27.5" rear
• Carbon frame
• Travel: 170mm
• 64-degree head angle
• 449mm chainstays
• Shimano EP8 motor
• Weight: 49.2 lb / 22.3 kg (size L)
• Price: $11,499 USD
• santacruzbicycles.com
• Wheel size: 29" front, 27.5" rear
• Carbon frame
• Travel: 170mm
• 64-degree head angle
• 449mm chainstays
• Shimano EP8 motor
• Weight: 49.2 lb / 22.3 kg (size L)
• Price: $11,499 USD
• santacruzbicycles.com
It's also not cheap – the base model goes for $7,499 USD, and the version reviewed here is a whopping $11,499 USD. I'm typically not a fan of the whole “I could buy a [insert your favorite random unrelated item here] for that much money” trope, but I did think it was ironic that putting this on my bike rack more than tripled the worth of my van.
That tall price tag gets you a Fox 38 Factory fork, SRAM Code RSC brakes with properly big rotors, an X01 Eagle 12-speed drivetrain, and carbon Reserve wheels mounted up with a Maxxis Assegai / DHR II tire combo, both with a Double Down casing. Don't forget about the motor, which in this case is Shimano's latest EP8 system, with a 630 Wh battery.
 | The Bullit will get up to speed eye-wateringly fast, and it'll maintain that pace as long as you can keep off the brakes. |
Frame Features & Motor Details
The Bullit has the now-familiar Santa Cruz silhouette, albeit with an oversized downtube to house the battery. The frame is constructed from Santa Cruz's CC-level carbon, and for now there aren't any lower priced C-level or aluminum framed models.
Santa Cruz uses their Di2 carbon handlebars to give the Bullit a clean cockpit – the E-tube wire from the mode selector to the display runs inside the handlebar. The wire from the display to the motor has its own port in the head tube, although I wish the wire itself had a thicker casing, just in case it got snagged on a branch or other grabby trailside foliage. The derailleur and brake housing are also internally routed, and are zip tied to the side of the down tube to keep things quiet.
Other details worth a quick mention include a ribbed chainstay protector, a tiny fender to keep a tiny amount of mud off the shock, and room for a water bottle inside the front triangle. Itching to run a dual crown fork on your e-bike? Well, it's not going to be this one – the frame is not dual crown compatible.
The Bullit is equipped with Shimano's new EP8 motor.
The 630 Wh battery is stored in the downtube, and easily removed with one hex key.
The battery for the Shimano EP8 motor can easily be removed from the downtube for charging or transport with a partial turn of a 4mm hex key, but I'd imagine most riders will take advantage of the charging port located on the non-drive side of the frame. That's just below the power button, which sits underneath the shock.
Ralf Hauser put together an extensive review of the EP8 motor earlier this year, which digs deeper into the nitty gritty details of the new motor – be sure to check that out if you want the full scoop on the heart of the Bullit.
In short, there are three modes – Eco, Trail, and Boost, along with a Walk mode that can be used when you're off the bike and trying to push a 50 pound beast up a steep hill. The level of support and the max torque that's delivered in each mode can be adjusted to some extent via Shimano's E-Tube Project app, so if you wanted Eco mode to deliver a little more 'oomph', or Boost mode to be a little tamer, that's easily accomplished.
The mode selector is easy to reach, and the wire is run internally through the carbon bar.
There's a tiny mud flap, but it'll only do so much in really mucky conditions.
Geometry & Sizing
The Bullit's reach numbers and 64-degree head tube angle are identical to those found on the Nomad, its closest non-motorized sibling. The chainstay length is 449mm on all sizes – in this case there aren't any flip chips or size-specific chainstays. There are four sizes in total, from M to XXL, with reach numbers ranging from 450mm to 515mm. There's no Bullit for riders looking for a size small, but Santa Cruz does make the 150mm Heckler in a small with a 416mm reach.
