trek exe vs pivot shuttle sl

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PIVOT SHUTTLE SL LIGHTWEIGHT ELECTRIC MOUNTAIN BIKE REVIEW – RAISING THE BAR

The lighter side of emtb.

PIVOT SHUTTLE SL LIGHTWEIGHT ELECTRIC MOUNTAIN BIKE REVIEW

After years with a single Shuttle eMTB, Pivot’s eMTB line grows with the introduction of the all-new Shuttle SL and LT models . With a claimed weight of just 36.1 pounds, the Shuttle SL is one of the lightest electric mountain bikes on the market. This full-carbon, lightweight eMTB chassis features 132mm of travel and all-around trail geometry—one could say the Trail 429 and Shuttle had a baby.

DRIVE SYSTEM

The Shuttle SL is an electric mountain bike powered by a Fazua Ride 60 drive unit that delivers 60 N/m of torque and 450 watts of peak power. It has a permanently mounted 430Wh battery. According to Pivot, making the main battery fixed saved over a pound versus making it removable. Fazua claims that the motor weighs 4.3 pounds (1.9 kilograms) and the battery 4.8 pounds (2.2 kilograms). Fazua will also offer a 215Wh range extender that connects to the bottle bosses via a Fidlock bracket that allows for quick swaps between the battery and bottle cage.

Fazua’s top-tube-mounted LED hub shows vital stats, such as battery level and assist mode. It also pops up, revealing a USB-C port to charge things such as smartphones or GPS units. This is also where firmware updates and diagnostics can be accessed via Fazua’s Toolbox Software on a computer. Bluetooth and ANT+ wireless connectivity with other devices also happen through the LED hub.

There are three modes of operation available via the new Ring Control remote handlebar switch: Breeze, River and Rocket, as well as a new Boost function that briefly increases assist to the full 450 N/m. There is also a Walk mode for off-the-bike assist. All of these modes are customizable via the Toolbox computer software. Not yet available during our test period, Fazua will soon offer an app that allows for fully customizable assist modes, too.

The Shuttle SL features a full carbon frame with room for a full-size bottle inside the frame and bosses under the top tube for accessory mounting. Geometry is trail-focused and adjustable via an upper link and seatstay pivot flip chip. The head angle ranges from 65–65.5 degrees, while the seat tube angle is 76–76.5 degrees in small through large, and the XL features a steeper one at 76.8 in low and 77.2 in high. Reach for a size large in low is a roomy but not extreme 478mm. Chainstay lengths are frame-size specific. In the low setting, small and medium have 432mm chainstays, 434mm in size large and 438mm in size extra large.

Pivot will offer the Shuttle SL in four builds, ranging in price from $8,299 for a Ride SLX/XT build, Fox 36 fork and Float X shock to $11,999 for the Team World Cup model with Fox 34 fork, DPS shock, and XTR drivetrain weighing in at a claimed 36.1 pounds. Our test bike is the Team XTR version with Shimano XTR drivetrain, and brakes that are paired to Galfer rotors. Svelte-looking Rotor Ecapic crankarms add to the SL’s slim overall look. Maxxis Dissector tires front and rear are mounted to Reynolds Blacklabel 309/289 XC wheels, featuring Industry Nine’s Hydra hubs. Pivot’s Phoenix cockpit components and a Fox Transfer seatpost round out the high-end build.

Like all of its full-suspension bikes, Pivot utilizes the dw-link suspension design for the Shuttle SL’s 132mm of rear wheel travel. It is paired with a Fox Float X shock on all models except for the World Cup which sees a lighter DPS shock. The World Cup build also sees a lighter 140mm travel Fox Factory 34 fork instead of the other model’s 150mm-travel Fox 36.

The Shuttle SL may just be one of the best climbing mountain bikes we have ever been on. Smooth and fast or steep and technical, this bike flew right up everything in sight. The Pivot’s high power-to-weight ratio makes the gap between it and many full-power bikes smaller than one would think. With so little motor friction, light overall bike weight and efficient-feeling suspension, it was not uncommon for some testers to ride the bike with the assist off. Fazua claims about 5 N/m of measured resistance from the motor system with it off. It feels a lot like a Pinion gearbox in terms of energy loss, so in other words, not very much.

Power is smooth and natural-feeling overall but with a strong punchy nature to it. Even the lowest Breeze mode has some impressive power to it in the standard tune configuration. Both on paper and on the trail, Rocket mode is not all that far off of some full-powered eMTBs. The 10-second Boost mode really narrows that gap. In fact, we were able to scale steep and technical climbs that give a few full-powered bikes trouble by utilizing the Boost mode in key situations. The range is also better than we expected with two- to three-hour rides ending with plenty of battery left in most cases.

Another positive trait to the Fazua Ride 60 system is its heat resistance. It never faded on long, steep climbs that made others go into lower output modes. It’s also worth noting that we absolutely love the Ring Control remote. Turning on the bike and switching between modes can happen without looking down or reaching your thumb very far. Every electric mountain bike should come with something like this. This is a very quiet motor and bicycle overall, too. There is very little in the way of noise or vibration in the lower modes and just a bit in Rocket mode.

Handling and overall bike feel is extraordinary for an electric mountain bike. It’s light and nimble feeling compared to its full-powered cousins. The bike comes standard in the low geometry setting, and that’s where we kept it. With 132mm of rear and 150mm of front travel, capability on the trail is right at the middle of the trail category, maybe flirting with all-mountain in some situations. It’s eager to play and pops off of trailside features while seemingly punching above its class in the rough.

Maxxis Dissector tires impressed us both with their lack of rolling resistance and overall traction. Cornering is intuitive and planted with a quick, light feel that’s eager to change direction compared to heavier models. It also slows noticeably faster under hard braking conditions. Ten-plus pounds of weight missing from an eMTB like this makes a very big difference on overall handling on descents of all kinds.

SHUTTLE SL VERSUS TREK FUEL EXE

With the Trek Fuel EXe being so awesome and close to the Shuttle SL in every metric, we couldn’t help but compare it to the bike we still had on hand. Weight-wise, the Shuttle wins, coming in at 1.7 pounds lighter than the Trek. Power-wise, the Shuttle takes it, not only on paper with 10 N/m more of torque but also out on the trail with a punchy and aggressive delivery compared to the Trek’s soft-feeling initial power roll-out. In terms of battery, the Pivot comes out on top again with 70 Wh more capacity. With similar travel and geo numbers, both bikes are very good all-around trail bikes in a wide variety of situations. Motor noise is incredibly quiet on both, so we’d call this one a draw. The only place where Trek has an advantage is in its awesome display that’s cleanly mounted to the top tube; we prefer actual numbers over the simple LED lights on the Fazua hub.

BOTTOM LINE

Few categories are evolving as quickly or as impressively as the mid-powered lightweight eMTB sector . These bikes are getting lighter, slimmer, more powerful and increasingly capable with every iteration. Pivot’s Shuttle SL takes the bar and bumps it up a few more notches. It is the closest any eMTB has felt to a regular mountain bike, making it not just futuristic but the most impressive lightweight, mid-powered eMTB we have ridden to date.

PIVOT SHUTTLE SL TEAM XTR

www.pivotcycles.com

CATEGORY: Lightweight eMTB

WHEEL SIZE: 29″

SUSPENSION:  150mm (front), 132mm (rear)

Price: $12,999

Weight: 39.8 pounds (without pedals)

Sizes: S, M, L (tested), XL

Head tube angle: 65–65.5°

Effective seat tube angle: 76–76.5°

Reach: 482–478mm ( 19–18.8”)

Bottom bracket height: 352–347mm (13.9–13.7”)

Chainstay length: 430–432mm (17.1–16.9”)

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TOMAC TUESDAY

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Pivot Shuttle SL 29 Team XTR eMTB review

• Alan Muldoon
• June 1, 2023

A lightweight, mid-powered e-bike with no range anxiety? Sounds good...

Product Overview

Overall rating:, pivot shuttle sl 29 team xtr.

• Very dynamic handling. Low resistance, high power Fazua motor feels great on or off. Integrated 430Wh battery boosts range. Shimano XTR drivetrain and brakes reduces weight without compromising performance. Sag indicator is really useful. Boost mode is a total blast.
• EXO casing tyres are too thin for a bike this capable. Can’t remove the battery for charging. Slight delay in the motor when reengaging after overrun is complete. Handlebar mounted controller feels fragile.

Manufacturer:

Price as reviewed:.

Lightweight, mid-power e-bikes are the hot ticket right now, and none are coming in hotter than the new Shuttle SL from Pivot. Based on a 29er trail bike platform that delivers 132mm of travel, the Shuttle SL isn’t just another self-service uplift e-bike… but is it one of the best electric mountain bikes out there?

The answer is a resounding yes, with this bike taking the title of MBR Lightweight Electric Mountain Bike of the Year 2023.

If you’re interested in this, you’ll also want to take a look at these:

• Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo SL 
• Forestal Cyon Halo
• Trek Fuel Exe 9.9 XX1 AXS

Pivot Shuttle SL need to know

• 29er e-trail bike with 132mm travel that weighs 18.47kg
• Designed around the Fazua Ride 60 motor with 60Nm torque and 450W peak power

Integrated Fazua 430Wh battery helps reduce range anxiety

• Shimano XTR drivetrain and four-piston brakes offer ultimate control
• Flip-chip in the rocker link pivot provides two geometry settings
• Entry-level Shuttle SL 29 Ride SLX/XT costs £9,500

No one can accuse Pivot of jumping on the lightweight e-bike bandwagon. When it launched its first Shuttle e-bike back in 2017, it was a 140mm travel carbon ripper with DW-Link suspension, a Shimano E8000 motor, 500Wh battery, Di2 electronic shifting and a build kit that delivered an impressive 19.95kg package. 

So six years on, what’s changed? In short, everything. The SL version is a completely different bike. Built around the new Fazua Ride 60 motor (1.96kg) and corresponding 430Wh integrated battery (2.2kg), the Shuttle SL has the best range in this test without needing a range extender. So almost overnight Fazua has gone from being the kid at the back of the e-bike bus that smoked fags on his lunch break, to becoming an all-star player that all the cheerleaders want to date. 

Extra battery capacity comes at cost though, mostly in weight, but at 18.47kg, with our EXO+ casing Maxxis control tyres fitted, the Pivot Shuttle SL is still the second lightest bike in test. The motor is really quiet too, which just adds to the whole natural ride feel of the bike. 

Simple top tube display uses colours to denote power mode, and number of lights to show battery life remaining. Lift up the front and there’s a hidden USB port for charging devices such as phones.

Fazua’s handlebar mounted Ring Control is very intuitive in use, and while it feels fragile, it works like a charm. The LED Hub battery/power indicator on the top tube uses a traffic light system for the three power modes. In Breeze the max power is 120W, River delivers 280W and Rocket peaks at 350W. There’s also a fourth Boost mode. Hold the control button up for two seconds and no matter which mode you’re in you get a peak power delivery of 450W that’s sustained for 12 seconds. Use it too often however, and it will burn through your battery like a wildfire. There’s also a USB-C port tucked under the LED Hub for charging accessories. 

Hold the control button up for two seconds and no matter which mode you’re in you get a peak power delivery of 450W that’s sustained for 12 seconds.

Ring controller is instinctive to use but could be more robust.

Some things remain unchanged however. The rear hub spacing is still Super Boost Plus 157mm, but by manipulating the position of the pivots in the front triangle, Pivot has been able to introduce small changes in the chainstay lengths with the same swingarm across all four frame sizes. On the S and M the rear ends measure 430mm, on the size L it grows to 432mm and XL gets 436mm. They are all short rear ends then but they are paired with generous reach numbers, our size L test bike measuring 480mm on the money. 

DW-Link rear suspension delivers 132mm travel – 10mm less than the Switchblade

Six years on and Fox is still Pivot’s preferred suspension supplier, the Shuttle SL 29 Team XTR equipped with a Factory level Float X shock and 36 Float fork. The 150mm travel 36 fork uses the e-bike tuned Grip 2 damper that has less low-speed and more high-speed compression damping than the standard Fox 36 fork on the Specialized Levo SL. As such, it’s not quite as plush or as supportive. 

Asymmetric seat stay pivot hardware offers high and low geometry settings

Still, with the DW-Link rear suspension capped at 132mm travel, and being quite progressive in nature, the bike actually feels very balanced, especially when running the fork with more air pressure to make it ride a little higher. The shock tune also is very light, so if you run the rebound damping too fast, you’ll notice a slight top out clunk on really choppy terrain. Still, it’s nice for once, not to have to run all of the dials wide open, and still find that the shock doesn’t return fast enough. 

Shimano XTR drivetrain is a rare sight on high end models these days as SRAM’s AXS dominates the sphere.

And Shimano is still Pivot’s preferred drivetrain supplier, where XTR 12 speed  helps Pivot hit that target weight without compromising on gear range – the XTR cassette delivering a 10-51t range, in smooth even increments. No additional batteries required. The Fazus Rode 60 motor uses an open source ETRO crank interface, and Rotor supplies the 165mm alloy crank arms on the Shuttle SL. Freehub engagement on the carbon Reynolds wheelset is lighting fast so the bike feels really rapid and quick to react to pedal inputs, which just enhances the altogether snappy ride feel. The motor also has overrun, which makes awkward, stop-start climbs that much more manageable.

Reynolds Blacklabel 309/289 XC Carbon wheels have front (30mm) and rear 28mm) rim widths, but EXO casing tyres might be too weedy for hard hitting riders.

We’ve had mixed experiences with Shimano XTR brakes. On the Canyon Spectral:On CFR, for example, they felt amazing with the Shimano Ice Tech Freeza rotors. On the Pivot, the 4-piston callipers are paired with Galfer 6-bolt rotors and they seem to have less power and more dead lever travel. So like most things Shimano, it’s probably best to keep it in the family. 

Neat integrated chainstay protection.

All of the contact points on the Shuttle SL are dialled though. The Phoenix carbon bar has a nice profile, the WTB saddle is comfy and even the Pivot lock-on grips are nice and soft. Upgrading the stock Maxxis Dissector tyres for something with a little more meat made a big difference to the overall ride quality of the bike, so that’s one upgrade we’d really recommend before punching holes in the stock EXO casing rubber. 

The Pivot is more playful than a litter of puppies.

Performance

When we published the first ride on the Shuttle SL, we mentioned that the Fazua Ride 60 Motor had a slight delay in pick up once the overrun had run its course. Well, Fazua’s latest firmware update eliminated that. We also said that the Pivot Shuttle SL was the first lightweight e-bike where the very first question wasn’t “when is the range extender available?” 

Climbing power is generous and yet the range is out in front of its competitors.

Now that we have performed our various range tests, it’s pretty clear why. The Pivot literally blows the door clean off the Forestal in range, leaving the Trek limping behind in the distance, where only the Specialized with its range extender can exceed the miles accrued on the Pivot. The motor is smooth and efficient too, Fazua claiming that the losses in the system are as low as 4 watts. It also claims that the motor decouples from the bottom bracket axle when pedalling above the speed limit or when the motor is switched off, improving efficiency further.

You couldn’t ask for a more agile e-bike, even if the lack of travel can make things a bit frisky at times.

So there’s no questioning the Shuttle SL’s staying power, but how does it handle? The tight rear end and support from the DW-Link suspension make it great for snapping in and out of tight turns, but the flip side is the bike also gets deflected off line easier when traversing slippery off camber roots or navigating nasty rock gardens. Basically you get more feedback from the trail, so while that makes it a really exciting and engaging ride, it’s also more fatiguing. Something worth considering given how good the range is with the 430Wh battery.

Get the Shuttle SL on more flowy, pumpy terrain and it is a total rocket ship, primed for take off

The short rear end also makes the bike feel slightly smaller than the generous reach suggests, and to compensate for the more rearward weight bias, we found ourselves shuffling our feet forward on our flat pedals a touch to better load the front end. Rolling the bar forward and softening up the fork a little really helped in the department too. Get the Shuttle SL on more flowy, pumpy terrain and it is a total rocket ship, primed for take off. You can literally go to the moon on jumps.

The Shuttle SL heads into orbit.

E-bike comparison chart

For our power-hour challenge, we put all four bikes in max power mode, be that boost, Rocket, level 3 or Nitro. We then rode the same test loop where the bikes were fitted with the same tyres, ridden in the same conditions, by the same rider. The results were surprisingly different though.  The loop consisted of one steep technical climb, two fireroad climbs and a few Tarmac climbs, depending on the bike. We recorded time and elevation to limp mode, typically 10% battery life, then rode until the lights went out. 

Probably the most telling metric of all is the number of trails ridden. On the Pivot shuttle SL we completed 7 descents, which is almost double that of the Forestal. We also used the estimated calorie burn as a proxy for effort, where the calories burned per metre for elevation gives a good indication of rider input on each bike. The Specialized Levo SL required the most rider input, the Forestal Cyon the least.

Pivot Shuttle SL V Levo SL V Forestal V Trek Fuel EXe range comparison

Lightweight Electric Mountain Bike of the Year – verdict

Pivot was exceptionally quick to market with the Shuttle SL when Fazua launched its latest Ride 60 motor system, beating several big name brands in the process. Why the rush? Well the Fazua system uses a 1.96kg motor allied to a relatively large 430Wh battery to give 60Nm of torque and up to 450W of peak power in short bursts. Yes, the Ride 60 promises power and range in a single neat plug-in package, making it an attractive solution for designers and consumers alike. It’s got plenty of power, a free-revving motor that encourages you to pedal above the limiter, and in our range test it chalked up an impressive 1,080m of climbing in max power mode before the lights went out. 

You’ll want to drain every drop from the battery too, as the Shuttle SL is great fun to ride on smooth, flowing trails where the short travel doesn’t get overwhelmed. You’ll need to be on top of your game to wrangle it on rough tracks, but the geometry is totally up to the job if you’ve got the skills. It’s mega expensive, and arguably would be more versatile with a bit more travel, but it’s still an excellent mid-powered package.

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As an out and out trail bike, the Pivot Shuttle SL delivers the goods. The Fazua Ride 60 motor is quiet, smooth and efficient too, so it offers a very natural ride feel and thanks to the 430Wh internal battery it has an impressive range. In fact, the limiting factor here, other than the EXO casing tyres, is the 132mm rear travel. It’s just not enough for how fast this bike can be ridden. Skilled riders will be able to ride around that single fault, even relish it, but if you’re looking for one bike to tackle all situations, the Shuttle SL may come up a little short.

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. How we test gear.

Superlight e-Mountain Bike Super Shootout

Our senior test editor rode and reviewed four high-end superlight electric mountain bikes from Specialized, Trek, Santa Cruz, and Pivot to uncover which offers the best performance on the trail.

The Contenders

The testing, motor system details, more superlight e-bike considerations.

E-bikes are the most rapidly evolving category in cycling. While an electric bike is still very much a bicycle, they are also part smart device. And regardless of your cycling experience, everyone has witnessed how quickly battery-powered electronic devices evolve.

The superlight category is the latest trend to hit e-mountain bikes. Superlight e-bikes sacrifice some motor power for a lighter overall package. While “less” initially may not seem attractive for an electric assist mountain bike, its subtleness results in a ride experience that is noticeably distinct from a full-power e-bike. Superlight e-bikes are lighter weight, ride livelier, easier to handle, and feel almost like an unpowered e-bike. And that makes superlight electric bikes compelling to riders put off by the beastly feel of heavier and more powerful e-bikes.

I spent my entire professional career as a cycling technical editor. For over 25 years, I have tested and reviewed bicycles and cycling equipment, and I can now call myself one of the longest-serving and most experienced tech editors in all of cycling. Previous to my career as a cycling journalist, I worked in bike shops as a salesperson and service manager.

That knowledge and experience are used in this test to help teach you more about this growing category and help you find the best superlight e-bike.

What Are Superlight E-Bikes?

Superlight, SL, e-light, low-power, and light e-MTB are some monikers applied to this category with nebulous and ever-changing definitions. But categories with nebulous and ever-changing definitions are a bike-industry specialty—so, no surprise.

Essentially, a bike in the superlight e-mountain category has a less powerful motor and smaller battery than a “full-power” e-mountain bike. While the latter might have a motor that kicks out 85Nm of torque and a 900Wh battery, an SL e-bike has a motor that puts out 50Nm of torque and carries a 320Wh battery.

A smaller-capacity battery has a smaller size and is lighter weight, and most less powerful SL motors are smaller and lighter than full-power motors. As a result, the superlight e-mountain bikes in this roundup weigh around 40 pounds—10 or so pounds lighter than a full-power e-bike—and boast more discreet looks, too.

I’m here to vehemently disabuse the notion that cutting weight on an electric-assist bike makes little difference. Weight plays a massive role in how the bikes handle and feel on the trail. An e-light bike handles much more like an unpowered mountain bike. Lightweight e-MTBs are more flickable and poppy and are easier to steer and control than a heavier full-power e-bike. And this is especially true for lighter and less powerful riders.

Smaller batteries do not necessarily mean shorter run times because a less powerful motor consumes less energy. Compared to full-power e-bikes with 630Wh batteries, for example, these SL bikes offer similar play times. And smaller batteries typically charge faster than larger batteries. The bikes in this review boast claimed charge times of 3.5 hours or less.

However, a full power bike, especially on climbs, will get you to the places faster—perhaps much faster—than an SL bike. And with their ever-bigger batteries — some full-power e-bikes carry massive 900 or 1,000 Wh batteries — some full-power e-bikes can offer notably more laps, elevation, or distance than an SL bike.

Although they have smaller batteries and less powerful motors, SL e-bikes are not less expensive than full-power ones. And that leaves many riders asking, “Why pay the same for less power, less speed, and (potentially) less range?” It all comes down to the ride experience.

Full-power e-bikes are fast and powerful, but they are also heavy. And (currently) the ride experience is less refined than the experience of riding an SL e-MTB. The large and heavy batteries (and the extra power from a full-power motor) require a stout frame and heavier-duty components. And even though most full-power e-mountain bikes have generous suspension travel (typically 160mm or more), they’re still (at this point in their evolution) somewhat brutish on the trail—Harsh riding and a bit numb feeling, too.

An SL e-bike, in contrast, feels more compliant, agile, and precise. While a full-power e-bike is somewhat of a blunt instrument, a SL e-bike is lithe and graceful.

Over the long term, an SL bike might be less expensive to keep running. The generous torque of a full-power e-bike accelerates wear on the chain, cassette, and chainring, and the extra weight puts additional strain on the disc brake rotors and pads. An SL’s lower power motor theoretically extends the life of these wear-items.

This roundup came about somewhat organically. It just happened that four brands released SL e-bikes in a short enough window that all of the bikes ended up in my garage simultaneously. So why not put them head to head?

All of these bikes are readily available through online retailers or bike shops. Three of these bikes arrived in top-of-the-line trim, while Santa Cruz sent a “mid-range” build (though it still costs nearly ten thousand dollars). However, each of the four is offered in additional builds. So you have alternatives if you like a particular bike but fancy different parts or a different price.

Pivot Shuttle SL Team XTR

Santa Cruz Heckler SL GX AXS Carbon C

Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo SL

Trek Fuel EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS

Each superlight electric mountain bike features a motor with 50 to 60 Newton meters (Nm) of maximum torque (full-power e-bike motors put out 85 Nm or more) and a carbon fiber full suspension frame. Before ride testing, I built and weighed all of the bikes myself. Building the bikes allowed me to compare the bikes’ build quality and components in detail.

For riding evaluation, I spent many hours riding each bike on the diverse trail systems around my home in southwestern Colorado. These are the same trails where I regularly ride and test full-power e-bikes and unpowered mountain bikes.

I then put each bike through three timed tests to evaluate its range, downhill prowess, and overall performance. The tests also provided a holistic picture of its performance on a ride with climbing and descending. Full details about the three tests are provided below.

Pivot Shuttle SL

Precision and finesse.

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PRICE AS TESTED- $13,000 (Team XTR)

BASE BUILD-  $9,000 (Ride SLX/XT) 

TOP-OF-THE-LINE BUILD-  $13,200 (World Cup XTR) 

SIZES OFFERED- SM, MD, L, XL

WEIGHT AS TESTED- 39.5 lb. (medium)

MOTOR- Fazua Ride 60

MAXIMUM TORQUE (NEWTON METERS)- 60

MAXIMUM ASSIST (WATTS)- 450

NUMBER OF ASSIST MODES-  three plus Boost

USER TUNABLE ASSIST MODES- yes

FIRMWARE UPDATES BY USER- smartphone & desktop app

BATTERY SIZE (WATT HOURS)- 430

CLAIMED CHARGE TIME IN HOURS- 3.5 (0-100%)

OPTIONAL RANGE EXTENDER- Yes, 200 Wh

RANGE EXTENDER PRICE- TBA

QUICK CHANGE IN-FRAME BATTERY- no

ADJUSTABLE GEOMETRY- yes, flip chip

STOCK REAR WHEEL SIZE- 29"

OPTIONAL REAR WHEEL SIZE- 27.5"

MAX REAR TIRE WIDTH (INCH)- 2.4

FORK TRAVEL (MM)- 150

REAR TRAVEL(MM)- 132

MAXIMUM RECOMMENDED FORK TRAVEL- 160

COIL-OVER SHOCK COMPATIBLE- Yes

CARGO MOUNT- Yes, under top tube

RANGE TEST RESULTS [DISTANCE (mi), ASCENT (feet), TIME (min), AVG SPEED (mph)]-  12.62, 3,313, 59:51, 12.7

DOWNHILL RUN TIME (minutes)- 2:59

TRAIL RIDE TIME (minutes)- 34:15

Pivot’s Shuttle SL is the shortest travel bike of this bunch, the second lightest of the group. It was the first bike to offer the Fazua Ride 60 system. I first rode the Shuttle SL at the press launch for it and the Shuttle LT in September 2022 . But some firmware annoyances at the launch prevented me from getting a full picture of the bike. I didn’t want to write a long-term review of the bike until the firmware was fully baked. The issues are resolved, and the bikes are shipping with the updated software.

The Shuttle SL feels very sharp and easily changes direction. This feeling is likely attributed to a few key details. To start, the Shuttle SL has the least travel, the steepest head tube angle, and the highest bottom bracket of the bikes in this group. It also has dw-Link rear suspension, which is well regarded for its efficient ride characteristics.

Another detail to note is the Pivot’s generous cockpit proportions—it has the longest reach and longest effective top tube of the group—which is coupled with what feels to me (and at my saddle height) like the slackest effective seat tube angle of the group. It results in a riding position that’s more laid out and cross-country-like than any other bike in this test, and one that works well for riding longer distances across diverse terrain.

But you’ll also note that the Pivot has a generously long wheelbase—second only to the Santa Cruz—despite being tied for the shortest chainstays and having the steepest head angle.

While it seems a somewhat curious mix of old and new school geometry, it works on the trail as the Pivot hangs with the longer travel, newer-school geo bikes. But getting the most out of the bike requires a touch more attention and precision than the others.

I know some might read that as a negative, but it isn’t to me. I tend to prefer snappier, quicker-feeling bikes that respond to a lighter touch on the bars. And that certainly describes the Shuttle SL. I also think this character suits a bike in this Superlight e-MTB category where lighter, livelier, and more responsive are the reasons for sacrificing motor power. But I also recognize the Pivot’s XC-adjacent feel and riding position isn’t for everyone.

Although I did find the seat angle slightly too slack for my preferences, I’m calling the Pivot the best climbing bike in this group. As the trail pitches up and the higher front wheel shortens the cockpit, the Shuttle SL’s long reach and top tube offer a comfortable position for extended climbs. Not only does the Pivot have the advantage of the most powerful motor, but it also has its superbly efficient dw-Link suspension which offers excellent support and enough sensitivity to ensure there is always rear wheel traction available. Also helping is the 29-inch rear wheel; it helped the Pivot clamber up and over bigger square edge bumps with more grace, and found more traction on loose surfaces, than the 27.5-inch rear wheel on the Santa Cruz with the same motor.

The Pivot can descend well too—but only if you respect its character and not if you want something that behaves like it is on autopilot. Though again, I think there’s a bit of an intentional tradeoff for a bike that’s more up/down balanced than any other bike in this group. For example: Forgoing a MaxxGrip front tire and running super light Galfer rotors (and a 180mm in the rear to boot—all of the others have 200mm rear and heavier duty rotors), definitely hamper the Shuttle SL’s pure descending performance, but they pay off in other situations.

• Maxxis EXO + rear tire: Some extra flat protection is always welcome.

• Cargo mount: A handy and secure place to mount a tool, cargo plate, or inline pump holder.

• At 175mm travel, the Pivot had the longest-travel dropper of this quartet.

• Seat angle: I’m as surprised as anyone to be saying this, but I found the Pivot’s seat angle to be a bit too slack. It’s advertised as an effective 76, but at my saddle height (730mm) I felt more behind the pedals on this bike than the others and had to slam the saddle forward on the rails.

• 157mm “Super Boost Plus” rear spacing: On paper, this is supposed to have many advantages over 148mm rear spacing. But many years into this standard, it’s still not widely adopted, and the advantages don’t seem so great in the real world. 157 offers fewer rear wheel options and a harder rear wheel to replace in a pinch. These are tradeoffs that don’t seem worthwhile.

Santa Cruz Heckler SL

The life of the party, santa cruz heckler sl gx.

Santa Cruz Heckler SL Details click arrow on left to open/close

PRICE AS TESTED- $9,700 (GX AXS Carbon C)

BASE BUILD- $7,300 (R | Carbon C)

TOP-OF-THE-LINE BUILD- $13,000 (XX AXS RSV | Carbon CC)

SIZES OFFERED- SM, MD, L, XL, XXL

WEIGHT AS TESTED- 42.3 lb. (medium)

NUMBER OF ASSIST MODES- three plus Boost

STOCK REAR WHEEL SIZE- 27.5"

OPTIONAL REAR WHEEL SIZE- N/A

MAX REAR TIRE WIDTH (INCH)- 2.6

FORK TRAVEL (MM) - 160

REAR TRAVEL  (MM) - 150

MAXIMUM RECOMMENDED FORK TRAVEL- 170

CARGO MOUNT- no

RANGE TEST RESULTS [DISTANCE (mi), ASCENT (feet), TIME (min), AVG SPEED (mph)]- 11.63, 3,133, 56:33, 12.3

DOWNHILL RUN TIME (minutes)- 2:54

TRAIL RIDE TIME (minutes)- 33:42

The youngest member of this group, and the last to arrive in my garage, is the Santa Cruz Heckler SL . It uses the same Fazua system as the Pivot but with more suspension travel, and a dedicated mixed-wheel platform.

I’ve written before about the futility of trying to reverse engineer why some bikes feel more “fun” than others. But it is inescapable that some bikes have a combination of traits that makes you want to do big skids and pop off every little lip on the side of the trail. And that’s the Heckler SL: It’s all about having a great time.

Fun bikes aren’t necessarily any faster than bikes that don’t have the gene. I’ve often found that my segment times are on the slower end of the table when I’m on a fun bike. But occasionally, I come across a bike that is both fast and fun. The Heckler SL is one of those rare birds.

The Santa Cruz is the only bike in the test with a 27.5-inch-wheel-only rear end (the others fit both wheel sizes) and has the longest chainstays of this group. While the handling feel is not as immediate as the Pivot, the dedicated mixed-wheel (29” front and 27.5” rear) Heckler SL is still a bright and poppy bike on the trail, and surprisingly even at slower speeds and on flatter terrain. I say surprisingly because it has the slackest head angle and the longest chainstays, which often are hints that a bike will be more languid until put onto a steep descent.

While the Heckler is lively and a willing partner for playing on the trails, it’s also devastatingly effective when you shift your focus and attack trails. This bike is as fast as it is capable and handles spicy terrain better than any other bike in this group.

I don’t know what the secret sauce is here, but the Heckler SL is on a very short list of bikes that was as pleasant to ride on a casual recovery ride as it was competent when pushed to its (and my) utmost limits.

• Maxxis MaxxGrip front tire: It probably cuts into the battery range somewhat, but the extra confidence and control everywhere else is more than worth it.

• Maxxis EXO + rear tire: A bit of extra flat protection is always welcome

• No 29” rear wheel option: I can’t say if Heckler SL would be a better or worse bike with a 29-inch rear wheel. However, riders should have the option to run one if they want.

• Setting sag: The cutout in the frame helps a little, but it is still freaking tough to read shock sag on Santa Cruz’s bikes with a lower-link-actuated shock.

Specialized Levo SL

The epitome of refinement.

Specialized Levo SL Details click arrow on left to open/close

PRICE AS TESTED- $14,000 (S-Works)

BASE BUILD- $8,000 (Turbo Levo SL Comp Carbon)

TOP-OF-THE-LINE BUILD- $15,000 (S-Works Turbo Levo SL LTD)

SIZES OFFERED- S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6

WEIGHT AS TESTED- 38.9 lb. (S3)

MOTOR- Specialized Turbo SL 1.2

MAXIMUM TORQUE (NEWTON METERS)- 50

MAXIMUM ASSIST (WATTS)- 320

NUMBER OF ASSIST MODES- three plus Micro Adjust

FIRMWARE UPDATES BY USER- smartphone app

BATTERY SIZE (WATT HOURS)- 320

CLAIMED CHARGE TIME IN HOURS- 2.6 (3-100%)

OPTIONAL RANGE EXTENDER- Yes, 160 Wh (included w/S-Works)

RANGE EXTENDER PRICE- $ 450

ADJUSTABLE GEOMETRY- yes: flip chips (chainstay and rear shock eyelet) and headset cups

 STOCK REAR WHEEL SIZE- 27.5"

OPTIONAL REAR WHEEL SIZE- 29"

FORK TRAVEL(MM)- 160

REAR TRAVEL(MM)- 150

RANGE TEST RESULTS [DISTANCE (mi), ASCENT (feet), TIME (min), AVG SPEED (mph)]- 9.25, 2,653, 50:47, 10.9

TRAIL RIDE TIME (minutes)- 37:14

The first generation Specialized Levo SL debuted in February 2020 and was one of the first bikes to embrace the light e-MTB concept. The second generation arrived in May 2023 with an upgraded in-frame display and a more powerful and quieter motor.

One thing that sets the Levo SL, and all of Specialized’s e-bikes, apart from most other brands’ bikes is how much of the system is designed in-house. The other bicycle brands in this test have little say or control over the e-bike system. They get a pre-baked system (motor, battery, display, remote, controller, software) from a supplier and integrate it into their frame.

Specialized brings a lot of the development, design, and tuning of the e-bike system’s components in-house. True they don’t own the manufacturing of the e-bike components—the Levo SL’s motor, for example, is made by Mahle—but, more than almost any other bicycle brand, the Specialized e-bike system is unique to the brand.

Perhaps that’s why the Levo SL has the most cohesive and feature-rich system of this group of bikes. From the beautiful (and highly customizable) in-frame color display, to the powerful companion app, to the power delivery from the motor—by far the smoothest and most consistent of the group—the Specialized offers the most refined experience.

One bonus to the top-of-the-line S-Works model tested here is Specialized’s 160 Wh range extender is included with the bike (it’s a $450 aftermarket purchase for other Levo SL models). That bumps total battery capacity up to 480 Wh; it is the highest capacity in this test, although when you have the range extender on the bike you lose your water bottle mount.

You can, in theory, get range extenders for the other bikes also. Although TQ’s range extender is available (160 Wh, $510), the long-promised 200 Wh extender (Price TBA) for the Fazua system is still vaporware.

The impressive features don’t end with the e-bike system. The Levo also has extensive geometry adjustments (chainstay chips, offset shock mount in the clevis, headset cups) to customize its handling. Plus, the Specialized is offered in more sizes than any bike in this group. It’s also (by more than a half-pound) the lightest bike in this test, sneaking in just under the 39-pound mark.

While I have a quibble with the Levo’s shortish reach—it’s almost a centimeter shorter than the next shortest bike in this group—it is, as I said in my first-look review, a brilliant handling bike. Those superb handling traits aren’t just because of what is considered the traditional influence on handling (geometry) but also because of the way the chassis flexes and doesn’t flex, and the Levo SL’s excellent rear suspension tune: Which I think is one of Specialized’s best efforts in years.

It's hard to knock a bike this good, but there’s the shortish riding position as I mentioned, and the motor seems less punchy than its 50 Nm of torque and 320 watts of maximum assist hints at. A minor complaint I have is the layout of the frame doesn’t leave a good space to strap a flat repair kit.

Considering the complete package of the Levo SL’s full suspension mountain bike frame and e-bike system, it’s hard not to be overwhelmingly impressed with the refinement and user experience provided by this bike.

• Lots of geometry adjustments: With three in-frame geometry adjustment tools—chainstay flip chips, clevis flip chips, offset headset cups—Specialized offers riders several tools to fine-tune the Levo SL’s character to their terrain. No bike here can assume a greater variety of handling characteristics.

• Range extender included: The pricy S-Works model comes with Specialized’s 160Wh range extender, providing 50% more battery when needed.

• Six frame sizes: Specialized offers the broadest size range of this group. More sizes mean more riders get the fit they want.

• Good tires. They may not be Maxxis, but the Specialized GRID Trail casings are decently tough, and the sticky T9 compound front tire is a welcome feature.

• Loudest motor: It’s quieter than the SL 1.1 motor, but the SL 1.2 is still louder than the competition.

• Reach: Comparatively short for a “medium” sized bike.

Trek Fuel EX-e

The quiet one.

Trek Fuel EXe Details click arrow on left to open/close

PRICE AS TESTED- $14,000 (9.9 XX1 AXS)

BASE BUILD- $5,500 (Fuel EXe 5)

TOP-OF-THE-LINE BUILD- $14,000 (Fuel EXe XX AXS T-Type)

WEIGHT AS TESTED- 40.8 lb. (medium)

MOTOR- TQ HPR 50

MAXIMUM ASSIST (WATTS)- 300

NUMBER OF ASSIST MODES- three

FIRMWARE UPDATES BY USER-  no; dealer only

BATTERY SIZE (WATT HOURS)- 360

CLAIMED CHARGE TIME IN HOURS- 2.0 (0-80%)

OPTIONAL RANGE EXTENDER- Yes, 160 Wh

RANGE EXTENDER PRICE-  $510

QUICK CHANGE IN-FRAME BATTERY- Yes

ADJUSTABLE GEOMETRY- Yes, flip chip

MAX REAR TIRE WIDTH (INCH)- 2.5

REAR TRAVEL  (MM) - 140

RANGE TEST RESULTS [DISTANCE (mi), ASCENT (feet), TIME (min), AVG SPEED (mph)]- 8.14, 2,309, 44:22, 11.0

DOWNHILL RUN TIME (minutes)- 3:09

TRAIL RIDE TIME  (minutes) - 34:00

The Trek Fuel EXe is the “oldest” e-bike of this group and the model I’ve ridden the longest. When it arrived, it was a revelation. The Trek is ultra-discreet—it has a normal mountain bike profile and a whisper-quiet TQ HPR 50 motor.

But the arrival of the Fazua Ride 60 and updated Specialized Turbo SL motors slightly diminished the EXe’s initial glow. What was once a revelation with few peers now finds itself in a very tough fight. But that’s how it goes when a bike is part smartphone—What was class-leading one day can be shuffled down the order with shocking speed.

Even so, the EXe and its TQ system are still the pinnacle of quiet operation with the motor being barely audible on the trail. You may say to yourself, “Big deal. Why does that matter?” Well, after riding a lot of e-bikes, I still find that a quieter motor is an enormously valuable trait. It simply makes for a more pleasant riding experience. So much that I’d sacrifice many other attributes to ride a motor as quiet as the TQ.

The other category TQ still tops is motor size: It’s still the most compact motor and the battery is also slim. Both are so diminutive that they barely impact the profile of the bike. By comparison, the Specialized motor looks like a carbuncle, while the hockey stick-like bends at the bottom bracket and the wide downtubes of the Fazua bikes look inelegant.

In many ways, this is the quietest bike of the bunch, and I’m not just speaking of the motor. The EXe does not have the boutique essence of the Pivot, the cool kid vibe of the Santa Cruz, or the Specializedness of the Levo SL. There’s an understated simplicity to the Trek—it runs a single-pivot rear suspension when the rest are dual-pivot, for example. But I also think this bike is a bit of a sleeper with the power to shock riders with just how good it is.

A lot of that comes down to a great chassis. From the geometry to the riding position, to its suspension performance, the EXe is dialed . And that results in a bike that’s intuitive and consistent in all terrain, and sneakily fast.

The motor is surprisingly punchy too and feels more powerful than its numbers suggest. Those reasons are likely why it was the second-fastest bike in the trail test, beating the more powerful Pivot by 15 seconds.

I’d also like to highlight the fact that you can get an EXe for much cheaper than any of the other bikes. The starting price EXe is $5,500, that’s almost two grand cheaper than the next cheapest base model (a $7,300 Santa Cruz). True, that $5,500 model has an aluminum frame and cheaper components, but, crucially, it uses the same motor, battery, suspension design, and geometry as the brilliant bike tested here.

However, as you’ll read in the sections below, the EXe is range challenged and its tires are a limiting factor in some terrain.

• Nearly silent: Still the quietest e-bike I’ve ever ridden.

• Fragile tires: Trek should return to the drawing board with its mountain bike tires. The SE5s have good grip on dry dirt but need a better casing. I’d prefer to see some Maxxis Minion with EXO + until the Bontrager tires improve.

• Needs a bigger battery: The EXe has the shortest playtime of the competition. And it’s a shame because riding the bike is such a joy on the trail.

Many take naming a winner to mean it was the only good bike. That is very much not true of this group. I honestly loved all these bikes and would eagerly ride any of them on any given day.

But one bike stands slightly above the rest: The Santa Cruz Heckler SL .

The Fazua system offers range and speed close to a full-power e-bike but in a bike that is many pounds lighter. And the bike has the suppleness and graceful character that define the e-light category.

The Heckler SL is also very entertaining to ride: Its character is lively and agile, yet also the most fearsome and capable on the descents. It was, to me, the most fun bike to ride, a trait that it maintained whether the trail was flat and flowy or steep and janky.

The price is a big help, too. While it is not a cheap bike, it is thousands less than the others. And I didn’t sense any performance tradeoffs for the bike’s aluminum rims, lower-tier SRAM Transmission drivetrain, or fewer adjustment dials on the suspension components. Yes, it is the heaviest on the scale, but that weight difference was not meaningful on the trail.

As evidence that its weight and lower grade components did not hinder its performance, the Heckler SL claimed the co-fastest time in the downhill test and the fastest time in the trail test.

The most fun to ride, fastest on the trail, best priced, plus the best tires, drivetrain, and suspension. In the end, the Santa Cruz Hecker SL is the clear winner.

Bro-Science

To add a bit of controlled(ish) structure to this review, I subjected every bike to three real-world tests: A range test and two timed trails (one pure downhill, one with climbing and descending). More details about every test are below, along with the results.

These tests very much, and intentionally, fall under the Bro-Science umbrella. I did not run every bike a zillion times and average the results nor did numerous riders run every bike a zillion times and average all those results. This was not a hypercontrolled lab test environment.

But I tried to control several variables and be consistent—I wore the same clothes, helmet, shoes, and sunglasses, started with the same amount of water in my hydration pack, gave the same approximate effort, and rode the same lines. And I gave every bike one shot. I used my Garmin Edge 540 and Strava Segments to see which bikes went furthest or fastest.

