As fit enduro bikers, trail bike lovers and parents with a shotgun seat the wife bought a Trek Rail and I bought a decked out Vala...
As fit enduro bikers, trail bike lovers and parents with a shotgun seat the wife bought a Trek Rail and I bought a decked out Vala last year (because my wife "convinced" me, we needed that, all the cool influencer, former EWS racer moms have them). With the shotgun seat it was curious fun for a bit, until our son told us, he also wants a bike with a motor.
After a couple of weeks with the emtbs we realised that something was missing. After the honeymoon-phase we rode eco-mode almost exclusively, the emtbs weren´t as fun (for us) as our regular bikes and we were missing the feeling of earning our turns/descents.
We sold both emtbs and since both have a nice trail bike fitted with XC tires - and THOSE are fun, fast and effortless and incredibly capable. And we also both have fat enduro bikes with sticky tires and lots of travel. And they are also fun. We are fit and enjoy biking more than ever. I have absolutely nothing against someone enjoying their emtbs. Enjoy yourselves. But I strongly disagree if anyone calls them the be all end all for everybody.
My wife and I have zero (0!) interest on emtbs after trying and owning them (with our own money). But we've been riding regular mtbs for 25+ years and hope for another 25 ;-)
PS: I just wrote this post to be able to mention that I ordered a Nomad 7 frame kit and am giddy as a kid for it...
I had a similar experience. Bought an SL MTB because I moved to a place where the riding is less fun and requires sustained climbs at 10% grade to reach 2 minutes of mid single track.
Then, this past summer I visited the east coast and rode around Vermont on a regular enduro bike. I thought wow, I really missed this and if I lived here I wouldn't want/need an ebike because the entire ride is so engaging. Maybe because the climbs are punchier and narrower.
For this reason I also think there is more of a latent market for regular bikes than might be apparent right now.
Also, my Vermont experience prompted an idea: maybe trails can be built that are fun to ride with a regular bike but miserable to ride with an e-bike and this could be the best way for those who are annoyed by ebikers to retain their separateness. I sure am saddened by the amount of leisure-class ebike purchasers clogging up formerly sparsely ridden trails.
Sure, that's what the short travel acoustic bike is for.I don't know about other people, but I rode lt enduro bikes because they were the fastest...
Sure, that's what the short travel acoustic bike is for.
I don't know about other people, but I rode lt enduro bikes because they were the fastest thing around for descending while still being able to pedal up the mountain. I was somewhat horrified to find myself cranking out faster descending times on the e-bike much of the time. Kind of ruined lt enduro bikes for me.
I suppose it matters what the definition of "hardcore" means in the original comment. It sort of sounded like the intent was that e-bike riders are just muppets puttering down the blue trails (and some are 🤣). Most of the fast guys here are dh bike/lt e-bike. The "hardcore" dudes on their 2019 canyon and speshy enduros are quickly becoming the new single speed hardtail dudes. More laps makes you better, and the e-bikes do that.
I tried a rallon in dh trim this summer, it fell short of something like a supreme, v10, or supernought. I like the idea of a do it all bike, but it's dang hard to pull off. I'm not sure anyone has yet.
As fit enduro bikers, trail bike lovers and parents with a shotgun seat the wife bought a Trek Rail and I bought a decked out Vala...
As fit enduro bikers, trail bike lovers and parents with a shotgun seat the wife bought a Trek Rail and I bought a decked out Vala last year (because my wife "convinced" me, we needed that, all the cool influencer, former EWS racer moms have them). With the shotgun seat it was curious fun for a bit, until our son told us, he also wants a bike with a motor.
After a couple of weeks with the emtbs we realised that something was missing. After the honeymoon-phase we rode eco-mode almost exclusively, the emtbs weren´t as fun (for us) as our regular bikes and we were missing the feeling of earning our turns/descents.
We sold both emtbs and since both have a nice trail bike fitted with XC tires - and THOSE are fun, fast and effortless and incredibly capable. And we also both have fat enduro bikes with sticky tires and lots of travel. And they are also fun. We are fit and enjoy biking more than ever. I have absolutely nothing against someone enjoying their emtbs. Enjoy yourselves. But I strongly disagree if anyone calls them the be all end all for everybody.
