[francois]

daaaaamn, how's the overall feel and handling on a ride like that compared to a lighter E?

I'll experiment more but it's about the same as my Kenevo SL S-works.

 

[Tama John]

Hey Francis, did they manage to keep the magic of the weight disappearing once you start riding the bike (like the Gen 3)?

I get that now we're in a motor/power arms race now because of DJI, and the new Levo has some cool features, but I think that my current 565 watts of peak power is more than enough.

Now FF emtb's are going to need monster batteries to keep up with motor power. That downtube is more off-putting than the Gen 3 bulging motor, but that's just me.

Curious to see if they sell considering the global economy being cratered (and the crazy pricing).
Glad that I jumped on the Gen 3 when it was $3000+ discounted.

 

[francois]

Some of us like having a bigger battery and keeping the charge between 25% and 75% so it lasts longer (up to 4x as long), but also having the option of doing a 5 hour ride occasionally. Going 100% down to 0% every ride is hard on it and will kill a battery pretty fast.

.

Absolutely. That's a big advantage of high capacity battery. Keep it in the sweet spot of 10-80% where it's very happy and it charges very fast.

Also, you get a lot more for your money because batteries are rated in full 'charge cycles'. So 700 charge cycles for an 840wh battery (where most lithium batteries are rated for longevity) is a lot more wh than 700 charge cycles for a 600wh.

 

[francois]

ey manage to keep the magic of the weight disappearing once you start riding the bike (like the Gen 3)?

I get that now we're in a motor/power arms race now because of DJI, and the new Levo has some cool features, but I think that my current 565 watts of peak power is more than enough.

Now FF emtb's are going to need monster batteries to keep up with motor power. That downtube is more off-putting than the Gen 3 bulging motor, but that's just me.

Curious to see if they sell considering the global economy being cratered (and the crazy pricing).
Glad that I jumped on the Gen 3 when it was $3000+ discounted.

So far, I don't really feel the weight. On climbing, this feels lighter and more agile than my Kenevo or Levo SL because this motor is so quick and intuitive. Stopping, these Maven brakes with 220 rotor will stop a train. Cornering is very good as I put a radial Schwalbe Shredda up front. Jumping, maybe I feel it a little bit. The suspension I'm riding is set up very supple at the moment. Will play with that with more compression damping.

Definitely feels lighter than a Gen3, at speed.

 

[chadbrochills]

Not a fan of the Class 3 option. Already have a ton of ebikers around here who've modded them to go over the C1 speed limit, myself not included. This is highly irresponsible of Specialized IMHO.

 

[_CJ]

Went for a ride on my ebike today. Encountered a group of 20 or so teens on SurRons, motorcycle tracks on MTB trails, un-plated dirt bikes ripping dirt roads at high speeds, Jeep tour drivers being dicks. Our little 1hp bikes are the least of anyone's worries.


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[Ralph O]

I had understood that the Class 3 setting also cut assistance. Did I misunderstand? If it does cut power while allowing speed, riders flying up the mountain might be less of a concern.

 

[mfa81]

I had understood that the Class 3 setting also cut assistance. Did I misunderstand? If it does cut power while allowing speed, riders flying up the mountain might be less of a concern.

they said same power / higher speed. So while it's now a class 3 you don't get any more power just the same assist up to 28mph,

 

[sa12]

I had understood that the Class 3 setting also cut assistance. Did I misunderstand? If it does cut power while allowing speed, riders flying up the mountain might be less of a concern.

I also remember hearing/reading someone mention that torque is limited in Class 3 mode. I can't remember who mentioned it, or what the limit is, but ultimately it doesn't matter much. The headline is the headline. First time there's an accident you know someone is going to be like "oh but these bikes can do 28mph now" and people will freak out.

 

[_CJ]

Here I rode it with the lighter configuration with 280wh only. The power is cut in half from 720 watts to 360. Weight is about 45.5 lbs with DH tires and 220 rotors

Watched this morning. Excellent angle I hadn't considered. This bike is 3 bikes in one. Totally comparable to an SL while using the water bottle battery alone.


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[tom tom]

Not a fan of the Class 3 option. Already have a ton of ebikers around here who've modded them to go over the C1 speed limit, myself not included. This is highly irresponsible of Specialized IMHO.

You forgot to say, how irresponsible of Shimano for releasing their class 3 motor over a year ago in the USA.....If you don't like the Class 3 option don't buy one!!

 

[chadbrochills]

You forgot to say, how irresponsible of Shimano for releasing their class 3 motor over a year ago in the USA.....If you don't like the Class 3 option don't buy one!!

Cool story, bro. You'd have a valid point, IF there were other C1 ebikes on the market that, with the click of a button, become C3 ebikes. But there isn't any, so your point is moot.

 

[tom tom]

You forgot to say, how irresponsible of Shimano for releasing their class 3 motor over a year ago in the USA.....If you don't like the Class 3 option don't but one!!

