hard to say without try it.. But one thing bothers me, is this engine (bearings) more reliable than standard BB bearings? For sure its not user friendly to change them (as standard BB's are) and they fail sooner or later. Under warranty fazua will repair that but after that period.. I'm afraid that ebikes wil become something like airpods, when they brake (or battery dies) only think you can do is to buy another pair instead of repairing them.. Some Ebikes engines are hard to repair or its not worth it or there are no parts like with shimano units.. This should change and for sure all units should be repairable.
Bike gave me the confidence to go Enduro as I get older and out of shape. I’ll ride without battery on shuttle days and now I can self shuttle when friends are t available to ride. Stoked for this bike.
How far Ebikes have come. All 2023 models are great, motors, integration, frames of all known companys are great. I did buy the Giant Reign E+1 last year and it is great.
Thank you for including info about the weight with a Fox 38 and burlier tires, as that's exactly what I'm throwing on mine when it arrives. Good stuff!
One of the benefits to having the option to ride without the battery is in the event of there being a motor issue the bike isn’t dead in the water. This is my main concern with moving to an ebike, they ride like magic, but seeing too many failures to be comfortable with splashing the cash. Whereas with the Relay I might just be tepmpted. But I do wish it was a touch lighter, it'll be interesting to see how its power to weight ratio affects its range.
Waiting for the first reports of batteries lost on the trail :-) Looks like a nice bike and good that they don't have the EP8 in it. Great video as always Rob!
I'd ride this bike without the battery when going for a ride around my local woods or going to a dirt jump spot because I don't live in the mountains and want to work on my fitness/endurance but also when riding with friends/family who don't own E-Bikes. I'd only ride it with the battery in with other e-bikes or in the mountains to squeeze in as many downhill rides as possible in the shortest amount of time. Perfect bike for me at the moment and the starting price doesn't seem super high when compared to its only competitor - Kenevo SL which has a weaker motor and a smaller battery.
I have ride a ktm Kapoho 2021 many times and sometimes i just ride with the motor off. 25/26kg on the legs and it's great if you want to push harder or just punish yourself. i will TOTALLY ride a ebike without the battery if possible. Great review and great bike!
Thanks Rob, Really enjoy your channel. Been thinking of buying an ebike for over two years now. Almost ordered the Voima (after watching youir review) Went for a Canyon Spectral On CF7. Anxiously awaiting delivery. Loved your review on it as well. Thanks. Nobbie
I ride it without the battery and use the space for my baguette avec jambon and a few cheese straws or a flask of java. That is a great looking machine. Don't like the guard on the chainring but that's minor gripeage. Hard to see people riding with no battery tbh - perhaps if you rolled up for a group ride with analogue riders.
So I like hitting some trails on the Ebike but also like having either my slopestyle or light enduro bike for some specific jump trails. I end up taking 2 bikes. My Decoy rides the slopestyle jumps well for sure, but the weight and assistance of the ebike doesn’t help. I would be very interested to see if I could session a bike park for a bit and then go and hit that jumps “analogue” compared to doing both with one heavy Ebike or having to swap bikes over. Big appeal is having the cockpit set up once bike feels the same, same tyres, suspension etc, and not having to spend time getting used to a different bike each time. Can’t wait to test ride one!!
Rob, thanks for a nice in depth, closer look at the bike. There hasn't been much uploaded to UA-cam since it's announcement. I have my deposit down for one, excited! I actually plan to ride it without battery on park days, which is usually 1-2 days a week from May-November. I'm moving on from having a '21 Commencal Meta Power for trails and an older Commencal Furious to beat up for park/DH days. One bike to do it all? I guess we'll see.
This looks like a great bike, but the full power Repeater is only about 5lbs heavier and has a full power motor. This looks like a good bike to own if you don't have traditional MTB as well. I think the Repeater is a better option if you are going to continue to ride a traditional MTB on a regular basis.
I live in the Rocky Mountains USA, where for about 5 months of the year, there are freezing temperatures. My bike storage is not heated and often my thermometer will show a temperature there of 15 degrees farenheight or lower. Not ideal and damage can occur on my ebike's especially upon charging. So I wrap the downtubes with a dog bed heating element with insulation. It works great. However, the transition would be great for taking out the battery as an option. All my ebikes have non removable batteries from Obea and Mondraker.
I honestly feel taking the battery out and riding the bike as an analogue is a great option. I’m lucky enough to live fairly close to a free ride mountain bike park with shuttles on the Gold Coast Australia, a good percentage of my riding is done there where there is a lot crazy jumps and drops. Having the option to drop the weight and become more nimble on the downhill trails and yet having the ability to chuck a battery on and go shred big e-bike enduro rides at my local public trail centre is awesome!
I have a 2021 trek rail and from time to Time I do ride my bike without the battery. I did find a guy on a website called ETSY that makes a storage box the goes in place when battery is out. Only thing I wish the companies can figure out how to make these electric bikes pedal better when there is no power. You can still feel some drag.