My wife and I have zero (0!) interest on emtbs after trying and owning them (with our own money). But we've been riding regular mtbs for 25+ years and hope for another 25 ;-)
PS: I just wrote this post to be able to mention that I ordered a Nomad 7 frame kit and am giddy as a kid for it...
I had a similar experience. Bought an SL MTB because I moved to a place where the riding is less fun and requires sustained climbs at...
I had a similar experience. Bought an SL MTB because I moved to a place where the riding is less fun and requires sustained climbs at 10% grade to reach 2 minutes of mid single track.
Then, this past summer I visited the east coast and rode around Vermont on a regular enduro bike. I thought wow, I really missed this and if I lived here I wouldn't want/need an ebike because the entire ride is so engaging. Maybe because the climbs are punchier and narrower.
For this reason I also think there is more of a latent market for regular bikes than might be apparent right now.
Also, my Vermont experience prompted an idea: maybe trails can be built that are fun to ride with a regular bike but miserable to ride with an e-bike and this could be the best way for those who are annoyed by ebikers to retain their separateness. I sure am saddened by the amount of leisure-class ebike purchasers clogging up formerly sparsely ridden trails.
Punchier is where ebikes thrive. Narrower doesnt make a difference. If you were misguided about enduro bikes is there a possibility youre misguided about ebikes?
I have a quiver killer bike. Nicolai G1 with manitou dorado 203mm and rear cane creek kitsuma 211mm travel. 22x15/52 gearing, 200mm dropper, MX wheels. I...
I have a quiver killer bike. Nicolai G1 with manitou dorado 203mm and rear cane creek kitsuma 211mm travel. 22x15/52 gearing, 200mm dropper, MX wheels. I ride bikepark and my local trails with only a slight tyre swap and shock position change. Sure the bike weighs 19kg but I've gotten used to it. I have no interest in ever riding a whimpy single crown enduro bike.
Hearing about 30,5" front wheels in Finale this weekend
Was lucky enough to ride a full 32" bike recently and, hate to say it, my first thought was, "Hmmmm wonder what a 30.5" wheel would be like".
The 32" bike (a hardtail at that) made mincemeat of a steep, technical rocky climb that was a lot, lot harder on a 29er full suspension bike. It was comparatively easy on the 32". I was genuinely surprised at the difference. Where it lost out was the corners, no where near as fun or agile feeling. I'm 6ft 1 so don't generally worry about tyre clearance issues, but on certain bikes, for certain people, I can see a benefit. I would be super intrigued to a Spur/Ranger type with 30.5" wheels. I have a V1 Spur and it is by far and away one of the best bikes I've ridden and am perfectly happy with 29, but I'll keep an open mind to these things.
I had a similar experience. Bought an SL MTB because I moved to a place where the riding is less fun and requires sustained climbs at...
I had a similar experience. Bought an SL MTB because I moved to a place where the riding is less fun and requires sustained climbs at 10% grade to reach 2 minutes of mid single track.
Then, this past summer I visited the east coast and rode around Vermont on a regular enduro bike. I thought wow, I really missed this and if I lived here I wouldn't want/need an ebike because the entire ride is so engaging. Maybe because the climbs are punchier and narrower.
For this reason I also think there is more of a latent market for regular bikes than might be apparent right now.
Also, my Vermont experience prompted an idea: maybe trails can be built that are fun to ride with a regular bike but miserable to ride with an e-bike and this could be the best way for those who are annoyed by ebikers to retain their separateness. I sure am saddened by the amount of leisure-class ebike purchasers clogging up formerly sparsely ridden trails.
I think you're spot on with there being a more latent market for regular bikes than is apparent.
Improvements to regular bikes have largely stagnated. There's not a lot of reason for most people to sell their 2022 bike and buy a new one. Unsurprisingly, sales of regular bikes are underwhelming. That doesn't mean the population of riders who wants those bikes is collapsing though; it just means they already own what they want.
Ebikes are the hot new thing. Everyone's buying one. Some people enjoy them, some people buy them, try them, and decide it's not for them. But either way, the sales figures look great at the moment.
But those two realities are offering up a distorted view of the market. The thinking that interest in regular bikes is phasing out ignores reality. And while I'm sure ebikes will continue to sell well as the tech improves, I also think sales in that market will taper because we're reaching the point where most of the people that want an ebike already have one.
