Spread over 270 pages of high-quality print, we offer you a comprehensive buyers guide, reviews and details of 27 bikes. Tops & flops, winners and losers of the group test, Find out everything you need to know in our motor group test, a complete reference in our sister magazine ENDURO, click here for an explanation of the term, Weve summarised what this can cost per year and what you need to bear in mind. In this group test, were not just looking for the best eMTB of 2022. On the front wheel we recommend a robust casing for puncture protection in combination with the softest rubber compound for more grip. SCOTT sent in the SCOTT Ransom eRIDE 910, which is almost unchanged for 2022. If you only ride it at moderate speeds or on easy trails, you wont feel much of this. Compared to the previous model, the new Altitude Powerplay updates to a trendy mid-high pivot suspension design, with the main pivot sitting 100mm north of the BB. Ive not suffered a single puncture throughout testing, and while there a number of small dents in the rear rim, the tough tyres and CushCore inserts have shielded them from the worst abuse. But if you compare them in a meaningful way, they provide exciting insights into trends and developments. If you mostly ride on gravel, forest and meadow trails, a less heavily treaded tire with a thinner casing is sufficient. Add to Basket. It's perfect for hyper-aggressive riders who want to ride the hardest trails without a chairlift or truck shuttle. Nonetheless, it resoundingly leaves the Specialized SL 1.1 behind on climbs. Pricing starts at $8,999 AUD for the Altitude Powerplay A30, and goes up to $15,999 AUD for the Altitude Powerplay C90. Are you new here? On the note of the motor, some folks may be bothered by the fact that the Altitude Powerplay doesnt use a Shimano or Bosch system. The Orbea Rise shows how its done! The Altitude Powerplay Alloy 50 has a better fork and more travel, while the Turbo Levo Comp Alloy has 29 / 27.5 aluminum wheels and better components. This change was obviously made to accommodate the motor, and it doesn't give the Altitude Powerplay a vastly different ride than RMB's other trail/enduro bikes. One other important note on noise the Dyname 4.0 motor suffers none of the annoying rattle found in the current Shimano and Bosch motors. Many manufacturers are already working on increasing these limits but there is still a lot to be done in terms of maximum permissible weight and more clarity is urgently needed. Our aim is to work out the individual character of each bike and tell you for whom and to what it is best suited and what its not intended for! For example, FOX recommends a complete service of the FOX 36 or 38 at annual intervals or after 125 hours of use whichever comes first. Theres a heap of adjustability on offer, and once I found my sweet spot I was rewarded with a comfortable riding position and exceptional weight distribution that made the Altitude Powerplay both agile and predictable across a wide range of conditions. With most motors, using the full-powered Boost/Turbo mode tends to be overwhelming, dominating the ride and making the bike difficult to control. And while the overall integration is neat and the controls on the Altitude Powerplay are a vast improvement over the previous model, the main buttons on the remote switch are too light and a bit vague. Weve been looking for the best all-rounder that wont let you down on any trail, whether uphill or downhill, and offers a carefree package of performance and riding fun for all rider types and skill levels. With 170mm of travel, 630-watt hours of power, and Shimanos top-of-the-line EP8 motor, you can blast down the mountain and still stop on a moss-covered dime. If there is one bike that will convert diehard enduro riders into e-bike junkies, the Levo SL is it. For a better overview, we present all 13 bikes and their tops and flops below. There are even models that can compete with downhill-focussed bikes and with which you can hunt Strava KOMs. Generally speaking, I remained in the Trail setting during the test period, which netted me anywhere from 50-75km of riding with 2,000-2,400m of elevation gain. In general, it is important to choose a tire that suits the area of use and your personal needs, so that it fits you and your bike. In fact, I was able to clean one bastard of a climb on my local test circuit that I have never cleaned before. The trail network around Monte Arsenti provides the ideal test conditions, allowing us to work out both the big and small differences that separate the 13 eMTBs on test. TESTED: Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Carbon 70 Rocky Mountain's Powerplay platform is now in its fourth iteration and sees some major changes to geometry, kinematics, and overall user experience. It is unbeaten in technical uphill terrain and also feels most comfortable downhill on challenging and fast trails. However, there have been times where I would have liked external control of the high-speed rebound to calm down the rear end when facing more violent impacts. Anything else would be misleading and besides being unfair to some brands, we would be patronising our readers. In this group test, we looked for the best trail all-rounder that shines on every trail and delivers the best overall package of handling, uphill, downhill and touring performance, design, motor, specs, battery concept and detailed solutions. Out of the box, one of the more