100% would ride it without the battery on shuttle days. I have a V2 Sentinel and a 2022 Levo and most likely they both will be gone for the PNW version after seeing the Relay in action.
honestly if i went for a bike like this i think i would ride it mostly with a battery but one place it would be nice to have the removable battery is for going on holidays via planes as then you don't need to worry about socing a battery so honestly for the weight without the battery it isn't terrible so would deffo be considered
Hi Rob I’m waiting this bike since I saw it last year, a bit disappointed about the price and the lack of opportunity to have only two version of the PNW one alloy(not really cheap) and the one in carbon coating like a small city car. Anyway I’m in love with this bike waiting your video review test impatiently. One question and correct me if I’m wrong it is the only real enduro spec mullet e-bike out there with fazua motor isn’t it? Thanks
Nice review! I got the GX PNW on order. And yes, I would absolutely ride this without the battery for those areas where eMTB's are still not allowed or on days when I just want to climb or huck it with my own leg power. The real benefit for me is I've always hated having to chose which bike to take (my eMTB or MTB?). Since I drive a truck taking two bikes is never an option due to theft. I wouldn't want to leave one bike behind while deep in the mountains with the other sitting in the back of the truck. So the fact that I could ride this bike with or without the battery not only blurs the line of what an eMTB is but it allows me the flexibility to have both no matter where I go. And that, is an absolute game changer. Not to mention that the Relay actually weighs less than my analog MTB. One bike to rule them all... And from what I am hearing from the test riders at Transition, this cutting edge marvel RIPS. Can't wait.
I think the removable battery makes a lot of sense for people who occationally ride bike parks or shuttle their bike uphill, but also spend a lot of rides pedaling to the top. No need for the extra battery weight if you aren't pedaling uphill, but most people can't justify a second bike just for park or shuttle days.
Great review Rob! I’m very curious how this rides. I reviewed a Pivot Shuttle SL that also has the Fazua Ride 60 motor and actually didn’t like the Fazua very much. Wasn’t all that smooth and too “torquey”. Hopefully Fazua continues to upgrade the software to make it more natural feeling. Love the concept for the Relay though and looks great! Subscribed!
One of the main draws of this bike for me is that it can be ridden sans battery. I plan to keep my acoustic bike, a Santa Cruz Bronson. But on trips to the mountains with big climbs, big days and multiple days in a row, I need an ebike for the shuttle type climbing, but also will be doing lift assist bike parks and trails where ebikes aren’t allowed, and so need an acoustic all mountain/enduro bike also. I have a Gladiator with an Alucab and like to keep my bike inside. With the Relay I only have to bring one bike that can do it all, which means more room for other camping gear and toys (I often combine these trips with offroading so I also have to have room to carry all my recovery gear and tools and sometimes also my kayak and all the gear for it). Also because of this any bike that you can’t remove the battery to charge is out- I’m nit unloading my bike or feeding a cord to it in the rig. I want to be able to remove the battery for charging. And if I am going to have a bike with a removable battery anyway, why not have one that I can ride without the battery too.
i understand the benefits to the relay but what would be your thoughts on it compared to the orbea wild? same if not cheaper with full power and only a kg between them. is it really worth the price tag?
60nm of power. That’s going to be tough coming from a 108nm Altitude Powerplay. What the market really needs is a 40-45lb full powered ebike. Maybe when we have solid state batteries….
Hey Rob, are you planning to test a current Giant Trance E+ with Fox Live Valve suspension and the current Sync drive motor? Either way, your channel is great and the absolute benchmark for me!
The friction lock on that battery would have to get weaker over time and drops and rough riding. Maybe not. Just looks iffy to me. Other than that I want a relay pnw in a bad way.
I test rode the Relay PNW after test riding the Fuel EXe. I didn't gel with the geometry and it just felt like a full weight ebike (50 pounds) but with lower power. The Fazua motor power delivery was really unrefined, jerky, and not at all as seamless and quiet as the TQ - it was hard to maintain a slow cadence so my analog friends could keep up. The Fazua controller and "screen" were not great either lol. The price was also not great in comparison to the Trek. I went with the EXe.
I really like the idea of being able to take the battery out, I wonder if the drop in weight with battery out is enough to make the suspension feel a little too firm if you set all your sag settings with battery in? Then again it’s only 2ish kilos so maybe not
@@streddaz adding water is adding weight to ur set up and with 2ltr you wont be pushing any limits you will have a long day planned. The battery removed would be taking weight off so thats goin to effect handling, too fast a rebound on the fork can be pretty gnarly
@@BUD-v9r I’m saying that a 2kg difference in weight isn’t going to make enough difference to need to adjust your rebound. It wouldn’t make enough noticeable difference to your sag either.
@@streddaz i wouldnt take the battery out either way. But when ur at the limit of grip you want the bike to be predictable. Its no big deal to to move the rebound 1-2 clicks tho
Some places like Moab have some trails you can ride ebikes on and some you can't would be nice to be able to drop the battery. But i do worry the battery would be easy to steal.
