Ebike advice for the larger gentleman

Go full fat power

I get 30 miles easy out of my Orbea rise eeb lite

I'd say 40 would be about max with decent bit of climbing

I guess it depends how far you wanna go

I live near the top of a big hill and everywhere I can ride involves up and down with hardly any flat. My Shimano ebike will barely do 30 miles on a charge and I normally assume 25 to avoid the chance of pedalling a 26kg bike uphill to get home.

I'd go full fat and get an alloy eeb. A nice bosch motored one will do 🙂

While you can't do anything about aging, you can certainly work on fitness and weight. Why not try that before ending up down an unhappy cul-de-sac? Compromising my ride plans due to range anxiety is something I'll be avoiding for as long as possible. In fact, I'm hoping that the battery and engine technology advance enough so that it might become a non-problem.

Really depends if you’re going to ride it flat out in “Turbo” or not. I had a big HT with a Bosch motor and 625Wh battery and in eco mode I would get about 1 mile per % battery out of it on the road so 100 mile range. Range in Turbo was about 30 miles. I now have a lighter carbon frame e road bike with a less powerful motor/battery and the range is the same. Difference is I regularly ride it with the motor off completely so the effective range is much higher. Motor off cycling was nigh on impossible on the 24kg HT and it was very difficult to keep it above the cut off for any length of time. So it really does depend on what type of riding you are planning on rather than how fit you are currently. Either option will get you fitter than you are now.

Ebikes are heavy, but thats pretty much negated by the fact it has a motor, so forget anything anyone says about weight, it just isnt in the equation.

750wh is the current large battery, and bosch is probably the industry leader so base it on those two factors at least.

.

If you have a bikes worth of decent components, look to get the basic model as more often that not, unless its a high end model, its poverty spec, so maybe try and work with that and look to swop stuff over with what you have

I love the weight/stability an eeb when descending.

Ebikes are heavy, but thats pretty much negated by the fact it has a motor, so forget anything anyone says about weight, it just isnt in the equation.

The weight is fine when you are riding; it's a total pain the rest of the time. Gates, stiles, workstands, etc. I'm going as light as possible next time.

Edit... Agree with Jedi, they descend brilliantly. Apart from when it's not very steep and you're hampered by the lack of assistance. They then become hardwork to go downhill fast on!

“Apart from when it’s not very steep and you’re hampered by the lack of assistance. They then become hardwork to go downhill fast on!”

I don’t think that’s true at all. However a lot of people fit very slow (heavy casing, soft compound, super knobbly) tyres to ebikes which slow them down on less steep downhills. If you ride an ebike with the same tyres as a normal MTB it’ll be just as quick downhill, even when it’s pretty flat.

Sorry to hijack the thread....Oceanskipper, which road e-bike did you buy ? (It sounds perfect for me....price dependent)

I will be keeping my normal (very good) bike for shorter days, but big days are getting really sore nowadays. Hence the idea of an ebike.

The basic question is ... are light ebikes ok for heavy folks? I've only ever ridden an inner city ebike, so have no idea about how they practically perform.

I somehow have the impression that like ebikes are only suitable for featherweight folks.

I don’t have any advice on light vs heavy e-bikes but the range in hilly terrain you’ll get from any bike, for a given percentage assistance, is inversely proportional to the weight of the rider. If you’re twice the weight you’ll only go half as far or you’ll need to halve the assistance to get the same range. It’s just the inevitable physics of it.

Just to give you an idea an orbea rise has a max all up rider weight of 130kg

Get a full fat bike. They’re great. Depending on where you live and what the terrain is like will dwtermine how heavy the tyres have to be. Where I live you can easily get away with EXO tyres (which most websites and magazines would have you believe puncture at the first thought of going off road). Apart from the Shimano motor I like the idea of the Cannondale Moterra SL.

Personally I see little point in the half fat ebikes.  I have a cube with a 750w battery.  Its got a margin for range but not a huge amount.  70ish flatish miles .  40 ish with hills. Thats mainly using emtb setting which is 3 of 4.  Using lower settings you might as well take a non ebike and just go a bit slower

I see zero point in using eco.  Just use a non e bike.

