Boardman 8.9e ADV vs. Orbea Gain D40

[MattC18]

Hi all,

I'm currently considering purchasing my first Ebike and I'm hoping to get some advice on which one would be best for me.

Bit of background.... I'm a relatively fit 36 year old and I weigh around 70kg but unfortunately I've recently been suffering with some health issues which mean I cannot train as hard or as often as I have previously and as a result couldn't use my previous bike (which I've now sold) as I'd be wiped out for days afterwards when going for a ride. I had a Trek Domane AL4 road / gravel bike and ideally I'm looking for something similar to this but with some added assistance to enable me to not worry about going out for a ride and being knackered for days afterwards, and this is why I thought an Ebike would be a good option, as I could use the assistance when needed and then turn it down / off when feeling better.

The two bikes that I've seen after some research which fit into my budget and are available are the Boardman 8.9e ADV and the Orbea Gain D40. I've found the existing threads on here about these bikes which was really useful. I would say that I tend to ride 80% road and 20% light gravel, and therefore I'm not sure which one people would recommend based on experience?

They are very similar in price and both have pro's and con's. I like the in-built lights and display unit in the Orbea, whilst the Boardman seems more of an all-rounder and the option to remove the battery could future proof it a bit more in comparison? Obviously the Orbea is rear hub drive and the Boardman is mid-drive, what are people's thoughts on which one is best?

Appreciate any advice and guidance on this, cheers!

 

[youngoldbloke]

The Ribble CGR al e, and the Gravel al e are worth a look too, same Mahle X35 system as the Orbea.

 

[MattC18]

The Ribble CGR al e, and the Gravel al e are worth a look too, same Mahle X35 system as the Orbea.

Yeah they both came up on my search but the lack of availability and unknown delivery time (I've had issues with Ribble before with this) put me off.

 

[gzoom]

The motor system on both bikes are tired and tested, the Fazua motor can be found in the Trek Domane LT+ and X35 in the Scott eRide both commanding near 5 figure price tags so in comparison the Boardman and Orbea are 'bargains' as the motor setup is the same for a fraction of the price.

I went with the Boardman because I have a soft spot for Halfords, I've owned Subway and Carrera bikes before with no issues and always found the local Halfords to be cheap but also very good interms bike repairs. I did have problems with Fazua motor on the bike initially, and I was glad to be able to drop the bike off locally for it to be fixed under warranty, but Fazua did take a while to get parts in.

The hub drive motor on the X35 does mean if you knacker the rear wheel its not as easy to replace - I've gone through one rear wheel on my Boardman already thanks to pot holes. The ability to also swap out a new battery has made life much easier for me on my commute without worrying about range later on in the day - my Boardman has been light modified so it essentially will eat through a fully charged battery in 15 miles ).

The specific off road ability of either would be specific to the bike, mine is mainly a commuter bike its not afraid to get dirty.

For my next bike purchase (when am allowed) I would be happy with either of these two, and it'll probably come down to price/deals. Though the fact my road bike is a 10 year old Trek Madone, and I have x2 batteries already for the Boardman it would probably end up been a Domane+, though the Scott is a beautiful looking bike........Luckily for my bank account there is zero chance of getting either for the next decade, so I'll happily make do with my Halfords special.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Agree the Scott is beautiful, but doesn't that hideous extender battery spoil the look?

 

[gzoom]

Lovely commute to work today on the Boardman, -2 with windchill, wouldn't have done it on my road bike. These eBikes are fantastic.

 

[richtea]

We have one of each - slightly different models to your wish list, but close enough to compare - a Boardman 8.9e HYB and Orbea D50, both early 2020 models.
I would say the Fazua-based Boardman is a whisker better than the Mhale/eBikemotion Orbea, but both will make you happy if you're after an assisted ride rather than a 'free' ride.

Here are the main pros/cons:
- Boardman is slightly better made made (components & Fazua gubbins), but it's a close run thing. Both are very good.
- the Boardman mid-drive means you can change wheels and fix punctures with no penalty
- you can take the Boardman battery off for charging
- the Orbea is cheaper (well, the D50 was)

Minor pros/cons, but they might tip the balance depending on intended use:
- the Boardman battery can be replaced by an empty tube when you get fitter. Realistically, you'd do better to sell it, but the option is there.
- the Boardman seems a bit stronger up the hills (possibly due to torque sensing rather than the Orbea's cadence sensor?), but on the other hand seems to run out of battery slightly quicker. However, the difference isn't massive.
- if you want to cover many miles you can opt to carry a second battery on the Boardman. I mostly ride with the battery off, and flick it on for steep hills - that technique gives me an easy 80+ mile range. If you run the motor permanantly on that can drop to 30-35 miles.

And the cons for both of them:
- you can't fix them yourself, they're both closed systems, so you're at the mercy of the local dealer to investigate & fix any problems. Balancing that out, we've only had minor niggles*, so we've never had to go back to the dealers.
- neither will give you a 'free ride', you need to pedal both and put some effort in, but that's by design.

