Transition Relay Review: Your Only Bike?

[@Table_Topper_Tony]

I’ve had my pnw alloy relay for a month now and it has over 300 miles on it already. My favorite bike ever! I sold my sworks sj Evo for this one and I couldn’t be happier. Best bike purchase I’ve ever made and I’m smiling every time I ride it! I live in bham Washington and I ride majority of the time with the battery in. But when I go to Steven’s, snoqualmie, or even whistler bike park then I take the battery out.

[@romma11]

What size you got for what height if you don't mind sharing, thanks

[@Table_Topper_Tony]

@@romma11 I’m 5’8 and went with the size medium! It fits perfect! I got short legs and currently running a 170mm dropper and it’s almost fully slammed into the seat tube. The size feels great!

[@romma11]

@@Table_Topper_Tony thanks!

[@davidluppie5311]

I am 5'7" and weigh 155 lbs, riding a medium alloy PNW Relay. It fits perfectly for my sizes, riding style and riding area in NorCal. I am still trying to adapt to jumping it as I would on my pedal MTB that weighs 15 lbs less .... 😢

[@dfellb]

Been loving mine. Just ordered a push coil and will run it 170/170 in the full 29” configuration. I can keep up with full powered bikes if I really put in my own power but on longer ascents they’ll pull away on me. I ride it with pedal bike people too but usually just in eco to relax, haha. Taking the battery out it’s still a hefty girl. I’ll take the name calling haha the bike is too much fun.

[@bikersedge]

Nice. I still want to try one in the PNW build.

[@fe9523]

Must be amazing with a push coil

[@mattcardarelli]

Totally comfortable having multiple bikes. Already planning on what Trek Rail I’ll be buying in the spring. Love the channel!

[@SunsPSD1]

Thanks for the review. For me the Relay is a great e-bike and also works for lift assist with the battery removed. I really enjoy mine but it performs much better with a coil shock. But I'll stick with the Smug for the pedal days!

[@thim8009]

I'm 6'2" and 235 pounds. I had a levo sl and just couldn't get the range. I roll with full power bikes now. That bike looks pretty sweet. More power, more range and the travel I like, especially the pnw version.

[@bikersedge]

Might be a really good option for you if you want to try mid weight again.

[@adamsellers2835]

Thanks for that review, it is the first one I have seen where the ride without the battery seemed to get some due time in the review, and I feel like more advanced riders, in age and experience, are really trying to split hairs on what this bike can do/is like. Appreciated!

[@bikersedge]

Glad it was helpful!

[@davisjl1979]

Hands down, best review of this bike!!! The battery being charged from outside of the bike is a positive for me. If I'm at a place where I can't take my bike inside for charging, this is a plus. If it's really cold out, I'd like to be able to charge the battery inside instead of out. Good to hear the motor is quiet and that their is no resistance when not powered.

[@bikersedge]

Most ebikes will allow for external changing in addition to a charging port on the bike. Something I wish this did.

[@waynephilbert]

Thanks for a really well constructed and delivered review. It's an interesting concept and shows how much improvement has come along in a short time.

[@bikersedge]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@rufusbass]

When and how will the range extender be released, and also how/where will it be attached? This is really important question -it's battery is not big enough for seriously long rides.

[@bikersedge]

Those are questions I don’t have answers to. Not sure how it will work.

[@ScottEnnis-x3j]

So I own the transition relay top build as I wanted the sram transmission and carbon wheels. Zero regrets buying it. Wasn’t sure how much I was going to ride without battery but it’s probably 70% of time with battery. There is No resistance from motor and I don’t mind it at all uphill. I’m east coast and I’ll do wednesduro nights at highlands sometimes with battery sometimes without. It’s no xc bike but it’s not much slower uphill than my scout and it’s way more capable downhill than the scout. My only complaint is the FAZUA ring is conceptually designed well just not put together the best. Assume a v2 will come out at some point.

[@bikersedge]

The new one is out and should fix the sticking problem.

[@ScottEnnis-x3j]

Nice!

[@William.N]

Good concept and i hope more ebikes adopt something like this. It makes them more appealing especially since my wife world say i am in the latter category.

[@bikersedge]

I love the concept and the bike.

[@timwatson8806]

This or Heckler SL?

