Rotwild Teases New 180mm Travel Lightweight eMTB
Last week at the Bike Connection media camp the German bike manufacturer, Rotwild, was showing off a new eMTB offering vinyl wrapped in swirly graphics that will officially be released later this summer.
We reached out to Rotwild for more info, but the only details they would release at this time was that the bike has 180mm front and rear wheel travel with a head angle around 62°, and will share the same features as their R.X375 and R.E375 models. These bikes are built for the traditional rider who doesn't want the full weight or power of a regular eMTB. The overall weight is minimized using a full carbon frame, including the links, a 375 Wh battery, and a Shimano EP8 motor with 63 Nm of torque to maximize the range.
The bike will ship with two motor profiles; one from Shimano and a second derived by Rotwild. Neither of the profiles are hard-coded and can be tuned on the Shimano app.
Even the link and the yoke are carbon.
The large head tube looks like it could house interchangeable cups to facilitate reach or angle adjustments.
There is plenty of tire clearance out back and the minimum rear rotor size is 203mm.
Rotwild had been prototyping bits using 3D printed plastics, but moved to alloys after learning more about how it affected the haptics of installing the battery. Testers preferred the "click" feeling with the alloy components. Brass hardware is used on the battery clip to keep things moving smoothly and an anti-theft lock is ditched to save weight.
One of the neat things about the whole design process happened by mistake. The motor was late to arrive, so Rotwild 3D printed an alloy dummy motor with a standard bottom bracket and rode the bike in a traditional mode to see how the bike performed, allowing them to refine the suspension further.
Stay tuned for more on this long travel eMTB as we get closer to the release date.
All photos courtesy of Roo Fowler and Bike Connection Agency.
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Paul Basagoitia is a legend among mountain bikers - and for good reason. Paul (and many others) have shown courage and tried to explain how ebikes allow them to keep doing the sport we all fell in love with.
We are quick to +1 Paul (and others) when they look like us, but just as fast do -1 their 'choice' of bike once they rely on an electric motor (which is not the same as an engine) to keep at what we all love (and what makes us mountain bikers).
We as a PB Community need to move beyond this goon-level hypocrisy and find a more developed, nuanced, even honest explanation for why we do/don't like ebikes.
Some starting suggestions (that all include opinion to debate):
- I don't like the ebikes usher in a pricing bracket into biking...
- ebikes encourage joeys to venture onto harder trails that they can't handle
- ebikes might be the answer to the most painful part of riding (climbing), but I just don't like that someone can drop a motor into a MTB and beat all the other gram-counting, effort saving work I've done.
- ebikes attract bears because bears can smell their batteries.
If the reasons our fellow mountain bikers choose ebikes are important - or the issue - then let's have a conversation about that, but 'ebikes are dumb' adds nothing to any conversation.
Let's be a better community Pinkbikers.
We could work together. Why be enemies? Because we’re different? Is that why?
Now you're putting the whole station in jeopardy.
Not accepting ebikes as just an extra choice in the market of machines equals to being a closed-minded schmuck who cant accept progress. You cannot be against technological advancement unless it endangers life or is pure evil. Its a machine, you want those in the market or off to continuously evolve.
The only negatives i see : -adding an electric motor is one more large part to produce that ends its life in a landfill
-high priced as its an infant in its lifetime of existence offering that high level of incorporation into a mtb
They ride just like any other bikes of the past, most weight the same as an old DH bike and the lighter models as much as an enduro race bike in current time.
They do not destroy trails any more than heavier bikes used too or than any other bike on the trail right now. On the downs its ridden the same as un-powered bikes. Only on the ups constantly spinning while keeping both feet on the pedals smashing through soft ground that it will create a rut.
It gives you the option to ride with the same or less amount energy as usual and so the possibility to ride longer and faster and/or more distance within the same time.
For my part, i ride it with the same general energy as i would my 34lbs long legged trail bike on the uphills but more energy at slow speed (bunny hops, manuals, endo turns, track stands).
Climbing is done twice as fast but the downs are the same, just a different machine to use. Out of the bike parks you ride so much more and have possibly much more fun.
There are good reasons to ride ebikes. But my painpoint with ebikes is that they cause more traffic on the trails. Which can also be seen positive. But in SOME areas the bike boom in combination with e-bikes are causing more problems then doing good.
Personally I use my e bike if I pull the kids, do an additional lap on the weekend or am short of time during the week. I'm aware the later is an excuse.
Using an e-bike to extend my range and do longer trips might be an argument for people who are not (yet) fit enough. For me using an ebike on such trips makes me feel like cheating and takes away the feeling having acomplished something. Mainly because if I'm honest it does not extend my range.
Beside that I wouldn't want to carry it on my shoulders for long which I regulary do with my non-e-bike.
