It is amazing. The only caveat is Pivot Shuttle SL and Transition Relay riders have been reporting early Fazua Ride 60 problems. They're sorting those out hopefully.
@jimm244, not only you. For some years now I keept waiting and waiting for the right ebike to appear, one that's not noisy, one that looks like a normal bike(isn't bulky), feels like a normal bike(full fat ebikes.. honestly, behave and feel differently on the trail) and weights almost as a normal bike(my big enduro bike is only two bottle of water less than this bike); basically, keeps the spirit and ethos of normal mountain bikes but it is slightly faster, increasing the average speed and distance on a full day of riding.
@@eugenux Well said. We’re in the same boat. For me, I think it’s come down to the Heckler SL vs Orbea Rise…and it’ll probably be decided by the fact there’s no Orbea dealers around. For an E-bike especially, local support might come in handy.
@@jimm244my LBS is always busy at reprograming this, reparing that so, problems with the electric motors do occur...but, that's a reality for every motor, not only for ebikes. I have experience with an orbea rise(a friend of mine has one) and he had a 160 lyrik up front(making it a 140-160 bike) and he also thinks about a cascade link, to make it a 150-160. The bike rides great but it is 90 to 95% in the trail category, by feel and feedback. Its susp does not feel deep or too smooth(in extremely stark contrast with the lyrik which is excellent, making me doubt again 38mm forks in general and my factory 38 in particular) and it is on the short side(reach and especially wheelbase), which means not bombing on the downs with abandon of reason. For me, feels like a trail bike.. the occam felt the same... my nuke reactor which was a 130-150 bike felt much more of a bike then either while my giga is a speed demon, regardless of the track(flow, black diamond, red, blue, natural, etc); I'm telling you the bikes to which I compare it in order to try and set some points of references. In my opinion, rise is a good bike but, to be a great bike it needs the terrain that suits it(because of its geo and susp. system set-up)... that's why my friend it trying to make it "bigger"(150-160) because his terrain require at least 150mm of suspension.. but a true squishy one, not one with a trail bike feel.. and, of course, a more serious geometry for the downs. For me, personally, it depends if I keep my giga(and make it even more bike park oriented) and want a bike for all day epics.. case in which this SC looks like the bike I've been waiting for!, if I give up on my Giga, I might wait for Spez to release the Kenevo SL with the better motor found on the new Levo SL.. maybe, who knows, with a slightly bigger battery, like SC has on this new Heckler. In either case, I don't have the money for either right now so, for me, there's no rush. But, as check lists go for what I want from an e-bike, this new SC is the best so far. I am actually amazed they managed to blend everything so well. Cheers!
@@eugenux Thanks for the good info about the Rise! The trail feel isn’t a show stopper: I’ve an old 5010 in my quiver that I take places it has no business going! There’s a Sentinel on the other end of the spectrum which is amazing in the chunk, but feels a little big in some places. Both the Rise & the Heckler SL seem like they’d be in between the two but at slightly different places…but more importantly, both seem to have evolved to the point that I think they’re viable contenders for me to lay down serious $$$. Love your comments above! Thanks!
5:15 couldn't agree more. The mid-power gives me riding behaviors very similar to an analog mountain bike. On single tracks and primitive back country roads I often have continuous change of speed and direction and that's where weight is so important to keep the flow. If steepness or rough surface forces me off the bike, I have something I can stabilize and push uphill or lift over rocks. Range? for my Fuel Exe I have a 2nd full-size battery. So on longer trips it's in my backpack, the additional 4 lbs don't bother me. Rode 72.32 mi→ /4888 ft↑ Sunday morning on beautiful Taos Highland roads, 1st battery 0%, 2nd battery 8%😁
You are doing it right my man!!! The Fuel EXe needs an extender but their extenders are so small and expensive. So the way to go is get a second battery. It's small and light anyway and you get a full 360wh extra!
Hot off the press! You beat the others by a few minutes! 😂 At the beginning I was thinking the bike looks huge next to you! Interested to hear your thoughts on it when you get the proper size. And the Shuttle SL too…
Yas, the bike is big for me. It rode so well though and I was shocked. I had a 180mm dropper and I was able to push the seat forward with a very short stem. The bike was so stable and agile!!! The trails I did did not have a lot of switchbacks and tight turns so I'll do that when the Medium bike comes in. Yes, I'm definitely waiting for the Pivot Shuttle SL and they are going to send that to me.
