With the Sresh CF Propain presents the successful enduro Ekano a little brother at its side. The Sresh's suspension travel and geometry are not quite as extreme. Thanks to the carbon frame, the weight of our test bike with genuine Bomb Proof equipment remains attractive. With a Shimano motor and conventional gearing, the price tag is also not quite as hefty as that of the Ekano CF enduro bike with Eagle Powertrain and transmission gearing. Typical Propain: The equipment on the Sresh can be customised relatively freely in the configurator. If you opt for a Lyrik fork, air shock and trail tyres instead of a Zeb, steel spring and super-gravity tyres, you can easily save over a kilogram at no extra cost.
The facts about the Propain Sresh CF
- Motor: Shimano EP801, 85 Nm max. torque
- Battery: 626 Wh (removable)
- Frame material: Carbon
- Suspension travel: 160/150 millimetres
- Wheel size: 29 inch (Mullet optional)
- Frame sizes: S, M, L, XL
- Price: 6935 Euro
- Weight: 23.4 kg (test bike in size L, EMTB measurement)
- Permissible total weight: 140 kg (manufacturer's specification)
Shimano motor with Darfon battery
Maximum range is not at the top of Propain's list of priorities. Instead, the Allgäu-based company prefers to use a compact battery with 626 watt hours from Darfon (3.6 kg), which keeps the weight of the bike pleasantly low. After all, Darfon batteries are known for their excellent efficiency. In our standardised range test, the Sresh climbs over 1400 metres in boost mode and then adds another 250 metres with reduced support. The Darfon clearly outperforms the classic Shimano battery with 630 watt hours and often only a good 1200 metres in altitude. However, really big batteries such as Bosch's 750 (approx. 1900 metres) or Darfon's 726 (approx. 1600 metres) deliver even more range.
The Shimano motor itself has delivered good power since the update to the EP801. Especially when the rider pedals moderately, the motor pushes hard. Our test bike came without a display and the all-in-one remote roughly shows the cadence and battery level. However, you can easily select a display in the Propain configurator. Weaknesses of the Shimano motor: Little dynamics and a significant drop in performance at very high cadences. A coasting function for overcoming uphill gradients can now be retrofit via app and firmware update.
The geometry
The Propain Sresh is by no means extreme. The wheelbase and head angle are modern and the seat angle is steep. This helps on the climbs, but puts a little more pressure on the hands on the flats. The chainstays are on the longer side with a 29-inch rear wheel. The stack itself does not fall out of the frame, but with the spacers and the riser handlebar, the front is rather high. This gives you confidence downhill. If you like it flatter, you can choose handlebars with less rise in the configurator. The geometry can also be adapted for a small rear wheel using a flip chip. This should make the Propain even more agile downhill.
EMTB measurements at a glance (frame size L)
- Seat tube length: 447 mm
- Wheelbase: 1265 mm
- Reach: 475 mm
- Stack: 643 mm
- Steering angle: 64.5 degrees
- Seat angle: 78 degrees
- Chainstay length: 452 mm
The features of the Propain Sresh CF
Propain also remains true to itself with the Sresh and makes the equipment of the e-bike extensively customisable in the in-house configurator. For our test bike, Propain chose heavy-duty equipment that turns the bike into a mini-enduro: thick Zeb Ultimate fork at the front, steel spring shock absorbers, puncture-proof Supergravity tyres. The gears are sorted by a classic Sram GX, which noticeably reduces the price compared to the new transmission versions. The wheels come from Newmen, the brakes from Formula.
- Fork / Shock: Rockshox Zeb Ultimate / Super Deluxe Coil Ultimate
- Gear system: Sram GX mechanical (12-speed)
- Brakes: Formula Cura 4; 203/203 mm
- Wheels: Newmen Performance 30 Base
- Tyres: Schwalbe Magic Mary Supergravity Ultrasoft / Big Betty Supergravity; 29 x 2.4
- Special features: Equipment customisable in the configurator, flip chip for compatibility with 29 or 27.5 inch rear wheel
Practical test: How the Propain Sresh CF rides
On the Propain Sresh, you sit like on a modern enduro bike: the steep seat angle and high handlebars make the bike look squat. The Propain is clearly not designed for classic tours on flat terrain. It would rather be ridden on compact laps with many metres of elevation gain. The Shimano motor delivers a lot of power, but was a little noisy on the climbs. The small battery needs to be used sparingly on the trail. Low weight was obviously more important to the engineers than ultimate range.
Apart from that, the Sresh climbs well. The not-too-short chainstays, the large rear wheel and the front wheel-orientated riding position provide a lot of control on the climbs. The suspension elements and tyres offer good traction. The Propain suspension is not a comfort miracle, the saddle is borderline slippery and offers little support towards the rear. The Shimano motor lacks a little dynamism and power at high cadences for key technical uphill sections.
Full and safe downhill
All in all, it's a lot to complain about, because the climbs are more of a means to an end for a bike like the Sresh. It only really blossoms downhill and can hardly deny its proximity to its big brother Ekano, especially in the configuration tested here. The super-solid ride feel provides enormous smoothness and confidence even on steep and demanding trails. All testers felt perfectly integrated behind the high front of the bike.
Thanks to the defined chassis, the Sresh does not become a heavy bomber, but remains pleasantly poppy and manageable even with heavy tyres. However, playful manoeuvres such as bunny hops or manuals still require an experienced hand and a confident physical effort. If this is particularly important to you, you should opt for the configuration with a small rear wheel and five millimetre shorter chainstays. Nice to hear: The familiar rattling of the Shimano motor remained relatively discreet on our test bike, and the extensive rubber protection for the chainstays and seat stays also did a great job. The bike was relatively quiet on the downhill. The finish, including the black clear coat over the visible carbon fibre, also leaves a high-quality impression.
EMTB review of the Propain Sresh CF
Strengths
- Top chassis
- Balanced driving characteristics
- High driving safety
- Configurator
Weaknesses
- Engine a little noisy on uphills
- Range could be better
The EMTB conclusion
With the Sresh, Propain has put a well-made mini enduro bike with a really top chassis on the tyres. The motor and range do not score top marks, and we would choose a lighter spec for all-round use. Thanks to the configurator, however, the latter is no problem at all. - Adrian Kaether, Editor BIKE Magazine
Adrian Kaether
Editor
