R120

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They are sending me one hopefully ?

Will do a full on video, ride review etc etc and some nice pics for the site.

Also, In my conversations with some manufacturers they are not promoting their own bikes too much as they can’t get enough bikes in to sell (and don’t want to annoy customers!!) One Brand said they have had to hold back on all marketing and magazine reviews due to low availability.

Interesting
 

volts

Active member
May 15, 2018
331
254
DK
They are sending me one hopefully ?

Will do a full on video, ride review etc etc and some nice pics for the site.

Also, In my conversations with some manufacturers they are not promoting their own bikes too much as they can’t get enough bikes in to sell (and don’t want to annoy customers!!) One Brand said they have had to hold back on all marketing and magazine reviews due to low availability.


If possible, also mention some of the negatives and compare it to other bikes.
I find that far too many "reviews" end up being a bunch of riding footage, some information about the bike that is also easily obtained from looking at specs and a statement about "this bike is good".
Youtuber MTByumyum has about 40 similar videos with basically this exact formula in it, and I know he is getting to loan his bikes from the local shop in hopes of selling more, but in the end his videos are useless because there is hardly any differentiation.

I hope I am not insulting anyone here (I just used MTByumyum as an example), that's not at all my aim, and I am not saying your other reviews are missing anything - just sharing some observation from the past year when viewing reviews of bikes. Use it if you want :)
 

R120

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Apr 13, 2018
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For me there are 3 negatives with the bike to date:

  1. No bottle cage bosses, this is a personal thing as i like to ride packless if possible, so i have a water bottle strapped to the frame instead.
  2. Dropper post insertion, this is discussed in depth in this thread, i actually like the brand x post, and it works great, but for my dimensions i wish i could shove it down a bit further into the seat tube.
  3. Area above motor/below shock in frame, this area is difficult to clean out due to the design, its a minor gripe and i have bike dryer which i use to get dirt out of there, but if you come back from a muddy ride you end up scooping the crap out of the area as its not somewhere you want to be putting any sort of pressured water into.
One other thing, but i think this can be applied to all Shimano E8000 bikes, is that whilst the E8000 controller is great, i think the E6000 works a lot better in the real world, as it frees up handle bar space so as not to compromise dropper lever placement, its more robust and out the way, and also has button on it to scroll through menu meaning you don't have to take hands off bars to cycle through the menus when riding. I also think its easier to use, but that might just be me. I would always swap out the controller for an E6000 on any shimano steppes bike i owned.

IMG_0778.jpg


IMG_0928.jpg


IMG_0926.jpg
 

R120

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One final thing, i can see the stickers on the battery coming off in the not too distant future, not an issue for me but may be for some
 

R120

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The only real thing i would change on the bike is to have the top tube run like the line in this pic, and Vitus put some bottle bosses on the under side of it, as the extra space in the triangle would allow a cage and bottle to be easily fitted - i think the only reason it is like this at the moment is to allow standover height for people sizing up, but for me at least its got a low standover so i don't think would cause any issue. I might even suggest it to them!

IMG_0780.jpg
 

volts

Active member
May 15, 2018
331
254
DK
The only real thing i would change on the bike is to have the top tube run like the line in this pic, and Vitus put some bottle bosses on the under side of it, as the extra space in the triangle would allow a cage and bottle to be easily fitted - i think the only reason it is like this at the moment is to allow standover height for people sizing up, but for me at least its got a low standover so i don't think would cause any issue. I might even suggest it to them!
Wouldn't it be possible to add bosses even as it is now? Looking at your picture with the bottle strapped on the top tube it doesn't look like there is a whole lot of clearance for just any cage, but they could use it as an opportunity to sell a cage and bottle that fitted those dimensions, just like YT who charges a horrid price for their cage and bottle just because noone else makes one that fits the tiny hole under the shock.

Also, I like your tool placement on the bike. I think i'll copy that!
 

Rob Rides EMTB

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Jan 14, 2018
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If possible, also mention some of the negatives and compare it to other bikes.
I find that far too many "reviews" end up being a bunch of riding footage, some information about the bike that is also easily obtained from looking at specs and a statement about "this bike is good".


I totally agree. In fact, the review I did of the Scott E-Genius had some negative specific aspects to it, where I talk about the things I didn't like. Its important to me to be balanced in feedback.
 
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R120

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Apr 13, 2018
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Wouldn't it be possible to add bosses even as it is now? Looking at your picture with the bottle strapped on the top tube it doesn't look like there is a whole lot of clearance for just any cage, but they could use it as an opportunity to sell a cage and bottle that fitted those dimensions, just like YT who charges a horrid price for their cage and bottle just because noone else makes one that fits the tiny hole under the shock.