The bike brands are being idiots again, I can pretty much guarantee it. They're frothing over e-bikes, but we're filling up that barrel. E-MTB sales are booming, as people like me bought one in the last year. But soon we'll all have them, and sales will lag. So many noobs are buying them that there won't be the typical 2-5 year replacement cycle that us enthusiasts are on. We wear stuff out, the casual rider doesn't.
My next bike purchase will be a traditional enduro bike. (Edit: hopefully a cheap used DH bike as well)
I predict another 6 years of bullwhip going on in the MTB market.
The bike brands are being idiots again, I can pretty much guarantee it. They're frothing over e-bikes, but we're filling up that barrel. E-MTB sales are...
The bike brands are being idiots again, I can pretty much guarantee it. They're frothing over e-bikes, but we're filling up that barrel. E-MTB sales are booming, as people like me bought one in the last year. But soon we'll all have them, and sales will lag. So many noobs are buying them that there won't be the typical 2-5 year replacement cycle that us enthusiasts are on. We wear stuff out, the casual rider doesn't.
My next bike purchase will be a traditional enduro bike. (Edit: hopefully a cheap used DH bike as well)
I predict another 6 years of bullwhip going on in the MTB market.
I think the thing you are overlooking here is that motor/battery tech will continue to evolve which will keep the sales units moving, especially with enthusiasts. That coupled with the shorter life cycle of drive units and batteries and high cost to replace will make selling the old rig and buying a freshie feel like the smart move. Not excited about that part personally, feels like we're matching up to other consumer electronics with short replacement intervals.
The bike brands are being idiots again, I can pretty much guarantee it. They're frothing over e-bikes, but we're filling up that barrel. E-MTB sales are...
The bike brands are being idiots again, I can pretty much guarantee it. They're frothing over e-bikes, but we're filling up that barrel. E-MTB sales are booming, as people like me bought one in the last year. But soon we'll all have them, and sales will lag. So many noobs are buying them that there won't be the typical 2-5 year replacement cycle that us enthusiasts are on. We wear stuff out, the casual rider doesn't.
My next bike purchase will be a traditional enduro bike. (Edit: hopefully a cheap used DH bike as well)
I predict another 6 years of bullwhip going on in the MTB market.
Was lucky enough to ride a full 32" bike recently and, hate to say it, my first thought was, "Hmmmm wonder what a 30.5" wheel would...
Was lucky enough to ride a full 32" bike recently and, hate to say it, my first thought was, "Hmmmm wonder what a 30.5" wheel would be like".
The 32" bike (a hardtail at that) made mincemeat of a steep, technical rocky climb that was a lot, lot harder on a 29er full suspension bike. It was comparatively easy on the 32". I was genuinely surprised at the difference. Where it lost out was the corners, no where near as fun or agile feeling. I'm 6ft 1 so don't generally worry about tyre clearance issues, but on certain bikes, for certain people, I can see a benefit. I would be super intrigued to a Spur/Ranger type with 30.5" wheels. I have a V1 Spur and it is by far and away one of the best bikes I've ridden and am perfectly happy with 29, but I'll keep an open mind to these things.
I also rode a good bit on a 32" bike, and had zero interest in a 30.5, even though I ride mx wheels most of the time. I had no issues cornering the bike, but that's likely just bike design. Would you want full 30.5 or to mullet it?
Watching quarterhp demo 11 review and Henry brought up a good point. Have to think Specialized has plans to use Highgear for the next enduro. Could...
Watching quarterhp demo 11 review and Henry brought up a good point. Have to think Specialized has plans to use Highgear for the next enduro. Could it be a vertical shock with highgear? Anyone with insight?
I was told that they are working on a new Enduro, but it’s really far out, lucky if we see it by 2028.
I don't disagree with anything you've said, but the number of snapped Phoenix frames floating around online should raise anyone's eyebrows.It's not a carbon vs. aluminum...
I don't disagree with anything you've said, but the number of snapped Phoenix frames floating around online should raise anyone's eyebrows.
It's not a carbon vs. aluminum issue. It just seems like Pivot may have gone too light on the frame.
I actually thought people overreacted to BK's snapped Hardline frame a while back. But the more I've seen fail under other circumstances, the more you have to wonder.
You do see a good amount of them, but have you been to many DH races recently? There are a so many people on the new...