obvious differences between the Dyname 4.0 motor and its big-name competitors is the fact that it requires more input from the rider. Its not the poppiest bike given its mass and suspension platform, though riders concerned by weight may wish to look towards the slightly shorter travel Instinct Powerplay. Theres nothing but thumbs up for the tyre spec, especially the choice of a 3C MaxxGrip compound up front. Ride stats from RM Altitude from Strava, Garmin and Ebikemotion app: Moving time 1h 9m, distance 10.4 miles, elevation gain 2,091 ft., estimated average power 155w, energy output 647 kJ. We think giving points according to a rigid scoring system isnt the most helpful approach since it oversimplifies this very complex topic and doesnt do it justice. RIDE-9 Adjustable Geometry + Suspension Rate. However, if you adhere to the maximum payload of some bikes, we are almost all too heavy to ride them! While we cant comment on long-term durability, so far weve not encountered any issues with the Dyname 4.0 motor on our test bike. The longstanding outcasts of the two-wheeled world, electric bikes, have become industry darlings almost overnight. - On the heavy side. As with the shock, removing a single volume spacer opened up the travel and improved deep-stroke reactivity. How long are your longest rides and how much ascending do you realistically do? Among all the specialists, there are also a few true all-rounders that cut a fine figure in almost every situation these are the contenders for the title of Best eMTB of 2022. As a pedal-assisted e-mountain bike, the Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Alloy 70 is powered by a Dyname 4.0 Mountain Bike Drive, 250W nominal power, 880W peak power, 108Nm max torque motor and a Li-Ion, integrated, removable; compatible with second Overtimepack battery (314 Wh), 720 Wh battery. The Trek Rail 9.9 leaves the test crew with very mixed feelings. Only the Specialized Levo is truly quiet downhill. This isnt possible with the MERIDA, SCOTT and ROTWILD. To answer this question, we pitted 13 exciting models against each other. Once with the factory tune, and a second time with the Boost level turned up to +2. As such, it's designed for similarly rowdy riding as the Trek Rail, Specialized Kenevo SL, Giant Reign E+ and Norco Sight VLT. Does it suit you or not? These stop providing assistance after the bike reaches 20mph or more. The Norco Sight VLT C1 offers an enormous range with its 900 Wh battery and Shimano EP8 motor. It also features a shorter 150mm travel fork, and an extended lower headset cup to balance out the ride height. In general, there are big differences in the character of the models we tested, so you should be realistic about your own needs in terms of riding style and area of use when buying and be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of the respective models. With four assist modes on offer, the performance band of the Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay spans a pretty wide gap. There are sliding scales at the end of each review, giving you a visual representation of the bikes handling. However, we did not like the integration of the new Bosch Smart system and its 750 Wh battery. Its impressively discreet, and vastly quieter than the old bike thanks to the improved motor and chain management. My only complaint is that the 150mm dropper post felt on the short side, limiting how much I could move around the bike when jumping or bombing down much steeper sections of trail. Our Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay C70 test bike has delivered near faultless performance during our time with it, which is hardly a surprise given its such a well specd bike. The best electric mountain bikes best overall specialized turbo levo comp alloy $7,500 at specialized best value off road aventon aventure $1,999 at aventon bikes best mixed wheel marin bikes. But is different any better? Nonetheless, thanks to the brilliant handling of eMTB mode and the easily controllable Turbo mode, we are still huge fans of the Bosch Performance Line CX motor! With the new Smart System, customers have the option of modifying some riding modes. I found it easy to adjust the Ride-4 and dropout flip chips, and pulling the shock out to alter the spring volume showed just how cleanly everything fits together. As you pedal, the chain tightens and pushes up against a jockey wheel, which is the main torque sensor for the system. However, the poor reliability of the battery system, as well as the poor integration have room for improvement. With so many different tire manufacturers and special models on the market, its hard for even well-versed tech nerds to keep track of everything. The search for the best eMTB was exciting and a close call. The Altitude Powerplay is a lot of bike and there's a lot to like about it. Complementing the new drive unit are two completely redesigned modelsthe trail-focused, 140mm-travel Instinct Powerplay and the 160mm-travel, e nduro-oriented Altitude Powerplay. Instead of blindly buying the bike with the highest battery capacity, you should ask yourself a few questions: Our group test clearly shows that when it comes to battery capacity, a crucial rule of thumb applies: as little as possible and as much as necessary! This is the best way to find out which battery concept suits you. Add to Basket. They are your only contact with the ground and influence traction, braking distances and the handling of your bike, as well as contributing to its suspension. Impossible? With the Shimano EP8 motor, you can even save two different profiles so that you can quickly switch between your configurations. Out of the box the Altitude is quite long and slack up front, but the back end is very short at 437mm. The Altitude Powerplay Carbon 70 wins the Design and Innovation Award. One of the bikes uses the old Bosch 2021 system. 