6/7/2016 10:22 AM
Edited Date/Time: 6/7/2016 10:27 AM
iceman2058 wrote:
We picked up on
this report from an Italian eBike show, presenting the all new Xduro Dwnhll Pro from Haibike, the eBike
...more
iceman2058 wrote:
We picked up on
this report from an Italian eBike show, presenting the all new Xduro Dwnhll Pro from Haibike, the eBike specialists. It combines some interesting traits: 200mm of suspension travel, a steep seat tube angle and a dropper post, a high pivot point suspension layout incorporating a chain idler, a 63-degree headangle and of course the small detail of a 500W electric pedal assist motor.
Weighing in at 24 kgs (52lbs), the Dwnhll Pro is billed as the ultimate self-shuttling DH bike. Enjoy performance levels not unlike those of the heavy bikes we used to ride not so long ago, then turn it around and point it straight back up the hill and go for another run. Components-wise it looks dialled (Fox 40, Vivid Air, Mavic Deemax, Saint brakes, etc), and the geo has the potential to keep things interesting on any track (the company says it "will tackle World Cup tracks with ease" which may cause some smiles but in reality, we'd imagine it could do pretty well within the limits of reason).
So, would you ride one? Without knowing for sure (or trying one) it's hard to say of course, but let's hear your arguments one way or the other!
I really don't like e-MTBs. As someone who's seen & heard how much the bias of individuals in land management agencies can harm MTB access & advocacy, I am convinced that some of them will use the challenge of policing e-MTB vs MTB access as a lever to shut down MTB access completely.
That said, I also really don't like acting like a curmudgeon. Just because something's new, doesn't make it bad, change is not the devil, & yes, music made after you turn 30 isn't inherently bad.
As far as e-bikes go, I absolutely see bikes like this as the direction we're headed. While short travel bikes will never die, an awful lot of us moved toward 8" bikes in the early part of this millennium, as that was where the performance sweet spot was. The compromises to make a good ascending bike were extreme, & unless what you loved about MTB was the runner's high, pain endurance aspect that triathletes & other endurance sports guys love, there was a lot of motivation to move towards something that would let you descend at speed(read as fun.) In the first 7-8 years of the 2000s, that was a DH bike, & you just accepted the fact that that meant uphills were relegated to pickup trucks or ski lifts.
But then, suspension started getting A LOT better, & A LOT lighter, while frame companies figured out ways to make bikes confidence-inspiring on the downs, without completely destroying their climbing ability. We started to experiment with designs that let us self-shuttle, or get into trails that didn't have fire road access without having to push a DH bike uphill for hours.
Of course, these designs, even now, in what I consider to be a golden age of bike design, do sacrifice some descending ability to be competent all arounders, & conversely, DH bikes still do sacrifice pedaling ability, though to a far smaller extent. To take Devinci as an example(because they are a quite expedient one.) The Spartan was designed to give better pedaling performance than the Wilson at a tamer WC track, but as great a descender as it is, you didn't see it ridden at other DH tracks.
Now, to bring us back full circle to this e-DH bike: The entire MTB industry's impetus, at least since the later half of the '00s, has been making bikes that allow us to have fun on the descents, while still being able to get ourselves back up to the top of the hill under our own power. Even the pointier end of the spectrum has seen advancements in descending, (I mean look at this bad mofo of a 120mm hardtail with a 65.5 HA http://ridegg.com/pedalhead-deposit)
But if we want to go uphill, at a minimum, we're still looking at having compromise a couple inches of travel & all-out suspension performance. An E-DH can give you the uphill capabilities of an AM bike(which is good enough for most of us) while giving us back the full downhill capabilities of a DH race bike.
That's what a lot of riders have been asking for since AM bikes started showing up. I expect that to translate into sales.
Heck, it's not like mainstream offroad motorcycles come in various geometries for climbing, descending, jumping, etc. The difference between a dual sport, a freestyle moto, & even an adventure bike come down more to appointments & motor than geometry. & they all share more geometry with a DH bike than with an XC whippet. When you take power out of the equation, you always seem to come back to DH geo.