2023 EMTB SHOOTOUT PRELUDE
PREVIEW OF THE REVIEW
Words by Drew Rohde
It’s pretty crazy to think that when Loam Wolf started back in 2017, I was not a fan of eMTBs. To be fair, my distaste wasn’t purely based on elitism. At the time, compared to their non-electrified counterparts, eBikes were pretty unimpressive for the most part. Fast forward to the 2023 eMTB Shootout and our entire crew has been blown away with the progression in eMTB performance, yet again. Now in its 5th year, The Loam Wolf eMTB Shootout has proven to be an eye-opening experience for our testers. The performance, technology and level of riding we’re capable of doing on these full-power eBikes just keeps getting better. With our test period and filming complete, our crew is hard at work editing video, writing reviews, and laying out the series in hopes of entertaining, and also giving the best information possible for those in the market for a new electric mountain bike.
So, over the years what exactly has changed our minds most when it comes to eMTBs? The biggest change has been the increased amount of fun, fewer broken parts and the reduction in complaints when it comes to critically analyzing eBikes. Early eMTBs barely resembled mountain bikes on the trail. They were heavy, had overly soft suspension and ride quality and also struggled with durability, not to mention the clunky displays, and electronic woes. In the last couple of years eMTBs have gotten so good that that we’re very rarely, if ever, saying, “I would hit this on a normal bike, but not on an eBike.” Similarly, we’re also not breaking spokes or denting rims regularly and many brands have improved motor tunes, suspension performance, and app integration. That doesn’t mean they’re perfect, we still have a ways to go, but as far as on-trail performance, 2023 eMTBs are leaps ahead of what we first tested just a few years back.
Each year we document the stats from our testing period and the reduction in parts breaking, loose hardware, electrical issues and other component failures improves. That’s not to say we came out unscathed though as there were a few freak accidents and a couple interesting developments which we’ll cover in our detailed reviews coming soon.
WHO’S INVITED?
We do not charge any of the bike brands to be involved, there is no barrier to entry or requirement for them to be advertisers or supporters in any way. As you’ll undoubtedly notice, there are bikes missing from this eBike group review: some that you really wanted to see, and some that we really wanted to ride. We did not exclude anyone intentionally and did our best to invite as many brands as we could, but we must be conscious of the time and cost it requires to create such a production and to ensure we do the participants justice by riding each bike enough to truly know it. As far as those not in attendance, some brands may have an updated bike in the pipeline, others may not have inventory, while others just may want to keep their bike out of such competitive group comparison tests, but regardless of the reason, we want you to know that we did our best to compile a competitive and worthwhile assortment of the latest and best eMTBs for 2023.
WE APPRECIATE
This year, with the amazing help of Fox Racing and Schwalbe Tires, our crew was able to review 13 eMTBs in the rocky terrain of Central Oregon before heading over to Pacific City, Oregon for some amazing days in the loam zone. If you’d like to visit Pacific City, Oregon, we’d highly suggest checking out a rental from our good friends at Kiwanda Properties. You could even stay in the same swanky beach-side house they hooked us up with for the week! We’d also like to thank Bros and Hoes Landscaping and Arika’s Cooking for providing us a great HQ on the coast.
HOT TOPICS
During our shootout we spent a lot of time with each other and swapping between bikes, talking smack and talking shop. Over the course of the test period opinions can change, bike setups evolve and discussions are had that help guide our final thoughts on the contenders and where we ideally see them fitting in.
Some of the things we most often talk about are drive units, spec, value and flat-out performance. Our primary goal is to come out of this series with a firm grasp on the absolute best performing eMTB out there, bar none. Sometimes that bike is the most affordable, like last year’s Scott Ransom, and in other years it may be a more expensive model, but one thing we’ve discovered is that there have been plenty of great performing bikes at lower price points. For example, this year’s Bang for the Buck Award Winner is a bike we’d easily feel comfortable buying ourselves as we’re very value focused when it comes to buying our own bikes.
Another point of debate is drive unit selection and electronics. Like anything else, riders have their own preferences and selling points that suit their riding style, power delivery and other concerns. We posed a hypothetical question to our testers, “If all eMTB motors were interchangeable, which motor would you bolt to your eMTB? Below you’ll find the members of our test crew and their takeaways when it comes to drive units selection.
DREW ROHDE
“El Jefe”
Stats: 40 | 5’11” | 180lbs
Trail Type: Rough, raw, natural chunk and fast corners
Motor Choice: This is a tough one and has a lot to consider. If I’m racing, I’d pick Bosch for the flat out speed. However, I feel other platforms deliver a more refined and natural pedaling experience. If I wasn’t going for a race bike I’d likely pick Rocky’s Dyname 4.0, but some of the quirks and specifically the torque sensor error codes frustrate me while I’m sitting trailside resting my foot on the pedal. I also really like the Brose/Specialized unit’s feel and power, but have heard a lot of stories about their failures. Shimano is like the vanilla sleeper that just works well. I like vanilla.
ROBERT JOHNSTON
“Scottish Sasquatch”
Stats: 27 | 6’2” | 220lbs
Interesting Fact: He’s an engineer that doesn’t start sentences with, “As an engineer…”
Motor Choice: Without a doubt the Rocky Mountain Dyname 4.0 as it allows me and my 220lb mass to climb up stuff I feel like other motors should get me up but can’t. I can keep up with riders who are normally dropping me on other eMTBs and I love the torque. However, support and repair, should an issue arise do have me thinking about Bosch as a good backup.