[@RobertoRodriguez-nj7ym]

Hey man, is that a bike park by salt lake? I’m planning a trip to Utah and your videos trails look sweet. Any recommendations would be appreciated

[@bikersedge]

Not really a bike park on the traditional sense. It’s a ski resort with a few trails open in the summer PCMR in park city.

[@byronswogger]

I am considering this bike. I currently have a gen3 levo Pro, and love it. My question is since you have a full power e-mtb, would you give it up for this bike? That's what I'm wrestling with. I can't find one to rent before I buy one.

[@bikersedge]

Go check out our lightweight ebike showdown for that answer. Zach and I go over it for a couple minutes.

[@RH-vp8gr]

I’d really like an e bike thats got full power but about 35lbs. Easy to pedal, 140 travel and if you get low on power not an absolute killer to climb hills. Maybe someday this will happen.

[@bikersedge]

It exists. Giant Trance X Elite.

[@wilbenton]

Great review. Have you ridden something like the EXe - how does this compare if so?

[@bikersedge]

I haven’t ridden the trek.

[@jack91522]

Would be a great comparison video to the fuel exe and new Levo SL.

[@AdamWaldo]

The Loam Wolf actually did a top SL e-bike video which presented all three, it’s a good watch.

[@bikersedge]

@AdamWaldo hey. Don’t you be telling people to go elsewhere. I’m going to get jealous.

[@jack91522]

@bikersedge top choices are the santa cruz SL ebike , relay, and levo sl

[@AdamWaldo]

@@bikersedge 😅

[@benstep2]

Conner- when do you think we will see the pinion gear bike with a motor in the US? I think it will be a game changer.

[@bikersedge]

That would be great. Love the idea of a belt drive.

[@DIRTBROSDETECTING]

Good channel, isn’t the medium close to 36lbs? Would love to try one without the battery

[@bikersedge]

Could be. This is an XL with pedals and bottle cage. Marketing weight could be close to 36 I guess.

[@cookiecanfly_]

Can the rear tyre in your model change to a 27.5 man?

[@bikersedge]

Yes. You can run either model with an MX setup. You’d just need to use the flip chip to adjust for the geometry change.

[@Nomikeal]

Been waiting for this review!

[@bikersedge]

Hope you like it!

[@chrisallen5293]

Great review. I think I'm the guy that needs a dedicated pedal bike and e-bike. Again great review

[@bikersedge]

This is getting really close to my ideal bike.

[@mikepfeifer1753]

I actually like that the battery needs to come out simply for winter storage and long term battery health. Great review.

[@bikersedge]

Yeah having a removable battery is great, but most if not all ebikes allow that. This is the only ebike I've ever seen without an external charging port, though.

[@mikepfeifer1753]

@@bikersedge that, I did not know!

[@michaelmann3636]

Really appreciate your reviews👍

[@bikersedge]

Hey thanks!

[@thecount1001]

Fazua did mechanized testing of the battery latch mechanism for millions of cycles, along with vibration and many other types of tests. well beyond what any user could ever manage.

[@bikersedge]

That’s great

[@davidluppie5311]

I also had concern about the removable battery's latch mechanism until I saw a video on how Fazua tested it. I have no issue except for the occasional user's error to latch the battery in properly.

[@chickenclips]

No charge port on the bike is a major fail. Especially for a newer gen bike

[@bikersedge]

I’d like to see one for sure but the stealth factor is nice.

[@whitest_kyle]

I test rode the Relay PNW vs the Trek Fuel EXe and did not get along well with the Relay. It was too heavy (almost 50 lbs in that build kit), rattled loudly, frame details and paint quality weren't great, the controller felt super cheap, and the display really just doesn't provide enough info. $11k for that build kit with alloy bar/stem/wheels. The Fazua motor was jerky and not very natural feeling. The Fuel EXe however pretty much had none of these problems. It has a super natural feeling TQ motor, weighs almost 10 pounds lighter, has a better equipped build for the price, and just felt overall like a higher quality bike with higher quality parts for the money. Yes it has less travel, but I rode similar terrain and felt plenty confident on the Trek even on super chunky black tech trails.

[@bikersedge]

Sounds like the regular Relay might be something you’d enjoy more.

