E-Enduro test: Seven E-Enduro bikes up to 7000 euros in a comparison test
Florentin Vesenbeckh
· 14.11.2022
When even Richie Rude's handlebars are knocked out of his hands from exhaustion at the end of an enduro race, it tells you something about the distance he had to cover up to that point. But it wasn't just the dominant enduro rider of recent years who struggled with the stages of the Enduro World Series (EWS) on the Petzen in Carinthia. Numerous Instragram posts from the EWS racing scene speak for themselves: the course is said to be long, steep and challenging - or, to stick with Instagram-speak: simply "gnarly"! It was precisely this race track that we chose to test the hottest E-Enduro bikes in 2022 and also strengthened our team with three intrepid EWS racers. An extreme test beyond what normal e-bikers will ever ride? No. Of course, the Petzen course doesn't just have breakneck key sections to offer. On our tour through the Austrian-Slovenian border region, there are flowing sections on soft forest soil as well as crisp uphill challenges. Ideal terrain to get a comprehensive picture of the qualities, characters and weaknesses of our test candidates.
We tested these 7 e-enduro bikes:
Everything about the test:
Six popular E-Enduros from Bulls, Giant, Radon, Rocky Mountain, Stevens and Thok have to compete with each other. All of them are in the price range between 6300 and 7000 euros. However, we are not only interested in the comparison within this pure group, but also in another question: How do such power enduro bikes fare in a downhill battle with a light enduro bike? The answer should come from the Specialised
Kenevo SL Comp should provide the answer: less motor power, smaller battery, around six kilos lighter than the competition. Will the lightweight make the heavy hitters look old on the tough enduro tracks?
We would have liked to lower our price limit of 7000 euros and demonstrate more affordable E-Enduros. In the end, the difficult delivery situation and the generally rising price level put a spanner in the works. E-Enduros are generally priced slightly higher than more moderate E-MTBs. This is because you have to invest a little more in robust equipment and good suspension components in this application area. For anyone looking for a more affordable E-Enduro, we have compiled an overview of bikes for smaller budgets on p. 45.
Thriller - the first endurance test
Thriller is the name of the first stage we tackle on the EWS-E course in Petzen - one of the two permanent enduro tracks in the Petzen Bike Park. And the name says it all. The forest floor is littered with roots and stones, fast straights are followed by steep bends that plunge down over steps. Right from the start, the enduro bikes have to show whether they have been correctly categorised as such. Suspension, brakes, tyres - and in particular a harmonious geometry are required. Guest tester Anton is the first to hit the trail. After all, he set the fastest time here a few days ago in the men's EWS100 race.
Statement from Anton Wünscher, Enduro racer
"Turn in once and then zoom round the corner as if on rails. The cornering behaviour of the Rocky Mountain really impressed me. An all-round successful E-Enduro."
The obstacles come one after the other. You quickly realise where you stand on this track, especially when it comes to the suspension. Giant, Radon, Rocky Mountain and the Specialized Light Enduro all demonstrate their resilience on the Thriller, defusing small bumps and big chunks in equal measure. This brings calm to the ride. However, the fun soon comes to an end as Tobi, who was also at the start of the EWS100 race, is felled by a sharp rock. He stands at the side of the track with the Kenevo SL and looks a little dazed at two flat tyres. Even if this is not a new insight, this scene makes it clear once again: if you want to ride a powerful enduro bike in rough terrain, you need a robust tyre carcass. Alongside Specialized, Radon and Thok have some catching up to do here. Rocky Mountain, on the other hand, goes all out. The front and rear wheels are fitted with robust double-down constructions from Maxxis. Stevens also leaves nothing to be desired with Schwalbe's solid Eddy Current rear tyre.
The Specialized tyres are repaired with salami sticks, the thriller is behind us. A long transfer takes us up and down across the border to Slovenia. The next stages are new territory for Adrian, Anton and Tobi. The race for non-motorised enduro riders led further east through the Jamnica trail park. The EWS-E route, on the other hand, winds its way to Podpeca, as the trail area between the towns of Mezica and Crna is known.
