E-MTB test duel light enduro 2023: Forestal Siryon Neon vs. Transalpes E1 Enduro
Christian Schleker
· 31.12.2022
Content of this article:
Fortunately, there are e-enduro bikes
The Enduro category has undergone a remarkable transformation in motorless mountain biking. Originally invented as a lightweight offshoot of freeride bikes, enduro bikes have become increasingly powerful over time, but also increasingly heavy. In the end, freeride bikes disappeared completely from the scene, while enduro bikes today have up to 170 millimetres of suspension travel, long geometries, slack steering angles, stable brakes and massive tyres. Specialised equipment for unadulterated downhill fun. What has been lost, however, is the all-round character with which enduro bikes were once intended to close the gap between freeride and all-round bikes. Fortunately, there are enduro e-bikes. Thanks to the support of the motor, there is little need to take into account those parameters that would overly restrict the climbing characteristics: Tyres, suspension travel, solid components. The motto is: go up quickly thanks to the motor power and go down with maximum solid equipment - perfect world. Almost. Because even motorised enduro bikes have a pain threshold in terms of overall weight. At up to 25 kilos, this is exceeded for many bikers. This makes an E-Enduro stable, but also sluggish. Therefore: curtain up for light E-Enduros! There aren't that many of them yet. Specialised launched the Kenevo SL last year out and Red deer the R.G 375. That's it.
Lightweight E-Enduros says the manufacturer: But how do the two exotics perform in practice?
With Forestal and Transalpes, two exotic manufacturers are now following suit with light enduro e-bikes. The Forestal Siryon has been buzzing around the web as an announcement for some time. And it packs a punch: 170 millimetres of travel, its own motor, its own software and even its own Android system. And it's supposed to be light - just over 17 kilos, according to the manufacturer's promise. Transalpes has boosted its super-light E-trail bike E1, which has an absolute dream weight of 16.4 kilos thanks to its mini motor and battery, to 160 millimetres of travel at the front and 150 at the rear. Both e-bikes rely on permanently installed batteries to keep the weight in check. 360 watt hours for Forestal, 250 for Transalpes. The lack of a removable option is particularly relevant for enduro bikes - after all, these e-MTBs with a second battery in the car would be the perfect lift replacement in the bike park. Both manufacturers promise to deliver the announced range extender in 2023. This will allow you to extend your trail time even further, but you will also be carrying around more weight.
Exciting concepts, at least on paper. But will the two newcomers also become the new top dogs in the still young and relatively small segment of lightweight E-Enduros in practical use? First of all, disillusionment at the weigh-in: The Forestal Siryon weighs almost 19 kilos. At least the e-mountainbike comes with a potentially powerful drive, which surprised us in the motor test with its massive torque. And to be fair, the two light enduro bikes from Specialized and Rotwild mentioned above also land at around 19 and 20 kilos respectively. The weight of the Transalpe is more revolutionary: at 17.6 kilos, it has significantly less flab on its ribs. But it also has significantly less drive power. A small 250 Wh battery sits firmly in the down tube, a small motor with a maximum of 250 watts only helps the rider a little up the mountain. Minimal assist is taken literally here.
We determined how far you can get uphill with the duelists in an extensive field test in which different rider weights and fitness classes played a role. Spoiler: If you don't want to exert yourself, you should stay away from light e-enduro bikes. However, if you are still in the mood for fitness sports and are looking for maximum riding fun on the way down, you should read on. Because the difference in handling compared to classic E-Enduros is striking for both candidates. The significantly lower weight is very noticeable when braking on steep terrain. They are much more playful and agile than classic E-Enduros. At the same time, thanks to the long suspension travel and flat geometries, they are stable and secure. What we didn't agree with on both bikes was the choice of tyres. That's why we swapped the standard models with thin sidewalls for a more robust Schwalbe combination. And because even the smallest motor helps noticeably, you can afford this luxury on e-enduro bikes.
