2023 Pinkbike Awards: eMTB of the Year Nominees
We've decided that this is the year we open up a fresh can of worms and roll out a new category for our year-end awards cycle. Regardless of where you fall on the fondness spectrum, e-bikes are a permanent fixture of the cycling world now, and after a few years of development and awkward growing pains, we've arrived at a moment where it feels like most brands are figuring things out.
You'll note that we're not differentiating lightweight from full-power models, as we're instead focusing on the bikes that really impressed us with their integration, performance, or pure ingenuity. In an increasingly competitive field, these are our four worthy nominees for the 2023 eMTB of the Year.
Why it's nominated
In a world where incremental developments are rightly celebrated, Orbea rolled out the new Wild with a whole host of sweeping changes. The bike uses the updated version of Bosch's CX motor, a new battery enclosure that significantly increases the frame stiffness, and revised geometry and kinematics to make sure it's as capable as possible.
The Bosch motor system is a team favorite, thanks to its natural-feeling power delivery, nicely tuned and differentiated modes, and the wireless remote that keeps the cockpit just a bit cleaner. Geometry is in keeping with the non-motorized Rallon, with the typical tweaks we see to accommodate the extra space taken up by the motor and battery. While rear center lengths are long and identical across the size range, the inclusion of a dead-straight and relatively short seattube means riders will be able to size up or down based on preferred reach.
Climbing steep and technical pitches is made easier by the Wild's geometry numbers, with impressive range and power thanks to the Bosch motor's predictable delivery and all-day friendly Tour+ mode. On the way down, the Orbea is equally impressive, as it seems to relish high-speed smashing, withstanding some serious hits without getting hung up or knocked off line. Even when pushing the bike all the way through the stroke, the suspension remains composed and quiet; a couple qualities that luckily extended through the rest of the chassis over the test period.
From the Review:
Why it's nominated
Since the release of the first Levo SL a few years ago, the lightweight eMTB market has undergone quite the upheaval, with quite a few companies touting bikes that hit some very impressive weight, range, and power benchmarks. Specialized is keeping with the times with their new Levo SL, with an updated motor that now delivers 50Nm of torque and 320W of power, compared to the 35Nm and 240W the previous version dished out. You can still mount up a 160Wh range extender inside the frame, or simply carry some water to fuel your journey.
Much like Specialized's Stumpjumper EVO, the Levo SL is capable of some serious shape-shifting, to suit your terrain and riding style. The bike comes stock in a mixed-wheel configuration, but can be run with full 29" wheels if preferred. Head tube angle, BB height, chainstay length, seat tube angle, and reach/stack are all customizable via a series of flip chips, as well as the drop-in headset cups we've come to enjoy on the Stumpy EVO.
The Levo SL's light weight and powerful little motor make it a breeze to climb, even in those dire situations when the motor doesn't have anything left to give you. Obviously it falls behind full-power bikes in a direct comparison, but can still sprint laps around the non-motorized version as long as you have the battery life to support the effort. Descending is intuitive and natural, thanks again to bike's low weight. The rear center is a little too short for a bike with otherwise very downhill-oriented geometry, but that can be lengthened slightly in the 29" rear-end mode.
From the First Ride:
Why it's nominated
You'd be forgiven for mistaking the R.X275 for a non-motorized bike, given the very sleek overall package and remarkably light build weight. At just 15.57 kg / 34.32 lbs, this stealthy little Rotwild weighs about the same as most of our trail bikes, all while delivering 50Nm of torque and a max 200W output via the TQ HPR50 motor. With a 130mm fork and 120mm of frame travel delivered by a flex-stay layout, this is certainly a bike aimed at quick climbs and mellower trails, but there's plenty of room in the market for this lightweight approach.
Geometry is in keeping with the nature of the short travel, with long reaches, short rear centers, a 75.5° seat tube angle, and 66° head tube all coming together to make a bike that's eager to get up and go on the climbs, while remaining lively and agile on the descents.
Despite the light weight and seemingly conservative geometry, the descending capabilities of the Rotwild impressed. This is partially thanks to the low and consolidated center of gravity, which we've come to find gives e-bikes their calmer ride and better grip through sections of trail that might otherwise pose a challenge. There are some frame layout and user interface changes that we'd make if it were our bike to design, but overall the suspension layout, geometry, and electronics worked well.