Suspension Design
The Bullit uses two short(ish) counter-rotating links for its 170mm of travel, and there's enough progression to the leverage curve that a coil or an air shock are both viable options. Like the rest of Santa Cruz's bikes, the pivot bearings are covered by a lifetime warranty.
| Specifications | ||
| Price | $11499 | |
| Travel | 170mm | |
| Rear Shock | RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate | |
| Fork | FOX 38 Float Factory E-Tune, 170mm, 29" | |
| Headset | Cane Creek 40 IS Integrated | |
| Cassette | SRAM XG1295 Eagle, 12spd, 10-52t | |
| Crankarms | Shimano EM900 HollowTech Crank Arms, 165mm | |
| Rear Derailleur | SRAM X01 Eagle, 12spd | |
| Chain | SRAM XG1295 | |
| Shifter Pods | SRAM X01 Eagle Single Click, 12spd | |
| Handlebar | Santa Cruz Bicycles Carbon Di2 Riser | |
| Stem | Burgtec Enduro MK2 | |
| Grips | Santa Cruz House Grip | |
| Brakes | SRAM Code RSC | |
| Hubs | DT Swiss 350 | |
| Spokes | Sapim D-light | |
| Rim | Santa Cruz Reserve 30 29 Carbon (f), Reserve Carbon DH 27.5 (r) | |
| Tires | 29 x 2.5" Maxxis Assegai MaxxGrip DoubleDown, 27.5 x 2.4" DHRII MaxxTerra DoubleDown | |
| Seat | WTB Silverado Team | |
| Seatpost | Fox Transfer Factory | |
Test Bike Setup
Santa Cruz has a very detailed suspension setup chart on their website that's a good place to begin. I inflated the Super Deluxe shock to 175 psi, which put me at 30% sag, and ran the low speed compression 10 clicks from closed.
My final settings for the 170mm Fox 38 fork were around 10 pounds more than the suggested starting point, at 100 psi with three tokens installed for my 160 pound weight. The initial settings were too soft, and had me using more (or all) of the travel much too often. Bumping up the air pressure settled things down, and kept the ride height where I wanted it in steeper terrain.
I mentioned the ability to fine tune each of the motor's assist settings using Shimano's app, but I was happy with the stock configuration and didn't need to deviate from how the bike arrived.
Testing took place in the depths of winter, which meant there were deep puddles, lots of mud, and a handful of snowy rides in the mix.
Santa Cruz has a very detailed suspension setup chart on their website that's a good place to begin. I inflated the Super Deluxe shock to 175 psi, which put me at 30% sag, and ran the low speed compression 10 clicks from closed.
My final settings for the 170mm Fox 38 fork were around 10 pounds more than the suggested starting point, at 100 psi with three tokens installed for my 160 pound weight. The initial settings were too soft, and had me using more (or all) of the travel much too often. Bumping up the air pressure settled things down, and kept the ride height where I wanted it in steeper terrain.
I mentioned the ability to fine tune each of the motor's assist settings using Shimano's app, but I was happy with the stock configuration and didn't need to deviate from how the bike arrived.
Testing took place in the depths of winter, which meant there were deep puddles, lots of mud, and a handful of snowy rides in the mix.
Mike Kazimer
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
Age: 38
Height: 5'11" / 180cm
Inseam: 33" / 84cm
Weight: 160 lbs / 72.6 kg
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @mikekazimer
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
Age: 38
Height: 5'11" / 180cm
Inseam: 33" / 84cm
Weight: 160 lbs / 72.6 kg
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @mikekazimer
Climbing
All the usual talk about pedaling efficiency becomes much less relevant when you have a motor helping you up the hill. Instead, the focus shifts to traction, and the Bullit delivers that in spades. The rear wheel easily moves up and over obstacles, making rough, rooty climbs much more achievable. With a little practice it became second nature to shift my body back a little to unweight the front wheel, and then doing sort of a power wheelie pivot to get around tight switchbacks.
The overall climbing position on the size large was very comfortable for my 5'11” height, and longer paved road approaches were dispatched without any discomfort. Eco mode provides enough assistance to hide the weight of the bike on the pedal to the trailhead, while also ensuring there's plenty of juice left in the battery for the best parts of the ride.
Initially, I envisioned using the Bullit mainly for knocking off multiple laps on steep trails that have grueling logging road grinds to access them. And while the Bullit was a great tool for those types of rides, I found myself enjoying the more exploratory missions, ones that included a healthy mix of awkward climbs, the kind with moves that required more than one attempt to conquer.