*Niggles:
- Fazua bottom bracket bolts needed tightening after 2 or 3 rides. You just need a Torx key.
- Orbea wheels weren't up to scratch (but then again I'm much heavier than you), so I had them rebuilt. They're now fine.

 

[MattC18]

That’s a great summary and valuable insight, big thanks @richtea

 

[youngoldbloke]

We have one of each - slightly different models to your wish list, but close enough to compare - a Boardman 8.9e HYB and Orbea D50, both early 2020 models.
I would say the Fazua-based Boardman is a whisker better than the Mhale/eBikemotion Orbea, but both will make you happy if you're after an assisted ride rather than a 'free' ride.

Is the Orbea lighter than the Boardman? I get the impression roughly equivalent Fazua equipped bikes are heavier than Mahle/EBM ones.

 

[gzoom]

Is the Orbea lighter than the Boardman? I get the impression roughly equivalent Fazua equipped bikes are heavier than Mahle/EBM ones.

The Orbea is lighter by 0.5kg+/-, however with eBikes even few extra KGs make no difference as the motors provide such a big power gain.

I weighed the Boardman stock and it came in at 15.7kg with pedals pretty much bang on what Halfords claim. However in commuter mode now, with near 1kg Marathon tyres, multiple lights, D-lock, mudguards it well over 20kg, than you have all the winter cloth/gloves etc.

I think any of these eBikes are great, it'll probably come down to price/availability.

 

[youngoldbloke]

The Orbea is lighter by 0.5kg+/-, however with eBikes even few extra KGs make no difference as the motors provide such a big power gain.

It matters a great deal to me, as I often load my bike into the car. I'm 74 and not as strong as I used to be, with rotator cuff injuries and a completely torn biceps in one arm and I find loading my Orbea Gain D30 (2018 Tiagra) a bit of a struggle. Hence I'm looking for e-road bikes lighter than my existing one - bikes around 11kg bare - probably a choice between 105 equipped carbon framed bikes like the Gain M30 and the Ribble SLe. The Scott Addict is a little over budget for me, but if it was in the same price range as the two I mentioned it would be my no1 choice. ( I've seen it in the flesh and it's a very pretty bike !)

 

[richtea]

Re: weight, I'd agree the Orbea is slightly lighter than the Boardman.

As gzoom says, with an assisted bike weight saving isn't quite worth the crazy chase compared to ultra-light road bikes (except in special case - like youngoldblokes lifting it into the car, house, etc).

With any bike type chasing weight is an expensive game - something in the order of £1k spent to save 1Kg. Selecting puncture proof tyres can push weight up by 500g - 1kg, for example. All good for bragging rights down the pub, but in the real world a more powerful motor is usually more useful. I've also looked at lovely light Ribbles, though. I can't help it...

 

[youngoldbloke]

First thing I did after getting my Gain was to change the awful Kenda 'Krankfish' tyres to Continental GP 4000 - at least half a kilo saved immediately. I'm now using Michelin Pro 4 Endurance. However I'm riding almost exclusively on road. Pre the need for e-assistance I was used to riding an 8kg Rose - almost half the weight of the Gain, and easy to load in the car!

 

[jowwy]

First thing I did after getting my Gain was to change the awful Kenda 'Krankfish' tyres to Continental GP 4000 - at least half a kilo saved immediately. I'm now using Michelin Pro 4 Endurance. However I'm riding almost exclusively on road. Pre the need for e-assistance I was used to riding an 8kg Rose - almost half the weight of the Gain, and easy to load in the car!

how are you now finding the bike @youngoldbloke now you've had it a fair while??

 

[youngoldbloke]

how are you now finding the bike @youngoldbloke now you've had it a fair while??

It has saved my (cycling) life, as I developed PAD and found riding my other bikes more than very few miles an extremely painful experience. I've been able to keep moderately fit by riding the Gain, as I can only walk a few hundred yards without pain. I've been able to continue with club rides, 'though the 15.5 mph cut off is a pain (literally) at times, when the group speed drifts up over 16, 17 + mph on long flat stretches, which isn't unusual even with 'steady' groups. Keeping a 16 kg bike moving at that sort of speed can be hard work! I do have some advantage on hills, but even with the Gain's assistance the steepest defeat me. Too many hills deplete the battery very quickly, and range drops rapidly. Without a battery extender (which I'm hesitant to buy due to it's awful appearance, weight, and exorbitant cost) my 'safe' range is about 40 - 45 miles, which restricts the club ride choices. Over the 3 years I've had it I have lost 10% battery capacity too, caused by leaving the bike fully charged for almost 2 months - unavoidable due to sickness. (No change in the capacity since over a year ago). I now never leave the bike with more than 80% charge. No problems with the bike itself - looks good, comfortable, it fits me well, still less than 5% wear on the chain, changed the brake pads front and rear once. I've changed the tyres, swapped the seat post for a lighter one I had, and fitted a favourite saddle. All in all I wouldn't be without it. Of course n+1(e) always calls !