The Review | The Rotwild R.Q1+ FS 27.5 Pro
We’ve all experienced that sinking feeling you get when you’ve just bought something brand new, but before you know it another product has been launched and your proud purchase already seems outdated. Exhausting, right? With its latest hybrid collection, the German bike company Rotwild have more than exceeded industry standards, as their newest model makes the entire sector look a little tired.
previously tested.
But what makes a decent E-MTB? Is it the motor? The chassis? The design? The answer is simple: it’s about how the parts work together. Do they even work together? Up until now, no manufacturer has been able to successfully integrate the motor and battery into an E-MTB so that it looks – and more importantly, rides – like one cohesive unit. They tend to look more like foreign entities placed in the middle of the bike, with the frame having been built around it. Then there’s the added factors of dealing with the space that the power unit demands, and the tiny drive pinion; these make good geometry and rear triangle kinematics nigh on impossible. It seems we weren’t the only ones to have these thoughts. Dissatisfied with this state of events, the engineers at ADP Engineering, the construction team behind ROTWILD, decided enough was enough. Together with Brose, who are experts with electric motors, they created an entirely new E-MTB concept.
“The aim was the development an uncompromising e-mtb, without having to make any allowances with the geometry, kinematics, or ergonomics. Ultimately, the rider is perfectly integrated into the whole bike. We wanted to build a mountain bike around an electric motor. We wanted to integrate the system so that it ultimately functions 100% as it is intended.
Our bikes are named ‘+’ and this highlights their purpose: highly functioning mountain bikes with the plus of motorized support”, says Peter Böhm, head of development at ADP Engineering, about ROTWILD’s latest collection.
Three models have emerged from their efforts. Aesthetically, the significantly bigger downtube is perhaps the only striking visual difference to their non-motorised models. The battery has been firmly fixed into the bike and seamlessly links to the compact ‘Made in Germany’ Brose motor.
Such clever details highlight the technical competence of the engineers and give the bike its tidy look.
On the Trails
Even after just a few metres, there’s one astounding trait of the new R.Q1: it’s virtually silent. Humming gently on the tarmac, once off-road with the wheels rolling over loose ground the sound of the powerful motor is muzzled. Given the law-abiding 250-watt constraint on e-bike motors, this Brose drive is only marginally different to its Bosch or Yamaha competitors. Its three well-considered performance levels can be chosen using the compact and ergonomically positioned adjustment lever on the handlebars, where there’s also the push aid button. Sitting centrally on the head tube, the stylish display screen is significantly less exposed than the more frequent handlebar location that its competitors opt for. The display has all the relevant information visible for the rider.
But, let’s be honest: while the motor and the display unit are important, they don’t tell the full
story of the new ROTWILD collection. The technical prowess that has gone into housing the motor and fully integrating the battery is one which has also had a much more decisive impact on how the bike handles, as well as the power exerted by the drive. These are the true factors that set the R.Q1+ apart from its e-mountainbike competitors.
ROTWILD are the first manufacturing company of e-mountainbikes to succeed in replicating the riding characteristics of a normal bike. The R.Q1+ is more agile and more playful to ride than any other E-MTB that we have previously tested. With the fully decoupled motor, you can pedal effectively even at speeds over 25 km/h, and the bike can still ride fairly well with a switched-off motor – that is, as well as you can expect when it weighs around 19 kg!
But this shouldn’t occur too often, as the battery life is impressive! Even after a climb of 12 km and 1,100 vertical metres, the display reckoned that the battery was still half full – and we’d exclusively relied on the highest performance level. Respect, ROTWILD. If that doesn’t please you though then there’s an optional extension pack available that slots into your bike bottle holder to boost the range by another 250 Wh.
On the descents, the bike offers support despite its super-agile nature, and the low centre of gravity is a welcome and appreciated notion. Even technically demanding sections are overcome on the R.Q1+. Admittedly, the FOX 32 fork generates too little feedback, and a 34 mm fork would drastically improve the bike’s descending ability and give the front tyre a stronger profile.
Those are the only two criticisms that reared their heads during our tests. Technically refined, the bike has some amazing details such as the channel for cables, giving the R.Q1+
a very tidy look as they’re fed into the downtube.
Specification
- Frame: R.Q1+ FS27.5
- Fork: Fox 32 Float 140 FIT CTD Factory Kashima
- Shock: Fox Float CTD BV Factory Kashima
- Brakes: Shimano XTR
- Drivetrain: Shimano XTR
- Motor: Brose 2.0
- Battery Pack: Rotwild Power Pack 4P10S
Conclusion
Heralding a new era in E-MTBs, the ROTWILD R.Q1+ is the first of its kind to succeed in combining brilliant handling and riding characteristics with a really well integrated drive system. Currently the best hybrid on the market, it embodies the creation of a cohesive
total concept. Retailing at the very fair price of € 4,999, it’s definitely a strong performer and one to consider.
For more information, visit rotwild.de.
Words & Photos: Christoph Bayer
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