From the First Ride:
Why it's nominated
Canyon did a careful job turning their successful and well-loved race bike into a battery-powered machine, and that care shows in the resulting product that is the Strive:On. The geometry is similar, with tweaks made to cater towards the ultra-technical climbs that are possible and present in e-mtb racecourses, as well as the high speed descents that are probably more your focus if you're in the market for a bike like this.
Like the Wild, the Strive:On uses Bosch's top-of-the-line motor and battery system, with either a 625 or 750Wh battery. Canyon designed their own battery mounts, shaving 300 grams from the chassis, as well as making battery swaps a quicker and easier process.
The geometry of the Strive:On isn't too far off from its non-electric counterpart, but with the notable omission of the Strive's adjustability. There is no Shapeshifter, and no reach adjust at the headset, simply just a bike meant to go downhill fast. Starting from the Strive's DH position, the Strive:On gets longer chainstays and a steeper seat tube angle to better navigate tech climbing, plus a slightly shorter reach to try to keep the bike maneuverable.
The suspension feel is very active, providing good grip, a deep feel, and surprisingly well-managed endstroke support. They're still unavailable in North America so far, but hopefully we'll see them come to broader market in due time.
From the First Ride:
You'll note that we're not differentiating lightweight from full-power models, as we're instead focusing on the bikes that really impressed us with their integration, performance, or pure ingenuity. In an increasingly competitive field, these are our four worthy nominees for the 2023 eMTB of the Year.
Why it's nominated
In a world where incremental developments are rightly celebrated, Orbea rolled out the new Wild with a whole host of sweeping changes. The bike uses the updated version of Bosch's CX motor, a new battery enclosure that significantly increases the frame stiffness, and revised geometry and kinematics to make sure it's as capable as possible.
The Bosch motor system is a team favorite, thanks to its natural-feeling power delivery, nicely tuned and differentiated modes, and the wireless remote that keeps the cockpit just a bit cleaner. Geometry is in keeping with the non-motorized Rallon, with the typical tweaks we see to accommodate the extra space taken up by the motor and battery. While rear center lengths are long and identical across the size range, the inclusion of a dead-straight and relatively short seattube means riders will be able to size up or down based on preferred reach.
Climbing steep and technical pitches is made easier by the Wild's geometry numbers, with impressive range and power thanks to the Bosch motor's predictable delivery and all-day friendly Tour+ mode. On the way down, the Orbea is equally impressive, as it seems to relish high-speed smashing, withstanding some serious hits without getting hung up or knocked off line. Even when pushing the bike all the way through the stroke, the suspension remains composed and quiet; a couple qualities that luckily extended through the rest of the chassis over the test period.
From the Review:
 | When I reviewed the Specialized Turbo Levo two years ago I called it the 'new benchmark', a bike that set the standard for full-powered e-bikes. That bike still holds up well, but it's no longer in a class of its own. In fact, when it comes to outright speed and range, the Wild surpasses it. The new Wild may have been designed with racing in mind, but there's no need to ever go near a race course to enjoy it. It's fast, powerful, and incredibly composed while climbing and descending, making it an excellent all-rounder for riders who prefer their trails on the trickier, more technical side of things.” |
Why it's nominated
Since the release of the first Levo SL a few years ago, the lightweight eMTB market has undergone quite the upheaval, with quite a few companies touting bikes that hit some very impressive weight, range, and power benchmarks. Specialized is keeping with the times with their new Levo SL, with an updated motor that now delivers 50Nm of torque and 320W of power, compared to the 35Nm and 240W the previous version dished out. You can still mount up a 160Wh range extender inside the frame, or simply carry some water to fuel your journey.
Much like Specialized's Stumpjumper EVO, the Levo SL is capable of some serious shape-shifting, to suit your terrain and riding style. The bike comes stock in a mixed-wheel configuration, but can be run with full 29" wheels if preferred. Head tube angle, BB height, chainstay length, seat tube angle, and reach/stack are all customizable via a series of flip chips, as well as the drop-in headset cups we've come to enjoy on the Stumpy EVO.
The Levo SL's light weight and powerful little motor make it a breeze to climb, even in those dire situations when the motor doesn't have anything left to give you. Obviously it falls behind full-power bikes in a direct comparison, but can still sprint laps around the non-motorized version as long as you have the battery life to support the effort. Descending is intuitive and natural, thanks again to bike's low weight. The rear center is a little too short for a bike with otherwise very downhill-oriented geometry, but that can be lengthened slightly in the 29" rear-end mode.