@@EMTBReview Have you got the Mondraker Neat on your list? I’m really keen to hear how that stacks up with the others - the SL scene is on fire at the moment.
hello new to your channel, nice reviews. Like many people left their comments here, this could be the first and "perfect" emtb for me, and hopefully I can get one some point next year. But at the meantime, I am wondering if SC plan to also release a "Bullit SL" in the near future, kind like the Specialized Kenevo SL, since I live in Vancouver BC, longer travel bike is always a welcomed thing here, even tho this bike has no problem to handle everything here. ( I had a Bronson V4 before, which I had 0 complain regarding the travel) So did you ever ask SC or heard anything about if this is happening? ;) Cheers.
Thanks for the 1st quick review. Do you mind sharing where you rode the bike, it looks like a fun one and doesn't look like one that's in the south bay.
As an owner of the levo pro and levo s-works these mid range and emtb's are definitely another arrow in the quiver, especially for lighter riders and shorter session work. So the question is, out of all mid range emtb's you've tried and owned which one would you consider the true shred sled and personally spend your money on?
My favorite is the Levo SL gen 2. I would buy it if it came in alloy. Also the Shuttle SL is a special bike. So fast and so capable. Fazua motor is amazing too if that motor proves reliable.
@@EMTBReview Thank you for the response. Your channel is my favorite and I commend you and your family on the excellent content and information. We are extremely fortunate to have people like you deliver us such useful tools to help us make rather extremely expensive decisions. Keep up the good work. If ever in the Portland, Oregon area, let's get you out on some epic rides!!!!!!!
I think I prefer the Levo SL Gen2. The reasons are: - more mature product and experience - sl gen2 motor/battery is bulletproof and first Fazua systems had reliability issues - controls on SL are so much better than this with great switches and TCU computer. - geo adjustability. - Fazua battery extender not available til 2024 Heckler SL has a little more power and better range for sure!! Just need that extender. Both bikes may be the best riding emtbs in the world today, Full power emtbs included.
This one, you cannot. Taking an ebike on a plane these days is very rare and problematic anyway. Even with removable batteries, the battery cannot be transported in handcarry or check in luggage.
For the cost of transporting the bike you can rent one anyways. It's not ideal but I would fking hate for the airline to 1. lose my bike 2.break my bike. I'm with you though. I know some bikes with removable batteries you can rent a battery as well but being they are all bike specific, it might be hard to find a place that rents the one you have.
I am 170cm and a Medium. I would highly recommend a Medium for you. You can ride these very short stems and still have top tube room. These new 77 degree seat angles are very steep now and put you forward on the bike. These new bikes with roomy top tubes are very good as you develop a very active riding style and move on top of the bike a lot.
Hey,I am 165cm, You think Medium is still ok for me or i should consider Small size? I have Turbo levo 2020 M size 435mm reach and is perfect for my size, But this new bikes are kinda bigger with longer reach and wheelbases also new turbo levo SL did go in this direction.
Nice bike, but at this price point, the new Pivot AM is better...bigger battery and of course the Bosch motor! And one of the lightest full power Emtbs!
The Pivot Shuttle AM is a truly amazing full-power bike. That is my first choice, especially as a first ebike. This one is a good second bike as it's in a different weight class and it's what some people are looking for... about 8 lbs lighter than a Shuttle AM.
People don’t take the batteries out of their emtbs? Say what? Batteries are not supposed to be stored in the cold. So in the 4 months or so of cold weather in my area instead of leaving the bike in the garage and just bringing in the battery I now have to bring the entire bike into my house. When traveling with it I carry it in the bed of my Gladiator with an Alucab canopy. So now instead of popping out the battery and charging it in the truck cabin while driving I have to wire the bed to charge it in there. And when I get to a hotel instead of just bringing in the battery to charge it I have to bring in the entire bike. And when at a campsite that has power instead of just bringing the battery over to the plug and plugging it in I have to bring over the entire bike or run an extension cord to the bike in the bed. And forget about air travel with it. With a removable battery you can pack the bike and take it with you and just ship the battery as cargo. Now you have to ship the entire bike as cargo. Sorry, I know that making the battery non-removable keeps weight down a lb or two bc they don’t need to reinforce the frame around the opening, but it is absolutely the biggest drawback and almost a complete deal breaker for me with any emtb. Otherwise this bike seems awesome. Still might have to overlook this major inconvenience depending on how it rides once I throw a leg over. I just wish they had gone the Transition Relay route.
