First Look: MMR Kaizen Lightweight eMTB

Jan 16, 2024
by Jessie-May Morgan  
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MMR, better known for their Kenta XC race bikes, has introduced its very first lightweight eBike powered by the 55Nm Bosch SX motor.

The Kaizen is a full carbon affair, rolling on 29" wheels with 140mm of matched front and rear wheel travel. The top-end 00 model weighs a claimed 16.7 kg (36.8 lbs) in a size (M), putting it on a par with mid-tier models of the Carbon Rise, a semi-comparable lightweight eMTB from neighboring Spanish brand, Orbea.

Kaizen Details
• Carbon frame
• 29" wheels
• Travel: 140mm front and rear
• Bosch SX Motor
• 400 Wh Battery + 250 Wh Range Extender
• Sizes: S, M & L
• Weight: 16.7 kg (36.8 lbs) - 00 model (M)
• Starting price: €5,999 (Spain, 30 model)
mmrbikes.com

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Frame Details

The Kaizen's strut-like triangular front shock mount gives it a similar aesthetic to the Kenta XC bike, but that's where the similarities end. While the Kenta utilizes a linkage-driven single pivot with flexing seat stays, the Kaizen eBike goes the way of the full-powered X-Bolt with a Horst pivot.

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A non-removable 400 Wh battery is housed inside the downtube. Capacity can be boosted to 650 Wh with a 250 Wh range extender with a 1.6 kg weight penalty. The horizontal mounting of the shock leaves impressive space inside the front triangle, allowing all frame sizes to carry a water bottle and a range extender simultaneously, which to my knowledge is reasonably rare.

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The Kaizen gets a 180mm post mount, and a boost rear end with a UDH dropout for T-Type compatibility. Popular with few is the thru-headset cable routing. The geometry is such that there is scope for the fork crown to contact the downtube on full rotation of the bar. MMR has decided against use of a steering limiter here, instead adding some protection to the downtube.

Geometry

The MMR Kaizen is available in only three frame sizes, and it's the upper end of the range that loses out. The small, medium and large have reach figures of 420mm, 450mm and 491mm, respectively. The tallest of riders may need to look elsewhere, and I reckon a lot of riders may find themselves between the medium and large.

Seat tube lengths are a little on the long side, and a bend in the seat tube at the location of the upper pivot limits seat post insertion depth, likely limiting the bike to more conservative dropper lengths. In fact, all models come fitted with a 100mm travel dropper; Fox Transfer SL on the 00, and a Race Face Aeffect R on the 10 and 30 models. Such short drop lengths seem well out of place on a bike with this much travel. Those looking to upgrade should note the following maximum seat post insertion depths: S - 143mm; M - 200mm; L - 251mm.

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All three sizes have the same rather generous 455mm chainstay length and a 66° head tube angle. A seat tube angle of 76° is quoted for all sizes, though the saddle height that pertains to has not been shared. Every bike gets 170mm cranks (longer than the standard 165mm normally found on eBikes) and a 50mm stem. The BB sits at a height of 340mm.

Kaizen Models

All models of the MMR Kaizen get a 12-speed drivetrain, 4-piston brakes, dropper seat posts and suspension from Fox. While the product images show Hutchinson tires, all Kaizen models actually ship with Vittoria Agarro 2.4" tires.


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The MMR Kaizen 30 in Pearl Moss and Black
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The MMR Kaizen 30 in Liquid Red and Black

Fork: Fox Performance 34
Shock: Fox Float DPS Performance Elite
Drivetrain: Shimano XT/Deore 12 Speed
Brakes: Shimano XT 4-Piston
Wheels: XCR-9800 Hybrid

Price: €5,999



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The MMR Kaizen 10 in Pearl Moss and Black
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The MMR Kaizen 10 in Liquid Red and Black

Fork: Fox Performance 34
Shock: Fox Float DPS Performance Elite
Drivetrain: SRAM XO T-Type
Brakes: Shimano XT 4-Piston
Wheels: DT Swiss HX1700 Spline LS CL

Price: TBC



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SRAM XX SL T-Type is spec'd here, but prospective customers should be aware that SRAM do not approve this group for use on eMTBs

Fork: Fox Factory 34
Shock: Fox Float DPS Factory
Drivetrain: SRAM XX SL T-Type
Brakes: SRAM Level Ultimate Stealth
Wheels: DT Swiss HXC 1501 Spline CL

Price: TBC

The MMR Kaizen will be available from April 2024, and is sold with a lifetime warranty on the frame.

