E-MTB Showdown: Rail vs Shuttle vs Heckler
Simply put, electric mountain bikes give you the power to ride more trails. This ever-changing sector of the mountain bike market is pushing the limits of a traditional bike and creating opportunities for more people to get involved in the sport. These bikes have quickly become a favorite for our employees and we can’t stop riding them. We’re always in search of the best bikes for our customers, so here’s the scoop on the latest and greatest in electric mountain bikes.
Trek Rail 9.8
Taking inspiration from their full suspension lineup, Trek combines the best parts of their trail bikes into an extremely capable electric mountain bike with the Rail. At 150 mm of rear travel, this bike is ready to play on the rowdiest of rides. This bike comes in a variety of build options, but we recommend the Rail 9.8 for the best value. At $9,049.99, you get an OCLV carbon frame, a Rockshox ZEB Select+ fork, and either a SRAM GX or Shimano XT drivetrain.
Highlights
- Trek Rail models are available in Aluminum (from $5649)
- Rail 9.7 to 9.9 models all have OCLV carbon frames
- Trek’s proprietary RE:aktiv rear shock Thru Shaft technology
- Bosch Motor/battery/display
Pivot Shuttle Race XT
The Shuttle is Pivot’s mainstay electric mountain bike. It is sleek, lightweight, and still maintains that beautiful aesthetic that Pivot is known for. They recently came out with a Race XT build, featuring Shimano’s SLX/XT drivetrain and brakes at a lower price point than the previous version of the bike.
Highlights
- Carbon frame with Shimano SLX/XT drivetrain and brakes
- Also available in a Pro XT/XTR package
- 160mm travel Fox fork for steering precision and performance
- Shimano EP800 motor/battery/display. Compatible with different battery capacities - 726 wh, 635 wh, and 508 wh
Santa Cruz Heckler S-Kit
The Heckler made waves a couple years ago as Santa Cruz’s first E-MTB offering. This year it comes back with its third iteration as either a 29er or mixed wheel (MX) bike. The new Heckler has a longer interchangeable battery (720 wh compared to 540 wh on previous Hecklers) and 150 mm of rear travel. You can still tackle the gnarliest terrain but now take your rides even further. With reliable VPP suspension, you’ll have a heck of a lot of fun wherever your ride takes you.
Highlights
- Shimano EP800 motor with 720 wh battery
- Mixed Wheel offering (29er front 27.5 rear)
- VPP suspension tuned precisely for eBike use
- Prices start at $8199. All models have carbon frames
For those of you who like to nerd out on the specs, here's a chart comparing these bikes side-by-side:
- Devin Keefe