@@jimm244 complete pain in a$$. And mountain travels is my main use case for getting an emtb. I still plan to keep my analog Bronson for local rides and other riding.
Yes, some people take the battery out of the bike but it's actually a rare use case. I would say 1-2% actually do it. And for bikes with battery extenders, the need is less. It is a nice-to-have but it leads to bigger down tubes, more rattles, and stiffness loss. Thus most bike designers, especially in the mid-power market choose to optimize the bike and forego the customer who really wants removable batteries.
@@EMTBReview yup and man does it suck. It ain’t a cell phone that fits in my pocket and charges on my desk or nightstand. Lol. When I throw a leg over one it might be so good I’ll deal with it. Right now my choices are down to the Heckler SL, Ibis Oso (wasn’t considering full power but man that thing rides smaller than it is in a good way while still being able to do what a duel crown fork capable bike should be able to do, is a DW link bike, and has a preferable spec sheet for me-Shimano brakes for starters), and the Transition Relay (but I haven’t ridden it and it’s going tough to find one to demo and that may be the deal killer for the Relay- they really need a better East Coast dealer network with better demos). The hunt is always fun though.
the low end model components are terrible and will break quickly, so its not really saving money if you use the bike at all. IMO S and up are the only ones worth buying. Not that I would, haha, its expensive.
I think it's a genius and brave move. Out of a couple hundred riders I know personally in the Santa Cruz, SF ara, no one takes out their battery. It's neat to have a 'removable battery' if there was no compromise but it causes rattles, bigger downtubes, less stiffness, more cost for a feature few people actually use.
@@EMTBReview I strongly disagree. On my Kenevo I use that "feature" all the time, to charge my battery while removed, to protect it from extreme cold/heat, to have a 2nd battery and go back riding after a short lunch break... And rattles or less stiffness are just poor design, not the fault of the removable battery in itself.
I don't like electric bikes, I think it takes away the whole purpose of the bike. The next step is to fly? One day it will stop being called a bicycle. I don't even know how true bike lovers agree to add an engine!!
So you like single speed, rim brake, full rigid, and QR? Why watch a video about a new ebike if you don’t like them? Do you also think Biden is a good president?
If the ONLY purpose of the bike is to exercise, then yes, assist detracts from that. But for many, the bike is also for fun, commuting, exploration, adventure and time-efficiency. Assist motors really in all those use cases.
For mtbrs that love the fun aspect of the sport. Speed, downhill, and exploring new places. You get so much more of that with pedal assist in a short amount of time.. I have a trail bike been riding 15 years and don't mind doing 20+ mile analog rides.. but I like the fun aspect of mtbing more than exercise. You still get exercise on mid power, but you're traveling way faster. More DH runs, more miles covered.
In stock now here at JensonUSA: bit.ly/3rcGoiS. Buy through this link to help this channel out.
I think this may be the e-bike I’ve been looking for.
It is amazing. The only caveat is Pivot Shuttle SL and Transition Relay riders have been reporting early Fazua Ride 60 problems. They're sorting those out hopefully.
@jimm244, not only you. For some years now I keept waiting and waiting for the right ebike to appear, one that's not noisy, one that looks like a normal bike(isn't bulky), feels like a normal bike(full fat ebikes.. honestly, behave and feel differently on the trail) and weights almost as a normal bike(my big enduro bike is only two bottle of water less than this bike); basically, keeps the spirit and ethos of normal mountain bikes but it is slightly faster, increasing the average speed and distance on a full day of riding.
@@eugenux Well said. We’re in the same boat. For me, I think it’s come down to the Heckler SL vs Orbea Rise…and it’ll probably be decided by the fact there’s no Orbea dealers around. For an E-bike especially, local support might come in handy.
@@jimm244my LBS is always busy at reprograming this, reparing that so, problems with the electric motors do occur...but, that's a reality for every motor, not only for ebikes.
