Pinkbike 2025 Field Test-6 Bike Shootout -Which eMTB Jumps, Corners, Climbs, & Descends the Best

[Plummet]

My terrain is very rough and I'm personally completely beat after about 300-400 watts. I also mostly go all out. Everything hurts, I don't tour, and sadly I don't have real mountains either.
Plummet seems to do the same.

I do every use every mode on the cresty with the exeption of eco other than to get extra range to get back.

So I'm often doing a 70nm mid power ride on the 400hw solo. Then got for 85nm rides with my other 85nm full power mates. Then im smashing 100nm when dji guys are pushing.

I dont do eco only rides. I see no point in that as i have an mtb and will use that before instead of an eco E ride.
I also can and do full battery burn days using up both batteries for a 1000hw day....... I also do full mtb days aswell. As an example i did a 10 hour mtb hike a bike on the weekend.

 

[HammerAndCycle]

You could probably fit a 600wh to it as the 600 and 800wh gen 5 batteries are the same length.

The LTE will 100% accept the 600w battery.

 

[Suns_PSD]

The LTE will 100% accept the 600w battery.

Yes, it will but there are some issues for me: It's $15K to get the CXR model, and you still need to buy a 600w battery AND it still has that big downtube. It's just a bunch of issues.

Yeti (and Transition, Santa Cruz, Orbea, etc.) need to offer a skinny downtubed, 600w fixed battery, CX-R frame only for around Crestline pricing. Pretty simple really. Heck I'd pay $8.5K for that in a Yeti today.

 

[Plummet]

Yes, it will but there are some issues for me: It's $15K to get the CXR model, and you still need to buy a 600w battery AND it still has that big downtube. It's just a bunch of issues.

Yeti (and Transition, Santa Cruz, Orbea, etc.) need to offer a skinny downtubed, 600w fixed battery, CX-R frame only for around Crestline pricing. Pretty simple really. Heck I'd pay $8.5K for that in a Yeti today.

yeah its a big pill to swallow to have to spend premium $$ on a full bike and then sell off most of the gear just to get the frame. That's what I had to do with the Crestline. Hell the only thing that remians from that complete build is the seat post, seat and cranks. Everything else was sold off and or subbed out for my spec stuff. It took me 6 months to sell the stuff off too.

 

[Hob Nob]

Out of idle curiousity, I measured the circumference of the down tubes of the bikes I have in the garage at the moment.

The thinnest is my own Yeti MTe, next up is the Druid Core, 0.5cm bigger than the Druid is a Orbea Wild & the biggest is the Norco Sight (1cm bigger than the Wild). The battery on the Druid, (well, and all other 800wh Avinox bikes) is significantly longer than the Bosch 800.

We all have to pick our poison at the end of the day. Yes, I would prefer a slimmer tubed bike, but that comes with a compromise of weight and balance. Given we’re talking 1.5cm on something between 25-30cm in circumferenc, it’s not the deal breaker for me that it is for some.

Currently trying to acquire myself another fat tubed bike in the form of an LTe to do a bit of testing on for the sake of comparison.

 

[Plummet]

Out of idle curiousity, I measured the circumference of the down tubes of the bikes I have in the garage at the moment.

The thinnest is my own Yeti MTe, next up is the Druid Core, 0.5cm bigger than the Druid is a Orbea Wild & the biggest is the Norco Sight (1cm bigger than the Wild). The battery on the Druid, (well, and all other 800wh Avinox bikes) is significantly longer than the Bosch 800.

We all have to pick our poison at the end of the day. Yes, I would prefer a slimmer tubed bike, but that comes with a compromise of weight and balance. Given we’re talking 1.5cm on something between 25-30cm in circumferenc, it’s not the deal breaker for me that it is for some.

Currently trying to acquire myself another fat tubed bike in the form of an LTe to do a bit of testing on for the sake of comparison.

Yeah, This downtube hate is just laughable in my opinion. Where does it come from? Some insecurity about riding an ebike perhaps? Want to look more like they are riding an mtb?

I Just measured my downtubes my Bosch crestline is 99mm, Teewing 81mm, Norco range (not an e bike) 85mm, orbea rise 85mm... The rest of my mtbs around 65mm.

So 85mm is acceptable but 99mm isn't? They are complaining about 14mm?

