De-restricted Vs Restricted E Bike Comparison | Road, Downhill Run & Trail Loop

[@JadenRoseGuitars]

stop boiling everything down to time, its not how we measure fun. I've ridden both restricted and unrestricted bikes and the restricted bike was horrible to ride when the limiter cut in, it was like hitting a wall. derestricting smoothes out the ride and no horrible surprises. bring the limit up to 20mph and I think there will be far less people derestricting.

[@pawelodz8050]

Yeah 32km/h 20mph would be a perfect

[@adrianwood2566]

The latest motors have removed the resistance encountered when the restriction kick in.

[@likeher9]

100% spot on! Only embn and next doors cat seem not to grasp this!

[@matt115lamb]

@@likeher9 they know alright just can’t say it as wouldn’t look good !

[@JadenRoseGuitars]

@@matt115lamb agreed

[@jrsuk1170]

C'mon de restriction isn't about riding a trail park. Ride 10 miles there and 10 miles back and then tell me it doesn't make much difference. The speed limit really should be a bit higher, maybe 20mph and then it would probably stop most people de restricting their bikes.

[@markparker5585]

Couldn't agree more. I doubt I'd hit the limiter at most bike parks, certainly not on the trails themselves, maybe on some of the fire/connecting roads between sections. But if you also use the bike for commuting, a 20MPH would be far more sensible, and imo safer in traffic. Let's face it, you'd still be overtaken by most road riders on the flat or downhill.

[@BABALOOEY46]

Exactly.... France can go shove a croissant up there fanny for there abusive attitude towards bikes.

[@keithstewart7514]

Being in bike lanes here in Calif aides in targeting the many cars who seem to barely miss hitting me for being on the road, all 6 inches from riding rain gutters onto the asphalt with them.

[@eGazTheFirstAustralian]

Exactly

[@darthkek1953]

Precisely. 15 mph is simply encouraging people to derestrict on the road.

[@petersterkenburg7689]

I live in the Netherlands and redistricted my bike because 25km an hour is to slow when you are riding with friends on a normal bike. When the max speed was around 30km/h for a standard ebike I believe most people would accept that without the need to tune your bike.

[@rraymakers]

Dutch guy here, i agree, i noticed the same

[@likeher9]

You couldn't be more right if you tried, I'm just so amazed everyone doesn't see the stark obvious facts in front of them.

[@Paul_VanGo]

When I bought my Bosch equipped Cube, I was always hitting the 25km/h restriction. So, in effect, I had a heavy bike, without any electrical support, ¾ of the time. So, I de-retricted it to a limit of 50km/h, and changed to longer gears. I almost never come to that max speed, but now I can get to and from work at a comfortable 35km/h. And only outside the town's and villages. Think I'm a hoonigan? Ever encountered a flock of race bikes on their €6kcarbon flies, without decent brakes ? They are complete egocentric idiots, most of the time, at least. 3 wide, on the road, in town, at 40km an hour, ignoring anything and everything, shouting at anybody, only they are in a flock. No fucks given, when they all end up under a lorry.

[@thexitto]

the same here in Portugal. Normal bike´s ride speed is 28/35km/h rolling. Motor cutting off at 25km/h it´s like hitting a wall..

[@a.w.mmathijssen7517]

😂😂😂 if you can’t keep up with you’re mates on normal bikes whats the point of riding a emtb?

[@link6032]

Not a great video at all, a 100m sprint and riding downhill would clearly show minimum gains from the increased limit !. Ride up a fire road for 20mins connecting trails or ride on the roads you use getting to off-road sections and them say the higher speed limit makes no difference. 15mph on the road is not safe with cars doing at least 30. Also to say the bikes are not designed to have a higher top speed is not true. The same bikes are sold in the USA just with different software and a 20mph limit. Not your usual standard of informative video. Clearly a video made to put people off derestricting without sound reasoning. 😣

[@bernieboi8943]

you said it all my friend.... this is all they should have said. This channel also makes the same video every year. Look it up, same results as always.... Derestriction is where its at. or else the whole EMTB scene isnt even needed for most people........

[@likeher9]

I wonder if embn actually believe this nonsense themselves??

[@Roadkilljonno]

Totally agree with this comment. The presenter voiced his bias in the first few minutes, so can we really trust any results that they get? Each test was put together to showcase how close derestricted was to restricted bikes. I also have my reservations about the choice of bike. The presenter stated this motor can be ridden easily under no power. therefore it is easier to ride OVER the limiter is it not? Furthermore, the present is an retired professional athlete with more power in his legs than Jon Doe average rider... If EMBN are going to make videos on this topic put some more thought into it instead of making bias clap trap!

[@likeher9]

@@Roadkilljonno beautifully articulated Jonathan! I couldn't disagree with any of that

[@quentinz.1380]

@@Roadkilljonno couldn't agree more!

[@bucharestbiketraffic]

At 1:14 I was like, boy, here we go again. 1. Voiding the warranty: The motor manufacturers that limit their motors here in Europe have the same motors with 32 and 45km/h top speed in the US with the same warranty. The safety non sense that they speak about is jibberish. The same components are present on the same model in US or EU. Even though most of the EU countries have legislated bicycles that go above 25km/h as speed pedelecs and we had at some point the Bosch Performance Line Speed in 2018 up to late 2019. Also, in most of the countries in Europe, riding off road means that there are no regulations for the speed you travel with your bike. And I don't mean trails, I mean any type of off road cycling. Maybe, one solution is doing it like japanese cars, limited on the roads but when on a racetrack, you have the full speed available. It seems to me that things are just plain stupid in this regard. 2. Wearing on the components: Ohhh pppllleaseeee. Give me a break. So you are telling me that all the "e-bike" specific components are just plain marketing? We have e-bike designated transmisions from SRAM, e-bike specific shocks and forks from FOX and Rockshox and even bloody e-bike specific oil for chains from MUC-OFF. Am I missing something here? 3. Accidents: Well, this is again, non sense. I can very well buy a (cheaper) petrol or electric moped, registrate it for next to nothing and ride it and even go faster than an e-bike on and off road. I find it idiotic that even if I have a car/motorcycle licence and welcome the possiblity of registering my e-bike or ensuring it (by having a hologram sticker visible at all times on the frame) the EU legislators still think that I should be a baby and ride with speeds well below a well tuned non e-bike. 4. Is it worth the hassle? : A milion times yes. I derestricted all my bikes and it makes a huge difference. On and off the trail.

