Even the layman can recognise that Italian blood flows through the veins of the Pedroni Charger. Ferrari red decals, typography like on Ducati superbikes and a lively, detailed design language - typically Italian. The fact that everything from laminating and curing the carbon fibres to welding and milling CNC parts is carried out in the company's own factory in Reggio Emilia is as natural to Pedroni as salt in pasta water. "This gives us maximum control over the production of our bikes," explains Pedroni partner Stefano Giussani. This is the only way they can deliver top quality - and this is exactly what the boutique brand from Italy stands for.
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The most important facts about the Pedroni brand at a glance
But one thing at a time. For all those who were previously unfamiliar with Pedroni Racing, here's a brief history. The team is named after Michele Pedroni, a former downhill racer in the 1990s - including Italian champion. In 1998, he founded the Pedroni Kjub Racing Team - one of the oldest gravity teams ever - and began to develop his own aluminium downhill frames. Initially only for himself and his team, but from 2001 onwards also for sale.
So much for the prehistory. Pedroni Racing, as we know it today as a high-end label, came into being much later: in 2021, to be precise. Aviation expert Stefano Giussani took a liking to Michele's bikes, saw their potential and knew that Pedroni could become a high-end manufacturer with his expertise in carbon production. The first result of the young partnership: the Enduro Mate. A short time later, our test bike, the E-Enduro Charger, rolled off the workbench - based on the same platform. The third Pedroni is already in the starting blocks for the 2026 model year: a high-pivot downhill bike with a single-sided rear swingarm, simply called the EVO25. The eight-strong Pedroni team now produces 50 to 60 bikes per year - and the trend is rising. The Charger accounts for around half of production.
The facts about the Pedroni Charger
- Price: from 7550 Euro
- Weight: 24.20 kg without pedals
- Spring travel: 170/165 mm
- Impellers: 29"
- Motor: Oli Edge
- Battery: 725 Wh (removable)
Italian E-Racer
With 170 millimetres of suspension travel at the front and 165 millimetres at the rear, the Charger is clearly positioned in the enduro league of e-mountainbikes. The wheels measure 29 inches at the front and rear - the ideal recipe for e-racing according to Pedroni. The centrepiece of the chassis is the Mate-XP rear triangle - a supported single-pivot suspension system that should pay off particularly well in the hands of experienced riders and racers. But more on that later.
Pedroni uses carbon for the main frame - Stefano's speciality, we remember. Pedroni naturally welds the closed rear frame triangle in-house. "For the second e-bike generation, we want to build the rear triangle entirely from carbon," announces Stefano. No wonder: without the distortion caused by the enormous heat during welding, manufacturing tolerances can be even better limited - a logical step for a noble sled like the Charger. Speaking of noble: The "Made in Italy" seal of quality has its price. The frame set including shock, battery and motor costs 5950 euros.
Oli Edge or Bosch Performance CX Race
To round off the southern charm of the Charger, the drive also comes from Italy - more precisely from Oli, an engine manufacturer from Cesena, around 50 kilometres north-west of Rimini. The manufacturer is little known outside of Italy. We also only had the Oli Edge in our hands once as part of our comparison tests.
On the Pedroni Charger, a removable 720 watt-hour battery powers the 90 Newton metre motor. Depending on the area of use, the Charger can also be operated with smaller batteries - 540 or even just 360 watt hours are possible. As if that wasn't enough flexibility, customers can also order their Charger with a completely different drive: the Bosch Performance CX Race. Stefano explains more about the background in the interview.
Interview with Stefano Giussani, co-founder of Pedroni Race
BIKE: The Pedroni Charger is available with the Italian Oli motor, but also as a model variant with Bosch's Performance CX Race. Why the two options?
STEFANO: So far, we have sold almost exclusively to Italian customers. The "Made in Italy" frame and the Italian motor are very popular here. But we also want to expand into other European countries. To get a foot on the ground here, you need an engine that people know and trust. That's why the Charger also has the Bosch option.
On paper and in practice, the Bosch is the better unit. Why do the majority of your customers still opt for the Oli motor?
Anyone who decides in favour of a Charger is not buying a bike out of reason, but out of passion. It's about emotions. With 100 per cent Italian origins - from the frame to the engine - the Charger arouses far more emotions than an Italian bike with a German engine, which may be technically impressive but does not have the same charm.
What is the biggest disadvantage of the Oli motor compared to Bosch?
The significantly shorter overrun. The Bosch pushes longer when you stop pedalling. This is a decisive advantage on technical uphills.
How the Pedroni Charger rides in practice
The Oli Edge motor shows its character from the very first contact. Compared to Bosch's current bestseller, the Performance CX Gen 5, it reacts somewhat more impetuously. On loose, steep uphills, it needs precision to get the power to the ground in a controlled manner. The 90 Newton metres of torque deliver powerful traction, but only develop their full potential at a comparatively high cadence. A clear disadvantage in racing: the short overtravel. As soon as the rider takes the pressure off the pedals, the motor barely follows suit. Unfortunately, it doesn't work here to push yourself over the edges of the terrain with a little pedal kick - as is the case with Bosch's current units.
Apart from the drivetrain, the Charger rides like a textbook race enduro bike. The rear suspension is particularly impressive: sensitive with full traction at the beginning, plush in the middle and progressive towards the end. Even on hard hits, you never get the feeling that the suspension travel is exhausted - bravo! Also exciting: with significantly more than 100 per cent anti-rise over the entire suspension travel, the suspension tends to compress when braking. In steep sections, this reduces the feeling of rollover and you are more secure and centred on the bike - ideal for handling.
A small drawback: If the rear end moves into the suspension travel when braking, traction on the rear wheel suffers and the rear end transmits more shocks to the rider. In technical jargon, this is known as "stamping". The generous suspension travel, the balanced proportions of the main frame and rear and the pleasantly slack steering angle provide safety at high speeds without completely sacrificing the joy of riding for smoothness. In other words: the Charger masters precise changes of direction on winding trails just as well as full-throttle passages. Unfortunately, the seat tube is a little long in frame size M and restricts freedom of movement. The seat angle seems rather slack by modern standards. Thanks to the relatively long chainstays and the low front end, you still have enough control over the front wheel on steep terrain and master key sections with ease.
Conclusion Max Fuchs, BIKE test editor
Admittedly, the comparison with Ferrari is perhaps a little misleading - at least in the case of the Pedroni Charger with Oli engine. However, the design, manufacturing quality and driving characteristics are top class. When it comes to the drive - the decisive difference to the Ferrari - there is still room for improvement. If you combine the powerful chassis with the Bosch drive, things look different. Then you get an outstanding E-Enduro with rarity value included.
Max Fuchs
Editor
