Transition Relay Review: Your Only Bike?

I didn’t know whether to put the Transition Relay on the ebike channel or this one. The bike is a bit of a chameleon that adapts to different riders, terrain, choice in friends, and local ebike regulations. If that sentence didn’t pique your interest, you might want to see a doctor. Stick around to see how the Relay does it.

Read the full review here -

0:00 Intro
0:49 Relay Geometry and Fazua Ride 60
4:08 Transition Relay Ride Review - Uphill
8:19 Transition Relay Ride Review - Downhill
11:08 Can it be your only bike?
11:44 Who is the Relay for?

[Table_Topper_Tony]

I’ve had my pnw alloy relay for a month now and it has over 300 miles on it already. My favorite bike ever! I sold my sworks sj Evo for this one and I couldn’t be happier. Best bike purchase I’ve ever made and I’m smiling every time I ride it! I live in bham Washington and I ride majority of the time with the battery in. But when I go to Steven’s, snoqualmie, or even whistler bike park then I take the battery out.

[dfellb]

Been loving mine. Just ordered a push coil and will run it 170/170 in the full 29” configuration. I can keep up with full powered bikes if I really put in my own power but on longer ascents they’ll pull away on me.

I ride it with pedal bike people too but usually just in eco to relax, haha. Taking the battery out it’s still a hefty girl. I’ll take the name calling haha the bike is too much fun.

[mattcardarelli]

Totally comfortable having multiple bikes. Already planning on what Trek Rail I’ll be buying in the spring. Love the channel!

[SunsPSD]

Thanks for the review. For me the Relay is a great e-bike and also works for lift assist with the battery removed. I really enjoy mine but it performs much better with a coil shock. But I'll stick with the Smug for the pedal days!

[adamsellers]

Thanks for that review, it is the first one I have seen where the ride without the battery seemed to get some due time in the review, and I feel like more advanced riders, in age and experience, are really trying to split hairs on what this bike can do/is like. Appreciated!

[davisjl]

Hands down, best review of this bike!!!

The battery being charged from outside of the bike is a positive for me. If I'm at a place where I can't take my bike inside for charging, this is a plus. If it's really cold out, I'd like to be able to charge the battery inside instead of out.

Good to hear the motor is quiet and that their is no resistance when not powered.

[thim]

I'm 6'2" and 235 pounds. I had a levo sl and just couldn't get the range. I roll with full power bikes now. That bike looks pretty sweet. More power, more range and the travel I like, especially the pnw version.

[William.N]

Good concept and i hope more ebikes adopt something like this. It makes them more appealing especially since my wife world say i am in the latter category.

[amdinga]

I'm getting back into mtb after 15ish years off. I just spent weeks doing reading and getting caught up on how the technology/geometry has changed (wow lol). Transition has 2023 models on closeout sale right now for 4.5k USD. Even with people reporting some problems with fazua reliability, that price for this bike was too good to pass up. It just checks every single box for me, and will be my one bike. The last mountain bike I rode was my old 2005 yeti 5.75, back when "all mountain/trail" bikes were still a very new category. 29" wheels were starting to come out but were super fringe, only freaks rode them. There were no ebikes, flat pedals were for amateurs, front derailleurs with three chainrings, and if you were a serious rider you took the time to do Stan's No Tubes system to convert your wheels and tires to tubeless. I'm so fuckin excited to find out what a modern bike feels like.

[waynephilbert]

Thanks for a really well constructed and delivered review. It's an interesting concept and shows how much improvement has come along in a short time.

[chrisallen]

Great review. I think I'm the guy that needs a dedicated pedal bike and e-bike. Again great review

[rufusbass]

When and how will the range extender be released, and also how/where will it be attached? This is really important question -it's battery is not big enough for seriously long rides.

[ScottEnnis-xj]

So I own the transition relay top build as I wanted the sram transmission and carbon wheels. Zero regrets buying it. Wasn’t sure how much I was going to ride without battery but it’s probably 70% of time with battery. There is No resistance from motor and I don’t mind it at all uphill. I’m east coast and I’ll do wednesduro nights at highlands sometimes with battery sometimes without. It’s no xc bike but it’s not much slower uphill than my scout and it’s way more capable downhill than the scout. My only complaint is the FAZUA ring is conceptually designed well just not put together the best. Assume a v2 will come out at some point.

[dadventuretv]

Bout time ya slacker. I been waitin for this. Lol.
I love this concept. I want an emtb to get me to those steep, techy, gnarly mountain DHs that usually require a shuttle (or someone younger and fitter than me) and to be able to do more of those laps. But if I’m on a trip, also be able to take the battery out and take it to the lift assist bike park near wherever I’m traveling, or if in no ebike zone, ride it sans battery. It would be great not to have to bring two bikes on trips. This is not for my home trails- they just dont require an emtb.
Demoed a couple of full powered emtbs- the Heckler and the Turbo Levo and they were just too damn big and heavy. They were fun in their own right of just absolutely smashing all the things (I have a vid of a rocky pedal trail that is a mile that I put the Heckler in trail mode and just went all out), but the type of trails I really want this for I want a bit more nimbleness and less heavy handedness. I also found I just don’t need all the power of a full power emtb. I was happiest in eco mode with a quick switch to trail for the techy burners and never used Boost mode except once on a jeep trail double track just to see how ridiculous it was- the answer was mighty ridiculous. I’m really considering this, but I know Santa Cruz is gonna release soon a Fazua powered lighter emtb and I wanna see what they come up with. Maybe don’t be slow with a review of it when comes out ha. Lol.
Love your reviews- they’ve become my go tos for trusted advice. 🤙

[jack]

Would be a great comparison video to the fuel exe and new Levo SL.

[mikepfeifer]

I actually like that the battery needs to come out simply for winter storage and long term battery health.

Great review.

[RH-vpgr]

I’d really like an e bike thats got full power but about 35lbs. Easy to pedal, 140 travel and if you get low on power not an absolute killer to climb hills.
Maybe someday this will happen.

[terr]

Since I'm living in an apartment, being able to remove the battery and charge it in my apartment without bringing a dirty bike in is perfect!

[wilbenton]

Great review. Have you ridden something like the EXe - how does this compare if so?

[DIRTBROSDETECTING]

Good channel, isn’t the medium close to 36lbs? Would love to try one without the battery