Full Fat or HiLo: an eeb conundrum

Rorschach

Rorschach

Didnt pay $250 for this custom title
I've come to the conclusion over the last 9 months that my body isn't going to cooperate with my desire to ride a meat-powered bike so I'm (eventually) going to join the eebrigade.
There are a lot of eebs out now and I want to try and narrow things down before I splash money down on something. Ideally I'd buy a frame and transfer stuff over but given the manufacturers don't sell them separately so thats out.

Next is the choice between full fat and lightweight bikes.
I'm a chonky boi at 178cm and currently 107kg post morning wee so hitting 115kg by the time I've had a feed and gotten on the bike with a decent supply of water.
I'm more interested in a lightweight bike as I'm not doing all day epics. more getting out for a couple of hours (25km and ~500m elevation) and simply want to get up the hills my chunk has me concerned about range anxiety.
Do I need to be concerned, or should I be OK given my distance and elevation

The bikes I'm looking at are:
Levo
Levo SL2
Fuel EXe
Orbea Rise
Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite
 
The Reverend

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Welcome... It's an inevitable consideration for many of us so well worth asking the question.

So, I've the Fuel Ex-e and I'm 1.93m and 107kg ready to ride.
I wanted a bike that rode more like a bike and looked like a bike. I certainly didn't want the weight and clumsy looks so many full powered bikes have.
When Trek launched the Ex-e I couldn't order fast enough.

The Fuel Ex-e does plenty for me on the uphills. It also rides just like a very well planted and fun bike. It hops, pops and handles extremely well.

I will say the range is linked to one's fitness. The better your fitness, the more likely you are to have more in the battery to go further as you use lower levels of support more often. And less prolonged use of high power.

If you want to just soft pedal uphill whilst being carried up by the motor, the SL bikes are not for you. You'll be pedalling and breathing hard, but going 4 times the speed.

With the full power bikes it's more like 6 times the speed on steep hills and they just keep going.

You need to be honest with yourself about your needs and aspirations.
If you want to cruise uphill and ride for ages - go full power and live with the weight and looks (and drivetrain/ brakes / tyre wear).

If you're happy to put the pedalling in with a nice hand of support uphill then consider the SL bikes.
They handle great, look far better in my view and you don't get the obnoxious comments from some haters.

If I were buying one again, I'd probably still go SL but I'm seeing more full power bikes look better and weigh less.
Be aware there's a LOT of new tech on some of these bikes and it can mean early adopter niggles and pains.

Hope that helps.
 
Rorschach

Rorschach

Didnt pay $250 for this custom title
The Reverend said:
The Fuel Ex-e does plenty for me on the uphills. It also rides just like a very well planted and fun bike. It hops, pops and handles extremely well.

I will say the range is linked to one's fitness. The better your fitness, the more likely you are to have more in the battery to go further as you use lower levels of support more often. And less prolonged use of high power.
Click to expand...
See this is the crux of it for me.
I want a bike that handles well without the weight, and having ridden an EXe up the steep bit of my normal loop (below), it (and I) handle it pretty well.
I don't want to blast up a hill and I want to get the heart rate up hence looking at a lightweight bike, but given my weight and fitness I'm a bit worried, so maybe a good compromise would be picking up a range extender and doing it that way

1685600859002.png
 
The Reverend

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
The Ex-e should be more than enough for you. I would think again about the range extender, it's $$$ for the battery life you get. I found getting fitter helped much more.

I've ridden mine up some pretty prolonged climbs + riding and am very happy with it.

If you're riding in very rocky trails just remember that the BB is very low and you'll smash the chainring which means a replacement and coins. Ask me how I know.
 
ForkinGreat

ForkinGreat

Knows his Brassica oleracea
The Reverend said:
The Ex-e should be more than enough for you. I would think again about the range extender, it's $$$ for the battery life you get. I found getting fitter helped much more.

I've ridden mine up some pretty prolonged climbs + riding and am very happy with it.

If you're riding in very rocky trails just remember that the BB is very low and you'll smash the chainring which means a replacement and coins. Ask me how I know.
Click to expand...
One up combo chain guide/bash guard. The new version takes a 36T chainring.
 
cokeonspecialtwodollars

cokeonspecialtwodollars

Fartes of Portingale
The Reverend said:
Thanks, but the Fuel Ex-e has no ISCG05 mounts so it can't be fitted.
Click to expand...
No way of fitting an adapter something like these?
www.ethirteen.com

E*Thirteen

Mount ISCG guides to traditional BSA threaded frames. Adapter replaces one 2.5mm BB spacer and is held on by the drive side bottom bracket cup. Not for use with dual guides or pressfit BBs. Will not fit on frames that already have ISCG or ISCG05 tabs. Instructions for use can be found here...
www.ethirteen.com www.ethirteen.com
www.canyon.com

Canyon GP0094-01 ISCG 05 Adapter

Torque CF adapter plate for ISCG05 chain guides
www.canyon.com www.canyon.com
 
K

kten

understands stuff moorey doesn't
Full fat gets the vote from me. Handling isn't really that much of a difference between a full fat and a lightweight bike...there was 3.1kg between my Levo and Kenevo SL, not exactly huge.....it is noticeable initially but I found I adapted to the heavier bike within a ride or two.

Full fat never has any range anxiety. Being time poor the full fat is gold for getting out for an hours hit out in trail/turbo....up and down on repeat until your lungs and/or arms have had enough then bomb home. On the SL, range was definitely limited and it was a consideration on rides.

Full fat imo easier to sell when you want to change too.

New Orbea looks nice. Specialized Levo is always a great option. Voima is a different option (hopefully it's good, I haven't ridden it yet).

New Levo SL looks like a decent but boring bike imo. Trek EXE overall looks like a great trail bike but travel limited and there have been a few motor issues Although tbh it's a bit of a lottery how long motors last from any brand.. I believe @link1896 mentioned some potential heat issues?
 
Stredda

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
cokeonspecialtwodollars said:
No way of fitting an adapter something like these?
www.ethirteen.com

E*Thirteen

Mount ISCG guides to traditional BSA threaded frames. Adapter replaces one 2.5mm BB spacer and is held on by the drive side bottom bracket cup. Not for use with dual guides or pressfit BBs. Will not fit on frames that already have ISCG or ISCG05 tabs. Instructions for use can be found here...
www.ethirteen.com www.ethirteen.com
www.canyon.com

Canyon GP0094-01 ISCG 05 Adapter

Torque CF adapter plate for ISCG05 chain guides
www.canyon.com www.canyon.com
Click to expand...
As there is no bottom bracket, I'd doubt it.
 
The Reverend

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
cokeonspecialtwodollars said:
No way of fitting an adapter something like these?
www.ethirteen.com

E*Thirteen

Mount ISCG guides to traditional BSA threaded frames. Adapter replaces one 2.5mm BB spacer and is held on by the drive side bottom bracket cup. Not for use with dual guides or pressfit BBs. Will not fit on frames that already have ISCG or ISCG05 tabs. Instructions for use can be found here...
www.ethirteen.com www.ethirteen.com
Click to expand...
The e-thirteen one looks promising but I'm not sure if there's enough clearance in the frame to use it.

I'll check with Trek. No doubt it's warranty voiding and puts the world in financial peril for the next 5 years.
 
Stredda

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
I have a 2021 Levo SL, and I bought it to make epic rides more possible and wanted the bike to feel as close to a "normal" bike. I've ridden the electric Norco Sight and Range a Trek Rail, Moonraker Crafty and Specialized Levo, full power bikes and found them to have a heavy, dead feel on the trail, the SL on the other hand felt livelier and poppy. I'm only 74kg and reasonably fit so I can get pretty good range out of it, so a 50km single track ride is no problem and I have done one 69km single track ride, with being fairly conservative with the assistance.
For me, range anxiety isn't any more of an issue than a normal bike as if I run the battery flat, I just pedal it back, albeit at a slower pace.
I've found it to be a very versatile bike. I've raced gravity enduros, XC races, gravel races and regularly commute the 50km return trip to work on it. I have lost some weight and gained good fitness from doing some big rides on the SL (the commute to work really helps) and it had improved my riding on my normal bike because of the improved fitness.

My thoughts are if you want to blast up hills with not much effort, keep up with full powered bikes, a full fat bike would be the choice. If you just want a bit more assistance up the hills and be able to ride a lot longer but keep a similar feeling of a normal bike, the lightweight bikes are the go.
The full powered bikes will chew through drivetrain pretty fast too. Driveline wear on my SL is pretty much on par to my normal bike.
For reference, myself and another guy on a full powered Levo raced the Quad Crown XC stage race. The longer the course the more he beat me by. My SL put me on par with a lot of the quick riders but still not quicker than the very top elites. His Levo could blow everyone away in all but the 60km stage where he had to back off to make the distance. I find that the old SL (35nm motor) can make an average fitness rider like me, match a very fit, state level XC rider, the full powered bikes make you superhuman! :p
 
Last edited:
ozzybmx

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
Go full fat !

You can always turn the assist down. The increased speed and acceleration makes up for the additional weight. After a ride or two, you forget about weight.
Well at least until you come to a stile on the trails, then you remember is over 50lbs.

Also soft compound tyres with DH sidewalls allow you a new experience descending, grip for days on 1500g tyres without the pain of climbing back up on them.

I'm loving mine, it's a different kind of fun riding. My fast ascends skills are developing, climbing techy climbs I only dreamt of.

Hard to go past that Alpine Trail E2 for first ebike.

www.bikesonline.com.au

E-Mountain Alpine Trail E Bikes For Sale Australia | BikesOnline AU

We offer the highest quality e-mountain Alpine Trail E bikes for sale in Australia. Shop online today with a Free 30-Day Bike Returns and fast delivery.
www.bikesonline.com.au www.bikesonline.com.au
 
Stredda

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
cammas said:
www.giant-bicycles.com

Trance X Advanced E+ Elite (2023) | Giant Bicycles Australia

Accelerate up climbs, float through rock gardens, experience more power, agility and control with this lightweight, full-suspension E-MTB. A new ultra-slim batt...
www.giant-bicycles.com www.giant-bicycles.com
View attachment 400058
Click to expand...
It's really no different than the Orbea Rise except you can select the full power of the motor. It's actually almost 19kg not 18kg ;)
I'd be interested to ride one and to see what the range is like. You have to remember, with more power and a small battery = less range.
 
cammas

cammas

Seamstress
I really like the Orbea and would love to take one for a spin, currently waiting a little longer before I make the decision to switch over or not. I also know if I do ride one, it will make the decision for me so best not to test one out at this stage.
 
Rorschach

Rorschach

Didnt pay $250 for this custom title
cammas said:
I really like the Orbea and would love to take one for a spin, currently waiting a little longer before I make the decision to switch over or not. I also know if I do ride one, it will make the decision for me so best not to test one out at this stage.
Click to expand...
Ha. I know the feeling.
I'm currently looking at the classifieds to see if there are any cheap ones going
 
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