Great review!!! Does riding this bike have you missing the suspension of an enduro? If you had to pick a trial versus Enduro as a “keeper” what would you choose?
It’s all about compromise I’d say. Enduro geo / travel (usually) means less playful and lively. For my trails (Surrey Hills) I like the Jam2 style. But more DH and Enduro style trails something longer, slacker and more travel is often more suitable!
@@RobRidesEMTB I have to say about the "rattle" that neither myself or the guys with Bosch motors in our club have ever heard this rattle. I don't doubt you're hearing it but you've said that you hear it on every bike with a Bosch motor, but is it not possible that the noise is coming from somewhere else? I'm sure others will say they're hearing it too ... but I'm just not hearing it at all. Keen to hear more about what the noise is in case it does develop. Great review! Cheers
Said it before and I'll say it again " by far the best MTB review channel in the world" Without running the risk of sounding like I'm marking your homework I want to add : Filming / editing: Wonderfull blend of POV & 3rd party filming integrated with seamless voiceovers and live commentary , subtle contemporary backing track all contribute to keeping the viewer engaged from start to finish. Content: Just loving the honest, well articulated unbiased reviews , manufacturers have to sit up and listen to you Rob regarding issues such as rattles on motors and numpty displays. It's got to contribute toward driving technology and the sport onwards such is the influence your channel now carries. Personal : Along with Specialized Ebikes we also own a Focus Sam e2 , fantastic bike and extremely reliable. If I had a personal top three Ebike brands they would be Specialized, Mondraker & Focus and in that order too. 10 out of 10 lol
Woah, thanks a lot Chris! This means a LOT. We put in so much effort into these videos to make them as enjoyable as possible. To be honest it would be so much easier to make a 15 minute advertorial / infomercial BUT thats not what I like to watch, so try to give a balanced perspective thats true and honest :-) Thanks for being part of the channel 👍🏻👍🏻
Totally agree with the above comments. The video and content you have put together you certainly come along way from the earlier day's it's very engaging and got to admit your riding skills have gone up a notch which adds to the dynamics of the video. Keep the... as mentioned the honesty of the review a lot of test you see from other channels just don't tell it like it is . Manufactures should be able to take this criticism as these ebikes are in the bracket of serious investment for the average everyday consumers. Like myself who made a purchase on one of your reviews Rob. Keep the content flowing and don't forget your podcast content either 😉 And just a final thumbs up to Bike Pilot as again with his skill it set the whole video up well done 👍.
@Tasunke What wasn't highlighted dude..? If it was paid shill advert, no mention of anything negative would have been mentioned. The positives faaar outweigh the negatives here. There's no such thing as a perfect eBike, or product buddy. Product shills only ever talk about positives. Here the minor negatives are highlighted, even though the motor/display is *nothing* to do with FOCUS...The rear suspension was covered at length.. A review should not be totally critical as you say. It's an opinion of the reviewer. Pluses and minuses. If you trust the reviewer then you trust the review, If a product has more minuses than positives then fine. Not on this bike *at all.* We rode it for 4 days. This is a totally fair and honest review of the bike. It's awesome. Rob will say if something isn't right, watch other videos on the channel, the main core value of his channel is honesty. The paid promotion tag just means he was able to hire me for 4 days and invest 3 days of his own time editing. Not that he's now going to say dog is a whippet.
@Tasunke Man, if I paid someone to ride my product and they said it was too heavy, too noisy, crappy display, blew through mid stroke, and tires wore out after a couple of days, I’d feel kind of bamboozled. Did we watch the same video?
Bought the 2020 version of this bike. As Rob says - great on the trails. Have riden near 1.000 km this year. Not had the 85 n.m upgrade as yet. Great integration of the wheel speed magnet was also a plus for me. Would recommend this e-mtb to anyone.
I really like your reviews since I feel you are honestly critical to the bikes. And not like some other reviewers that just put pseudo criticisms against saddles, tyres and other parts that you can easily change to be easy on the manufacturers.
Great content, you've just sold the bike to me, I was torn between the Spectral:ON & the Focus, but your passion for the componentry makes me want this bike!!
Once again Rob you give a great review of the Eeb. I finally got out in the Surrey Hills yesterday on my 2020 Kenevo and it was insane fun. Keep up the good work and hopefully may see you out there one day 🤘
Nice looking bike couldn’t get what I wanted this year so I have been waiting for the 21 bikes to start coming through. It’s going on the list for sure.
Rob Rides EMTB i like the upgrades of the 625 and the gen 4, I’m an average rider ability and plus 14 stone at 6foot tall. Is the XL a big XL if you know what I mean? I found the 2019 large jam I rode with the 375 battery just too small, I was on top of it rather than in it.
Great review as always, been looking forward to this one. Very good looking bike and seems very capable. I'm looking forward to you getting your hands on the Whyte e160 and e180 v2.
Hey Rob Rides Emtb! That is a well equipped bike! It's hard to find a place where they slid a cheaper component in! They even have the finned pads on the XT brakes and the XT ice tec rotors! I've seen bike manufacturers put the Deore pads and rotors on an XT brake! Thanks for all the hours editing these informative and entertaining vids and thanks to bike pilot for the superlative camera work! Ride ride ride!
