Next! Going from Giant Dirt-E to what? Struggling!

[AnastieByte]

I’ve ridden bikes for years. As I’ve got older my knee causes pain and discomfort on hills so moving to my Giant Dirt-E MTB solved that. I tend to ride around 30-40 miles at a time. I use lowest eco setting for 90% of my rides until I get to inclines and then go to max setting to get me up the hill.

I’ve owned the 2018 model for over a year and it’s been reliable and fun. I intend to keep it for trails and gentle forest rides.

However, I find cycling on roads with friends with non electric bikes hard work due to the weight of my Giant and what I suspect is drag from the motor above 15 mph. I struggle to keep up! So I’m on the search for a second bike. At first I considered a road bike due to lighter frame such as carbon. But they usually have smaller batteries and I reminded myself that I’m not keen on drop bars due to weight on wrists.

I looked at a Giant fast road flat bar bike which looks like my dirt E with slicker tyres but can’t be sure it would not have the same drag issue?

Any thoughts on alternatives that are lighter than my Dirt E, faster on tarmac and have flat bars? I’m struggling to find anything. I have a budget of £4500

Cheers

 

[Atlav4]

Hands up vfr 400 may have exaggerated the avg mph slightly, wife’s told me millions of times about it, but to be fair a section of the ride approximately a mile, is a pedestrian shared promenade/pavement seafront where speed is very much decreased. The second of these 2 rides is the only time range dropped to 2 bars but even then it returned to 3 after stopping

 

[Artstu]

Hands up vfr 400 may have exaggerated the avg mph slightly, wife’s told me millions of times about it, but to be fair a section of the ride approximately a mile, is a pedestrian shared promenade/pavement seafront where speed is very much decreased. The second of these 2 rides is the only time range dropped to 2 bars but even then it returned to 3 after stopping View attachment 38710View attachment 38711

Sharing the data would be a lot more interesting than a map
like

 

[Amoto65]

16.5 kg minus kick stand, rear rack, lights, bottle cage and with lighter tyres comes in around 15 kg certainly not trying to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes.

Around 15kg is not the same as under 15kg as you previously stated.

 

[Barnsleyrob]

How about a Van Moof ? I’d have been tempted if it hadn’t been for lack of storage space and having a smallish car boot. It comes with a boost button I believe.

 

[gsm.terra]

If I was one of you're riding group, I would cycle at a slower pace so you could keep up!

 

[AnastieByte]

Vanmoof I’d never heard of. I like it’s design. After going out on my Dirt-E over the weekend and looking at a few bikes. I’ve decided I’m still more comfortable on a bike with flat bars . That’s a pity as some of the bikes I liked had drops.
the research continues!

 

[Bobajob]

I’ve tested a fuzua based fully carbon ebike with a 300w battery hidden in the frame.
this bike was a drop bar and very lively on the ordinary road surface but what a quick bike.
90% of the time I was up above 20mph (shortish ride of 10 miles) and very good assistance up the very steep hills.
I passed several peddlers and kept up with an chap who regularly leaves me in his tyre tracks.
This with a little customisation would definitely suit, the down side £8k

 

[Amoto65]

I’ve tested a fuzua based fully carbon ebike with a 300w battery hidden in the frame.
this bike was a drop bar and very lively on the ordinary road surface but what a quick bike.
90% of the time I was up above 20mph (shortish ride of 10 miles) and very good assistance up the very steep hills.
I passed several peddlers and kept up with an chap who regularly leaves me in his tyre tracks.
This with a little customisation would definitely suit, the down side £8k

I agree, The Specialized Creo I have just got is very similar, Carbon with hidden battery and Mahle motor and most of the time I am above the cut off and the motor is more than capable up hills due to the light weight of the bike, thankfully not as expensive as the above.

 

[Bobajob]

I agree, The Specialized Creo I have just got is very similar, Carbon with hidden battery and Mahle motor and most of the time I am above the cut off and the motor is more than capable up hills due to the light weight of the bike, thankfully not as expensive as the above.

Can I ask how much it was?

 

[Amoto65]

Can I ask how much it was?

You can, The aluminum version is £3999, I bought the Carbon Gravel Version which is £5499 however I paid considerably less due to having a friend in the trade.

 

[Bobajob]

You can, The aluminum version is £3999, I bought the Carbon Gravel Version which is £5499 however I paid considerably less due to having a friend in the trade.

my cousin is in the trade and on bikes I was astounded at the mark up.