One thing first: I am absolutely unsuitable as an E-MTB tester. The appeal of motorised cranking has never been clear to me. Why should I let an electric component do the best thing about mountain biking? I know of no better feeling than the cosy warmth of blood circulation as you work your way up a mountain, pedal by pedal, with a pleasantly chugging basic endurance pulse. It's the perfect interplay of tendons, muscles, organs and psyche.
Man and bike - an ingenious system! The perfect, 100 per cent perfected version of freedom. You overcome borders and mountains with the power of the banana. It is almost unbelievable how large the radius of action can be with pure muscle power. Winner Konny Looser completed the 370 kilometres of the legendary Desert Dash long-distance marathon in Namibia in just 13:55 hours. The Portuguese Tiago Ferreira wanted to know how much you can climb in one day on an MTB and last year pushed 17,753 metres of altitude into his calves within 24 hours. Official world record. No e-mountainbike would be that powerful, no matter how much power it had. The toughest battery is simply the human muscle.
So that was the initial situation when I recently received the news of the Trek E-Calibre achieved. A race bike with a removable motor. An "as-well-as-MTB". It was a mixture of curiosity and a thirst for adventure that made me wonder: Can this thing be kept in check with a classic MTB? And: How does such a hybrid actually ride? Is it still e-biking or perhaps real, pure mountain biking?
In the world of classic mountain bikes, race fullys are the first choice when it comes to liveliness and long-distance capability. The Trek Supercaliber is one of the stars of this segment, which is also very popular with sporty touring bikers and bikepackers. The carbon frame, whose shock is elegantly integrated into the top tube, has only 60 millimetres of suspension travel. The bike wants to be a fully and a hardtail at the same time, which it manages to do in an amazing way. Last season, I was able to put the 10.1-kilo top version 9.9 XX1 through its paces in an endurance test. I was impressed by how versatile the bike is. Marathon races, single trail laps, extensive bikepacking expeditions across the country, even individual bike park visits - the bike did it all without complaint. The perfect all-round bike.
In contrast, the new motorised version looks rather exotic. The E-Caliber belongs to the relatively new category of so-called minimal-assist bikes. Maximum additional 250 watts. Motor cut-off at 25 km/h, as is usual with E-MTBs. Geometry and equipment like a thoroughbred World Cup Fully paired with switchable extra boost, which is only available for a limited time due to the manageable battery capacity - for around 600 metres in altitude, depending on the setting and speed. The Fazua motor integrated into the down tube can therefore be removed along with the battery for good reason. This turns the 16-kilo E-Caliber into a 13.5-kilo fully with a classic drive. The XTR version of the E-Caliber costs 11999 euros. This is around six kilos and 6500 euros more than the motorless, 10.6-light Supercaliber 9.8 with GX drivetrain (5499 euros) means - which we tested in BIKE 3/21. And all that for a little extra boost? Is the hybrid MTB an ingenious mountain bike or just a weird niche product? The colleagues from our Sister magazine EMTB was just as interested in this as we were. So we made an appointment with E-Caliber and Supercalibre for a duel. And so here we are at the start of the Munich Isar Trail: Adrian, the volunteer from EMTB magazine with the Trek E-Caliber. Then there's my mate Stephan, a long-distance specialist who knows all the marathon waters and rides the classic Supercaliber. And me, also on a lightweight race fully (Silverback Stratos CF, 10 kilos, 6000 euros).
Off on the Isar Trail
"Well, let's see how far we get," grins Adrian, who can choose between three boost levels if required - 100 ("Breeze"), 210 ("River") or 250 watts ("Rocket").
We push off with hard pedalling, Stephan and I at the front. The Isar Trail initially meanders along with only a few metres of elevation gain. The pace is correspondingly high, 23, 25, sometimes 27 km/h. Adrian has problems keeping up on the E-Caliber. The motor only supports up to 25 km/h, and he also has to use the battery sparingly. The 100 watts of the Beeze mode fizzle out in the heavy weight of the e-bike, but the 210 watts of the intermediate mode really drain the battery. A tricky thing. It will take us around two hours to complete the 40-kilometre lap with 600 metres of elevation gain; an empty battery would be fatal on a 16-kilo bike. Stephan and I have to keep waiting, which is a good thing as it allows our legs to recover from the lactate shock of the brisk initial speed. As soon as the climb gets a few metres longer, Adrian starts to knead again and can catch his breath. Rocket mode hardly requires any muscle power.
"Come on, let's finish the battery," Stephan grins at me conspiratorially and picks up the pace. It's the central question that interests us: When will the would-be race bike run out of breath? The terrain is now much more uphill orientated. Advantage E-Calibre. Adrian, who is actually weaker in terms of fitness, cranks along well, while Stephan's and my pedalling gradually loses its core. But we know that: Every metre of elevation gain plays into our hands. Although Stephan's and my legs are already starting to buzz, it's just the usual lactate pain, constantly oscillating between okay and disgusting, that marathon riders can endure for many hours. However, the battery will definitely run out soon. Just like a marathon participant who has sprinted too briskly uphill and is about to "explode", as we long-distance riders say. The first extinguished control LED on Adrian's handlebars confirms that the battery has indeed already lost its charge. A quick charge level check with the Fazua app: "Still 60 per cent," Adrian whispers. Which fills him with joy and worry in equal measure. Joy: half of the tour is almost done. Worry: the second part will be more challenging. And Adrian realises that Stephan and I are only now really getting up to speed.