Conclusion from Christian Schleker, EMTB test rider:
The Transalpes needs a very fit rider - up and down! The very quiet and efficient Maxon motor only produces a slight tailwind on the climbs, while the handling of the E1 Enduro is less secure and plush on the descents, partly because the geometry is more tame. There is no real enduro feeling. The e-bike also rattles. The Forestal's motor is also loud. But it pulls powerfully uphill. Downhill, the Siryon is potent and manoeuvrable. If the software were more advanced and the Bafang motor quieter and more efficient, then very few e-enduro bikes on the market could hold a candle to this bike. It is almost unbeatable when it comes to riding fun in the descending line and therefore deserves to win the test!
What the testers say
Florentin Vesenbeckh, Deputy Editor-in-Chief EMTB: For me, a light e-MTB has to be quiet, as this emphasises a natural and smooth riding experience. This is where both e-bikes slip up. The Transalpe's motor hums quite discreetly and pleasantly, but rattles a lot on the descents. On the Forestal it's the other way round: perfectly quiet downhill, but the motor whines on the climbs.
Josh Welz, EMTB Editor-in-Chief: The suspension of the Forestal is a blast, the handling is super balanced. I've rarely had so much fun on an e-MTB. What I found annoying was the loud motor and the fact that the battery is drained in no time when riding passively. The Transalpes impresses with its light-footed handling, but for me it's more of a trail bike than an enduro bike.
The engines in the Forestal vs. Transalpes test duel
Forestal F60-S1
Forestal says that the two-kilo Bafang motor should be "compact, quiet and natural". Unfortunately, the unit is not quiet, but rather loud on the climbs. Subjectively, it is roughly on a par with the first Shimano generation. On the other hand, it is one of the most powerful motors in its weight class. When riding, the F60-S1 can be either discreet or powerful and high-torque. You can easily keep up with an EP8. Unfortunately, the motor then needs a lot of energy. Great: The system is rattle-free downhill!
Transalpes Maxon Bikedrive Air
Minimal Assist - Maxon takes this category designation seriously: 245 watts of maximum continuous power are available, which puts it around 140 watts behind the powerful Forestal. Even in the strongest setting, the rider will not feel more than a slight tailwind. If you are looking for an absolutely natural support feeling and only need a little help on your tours, the Maxon is the right choice for you. The main advantage: The system is light, as the built-in battery is also small at 250 watt hours. The motor is very quiet on climbs. A minimal hum can be heard. Unfortunately, the freewheel in the Bikedrive Air rattles a lot downhill!
How much endurance do Light Enduro e-bikes have?
An E-Enduro should maximum downhill Driving fun offer. At best, the motor will take you up to the trail entrance as often as possible. With minimal-assist bikes, the range is particularly dependent on the rider's own performance. We therefore completed the range test with two different rider profiles.
This is not feasible in a large comparative test. But it is in a duel. Once you have understood what to look out for, the ride height values of this test can be easily reproduced and interpreted for your own riding profile. To do this, we tested two extremes in this duel: On the one hand, we wanted to know how far the e-bikes would take a rider who belongs to the "heavy and easy" category, i.e. who tends to call on the maximum power of the system to get to the summit with a leisurely pedal stroke. The climb is very steep with an average gradient of 12.2 per cent. This is where it became clear:
Type heavy & loose - 86 kg
- 150 watts continuous pedalling power: 1.8 W/kg
- Turbo mode: Gradient: 12.2 %
- Goal: "Let it be pushed"
Forestal is powerful and power-hungry. The battery is empty after just 34 minutes. Transalpes lasts longer, but is also weaker and significantly slower. As a customer, you need to be aware of this if you belong to this category.
But what if the "light and motivated" type of rider wants to achieve the maximum with relatively high power output and low motor assistance? This is the real raison d'être of minimal-assist bikes. Because you can only reach great heights with the small batteries if you have a relatively high amount of power. We rode the Forestal on a flatter climb (10 per cent) at the lowest support level. To achieve the same speed with the Transalp with identical parameters, we had to switch between the middle and highest mode of the Bikedrive Air. The mini motor also gets relatively far with the much smaller battery. The Forestal can outperform the Swiss duo when the motor thrust is reduced, but not as clearly as the battery difference (360 vs. 250 Wh) would suggest. Maxon therefore seems to have the higher efficiency on its side.