You do see a good amount of them, but have you been to many DH races recently? There are a so many people on the new Phoenix, most races I've been too in the last few years there are more Pivots than v10s, at least in Colorado and Utah. The more bikes out there getting races, the more broken frames there are going to be.
In whistler, you see like five v10's for every one pivot phoenix. Talking to the shops there, they hardly ever see a broken v10 frame. If they...
In whistler, you see like five v10's for every one pivot phoenix.
Talking to the shops there, they hardly ever see a broken v10 frame. If they do crack, it's because someone smacked the frame into something. Usually a chainstay hitting a tree or something like that.
There are videos online of people breaking phoenix chainstays from normal landings, and breaking front triangles from heavy landings.
These are single instances being published so it's tough to know if it's representative of a design issue, bad QC, or previous abuse, but the videos of catastrophic failures I have seen are concerning, especially when there are other options available that don't have any instances of failure under normal use.
Main issue of the current V10 is headset cup ovalization. They made adjustments in 2025, but it still occurs. Have a buddy with a 2026 with the problem, he just drilled in a second bolt to band-aid the situation.
I have a quiver killer bike. Nicolai G1 with manitou dorado 203mm and rear cane creek kitsuma 211mm travel. 22x15/52 gearing, 200mm dropper, MX wheels. I...
I have a quiver killer bike. Nicolai G1 with manitou dorado 203mm and rear cane creek kitsuma 211mm travel. 22x15/52 gearing, 200mm dropper, MX wheels. I ride bikepark and my local trails with only a slight tyre swap and shock position change. Sure the bike weighs 19kg but I've gotten used to it. I have no interest in ever riding a whimpy single crown enduro bike.
I think the thing you are overlooking here is that motor/battery tech will continue to evolve which will keep the sales units moving, especially with enthusiasts...
I think the thing you are overlooking here is that motor/battery tech will continue to evolve which will keep the sales units moving, especially with enthusiasts. That coupled with the shorter life cycle of drive units and batteries and high cost to replace will make selling the old rig and buying a freshie feel like the smart move. Not excited about that part personally, feels like we're matching up to other consumer electronics with short replacement intervals.
Time will tell. The people I ride with don't really GAF about motors, other than them being "good enough", reliable and quiet-ish. No one I know uses the boost setting very often on 750 watt systems.
We'll talk endlessly about tires, brakes, suspension - no one even asks other riders what power unit they're on.
Sure, folks will chose the best motor available on the best bike when buying new, but once you have a reliable system, there's not much incentive to drop $$$ to upgrade as an enthusiast (core? LOL) MTBer.
You do see a good amount of them, but have you been to many DH races recently? There are a so many people on the new...
You do see a good amount of them, but have you been to many DH races recently? There are a so many people on the new Phoenix, most races I've been too in the last few years there are more Pivots than v10s, at least in Colorado and Utah. The more bikes out there getting races, the more broken frames there are going to be.
In whistler, you see like five v10's for every one pivot phoenix. Talking to the shops there, they hardly ever see a broken v10 frame. If they...
In whistler, you see like five v10's for every one pivot phoenix.
Talking to the shops there, they hardly ever see a broken v10 frame. If they do crack, it's because someone smacked the frame into something. Usually a chainstay hitting a tree or something like that.
There are videos online of people breaking phoenix chainstays from normal landings, and breaking front triangles from heavy landings.
These are single instances being published so it's tough to know if it's representative of a design issue, bad QC, or previous abuse, but the videos of catastrophic failures I have seen are concerning, especially when there are other options available that don't have any instances of failure under normal use.
Main issue of the current V10 is headset cup ovalization. They made adjustments in 2025, but it still occurs. Have a buddy with a 2026 with...
Main issue of the current V10 is headset cup ovalization. They made adjustments in 2025, but it still occurs. Have a buddy with a 2026 with the problem, he just drilled in a second bolt to band-aid the situation.
I tried a large g1 and wasn't terribly impressed. Felt like I was riding a plank. Those dimensions with less reach might have been okay.
I threw a dc on my s3 dreadnought v2 for a while, which made it not as good as the supernought at the park, and also worse for enduro. It already was a bit draggy for all day pedalling with the sc.
Had a WA1 arrival that tried to be a short travel, mid travel, and a long travel bike. It pedalled better than most of it's peers in 170 and 152 trim, but didn't perform as well when things got rough. And in 130 trim, it was heavier than it's peers, and offered no performance advantages for that weight. Still a beautiful bike though, at it's best in 152 trim I think.
