Oh wow, that is so generous and we are so grateful! We're gonna buy some burritos for the crew thanks to you! We're happy to have helped out and glad to hear you enjoy the bike! Drew
Best Trail eMTB - Cannondale Moterra SL1 Most likely to recommend(All Rounder)- Ari Timp Peak PRO Best Value eMTB - Canyon Strive:ON CFR Best Racer Pick - Orbea Wild M11 Custom Best Downhill bike - Nocrco range VLT C1 Best Versatilke eTMB - Pivot Shuttle LT Team XTR
I watched every minute of this video and in the end got an "everybody gets a trophy" sort of feel. I understand you were able make several brands happy but based on the scores given on each bike along the way, I think you should have chosen a clear winner IMO. Thats said, thanks for putting in the work to test a lot of bikes, I know its not all fun.
I've got the Strive. For the money, unless your professional, it's the best bike I've ridden. I've ridden my friends' Wild Peak, and Orbea. They've ridden my Strive. They wish they bought the strive and saved the money.
By selecting the five award winners, we hoped to offer more value to viewers who are looking to make a purchase as each of the bikes selected are quite different. For example, even our own team wouldn't agree, while 2 testers would take the Orbea, two other testers agreed that it was awesome, but they'd rather have the Shuttle LT for very different reasons. We felt that by picking ONE winner, it would do a disservice to riders of different types who may buy that one bike, only to be disappointed because it's very much NOT the best bike for them. Want a lightweight trail machine? - Cannondale. Sharp and fast bike? - Orbea. Ultra-plush downhill brute? - Norco. Solid all rounder with value in mind? - Ari. Premium all rounder? - Pivot. No one of these bikes is the best in absolutely every aspect. All do kick ass, though! Thanks for watching and we hope that helps clarify.
With how bikes are these days I couldn’t see how they could select a clear winner as each rider has a different style and feel. What I might find awesome you may not, kinda like the Superior, one gave it a 5 and was like it didn’t work for me, while the others were like it was good and rated a 7.25, etc. It was great that we got 4 different views for each bike. Seems like they really liked the Ari for a non-mainstream brand (8+ rating).
Really appreciate the time and effort that you've all put into doing the shootout videos!! How about doing an ultimate shootout by pitching the previous year's winners against each other?! I'd love to see how the winning trek rail (the model i have) stacks up against the latest bikes!!
Interesting I have a gen 3 Levo and got to ride my friends wild. Made me love how the Levo rides even more. Way more plush on the chatter and the mullet is were it’s at on an emtb. However the wild looks way better 😢
It would be good to see some more heavier rider's on these shows as alot of us getting back into it say after few years n few lbs extra the suspension is nightmare to get the sag set up!
Have my strive on underdog for couple of months now. My first e-mtb, got it on Sale with biggest battery for just 5k euro. Pretty happy with the bike :D Agree on the brakes part, DB8 are ok brakes untill they are not, hence my shimano xt coming on them from my old acoustic strive.
When your bike is fully charged does it show 5 or 6 light power bars on ur bosh smart system? I got one with the smaller battery and fully charged it only shows 5. I was wondering if the 6th one (on the very top above the power button) was for the bigger battery
I've had numerous high end ebike's. Santa Cruz, Intense, Orbea, Pivot. All the noise in my head disappeared when I got the Wild. Stunning bike...even when just having a slow day. .
I'm a Santa Cruz fanboy always have been bc of the customer service and warranty. I have an orbea avant and love it. But with all of these companies sales dropping and some going way side I want to make sure I have a company that will be sticking around, our dealer quit selling orbea bc when COVID hit it was impossible to get them in stock. I'm looking at the heckler not the SL and also Ari. But the nikolai Saturn 16 is also on my radar and it is sick but only a 5 year warranty. How close is the heckler to the wild and the Ari? Thabks
Dude... You bought the best $5600 bike out there. Living in Bentonville and its awesome rental options all year and Bikefest options, my buds and I enjoy trying out the latest. The Tubo Levo Comp Alloy STILL ROCKS!
Awesome review! Getting ready to head to Stowe VT for a month of MTB adventure! I’ve got my Santa Cruz -Heckler and Gen 6 Nomad (for the trails that are still off limits for e-MTB 🤦♂️. Wish you guys would have reviewed the Heckler and Bulit - both super insane and Soooo much fun to crank up and down single track on.
Hi there looking for a bit of advice I'm new to mountain biking 57 and approx 95kg I've narrowed my choice down to 2 bikes the orbea wild h20 and the rise h20 or maybe the 10 if I can find any of them at the right price, thanks
I went with the Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay C70 because I have a dealer and support right here in West Kelowna. Hoping it will be a reliable climbing monster and allow me to ride trails my aging body had passed on before.
Do you guys personally ride full power or light emtbs? You were obviously a fan of the relay. Half of our group have moved to lighter weight bikes. Curious as to what the loam wolf team personal rides are.
You guys were instrumental input into my Yeti 160E purchase. Love the reviews here, and even more stoked you tested in part at Coler before the tornado came through. It's gonna be a long time before things are great here again, but we still have plenty in reach to go ride.
Thanks for the kind words, and glad we could be of help. The Yeti is definitely a ripper! Hopefully things recover well around Bentonville, we'll be looking forward to coming back!
I just ordered the Ari Timp Peak Team spec, and it’s all your fault. I love that they let me mix brands and get the new Fox 38 Grip X2 fork with the Rockshox Vivid Ultimate rear shock. Their Team spec of that bike is absolutely insane. I’m giddy as a schoolgirl in anticipation. I’ve been watching the eMTB market closely for over three years and finally feel that I’ve found a bike good enough to get me to pull the trigger. The thing that put me over the edge was your other video where you talked about how the new EP801 motor is improved to the point where you don’t really notice big differences between that motor and the Bosch system. My only complaint with the Ari bike is that I wish the integration of the electronics was a little more sleek but that’s not enough to keep me out of the game any longer. Thank you for the great perspective you’ve given us with your videos!
