The No Pogo R25i 2022 features Bosch’s brand-new Performance Line CX Smart System motor and huge 750 Wh battery and is CENTURION’s exclusive limited edition eMTB with just 250 units available. We’ve already had the exclusive opportunity to test a pre-production model for you. Read our first ride review to find out how CENTURION’s new eMTB with 29” wheels and 160 mm travel fares on the trail.

The CENTURION No Pogo R25i is the first E-Mountainbike with the new Bosch Performance Line CX Smart System in test. Check out our comprehensive review of the new Bosch Smart System

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of their full-suspension evergreen in great style, CENTURION unveil the No Pogo R25i, an exclusive limited edition eMTB with just 250 units available. While the very first generation of the No Pogo relied solely on muscle power, the exclusive R25i eMTB is built around Bosch’s brand-new Smart System motor, which draws its power from a huge 750 Wh battery integrated in the down tube of the alloy frame. The elegant paint job changes colour with the sun’s angle and shimmers in different tones of purple, deep-dark blue and green, ensuring a unique and classy look. In typical Centurion fashion, the charge port and battery lock are highlighted in silver and backed by a suitable pictogram. Given the special occasion, the design team of the German manufacturer rounds off the unique paint job with a serial number badge on the top tube of the frame.

CENTURION No Pogo R25i | Bosch Performance Line CX Smart System/750 Wh | 160/155 mm (f/r)
26.72 kg in size M | € 7,399 | Manufacturer’s website
A quarter of a century after releasing the very first No Pogo model, CENTURION celebrate its birthday in big style, unveiling the limited edition No Pogo R25i. Back in the days, the analogue forefather of the modern No Pogo still rolled on tiny 26″ wheels.

Needless to say, the anachronistically tiny 26” wheels of the first No Pogo model have been replaced by big 29” wagon wheels while the suspension of the new R25i models controls 160/155 mm travel at the front and rear, respectively. Alongside the suspension, CENTURION’s own brand crankset and skid plate are without a doubt the most striking features of the latest No Pogo generation. As with the current model, CENTURION have offset the Bosch Performance Line CX motor by a few millimetres to make it sit flush with the frame. The elegant custom crankset compensates for this, putting the pedals back at an equal spacing around the centerline of the bike.

Number 1 – We were the first magazine worldwide to be given the exclusive opportunity to test the 2022 CENTURION No Pogo R25i. Of course, production models will be numbered and not marked as a “sample”.
The small plastic fender protects the frame against stray rocks and prevents mud and water from penetrating the bearings. On the drive-side seat stay, on the other hand, there’s nothing to prevent the chain from chipping the paint.
The high-quality paintwork shimmers in different colours depending on the light and is rounded off with elegant details.

The new Bosch Smart System motor of the CENTURION No Pogo

Without a doubt, the brand-new Bosch Performance Line CX Smart System motor is the absolute highlight of the new No Pogo R25i. If you want to find out more about Bosch’s modular motor system, you can read our comprehensive review of the Smart System. With the new motor also come the new high-resolution Kiox 300 display and Bosch LED Remote. Just like the Shimano EP8 motor of the No Pogo F3600i, the new Bosch Smart System allows you to ride your eMTB with or without a display and lets you customise the support levels using the eBike Flow app. Apart from that, the new Bosch motor with 85 Nm torque has the same riding behaviour as its predecessor. The new PowerTube 750 battery is considerably longer and heavier than its 625 Wh predecessor. However, Bosch have also redesigned the battery connector interface to allow bike manufacturers to integrate the new battery deeper into the frame. As usual, the battery can be easily removed from the down tube and comes with a cover as standard. Needless to say, a massive battery calls for a massive opening in the down tube: while this is even bigger than on the previous No Pogo model, which draws its power from a smaller PowerTube 625 battery, it doesn’t seem to affect frame stiffness noticeably. The entire system around the new motor is seamlessly integrated into the frame, with one exception. One of the most striking features is the charge port and matching cover, which disappears into the seat post when the port is in use. But back to our exception: on the top tube of our test bike, a black plastic plug covers up a hole and detracts from the otherwise harmonious look. Our guess: CENTURION know more about the future developments of Bosch’s modular display system and got the No Pogo ready for the future.

