Forbidden DreadNought E

[ntm95]

Other than some person saying that online, there’s very little evidence of that being likely. Even the Pinkbike review described the bike as a DH bike with a motor. I’m not even saying that’s a bad thing or a mistake. I’m just looking at the available information and thinking this bike is likely biased too much towards stability for me.

Not sure what you're on now, but here's a few generalities:
-The higher the f/r ratio (1.86 and above), and the longer the reach, the more a bike will feel unwieldy for a given wheelbase number. Essentially because you're riding that front end like a unicycle in corners, and the rear kind of follows like a tractor trailer.
-The lower the f/r ratio (1.8 or below), combined with more stack and less reach, the less the negative effects of a long wheelbase are noticed. You ride through your feet, and do not shift forward on the bike. The rear end/wheelbase feels underneath you, not behind you.

At first it does feel like the experience is dulled, but you simply go faster to get the same giggles.
I do agree though that the dread-e is likely too much for AZ riding, an e-druid is more appropriate, but still perhaps bordering on overkill.

 

[ntm95]

Other than some person saying that online, there’s very little evidence of that being likely. Even the Pinkbike review described the bike as a DH bike with a motor. I’m not even saying that’s a bad thing or a mistake. I’m just looking at the available information and thinking this bike is likely biased too much towards stability for me.

I can confirm that the e-druid feels a bunch more agile than the levo 4, I've spent a few days on both.
More cornering traction, feels lighter overall, easier to ride fast due to the more balanced f/r ratio. No downsides really.
I felt in the pinkbike e-bike shootout, they were overly kind to the levo 4, and they still put it in last place. That's about where I'd score it compared to most modern e-bikes.

Edit- I have figured out which bike you are currently on, based upon your reaction to this post

 

[Pilot_Dave]

Howdy everyone. (figured I'd throw that in there...I'm near Fort Worth, Texas).

I'm 175cm (5'9" in my hemisphere) and the S2 feels and looks and feels big when I throw a leg over, but rides like a medium bike. It's got a tall stack height...in fact, it feels almost identical in dimensions to my M size Canyon Sender DH bike.

The Nought E is my first experience with a high pivot bike, and my observation is it is extremely planted, and not as poppy and light-feeling as my Gen 2 S-Works Turbo Levo. That being said...it rolls fast!! ...again...like the DH bike.

I don't have access to a scale, but I'm going to get the front brake bled and I'll see if I can get the shop to weigh it.

I have no regrets about the purchase. It is an absolutely beautiful bike. I have a mountain bike trip scheduled May 10-14 in Bentonville, Arkansas, and that's when I'll know whether it's a good trail bike, too. I hate being under-biked, if that makes sense, and there is a good mix of terrain in the Ozarks.

 

[Pilot_Dave]

Hey Dave,
I'm wondering about S2 vs S3 Size .
Can you share your preferred Reach stats on other bikes? Also your height and inseam?

I'm 5'10" and right in between most bike M/L sizes. I prefer a reach of 458-465 which would be a S3 DreadE but with a 1298 wheel base, I'm afraid it might be unwieldy in tight tech here in North Vancouver.

Any pics with you on it for sizing..
Thanks for your help

Hey Bart,

I just posted and then saw your question.

Definitely an S2.

I'm 5'9" with a 32" inseam (giant guys, stop laughing ), and the S2 looks and feels pretty big when I sit on it...but that being said, it rides like a medium bike. I won't measure reach etc. because I'll just screw it up, but the numbers are published on the Forbidden website.

I'll try to get a few pics comparing seated height on my Dread and my Canyon Sender DH bike, which feels about the same, fit-wise.

 

[Ou812]

Hey Bart,

I just posted and then saw your question.

Definitely an S2.

I'm 5'9" with a 32" inseam (giant guys, stop laughing ), and the S2 looks and feels pretty big when I sit on it...but that being said, it rides like a medium bike. I won't measure reach etc. because I'll just screw it up, but the numbers are published on the Forbidden website.

I'll try to get a few pics comparing seated height on my Dread and my Canyon Sender DH bike, which feels about the same, fit-wise.