Nice, I have my eye on this bike, but that weight is an issue for a light weight. See how the ride 60 system goes, pivot shuttle sl forums are full of horror stories.
£7000 is just ridiculous and that''s coming from someone who could walk into a shop today and buy 6 of these bikes in cash..... EDIT: £7000 and you get an NX drivetrain LOL
I would totally ride that without the battery on the downhill for sure I probably even put the battery in my backpack on the downhill so that the bike is more playful
I get the concept, and I like the look. But if you're going for an ebike, just go for it , treck, and transition asking for over 10k on their top builds for an ebike that's not going to last long on any big day out could be a killer for some, not for all tho. Suppose, as always , depends on the individual and how they ride. I personally loved the look of it, but I am holding out for a pole voima and keeping my manual santa cruz tallboy for ...what ever whenever. Look forward to watching the relay in the wild. 🤙🤙
I spent a 3 day weekend several months ago on a organized full power ride where most of us were on Levo's and two Transition reps were on the Relay. 25 plus miles each day and they had just as much left as the rest of us. Lets just say....my Levo will be gone in the future.
Thank you for the weights! And no! I wouldn't ride this without a battery. I have a mountain bike for that, but it sounds as though the motor must be drag free if the battery is exhausted.
What I want to know is how loud/quite this thing is. The specialized SL e-bikes are loud as hell and I couldn’t stand it. I hope this one is much much quieter. 🙌🏽
I do ride my turbo levo SL with out assistance some times and it's doable because it's so light , usually at the start of a big ride to extend my range some, I'd rather have the power at the end of my ride
would be ideal if range extender available for backcountry epics. without battery, the 170 mullet bike would also be a great park bike if you don't own one. i really wouldnt want to pedal 38 pounds anymore
Are we allowed to say that pricing on this new category "light weight" E-bikes is ridiculous? NX Alloy build for 8600€ and going to the moon for carbon builds.. you can buy MX for that price with fox fork and everything or a lot of real motos for this kind of money.. Bike industry needs to calm dow a bit
I have a mondraker crafty XR and 2016 intense 275 carbon and regular ride both more on my Intense say 70 percent..love the feel of the lighter bike and use mondraker as a recovery ride and long rides steep hills on lower support settings so I would love to ride a bike that gives both options and certainly ride it without a battery, I have friends in both camps so would suit me and like a burley bike it's tough riding where I live in the north 👍
80% of my riding is local trails by myself. Battery in. 10% of my riding is local trails with friends that are about at my level of fitness. Not sure what I'd do with battery. 5% of my riding is local trails with much fitter riders. Battery in. The remaining 5% of my riding is a mix of riding with my wife and bike park. Battery out. I don't want two+ bikes. I want one bike. This bike's versatility makes it one of one in it's ability to be a one-bike solution to all my riding needs.
Even if I was shuttling, I don't think I would take the battery out. I ride my Nomad 5 and Bullit back-to-back on the same trails and it is good to know which bike is heavy and which bike isn't. I am not sure I want the same bike to be heavy one moment and light the other. Buuuut .... I am really interested in this bike. Finally a super-light that is long travel and you can swap battery easy . ... Sounds like a perfect self-shuttle machine that doesn't weigh a ton.P And true, this without the battery is close to my Nomad with Cushcore and coil front/rear... I would replace that Praxis with a 5 dev though ... maybe they are better now but I don't have much trust in the brand. My last Praxis crank was shockingly bent :O
Before I put my deposit on one I'm waiting on your opinion on how well it rides without a battery and how easy it is to peddle past the speed restriction? My 2022 Giant Reign is terrible to peddle after 25kph
@@ElGuapoDeSantoPoco laws, hikers don't want mtbers and mtbers do t want to lose access. They consider it a motorized vehicle. Should tell the idiots to ride one down the interstate highway. Don't think they would consider it a vehicle.
@@thim8009 come to Scotland, not only are there no restrictions on eBikes vs Bikes there are no restrictions on what trails we can access as we have Right To Roam (cycle, walk, horse) pretty much anywhere - only exceptions are private gardens, factories, defence etc
No cover for the battery compartment if you ride without the battery? Seems like getting a bunch of trail gunk in there wouldn't be great for the electronics and such. Hmmm.....
I'm really curious how this compares to the Kenevo SL, specifically the motor on steep climbs. Does the 60nm feel like almost double the 35nm or does it feel negligible?
Having had a Fauza ride 60 bike (Pivot Shuttle SL) and a Levo SL, I can tell you the power difference is nowhere near double. They are a lot closer than the numbers would indicate. And, the fazua 60 has had some growing pains during the release, but as a company, they are easy to work with and are constantly trying to improve. Where they have a major advantage over the levo sl and kenevo sl is noise. The Fazua is very quiet, barely noticeable.