Bro-Science is not science-science. I acknowledge it is easy to find flaws in my *cough* methodology that might influence the results. Wind, for example—Catching more or less wind would sway the results.

So, while I would never argue my results are definitive, they are a real-world representation of what a buyer experiences when riding a stock bike.

The Climb Test

To compare the bikes’ ranges, I conducted a test on a gravel forest road climb in Durango, Colorado. You can deep dive into the segment’s stats here , but the crucial segment specs are 12.6 miles in length, 3,300 feet of elevation gain, and an average grade of 4.9 percent.

I chose this segment for a few reasons: It’s near my house and easy to get to, it has a parking lot where the pavement ends and the climb begins, the climb is long and has a consistent grade and surface, and there is not a lot of traffic. Finally, if I had an issue with the bike, I could simply turn around and coast back to my car.

I started with all of the bikes’ batteries fully charged. I used the maximum assist mode and wore the same riding kit for all attempts. All bikes had stock tires set up tubeless and clean, freshly lubed drivetrains. I aimed for a cadence of 85 to 100 rpm and tried to keep my power to between 150 and 200 watts. I used a Garmin Edge 540 to track all the data.

I guessed that the Pivot would perform best in this test and chose this bike for the first attempt. After completing the segment, the bike still had 22 percent battery left. Subsequently, I used this target for the other bikes: I’d ride until the Garmin showed 22 percent battery remaining and record the time, distance, and elevation.

Although the Specialized S-Works Levo SL model comes with the 160Wh range extender, I left it off for the range test. Only this model and the S-Works frameset come with the range extender—It’s an extra purchase for all other Levo SL variants. So, all bikes in the group were tested only with their internal battery.

Climbing Results (Distance in miles, ascent in feet, time, avg. speed in mph):

Pivot: 12.62, 3,313, 59:51, 12.7 Santa Cruz: 11.63, 3,133, 56:33, 12.3 Specialized: 9.25, 2,653, 50:47, 10.9 Trek: 8.14, 2,309, 44:22, 11.0

Although the Fazua-equipped bikes—the Pivot and Santa Cruz—have the largest-sized batteries and therefore seem to have the advantage. They also have more powerful motors— which, in theory, consume more power than a less powerful motor, making that larger battery necessary. Even so, the Fazua bikes clearly won the range test. Not only going further but also at a higher average speed.

Note that the Santa Cruz Heckler SL’s range is shorter than the Pivot Shuttle’s even though they use the same motor and battery. I was not surprised. With an average grade of five percent, gravity consumes most of the energy on this segment, and the Heckler is about three pounds more than the Pivot. Plus, the Santa Cruz runs a stickier and slower rolling MaxxGrip compound on the front tire.

I found it fascinating how the Specialized compared to the Trek. The Levo SL’s battery is 40Wh smaller than the Trek’s, but the Specialized motor also kicks out a bit more claimed maximum assist (320 vs. 300 watts). And yet, the Specialized went further than the Trek.

Representatives from a handful of competing motor companies tell me that their internal testing shows that the TQ motor is less efficient than its competition and, therefore, is somewhat of a battery hog. The range test seems to confirm these claims, as the Trek’s range is dramatically shorter than the other bikes.

In the positive column for the Trek, it is the quietest motor by a large margin. There were long stretches of the climb where I couldn’t hear the motor above all the environmental noise (wind, tires, my breathing).

The Santa Cruz was the next quietest, followed by the Pivot. Again, those bikes use the same motor, but the Santa Cruz is seemingly better shrouded.

The Specialized had the least quiet motor. I’m saying “least quiet” instead of “loudest” because all these motors, even the Specialized, are fairly quiet and vibration-free.

The Downhill Test

For this test, I selected a coast-heavy trail that largely removed the motor component. Because this is a rouge trail, I can’t share too many details. But the trail was built for downhill race training and is best described as anti-flow.

The segment specs are 0.74 miles with a drop of 641 feet and an average grade of minus 16.4 percent.

It is quite steep, with a few rare turns, a handful of off-camber bits, and lots of jank. The trail surface is strewn with sizable square-edged rocks—both loose and embedded—and the steeper sections feature ruts, roots, embedded rocks, and plenty of leaf and pine needle litter.

The goal was to emphasize the chassis and components and see which bike carried speed most comfortably. I rode this trail once on every bike (at about 65 percent of full send) to emphasize consistency and minimize mistakes.

Downhill Results (time, min:sec):

Pivot: 2:59 Santa Cruz: 2:54 Specialized: 2:54 Trek: 3:09

Interestingly, not only did the Santa Cruz and Specialized tie in time, but the bikes are very similar in many ways. Both bikes use 160mm forks with 150mm rear travel (more travel than the Pivot and Trek), both had 27.5 rear wheels, and both had sticky compound front tires.

I was a bit surprised to see the Trek so far behind the others as it is the bike I have the most time on of the four. But comparing my segment time on the Trek to the others, I was simply slower, losing time over the whole segment and not in any one specific section.

I think the major reason is the Bontrager SE5 tires. Not their grip—they work quite well on the dirt around me—but their flat resistance. Although Bontrager’s SE casing is supposedly analogous to a Maxxis EXO Plus casing, I found the SE more prone to flats than even the standard Maxxis EXO. The rear tire on the EXe was already plugged, and I think I was riding more carefully on my run to keep air in the tires.

The Trail Test

This was the most real of my real-world tests. The segment I chose was almost 100 percent singletrack that runs 7.1 miles and features 1,189 feet of climbing with 1,054 feet of descending. The surface is more smooth than rocky, but there are a few spicy rock gardens to keep things interesting.

The grades on the climbs and descents are (except for a few short punches) not very steep, and the whole segment is very twisty. This makes it quite different than the downhill segment, which is straighter and steeper.

I often ride this segment (using it for most of my e-mountain bike testing), and I’m very familiar with its intricacies. I rode the four bikes for this test like during my normal e-bike testing—Always going for a PR.

I ran all the bikes with maximum assist for the whole segment, and on the short, punchy climbs, I took advantage of the Fazua’s Boost function when riding the Pivot and Santa Cruz.

Trail Results (time, min:sec):

Pivot: 34:15 Santa Cruz: 33:42 Specialized: 37:14 Trek: 34:00

The results of the Specialized and Trek surprised me the most. The Trek (despite having the least powerful motor of the four) was the second fastest bike. Its singletrack handling is divine, which really shone in the twisty terrain and allowed me to carry speed, mitigating the disadvantage of the less powerful motor. I could feel that I was flowing well on the Trek, and with the fear of flatting largely eliminated, I felt freer to let it fly.

But the tires we almost the Trek’s undoing. Close to the end of the timed segment, a plug from a previous flat worked loose, and the rear tire started to go soft.

I am a bit perplexed by the Specialized’s time. I didn’t feel like I was going easy or holding back. Both power and heart rate align with the efforts on the other bikes. Comparing segment times, I lost almost all the time to the other bikes on the climbs: Seemingly, I was getting less assistance from the Specialized than I did from the other bikes.

Although the Santa Cruz was the fastest of this bunch, I didn’t set my fastest segment time aboard this bike. I had my sixth-best time on the Santa Cruz, with all of my faster times achieved on full-power e-bikes. I set my fastest overall time—2:43 faster than the Santa Cruz—on Yeti’s SB160 E with Shimano’s EP8 motor. Not surprisingly, I gained almost all the time on the climbs aboard the more powerful e-bike, but the Yeti was also slightly faster on the descents.

These e-bikes—like all e-mountain bikes sold by mainstream and reputable bicycle brands—are categorized as Class 1. That means the motor assists only when the rider pedals and the assistance cuts off at 20 miles per (in most of Europe, these same bikes have an assist limit of 25 kilometers per hour/15.5 mph).

Each of these motors is rated at 250 watts nominal (or continuous) power. Which, supposedly, is the maximum amount of power the motor can output for an indefinite time without damage from overheating.

E-bike motors must be rated to 250 watts nominal power to conform to EU regulations—specifically EN 15194 . The math around nominal power is, honestly, fuzzy—or, perhaps, creative. Based on my many hours and miles of riding e-bikes, even these “low-powered” bikes seem to kick out more than 250 watts for long periods comfortably.

So, ignore nominal power. The crucial stats are torque (provided in Newton meters) and, to a lesser extent, peak watts. Torque is the oomph, and torque is what you feel when pedaling an e-bike. With little exception, a motor with more torque feels more powerful than one with less. Peak watts are the maximum power the motor can achieve, but only for a short time.

Fazua Ride 60

The Fazua Ride 60—found in the Pivot and Santa Cruz—motor weighs a claimed 1,960 grams and offers up to 60 Nm of torque and 450 watts of peak power.

There are three ride modes—From lowest- to highest-assist: Breeze, River, and Rocket. Like most motor companies, the character of those modes can be customized by the company building the motor into their bike, so one brand’s River might not have the same characteristics as another’s.

The Ride 60 also has Boost mode that throws down the motor’s full 450 watts of peak assist for a short period. If activated when the bike is stopped, it has four seconds of assistance when the rider starts pedaling. It offers maximum assistance for 12 seconds if activated while moving. Note this is not a throttle: It only allows Boost while the rider pedals.

Regardless of factory tune, the rider can customize each ride mode with either Fazua’s smartphone app ( iOS , Android ) or desktop app ( MacOS, Windows, Linux ). Those apps also allow the rider to diagnose errors and apply firmware updates.

The Ride 60 system has the most basic display of the three systems here. The LED HUB in the top tube has five colored lights: the color corresponds to the ride mode, while the number of lights illuminated indicates the remaining battery charge. And that’s it: There’s no screen which seems like a significant shortfall compared to what the TQ and Specialized systems offer.

Riders who require more detailed information must pair a GPS cycling computer (Garmin, Hammerhead, and Wahoo all “talk” to the Fazua system) or use a smartphone and the Fazua app on the bar as a dashboard.

The Hub also has a USB-C port, which can charge a phone or other small device or communicate with the desktop app.

The rider controls the Ride 60 system with the Ring Controller. It moves in three directions—up, down, and inboard—which the rider uses to turn the bike on and off, cycle through assist modes, and activate boost and walk modes.

Specialized Turbo SL 1.2

The Specialized Turbo SL 1.2 motor is used in the Levo SL and the Creo SL drop bar bike. It weighs a claimed 1,950 grams and offers up to 50 Nm of torque and 320 watts of peak power.

Like most e-bikes, there are three ride modes: Eco, Trail, and Turbo. The Turbo mode is detuned from the factory and has little difference from the Trail mode. But there are two possible fixes, which are described below.

One is to utilize Micro Tune mode. This allows the rider to select a fixed assist level from 10 to 100 percent. In Micro Tune mode, the rider presses the plus or minus button on the remote to add or subtract assist in 10 percent increments.

The other way is to download the Specialized App ( iOS , Android ) and tune the Turbo mode to offer full pedal assist. The app also allows the ability to independently adjust the Eco and Trail modes and push firmware updates to the bike.

One unique feature of the app is Smart Control, which automatically adjusts assist over the course of a ride based on preset parameters. Specialized explains, “Smart Control uses an algorithm to predict future battery use based on time/distance/elevation completed, then it adjusts your motor power incrementally to meet the battery capacity target and estimated ride distance/time you set.”

The color Specialized MasterMind TCU is the most customizable and data-rich display used in this quartet of bikes. The term “display” isn’t quite right as MasterMind is more like a full-featured GPS cycling computer. It offers a full suite of (customizable) data pages with all the information you could want—including jump stats.

You can scroll through the pages by pressing a button on the handlebar remote. If you don’t want to ride with a GPS cycling computer, MasterMind will also pair with a heart rate strap, Garmin Rearview Radar, and SRAM electronic shifting systems and display data from those sensors. It even has an alarm that activates if the bike is moved.

If the in-frame display isn't your thing, pair the Specialized to many GPS cycling computers and see motor and battery data there.

The Specialized has a four-button handlebar remote. The plus and minus buttons cycle through the preset assist modes and select the Micro Tune assist level. The F1 button scrolls through data pages on the TCU, while F2 activates assist mode. The system powers on and off with a small button below the TCU display.

TQ’s HPR 50 motor is the most compact e-bike motor in the test group. Not much bigger than a BB30 bottom bracket, it gives the Trek Fuel EXe the profile of an un-assisted mountain bike.

The HPR 50 weighs a claimed 1,850 grams and puts out 50 Nm of torque and 300 watts of peak power. There are three ride modes: Eco, Mid, and High. Like other e-bike motor suppliers, Trek can custom-tune these modes to suit the character of their bikes.

The TQ is the only system without a bonus mode like the Fazua Boost or the Specialized Micro Tune. However, the user can custom-tune the individual modes with one of two apps. Fazua has an app ( iOS / Android ) but it is relatively basic and does offer the ability to custom-tune the modes and the display.

The more feature-rich Trek Central app ( iOS / Android ) also offers the ability to tune ride modes but also has functions like ride tracking and navigation. It also displays data from additional sensors on the EXe (AirWiz and TyreWiz—if equipped) and provides recommended tire and suspension pressure settings.

Additionally, Trek’s app has a range estimation function that shows, on a map, where you can ride the EXe based on the current battery charge: Both one-way and round-trip. “The estimated range for each mode is calculated using a robust algorithm that considers topography, rider weight, wind, and more,” says Trek.

The TQ system has an in-frame black-and-white display that offers a good amount of information (like battery charge state, estimated range and remaining ride time, rider and motor power, and cadence).

Like the other systems, riders can pair the TQ system to many GPS cycling computers and display motor and battery data there.

Riders cannot push firmware updates to the TQ system from either the TQ or Trek smartphone app. Firmware updates can only be done by a dealer.

The TQ has the smallest-sized and most minimalist handlebar remote of the three tested systems. With just two buttons, it only cycles through assist modes and activates walk mode. A small button on the display powers the system on or off and cycles through the display’s data pages.

29” x 29” or 29” x 27.5” Wheels?

Two bikes—the Pivot and Trek—roll from the factory on matched 29-inch wheels. The Santa Cruz and Specialized roll on mixed wheels (AKA MX or Mullet) with a smaller 27.5 rear wheel.

Only the Santa Cruz is locked into the stock rear wheel size—The others can run the alternate size if the rider wishes.

Currently, the MX setup is winning the hype war with the tastemakers. But does rear wheel size make a difference? I tested and experimented with mixed-wheel-sized bikes for a while now to try and figure that out.

My current conclusion (of course, subject to change) is it does not make a significant difference.