[@keithstewart7514]

Dongle chip for my bosch haiBike...

[@sbnxtdoor4933]

You sir, said it all 👏🏽, thank you for this

[@yordankrushkov8488]

You are right on all points. I don't own an out of the box emtb but put a bafang bbs02 on a XC MTB and never bothered connecting the restriction cable but did program it to be really docile and ride more like a restricted one with slower accelerations and power limit. There is the question of where do you use the motor mostly? to gain more speed on the flat or to make you climb easier hills (where the 25km/h doesn't even come into play). The restriction problem should concern commuting on public roads only. The goverments and local authorities like the ones here in Paris feel obliged to regulate, because most e-bike users and specially e-scooter users that don't have riding culture can take those as rentals and bring havoc on the streets and sidewalks. And instead of putting money and money into teaching people good behavior on the roads/sidewalks once more they decide to just regulate or should I say reprimend.

[@philipf8774]

Agree with you on every point. Derestricting an ebike is night and day difference.

[@adamVLA]

adevarat

[@paulsutcliffe1195]

Derestriction smooths the ride. It doesn’t suddenly feel like riding thru treacle when you hit 25kph

[@Mcfc2Rich]

@Bad Santa 😂

[@Mcfc2Rich]

I road a M downhill bike everywhere and a trials bike around Manchester growing up. Any benefit is nothing to complain about for me at this point.

[@garth62]

Chris - judging from the comments on this video, and though I admire your attempts to justify the current limit and demonise de-restricting, It's plain to see that the vast majority of the sensible e-biking fraternity have the same argument. It's not about being able to go 40mph on the open road. The current imposed 15mph speed limit is too slow and can compromise safety in many situations. As you pointed out the de-restricted bike allowed the extra inertia to safely double jump. As many have also pointed out - road work needs to be faster to be safer, many do not just used their emtb in bike parks. I have no doubt that the legislation was brought in to protect members of the public in urban areas. However maybe it's time for you and your team to help us lobby our law makers to see if this restriction can be changed to reflect real world conditions and requirements.

[@untenableposition]

2 years later...

[@F.E.A.R_]

Let's make online petition for Europe ?

[@rossbishop1135]

I think 2mph would be better im not being funny i go faster than that on my anolog bike and if i hit you on either one its going to hurt , once you hit the limiter its as everyone says its like someone puts the brakes on constant and at 15mph if your not expecting it that is dangerous ,it caught me unawares the first time

[@rossbishop1135]

Typo ment to say 20 mph not 2 mph 😂😂😂

[@Tanno_Buchino]

These restrictions should have been on the cars and motorbikes. Not to ebikes.

[@markcosens1]

EU/UK limit is too slow. The US one is perfect.

[@chriskros8858]

From my experience every restricting is stupid. After derestricting with mountain gearing 1x11 I can achieve max 40 kph but not for longer time because it is very tiring and drains battery. So in reality even derestricted bike can go ca 30 kph and on eco mode it is hard riding. So what to think about e bikes? They have poor power, limited range and in addition restricted assistance speed. And they cost a lot of money. I think better investnrnt is super light bike - no limits, long range, no electric problems and uphill is also possible.

[@bernieboi8943]

Just put off the limiter, imagine all your MTB skills gets you in to a road crash lmfao. dude. what are the odds? fking zero.....

[@chriskros8858]

@@bernieboi8943 I will answer later when I translate your sentences ti understand you in right way.

[@graysquirreltreeservice7299]

I agree I in ny restricted isn't too bad only a couple times do I want more speed and not on every trail

[@neile36a]

No it’s not and it needs pulling back further Washington state has actually banned ebike from its national parks

[@PaulGPixelBike]

Changed region on my Shimano E8000 to USA - 32 km/h. It's closer to 30 km/h actually and is really comfortable and more fun. Motor doesn't cut out that often, because it takes an effort to pedal at 30 km/h unlike at 25 km/h.

[@hotchihuahua1546]

Unfortunately age can restrict your ability to go faster . Restricting your e-bike may keep you somewhat safe when you feel spunky on some days . lol

[@rouxenophobe]

Here in Machester, UK the Deliveroo guys are wizzing up and down Oxford road at about 30+mph, without even pedalling!

[@TCK71]

This video was never going to reach the conclusion that "it's a great idea..........go do it!"

[@burt604]

Didn't know EMBN did comedy.

[@sgas]

always have

[@racetrack491]

Would be just great if here in Europe we could go to the 32km/h restriction of the USA which obviously would have no impact on the guarantee !

[@kraisydave]

Or the same motor at 28 mph... Warranty is still in place.

[@racetrack491]

@@kraisydave True, there’s the 45km/h version as well. For me 32km/h would be sufficient 😇

[@Hunter_Bidens_Crackpipe_]

EU car lobby too strong.

[@carlose6010]

We can't have nice things because of some users basically. 45kph would be nice in some scenarios. Some would be new to biking, abuse it, and make ebikes look worst then they already do. Maybe someday.

[@kraisydave]

@@carlose6010 If it is such a recurring problem due to a few then where is the study? The issue is they just assumed there would be a problem and made up a random number to fix something that has yet to be proven to exist at such a level that it must be regulated.