Nice Review, like it when you tell also the negatives... Go on like this 👍 Fairly to say that the more weight of the tyres ( Think they are super gravity casing) isn't a negativ thing... because you can shred this tyres over any Terrain, without punctures, i change all my tires to Super Gravity Casing, Should mean, "the bike is 0,5kg heavier, because they have fixed they have mounted the right tyres" 👌
Hi Rob, interesting review. I’d be very interested to hear your thoughts on the best control/display for a Bosch bike given the comments about the Purion. Maybe a video about the pros and cons of the different Bosch options?
Hi Rob. An Excellent produced short film as usual. I was looking for a second emtb to buy and was willing to buy this one until you mentioned the clatter!! Changed my mind now. Unless Bosch has engineered the clatter as a design feature and gave a reason why in their sales brochure, it really shouldn’t be there.
I rode a Trek Rail for a day which has the Bosch motor, and I have to say I didn't notice the clatter. Some say the noise gets quieter after a few days' use? The power of that thing is impressive though, you feel unstoppable.
I ride a 2020 mondraker with the bosch gen 4 and never have any rattling related noises. Surprised so many people experience this issue, the crafty is extremely quiet even smashing it down ski slopes in the alps now - whisper quiet.
Very informative video and a nice looking bike! How this Focus compares to the Cube stereo 160 hybrid in terms of handling, jumps and overall riding? Which one would you pick as your one and only electric mbike excluding the annoying motor? Nice job!!!
I’m also interested in such a comparison. Focus Jam2, Cube Stereo 160/140 plus the Trek Rail 5. 🙏 Thanks for the channel. Really good job 👍!!! I would like to see more informations from the daily use and maintenance. I’ve found some videos about lower quality of the Rail 5. Can you confirm that??? Thanks 🙏
looking at the rear travel it seems it's a bit busy. I would like you see you try giant's maestro rear and see what you think of that. personally I like the flow of 71 deg on my bulls. Slacker is confidence inspiring going down steep hills and jumps but it does not flow. after a test weekend in the mountains I took away three thoughts 1) 10 tooth rear chain rings feel lumpy, 2) flyon motors give loads of confidence to tackle difficult tree root sections. 3) giant's maestro felt like coming home to a natural feeling bike.
As you said the fox36 rythem is a great fork my canyon spectral came with one but I fitted the marzocchi coil coversion to it and it's even better. Also allows you to adjust travel between 150/170mm. I had fox36 factory on my over bike and with the conversion it feels better than it does.
Great video. I have just ordered one. Unfortunately there's a 4 month wait for where I live (Tasmania) thanks to covid bit by the looks of it it will be worth it.
hi rob really like the look and spec of this bike would you recommend it as a first ebike for a 53 yr old i currently ride a cube stereo 150 c68 actionteam 29er cheers tony
I bought an E-150s in July, absolutely superb, does everything I want it to do and the 85nm Bosch motor is excellent , so i can only imagine the 160 is better! Im sure embn done a south to north wales trip on the 160 and the 180, check it out
Very good review Rob. Your channel is superb. I've just ordered a 2021 Thron2 6.9. I cannot find a proper review of it. Can you tell me......... is it a "racier" type of bike than the Jam I.e. which one is plusher, more cumbersome of the two? Thankyou. Keep up the great work. It's good viewing. Regards, Gary.
First - this is a bike I like the look of - always a sucker for a vertical rear shock and the swing arm flip chip is a no brainier - 5k fair price for spec - nice touch with hiding cables at headset - weight like you say - battery does not help - like the muted colour schemes - don’t like Bosch or its dashboard. Stick with my 19 levo for now Anychance you getting a Nicolai Eboxx on test sometime - even though Bosch powered the build and geometry etc - still looking into how I can eeeb my Gboxx Nicolai somehow
Bosch motor is good. I like it. Loads of power, feels great to ride. I just WISH Bosch would give more control options. Screens are great if you like info displays (lots of people do) - but it’d be great if there was a minimalist option, just a discrete speed controller, no screen option too 🙏🤞
Great review as always. Love the video footage coming dwn el capitan and thick and creamy. Pilots got that to a T. What is your personal bike u said u had a bosch motor?
Price wise it is only 500 euros less than 2021 Turbo Levo with same spec (COMP1). But please read up on your local dealer. I have ridebuds with both bike brands, and Specialized promises no time off the bike and so far it stays true. Even motor replacement is done in a week. Focus guy had to wait 6 weeks for a replacement frame under warranty... If you live near Focus HQ then I guess Ur OK. My local dealer is quite poor and slow on the warranty side, so I just put an order for 2021 Turbo Levo.
Hey Jevgeni - this has XT drivetrain (Comp has SLX), DT Swiss wheelset, great tyres out the box, and in the U.K. it’s £1000 cheaper - a few differences 👍
Great review, Rob - Focus goes on my list of candidates for my next bike. Was wondering, if the Purion display can be exchanged against the Kiox? I‘d rather had the display mounted on the side of the stem for better protection ...