Type Light & motivated - 68 kg
- 200 watts continuous pedalling power: 3.0 W/kg
- Eco mode: Gradient: 10 %
- Target: "12 km/h on average!"
When it comes to reach height, things are notoriously complicated. Manufacturers like to avoid providing information and prefer to advertise with empty phrases such as "efficient". We rely on real power measurements with comprehensible parameters in order to provide a direct comparison of the systems. The Garmin watt measurement pedals help us to do this. This is time-consuming and sometimes exhausting. Especially with high power output and low motor support. A tester cannot manage more than one such maximum altitude ride per day.
Test evaluation Forestal Siryon Neon
The young company Forestal from Andorra is very self-confident. A classy website with sensational promises made potential customers' mouths water over a year ago. Then there was radio silence. Even with intensive probing, we only managed a short preliminary test at the company headquarters, but for a long time we were unable to get hold of a test bike. Eventually, the Siryon Light Enduro arrived at our editorial office and we were excited: How light, quiet and efficient would the Bafang motor really be? How sophisticated would the in-house software in the giant display on the top tube be? And how good would the performance of the virtual pivot design with its strikingly high chainstay be?
In a nutshell: the developers have done a great job with the suspension and geometry! For us, the Forestal is the epitome of a good, well-balanced enduro bike: manoeuvrable and yet safe downhill, the rear suspension is plush with good end progression. Not a mini downhiller that is sluggish around corners and only fun in the fall line, but an E-MTB that is easy to throw through changing bends. Nevertheless, at high speeds, it sits firmly and sails up edges with good pop. The bike is also absolutely quiet on descents. It could hardly be better!
But the drive would be better: the software feels like it takes forever to boot up, and many functions simply don't work (yet). Is this currently still a beta test version? The motor is powerful, but a little rough, quite loud and sucks so much energy from the battery that the lights go out after a good half hour at full throttle. At almost 19 kilos, the Forestal Siryon is also clearly heavier than originally announced - despite the EXO tyres being too thin.
Conclusion Forestal Siryon Neon
The Forestal Siryon is a fantastic E-Enduro: top chassis, top handling, good power. However, the weight, motor performance and software are rather mediocre. Super quiet downhill!
Technical data of the Forestal Siryon Neon
Manufacturer information
- Price: 11799 Euro
- Sizes / frame material: S / M / L (tested size) / XL / Carbon
Measured values²
- Reach altitude¹: 814(+84)hm
- Average speed: 12.4 km/h
- Centre of gravity height: 526 mm
- Handlebar width: 780 mm
- Crank length / Q-factor: 165 mm / 182 mm
- Ground clearance: 506 mm
Equipment
- Motor: Forestal NeoDrive
- Max. Torque³: 60 Nm
- Battery³ / weight²: Bafang 360 Wh, permanently integrated / 1.9 kg
- Gear system: Sram X01 (12-speed)
- Gear ratio (v. / h.): 32 ; 10-50
- Display / Size: Forestal, 42 x 69 mm
- Permissible total weight³: 138.8 kg (120 kg rider weight)
- Fork / Damper: RS Lyrik Ultimate RC2 / Super Deluxe Ult. RL
- Front/rear suspension travel: 170 / 170 mm
- Telescopic post: Crankbrothers Highline 7, 150 mm
- Brake / Disc Ø (front / rear): Magura MT7 / 203 mm / 180 mm
- Wheels: Crankbrothers Synthesis Carbon E7
- Tyres: Maxxis Minion DHF / Highroller II, EXO, 29 X 2.3
¹ The reach height was determined during standardised test rides on an asphalt climb with a gradient of 12.2 percent. Highest support level, 150 watts pedalling power of the rider, rider weight incl. equipment 90 kg. The altitude metres in clearly reduced emergency mode are shown in brackets. The average speed refers to the journey with full assistance.
² Determined on the test benches in the EMTB test laboratory, weight without pedals. Battery weight incl. screwed-on cover where applicable.
³ Manufacturer's specification
⁴ Step test, measured with 36 centimetre raised rear wheel
⁵ The judgement reflects the subjective impression of the testers and the results of the reach measurement and laboratory tests. The EMTB judgement is independent of price. EMTB judgements: super (from 9.0), very good (from 8.0), good (from 7.0), satisfactory (from 6.0), with weaknesses (from 5.0), below insufficient.
