Wacky races fleet so far

[Backin5]

Hi everyone, I'd like to just say thanks so much for all the helpful advice I've had from this great forum - it's a real mine of information.

So, after going to Bruge in the campervan for a week after last Christmas, and taking our his & hers Spec Hardrock's, myself and the mrs got into our biking again. All well and good in flat old Belgium, but when I tried to continue after getting back to hilly Derbyshire, I got fed up puffing and panting.

Then I found this wonderful forum, and after some deliberation, and a little tinkering, have assemble the new powered family fleet:





I was on a fairly limited budget for 3 bikes, but 2 of them are new, 1 second hand. We're all loving it, and ride as a family every week, if not more often. We do find road stuff quite boring, thus the canal paths, cycle tracks and trail centres have been our staple rides.

I'm now hooked, and am looking to the next 'toy'. I'm finding my Neo Xtrem a little lacking on the fast, proper off road stuff, particularly downhill. I test rode a FS Haibike before buying it, and found the Neo had a little more oomph. I think the off road story would be very different between the Haibike and Neo?

 

[EddiePJ]

Hi Backin,

A nice selection of bikes there.

I realise that we have already discussed the merits of Haibike versus the Xtrem via pm, but when riding yesterday I was thinking further about how you had said that the Xtrem was a little lacking.
I'm a fan of hard tail bikes, although it is very much on the cards that a full suspension KTM will be the next bike of choice.
The full suspension decision is based more out of comfort than anything else though. Even with the thudbuster seat post that I have, I'm spending longer than I would like out of the saddle on hard packed and loose down hill terrain. If my knees were in perfect condition, then this wouldn't bother me, but they aren't.
Beyond the comfort aspect, I'm not really that fussed about having rear suspension.
If I was to criticise one aspect of the BH off road, it would be the weight of having a hub motor when it comes to bunny hopping out of ruts. Having an extra 4kg of rear wheel mass certainly shows in that respect.
I'm guessing here, but I would imagine that any mid drive bike is not going to suffer so much from that issue.
What I do like about the BH and it's hub drive is the near on complete silence that the motor gives over any mid drive, and I also like the fact that you can basically trick the motor into just giving you that extra punch to power you through muddy sections and deep narrow ruts, that you wouldn't have otherwise not been able to pedal through. Obviously having a throttle on either a mid drive or hub drive would sort that issue, but the idea of having a throttle just doesn't do it for me.

As said in my pm, the Haibike with it's Bosch system is certainly going to score hands down when it comes to battery duration and available riding distance, also there is far less risk of water ingress ever reaching/wrecking the motor. I'm now on my second motor, but my water issues were more from my own causing by not leaning the bike over to the hose side when washing down. I'm now slightly more cautious where I ride now though, just in case.

I can't imagine that you will be disappointed should you decide to opt for a Haibike, but it will require more effort in respect of pedalling for the same gain, and from my personal point of view, I hate the extra noise, and the look of the motor/battery pack. Even if I buy the KTM, I shall just have to put up with this aspect of the bike. My preferred choice will always be hub drive, but I'm craving the extra battery duration.

Out of interest as we didn't discuss it, what is it that you are hoping to achieve/end up with by changing bikes?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Hi Backin,

A I hate the extra noise, and the look of the motor/battery pack. Even if I buy the KTM, I shall just have to put up with this aspect of the bike. My preferred choice will always be hub drive, but I'm craving the extra battery duration.

Why don't you get the Panasonic motored KTM. It has greater range than the Bosch plus more torque for climbing:
http://www.ktm-bikes.at/en/bikes/e-bike.html?action=bike_details&bike_id=28&cHash=8cba7c44c90944cf588856d55eef0056

 

[EddiePJ]

Thanks Dave, I didn't realize that about it.

Now just need the Haibike gone.