Tried the rallon out in enduro trim and got excited, pedalled well enough, performed very well, but in dh trim it still felt like a dc enduro bike.
Pedalling efficiency and descending capability are just two diametrically opposed use cases. That's why there will never be an acoustic "one bike" solution.
Honestly looks pretty good. Sometimes 29/27 mullets look a little weird because the jump in sizing. This looks just slightly bigger. The bike looks pretty proportional.
I tried a large g1 and wasn't terribly impressed. Felt like I was riding a plank. Those dimensions with less reach might have been okay.I threw...
I tried a large g1 and wasn't terribly impressed. Felt like I was riding a plank. Those dimensions with less reach might have been okay.
I threw a dc on my s3 dreadnought v2 for a while, which made it not as good as the supernought at the park, and also worse for enduro. It already was a bit draggy for all day pedalling with the sc.
Had a WA1 arrival that tried to be a short travel, mid travel, and a long travel bike. It pedalled better than most of it's peers in 170 and 152 trim, but didn't perform as well when things got rough. And in 130 trim, it was heavier than it's peers, and offered no performance advantages for that weight. Still a beautiful bike though, at it's best in 152 trim I think.
Tried the rallon out in enduro trim and got excited, pedalled well enough, performed very well, but in dh trim it still felt like a dc enduro bike.
Pedalling efficiency and descending capability are just two diametrically opposed use cases. That's why there will never be an acoustic "one bike" solution.
The reach numbers are long, I'm 5'10" on a medium g1 and have slowly moved from a 40mm stem to a zero offset stem. Only a handful of rides on the zero offset but it's got me in a much better position to move that big plank around.
Because of the higher position of the bars I was really comfortable on the climbs which translated to less fatigue and on descents was able to weight the front or pull back and ride the middle of the sled.
It's a tuner for sure but some like that. Throw in the ability to run modified travel from trail to DH and adjust the geometry on a stable platform with incredible build quality and I've just written copy for them.
You do see a good amount of them, but have you been to many DH races recently? There are a so many people on the new...
You do see a good amount of them, but have you been to many DH races recently? There are a so many people on the new Phoenix, most races I've been too in the last few years there are more Pivots than v10s, at least in Colorado and Utah. The more bikes out there getting races, the more broken frames there are going to be.
In whistler, you see like five v10's for every one pivot phoenix. Talking to the shops there, they hardly ever see a broken v10 frame. If they...
In whistler, you see like five v10's for every one pivot phoenix.
Talking to the shops there, they hardly ever see a broken v10 frame. If they do crack, it's because someone smacked the frame into something. Usually a chainstay hitting a tree or something like that.
There are videos online of people breaking phoenix chainstays from normal landings, and breaking front triangles from heavy landings.
These are single instances being published so it's tough to know if it's representative of a design issue, bad QC, or previous abuse, but the videos of catastrophic failures I have seen are concerning, especially when there are other options available that don't have any instances of failure under normal use.
Main issue of the current V10 is headset cup ovalization. They made adjustments in 2025, but it still occurs. Have a buddy with a 2026 with...
Main issue of the current V10 is headset cup ovalization. They made adjustments in 2025, but it still occurs. Have a buddy with a 2026 with the problem, he just drilled in a second bolt to band-aid the situation.
My 2024 V10.8 had the problem of the cups working loose. Called SC. New updated cup set in hand within a week. 20+ days at Snowshoe this year and never had to touch the headset once.
The bike brands are being idiots again, I can pretty much guarantee it. They're frothing over e-bikes, but we're filling up that barrel. E-MTB sales are...
The bike brands are being idiots again, I can pretty much guarantee it. They're frothing over e-bikes, but we're filling up that barrel. E-MTB sales are booming, as people like me bought one in the last year. But soon we'll all have them, and sales will lag. So many noobs are buying them that there won't be the typical 2-5 year replacement cycle that us enthusiasts are on. We wear stuff out, the casual rider doesn't.
My next bike purchase will be a traditional enduro bike. (Edit: hopefully a cheap used DH bike as well)
I predict another 6 years of bullwhip going on in the MTB market.
I think the thing you are overlooking here is that motor/battery tech will continue to evolve which will keep the sales units moving, especially with enthusiasts...