[@Paul_VanGo]

Ok, since you asked for our comments: That was pointless. 1 hundred meter sprint, and the rest below restriction speed. But you made your sponsors (and the government) happy. Looking forward to next year's same test, like you do every year.

[@daverobinson8291]

I ride a derestricted hard tail on the road. So much better . Generally end up riding between 17 and 20 mph, so it’s not fast , just a normal, comfortable speed (road bikes go wissing past). Restriction at 15 mph is ridiculous. Would be perfectly happy the American model though.

[@theantiqueactionfigure]

Buying the US model for the wife tomorrow I think. I can see myself riding it for sure. Hoping she can keep up with me on my Orbea hardtail.

[@AndreRees]

Same here

[@stevejames6338]

How can the restricted bike be quicker at anything (unless the rider tries harder?) This video has really tarnished your reputation! (And that’s not including all the errors!) Utter tosh!

[@Rnegade944]

Agreed. That last test was BS. No way a restricted bike Climbed and Descended faster if INPUT from Rider was the same. 100% BS. One pedal stroke on the descent above the limiter and its game over. His run was clearly smoother on the 2nd go and should have been done 4-6 times EACH for a far better average

[@taffdavies2265]

why don't you just get off the fence and just say you don't like derestricted bikes, why would you want to drop down a power level so you dont reach the cutoff ??? thats just a pointless exercise. I derestricted mine at the weekend and had my first ride on it today and it totally makes sense, I went over the limit 4 times on flat fire tracks, it makes sense to ride along comfortable at 20mph, you get to the better stuff quicker 👍

[@22Jeffers]

Someone has cut and paste the KPH readings for the downhill. They say the same for restricted and unrestricted.

[@blindtrader4103]

I derisrricted my Merida e160 and it makes a huge difference. I should not be penalised on flatter sections with jumps by hitting a wall at 25kmh when I would normally ride faster on my normal mountain bike. Also I would ride with my super fit mates who were on normal bikes and I could not keep up on cross country sections, but now I can.

[@blindtrader4103]

I agree. Had same issue. Both my Meridas are deristriced.

[@alainbond1]

I live in france and derestricted my bike because 25km/h is to slow when you are riding with friends on a normal bike. When the max speed was around 30km/h for a standard ebike I believe most people would accept that without the need to tune your bike.

[@xavier30911]

ok des infos sur la methode ,un revendeur ?

[@Sthilboy56]

There looks to be very little difference in these tests so it shows all ebikes should be derestricred

[@Roadkilljonno]

love this comment~!

[@leehynes7409]

Too comment

[@claytonprice7833]

My thoughts exactly....

[@nofearjustlove1508]

Bet you had your 9th booster jab. I can tell.

[@yikenscot]

These tests I must also agree are totally pointless in regards to derestriction. For most riders hitting big jumps and gaps you'll need that bit extra. Most riders who buy an ebike and want to derestrict understand the capability and it is not about racing and hooning about like a moron all the time, it is about getting that bit of grunt safely when you need it for bigger features. Again I stress the point that road cyclists can bang out crazy speeds on the roads (more dangerous) and anywhere else for that matter. Gravel bikes also rattle out big speeds and that is applicable to anyone of any age...I must strongly say I'm very disappointed in embn's attitude towards derestriction, it very much sounds to me that you are taking an elitist attitude and goodness knows why, so out of touch with the big picture. I'm a big fan of embn but you have tarnished your reputation on this matter and you should get off the elitist viewpoint. 25K is just ridiculous on numerous counts.

[@-n3v-]

EMBN takes the elitist view regarding derestricting to keep their sponsors happy, in a nutshell. These test are meaningless. I've ridden both unrestricted and restricted and in the real world out in the trails you need that extra bit of oomph 15mph can't give. Especially on an older motor like the E8000 with it's very heavy feel at over 15mph. UK to US setting makes all the difference.

[@stevowyeth]

@@-n3v- Agreed. I'm disappointed with EMBN on this one. You don't have to say anything about derestriction if it doesn't help your sponsors but don't make a doctored video about how the difference is no big deal. 25km/h to 32km/h makes a significant to the flow on fast and flowy trails.

[@CarkeekW]

Although i agree on most of your points, given a massive fine in some parts of the world they can hardly advise something illegal on a global youtube show, but they could say 25 is ridiculous and disagree with it. It is true that it is very hard to exceed 25kmph up a steep hill but I agree that is where the argument stops. I can set my speed to what ever i like in 1kmph increments and i settled on 40 2 years ago and no longer touch it. A speed pedelec is 45 after all. But you must know there will be a handful of people who will spoil it for everyone just like anything else awesome

[@laurencedesmet2806]

Agreed - very biased article. The road section appeared to be downhill - so if you are hitting max cadence without resistance then top speeds will be much the same. Once you get off road in a park then again there won't be significant differences. In real world - long flats, long open moorland stretches, that's where I'd like to see a comparison

[@bshinjp]

For a lazy man, after derestricting my pedal assist bike I notice the 20% increase in speed on flat or downhill roads. But for very steep uphill roads it’s actually more painful and it makes it much harder to pedal. We have a lot of steep hills / roads at where I live so I think I might need to go back to stock settings.

[@plaxtonexcalibur]

your on screen data is all wrong!! how can 26.38mph and 28.07mph both be 42.45kph ??????!!!?????? and the same issue with average speed figures you have put on screen in downhill section... come on lads, no point doing it if all your figures are wrong

[@derekharper6031]

Yeh and according to the figures on the loop the restricted bikes top and average speeds were faster than the derestricted.. how is that even possible unless he actually rode slower?

[@likeher9]

You've majorly disappointed Me Chris, 32kph/20mph would end this discussion for good. You know it, I know it.... even next doors cat knows it!

[@JohnRushworth]

Yes, a 20 mph cut out would be great for UK. On the flip side I suspect it would be a type approval nightmare. Many wheel load ratings and brakes would need to be beefed up I suspect. I know I’ve upgraded to a 220 mm two piece front rotor and one piece 203 rear with 4 pot callipers to stop the overall lard of the bike and me!