From the First Ride:
| The Levo SL can comfortably take on a wide range or terrain, whether that's twisty, jump filled trails, or rougher, more natural tracks. The 150mm of travel is well managed, and the tune on the Fox Float X shock does a good job of keeping the bike from going through that travel too quickly - even off of bigger drops or on mis-timed jumps I didn't encounter any harsh bottom outs. The motor noise from the prior version has been removed, and the updated motor is much easier to live with, and I didn't find it to be distracting at all. |
Why it's nominated
You'd be forgiven for mistaking the R.X275 for a non-motorized bike, given the very sleek overall package and remarkably light build weight. At just 15.57 kg / 34.32 lbs, this stealthy little Rotwild weighs about the same as most of our trail bikes, all while delivering 50Nm of torque and a max 200W output via the TQ HPR50 motor. With a 130mm fork and 120mm of frame travel delivered by a flex-stay layout, this is certainly a bike aimed at quick climbs and mellower trails, but there's plenty of room in the market for this lightweight approach.
Geometry is in keeping with the nature of the short travel, with long reaches, short rear centers, a 75.5° seat tube angle, and 66° head tube all coming together to make a bike that's eager to get up and go on the climbs, while remaining lively and agile on the descents.
Despite the light weight and seemingly conservative geometry, the descending capabilities of the Rotwild impressed. This is partially thanks to the low and consolidated center of gravity, which we've come to find gives e-bikes their calmer ride and better grip through sections of trail that might otherwise pose a challenge. There are some frame layout and user interface changes that we'd make if it were our bike to design, but overall the suspension layout, geometry, and electronics worked well.
From the First Ride:
| The shockingly quiet motor gives off a low-frequency whir, even in the 200% assistance mode at high-cadence. Most importantly, there are no knocks or rattles on the descents and the frame itself protects chain slap very well. I expected the agile 66-degree head tube angle to be the limiting factor while descending, however, the slight increase in the center of mass, similar to much heavier e-bikes, was also apparent here. That added slightly to the bike’s ability to grip in corners and remain calm in sections of trail that pushed the limits of the bike. |
Why it's nominated
Canyon did a careful job turning their successful and well-loved race bike into a battery-powered machine, and that care shows in the resulting product that is the Strive:On. The geometry is similar, with tweaks made to cater towards the ultra-technical climbs that are possible and present in e-mtb racecourses, as well as the high speed descents that are probably more your focus if you're in the market for a bike like this.
Like the Wild, the Strive:On uses Bosch's top-of-the-line motor and battery system, with either a 625 or 750Wh battery. Canyon designed their own battery mounts, shaving 300 grams from the chassis, as well as making battery swaps a quicker and easier process.
The geometry of the Strive:On isn't too far off from its non-electric counterpart, but with the notable omission of the Strive's adjustability. There is no Shapeshifter, and no reach adjust at the headset, simply just a bike meant to go downhill fast. Starting from the Strive's DH position, the Strive:On gets longer chainstays and a steeper seat tube angle to better navigate tech climbing, plus a slightly shorter reach to try to keep the bike maneuverable.
The suspension feel is very active, providing good grip, a deep feel, and surprisingly well-managed endstroke support. They're still unavailable in North America so far, but hopefully we'll see them come to broader market in due time.
From the First Ride:
| All told, the Strive:On proved to be an excellent bike for tackling some impressively gnarly terrain. There are a few tweaks to the spec that I'd make on my personal bike, but as a stock machine it's quite impressive. The Strive is eager to remind you that you're on an e-bike on the climbs, but there were plenty of moments on the descents where the extra heft and complication faded away, making for some truly excellent runs. |
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I've honestly never thought about where the name came from, but that makes sense to me. no idea on Kenevo, though. FWIW, I have a Levo SL and love it. Still get help, but still gotta do some work and still descends and jumps like an analog bike.
The drag is the killer here. Some jumps require you to pedal into it to clear the jump. There’s a handful of jumps where you need to get to 25mph.
Doing this is already hard on a 55lb Ebike with aggressive DH tires, imagine adding even more drag to the motor.
It will be way worse for the EU and Other areas. A bigger battery is needed to offset the extra drag. There is no published study about how less efficient it is but what if you need a 750wh battery to do what a 630 can do with a traditional drivetrain. Thats even more weight.
The repeater has been around a couple years now, and the Relay was last year for sure.
and Relay was still last year
So theres your answer
And I guess these bikes are better/more interesting.