There's no getting around the fact that the Bullit is a big bike – the term nimble never really ever crossed my mind - but it's also much more manageable, and downright enjoyable, on techy climbs. It does take some effort to muscle it around, but that turned into part of the fun, trying to get it to clamber up and over slimy rock steps or around a tight corner with an off-camber root in exactly the wrong spot. The motor does make climbing much faster and easier, but it also provided incentive for me to try riding up things I'd never even consider on a regular bike.
All the usual talk about pedaling efficiency becomes much less relevant when you have a motor helping you up the hill. Instead, the focus shifts to traction, and the Bullit delivers that in spades. The rear wheel easily moves up and over obstacles, making rough, rooty climbs much more achievable. With a little practice it became second nature to shift my body back a little to unweight the front wheel, and then doing sort of a power wheelie pivot to get around tight switchbacks.
The overall climbing position on the size large was very comfortable for my 5'11” height, and longer paved road approaches were dispatched without any discomfort. Eco mode provides enough assistance to hide the weight of the bike on the pedal to the trailhead, while also ensuring there's plenty of juice left in the battery for the best parts of the ride.
Initially, I envisioned using the Bullit mainly for knocking off multiple laps on steep trails that have grueling logging road grinds to access them. And while the Bullit was a great tool for those types of rides, I found myself enjoying the more exploratory missions, ones that included a healthy mix of awkward climbs, the kind with moves that required more than one attempt to conquer.
There's no getting around the fact that the Bullit is a big bike – the term nimble never really ever crossed my mind - but it's also much more manageable, and downright enjoyable, on techy climbs. It does take some effort to muscle it around, but that turned into part of the fun, trying to get it to clamber up and over slimy rock steps or around a tight corner with an off-camber root in exactly the wrong spot. The motor does make climbing much faster and easier, but it also provided incentive for me to try riding up things I'd never even consider on a regular bike.
Descending
The original Bullit wishes it could corner and descend like the new one does. The overall heft of the bike, and the way much of that weight is around the bottom bracket area makes it possible to push into the 170mm of travel and absolutely rail through turns in a way that's typically only possible on a downhill bike. The geometry felt well balanced - the 475mm reach combined with the 449 chainstys made it easy to stay centered and in a good descending position.
The Bullit will get up to speed eye-wateringly fast, and it'll maintain that pace as long as you can keep off the brakes. For some reason, the image of a UPS truck absolutely rallying around a race track kept popping into my mind when I was riding the Bullit. It's more of a plow than a razor sharp precision instrument, a bike that prefers blast right through whatever is in the way. Despite the mis-matched brand names, the Fox 38 and RockShox Super Deluxe suspension combo played well together in these type of scenarios once I had them dialed in.
When it comes to hitting jumps, be warned that the Bullit has a penchant for going deep on larger stepdowns or jumps with decent sized lips - I landed well past where I'd intended more than once when my momentum carried further than expected. Luckily, the suspension has a very smooth end stroke ramp up, and I never felt any harsh bottom outs. The overall weight is more noticeable when bunnyhopping or trying to pop over mid-trail obstacles, and can deliver quite the upper body workout by the end of a ride.
Bullit the blue sky.
Technical Report
Tires: On a non-electric bike I'd typically run the same 2.5” front / 2.4” rear tire setup as the Bullit, but after a handful of extra-slippery adventures I started wishing for a wider and even meatier rear tire. The motor makes it possible to overpower the 2.4" DHRII's tread pattern, causing the wheel to spin and all forward momentum to be lost. In drier conditions this wouldn't be as much of a concern, but for riders in wetter zones it's something to consider.
Code RSC brakes: I went through a set of metallic pads much quicker than I usually do on a regular bike, likely due to the wet conditions and the added effort required to slow it the Bullit down. Don't forget to check the wear sooner than you typically would, or run the risk of figuring out you don't have any pads left in the middle of a steep descent.
DT Swiss 350 hubs: I've said lots of good things about DT Swiss' hubs in the past, and their Star Ratchet design is usually very reliable...usually. In this case, some of the teeth became slightly rounded and started slipping past each other, which meant it was impossible to put any pressure on the pedals. In other words, ride over. One I scooted my way home I swapped out the teeth and didn't run into any further issues. This incident did make me thing that there might be room for a beefier start ratchet, possible with larger, and fewer teeth.