I have experience with an orbea rise(a friend of mine has one) and he had a 160 lyrik up front(making it a 140-160 bike) and he also thinks about a cascade link, to make it a 150-160. The bike rides great but it is 90 to 95% in the trail category, by feel and feedback. Its susp does not feel deep or too smooth(in extremely stark contrast with the lyrik which is excellent, making me doubt again 38mm forks in general and my factory 38 in particular) and it is on the short side(reach and especially wheelbase), which means not bombing on the downs with abandon of reason. For me, feels like a trail bike.. the occam felt the same... my nuke reactor which was a 130-150 bike felt much more of a bike then either while my giga is a speed demon, regardless of the track(flow, black diamond, red, blue, natural, etc); I'm telling you the bikes to which I compare it in order to try and set some points of references. In my opinion, rise is a good bike but, to be a great bike it needs the terrain that suits it(because of its geo and susp. system set-up)... that's why my friend it trying to make it "bigger"(150-160) because his terrain require at least 150mm of suspension.. but a true squishy one, not one with a trail bike feel.. and, of course, a more serious geometry for the downs.
For me, personally, it depends if I keep my giga(and make it even more bike park oriented) and want a bike for all day epics.. case in which this SC looks like the bike I've been waiting for!, if I give up on my Giga, I might wait for Spez to release the Kenevo SL with the better motor found on the new Levo SL.. maybe, who knows, with a slightly bigger battery, like SC has on this new Heckler.
In either case, I don't have the money for either right now so, for me, there's no rush.
But, as check lists go for what I want from an e-bike, this new SC is the best so far. I am actually amazed they managed to blend everything so well.
Cheers!
@@eugenux Thanks for the good info about the Rise! The trail feel isn’t a show stopper: I’ve an old 5010 in my quiver that I take places it has no business going! There’s a Sentinel on the other end of the spectrum which is amazing in the chunk, but feels a little big in some places. Both the Rise & the Heckler SL seem like they’d be in between the two but at slightly different places…but more importantly, both seem to have evolved to the point that I think they’re viable contenders for me to lay down serious $$$. Love your comments above! Thanks!
What a beautiful looking rig. Glad to see SC putting out some cutting edge eMTB designs to keep up with the competition.
One of the prettiest ebikes I've ever seen. That Glossy Magenta color is a bit much for me. :)
5:15 couldn't agree more. The mid-power gives me riding behaviors very similar to an analog mountain bike. On single tracks and primitive back country roads I often have continuous change of speed and direction and that's where weight is so important to keep the flow. If steepness or rough surface forces me off the bike, I have something I can stabilize and push uphill or lift over rocks. Range? for my Fuel Exe I have a 2nd full-size battery. So on longer trips it's in my backpack, the additional 4 lbs don't bother me. Rode 72.32 mi→ /4888 ft↑ Sunday morning on beautiful Taos Highland roads, 1st battery 0%, 2nd battery 8%😁
You are doing it right my man!!! The Fuel EXe needs an extender but their extenders are so small and expensive. So the way to go is get a second battery. It's small and light anyway and you get a full 360wh extra!
I always enjoy your review…. Thanks
Hot off the press! You beat the others by a few minutes! 😂
At the beginning I was thinking the bike looks huge next to you! Interested to hear your thoughts on it when you get the proper size. And the Shuttle SL too…
Yas, the bike is big for me. It rode so well though and I was shocked. I had a 180mm dropper and I was able to push the seat forward with a very short stem. The bike was so stable and agile!!! The trails I did did not have a lot of switchbacks and tight turns so I'll do that when the Medium bike comes in.
Yes, I'm definitely waiting for the Pivot Shuttle SL and they are going to send that to me.
@@EMTBReview Have you got the Mondraker Neat on your list? I’m really keen to hear how that stacks up with the others - the SL scene is on fire at the moment.
hello new to your channel, nice reviews.
Like many people left their comments here, this could be the first and "perfect" emtb for me, and hopefully I can get one some point next year. But at the meantime, I am wondering if SC plan to also release a "Bullit SL" in the near future, kind like the Specialized Kenevo SL, since I live in Vancouver BC, longer travel bike is always a welcomed thing here, even tho this bike has no problem to handle everything here. ( I had a Bronson V4 before, which I had 0 complain regarding the travel)
So did you ever ask SC or heard anything about if this is happening? ;)
Cheers.