I wish you guys would’ve had the canyon strive CFR with the race motor coming in at 8,199 to see where it held up against the other higher range, priced bikes
Hi thanks for your great work! I’m an intermediate rider that is looking for an emtb to tow my 10 year old up climbing trails and fire roads and try and keep up with him on the way back down. He is getting pretty fast and only wants to do black and double black diamond trails. I’ve ridden the new Norco Range, which I loved. My only concern is that it may not be much of an all rounder and I’m considering maybe the Orbea Wild. I’d love your opinion if you think I should consider anything else?
Just missed y'all at Howler. Was there the weekend before and came back for a 'Glamping' tent weekend the day after you finished and rolled out....the Underbite Enduro weekend. Great review,...we watch it all. Superb job guys. Glad you enjoyed our local bike park, Howler Bike Park!!
I am in the market as my legs and body are going away fast (broken back, then neck). I am leaning toward the Strive after watching. But two questions, 1st, how "fast" are these bikes, are they going to tear up most trails, or are they just above pedal assist? 2nd. with the Strive in mind I was confused, you stated it has one of the smallest batteries, but later said it is not the most aggressive, but great for doing it all and covering miles really well. If I'm understanding this, does that mean the battery is more than capable of working all day? TY for putting in this work
Bought a Rail 7 Gen 2 last year that came with the Db8 brakes with shimano pads & rotors. Until recently, I'd agree that they were bad. Took way too much force to get adequate braking. Then I bled them and threw on MTX Gold pads with Galfer rotors. After bedding...so. much. grip! And with far less effort on the fingers.
Great reviews in a good pack of bikes. I'd have to ask why not include, 'Cube'. We're looking at high quality great price product in Cube, apparently, but Loam Wolf ignored it. Same as last year
Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. There are several brands not present who we do reach out to regularly and either don't value our channel enough, or didn't have bikes at the time. In the past, we have tried to work with Cube and ask them about test bikes. Maybe one day we'll be able to get something from them. It's certainly not because we don't want one.
It was not in this year's shootout as it remains unchanged from the last two years we tested it. Still a very good bike, we just felt it was time to make room for some fresher options.
Can we get a Shuttle LT vs 160E comparison? I was set on buying a 160E because I love my SB160 so much but looking at the geometry of the Shuttle LT along with the praise you guys gave it is making me second guess my choice.
I have the giant trance advance elite e+ 2. I like it a lot. But the head to angle is pretty steep. Should I do a angle reduction headset? If so how far should I go? 0.5°, 1° or 1.5°? And yeah this bike has some very annoying features like the lurching power when stopped and the rattly battery extender.
Best comparison review!. Ari timp peak vs Pivot Shuttle Lt, looks like shuttle is higher so potentially less pedal strikes, which would you guys pick for dh on rough desert tracks? I ride a lot of tech too but also high speed and jumps, both would probably work but which has better support is probably the deciding factor. Or kenevo sl since 145 pounds might be fine but gotta test that one.
If a canyon requires mutiple tast rides on different sizes to get the right size and its a direct to consumer brand, do you expect people to buy multiple sizes? I get that a med works for you but you gotts subtract a point or two for sizing
Nice review its great to see the ebike market growing. Aside from performance there is another aspect of ebiking that needs some discussion. This is service after the sale. What happens when you buy a bike that fails to perform from a defect? Your 10K plus jewel in the garage becomes a turd. What the manufacturer does in these situations makes or breaks the bike. It doesn't matter that my Rocky mountain C90 has 108nm of torque, fox 38 fork, big brakes and nice tires if I can't ride it 300 miles without it spending weeks at the shop. If you can't call the manufacturer and that manufacturer doesn't stand behind and support their dealer network the bike is junk. I have had a disappointing experience with Rocky Mountain and I own two Ebikes from them. I have heard other support issue with several other companies. This area needs more discussion because its real and its not talked about. The after sale performance of the bike and the company behind it are what you actually live with.
I think they wanted bikes that actually offer decent value instead of just paying for a brand name. I totally see where you're coming from but also found it sort of refreshing to see some different bikes/brands instead of the typical Trek/SC/Specialized that everybody reviews.
I wonder the same and would love to see an explanation from Loam Wolf if they can. When it comes to Specialized my guess is they’ve already reviewed the Levo last couple of years and afaik there’s no change to the bike this year.
They've also reviewed those Levo, Rail, and Heckler at least once each over the last few years. None of them have been noticably updated since their last review, so there probably wasn't much point including them again.
Exactly. We’ve already included these bikes in previous shootouts; we don’t think they represent the pinnacle of performance in the eBike market currently, and they haven’t received updates recently. We only have so much time and resources to put into these shootouts, so try to select bikes at the top end of performance or new bikes we think are interesting.
@@TheLoamWolfI think people are wondering how these bikes stack up against the Rail, Levo etc. It would have been nice to here you guys say if these bikes are any better than bikes released 3 years ago.
You guys are definitely the best of the best at doing eMTBs reviews!!! I have a question for my Scottish brother Robert, If you went to the bike park and just wanted to jump anything and everything which bike would you choose...Ari Temp peak, Or the Pivot shuttle, Or the Orbea wild?
Hello Mr XGames! I’d choose the Ari as a pure jump/park rig out of all on test. Orbea and Pivot would be tied, with the Orbea being a better “attack bike” and the Pivot a more comfortable and poppy bike.
