We test out the Merida eOne-Sixty 875 AKA The Big Batteried Bomber AKA Heavy Metal Thunder AKA The Bendy Bus. Pros Cons This is a very full-bore e-mountain bike. There is nothing ‘mid’ or ‘SL’ about it. It’s a metal machine with big travel and…
Bikes
Cotic Rocket first ride review
The Cotic Rocket looks like nothing else. Don’t like it? Do like it? Either is fine. Shall we talk about how the bike actually handles? Yes, let’s. Pros Cons Although I only had a few hours playtime on the new Cotic Rocket, I have a…
Amflow PL Carbon Pro: first ride review
“After more riding, I was pretty convinced that this is the best ebike motor out there, and by some margin” – Benji gets blown away for a day by the Amflow PL Carbon Pro. Pros Cons Earlier this year it felt like the bike industry…
Thinking of getting an E-Cargo Bike? Read this
If you’re really interested in moving away from driving a car for as many journeys as possible, a cargo bike is the probably the best tool for achieving this. Add in a motor and battery, and the electric cargo bike opens up a whole world…
The SiLent Type: Scott Voltage eRIDE 900 Tuned review
Scott Voltage eRIDE is essentially the electric version of our Bike Of The Year, the Scott Genius. Does adding watts into the mix move more mountains, or just muddy the waters? Pros Cons Oh man, I hated this bike. I hated that I loved it.…
The Midpower Marvel: Orbea Rise LT M10 review
The Orbea Rise LT M10 may have a full-fat motor but it’s still the lean, mean, mile-munching mid-power machine that it always was. Pros Cons Arguably the Mummy of Midpower, the original Orbea Rise models were pretty much the benchmark that a whole swathe of…
New Cotic Rocket is a steel frame ebike with external battery
Now this is going to be one heck of a polarising pushbike. Kudos to Cotic for continuing to plough their own furrow. I, for one, am really pleased to see an external battery. I’ve been telling anyone who’ll listen this for the bulk of this…
Focus Jam 2 SL 9.9 review
Mid-power eMTBs currently offer the best all-round mountain bike experience and the Focus Jam2 SL is the best mid-power experience I’ve had so far. Pros Cons There is a lot dislike about this bike. And indeed I don’t like it. I love it. Much like…
McLaren launches 161Nm torque eMTB range
Yes, that McLaren. Of Formula 1 fame, purchased by footballers. The makers of supercars have turned their attention to ebikes. There is a long history of car manufacturers doing bikes badly, but you might hope that someone as high end as McLaren could get it…
Whyte ELyte 150 Works review
Combined, the good motor, brilliant build kit and great frame of the Whyte ELyte 150 Works makes for a fabulous mountain biking experience. Which it should do. Because it costs ten grand. Pros Cons This Whyte ELyte 150 Works is an ebike that’s simultaneously middling…
Lapierre EZesty AM LTD review
In a nutshell, the Lapierre EZesty AM LTD is a 140/140mm travel, mid-power, carbon framed, 18.5kg, electric trail bike. Pros Cons In a nutshell, the Lapierre EZesty AM LTD is a 140/140mm travel, mid-power, carbon framed, 18.5kg, electric trail bike. And it’s a really flipping…
Norco Sight VLT C2 review
The Norco Sight VLT C2 may not be the bike you think it is; it’s very much an all dayer climber ‘n’ cruiser. Did I mention how well it climbs? Pros Cons This was not the bike I thought it would be. I don’t mean…
Haibike Lyke CF 10 review
This Haibike Lyke CF 10 is one of those new fangled mid-power e-MTBs. 140mm travel at both ends. Full 29er. 60Nm of torque provided by the Fazua Ride 60 system. 430Wh battery (piggyback-able with an 210Wh range extender if desired). 65° head angle. 77.3° seat…
Details of the Santa Cruz Heckler SL
Deets: C & CC carbon frame, MX wheels, Fazua Ride 60,18.5kg weight, 430 Wh battery, 65 Nm, 150mm VPP, 64.3° head angle, 77+° seat angle. Yes, we’ve asked to have a go on one. Santa Cruz press release: Introducing the Santa Cruz Heckler SL Fast,…
Privateer E161 launches today
The long-awaited pedal assist version of the Privateer 161 gets its official launch today: say hello to the Privateer E161 with a Shimano EP-801 motor and 630Wh battery. We’ll get our name down for one of these for a proper test ASAP. In the meantime,…
Canyon Neuron:ON CF8 First Ride Review
The new Canyon Neuron:ON is the trail bike of the e-assisted Canyon stable. Hannah was out at the launch in northern Italy to try it out, here’s her first ride review thoughts. Definitely in the proper mountain bike category, that seat tube arrangement might take…
New Trance X Advanced E+ Elite Just 18.8kg @ 400wh
‘Trance X Advanced E+ Elite’ is quite a mouthful for sure and I’ve not yet come up with a handy short name for it and that’s despite sitting on this particular bike launch for the past 4 months. The actual launch was way back at…
Whyte E-160 RSX review
Whyte Bikes has come an awful long way since the actual days when Mr Whyte was involved. From pioneering mega-complex multi-link machines with non-telescopic suspension forks (the PRST-1) through to the normal-but-well-executed bikes of today. Whyte has deservedly earned a reputation for producing bikes that…
Trek Fuel EXe reviewed (finally)
The new Trek Fuel EXe is an important bike. It’s attracting a lot of attention from the e-curious who don’t think much of the current e-bike offering from elsewhere. NB: Ignore the price tag of this model. Let’s talk about the bike behind the bling.…
Propain Ekano Performance review: suits me, sir
Does the Propain Ekano Performance's capable suspension and fun handling overcome its modest battery and Brexit-tastic price hike?