Interim conclusion
The E-Caliber can only play its trump card on the climbs. But even there it doesn't last too long, as the 40 battery percentages used up after just 20 kilometres and 300 metres of ascent prove. If you want to have fun with the E-Caliber, you have to plan a short and crisp tour. Spontaneously riding off at random? Rather not recommended.
But now I want to find out. Bike swap. Adrian gets my Racefully, I get the E-Calibre. The riding position feels familiar, but the rest is different. You can feel the heavy weight as soon as you accelerate. With the motor switched off, the E-Caliber is a real hummer. The bike has none of the light-footedness of the Supercalibre. So boost level one, breeze mode, 100 watts: the drive wakes up and you notice a bit of thrust. But that's nothing compared to the outstanding liveliness of a classic race bike. The gentle breeze before the storm, nothing more. Actually dispensable. Stage 2, River mode, 210 watts: The E-Caliber now accelerates aggressively forwards as soon as you press the pedals even a little. Humming like a dentist's drill, the bike accelerates significantly, which neutralises every metre of elevation gain. On narrow trails, however, the power jolts make riding unrhythmic. It is difficult to control the speed precisely. As soon as the E-Caliber accelerates forwards, you have to slow it down again before the next bend. That takes some getting used to. Supercalibre advantage. Level 3, Rocket mode (cool name!), 250 watts. The thrust is now enormous. There's hardly anything left for your legs to do on the climbs. If you were just the captain of the pulse and lactate pain, now you sit like a passenger on the watt beast. Even on steep sections, the sweat glands are barely stimulated. No more muscle pain in the legs. The heart rate is also surreally low in view of the fact that you are pushing towards a summit. The pulse is now accelerated more by the constant panic about the rapidly diminishing battery level. 14 kilometres to go. But only two out of five LEDs left! It's as if the bike is going to finish with you. If you want maximum range with minimal-assist bikes, you have to manage the battery. Which is annoying and causes a constant feeling of nervousness. Levels 2 or 3? Only if you absolutely have to. Heroic feeling on allocation.
Switch to muscle mode. After the turbo feeling of a moment ago, the E-Calibre suddenly seems paralysed, almost listless. At least it sits firmly on the trail on downhill sections. The fork has 20 millimetres more travel than the Supercalibre. The last few metres back to Munich are relatively flat along the Isar. Adrian, now back on the E-Caliber, has to let go again, while Stephan and I crank along side by side, chatting casually. The E-Calibre's battery is flat. Cranking is possible, of course. But on the flat, the powerless E-Calibre is more of a brake than a fun machine.
The conclusion? Difficult. After all, the E-Calibre lasted the two-hour speed chase. As long as the battery has power, it helps to easily overcome metres in altitude. It masters descents just as well as the light, agile Supercalibre. Only in deep gravel does the high weight have a negative impact. On flatter or narrow passages, however, the E-Caliber is mercilessly inferior to a classic race bike, even with a full battery. The fact that one battery charge only manages around 600 metres in altitude narrows the range of use extremely. And a replacement battery costs a further 430 euros! The option of removing the motor/battery unit sounds interesting in theory, but it doesn't make the E-Caliber a race bike. Because the gearbox is fixed to the frame and the attachments and frame are more robust, the weight after removal is still far too high at 13.5 kilos. Seen soberly, the E-Caliber is an expensive race bike with the agility of an entry-level hardtail. In view of the exorbitant price, the question naturally arises as to who this bike makes sense for. Mathematically speaking, there are few reasons to choose the E-Calibre. Ultimately, however, everyone has to decide for themselves. Some people will love the look, others will find the bike's top-of-the-range range of use a perfect fit. A bowl of oatmeal with milk, honey and banana costs around one euro and enables 40 to 60 sporty MTB kilometres. The Supercaliber is the perfect choice for anyone who wants to enjoy a carefree ride. And even the untrained can get involved. Bikes like the Supercaliber are like mobile fitness studios. If you ride it regularly, you'll get fitter very quickly - and you'll soon no longer have to worry about a motor.
Sound bites: What the testers say after the practical duel
Adrian Kaether, test & technology volunteer at our sister magazine EMTB and Enduro-Biker.
"Thanks to its top equipment and proven rear suspension system, the E-Caliber performs at a high level, no question about it. Nevertheless, conventional lightweight e-bikes such as Specialized's Levo SL or Orbea's Rise with plenty of suspension travel, grippy tyres and a dropper post offer a much wider range of use - with only a slight increase in weight. If you want to ride long tours or want to pick up speed on flat terrain, you are still better off with a classic race bike like the Supercaliber. The high price of the E-Caliber also limits the customer base."
Stephan Gerlach, rock'n'roll biker with a pronounced penchant for long distances and head of "The Burning Hearts Cycling Club". Club slogan: "Suffering brings wisdom.
"Despite 250 watts, the E-Caliber couldn't keep up on flat singletrack, while the Supercaliber surfed smoothly over the roots. The E-Caliber tended to falter and was jerky and unsteady. On the short, steep counter-ramps, the E-Caliber naturally benefited from the motor. On running sections or when climbing over fallen trees, the lightweight Supercalibre scored points. At the end of the day, I somehow miss the point of a motorised race file, as such a bike neuters itself in too many areas. Who spends 12,000 euros to tackle two to three hours of technically not too demanding tracks? In any case, a spirited and relaxed 2.5-hour session was enough for us to empty the 12,000 euro bike and we had a lot of fun doing it. And we could have easily done it for another 100 kilometres. My conclusion is clearly in favour of the Supercaliber. The 6000 euro difference should be invested in your own body, in 3000 espressos, a second high-end bike or four top-class training camps."
