Until now E-MTB hardtails haven’t held the greatest appeal – unless you were one of those rare souls willing to sacrifice performance for price. Fortunately times are changing and the latest E-MTB hardtail generation have made a gigantic leap forward in terms of performance, offering more than just relief to your bank balance. We’ve put the six of the current most exciting models on test with each bringing vastly different concepts to the trails.

E-MTB hardtails tend to retail for around €1,000 less than a similar-specced full suspension model, meaning that they’re often the most tempting option, the gateway drug if you will, for any e-enthusiast. Plus, another advantage is that they’re much easier to set-up and service. But no two hardtails are the same, and this group test revealed a host of eye-opening differences between their performance, range and confidence-inspiring abilities.

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The test criteria

To really knuckle down and judge E-MTB hardtails, you have to look at where they’re going to be ridden. Deemed highly representative, our readers survey had more than 3,000 participants giving crucial feedback that helped us to set our test criteria. More than 75 % of riders looking to buy a hardtail revealed that they’d be riding wide gravel tracks or tarmac lanes. Only 17 % ride flow trails, and just 6 % state that they want to use their E-hardtail on technical terrain. E-hardtails are frequently the commuter bike of choice, or used as a daily steed when fitted with mudguards and a rear carrier. Alongside price and performance, we also paid heed to reliability, range and stability.

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Different motors, different characters

The six bikes on test presented us with four different motor concepts, each delivering different characteristics. Both Haibike and SCOTT went for the benchmark-setting Bosch motor, which delivered a consistent power output over a wide cadence spectrum. The Bosch is also mega powerful, and there are no significant hurdles when you reach the 25km/h limit, plus the 500 Wh battery is ample. Both the Specialized Turbo Levo HT and the BH Revo opt for a Brose motor with less battery capacity (460 Wh) as well as less power. The Specialized has the added bonus of its Mission Control app that gives freedom to the rider to customize the setup of the motor. Essentially both of these Brose motors work in a similar manner, rewarding the rider’s exertion with maximum support once a high cadence is reached. However, the SyncDrive Yamaha motor on the Giant bike is the exact opposite of this, demanding that the rider’s cadence is kept below 80 strokes per minute – above that, and you can wave goodbye to any powerful support. When it comes to power delivery, the Impulse Evo RS on the FOCUS JARIFA is one of the remarkably unremarkable motors, however, fed by a giant 612 Wh battery it boasts the biggest range by far.

None of the test bikes have a rear hub motor; while these definitely have a place on urban commuter e-bikes, hub motors aren’t suited to E-MTBing given their tendency to overheat pretty quickly, and their impact on how the weight is spread across the bike, which in turn affects the handling.

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Get connected

Cemented in our daily lives, it was only a matter of time before E-MTBs welcomed smart phones into their realm too. Having won the Industry Award at the Design & Innovation Award 2016, Specialized’s Mission Control app offers a huge range of functions, which allow you to adapt the intricacies of how the motor works and responds, plus there’s a navigation function that takes into account the range remaining. With their Impulse app, FOCUS are also heading in the same direction, employing a tool that allows you to control and adapt the most important navigational tools directly on the bike’s display.

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The purpose and the resulting wheel size debate

Our test fleet was made up of three 27.5+ bikes, two 29ers and one bike with standard 27.5″ wheels. There was palpably more grip, comfort and confidence when riding the chubby 27.5+ tires, without any noticeable impact on rolling resistance or range. If trails are your intended playground then plus-size tires should be mandatory. The more classic wheel sizes (29″ and 27.5″) in this test had poorly chosen tires and are better kept to really mellow off-road riding or just gravel tracks.

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The spec: still a cause for concern

A handful of the bikes on test appeared in our office with some serious flaws in their spec, most notably when it comes to weak brakes, under-sized disc brake rotors or anorexic tires – just look at SCOTT, BH and Giant. The FOX forks on the BH Revo don’t have a thru-axle, which leads to excessive flex and wallowy handling. We would not expect to find critical omissions like this in 2016. When we confronted BH they assured us that the specific criticisms on the spec have been improved for the coming season – brilliant news. Notable in their absence on the Haibike, BH and SCOTT are dropper posts, another key feature on an E-MTB that has a huge impact on fun and confidence. The sheer level of price battering in the retail trade is to blame for this, forcing manufacturers to keep to a specific price point; the extra couple of hundred euros for a dropper post won’t please everyone. Consequently, a lot of brands consider them an upgrade option. FOCUS and Specialized are on board though, delivering function and good value across the whole spec list. The Specialized was let down by its chain guide, which repeatedly failed to do its duty.

Both the BH and the Giant come with double cranksets to the satisfaction of retailers and customers, but in reality they’re prone to letting you down when you need them most. The motor puts so much stress on the chain when climbing, shifting down on the front derailleur under load is impossible. There is one benefit: if your battery dies, it’ll be easier to ride home.

