I can use your help w suggestions on an e-mtb for my daughter. She's 25, probably a size small, just getting started in mtb biking, and on a teacher's salary. She would be riding around Boise, McCall and Ketchum. Thanks!
Printable View
I can use your help w suggestions on an e-mtb for my daughter. She's 25, probably a size small, just getting started in mtb biking, and on a teacher's salary. She would be riding around Boise, McCall and Ketchum. Thanks!
Why not get her a bicycle instead of a moped? That way she can get fit, learn skills, and not be a pariah.
Quote:
Originally Posted by climberevan
Do you have a suggestion for a non e-mtb for her to consider?
kind of a really big question, you wouldn't want to have her miss out on hating e-bikes
Since she's a beginner and assumably has a small budget, just look on the local Craigslist or Facebook ads for a good deal on a small mountain bike. If she enjoys it and wants to get more serious, then you can start thinking about different options WRT wheel size, frame style, etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hopeless Sinner
I laffed.Quote:
Originally Posted by XXX-er
This is good advice. Anything built since 2020 is going to have modern geometry and will be fine. Obviously spending more will get her a better bike.Quote:
Originally Posted by smmokan
IME the local Boise trails are pretty mellow so a short travel FS or a hardtail would be fine. She'll get better components on a hardtail, cost being equal.
I’m anti ebike for a lot of reasons… but it’s not a product I’d currently buy used. It seems like a lot of the motors have issues and if you’re under warranty - great but if you’re not you might end up with a very very expensive repair.
New - I think you’re looking at $4,000 for an off brand e-bike and more like $7,000 for a ‘good’ e bike.
Whereas a $2000 used full suspension could be a great bike these days. Just pick a bike that fits her well and pick easy trails for a while.
The only reason I’d say “sure e-bike” is if base fitness is very low and this is a step toward getting healthy. It’s a lot of money to throw down as a starter purchase and if she hasn’t mountain biked before bike handling skills might not be there to handle a 50-60lbs e bike.
^^^Well the E bike's weight is a factor loading and unloading from a vehicle so that's a concern for sure. The kid is in shape and fit, but does not prefer sports that are continuously "red line" oriented which is my perception of the uphill. If the uphills were just a bit easier I think many would be inclined to ride more frequently or ride longer days. Pls correct me if I'm mistaken.
She does love to alpine ski and she's pushes the heart rate pretty high there on powder days (we track HR), but then there is always the lift to recover. She has rented both mtn bike and e mtn bike so has a bit of experience and has a long term boyfriend that's into mtn biking so I'd say she'll stick w the sport.
I was hopping to pick up a great deal on a new bike whether e or not. It's really hard for the novice to understand what's a good price on used bikes w all the customization that's done. Sellers "invested" (LOL) $9k and would sell for $6K.....ROFLOL.....
$7K for a "good" ebike is probably not happening.
You are not mistaken. I ride my ebike significantly more often than I ever did (or do) with my regular bike. I have both and like both, but if you made me choose, it’d be the ebike for sure. They are just more fun.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hopeless Sinner
I haven’t really paid attention to the market for the past 3 years, but I’d bet you can get a pretty good ebike for less than $7k, but probably not $2k. Now would probably be a good time toto hit some shops and find a deal.
Yup sounds about right. If you think she'd be ok with the 540w battery its hard to beat this price. The bike and the 540w battery has served me well. Everything works well on the "core 1" so nothing really needs changed. For an extra 1k it does come with the 720w battery and some pretty gooch parts thoughQuote:
Originally Posted by Hopeless Sinner
https://us.yt-industries.com/product...coy-mx-core-1/
Sent from my SM-S711W using TGR Forums mobile app
I have not glanced at e-bikes in a bit but that YT pricing is solid. That is probably a 55-60lb bike, which might be a barrier. I do think some brick and mortar brands are having sales as the summer winds down. An “sl” model bike might be ideal like the Levo Sl from specialized.
The explanation of not wanting heart rate to redline makes sense. It takes quite a bit of riding on a normal bike to get so your heart rate doesn’t spike while climbing. I think it’s really possible to ride a mountain bike with your heart rate in the 110-130 range (which doesn’t feel overly taxing to most people) but that’s after you’ve been riding for quite a while.
An ebike takes the edge off that curve.