Pushing the bike its walk mode makes it easy.   I can get it to drive itself up my stairs.  Carrying an ebike is horrid.

Personally I see little point in the half fat ebikes. I have a cube with a 750w battery. Its got a margin for range but not a huge amount. 70ish flatish miles . 40 ish with hills. Thats mainly using emtb setting which is 3 of 4. Using lower settings you might as well take a non ebike and just go a bit slower

I see zero point in using eco. Just use a non e bike.

Pushing the bike its walk mode makes it easy. I can get it to drive itself up my stairs. Carrying an ebike is horrid.

The way YOU personally use your ebike isn't wrong, but to give a different slant

I have a FF and use Eco 90% of the time. When I first got it, I had Eco set to 25% assist. I now have it at 18% - there's still a big difference between riding at 18% assist (with 50% peak power) than pedalling a normal bike.

Trail gets used when things get moderately steep and Turbo when tackling really steep or technical stuff. Or when I want to bash out the miles getting home.

I do quite a few rides with people on normal bikes too. For these rides a half fat would be ideal, as the pace is slower and there tends to be more gate/stile lifting involved

@dave661350 Specialized Turbo Creo Expert (carbon frame). 2022/3  model.

As someone who's larger than the average bear I'd say go full fat or don't bother.

I couldn't afford a eMTB so electrified my steel hard tail with a tongsheng kit and 48v, 20amp battery, so I think 960wh.

It has great range especially on road/rail track stuff, and I've used it plenty on rough and steep Scottish estate tracks and trails.

I wouldn't like to have to carry/lift it though, it's all up riding weight (I have a pannier rack on with a rack bag for stuff) is around 25kg.  I'm pretty strong upper body wise, but lifting it over a gate/stile wouldn't be fun. Pushing on unrideable (for me) ground it does have a walk mode if you needed it.

I'd like a full fat made for purpose ebike, but £££ and I doubt the range would be as good due to smaller battery size.

For two identical bikes, say , Turbo Levo with the same motor.
500w battery 3.1kg
700w battery 3.8kg

The size of the battery is identical, the cells are different inside, not just the number of cells.

I'm not sure that mid / top level components will save much weight here without losing durability on an e-bike. Relatively basic and durable is the way to go. Trailwatts do an extender for the Levo taking it close to 1000w for alpine days. A levo spare battery is almost impossible to carry as its very long.

A 700w on my Levo if I manage the power through the ride its 80k and 1300 hm with a little left. Obviously, less climbing = greater range and vice versa. Using the Spesh app carefully can help here conserving power for the settings. I'm 70% eco, 20% in mid power and very rarely in Turbo and in the app I dialled that down from full.

A Levo SL as a lighter bike has reduced power motor, so great if you are OK with doing the work, but it has a 500w battery. Add an extender to boost range and obviously you add weight too. IMHO a full fat bike, bigger battery creates more opportunity. Even if its run mostly in eco.... and yes, it is possible to hike a bike it with a Hookabike and a backpack.
Turbo on the flat?..well they are all capped at 25kmh and it's easy to ride off the top of that in eco....

Hi OP, I am a big fella (115kgs), and got a Full Fat e-bike about 1.5yrs ago (thank you exercise induced AF) and now 4500km in. As you know Range is a factor of level of support, your pedaling style, hilliness of terrain, efficiency of motor and size of battery. For ref, my bike has a Yamaha motor (middling efficiency), and I have both a 625 and an 800wh battery.

I can do long rides, e.g. 1600m+ climbing, 45-60miles with 1 or 2 levels of support and still have 15-20% battery left on the 800 battery. At that support your are still loads faster than normal folks on normal bikes. On the 625 in trail mode (which is honestly where I spend most of my time if riding on my own or with other eebs), I can drain it in 800m climbing and 15 miles or less.

Proper hike a bike, like when it should really be on your shoulders, is horrific. Top of the Torridon lollipop was a dark moment of the soul for me and 2 others with eels I was with. If the bike will roll, then walk mode is really good. Gates higher than chest height are problematic. Even chest height is a clean and jerk.

As with other comments, descending is a blur of joy, esp with short cranks and a lower bb than my normal bikes.

