2020 Vitus EMTB!!!!
- Thread starter Polaris
- Start date
Looking Great!
If the prices are as good as usual that will be a DANG GOOD VALUE!
External batteries are true and tested, but it all comes down to the price point if it is acceptable value I guess.
I would auto disqualify any "expensive" bikes with external battery myself, just cause I really prefer the "not looking like an E-bike", but if we are talking limited budget and best performance for around 3K-3.5K it's all good and not a deal breaker in my opinion.
If the prices are as good as usual that will be a DANG GOOD VALUE!
External batteries are true and tested, but it all comes down to the price point if it is acceptable value I guess.
I would auto disqualify any "expensive" bikes with external battery myself, just cause I really prefer the "not looking like an E-bike", but if we are talking limited budget and best performance for around 3K-3.5K it's all good and not a deal breaker in my opinion.
Polaris
Active member
- Thread starter
- #3
£3200 to £4999 across the range, good value if you manage to bag one with 17% wiggle discount, £4100 for the top range spec, that’s a bargain.. if you don’t mind the external battery. I agree with you though, batteries looks better buried now, I think they have fired the design team?!
No idea what they were thinking with the e-sommet VRS though, bloody unicorns picked the colour of that one!
Wiggle dropped them from the site long before they ran out of stock at CRC and the customer service is woeful at best. Unless these become available from proper bike shops with actual customer service rather than box shifters they aren't the bargain they first appear.
If it's to CRC I would suggest you look at some of the threads on this forum about the terrible customer service when it goes wrong.
Don't get me wrong, I think they are great bikes, but somewhat ruined by the lack of support.
I've had several issues with my Trek, all dealt with by the LBS I bought from and all done with the minimum of disruption to my riding. To me, that's worth paying a little more.
Don't get me wrong, I think they are great bikes, but somewhat ruined by the lack of support.
I've had several issues with my Trek, all dealt with by the LBS I bought from and all done with the minimum of disruption to my riding. To me, that's worth paying a little more.
gtaadicto
Member
It seems that the value for money of my 2019 E-sommet VR is way better than the 2020 one.
Yeah.. A grand on Coke n hookers would be a decent night.
The YT isn't a better bike nevermind a grand better. And will have exactly the same motor issues and is even further away if the bike needs returned
What design move?
It's the same frame as the 2018 and 2019 was (not a bad thing in the slightest)
Polaris
Active member
- Thread starter
- #12
It definitely looks £1k better though, side by side in the flesh my mates decoy makes mine look like something built by fisher price! Just annoying that Vitus haven’t really changed jack but colours and a few other bits, like they are hanging on to the great reviews of 2018, got to evolve man.
Yeah.. To an inexperienced onlooker the YT does "look" nicer but bikes are for riding. Not just looking at and the E-sommet has the better geometry. The rest of the package other than aesthetics is fairly equal between the two bikes.
Some of the colours are a bit interesting this year, much bigger range of bikes at different price points and a 29er etrail bike, big change from the last couple of years when it was only a 2 bike range, mates got a decoy and while it looks a bit nicer than my Sommet it's no lighter and much more of a trail bike and some of the spec choices are not as good (tires with thin sidewalls for one) CRC/Wiggle will really need to sort out original packaging of the bikes and their warranty returns or they will lose sales to the brands that do it right.
Whoever chose the colours on the E-Sommet VRS needs their head examined , but other than that these look good to me. I think sticking with the external batteries and keeping prices low is a clever move; remember this is a market where most of their obvious competition has increased prices significantly for 2020. The only LBS-sold competitors who can get close on value are Giant and Cube, but Giant's have the marmite Yamaha motor and Cube have significantly more conservative geo even on their newest bikes.
I do think you have to accept pricing in a spare motor for "hot swaps" though when you are looking at buying a Shimano bike from CRC given their rep for CS and Shimano's poor reliability. If you are happy to do your own spannering that is a good option, but probably isn't something that will appeal to most buyers.
, but other than that these look good to me. I think sticking with the external batteries and keeping prices low is a clever move; remember this is a market where most of their obvious competition has increased prices significantly for 2020. The only LBS-sold competitors who can get close on value are Giant and Cube, but Giant's have the marmite Yamaha motor and Cube have significantly more conservative geo even on their newest bikes. I do think you have to accept pricing in a spare motor for "hot swaps" though when you are looking at buying a Shimano bike from CRC given their rep for CS and Shimano's poor reliability. If you are happy to do your own spannering that is a good option, but probably isn't something that will appeal to most buyers.