EP8 issues: I was halfway through a ride when the motor cut out and the display flashed an E01020 error message. I checked all the connections, and tried all the tricks I could think of without any success. I figured that I owed some penance for the motorized assistance I'd been enjoying, so I pedaled another lap with the motor off before contacting Shimano. It turns out that error message required a whole new drive unit, which gave me the chance to see how hard it is to replace a motor. Turns out it's not very difficult, but I can imagine that someone who'd dropped upwards of $11k on a new bike wouldn't be very happy at all when faced with a dead motor. I'll be sending the motor back to Shimano to figure out what caused the issue, and I'll update this when I learn more.
While we're talking about the motor, I do wish was a little quieter, especially after riding a near-silent Specialized/Brose motor, but I really only noticed its high pitched 'whir' on smoother climbs. It also rattles on rougher descents when there are repeated quick hits, with a sound that's similar to riding a bike without a clutch derailleur.
Mud collection: The VPP suspension layout and the EP8 motor itself creates lots of little nooks and crannies for mud and grit to get into – be prepared to spend a little extra time keeping everything clean, and it's worth taking the plastic covers around the motor off every once in a while to remove the debris that'll inevitably work its way inside.
Value
If you're looking for a screaming deal on an eMTB this isn't the bike for you. Even the base model costs $7,499, for a build kit that has a RockShox Zeb fork, SRAM NX Eagle drivetrain, and Guide RE brakes. It is good to see that the tire spec remains consistent on all models, since that's not a place to cut costs on a bike like this. Still, no matter how you look at it the Bullit is on the higher end of the price scale.
Tires: On a non-electric bike I'd typically run the same 2.5” front / 2.4” rear tire setup as the Bullit, but after a handful of extra-slippery adventures I started wishing for a wider and even meatier rear tire. The motor makes it possible to overpower the 2.4" DHRII's tread pattern, causing the wheel to spin and all forward momentum to be lost. In drier conditions this wouldn't be as much of a concern, but for riders in wetter zones it's something to consider.
Code RSC brakes: I went through a set of metallic pads much quicker than I usually do on a regular bike, likely due to the wet conditions and the added effort required to slow it the Bullit down. Don't forget to check the wear sooner than you typically would, or run the risk of figuring out you don't have any pads left in the middle of a steep descent.
DT Swiss 350 hubs: I've said lots of good things about DT Swiss' hubs in the past, and their Star Ratchet design is usually very reliable...usually. In this case, some of the teeth became slightly rounded and started slipping past each other, which meant it was impossible to put any pressure on the pedals. In other words, ride over. One I scooted my way home I swapped out the teeth and didn't run into any further issues. This incident did make me thing that there might be room for a beefier start ratchet, possible with larger, and fewer teeth.
DoubleDown casing tires are a good pick.
Not ideal.
EP8 issues: I was halfway through a ride when the motor cut out and the display flashed an E01020 error message. I checked all the connections, and tried all the tricks I could think of without any success. I figured that I owed some penance for the motorized assistance I'd been enjoying, so I pedaled another lap with the motor off before contacting Shimano. It turns out that error message required a whole new drive unit, which gave me the chance to see how hard it is to replace a motor. Turns out it's not very difficult, but I can imagine that someone who'd dropped upwards of $11k on a new bike wouldn't be very happy at all when faced with a dead motor. I'll be sending the motor back to Shimano to figure out what caused the issue, and I'll update this when I learn more.
While we're talking about the motor, I do wish was a little quieter, especially after riding a near-silent Specialized/Brose motor, but I really only noticed its high pitched 'whir' on smoother climbs. It also rattles on rougher descents when there are repeated quick hits, with a sound that's similar to riding a bike without a clutch derailleur.
Mud collection: The VPP suspension layout and the EP8 motor itself creates lots of little nooks and crannies for mud and grit to get into – be prepared to spend a little extra time keeping everything clean, and it's worth taking the plastic covers around the motor off every once in a while to remove the debris that'll inevitably work its way inside.
Value
If you're looking for a screaming deal on an eMTB this isn't the bike for you. Even the base model costs $7,499, for a build kit that has a RockShox Zeb fork, SRAM NX Eagle drivetrain, and Guide RE brakes. It is good to see that the tire spec remains consistent on all models, since that's not a place to cut costs on a bike like this. Still, no matter how you look at it the Bullit is on the higher end of the price scale.