Bike Motor / Battery Weight Price
BH Revo 29 ER746 Brose / 460 Wh 21.65 kg € 3,799
FOCUS Jarifa Fat Pro Impulse EVO RS / 612 Wh 21.39 kg € 3,999
Giant Dirt-E+ 0 SynDrive/Yamaha / 500 Wh 21.44 kg € 3,699
Haibike XDURO HardSeven Plus RX Bosch Performance CX / 500 Wh 21.53 kg € 3,999
SCOTT E-Aspect 910 CX Bosch Performance CX / 500 Wh 20.44 kg € 3,599
Specialized Turbo Levo HT Comp 6Fattie Brose Custom Trail Tune / 460 Wh 21.26 kg € 3,799
BH Revo 29 ER746
FOCUS JARIFA FAT PRO
Giant Dirt-E+ 0
Haibike XDURO HardSeven Plus RX
SCOTT E-Aspect 910 CX
Specialized Turbo Levo HT Comp 6Fattie
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Top

Power packet The Impulse battery won’t win a beauty pageant for its integration but the 612 Wh capacity puts it on another level to the competition, meaning longer rides and more fun.
Power packet
The Impulse battery won’t win a beauty pageant for its integration but the 612 Wh capacity puts it on another level to the competition, meaning longer rides and more fun.
Fluid on boardThe team at Specialized have integrated the battery into the downtube from the underside, meaning there’s room for a bottle cage mount. Showing serious commitment to the needs of real riders, they’ve also attached a multitool too.
Fluid on board
The team at Specialized have integrated the battery into the downtube from the underside, meaning there’s room for a bottle cage mount. Showing serious commitment to the needs of real riders, they’ve also attached a multitool too.
New benchmark Plus-size tires set new standards for E-MTB hardtails, delivering huge comfort, traction and stability.
New benchmark
Plus-size tires set new standards for E-MTB hardtails, delivering huge comfort, traction and stability.
Radikal This Specialized E-MTB has no computer, which is pretty radical in our eyes. It’s possible to fix a remote lever as well as use a Garmin to display all relevant data from the engine and battery.
Radical
This Specialized E-MTB has no computer, which is pretty radical in our eyes. It’s possible to fix a remote lever as well as use a Garmin to display all relevant data from the engine and battery.
A dropper post is a must-have on any E-MTB, whether it’s a hardtail or a fully. They don’t just add fun and confidence when off-road but also comfort for an everyday ride.
Crucial
A dropper post is a must-have on any E-MTB, whether it’s a hardtail or a fully. They don’t just add fun and confidence when off-road but also comfort for an everyday ride.

Flop

No-Go The BH Revo has FOX 32 forks without a thru-axle, leading to loads of unwanted flex and wallowy handling.
No-Go
The BH Revo has FOX 32 forks without a thru-axle, leading to loads of unwanted flex and wallowy handling.
Reliable and strong brakes are crucial on an E-MTB. Unfortunately several bikes came with under-sized rotors and weak brakes.
Inept
Reliable and strong brakes are crucial on an E-MTB. Unfortunately several bikes came with under-sized rotors and weak brakes.
A 2x drivetrain might be tempting given the extra gears but they’re rarely going to deliver the same performance – especially not for an E-MTB on climbs. The best bet is to fit a 1x drivetrain with a sufficiently big gear ratio.
Unnecessary
A 2x drivetrain might be tempting given the extra gears but they’re rarely going to deliver the same performance – especially not for an E-MTB on climbs. The best bet is to fit a 1x drivetrain with a sufficiently big gear ratio.
Narrow 2.25
Punctures galore
Narrow 2.25″ tires don’t just lack grip, in this case they’re also really likely to puncture.
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Bike Uphill Downhill Riding comfort Riding safety Range Value for money
BH ●●○○○ ●○○○○ ●●○○○ ●○○○○ ●●●○○ ●○○○○
FOCUS ●●●●● ●●●●○ ●●●●○ ●●●●● ●●●●● ●●●●●
GIANT ●●●○○ ●●○○○ ●●●○○ ●●●○○ ●●●●○ ●●●○○
HAIBIKE ●●●●● ●●●●○ ●●●●○ ●●●●○ ●●●●○ ●●●●○
SCOTT ●●●○○ ●●○○○ ●●●○○ ●●○○○ ●●●●○ ●●●○○
SPECIALIZED ●●●●● ●●●●● ●●●●○ ●●●●● ●●●○○ ●●●●●

The best E-MTB hardtails for under € 4,000

Out of this test field, the FOCUS JARIFA FAT PRO. offers the best overall concept: delivering a balanced handling package, comfortable position, great geometry, well thought-out spec and a reliable motor. Thanks to its huge battery, the FOCUS also has the biggest range, an asset that seals its test victory. In terms of visuals, the motor integration needs some work, but fortunately that doesn’t affect how it rides. Tarmac or gentle trail, the FOCUS rides superbly. On technical terrain, however, the FOCUS takes a backseat to the Specialized Turbo Levo HT Comp , which outshone the whole fleet with its handling on trails. If you really value an E-MTB for the maximum performance on the trails then the Specialized is your best option.

The Haibike XDURO HardSeven Plus RX offers a great all-round package but narrowly misses the victory due to small flaws in its spec. In the absence of plus-size tires, the regular-tired SCOTT E-Aspect 910 CX and the Giant Dirt-E+ 0 are both overshadowed by their chubbier counterparts. On fire roads you’ll get a solid performance from both bikes thanks to their comfortable position and generally great spec. Trailing at the bottom of the test field, the BH Revo isn’t able to compensate for the flaws in its spec despite its super cool motor integration.

FOCUS JARIFA FAT PRO
FOCUS JARIFA FAT PRO

All bikes in test: BH Revo 29 ER746FOCUS Jarifa Fat ProGiant Dirt-E+ 0 | Haibike XDURO HardSeven Plus RX | SCOTT E-Aspect 910 CX | Specialized Turbo Levo HT Comp 6Fattie


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Words: Photos: Christoph Bayer, Noah Haxel