[@matt115lamb]

@@JohnRushworth don’t be silly

[@JohnRushworth]

@@matt115lamb Oh but I am, old and daft, that’s me.

[@gigga8948]

Answer this John Rushworth?so going down hill faster than the restriction is dangerous on these bikes ? Maybe the bikes need ABS brakes to not go to fast as bikes aren't built for that. What a load of bu!@shi!. 32km is not ever going to be a problem for these bikes .not old just naive.

[@JohnRushworth]

@@gigga8948 Not at all re downhill. And if you note I like the idea of 20 mph cut out. What I am saying is any change to cut out speed will likely involve different type approval. Also re wheels for instance and ratings. Those originally fitted to my eMTB are rated for a lightweight rider and MTB, whereas with my 25 kg bike and lard means the weight exceeds the wheel rating. And re brakes, many come with 160 or 180 discs, some just two pots. With increased speed I felt the need for more so a 4 pot and two pice 220 mm rotor up front and a one piece 203 rear. Forget ABS, maybe ok for road but not for me.

[@turbolevo8703]

If Chris smith can ride a restricted Levo to 28mph on the flat, and hold it there for 5 seconds, I’ll donate £300 to a charity of your choice. I’m calling BS. You’d need the power output of André Greipel to achieve this, and he hasn’t got that level of power. That sprint must have been downhill and his tyres must’ve been rock hard, or you’re simply lying. And it is no effort at all to derestrict an ebike. It took me 2 minutes with a Levociraptor and transformed the riding experience. Paying so much for an ebike to only ride slower on the flats just isn’t on. The 15mph limit is too slow and needs lifting to 20 mph. You say the motors are not meant to go faster but that is demonstrably false. The USA has a limit of 20 mph which is much more reasonable. You MUST remember that we have ride data too and it tells a completely different story to that told here.

[@SuperiorNo1]

I Hit 28mph earlier on a Bosch Active Line Plus 50nm on a flat No wind Assistance 😈

[@riproaringblues]

i've ridden both and i echo what many people are saying here. The 25 kph is just a tad too slow - possibly more obvious when road riding (on e-gravel bike) Would be nice to see it raised just a bit. When benefits of a restricted bike is a few more miles per battery as i tend to ride in a band about 10 kmph below and up to 10 above. Forces more of a workout too, if that's what you want.

[@TomekSarnowski]

This comparison doesn’t make sens. Riding on flat surface for 30 seconds :) try 30 km ride and compare time restricted and derestricted

[@andreregini5928]

So more energy used on the restricted trail run than on the slower derestricted run? That only shows that less rider effort was put in. With the same rider effort, same trail, same lines, a higher motor power consumption will only result in a higher speed, not lower.

[@Celeon999A]

So the conlusion is that de-restricting does barely make a difference in terms of raising the maximum speed bar. But assuming that the idea of restricting e-bikes was to prevent an increase of road accidents because of the bare assumption that motor bike speeds could be achieved on non-license pedal e-bikes ...... Doesn't this mean that assist restricting by law in almost all countries around the world is based on nothing more than a wrong assumption rather than rational facts ?

[@lukasbormann4830]

Nope, it's about the fact that alot of people have a problem judging their speed when on an Ebike, because especially older people judge it by how much they pedal, therefore increasing slideouts in corners etc. But yes for emtb it's stupid

[@derekharper6031]

@@lukasbormann4830 i sort of get what your saying, but someone who can't judge their speed on a heavier ebike would surely have the same issue on a non ebike that is lighter, usually has narrower tyres and usually easier to exceed 25kph... non ebikes in general are faster than restricted ebikes so why are their no speed restrictions on non ebikes?

[@lukasbormann4830]

@@derekharper6031 no, no their not 😂Especially not in the case I meant, when ridden by old people. Also there is no restriction on normal bikes just like there isn't on Ebikes, both can go over 25. On the Ebike, the motor has the restriction not the bike. Also old people can judge their speed on a normal bike because they feel how hard they pedal which is what most old people do

[@Coolcmsc]

@@lukasbormann4830 I agree about the video..... But I’m not feeling the love in your comment about age. I’m 65 and riding off road regularly from the age of 10. Why on earth do you think I might make the mistake you suggest. The simple truth is dome people judge these things better than other - it’s not an age thing, unless you’re happy to recognise 55yrs experience has a place in such things...

[@lukasbormann4830]

@@Coolcmsc i don't go after judgement, i go after test results and statistics. But yes, your not the average rider if you go after these studies. Most people that ride city Ebikes and touring Ebikes are people who rode casually all their life and now do it because they finally have the time and money

[@willyd-adv]

NZ for the win then, no speed limits on Ebikes and we can have throttles. Bosch even has a commuter motor that sits happy at 45kph. 25kph is way to slow, 32kph is perfect.

[@itarry4]

Hmm wonder what he'll find. That it uses more battery and is basically not necessarily maybe. Just guessing before I watch but it's amazing how consistent EMBN are so...EMBN stop being such "all EMtBs are built perfectly" fan boys and actually start giving some real world honest criticism and advice. Not this constant praise and sucking up to manufacturers, I can understand the sponsors getting your support and the odd blind eye bug you're way OTT with the full on support of this area. Be real for a change. Ebikes have been accepted now by and large you no longer need such biased and the constant push push thing.

[@niel022]

Unrestricted is way better!

[@CanonFirefly]

Theses tests have been designed to minimise the impact of derestricting has on times. Do a full day riding including long cross country sections and see what the time difference is. Would be good to see EMBN use their expertise and influence to help lobby change in the laws around speed restrictions. They have proved that the restrictions don't make a big difference to speeds and times, so why do the laws exist?