Author Info:
jessiemaymorgan avatar

Member since Oct 26, 2023
52 articles

78 Comments
  • 41 1
 This thing looks like it’s going to go on ancestry.com and find out it’s actually related to a turbo levo sl and orbea rise.
  • 7 0
 Funny, I thought it looked like a Stumpjumper FSR from about two decades ago. Except for luckily that they didn't choose to interrupt the seattube that high up.
  • 26 0
 Comment is Private>
  • 11 0
 Looks great from the photos
  • 8 0
 Price: Private
  • 8 0
 Ugh, sorry. Timezone issues. Photos should be sorted now. And I don't know why their website seems down—I assume it's being updated but that's definitely their site.
  • 5 0
 This looks like one of those retrospective photos of an era of bikes where you go
”I used to think that looked good??”
  • 19 2
 My friend rides an EBike, he wants all of them to have a universal engine mount/battery mount. So you can upgrade engines and batteries easily. It sounds like a great idea. So bike industry, get on it.
  • 5 0
 Universal charger, a more powerful version of USB-C first would be great
  • 7 0
 I agree! The Bike Industry? Agree on a standard? Riiiiiight....
  • 4 0
 @xalt: No joke the current version of USB-C power delivery is very close to what some of the older (and quite poor) E-Bike chargers deliver. The latest USB-C 3.1 can deliver 240w (and 48V) which is right on par for any e-bike charger. Would sure be a big improvement on the incredibly poor current crop of e-bike charger standards Big Grin
  • 4 0
 @RoboDuck: poor current. See what you did there.
  • 1 0
 Yeah the bike industry is full of standardized, universal, non-proprietary designs like water bottle mounts and.. well, saddle rails.
E-bike standards shouldn’t be an issue, it’s not like everyone is making one. John Deere hasn’t made one yet.
  • 13 4
 This frame is ugly as sin.
  • 5 0
 Super light short travel bikes seem like the domain of super fit XC folks. So is this meant for that sleeper contingent of super unfit XC folks?

If it’s got a motor it’s killer app is stacking DH laps like you’ve got a lift ticket on a crowd free Wednesday. I just don’t get the short travel emtb thing.
  • 3 0
 I can only assume these are the same people that ride E-road bikes... that category completely baffles me!
  • 33 31
 I recently found this quote in an article in the Atlantic about ebikes: “Spending five large on a conventional bike would get you a status symbol—you’d come off as a cyclist for sure. For that matter, spending that dough on a Vespa would infuse you with an Aperol-tinged Italianate cool. You’d want to be seen arriving on your moped. But I don’t want anybody seeing me on my e-bike. It’s just kind of embarrassing.”
  • 68 7
 Too busy having fun to care what people think about what I'm riding.
  • 65 21
 The e-bike hate/elitism has become so old and tired. They're fun! All of the WC DH racers (who are 100000000% fitter and faster than you) ride them and love them. Maybe find something else to complain about?
  • 13 29
flag cuban-b (Jan 15, 2024 at 22:42) (Below Threshold)
 @nickyp132: they’re just jealous they can’t afford them whilst we all are having fun on them AND normal bikes. Let them be mad. If they assault anyone they end up in jail lolol.
  • 39 10
 @cuban-b:

I afforded one. But didn't have fun. Sold it.
Went back to a Mountain Bike. Had fun.
  • 21 19
 @Allen82: the difference is e-bike riders won't berate or insult you for your decision.
  • 24 6
 @nyhc00:

@nickyp132 Just did. They said Mountain Bikers can't afford EBikes.
  • 15 9
 It amazes me that internet commenters think the majority of people (or any?) give a shit about their opinion. @fentoncrackshell you seem very insecure about other people's opinions, and having to fit into a 'tribe'. Therapy could help, or psychedelics. Be well!
  • 7 0
 @Allen82: I have both, well, i actually have 2 Ebikes and 5 manual bikes, they're all awesome... just all in slightly different ways, from the 23 Session X01 to the bike that sits on the Turbo trainer in the garage to the lightweight Ebike and the Specialized Status... each and every one is awesome. Just slighty better/worse at different aspects of the riding i do.
As someone stated above, the Pros love them, there was a post about Bruni last year and he spent 90% of his winter riding on an Ebike. It's quality riding in spades...
  • 3 2
 Wow think someones touched a nerve!! Or is it an E-nerve
  • 2 1
 @Dini2k: nerv-E?
  • 5 3
 I just love that you’re quoting the Atlantic as an opinion that should be taken into consideration as valid or coherent. Lol
  • 2 0
 @Allen82: dammit… that guy is getting put in time out without his charging wire.
  • 5 15
flag KingPooPing (Jan 16, 2024 at 5:47) (Below Threshold)
 @nickyp132: They're mopeds not bicycles. Keep them off a bicycle website..
  • 4 0
 @Matzadd: That's just not fair. I care DEEPLY about the opinions that mirror mine!
  • 1 3
 @weeksy59: Why would you use a DH bike in a turbo trainer? Do you need 200mm of travel and 4 piston brakes to train on a turbo otherwise you run out of talent and fall from your bike?
  • 1 0
 @opignonlibre: LOL not quite how i wrote or meant it Smile maybe i missed a comma or you read it wrong... i have used the Enduro on the turbo as it takes 148*12 but it doesn't fit the 157*12 on the Session anyway Smile
  • 4 0
 that old Atlantic article written by some guy who's assignment was to write a moaning Zoomer perspective on 'ebikes and how depressing they are' was uniformly ridiculed years ago.....
  • 1 0
 @kosmowf:❤️
  • 1 0
 @weeksy59: @weeksy59: I definitely read it wrong now that I read it again. I was a bit baffled by the concept of putting a DH bike on a trainer (except for warming up at the top of a race course)
  • 2 1
 @nickyp132: Even though WC DH racers are many times fitter and faster, aren’t they paid to ride and love them?
  • 1 0
 @Allen82: From my understanding, they can’t afford mountain bikes either.
  • 1 0
 Sounds like something an east-coaster would say
  • 1 1
 @slovenian6474: until it catches fire.
  • 1 0
 @corerider: Anecdotal evidence, but across owning multiple scooters, motorcycles, mountain bikes. Zero of them have caught on fire. Must be one of those lucky people I guess.
  • 1 2
 @Allen82: being able to afford one isnt berating or insulting. its just plain fact. stop being a child and move on with life. some people buy ebikes - we make more money than you ... DEAL WITH IT. Big Grin
  • 1 1
 @kosmowf: keep crying and maybe the world will cater to you LOLOL
  • 5 0
 I love it when a hard turn of the handlebars can break my frame - awesome feature.
  • 3 0
 carbon allows designers to do almost anything, and this clean-slate design still needs fork crown bumpers on the frame??? That's just plain lazy......(or, somebody f'ked up on the computer)
  • 1 0
 I bet that if they moved the downtube out of the way of the fork crown, it would have prevented the range extender or bottle or something like that.
  • 4 1
 Looks good, but without a removable battery and a range extender over the permitted KW rating for air travel I feel they’ve missed a bit of a trick
  • 4 0
 The geometry is absolutely outdated for 2024, my Cannondale Habit Neo 2019 has almost identical numbers.
  • 5 0
 If your seat tube is longer than your reach, you're doing it wrong.
  • 2 0
 Why the hell do you launch a bike with a friggin top end spec and add a huge azz note on the bottom saying that the manufacturer does not aprove its use for ebikes.. lame as can be. Also, frgn gly to quote the clctv...
  • 3 0
 my predicition : i dont see why anyone would buy this when you have way better for that price Frown
  • 2 0
 Unfortunate MTB acronyms. MMR immediately makes me think of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella Vaccine. I scrolled the whole article just to post this so do with it what you will.
  • 5 2
 Levy's UFOs keep pinching the photos.
  • 8 5
 They should have named it the Vaccine
  • 9 31
flag watchtower (Jan 16, 2024 at 0:51) (Below Threshold)
 Is it killing people?
  • 4 1
 @watchtower: Is it watchtower like the Jehovah Witnesses I guess?
  • 2 4
 @trashpander275: it's whatever you want it to be.
  • 1 0
 @watchtower: a wildcat did a growl,
Two riders were approaching,
And the wind began to howl?
  • 4 0
 @watchtower: MMR is the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine….
  • 1 2
 @somebody-else: oh, I thought it was for tongue in cheek fever.
  • 4 0
 @somebody-else: I'm glad somebody got it, bloody hell
  • 3 0
 66 degree HA? What is this 2022!!!
  • 3 0
 MMR typically target the XC crowd. This is just the e-bike version of an XC bike with slightly longer travel because the weight penalty is not really important in that context. Wild guess is they will mostly be used by people who only ride fireroads. A glorified more comfortable gravel bike.
  • 3 0
 Fork interfering with the frame seems like a big fail.
  • 3 1
 "a small two-wheeled vehicle with a motor and pedals like those on a bicycle"
  • 2 0
 No word on the seatpost travel. Looks shortish anyway.
  • 1 0
 MMR is a brand you see mostly in Spain. When i go there on holiday i buy the SoloBici magazine where i see this brand.
  • 2 3
 CORRECTION: Bike weight is 18.3 kg (40.3 lbs). Lowering the range at the risk of running out of juice halfway through your ride is possible for 1.6 kg (3.5 kg) less.
  • 1 0
 My balls hurt just looking at that dropper.
  • 1 0
 Crazy long seat tubes.
  • 1 0
 SUPERCOOL
  • 1 0
 Looks like a Rumblefish
  • 1 0
 Two words: icky yuck
  • 1 3
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