Currently riding a Cube 160 which cost $4185 (£3300) and I personally don't think anyone needs to spend any more. So when you see bikes twice the price, but with lower specifications, it leaves me thinking just how much are we being robbed!
@@LCNismo I think Marco is pointing more to the fact that e-bikes in the 4k range are so good that you shouldn't double the price and get really diminishing returns. You have to be really rich or ride a ton if you want to justify a 8k bike. And have no other expensive hobbies
@@3000KTMI don't know where you live but minimum wage got more than doubled last 20 years where I live (WA). Not saying $10k is reasonable price for bikes tho.....
I agree with most if what you said but this thing seems to climb really well in short steep punchy climbs compared to any other enduro i have ridden. The worst issue i had was getting the rear end tuned correctly, i had to add a decent amount of volume spacers and mess with it alot to feel correct. I did buy the cheaoer version and upgrade all the internals of the the zeb select to make it a ultimate and im stuck with the flaot x without compression. But i did but the compression kit becauase i purchased rhe rockshox vivid and it wont fit but i plan on going to a ohlins coil or air and going to the ohline dh38 fork, cascade mx link to install a 27.5 on the rear. Hope i dont regret it.
I love my specialized SL and my intense tazer . Almost all the big name e-bikes are good I think. If you’re not a ripper I’d go with price you can always upgrade parts
I was just in Branson last week. Didn't get to ride there but did catch a show. Then proceeded to ride at Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and now in Bentonville for a week of riding.
It would be very interesting to see you testing the bikes using the same dampers, both front and rear, as well as using the same tyres too. This way, you'll be able to evaluate the unique component of the package, the frame, and it should provide a more accurate understanding of each systems differences I'm thinking. As you guys know, riding the same frame, switching between different dampers, produces very different ride feels each time. Food for thought!
1994 my Kona Explosive cost £1,300. No suspension whatsoever, and no motor and crap tyres and brakes. That was an insane price at the time. Bought last years e160 at 1/3 off. I had a huge choice of bikes at that discount. Are this years that much better against the savings ? Would I notice anyway ?
I m in for a 2025 change, i own a 2022 yeti 160e ep8 & i m looking to replace it either for a 2024 same but different or another brand, i would love to see santa cruz bullit in there i own one btw just want to hear a 2024 review of bullit cc
Like the idea of the review. For most people 6 to 10 thousand dollars is out of range. I suggest a review with e-bikes at a more affordable price range.
For the reviewer who gave the Pole a 7, someone needs to remind him it’s not a trail bike. It’s a DH oriented e-bike that climbs like a billygoat and shreds DH like a hot knife through butter and it should be rated based on its performance ability for that category. If it’s the most capable and confidence inspiring e-bike up and down, it’s the winner in my book. Also, it looks the best by far!
Interesting....I think the look of Pole is totally a deal breaker for me. No matter how fantastically it rides....I can't imagine purchasing a bike that looks like Pole. But you clearly have totally opposite opinion. We are all different I guess.
I completely disagree. Bikes should be rated by people for what they like and dislike about the bike. That's the upside of a round table review session is that you get different perspectives. Also it's a bike shootout so bikes are being compared for how they performed in the circumstances of the test and rated against each other.
I know the new LT is coming in the upcoming days with Bosch but would you still recommend the EP801 at 50% discount? Would really match nicely my current Firebird
Loved this series. However, being an emtb review, I would love to see range/elevation figures. It doesn't have to be a scientific test since there's ton of factor that affects this (ie DU, battery, tires, suspension, rider); just some real-world results would be great. Also interesting why Schwalbe didn't supply Eddy Currents since they advertise those as eMTB specifics.
Thanks for the feedback and what matters in a range publication. We have spent waaaay more hours than you could imagine discussing this topic and how we could do a good job of it. We ran EC tires a couple years ago, they are good but depending on the conditions, there are other tires in their lineup that are also great.
I really want you guys to stop saying budget bikes just because they only cost 6k and under that’s quite not budget but I get it overall good stuff and all the bikes are good no matter what anyone says
Here in the extortionate UK, I picked up a Cube 160 with a RockShox Zeb for £3300. That's still a huge amount of money, but unbelievably, is a very good price when you look at the alternatives.
@@siriosstar4789 no, i was saying, a budget mtb is prob 3k, whereas, relative to the TYPE of bike it is, a budget emtb is 6k.. dur. Just ask chatgpt next time: “In the context of the discussion, the term "relative" is being used correctly by @equi. The point they are making is that the concept of what constitutes a "budget" bike is dependent on the type of bike being discussed. - For a regular mountain bike (MTB), a budget model might cost around $3,000. - For an electric mountain bike (eMTB), a budget model might be around $6,000. Therefore, @equi is asserting that what is considered a "budget" bike varies depending on the specific category of bike. This use of "relative" is appropriate because it acknowledges that the concept of being budget-friendly depends on the context of the type of bike.”
@@siriosstar4789 umm ok. Again, for an emtb, budget is around 5-6k. Whether you can afford a budget emtb is another matter all together. Budget doesnt mean “something everyone can afford,” since its relative. Within the emtb category, bikes on the cheaper end of the spectrum tend to be 5-6k, hence, these are “budget.” Yes, a budget emtb is still very expensive to some people.
As always, nice job with the video! I'm curious why you didn't include the Ibis Oso? Maybe it's old already? I'm curious about the Rocky Mountain. I always hear issues with their Ebikes as mentioned here with the clutch and overheating? Are these causes for concern? Or are these just one offs? Other than that they seem like great bikes and I'd like to demo one.
I really wanted to buy a Rocky Mountain emtb since they started making ebikes. Unfortunately, there are no Rocky Mountain dealers anywhere near me, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Great review guys! Thanks for the hard work! Which bikes would you say were your favorites for making the trails feel poppy and the best for jumping all day?
