An e-mtb for me...

[Warin]

How do you think this bike would stand up to international airline travel?

There are restrictions on the max battery size (watt hours) that you can transport ... ebike batteries I don't think fit. So you can take the bike .. but not the battery.

[RonK]

I’m sure the Focus would be an excellent choice. It has worked well for me on overnight bikepacking trips.

The bad news is that e-bikes are not permitted on aircraft. If you buy an e-bike with an external battery it may be possible to hire a battery in NZ. I don't know about other countries but it would be a risky proposition.

I have toured on a Rohloff equipped bike and I’m not a fan. I consider Rohloff hubs overpriced and overrated.

If you want to be able to ride over mixed surfaces (highly recommended to see the best of NZ) I would suggest a Salsa Fargo. This is my choice for bikepacking.

Here is my Fargo in Frankton (Queenstown) New Zealand after completing the Around The Mountains Trail.

[brumby33]

I’m sure the Focus would be an excellent choice. It has worked well for me on overnight bikepacking trips.

The bad news is that e-bikes are not permitted on aircraft. If you buy an e-bike with an external battery it may be possible to hire a battery in NZ. I don't know about other countries but it would be a risky proposition.

I have toured on a Rohloff equipped bike and I’m not a fan. I consider Rohloff hubs overpriced and overrated.

If you want to be able to ride over mixed surfaces (highly recommended to see the best of NZ) I would suggest a Salsa Fargo. This is my choice for bikepacking.

Here is my Fargo in Frankton (Queenstown) New Zealand after completing the Around The Mountains Trail.

Ummmm where do you sit Ron?

Nice bikes the Salsa.....and that one is well equipped.

Yeah e-bikes and batteries, I think really whilst some have done so, I don't think e-bikes will be a long term prospect for long distance overseas touring unless of course you source the bike from the region of tour. Sure the distance you can do on them is improving but jeez I don't know....I still think if you've got a bicycle with a well suited (to you) gearing range, I think overall you'll be better off, e-bikes weigh a ton on their own plus bags and other gear...if that battery goes flat...I see a lot of work. I agree with you on the Rollhoff hubs Ron, I rode a couple before I decided on the Vivente Patagonia, I did not like method of changing gears on the Rolhoff, it was rather stiff and I felt a lot of resistance whilst pedalling....it was an instant dislike for me.


cheers


brumby33

[RonK]

I'd pretty much forgotten about this thread, so it's timely to post an update. I've had this bike for two years now, and it has been flawless in that time.
I did make some upgrades - fitted Funn Mamba pedals, replaced the saddle with a Brookes C17 All Weather, the Maxxis Recons changed for 27.5 x 2.6 Vittoria Mezcals, and the bars and stem changed to narrower risers.

My local MTB track is a Mt Coot-tha and The Gap reserve. It's a very steep area, but the climbing ability of the bike is amazing, and makes short work of the ride up to the top of the Rocket Frog trail, then handles the descent with aplomb despite being a hardtail. But what astonished me most of all was its ability to climb up over steep rocky ledges. I tackled one unfamiliar trail and met some other riders coming the other way who were adamant that the trail was not rideable in the direction I took.

I've also ridden on road, bike paths, fire trails, deep sand on Stradbroke Island - the Mezcals handle any surface with ease except heavy mud. It's pretty well unstoppable.

[Comedian]

I'd pretty much forgotten about this thread, so it's timely to post an update. I've had this bike for two years now, and it has been flawless in that time.
I did make some upgrades - replaced the saddle with a Brookes C17 All Weather, the Maxxis Recons changed for 27.5 x 2.6 Vittoria Mezcals, and the bars and stem changed to narrower risers.

My local MTB track is a Mt Coot-tha and The Gap reserve. It's a very steep area, but the climbing ability of the bike is amazing, and makes short work of the climb up to the top of the Rocket Frog trail, then handles the descent with aplomb despite being a hardtail. But what astonished me most of all was its ability to climb up over steep rocky ledges. I tackled one unfamiliar trail and met some other riders coming the other way who were adamant that the trail was not rideable in the direction I took.

I've also ridden on road, bike paths, fire trails, deep sand on Stradbroke Island - the Mezcals handle any surface with ease except heavy mud. It's pretty well unstoppable.

I listened to a cycling tips podcast on this a while back. They were saying it's creating an interesting dynamic as for the first time ever bikes are riding certain trails in what is considered reverse. I've certainly seen a lot more people at gap creek riding up trails in numbers that I've never seen in the past. Sometimes groups of e-bikes. I'll probably get some hate, but you can usually pick the e-bikes from a distance. If the rider doesn't look fit it's an e-bike. Normally only massively experienced whippets (usually wearing an EPIC jersey) would be riding up most of them.

Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

I think this was the episode although I can't listen now.

https://cyclingtips.com/2017/08/cycling ... ngletrack/

[RonK]

I listened to a cycling tips podcast on this a while back. They were saying it's creating an interesting dynamic as for the first time ever bikes are riding certain trails in what is considered reverse. I've certainly seen a lot more people at gap creek riding up trails in numbers that I've never seen in the past. Sometimes groups of e-bikes. I'll probably get some hate, but you can usually pick the e-bikes from a distance. If the rider doesn't look fit it's an e-bike. Normally only massively experienced whippets (usually wearing an EPIC jersey)

For sure one of the great advantages of e-mtb's is being able to ride to the top of big trails rather than wait for somebody to shuttle you back to the top.

[Comedian]

I listened to a cycling tips podcast on this a while back. They were saying it's creating an interesting dynamic as for the first time ever bikes are riding certain trails in what is considered reverse. I've certainly seen a lot more people at gap creek riding up trails in numbers that I've never seen in the past. Sometimes groups of e-bikes. I'll probably get some hate, but you can usually pick the e-bikes from a distance. If the rider doesn't look fit it's an e-bike. Normally only massively experienced whippets (usually wearing an EPIC jersey)

For sure one of the great advantages of e-mtb's is being able to ride to the top of big trails rather than wait for somebody to shuttle you back to the top.

The issue is that normally people would have picked an easier way to ride up if they were powering it themselves, but as you've pointed out people riding e-mtb's can sometimes go up trails that weren't rideable in the past.

Hence the chances of meeting someone bombing down not expecting to see someone riding up... have a listen to the podcast.

It's probably not that much of a problem at gap creek.

[RonK]

I listened to a cycling tips podcast on this a while back. They were saying it's creating an interesting dynamic as for the first time ever bikes are riding certain trails in what is considered reverse. I've certainly seen a lot more people at gap creek riding up trails in numbers that I've never seen in the past. Sometimes groups of e-bikes. I'll probably get some hate, but you can usually pick the e-bikes from a distance. If the rider doesn't look fit it's an e-bike. Normally only massively experienced whippets (usually wearing an EPIC jersey)

For sure one of the great advantages of e-mtb's is being able to ride to the top of big trails rather than wait for somebody to shuttle you back to the top.

The issue is that normally people would have picked an easier way to ride up if they were powering it themselves, but as you've pointed out people riding e-mtb's can sometimes go up trails that weren't rideable in the past.

Hence the chances of meeting someone bombing down not expecting to see someone riding up... have a listen to the podcast.

It's probably not that much of a problem at gap creek.

No, it's not. The ride up to the top of rocket frog and other ridgeline trails is either via a very steep fire trail or a somewhat easier single track.
Commonsense is not common these days but I have seen riders on hp mtb's riding up rocket frog.

[RonK]

Nice bike Ron should be perfect to support you not a bad range on it with your troubling knees that is quite impressive looking forward to hearing about your shakedown on it.

Hehe - I posted this thread nearly three years ago, so well past shakedown. The bike has performed flawlessly apart from some degradation of the battery capacity, and has kept me riding as my knees continued to deteriorate.
My cycling future is now somewhat indeterminate. I will undergo bilateral total knee replacements on Monday, and hope for a full recovery to get me riding again.

[Comedian]

Nice bike Ron should be perfect to support you not a bad range on it with your troubling knees that is quite impressive looking forward to hearing about your shakedown on it.

Hehe - I posted this thread nearly three years ago, so well past shakedown. The bike has performed flawlessly apart from some degradation of the battery capacity, and has kept me riding as my knees continued to deteriorate.
My cycling future is now somewhat indeterminate. I will undergo bilateral total knee replacements on Monday, and hope for a full recovery to get me riding again.

Good luck and hope you have a speedy recovery.

[RonK]

Nice bike Ron should be perfect to support you not a bad range on it with your troubling knees that is quite impressive looking forward to hearing about your shakedown on it.

Hehe - I posted this thread nearly three years ago, so well past shakedown. The bike has performed flawlessly apart from some degradation of the battery capacity, and has kept me riding as my knees continued to deteriorate.
My cycling future is now somewhat indeterminate. I will undergo bilateral total knee replacements on Monday, and hope for a full recovery to get me riding again.

Good luck and hope you have a speedy recovery.

Thanks. I'm not looking forward to the procedure but I am looking forward to a good recovery and outcome.

[ironhanglider]

Hehe - I posted this thread nearly three years ago, so well past shakedown. The bike has performed flawlessly apart from some degradation of the battery capacity, and has kept me riding as my knees continued to deteriorate.
My cycling future is now somewhat indeterminate. I will undergo bilateral total knee replacements on Monday, and hope for a full recovery to get me riding again.

Good luck and hope you have a speedy recovery.

Thanks. I'm not looking forward to the procedure but I am looking forward to a good recovery and outcome.

We can rebuild him, we have the technology...

Here's hoping that the recovery is complete, just don't rush it.

Cheers,

Cameron

[RonK]

Well, the bilateral TKR's are done and rehabilitation is well under way. It's not entirely comfortable but thanks to the assistance provided by this bike I have quickly been able to build up to 30 km rides just a few weeks after being given the ok to cycle by my surgeon. I'll be tackling a 50 km group ride this weekend - it could be challenging, but it's been a long time since I've cycled with my friends so I'm up for it.

A new gravel bike is on the way - perhaps I should start another thread.