New Santa Cruz Heckler: first ride review
Where the previous Santa Cruz Heckler was considered the electric Bronson, the new Heckler is much more like an electric Hightower.
Orbea Rise M10 review: just happens to have a motor
With the amazing Orbea Rise M10 diet electric mountainbike, Orbea has taken the low fat e-MTB principle and run with it.
2022 Focus Jam² 7.0: first ride review
Just in time for the most miserable bit of the year, Focus has launched the new Focus Jam² ebike with the tagline “Happy Place”. Antony takes a first look at the top-of-the-range Jam² 7.0 and tries to identify where that place might be. Focus is…
Giant Trance X Advanced E + – the new kid on the e bike block and First Ride Review
With the launch of the Trance X Advanced E bike range, have Giant finally hit it out the park?
Review: The Saracen Ariel 50E Elite – does a top-end build equal a top-end bike?
As regular readers of these pages will know, there’s a bit of a split appearing in the ebike world. On the one side, there are bikes which promise a diet eMTB experience, with small batteries and inconspicuous motors that deliver a gentle push of power…
Riese & Müller Packster 80 Cargo Bike – What Fuel Crisis?
Reviewed back in Issue 131 of Singletrack Magazine, the Riese & Müller Packster 80 has done more than just deliver groceries. It’s started a revolution… Riese & Müller is a German brand that first entered the market in 1995 with an innovative fold-up full suspension…
Benno Boost E CX Cargo Bike – Tested for 700 miles
This product was selected for our Editors’ Choice Awards 2022, as published in Singletrack Magazine Issue 146 In the Editors’ Choice Awards we highlight our standout bikes and products from the past year. These are the bikes that we’d like to have in our sheds.…
Cairn BRAVE – a Back Road Adventure Vehicle for Everyone?
When I reviewed the Cairn Adventure 1.0 I wished for a more adventurous and burly specced option. It’s almost like the team at The Rider Firm have listened to what I said – you can now get the Adventure 1.0 in a 700C or 650B…
Review: Preparing to nuke the EMTB competition with the Nukeproof Megawatt Factory
It was only a matter of time before Nukeproof produced an eMTB but the question was would their first eeb be a GigaWatt or a Nukeproof MegaWatt? Just recently I was out on a ride, enjoying a scenic climb and revelling in my time away…
Orange Phase Factory Review – UK made EP8 powered power hour smasher
The Orange Phase eMTB takes all the benefits of an Enduro Orange and injects it with the power of Shimano’s latest EP8. I know that a picture or an Orange eMTB on the homepage, with its larger downtube and the low-slung motor, has probably been…
Swytch Ebike Conversion Kit Review: Did It Convert Us?
Antony checks out Swytch, a lightweight ebike conversion kit that replaces your front wheel. It’s neat and relatively cheap, but is it any fun off-road?
Islabikes eJimi e-bike – A Real World Review
Kevin Brennan is a lifelong cyclist and mountain biker, a regular face at the Monday Night Pub Ride, er, rides and is definitely old enough to know better. So who better to get to test the new Islabikes e-Jimi? The e-bike version of the regular…
YT Decoy Elite Review: A great value eMTB with a flashy £6299 price tag!
The YT Decoy Elite takes Decoy pricing up above £6K but for this price, you get a carbon frame and components that other brands would charge £10k+ for! YT bikes are known for their aggressive pricing and high-end builds, so what happens when the buy…
Marin Alpine Trail E1 – Motorised radness on a budget
It’s tricky, this ebike malarkey. Do I write the review for people who are accustomed to regular bikes and are looking to dip a toe into the e-bike water? Or seasoned e-bikers looking for another purchase? Or folks who are new to the whole thing?…
Review: Santa Cruz Bullit returns as a Gloss Lavender eMTB and it RIPS!
Andi received one of the first 2021 Santa Cruz Bullit eMTB's to test ahead of launch and watching this review we think be might be in love. The last time I rode a Santa Cruz Bullit it was an alloy, single-pivot bike with 26in wheels.…
Review | Canyon Pathlite:On 8.0 and Croozer Vaaya 1 trailer – The ultimate family adventure setup?