Quote:
Originally Posted by grinch
Op wanting a small is part of the reason for my suggestion. Really good standover on ths decoy. It is 55lb but its fun from the get go and the weight is really manageable , especially after a couple weeks. Many comments on how the decoy doesnt feel like 55lbs on the trail. Its never going to feel like an sl though. My old 2019 decoy now has pretty much the same spec as this 2024 core after i swapped the air shock for a coil 1 and dh casing tires but mine came with a lighter rs yari fork. The only thing id change is to a burlier fork like the domain or zeb. It just works. No flats ever, steel cassette with cheap drivetrains and gtg. Yt have been impressively good to deal with. Yt canada is sort of a satellite distributor to yt usa so ive dealt and talked with yt usa on occasion to get parts(water bottle/cage that the new decoy comes with, warrantee 1st motor at 1800km but new one just passed 10k km, bearing pivots, shock bolts, im at 1.5+ million vert feet and counting).Quote:
Originally Posted by Tailwind
The sl category is attractive but tjey also add to the price tag and they give away some of the climbing capability. I probably wouldnt look at the spsh sl w mahle motor or the tq motors(trek etc). Too much sacrifice. I'd probably consider a bosch sx bike or maybe a fazua sl bike. A bit of online chatter on fazua durability but maybe theyve refined it. Good power, battery management and an attractive weight. I think Andeh, Summit and possibly Gunder have sl bikes with the fazua that seems to be working well so mahbe they can shed more light on that
Sent from my SM-S711W using TGR Forums mobile app
Yeah - on a teacher's salary I'd say buying a new (decent) e-bike is gonna be eye-opening. Unless, of course, she plans to use it to replace a car, then the maths could pencil out quite easily.
All the 50-60 something old farts i know at the bike area either bought an E-bike or are planning to or at least want to, prices have come down a LOT since i bought an E-bike 3 yrs ago
You're not going to get any particularly good recommendations without a lot more information.
What's the actual budget? I know teachers with $10,000 bikes and teachers with $300 bikes.
What is the goal? Fitness? Fun? Transportation? Is this a mountain bike that will get used sometimes on trails but also to ride to the grocery store? Is this a bike that's going to get ridden on trails 5 days a week? Is it a bike that's just an experiment to see if she likes the sport?
Generally speaking, I wouldn't go buy an e-mountain bike for a novice. Ebikes are a chunk of money to throw at an experiment to see if someone likes riding dirt on 2 wheels. If she gets a normal mountain bike and loves it, but doesn't love the work on the climbs, then she should consider getting an ebike. But throwing most of $4k of teachers salary at that experiment seems like a bad idea, especially since (as covid showed us) the retention rate for new participants in the sport is something less than 10%. In other words, there's a 90% chance this bike will be sitting mostly idle in a year, so buy accordingly.
^^sound advice. So many factors to consider
Sent from my SM-S711W using TGR Forums mobile app
Another thing to consider is where can you legally ride the thing. I have no clue what the land managers or rules are around the area in question, but generally speaking, on federal lands (USFS/BLM) the only trails legally open to e-bikes are the ones also open to dirtbikes. Rarely are these very beginner friendly. The local district office needs to explicitly make an exception in order to allow e-bikes on otherwise non-motorized trails which in my experience is usually only done on new trail systems. Enforcement, of course, is a different question, and local agencies may have different rules.
I will concur ^^ with toast
" She has rented both mtn bike and e mtn bike so has a bit of experience and has a long term boyfriend that's into mtn biking so I'd say she'll stick w the sport. "
Ok so she will probably ride with the BF and so unless buddy also has an E-bike he won't be able to keep up
Friends don't help friends buy their non-handicapped daughters e-bikes.
There's no need for a fit person to be "redlined" on every climb. She can run a 26t chainring and 10-52 cassette and spin up anything at an easy pace. Still, the reality is that cycling involves effort, and if she's expecting getting up the hill to be as easy as riding a chairlift, cycling is not the sport for her.
Getting a beginner a $7000, 55# moped to ride illegally on non-motorized trails seems like a recipe for disappointment. She needs a $1500 hardtail mountain bike that has already lost most of its value and that she can resell for $1200 in a year after she's decided to either give up cycling or to get something nicer.
Expert.....
Sent from my SM-S711W using TGR Forums mobile app
I would tell her to check out a used Ibis Ripley, Santa Cruz 5010, or Giant Trance. All will have enough travel for Boise, McCall, and the easier stuff near Ketchum, short enough wheelbase to learn switchbacks and slow tech, and good climbers. Make sure the fit is right including the seat, and get a small granny gear.
Agree but I think there are plenty of “fit” people who get torched pretty hard mountain biking. Large range of definitions to “fit” as this doesn’t need to mean runs marathons and ski tours already. Also once you have a few thousand hours of base miles you forget how hard it is to pedal when you’re new to it. I notice a huge difference in food for example, I used to need to eat really well in order to not “bonk” and that just isn’t an issue anymore.