A 29-inch rear wheel seems to help most on chunky and technical climbs, providing more traction and rollover at slow speeds than the smaller wheel. The 27.5-inch rear wheel seems to help most on very steep downhills by offering more butt clearance when hanging off the back of the bike.

There are also nuances in cornering. Through riding, I found bikes with 27.5” rear wheels pivot through tighter corners a little more naturally, but a larger-sized wheel offers slightly superior control in fast and sweeping corners.

Overall, I wouldn’t buy or not buy a bike because of its stock rear wheel size. In my experience, the differences are very slight. There are far more important considerations when weighed against the complete picture of a bike.

However, I think—no matter what size it comes fitted with from the factory—brands should make their bikes compatible with both so riders can swap to suit their needs or desires.

Fox or RockShox Suspension?

While not planned, two bikes have Fox suspension—36 Float fork and Float X shock—and two have components from RockShox—Lyrik Fork and Super Deluxe shock.

Both suspension manufacturers make quality products, and every fork and shock could be set up into a window that worked well for me. But I currently have a preference for the RockShox products. I find them better at muting mid-speed chatter and controlling bigger hits. I also love that they operate with virtually no noise.

The Fox products have a plusher feel and are slightly more sensitive off the very top of the stroke than the RockShox offerings. But that sensitivity only seems to pay off in a superior showroom feel.

I experienced the performance pendulum swing back and forth between the two suspension brands many times over my career. While I’m sure it will swing back to at some point—and neither brand offers perfection—currently, I find RockShox offers more refined performance on the trail.

Shimano or SRAM Drivetrain?

Right now, SRAM rules high-end mountain bike spec sheets. SRAM’s AXS electronic shifting components are everywhere, with the recently released Transmission Full Mount derailleurs (only available in an electronic shifting variant) achieving immediate popularity among bicycle brands’ e-bike product managers.

There are good reasons for that. Not only is the SRAM Transmission incredibly durable and almost impossible to send into the rear wheel’s spokes (which happens more frequently with an extra 300 plus watts of electric assist), but it also offers nearly flawless and seamless shifts up and down the cassette even under full-rider and motor power.

Overall, it's hard not to recommend choosing one of these bikes with a SRAM Transmission drivetrain. The stuff is that great, and Shimano does not currently have an answer to it.

Only the Pivot came with a Shimano drivetrain. It had the top-of-the-line XTR drivetrain—which, as far as mechanical shifting goes, is the best you can currently get. If you must have cable-actuated shifting, get Shimano: It is more refined than SRAM's mechanical offerings.

Shimano or SRAM Disc Brakes?

Like the drivetrain, three bikes had SRAM products (all had the Code, SRAM’s most powerful brake), and only one (the Pivot) used Shimano brakes.

While SRAM is the current leader on the drivetrain front, things are more equal on the brake side. The SRAM Code brakes (found on the Santa Cruz, Specialized, and Trek) and the Shimano XTR four-piston brakes (used on the Pivot) offer generally good all-around performance and reliability.

Shimano brakes have a lighter lever feel, offer a bit more initial bite, and feel more powerful. SRAM brakes have a slightly heavier lever feel, and most riders observe the SRAM stoppers have slightly superior modulation. However, those stereotypical characteristics can be altered or fine-tuned with pad compound and rotor choice.

Compatible replacement brake pads and rotors (yes, rotors wear and need to be replaced) are readily available for both.

To me, neither brake set stands out as a clear winner. And I can happily ride both in most situations. However, I found the Shimano brake’s bite point is less consistent than the SRAM’s in cold temperatures.

For e-bikes, there are potentially better disc brake options than SRAM and Shimano. One is TRP’s DH-R EVO , which, in my experience, combines the best attributes of Shimano and SRAM brakes into one unit.

Tires, Tires, Tires!

I did consider equipping all the bikes with the same tires to equalize one of the most consequential components of any mountain bike.

But then I considered that these are $9,700 to $14,000 bikes. They damn well should come with great tires. Changing them out might let some bikes off the hook.

I recognize the world is large—no single tire can be perfect for all terrains or riders. But a bike can live or die by its tires, and a tire swap can transform an ugly duckling into a swan.

Truthfully, I don’t think any of these bikes nailed it with the tire choice. All of them fell into the same damn trap that almost every mountain bike product manager falls into: They went too light.

Light tires are a great way to make a bike look better on the scale because they can easily pull half to a full pound from a bike’s weight. This is great until you need to put a pound (or a hundred bucks worth) of plugs and sealant into them to keep them inflated.

These are longer travel trail bikes, 40-pound ones at that. There is more speed, more weight, more force. Using the Maxxis line as a template, they all should have, at a minimum , a Double Down rear tire (MaxxTerra for range and durability) and an EXO+ MaxxGrip on the front. Either that or make inserts stock.

Most of the tires held up okay, but I previously rode all these tires enough to know I needed to overinflate them and use good judgment with my line choice. I didn’t feel I could truly send these bikes into the rowdier terrain around me with the stock tires. And having equipment that holds you back is always a bummer—Especially on five-figure bikes that should be nearly flawless from the factory.

A gear editor for his entire career, Matt’s journey to becoming a leading cycling tech journalist started in 1995, and he’s been at it ever since; likely riding more cycling equipment than anyone on the planet along the way. Previous to his time with Bicycling , Matt worked in bike shops as a service manager, mechanic, and sales person. Based in Durango, Colorado, he enjoys riding and testing any and all kinds of bikes, so you’re just as likely to see him on a road bike dressed in Lycra at a Tuesday night worlds ride as you are to find him dressed in a full face helmet and pads riding a bike park on an enduro bike. He doesn’t race often, but he’s game for anything; having entered road races, criteriums, trials competitions, dual slalom, downhill races, enduros, stage races, short track, time trials, and gran fondos. Next up on his to-do list: a multi day bikepacking trip, and an e-bike race. 

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• Trek Fuel EXe reviewed (finally)

by Ben Haworth November 6, 2022 56

The new Trek Fuel EXe is an important bike. It’s attracting a lot of attention from the e-curious who don’t think much of the current e-bike offering from elsewhere.

NB: Ignore the price tag of this model. Let’s talk about the bike behind the bling.

• Brand:  Trek
• Product:  Fuel EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS
• Price:   £13.250.00 £14,350
• From: Trek Bikes
• Review by:  Benji for three months

Three things I loved

• Looks great
• Less scary on technical terrain than heavier e-bikes
• Rides like a normal bike

Three things I’d change

• Range anxiety
• Wish we’d tested a more affordable version

A warning. I’m not going to go into great detail about the nuts and bolts of this bike. You can read our ‘ 5 reasons the Trek Fuel EXe is most important bike of the decade ‘ from when the Trek Fuel EXe was announced for that stuff.

Another warning. Nor am I going to talk much about this particular £14,350 showpiece model. It’s a distraction. It actually gets people’s backs up (mine included to be honest). It doesn’t give the Trek Fuel EXe concept a fair chance.

I’m going to focus on the frame, the motor, the battery and the controls. The stuff that’s exactly the same on the £6,400 Trek Fuel EXe 9.5 .

In this review I’m going to focus purely on how a Trek Fuel EXe bike rides.

For those who do need a quick refresher, or understandably don’t want to click open another browser window for a reminder, the Fuel EXe is Trek’s mid-power e-bike. 50Nm of torque, compared to the 85Nm of full-power e-bikes and the 35Nm of Specialized’s SL low-power e-bikes.

The ostensibly similar – and surely the current main rival – Orbea Rise has 60Nm of torque by the way. And there’s also the new Fazua Ride60 equipped e-bikes with 60Nm too (check out the Pivot Shuttle SL as an example).

The battery is a 360Wh capacity one (same capacity as Orbea Rise). Some full-on ebikes have 700Wh+. A common capacity is 500-600Wh. Specialized SL e-bikes have 325Wh batteries.

There is also a range extender battery available for the Trek Fuel EXe which gives a further 160Wh, for £450. I would have really liked to have had one of these for this test period but they have yet to land in the UK in large enough numbers to get hold of one. Believe me, I tried.

Perhaps the two main USPs of this bike are its weight and its appearance. It weighs around 40lbs. And it looks like a normal mountain bike. Both of these factors cannot be understated as to their importance with the mountain bike market.

There is a third USP too but it’s only once you’re on the bike and riding that it appears: it is pretty much silent. Honestly, once off-road you can’t hear it. You can only just hear it when riding on the road but even then you have to be going pretty slow for the wind noise not to drown it out.

The Trek Fuel EXe can pass for a regular mountain bike. And while this might partially be about hiding the ‘shame’ of riding a pedal assist bike, I actually think it’s more to do with people’s existing fondness for their current mountain bike.

Existing experienced mountain bikers like how their mountain bike looks and sounds. The Trek Fuel EXe totally nails the remit of looking and sounding like a normal mountain bike. Massive kudo to Trek for that alone.

Trek Fuel EXe review

I’ll come out and say it. I still don’t really know how I feel about this bike. I’ve been dithering and delaying writing this review for quite some time. The only thing I am sure about is that the Trek Fuel EXe is not for me.

The thing is, I also think it is brilliant. And it will be perfect for loads and loads of riders out there.

In a nutshell, after passing it round as many other riders as I can convince to get on it, everyone says the same thing: “it’s just like a normal bike”. That is exactly what I say too, although I mean it in a confused head-scratching way. Everyone is saying it in a giddy enthused way.

Despite everything, the overarching experience of the Trek Fuel EXe is one of subtlety. It does not blow your mind upon first pedal stroke. Indeed because of the silence and the instant and super natural way the motor assist comes in, a lot of the time you can’t tell you’re getting any assistance at all. There isn’t a visual display confirmation of the assistance level you’re getting either (a la Shimano or Bosch displays).

It feels like not a lot is happening. But it is.

Finish a ride on the Trek Fuel EXe and then instantly hop on a normal mountain bike and the assistance is instantly noticeable by its absence. The Trek Fuel EXe is like riding with a massive tailwind. Or on ascents that have had a few degrees of gradient removed from them. Or you’ve suddenly become twenty years younger. It’s not that climbing becomes whistle-while-you-work easy (which it can do on full-power e-bikes), it’s still pretty strenuous activity on the Trek Fuel EXe.

I’d go as far to say that, unlike full-power e-bikes, the Trek Fuel EXe cannot do things that normal mountain bikes (and/or mountain bikers) can’t do. You won’t be scrabbling up preposterous trials-y techno climb challenges on the Fuel EXe. You won’t be trebling your usual altitude gain. What you will be doing is riding for that extra hour, and doing that extra hill.

What about descending then? Despite ‘only’ weighing 40lbs or so, the Fuel EXe does definitely exhibit some of the suspension flattery that you get with the extra weight of e-bikes. The Fuel EXe is an excellent descender. It’s pretty long and acceptably slack, which helps, but it’s the weight that is the most significant thing at play here.

The suspension on this bike works excellently. So calm. Very supportive. Very grippy. Sure, some of that may be due to the fancier dampers in the top-end suspension parts specced, but my gut feeling is that it’s to do with the sprung/unsprung help that comes when the frame is heavy, particularly the placement of that weight (central and relatively low down).

Compared to full-power (heavier) e-bikes on descents, the Trek Fuel EXe wins some and loses some. It does lose out on some of the super stability and speed-holding of heavier e-bikes. But on the whole, I think I prefer the nimbler handling of the Fuel EXe. Particularly when things are loose. It feels much less scary. Less like the bike is careering away out of control. More confidence inspiring.

Which brings us to the real surprise arena. Flat stuff.

The Trek Fuel EXe feels most at home on contouring terrain. Or rather, its assistance is more overly felt and appreciated on flatter trails. It’s when you’re not fighting gravity, or using gravity, that the Fuel EXe feels like a rocketship. It feels amazing. It makes you feel like a World Cup XC bod.

It’s also really good fun and capable on technical traverses. Off-cambers. Teetery stuff. Gamble do-you-don’t-you decisions. Ledges, Stream crossings. I felt much less fearful of stumbling and ending up being trapped under a bike, compared to the experience of full-power big-battery e-bikes.

A word here about the motor. They lack of delay is really, really impressive. There’s none of the fear of stopping pedalling (and the subsequent stall/dabbing) as there is with other e-bikes.

There’s also no detectable overrun either (where the motor is still assisting for a brief time even though you’ve stopped pedalling). Whilst some experienced e-bikers will miss the overrun (I did), there is no denying that the combination of instant engagement and instant disengagement really helps make the bike feel incredibly normal.

The controls and the display are fine. Totally intuitive and clear. Again, as an experienced e-biker I did miss the extra info of Shimano and Bosch (even Specialized) displays. But if you’ve never had the info, you’ll not miss it. Again, the Fuel EXe is not for experienced e-bikers. It’s very much a My First E-Bike.

Which bring us to the battery. And here I think there is a bit of an issue. Fundamentally I don’t think the battery is big enough to play to this bike’s strengths. Namely, big days out doing normal mountain biking. I’m not even that sure the aforementioned range extender battery will add enough extra range (for what and where I’d like to go anyway).

On one hand, the Trek Fuel EXe feels very much like a step into the future in terms of aesthetics and acoustics. On another hand, the return of range anxiety feels rather retro.

I appreciate that the whole battery capacity versus system weight is something of a vicious circle. Would adding one or two kilograms to the bike’s weight significantly impair the bike’s handling? Maybe it would. You do have to draw the line somewhere and it can’t have been an easy or quick decision made by the Trek team.

I think personal preferences come into play a great deal here too. I am a bit of a Boost* fan. I can’t help it. I don’t have the discipline to stay in Eco or Trail modes. With a different rider on board, one who switches to Eco for flat road linking sections, and keeps it in Trail for pretty much everything else.

(*Trek don’t actually give their three different power levels names, so I’m using the common e-bike parlance of Eco, Trail and Boost.)

The top power mode certainly does seem to really rinse the battery significantly more than you’d think. It doesn’t feel (there’s that word again) like it’s giving you that much more assistance, yet it certainly gets the battery bars dropping faster.

Ultimately, I did eventually end up doing rides pretty much keeping it in middle/Trail mode and just leaving Boost well alone. But is that like buying something and then putting it away and never using it? You’ve paid for a bit with 50Nm/300W of assist. Surely you should be able to use it?

Again, I’d like to point out that I haven’t had a range extender battery to test out to see what difference that makes to the Fuel EXe’s MPG.

I did use the top/Boost setting under certain circumstances. Those circumstances being going for a ‘Power Hour’. Those sort of sub-20km lunchtime blasts. Stick the bike in Boost and leave it there until you’re on fumes and need to Eco back home. That felt like a good use for Boost. And certainly opens up that short-but-intense type of ride that is pretty unique to e-bikes. Similarly, Boost was great for de-harshing and funning-up night rides (my night rides are always on the short side).