Unfortunately its not black and white but I can't imagine riding just e-bikes like I can't imagine using cable ways when hiking. It's just doesn't give me the same experience.
isn't it much more concerning that apparently people like you that are at least legally blind are out on the trails apparently? Because i can see no other way that this sentence ever came to exist ...
I don't like ebikes because I'm most case it is plain lazyness. None of the people I see/know on ebikes are Paul Bas. kind of riders. they are as fit if not fitter than me but they chose to ride an e-bike to do the exact same loop/length of ride.
Except I'm pulling my 13kg daughter in a single trailer filled with toys and that I manage to pedal up without any problem (other than sweat, snail speed), without motor, without training.
I have nothing against people using ebikes to replace their cars, or ride with heavy stuff, and I know some people have health issues and use ebikes to compensate these etc, but that s just not those I see riding ebikes.
My personal real experience:
-fat people reaching places they never bothered to before, then follow the „real“ MTBers down the trails which they then start disintegrating by cutting corners, etc
-riding group starts splitting, because some feel too unfit suddenly to continue without e (we never gave anyone shit about stamina or speed - i ride with these people because I LIKE them. When I want to go my speed I ride alone or in a pair).
-ebikers of my group STILL shuttle by car, despite the summit parking lots and roads being crowded. WTF?
-the same people have become slower and less capable on the descents, due to heavy weight, and mayne even due to lowered fitness
Doesn’t apply to all of them, but most. That’s unfortunate. I don’t mind evoked in general, but it’s one more way to go the comfy route in life. But (healthy, fit) people grow through resistance.
I have spent weeks digging since the snow melted this April and the only issue I see on my trails is the uphill braids the eBikes put in. So I block them. Either way, it doesn’t ‘destroy’ my trails. My trails ride exactly the same on my pedal bike.
mbf-france.fr
Cutting corners everywhere destroying berms, pedal scratches on every rocks, holes in climbs because of full power boost mode and 0 skills, flattening climbs by removing rocks. This is for the Joey's.
On the other side of the spectrum avg of +20km/h on a 10km loop to kill Strava time where only fast parts are shared trail, this isn't mtb anymore but electric motorbike with pedals, it won't be long before mtb in general will be definitely forbidden here. And I hope we won't see a crash with hikers, or worst...
My grandma worries about me crashing with hikers on a pedal bike.
Regular pedal bikers remove rocks, scratch precious rocks with their pedals, etc. Strawman arguments are weak and exactly the trap so many fall into when even thinking about eBikes - and your thoughts are spilling out onto what you type.
Don't bring up Strava, instagram or Facebook. Once that is a factor in eBike vs bike, you've lost the sympathy of those who rode before social media was invented.
You don't know where I live and the context with hikers association. And I'm not trying to convince you of anything or judging or whatever, I'm just giving here what I've seen.
And I rode before Google was invented, by the way.
"I believe that Diversity was an old old wooden ship"
I think you are oblivious to the reality that ebikes are cannibalizing the non ebike market at every level of the manufacturing process, and ultimately mean less choice for people who prefer non ebikes. As far as Taiwan is concerned, ebikes are not a separate market -- they are the replacement.
Wait, I to, was once and still may be considered by some, a Joey.
Skateboarding had its naysayers, so did snowboarding.
Technology is changing the sport yes, but we must embrace the change, fighting it is futile, its gonna happen whether we are onboard or not.
Either way that things looks pretty bad ass &
I want one
LoL
One thing that really turned me is bike parks. At Wind Hill recently and ebikers were getting in 2-3 runs for every one of mine due to the push up. They were also clearing stuff easier being able to maintain speed. These were not crap riders. These were average to good riders to start with. Again, this week end at another park (all be it a much shorter push up), same thing.
Maybe in a couple of years. Maybe…
I have been fortunate to be loaned a Turbo Levo and for me where is comes into it's own is the post work 'power hour' I can probably do 3 times as much from my doorstep in an evening which makes a huge difference when you are time limited by family commitments etc. The increased torque and impacts of going so fast up hill absolutely munches through components though and the weight makes it feel pretty dead on the downs. At present it feels like a fun alternative to biking but I think they need to sort the weight and iron out all the issues with failures etc as it's pretty annoying when your £7k+ ebike just decides not to work as there is basically nothing you can do to solve the issue aside from taking it to a workshop. I certainly wouldn't buy one without a warranty.
Been seeing to many freewheel (on the rear wheel) failing - supposedly due to the high torque from the engine on an ebike.
Also drivetrain seems to last much less than a Bike.
I can imagine all this issues will be solved in the future to come, but unfortenatly it'll bring more weight!
Unless batteries progress and can deliver same power with fewer cells, making it lighter, I don't find reasonable to ask for lighter bikes, unless you stick with light tires, light drive train...and even going that route the problem will be allways the battery pack / range
There are also tariffs to consider.
The amount of hands in the cookie jar all trying to get their share.
Adding in the global costs of inflation for everything, and the stagnant average wage of most North Americans.