Pros
+ Impressive cornering and downhill capabilities
+ Good battery life allows for extended adventures
Cons
- Suspension layout and motor provide lots of places for mud and grit to get into
- EP8 motor rattles in rough terrain
Pinkbike's Take
| The new Bullit has the geometry and suspension to take on DH bike-worthy trails, but it's not a one trick pony – it can deliver a good time on the climbs and traversing sections too, as long as they're technical enough to be interesting. That sky high price tag of this model is tough to overlook, although when you consider the wear and tear that shuttling incurs on a vehicle, and the price of a DH bike that can't be pedaled uphill, it might be ever-so-slightly easier to try and justify... |
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314 Comments
I still can’t unsee Pivot’s ebike.
www.airbus.com/newsroom/news/en/2017/04/design-decision-airbus-employees-put-a-smile-on-the-belugaxl-s-face.html
you. need. help.
I'm 100% for people using e-bikes if they have a genuine issue with riding a traditional bike but it's sad to see so many young people starting out on these now.
Love my none e bike too !
He appears to be stoked about his e-bike experience and wants other to join him. Is that so bad?
Specifically YT owners...
m.pinkbike.com/forum/listcomments/?threadid=227030&pagenum=1
@danzzz88 You should try one and then if you still feel the same , slate them but you can’t strap 12kg to your bike and say ebikes are shit !
I’m late 40’s and give you a run for your money on any bike pal
m.pinkbike.com/news/tranzxs-new-integrated-travel-adjust-dropper-post-will-fit-any-frame.html
m.pinkbike.com/forum/listcomments/?threadid=227340
I was a bit harsh here but I'm passionate about e bikes and tired of the hate.
BTW way to COMPLETELY change the title AND content of your original post at the link I provided...
Original title was something like: "YT is a Nazi/MAGA White supremacist company..."
And the original post linked to all types of conspiracy BS, as well as calling an Owl an Eagle and associating the Austrian flag with Nazis...
Why Did You Change It?
I’m sure the performance is good but if I wanted a powered bike it’s not where I’d spend my hard earned.
of the top 3 reasons to buy carbon, weight doesn't make the list.
Once you throw a 7 pound motor/controller and 10 pound battery on the frame none of that really matters anymore, so carbon doesn't really matter much anymore.
Now it's an ebike and the only thing the two have in common is the weight. What the f*ck.
His view is part of a diverse perspective on the this subject and any other subject. I appreciate the different perspective and utilize it in formulating my thoughts on the subject. To cancel his or anyone else's opinion is a disservice to everyone... including yourself.
5 years from now, when you are out riding your new e-bike... what will you think about canceling that guy that was touting them as the next great thing?
I guess I can count myself as a middle age guy with enough money to buy this bike several times over. Do you think that means I can't ride!? It probably means I have a small dick too, yeah? lmao. What you are doing here is slagging off people that have the means that you do not. It's serious small dick energy. don't do that.
btw, what wheelset you got? I gotta hear this...
here is the thing: had you simply said 1400g wheelset, I wouldn't have said a word. but you got greedy with your lie. you wanted to be just *that* much cooler. I would go so far as to say you probably don't have a 165 or a 11.6 or.....a life.
is the zzz in your name denoting your mental state right now?
Hmm, sounds like some suggested solutions that may or may not have already been sorted out in the past... might I also recommend a small radiator to help keep the motor cool?
*maintenance intervals for all the wear items aren't any shorter, I'm just hitting them sooner because of three bike lifetimes in the past year!
bikes are dialed!!!
Again, glad you're stoked on your ride! I'd knock on wood if I were you ; )
Even a place like Downieville would be a massive bummer (esp on the non-classic routes), or say you're in a valley and need to climb 1000m to cross a pass to town to end the day, it would f'ing suck to have to pedal a 50lb bike with extra drag up/out of that. I'm stoked on the future of electric bikes, but they have to be even more reliable than traditional bikes to justify the cost/weight/maintenance. If they're only good for lunch laps, they aren't practical for the average biker and they aren't going to help those who need them due to age/physical limitations access a broad range of trails with peace of mind.
E7000/8000 and EP8 all have this issue. Best way to avoid is turn on the power unit without a rider on the bike at all/ bike stationary, not moving. Once it's on, leave it on all day. You're only depleting the battery when pedaling.
