Pivot Shuttle, £8,999
This perfectly named Pivot offers to shuttle you across the dirt, courtesy of the mellifluous power amp that is Shimano Steps E8000 pedal assist system. The full-carbon chassis houses a Shimano battery that will keep you going comfortably all day.
Pivot’s CEO, Chris Cocalis, is understandably proud of the patented dw-link – it stops the hefty power-output bouncing the bike through acceleration. Also, it reduces the need for a long chainstay – the Shuttle has the shortest chainstay of any EMTB – great news for pulling those manuals.
Moustache Samedi Race 11, £7,899
French manufacturers, Moustache, opt for a Bosch Performance CX – giving you the highest torque in the Bosch range. Styled as the heavy duty EMTB in Moustache’s range, the Samedi Race 11 is a bike that can handle brutal trails regardless of whether you’re facing up or down the hill.
Moustache also bring a lot of their own components to this bike, including their own shock and a set of carbon wheels tailored to meet the demands the feisty 75 Newton metres of torque will bring to the party.
Thömus Lightrider E1, from £5,892
Only available from Switzerland, it’ll probably work out at around £10,000 depending on how you configure your purchase – and how you plan to get it home. That said, there’s still a lot going for it, not least the DT Swiss Hybrid wheels and Steps E8000 Di2 combo powering the backend.
The geometry is more suited to off-roading than ripping trails, but that doesn’t mean it’s encouraging you to sit back and be lazy. The long reach between the saddle and the handlebars brings the bike to life on the climb – so take note when selecting your handlebar width.
Rocky Mountain Altitude PowerPlay Carbon 70, £5,699
Off-road bike enthusiasts have a tendency to go wherever the hell they want, so MTB designers have a difficult job on their hands to make sure all variety of terrain is catered for. Rocky Mountain may have achieved the impossible with this model.
The tell-tale hump on the bottom-bracket belies the fact that this is an EMTB – but other than that, the Altitude PowerPlay is hard to differentiate from any regular MTB on the market today. So, did they use a Shimano, Yamaha, or Bosch motor to achieve this feat of engineering?
No. Rocky Mountain kept the chainstays, seat angle, head angle, and pivot placement from the non-motorised Altitude. Rather than build the bike around the motor of a third-party company, Rocky Mountain have designed a motor that fits their bike. And doesn’t it show?
Lapierre Overvolt AM729i, £5,386
Lapierre have mastered the art of playing the field – they work well with all third-party component manufacturers and the result is this good value, high performing EMTB.
The “i” tacked onto the model name stands for “integration” – and we love how Lapierre have integrated Shimano’s Snake battery system into the frame. Forget charge anxiety – just have a second battery in the car and swap them out half way through trail-day. That’s innovation.