Character question: Bolide or playmate
Stage two has the promising name of Ridge. A towel-wide, flat path leads into a sea of ferns and blueberry bushes. The sun's rays light up the sparse forest in countless shades of green. And a strip of fresh, deep brown forest floor winds its way through the middle. We set off and let the flow take us. One bend follows the next, like a rollercoaster along the ridge. Compared to the Thriller, the ground here is tame.
More important than a forgiving chassis is balanced and light-footed bike handling. This is the hour of the Bull. At just 22 kilos, the Evo EN-SL is by far the lightest of the power enduro bikes. "The most fun bike in the test," says Anton with a broad grin. The very direct and precise riding feel of the lightweight is worth more than stoic smoothness on the winding forest course. The trail is full of hooks, the Bulls dances along and always remains predictable. The Kenevo SL also benefits in these passages from its low weight and therefore light-footed handling. However, it doesn't come close to the playfulness of the Bulls, despite its three kilos lower total weight. The Specialized really comes into its own on rougher sections, where it scores with its firm suspension and smooth ride.
We were surprised by the Rocky Mountain Altitude on the twisty, flowing section of the Ridge Trail. While it made the most confident and smoothest impression on the really rough Thriller, it is by no means sluggish or boring on the forest floor slalom. On the contrary. It takes corners with flying colours, and even the bunny hop over the next tree stump is relatively easy to master - thanks to the short chainstays and the strong suspension. A direct hit. It's hard to believe that this bike is supposed to be six kilos heavier than the Specialized Kenevo SL.
After around half of the 447 metres of depth, the ridge stage also shows its teeth. The path breaks off into the right flank of the ridge, it becomes steeper and rougher. If you have the Bulls under your feet here, you have to slow down - or know exactly what you're doing. "The shorter travel on the Bulls is noticeable, the rear suspension reaches its limit more quickly," says Anton - and adds: "But it's much easier to manoeuvre. It conceals the biggest weakness of e-bikes, namely the sluggish handling. For me, that's more important than a full-bodied performance." The likeable curly-haired man opens the brakes and flies into the next bumpy section. He seems to simply smile away the impacts on the rear wheel. This shows how individual the choice of the perfect E-Enduro is. If you don't have the skills to win an international enduro race at the weekend, but still want to rumble quickly over wild root fields or hairy steep sections, you will probably find your luck with one of the more potent candidates: for example, the Rocky Mountain, Giant, Radon or Specialised.
Enduro Reverse - going uphill
On the way back towards Petzen, the Powerstage awaits. Here it's all uphill. This special stage, a pure uphill stage, is a highlight for our guest testers, as it makes the biggest difference to the races and routes of the normal EWS. Anton and Tobi had already checked the uphill qualities of the e-MTBs at various photo stops beforehand.
E-MTBs uphill. Like children on an adventure playground, the limits were explored. "The e-bike simply opens up a whole new world," says Tobi enthusiastically, eyeing the start of the Adrog, the sonorous name of the Powerstage.
Statement from Tobias Herterich, EMTB guest tester:
"E-bikes open up a new world. Uphill challenges are great fun, something you don't know from normal bikes. The Bosch drive is absolutely convincing in this discipline."
A root step blocks the entrance to the path above Mezica. Our guest testers, who are not yet able to properly assess the uphill power of the e-MTBs, look at each other questioningly. Then Tobi simply sets off. The lively Bosch drive in the Radon easily lifts him over the step. So he follows. The trail leads into a rocky basin, the ground seems to have endless traction. In bends, you can almost use the steep edges of the hollow as a berm. So that's it, this uphill flow. Short steep sections require skilful weight shifting and the full power of the motor.
