What’s The Most Expensive EMTB?
Electric mountain bikes are quite expensive. Manufacturers that offer eMTBs for $10.000 or more, is nothing extraordinary nowadays. But how far can you go and what’s the most expensive eMTB?
With a price of $15.000, the Specialized S-Works Levo SL LTD is the most expensive eMTB that you can buy. This is a lightweight electric mountain bike with similar handling to a regular mountain bike. You get a carbon frame, carbon wheels and electronic suspension and shifting.
Is it worth saving up for the most expensive eMTB? What do you actually get for the money and does this bring you increased performance? These are all questions that we’ll be answering in this article.
Why Are eMTBs So Expensive?
An ‘expensive’ mountain bike is quite subjective. Person A finds $1500 for a bike reasonable, while person B has no problem with spending $5500. Fact is that an eMTB is $2000-3000 more expensive than a regular mountain bike of the same level.
So why are eMTBs so expensive? It is obvious that you pay extra for the added motor, battery and control unit. But other than that, the bike looks not very different from a regular bike, right?
First of all, an eMTB is very different from a regular mountain bike. The motor generates extra power which in order, will make you ride faster and further. This combined, puts more stress on your suspension, brakes, frame, wheels and drive train. These components are therefore often eMTB-specific or bigger in size, which makes them more expensive.
Secondly, we should not forget that the electric mountain bike is relatively new; the trend really kicked off in 2018. And with anything new and exciting, it is more expensive at first. Prices come down as more and more people enter the world of electric mountain bikes.
Manufacturers are still testing the waters when it comes to the technology that is used in e-bikes. For example, most manufacturers want to advertise with the biggest battery, lightest bike or quietest motor. New inventions in this field also drive up the price.
And lastly, it is not just eMTBs that are expensive; mountain bikes in general aren’t cheap. While there are eMTBs on the market for $14.000, there are also regular mountain bikes that you can get for that price.
You can read more about the evolution of the eMTB and why eMTBs are so expensive in my articles: Are Electric Mountain Bikes The Future? and Why Are Electric Mountain Bikes So Expensive?.
What Makes An EMTB Worth The Money?
The most expensive eMTB is not per definition the ‘best’ bike. At least, not for everyone. There are many variants of mountain biking and even more different mountain bikes to choose from. So what makes an eMTB worth the money?
Since the first electric mountain bike came out, the main ‘issues’ that people had with them, was the weight, range and cost. People also believed that an eMTB diminished the physical challenge. Since then, a lot of variants have entered the market.
There are now lightweight eMTBs for people that seek the riding characteristics of a regular mountain bike, but want the punch of an eMTB. Also, there are the high power and long range eMTBs for the riders that want maximum electric power and use it for a long period of time.
The key factors that determine what makes an eMTB worth the money, are:
- Reliability
- Latest technology
- Quality build and durability
- Excellent suspension design
- Powerful motor and battery
- Excellent geometry and sizing
- Flexibility or stiffness characteristics
It’s now clear that riders can have a very different perspective on what they perceive as the best bike.
What’s The Most Expensive EMTB?
An eMTB that cost more than $10.000 is considered expensive. But can you go even further?
Yes you can; the most expensive eMTB on the market is the Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo SL LTD with a price of $15.000. For this amount of money, you get:
- Carbon components, like: frame, crankset, handlebars and wheels
- Electronic operated components, like: suspension (front and rear), dropper post and derailleur
- Highest grade chain, cassette, chainring and brakes
- Motor: 50 Nm
- Battery: 320 Wh
- Weight: 17.96 kg (39 lb, 9.5 oz)
It is clear that this is a relatively light eMTB with a lower power motor and smaller battery. This is a bike for people that want the benefits of an eMTB, but similar handling to a regular mountain bike. It is definitely not a bike for the amateur.
It is worth mentioning that there are some exotic electric mountain bikes to be found online that are even more expensive than the Specialized Turbo Levo. Because these are often one-offs, discontinued or prototypes that can not be bought in a bike shop, I’ve left them out of this article to keep the content relatable.
Should You Buy The Most Expensive EMTB?
If money would not be an issue, is it wise to get a $10K+ eMTB? Would it give you increased performance and make you a better rider? Here are a few things to consider.
Depreciation
An expensive eMTB does not hold it’s value better than a mountain bike that’s half the price does. Actually, it might depreciate even faster. There are a few reasons for that.
First of all, a $10K+ eMTB is often packed with the latest technology which makes it unique and expensive. Later on, these new inventions will also become available on the lower end bikes, which makes the $10K+ bike less exclusive fairly quickly.
And secondly, there’s a very specific market for a $10K+ electric mountain bike. If you want to get rid of the bike after 1 or 2 years, it is difficult to find someone that is willing to pay a fair amount of money for your specific model and size.
Durability
More expensive does not always mean more durable. Although a $10k+ eMTB has components of the highest grade (like SRAM XX Eagle), this does not particularly mean that they last longer than the lower grade alternatives do. The selling point is their lower weight and not their durability.
This also goes for exotic materials like a carbon frame. Although it is a lightweight material with some great vibration dampening properties, it is also vulnerable to impact damage. Repairing a fracture is often impossible or very expensive.
Therefore you should keep in mind that the maintenance costs of an expensive eMTB will be higher than those of a mid range bike. The highest grade components like a cassette, chain or chainring are up to 4 times more expensive than mid level components.
Not Going Flat Out
The most important part of mountain biking, is to have fun on the trails. Worrying about not getting your expensive bike damaged, is not considered as fun and will not help you get the most out of it.
When you set a budget for a new mountain bike, you should accept the chance of you breaking it and the consequences that come with that. It is a good idea to only buy a bike that you are able to buy twice.
No Increased Performance
It’s important to realize that a more expensive bike does not automatically increase your performance. At least, not if you’re an amateur. It’s your technique that’ll make you perform better, not your bike. The bike is only an extension of what you are capable of.
My Personal Advise: Should You Buy The Most Expensive EMTB?
If you were to have the money for the most expensive eMTB on the market, I would not advise you to get one. It is not an appreciating asset and the actual benefits that you’d get in comparison to a cheaper bike, are minor. With new models being released every year, all the previous models will soon become outdated.
Instead, I’d advise you to sit down and make a list of factors that you consider to make an eMTB worth the money. Then look at a midrange eMTB that, in broad terms, suits your needs and use the rest of the money to customize it if necessary. The advantage of tweaking your own bike, is that you’ll learn about components and the difference they make on a bike. In the end, you’ll have a perfectly set up and unique bike just for you.
You don’t necessarily have to be handy to be able to ‘tune’ your bike. Many bike shops are happy to perform the work for you and help you with picking the right parts.