@@smckenna12 Another impressive thing comparing the two is range.A buddy is on the Pivot SL and he can hang with us on 30 mile rides (were on Levo's). I got to see a couple of the company's chargers on these a few months ago on a weekend 20 person adventure and was blown away.
From the first 15 seconds of the video, the controller looks like a VERY poor design for wet environments with easy water access and a top facing USB port! If you sprayed the top tube with water to simulate rain, what's to stop it running into the USB maintenance port?
Really want to try the PnW version of this see how it compares to my Kenevo SL. Got it set up mullet with a 170mm Zeb, a Cane Creek Kitsuma coil. And it weighs 19.6kgs.
I achieved approx 1200 metres in the top mode at 80Kg on a similar bike, 2000 metres even in trail would be tough. Perhaps if you ran in Eco and maybe tuned it down a bit it’d be possible…
Battery out for lift served days...otherwise why? I'd rather ride with the battery in and just set it to low power if I wanted more of a regular bike feel. If this is anything like the Trek Fuel EXe there still is a tiny amount of drag with the battery out. The combo of the drag and the extra weight makes it harder than a normal bike. The Fuel EXe with the low setting set as low as possible feels the same as a regular MTB to me. Just enough power to cancel out the weight of the bike.
If any of my riding buddies purchase this bike, they are certain to ride the bike without the battery..... after I take it off and hide it from them! 🤣
I think if you want to ride without a battery buy a normal bike that been said if you ride with lads without e-bikes just turn it off then you have a slightly heavier bike but when they say I’ve got to go somethings come up at home you just turn it on and fly round some extra laps on your own 😂
its the wrong direction IMO, it's an ebike trying to offer acoustic bike in same package. i think ebikes should embrace their strengths instead of watering them down to appease a bunch of disgruntled old-schoolers. ebikes should be powerful, slack with a ton of travel; essentially be downhill rigs with steep seat angles. in 5-10 yrs "regular bikes" will be like this Relay or Specialized SL's and full ebikes will be as I described and acuostic bikes will be almost non-existent.
Would you regularly ride this without a battery if you owned it?
hard to say without try it.. But one thing bothers me, is this engine (bearings) more reliable than standard BB bearings? For sure its not user friendly to change them (as standard BB's are) and they fail sooner or later. Under warranty fazua will repair that but after that period..
I'm afraid that ebikes wil become something like airpods, when they brake (or battery dies) only think you can do is to buy another pair instead of repairing them.. Some Ebikes engines are hard to repair or its not worth it or there are no parts like with shimano units.. This should change and for sure all units should be repairable.
Definitively not. Have a standard MTB for that.
The reason we buy Ebike is definitely with the battery.
No.
Not really. This is not a "bike park" bike, so I prefer my Spec Kenevo - when I remove the battery, it weights 19,4 kg.
Bike gave me the confidence to go Enduro as I get older and out of shape. I’ll ride without battery on shuttle days and now I can self shuttle when friends are t available to ride. Stoked for this bike.
Love how clean and simple this setup looks. Hardly any clutter!!
How far Ebikes have come. All 2023 models are great, motors, integration, frames of all known companys are great. I did buy the Giant Reign E+1 last year and it is great.
Thank you for including info about the weight with a Fox 38 and burlier tires, as that's exactly what I'm throwing on mine when it arrives. Good stuff!
Nice review Rob. Can see that those who want to fly off with their bikes should be attracted to this 'convertible' bike/ebike.
if this rides, like my modified Transition Sentinel, then it will be superb bike. Cant wait for full review Rob!
One of the benefits to having the option to ride without the battery is in the event of there being a motor issue the bike isn’t dead in the water. This is my main concern with moving to an ebike, they ride like magic, but seeing too many failures to be comfortable with splashing the cash. Whereas with the Relay I might just be tepmpted. But I do wish it was a touch lighter, it'll be interesting to see how its power to weight ratio affects its range.
It will hang with a full power all day long….I’ve seen it in person.
Waiting for the first reports of batteries lost on the trail :-) Looks like a nice bike and good that they don't have the EP8 in it. Great video as always Rob!
For me and from what I've seen, It would actually be a lot more appealing with an EP8.
The question also needs to be answered is what kind of drag does the motor add with no battery to the acoustic ride.
Acoustic 😒
When are you doing a ride review on this? Really looking forward to your take on it.
I'd ride this bike without the battery when going for a ride around my local woods or going to a dirt jump spot because I don't live in the mountains and want to work on my fitness/endurance but also when riding with friends/family who don't own E-Bikes. I'd only ride it with the battery in with other e-bikes or in the mountains to squeeze in as many downhill rides as possible in the shortest amount of time. Perfect bike for me at the moment and the starting price doesn't seem super high when compared to its only competitor - Kenevo SL which has a weaker motor and a smaller battery.
Thank you for weighing the bike.
I’m very interested in the concept of this bike!
