Aggressive hardtail emtb

[Hattori-Hanzo]

I'm fairly new to mountain biking and like a lot of people it seems I started on an old hardtail that I put some time and money into restoring, took it to bike park Wales on my first every trip to a bike park and loved every second of it.
I spent 6 months on it and then moved on to a full sus emtb. (I'm getting on a bit and found I was enjoying down hill/ enduro riding and bike parks more than trail riding)

While a full suspension bike is better I loved a hardtail and the only thing I'd love more is an electric hardtail!

From a quick search it seems bike manufacturers are missing a trick as there are no aggressive hardtails.
Something like the nuke proof scout with a motor would be amazing.

Is there any other love for the humble hardtail.
How would you go about building your own emtb hardtail.

I'm intrigued by the rocky mountain motor and have seen the powerplay growler, but it's the geo on point?
What's your thoughts?

 

[VWsurfbum]

I love my HT, I also love my Eeb's. We have discussed this on journeys about having a good fun aggressive Eeb HT. I think there's space in the market for one for sure, like you say a Nukeproof or even a SL version of the Chameleon with the new motor and a 400 battery. I'd buy one.

 

[Hattori-Hanzo]

For sure! Ideal would be mullet set up with some cushcores or similar, wide super soft tyres, big travel enduro forks.
Slack frame, nice groupset and powerful brakes.

Would you go light weight or full fat for the motor though?

I'd like full fat but the extra weight could be too detrimental

I don't think there is even a HT frame worth building around at the moment.

 

[Bndit]

But some 10kg weight on your HT and go to trails and see how fun it is I can tell that it will suck. I have acoustic HT and I love it, but wouldn't want one with engine.

 

[Hattori-Hanzo]

I'm sure they said the same thing about full fat MTBs but look where we are

I don't disagree with you though, I guess light weight is what makes a hardtail.

Maybe trying to make an all out downhill HT isn't the way to go but I still like the idea of one

 

[B1rdie]

But some 10kg weight on your HT and go to trails and see how fun it is I can tell that it will suck. I have acoustic HT and I love it, but wouldn't want one with engine.

Agreed.
The essence of hardtail trail riding is that you take the suspension duties with your legs, and the lighter the frame the best results you will get.

 

[VWsurfbum]

How hard can it be?
I can weld lol.

 

[Hattori-Hanzo]

Maybe the new Bosch sx motor could be a contender?

 

[Hardtail]

I feel ya! I think a nice slack enduro Ebike would do well, especially with the new Bosch SX motor.

I purchased a 2020 Mondraker Prime as it covers nearly everything I can throw at it, which also included towing a kids buggy behind it on epic.

The mondraker caught my attention as it was a couple of kg's lighter than the equivalent Cube/Trek etc. It is just a shame that nearly all HT have a 69* head angle...

I now run -2* angled headset, 120mm Pike Ultimate fork, mullet setup DHF 29 x 2.6 - DHR II 27.5 x 2.8.

This month I have done Dollywagen Pike and Sticks Pass as well as a 45km trek around Lady Bower Reservoir, including Potato Alley etc...

I may go up to 140mm on the pike in the future...

 

[Hardtail]

I should add that with the slight changes I have made the head tube angle is now 66* and if I where to extend the fork to 140mm it would be at 65*, although the seat tube angle is getting slack, currently at 73*.

 

[Hattori-Hanzo]

Nice! Appreciate the effort you've put into that build and it obviously performs well too.

I've not seen the Prime before so I'll have a look into it.
it's a shame there is nothing out there slacker, Guessing putting anything over a 140 would make it pretty unrideable other than downhill?

That calculator is super handy too