In a nutshell – what does the E-Touring class have to offer?
71/73. This combination of head angle and seat angle was long regarded as the ideal geometry for mountain bikes. In the early nineties, when suspension forks were still a rarity and the BIKE crew would take their hands off the handlebars whilst riding slowly in the car park to test the bikes: the bike only passed the test if it didn’t tip over. Flat head angles were therefore off-limits. But times change: inspiration from other off-road sports began to influence mountain biking, whilst robust suspension systems enabled an active riding style with plenty of weight on the front. Today, head angles of around 64 degrees are no longer a rarity and provide plenty of stability at high speeds and on rough terrain.
A clear advantage for fast and active riders. At moderate speeds and with a passive riding style, however, modern trail bikes quickly become unwieldy; the suspension, which is tuned for high speeds, feels stiff and does not fully utilise the travel. E-bike manufacturers have also realised that this is far from ideal and, alongside their e-trail bikes, now offer specialist touring full-suspension bikes: a moderate geometry and around 130 millimetres of suspension travel are the key specifications. We tested six 2020 e-MTB full-suspension bikes priced between 4,500 and 5,300 euros.
You’ll find these six e-MTBs in the test:
- Cannondale Habit Neo 3
- Cube Stereo Hybrid 120 SL
- Uproc3 6.50 FS leaflet
- Focus Thron² 6.9
- Haibike Sduro Fullseven LT 7.0
- Scott Strike eRide 920
Is one touring bike the same as another? From high-performance bikes to leisurely rides!
Is one touring bike the same as another? Far from it! Even on paper, the characteristics of the six test bikes differ significantly; in practice, the differences in design are even more pronounced. The reason: the still relatively new e-MTB category of comfort tourers doesn’t seem to have properly established itself yet. Consequently, there are significant differences in geometry and spec, which are directly reflected in the riding characteristics. Travel ranges from 120 to 150 millimetres, tyres ranging from Schwalbe’s Smart Sam with a central rib to sturdy, deep-tread tyres from Maxxis. The Cannondale Habit Neo 3 and the Scott Strike eRide 920 have a trail bike-like, sporty feel, whilst the Haibike Sduro Fullseven LT 7.0 embodies the comfort tourer concept most consistently with plus-sized tyres, plenty of suspension travel and ultra-short geometry. For some test riders, however, this proved to be a bit too much even when riding slowly.
You can find the in-depth comparison test of the six e-bikes in EMTB 3/20. Now available at newsagents or in the online shop. Also: Do touring bikes offer real added value? A side-by-side comparison of a trail bike (Focus Jam²) and a touring full-suspension bike (Focus Thron²)!