I have ride a ktm Kapoho 2021 many times and sometimes i just ride with the motor off. 25/26kg on the legs and it's great if you want to push harder or just punish yourself. i will TOTALLY ride a ebike without the battery if possible. Great review and great bike!
Thanks Rob, Really enjoy your channel. Been thinking of buying an ebike for over two years now. Almost ordered the Voima (after watching youir review) Went for a Canyon Spectral On CF7. Anxiously awaiting delivery. Loved your review on it as well. Thanks. Nobbie
Just scored a CF-8 yesterday!....wait till you get it put together. You will be Happy!
I ride it without the battery and use the space for my baguette avec jambon and a few cheese straws or a flask of java. That is a great looking machine. Don't like the guard on the chainring but that's minor gripeage. Hard to see people riding with no battery tbh - perhaps if you rolled up for a group ride with analogue riders.
looks like a really nice bike! like the fazua setup.
So I like hitting some trails on the Ebike but also like having either my slopestyle or light enduro bike for some specific jump trails. I end up taking 2 bikes. My Decoy rides the slopestyle jumps well for sure, but the weight and assistance of the ebike doesn’t help. I would be very interested to see if I could session a bike park for a bit and then go and hit that jumps “analogue” compared to doing both with one heavy Ebike or having to swap bikes over. Big appeal is having the cockpit set up once bike feels the same, same tyres, suspension etc, and not having to spend time getting used to a different bike each time. Can’t wait to test ride one!!
Rob, thanks for a nice in depth, closer look at the bike. There hasn't been much uploaded to UA-cam since it's announcement. I have my deposit down for one, excited! I actually plan to ride it without battery on park days, which is usually 1-2 days a week from May-November. I'm moving on from having a '21 Commencal Meta Power for trails and an older Commencal Furious to beat up for park/DH days. One bike to do it all? I guess we'll see.
I’m not sure I’ve ever disliked the look of a Transition, they just get it right every time
Great looking bike for sure!
Except for this time.
The game changer will be when they remove the 15mph law and make the prices more realistic and stop ripping us off
You're asking alot!
This looks like a great bike, but the full power Repeater is only about 5lbs heavier and has a full power motor. This looks like a good bike to own if you don't have traditional MTB as well. I think the Repeater is a better option if you are going to continue to ride a traditional MTB on a regular basis.
I live in the Rocky Mountains USA, where for about 5 months of the year, there are freezing temperatures. My bike storage is not heated and often my thermometer will show a temperature there of 15 degrees farenheight or lower. Not ideal and damage can occur on my ebike's especially upon charging. So I wrap the downtubes with a dog bed heating element with insulation. It works great. However, the transition would be great for taking out the battery as an option. All my ebikes have non removable batteries from Obea and Mondraker.
I honestly feel taking the battery out and riding the bike as an analogue is a great option.
I’m lucky enough to live fairly close to a free ride mountain bike park with shuttles on the Gold Coast Australia, a good percentage of my riding is done there where there is a lot crazy jumps and drops.
Having the option to drop the weight and become more nimble on the downhill trails and yet having the ability to chuck a battery on and go shred big e-bike enduro rides at my local public trail centre is awesome!
I have a 2021 trek rail and from time to Time I do ride my bike without the battery. I did find a guy on a website called ETSY that makes a storage box the goes in place when battery is out. Only thing I wish the companies can figure out how to make these electric bikes pedal better when there is no power. You can still feel some drag.
100% would ride it without the battery on shuttle days. I have a V2 Sentinel and a 2022 Levo and most likely they both will be gone for the PNW version after seeing the Relay in action.
same here, selling my sentinel v2 and trek rail for Relay PNW, expected in May:D
honestly if i went for a bike like this i think i would ride it mostly with a battery but one place it would be nice to have the removable battery is for going on holidays via planes as then you don't need to worry about socing a battery so honestly for the weight without the battery it isn't terrible so would deffo be considered
100% means you can do Madeira, Finale, Morzine etc without needing another bike.
How about that full review of the bike?
Great looking bike, love the color and shape. Mostly I love the stealthiness!
I’m pretty sure that Lapierre already had this concept with the eZesty.
Hi Rob I’m waiting this bike since I saw it last year, a bit disappointed about the price and the lack of opportunity to have only two version of the PNW one alloy(not really cheap) and the one in carbon coating like a small city car. Anyway I’m in love with this bike waiting your video review test impatiently.
One question and correct me if I’m wrong it is the only real enduro spec mullet e-bike out there with fazua motor isn’t it?
Thanks
Nice review! I got the GX PNW on order. And yes, I would absolutely ride this without the battery for those areas where eMTB's are still not allowed or on days when I just want to climb or huck it with my own leg power. The real benefit for me is I've always hated having to chose which bike to take (my eMTB or MTB?). Since I drive a truck taking two bikes is never an option due to theft. I wouldn't want to leave one bike behind while deep in the mountains with the other sitting in the back of the truck. So the fact that I could ride this bike with or without the battery not only blurs the line of what an eMTB is but it allows me the flexibility to have both no matter where I go. And that, is an absolute game changer. Not to mention that the Relay actually weighs less than my analog MTB. One bike to rule them all...