Well that pretty much confirms that I would want the S1 over the S2. I’ve ridden my mate’s medium sender once and it felt like I was just along for the ride and had no real control over the bike. If the S2 fits like a medium sender then it’s most likely going to be too big for me. Guess I won’t be getting a Dreadnaught as there won’t be any S1s available until the end of the year

 

[ntm95]

Well that pretty much confirms that I would want the S1 over the S2. I’ve ridden my mate’s medium sender once and it felt like I was just along for the ride and had no real control over the bike. If the S2 fits like a medium sender then it’s most likely going to be too big for me. Guess I won’t be getting a Dreadnaught as there won’t be any S1s available until the end of the year

I'd go s2 at 5'6".
My wife is 5'2" and an s1 druid e is perfect for her.

 

[Pilot_Dave]

I don’t know if this helps…here are a few views of the S2 Dread E alongside my M Sender. They’re both MX wheels, and looks like the stack height is almost identical.

 

[Pilot_Dave]

 

[Pilot_Dave]

 

[Pilot_Dave]

I’ll try to get my daughter to shoot a photo of me astride both for comparison. I’m 5’9” / 175cm, and 32” inseam (81cm).

 

[ntm95]

I’ll try to get my daughter to shoot a photo of me astride both for comparison. I’m 5’9” / 175cm.

It's a tricky one, 5'6" is kind of on the line.
I see you have good taste in bikes, and trucks .

 

[Pilot_Dave]

 

[Pilot_Dave]

 

[Pilot_Dave]

I hope that helps someone in sizing!

 

[iJak]

I hope that helps someone in sizing!

Is that intend Stiffmaster headset or stock on the dreadnought?

How's the overall stiffness on the new fox 38 compared to the fox 40?
I'm currently riding a smashpot boxxer 38 and love the direct feel / stiffness, but it's so much heavier than zeb / fox 38

 

[Powerslider]

I can confirm that the e-druid feels a bunch more agile than the levo 4, I've spent a few days on both.
More cornering traction, feels lighter overall, easier to ride fast due to the more balanced f/r ratio. No downsides really.
I felt in the pinkbike e-bike shootout, they were overly kind to the levo 4, and they still put it in last place. That's about where I'd score it compared to most modern e-bikes.

Edit- I have figured out which bike you are currently on, based upon your reaction to this post

To me it is a flawed exercise to compare a Levo 4 to a DreadE. They're really different class of bikes. However, when you look at the specs of comparable bikes (Pivot Shuttle LT, Orbea Wild, Levo 4 EVO, Crestline 181.2, Mondraker Zendit, etc.), the DreadE employs a pretty unique design.

The above statement isn't controversial, and should find broad agreement.

We start finding space between us when we discuss the result of Forbidden's unique design. Since I've never even seen a Forbidden eMTB (that I recall), I'm left to rely on conjecture. Looking at the geo compared to other bikes in its class, the data (slack head angle, crazy-long wheelbase, long rear center, high stack, etc.) suggests a bike that's biased towards stability rather than biasing the design towards agility. It can't be biased towards both. Even the idler mates up with the marketing of the bike that suggests it's akin to a DH bike with a motor.

As I've said- I'm not calling this approach a bad thing. Actually I feel it's a good thing to have some diversity of design in the marketplace. I just think this bike is best suited for places like a bike park where speeds are high; and less suited for the majority of riding i've done in the northeast and Arizona that have tighter, technical trails.

 

[Hob Nob]

So my frame arrived yesterday & I spent the evening building it up. Ended up at 22.8kg as it is. Went for a quick shakedown ride today & it was as I remembered the blacked out proto - essentially a Druid Core on all of the steroids.

I’m a fan of how Fobiddens ride, so it all came fairly naturally to me, as we have a Druid Core already, it just wanted to faster & pull for some diabolical gaps, which wasn’t my plan for the first ride, but it just encouraged me to.

Rough spec is:
S3 frame 800 battery
RS Zeb 3.1 with WPS custom cartridge
Vivid Ultimate also with custom WPS bits
Chris Kings on Reserves
Schwalbe Gravity radials
X0 T-Type
Oneup 210 dropper / Spec Mimic Power saddle
OneUp 50mm stem & 35mm rise carbon bar
Intend Trinity V2 brakes

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

So my frame arrived yesterday & I spent the evening building it up. Ended up at 22.8kg as it is. Went for a quick shakedown ride today & it was as I remembered the blacked out proto - essentially a Druid Core on all of the steroids.