Great reviews! That Polygon is doing to many shorts on here for being "THE BEST EMTB EVER MADE" All i have been seeing this week on that brown painted bike with performance fox 38s bit outdated for 2024 i have them on one my bikes and fit 4 on an other take fit 4 factory over performance anyday.
Hello thanks for the kind words and watching. We’ve given some more in-depth responses to this question already but in short, they opted to sit this year out as perhaps updates are coming or the bikes are unchanged from previous year’s showings where we tested them. Thanks again for watching.
Love this (and last years) shoot-out but feels like you left a lot of brands out? Specialized,Transition, Santa Cruz, Trek, Creatline just to name a few. Why?
First up, thank you very much! We invited just about all of those brands you listed. We can’t really say too much but, many of them have been unchanged for a couple years now, so you can assume whatever you’d like from that…but, we did ask and are always open to brands sending bikes, but understand if they don’t want to be included and possibly wait for another opportunity down the road.
@@TheLoamWolf The politics of who wants to be included in what was my guess, but it is too bad as many of those bikes (even a couple years old) may still be very relevant and competitive. Anyways keep up the great content
@@TheLoamWolf I'm sure that was a lot of bikes. Thanks for taking the time to do these tests with a bunch of the lads to see what's what. Otherwise lots of people would just be running blind not knowing what to get
No manufacturer goes out to make a bad bike, they all have similar components and similar geometrys at each price point, these guys are just indulging in cloud talk as it’s their hobby.
Thanks! I bought a pivot lt last year thanks to your input appreciate your hard work help me more than my dealer went a size down also and very happy
Oh wow, that is so generous and we are so grateful! We're gonna buy some burritos for the crew thanks to you! We're happy to have helped out and glad to hear you enjoy the bike!
Drew
J8i8@@TheLoamWolf
Best Trail eMTB - Cannondale Moterra SL1
Most likely to recommend(All Rounder)- Ari Timp Peak PRO
Best Value eMTB - Canyon Strive:ON CFR
Best Racer Pick - Orbea Wild M11 Custom
Best Downhill bike - Nocrco range VLT C1
Best Versatilke eTMB - Pivot Shuttle LT Team XTR
I watched every minute of this video and in the end got an "everybody gets a trophy" sort of feel. I understand you were able make several brands happy but based on the scores given on each bike along the way, I think you should have chosen a clear winner IMO. Thats said, thanks for putting in the work to test a lot of bikes, I know its not all fun.
I've got the Strive. For the money, unless your professional, it's the best bike I've ridden. I've ridden my friends' Wild Peak, and Orbea. They've ridden my Strive. They wish they bought the strive and saved the money.
By selecting the five award winners, we hoped to offer more value to viewers who are looking to make a purchase as each of the bikes selected are quite different. For example, even our own team wouldn't agree, while 2 testers would take the Orbea, two other testers agreed that it was awesome, but they'd rather have the Shuttle LT for very different reasons. We felt that by picking ONE winner, it would do a disservice to riders of different types who may buy that one bike, only to be disappointed because it's very much NOT the best bike for them.
Want a lightweight trail machine? - Cannondale. Sharp and fast bike? - Orbea. Ultra-plush downhill brute? - Norco. Solid all rounder with value in mind? - Ari. Premium all rounder? - Pivot.
No one of these bikes is the best in absolutely every aspect. All do kick ass, though!
Thanks for watching and we hope that helps clarify.
With how bikes are these days I couldn’t see how they could select a clear winner as each rider has a different style and feel. What I might find awesome you may not, kinda like the Superior, one gave it a 5 and was like it didn’t work for me, while the others were like it was good and rated a 7.25, etc.
It was great that we got 4 different views for each bike.
Seems like they really liked the Ari for a non-mainstream brand (8+ rating).
It’s good to have all four of you with rider input, makes for a balanced review. Top work guys
Thanks very much. Glad you enjoyed it.
Really appreciate the time and effort that you've all put into doing the shootout videos!! How about doing an ultimate shootout by pitching the previous year's winners against each other?! I'd love to see how the winning trek rail (the model i have) stacks up against the latest bikes!!
I need to get one of those "Not A Real Mountain Biker" t-shirts
Maybe we need to bring back a limited run!
@@TheLoamWolf I just stick a disabled sticker on my mates back 😅
500 miles on my Wild M10 (with an EXT shock) and I still LOVE THE THING.
Is the motor noise noisy or distracting?
Rocket 🚀
I’m fortune enough to own an Orbea Wild. If l’m not riding it, I’m thinking about riding it.
❤exactly such a bad ass bike makes my levo feel like a dinosaur
Exactly so dam good it's unbelievable
Interesting I have a gen 3 Levo and got to ride my friends wild. Made me love how the Levo rides even more. Way more plush on the chatter and the mullet is were it’s at on an emtb. However the wild looks way better 😢
It would be good to see some more heavier rider's on these shows as alot of us getting back into it say after few years n few lbs extra the suspension is nightmare to get the sag set up!
Have my strive on underdog for couple of months now. My first e-mtb, got it on Sale with biggest battery for just 5k euro. Pretty happy with the bike :D Agree on the brakes part, DB8 are ok brakes untill they are not, hence my shimano xt coming on them from my old acoustic strive.
When your bike is fully charged does it show 5 or 6 light power bars on ur bosh smart system? I got one with the smaller battery and fully charged it only shows 5. I was wondering if the 6th one (on the very top above the power button) was for the bigger battery
Love my Orbea Wild M11! Glad you guys still love it too! Also, it's literally the quietest bike I own.
Is it as stiff as they say? Can you ride it all day and feel comfortable/plush?