2021 Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Carbon 90 Rally Edition E-Bike. ROCKY MOUNTAIN INSTINCT POWERPLAY CARBON 70 Travel: 140mm Motor: Dyname 3.0 Battery: Fully Integrated Li-Ion, 672Wh MSRP: $7,999 READ THE REVIEW SPECIALIZED TURBO LEVO EXPERT Travel: 150mm Motor: Specialized 2.1 Battery: Turbo M2-700, 700Wh MSRP: $8,250 READ THE REVIEW TREK RAIL 9.9 Travel: 150mm Motor: Bosch Performance CX However, it could no longer defend its title. What is important here is what is possible, not just what is stated on paper. Shifting is taken care of by a 12-speed Shimano XT drivetrain while SRAM CODE RSC four-piston brakes with 220/200 mm rotors do stopping duties. The bikes with 700+ Wh batteries in this group test all have the same problem: the longer and heavier batteries have a negative impact on handling. - Proprietary motor may be a turnoff for some Find out everything you need to know in our motor group test. Ive also spent some time self-shuttling at my local downhill zone as part of a standardised range test to see how far I could ride on a single battery charge. The other has the new Smart System 2022, which is also based on the Bosch Performance Line CX motor. Our reader survey showed that three brands are particularly interesting and important to you: Specialized, Haibike and CUBE. We are convinced that more than 700 Wh in the tank isnt necessary for a trail all-rounder like the one we are looking for in this test. Clack-clack-clack, bzzz, bzzz youve probably heard it before. The most powerful motors delivers 108 Nm of torque, the weakest just 35 Nm. The Altitude Powerplay Alloy 30 Coil has a better fork and more travel, while the Turbo Levo Alloy has 29 / 27.5 aluminum wheels and better components. the trail performance and quality of the bike. The 750 Wh battery can be removed to the side in typical Trek fashion. Dual bearings are employed in the chainstay pivot for increased stiffness and durability, while external shields are added to all pivot bearings to ward off contaminants. The motor is called Dyname 4.0, and like the frame its had a significant update for 2022. With one exception (Orbea), the bike manufacturers in this test see it the same way. Customized for the Rocky Mountain as the Powerplay 3.0, this motor system is an interesting addition in the fray of electric bike motors. The most controversial segment was and to some degree still is electric mountain bikes (eMTBs for short). How did the individual eMTB in this group test fare? Maybe weve tested it previously, maybe an exciting successor will be introduced this year, or maybe it will soon be available again and end up in one of our next tests. Thats why we invited two bikes from each of these manufacturers to the group test. The cockpit itself shows great attention to detail. An eMTB is more than the sum of its parts and the arms race for metrics like battery size, motor power or suspension travel rarely produces better bikes. This is because the guts of the Dyname 4.0 are spinning at a lower RPM, producing a lower pitch and generally less volume overall. As such, its designed for similarly rowdy riding as the Trek Rail, Specialized Kenevo SL, Giant Reign E+ and Norco Sight VLT. For each bike, we have explored the extremes for you and present the real range of use they are suited to. NEW: Before we get into the review, we would like to tell you about our latest print edition. Belying its 24kg weight, the Altitude Powerplay is remarkably adept at flip-flopping through repeat chicanes and high-speed berms, with a lovely mix of agility and unflappable predictability. As a result, the same motor can feel quite different in two different bikes: this can be due to the suspension kinematics, the geometry, the spec and the integration into the bike, amongst other things. But whats surprised me most about this bike is just how adaptable and enthusiastic it is for all-roundriding. The difference in torque only becomes noticeable on very steep ramps and when starting and accelerating. Rocky is offering the frame in sizes SM-XL. Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Same attributes as our race proven Altitude. Rocky's new Powerplay models have a secret weapon to use on most other large brands competing in the eMTB sphere; their Dyname 4.0 power plant. Bikes come shipped from the factory in position three (also known as neutral), and these are the key numbers it delivers; Adjusting the Ride-4 geometry chip is even quicker than the dropouts, with only a single 5mm hex key required. If your favourite brand isnt included, thats no reason to throw in the towel. If you are prepared to work harder uphill, you will find a bike that really delivers on the way down. But dont look now because things are starting to change. Drailleur AR. A 630 watt-hour battery, Shimano motor and quality components round out this jack of all trails. However, Ive listed the results for the second experiment here, as I feel thats a closer indication of how it compares to the other e-MTBs Ive done this test