Anton comes round the bend a little behind. He is the lightest and definitely not the weakest in our group. Nevertheless, he has to pump hard. "Give me the Stevens," he says and rolls down the last steep steps again to get a direct comparison of the bikes. Laughing, he stops after the key passage. "The difference between Shimano and Bosch is insane. The Bosch is much more playful on the road," he says. Previously, he was on the EP8-powered Bulls and had to work noticeably harder. Rocky Mountain's Dyname 4.0 goes one better. When the rider really steps on the gas, the Canadian unit pushes a whole lot harder than Bosch's Performance CX. However, the modulation is nowhere near as sensitive.
However, there are hardly any overly technical sections on the Powerstage that require precise steering and careful acceleration. Traction on the rear wheel is also rarely a problem. This means that the Rocky Mountain's slight weakness on the climbs can be easily concealed with an active riding style. If it were a matter of time, the Altitude Powerplay would probably be the fastest on this route, thanks to the sheer power of the motor. The Reign E+ from Giant also stands out on the climbs. Its super-steep seat angle places the rider very centrally on the bike. This means that the front wheel virtually never rises. Even when things get really steep, you always remain in control in the central position. This allows you to steer the Reign E+ calmly even through crisp key sections. The opposite phenomenon is experienced in the saddle of the Radon. Here you sit rather rear-heavy. Although the front doesn't rise excessively early, the position is too passive and the front wheel loses control too easily when physical effort is required to heave the bike around a bend or over a steep section.
After just under 100 metres in altitude, the uphill fun is already over and the Adrog is behind us. But the transfer to the next stage continues steeply uphill on the path. To the delight of Anton and Tobi. "The fun factor is even greater with the E-Enduros when riding uphill than downhill," they both agree. Visibly enthusiastic about their first real uphill experience with the E-MTB. "Challenge, fun, balance: it reminds me of riding an enduro motorbike," says Anton, who raced on petrol-powered two-wheelers in his youth.
Statement from Adrian Vesenbeckh, EWS racer:
"The riders in the EWS-E see more than we do in the normal EWS. That has something! Varied landscapes and diverse trails, that's what makes enduro races for me. Of course, it's easier to experience this variety with an electric motor and a big battery."
To round off a long day in the saddle, the EWS-E course organisers have put another downhill gem on the agenda. The stage with the fitting name EWS Trail starts at the mountain station of the Petzen and leads over 1055 metres down into the valley. The thriller's big brother, you could say. The two trails run together in places. But where the Thriller curves around the steep section of the mountain, the EWS trail zigzags downhill close to the fall line. Loose ground, energy-sapping compressions and steep hairpin bends alternate. If you like rough enduro trails, you should definitely put this delicacy on your list. A real endurance test, at the end of which super racer Richie Rude had his handlebars ripped out of his hands. Unlike Rude, we were able to take a few breathers on the long downhill and fully immerse ourselves in the qualities of the bikes. As we rolled out the last few metres of the EWS trail, we had already found our favourite: The Altitude from Rocky Mountain crossed the finish line as the winner.
Conclusion by Florentin Vesenbeckh, deputy editor-in-chief of EMTB:
"Two bikes stand out in this test: the always confident Rocky Mountain and the lively and direct Bulls. We were surprised that the light comparison bike, the Specialized Kenevo SL, did not clearly stand out in rough enduro terrain. This is due to the special character and extreme design of the bike. Nevertheless, it was quite clear that the light E-runners have a lot of potential for trail-hungry bikers."
We tested these 7 e-enduro bikes:
How EMTB tests
EMTB tests all bikes and most components in its own test laboratory. Many of our test stands were developed by the Zedler Institute for Bicycle Technology and Safety. The measured values from our laboratory flow into our complex points system together with the findings from the practical tests. This allows us to make finely graduated differentiations between the individual products. In co-operation with the Zedler Institute for Bicycle Technology and Safety We are constantly developing our measurement technology to keep pace with product development in the bike industry.
The motors
Seven bikes and five motors: Our test field shows the whole range of e-MTB drives. From the light motor on the Specialized SL to the power unit from Rocky Mountain.