SEAN LEICHT
“Sourpatch”
Stats: 31 | 6’2” | 160lbs
Typical Diet: Sourpatch is named after his primary source of nutrition – the Sour Patch Kids gummy sweets. Add in Pizza without sauce, absolutely zero vegetables since he left his parents house, and wash it down with red Rockstar, and it’s a wonder how he shreds like he does.
Motor Choice: Dyname 4.0 for its raw power, speed and tech integration. I’m a big fan of being rewarded for the more effort I put in and not having the “i hate my life” thoughts climbing as I do on an analog bike. I do worry about being stranded far from a Rocky Dealer for support and what turnaround time would look like. The Shimano EP801 is a close second for me.
NIC HALL
“U-TURN”
Stats: 34 | 5’11 | 187lbs
Random Fact: Nic is notorious for trying to save money when buying parts or products, which usually results in them breaking, catching fire or failing, causing him to make a U-Turn and go home early. He’s also a certified YouTube mechanic.
Motor Choice: I’d pick Shimano because of dealer support and I just like the way it feels when I’m pedaling as it’s a very natural assistance.
RYAN GAGNON
“Frenchie”
Stats: 36 | 6’1 | 165lbs
Test Type: Fast and loose is the program here. Hop on and pin it first, ask questions later.
Motor Choice: Bosch, Bosch, Bosch, Bosch.
BRIAN NILES
Videographer/Editor
Stats: 44 | 5’6 | 165lbs
Random Fact: Niles is an all-around bad ass who drops into greasy trails with a backpack half his size mounted to his back, all while never adjusting his bike setup beyond asking us to lower his seat.
Motor Choice: Bosch is pretty sick. It lets me just zip up anything and is really fast. Even with all my camera gear I can climb up stuff I couldn’t climb up on my regular bike without a pack.
DUSTEN RYEN
Photo/Video
Stats: 32 | 6’0 | 170lbs
Trail Type: I like aspects of all types of terrain as I’m still improving my skills and confidence as a rider. They all present fun and challenges.
Motor Choice: I really like the Rocky’s power and how it gives you more power when pedaling but it’s a bit grindy feeling/sounding. Bosch is a solid all-around but I do love Brose/Specialized feel, integration and tech.
MAX RHULEN
Photo/Video
Stats: 26 | 6’0 | 160lbs
Trail Conditions: Living and riding in the high desert, trails don’t get much better than just after fresh rain to keep the dust down.
Motor Choice: I’ve been enjoying the STEPS EP8 unit. The Shimano system seems consistent and the noise isn’t too obnoxious. However, it does seem to get bogged down a bit more than others when speed or power are really needed to keep up.
Moving beyond drive units, any mountain biker is going to have their preferences on brakes, drivetrain, suspension and eMTBs riders are no different. We’ve seen a big shift in spec this year and were surprised to see Fox dominating so much of the spec for 2023. Similarly, we’ve seen a lot Shimano drivetrains spec’d, which certainly helped reduce the number of broken chains.
So who’s running what? Let’s take a look at the bikes and the awards up for grabs. If you’re a fan of fantasy leagues, consider this your draft day. Anyone who gets all four selections right will be entered to win a Loam Wolf prize package!
Read the award categories below, and scroll down to submit your answers to enter!
This is going to be the no-holds-barred, all-out eMTB machine that stoked our riders out the most. Whether it’s climbing, racing, jumping or dropping into the gnarliest downhills we can find, the eMTB of the Year is the bike that is at home everywhere and excites us the most.
While some bikes may be the tip of the spear for racing, or other applications, we are fully aware that the vast majority of riders will not need to pick a race bike or feel any of the downsides of such purpose-built rigs. That doesn’t mean this bike can’t race or be competitive, it just means that our crew felt it better balances the needs of the general public, performs incredibly balanced on a broad spectrum of trails, and is easy to set up and shred, or cruise casually.
This is likely to be the bike our testers would most likely spend their own money on. Since most of us are underpaid bike industry types, budget is a very real concern, but we’ve ridden some of the best and most expensive bikes on the market, so performance truly matters. When we can find a bike that still holds its own on the trail, but doesn’t have us draining our entire savings account to buy it, we feel it’s worth an award.
Different than the Most Versatile Enduro category, the Most Likely to Recommend eBike is one that we believe will satisfy the needs of most riders. We are constantly answering emails throughout the year asking us, “Which eBike should I buy?” Most of the time, they’re not in need of a big long travel enduro race machine, instead they want the most well-rounded eMTB. We created this category to help people feel comfortable knowing what we think is one of the best bikes for a huge range of riders.
POLL CLOSED.
POLL CLOSED.
Many of you were close, nailing three out of four correctly.
Out of the hundreds of entries we received, there was only ONE to guess all four correctly.
Congratulations, D. Simpson!
We’ll be reaching out soon to get a little care package sent out.
2023 EMTB SHOOTOUT BIKES
There you have it folks, we’re as excited as you are about the 2023 eMTB Shootout and can’t wait to share it with you. Of course, without your support and that of our awesome partners, Fox Racing and Schwalbe Tires we wouldn’t be able to make this series happen, so we’d like to extend a massive thanks to you all.
If you’d like to check out our new Made in USA jerseys and some fresh new t-shirts, we’d be honored to have you check out our webstore as it really helps us out.
Thank you,
– Drew and TLW Crew
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THIS YEAR’S SPONSORS
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