This may sound stupid obvious but if you only want a bit of help, that’s what this bike is for. It’s for normal rides. Normal riders. It is a very subtle bike. That subtlety is easily mistaken for being underwhelming. It’s arguably a waste of time to compare the Fuel EXe to full-power e-bikes. Trek do a full-power e-bike (a really ace one called the Trek Rail). Full-power e-bikes are like a new type of vehicle. The Fuel EXe is much closer to a regular unassisted mountain bike.

Fundamentally the Trek Fuel EXe is a beautifully executed machine that is going to be exactly what a great swath of experienced mtbers are looking for. Folk who are just finding mtbing too hard, but still want it to be strenuous. Something that takes the unpleasant edge off but doesn’t remove the ‘joys’ of Type 2 fun altogether.

Ignoring the motor aspect of it altogether, the ride and handling of the Trek Fuel EXe is brilliant. It’s a fantastic trail bike. Nimble and fun but with great stability and planted-ness.

Right. That’s my review finally done. Although I’d quite like this to be the start of an ongoing conversation about this bike. ‘Cos it’s interesting and I’m sure there are things I’ve not covered here.

Questions please! Comment below.

Specification

• Frame //  OCLV Mountain Carbon 140mm
• Motor //  TQ-HPR50, 50Nm, 300 watt peak power
• Battery //  TQ 360Wh
• Head unit //  TQ handlebar-mounted, TQ LED Display
• Shock //  RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate AirWiz RCT2, 205 x 60mm
• Fork //  RockShox Lyrik Ultimate AirWiz Charger 3 RC2 150mm
• Wheels //  Bontrager Pro Line 30 OCLV Mountain Carbon
• Front Tyre //  Bontrager SE5 Team Issue 29 x 2.5in
• Rear Tyre //  Bontrager SE5 Team Issue 29 x 2.5in
• Chainset //  E*Thirteen E*Spec Race Carbon 34T 165mm
• Shifter //  SRAM Eagle AXS 12-speed
• Rear Mech //  SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS 12-speed
• Cassette //  SRAM Eagle XG-1299 10-52T
• Brakes //  SRAM Code RSC 200/200mm
• Stem //  Bontrager RSL Integrated bar/stem 45mm
• Bars //  Bontrager RSL Integrated bar/stem 820 x 27.5mm
• Grips //  Bontrager XR Trail Elite lock-on
• Seatpost //  RockShox Reverb AXS 170mm 34.9mm
• Size Tested //  L
• Sizes Available //  S, M, L, XL
• Weight //  19.3kg

Geometry of our size L test bike

• Head angle //  65º
• Effective seat angle //  77º
• Seat tube length //  435mm
• Head tube length //  110mm
• Chainstay //  440mm
• Wheelbase //  1,245mm
• Effective top tube //  630mm
• BB height //  343mm
• Reach //  485mm

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While you’re here…

Orbea Rise M10 review: just happens to have a motor

Mondraker Crafty Carbon RR review

• This topic has 56 replies, 27 voices, and was last updated 1 year ago by julians .

Great technical summary and introduction – but should I buy one. Or rather what rider / riding would I be to go for a great half day ride?

Soz, that was supposed to say half fat ride….thanks again 👍

I bought the 9.5 version (and upgraded a few bits) , and posted some thoughts here

New (e)bike day – Trek fuel exe 9.5

Not quite sure what you mean by this bit

There isn’t a visual display confirmation of the assistance level you’re getting either (a la Shimano or Bosch displays).

There is a permanent part of the display showing what assistance mode you are in , plus you can switch to a screen that shows what power you are generating and what power the motor is generating.

Or rather what rider / riding would I be to go for a great half day ride?

I would say that if you find on a full fat ebike you’re usually coming back from a ride with 25-50% battery remaining , or you think that you dont get enough of a workout on a full fat bike, then something like this bike could be for you.

or if you do quite a lot of lifting the bike over stiles & gates, or possibly a lot of hike a bike , or you prioritise downhill handling and playfullness over the ability to fly uphill – but not so much of a priority that you’ll stick with a bike with no motor…

I get that some of the above is quite hard to determine, if you havent actually ridden a full fat bike for a while in the first place.

I think a full fat bike will please more people more of the time, but in an ideal world you’d have a full fat and a lightweight ebike (along with a normal bike or two;-) )

but it’s the weight that is the

Birrova typo?

Thanks for that – helpful 😊

I had a think about this in it’s cheapest spec, but in the end went for the alloy Rise- it’s 540Wh battery, coupled with the Trek price increase, simply made the Trek less attractive.

Further to that, I like my bikes to feel individual- my uplift bike doesn’t have much overlap with my 29+ which is substantially different to the gravel bike. I’d like my e-bike to still feel like an e-bike.

Maybe one day I’ll read a review on a bike with a new motor where somebody provides info about out of warranty motor support, clarifies if the motor is rebuildable, if motor spares are available, if there is a uk motor repair centre, if they’re going to partner with an existing uk repairer etc etc, even how much a new motor costs, and how (*if required) any manufacturer/bike model specific settings get applied to the motor.

As an xc map explorer who prefers long term ownership I was really interested in this bike – lighter (so easier over fences/stiles etc), removable battery (charging at hotel/b&b), large brand so hopefully spares available but I’ve not managed to get any info on how out of warranty support will go so going to sit on the fence till that gets clarified or something else similar comes along.

Similar to Vinnyeh, I looked at these Treks but decided to go with a base model Hydro Rise (540wh battery and under £4k). I was put off by reports of early motor failures on the Trek, but also by the smaller battery (That put me off the carbon Rises too). I don’t want a lot of assistance, but I do want to ride a long way.

Lighter is always nicer imho, but the Trek is really only slightly lighter because of that new (and unproved) motor. And if you are going to save a bit of weight, the bottom bracket area is the last place to save it from: weight here doesn’t make much difference, and it’s where durability is needed most. The Trek keeps the rest of the weight down through having a small battery and a £14k price tag!

Sounds like it pedals nicely, but so does the RS motor. A £5k Trek EXe with a 500+Wh battery, option of range extender and solid warranty support would be more attractive 🙂

Those are really good points and ones which I intend to address in a series of online articles in this fine publication when I do a long term test on the Pivot Shuttle SL. Range, repairability, support post warranty, cost to fix, suitability for big mountain adventures, how it handles, fun – all matter to me. I’ve held off on buying one as the technology is advancing so quickly. I suspect that the technology from bikes like the Trek will filter down to a much more affordable price level. For me, full fat e bikes are generally just too darn heavy for the riding I do.

There is also a feature in the next issue where Mark, Nick Craig and I rode High Street and Skiddaw as a day ride where Nick and I were on normal bikes and Mark on a Levo SL.

^^^ that will be an interesting read Sanny 👍. I love my Levo SL but reckon if I tried the Trek I’d be hankering after one !

£14k…ha, ha, ha. Perfectly suited to the new economic climate. How many 1%ers are keen mtb’ers I wonder. Plus that guy up thread with half my username, are you my brother from another mother?

Ianc and Sanny, we’ll anybody really

See also the haibike Lyke – lower weight e, with removable battery – fazua 60, more power and battery – *seems** to have better range – seems to be cheaper – probs? Well motor as my post above Cables thru headset, but this seems to be getting more common Frame Plug hole appears to be in a ‘well’ at the bottom of the frame – ? Water ingress Weird air hole above motor on frame tube up to seatpost – ? Mud/water ingress onto motor

Those haibike Lykes are a bit 2018 in their geo, long seat tube for any given size,relatively short reach,longish chainstay, but they look decent value if the geo suits what you want.

They’re also using very lightweight tyres on them to hit those headline weight numbers.

The focus jam2 sl looks really good though, fazua 60 motor, decent geo, decent value etc. But they have takenthe bizarre decision to not put a charging port in the frame , meaning that you have to remove the battery from the frame in order to charge it.

Maybe one day I’ll read a review on a bike with a new motor where somebody provides info about out of warranty motor support

It’s brand new so far too soon to know anything about out of warranty support. I also think it’s unreasonable to be quizzing a magazine that gets or loses the chance to test new bikes on the whim of the manufacturers.

I know it’s “not about the price” but honestly, how is that bike £14 grand, really?

There’s more than a few bikes out there that don’t have motors, or even suspension in some cases, that cost the same. It’s absolutely ridiculous, regardless of the economic climate, but as long as the bikes sell the manufacturers will keep on making them.

It is crazy pricey though. I have a 2020 Levo SL carbon expert. It now has XT four pots, a Fox 36, AXS shifting and dropper and all in, allowing for selling the bits I upgraded, was around 10k…

Yeah, it is a daft price but you aren’t supposed to buy it. It’s like an S Works Levo. Twice the price of a normal one just to act as a halo and attract attention.

Tell that to what must be dozens of folk I’ve seen riding sworks and plenty other 5 figure ebikes in the wild. Not just ‘1%ers’ buying them either.

Can’t wait for a year or two when all these pop up on the second hand market so I might have a chance of actually affording one 🙂

Crazy how many <1 year old e-bikes on pinkbike and other FB sites etc. With very few miles are popping up now (mind you might be out of the lockdown impulse purchase period so maybe not)

Trek have opened a store really near me and they offer transferable warranty to subsequent owners (as long as bike is registered) and I also have a spesh turbo store also local so for me I would only consider either of these two brands currently as for such an expensive purchase I would want to be able to take it back to a real shop.

Oh well, in that case the price still isn’t crazy then as they seem to fly off the shelf into normal punter’s hands.

Interest free credit,init

I think an article on warranties and future support is vital.

I’ll be on an e-bike at some point. I don’t need something for nothing or a warranty that covers crashes. But I’ll need to know I can keep the thing running. A fixed cost motor exchange program. Send in you motor and get back a used rebuild for £500 available for say 8 years from purchase

Without wishing to be rude, just because you can’t afford it or, rather, you have other things you’d rather spend your money on, doesn’t make a price crazy. The average price of a new car in the UK is £42k. I would never spend that on a car (well, I would, but I can’t afford it now and am unlikely every to be able to. Plus I can’t drive.), but I’m not gonna call anyone that would crazy.

Without wishing to be rude, just because you can’t afford it or, rather, you have other things you’d rather spend your money on, doesn’t make a price crazy. The average price of a new car in the UK is £42k. I would never spend that on a car (well, I would, but I can’t afford it now and am unlikely every to be able to), but I’m not gonna call anyone that would crazy.

+1 and have you seen how much ordinary folk spend on phones/contracts, watches, holiday to Disney etc etc

The prices are a bit crazy though,when you can buy the bottom of the range version of the bike, then buy all the other bits at full RRP, fit them to the bottom of the range version that you just bought and have the exact same bike for several grand less than buying the ‘official’ version

Without wishing to be rude, just because you can’t afford it or, rather, you have other things you’d rather spend your money on, doesn’t make a price crazy.

Agreed, however the price is crazy. Objectively speaking it is nuts.

The average price of a new car in the UK is £42k

Wow! That’s proper bonkers

that was the figure quoted on top gear last week, so as sure as that.

Is that from the same shop, or does that take some savvy shopping around, finding stock, navigating possible compatibility pitfalls etc. not everyone has the time for that. Hell, my last couple of bike builds took between 6 & 12 months just assembling the parts, two year wait for brakes not included so if I were as minted as some of you think I am, an extra few quid just to have everything I ultimately want, right from the off would be a price worth paying. But I’m not, so it isn’t. It may be to others.

Pricing it so not enough folk would buy it is crazy.

I don’t know… When you can get one of these for the same price… Seems crazy to me!

https://www.ducati.com/gb/en/bikes/monster/monster-sp

Or a Rolex with the Dominos pizza logo on it.

Different people have different priorities.

Very true Tom. That watch is hideous! Preowned too. Different strokes for different folks.

Is that from the same shop, or does that take some savvy shopping around

No need to seek bargains,just pay full retail pricing and you still save a truckload over buying the top end bike.

Each to their own though, they obviously do sell the top end versions or they wouldn’t make them.

I did edit to say just finding stock, which has been a challenge of the past few years. So a whole top end bike with top end parts (not just what you can get hold of) is more of a commodity.

Reading my post back again I can see that my wording comes across as being sarcastic when that wasn’t what I intended.

If indeed every other bike out there is a range topper then I’m wrong and so is anyone who says it’s crazy because people are buying them!

I appreciate that the whole battery capacity versus system weight is something of a vicious circle. Would adding one or two kilograms to the bike’s weight significantly impair the bike’s handling? Maybe it would. You do have to draw the line somewhere and it can’t have been an easy or quick decision made by the Trek team. I think personal preferences come into play a great deal here too. I am a bit of a Boost* fan. I can’t help it. I don’t have the discipline to stay in Eco or Trail modes. With a different rider on board, one who switches to Eco for flat road linking sections, and keeps it in Trail for pretty much everything else

I think a lot of people reviewing bikes like this or the Rise, coming from full power e-bikes, kind of miss the point. I’m guessing it probably gets a very similar range to an Orbea Rise if you don’t thrash it in Boost. That equates to about 1400m climbing (+/- 200m) which is a good chunk more than most people would ride on an unpowered bike on a full day out. For really big days add the 252wh range extender and you’re well over 2000m at which point you’re going to be exhausted anyway. (This might be where Trek *have* missed a trick – their range extender looks expensive and undersized at 150wh). So you only carry the extra weight when you plan to use it.

What these bikes are *less* suited for is shuttling up a fire road to ride downhill runs or chasing people on full-fat e-bikes. That’s when the temptation comes to whack it in boost to keep up and you rinse the battery. But I think they’re a lot more ‘bike like’ and a lot more fun to ride the rest of the time.

This might be where Trek *have* missed a trick – their range extender looks expensive and undersized at 150wh

its actually 160wh, but your point still stands. I suspect there will be a larger range extender in the works. The Trek rationale for this says that the range extender has been sized at 160wh because that is the max size that is allowed in aeroplanes, so you can take your bike abroad, leaving the main battery at home of course, and still get some assisted riding in.

a modular battery would be a great idea- 2, even 3 160wh batteries that could be connected in parallel, clipped together like lego, and separated for air flight

and separated for air flight

you’re only allowed a total of 160wh per person, so you’d need to get someone else in your party to carry any additional batteries

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2023 EBIKE LIGHT ROUNDUP

Testing the best sl emtbs.