Thanks for the 1st quick review. Do you mind sharing where you rode the bike, it looks like a fun one and doesn't look like one that's in the south bay.
That’s a good looking bike!
A fine looking steed indeed!
Good review!
Glad you think so! I turned it around in 10 hours flat. I work better under pressure i guess.
Exciting!
It's a good day for Santa Cruz Bikes.
geez, I was just about to either get the Transition Relay or the Levo SL Gen II. When is availability? Need a new bike "stat"
Availability is today and they said they will have inventory for purchase today.
As an owner of the levo pro and levo s-works these mid range and emtb's are definitely another arrow in the quiver, especially for lighter riders and shorter session work.
So the question is, out of all mid range emtb's you've tried and owned which one would you consider the true shred sled and personally spend your money on?
My favorite is the Levo SL gen 2. I would buy it if it came in alloy.
Also the Shuttle SL is a special bike. So fast and so capable. Fazua motor is amazing too if that motor proves reliable.
@@EMTBReview
Thank you for the response. Your channel is my favorite and I commend you and your family on the excellent content and information. We are extremely fortunate to have people like you deliver us such useful tools to help us make rather extremely expensive decisions. Keep up the good work.
If ever in the Portland, Oregon area, let's get you out on some epic rides!!!!!!!
When is the full review coming?
Are you still planning to do a longer-term ride review for this bike??
Yes, most definitely!
Francis can you fit a 29er in the rear?
But it looks so good!!
Pretty darn good. So stealth.
Hey Francis, how tall are you? I’m in between sizes according to SC sizing
I am 5'7" and prefer long reach. Soo, I'm a modern Medium with 450-460mm reach and stubby stem.
This is size large with 478mm reach
Thx for the show and tell :) Loving the bike, but i'm keeping my trek fuel exe - for now :)
That is a good one!!! Do you have an extender battery yet?
Time to sell my Orbea Rise M10!
Yeah, it's time. I have a Rise H10 myself and I'm ready for something ore rad.
would u prefer this or the levo sl gen2 and why ?
I think I prefer the Levo SL Gen2. The reasons are:
- more mature product and experience
- sl gen2 motor/battery is bulletproof and first Fazua systems had reliability issues
- controls on SL are so much better than this with great switches and TCU computer.
- geo adjustability.
- Fazua battery extender not available til 2024
Heckler SL has a little more power and better range for sure!! Just need that extender.
Both bikes may be the best riding emtbs in the world today, Full power emtbs included.
@@EMTBReview good to hear.
i am 176cm a little taller than you, which size (s3 or s4) levo gen2 would you recommend
But that cheap plastic controller on the handlebars though….🤦♂️ I hope someone creates a good quality aftermarket replacement for it.
I’m sure that’s in the process of a revision. It’s a well known issue
But can you take an e bike on a plane ? Especially if it isn’t removable ??
This one, you cannot. Taking an ebike on a plane these days is very rare and problematic anyway. Even with removable batteries, the battery cannot be transported in handcarry or check in luggage.
For the cost of transporting the bike you can rent one anyways. It's not ideal but I would fking hate for the airline to 1. lose my bike 2.break my bike. I'm with you though. I know some bikes with removable batteries you can rent a battery as well but being they are all bike specific, it might be hard to find a place that rents the one you have.
Hey man, how tall are you ?
Iam 169cm and cans decide between a small and a medium.
I am 170cm and a Medium. I would highly recommend a Medium for you. You can ride these very short stems and still have top tube room. These new 77 degree seat angles are very steep now and put you forward on the bike.
These new bikes with roomy top tubes are very good as you develop a very active riding style and move on top of the bike a lot.
Hey,I am 165cm, You think Medium is still ok for me or i should consider Small size? I have Turbo levo 2020 M size 435mm reach and is perfect for my size, But this new bikes are kinda bigger with longer reach and wheelbases also new turbo levo SL did go in this direction.
Nice bike, but at this price point, the new Pivot AM is better...bigger battery and of course the Bosch motor! And one of the lightest full power Emtbs!
The Pivot Shuttle AM is a truly amazing full-power bike. That is my first choice, especially as a first ebike. This one is a good second bike as it's in a different weight class and it's what some people are looking for... about 8 lbs lighter than a Shuttle AM.
@@EMTBReviewalso.. nothing on the bike is crazy light so, if you start throwing money at it, I'm positive you can go a couple of lbs lower.