All other factors being equal give me the better weight distribution any day. And picking a worse bike because it has a skinnier downtube is just freaking nuts. I certainly don't get that logic at all.

 

[Suns_PSD]

Out of idle curiousity, I measured the circumference of the down tubes of the bikes I have in the garage at the moment.

The thinnest is my own Yeti MTe, next up is the Druid Core, 0.5cm bigger than the Druid is a Orbea Wild & the biggest is the Norco Sight (1cm bigger than the Wild). The battery on the Druid, (well, and all other 800wh Avinox bikes) is significantly longer than the Bosch 800.

We all have to pick our poison at the end of the day. Yes, I would prefer a slimmer tubed bike, but that comes with a compromise of weight and balance. Given we’re talking 1.5cm on something between 25-30cm in circumferenc, it’s not the deal breaker for me that it is for some.

Currently trying to acquire myself another fat tubed bike in the form of an LTe to do a bit of testing on for the sake of comparison.

Yeah, This downtube hate is just laughable in my opinion. Where does it come from? Some insecurity about riding an ebike perhaps? Want to look more like they are riding an mtb?

I Just measured my downtubes my Bosch crestline is 99mm, Teewing 81mm, Norco range (not an e bike) 85mm, orbea rise 85mm... The rest of my mtbs around 65mm.

So 85mm is acceptable but 99mm isn't? They are complaining about 14mm?

All other factors being equal give me the better weight distribution any day. And picking a worse bike because it has a skinnier downtube is just freaking nuts. I certainly don't get that logic at all.

Honestly it looks like so MUCH more. Crazy that is all it really is.

 

[Chairman]

Yeah, This downtube hate is just laughable in my opinion. Where does it come from? Some insecurity about riding an ebike perhaps? Want to look more like they are riding an mtb?

I Just measured my downtubes my Bosch crestline is 99mm, Teewing 81mm, Norco range (not an e bike) 85mm, orbea rise 85mm... The rest of my mtbs around 65mm.

So 85mm is acceptable but 99mm isn't? They are complaining about 14mm?

All other factors being equal give me the better weight distribution any day. And picking a worse bike because it has a skinnier downtube is just freaking nuts. I certainly don't get that logic at all.

We are all different I really notice a thinner bike in the same way I prefer shorter cranks and also a little more weight up front can be beneficial when tech climbing. Not saying one is good and the other is bad but I certainly don't require a tape measure to know which bike I'm on and which I prefer. I do tend to wear through the paint on my frames but maybe it's a me thing steering with my inner thighs and knees dunno

 

[Emailsucks98]

Yeah, This downtube hate is just laughable in my opinion. Where does it come from? Some insecurity about riding an ebike perhaps? Want to look more like they are riding an mtb?

This is/was a thing for people have been riding eBikes on multi-use trail networks where eBikes were not allowed or welcome. (Which is a lot of US public lands)

It is something I enjoyed about the Fuel EXe when I had one. I could tell most users just thought it was a normal MTB.

It's less of an issue than it was a few years ago, at least where I live. The hate is alive in other states though. And depends on land ownership.

 

[Plummet]

We are all different I really notice a thinner bike in the same way I prefer shorter cranks and also a little more weight up front can be beneficial when tech climbing. Not saying one is good and the other is bad but I certainly don't require a tape measure to know which bike I'm on and which I prefer. I do tend to wear through the paint on my frames but maybe it's a me thing steering with my inner thighs and knees dunno

I certainly prefer the look of the skinnier downtube. But im going to spec my bike on capability, geo and whether it suits my needs first and foremost. If it doesnt meet the performance specs its out, no matter how good it looks. Then after all that is specced out id comes down to looks.

 

[Rando_12345]

I'm happy with my chubby gen5 800Wh Cube, and I even grew to love my Giant reign e+ (perhaps the most pregnant of ebikes)... But let's be real, one of these is straight sex, the other is an ok looking ebike:

 

[Hob Nob]

To be honest, thinner downtube or not, all the Crestline bikes are dog ugly. The whole motor/shock/downtube looks like a total mess.

 

[Plummet]

I'm happy with my chubby gen5 800Wh Cube, and I even grew to love my Giant reign e+ (perhaps the most pregnant of ebikes)... But let's be real, one of these is straight sex, the other is an ok looking ebike:

Yeah the skinny does look better.