I want to love this bike, and I want it to be what Transition advertizes it to be. I want it be be both an e-bike, and a bike that can be pedalled.
I want one for my wife, so we can go on longer rides where she rides the Relay in the low power setting, and I strugglefu** my way up.
I love mine!
I find that a curious thing, does in enhance your enjoyment?
do you feel more secure that other people like it too?
Really curious, not judging
There is an updated piece of the ring controller that's more robust, a simple add that i got after my LBS contacted transition.
Since then - no issues w/ it turning off/on w/ that mod of the ring, works consistently.
Would I like some buttons, yeah. But after this update I don't think about the ring at all, just works.
Certainly, vastly quieter than the EP8 in the Orbea Rise I had before it.
In an interview I saw with a Shimano representative, the representative says they worked on the rattle noise and claims it is better, but still is there.
Why not have a 120 travel bike, that you can go for friggin miles on, that requires less maintenance, and is lighter, and way friggin better looking.
If you dont have the ability to pedal your bike to the top, youre prolly not sending where you need 170 travel either. I think that Rotwild makes a tonne of sense for a lot of people, prolly most really.
For me, I cant see the point of trying to descend on a 50+lb bike cause that ruins all the fun for me, id rather do less laps, and enjoy the ride down. We all have different goals and use cases
I rented an e-bike for a day, had a blast trying to climb unimaginable things, felt more like a dirt bike than a bike. I thought I was done for, I thought I was going to have to buy one! Then we went down, and I was bummed to be on it. The fact that it it didnt have a throttle on the way down ruined the fun for me, that and the weight, and the delay in the motor picking up. It was like trying to drive a car with a CVT in a spirited way, it was hot garbage for me
Theyre not for me, but I'm stoked that some people love em..
I will yell "cheater" everytime i get passed bu one on the climbs, and if you cant take a little harmless sarcasm, we were never going to be friends anyway
www.bicycling.com/news/a45417447/germany-ebike-sales-outpace-regular-bikes
Are people out having fun?
Is it somehow impinging on others fun?
I'm baffled why anyone cares?
Some muffin stump is gonna cry about trail access and some other bullshit...
It'll get worked out, and we interloped on hiking, and horseback riding trails.
We werent first, we wont be last
Are people out having fun?
Is it somehow impinging on others fun?”
That was my point.
I would like to get my wife on the Rotwild thing though.
You missed another bonus of the PP - standard bottom bracket means no load on the motor drive shaft.
It requires a different riding style to Bosch / Shimano / Yamaha etc in that you still need to ride the bike actually using the gears and not relying on just the motor. Plus no over-run is also a good thing in my books.
I just really like the motor on the RM. It's quiet, no whine, a little chain noise, but no more than any bike with an idler (I realise that the V1 2 and 3 motors idlers were a lot louder), and, well, ludicrous is just all round fun lol.
I'm thinking of buying the RM spring I have the Bosch gen4 now. I get about 60km of range on turbo +5 on a normal trail ride where you aren't pushing technical trails constantly and have gravel and road in between. When it's a max out ride in technical terrain and gravels in between it drops to about 40km. There are no numbers available anywhere as to how the RM will compare. I know the PP is both the best and the worst range because it gives in proportion where as Bosch just gives you full power when you touch the pedals.
And PP has the extra battery packs which many manufacturers don't. The Sram brose motor would otherwise be the other option but having to worry about the belt coming off every 1000-4000km kilometers is a massive headache. I've already had that happen on a used Turbo Levo.
Buying a Bosch bike just lumps you in with a bunch of other cookie-cutter brands, and by that I mean you have the same power as the next guy. So at that point it is bike design that's the differential, which can be broad and give options, but also some bike brands will do a far better job at the design than others. The Orbea Wild being one brand that has done it well, but the prices are up there (not that the Rocky Mountain isn't!).
My average ride is about 2-hours, in which I'll cover 30-35km, and climb 750-800m. I tend to start out in Trail + which is set to 70% power, so about 76Nm torque, so not far off Bosch top torque. After about 45mins I'll usually push it up to Ludicrous mode at 108Nm torque, and keep it there for the remainder of the ride. I've yet to finish with anything less than 36% in the "tank" so if I kept it in Trail + I think I could get 50km without too much concern. You can of course blow the battery by being in Ludicrous the whole time in which case you'd probably only get 20-25km out of it? Ludicrous is fun on hills when you catch and overtake Trek Rails who are on high power at 85Nm
The Rocky Mountain display is pretty good too. Battery power by the percentage, not some LED that says there is somewhere between 0 and 20% left in the battery. The remote on the handlebar is small and discreet, unlike the Bosch Kiosk thing, nor is the screen on your handlebars and about the size of a Garmin 1040. You can display mode and battery power, or cadence, or distance, or a few other options. It's discreet on the top tube too.
