Do you want to make the most of your time in the saddle? Collect as many kilometres as possible on single trails? Take ramps and steps uphill in your stride? Perhaps you don't have much time to train, but fancy high mountains. Maybe you want to cycle with friends who are fitter. Or maybe you want to go on a tour in the mountains with your child's trailer on the back. Then an e-mountainbike would be just the right piece of sports equipment for you.
With the 250 watt pedelecs for off-road use, even the steepest climbs are no longer a scare, as the motor doubles your own power input, so you can enjoy the ride right from the start. You can cover 1500 metres in altitude or 100 kilometres on one battery charge. This would not be possible for a less trained cyclist without motor support. But with the new power units from Bosch & Co. every mountain tour becomes child's play.
In its premiere issue, the editors of the newly launched trade magazine EMTB compared 15 new-generation full-suspension e-mountainbikes in an extensive practical and laboratory test. Here are their five favourites:
1st Scott E-Genius 710 Plus
Price: 5499 euros; weight: 22.1 kg
No one can beat the E-Genius uphill. Long chainstays, tyres in the new Plus format and the powerful Bosch Performance mid-drive motor - you can simply roll up anywhere. The fact that the Scott model even wins the range ranking despite the fat tyres surprises even the specialists. The long wheelbase, the slack angles and the sensitive suspension also make the bike a top scorer downhill. It conveys a high degree of safety and impresses with its stoic smoothness: the motto is to aim for the line and keep going.
2nd Cube Stereo Hybrid 140 HPA
Price: 5499 euros; weight: 21.7 kg
Top geometry, efficient suspension, well thought-out equipment mix. The Stereo catapults itself into second place in the overall ranking, even without any innovative fireworks. The geometry is so long that the bike climbs very well and only rears up late at the front. At the same time, it is short enough to be fun on twisty trails. The 2.35 tyres offer good traction even without plus-size tyres and transfer the short-ratio motor power of the 75 Nm Bosch drive perfectly to any surface. With 140 millimetres of travel, the suspension is well equipped for demanding terrain. With the elegantly shaped down tube, which encloses the chunky Bosch battery well, the Cube engineers have also thought about the look.
3rd Specialised Turbo Levo FSR Expert
Price: 6499 euros; weight: 22.2 kg
Long awaited and decorated with plenty of advance praise - the Levo from the American premium manufacturer is undoubtedly the most innovative e-MTB of the year. In numerous details (see also www.emtb-magazin.de, webcode #26605), it offers more than the competition: be it the integrated on-board tool, the intelligent app for motor control, the speed sensor integrated into the disc brake and dropout or connectivity with Garmin GPS devices. The geometry of the Levo is short and manoeuvrable. The suspension is unobtrusive but powerful. The plus-size tyres offer outstanding grip. The drive is integrated into the frame and the battery is removable. Sit on and feel good, without compromise. The performance of the Brose drive lags somewhat behind the Bosch motors.
4th Haibike Xduro Allmtn Pro
Price: 6799 euros; weight: 21.8 kg
Brevity is the spice of life: A short rear triangle means manoeuvrability. The riding position on the Haibike is also very compact. You are literally enthroned above things on the bike. Downhill and on single trails, the short geometry is a lot of fun. The extremely sensitive suspension from American component manufacturer Fox offers enormous reserves with its 150 millimetres of travel. The design language is impressive, and the battery and Bosch motor are well integrated into the frame.
5. Rotwild R.X+FS Evo
Price: 6999 euros; weight: 20.4 kg
Rotwild relies on the Brose drive, hides the battery elegantly in the down tube (not removable) and, at just 20.4 kilos, puts a very light high-tech bike - for e-mountainbikes - on the trails. The Rotwild rides like it looks: sporty, agile, direct. Whether it's a steep uphill ramp or a hairy descent, the riding position is just right and the suspension with 145 millimetres of travel provides sufficient reserves for demanding descents. Shortcoming: The carbon handlebars are so soft that they bend noticeably on rough terrain. This prevents an even better rating in the downhill discipline. The Rotwild is also available with Plus tyres as an option, which noticeably improves grip, cornering traction and comfort.
More information, more tests, more e-mountainbikes - The brand new trade magazine EMTB will be available from newsagents from 1 March 2016. The first issue EMTB 1/2016 can also be viewed digitally in the EMTB app (iTunes and Google Play) or read the print edition free shipping in the DK-Shop:
