bobjumpd

Looks like that rusted out gear cable inner on the Bianchi is 30+ years young……how’s that shifting?? Also, checking out my Transmission AXS derailleur then that block of solid alloy Deore shifter I’m happily reminded of simpler times - but also unhappily of slower, bumpier, twitchier, less reliable times, with no standover clearance, arm pump from trying to brake and skinned elbows from cornering with hard compound 1.5” tires at 40psi that also flatted every ride.

I suggest a border fence to keep those e-pests outta your ideologically pure trails

Yep, first race in 1991 seems like yesterday, ridden ever since and seen it all, from 90s xc, marathon, trail, park to ebikes. Riding, building up and fixing moutain bikes has been and still is the best of my life through everything else - and it keeps me happy, fit and young. PB comment cliques lets be generous at Xmas and celebrate mountain biking whatever type - I ride everything from enduro ebike through park and trail to (I kinda hate to admit) gravel - I only have 2 kinds of bike bigotry…..that mountain bike riders are slightly better people than road riders, and bike riders are slightly better people than those that don’t!!!

@BikesBoatsNJeeps: Those AMPs were all over. My mate had one and I had a year one (95 I think) Rocky Element. His broke, mine didn’t, but you’re right about the forks - mine was 3 inches of undamped elastomer while his actually worked. Amazingly, we raced XC on these - lets just say the rear suspension wasn’t kind to pedalling efficiency - although the shocks were adjustable (ie screw up the preload on that spring bro!)

OK but lets say you have most or all of the parts and can build up an ebike just as you want for a frame price about the same as an average and boring ebike sold by a company that pretends they care. Also, I’ve had and have budget mtbs that are great, but despite some crazy pricing for so called top end ebikes (and mtbs!) I’m not going to tell anyone else how much or how little they should spend to have fun.

Hey I’m headed back to 2017 to get one of these. Start again with your ebike development all you SAME AS SAME AS designers. All of the upsides of an external battery. All the PB Comments Chorus singing Praise Those Cables….ie not having to drop the motor every time I upgrade the rear brake or bodge engineer to raise the stem with spacers around the headset spagetti. Even to have a downtube that’s just a downtube. Now if Cy would just sell the frame/motor/battery package and let us build our own ebikes…well there’s something (that will never happen I guess)

OK, but the the alloy base models are $$$$. I used to build up all my mtbs from frames and now, for example, got the base model ‘24 Wild, junked EVERYTHING and rebuilt with good parts - mostly swapped out from previous ebikes (returned to stock for sale) or mtbs (hardly ridden now) with some new bits purchased occasionally to maintain the suspension/drivetrain/brake/cockpit tech updates. So Zeb Ultimate, Ohlins ttx coil, AXS, One-up dropper & bars, Hunt wheels, Schwalbe SG ultrasoft, Saints with 220s, 155mm cranks etc etc. Now I get exactly the riding experience I want, not what some bean counting committee at the brand specifies (they make compromises and bad decisions, even on premium models). Also, not just the pleasure of bombing on exactly my own bike, but also the fun and ‘craft’ of building a bike. My bigoted view also suggests that only if you know how strip, build up and maintain every part of your bike will you have a chance to fully know what’s happening through your hands and feet! That may be crap but I do know you won’t be paying someone else a fortune for simple maintenance and have extra $$$ for good parts. Totally happy with the Wild. The headset routing is better than most to work with given the split spacers plus they sell extras to raise the bars if your steerer is long enough (a previous Focus ebike had the cables through the stem faceplate jeeeez). I don’t miss the removable battery - I’m usually flat b4 the 750 battery (done 5 hrs/2000m up using emtb+, tour and eco…..3 hrs/1300m up using emtb+ & some turbo). The range extender is a good add for ‘25 though - using the one on my Rise I can ride all day. The suspension bearings were quite dry from new (common enough from many brands) so check and re-pack if needed.

I shouldn’t waste energy…..but….lets put this common (on PB comments) crap to bed for once and all. Raced and rode moto for 25 years, raced and ridden mtb for 35 years, ridden emtb for the last 5 years (these overlap…I’m not that old!). On a scale of one to a hundred between moto (1) and mtb (100) I’d put emtb at about 95 to 98. “It’s a motorbike”…you’re a boring ideological drone and/or haven’t ever ridden more than one of the three seriously, or you're taking the piss.

@stravaismyracecourse: Nah - my light glows full red and the motor cuts out. It gets me up to speed easily at the top of jump lines before it dies, then backsides and gravity do enough to keep most of that speed unless I make a bad jump or turn….then the ebike is def slower to pedal up to speed again and feels more cumbersome!

@mikekazimer: Totally agree about the laps. Where there isn’t any uplift my full power long travel ebike might get me 20 laps down a jump or tech line while my enduro bike maybe 5 at most. For me the stability of the ebike also means I’m jumping at least as well as on the mountain bike - not so many whips but reliable and stable so happy on bigger features and easier to pedal up to speed again after any small mistakes.