[@likeher9]

I second that, well said

[@neilelliston]

Alot of jumps u need about 20mph. USA limit in uk would be ideal. Sudden drag before a jump is annoying

[@matthewalexander5521]

Having a deristricted turbo levo myself I call bullshit on your figures. I know you gotta play the safety card but that's rubbish.

[@kdoust4644]

I think Chris seems like a good person, but should probably consider joining the gmbn team instead of the embn team. He is always whining on about riding in eco mode. Riding a normal bike is easier than riding an e bike in eco, so why bother. As for the noobs who rant on about just getting fitter, why don't you just effing run everywhere then. My e bike is for fun and enjoyment, and that's the way I intend to keep it. 15.5mph is a namby pamby limit set by bureaucratic woosies who don't ride. As for keeping fit, if that's your passion, you wouldn't buy an e bike in the first place, so don't even bother looking at them, or commenting. Let us enjoy ourselves, and be happy while we're still alive, so long as we aren't hurting anybody, and show respect for others whilst out and about. This is the real key to happy e biking.

[@mrjapanimeniac]

when are you guys going to compare the 25kph vs 32kph limiter (uk vs us)? it would be nice to know the "other" difference

[@steventunn8895]

That would actually be a useful exercise to do rather than a 100 metre dash on the flat!

[@GFClocked]

You can say what you want or put any rules or laws in place, but if i ever had an emtb I'd derestrict it. 25kmh is absolutely nothing. If it was 32kmh in Europe - ye, that would be probably enough. But 25kmh is too low, I get over this constantly on my analog bike.

[@MrSco777y]

The us rule should be the one rule for all ebikes then everyone wins!

[@mallias2683]

I have Bosch gen 3 and it is killing me (and the fun) after 25km/h. I made the choice to de restrict the bike. I am not some crazy guy running like an idiot and causing safety problems. The perfect spot for me when I did a big ride on flat road was 28 Km/h. I think the real problem is the UK/EU 25km/h limit. If it was 32 Km/h like in the USA no one would feel the need to de restrict their bike.

[@mrjapanimeniac]

Brose motor in my Specialized is smooth for me and I have done +50kph even when is restricted to 32kph...but I killed 2 motors already so don't overdo it unless you have a warranty like mine 😉

[@mallias2683]

@@mrjapanimeniacMotors do not die from deristriction, despite what the manufacturers say. It is the same thing to ride 30Km/h on high gear and 15 km/h on lower gear. They have cadence range which they provide their power. The only thing someone should look after is overheating. And that can easily happen on a restricted bike.

[@IneedMoneyDK]

@@mallias2683 how is it going mate, bike still runs smooth? No error codes?

[@stephenrichards2283]

I noticed on the loop test that you pressed the button to start on the de restricted from a stand still start, then on the restricted run you had already started to move so the few seconds were irrelevant false start. I wonder why 🧐

[@xtrailz]

Laws are made to be broken. That's why I don't have a TV licence and put my bins out on tuesday.

[@lestar123]

What is wrong with this back wheel. It's bending in every direction in corners. Especially in the slomo's you will see that the wheel is not traight. Does Specialized deliver cheap wheels or is the spoke tension incorrect?

[@nebnollock5198]

If you're riding a bike hard round corners your wheels is usually flexing a surprising amount but you only really notice it when you rewatch it in slow mo

[@JayGee6996]

I just wish we could de-restrict to the american speed level, we only need a little bit more speed

[@derekharper6031]

The riders in new Zealand and the US of A must be in general a more responsible group of riders who can be trusted to ride their ebikes at a higher maximum speed before the motor cuts out and feels like someone threw an anchor out...;) also, its good to see that all motor manufacturers agree in terms of warranty that those motors built for those markets with better riders capable of riding above 25kph with assist are made stronger ...

[@JayGee6996]

@@derekharper6031 so many stupids all in one post, well done.

[@derekharper6031]

@@JayGee6996 you did realise i was being facetious i hope?

[@JayGee6996]

@@derekharper6031 to be fair I did not, there are so many idiots on youtube. When the USA is mentioned there is no bar that cannot be lowered!

[@Kaelidoz]

Y'all should just stop doing tests, comparisons and all the like. You aren't good at all with numbers. It was funny at first, but cmon guys.

[@stalkerbuts4193]

I changed the region on my bike to US just to make the limit 32km .... and that has made a huge difference.... I still tend to hover at the 25km and back off because after years of riding I’m conditioned to back off but it’s better at 32 ... 25 is too low ....

[@hnguyencontact]

Hi . How can i Change the region to unrestricted my e-bike?

[@likeher9]

Chris, I would of trashed you on My Haibike Xduro Allmnt 2.0 2019, 2 crank chain rings = 20 gears. Sorry mate but it's either 32kph/20mph or definitely de-restrict. The sweet spot is 15-20mph on flat roads/fire roads. And remember, lots of us have to pedal miles to even get to the trails, and at 15mph? People would not be de-restricting in these huge numbers if the limit was set right in the 1st place.

[@2FeetForward]

I don’t want to de restrict my bike to go faster uphill , I want it so I can make the doubles as you showed . That means if I pedal at the same speed uphill and only use the extra poke on the odd bit of downhill the battery consumption won’t be that big a deal 🤔

[@dumwee]

Never thought about de restrict my bike until the dobble he could make. We need to riot in europe so we deg restriction to 32 km/h at least

[@ryan591]

Just having 50W of assistance above 25kph would be more than enough to offset the added weight and motor resistance of eMTB, motor manufacturers already bend the rules with the 250W limit, why enforce the speed limit so strictly?

[@GFClocked]

Yes. I agree. We are not asking for no pedal 500w power at 50kmh. We just don't want that 100% to 0% wall at 25.01kmh

[@neilrasmussen2063]

I got an ebike to preride DH and enduro tracks, I hit speeds up to 65 kmh, if I can't use meat power to increase my speed above 32 kmh the bike is unrideable and unsafe when I all I get is motor drag. A restricted EP8 is useless in a gravity bike.