Same old, same old. Most of the hardware, including the electric motor, gearbox and magnesium housing of the Performance Line CX Smart System have remained largely unaltered.
The new Kiox 300 display and LED Remote form the control unit of the No Pogo R25i. Purists and minimalists can renounce a display altogether and only use the remote.
The new LED Remote provides all relevant information about support levels and battery charge via LEDs.
If that’s not enough, the Kiox 300 display provides even more riding data, including the estimated range in all support modes.
At first glance, the plastic cover on the top tube looks a little odd. Upon second thoughts, however, it’s actually incredibly exciting, because it hints at a further development of Bosch’s modular display system down the line.
Yes, that’s right. The new Bosch PowerTube 750 battery has a whopping 750 Wh capacity, which is 20% more compared to the PowerTube 625 of the current No Pogo model. To understand whether you actually need this much juice, this article will help you understand which battery concept suits you best.
The latest generation of the Bosch system also includes a brand new charger and charge port interface.
The charge port of the new No Pogo is cleverly integrated in the seat tube,where it’s protected against dirt and impacts. Cool!
The classy custom crankset is produced in-house by CENTURION and makes it easier to integrate the motor into the frame.
The speed sensor is safely tucked away inside the dropout and the magnet is attached directly to the rear brake rotor.

The specs of our CENTURION No Pogo R25i test bike

Like the crankset, the Procraft alloy components of the limited-edition No Pogo R25i are produced in-house by CENTURION. Among the highlights are the 780 mm Procraft Trail Pro 35 handlebars and Trail Expert stem, which allow CENTURION to route the Bosch data cable internally. From the LED Remote, the cable runs through the handlebars straight into the stem and directly into the frame. As a result, CENTURION were able to get rid of the cable ports on the frame – very tidy! The Lezyne E1000 headlight draws its power directly from the PowerTube 750 battery. As far as the suspension goes, only the best components are just good enough for a 25th Anniversary limited edition bike. The bling FOX Factory suspension consists of a 38 fork with GRIP2 damper and DHX coil shock, controlling 160/155 mm travel at the front and rear respectively. A 12-speed Shimano XT drivetrain transfers the 85 Nm torque of the new Bosch system to the rear wheel while the powerful Shimano XT four-piston brakes do stopping duties. While our test bike comes with 200 mm rotors front and rear, the production bike will be delivered with a massive 220 mm rotor upfront and 200 mm rotor at the rear, albeit without ICE-TECH technology – still an excellent setup, though! In combination with the suspension, a wide 2.5” MAXXIS ASSEGAI front tire with an extra soft 3C MaxxGrip rubber compound generates plenty of traction. For heavy and aggressive riders, the robust DoubleDown tires are a better choice than the stock EXO+ model, especially at the rear.

The MAXXIS Assegai tires of the No Pogo generate plenty of traction but come in the puncture-prone EXO+ casing. We recommend running a more robust tire with the DoubleDown casing, at least at the rear.
The FOX 38 Factory fork with GRIP2 damper controls 160 mm travel…
… while the FOX DHX Factory coil shock manages 155 mm travel at the rear. Make sure you choose the right spring rate when ordering your bike!
CENTURION will deliver the production model with a massive 220 mm rotor upfront. Cool!

CENTURION No Pogo R25i

€ 7,399

Specifications

Motor Bosch Performance Line CX Smart System 85 Nm
Battery Bosch PowerTube 750 Wh
Display Bosch Kiox 300 & LED Remote
Fork FOX 38 Factory GRIP2 160 mm
Rear Shock FOX DHX Factory 155 mm
Seatpost FOX Transfer Factory 125 - 175 mm
Brakes Shimano XT 4-Kolben 220/200 mm
Drivetrain Shimano XT 1x12
Stem PROCRAFT Trail Expert 50 mm
Handlebar PROCRAFT Trail Proo 35 ICR 780 mm
Wheelset DT Swiss HX1501 29"
Tires MAXXIS ASSEGAI EXO+ 2.5"

Technical Data

Size S M L XL
Weight 26.72 kg
Perm. total weight 150 kg
Max. payload (rider/equipment) 123 kg
Trailer approval N/A
Kickstand mount N/A

