Full comfort, high safety reserves, amazing uphill performance and not even that heavy - actually the best all-rounders ever. Pretty much every enduro test in recent years has come to this conclusion. Of course, the disadvantages of thick tyres and massive suspension travel, which the downhill-heavy colleagues from the non-motorised faction have to contend with, are compensated for by the sheer motor power of the E-MTB.
This is probably the reason why manufacturers are trimming enduro bikes more and more uncompromisingly towards function, and component manufacturers are supplying the right products: Heavy but extremely puncture-resistant tyres such as Schwalbe's Eddy Current are now being specified, as are the new enduro forks from Fox and Rockshox. A whopping 38 millimetre stanchion tube should ensure steering precision and stability even on the steepest descents. Massive four-piston brakes with discs measuring at least 200 millimetres are responsible for short braking distances.
But can the new, uncompromising enduro bikes really live up to the all-round claim? We wanted to clarify this question in a duel between two brand new representatives of this category. Entering the ring: the Focus Sam² and the Propain Ekanotwo thoroughbred enduro bikes, albeit with different concepts.
The entire test duel between Focus Sam² and Propain Ekano with all the facts and lab results can be found as a PDF in the download area below.