Nice looking bike Rob!.. what size range is there as I. 5.5 & always struggle to find a bike to suit as small bikes arnt usually stocked! I'm riding at mo my 2011 Trek Remedy 9.8 & love it! Frame is a small & for the most is ok I've neverswappedout stem but at time on incline feels like i need that extra inch or 2 for knee room. But downhill reach is fine. Im seriously considering emtb now but which bikes the question. Cheers Richard
I'm looking at getting the focus jarifa 6.9 - can't find any reviews on that so this seems like the nearest. I am a bit gutted to here about the motor rattle when riding. I'm just wondering if you'd notice it on regular riding or only on downhill trails with high speed and jumps
The Focus Aventura uses the same Bosch motor and battery. You can get an external battery for it that takes the capacity to 1135 kWh. I wonder if the same system would fit the Jam2?
Wouldn't say you need Code's on there if it's Shimano already. The Lyrik will be lovely. But of course, brake choice is highly personal. I prefer Shimano for Brakes and Shifters :)
E Is there an after market shifter which can replace the odd looking purion? Many of us would go we a clean cockpit given the fact that we take our smartphone with us.
About The Magnet and The cadense sensor, that is The first thing i canged and stuck it on the crankarm to get more speed, cos riding at 25 km max just destroys The Fun on an Emtb, so can one do this on this Bike? This is a deal braker for me.
The website states that the bike should be limited to 60cm jumps/drops, but this seems conservative? Have you tested performance for larger drops than this? Cheers
Hello, I am French and very complicated to find opinions on e-mountain bikes. I have a 27.5+ carbon expert stumpjumper and am looking for an e-mountain bike. I noticed the Jam² 6.8 model and the turbo levo comp. Big price difference, around +1500 for the specialized. Any opinion on these two bikes? thank you
Hi mate , do you know what the motor rattle is ? Dose Bosch know about it ? Seems to be annoying as you ride , would love to know the problem, cheers 🍻🍻
No great alternative sadly for Bosch. The Kiox is a better looking colour display but personally I don’t like the controller for it - it doesn’t have a great feel to it (as in I don’t find it intuitive / ergonomic to use).
I know and I hate going on about the controller BUT if we talk about it enough hopefully Bosch will make something a bit neater to keep us tidy minimalist freaks happy 😄😄
Rob, great review, can I ask if price isnt a concern how do you compare the Jam to the Levo SL? I currently ride the 2019Jam and love it, its upgrade time and my shortlist is the new Jam or the Levo SL
Thanks Hanzie. Totally different bikes to be honest and ride very different. Levo SL is a super lightweight but 35nm power where the Jam2 is hugely more powerful (and heavier!). Jam2 will power up big climbs, the SL will feel light and agile on descents. Easier said than done but you’ve just to to try them both if you can!
Thanks Rob, I am always looking for lighter. I currently dont ride higher than trail mode on the Shimano E8000. And that is set on 120% boost. So i think its on par with the 35nm on the SL. Anyway test ride on the SL next week. Seen you review of the SL too. Good work keep it up.
@@wanderingjuniper I brought home a SL carbon comp today. Sooo different to my 19 focus jam2. I have only had a couple of hours on it so to early to say too much. Less power but the moment you get to the top the magic starts. And it does have enough power to get to the top. Nimble, agile, fast, light all words I felt today. The Focus was a great bike and also pretty light at 21kg. I will miss it but I feel a great improvement in my riding confidence is coming once I get the Levo SL tuned.
Hi, Great chanel with lots of information. I am currently looking for an e-bike and I would like to know your educated opinion, because i have no chance to test them. I am looking at these bikes Trek rail 7 or 9, Lapierre overvolt am 8.6, Focus Jam 6.9, Specialized Turbo Levo comp.
No, it's only possible to change it afterwards, so you could sell your 625wh battery and get a 500wh one with the adapter part no. KD170620099, this would also fit in the frame. But it's a bad deal, because you will not get that much money for a battery without warranty (when selling it privately), so better keep the 625wh version, it's not that much difference. You can pull your mates, if you're the only one left with some capacity ;)
Rob, you mentioned that "your" bike also has a Bosch motor, so, you aren't riding your 2019 Levo anymore ? what is your current bike ? i must have missed something.
Hi Martijn. I bought the Decathlon Stilus as a personal bike. I wanted to find out how a really cheap bike rides. No longer have a Levo (but have a Levo SL demo)
Hey Gerard, not sure what you mean by SH riding? Cube is excellent value. I think the Geometry on the Focus is more suited to aggressive trail riding. Longer and slacker.
Nice vid Rob. I’ve had the Shimano equipped Jam2 for 3 years now so this was interesting. It’s always given a lot of confidence when hitting the bigger features. Their shock tune is quite unique, super active in the first part of the travel then firming up in the latter part for the bigger hits. Just mind the pedals strikes although a coil worked well on mine. It’s due for an update now though so waiting to see what hits the market with the new EP8. I’ll stay tuned as I have a feeling you might be a bit busy over the next couple of months. You love a bit of Thick n Creamy 😉😉.
Hey Richard, yeah the shock tune is very active, also helps with rear wheel grip. There were some parts I wished for it to be a bit more firm. If I were to experiment more I’d check out the shock tokens and play around with the pressures a bit more.
