# Thoughts on Trek Allant+9.9



## confusedcyclist (1 Oct 2019)

Edit: I decided against buying the cube in the end, so I changed the the thread title.

I'm moving home soon. I am thinking about purchasing a 2020 CX Performance Bosch equipped motor ebike to smooth out the hills of my new, longer 13 mile commute. Whilst I'm definitely fit enough to ride the route muscle powered (I did a trial run on my heavy steel frame) the steep climbs mean it's a good 1 hour and 20 mins, that 30 mins longer than before. I have a baby at home now so want to minimise travel time so I can spend more time with DD before bedtime. An ebike would help me do that without adding a second car to our household bills. Also, I'm not riding much commuting miles these days, and I am regularly throwing away £90 on bus fares. Something like this will work out about £70 a month over 3 years interest free credit, so I'll be ahead financially so long as maintenance isn't overly expensive and I commit to avoiding the bus in all but the worst weather.

I know I can go cheaper with a custom build, but don't want the hassle of things going wrong, I picked Bosch because they have great warranty and the new CX motor seems to be getting rave reviews. I had considered the active line motors too, but as I'm a bit of a lump and I'm cycling steep hills and some light trials, I thought the 75Nm torque motor might be better suited to my needs.

Spec wise it looks decent with rack, lights and mudguards built in. If you had £3k burning a hole in your pocket for a e-bike commuter, would you pick something like this for hilly terrain with mostly tarmac but some light trail riding? Major downside is it's not available in my size until Feb 2020. The LBS has nothing comparable in stock. Since most motors need to be dealer serviced, I want to buy from my local dealer. https://www.cube.eu/en/2020/e-bikes...be-kathmandu-hybrid-exc-625-iridiumnred-2020/

I'm not really sure if e-bike riders rate Cube? I've never owned one. I steered awat from giants offering because of their proprietary motor. I haven't been able to find any reviews of this cube bike yet, I don't think it's even off the production line yet, but my LBS are taking pre-orders, and I'm tempted to hit that buy button. What do you think?


----------



## Pale Rider (1 Oct 2019)

Looks like you averaged about 10mph on the pushbike.

Assuming that wasn't because of many junctions and traffic lights, the ebike should improve that.

You wont go far wrong with a Cube/Bosch bike.

I've not tried the latest Bosch motor, but they are generally reliable and reckoned to give the nicest cycling experience.

Someone in the trade told me Bosch has been quoting long lead times to manufacturers, which explains why you cannot get a bike until February.

I'm surprised the bike shop doesn't have any alternatives.

Trekking ebikes of the type you are interested in are made by many manufacturers.

No need to rule out the Giant - the motor is just a Giant branded Yamaha one.

It's known to be reliable, although perhaps not as smooth as the Bosch in operation.

Where are you based?


----------



## tom73 (1 Oct 2019)

Have you looked at trek?
Don’t know too much about them but ones I’ve seen look ok was reading that they’ve put a lot of money into developing them.


----------



## Ananda (1 Oct 2019)

confusedcyclist said:


> I'm moving home soon. I am thinking about purchasing a 2020 CX Performance Bosch equipped motor ebike to smooth out the hills of my new, longer 13 mile commute. Whilst I'm definitely fit enough to ride the route muscle powered (I did a trial run on my heavy steel frame) the steep climbs mean it's a good 1 hour and 20 mins, that 30 mins longer than before. I have a baby at home now so want to minimise travel time so I can spend more time with DD before bedtime. An ebike would help me do that without adding a second car to our household bills. Also, I'm not riding much commuting miles these days, and I am regularly throwing away £90 on bus fares. Something like this will work out about £70 a month over 3 years interest free credit, so I'll be ahead financially so long as maintenance isn't overly expensive and I commit to avoiding the bus in all but the worst weather.
> 
> I know I can go cheaper with a custom build, but don't want the hassle of things going wrong, I picked Bosch because they have great warranty and the new CX motor seems to be getting rave reviews. I had considered the active line motors too, but as I'm a bit of a lump and I'm cycling steep hills and some light trials, I thought the 75Nm torque motor might be better suited to my needs.
> 
> ...



I think this thing is the ugliest and heaviest ebike in cube's range. But of course taste is a personal thing. Other than that, bare in mind that the 2020 active line is putting out only 10nm less torque than the cx line, 65 vs 75 which is a non issue. In my opinion an acid hybrid would be the cheapest ebike to buy and ran in cube's line, due to older tech 9sp transmission and well...lowest in range purchase price. At the same time it does not look bad either and is almost 5kgs lighter than the katmandu.