Nifty 56
Member
I had to return my E-Sommet to CRC for a fault which was down to me in the end
. It was a suspension linkage 'fault' and a bolt I didn't check was loose! Nothing was said about it and no charges!At no point was there a problem with them arranging the collection, fixing the fault, and returning the bike within 16 days.
I also had to get a replacement display unit as the original got water in it and just failed. That took a bit longer as I had to post it to CRC who then sent it to Shimano to be checked.
I won't hesitate to buy a bike from CRC/Wiggle again.
AverageJoeMTB
Member
I suspect they are waiting for the E9000 before doing integration. Possibly a good business plan to save two consecutive frame redesigns if the motor is a different size.
Plus if it ain't broke....
Plus if it ain't broke....
Northumbrian
New Member
Was going to try out a 2019 Merida 190e tomorrow (25% price reduction, makes it about £4k)..... now I’m tempted to wait till these arrive.... got a Sentier at the moment so sticking with the external battery means a spare battery is available if needed.?the Escarpe looks neat with the 27.5 / 29” wheel combination...?
H
nowhere near as good geometry for descending and nowhere near as good suspension characteristics.
sizing is way different too.
E190 feels like a (mediocre) long travel trail bike while the E-sommet feels like a top end Superenduro (Long travel gravity Enduro) bike
Having ridden both. The E190 is nothing like the E-sommet.
nowhere near as good geometry for descending and nowhere near as good suspension characteristics.
sizing is way different too.
E190 feels like a (mediocre) long travel trail bike while the E-sommet feels like a top end Superenduro (Long travel gravity Enduro) bike
Northumbrian
New Member
Appreciate that Gary, I tried a Merida last year and your right about the sizing, it felt short and cockpit was cramped and that was an Large. I can see from that alone the Vitus would be less twitchy / more stable DH sled.
Have you tried 27.5 and 29” mixed wheel setup? In theory (like MX bikes) it should work, but not sure if it is noticable.
Yes. I've tried it.
I honestly think the rear plus tyre version of it. ie. 29x2.5 upfront, 27.5x2.8/3.0 rear is all wrong. it's horrible to actually ride properly. ie. committed cornering.
29x2.5 and 27.5x2.5 is way better.
Neither set up is for me. I'm not a fan of 29" at all TBH. I'm an old skool small wheel luddite. and actually still prefer 26" over 27.5 (all my mountain bikes except my ESommet are 26" (even ones designed to use 27.5) I also rarely ever run larger than a 2.3" rear tyre. and rarely ever run low pressures. a snmaller volume higher pressure tyre just accelerates and pops off lips nicer
Mtbs are NOTHING like MX bikes. even if some mtbers dress up like MX riders and ride mtbs with motors. They still don't handle anything like a proper motor bike
Fatdog
Member
Disappointed with the external battery. Had seen a render of a supposed E-Sommet with internal and had also e-mailed Vitus. They said stock would be out November. Not sure what I'm going to go for now. Like the aesthetics of internal so not sure now....
AverageJoeMTB
Member
Oh... Don't you worry about that...
Patience young man. Patience
Haha. True it's always broken. The design and geo though ??
I wouldn't be too put of by it. Yes, ascetically it maybe doesn't look as sleek, but the shimano battery is relatively compact and the downtube with the battery is often smaller than the downtube on a lot of internal battery bikes. The external battery's also far easier to take off for charging/swapping/security. The external battery bikes are generally lighter and anyway, you can't see it when you're riding.
I think if you're buying a sommet, you're buying it based on it's performance/price ratio. It's a go-er, not a look-er.I suspect the wider tyre on the back is more about being able to give the option to put a 29x2.35 on the back and still preserve the geo. The first manufacturers to do this must have worried as to whether people would accept it, so designing around a 27.5+ on the back gave them the option to change over to 29er both ends if sales had been poor. I agree that extra width is pretty much unnecessary though - 2.5" gives plenty of climbing grip without compromising handling on the downs.
it's all just marketing bullshit
Think back to what Spesh said about the 24"x3.0 rear on these things back in 2002
you're being played. son
Think back to what Spesh said about the 24"x3.0 rear on these things back in 2002
you're being played. son
F-GODZ
Member
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