Great ebike frame the doesn't look like a dirtbike?

I'd like to build a dual suspension ebike that can hold a fair amount of batteries. I noticed most dual suspension mountain bikes don't have much space in the frame though. I do see a lot of frames available that are made specifically for ebike builds and look great, but I feel like they will attract lots of attention from police (in the case I am going over the ebike speed limit) since they look like you're riding a dirt bike.
Are there any really good frames that have dual suspension, room for batteries in the frame, AND don't look like a dirt bike?

Currently Giant FS bikes with their "Maestro" suspension system seem the best, but GT has some older models that qualify.

2old said:

Currently Giant FS bikes with their "Maestro" suspension system seem the best, but GT has some older models that qualify.

Click to expand...

Do you happen to know the model of the Giant bikes with Maestro suspension, or which model GT bikes were worth checking out?
Thanks for the info so far!

Looks like its a really compact rear susp system.
https://bikemagic.com/bikes/giants-maestro.html

But any of that style, where the bottom mount of the rear suspension is close to the BB and the shock goes straight up... saves a lot of room for more batteries.




Kona Supreme Operator Downhill
Cube Stereo
Giant Reign
Giant Stance
GT Sensor
HAL5 EAGLE SX from directbikes.com
Fantom Boost same ^ HAL5 COMP - HAL5 X5 - HAL BOOST 29er TEAM LTD
GT Helion Expert
Specialized Epic Marathon <----funky rear suspension layout

markz said:

Looks like its a really compact rear susp system.
https://bikemagic.com/bikes/giants-maestro.html

But any of that style, where the bottom mount of the rear suspension is close to the BB and the shock goes straight up... saves a lot of room for more batteries.

Clipboard0221.jpg


Kona Supreme Operator Downhill
Cube Stereo
Giant Reign
Giant Stance
GT Sensor
HAL5 EAGLE SX from directbikes.com
Fantom Boost same ^ HAL5 COMP - HAL5 X5 - HAL BOOST 29er TEAM LTD
GT Helion Expert
Specialized Epic Marathon <----funky rear suspension layout

Click to expand...

Wow that's exactly what I was hoping for - thanks for the list!

Giant Trance 2010-2012 has huge space for batteries. BBSHD (90-100mm) fits fine with additional adapter.

I have the 2009 X1 Giant Reign, with the older design with a very much sloping top tube , 2010 and newer Reign's have the newer design with more space inside the main frame . not much room in my frame for batteries
( just two 8 cell lipos , for a 16s pack )
and
I put the other batteries in a top tube bag that rests on the Topeak A Beam Rack .
Note : only the A beam rack from Topeak will work with F.S. bikes , not any of their other racks.

Between those two places I carry 15 amps total split between 16s packs in frame and 14s ( 52 volt ) packs on the rack . All Lipo's .



Giant Maestro bikes are some of the best I have found for e-bikes since they have a URT ( Unified Rear Triangle ) so they do not have any pivots near the axle , which happens to be where allot of torque from the motor is put to the frame. A Torque Arm ( rear ) together with a custom made plate is a must have item for bikes that are not e-bike specific frames like the Vector Light frame.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fm.pinkbike.com%2Fu%2Fflyindutchman%2Falbum%2F2009-Giant-Reign-X0%2F&psig=AOvVaw2v3CQ_DeTtUwsna0oJ9GDl&ust=1582847208348000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCOCLy4218OcCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ

cbr shadow said:

Do you happen to know the model of the Giant bikes with Maestro suspension, or which model GT bikes were worth checking out?
Thanks for the info so far!

Click to expand...

Early model Trek Fuel, when they had straight tubes; years when they just started providing a disc brake option.
The triangle is huge for a full suspension frame.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Drunkskunk's beast of an ebike doesn't look at all like a dirtbike.

https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=38667&start=125#p717946

Looks like CBR is going to be using a hub motor , a 18 lb. one at that.