I have a coworker just getting started in the sport who feels exhausted for a few days after a 2-3 hour ride. She goes to the gym and rides a spin bike and hikes 15 miles pretty often for a few years. She’s talked about climbing for an hour and a half just being exhausted. She bought a 2017 orbea full suspension for $1000 used and loves it.
I do think e-bikes are our general admission that there are huge sections of society who can’t pedal a bike up a hill. Lots of people shuttle stuff because they can’t pedal, others e bike. Maybe everyone just needs some base miles and a 2017 orbea?
Quote:
Originally Posted by climberevan
It’s amazing anyone ever started mountain biking….Quote:
Originally Posted by Tailwind
FIFY.Quote:
and if she's expecting getting up the hill to be as easy as riding a chairlift, E-cycling is the sport for her.
If you have not ridden a lot, any sustained climbing takes some suffering and getting used to and as you develop a taste for it (or not) you keep getting stronger.
Lotta personal opinion on the efficacy of e-bikes being injected to the discussion.
https://ridgetorivers.org/hikes-and-...tv-and-e-bike/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Boise/comme..._boise_trails/Quote:
Class 1 and 2 E-Bikes are allowed in Idaho State Parks and on department-administered trails and paths — except for the Lewiston Levee Parkway, a portion of which runs through Hells Gate State Park.
"Documentation from your E-bike purchase that outlines the power output of your E-bike motor"Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunion 2020
lol
Thanks for the great discussion. I really appreciate everyone's input.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roxtar
this. I suggest a decent used light-ish hardtail with easy-ish gearing. Great for the budget, can make whatever she wants out of the climbs, and will provide her a reliable introduction to the sport.
Just clarifying: this means ebikes aren't allowed on the majority of the easily accessible trails in Boise. They're allowed on the gravel bike paths and a couple of dirt bike trails.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunion 2020
Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
awe come on manQuote:
Originally Posted by adrenalated
you know that e bikes are exempt from all rule and regulations and common trail courtesy specially the one about yielding
had to get off the trail last night and give the right away to some chick on a full throttle moped on a no e bike trail the idea that she was going to be able stop balance and restart on that thing was laughable figured it was easier to give way than pick her up off the ground
FTW!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by zion zig zag
Seriously, how desperate are you to pamper this girl? Yes, we all want her to love mountain biking but for God's sake, if sweating is a deal-breaker, she's not made for this sport (or any sport, for that matter).
Buy her a good lower component level short travel 29er, ride with her on beginner trails, and let her progress.
That's how we all fell in love with the sport.
^^^eff that. Rigid single speed.
Yeah, that sounds like fun :nonono2:Quote:
Originally Posted by plugboots
yeah got them E-bikes up here and they are not a probelmQuote:
Originally Posted by fastfred
so your problem must be they are ridden by Americans
340 million rugged individualists
Have you tried riding with your glock open-carry ?
remember guns don't kill people ... people kill people
Heh.Quote:
Originally Posted by plugboots
https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2l...xpmX/giphy.gif
yeah brah I got a european friend who thinks its crazy we ban e bikesQuote:
Originally Posted by XXX-er
but americans can't have nice things because we are selfish assholes who only think about ourselves
I don't do open carry only concealed and my snubnose 38 is easy to carry and makes me feel safe from manbearpig
Yes, yes, this is generally the problem in AmericaQuote:
Originally Posted by XXX-er
Size small makes me think she's 5'-6" or less. Here are my suggestions:
No ebike for the reasons Toast mentions - cost, resale, commitment, partner. Get a lower travel full suspension that will work for a smaller person. If she is 5'5" or above, any wheel size is fine. 5'4" or shorter, consider 27.5 wheels or a mullet. No hardtail, as that will make her pretty unhappy riding what her BF wants to ride.
Santa Cruz 5010 as was mentioned. Juliana Furtado is the same bike. Pivot 429 or Mach 4. Any decent 120 travel bike from specialized. Canyon bikes are decent and inexpensive - again, that 120ish travel range. 2017 or newer. Should be findable around 2k. If she doesn't like it in a year or two she can sell if for 1,500+.
This is not her dream bike, just a gateway, and in two years she's likely looking to move on from this one either way. But she doesn't even know what she likes to ride yet, so that upgrade (ebike, longer travel, less travel faster, hardtail, same travel but nicer spec) can happen later once she knows what she wants.
Regardless, she better start kicking her BF's ass quickly or we'll be disappointed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EWG
Thanks that's very helpful so I passed it on.