Ok, here's a question for everyone: is 12 speeds too many? I find I'm triple, quadruple or quintuple shifting gears every time the gradient changes under me, and it's a pain. The motor effectively makes the rider stronger, so surely you need fewer gears on an eMTB? I reckon 8 gears covering the same gearing range would suit me, and it would be cheaper and lighter to boot. Interested to hear other peoples' thoughts.
I tried the EX8 from SRAM and found the range wasn’t enough in between biggest and largest gears. Was too big a difference from, say gear 3 and 4 . Main thing with the 12 speed is the quality of the shift rather than range. Almost full power downshifts to an easier gear without and hassle / clunk. Just seems to work brilliantly.
The bike I would've gone for if I'd managed to complete my 20 hours in the Focus/Strava challenge! Too much riding with my nieces and Mrs! I think every bike has its positives and negatives but this bike has everything I need and not much that I don't!
Very good review! Weight is too high. Looks like that there are only a view Bikes that come close to 20 kg! Batteryintegration is still controversial to lower weight.
To me the cable management in the stem looks like they forgot incorporate cable management in the frame, so threaded it through a stem instead. Ps sorry thank you for the video 👍
Great bike from Focus, super fun great looking eeb!! Ps I just wanna say huge thanks to Jon - The Bike Pilot for his amazing camera work!
Great review!!! Does riding this bike have you missing the suspension of an enduro? If you had to pick a trial versus Enduro as a “keeper” what would you choose?
It’s all about compromise I’d say. Enduro geo / travel (usually) means less playful and lively. For my trails (Surrey Hills) I like the Jam2 style. But more DH and Enduro style trails something longer, slacker and more travel is often more suitable!
@@RobRidesEMTB I have to say about the "rattle" that neither myself or the guys with Bosch motors in our club have ever heard this rattle. I don't doubt you're hearing it but you've said that you hear it on every bike with a Bosch motor, but is it not possible that the noise is coming from somewhere else? I'm sure others will say they're hearing it too ... but I'm just not hearing it at all. Keen to hear more about what the noise is in case it does develop. Great review! Cheers
It’s the same distinctive ‘clunk’ on every Bosch Gen 4 bike I’ve ridden - some frames can amplify or deaden it somewhat.
@@RobRidesEMTB thanks ... I can't say I've ever heard it, but then I hear lots of clunks when I'm riding, but that's down to my lack of ability! 😂
Said it before and I'll say it again " by far the best MTB review channel in the world" Without running the risk of sounding like I'm marking your homework I want to add :
Filming / editing:
Wonderfull blend of POV & 3rd party filming integrated with seamless voiceovers and live commentary , subtle contemporary backing track all contribute to keeping the viewer engaged from start to finish.
Content:
Just loving the honest, well articulated unbiased reviews , manufacturers have to sit up and listen to you Rob regarding issues such as rattles on motors and numpty displays. It's got to contribute toward driving technology and the sport onwards such is the influence your channel now carries.
Personal :
Along with Specialized Ebikes we also own a Focus Sam e2 , fantastic bike and extremely reliable. If I had a personal top three Ebike brands they would be Specialized, Mondraker & Focus and in that order too.
10 out of 10 lol
Woah, thanks a lot Chris! This means a LOT. We put in so much effort into these videos to make them as enjoyable as possible. To be honest it would be so much easier to make a 15 minute advertorial / infomercial BUT thats not what I like to watch, so try to give a balanced perspective thats true and honest :-) Thanks for being part of the channel 👍🏻👍🏻
Totally agree with the above comments. The video and content you have put together you certainly come along way from the earlier day's it's very engaging and got to admit your riding skills have gone up a notch which adds to the dynamics of the video. Keep the... as mentioned the honesty of the review a lot of test you see from other channels just don't tell it like it is . Manufactures should be able to take this criticism as these ebikes are in the bracket of serious investment for the average everyday consumers. Like myself who made a purchase on one of your reviews Rob.
Keep the content flowing and don't forget your podcast content either 😉
And just a final thumbs up to Bike Pilot as again with his skill it set the whole video up well done 👍.
@Tasunke What wasn't highlighted dude..? If it was paid shill advert, no mention of anything negative would have been mentioned. The positives faaar outweigh the negatives here.
There's no such thing as a perfect eBike, or product buddy. Product shills only ever talk about positives. Here the minor negatives are highlighted, even though the motor/display is *nothing* to do with FOCUS...The rear suspension was covered at length..
A review should not be totally critical as you say. It's an opinion of the reviewer. Pluses and minuses. If you trust the reviewer then you trust the review, If a product has more minuses than positives then fine. Not on this bike *at all.*
We rode it for 4 days. This is a totally fair and honest review of the bike. It's awesome. Rob will say if something isn't right, watch other videos on the channel, the main core value of his channel is honesty.
The paid promotion tag just means he was able to hire me for 4 days and invest 3 days of his own time editing. Not that he's now going to say dog is a whippet.
@Tasunke Man, if I paid someone to ride my product and they said it was too heavy, too noisy, crappy display, blew through mid stroke, and tires wore out after a couple of days, I’d feel kind of bamboozled. Did we watch the same video?