Words by Drew Rohde  |  Photos by Dusten Ryen & Max Rhulen Video by Brian Niles / Treeline Cinematic

Welcome to our first ever Lightweight, SL, eBike Light Group Review. Pardon the long title but we don’t exactly know if the mountain bike world has adopted an official name for this category of eBike. We’re trying to get eBike Light to stick, but ‘SL’ seems to be rising to prominence. No matter what you call it, there is no denying the category is booming. It seems new models are dropping almost every other month as brands seek to offer lightweight, mid-power eMTBs for riders seeking a different experience compared to the full power, full weight eMTBs that have risen dramatically in popularity.

Each year we conduct a massive and thorough full-power eMTB Shootout , and the last two have seen an increase in comments and questions from viewers asking how this bike or that bike would compete.  Most often it’s a lighter, mid-power bike. We don’t really believe comparing full power eMTBs to eBike Lights is apples to apples, as they really are different beasts. For that reason, we set out to test and review eight of the best lightweight eMTBs we could get our hands on.

We pride ourselves on being as open-minded and honest in our test process as we can, and even the few riders who came into the test saying they were full-power converts and wouldn’t buy an SL came around to admit that the capabilities of these mid-power bikes have improved in the same way their full-power siblings have. Battery ranges have increased in many bikes and drive unit power has also improved compared to the early lightweight eMTBs, boosting their performance drastically in the process.

Before we get too far into this review, we’d like to acknowledge and thank some partners who believe in our process. Their support helped us to afford the days out of the office to travel and ride so many bikes and create so many videos, in an effort to have a thorough and helpful review series for those in the market, and we really appreciate them helping to make it possible.

Schwalbe Tires has been an amazing partner and once again returns as our official test tire. The new Tacky Chan served us incredibly well over the course of our testing and quickly became one of our favorite tires on the market!  Get your tires here

Ninja MTB dialed us in with some really comfortable and breathable knee pads and elbow pads that also cost quite a bit less than many other offerings on the market. We’d suggest checking them out here .

Glade Optics hopped on board as our official eyewear sponsor and we were stoked to have some quality lenses to keep the bright sun and dust out of our eyes.  Give them a peep here .

LOCATION We traveled back down to Klamath Falls, Oregon a spot we recently visited for the first time in our eMTB Destination Tour a few months ago. We fell in love with the trail offerings and the Running Y Resort’s amenities. Thanks to the Running Y and Discover Klamath we had a great time staying in a beautiful spot with epic views and just a short drive away from two very fun trailheads.

In this Group Review we had a wide spread of drive units, power ratings and battery sizes as well. We had bikes with 50Nm, 60Nm and the Giant with its whopping 85Nm SyncDrive Pro drive unit. Similarly battery sizes ranged from 320Wh to 540Wh internally, with optional range extenders being found on several models of bikes. Range Extenders are something we believe is essential for eBike Light riders, to give the option to cover big miles or ride in faster, higher power modes.

TRENDS AND TROUBLES

Out of the eight bikes we had, four of the bikes shared drive units, with two sporting the TQ HPR50 and two built around the Fazua Ride 60 unit, which was high on our list thanks to the power, speed, silence and battery size. It will be interesting to see as more brands begin to release mid-power eMTBs, like the newly released Santa Cruz Heckler SL (First Ride Review here) also coming with a Fazua drive unit, if a certain brand will dominate the field, or if newer offerings like Bosch’s SX will make in-roads.

Another common issue we’ve been having lately is broken chains. We’re not sure if there were some bad batches of chains produced during the COVID era but the number of chains breaking in weird ways we’ve never seen before has us scratching our heads and leads us to this public service announcement. Always be prepared to repair your bike. Carry at least one spare link but we’d suggest two and know how to fix a chain. We’d also suggest lubing and inspecting your chain regularly as we’ve discovered several with cracked links. Trust us when we say that snapping a chain is no fun, and in some circumstances can be quite dangerous.

GENRES AND TRAITS ON THE TRAIL

In this group review we have a solid middle-ground of bikes in the 140-160mm travel range with a couple outliers at 130mm for XC shredders and 170mm bruiser for enduro or big hit shredders. We’re not sure where the SL category will land, or if there will be an increased spread of the offerings, but we feel like the 140-160mm range is likely going to be the bread and butter as smaller batteries likely won’t be ideal for self-shuttling 170mm bikes up the steepest trails for run after run. We also don’t really see the XC eMTB market being huge, as our experience has shown that most performance XC riders tend to prefer lighter, self-propelled rides than electrically assisted bikes. That said, perhaps riders in flatter, more neutral regions like Bentonville, the Midwest and casual trail riders will blow this category up. Either way, it will be fun to watch and see how things evolve.

THE CONTENDERS

We’ve created detailed write ups and video reviews of each bike you see here, so feel free to click a link to see more and compare them to each other.

FORESTAL SIRYON

Build: Diode Travel: 170 / 170mm Motor: EonDrive by Bafang | 60NM Battery: Forestal Aurora Performance | 350wh Price: $10,750 Weight: 42.8 lbs/ 19.4 kg

CHECK OUT THE REVIEW

GIANT TRANCE X ADVANCED E+ ELITE

Build: E+ Elite 0 Travel: 140 / 150mm Motor: SyncDrive Pro Powered by Yamaha | 85NM Battery: EnergyPak Smart 400 | 400wh Price: $14,000 Weight: 44.5 lbs / 20.2 kg

Build: M-Team Travel: 140 / 150mm Motor: Shimano EP801 RS | 60NM Battery: Orbea Internal | 540wh (Optional Upgrade) Price: $9,433 as built Weight: 43.3 lbs / 19.6 kg

PIVOT SHUTTLE SL

Build: Team XTR Travel: 132 / 150mm Motor: Fazua Ride60 | 60NM Battery: Fazua Integrated | 430wh Price: $12,999 Weight: 39.6 lbs / 18 kg

SCOTT LUMEN eRIDE

Build: 900 SL Travel: 130 / 140mm Motor: TQ HPR50 | 50NM Battery: TQ Integrated | 360wh Price: $15,999 Weight: 34.7 lbs / 15.7 kg

SPECIALIZED TURBO LEVO SL

Build: S-Works Travel: 150/160mm Motor: Specialized 1.2 SL | 50NM Battery: Specialized SL1-320 | 320Wh Price: $14,000 Weight: 39.2 lbs / 17.8 kg

TRANSITION RELAY

Build: XX AXS Travel: 160/160mm Motor: Fazua Ride60 | 60nm Battery: Fazua Removeable | 430wh Price: $12,499 Weight: 43 lbs / 19.5 kg

TREK FUEL EXe

Build: 9.9 XX1 Travel: 140/150mm Motor: TQ HPR50 | 50NM Battery: TQ Internal | 360Wh Price: $13,999 Weight: 43.7 lbs / 19.8 kg

THE RESULTS

After testing some bikes for months and others for just a couple of weeks before heading to Klamath Falls for our final filming and testing week, our crew set out with the intentions of delivering our readers and viewers insight they could trust and find relatable if the time to pull the trigger on a new eMTB is on the horizon.

As with all our group reviews, we do our best to share our personal preferences on what characteristics we like about bikes, the types of trails and terrain we seek out and also offer opinions on who we envision certain bikes could be best for. We fully realize that our style, terrain and desires can be very different from yours and we hope to address that when making our suggestions for bikes that may not be the best for us but could be the best option for you.

So, without further delay, here are our favorite lightweight eMTBs.

2023 EBIKE LIGHT OF THE YEAR

This bike was unanimously chosen by our staff as the bike that was the most fun, capable and fit our riding style best. There is no denying that Fazua has suffered some very real problems and any message board or comment section will show that. However, even with the risk of something going wrong, this bike is just so dang fun to ride on the trails we like to ride that it is our number 1 pick. If you want to go big, charge hard and go fast, the Transition Relay could be for you.

BEST ALL-AROUND LIGHTWEIGHT TRAIL EMTB

PIVOT SHUTTLE SL & TREK FUEL EXE

This category was a tough one to choose because both the Trek and Pivot are incredibly fun and worthwhile machines. Ultimately what it came down to was the intended use and travel of the two bikes that caused the split. We’re certain that if the Pivot Shuttle SL had 140 or 150mm of rear wheel travel it would have been the winner but both Drew and Chris preferred the longer travel of the Trek, especially with a 160mm fork. Nic and Sean both loved the light, playful and fast feel of the Pivot Shuttle SL and how effortless it is to ride and ride fast. All four of the voting test riders agreed they’d be more than happy riding either of the bikes, it just came down to who likes to hit rougher, gnarlier terrain and big jumps, or who wants a livelier and spritelier trail bike. We’d suggest buyers evaluate your local terrain and type of riding and pick either of these two based on that feedback.

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS | GENRE BLENDER

GIANT TRANCE X ADVANCED ELITE

Our whole crew absolutely loved the Giant Trance X Advanced. While we’d personally buy a lower-spec model to save money, we had almost zero complaints when it came to reviewing this bike. It’s very close to the top of our list as well and we think riders who want speed, power and assist of a full-power eMTB with a bit less weight will absolutely love this bike. We all agree that we’d love to see a Reign version of this bike, and if they had one, it would likely be the king of the show. Of course, a 160mm fork and range extender on this bike wouldn’t be a bad way to go either!

If you’d like to support us directly, we have a bunch of Loam Wolf merch, Made in USA jerseys, hand guards seen in the tests above and frame protector kits available in our webstore.

Catch you on the trails! Drew and The Loam Wolf Crew

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Pivot Shuttle SL Pro X01 – in our “Best Light-eMTB of 2023” group test

Looks like a Pivot! Despite being the Arizona-based brand’s first Light-eMTB, and one of the first bikes to use the new FAZUA Ride 60 motor system, the Shuttle SL Pro preserves the distinctive silhouette of a Pivot. We pitted the Shuttle SL Pro against the 7 hottest Light-eMTBs of the season.

Straight away, the Shuttle SL fits perfectly into Pivot’s portfolio. The straight top tube merges seamlessly into the seat stay and links the vertically-mounted shock with Pivot’s distinctive DW-Link rear end. As usual, a Phoenix head badge stands proud of the head tube. The € 10,999 Shuttle SL combines 150/132 mm of travel at the front and rear, respectively – only 2 mm more rear travel than SCOTT’s downcountry bike, the Lumen. That being said, the 18.7 kg Shuttle SL was developed specifically for trail riding.

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best Light-E-MTB 2023 – 8 bikes in review

The Light-eMTB Pivot Shuttle SL Pro 2022 in detail

Pivot combine the new FAZUA Ride 60 motor with a 430 Wh battery and LED HUB display, which is integrated into the top tube and features a practical USB-C port. Five LEDs show the charge status in 20% increments and change colour to show the current support mode. However, the LEDs are difficult to read in direct sunlight, making it hard to distinguish between the support modes. The down tube of the Shuttle SL is slightly beefier than most bikes on test, which is partly due to the shape of the FAZUA battery – despite Pivot using a permanently integrated battery, which saves weight and requires less installation space. However, this approach also has its drawbacks. For starters, it doesn’t allow you to remove the battery for external charging and, secondly, it prevents you from embarking on longer adventures, because you can’t replace it with a fully charged spare mid-ride. A ribbed plastic protector covers the entire length of the chainstay top and bottom, preventing paint chips and ensuring a quiet ride.

The spec of the Light-eMTB Pivot Shuttle SL Pro 2023

The spec of our Pivot Shuttle SL Pro test bike is different from the production bike. While the latter comes equipped with a SRAM X01 drivetrain, our test bike features a mixed Shimano drivetrain with XTR and XT components. Shimano also supply the XT four-piston brakes, which are paired with a 203 mm rotor at the front and 180 mm disc at the rear. That being said, such a potent trail eMTB really calls for a big 200 mm rotor front and rear. For the suspension, Pivot rely on a high-end FOX 36 Factory GRIP2 fork and matching FLOAT X Factory shock, which features a small external sag indicator for easier setup. FOX also supply the 175 mm Transfer Factory dropper post. The Shuttle SL rolls on a NEWMEN EVOLUTION SL A.30 alloy wheelset with MAXXIS DISSECTOR tires, which might be a good match for the rocky Arizona desert, but struggle to generate traction in loamier conditions, where tires with a more aggressive profile, like Minions DHF/DHR II, are a far better option. Moreover, the stock tires feature the paper-thin EXO casing and hard MaxxTerra rubber compound. In a nutshell, we’d recommend upgrading the tires to a model with a more aggressive profile and softer rubber compound, like MAXXIS’ MaxxGrip, to improve traction. While you’re at it, we suggest upgrading to a more robust casing too, like MAXXIS EXO+, or DoubleDown if you like to get rowdy on the trail.

Pivot Shuttle SL Pro X01

Specifications.

Motor FAZUA Ride 60 60 Nm Battery FAZUA Energy 430 Wh Display FAZUA LED HUB Fork FOX 36 Factory GRIP2 150 mm Rear Shock FOX FLOAT X Factory 132 mm Seatpost FOX Transfer Factory 175 mm Brakes Shimano XT 200/180 mm Drivetrain Shimano XTR/XT 1x12 Stem Phoenix Team Enduro/Trail 40 mm Handlebar Phoenix Team Low Rise Carbon 780 mm Wheelset NEWMEN EVOLUTION SL A.30 Alu 29" Tires MAXXIS DISSECTOR 3C MaxxTerra EXO/MAXXIS DISSECTOR 3C MaxxTerra EXO 2.4/2.4

Technical Data

Size S M L XL Weight 18.7 kg Perm. total weight 149 kg Trailer approval nein Kickstand mount nein

Specific Features

Flip-Chip Toolmount

Tuning Tips: Front tire with softer rubber compound | Tires with more aggressive profile and tougher casing

The geometry of the Light-eMTB Pivot Shuttle SL Pro 2023

At 432 mm, the Shuttle SL has the shortest seat tube in the entire test field. Although the 478 mm reach in size L is on the short side, the long 175 mm dropper post can be fully inserted into the frame, ensuring plenty of freedom of movement on the bike. A flip chip in the seat stay pivot allows you to drop the bottom bracket from 27 mm to 21 mm, slacken the seat and head angles by half a degree (from 76°to 76.5° and 65° to 65.5°, respectively), alter the reach and stack by 4 mm, and at the same time increase the chainstay length by 2 mm. Needless to say, we rode the bike mainly in the low setting. Moreover, Pivot adapt the chainstay length to the respective frame size to ensure consistent handling across all sizes – awesome!

