First a little introduction. I've been riding almost exclusively Mountain Bike for years. I used to be road cyclist, even a competitor, and then twelve years ago I switched exclusively to MTB. I ride mostly Trail and All Mountain tracks.
After some experiments with Scott models, the opportunity arose to buy a very cheap Cube AMS Pro 150, only one year old. The previous owner was a competitor and it was normal for him to change bikes for a year, and I stretched my finances and took advantage of an opportunity that presented itself to me. The Cube worked very well all these years, but eventually it started to show signs of age. We spent more and more time in the workshop and less and less time on the tracks. In the end, I realized that I was taking quite a risk on my 50+ km rides, because twice it happened that I had to push the bike back to the car - once for 15 km, and the other time for the whole 22km 🙁
I did the last, top-notch service on the trusty Cube, replaced all the parts that showed even the slightest signs of wear, and very quickly found a buyer. The fact that after five years of riding it was sold for almost the same price that I paid for it shows how top-quality the bike was. Of course, inflation ate up a good part of that amount in five years, but still - the bargain is still superb. When selling, I paid attention to mention that the bike is recommended for short local trails, of which there are more and more in Belgrade and the surrounding area. The customer is exactly that - a young bike enthusiast who explore local trails for no more than 10 kilometers long a couple of times a week. We are in contact and so far he is very grateful for the excellent machine he bought from me.
To the problem...
However, now I do not have a bike. Due to problems in the market, and the inability to find a bike to my liking, last year I rode exclusively on the road on the old faithful Scott bike, which is celebrating 12+ years of companionship. However, a few days ago I rode a mountain trek on it and realized that I miss the mountain, wind and adrenaline quite a bit! So, the decision was made: I will get a new bike. Now we come to the dillema.
After a few months of getting to know the market, I have firmly decided that my next bike will be an electric MTB. Since I'm not a fan of a lot of assistance, and my riding style is far from a full-power downhill beasts, I decided to find a middle ground and get a lightweight electric bike.
The solution: LightWeight eMTB!!
Lightweight eMTBs have smaller batteries, less powerful motors, and weigh significantly less than full-blooded electric bikes. Full power eMTB has a weight of 20-26kg. Carrying a bike like that up to the third floor where I live, loading and unloading it from the trunk of a car can be too much of a challenge. I had a 25kg city electric bike and I ended up selling it because I never used it precisely because of the weight. Lightweight eMTBs range from a whopping 15kg to 20kg, which is much more in line with what I've looking for. Besides, even though I'm well into my 50s, I still have quite a bit of strength and endurance and I don't think the full power of electric motors is necessary for me yet. Let's face it, I rode the amazing Cannondale Moterra LT for an entire summer while staying in the French Alps and it's a beast. I adored it, but realistically I didn't need that much help.
After months of research, I've narrowed it down to a few models. I am in a big dilemma which one to choose.
Orbea Rise
Photo Source: https://www.orbea.com
The first one on the list and the bike I'm leaning towards the most is Orbea Rise. With a travel of 140mm or 150mm at the front and 140 mm at the back, a 540Wh battery and a weight of about 19 kg for aluminum version, it is an almost ideal choice. The geometry of the Orbea bikes suits me quite well, I tried their analogue model Occam and I can say that it is phenomenal. The motor in Rise is Shimano, which means that service and parts are easy to find, and my knowledge of the rest of Shimano mechanics is two classes above SRAM components (aside from having absolutely every specialized tool I could possibly need). The problem is low availability and the fact that the rear link shows problems with most Orbea bikes if not maintained very regularly.
Scott Lumen
Photo Source: https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/electric-bikes/scott-lumen-first-ride-review
The Scott is primarily on my list because of the geometry. I've ridden their entire range of bikes over the years and have never come across a model that didn't have perfect geometry. Although I haven't tried Lumen, I believe it would be the same story with him. The suspension is 130/130mm front and rear which definitely puts it strictly in the trail category and my All Mountain adventures would be a bit of a challenge with it. Also, it is equipped with the TQ engine, which is relatively new on the market and still suffers from childhood illnesses. The service network is much smaller. The battery is only 360Wh, which limits the range a lot, but the weight of only 15-16kg helps to extend the range a bit.
Trek Fuel exE
Photo Source: https://www.trekbikes.com
Trek definitely has the most complicated names for their bikes, and their price is significantly higher than the competition. The Fuel exE has a 360Wh battery and the already mentioned lower power TQ HPE50 motor. Everything I said about Scott Lumen applies to Trek as well. A plus for the Trek is the 140/150mm rear/front suspension which increases its usability in my case.
Cube Hybrid One44
Photo Source: https://www.cube.eu
And now I come to a completely new bike. I've driven Cube bikes for years and although we never really got along, we worked quite well together. The geometry is a bit inert for my taste, but since I'm not getting any younger, I guess I could slow down a bit. With a 400WH battery, it offers a bit more autonomy than Trek and Scott. The motor is a brand new Bosh SX motor, and I have a lot of confidence in Bosh because most of the e-bikes I've ridden so far have had their motor. With a suspension of 140/140 front and rear it is exactly what I am looking for and the weight of 17-18 kg is amazing. The problem is that it is completely new to the market, the offer is very limited and there is no reviews in terms of durability.
Those are my dilemmas. If you have one of these eMTB bikes - share your experiences. All and if you are not in these waters, you are welcome to exchange your opinion.
Big shout out to all bikers around the world, especially those who are still active on Hive.
Disclaimer: Due to my unfortunate conflict with the 
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