Also, I like your tool placement on the bike. I think i'll copy that!

I have played around with a load of options and the cage, interferes with the battery, the bottle strap solution actually works really well

Thread on subject here:

Drink Bottle Mount Alternatives
 
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volts

Active member
May 15, 2018
331
254
DK
Did any of you guys switch the 11-42 for a 11-46 cassette? Just wondering if it's a problem with a motor to get up the steep stuff with "only" 42 when the front is 34t. I am obsessing over weird stuff, sitting at home far too distracted to work - waiting for DHL to show up.
 

R120

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No, getting up things won’t be a problem! If anything it might make it more difficult as if you are in boost on a very steep section in a low gear traction becomes you enemy - if you stop and then try to start again on a steep incline in boost, a low gear is almost impossible to start in as it just spins up
 

z1ppy

E*POWAH Master
May 11, 2018
238
167
West Mids
.. I did think about it, as my previous (temporary) e-mtb had a 11-46 and it was excellent but then I was more interested in riding the Vitus when it arrived, than waiting for more parts to arrive. TBH you just up the power mode if it gets to hard to push the 42 toothed sprocket. i will probably buy an 11-46 when the time come to replace the old one though

If possible, also mention some of the negatives and compare it to other bikes.
I find that far too many "reviews" end up being a bunch of riding footage, some information about the bike that is also easily obtained from looking at specs and a statement about "this bike is good".
The problem with looking for faults, is that it can become nitpicking or personal preference, and can ruin a review. You've only to check out magazine reviews and it become the reviewers dislike for "the width of the handlebars" that makes one bike better than the others in a group test. I'd go as far as suggesting very few bad mtb's are now made, more likely the bike if it does review badly, it's because the reviewer isn't using it for it's intended purpose (specialisation).
 

Cisco

Active member
May 1, 2018
186
182
Elderslie
I've found two serious problems with this bike..

1. Everytime I go out for an hours' ride I find myself two hours late coming home :)

2. I am finding myself covered in bruises because the bike is so good at climbing obstacles I keep finding harder and harder stuff to try.

What a cracking bike :) .

ATB Frank
 

volts

Active member
May 15, 2018
331
254
DK
I got mine yesterday, and it's a hoot! Super fun and size wasn't a problem at all. I initially cursed at the dropper, but it turns out that it was just installed pretty badly and a large kink in the cable prohibited it from working correctly. There were also several bolts that wasn't tight and the brakes rubbed a lot. The spoke magnet was also in the wrong place. All to be expected really, except for the kink in the cable.

After some fiddle with e-tube the firmware got updated and it was smooth sailing. Until the bike stopped. E010 was shown on the display 2 times. Reboot of bike and configuration "backup" seems to have worked. I haven't seen it since.
I also got a W013 a few times. I found out that if you turn on the bike while pedaling the sensor won't initialize properly and an error will show.

But other than that ... wheeee! Can't wait to get home from work today!
Good times!
 

Doomanic

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Jan 21, 2018
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Looks like Cannock Chase. Hard to be sure, I've never been when it's been sunny...
 

Cisco

Active member
May 1, 2018
186
182
Elderslie
First breakage :( Destroyed the rear rim coming down the Cobbler this evening. Think it was at least (more than) partly my fault. There are hundreds of drainage channels across the path and they need clean bunny-hops. Rear weight is difficult (for me) to manage good hops.

Anyway, I'm thinking Deemax but will decide tmrw.
 

Kernow

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
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Jan 18, 2018
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First breakage :( Destroyed the rear rim coming down the Cobbler this evening. Think it was at least (more than) partly my fault. There are hundreds of drainage channels across the path and they need clean bunny-hops. Rear weight is difficult (for me) to manage good hops.

Anyway, I'm thinking Deemax but will decide tmrw.
Sounds like you need some rat bites in your tyres ,
 

Cisco

Active member
May 1, 2018
186
182
Elderslie
Just poor technique.

Made most of the climbs tho which are pretty near impossible on a regular bike. Lot of fun. Doesn'
t feel like an easy option..I'm completely fecked :)
 

volts

Active member
May 15, 2018
331
254
DK
Today I had i strange squeak from the bike every time the rear suspension bobbed. After much faff and taking the shock off, greasing bearings etc etc, I find out that the squeak is coming from the chain guide.
It was wrongly placed by wiggle so it touched a part of the rear triangle on compression of the shock.
It has eaten it's way through the rubber on the chainstay, and was starting to eat chew in the aluminium - thus making a noise.
I would probably have been pretty upset if it was a carbon bike, but I can't be bothered doing anything about this. I see no structural damage or anything, but it was seriously annoying and took a long time figuring out where it came from, mostly because I put in 2 extra tokens in the rear shock to make it more progressive as from factory it either has to have way too much pressure, or blows through the travel with moderate jump. Anyway, I thought it was part of my modification of the rear shock that in the assembly has messed up the bike, so I took everything apart again and again - cleaning and regreasing many times.