@Tasunke You're not making much sense dude. On a paid commercial there would be *no negatives*. Hope you had a lovely weekend riding buddy!
Bought the 2020 version of this bike. As Rob says - great on the trails.
Have riden near 1.000 km this year. Not had the 85 n.m upgrade as yet. Great integration of the wheel speed magnet was also a plus for me. Would recommend this e-mtb to anyone.
I have the same bike and have ridden 800kms in 6 weeks. It does everything from being a comfortable XC bike to handling gnarly techy trails.
Picked up this bike yesterday. Im sooo happy.
I really like your reviews since I feel you are honestly critical to the bikes. And not like some other reviewers that just put pseudo criticisms against saddles, tyres and other parts that you can easily change to be easy on the manufacturers.
Just bought one, deffo think it was the right choice. Won’t get it until Sept apparently - but cannot wait to get out and ride it.
Great content, you've just sold the bike to me, I was torn between the Spectral:ON & the Focus, but your passion for the componentry makes me want this bike!!
Roll on October 1st... mine is getting delivered🤩🤩.. i actually chose this bike because of this video...thankyou
Cool! Enjoy!!
@@RobRidesEMTB ended up getting the orbea wild fs in the end... lead time for the focus got put back 4 months...love the wild fs
Once again Rob you give a great review of the Eeb. I finally got out in the Surrey Hills yesterday on my 2020 Kenevo and it was insane fun.
Keep up the good work and hopefully may see you out there one day 🤘
Cheers, am over there a lot so im sure will see you at some point!
Engineer: look at this amazing cable management system I designed. Bosch: fk you, here have a Purion
Nice looking bike couldn’t get what I wanted this year so I have been waiting for the 21 bikes to start coming through. It’s going on the list for sure.
Definitely one to consider 👍
Rob Rides EMTB i like the upgrades of the 625 and the gen 4, I’m an average rider ability and plus 14 stone at 6foot tall. Is the XL a big XL if you know what I mean? I found the 2019 large jam I rode with the 375 battery just too small, I was on top of it rather than in it.
Great review as always, been looking forward to this one.
Very good looking bike and seems very capable.
I'm looking forward to you getting your hands on the Whyte e160 and e180 v2.
Hey Rob Rides Emtb! That is a well equipped bike! It's hard to find a place where they slid a cheaper component in! They even have the finned pads on the XT brakes and the XT ice tec rotors! I've seen bike manufacturers put the Deore pads and rotors on an XT brake! Thanks for all the hours editing these informative and entertaining vids and thanks to bike pilot for the superlative camera work! Ride ride ride!
The bike is solid. Every part looks like one you might spec on your own fresh build!
Nice Review, like it when you tell also the negatives...
Go on like this 👍
Fairly to say that the more weight of the tyres ( Think they are super gravity casing) isn't a negativ thing... because you can shred this tyres over any Terrain, without punctures, i change all my tires to Super Gravity Casing,
Should mean, "the bike is 0,5kg heavier, because they have fixed they have mounted the right tyres" 👌
The tyres are actually really good, I like them...
I got the same bike in jan 2020
After seeing this I love this bike
Keep up the good work Rob👊
Great review Rob. I hope all your reviews from now on to be like this one. Bike is brilliant and it is my next bike.
Cheers! Im sure you're going to love the bike!
So, you won"t mind the rattle on "uneven terrain"?...
Love to see a comparison between this and the Canyon.
Hi Rob, interesting review. I’d be very interested to hear your thoughts on the best control/display for a Bosch bike given the comments about the Purion. Maybe a video about the pros and cons of the different Bosch options?
Hi Rob..
I lloked at the focus and the orbea wild. I actually went for the H20 in the end hopefully I won't regret it..
Love my Focus. Wish they would come back to the USA! Great review as always!!!
Hopefully one day they’ll be back! 👍👍
I m from Germany and and I ride the jam ² , and I love it.
Hi Rob. An Excellent produced short film as usual. I was looking for a second emtb to buy and was willing to buy this one until you mentioned the clatter!! Changed my mind now. Unless Bosch has engineered the clatter as a design feature and gave a reason why in their sales brochure, it really shouldn’t be there.
It’s definitely not a deal breaker IMO and I wouldn’t let it stop you buying a bike, it’s just something that’s there in the background!
I rode a Trek Rail for a day which has the Bosch motor, and I have to say I didn't notice the clatter. Some say the noise gets quieter after a few days' use? The power of that thing is impressive though, you feel unstoppable.
It's not a dealbreaker IMHO, It's just if you love a silent bike your gonna hear it that's all..!
I ride a 2020 mondraker with the bosch gen 4 and never have any rattling related noises. Surprised so many people experience this issue, the crafty is extremely quiet even smashing it down ski slopes in the alps now - whisper quiet.
Love the cable management
Really good isn’t it! Very neat and clean.
Very informative video and a nice looking bike! How this Focus compares to the Cube stereo 160 hybrid in terms of handling, jumps and overall riding? Which one would you pick as your one and only electric mbike excluding the annoying motor?
Nice job!!!
I’m also interested in such a comparison. Focus Jam2, Cube Stereo 160/140 plus the Trek Rail 5.