Test evaluation Transalpes E1 Enduro
Unfortunately, we are now used to moon prices above 13,000 euros, but not to E-Enduros weighing less than 18 kilos. The dream value of the Transalpes E1 is made possible by the Maxon drive with a small 250 Wh battery and mini motor, which delivers a relatively smooth 245 watts of maximum power.
The power is comparable to a Specialized SL 1.1. Fans of sporty e-biking who are only looking for a little help on their tours, but still want to work up a good sweat, are the target group. Even in the most powerful mode, the rider is not pushed uphill quickly. If you want to go fast and far uphill, you need to be in good shape and have a lot of vigour in your calves. What's the point of the motor at all, you might ask. In fact, the light-assist effect is still very motivating, as the software perfectly compensates for the uneven pedalling. A kind of fitness kick. The Transalpes E1 Enduro feels light and sporty on undulating trail tours. This is also where the Transalpes is the most fun.
If you only climb steep mountain ramps, you will only get a little more range - even with a lot of effort - than you would with an enduro bike without a motor. There shouldn't be too many steep, blocked ramps. Not too many steep, rocky downhill sections are also a good idea, as we couldn't really get a full enduro feeling from the suspension. The geometry is long, but not extremely flat and low. The suspension works well, but is significantly less plush and forgiving than on the Forestal Siryon. On the other hand, the Transalpes E1 impresses on tame terrain with super lively and direct handling. The super-light wheels score points here. Too bad: The whisper-quiet motor has a freewheel that rattles a lot on the way down.
Conclusion Transalpes E1 Enduro
A great light eMTB for fast trail chasing, but only very sporty e-bikers will have fun on steep mountains. It descends well, but - compared to the Forestal - is less plush and safe.
Technical data of the Transalpes E1 Enduro
Manufacturer information
- Price: 13619 Euro
- Sizes / frame material: S / M / L (tested size) / XL / Carbon
Measured values²
- Reach altitude: 924 hm
- Average speed: 8.9 km/h
- Centre of gravity height: 520 mm
- Handlebar width: 780 mm
- Crank length / Q-factor: 165 mm / 172 mm
- Ground clearance: 512 mm
Equipment
- Motor: Maxon Bikedrive Air
- Max. Torque³: 35 Nm
- Battery³ / weight²: Maxon 250 Wh, permanently integrated / 1.43 kg
- Gear system: Sram GX AXS (12-speed)
- Gear ratio (f. / h.): 30; 10-50
- Display / Size: Maxon Interface
- Permissible total weight³: 150 kg
- Fork / Shock: Fox 36 Float Factory / Fox Float X2 FS
- Front/rear suspension travel: 160 / 150 mm
- Telescopic seatpost: Kind Shock LEV Si 150 mm
- Brake / Disc Ø (front / rear): Shimano XT / 203 mm / 180 mm
- Wheels: Industry 9/11 hubs / Hoops Carbon 929 rims
- Tyres: Onza Ibex 29 X 2.4
¹ The reach height was determined during standardised test rides on an asphalt climb with a gradient of 12.2 percent. Highest support level, 150 watts pedalling power of the rider, rider weight incl. equipment 90 kg. The altitude metres in clearly reduced emergency mode are shown in brackets. The average speed refers to the journey with full assistance.
² Determined on the test benches in the EMTB test laboratory, weight without pedals. Battery weight incl. screwed-on cover where applicable.
³ Manufacturer's specification
⁴ Step test, measured with 36 centimetre raised rear wheel
⁵ The judgement reflects the subjective impression of the testers and the results of the reach measurement and laboratory tests. The EMTB judgement is independent of price. EMTB judgements: super (from 9.0), very good (from 8.0), good (from 7.0), satisfactory (from 6.0), with weaknesses (from 5.0), below insufficient.
Points table: Our evaluation of the Light Enduro e-bikes in detail
Depending on the bike category, our scoring system takes into account individual aspects with different factors. In the enduro category, trail and downhill performance are the most important values. For light bikes, motor power and range take a back seat.