The geometry of the CENTURION No Pogo 2022

Transplanting the new Bosch motor system into the No Pogo involved a lot more than just adapting the cockpit to accommodate the new displays and remotes. In fact, the new frame has been completely redeveloped from the ground up and is available in four sizes, S to XL. Our test bike in size M combines 455 m reach with a high front (633 mm stack). At 76.5°, the seat tube angle is pleasantly steep and doesn’t slacken out excessively as the dropper extends, mainly due to the straight seat tube. In combination with the 460 mm chainstays, this ensures a pleasantly central climbing position. Compared to its predecessor, the new No Pogo has a significantly shorter seat tube, which in size S and M ensures sufficient freedom of movement. However, from size L (460 mm) to XL (500 mm), the jump is unusually big, making it harder to choose the frame size according to your desired riding characteristics.

Size S M L XL
Seat tube 400 mm 420 mm 460 mm 500 mm
Top tube 582 mm 607 mm 634 mm 661 mm
Head tube 110 mm 110 mm 120 mm 130 mm
Head angle 65° 65° 65° 65°
Seat angle 76.5° 76.5° 76.5° 76.5°
Chainstays 460 mm 460 mm 460 mm 460 mm
BB Drop 30 mm 30 mm 30 mm 30 mm
Wheelbase 1220 mm 1245 mm 1274 mm 1303 mm
Reach 430 mm 455 mm 480 mm 505 mm
Stack 633 mm 633 mm 642 mm 651 mm
Medium size, Massive fun!: at 1.86 m tall, chief tester Felix got along well with the smaller No Pogo. If you’re considering upsizing from M to L, you should keep an eye on that seat tube.

The CENTURION No Pogo R25i – Exclusive first ride review

Despite the steep seat angle and central pedalling position, the CENTURION No Pogo R25i is very comfortable and thanks to the high front, the weight is evenly distributed between hands and the saddle. In combination with the comfort of the sensitive FOX coil shock, the 750 Wh battery enables long rides and exciting backcountry tours. When climbing on gravel ramps and singletracks, the No Pogo generates excellent traction and the rear wheel hardly spins out of control on roots, slippery rocks and ledges. The No Pogo negotiates most climbs without batting an eye. However, despite the central pedalling position you’ll have to actively shift your weight forward to keep the front wheel tracking on steep climbs with big steps.

Traction? Check! The CENTURION brings the 85 Nm torque of the new Bosch motor to the trail without effort and is great fun to ride uphill.
Despite the longer battery, the center of gravity of the No Pogo has hardly changed because the PowerTube 750 sits deeper in the down tube than its 625 Wh predecessor.

Going downhill, the new CENTURION No Pogo R25i is good-natured, pleasantly intuitive and easy to control. The bike feels at home on natural trails and paths, always providing sufficient traction to roll over obstacles. Especially in open corners, the front wheel holds its line with clinical precision and provides huge amounts of confidence in most situations. Only on very steep trail sections, the high system weight robs you of confidence: despite the excellent traction, the extra weight of the large battery pushes the bike downhill, requiring you to be vigilant and commit to your line. With quick direction changes and jumps, the suspension of the No Pogo R25i lacks support and swallows up a significant amount of energy. Heavy and aggressive riders should choose a stiffer spring to compensate for this.

The No Pogo R25i generates huge amounts of traction and is in its element on natural trails with roots, rocks and steps…
…but requires great physical effort and a decent-sized kicker to take off. Once in the air, the No Pogo feels stable, even on bigger jumps.
Downhill, you really notice the weight of the No Pogo pulling on the brakes, especially on steep trail sections.

Conclusions

With the limited edition No Pogo R25i, CENTURION celebrate the 25th birthday of their full-suspension evergreen by releasing an exclusive high-quality eMTB with just 250 units available. The Bosch Performance Line CX Smart System with its 750 Wh battery is integrated seamlessly into the frame. The No Pogo offers a high level of comfort and inspires huge amounts of confidence, whether you’re strolling through the backcountry or getting your weekly adrenaline fix on natural trails. For very aggressive and fast riders, however, the No Pogo lacks reserves and can feel a little sluggish.


The CENTURION No Pogo R25i is the first E-Mountainbike with the new Bosch Performance Line CX Smart System in test. Check out our comprehensive review of the new Bosch Smart System

Mehr information at: centurion.de


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Words: Photos: Robin Schmitt