I’m a fan of how Fobiddens ride, so it all came fairly naturally to me, as we have a Druid Core already, it just wanted to faster & pull for some diabolical gaps, which wasn’t my plan for the first ride, but it just encouraged me to.

Rough spec is:
S3 frame 800 battery
RS Zeb 3.1 with WPS custom cartridge
Vivid Ultimate also with custom WPS bits
Chris Kings on Reserves
Schwalbe Gravity radials
X0 T-Type
Oneup 210 dropper / Spec Mimic Power saddle
OneUp 50mm stem & 35mm rise carbon bar
Intend Trinity V2 brakes

View attachment 183485

View attachment 183486

Lovely.

Saw one at Ridewrap UK today. Frame shape is great looking, excellent surface work on the carbon.

 

[Adyzakydany]

serious question, how are the eebs version of forbidden bikes? their non eebs are so prone to cracking.

 

[ntm95]

serious question, how are the eebs version of forbidden bikes? their non eebs are so prone to cracking.

As a semi professional caser/flat landing muppet, I can say that I've never had an issue with the v2 acoustic bikes in the BC bike parks. And will let you know on the e-dread.

 

[Highland Wheels]

Lovely.

Saw one at Ridewrap UK today. Frame shape is great looking, excellent surface work on the carbon.

You managing to get a ride on one? Surpised you havnt even managed to get on a Druid yet

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

You managing to get a ride on one? Surpised you havnt even managed to get on a Druid yet

No. Not managed to get one yet.

 

[Ribinrobin]

Other than some person saying that online, there’s very little evidence of that being likely. Even the Pinkbike review described the bike as a DH bike with a motor.

Isnt the pinkbike review just some person saying that online also?


its just my opinion of the druide not dreadnaughte, i didnt say it was gospel.

 

[Ribinrobin]

serious question, how are the eebs version of forbidden bikes? their non eebs are so prone to cracking.

I got a V2 and its been through some battering and all good. My Druid CorE has damaged to the seat stay, got a new one ready to fit. T type took a stick into it and rather than break off it spun round and forced the mech into the seat stay creating a compression.

 

[dadeadduck]

Are frames available in the UK?

 

[Selfevident]

“So my frame arrived yesterday & I spent the evening building it up. Ended up at 22.8kg as it is. “

Nice build, is that 22.8kg with pedals? Decent weight and comfortably under some of Forbiddens quoted 600wh build options. Tempting me away from going with a Velduro rig.

 

[Suns_PSD]

Nice build, is that 22.8kg with pedals? Decent weight and comfortably under some of Forbiddens quoted 600wh build options. Tempting me away from going with a Velduro rig.

Yah, that seems light. Scales are pretty accurate these days, even cheap ones, but I always wonder about the accuracy of the scales that we all use that we just assume are all reading correctly.

 

[Hob Nob]

It’s almost a like for like build against the Mith I had & it’s heavier than that (giving some away on the motor & clearly the frame is more overbuilt).

Second ride today cut short, as sadly they pinched the hardwire cable to the rear mech so I ended up having to single speed my way round. Even with that, it is a frighteningly quick bike. It corners like something else.

 

[Yotaismygame]

Yah, that seems light. Scales are pretty accurate these days, even cheap ones, but I always wonder about the accuracy of the scales that we all use that we just assume are all reading correctly.

That's nothing out of the norm. Any carbon full power enduro ebike weighs right around there. Add 3-4lbs if aluminum.

 

[jbrown15]

Just got word that my tier 2 bike shipped yesterday along with a tier 1 that I sold to a customer.
I ordered a Ride Wrap for the frame and fork and just need to swap out the dropper post for my Fox neo post, put my Trickstuff Maxima's on and swap out the wheels for my WeAreOne's.

Pretty sure I'm going to order a DHX2 for it too. Went for a rip on my DruidE last night and only got me more pumped to get the DreadnoughE.