----------



## confusedcyclist (1 Oct 2019)

@PaleRider I'm in leeds but the nearest cube dealer (afaik) is All Terrain Cycles in Shipley, just a short hop on train or jaunt from where I work.

You're right about my average speed. Lots of long slow climbs and fast descents, little in the way of traffic lights and junctions. Think my route is perfect candidate for an ebike.

Cool, didn't know Giant's motors were rebranded Yamahas.

I'll check out Treks offerings too.

I'll admit the design is not exactly eye candy, but this is intended as a practical and comfy commuter, not my weekend ride.

The acid hybrid is cheaper but lacks the practical commuter additions and range of the 625 powertube battery. I do appreciate the suggestions!


----------



## tom73 (1 Oct 2019)

Trek have a great shop out at fox valley nice bunch and very helpful. They let you test ride them too.


----------



## confusedcyclist (1 Oct 2019)

Trek Allant+8 or 9.9 (£5k!!! ) are also very tempting! I think they are also going to be hard to get hold of probably due to the same Bosch motor availability, will make some calls tomorrow.


----------



## Turdus philomelos (2 Oct 2019)

My gripe with e bike manufacturers when first researching to purchase was that the all but few insisted on equiping their bikes with, in my option no essential, very heavy shocks that could add quite a kg or two on to the weight of your bike. Not got when you have to left it in and out twice a day. Scottish roads are quite rumbly and grippy but I felt carbon shocks would suffice in reducing some of the road chatter. Just something to think about bud. I ended up with a Whyte bike with no shocks and I love it.


----------



## CXRAndy (2 Oct 2019)

You could make a far superior ebike with greater range, power and much cheaper.
Just choose the right bike for converting. I would look at last years unsold models of bikes, they can be had for a bargain. I bought my wife's bike for less than £500, it retailed £1000 new

68/73 threaded bottom bracket, aluminium/steel frame with space and bottle cage mounts for battery


----------



## Pale Rider (2 Oct 2019)

I am not the biggest fan of cheapo Chinese electrics, but some people get good service from them.

You've ruled out a kit, but a ready made Chinese bike would be a cheaper option than the Cube.

There's a lot to be said for Oxygen, good quality for what it is, and the importer is based in Yorkshire.

The guy who owns it is genuine, and he does keep a stock of spares.

The bikes ride quite well, control not as sophisticated as a Bosch bike, but a bit more poke on the flat.

Test rides available - and probably a discount - from Oxygen in Rotherham.

http://www.oxygenbicycles.com/shop-2/s-cross-cb/


----------



## tom73 (2 Oct 2019)

Seen quite a few Oxygen ones out and about people seat be happy with them. 
One guy is always out on one he's normal parked up at the supermarket.


----------



## confusedcyclist (3 Oct 2019)

My wife will not be happy* (thanks to @tom73) because when I checked the Trek range, the Allant+9.9 caught my eye. What a beauty. I spoke with the shop and they can get it to me a month earlier than the cube.

Needless to say, I couldn't resist it's charms! Ah well. It's the last bike I'll buy for a long time as I can only fit 3 in my stable, not to mention, I'll be penniless! 

*DW can't really get mad, because I subsidise her a much more expensive motor car habit!


----------



## CXRAndy (3 Oct 2019)

Is that right price £5200? 

Certainly will be nice


----------



## tom73 (3 Oct 2019)

Don’t blame me 
Glad you’ve found something you like 
Enjoy


----------



## confusedcyclist (3 Oct 2019)

Yeah that's the RRP, there might be a smidge of wiggle room but I doubt there's much because I'm part financing it (0% APR mind) which will eat into the store's margin.

@tom73, certainly not to blame but if the wife starts asking how much... I might need a human shield.


----------



## tom73 (3 Oct 2019)

confusedcyclist said:


> Yeah that's the RRP and I know theres a smidge of wiggle room but I didn't get much because I'm part financing it (0% APR mind) which will eat into the store's margin.
> 
> @tom73, certainly not to blame but if the wife starts asking how much... I might need a human shield.



 Tell her she can have a play as all the best girls ride a trek Mrs 73 loves her fx.


----------



## TyrannosaurusTreks (3 Oct 2019)

You won’t be disappointed in the trek, my domane is a real joy to ride.
Price wise you do get what you pay for, the giant road- e I had before was nice but the trek feels more a quality ride.
Enjoy😁


----------



## tom73 (4 Oct 2019)

Just looked up that bike no wonder it turned your head 
As I was on the site had a look at domane range rude not to 
step away from the computer , dont need another bike ....yet


----------



## Pale Rider (5 Oct 2019)

The Trek bike has pretty much the ultimate Bosch ebike spec.