Nice! I was at Howler during your last day of shooting. Cool to see you guys there in my neck of the woods.
I've had numerous high end ebike's. Santa Cruz, Intense, Orbea, Pivot. All the noise in my head disappeared when I got the Wild. Stunning bike...even when just having a slow day. .
I agree I love mine so fast and turns like nothing I have ridden
I'm a Santa Cruz fanboy always have been bc of the customer service and warranty.
I have an orbea avant and love it. But with all of these companies sales dropping and some going way side I want to make sure I have a company that will be sticking around, our dealer quit selling orbea bc when COVID hit it was impossible to get them in stock.
I'm looking at the heckler not the SL and also Ari. But the nikolai Saturn 16 is also on my radar and it is sick but only a 5 year warranty.
How close is the heckler to the wild and the Ari?
Thabks
Great content per usual! Thanks Loam Wolf!
Glad you enjoy it and thank you so much!
No Trek rail and turbo levo?
levo arent really a good idea specialized doesnt supply motors for them anymore if you live in canada its a brick
@@FWCaptain-kv6sm Really ?? was just gonna get one ...
So weird. I suppose the less purchased models need love too
@@chadgarland8771you should still get one. Turbo levo is the best full power eeb I've owned or ridden.
@@FWCaptain-kv6sm Got a link or other source? I can see why the Turbo Levo is out; great bike but a little long in the tooth compared to some here?
I just bought a Levo comp aluminum for $5600 seams like it would do very well in the budget or most categories for an all rounder? It's a 23-24 model
Absolutely my daughter just got one for 3600 new
seems
Dude... You bought the best $5600 bike out there. Living in Bentonville and its awesome rental options all year and Bikefest options, my buds and I enjoy trying out the latest. The Tubo Levo Comp Alloy STILL ROCKS!
@@johnh4650 Really good bike, but much better if you kit with better parts than original.
@@graysquirreltreeservice7299How did you get it so cheap? Size small or something?
Great show guys !!! Very unbiased & neutral like it should be !! Very enjoyable!!! See you next year for another shoot out !!!!!!
Thank you very much! Hopefully we are you again before then!
Awesome review! Getting ready to head to Stowe VT for a month of MTB adventure! I’ve got my Santa Cruz -Heckler and Gen 6 Nomad (for the trails that are still off limits for e-MTB 🤦♂️. Wish you guys would have reviewed the Heckler and Bulit - both super insane and Soooo much fun to crank up and down single track on.
Hi there looking for a bit of advice I'm new to mountain biking 57 and approx 95kg I've narrowed my choice down to 2 bikes the orbea wild h20 and the rise h20 or maybe the 10 if I can find any of them at the right price, thanks
I went with the Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay C70 because I have a dealer and support right here in West Kelowna. Hoping it will be a reliable climbing monster and allow me to ride trails my aging body had passed on before.
Do you guys personally ride full power or light emtbs? You were obviously a fan of the relay. Half of our group have moved to lighter weight bikes. Curious as to what the loam wolf team personal rides are.
You guys were instrumental input into my Yeti 160E purchase. Love the reviews here, and even more stoked you tested in part at Coler before the tornado came through. It's gonna be a long time before things are great here again, but we still have plenty in reach to go ride.
Thanks for the kind words, and glad we could be of help. The Yeti is definitely a ripper!
Hopefully things recover well around Bentonville, we'll be looking forward to coming back!
I just ordered the Ari Timp Peak Team spec, and it’s all your fault. I love that they let me mix brands and get the new Fox 38 Grip X2 fork with the Rockshox Vivid Ultimate rear shock. Their Team spec of that bike is absolutely insane. I’m giddy as a schoolgirl in anticipation.
I’ve been watching the eMTB market closely for over three years and finally feel that I’ve found a bike good enough to get me to pull the trigger. The thing that put me over the edge was your other video where you talked about how the new EP801 motor is improved to the point where you don’t really notice big differences between that motor and the Bosch system. My only complaint with the Ari bike is that I wish the integration of the electronics was a little more sleek but that’s not enough to keep me out of the game any longer.
Thank you for the great perspective you’ve given us with your videos!
Thank you so much and we truly hope that you enjoy the bike as much as we do! Have fun and shred many laps.
I wish you guys would’ve had the canyon strive CFR with the race motor coming in at 8,199 to see where it held up against the other higher range, priced bikes
Would of won by a mile
Hi thanks for your great work! I’m an intermediate rider that is looking for an emtb to tow my 10 year old up climbing trails and fire roads and try and keep up with him on the way back down.
He is getting pretty fast and only wants to do black and double black diamond trails. I’ve ridden the new Norco Range, which I loved. My only concern is that it may not be much of an all rounder and I’m considering maybe the Orbea Wild. I’d love your opinion if you think I should consider anything else?
Amazing work guys!
Thanks buddy! Appreciate it.
Just missed y'all at Howler. Was there the weekend before and came back for a 'Glamping' tent weekend the day after you finished and rolled out....the Underbite Enduro weekend.
Great review,...we watch it all. Superb job guys. Glad you enjoyed our local bike park, Howler Bike Park!!
Thanks so much for the kind words and bummed we missed ya for a high five!
Howler is amazing and we can’t wait to come back.
It's a shame you couldn't get the new Marin Alpine Trail E Bosch. Still a great roundup, of course.
Yes sadly they didn’t have one in time as this was filmed before it came out.
I am in the market as my legs and body are going away fast (broken back, then neck). I am leaning toward the Strive after watching. But two questions, 1st, how "fast" are these bikes, are they going to tear up most trails, or are they just above pedal assist? 2nd. with the Strive in mind I was confused, you stated it has one of the smallest batteries, but later said it is not the most aggressive, but great for doing it all and covering miles really well. If I'm understanding this, does that mean the battery is more than capable of working all day?
