CENTURION Backfire Fit E R811i DualBatt EQ in Review

The CENTURION Backfire Fit E R811i DualBatt EQ has a complicated name and isn’t the best looking bike on test either. It makes up for it in other ways. Read on to find out how the € 4,499 trekking ebike with its 1125 Wh battery capacity and a powerful Bosch Performance Line CX motor fares against the competition.

Click here for an overview of the best hardtail trekking ebike test

If you want to google this trekking ebike, we recommend copying and pasting the name. It’s too much of a mouthful to try to remember and type out. At first glance, the CENTURION Backfire Fit E R811i DualBatt EQ with its matte black finish makes an understated impression.

Priced at € 4,499, CENTURION rely on affordable yet robust components, bringing the weight to a whopping 27.3 kg. You get Shimano Deore M6000 two-piston brakes, a 12-speed SRAM SX Eagle drivetrain, SR Suntour Raidon34 air fork and in-house 29 PROCRAFT MPD23 wheels. The good news is that exactly those components are one of the reasons for the 150 kg maximum permissible weight. Unfortunately, the underpowered brakes quickly put a damper on the fun and rob you of confidence. The Backfire Fit E R811i DualBatt EQ is powered by a Bosch Performance Line CX motor and has a huge battery capacity of 1125 Wh.

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The Bosch Intuvia display looks a bit dated but it still performs reliably and gives you all the data you need. It can also be easily exchanged for a COBI.Bike Sports mount. This could be worthwhile for anyone who prefers using their smartphone as a command centre and navigation system on their ebike. However, at € 243, the upgrade isn’t cheap. With the CENTURION, you have to accept compromises in terms of the build quality. The external cable that connects the additional 500 Wh battery to the motor doesn’t look very neat. The cable for the remote on the handlebar is also left dangling parallel to the handlebar.

Regarding practical accessories, the CENTURION Backfire Fit E 811i DualBatt EQ is ideally equipped for everyday use. The Lezyne Mini E65 light is powered by the main battery and ensures that you can always see and be seen. However, you’d likely want a brighter light with a high beam function for winter commutes and longer night rides.

Geometry and size of the CENTURION

The best way to describe the riding position of the Backfire Fit E 811i DualBatt EQ is upright and relaxed. However, the majority of your weight is concentrated on the saddle with little weight on your hands. This isn’t something you’ll notice much as long as you’re riding on asphalt. However, things start getting uncomfortable on gravel and bumpy forest paths. Among other things, this is because of the low-volume tires and stiff aluminium seat post passing impacts directly to your backside. A suspended seat post would likely work wonders.

Size	XS	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	380 mm	430 mm	480 mm	530 mm	580 mm
Top tube	555 mm	581 mm	607 mm	633 mm	659 mm
Head tube	130 mm	110 mm	130 mm	150 mm	170 mm
Head angle	68.5°	69.8°	70.0°	70.3°	70.5°
Seat angle	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°
BB Drop	50 mm	68 mm	68 mm	68 mm	68 mm
Chainstay	445 mm	460 mm	460 mm	460 mm	460 mm
Wheelbase	1,086 mm	1,105 mm	1,129 mm	1,153 mm	1,177 mm
Reach	370 mm	390 mm	410 mm	430 mm	450 mm
Stack	624 mm	645 mm	665 mm	685 mm	705 mm

Are you into long, multi-day rides with all of your luggage? Then the CENTURION with its balanced handling, upright riding position and 1125 Wh battery capacity is a good choice.

The external battery is well positioned and the handling remains balanced even with the additional 500 Wh battery attached. When it comes to the position of the additional battery and its weight distribution, the CENTURION sets the benchmark in this test. If you don’t like the look of the empty battery mount or you just don’t fancy removing the spare the disadvantages of the additional weight of riding around with 1125 Wh all the time are negligible. Without the second battery attached, the bike does feel slightly more agile but the handling remains almost unchanged otherwise. It responds to the rider’s input very directly and generates sufficient grip on both wheels through corners. On steep descents, the CENTURION instils you with confidence with its tall front end and balanced handling, as long as you don’t have to brake. The Shimano Deore M6000 two-piston brakes with 180 mm rotors simply aren’t powerful enough. More powerful and reliable four-piston brakes would have been the better choice, especially considering that this bike has the highest maximum permissible weight rating in the test at 150 kg and that it’s well suited to being loaded up. Long multi-day rides with all of your luggage are the discipline of choice for the CENTURION.

Tuning tips: suspended seat post

Conclusion

The CENTURION Backfire Fit E R811i DualBatt EQ is the best example that an ebike doesn’t come down to its individual components but the bike as a whole. This trekking ebike is fun to ride yet is stable and predictable, the weight distribution is balanced despite the incredible 1125 Wh battery capacity and it’s a true pack mule, capable of handling heavy payloads. It doesn’t perform quite as well in mountainous regions and on uneven terrain. The underpowered brakes and the lack of comfort at the rear limit the bike here. However, if you ride mainly on flat terrain and asphalt, the CENTURION is a good trekking ebike at a fair price.

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For more information, visit centurion.de.

The test field

Click here for an overview of the best hardtail trekking ebike test

All bikes in test: Canyon Pathlite:ON 8.0 (Click for review) | CENTURION Backfire Fit E R811i DualBatt EQ | Kalkhoff Entice 7.B Excite (Click for review) | Riese & Müller Supercharger2 GT Touring GX (Click for review)

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Words: Photos: Christoph Bayer