Hope that helps. Riding a normal bike is still great, and I do this too, mostly to make days out on the eeb even more fun 🙂

Few other thoughts for big fellas -

1) it’s all about torque, the watts output is pretty irrelevant beyond a certain point. Top 2 levels of power offer no more support for me on steep climbs as torque is the same but only power is increased. it does help accelerate faster on milder terrain I will grant. A ‘light’ e-bike with 50nm would, for me, be ‘not good’

2) total weight limit of bike does restrict options - Trek Rail for example, although full fat, has max 125kgs inc. bike I think, as does Scott, aforementioned Orbea, and others. Mine is 150kgs of which there are plenty options too.

3) I tear through consumables at a terrifying rate. Chains, cassettes, chainrings, discs, pads, rear tires. Even whole rear wheels (spokes, hubs, rims). Inserts are a godsend and curse in equal measures.

4) if you are tall (i am 195cm) find the bike with the steepest actual and effective seat angle possible, and a seat tube that points straight at the BB. any stupid mid-seat tube kinks will put the saddle too far back and with all that power on steep climbs you do NOT want your arse perched that far back.

5) Get the bike from a good local dealer. most are really still beta versions and I think it’s safe to say that the majority will have issues with electrics. I’ve a Giant Reign E+, bought for aforementioned proper seat tube, good motor and local dealer. Contrary to reports on here my Giant LBS, and Giant, (big shout out to Velocity 44 in Stirling) have been superb with warranty issues (of which there have been 3: rear hub disintegration, Fox Float X shitting itself, motor replacement at 3000kms which was more precautionary than really neeeded, but great service on all.  )

useful?

Fat knacker here with a Trek Rail and a Kenevo SL. The KSL is so much nicer to descend on I'm prepared to forgive the horror show that is climbing (in comparison to the Rail).

jedi Full Member
I love the weight/stability an eeb when descending.

Anyone else see the irony in a coach recommending a skill compensator? 🤣

Everyone different but mountain is the key word in MTB for me. So talk of 45 plus mile rides doesn’t reflect my type of riding. That’s surely predominantly flat in relative terms. I’ve always measured range of my emtb in ascent as that seems more reflective of my riding and more of the limiting factor.

I’m no lightweight but 360wh Orbea rise and I’ll get 4500-5000 feet of ascent riding mainly in eco. Depending on terrain that might be over 20-25 miles at very most. Very rarely would I ever want or need more.  Rare occasions the distance is greater likely it will not involve as much ascent so balances out.

that’s mainly in eco as I find it more than enough and still fees like I’m putting effort in and more like real cycling. Turbo always feels like a fake experience and only really used if I’m shuttling and really pressed for time.

everyone different. Really depends what type of riding you do and want from a bike.

I find a 40lb emtb so much nicer to be on and use than a 50lb plus bike. Feel quite different. wouldn’t go back.

Best is go somewhere for a full day and hire one in the morning and another in the afternoon.... then make a call based on that.

@doomanic

So full fat bikes are simultaneously harder to descend on and skill compensators.
How's that work then?

As above try both see what you like.

“I tear through consumables at a terrifying rate. Chains, cassettes, chainrings, discs, pads, rear tires.”

I can’t help with some of that but I’ve been impressed with how much more durable LinkGlide is on my ebike. I also run thicker discs so there’s more room for wear before they’re dead.

If you are keeping a regular bike that can do the lighter stuff... just go full fat.. it'll be cheaper, bigger battery, more support...

If its a one bike for all, then id say lightweight

The weight is fine when you are riding; it’s a total pain the rest of the time. Gates, stiles, workstands, etc. I’m going as light as possible next time.

I'm with you on that, though I suspect that a larger rider may cope better with man/person-handling a heavy bike if their strength is in proportion to size/weight. Ditto with dealing with extra weight on nadgery, technical stuff, which is where I find the additional weight of a full e-mtb noticeable rather than on faster descents.

@singlespeedstu I said nicer, not easier. The Rail is definitely more stable and less likely to be knocked off line than the KSL but feels "dead" in comparison.