🙏
Thanks for the channel. Really good job 👍!!!
I would like to see more informations from the daily use and maintenance.
I’ve found some videos about lower quality of the Rail 5. Can you confirm that???
Thanks 🙏
@@pavelkucera8276 Yes, the Rail too!!!
looking at the rear travel it seems it's a bit busy. I would like you see you try giant's maestro rear and see what you think of that.
personally I like the flow of 71 deg on my bulls. Slacker is confidence inspiring going down steep hills and jumps but it does not flow. after a test weekend in the mountains I took away three thoughts 1) 10 tooth rear chain rings feel lumpy, 2) flyon motors give loads of confidence to tackle difficult tree root sections. 3) giant's maestro felt like coming home to a natural feeling bike.
As you said the fox36 rythem is a great fork my canyon spectral came with one but I fitted the marzocchi coil coversion to it and it's even better. Also allows you to adjust travel between 150/170mm. I had fox36 factory on my over bike and with the conversion it feels better than it does.
That integrated stem is the one bit of road tech MTBs have been screaming out for
Nice work, bro!
That Dr. Zoidberg stem is so cooool!
Great video. I have just ordered one. Unfortunately there's a 4 month wait for where I live (Tasmania) thanks to covid bit by the looks of it it will be worth it.
hi rob really like the look and spec of this bike would you recommend it as a first ebike for a 53 yr old i currently ride a cube stereo 150 c68 actionteam 29er cheers tony
Rob - Great vids. Can you please do a review on the Whyte 2021 E-160 RS v1?
I bought an E-150s in July, absolutely superb, does everything I want it to do and the 85nm Bosch motor is excellent , so i can only imagine the 160 is better! Im sure embn done a south to north wales trip on the 160 and the 180, check it out
Do you like the fox float dps on the rear?
Very good review Rob. Your channel is superb. I've just ordered a 2021 Thron2 6.9. I cannot find a proper review of it. Can you tell me......... is it a "racier" type of bike than the Jam I.e. which one is plusher, more cumbersome of the two? Thankyou. Keep up the great work. It's good viewing. Regards, Gary.
First - this is a bike I like the look of - always a sucker for a vertical rear shock and the swing arm flip chip is a no brainier - 5k fair price for spec - nice touch with hiding cables at headset - weight like you say - battery does not help - like the muted colour schemes - don’t like Bosch or its dashboard. Stick with my 19 levo for now
Anychance you getting a Nicolai Eboxx on test sometime - even though Bosch powered the build and geometry etc - still looking into how I can eeeb my Gboxx Nicolai somehow
Bosch motor is good. I like it. Loads of power, feels great to ride. I just WISH Bosch would give more control options. Screens are great if you like info displays (lots of people do) - but it’d be great if there was a minimalist option, just a discrete speed controller, no screen option too 🙏🤞
To avoid the noise, I wear ear buds ,favourite tunes does the trick 😎
Great review as always. Love the video footage coming dwn el capitan and thick and creamy. Pilots got that to a T. What is your personal bike u said u had a bosch motor?
excellent well shot vid rob, it does look like a lot of bike for the money.
Cheers, yes it’s definitely a good value bike (I know £5k is a LOT of moneh, but I believe you’re getting a great spec out the box).
Price wise it is only 500 euros less than 2021 Turbo Levo with same spec (COMP1). But please read up on your local dealer. I have ridebuds with both bike brands, and Specialized promises no time off the bike and so far it stays true. Even motor replacement is done in a week. Focus guy had to wait 6 weeks for a replacement frame under warranty... If you live near Focus HQ then I guess Ur OK. My local dealer is quite poor and slow on the warranty side, so I just put an order for 2021 Turbo Levo.
Hey Jevgeni - this has XT drivetrain (Comp has SLX), DT Swiss wheelset, great tyres out the box, and in the U.K. it’s £1000 cheaper - a few differences 👍
Hi mate... what would you reccomend, the jam², or orbea wild? I cannot decide between the two!
Great review! How would you compare the Jam2 to the 2021 Merida E-One Sixty for trail duties and value?
Great review, Rob - Focus goes on my list of candidates for my next bike. Was wondering, if the Purion display can be exchanged against the Kiox? I‘d rather had the display mounted on the side of the stem for better protection ...
they change it on the 2022 model to Kiox :)
Nice looking bike Rob!.. what size range is there as I. 5.5 & always struggle to find a bike to suit as small bikes arnt usually stocked! I'm riding at mo my 2011 Trek Remedy 9.8 & love it! Frame is a small & for the most is ok I've neverswappedout stem but at time on incline feels like i need that extra inch or 2 for knee room. But downhill reach is fine. Im seriously considering emtb now but which bikes the question. Cheers Richard
Hi Richard. They do Small, Medium, Large and XL. So you should be covered here?
Nicest ebike fully ive ever seen
I love focus, Nice, quality, price etc...
Approved! But won't the cable radius get too narrow through the stem? Worried that the cables might get bent.
No issues there as far as I can see. Loads of space, the headset area looks like there is plenty of space. It’s a really good way of doing it.
I'm sure the designers thought of that .