Bosch Performance CX Smart
The Bosch drive is extremely powerful and precise at the same time. With its good modulation and lively power delivery, it is the first choice for tough uphills. The walk assist also stands out. Unfortunately heavy in the overall system with battery. Further information/Bosch website
PLUS: Powerful and lively; top modulation and response behaviour
MINUS: High total weight with 750 power tube; rattling noises
Giant Syncdrive Pro 2 / Yamaha PW-X3
The new version of the Yamaha motor, which is used by Giant as Syncdrive Pro 2 with Giant's own software, has become significantly more compact and lighter. That's a good thing! What has remained is the direct response, which makes it easier to get going on tricky uphills. It's not the most powerful drive, but the ride still feels nice and lively. More info/Yamaha website
PLUS: Very direct response; power delivery; relatively quiet drive noise
MINUS: Twitching that takes some getting used to as soon as the foot is on the pedal; rattling noises
Rocky Mountain Dyname 4.0
The Dyname 4.0 is the powerhouse in this test field. However, it only unleashes its record-breaking power when the rider accelerates hard. This progressive power delivery makes for a sporty ride. Pedalling feel and noise development are special due to the design (chain deflection). More info/Rocky Mountain website
PLUS: Extremely powerful; very direct response; no rattling
MINUS: Somewhat rough pedalling feel due to chain deflection; somewhat impetuous at full throttle
Shimano EP8
The EP8 is the smallest and lightest of the powerful E-MTB motors. However, it also lacks some maximum power. The riding experience is harmonious, but not as lively as the competition. Top: slim controls and good app connection. More info/Shimano website
PLUS: Comparatively light and compact; harmonious ride feel
MINUS: Moderate power; less lively power delivery; rattling noises
Specialised SL 1.1
The light drive in the comparison does not even deliver half the maximum power (240 W) of its strong competitors. But it is 700 grams to over a kilo lighter! Too bad: still very loud. The ride feel, app connection, controls and display are absolutely top class. More info/Specialised website
PLUS: Natural riding feel; harmonious support; light and compact; fully customisable (app)
MINUS: Loud drive noise; slight rattling; low power
The reach height
How far can I go on my e-mountainbike? Nobody can give a general answer to this question. However, our range test provides a direct comparison between the systems.
Stevens and Radon with Bosch's Smart System and Powertube 750 deliver the best ranges. However, the large batteries are also very heavy. Around 800 grams more than the lightweight batteries from Bulls (750 Wh) and Rocky Mountain (722 Wh) is a big difference. The compact Bulls battery in particular still fits easily into the rucksack - ideal for XXL enduro days in remote terrain. Stevens does without a removable battery. With a smaller 630 Shimano battery, Thok drops significantly in the ranking. The Giant battery is heavier than average in relation to its performance. Due to the system, the Specialized Light eMTB with a battery less than half the size (320 Wh) delivers significantly less range. It is not built for shuttle rides in full throttle mode. It only manages around half of the Bosch altitude metres at a significantly lower average speed (9 instead of 15 km/h). Although the motor in the Rocky is the most powerful in the field, the bike completed our standardised test quite slowly at 150 W pedalling power. This shows the character of the motor: it only really accelerates when the rider input is high.
The weights
The Kenevo SL light e-MTB is a full six kilos lighter than the majority of e-enduro bikes. Very strong: Bulls is right in the middle of the pack at 22 kilos, despite its 750cc battery.
Light or strong: lightweight E-MTB or classic E-Enduro?
Enduro bikers will ask themselves whether the good handling of a light eMTB
is not much more important than the Full power of a classic E-Enduro. We put the
Specialized Kenevo SL into the ring with the power enduro bikes.