[@jeffp5418]

I'm riding here in the US, my motor shuts off right at 19.2mph, I have run into numerous times where I would have liked just a little more.. even just to 25mph would make a huge difference on some road gaps or riding to a trailhead.

[@jonnysokkoatduckdotcom]

Shouldnt you have gotten a bike that did those speeds you wanted in the beginning?

[@stevowyeth]

I scrolled through quite a few comments and here is the summary for you and your sponsors EMBN: - Almost everyone agrees the US speed would be fine and would prevent people derestricting their bikes. - Your video is disappointingly setup to please your sponsors. We get it, but you didn't need to make an informative video about it. - The test criteria even more questionable than your usual tests. Nobody expects full lab conditions but you were having a laugh when you set that up.

[@CarkeekW]

i have mine set at 40kmph currently , i never notice the limit on road or off road, any higher is a waste of battery and frankly i dont go any faster down hill than usual , its the flat where any difference is noticed, derestricting does not change the power of a bike at all. My country has no rules i just blew away my wty and it is worth it , you cant ride better, corner faster etc it just never feels like its off even if im going faster, it just fades out , perfect. Clearly conventional bikes go faster already , its daft to hobble the ebikes to lower than typical speed limits.

[@_S13_]

Downhill, uphill and sprinting is exactly where the speed limiter doesnt matter. Thanks for showing the obvious. Where is does matter are long flat XC rides (which is like 100% of the trails here in the netherlands btw). Now i havent derestricted, but i have changed my emtb to US region instead of EU. So a 32km/h limit. And that makes all the difference imo!

[@manfred31081973]

En hoe heb je dat dan gedaan??

[@_S13_]

​@@manfred31081973 Met een app. Werkt voor shimano via bluetooth. Zal geen naam noemen, maar zoekt en gij zult vinden.

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

Huge roll eyes.

[@paulstamp1208]

Steve should have done this,having trouble taking you serious on this subject based on most previous comments ,please leave policing to the authorities being preached to is demeaning we are adults

[@jamesuk9]

I ride a de-restricted kenevo. It was done by the Spesh shop. it has had 2 motors under warranty so far. Conclusion, invalidated warranty is not true.....

[@downhilljedi]

Is messing with the motors the reason you have had 2 warranty claims.

[@jamesuk9]

@@downhilljedi No, the Spesh motors are made of chocolate. didn't you know this?

[@downhilljedi]

@@jamesuk9 mmmm. Chocolate

[@grannyjone]

It’s not really messing with the motor is it, just making the bike’s software thinking its going slower than it really is

[@carlose6010]

I THINK IT WOULD BE NICE IF THEY COULD LOWER THE ASSIST TO ECO WHEN HITTING THE LIMIT.

[@ktm-bc1dw]

What’s the point testing for 100m that’s not a real world test.

[@robertmcgee7083]

25kph? That’s like 15 mph!, you could get passed by kids on regular non electric bikes. Commi govt officials in Europe. I’m not happy with 28 in the USA.

[@billderas3420]

BIG THUMBS UP HERE! On the Trail Loop testing, the DIFFERENCE between 6% usage and 8% usage is actually 33%...not 2%...LOL. Being in the US, I do find that our 20 MPH limit on e-MTBs is working really well for me. But, I do find our 5 MPH increase is felt more on the paved roads I use to get to the dirt trails that surround my home. On my Levo SL (smaller motor/battery), I have my assistance levels turned down from 35/70/100 to 30/60/85 to extend the range of my rides in the Sierra Nevada Mountains (Nevada and California). Don't understand why Europe is limited to 15 MPH/25 KPH in comparison to the US. That lower speed would discourage me from riding my e-MTB from home to the trails. We do currently have e-MTB trail access limitations in some areas; but, this coming week, the USDA Forest Service will be presenting a new Trail Analysis Plan to INCREASE the number of trails open to e-MTBs for the Lake Tahoe Basin in the Sierras (a huge area). Our USDA Forest Service seems to be recognizing the growing popularity of e-MTBs.

[@chunkstar121]

my fat bike is restricted to 15.5 mph... i got people on none electric bikes over taking me. when the motor stops helping me i got to pedal a bike that weighs 23kg! my nuke proof mtb weighs 12kg and i can go and keep going faster than my EBIKE!

[@tm-xz2ng]

Sorry but after i got a chip all my riding group got chips Haven't done any tests but I was always leading the pack by alot

[@eGazTheFirstAustralian]

Writing to my Govt was a waste of time. Other anti-ebikers say, 'Ebikes are heavier therefore harder to stop'. So we should stop 80kg cyclists from riding a racing bike because the extra weight makes them harder to stop. I've yet to hear a decent argument from anyone regarding are 32kph speed e-bike. All other cyclists are legally allowed to ride at whatever speed they wish inside the road speed limit, why not e-bikes?

[@Whoadayson]

Curious if this flex is normal for heavy mountain biking? Go to 0:25 and watch the flex in the rear as he makes turn around 26-27sec, also theres more at 0:55. I liked adding more slow mo by changing youtube to qtr speed, as well. Thats kindve crazy to see in slow motion!

[@philseton5796]

Chris appears to have a slightly unbalanced view in this video. It's a shame it feels like this as I like to watch Embn videos for the accurate and impartial way they are generally presented. Would I be cynical to suggest Chris has to make derestricting appear less advantageous?? Hmmm. Well either way after riding several different ebikes with and without restriction I cant agree with Chris's findings.

[@NotSoFast71]

As an American and new to the ebike game, what's the purpose of such a low restricted speed when traditional bikes can go much faster but have no such restrictions imposed on them? I was riding my ebike on pedal assist level 4 in 8th gear and cruising at 25mph and two guys on road bikes easily passed my while just casually pedaling. Is what they were doing "more dangerous"? I mean we don't restrict cars to a top speed of 70 mph just because that's the highest legal speed limit.