And from what I am hearing from the test riders at Transition, this cutting edge marvel RIPS.
Can't wait.
May I ask you how you like it, and how the range compares to a full weight full power 625 wh ebike?
Hopefully the really easy to remove battery won't come out on a heavy landing rocky downhill? The chainring guard is a good idea.
I think the removable battery makes a lot of sense for people who occationally ride bike parks or shuttle their bike uphill, but also spend a lot of rides pedaling to the top. No need for the extra battery weight if you aren't pedaling uphill, but most people can't justify a second bike just for park or shuttle days.
As a 2022 Spire owner, I cannot wait to get my Relay when they go to V2.
Great review Rob! I’m very curious how this rides. I reviewed a Pivot Shuttle SL that also has the Fazua Ride 60 motor and actually didn’t like the Fazua very much. Wasn’t all that smooth and too “torquey”. Hopefully Fazua continues to upgrade the software to make it more natural feeling. Love the concept for the Relay though and looks great! Subscribed!
One of the main draws of this bike for me is that it can be ridden sans battery. I plan to keep my acoustic bike, a Santa Cruz Bronson. But on trips to the mountains with big climbs, big days and multiple days in a row, I need an ebike for the shuttle type climbing, but also will be doing lift assist bike parks and trails where ebikes aren’t allowed, and so need an acoustic all mountain/enduro bike also. I have a Gladiator with an Alucab and like to keep my bike inside. With the Relay I only have to bring one bike that can do it all, which means more room for other camping gear and toys (I often combine these trips with offroading so I also have to have room to carry all my recovery gear and tools and sometimes also my kayak and all the gear for it). Also because of this any bike that you can’t remove the battery to charge is out- I’m nit unloading my bike or feeding a cord to it in the rig. I want to be able to remove the battery for charging. And if I am going to have a bike with a removable battery anyway, why not have one that I can ride without the battery too.
Go Enduro Relay....finally!🤙
i understand the benefits to the relay but what would be your thoughts on it compared to the orbea wild? same if not cheaper with full power and only a kg between them. is it really worth the price tag?
really different bikes - Relay more enduro focussed, longer travel, slacker... Rise more XC and Trail oriented.
Totally agree, the new WILD is a wiser buy with the Bosch CX!
@@RobRidesEMTB sorry Rob but I'm referring to the wild not the Rise.
Yes so you are! My mistake!!
60nm of power. That’s going to be tough coming from a 108nm Altitude Powerplay. What the market really needs is a 40-45lb full powered ebike. Maybe when we have solid state batteries….
Hey Rob, are you planning to test a current Giant Trance E+ with Fox Live Valve suspension and the current Sync drive motor? Either way, your channel is great and the absolute benchmark for me!
The friction lock on that battery would have to get weaker over time and drops and rough riding. Maybe not. Just looks iffy to me. Other than that I want a relay pnw in a bad way.
I test rode the Relay PNW after test riding the Fuel EXe. I didn't gel with the geometry and it just felt like a full weight ebike (50 pounds) but with lower power. The Fazua motor power delivery was really unrefined, jerky, and not at all as seamless and quiet as the TQ - it was hard to maintain a slow cadence so my analog friends could keep up. The Fazua controller and "screen" were not great either lol. The price was also not great in comparison to the Trek. I went with the EXe.
I really like the idea of being able to take the battery out, I wonder if the drop in weight with battery out is enough to make the suspension feel a little too firm if you set all your sag settings with battery in? Then again it’s only 2ish kilos so maybe not
Good point
It’s really just the difference between riding with a two litre bladder of water. You wouldn’t change you suspension settings just for that.
@@streddaz adding water is adding weight to ur set up and with 2ltr you wont be pushing any limits you will have a long day planned.
The battery removed would be taking weight off so thats goin to effect handling, too fast a rebound on the fork can be pretty gnarly
@@BUD-v9r I’m saying that a 2kg difference in weight isn’t going to make enough difference to need to adjust your rebound. It wouldn’t make enough noticeable difference to your sag either.
@@streddaz i wouldnt take the battery out either way. But when ur at the limit of grip you want the bike to be predictable. Its no big deal to to move the rebound 1-2 clicks tho
When will the range extender be released ? And, how will it be attached-as there is no charging port on the frame?
Some places like Moab have some trails you can ride ebikes on and some you can't would be nice to be able to drop the battery. But i do worry the battery would be easy to steal.
Nice, I have my eye on this bike, but that weight is an issue for a light weight. See how the ride 60 system goes, pivot shuttle sl forums are full of horror stories.
£7000 is just ridiculous and that''s coming from someone who could walk into a shop today and buy 6 of these bikes in cash.....
EDIT: £7000 and you get an NX drivetrain LOL
buy something else then 😏
@@megane230f1 The dumbest argument known to man.