From my experience designers are not always right, but this seems to be a good idea and execution. 👍
Exellent review. Any thoughts about doing a similar review of the focus thron2 ?
I rode that one in the Lake District and really enjoyed it 👍
Thanks for the review.. can u review the merida equivalent before Easter.. cheers mate
Great review! Nice Bike. Thanks!
Cheers kAwA 👊
I'm looking at getting the focus jarifa 6.9 - can't find any reviews on that so this seems like the nearest. I am a bit gutted to here about the motor rattle when riding. I'm just wondering if you'd notice it on regular riding or only on downhill trails with high speed and jumps
Well done on the review, thanks for it.
Which is the song at the end of the video?
nice review...i hope you will have the possibility to try the new RENDER 10.0 HD SUPREME and compare them.
Waiting for my 6.8 to arrive they are $8199 in Oz. The 6.9 is $800 dearer. I figure I can upgrade shocks and shifter later.
I wonder if this would come with Bosch Version of T.E.C pack..
The Focus Aventura uses the same Bosch motor and battery. You can get an external battery for it that takes the capacity to 1135 kWh. I wonder if the same system would fit the Jam2?
Nice bike but i wait for new Merida with Ep8 😍
Outstanding bike
I've got the 6.8. Never hear the noise from the motor as I never get to the 'pace' needed to hear it.
Isn't it the 2021 JAM² 6.9 Nine in your review? The 2021 JAM² 6.8 Nine should have a 34 Fox and has no changes to last years model besides the +100€.
Yep, you're right, I wrote that late last night and missed a .1 on the model number! I changed the description, thanks for the heads up!
I’ve got a 6.8 on order. The issue with the lower models is the spec drops off fast. I’ve got a Lyrik and a set of codes to go on when I get it
Wouldn't say you need Code's on there if it's Shimano already. The Lyrik will be lovely. But of course, brake choice is highly personal. I prefer Shimano for Brakes and Shifters :)
Sounds like that thing needs a coil shock on the rear
Another great video thanks Rob
A progressive coil might be a good match.
E
Is there an after market shifter which can replace the odd looking purion? Many of us would go we a clean cockpit given the fact that we take our smartphone with us.
About The Magnet and The cadense sensor, that is The first thing i canged and stuck it on the crankarm to get more speed, cos riding at 25 km max just destroys The Fun on an Emtb, so can one do this on this Bike? This is a deal braker for me.
The website states that the bike should be limited to 60cm jumps/drops, but this seems conservative? Have you tested performance for larger drops than this? Cheers
Hello, I am French and very complicated to find opinions on e-mountain bikes. I have a 27.5+ carbon expert stumpjumper and am looking for an e-mountain bike. I noticed the Jam² 6.8 model and the turbo levo comp. Big price difference, around +1500 for the specialized. Any opinion on these two bikes? thank you
Hi mate , do you know what the motor rattle is ? Dose Bosch know about it ? Seems to be annoying as you ride , would love to know the problem, cheers 🍻🍻
Hi Rob. You mentioned the Purion display ruins the look of the cockpit, Do you have a upgrade idea or preference on an alternative?
No great alternative sadly for Bosch. The Kiox is a better looking colour display but personally I don’t like the controller for it - it doesn’t have a great feel to it (as in I don’t find it intuitive / ergonomic to use).
Man that bosch controller is such an eyesore... I'm still a fan of the brose motor but this bike does look really sick
I know and I hate going on about the controller BUT if we talk about it enough hopefully Bosch will make something a bit neater to keep us tidy minimalist freaks happy 😄😄
@@RobRidesEMTB Yeah I don't feel the need for a display but those Shimano controllers look the best in my opinion
Do you plan to test ride Whyte E150 29er once it's out?Would be interesting to compare it against Jam 2.
I'm looking at getting a Jam2, but it has the Bosch Kiox display. I was thinking that is the better option. Would you agree?
Rob, great review, can I ask if price isnt a concern how do you compare the Jam to the Levo SL? I currently ride the 2019Jam and love it, its upgrade time and my shortlist is the new Jam or the Levo SL
Thanks Hanzie. Totally different bikes to be honest and ride very different. Levo SL is a super lightweight but 35nm power where the Jam2 is hugely more powerful (and heavier!). Jam2 will power up big climbs, the SL will feel light and agile on descents. Easier said than done but you’ve just to to try them both if you can!
Thanks Rob, I am always looking for lighter. I currently dont ride higher than trail mode on the Shimano E8000. And that is set on 120% boost. So i think its on par with the 35nm on the SL. Anyway test ride on the SL next week. Seen you review of the SL too. Good work keep it up.
@@hanzieo Come back and tell us what you think of the sl
@@wanderingjuniper I brought home a SL carbon comp today. Sooo different to my 19 focus jam2. I have only had a couple of hours on it so to early to say too much. Less power but the moment you get to the top the magic starts. And it does have enough power to get to the top. Nimble, agile, fast, light all words I felt today. The Focus was a great bike and also pretty light at 21kg. I will miss it but I feel a great improvement in my riding confidence is coming once I get the Levo SL tuned.
@@hanzieo Great news, thanks for replying , i hope you have many hours of enjoyment from it
any chance getting something from ROTWILD in for testing?