Cool story, bro. You'd have a valid point, IF there were other C1 ebikes on the market that, with the click of a button, become C3 ebikes. But there isn't any, so your point is moot.

I was thinking, any bike that could go 28 that wasn't hacked by the owner, and didn't have a selector switch was the problem......So its only Specialized that's causing the class 3 problems?

 

[AEyogi]

Have any of you had your class 1 cut out while climbing? I have never gotten to 20 mph on a stiff climb, just on flat roads. That being said, the trails nearby are all steep, so no rolling terrain. I don't see the class 3 option being of any real significance in my area considering the terrain.

 

[Varaxis]

Absolutely. That's a big advantage of high capacity battery. Keep it in the sweet spot of 10-80% where it's very happy and it charges very fast.

Also, you get a lot more for your money because batteries are rated in full 'charge cycles'. So 700 charge cycles for an 840wh battery (where most lithium batteries are rated for longevity) is a lot more wh than 700 charge cycles for a 600wh.

Wait, you guys have chargers that allow charging to stop before 100%?

28mph with a 32x14 gear and 29x2.3 tires is approximately a 140 RPM pedaling cadence, so I sincerely doubt it 🙄

I guess this tells us more that you guys haven't hit these numbers more than anything else. 160 RPM is a doable sprinting cadence for me (I did manage to get 32 mph max on that singlespeed), but any more and things get a bit shaky. My sprints aren't very short either--I might only accelerate for a short burst, but I can retain the speed for about 3 intersections, at least with slick tires.

These mid-drive ebikes are still limited by the gearing, with the motor basically giving a recreational-level cyclist the effective wattage of a pro. Gonna need a bigger chainring or something for someone to cruise at a low rpm at 28 mph.

Still, I'm curious about the 28 mph limit. I rarely ever hit the 20 mph cutoff on a trail, but I definitely feel it on pavement. Eco is a pretty big boost on a climb, but considering all the crap I'm carrying on my emtb, I'm probably averaging maybe 7 mph on a climb without assist, and the eco assist bumps that up to 9 or 10. Trail and boost would pump that up to about 13, which is "uphill flow" territory. On the flatter sections, traction and control are my speed governors. That and I'm not going to go 20 mph on a short, straight section if I know I'm going to need to clamp down on the brakes before anything technical comes up.

 

[sa12]

Wait, you guys have chargers that allow charging to stop before 100%?

The Specialized app allows you to charge to only 80%. I'd guess that other brands have this capability, too.

 

[TJONE12345]

Thanks for a great review. The big question what to do and not.

I hade the previous Gen 3 that was great but engine had some issues.
I have the Levo SL 2 and riding mostly technical XCO trail. I also have the Wild 2023 as my Enduro All Mountain. Resale value is less than 50%. Selling both may be enough to pay for an Expert.

I have always bought newest tech but I am thinking that my SL 2 will be alright 1-2 years and my Wild be OK as long as CX4 will "hold".

I will wait at least till end of summer to test ride Gen 4...I know that I will probably be addicted

Any one knows if there will be a new range extender for SL 2?

 

[_CJ]

Wait, you guys have chargers that allow charging to stop before 100%?

I use a timer on the outlet and set it for however much time I need to get the charge where I want it. The charge rate is about 20% per hour, so it's an easy enough calculation. I also never charge when I'm not at home. Leaving a charger unattended is how housefires start, especially leaving the battery on the charger after it hits 100%.


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[Tama John]

Wait, you guys have chargers that allow charging to stop before 100%?

Yeah, There's an option in the Spez app to limit charging to 80%

 

[kevjob]

Wait, you guys have chargers that allow charging to stop before 100%?



I guess this tells us more that you guys haven't hit these numbers more than anything else. 160 RPM is a doable sprinting cadence for me (I did manage to get 32 mph max on that singlespeed), but any more and things get a bit shaky. My sprints aren't very short either--I might only accelerate for a short burst, but I can retain the speed for about 3 intersections, at least with slick tires.

These mid-drive ebikes are still limited by the gearing, with the motor basically giving a recreational-level cyclist the effective wattage of a pro. Gonna need a bigger chainring or something for someone to cruise at a low rpm at 28 mph.

Still, I'm curious about the 28 mph limit. I rarely ever hit the 20 mph cutoff on a trail, but I definitely feel it on pavement. Eco is a pretty big boost on a climb, but considering all the crap I'm carrying on my emtb, I'm probably averaging maybe 7 mph on a climb without assist, and the eco assist bumps that up to 9 or 10. Trail and boost would pump that up to about 13, which is "uphill flow" territory. On the flatter sections, traction and control are my speed governors. That and I'm not going to go 20 mph on a short, straight section if I know I'm going to need to clamp down on the brakes before anything technical comes up.

my Giant reign E+ has a button for 60% charge