I think your beef is poorly aimed.
While I would love to have several bikes in my quiver, and a dispensable income, these are the realities of today.
I for one can't afford this bike, but I'm also not here moaning and groaning at the cost of it.
Rather than sitting back and complaining about the fact you can't afford it, maybe ask how can you?
Pretty easy to spend money... it's gotta be just as easy to make it.
Somebody else has worked hard and long developing business plans, and developing an idea to come into fruition such as this bike.
I for one can't complain at the cost because i respect what it's taken for this bike to become a reality.
If I truly wanted one, I'd figure out a way to get one.
Complain less, and grind more.
That being said, when I say "you" I was generalizing, it wasn't specifically directed at you, I just clicked respond to your message.
I can however speculate with an educated guess.
We are still at the early stages of ebikes.
Companies are still in the process of developing them, to the point where alot of companies still don't.
Costs of manufacturing is also associated with volume.
The more units sold, essentially the lower the overhead, and thus the percentage essentially becomes a small figure, and so on and so forth.
Essentially once ebikes make up a larger portion of market share, and the more options available, the more affordable they will become just due to good old fashioned competition.
Another factor to note is companies like shimano have been hit hard in terms of their ability to manufacture and produce anything, and I think once companies like sram throw their had into the ring, we will see more options become available.
In terms of tier of each brand "as you say XTR vs Deore, historically most brands produce their flagship "no holds barred" versions first, and let the technology trickle down into their more budget friendly products.
What your asking for is somewhat of an inevitability, however you also have to remember the motor and associated parts are an addition to a current list of parts required on a bicycle, and are not in lieu of. Therefore Ebikes will inevitably be more expensive.
As the cycling industry becomes more popular, and the available options to manufacture increases, so do the options to produce more budget friendly products.
Okay but they are big.
Compared to Unno who only make what? 25-50 frames of one type of MTB a year. Same price, made in the EU. Compared to mass production in China? How the fuq?
Next you want to tell be Unno isn't good quality wise..
They make most of their money on volume business, and I would say is a superpower within the industry;
Because of this they have the potential to back more professional riders, and have massive amounts of data acquisition in order to produce good products. I say this objectively as I am not a Specialized fan, and I personally wouldn't buy one for myself, but I do understand their business motive, and its companies like Specialized that set the bar for small boutique brands like Unno to reach towards.
Unfortunately on the other hand focus their attention on building the beat possible bike they can and do it sustainably. They however, don't have the same financial resources to pour into R&D, and have limited funding to back professional teams and riders to market their products. I beleieve they have done considerably well given those circumstances.
Mt statement has nothing to do with brand preference. I have my preferences for a reason.
I've been I this industry for 20 years, and I've seen the evolution and development. One thing that has always stayed the same is bikes are expensive. That's just the way it is. Companies have done a better job blending the gap between mid range and high end and I think overall, with all the options available, nobody has anything to complain about. If option A doesn't work for you, maybe Option B or C or D ect ect.
I know spech has a lot of marketing and I am strictly against that because it sells you crap.
There is a beer brand here who is the cheapest. 28cent for a big bottle. Less then 10€ for 10liters of beer. Quality wise it is a really good one. Other companies who are smaller or bigger want more then double.
This is a local made product, good wages and quality but without even an Marketing department or anything related to it. There are others who do the same now.
This marketing is crap because they don't even show you the product. I mean all angle's, high-quality pictures or VR. Not showing the small bits is a pity.
Of course they aren’t... wait, what?
When you’re talking about 30+ pounds, does a lock for a $500 battery really weigh a big fraction of that?
Now I am getting interested. Maybe. When I'm older. But if I was to get one, I would have significant concerns about the obsolescence. There seems to be a flood of Ebike models hitting the market. New motors from Shimano and Bosch every year or two. Maybe a dozen smaller motor manufacturers, some pending with gearboxes combined. So now its getting like mobile phones. A new and shiny improved model is always around the corner.
How long does one hang on to an Ebike until compelled to sell and get that lighter, bigger capacity battery combined with a lighter motor with more torque and greater efficiency, that feels more natural? Where does it stop? I think most folk can hang on to a bike for many years now that geometry is settling. Are Ebike owners going to be satisfied with having their bike become electronically obsolete within months of purchase?
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That being said, e-bikes suck
Motorcycles are Motorcycles,
Bicycles are Bicycles.
A Class 1 E-bike (which is what almost all major bicycles companies build(and what the conversation should focus on)) is incredibly underpowered compared to a motorcycle. The E-Bike cannot propel the rider any faster than 20 mph and only does so with the assistance of the rider pedaling. Motorcycles are capable of propelling the rider at high speeds. usually in excess of 60mph. An E-Bike usually weighs 40-60 lbs. A motorcycle is almost always in excess of 200 lbs. They are extremely different in ability. They do share the fact that they are not 100% human powered.
Bicycles are 100% human powered.