Could you use a smaller 500wh battery or similar if you wanted to drop a bit of weight?
Just purchased the 2020 Jam2 6.8 Nine in XL. I'm 6ft2 with an inner leg length of 34in. Reckon XL is right for me or should I be on a L?
Man, love the bosch but that noise would drive me nuts. I guess just something you'd get used to.
Hi,
Great chanel with lots of information.
I am currently looking for an e-bike and I would like to know your educated opinion, because i have no chance to test them.
I am looking at these bikes Trek rail 7 or 9, Lapierre overvolt am 8.6, Focus Jam 6.9, Specialized Turbo Levo comp.
Can you choose a 500 battery instead from the factory as all my mates have that size, so it seems over kill if you don’t need all that extra range...
No, it's only possible to change it afterwards, so you could sell your 625wh battery and get a 500wh one with the adapter part no. KD170620099, this would also fit in the frame. But it's a bad deal, because you will not get that much money for a battery without warranty (when selling it privately), so better keep the 625wh version, it's not that much difference. You can pull your mates, if you're the only one left with some capacity ;)
My old Haibike Bosch is a rattler too. Any idea if Bosch have a fix planned for this noise?
Rob, you mentioned that "your" bike also has a Bosch motor, so, you aren't riding your 2019 Levo anymore ? what is your current bike ? i must have missed something.
Hi Martijn. I bought the Decathlon Stilus as a personal bike. I wanted to find out how a really cheap bike rides. No longer have a Levo (but have a Levo SL demo)
@@RobRidesEMTB thats interesting.. how does the cheaper ride compared to your old levo.. much of a difference?
Which motors don't have that rattle sound? I watched your video with the new shimano motor.
Brose motors don’t have it, they’re pretty much the quietest right now on my opinion.
@@RobRidesEMTB do you know which bikes are coming with the brose motor and 630 battery?
Awesome bike for the price for sure 👍
Great review.How do you think this compares against my current short listed Cube Stereo Hybrid 140TM for SH riding?
Hey Gerard, not sure what you mean by SH riding? Cube is excellent value. I think the Geometry on the Focus is more suited to aggressive trail riding. Longer and slacker.
Surrey Hills.Thanks Rob
Nice vid Rob. I’ve had the Shimano equipped Jam2 for 3 years now so this was interesting. It’s always given a lot of confidence when hitting the bigger features. Their shock tune is quite unique, super active in the first part of the travel then firming up in the latter part for the bigger hits. Just mind the pedals strikes although a coil worked well on mine. It’s due for an update now though so waiting to see what hits the market with the new EP8. I’ll stay tuned as I have a feeling you might be a bit busy over the next couple of months. You love a bit of Thick n Creamy 😉😉.
Hey Richard, yeah the shock tune is very active, also helps with rear wheel grip. There were some parts I wished for it to be a bit more firm. If I were to experiment more I’d check out the shock tokens and play around with the pressures a bit more.
Ps - We shoot so much / many different trails but Thick n Creamy always looks banging so we always use it!! 😄😄
If you had to choose between this and the Rail 7or 9, which would you go for?
Ok, here's a question for everyone: is 12 speeds too many? I find I'm triple, quadruple or quintuple shifting gears every time the gradient changes under me, and it's a pain. The motor effectively makes the rider stronger, so surely you need fewer gears on an eMTB? I reckon 8 gears covering the same gearing range would suit me, and it would be cheaper and lighter to boot. Interested to hear other peoples' thoughts.
I tried the EX8 from SRAM and found the range wasn’t enough in between biggest and largest gears. Was too big a difference from, say gear 3 and 4 . Main thing with the 12 speed is the quality of the shift rather than range. Almost full power downshifts to an easier gear without and hassle / clunk. Just seems to work brilliantly.
Jam2 or Thron2 I can’t decide
Brilliant content, still saving for an ebike#expensive
The bike I would've gone for if I'd managed to complete my 20 hours in the Focus/Strava challenge! Too much riding with my nieces and Mrs! I think every bike has its positives and negatives but this bike has everything I need and not much that I don't!
Very good review! Weight is too high. Looks like that there are only a view Bikes that come close to 20 kg! Batteryintegration is still controversial to lower weight.
High weight on paper, but listen to the review. It doesn't translate to poor handling.
Hi the jam2 or the Merida eone sixty?
2021 Levo Comp ride review coming???
No plans for 21 Levo review
Is it a more agile bike than the Trek Rail?
Hello, i am very tall like tou, 1.91 m. Which is the best ebike you can suggest for very tall people?
What exactly is it that is rattly with the bosch motor?
How is it for the city?
To me the cable management in the stem looks like they forgot incorporate cable management in the frame, so threaded it through a stem instead.
Ps sorry thank you for the video 👍
Is this available to order in the U.S.?
Don't think FOCUS sell in the US sadly..
Great package
A motor is a motor. It is always making sounds even the electric ones.
¿How tall you are? ¿Which size are you riding in this Jam2?
rob say's in the video he's 6.3 feet or 192 cm and i guess riding a large?
Can someone help me with the colour of this frame? Is it quite green?