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It doesn't matter as much on the way up, but it certainly does on the way down. Heavy bikes are less agile and take more effort to move around. When speeds are below a certain threshold, a heavy bike just won't handle that well. Changing direction on a 50lb bike vs. a 30lb bike is a noticeable difference in effort. When speeds go up, you're generally riding or looking the straighter open lines that don't require as much input.

The minimal changes to the firebird and nomad compared to the generation before shows how we almost converged in enduro bike geometry. Nothing new is needed in that saturated market.

California and the west coast has long been known for having trail access issues. The implementation of e-bikes have increasingly complicated matters in recent years. Our trail advocacy organizations have fought long and hard for more access by building relationships and trust with land owners. Specialized had long been a big proponent of trail access with programs such as Soil Searching until they recently axed the program due to budget cuts. Now allowing e-mountain bikes to go 28mph on our local trail networks will lose the trust of current partners and kill the possibility of opening up new land to...

My opinion... Used ebikes have the re-sale value of a pringles can left out in the rain for 4 weeks and full of water. Any real mileage on them (over 300-500) and there will be practically no interest, even at 50% under msrp. Not a shocker, but it's a turn in the market where your ownership decisions are now impacted by that. Previously, the move was either get a new ebike every year before the depreciation got gnarly, or just hold onto it and run it into the ground. Now the answer is clear, run it into the ground and...