I think the thing you are overlooking here is that motor/battery tech will continue to evolve which will keep the sales units moving, especially with enthusiasts. That coupled with the shorter life cycle of drive units and batteries and high cost to replace will make selling the old rig and buying a freshie feel like the smart move. Not excited about that part personally, feels like we're matching up to other consumer electronics with short replacement intervals.
That's a big concern for me looking at emtbs. How long will the bikes drive system reasonably last? I don't love the idea of it basically being worthless or unrepairable in the next 5 years when the newer drive systems drop and I can't get replacement parts for the motor or battery (or it doesn't make sense cost wise). I like the idea of a long travel / DH emtb that you can drop the battery, maybe get a 3D printed or CNC motor replacement that you can stick your cranks on and run it as a park bike but I don't think that's realistic. I was heavily considering getting an emtb after demoing one for the first time this year but I'm leaning more towards a short travel trail bike and will wait and see what happens with eebs in the next few years. Hopefully we see an ST from Yeti next year, similar geo to the MT and 6finity in a sub 30lb package would be sick
The bike brands are being idiots again, I can pretty much guarantee it. They're frothing over e-bikes, but we're filling up that barrel. E-MTB sales are...
The bike brands are being idiots again, I can pretty much guarantee it. They're frothing over e-bikes, but we're filling up that barrel. E-MTB sales are booming, as people like me bought one in the last year. But soon we'll all have them, and sales will lag. So many noobs are buying them that there won't be the typical 2-5 year replacement cycle that us enthusiasts are on. We wear stuff out, the casual rider doesn't.
My next bike purchase will be a traditional enduro bike. (Edit: hopefully a cheap used DH bike as well)
I predict another 6 years of bullwhip going on in the MTB market.
I think at the end of the day the bike brands are banking that e bikes is going to open up a user base that previously was not interested in doing 1-3 hrs of fairly intense cardio or have to shuttle/lift.
Think 11 year olds with zero interest in e-mtbing except to keep up with their friends. Think all the guys who previously hung it up cause they got fat and there’s a billion other fun things to do to be fit with way less hard wear and tear. Think guy who previously hung it up cause he never gets more than 45 minutes to exercise and doing one climb and dh doesn’t feel worth the effort.
Now I do think this market is way less concerned in e bike tech versus is there cool trails near the house and what is the budget? But that’s a much less simple problem for bike brands to work on.
I hate that my first thought was "that looks sweet"
Hate that my thought about this is
"Back in 2010 people couldnt immediately get used to the looks of 29" so we needed the in-between step of 27.5. Now we need 30,5" in order to get used to the 32" looks."
Was lucky enough to ride a full 32" bike recently and, hate to say it, my first thought was, "Hmmmm wonder what a 30.5" wheel would...
Was lucky enough to ride a full 32" bike recently and, hate to say it, my first thought was, "Hmmmm wonder what a 30.5" wheel would be like".
The 32" bike (a hardtail at that) made mincemeat of a steep, technical rocky climb that was a lot, lot harder on a 29er full suspension bike. It was comparatively easy on the 32". I was genuinely surprised at the difference. Where it lost out was the corners, no where near as fun or agile feeling. I'm 6ft 1 so don't generally worry about tyre clearance issues, but on certain bikes, for certain people, I can see a benefit. I would be super intrigued to a Spur/Ranger type with 30.5" wheels. I have a V1 Spur and it is by far and away one of the best bikes I've ridden and am perfectly happy with 29, but I'll keep an open mind to these things.
I also rode a good bit on a 32" bike, and had zero interest in a 30.5, even though I ride mx wheels most of the...
I also rode a good bit on a 32" bike, and had zero interest in a 30.5, even though I ride mx wheels most of the time. I had no issues cornering the bike, but that's likely just bike design. Would you want full 30.5 or to mullet it?
I mean it cornered fine, but I preferred the agility I get from 29ers, hence why I'd be intrigued to try a half way house. I'm a same wheel both ends kind of guy; I've tried mullets on various bikes and I do like and see the benefits for some riders, but for the riding I do, I prefer full 29er as it is. As I said, a downcountry type with 30.5" wheels would pique my interest. Get some of the benefits of the 32" in a more agile package. Equally, I'd be happy staying full 29 as is.
