THE LINE UP
CUBE STEREOHYBRID 140 HPA RACE 500 £3,699
Cube sell a huge range of e-bikes, including Stereo Hybrid full-sussers with 120, 140 or 160mm of travel. They’re all based around a Bosch motor and a removable battery that’s recessed slightly into the down tube of an extensively-shaped frame with decent trail geometry. While this model doesn’t come with plus-size tyres, Cube have been smart enough to fit heavy-duty rear rubber.
HAIBIKE SDURO ALLMTN 7.0 £4,300
Haibike get the award for pushing the e-MTB to new levels, with a 180mm-travel Nduro and a 200mm Dwnhll. The 150mm AllMtn is a distinctive machine too – the whole bottom corner of the bike is a singlecast frame that combines mounting points for motor and suspension. It also uses an idler cog to align the chain with the suspension pivot for a torque-neutral rear end.
SCOTT E-GENIUS 720 PLUS £3,899
Scott were early to the e-MTB game and this rig combines all the remotecontrol travel change/suspension lockout options of their conventional Genius bikes with Bosch pedalling assistance, complete with typical punchy feel and rattly battery. Maxxis plus tyres give it a big grip advantage over the other bikes on test. But with a short reach and extra-long rear, the handling takes some getting used to.
FOCUS JAM2 FACTORY £4,399
It’s not just the backlit power button on the top tube that makes the JAM2 look impressively sorted. You also get a deep-buried Shimano STePS motor, discreet Di2 display and hidden battery. Other neat features include on-bike charging, Bluetooth system diagnosis/tuning and expandable battery options. But can Focus make the most of all this theoretical goodness on the trail?
KTM MACINA LYCAN 273 £3,949.99
While KTM bikes are a separate company to KTM motorbikes, they produce a broad range of e-bikes. The Lycan is designed as a relatively lightweight machine, with 125mm of travel and a RockShox Revelation fork. Add a steepish head angle, lightweight tyres and blunt Bosch power, and it’s noticeably more agile than some, but ploughing through problems is a more precarious process.
SPECIALIZED TURBO LEVO FSR COMP 6FATTIE £4,500
Specialized’s Turbo Levo FSR is the least e-bike-looking machine here, with no display distraction on the broad bar and all the hardware hidden in the frame. The customtuned Brose motor is also blissfully quiet compared to Bosch units. Early reviews have been less than glowing, though, so can the latest firmware update put the Turbo back into pole position?