If i compare these two bikes i prefer the bosch design from a engineering and descending performance.
DJI crestline has longer batteries making for more front weight bias. There isnt a 400wh option and the rear shock is trunion mount. Trunion mount passes more load into the shock that eye to eye mount.

So the bosch still winds the best handling crestline away for better weight distro.

With that said, I'm sure I'd be happy af with the dji version if i had it. I dont actually want for the extra power of dji. I'm spending most of my time in lower power modes and running smaller batteries for a more enjoyable descending experiences.

The only time thing that i'm missing on the bosch that would be useful in at least one setting is the 45kph cut out that the local dji bikes are mapped too. Even then it would only be useful to me when riding with dji bikes with the higher speed limit.

 

[Chairman]

I certainly prefer the look of the skinnier downtube. But im going to spec my bike on capability, geo and whether it suits my needs first and foremost. If it doesnt meet the performance specs its out, no matter how good it looks. Then after all that is specced out id comes down to looks.

And I am quite different. I care not at all about looks it's all about performance

 

[Plummet]

And I am quite different. I care not at all about looks it's all about performance

Seems we are pretty similar really. Looks is well down the list for me and usually doesnt get a look in (pun intended). Usually there is only one or two bikes that make the cut. Then generally there is a clear winner that is closest my spec without getting down to which looks better.

PS, The NZ price for those E Druids is eyewatering.....

 

[Chairman]

Seems we are pretty similar really. Looks is well down the list for me and usually doesnt get a look in (pun intended). Usually there is only one or two bikes that make the cut. Then generally there is a clear winner that is closest my spec without getting down to which looks better.

PS, The NZ price for those E Druids is eyewatering.....

It was 23% more expensive than what I paid for my cannondale in 2021 so yeah not cheap but it's also at least 23% more fun

 

[PeterHenric]

Yeah the skinny does look better.

Interesting how opinions differ. I actually prefer the look of the white bike with the thicker down tube.

 

[Emailsucks98]

Interesting how opinions differ. I actually prefer GIRTH

FYP!

 

[Blownoutrides]

I agree with chairman, I can't see any difference in the real world between bosch and dji once the the modes are set to similar outputs. If the dji bike is set to the stock settings then yes it burns more. If there is a slight inefficiency is measured in a few wh not the difference between a 600 and 800wh battery. The only time a 600wh will do the same as an 800wh is if the 600wh guy is either lighter and or uses more lungs and legs.

This is after multiple, multiple rides with dji guys comparing battery burn rate. The other thing to consider is that its only really an issue when you are doing a full battery burn day going for max range with multiple riders of different battery size and models.

At 240lbs every day is a full battery day lol. I just don't get Santa Cruz designing their "full power" bikes with a mandatory 600wh even in XL and XXL. Dumb. Would've bought a Bullit the day they released it if they'd gone 800wh.

 

[DirkWisely]

I'm happy with my chubby gen5 800Wh Cube, and I even grew to love my Giant reign e+ (perhaps the most pregnant of ebikes)... But let's be real, one of these is straight sex, the other is an ok looking ebike:

I actually think the Bosch version looks awesome. It's not that fat, and the two-tone paintjob really slims it.

 

[Plummet]

At 240lbs every day is a full battery day lol. I just don't get Santa Cruz designing their "full power" bikes with a mandatory 600wh even in XL and XXL. Dumb. Would've bought a Bullit the day they released it if they'd gone 800wh.

That's why bikes like the cresty are awesome. You can configure them to suit.

for mass production like SC they have to weight the additional cost per frame for a multi-configurable set up. Adding extra weight and parts and cost and reducing asthetics so a small percentage of users to configure the bikes better.
For mass production a one set up saves design time, jig and mould costs, production costs stock holding and increases margin. They take on the chin that they will loose some sales to people that their configuration doesnt suit. But they will bank more margin and make more on the bikes they do sell than lower margin high sales set up.

 

[Chairman]

That's why bikes like the cresty are awesome. You can configure them to suit.

for mass production like SC they have to weight the additional cost per frame for a multi-configurable set up. Adding extra weight and parts and cost and reducing asthetics so a small percentage of users to configure the bikes better.
For mass production a one set up saves design time, jig and mould costs, production costs stock holding and increases margin. They take on the chin that they will loose some sales to people that their configuration doesnt suit. But they will bank more margin and make more on the bikes they do sell than lower margin high sales set up.