I had a similar experience. Bought an SL MTB because I moved to a place where the riding is less fun and requires sustained climbs at 10% grade to reach 2 minutes of mid single track.
Then, this past summer I visited the east coast and rode around Vermont on a regular enduro bike. I thought wow, I really missed this and if I lived here I wouldn't want/need an ebike because the entire ride is so engaging. Maybe because the climbs are punchier and narrower.
For this reason I also think there is more of a latent market for regular bikes than might be apparent right now.
Also, my Vermont experience prompted an idea: maybe trails can be built that are fun to ride with a regular bike but miserable to ride with an e-bike and this could be the best way for those who are annoyed by ebikers to retain their separateness. I sure am saddened by the amount of leisure-class ebike purchasers clogging up formerly sparsely ridden trails.
Spelled, Geometron
Punchier is where ebikes thrive. Narrower doesnt make a difference. If you were misguided about enduro bikes is there a possibility youre misguided about ebikes?
🥱
Ollie has a sense of humor (unmarked bike again, this time it had a fox fork and ohlins shock, super sick racoon headtube sticker)
https://youtu.be/F2qmIE4mEdw?si=cWnhMIFySzUbu_-N&t=62
You should post a bike check of that rig!
Hearing about 30,5" front wheels in Finale this weekend
Was lucky enough to ride a full 32" bike recently and, hate to say it, my first thought was, "Hmmmm wonder what a 30.5" wheel would be like".
The 32" bike (a hardtail at that) made mincemeat of a steep, technical rocky climb that was a lot, lot harder on a 29er full suspension bike. It was comparatively easy on the 32". I was genuinely surprised at the difference. Where it lost out was the corners, no where near as fun or agile feeling. I'm 6ft 1 so don't generally worry about tyre clearance issues, but on certain bikes, for certain people, I can see a benefit. I would be super intrigued to a Spur/Ranger type with 30.5" wheels. I have a V1 Spur and it is by far and away one of the best bikes I've ridden and am perfectly happy with 29, but I'll keep an open mind to these things.
I think you're spot on with there being a more latent market for regular bikes than is apparent.
Improvements to regular bikes have largely stagnated. There's not a lot of reason for most people to sell their 2022 bike and buy a new one. Unsurprisingly, sales of regular bikes are underwhelming. That doesn't mean the population of riders who wants those bikes is collapsing though; it just means they already own what they want.
Ebikes are the hot new thing. Everyone's buying one. Some people enjoy them, some people buy them, try them, and decide it's not for them. But either way, the sales figures look great at the moment.
But those two realities are offering up a distorted view of the market. The thinking that interest in regular bikes is phasing out ignores reality. And while I'm sure ebikes will continue to sell well as the tech improves, I also think sales in that market will taper because we're reaching the point where most of the people that want an ebike already have one.
The bike brands are being idiots again, I can pretty much guarantee it. They're frothing over e-bikes, but we're filling up that barrel. E-MTB sales are booming, as people like me bought one in the last year. But soon we'll all have them, and sales will lag. So many noobs are buying them that there won't be the typical 2-5 year replacement cycle that us enthusiasts are on. We wear stuff out, the casual rider doesn't.
My next bike purchase will be a traditional enduro bike. (Edit: hopefully a cheap used DH bike as well)
I predict another 6 years of bullwhip going on in the MTB market.
I think the thing you are overlooking here is that motor/battery tech will continue to evolve which will keep the sales units moving, especially with enthusiasts. That coupled with the shorter life cycle of drive units and batteries and high cost to replace will make selling the old rig and buying a freshie feel like the smart move. Not excited about that part personally, feels like we're matching up to other consumer electronics with short replacement intervals.
I might have a DH bike for you
I also rode a good bit on a 32" bike, and had zero interest in a 30.5, even though I ride mx wheels most of the time. I had no issues cornering the bike, but that's likely just bike design. Would you want full 30.5 or to mullet it?
I was told that they are working on a new Enduro, but it’s really far out, lucky if we see it by 2028.
Main issue of the current V10 is headset cup ovalization. They made adjustments in 2025, but it still occurs. Have a buddy with a 2026 with the problem, he just drilled in a second bolt to band-aid the situation.
I have been meaning too for a while. But I think my custom 2027 Egerie will be way more interesting hehe.