@@EMTBReview My thoughts exactly!
People don’t take the batteries out of their emtbs? Say what?
Batteries are not supposed to be stored in the cold. So in the 4 months or so of cold weather in my area instead of leaving the bike in the garage and just bringing in the battery I now have to bring the entire bike into my house.
When traveling with it I carry it in the bed of my Gladiator with an Alucab canopy. So now instead of popping out the battery and charging it in the truck cabin while driving I have to wire the bed to charge it in there. And when I get to a hotel instead of just bringing in the battery to charge it I have to bring in the entire bike. And when at a campsite that has power instead of just bringing the battery over to the plug and plugging it in I have to bring over the entire bike or run an extension cord to the bike in the bed.
And forget about air travel with it. With a removable battery you can pack the bike and take it with you and just ship the battery as cargo. Now you have to ship the entire bike as cargo.
Sorry, I know that making the battery non-removable keeps weight down a lb or two bc they don’t need to reinforce the frame around the opening, but it is absolutely the biggest drawback and almost a complete deal breaker for me with any emtb.
Otherwise this bike seems awesome. Still might have to overlook this major inconvenience depending on how it rides once I throw a leg over. I just wish they had gone the Transition Relay route.
I have mixed feelings about the non-removable battery. Makes hotel travel a bit difficult, no?
@@jimm244 complete pain in a$$. And mountain travels is my main use case for getting an emtb. I still plan to keep my analog Bronson for local rides and other riding.
Yes, some people take the battery out of the bike but it's actually a rare use case. I would say 1-2% actually do it. And for bikes with battery extenders, the need is less.
It is a nice-to-have but it leads to bigger down tubes, more rattles, and stiffness loss. Thus most bike designers, especially in the mid-power market choose to optimize the bike and forego the customer who really wants removable batteries.
@@EMTBReview yup and man does it suck. It ain’t a cell phone that fits in my pocket and charges on my desk or nightstand. Lol. When I throw a leg over one it might be so good I’ll deal with it. Right now my choices are down to the Heckler SL, Ibis Oso (wasn’t considering full power but man that thing rides smaller than it is in a good way while still being able to do what a duel crown fork capable bike should be able to do, is a DW link bike, and has a preferable spec sheet for me-Shimano brakes for starters), and the Transition Relay (but I haven’t ridden it and it’s going tough to find one to demo and that may be the deal killer for the Relay- they really need a better East Coast dealer network with better demos). The hunt is always fun though.
the low end model components are terrible and will break quickly, so its not really saving money if you use the bike at all. IMO S and up are the only ones worth buying. Not that I would, haha, its expensive.
Anything below the S-kit has always been garbage in the SC lineup.
The $7300 looked pretty good to me except for the rear hub. Good, recognizable components to hold ground until the upgrades.
Non-removable battery...so stupid.
I think it's a genius and brave move. Out of a couple hundred riders I know personally in the Santa Cruz, SF ara, no one takes out their battery.
It's neat to have a 'removable battery' if there was no compromise but it causes rattles, bigger downtubes, less stiffness, more cost for a feature few people actually use.
@@EMTBReview I strongly disagree. On my Kenevo I use that "feature" all the time, to charge my battery while removed, to protect it from extreme cold/heat, to have a 2nd battery and go back riding after a short lunch break... And rattles or less stiffness are just poor design, not the fault of the removable battery in itself.
I don't like electric bikes, I think it takes away the whole purpose of the bike. The next step is to fly? One day it will stop being called a bicycle.
I don't even know how true bike lovers agree to add an engine!!
So you like single speed, rim brake, full rigid, and QR? Why watch a video about a new ebike if you don’t like them? Do you also think Biden is a good president?
If the ONLY purpose of the bike is to exercise, then yes, assist detracts from that. But for many, the bike is also for fun, commuting, exploration, adventure and time-efficiency. Assist motors really in all those use cases.
Why are you even here?
For mtbrs that love the fun aspect of the sport. Speed, downhill, and exploring new places. You get so much more of that with pedal assist in a short amount of time.. I have a trail bike been riding 15 years and don't mind doing 20+ mile analog rides.. but I like the fun aspect of mtbing more than exercise. You still get exercise on mid power, but you're traveling way faster. More DH runs, more miles covered.