I wasn't actually looking for an explanation .
Just a little light hearted ribbing you daft bastard.😛

I wasn't actually looking for an explanation .
Just a little light hearted ribbing you daft bastard.😛

Hello mate,
I'm huge and now ( unfortunately ) old ( 58 ). You haven't mentioned if you've a bike already which is my first piece of advice...get any old non-e bike first. Ride it until you know your limitations and then, after about 6-12 months plan a purchase of an E Bike...IF YOU STILL FEEL YOU NEED ONE. Second piece of advice is learn the new language of e bikes and, more specifically, get an " E Assist " bike. avoid chinese bikes and batteries; Google ( in the proper news and not the social media horsesh1t ) all the horror stories of pish-poor builds or torrential fires caused when recharging. If you go straight to full-fat total power e bikes your fat arse is never getting back on a normal one and your fitness will be eaten away in the process; slowly and irrevocably. Lastly find an e bike specialist MECHANIC ( not just a sales room that sells lots of e bikes ) and stick with them and pay the money they ask. They are very worth it. My local e bike and regular bike specialist is Holyspokes in Bristol; a top notch outfit with fair prices.
Good luck mate

Mark

I wasn’t actually looking for an explanation .
Just a little light hearted ribbing you daft bastard.😛

😂 Thwaite.*

*The h, i and e are silent…

When I first got it, I had Eco set to 25% assist. I now have it at 18% – there’s still a big difference between riding at 18% assist (with 50% peak power) than pedaling a normal bike.

But given the ebike is probably twice the weight of a regular bike, maybe the 18% is just negating that extra weight.

Sounds like full fat is the option if I do decide to go. My ideal would be to get a frame and build from there (how I've put together bikes for the last 25 years). May treat myself to a cycle to work purchase later in the year. Thanks for the advice.

I can get 5000ft climbing out of an EP801 and a 630w battery, plenty for a big day out. It is bloody heavey to throw over gates so I tend to find alternative ways around where possible.

Oh the joys of just having the option of getting an ebike frame by itself.

.

But unfortunate that isnt going to happen. Seems manufacturers currently arent into selling just a frame for a reasonable price and prefer to flog you the entire bike.

You can get a Trek powerfly ebike frame, but its going to cost you £2100, and thats without the motor or battery, and add that in and its another 1700. Then of course its the rest of the bike, wheels,drivetrain etc etc.

You can get some Chinese carbon import ebike, again without battery.motor.electrical components, but its unlikely its going to be guaranteed, at least not to the standards of one of the bike companies.

Other option is a diy add on. You can get bolt on mid drive motors, batteries etc, but that might also prove expensive in the long run, and of course you need to build it all yourself and hope nowt goes amiss.

The best option imho is to look to somewhere like Pauls cycles and try to get something thats been reduced.

.

You are about to embark on a long and winding road fraught with headaches. I wish you luck.

😆  😆

I wanted just a frame to build mine up, but unfortunately it wasn't available, I ended up buying a low spec model and selling the build kit and bought the parts I wanted. Even had the bike sent to me unbuilt so was daft I couldn't buy a frame only.

Just to be contrary to the 'full fat' advice, i'd go for a lighter ebike and consider a range extender.

I get the full fat for the winch and plummet brigade, but unless you ride everywhere with your hair on fire in boost mode, or are a DH monster with your own personal uplift, a lighter bike makes more sense as a trail bike IMO.

you wont be restricted on where you can go on the lighter bike, but you'll be grateful when you have to hoik it over a gate or carry it across something.

What 'normal' bike do you ride?

big battery, alloy frame, coil shock, good brakes. 10speed drivetrain. tough casing rear tyre.

carrying it will be horrendous but, as its an eeb, the detour (which you wouldnt do an a normal bike) may actually be more fun.

as stated previously, range will totally depend on how much you use the higher assistance.

When I first got it, I had Eco set to 25% assist. I now have it at 18% – there’s still a big difference between riding at 18% assist (with 50% peak power) than pedaling a normal bike.

But given the ebike is probably twice the weight of a regular bike, maybe the 18% is just negating that extra weight

I'd definitely say that eco mode in my HT with added tongsheng essentially makes up for the weight of the motor/big battery, possibly a touch more help.