TY for putting in this work
Bought a Rail 7 Gen 2 last year that came with the Db8 brakes with shimano pads & rotors. Until recently, I'd agree that they were bad. Took way too much force to get adequate braking. Then I bled them and threw on MTX Gold pads with Galfer rotors. After bedding...so. much. grip! And with far less effort on the fingers.
Great reviews in a good
pack of bikes. I'd have to ask why not include, 'Cube'. We're looking at high quality great price product in Cube, apparently, but Loam Wolf ignored it. Same as last year
Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. There are several brands not present who we do reach out to regularly and either don't value our channel enough, or didn't have bikes at the time.
In the past, we have tried to work with Cube and ask them about test bikes. Maybe one day we'll be able to get something from them. It's certainly not because we don't want one.
What happened to the specialized levo? Did I miss it? Or is this the first year since 2022 that the levo hasn’t been in the shootout??
It was not in this year's shootout as it remains unchanged from the last two years we tested it. Still a very good bike, we just felt it was time to make room for some fresher options.
@@TheLoamWolf So it's not actually "The Best eMTBs of 2024" as the levo would be there. Good to know.
@@TheLoamWolf ok, thanks!
@@bongobob7079yeah your right.
It's the bikes we tested in 2024 and what we liked.
Not the best bike.😂
@@bongobob7079Specialized rider = wanker alert
Can we get a Shuttle LT vs 160E comparison? I was set on buying a 160E because I love my SB160 so much but looking at the geometry of the Shuttle LT along with the praise you guys gave it is making me second guess my choice.
You missed one of the most interessting Bikes 2024 : Nicolai Saturn 16 MGU ( with Pinion MGU )
That would have been cool!
What a great content, am a fan from Perth, Australia.
Thank you very much!
As always excellent review would have love to see major brands like other years ( Specialiazed trek santa cruz)
I have the giant trance advance elite e+ 2. I like it a lot. But the head to angle is pretty steep. Should I do a angle reduction headset? If so how far should I go? 0.5°, 1° or 1.5°? And yeah this bike has some very annoying features like the lurching power when stopped and the rattly battery extender.
Needed to included Merida 160 e
Best comparison review!. Ari timp peak vs Pivot Shuttle Lt, looks like shuttle is higher so potentially less pedal strikes, which would you guys pick for dh on rough desert tracks? I ride a lot of tech too but also high speed and jumps, both would probably work but which has better support is probably the deciding factor. Or kenevo sl since 145 pounds might be fine but gotta test that one.
If a canyon requires mutiple tast rides on different sizes to get the right size and its a direct to consumer brand, do you expect people to buy multiple sizes? I get that a med works for you but you gotts subtract a point or two for sizing
Nice review its great to see the ebike market growing. Aside from performance there is another aspect of ebiking that needs some discussion. This is service after the sale. What happens when you buy a bike that fails to perform from a defect? Your 10K plus jewel in the garage becomes a turd. What the manufacturer does in these situations makes or breaks the bike. It doesn't matter that my Rocky mountain C90 has 108nm of torque, fox 38 fork, big brakes and nice tires if I can't ride it 300 miles without it spending weeks at the shop. If you can't call the manufacturer and that manufacturer doesn't stand behind and support their dealer network the bike is junk. I have had a disappointing experience with Rocky Mountain and I own two Ebikes from them. I have heard other support issue with several other companies. This area needs more discussion because its real and its not talked about. The after sale performance of the bike and the company behind it are what you actually live with.
Still loving my YT Decoy MX. Thing is a friggen beast!
Same, no love for YT!
I’m looking to buy the decoy core 3 soon. Anything negative about the bike you don’t like?
@@randyellison6652anything you don’t like about the bike? I’m looking to buy the core 3 soon
@@TheRexPerkins no, its a great bike. I recently upgraded the rear shock to a spring and now it's even better. Buy with confidence.
Great job guys. Appreciate the hard work.
Much appreciated!
I’m wondering what you guys think of the Serial 1 Switch/MTN.
Love watching your reviews guys but no Specialized, Trek or Santa Cruz? Bit of an odd choice of bikes!
I think they wanted bikes that actually offer decent value instead of just paying for a brand name. I totally see where you're coming from but also found it sort of refreshing to see some different bikes/brands instead of the typical Trek/SC/Specialized that everybody reviews.
I wonder the same and would love to see an explanation from Loam Wolf if they can.
When it comes to Specialized my guess is they’ve already reviewed the Levo last couple of years and afaik there’s no change to the bike this year.
They've also reviewed those Levo, Rail, and Heckler at least once each over the last few years. None of them have been noticably updated since their last review, so there probably wasn't much point including them again.
Exactly. We’ve already included these bikes in previous shootouts; we don’t think they represent the pinnacle of performance in the eBike market currently, and they haven’t received updates recently. We only have so much time and resources to put into these shootouts, so try to select bikes at the top end of performance or new bikes we think are interesting.
@@TheLoamWolfI think people are wondering how these bikes stack up against the Rail, Levo etc. It would have been nice to here you guys say if these bikes are any better than bikes released 3 years ago.
You guys are definitely the best of the best at doing eMTBs reviews!!! I have a question for my Scottish brother Robert, If you went to the bike park and just wanted to jump anything and everything which bike would you choose...Ari Temp peak, Or the Pivot shuttle, Or the Orbea wild?
Hello Mr XGames! I’d choose the Ari as a pure jump/park rig out of all on test. Orbea and Pivot would be tied, with the Orbea being a better “attack bike” and the Pivot a more comfortable and poppy bike.
@@TheLoamWolf Cheers mate👍
Surprised you even included the Pole, must have been recorded a while ago.