Saying an ebike is unreliable & can't be trusted is more false of a statement than saying your fuel injected vehicle can't be trusted. IF the Ebike system fails, you simply ride home a heavy bike. Your fuel injection fails, you're walking. I'd rather have pedals and wheels than walk.
An ebike ridden solely in ECO mode, with a low level of support can achieve upwards of 100km on a charge. If you're putting in more than 100 km/day with any climbing involved an Ebike isn't for you.
Regardless of age or ability, the ebike is flexible in the way you can hammer out multiple laps - or have an all day 100km epic. The beauty is in the way this can be changed by the press of a button all in one ride. Many ebikes also have quick change battery options, where a spare can be thrown in a pack, some even attach to the bike as range extenders.
Yes there is a larger margin of error with electrical components, but someone who is careful with equipment - issues will be far and few. Shimano wouldn't put it out there if it sucked that bad.
I agree there is a learning curve for sure. But at this point, the technology is at an enjoyable point where the Shimano Steps system is mostly reliable, completely maintenance free other than charging, and the benefit is much MUCH more riding.
So far its been nothing but positive, and I chose to spend much much less than $11,500 for a bike. You spec to your riding style. At $7500 CAD I figure I spent appx $1500 more than I would have on a normal bike in the same trim level - making the Steps system appx $1500. Is it worth $1500 to me? The fact I can double my typical KM count in a day says yes.
$7500 CAD is reasonable in the realm of bike prices, and early/early-ish adopters like you are going to help push the tech to be better, lighter, faster, stronger. My riding friends (none of us have e-bikes yet) always see e-bikes out there on the climbs and we all kind of look at each other like, "It's only a matter of time before we're on that train!" Haha anyway, covid luckily cancelled work for me today, so I'm hitting the trails. Cheers dude, thx for the perspectives!
I however work alot, which involves walking 5-10km a day in steel/safety toed boots. When I'm off work, I want all the good stuff, none of the suffer. Im still down for a good workout - but not killing myself. The wife works a desk job, her fitness level isnt the same as mine. I can ride in Eco, she can ride in Trail mode with that bit more of assistance - and we're now the same speed. I used to wait at the top of the hill while she hated every second of the climb, to the point where she stopped riding with me. Now we ride together again, and she is invigorated to ride. Instead of doing a 20km rounder with X amount of climbing, we're doing a 40km with XX amount of climbing. Key word (we're).
It has been all good so far. I researched the hell out of them, with most of the changes being for added power and torque. Personally encountering one user with just over !!15,000km!! on his Shimano powered ebike, he says the battery isn't providing as many km as it used to.
That's a lot of riding man! And isn't that what we're all in it for, the riding? Ebike rider etiquette is something that needs to improve, but I'm hoping that will also come in time.
Enjoy the day!
My 180mm travel / 52lb monster is not only a great descender, it's the best XC bike I've ever owned. I took it on a 35 mile / 8500ft ride last summer and pedaled 5 miles or so with the motor off, it was definitely tough. But actually remained fun the whole (truncated) time.
ebikes are great. and only getting better.
and the shimano "you pushed start with your foot on the pedal" error is 013, is it not? I dunno, I'm still on 8000 motor
luv ya
I don't hate the design, I don't hate eBikes...but it feels to me that putting the Bullit name on it is kind of like what Ford did with the Mustang Mach E. The Bullit was an icon, I owned one. Loved that bike.
I find it hilarious that it isn't rated for a DC...being a 50+ lb freeride bike...
I can't get over the ugly aesthetic of ebikes; Specialized definitely has won the looks game, and maybe the overall package game (if you're gonna compare watts to watts, then there are more powerful batteries/motors, but you still have Class 1/3 limitations to deal with), what with their phone apps controlling ride performance/length/etc. For now, most companies grab an off-the-shelf, then bolt a battery onto the water bottle mounts and zip-tie a motor to the BB and call it a day.
So a sub 40lb mullet Ebike with a 160 or 170 29er fork
Shimano wrote the book on seals.
When you return the motor please ask them about the sealing as well !
Pics of this intrusion and also the VPP mud build up are appreciated.
Just like how their regular bikes are all a pound and a half too heavy and at least half a generation behind on geometry.