with, which all had their motor settings maxed out. Thats a hefty amount of riding, and more often that not Id run out of steam well before the battery ran out. When going uphill, the slack seat tube angle (74) positions the rider far over the rear wheel. There is of course huge torque on tap, which becomes apparent the harder you pedal. The Instinct Powerplay Alloy 50 is close to greatness but is held back by its controls and components. This increase in air volume gave me access to more travel, while providing a deeper and floatier feel to the rear suspension, with less bouncing around during seated pedalling an important aspect for an e-MTB. For some of our testers it was just 160 mm! As with recent high pivot bikes weve tested like the Cannondale Jekyll and GT Force, I found this was exacerbated in dusty conditions, so its a good idea to keep the chain clean and well lubricated. Instead of always riding with a large battery capacity and the associated weight, its very practical to be able to increase capacity with an additional external battery, whenever you need greater range. Heres how the Altitude Powerplay faired; Ill admit I was surprised that the Altitude Powerplay managed to clock up over 2,100m of climbing in one hit. The insertion depth of the frame doesnt match the seat post, which means that it cannot be completely lowered into the seat tube. Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Carbon 70. Given its weight, the stocky wheels, dual-ply tyres and sticky-compound Assegai up front, that amount of elevation gain is impressive. These lighter inserts arent necessarily employed for hardcore rim protection, but rather to lock the tyre beads in place to prevent burping. However, due to current production and delivery difficulties, some manufacturers, including Haibike, CUBE and BULLS were unable to provide a bike. Today, eMTBs offer multiple levels of assistance that feel smooth and natural and many employ nearly silent motors. The Altitude Powerplay and Instinct Powerplay will be available this winter from Rocky Mountain dealers. These New Bikes Prove Electric Need Not Be Ugly, There's Nothing Else Like this $2,000 Gravel Bike, The Best Bike Pumps for Every Type of Rider, This Throwback MTB Punches Well Above Its Weight, The Tiny Earbuds Are the Future of Wireless Hi-Fi, The Last-Chance Presidents' Day Furniture Sales, You've Never Heard of 2022's Most-Awarded Whiskey. There are also differences between the individual motors and bikes when it comes to motor noise under full load. Where you can usually win with the fastest time or the most goals, there are many factors that contribute to deciding which bike to buy, and everyone weighs them differently. All bikes in this test: Personally, Im not sure Id want to give up the travel though, especially when the Altitude Powerplay handles as well as it does. 89% of our reader survey participants plan to buy a full suspension bike, and we think thats a very sensible decision. Particularly on the front, better traction outweighs minimally higher rolling resistance. In terms of connectivity and customisability of the motor system, it sets the tone in the test field together with the Specialized S-Works Turbo Kenevo SL. But its clear that the Altitude Powerplay looks a little slack and a little short compared to a bike like the Norco Sight VLT, which has a 78 seat angle and a 455mm rear centre length in the XL size. Specialized realized many riders dont need massive batteries and would rather save weight. A couple of rides in, I removed the single volume spacer out of the Float X2 shock. Despite its reduced torque, the EP8 RS motor provides enough power at high cadences to easily keep up with the standard Shimano or even the current Bosch motor. But beware: on some bikes, the display can also be in the way. After tweaking the air volume in the fork and shock to improve traction and high-speed control, I decided to try out a variety of the Ride-4 geometry settings. As part of our annual reader survey, more than 16,520 E-MOUNTAINBIKERS answered around 90 questions, helping us to make this test as relevant as possible! That is, until you ride them. **** #pandemic #deliverycosts: The massive bike boom and the consequences of coronavirus have resulted in huge challenges for the whole bike industry. Although you dont necessarily need the biggest disc rotors as a 70 kg flyweight, you will still benefit from them. They incorporate new technologies, new motors and in some cases huge batteries that will make the 2022 bike season more exciting than ever. Rocky Mountain Altitude PowerPlay (2018 - 2020, all models) Rocky Mountain Instinct PowerPlay (2019 - 2020, all models) Focus SAM2 (2018-2019, Shimano drive, Novatec & DT Swiss hubs only) Focus JAM2 (2018-2019, Shimano drive, Novatec & DT Swiss hubs only) Giant Trance E+ Pro (2019 - 2020, all models) HI GUYS In this video I'm testing the new 2019 Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Carbon 70.I made a Bikeporn, Bikecheck and a Test, with a lot of footage.Hop. Rocky Mountain's more aggressive and longer travel version of the Instinct Powerplay is designed for riders who want just more travel for a more aggressive riding style. I still wish the Jumbotron had a clock so I could leave my phone tucked away entirely, but otherwise its totally functional, while being unobtrusive enough that it doesnt distract you while riding.
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