Time will tell. The people I ride with don't really GAF about motors, other than them being "good enough", reliable and quiet-ish. No one I know uses the boost setting very often on 750 watt systems.
We'll talk endlessly about tires, brakes, suspension - no one even asks other riders what power unit they're on.
Sure, folks will chose the best motor available on the best bike when buying new, but once you have a reliable system, there's not much incentive to drop $$$ to upgrade as an enthusiast (core? LOL) MTBer.
only a matter of time till V10.9 releases...
I tried a large g1 and wasn't terribly impressed. Felt like I was riding a plank. Those dimensions with less reach might have been okay.
I threw a dc on my s3 dreadnought v2 for a while, which made it not as good as the supernought at the park, and also worse for enduro. It already was a bit draggy for all day pedalling with the sc.
Had a WA1 arrival that tried to be a short travel, mid travel, and a long travel bike. It pedalled better than most of it's peers in 170 and 152 trim, but didn't perform as well when things got rough. And in 130 trim, it was heavier than it's peers, and offered no performance advantages for that weight. Still a beautiful bike though, at it's best in 152 trim I think.
Tried the rallon out in enduro trim and got excited, pedalled well enough, performed very well, but in dh trim it still felt like a dc enduro bike.
Pedalling efficiency and descending capability are just two diametrically opposed use cases. That's why there will never be an acoustic "one bike" solution.
30,5/29 apparently
from Zak Johansens IG
Honestly looks pretty good. Sometimes 29/27 mullets look a little weird because the jump in sizing. This looks just slightly bigger. The bike looks pretty proportional.
I hate that my first thought was "that looks sweet"
I am here for the 30.5s Now this, I like. Dual 30.5s or mullet 30.5/29.
The reach numbers are long, I'm 5'10" on a medium g1 and have slowly moved from a 40mm stem to a zero offset stem. Only a handful of rides on the zero offset but it's got me in a much better position to move that big plank around.
Because of the higher position of the bars I was really comfortable on the climbs which translated to less fatigue and on descents was able to weight the front or pull back and ride the middle of the sled.
It's a tuner for sure but some like that. Throw in the ability to run modified travel from trail to DH and adjust the geometry on a stable platform with incredible build quality and I've just written copy for them.
My 2024 V10.8 had the problem of the cups working loose. Called SC. New updated cup set in hand within a week. 20+ days at Snowshoe this year and never had to touch the headset once.
That's a big concern for me looking at emtbs. How long will the bikes drive system reasonably last? I don't love the idea of it basically being worthless or unrepairable in the next 5 years when the newer drive systems drop and I can't get replacement parts for the motor or battery (or it doesn't make sense cost wise). I like the idea of a long travel / DH emtb that you can drop the battery, maybe get a 3D printed or CNC motor replacement that you can stick your cranks on and run it as a park bike but I don't think that's realistic. I was heavily considering getting an emtb after demoing one for the first time this year but I'm leaning more towards a short travel trail bike and will wait and see what happens with eebs in the next few years. Hopefully we see an ST from Yeti next year, similar geo to the MT and 6finity in a sub 30lb package would be sick
I think at the end of the day the bike brands are banking that e bikes is going to open up a user base that previously was not interested in doing 1-3 hrs of fairly intense cardio or have to shuttle/lift.
Think 11 year olds with zero interest in e-mtbing except to keep up with their friends.
Think all the guys who previously hung it up cause they got fat and there’s a billion other fun things to do to be fit with way less hard wear and tear.
Think guy who previously hung it up cause he never gets more than 45 minutes to exercise and doing one climb and dh doesn’t feel worth the effort.
Now I do think this market is way less concerned in e bike tech versus is there cool trails near the house and what is the budget? But that’s a much less simple problem for bike brands to work on.
Hate that my thought about this is
"Back in 2010 people couldnt immediately get used to the looks of 29" so we needed the in-between step of 27.5. Now we need 30,5" in order to get used to the 32" looks."
Haha
I mean it cornered fine, but I preferred the agility I get from 29ers, hence why I'd be intrigued to try a half way house. I'm a same wheel both ends kind of guy; I've tried mullets on various bikes and I do like and see the benefits for some riders, but for the riding I do, I prefer full 29er as it is. As I said, a downcountry type with 30.5" wheels would pique my interest. Get some of the benefits of the 32" in a more agile package. Equally, I'd be happy staying full 29 as is.
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