2015 Felt NINEe Review

The Felt NINEe is the lightest weight, stiffest, highest quality electric 29er I’ve tested to date. It delivers everything you might expect from a premium Felt bicycle with the addition of an advanced motor pedal-assist system from Bosch. It performs wonderfully on trails, mountainous terrain and urban environments thanks to the large efficient wheels, remote suspension lockout and rear rack bosses. You could totally commute with this thing. My favorite aspect is just how “bike like” the NINEe is. All of the motor and battery weight is low and center, the front and rear wheels offer quick release and the battery is removable so transport, maintenance and even riding in non-electric mode is a breeze. Weighing in at ~38 pounds (varying by size) it’s not a burden to lift up stairs or hazardous trail points such as drops or rivers. In my view, it’s the ultimate hardtail on the market right now but it does cost a bit extra… as one might expect.

The motor assisting you is a 350 watt geared mid-drive design from Bosch. Weighing in at ~6 pounds and operating with a sort of electronic whir, this thing is very powerful and in Turbo Mode (the highest drive setting) will take you up the steepest hills you can find. In my experience, the rear wheel will begin to slip before the motor even gets close to giving up (as long as you’re pedaling along). The centerdrive mounting position of this thing keeps weight low and center but might expose the casing to more trauma on rocky or wooded trails. The plastic casing is designed to protect the system and the two year electronics warranty adds peace of mind. So it’s powerful and durable but most importantly… it’s responsive. With two sensors embedded in the motor and one at the rear wheel this bike is constantly measuring your pedal force, cadence and bike speed for instantaneous activation and deactivation. This is especially important for technical off-road riding and Bosch nails it.

Powering the motor is a 400 watt hour Lithium-ion battery pack with premium Samsung cells. It mounts directly to the downtube and is so narrow that it won’t touch your legs when pedaling or get in the way. It provides just enough space that a bottle cage mount is present on the seat tube which isn’t the case for many ebikes with mid-batteries. The pack can be charged on or off the bike and includes a solid metal core lock (by ABUS) for security. And if you’re transporting the bike with a rear hang-style bike rack for your car, I love that the straight top tube and open triangle combined with the light weight frame mean you can still carry additional bikes without so much concern for overloading the rack. Considering how light this bike is to begin with, if you choose to remove the 8.8 pound battery you can enjoy riding in non-electric mode just as you would with a regular bike. Doing this, the bike would weigh ~30 pounds depending on frame size… that’s about 5 pounds heavier than comparable aluminum alloy hardtails.

To activate this bike you simply connect a charged battery and then press the power button at the lower left corner of the LCD display unit. The large backlit console is mounted front and center for easy viewing and offers several readouts with a constant show of speed, battery and assist level. I love that the display is removable in case you’re locking up in a crowded space or leaving the bike outside in glaring sun. To cycle through menus there’s a button at the top right of the display marked with an i and this button is duplicated on the remote button pad at the left grip for easy access. It lets you see overall distance, trip distance, max speed, average speed, estimated range, and time. My favorite readout is range because it dynamically adjusts as you arrow between four levels of assist and factors in remaining battery capacity. This lets you plan rides and avoid getting far, far from the parking lot on a trail ride only to run out of juice half way home. You can expect to get great range however, up to 65 miles in the lowest level of assist, and that’s not an exaggeration. I’ve commuted with the Bosch system on other bikes with a round trip of 10 miles over several days and still had half a pack left. Cycling through assist levels is very easy using the button pad and you can literally click through without taking your hand off the grip and without even looking down. It’s a great design that lets you focus on riding the bike vs. interpreting menus and it’s native to all Bosch Gen2 systems. In my time riding off road I tend to stay in Eco mode and then click the system off if I’m passing pedestrians (to eliminate motor noise and avoid questions or concern from them) and then when I’m climbing steep stuff I’ll arrow up to Normal mode to climb without leaving the saddle. This tactic has worked with even the steepest terrain I’ve encountered.

There are a lot of little highlights for me with this bike but most of it is stuff that a normal mountain biker would expect… In a sense it’s just bringing that level of quality to an ebike platform and the price is comparable to a higher end build, though you might expect carbon fiber. The upside of aluminum here is strength, likely required for the battery and motor system weight and force but the downside is vibration and weight. You’ve got name brand tubless-ready tires that are folding for reduced weight and easy transport (if you’re bringing spares) and the remote suspension lockout plus multiple frame sizes. Nothing mind blowing here but it’s not very common outside of a few select brands in the ebike space right now. The 10 speed gear range might concern non-ebike riders but it’s good enough when combined with the mid-drive and keeps the drivetrain simpler and tougher, you drop the chain less frequently and tuneups are simpler with a single derailleur. The real beauty is just how light this thing is overall for being electric and that the drive system and battery are low, center-mounted and sophisticated. You won’t end up flustering your local bike shop when coming in for repairs because the wheels, hydraulic brakes and cassette are all standard bike components… no extra wires there, no distractions. It’s a solid bike, a true bike that’s just more sophisticated and perhaps fun for people like me who have knee injuries or only get out on the weekends but still want to go far or keep up with friends.

Pros:

• Large 29″ wheels deliver improved rolling efficiencies, higher attack angle and overall smooth ride
• Remote lockout for RochShox suspension fork complements the remote button pad for motor control, everything can be adjusted without taking your hands off the grips
• Capable in cross country, trail and mountain environments with knobby tires and thru-axles but also great for commuting with rear rack bosses present
• Bottle cage bosses on the seat tube make it easy to bring hydration but you can also use a CamelBak or other system
• High-end drivetrain, Shimano Deore XT with KMC X10 chain for toughness, important when paired with a mid-drive for off-road use
• Quick release wheels, front and rear, as well as seat post makes this bike easy to transport and service
• Grips have lockers to avoid spinning, saddle is upgraded for comfort and reduced heat
• Awesome fit! Your choice from five frame sizes, each also has an adjustable seat post height
• Felt is a mainstream performance brand known for high quality bicycle builds, strong emphasis on frame and component quality
• Gel saddle provides added comfort on longer rides and bumpy terrain, designed to stay extra cool in hot temperatures
• Battery pack is removable for convenient charging and to reduce the weight of the frame during transport, for security the battery has a built in locking core made by ABUS
• 10 speed rear cassette offers decent cadence range for climbing or reaching higher velocity on paved tarmac, motor cuts out at 20 mph
• Bosch display panel is removable for safe storage, backlit for night use and includes a breakout button pad that clicks when you press down so you don’t have to take your hand off the left grip or eyes off the road to navigate menus or change assist level
• Purpose built frame (CNC Aluminum Ferrules) conceals most wires for shifting, braking and motor systems on the bike
• Having the battery and motor mounted low and center on the frame improves balance which is great for unstable terrain like trails and mountain
• Pedalec system is extremely responsive (measuring pedal torque, cadence and bicycle speed) cuts out quickly which is important when riding off-road terrain
• Hydraulic disc brakes provide excellent stopping power while minimizing hand fatigue in off-road environments
• Solid two year warranty on drivetrain, components and electronics with a lifetime warranty on the frame and a good reputation from Felt

Cons:

• No throttle mode available here, this is a pedalec only and requires rider pedaling input to activate the motor
• This is one of the pricier hardtail 29er electric bikes I’ve reviewed but you do get quality and a solid warranty, for $700 less you can get the Bosch system on a Haibike 29″ which weighs 7 lbs more