Had you said you wanted one of those, I would have pointed you in the direction of the Riese and Muller Super Delite.

It has their tuned for the road full suspension which is excellent.

I've never ridden such a comfortable bike that holds the road so well.

Twin batteries for even longer range, and never mind Shimano's cranky derailers, have a Rohloff hub - with electronic shifting.

Oily chains are so last century, the Delite has a Gates belt.

It also wins the 'spend a ludicrous amount of money on an ebike' competition, retailing at more than £7,500.

https://www.r-m.de/en-gb/models/superdelite/superdelite-gt-rohloff/#F00351_04011207


----------



## confusedcyclist (7 Oct 2019)

That's some next level luxury right there. 

I have to admit, the hub/gates system on commuter will be incredibly low maintenance, but the reduced cost and ease of maintenance of a 12 speed chain/derailleur combo is a win in my book. Keeping the bike clean is still necessary, and degreasing/lubing the drive chain at the same time doesn't add THAT much more to the chore. I'm pretty handy with my bikes, but hub internals still scare me. Even if money were no option, I think I'd still go with the Trek.


----------



## confusedcyclist (15 Nov 2019)

Great news, I've taken delivery of the Allant+9.9 early, day after my birthday. A lovely present to myself, so chuffed with it.

First, there are a couple of things I wish I knew before buying the bike. As this is aimed at commuters, it's not unreasonable to expect that it will be left outdoors. Since most people are likely take their battery with them to deter theft, it would have been nice if Trek included a rubber contact cover to protect the frame's internal battery contact from the elements. When the battery is removed, the inside of the frame and the contacts are exposed, over time the contacts will oxidise. Maybe not a huge issue in places with 365 days of sun, but in the UK, we don't want to expose the contacts to inclement weather unnecessarily. I've stuffed my cycling buff into the frame this AM as a temporary fix. The rubber covers by Bosch only cost a few pounds, so it's not a huge deal, but now I have to make a special trip to my dealer to get one which is annoying. Trek, it's the little things that count! Please include these!

The carbon frame and paint job is a thing of beauty, a rela head turner, but it's impossible to get my large U-lock through the seat stays and wheels/tyres because they are HUGE 2.4".  Again, not a big deal. I'll need to use a cable to loop around the wheels, and just put the U lock around the top tube. I've got a cable loop in the garage somewhere. Also, when leaning the bike against a Sheffield stand, it's picked up several scratches immediately. I'm not precious about my paint work, but I do fear that after a few months in the work racks and clumsy colleagues, the frame might start to look a bit shabby. A more durable finish would have been nice on such an expensive bike. I do wonder if this is a drawback of carbon paint jobs, compared to my steel stead which seems more tolerant of scuffs.

The top of the line Kiox display is worth every penny. it can be a little harder to read smaller text like battery levels with rain droplets on it, but that's not worth moaning about as a quick cycle through the various pages will give you the same info in a larger format. The input controller is intuitive, and easy enough to use even with winter gloves on. I'm sure it will be even easier still in the summer when my fingerless gloves come back out and you can feel the button locations without even looking. I can't wait to put it's through its paces in the daytime, it's just seen dark commutes so far. But the integrated light system is incredibly bright, which came into its own during sections of unlit paths, they are like car headlights. I've added a cheap blinker to the seatpost, just for extra visibility, not that the rear mudguard mounted light isn't plenty bright enough, it just doesn't seem to flash.

I have not ridden any ebikes before I got my hands on the Allant+9.9, but my experiences of riding the bike are nothing but positive. the Cube had front and seatpost suspension, but honestly, being used to commuting on a rigid gravel bike with slick tyres, despite the extra speed, this bike isn't jarring and suspension does seem unnecessary for paved commutes in my view. The 2.4" tyres guarantee a comfortable ride. That said, I do have to slow down on the few short stretches of cobbles, but that's hardly unreasonable. The motor makes more noise than I expected, which makes me feel a bit self-conscious as I pass others, but then that all fades away as I leave my muscle powered compatriots in my wake.

The 625W battery is giving me about 30-40 miles range, blasting turbo all the way. Just great fun! Pictures may follow. I'm one happy camper.