I tend to use 'tourer' mode most of the time and only 'speed' if it's steep, tough headwind, or I'm struggling, very rarely turbo.  My use is due to keeping HR/fatigue down and pressure off arthritic knees for bimbling and xc style riding, not for winch and plummet.

I rude a SC Hightower. Longest travel bike I've ever owned. I'm far more a trail bimbler than FH winch and plummet.

Say 2 Specialized bikes. Turbo Levo and Levo SL
Set each to trail with default settings. I’d expect similar range. With whatever weight rider. A low power ebike feels like a bike. Depends what you want.
You’re managing ok on a non e-bike.
Say a KSL (I like those) would double rider power if you turn it up. Surely that’s enough?

They do a frame only option too!

How large is large, I am 116kgs and not massively fit. I ride a Levo SL mainly for the reason a lot of routes around here involve locked gates and I can lift it one handed over them without much effort.

I have the range extender for longer rides. I would estimate at my weight spending most of the ride in the lowest 2 levels of assistance that it will easilly do 80kms on a single charge!

But given the ebike is probably twice the weight of a regular bike, maybe the 18% is just negating that extra weight

Pedalling the 50lb+ 180mm tank with 2.8 beefy tyres @ 18% = easier than 32lb 150mm HT on fast 2.4 tyres

15% on the ebike and your legs are starting to work more - I'd say down to 10% and you are probably making it feel like a normal big bike

I’d say down to 10% and you are probably making it feel like a normal big bike

Even with the assistance set at whatever theoretically will give you the same workout as a manual bike it still doesn't feel like a manual bike.

If you're turning the power down that much it's more fun on a manual.

Just take it for what it is.
It's not meant to feel the same.
That's just pointless.

Even with the assistance set at whatever theoretically will give you the same workout as a manual bike it still doesn’t feel like a manual bike.

If you’re turning the power down that much it’s more fun on a manual.

Just take it for what it is.
It’s not meant to feel the same.
That’s just pointless.

I've been riding an ebike for almost 6 years, MTB's for over 30 years and bikes in general for well over 40 years. I know what feels like what and what's fun 😉

But - yes, you're right, it never feels exactly like a normal bike

I've used it once properly turned down (can't remember exactly what level of assist) to do a 46 mile / 5000ft ride - 504Wh battery on old tech - managed to get 29 miles out of the first battery. Was less frugal with the second battery and used a good chunk of it on the remaining 17 miles.

The thing with ebikes though is that whatever assist level you choose, you aren't stuck with it - so even on a low eco setting, there were times when it got stuck in trail and turbo, depending on the terrain.

Nothing is pointless if you're doing it for a reason. Everyone has different requirements at different times - what's good for you might not be good for someone else. Buying an ebike and constantly having it turned down to a barely noticable level would be a bit daft though

Only 6 ,30 and 40.🤣
I can beat you on all of them if you want a dick swinging contest.☹️
Still doesn't change the fact a turned down eeb doesn't "feels" the same as a big bike.
It feels totally different.
Both bike are much better riding them how they were intended.
They're both great fun and a great tool but a turned down eeb is ultimate defeating the point of what it's for.
I almost got put off eebs by the dismal performance of my mk 1 Kenevo.
As for carrying an extra Kenevo MK1 battery that has to be the ultimate way to kill the fun of a ride and two batteries to do just over 1500 meters is a joke.

Each to the own though.
Back to my original advice to the OP
Test both.
It's a lot of money to spunk on what folks you don't know say on a forum...

Sam's bikes is a reasonably objective place to start

Or robs Rides. More the UK orientated rider.

https://www.youtube.com/@RobRidesEMTB/videos

And an interesting vid on lightweights.

But I think it should be noted, especially where range comes into it, that you are going to get more miles on a lightweight, if you yourself are lightweight, rather than someone thats maybe riding the same lightweight bike but weighs 14 stone.

That said, I think if you are a skilled experienced rider, the lightweight is going to suit better, and with a range extender the total available range is going to make up for the lack of full fatness.

Probably a case of the best of both worlds, but only if you are the type of rider who is up to it.

Us old fatties need not apply 😆