[@andrewvickers5565]

De-restricting makes sense on the Bosch gen 2 and 3 bikes because when you hit the limiter it’s like pedalling through tar!! Less relevant on the latest generation drive units with a lot less drag.

[@ninetendopesaitama2107]

Drove a s pedelec. Bosch. The problem is that you dont have that much opportunities to drive 45 kmh. Not allowed on bike lanes. And many other disadvantages. Like a number plate,insurances and liability.

[@GFClocked]

@@ninetendopesaitama2107 mountains have no lanes.

[@ninetendopesaitama2107]

@@GFClockedYeah gravity is enough to get me down fast. And no mountains here. Just hills.

[@Keyboardbeatz]

Obviously off road wont make much difference...off road hills are you riding up at above 15mph?

[@FactionalSky]

For the EU it has to be restricted since it is not a bike anymore if unrestricted. You will need a license and registration for unrestricted "eBikes".. But this does not mean it has to be restricted to 25 kph. I think it should be restricted to 32 kph.

[@nicklovell7745]

Try and ride above limiter on a Bosch gen 4 your results will be vastly different

[@ForbinColossus]

How so? I like bosch most

[@ianhorsekelly9144]

I agree with a lot of people, 20mph would be perfect IMO.

[@XennialGuy]

The Shimano E8000 has the added benefit of being reprogrammed to raise the limit to 60kph and maintain an accurate speedometer with just an app. I used a speedbox for a year until I discovered a cheap app that opened all the settings up. Can even fine tune the torque in each setting now. Even more customizable than an EP8.

[@MrDomestosWC]

I'm in Canada and we have 32km/h limit, which I think is enough. I used to have unrestricted bafang system that was easily going 40km/h and I felt it was way too fast, especially when I had my daughter on the rear rack and I wasn't looking at speed. Now I ordered Cube Reaction Hybrid with Bosch Performance line motor with 20mph (32kmh) restriction and I don't think I'm going to derestrict it, considering it should be good for 95% of my needs and future warranty issues.

[@gusmitchell4068]

Personally the way i see it if you want to go over 16-17mph you get to put some effort in and get fitter and the motor gets you up the climbs when you really need it, + it's not illegal

[@niblet112]

But that feeling of hitting that wall is horrible. It doesn’t feel natural at all. I set mine to 20mph and just use tour mode, I still average 15.4 mph on a 20 Mile commute, it just feels better not hitting that wall when the motor turns off.

[@Lost_JSY]

This is a bit of a throw away video. With a Shimano ep8 I'm left in the dust on road and gravel track sections by friends on manual MTB's. I have started leaving the eMTB at home as that 15 MPH limit is like a brick wall on a heavy 170mm travel eMTB. You notice the super lightweight bike he is on with a featherweight motor and battery. Do a fair test or don't bother at all.

[@matt115lamb]

Chris go to bpw and try the a470 jump line plus the fire road back up on a restricted bike then derestrict it ! Who cares if you save 2% battery !

[@EpiceBikes]

As you found out derestriction is essential if your interested in hitting bigger jumps and maintaining flow at high speed. Of course it doesn't make much difference up hills or in the tight stuff but for general riding and more open trails the difference is night and day. I certainly wouldn't pay for an ebike and then be happy limited to 25km/h

[@Holden2090]

USA rider perspective: While 20mph is certainly more reasonable than a 15mph restriction, IT IS STILL TOO SLOW! My analog bike is safer to ride on the big jump lines because I can get the speed needed to clear the jumps. Why should this be? My analog road bike is faster on the road, which is also safer for keeping with traffic. Again, why should this be? This isn't about riding like a goon, it's about safety and logic! So many comments about there being no issue if only we could go 20mph... Well, guess what? Derestriction is just as much a thing here as it is there. No need for any speed restriction at all in my opinion. Tests show that you're getting a few miles an hour more at the most. 250W IS restriction enough!

[@turbolevo8703]

If Al Johnson is serious about putting more bums onto the seats of electric bikes then he needs to lift the speed limit to 20 mph. Who wants to pay more and have added complexity to ride slower? Putting the bike in eco mode as Chris suggests to prevent bouncing off the limiter simply means a larger effort for a slower speed in comparison to an acoustic bike. This 15mph cut off might be ok for a 70 year old boiler but it’s the pits for everyone else.

[@grannyjone]

Yes definitely, when restricted I had to find rides that were Up and Down all the time, flat sections too annoying, especially on roads

[@vroom6591]

For the parks not really needed but definitely needs the limit higher if you go on the roads , you can go faster on a normal bike than an E bike

[@skyworks1621]

I did test ride Giant Trance E+ 2 last week and the only thing that I did not like was the speed limiter. I did 60 kilometres, 5 hills really pushed the bike. Giant motor really stops you at 25 kmh on the straith parts and it is almost imposible to go faster. I know on my own power I could easy go 30 kmh or more and then some old city bike gets past me on gravel cmon, that is just shit and I like to push my own Trek procaliber. I think I could not live with 25 kmh and motor stoping you going further on your own power, that is why I will skip my order of an Ebike.

[@Dawid692]

The motor doesn't really stop you when you go faster than 25kmh. It's just feeling, because ebike is very heavy.

[@Nathanael_167]

De-restriction for the win, no matter what you guys say lol

[@swabba10]

It's like saying a Ferrari isn't much faster than a Corsa. This channel is terrible these days.... very poor presenter.

[@someoneridesmountainbikes2355]

Typo at the chart @ 11:12 the downhill kph numbers were the same for both columns

[@hankscorpio1953]

In regard to the 'wear on components', could a derestricted motor actually ease the pressure on your components because you're not pushing as hard, due to the limiter kicking in? Or nah?