That's 2 hours I won't be getting back hah.
 

R120

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Apr 13, 2018
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Interesting, i double checked everything when my arrived, and the PDI was really good from CRC, much better than my BMC i got from Evans which hadn't had brakes bled properly, badly working dropper and a bent rim!

Went out on my usual morning blast today on North Downs, which is never exactly the same route, but always pretty similar, and downloaded strava as was interested in hwhat the ride actually comprised of in relation to battery use. The ride below left me with 2 bars of battery, 3 miles of it road, and mostly in Trail except for some silly steep bits, so would estimate no more than 1 mile spent in Boost. As an FYI i am at about 14 stone including all kit etc, and averagely fit, about to hit 40, (don't go to gym but lots of walking and of course time on the bike). My skills are about average, in that i can ride any trail, but you wont find me hucking or whipping of any jumps!

Thought this might be useful for anyone looking at range, the ride does include about 10 mins of stopping for coffee, but not sure if the auto pause feature on strava factored that. Its mostly quite technical single track, a a lot of exposed roots, slippery clay, and heavily rutted tracks from the horses.

Screen Shot 2018-05-26 at 11.59.22.png
 
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thebarber

E*POWAH Elite
May 28, 2018
986
596
Norfeast
Had mine a couple of months now and the usual niggles, dropper post lever very stiff, battery life a bit dissapointing and rats nest of wiring at the cockpit but all this I can sort.
I did have an issue with it not free wheeling very well but that came down to rear brake setup.
Used E-tube to customise map but just turned everything onto low but I don't use boost as it eats the battery as most of you will know.
With this setup I managed 2 loops of Ae forest yesterday totalling 27 miles so that's all good.
One issue I found yesterday is the lower shock bush has some play so fired an email to wiggle and await response.
I'm looking for more tuning options withe the steps motor if anyone has info that'd be great.
Overall a cracking bike at any price point.
 

volts

Active member
May 15, 2018
331
254
DK
Had mine a couple of months now and the usual niggles, dropper post lever very stiff, battery life a bit dissapointing and rats nest of wiring at the cockpit but all this I can sort.
I did have an issue with it not free wheeling very well but that came down to rear brake setup.
Used E-tube to customise map but just turned everything onto low but I don't use boost as it eats the battery as most of you will know.
With this setup I managed 2 loops of Ae forest yesterday totalling 27 miles so that's all good.
One issue I found yesterday is the lower shock bush has some play so fired an email to wiggle and await response.
I'm looking for more tuning options withe the steps motor if anyone has info that'd be great.
Overall a cracking bike at any price point.

My lower part of the shock was loose too, but I just tightened it. I tightened all bolts after that. It seems the bike wasn't super well assembled and I have found several errors.
I can highly recommend giving your bike a very thorough check to see if everything is safe and tight.
 

thebarber

E*POWAH Elite
May 28, 2018
986
596
Norfeast
I got mine yesterday, and it's a hoot! Super fun and size wasn't a problem at all. I initially cursed at the dropper, but it turns out that it was just installed pretty badly and a large kink in the cable prohibited it from working correctly. There were also several bolts that wasn't tight and the brakes rubbed a lot. The spoke magnet was also in the wrong place. All to be expected really, except for the kink in the cable.

After some fiddle with e-tube the firmware got updated and it was smooth sailing. Until the bike stopped. E010 was shown on the display 2 times. Reboot of bike and configuration "backup" seems to have worked. I haven't seen it since.
I also got a W013 a few times. I found out that if you turn on the bike while pedaling the sensor won't initialize properly and an error will show.

But other than that ... wheeee! Can't wait to get home from work today!
Good times!
Did you re-route you're dropper cable the New?
 

Cisco

Active member
May 1, 2018
186
182
Elderslie
Only real continuing niggle for me with this bike has been the interference between the E8000 controller and the dropper. I have my dropper lever on my other bikes under the LHS bar and am completely used to it. Tried a lot of configurations but in the end bought an E6000 controller.

This completely solves my issues. The only problem might be the sturdiness of the E6000 unit in crashes. It's a pretty light weight build compared to the paddle unit.

20180530_125852.jpg
 

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