Currently riding a Cube 160 which cost $4185 (£3300) and I personally don't think anyone needs to spend any more.
So when you see bikes twice the price, but with lower specifications, it leaves me thinking just how much are we being robbed!
Broke people problems. I’ll pay for the weight overall. But I would never buy an e-bike until I have too.
@@LCNismo I think Marco is pointing more to the fact that e-bikes in the 4k range are so good that you shouldn't double the price and get really diminishing returns. You have to be really rich or ride a ton if you want to justify a 8k bike. And have no other expensive hobbies
20 years ago, if someone had said that in the future, mountain bikes would cost upwards of £10,000, I'd have said "Nah, you're nutz!"
crazy you can get a motorcycle for less
yep & our wages would stay the same 20 years onwards
Broke people problems
@@3000KTMI don't know where you live but minimum wage got more than doubled last 20 years where I live (WA). Not saying $10k is reasonable price for bikes tho.....
@@YongPark-g3hwhere I live in Utah minimum wage has gone up from $5.15 in 2004 to $7.25 now in 2024
I agree with most if what you said but this thing seems to climb really well in short steep punchy climbs compared to any other enduro i have ridden.
The worst issue i had was getting the rear end tuned correctly, i had to add a decent amount of volume spacers and mess with it alot to feel correct. I did buy the cheaoer version and upgrade all the internals of the the zeb select to make it a ultimate and im stuck with the flaot x without compression. But i did but the compression kit becauase i purchased rhe rockshox vivid and it wont fit but i plan on going to a ohlins coil or air and going to the ohline dh38 fork, cascade mx link to install a 27.5 on the rear.
Hope i dont regret it.
My choices are Suprerior Exf on the budget side Norco LT or ARI Timp on the high side.
Very informative. Nice job
I have the Canyon strive on and I really love it , perfect enduro bike for mountain
I love my specialized SL and my intense tazer . Almost all the big name e-bikes are good I think. If you’re not a ripper I’d go with price you can always upgrade parts
Seems like a lot of bikes in both prices ranges were left off. Would love to hear why Specialized and Santa Cruz and Transition did not make the list.
My thoughts exactly. The repeater and heckler are both high on my list.
One thing I also would love covered is serviceability for us home mechanics.
Great video as usual from this crew! A bit disappointed to not have the SCOR LT Z series here … it’s a shredder!!
Great reviews! Any way you could include transition and specialized bikes to compare ?
I was just in Branson last week. Didn't get to ride there but did catch a show. Then proceeded to ride at Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and now in Bentonville for a week of riding.
It would be very interesting to see you testing the bikes using the same dampers, both front and rear, as well as using the same tyres too.
This way, you'll be able to evaluate the unique component of the package, the frame, and it should provide a more accurate understanding of each systems differences I'm thinking.
As you guys know, riding the same frame, switching between different dampers, produces very different ride feels each time.
Food for thought!
Thank you for the nice review 🎉 I Like the Color from Orbea, is it the Blue Carbon view?
Didn't know you guys were at Howler. Would have love to come and say hi
1994 my Kona Explosive cost £1,300. No suspension whatsoever, and no motor and crap tyres and brakes. That was an insane price at the time. Bought last years e160 at 1/3 off. I had a huge choice of bikes at that discount. Are this years that much better against the savings ? Would I notice anyway ?
I m in for a 2025 change, i own a 2022 yeti 160e ep8 & i m looking to replace it either for a 2024 same but different or another brand, i would love to see santa cruz bullit in there i own one btw just want to hear a 2024 review of bullit cc
What about the YT Decoy core 4 and 5? Ohlins and factory Fox suspension for a decent price?
Love my Canyon Strive Underdog. Price point is amazing too
Is this filmed in the uk? If not which bikes are if any available in the uk ?
Lmao ☺️ 😂orbea just flat out rips I love it so fast. Unbelievable handling
Hey what pedals were you guys running? Same on all the bikes?
Where is the santa cruz heckler/heckler sl???
Awesome you choose or howler hit you up to do that video there.
The Moterra is def sexy. I loved seeing the the pivot/flexstay movement on the PB review. A bit mindbending :D
I’m very happy with my cdale trail se. Never see much press on the se, but it is a fun bike to ride on mellower trails.
Like the idea of the review. For most people 6 to 10 thousand dollars is out of range. I suggest a review with e-bikes at a more affordable price range.
For the reviewer who gave the Pole a 7, someone needs to remind him it’s not a trail bike. It’s a DH oriented e-bike that climbs like a billygoat and shreds DH like a hot knife through butter and it should be rated based on its performance ability for that category. If it’s the most capable and confidence inspiring e-bike up and down, it’s the winner in my book. Also, it looks the best by far!
Interesting....I think the look of Pole is totally a deal breaker for me. No matter how fantastically it rides....I can't imagine purchasing a bike that looks like Pole. But you clearly have totally opposite opinion. We are all different I guess.
Bankrupt so it doesn't matter, buy a Crestline which is as good or better
I completely disagree. Bikes should be rated by people for what they like and dislike about the bike. That's the upside of a round table review session is that you get different perspectives.
Also it's a bike shootout so bikes are being compared for how they performed in the circumstances of the test and rated against each other.
I know the new LT is coming in the upcoming days with Bosch but would you still recommend the EP801 at 50% discount? Would really match nicely my current Firebird
Yes absolutely! The Shuttle LT is a ripper and if you’re getting a smoking deal, all the better.
No Specialized turbo levo? No Santa Cruz? YT?
No Levo this year?
No Specialized ?