[@billycarroll4230]

Yeah I was looking at the pnw alloy build untill I realized it’s the same weight as my trek rail 9.8. 👀

[@dadventuretv2538]

Bout time ya slacker. I been waitin for this. Lol. I love this concept. I want an emtb to get me to those steep, techy, gnarly mountain DHs that usually require a shuttle (or someone younger and fitter than me) and to be able to do more of those laps. But if I’m on a trip, also be able to take the battery out and take it to the lift assist bike park near wherever I’m traveling, or if in no ebike zone, ride it sans battery. It would be great not to have to bring two bikes on trips. This is not for my home trails- they just dont require an emtb. Demoed a couple of full powered emtbs- the Heckler and the Turbo Levo and they were just too damn big and heavy. They were fun in their own right of just absolutely smashing all the things (I have a vid of a rocky pedal trail that is a mile that I put the Heckler in trail mode and just went all out), but the type of trails I really want this for I want a bit more nimbleness and less heavy handedness. I also found I just don’t need all the power of a full power emtb. I was happiest in eco mode with a quick switch to trail for the techy burners and never used Boost mode except once on a jeep trail double track just to see how ridiculous it was- the answer was mighty ridiculous. I’m really considering this, but I know Santa Cruz is gonna release soon a Fazua powered lighter emtb and I wanna see what they come up with. Maybe don’t be slow with a review of it when comes out ha. Lol. Love your reviews- they’ve become my go tos for trusted advice. 🤙

[@bikersedge]

Dad life is really impacting my ability to get these videos done quickly.

[@dadventuretv2538]

@@bikersedge haha- yup, I know what’s that like. Enjoy the time with em, they grow up so fast.

[@dangermouseanpenfold]

pedaling a YT Decoy with Shimano EP8 when the battery died was horrible! so much drag.

[@bikersedge]

Yeah. Most ebikes are pretty bad with that

[@megane230f1]

Levo sl? Or one of these?

[@bikersedge]

Haven’t ridden the Levo, but this has quite a bit more power with a similar weight. So probably this.

[@themuellers5384]

Great review! How much did it whey with and without the battery? 40 pounds without the battery sounds a bit much.

[@bikersedge]

About 45 with the battery and 40 without.

[@sasquatchmtb]

Nice breakdown!

[@bikersedge]

Appreciate it!

[@sasquatchmtb]

you bet!@@bikersedge

[@sasquatchmtb]

also... this is a beautiful plateau at 6:53 - where are you riding?

[@TomCollins-c4h]

Now if the motor was modular that would be really cool.

[@bikersedge]

Not sure I follow

[@TomCollins-c4h]

@@bikersedge Sorry, I meant if you could pop the motor out like the battery.

[@bikersedge]

@user-rj9ui3sz8u oh yeah. That would be cool.

[@TomCollins-c4h]

@@bikersedge Better patent that!

[@tonym6633]

Already been done years ago. Fazua and Bull's bikes did it , look it up.

[@byronswogger]

Allot of corner canyon in that footage.

[@bikersedge]

It can be tough to find ebike legal places to film. Corner canyons a good one.

[@byronswogger]

​​​@@bikersedge it's a great place to ride. Eagle mountain is good for that too.

[@abdelkarimlahlou2561]

Relay cool bike !

[@bikersedge]

I see what you did there.

[@fleetgt]

That motor has issues. All things fazua are bad, the ring is utter trash, the indicator is junk and the motor is not reliable. Like he says that ring is not good enough for a wall Mart bike. Worse yet is the motor build. My relay is in the shop for its 3rd motor replacement. 😢

[@bikersedge]

Sucks that you’ve had so much trouble with the motor.

[@swx0932]

Who else love the metric system?

[@nicholashines7686]

Dude....39lb pedal bike. OUCH! Nope I'm out. My Evil offering in 30.6lbs with pedals.

[@bikersedge]

Yeah but it’s also a 44lb ebike. So…..

[@jrez3430]

The Bike would have been a big hit if the wheelbase was smaller, let say around 1240 1250 in a large. Truthfully, it's too long in my opinion.

[@bikersedge]

Yeah but that length is what gives it it’s stability. It sets it apart from a lot of the other mid and lightweight eMTBs too. Those are all fairly “trail” while this is more capable.

[@Chops00]

If you ride an E-Bike you are well on your way to transitioning

[@bikersedge]

Into a cool person that likes having fun?

[@seanoneil277]

You mean Your Only MOPED, don't you?

[@bikersedge]

You misspelled bike...