[@Emtbtoday]

It voids your bike warranty so beware if doing this as the diagnostic registers it through the smart system to tell the computer that its been installed and even when its removed it will not remove the install tracker that it was installed at one time so just to make awareness of this if you don't want to void your insurance or warranty

[@campbellpeart]

25kph limiter is fine if you live in the mountains and ride steep terrain. For all other other riding it’s not practical. 32kph is much closer to the sweet spot. Also depends on the bike as well, my 2018/2019 Kenevo is pretty much unrideable without any motor assistance whereas a Levo SL is much easier to ride past the 25kph limit.

[@dag681]

The first couple rides on my 2019 Kenevo were a major disappointment. Many of my single track rides, was already hitting over 20mph. So getting on the Kenevo and having it cut out, then become a boat anchor, was horrible. Not only that, on some jumps, if you approached with it cutting out, was even dangerous. "Hacking" the motor was simple-just "tell" the software that the wheels were much smaller. Once that was done, the bike was incredible, in every way, better than the restricted bike. As a motorcycle rider, there is no way I would not derestrict my next ebike. Another thing that has been amazing is the motor has been flawless for over two years. Nothing that the derestriction did, shortened or compromised the motor and in fact, may have led to longer life. Getting extended battery life is cake, as well. Most uphill runs I do in Eco mode. Unless I want to hit stuff going uphill and make jumps along the way, at higher speeds.

[@YFZriderdude15]

I had that happen just today... was racing up to a jump and immediately before the ramp, the limiter cut in and I lost half my speed. I cased the jump. It was scary.

[@dag681]

@@YFZriderdude15 Exactly. Try to think of a good reason the restriction could not simply be raised to 25mph. The regulation was made without any idea of what actual mtb riding is about. It was an arbitrary number, this 17-18mph cut off.

[@YFZriderdude15]

@@dag681 The restriction doesn't bother me when I'm biking uphill, but as soon as I'm pointed downhill, I start feeling anxiety now that I've experienced a near-crash from the limiter. Until I can remove the limiter function, I've decided to turn off the assistance on the downhill. I do agree; I believe whoever set the limiter speed on e-mtbs isn't familiar with mountain biking, or at least didn't consider this possibility. Maybe they were thinking about city bikes. If it's the same limiter speed for both e-mtb and e-city.. well, that's just sinful.

[@ThomMurphy]

Was this bike completely derestricted or restricted to the US level?

[@timsalabimbombassa]

I am mostly shocked how much that swing-arm of that Canyon twists in the slo-mo… That’s not what a high end bike should be doing

[@theresejames8826]

😊 glad I live in the USA. 750 watt motor, 1300 peak output, 28 mph feels great to me. I hope they raise the limit for y'all.

[@PiotrstrashcanŚmietnikPiotra]

I still don't understand. So what exactly happens on a e-mtb when the road goes downhill and I would easily go over 40km/h on my normal bike? Will the eMtb somehow stop me from going over 25 km/h? Or it only cuts off any support? If any eMtb is not able to go over 25km/h, I call it a bullshit and don't want one. Could someone please explain this?

[@embn]

Hi! Most E-MTB motors are limited to 25km/h. If you go over 25km/h, the motor will cut out and you'll be pedalling by yourself. The bike won't try and slow you down. But you'll have no motor assistance. Hope this helps! 👍

[@PiotrstrashcanŚmietnikPiotra]

@@embn Thank you very much, this is exactly what I needed to know! Cheers

[@cycologist7069]

Once you go past the limit, you will be under your own power just like a regular bike. You can go as fast as you can pedal.

[@trevorj6464]

I have a 5 km ride on the road before i get to my local tracks and would love to be de-restricted for that bit or even have a higher restricted speed. Once on the tracks makes no difference to me. For legal and warranty reasons i have no intention to de- restrict the bike for now

[@Fluterra]

25 kph is WAY TOO SLOW! That’s ridiculous. The 32 kph limit in NA is reasonable, for a mountain bike. Most of your arguments against derestricting don’t make sense - certain markets have no restrictions, like the UAE. So the bikes are designed to handle no limits.

[@gigga8948]

Hi guys the Question that should be asked is why has there been a speed restriction put on a bike ( Mountain Bike) that is already restricted by the gear set that is required for the purpose of its use ie: mountain biking? And why the restriction is applied blanket wide over many parts of the world. Even in countries with low populations and far distances that are travelled by riders in those places to get there without having the want or need to use a vehicle to get to the riding destination. Being stuck having to ride slightly below 25km in road traffic is nuts and going over the limit leaves you spent before the trails? It's not that the bikes aren't built to do the 35km it's the regulations that are applied by authorities that have changed the dynamics of the bike.

[@brianblessedsbeard]

From my experience (on a canyon) the grade of the dh made a big difference, when hitting the limiter on mellow hills it was like like someone had turned the fun off, steeper hill were better as gravity was helping more. Im on a levo sl now and its way better, you can hardly tell when you reach the limiter, its a much more 'usable' bike.

[@hnguyencontact]

Hi, did you unrestricted the levo sl? How does it feel, worth it? Thanks dude

[@TurboLevoSam]

@@hnguyencontact I have just derestricted my levo turbo comp and man its like a new bike, the kit on the bike is built to far exceed 25-30mph so have no worries.

[@wesleyseymour8857]

I have no real problem with the restriction. But I find that on a mellow down with double jumps it's a problem. It doesn't suit the gear range, the last three gears on my 12s are redundant because of it. The bike goes from feeling light and agile to feeling like a lead weight around me neck. I think it's a tad to low. Maby the American limit makes more sense?

[@KingLibelousGertrudo]

I have a 1500W Commencal Meta and it's the most fun bike I've ever had BY FAR!!

[@BPoweredLove]

16:04 If you messed up some jumps, as you say, and had a headwind that didn't exist on the other run, then you should have done it over. You introduced variables that didn't exist so now you're comparing apples to oranges. Anyway, I enjoyed the video. Thanks.