Overwhelmed by options, what’s the best all around eMTB?

Posted by Connorj177@reddit | ebikes | View on Reddit | 20 comments

I love hiking and biking, but I’ve wanted to take trail biking to the next level. What would be the best “buy once, cry once” eMTB? This would be used for trails, mountains and single tracks.

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NewspaperMuted6858@reddit

if you want a true "buy once, cry once" eMTB for aggressive single track and mountains, you need to be looking at a mid-drive motor from a legacy brand like a Specialized Turbo Levo or Trek Rail. They'll run you $5,000 to $8,000+, but that mid-drive torque and specialized frame geometry are mandatory for serious technical climbs.

However, if you're just getting into trail riding and don't want to drop a used car's worth of cash right out the gate, you don't have to spend 5 grand. Hub-drive eMTBs have gotten insanely good for light-to-medium trails. The Velotric Summit 1 is a fantastic hardtail with a torque sensor that feels incredibly natural on the dirt, and the Velotric Nomad 2X gives you full suspension if you really want to soak up those mountain roots.

I set up a quick filter for premium trail-capable e-bikes here

https://www.ebikesfinder.com/#brands=Velotric

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BodSmith54321@reddit

At what price?

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Connorj177@reddit (OP)

<10k usd

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badjeeper@reddit

I have had a couple Specialized and think they are generally best in class along with a couple other brands you can trust. IMO the second tier brands like Aventon are okay if you are just looking at numbers and price but the overall build quality can’t match the bigger established brands.

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Corrupting_Slime@reddit

Maybe check out the Bonnell 775AM or 775MX.

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bradland@reddit

You're overthinking it. The "best" eMTB is the one that fits you best and balances power, weight, and battery life based on your specific riding needs.

Do not let the marketing convince you that one particular brand is objectively better in some magical way that will elevate your experience. The reality is that they're all using lithium based batteries that rely on the same tech.

All power on an eMTB originates from two places: the battery or the rider. All the major manufacturers have access to high quality drive systems that are all relatively close in efficiency, so none of them have any sort of magic bullet that will give you massive power with magically long battery life. Power is power, and a difference of 3% efficiency isn't going to deliver range improvements that change the way you ride.

What you should focus on instead is:

Fit. A bike that fits you well will ride better, because you'll get less fatigue be more confident.

Support. You can't ride a bike that doesn't work, and you'll eventually need service. So look for a shop with people who are friendly and will take care of you when you need service.

Trek, Specialized, and Giant are the big three. I'd start there. Search for dealers in your area and go try a bike or two.

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badjeeper@reddit

☝️this right here.

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Kay-Pea-8008@reddit

Look at Aventon Ramblas or Current depending on your budget. My Ramblas is perfect after 3000 hard miles. Mostly az single track. Currently saving up for the Current.

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Speedtrap1@reddit

Look at AM Flow or Teewing, both have insane specs and the DJI motor

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RedGobboRebel@reddit

Think of the market for bikes and in this case eMTBs are more like the car market, there's not a single best eMTB. There's ones that can work well for you given your needs and budget. Lets work on figuring out those needs/wants.

If you aren't already riding a MTB, it's important to understand Mountain Biking has a couple different sub categories. Understanding these are important to discovering what eMTB will work "best". If you get a bike that's too burly for your needs, with suspension components that are way oversized, it will be sluggish to accelerate, brake and harder to quickly steer. If you get a bike with too short a suspension, for really rough terrain or jump features, you'll end up bottoming out the suspension on big hits and really rattling you, or worse, bucking you off.

If you aren't already familiar with the categories, MTB in general, or doing bike maintenance, I can't recommend enough going to a local traditional bike shop or two and talking to them and checking out the bikes they have available. Ongoing maintenance and repairs are critical to making an eMTB worth the investment.

Personally, I'm a big fan of "light" eMTBs these are eMTBs that feel more natural, more like a regular MTB and provide just enough assistance so that you ride normally, but aren't as tired when climbing to the top. Over-simplification, but think of these as you and the bike are each putting in 50% of the effort. Others prefer (or need) "full power" or "full fat" eMTBs that give you as much power as they are allowed to, and they don't mind the extra weight from the larger motor and bigger battery, because the bike can do 95% of the effort.

Once you know what brands you'll be looking at in your local shops, we can suggest models they carry that best fits your riding style.

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Connorj177@reddit (OP)

Mostly hiking trails, rocky terrain, and mountains