----------



## confusedcyclist (18 Nov 2019)

I noticed the Kiox mount was a bit wobbly today. Upon inspection, the plastic mount was hanging from a thread and sheard right off as I lifted it. It looks like it's integrated into Trek's proprietary stem, so there's no quick fix, a bit disappointing. I wonder if this is a weak point in the design, or if it took a bash in the workshop before I picked it up. The motor won't work without the display connected, so I had to wrap a buff around it to hold it in place on my journey to work. I'm hoping that this will be dealt with swiftly under Trek's warranty, luckily the frame comes with a lifetime warranty. Hopefully it isn't a sign of things to come, but I did notice a bit of creaking possibly from the motor too this AM.

Edit: Took it to the shop to get looked at during lunch. Luckily it's not the whole stem that has to go (which seemed a little whacky anyway), the mount has a plate which runs between the stem and handlebars. The team were able to zip-tie a basic mount to the handle bars to keep me going for now. Top service from All Terrain Cycles. Back to the shop in a week or two to get the mount fitted and the creak looked at if it worsens.


----------



## TyrannosaurusTreks (19 Nov 2019)

confusedcyclist said:


> I noticed the Kiox mount was a bit wobbly today. Upon inspection, the plastic mount was hanging from a thread and sheard right off as I lifted it. It looks like it's integrated into Trek's proprietary stem, so there's no quick fix, a bit disappointing. I wonder if this is a weak point in the design, or if it took a bash in the workshop before I picked it up. The motor won't work without the display connected, so I had to wrap a buff around it to hold it in place on my journey to work. I'm hoping that this will be dealt with swiftly under Trek's warranty, luckily the frame comes with a lifetime warranty. Hopefully it isn't a sign of things to come, but I did notice a bit of creaking possibly from the motor too this AM.
> 
> Edit: Took it to the shop to get looked at during lunch. Luckily it's not the whole stem that has to go (which seemed a little whacky anyway), the mount has a plate which runs between the stem and handlebars. The team were able to zip-tie a basic mount to the handle bars to keep me going for now. Top service from All Terrain Cycles. Back to the shop in a week or two to get the mount fitted and the creak looked at if it worsens.


On my Domane+ the kickstand carbon fibre mounts broke & I have to have a new frame after 500 miles,I’ve been waiting about 5 weeks now to arrive from the US still not come.
Hope you don’t have to wait too long.


----------



## confusedcyclist (21 Nov 2019)

TyrannosaurusTreks said:


> On my Domane+ the kickstand carbon fibre mounts broke & I have to have a new frame after 500 miles,I’ve been waiting about 5 weeks now to arrive from the US still not come.
> Hope you don’t have to wait too long.


Ouch!

Part ordered on monday, arrived on wednesday, went on today, 5 minute jobby, if you don't count the two special trips to and back from the shop. 

One thing the shop told me, that is obvious in retrospect, not to clamp the frame, only the seatpost, as that will stress the frame. Fail to adhere and the manufacturer can wiggle out of frame warranty claims, you'd think that would be in the manual, but I never noticed it. Duly noted!


----------



## TyrannosaurusTreks (22 Nov 2019)

confusedcyclist said:


> Ouch!
> 
> Part ordered on monday, arrived on wednesday, went on today, 5 minute jobby, if you don't count the two special trips to and back from the shop.
> 
> One thing the shop told me, that is obvious in retrospect, not to clamp the frame, only the seatpost, as that will stress the frame. Fail to adhere and the manufacturer can wiggle out of frame warranty claims, you'd think that would be in the manual, but I never noticed it. Duly noted!


I have mine stored in my bed & the wife in the garage, no stress 😂.


----------



## confusedcyclist (22 Nov 2019)

Rear wheel flew out from under me on way home yesterday, luckily I got my foot out to prevent a crash. I'm thinking I might retire mine too until the spring. Haven't been able to source 27.5 studded tyres for her yet (bike, not wife).


----------



## Gunk (22 Nov 2019)

You could buy a decent motorcycle for that price


----------



## confusedcyclist (22 Nov 2019)

Gunk said:


> You could buy a decent motorcycle for that price


I'd need motorcycle license, I'd have to tax, insure, service and MOT it, put petroleum in it, wear a full helmet and leathers, I'd be banned from riding it on cycle infrastructure and I wouldn't get any exercise. eBikes are also safer (lower speeds). Despite the upfront cost of the Trek, long term running costs much lower than a motorcycle or car. Completely different tools for different jobs. I was initially skeptical that any bike could be worth this kind of money, but then I rode it, the ride quality and effort that went into putting this together speaks for itself. I'm sure the +8 model would be adequate for some, but the extra touches of the 9.9 worth every penny in the long run for the kind of riding I do.


----------



## TyrannosaurusTreks (22 Nov 2019)

Gunk said:


> You could buy a decent motorcycle for that price








👍😬


----------