Most of the Trek Fuel bikes have a pivot design that does not allow putting on a rear hub.
The older ones maybe , however a URT design is much better ,
many of the Specialized Bikes of the pre 2012 year would be my choice as long as it is one that does not have the brain rear shock system. Some have gone Brain Dead , and that is an expensive shock to replace.
When It comes to Rear Hubs especially for road use the URT's are the best.

I will tell you exactly how my mastermind did it..... Search Engine typed full suspension bicycle, then click on images. Take a look at the triangle and how the suspension is laid out and hopefully you can get the name of the bicycle through the title of the image but sometimes you gotta click on the link to where the image is residing, www.

cbr shadow said:

Wow that's exactly what I was hoping for - thanks for the list!

Click to expand...

markz said:

Looks like its a really compact rear susp system.
https://bikemagic.com/bikes/giants-maestro.html

But any of that style, where the bottom mount of the rear suspension is close to the BB and the shock goes straight up... saves a lot of room for more batteries.

Clipboard0221.jpg


Kona Supreme Operator Downhill
Cube Stereo
Giant Reign
Giant Stance
GT Sensor
HAL5 EAGLE SX from directbikes.com
Fantom Boost same ^ HAL5 COMP - HAL5 X5 - HAL BOOST 29er TEAM LTD
GT Helion Expert
Specialized Epic Marathon <----funky rear suspension layout

Click to expand...

Excellent list; I had in mind the GT Helion and almost any recent Giant since all (AFAIK) have "Maestro". There were older GT's (and other bikes) with URT (universal rear triangle) that had the entire area inside the triangle available.

The GT Heilon has a rear through axle . So the only hub motor that would work with it is the New Grin Technologies Through Axle hub , or , the New Falco Through Axle Rear Hub.
Also
That Design of the GT Heilon would prevent you from using many or even all mid-drives . I would have to see one in person to see if it would take the BBS02 Or the BBSHD , or the TZDS . Looks like it would not accept the Cyclone, 2019 GNG 3000 watt Cyclone, X1 pro , X2 pro , and other designs being developed.

Most of the Giant's have the Maestro design suspension, but the Stance has a partial Maestro Design . it still has the URT rear so it would work for a hub as long as it has dropouts or you use one of the 2 rear through axle hubs I list above.

Thats a problem with the new fangled bicycle technologies, through axles and hub motors. Then the transfer-ability of a fork with tapered headsets vs normal.

Boost, 68, 73, 80 & 100 mm bottom brackets, 12 mm, 15 mm, 142 & 148 mm rear spacing as well as the "normal" 135, etc, etc.

And even more not listed.

It used to be allot easier to work in a Bike Shop 20 years ago.


We are in that period where these changes are making things a little harder to mix and match , meaning build up a bike from parts compared to years ago,
However
There is good that is coming out of all this .

Stiffer Fork and Front Wheel combinations , paired up with stiffer head tubes with the tapered new normal.
This adds up to much better control at the front end than what I used to experience years ago. I still remember coming down hills and the whole front twist and bend ( Flex ) just enough to make any down hill a Wild Ride,
even on steep fast street downhills .
Right now the hardest on DIY -Bike builds is the through axle rear , however when enough rear hub Mfg's start making them we will all be happier, the through axle does make for a stronger rear and we need that especially with heavy rear hubs.

I don't mind the changes, would just like uniformity. Also, IMO some of the changes weren't improvements like press fit BB some of which squeak like a mouse in a trap.

Many Bike Brands are switching back to English Threaded BB's on the mid range price bikes.
The way someone in the industry explained it to me is that in order to get a good fit. ( proper precise machining of the BB shell for a pressfit ) requires more labor than low and mid price bikes allow to keep the price down in that price range . So You will still see the BB30 and other press fit systems on the higher end bikes .
I do like my BB30 on my Road/Gravel bike by Specialized until I found out I can not install a Kepler Friction Drive on it. But then he does not make a drive fast enough to keep up with the serious Road Bikers in my area so his friction would not do me any good until he can come up with a faster and higher power friction drive anyway .
So far I have had no problems with my BB30 bearings/frame .