£7k, blimey
Stupid high price.
Attractive package. Im not sure about running it with no chain guide even with that added ring/bash plate. Is it possible to mount one?
I would totally ride that without the battery on the downhill for sure I probably even put the battery in my backpack on the downhill so that the bike is more playful
I get the concept, and I like the look. But if you're going for an ebike, just go for it , treck, and transition asking for over 10k on their top builds for an ebike that's not going to last long on any big day out could be a killer for some, not for all tho. Suppose, as always , depends on the individual and how they ride. I personally loved the look of it, but I am holding out for a pole voima and keeping my manual santa cruz tallboy for ...what ever whenever. Look forward to watching the relay in the wild. 🤙🤙
I spent a 3 day weekend several months ago on a organized full power ride where most of us were on Levo's and two Transition reps were on the Relay. 25 plus miles each day and they had just as much left as the rest of us. Lets just say....my Levo will be gone in the future.
Thank you for the weights! And no! I wouldn't ride this without a battery. I have a mountain bike for that, but it sounds as though the motor must be drag free if the battery is exhausted.
Cool edit!
No-one is taking that battery out unless to fly or charge it. Nice battery removal though, no stupid key :)
I did a survey on my Instagram and 1k responses, 25% said they would ride it without a battery.
@@RobRidesEMTB But in reality no one will.
@@RobRidesEMTBpeople SAY a lot of things 🤥 haha
There are other reasons to take the battery out …
@@RobRidesEMTB people listen to Coldplay and voted for the Nazis jez
few lift parks around me so yes , no need for a battery in those situations . Would be the perfect one bike for me.
What I want to know is how loud/quite this thing is. The specialized SL e-bikes are loud as hell and I couldn’t stand it. I hope this one is much much quieter. 🙌🏽
I do ride my turbo levo SL with out assistance some times and it's doable because it's so light , usually at the start of a big ride to extend my range some, I'd rather have the power at the end of my ride
would be ideal if range extender available for backcountry epics. without battery, the 170 mullet bike would also be a great park bike if you don't own one. i really wouldnt want to pedal 38 pounds anymore
Are we allowed to say that pricing on this new category "light weight" E-bikes is ridiculous? NX Alloy build for 8600€ and going to the moon for carbon builds.. you can buy MX for that price with fox fork and everything or a lot of real motos for this kind of money..
Bike industry needs to calm dow a bit
When scott ransom eride will be reviewed?
Looks great, but just needs a different motor package, or a lot more time to work out the bugs!!!
I have a mondraker crafty XR and 2016 intense 275 carbon and regular ride both more on my Intense say 70 percent..love the feel of the lighter bike and use mondraker as a recovery ride and long rides steep hills on lower support settings so I would love to ride a bike that gives both options and certainly ride it without a battery, I have friends in both camps so would suit me and like a burley bike it's tough riding where I live in the north 👍
Bro when are you going to upload a video of the test ride
80% of my riding is local trails by myself. Battery in. 10% of my riding is local trails with friends that are about at my level of fitness. Not sure what I'd do with battery. 5% of my riding is local trails with much fitter riders. Battery in. The remaining 5% of my riding is a mix of riding with my wife and bike park. Battery out. I don't want two+ bikes. I want one bike. This bike's versatility makes it one of one in it's ability to be a one-bike solution to all my riding needs.
Did you mention if this frame is carbon? I missed it. Curious on the weight of their aluminum option in comparison.
Rob, do you know if you can charge the battery out of the bike? So if going away you can take the battery up to the hotel room. Tnx Dave
how did they solve battery door sealing? looks like water and mud can easily enter the battery compartment
Looking forward to a range test.
Cube has some new e-bikes
I believe there are onto something
Even if I was shuttling, I don't think I would take the battery out. I ride my Nomad 5 and Bullit back-to-back on the same trails and it is good to know which bike is heavy and which bike isn't.
I am not sure I want the same bike to be heavy one moment and light the other.
Buuuut .... I am really interested in this bike. Finally a super-light that is long travel and you can swap battery easy . ... Sounds like a perfect self-shuttle machine that doesn't weigh a ton.P
And true, this without the battery is close to my Nomad with Cushcore and coil front/rear...
I would replace that Praxis with a 5 dev though ... maybe they are better now but I don't have much trust in the brand. My last Praxis crank was shockingly bent :O
Don’t think a would ever ride without battery but still a good option
Before I put my deposit on one I'm waiting on your opinion on how well it rides without a battery and how easy it is to peddle past the speed restriction?
My 2022 Giant Reign is terrible to peddle after 25kph
Hi Rob, does the bike drag much when you hit the 25kmh limit ?
Is there a blanking plate for the battery compartment to stop it getting full of crap when the battery is out ?
Yes, just put the plastic cover back on
I live in the US. Over half the trails don't allow ebikes, so removing the battery would be an option for me.
Are you serious, why is that? In Europe you can ride all trails...