Yes you got it and at the same time make an outstanding bike for its intended purpose. Win win. Compromise is always going to be exactly that. Not a bad thing and great for those that want to reconfigure for whatever reason

 

[friendo]

This is/was a thing for people have been riding eBikes on multi-use trail networks where eBikes were not allowed or welcome. (Which is a lot of US public lands)

It is something I enjoyed about the Fuel EXe when I had one. I could tell most users just thought it was a normal MTB.

It's less of an issue than it was a few years ago, at least where I live. The hate is alive in other states though. And depends on land ownership.

The Divided States specializes in hate. period.

 

[Emailsucks98]

The Divided States specializes in hate. period.

As a Canadian rider said to me last year in Arizona, There's good people everywhere.
(Neither of us were on eBikes, but I did hear ample eBike hate while down there)

 

[Folklore]

Bentonville is pretty tame, but it has its sections. I've been 3x on bikes.

It's a fun place to go with the family. Good beer, good food, friendly people and trails that most people can ride from the first time.

Do you need a 180mm full power e-bike there? Well no. But it would sure speed up the long boring climbs.

And still they were able to test many important bike characteristics.

I think the Yeti LT won pretty easily.

We live fairly near Bentonville. It is a blast and has everything you could want to ride, if it doesn't then Fayetteville, Rogers, Springdale or Bela Vista does... The new Bike park with lift opens in March 2026. Rumor has it that Red Bull is considering an event there at the new downhill park.

 

[Folklore]

Here is a Video of the progress of our bike-lift -bike -park.

 

[Folklore]

Another as of about a month ago

 

[Blownoutrides]

I agree with chairman, I can't see any difference in the real world between bosch and dji once the the modes are set to similar outputs. If the dji bike is set to the stock settings then yes it burns more. If there is a slight inefficiency is measured in a few wh not the difference between a 600 and 800wh battery. The only time a 600wh will do the same as an 800wh is if the 600wh guy is either lighter and or uses more lungs and legs.

This is after multiple, multiple rides with dji guys comparing battery burn rate. The other thing to consider is that its only really an issue when you are doing a full battery burn day going for max range with multiple riders of different battery size and models.

Just a friendly plea to all the "SL" guys out there with buddies doinking along on their full power bikes in eco...

Get a full power rig already

I've watched 95lb 14yo kids click tables and rip berms on aluminum Levos. You will adjust.

With love.

(Stepping off soap box)

 

[wb3jma]

It was a weird test with a random assortment of bikes, and the endura gear twinsies thing looked ridiculous. At least wear different gear so you don't look like Team Endura. Everything pinkbike puts out seems to rub me the wrong way. Bentonville is another silly moment, just say you are sponsored by Wal Mart and get it over with. I don't care how many trails they build in Bentonville, you cannot defeat Bentonville's inherent lack of elevation. Or mountains.

I love how people who have never been to Bentonville think there is nothing gnarly to ride. Go try Backbone and Fireline In Coler Mountain Bike Preserve. Especially in Handcut Hollow try Cease and Desist, LoneWolf, Dragon Scales, Sycamore and Mad Hatter. Finally check out Schroen Train in Slaughter Pen.

Finally taking exception to a lack of elevation while testing Ebikes is particularly silly given pedal assist.

 

[ntm95]

I love how people who have never been to Bentonville think there is nothing gnarly to ride. Go try Backbone and Fireline In Coler Mountain Bike Preserve. Especially in Handcut Hollow try Cease and Desist, LoneWolf, Dragon Scales, Sycamore and Mad Hatter. Finally check out Schroen Train in Slaughter Pen.

Finally taking exception to a lack of elevation while testing Ebikes is particularly silly given pedal assist.

I've rode most of those trails, and they were a great time, but gnarly is not at all the word I'd use to describe them. They're well built and make the most of what they have certainly.
Elevation has nothing to do with judging climbing capability facilitated by a power system. It's got everything to do with judging a bike's descending capability though.
You could kind of get a general idea testing there, but some extrapolation would certainly be required. And if you only rode there, one would likely experience bit of trauma going northwest and hopping on a faster BC double black.
I found a bike with a bit less travel to be the weapon of choice, an arrival 140 in my case. Had a great time.
For an e bike there, I think it'd be hard to beat a yeti mte.