The Light-eMTB Pivot Shuttle SL Pro 2023 on the trail

On the way to the trailhead, the Shuttle lives up to its name, pushing you to the top of the mountain more eagerly than any other FAZUA bike in this test thanks to the excellent combination of the efficient DW-Link rear suspension and the 60 Nm motor. On top of that, the comfortable pedalling position makes sure that it’s the battery that decides how far you’ll be riding, not your backside. On steep and technical climbs, the Shuttle’s rear suspension generates plenty of traction and doesn’t sink into its travel, even when the saddle is fully extended. That being said, you still have to actively weight the front wheel to keep it tracking and the Pivot lifts you off the saddle every time you ride over a larger step.

The Pivot Shuttle SL Pro is stiff and direct, which makes it crazy fast, especially on flatter, flowing trails.

As soon as you point its nose downhill, the Pivot integrates you nicely between its wheels, with the weight evenly distributed between the front and rear. The Shuttle SL is playfully nimble and implements steering input with clinical precision, ensuring super direct handling. As a result, it can be rather demanding to control, requiring an experienced rider who knows how to handle the direct feedback, especially when riding at the limit. However, if you know what you’re doing, the Shuttle SL Pro is brutally fast and outrageously potent. Compared to the good-natured Trek, however, it’s far less beginner friendly. Put simply, the Shuttle SL is super stiff, conveying a real BMX-race feeling when pumping through rollers and berms. In the right hands, it transforms every trail into a playground, inviting you to pop off ledges and pump through the trail to generate speed. At the same time, it generates a decent amount of traction and provides enough reserves to bail you on botched landings – on board the Shuttle SL Pro, you almost forget you’re sitting on just 132 mm travel.

Riding Characteristics

Value for money, intended use.

Feels like a Pivot! The Shuttle SL Pro is a thoroughbred Pivot, both in looks and handling. It’s one of the best climbers in our test, with the DW-Link rear suspension working extremely efficiently and generating plenty of traction. Downhill, the Shuttle SL Pro provides huge amounts of support and good reserves, making you feel as if you have more than 132 mm of travel on tap. In combination with the precise handling, this makes the Pivot one brutally fast yet demanding trail ripper.

• Very efficient uphill
• Feels as if it has more travel
• Extremely precise

• Battery can’t be removed
• Tires don’t do justice to the potential of the bike
• Handling can be demanding

You can find out more about at pivotcycles.com

The test field

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best Light-E-MTB 2023 – 8 models in review

All bikes in test: Focus Jam² SL 9.9 2023 (Click for review) | Forestal Siryon Diode (Click for review) | Haibike LYKE CF SE (Click for review) | Orbea Rise M-LTD (Click for review) | Pivot Shuttle SL Pro X01 | SCOTT Lumen eRIDE 900 SL (Click for review) | SIMPLON Rapcon Pmax TQ (Click for review) | Trek Fuel EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS (Click for review)

This scale indicates how efficiently the bike climbs. It refers to both simple and technical climbs. Along with the suspension, the riding position and the weight of the bike all play a crucial role. ↩

How does the bike ride and descend? How spritely is the bike, how agile is it through corners, how much fun is it in tight sections and how quickly can it change direction? ↩

Is the bike stable at high speeds? Is it easy to stay in control in demanding terrain? How composed is it on rough trails? Stability is a combination of balanced geometry, good suspension and the right spec. ↩

This is all about how balanced the bike is and particularly about how well it corners. Balanced bikes require little physical effort from the rider and are very predictable. If a bike is unbalanced, the rider has to work hard to weight the front wheel to generate enough grip. However, experienced riders can have a lot of fun even with unbalanced bikes. ↩

How sensitive is the suspension over small bumps? Can it absorb hard impacts and does it soak up repeated hits? Plush suspension not only provides comfort and makes a bike more capable, but it also generates traction. The rating includes the fork and the rear suspension. ↩

This aspect mainly comes down to the suspension. How much pop does it have, does it suck up the rider’s input or is it supportive, and how agile and direct is the bike? ↩

We don’t calculate value for money in an excel spreadsheet or based on how high-end a bike is specced. We are more concerned with how a bike performs on the trail and how the bike benefits the rider. What good are the best components if the bike doesn’t perform well on the trail? Expensive bikes with a lower-end spec can offer very good value for money – provided they excel where it matters. Just as supposedly cheap bikes with good components can get a bad rating if they don’t deliver on the trail. ↩

No, it’s not about racing, it’s about efficiency. Fast, fleet-footed and efficient – those who want to speed along flowy singletrack and gravel roads need a defined and spritely bike that accelerates with ease and efficiency. Nevertheless, reliable components are important too. We interpret XC more like the Americans do: big back-country rides instead of a marathon or XC World Cup with the ultimate in lightweight construction! Uphill-downhill ratio: 80:30 (not everything has to be 100%!) ↩

...also known as mountain biking. Classic singletrack with roots, rocks and ledges – sometimes flowy, sometimes rough. For this, you need a bike with good all-round qualities, whether climbing or descending. Uphill-downhill ratio: 50:50 ↩

Even more extreme and challenging compared to Trail riding, riddled with every kind of obstacle: jumps, gaps, nasty rock gardens, ruts and roots. For this, you need (race)proven equipment that forgives mistakes and wouldn’t look out of place on a stage of the Enduro World Series. Climbing is just a means to an end. Uphill-downhill ratio: 30:70 ↩

Strictly speaking, a 200 mm travel downhill bike is the best choice for merciless tracks with big jumps, drops and the roughest terrain. Those would be the black or double-black-diamond tracks in a bike park. But as some of the EWS pros (including Sam Hill) have proven, it’s the riding skills and not the bike that define what you can ride with it. Climbing? On foot or with a shuttle, please! Uphill-downhill ratio: 10:90 ↩

You can find more info about our rating system in this article: Click here! ↩

Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of ENDURO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality mountain bike journalism. Click here to learn more .

Words: Simon Kohler Photos: Peter Walker, Mike Hunger

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Pivot Shuttle SL vs. Trek Fuel EXe

Of all the full-powered ones, the Pivot Shuttle was the most nimble and best pedaling. It was also the lightest. I could not live with the others but several have changed in the past 2-3 years. One other thing- if the motor or battery ever dies, can you pedal out several miles and a thousand ft of climbing? With the Levo SL, I can.  

scottie mac

I totally agree with Flyer. Full fats have their place. I currently own a Trek Rail and it's pretty nimble for a 50lbs bike, but when it comes to trail riding and flickability, the lightweight bikes are tough to beat. I had a Levo SL (sold to a roadie friend) and I still have access to it from time to time. I rode it the other day and was amazed how much more lively the bike is in the twisty stuff. I'm supposed to be getting one of the new Pivot SL's as soon as they are available. On paper at least, it's the perfect bike for me. More trail oriented, at or slightly under 40lbs and 60nm is more than enough power for me. I rarely, if ever, turbo out my Rail. SM  

I currently ride a Giant Trance with 80nM torque that I rarely go above assist 3 out of 5 on. I've been considering one of these lighter bikes and finally got a chance to try both the Trek Fuel exe and the Pivot Shuttle SL a couple weeks ago. Both rides were taken in the neighborhoods around the bike shops where I could get the feel of the motor assist on some long hills. I found the Fuel felt comfortable and fun to ride on all assist levels, even turned off wasn't bad. I didn't feel like I NEEDED more power to get up the hills and it felt much more nimble than my Trance which is around 14 pounds heavier. The noise level was imperceptible to me. Even though the Shuttle has a slightly more powerful motor on paper when I rode that I felt like it didn't quite have enough oomph for me, and I found myself more consistently putting it in assist 3 and wishing it had more. Even using the turbo mode felt like I wanted more and I found myself hitting it again to keep it going after the 15 seconds was up. The toggle control felt clumsy to me as well. The noise level of the motor wasn't bad but I could hear it. The really distracting sound to me came from the hub when coasting which was more high pitched than the typical hub noises from every other bike I've ridden. So, for me I've ruled out the Pivot, and also the Turbo Levo SL I tried a year ago that felt too weak. The Trek has impressed me enough that I'm still strongly considering it and plan to give it another look when I get a chance.  

eDirt said: I currently ride a Giant Trance with 80nM torque that I rarely go above assist 3 out of 5 on. I've been considering one of these lighter bikes and finally got a chance to try both the Trek Fuel exe and the Pivot Shuttle SL a couple weeks ago. Both rides were taken in the neighborhoods around the bike shops where I could get the feel of the motor assist on some long hills. I found the Fuel felt comfortable and fun to ride on all assist levels, even turned off wasn't bad. I didn't feel like I NEEDED more power to get up the hills and it felt much more nimble than my Trance which is around 14 pounds heavier. The noise level was imperceptible to me. Even though the Shuttle has a slightly more powerful motor on paper when I rode that I felt like it didn't quite have enough oomph for me, and I found myself more consistently putting it in assist 3 and wishing it had more. Even using the turbo mode felt like I wanted more and I found myself hitting it again to keep it going after the 15 seconds was up. The toggle control felt clumsy to me as well. The noise level of the motor wasn't bad but I could hear it. The really distracting sound to me came from the hub when coasting which was more high pitched than the typical hub noises from every other bike I've ridden. So, for me I've ruled out the Pivot, and also the Turbo Levo SL I tried a year ago that felt too weak. The Trek has impressed me enough that I'm still strongly considering it and plan to give it another look when I get a chance. Click to expand...

edbraunbeck

KRob said: Thanks for the comparison. Good info. I wonder why the Pivot felt down on power despite the (claimed?) higher torque spec? Click to expand...

edbraunbeck said: I demoed the Trek in the parking lot and ended up buying the Pivot Shuttle SL. Without riding them back to back, I could not comment on the power difference. My Shuttle has about 150 miles and power-wise it's more than enough. River mode (blue) is where I spend a lot of my time. Rocket mode is fun on wide-open trails for getting from point A to B as fast as possible. Click to expand...

KRob said: Good to know. Any other comments on the overall Pivot Shuttle SL experience so far? Rocket mode is also good for those super steep, you'd-be-pushing-without-an-ebike short climbing sections. Click to expand...

edbraunbeck said: It truly rides like a cross between the Trail 429 and Switchblade. The motor and overall bike are very quiet. Yesterday, I declined a steep section of the trail and turned around, and went back up for fun. River mode was perfectly fine! Click to expand...

Ripbird said: Rock it, River, pebble, stone is way to confusing and unnecessary on Pivot’s part. How about staying uniform Eco, Trail, Boost then we’ll all know what mode you’re speaking about without opening the manual that we don’t have. I’m not knocking you or anyone else, I just see no reason for bike manufacturers need to rewrite something that doesn’t need to be rewritten. Keep the reviews coming, because they are far and few on the Pivot. Click to expand...

Wind, River, and Storm!  

I don't get a 132mm travel e-bike unless you are someone that is missing a leg or something and just wants to ride lighter trails but will never be able to really pedal easy trails. I know some people shred big terrain on a small bike, but that's not the right tool for big terrain. For an average to above average MTBer, the point of these mid power e-bikes is to have a super shreddy big bike for serious chunk but feel like you are riding a XC race bike when climbing back up.  

My regular trail bike is a Pivot Trail 429. I like it a lot, and the Shuttle SL looks very appealing to me. However, I ended up getting the Fuel EXe. I think the design of the control and display is better, and the motor is quieter. The Pivot has a bit more power and bigger battery, but the Trek has plenty of assist for me and the overall range is pretty similar between the two. I also felt that I wanted at least 140mm travel, although there isn't that much difference between 132mm and 140mm. The medium Trek also fits me perfectly, where the Pivot's reach is a little too long. The Trek also looks like a better deal for the price. The 9.8XT has a full XT drivetrain and brakes (no substituting an SLX cassette and chain like a lot of brands do), plus it comes with carbon rims and carbon cranks, for $8700. It looks like the Pivot Ride build is now $9K, and that is all SLX except for an XT derailleur, and it has alloy bars, rims, and cranks. I was also able to get a 25% discount on the Trek as a NICA Level 3 coach, so that made it an easy choice for me.  

jabrabu said: My regular trail bike is a Pivot Trail 429. I like it a lot, and the Shuttle SL looks very appealing to me. However, I ended up getting the Fuel EXe. I think the design of the control and display is better, and the motor is quieter. The Pivot has a bit more power and bigger battery, but the Trek has plenty of assist for me and the overall range is pretty similar between the two. I also felt that I wanted at least 140mm travel, although there isn't that much difference between 132mm and 140mm. The medium Trek also fits me perfectly, where the Pivot's reach is a little too long. The Trek also looks like a better deal for the price. The 9.8XT has a full XT drivetrain and brakes (no substituting an SLX cassette and chain like a lot of brands do), plus it comes with carbon rims and carbon cranks, for $8700. It looks like the Pivot Ride build is now $9K, and that is all SLX except for an XT derailleur, and it has alloy bars, rims, and cranks. I was also able to get a 25% discount on the Trek as a NICA Level 3 coach, so that made it an easy choice for me. Click to expand...

KRob said: That choice makes sense, and is the way I'd be leaning as well, if I were in the market for this genre of eBike. Have you posted your ride impressions somewhere? Love to hear what you think. Click to expand...

2023 Fuel EXe Official Thread

Suns_PSD said: I don't get a 132mm travel e-bike unless you are someone that is missing a leg or something and just wants to ride lighter trails but will never be able to really pedal easy trails. I know some people shred big terrain on a small bike, but that's not the right tool for big terrain. For an average to above average MTBer, the point of these mid power e-bikes is to have a super shreddy big bike for serious chunk but feel like you are riding a XC race bike when climbing back up. Click to expand...

mtnbikerva1

Warranty issues and problems with the bike/manufacture and how we have to handle them is a big deal to me. Also how the manufacture handles customers and or bike shop issues or problems? How easy and cost of replacement or upgrade parts? My local Trek shop is run by aholes and idiots!  

The other big thing is build standards and quality control. My Trek had a few manufacturing problems some Trek HQ fixed. My 2021/2 PIVOT Trail 429 seems to be much better in all areas, not a single dislike or failure. So far the Pivot seems to be in a different and higher quality tier than most as far as standards Pivot holds.  

Suspension wise my Trek 140mm of rear travel was harsher and I did not like the ride feel. My 120mm rear travel Pivot feels far better in every way, and somehow feels like there is more than the 140 Trek.  

To be fair the Trek was a DPS shock and my Pivot Trail 429 enduro has a FOX Float X. So how much of the superior performance and feel is the shock and or frame quality, suspension design, geo, etc I am not 100% sure.  

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Based on frame geometry and build specs.

A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

2022 Shuttle SL Ride SLX/XT

2023 Fuel EXe 9.5

2023 Fuel EXe 9.7

(descending)

Based on build material and quality level of the frame, fork, wheelset, groupset, suspension system, and more.