KTM eRace P 29 – Review
In all honesty, really we are fans of E-MTBs with centre-motors. With their low and central centre of gravity, they can be ridden on demanding trails as easily as their motor-free siblings.
However, rear hub drives do have certain advantages. They work directly via the rear wheel, so have great efficiency and power — unlike centre-motors, no energy is wasted through the friction of the chain and gearbox. Also positive: the chain, cassette, and gears don’t suffer from any additional loads, and thus wear is reduced (and your wallet will thank you)! Our favourite part: rear hub motors allow the battery to be charged whilst you are riding. The somewhat clumsily-named recuperation function offers a type of engine braking which is very pleasant on long descents. So overall, there really are good arguments for a rear-hub-driven E-MTB, which is why we decided to take a closer look at the KTM eRace P 29.
Even whilst unpacking the bike, the high-quality fabrication we are used to from KTM is immediately noticeable. The matte orange-white-black paint looks classy, feels good, and encompasses the whole bike design. The control unit is compact and fitted to the handlebars, making it less exposed to crash damage than with many other manufacturers.
The parts could be categorised as “solid entry-level” class. The economical Tektro Auriga brakes are a lesser-known favorite of ours, having frequently surprised us with their power and reliability. The shifting parts, with the exception of a Shimano XT rear derailleur, are also from the mid-priced component groups, and they deliver reliable function throughout.
Only the suspension fork, a lockable Suntour Raidon, left the testers wanting more. The fork is under-damped and isn’t plush. On rough trails, it quickly reaches its limits and cannot sufficiently track the ground during repetitive impacts. In practice, however, this fact is not that decisive, as rough and technically demanding trails are not really the preferred terrain of an e-hardtail with a rear hub motor.
The lockable battery can be removed for charging with just one step. Removing the rear wheel and motor is almost as easy as with a regular bike; however, there is no quick release at the rear to improve security against theft, so when riding you should always have the right tool along in case you need to fix a rear puncture.
Aboard the bike, the thoughts about the nice finish are quickly replaced with a “wow” feeling. The 250-watt Panasonic motor accelerates the bike with plenty of torque and power, but at the same time works surprisingly unnoticeably. You won’t feel a sudden jolt as the motor engages, and when you reach the 25 km/h legal limit, the motor is cut out smoothly and harmoniously. We’ve rarely ridden such a finely set-up E-MTB. Especially on not-too-technical climbs, riding the KTM was a blast — we’ve never had so much fun on a hardtail!
The lack of overheating problems was also a positive surprise. Even at 25 °C air temperature, we had to ride on long and steep climbs at full power before the motor automatically decreased the power.
However, the long power cut-off time is something we have mixed feelings about. When you stop pedalling, the motor continues to drive the bike for a good second. This can be quite pleasant and fun, for example when riding over obstacles on technical climbs, which become much easier. It can, however, lead to more unpleasant or even dangerous situations — for example in traffic, exposed corners, or when you just aren’t prepared for the delayed cut-off. The situation is made easier by the well-balanced braking sensors. As soon as you even slightly pull the brake levers, the drive is immediately interrupted and the cut-off delay is gone. At the same time, part of the braking energy is automatically used to charge the battery.
You can choose from four different support levels using the bar-mounted control unit. We especially liked the ‘auto’ setting. Here the system recognises whether you are climbing or descending and how steep the gradient is, and automatically chooses the best-fitting level of support or energy recuperation. The latter affords a welcome increase in overall range, as well as a great feeling on long descents. As long as it’s not too steep, the bike is constantly slowed down to a pleasant speed without using the brakes whilst the battery gets recharged.
Surprise – The cheap Tektro Auriga brakes won us over with great power, fine modulation, and high reliability. A pleasant surprise!
Too stiff – The Suntour Raidon suspension fork didn’t impress the testers. It couldn’t track the ground during hard or rapidly successive impacts.
Bolted – To remove the rear wheel of the KTM you need a 15mm spanner. Practical in terms of theft protection, but it might require you to use a taxi if there’s a breakdown.
Well set up – The Panasonic hub motor really impressed us with tons of power, great control, and a complete lack of overheating. The only criticism is the slightly long delay in power cut-off.
Conclusion:
for an acceptable price, the KTM eRace P 29 offers an E-hardtail with economical but solid parts and winning handling. Combined with a great design, it’s a real best buy!
Price: 2.598 €
Technical Data:
Words: Tobias Döring Photos: Christoph Bayer
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