Driving behaviour
The initial verdict on our comparison bike in the Light category is positive. "Wow, the bike handles really well," summarise our enduro racers. What does that mean exactly? Especially when you want to change lines quickly, hop the bike from the right to the left lane or whizz from one corner to the next, the missing pounds are noticeable. After all, there are six kilos between the Specialized and the Rocky. Overall, however, all testers would favour the Altitude Powerplay over the Kenevo SL. Even on pure downhill trails, when motor power and range don't play a role. Why is that? Weight is, of course, only one variable that influences handling behaviour. Suspension and geometry are just as important. And this is where the characteristics of the Kenevo SL somewhat inhibit its light-footed handling. The bike is designed for fast straights, hard hits and wild manoeuvres, the rear suspension is plush but not very poppy. This is counterproductive in terms of handling and playfulness. You would actually expect both from a bike in the light category. In other words, an E-MTB is not inherently more manoeuvrable and fun just because it is lighter.
it is lighter. In the category of lively trail bikes, light e-MTBs can show off their advantages more clearly.
PRO - Statement from Chris Schleker, EMTB tester:
"Power e-bikes have handling disadvantages due to their high mass: they push over the front wheel when braking, react sluggishly when changing gear and require a lot of power when accelerating dynamically at full throttle. With the Light Enduro, you save a lot of power compared to normal bikes and still have fun handling. For me, it's the best compromise."
Motor power
How strong or weak is a light eMTB really? First of all: Not all light motors are the same. There are many different types in this category. The Specialized SL 1.1 is at the lower end of the power range. The Americans state a maximum output of 240 watts and a maximum of 35 Newton metres. This means that a fit biker can easily pedal twice as hard in the long term as without motor support. However, classic electric motors add at least the same power on top. The power pack from Rocky Mountain even has a peak output of 700 watts. In other words, a light e-MTB puts you in a different league, somewhere between the low and medium modes of classic drives. Fun fact: During our standardised altitude test, the rider on the Kenevo SL reached the summit of our 400-metre climb for the second time. At virtually the same time, the tester with the Giant Reign E+ reached the top for the third time. We needed 23 minutes for one climb with the Specialized SL and 14 minutes with a Bosch Performance CX - with identical rider performance and rider data.
Reach
How far can I get with a light e-MTB? Of course, there is no general answer to this question. The fact is: If you want to use an e-MTB as a shuttle replacement, but only want to move your legs easily and tackle longer trails, a light e-MTB is out of place. During our standardised climbing test at the highest U-level, the battery was empty after a good 1000 metres of climbing. The power bikes with a large battery can do almost twice as much, and at a much higher speed. However, if you are fit and pedal hard at a low to medium U-level, you can easily cover over 2000 metres of altitude even with the small battery of a Kenevo SL. But then you won't be travelling much faster than on a non-motorised bike. But longer and with less effort.
CONTRA - Statement from Anton Wünscher, Enduro racer:
"For me, the added value of an e-bike lies in its outstanding uphill performance. Uphill gimmicks add a whole new component to enduro biking. That falls flat with a light e-MTB. As an e-MTB would not be a replacement for me, but rather an addition to my non-motorised enduro bike, it's clear: if it's going to be used, then with full power and uphill flow."
Uphill
Flying up the steepest mountains effortlessly is not possible with a light e-MTB. But even the small motors make amazing climbs possible. Anyone coming from a powerful
e-bike would hardly think this possible. But the Kenevo SL in particular, with its long geometry and massive traction at the rear, also climbs crisp uphill sections. What is a fun game of skill with classic e-MTBs becomes a real test of strength and cardio in the saddle of the SL. Uphill challenges will therefore remain the exception for most bikers. And one thing is clear: the powerful Bosch motors push the limits of what is possible to ride even higher.
Test results: The evaluation in detail
Perfect all-rounder, downhill specialist or trail speedster? Our points table shows the strengths and weaknesses of our candidates. In the Enduro category, the focus is on trail and downhill expertise. Rocky Mountain and Bulls stand out here, both with their own character.
Florentin Vesenbeckh
Editor CvD
