Amflow PX Carbon Pro test: Is the new DJI e-bike bestseller 2.0?

At first glance, the brand new PX Carbon looks extremely similar to its predecessor, the PL Carbon. But don't be fooled by its looks. The PX Carbon is a completely new bike with a new frame, new motor and new battery. However, the basic frame shape and suspension travel have remained the same: 160 millimetres at the front and 150 at the rear. The new e-bike rolls onto the trails ex works in a mullet set-up, i.e. with 29-inch wheels at the front and 27.5-inch wheels at the rear. A flipchip can be used to optionally convert to 29 inches on the rear wheel. With the PL Carbon, it was the other way round.

The geometry has been significantly adapted in the new edition, with a shorter seat tube, steeper seat angle and longer reach, the bike has become more modern and trail-orientated overall. Amflow has also given the bike several options for customising the geometry. Two flip chips and interchangeable bearing shells in the head tube. All in all, this allows you to massively influence the geometry. But more on that later.

New engine, new luck?

The centrepiece and drive unit of the new edition is the Avinox M2S. Compared to the already powerful Avinox M1, the new super motor has significantly more power. In the Amflow PX Carbon, it achieves a peak output of 1500 watts - an increase of 50 per cent. As with its predecessor, the battery is permanently installed and, at 3.18 kilograms, is said to be very light in relation to its capacity. Although 700 instead of 800 watt hours means a slightly shorter range, it also means an even slimmer down tube and a lower overall weight.

However, the complete bike is by no means lighter. The top model weighs 21.7 kilos in standard trim, while the Amflow PL Carbon Pro weighed 20.6 kilos with 800 instead of 700 watt hours. But you have to give the newcomer full credit: It comes with a front light and massive gravity tyres. The Chinese have therefore invested in the bike's handling qualities and usability. In addition, the rear triangle is said to be 10 per cent stiffer. However, the Amflow has lost some of its absolute wow effect on the scales.

Revelation on the trail?

Let's get straight to the point: The updates that Amflow has given the PX are definitely noticeable - it's more than just cosmetic. And that doesn't just refer to the immense engine power. Thanks to the new geometry, the bike is more mature off-road and follows the trends of modern trail and enduro bikes. This starts with the riding position, as the rider now sits in a front-wheel-orientated position on the bike. The seat angle is plus two degrees as delivered.

Why as delivered? Because Amflow gives the PX one flip chip each on the chainstay and shock mount, as well as a variable headset bearing shell for adjusting the geometry. This allows 40 different configurations to be achieved. We are happy to make use of this in the test, because in the basic setup the stack remains low and the bottom bracket high. This does not result in a truly integrated riding position. After we added the entire spacer tower (3 cm!) under the stem, in addition to the factory-fitted riser handlebar (40 mm), the position on the bike was much better.

We felt even more comfortable after switching to the long chainstay setting. Here, not only is the rear end longer, but the bottom bracket is also significantly lower and the steering angle slacker. However, this also shows that the various geo adjustments are very complex and not so easy to understand. A rotated flip chip changes several parameters significantly. The influence on the riding characteristics is enormous.

With these adjustments, the Amflow blossoms on the trail. It conveys confidence and can also cope with rough sections. With its rather firm rear end, it doesn't mutate into a mini enduro bike, but you can certainly let it run off-road. The massive tyres and really solid brakes leave nothing to be desired even on long, nasty Alpine descents. The focus in this trim is on smoothness. The Amflow doesn't want to appear ultimately playful and manoeuvrable, which is surprising considering the low overall weight. But the handling is just right.

One reason for the not ultimately light-footed handling: the massive wheel weight. Despite the light carbon rims, the rotating mass is high and the handling is therefore not as lively. The predecessor was lighter on its feet. The thick tyres with a gravity radial carcass provide plenty of puncture protection and grip. This also provides more traction and a fuller ride feel. The rear suspension also works better than its predecessor and can be tuned harmoniously. On rough terrain, however, we did hit the odd bump, as the rear end readily releases its travel. Too bad: Although the motor has become significantly quieter on the trail, our test bike rattled noticeably. Brake pads, cable routing - several noises are mixed together here.

Uphill in turbo mania

If you have the idea of staying in the short chainstay setting for more agility, you should keep your hands off the aggressive Turbo mode on steep climbs. The combination of a very short rear end with extreme Avinox power inevitably leads to a hard-to-control rodeo ride on the rear wheel. The Amflow climbs better with a long rear end, but the superior engine alone clearly pushes the limits of what is possible. And the central riding position gives the rider more control over the bike. Thanks to the super-short cranks, there is hardly any risk of crank contact even with a low bottom bracket. That is consistent.

Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths

• Extreme motor power
• slim look
• Very variable geometry

Weaknesses

• Permanently installed battery
• no small frame size