Antony enlists this Canyon Pathlite:On and Croozer trailer for some e-assisted family adventures. The Canyon Pathlite:On originally caught our eye thanks to a feature idea involving a family gravel tour of the Alps. Billed as a super-long range e-touring bike that could tackle rougher terrain,…
First Look | Mondraker Grommy 16 “my first eeb”
When Mondraker released the Grommy range of kids’ eBikes earlier in the year the comment section and most of the internet was set ablaze with angry comments upset with ‘lazy’ kids. Andi saw the Grommy as a thing for good, something that his daughter could…
Review Merida eOne-Sixty 8000 | Purple powerhouse
Following on from our review of the Merida eOne-Forty earlier this year, Andi throws a let over the longer travel Merida eOne-Sixty 8000 to see what this STEPS powered eMTB can do. Earlier in the year, the Merida eOne-Forty eMTB arrived with us here at…
Video Bike Check: Andi’s Custom Patrol E-Six long-termer eMTB
Andi takes us for a look around his highly modified Patrol E-Six, a rare Indonesian eMTB that hopes to make it big in the U.S and Europe. Patrol isn’t a household name in the U.K, but that could be set to change as the Indonesian…
Review | Merida eONE-FORTY 9000: Does less travel equal more fun?
Antony checks out the ‘ride it all’ Merida eOne-Forty 9000 – a trail ebike for those that want a nimble ride. I have to hand it to Merida, they’re so confident in the appeal of this bike that they’ve decided to name it in CAPITAL…
All new Canyon Spectral:ON First ride review with new integrated battery system
Sanny has been unleashed on the hills north of Barcelona where he got his sticky little mitts on the latest iteration of the Canyon Spectral:ON. Keep reading for our 2020 Canyon Spectral:ON first ride review impressions.
Review | Kinesis Rise E-Trail Hardtail
The Kinesis Rise E-trail is an e-Bike like nothing else I’ve ridden before, so what did I think of its lightweight approach? UK brand Kinesis has taken the idea of a hardcore hardtail and combined it with a lightweight motor package to create an e-Hardtail…
Specialized Turbo Levo SL Comp Carbon | First Ride Video
Ever since I tried my first eMTB over 6 years ago I’ve been waiting in anticipation of the time when I’d be able to lift one over my head. It’s been a long wait but now the Specialized Turbo Levo SL is here, that wait…
Cairn Adventure 1.0 | E-adventure, E-gravel, E-commute?
Hannah gets her first taste of an e-gravel bike, with the Cairn Adventure 1.0. Is it for disappearing into the hills, or just riding to work? You’re probably aware of the team behind the Cairn – The Rider Firm also produces Hunt wheels, which have…
Riding the 19.3kg Mondraker Crafty Carbon RR SL – First Ride Review
Andi headed to a wet and muddy Portugal to ride the ultra-lightweight Mondraker Crafty Carbon, the world’s lightest Bosch powered e-MTB. Before we get into this first ride review of the 2020 Mondraker Crafty Carbon, let’s quickly delve into the details that make this Bosch…
Thok MIG R Review: A Thok a day keeps the blues away!
Andi takes the unique looking Thok Mig R for a long-term spin full a mud-splattered review. Thok is an Italian bike brand that focuses solely on e-MTB’s. The brand currently has hardtail and full-suspension e-Bikes in its range and has even teamed up with Ducati…
YT Decoy Review: Big on travel, big on value, huge on fun!
This wasn’t my first YT Decoy rodeo, I had been on the launch of this impressive e-MTB, but now it was time to tackle my local terrain on this stealthy carbon e-Bike. When YT announced that it had created an e-MTB, it took many of…
Kona Remote 160 Review | An electric powered Process
Andi has been riding the 2020 Kona Remote 160, find out what he thinks of this electric powered Process here in his review. Kona is one of the oldest names in mountain biking, and it’s also one of the brands that has been pushing the…
Cube Stereo 140 Hybrid TM |First Ride Review
It’s hard to pick out a single e-MTB from the many available in the Cube 2020 range, but the Stereo 140 Hybrid is the bike that Cube saw grow the biggest market increase in 2019, and it’s the one I got to take out on…
Cannondale Habit Neo | First Ride Impressions
We were lucky enough to be able to snag a Cannondale Habit Neo 3 for a couple of days in advance of the launch. As you’ll have seen by now, Cannondale has just announced a major launch of new e-bikes in both its Moterra and…
2020 Commencal Meta Power 29 Team first ride. This isn’t an update, it’s an evolution.
Commencal’s Meta Power range gets a new internal battery, new geometry, and even suspension redesign. This isn’t an update, it’s an evolution. Andorran mountain bike brand, Commencal is often one of the first names to adopt new technology and design. The brand was one of…