You might hear people talk about the RM being noisy, and I understand that the V1 to V3 were due to the roller and chain guide arrangement, but the V4 has dropped the solid guide plate and there is only the mid-high pivot pulley and the under chainring pulley meaning noise is much better, and likely not better or worse than a high-pivot bike with an idler. Nothing that lube doesn't go someway to addressing (I'm putting Muc-Off dry lube on the chain every third ride, mainly as currently I am doing most of my riding in a sand based forest.)
It is the quietest descender I've ever had (including all my non-ebikes). Not sure if its the chainstay protection or what, but there is no noise from the motor (it's isolated from crank forces) unlike Bosch, Shimano, and Yamaha (Giant).
I ended up on a medium frame Instinct and I am 178cm. I probably would have got on well with the large as I have had to push the saddle all the way back on the rails and swap out the 40mm stem for a 50mm (but that was also due to me not liking 35mm handlebars). If I was on the large, I'd most likely be slamming the seat forward. Sucks to be on the medium/large cross over point. Indeed the slight undersize is probably the only downside/gripe I have to the bike. But I am comfortable still, so no real harm done.
Did it have power display?
I'm 181,5cm and I'm also considering the M frame as it's slightly bigger than the M Cube Stereo I have now. But I have to say the current bike according to the material was too small for me but it matched the dimensions of my 2017 Strive. I do slam the seat all the way back beyond the markings of the seat. I just think larger makes it more difficult to bunny hop the bike. I had a Decinvi AC Large frame and the difference in pulling to a manual on that and the M Cube is big.
But the seat angle being higher I think you are right that it makes it too small as I'm at the very limit with the normal seat angle in the Cube.
Yeah I will test ride once the snow melts.
I think MGU is a good fit for full size e-bikes, which I personally have no use for.
The future is mid power bike's where weight/ efficiency/ cost/ parts compatibility all matters much more. A good old 11 speed works very well on the mid powers. Linkglide on the cheap builds, and X01 11 speed on the high-end builds seems like a great compromise.
So Pinkbike does know these things aren’t mountain bikes… good to know.
Assisted mtb's are here to stay. Time to deal with it.
Being solidly anti e-bike is a tired as skier vs snowboarder at this point.
Surrons ( and other throttle e-bikes) are something we can all hate though
How can you hate electric motorcycles but love pedal assist electric motorcycles?
These are not bicycles.
If someone has some land and doesn't want to piss of the neighbors, a Surron or electric KTM are sweet.
More people on trails is more gooder right?
Go check out a motocross race one day.
The track is constantly changing because all the dirt is moving from the back tire spray.
Alot of fun, but no comparison to an ebike.
Also, if you're going full ham uphill in turbo mode on a pedal assist bike you may go 3-5 mph faster than a traditional bike which is hardly any danger to other trail users.
In contrast a e-dirt bike can zip uphill at 50mph or faster ( depending on righter weight and how hacked it is) in almost total silence. This poses significant risk to other trail users.
They'v become a major issue in my local riding area.
Before you call me a hater though. I ride one ( on a track at a private ranch) a couple of times a week and they are a total blast.
Conversely Surrons and other throttle e-motos are much closer to full blown motorcycles. The largest gap is the leap from full power e-bike to e-moto.
Land managers didn't just blindly allow pedal assist bikes on trails while still banning motos / e-motos. If you have been around them all you can clearly see the similarities and differences. There was a knee jerk "it's a motorcycle" reaction to pedal assist like yours but it is largely based on bias and ignorance.
I do a lot of trail building and e-motos are a problem because you can sneak them onto trail networks that are designated for hiking/ equestrians/ mtb use without raising alarm bells like a dirt bike would.
Their ability to tear up trails in a way that is similar to a full blown dirt bike is why I REALLY dislike them.
Not to mention that someone ripping up and down trails at 50+ MPH in near silence is super dangerous to everyone else, especially when you're not expecting them.
On private land, OHV areas etc I'm all for them.