@@ElGuapoDeSantoPoco laws, hikers don't want mtbers and mtbers do t want to lose access. They consider it a motorized vehicle. Should tell the idiots to ride one down the interstate highway. Don't think they would consider it a vehicle.
@@thim8009 come to Scotland, not only are there no restrictions on eBikes vs Bikes there are no restrictions on what trails we can access as we have Right To Roam (cycle, walk, horse) pretty much anywhere - only exceptions are private gardens, factories, defence etc
I would take the battery out for the occasional bike park day 🎉
No cover for the battery compartment if you ride without the battery? Seems like getting a bunch of trail gunk in there wouldn't be great for the electronics and such. Hmmm.....
It uses the existing battery cover so it’s sealed
If you watch the video, Rob puts the cover back on.
0:19 is this brown stuff on your chain red dust or rust? hope its the first.
I'm really curious how this compares to the Kenevo SL, specifically the motor on steep climbs. Does the 60nm feel like almost double the 35nm or does it feel negligible?
Having had a Fauza ride 60 bike (Pivot Shuttle SL) and a Levo SL, I can tell you the power difference is nowhere near double. They are a lot closer than the numbers would indicate. And, the fazua 60 has had some growing pains during the release, but as a company, they are easy to work with and are constantly trying to improve. Where they have a major advantage over the levo sl and kenevo sl is noise. The Fazua is very quiet, barely noticeable.
@@smckenna12 Another impressive thing comparing the two is range.A buddy is on the Pivot SL and he can hang with us on 30 mile rides (were on Levo's). I got to see a couple of the company's chargers on these a few months ago on a weekend 20 person adventure and was blown away.
Do they sell spare batteries?
is there no cover when you ride without battery? that feels like dirt collector lol
It uses the existing battery cover
From the first 15 seconds of the video, the controller looks like a VERY poor design for wet environments with easy water access and a top facing USB port! If you sprayed the top tube with water to simulate rain, what's to stop it running into the USB maintenance port?
Check Out the Storck e drenalin sl. IT Looks so good i cant wait 😅
No bat for secret trails in Morzine
Really want to try the PnW version of this see how it compares to my Kenevo SL. Got it set up mullet with a 170mm Zeb, a Cane Creek Kitsuma coil. And it weighs 19.6kgs.
Too heavy for what it is. That electronic cable doesn't look good. Would love to hear how it rides against the other light emtbs
some of my friends already tested it and they say weigh is not an issue as it rides fantastic.
Would this manage a 2000m day out on trail mode?
I achieved approx 1200 metres in the top mode at 80Kg on a similar bike, 2000 metres even in trail would be tough. Perhaps if you ran in Eco and maybe tuned it down a bit it’d be possible…
I honestly don't see the appeal for underpowered e-bikes like this except that they look like regular bikes.
I agree. Still high priced.
Looks great, I just don't like the price ;)
How much?
Battery out for lift served days...otherwise why? I'd rather ride with the battery in and just set it to low power if I wanted more of a regular bike feel. If this is anything like the Trek Fuel EXe there still is a tiny amount of drag with the battery out. The combo of the drag and the extra weight makes it harder than a normal bike. The Fuel EXe with the low setting set as low as possible feels the same as a regular MTB to me. Just enough power to cancel out the weight of the bike.
If any of my riding buddies purchase this bike, they are certain to ride the bike without the battery..... after I take it off and hide it from them! 🤣
The basic/cheap-looking controller and LED display, and the fact that you have to take the battery out to charge it is bit disappointing.
Only if this is my do-it-all and I am in a bike park🤠
Full Power Please
😂 my Privateer is almost 18kg with a 38, coil and proper tyres.
My Patrol weighs in at over 16 kg so I don’t think the 17.5kg is bad at all
I think if you want to ride without a battery buy a normal bike that been said if you ride with lads without e-bikes just turn it off then you have a slightly heavier bike but when they say I’ve got to go somethings come up at home you just turn it on and fly round some extra laps on your own 😂
its the wrong direction IMO, it's an ebike trying to offer acoustic bike in same package. i think ebikes should embrace their strengths instead of watering them down to appease a bunch of disgruntled old-schoolers. ebikes should be powerful, slack with a ton of travel; essentially be downhill rigs with steep seat angles. in 5-10 yrs "regular bikes" will be like this Relay or Specialized SL's and full ebikes will be as I described and acuostic bikes will be almost non-existent.
What's an "acoustic bike" ? 😅 Isn't an ebike more "accoustic" than a normal bike ?
@@dit4963 acoustic = non-electric; like an acoustic guitar vs. electric guitar. it's the lingo for non-ebikes in so cal.
@@duckdiver5549 For guitars makes sense, but what has "acoustic" to do with bikes? As a differentiator between ebikes vs non-ebikes... 😅
@@dit4963 you mean your non-e bike doesn't give off sound waves? lolol
No I wouldn't ride without the help of the battery. It's more fun with the it.