Funny to me that the Santa Cruz ebikes with massive profit margins have way fewer supply chain issues than the regular bikes.
I missed out on 2 ski seasons due to Covid, so saved and bought a Santa Cruz Bullit in January 2021 instead. I got £1000 off the 'S' Model.
Its absolutely game-changing. I have had it at some classic Scottish Enduro spots so far, and I am doing 6500 ft climbing per day, and like 5x as many descents as I would on my normal bike.
All you grumpy guys who harp on about Ebikes, I take it you skin up the piste at ski resorts, and always avoid the chairlifts yeah?
The comment about brake pads is very true, I blow through pads, annoying af.
Why not put a DH casing on the front lol, why a DD on an ebike.....
A beefy tire is a requirement if you want to push heavy ass e bikes to their limits in tech / etc...I mean, goes for any bike really, but the extra weight makes it less of an option more of a necessity. It folds and gets deflected like a little bitch without a heavy casing.
beefier tires help a lot. Perfect example is the Levo. One of the biggest upgrades you can make is to ditch the tires that come on there and get some real ones.
I actually run the exact same tire set up... well not necessarily size but tire type... on my hardtail and my emtb.
Assegai up front 3C MaxxGrip. Which I guess is a DH casing. Honestly didn't realize it but just looked at the site and there it is... DH casing. LOL!
DHR2 in the rear. 3C MaxxTerra I believe.
Where did you do most of your riding for the review?
I'm also in Washington, and the only place I know of off the top of my head where they are legal (on mountain bike trails) around here is Daringtons North mountain area (the shuttle stuff), but admittedly I haven't checked much lately. Maybe there are new places?
I am still not sure how I feel about ebikes personally, but as long as they're not legal anywhere around me, I haven't really felt like they've even been worth thinking about so far (even in my future).
But in relation to gravity and things rolling...
Example... how much energy is required to get a BMX bike rolling vs. say... a train.
Force equals mass times acceleration or some crap. Think you're thinking of velocity.
Basically the force required to get something moving is mass times acceleration. Figure if A is consistent between objects.... say 25 pound bike and a 50 pound bike to say 25 kph you get...
F=25x25 or F=25x50.
Force required to get your standard mtb rolling to that speed is 625. Force required to get the emtb rolling to the same speed is 1250.
Could be wrong though. I'm old as f*ck and the extent of my math use right now is helping one of my kids with long division and the other with counting apples in a box.
m.pinkbike.com/news/opinion-friends-dont-let-friends-ride-e-bikes-2014.html
Glad you have seen the light. Embrace progress
"As mountain bikers, we need to stick together and take a stand to protect the integrity of the sport against these electric intruders."
Gold Jerry. Gold!
We all ride E bikes as well, and they are a great leveller, particularly for a 20 km 1.25hour non stop blast.
The negative side for me, is on very steep slippery tech trails, they are difficult to slow down and manoeuvre as easily as my much lighter agile trail bike.
Good job on riding at 65. I follow Ned Overend (also 65) on Strava for inspiration, although he falls more into the world class athlete category.
I really wish we could take a hard look at star ratchets, and stop talking about them being ultra-reliable as a matter of fact.
a mechanism that is so unable to tolerate even mild changes in lubricant, is by definition, not a mechanism well suited to reliable operation in the conditions a bike hub sees. that oil will not stay contaminant free.
Mine is bosch powered. Great motor and battery set up. Love that it has 4 speeds instead of 3. I pretty much never use turbo unless I see a stupid climb that should be impossible and I'm like.... screw it lets give it a go.
But that motor is loud as well and the cradle creaks A LOT... at times. The monitor is nice to look at and functions well but it's in a crazy spot and I've already snapped it off a couple times. It's not bolted in place hopping and praying it never happens again... and their control set up functions well but spins around like crazy and is clunky to use. Walk function is pretty much useless, etc.
I'd basically take the big S's system but Bosch's 4 speeds. That'd be the best combo right now.
Shimano's new set up is solid. But it's 3rd on my list at the moment.
The big S is like Burton... yeah we're gonna put this big line down the middle of your board. Why? Because it works better.. and we can. Rest of you can piss off. That's Specialized right now with EMTB tech. Everyone else is playing catch up.
Friend shipped his road bike and upon arrival one of the Di2 shifter wires has pulled out of the socket.