Loved this series. However, being an emtb review, I would love to see range/elevation figures. It doesn't have to be a scientific test since there's ton of factor that affects this (ie DU, battery, tires, suspension, rider); just some real-world results would be great. Also interesting why Schwalbe didn't supply Eddy Currents since they advertise those as eMTB specifics.
Thanks for the feedback and what matters in a range publication. We have spent waaaay more hours than you could imagine discussing this topic and how we could do a good job of it.
We ran EC tires a couple years ago, they are good but depending on the conditions, there are other tires in their lineup that are also great.
Beautiful document! Thank you guys for making it. 👍
Did you guys swap that shirt?
I really want you guys to stop saying budget bikes just because they only cost 6k and under that’s quite not budget but I get it overall good stuff and all the bikes are good no matter what anyone says
I’ve never looked into e-bikes, do budget models exist in the 2-3k range?
Here in the extortionate UK, I picked up a Cube 160 with a RockShox Zeb for £3300. That's still a huge amount of money, but unbelievably, is a very good price when you look at the alternatives.
Its relative.. a budget emtb is 6k lol
@@siriosstar4789 no, i was saying, a budget mtb is prob 3k, whereas, relative to the TYPE of bike it is, a budget emtb is 6k.. dur.
Just ask chatgpt next time: “In the context of the discussion, the term "relative" is being used correctly by @equi. The point they are making is that the concept of what constitutes a "budget" bike is dependent on the type of bike being discussed.
- For a regular mountain bike (MTB), a budget model might cost around $3,000.
- For an electric mountain bike (eMTB), a budget model might be around $6,000.
Therefore, @equi is asserting that what is considered a "budget" bike varies depending on the specific category of bike. This use of "relative" is appropriate because it acknowledges that the concept of being budget-friendly depends on the context of the type of bike.”
@@siriosstar4789 umm ok. Again, for an emtb, budget is around 5-6k. Whether you can afford a budget emtb is another matter all together. Budget doesnt mean “something everyone can afford,” since its relative. Within the emtb category, bikes on the cheaper end of the spectrum tend to be 5-6k, hence, these are “budget.” Yes, a budget emtb is still very expensive to some people.
As always, nice job with the video!
I'm curious why you didn't include the Ibis Oso? Maybe it's old already?
I'm curious about the Rocky Mountain. I always hear issues with their Ebikes as mentioned here with the clutch and overheating? Are these causes for concern?
Or are these just one offs? Other than that they seem like great bikes and I'd like to demo one.
I really wanted to buy a Rocky Mountain emtb since they started making ebikes. Unfortunately, there are no Rocky Mountain dealers anywhere near me, in Cleveland, Ohio.
I got an altitude a couple months ago, it's a fuckin unit. Everyone I've let ride it has been pretty blown away too.
Great review guys! Thanks for the hard work!
Which bikes would you say were your favorites for making the trails feel poppy and the best for jumping all day?
Great reviews!
That Polygon is doing to many shorts on here for being
"THE BEST EMTB EVER MADE"
All i have been seeing this week on that brown painted bike with performance fox 38s bit outdated for 2024 i have them on one my bikes and fit 4 on an other take fit 4 factory over performance anyday.
2 questions boys, why did you guys use a giant stance and not the reign ? And also why an instinct and not an altitude?
Excellent video and details.
Thank you very much!
Why were Specialized, Yeti, and Santa Cruz excluded? All great bikes and top volumn sellers. Love your channel....Aloha
Hello thanks for the kind words and watching. We’ve given some more in-depth responses to this question already but in short, they opted to sit this year out as perhaps updates are coming or the bikes are unchanged from previous year’s showings where we tested them. Thanks again for watching.
Yo in ur opinion what bikes better pole voima or pivot shuttle am team
Love this (and last years) shoot-out but feels like you left a lot of brands out? Specialized,Transition, Santa Cruz, Trek, Creatline just to name a few.
Why?
First up, thank you very much!
We invited just about all of those brands you listed. We can’t really say too much but, many of them have been unchanged for a couple years now, so you can assume whatever you’d like from that…but, we did ask and are always open to brands sending bikes, but understand if they don’t want to be included and possibly wait for another opportunity down the road.
@@TheLoamWolf The politics of who wants to be included in what was my guess, but it is too bad as many of those bikes (even a couple years old) may still be very relevant and competitive. Anyways keep up the great content
Just ordered a Canyon! 🎉
Hope you enjoy it!
How come now Merida or Cube entries?
No Yeti 160e or Santa Cruz Heckler eMTB?
Would have liked a review on the Crestline RS 180, maybe on the next shootout. Good job guys!
Us too. Maybe next time they’ll want to send us a bike… thank you for the kind words. Glad you enjoyed it.
@@TheLoamWolf You are the best!!
You labeled the timeline as Rocky Mountain altitude not instinct. Cool to see you guys test this out
Thanks for watching. All that talk internally comparing the two had our brains fried… appreciate you pointing it out.
@@TheLoamWolf I'm sure that was a lot of bikes. Thanks for taking the time to do these tests with a bunch of the lads to see what's what. Otherwise lots of people would just be running blind not knowing what to get
Great review and thanks
No manufacturer goes out to make a bad bike, they all have similar components and similar geometrys at each price point, these guys are just indulging in cloud talk as it’s their hobby.
This is perfect
Thank you.
I DIDNT KNOW THEY HAD FIRELINE AT HOWLER! LOL I THOUGHT I WAS NOTICING SOME VIDS FROM COLER IN THERE!
We did a like day trip to Bentonville after a gnarly rain storm…ha ha
Ha I noticed too. Good bit of Coler
@TheLoamWolf. Is the Trek 9.8 not a good bike?
is there a reason you went with 2.4 over 2.6 tyres for ebikes?
Both have their pros and cons. We like the increased feeling of precision that the 2.4" tires offer.