Which required a Shimano wiring plug tool. Big hassle
Don't Die Wondering. All cycling is cheating gravity rolling resistance and air resistance and purists run the trails barefoot or swim the English channel unassisted. Allow your human brain to Evolve.
E=Mtb²
Even on the kenevo I’d go 38 over the 40.
Orbea seemed to have reasonable weight for their model (35lbs?).
www.bikemag.com/features/profiles/interview-rob-roskopp
www.ktm.com/en-us/models/e-ride/freeride/ktm-freeride-e-xc2021.html
a little more, but more stealthy for sure.
What happened to pedaling yourself uphill??
some people get older and/or picked up injuries.........most others by the vast majority are just lazy who like the lifestyle of riding mtb's but dont want to put in the graft and earn there turns and get the rewards that hard effort pays off so they get an e-bike. I find it depressing to see my local trails flooded with what appears to be many young perfectly able bodied people whirring around on e-bikes.
I have the upmost respect for riders who put in the graft and i would rather see someone slowly going round a trail as there new and learning or perhaps instead because of the passage of time has slowed a rider down (after all it happens to us all) but i do not consider e-bike riding to be the same and i do consider it a lazy option (if you are perfectly able bodied obviously).
I love all the "i work 40 hours a week, have 2 kids, 2 hamsters and a goldfish and therefore don't have the time to ride for 20 miles at a time so instead spend the same time on an ebike" excuses......its all about life choices. I would like to have the physique of a regular gym going individual but i like food too much so i cycle my 90kg frame around to the best of my ability and i am still despite all this decently fast because of the hard work i have put in to cycling all these years (just don't expect me to jog far as im crap at that).
so many people aspire for the image of being a mountain biker but cant be arsed to put the effort in so now companies have found the golden ticket of selling the image with minimal effort required as the entry now only being a matter of money.........e-bikes are here to stay as unfortunately theirs always more lazy people looking to cheat there way at things.
for all you reading this with anger please read my first part where i outline a big caveat. If you fit that type of rider my comments are not meant to annoy you at all.
As for the other types............well i just wish they didn't bother quite honestly.
I have a levo sl and it is fantastic, the perfect crossover between unpowered bikes and full power ebikes, You can ride with either.
That said, the decision of which ebike to buy was really tough, and if I was in the market again (for an ebike) I would seriously be considering a longer travel full power bike like this. Not at this price though...
Most of my riding mates have moved over to full power ebikes and have consistently said that with all that power on tap, you may as well have more travel for smashing burlier tracks and downhill runs.
The light weight half power concept of the levo sl makes huge sense if you are mainly riding trail centres, particularly with both powered and unpowered friends. It feels like a ‘normal’ bike and is easy to ride without the motor if necessary. But being able to ride any downhill trail and have a self contained uplift in one beefy bike with burlier forks and shock is a good concept.
The canyon Torque On is killer value at £5k with a spare battery thrown in and the Vitus e-Sommet is also a fantastic spec for the money, both have the same long travel full power layout as the bullit shown above but at a more reasonable price point
The increased bike weight makes it more difficult to maneuver and arguably less fun to ride.
And beyond that, emtbs's due to the weight tend to want to stay on the ground. Planted.
The review is correct, it's easy to pickup speed on this bike, and the "e" is not related to this.
I've heard of a few people riding like this. I'm on a Bosch set up and it's not that easy to flip on and off without looking away from the trail so I pretty much never turn it off. It's passive on descents anyways. And it's nice to have the motor there if you want to power out of a tight corner or speed up to clear a log you didn't know was there... etc.
I do have one question though... on long rolling descents where you need to pedal to maintain momentum and you're speed is greater than the limiter... if you turn it completely off does it still feel like you're pedaling through a brick wall? That's the only time I could see turning it off. There's a few trails I've ridden like this and I end up falling way off the back because I'm pushing through the bike.
I'm just not a big fan of turning things on and off more than necessary. It's like the new motors that kill have the cylinders at the light. I hate that crap. It rumbles up and delays when you want to leave the light and it ends up doing damage to the passive valves over time.
But that's me.... but if it stops the brick wall on the descents I just mentioned I may start turning it off for those sections. Thanks for the heads up in advance.
I think there will be a place for mullet bikes for quite a while.