First ride review: BH Bikes AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S – Unique but is it good?

The € 6,999 AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S from Spanish brand BH Bikes stands out in many ways. BH Bikes’ AtomX Carbon Lynx eMTBs features a unique looking design, combining a split-pivot rear linkage with an interesting approach to battery integration as well as promising connectivity features. But does unique also mean good? We’ve got an honest answer.

The design and features of the BH Bikes AtomX Carbon Lynx

The BH Bikes AtomX Carbon is a real eye-catcher! You don’t know where to look first with this 29″, 160 mm travel, full carbon eMTB. Some of its unique design features include a split-pivot rear end with an asymmetric seat tube, a small front triangle which gives way to the bulky fused top- and down tube, forming the distinctive look of the head tube – you’ll either love or hate it! However, the reason for this polarising design is BH Bikes’ approach to battery integration. To be able to pull the large 720 Wh battery up and out of the down tube, the down tube has to meet the top tube some distance before the head tube. To a large extent, this dictates the design of BH Bikes’ AtomX range, with the position of the battery also determining the vertical orientation of the 90 Nm Brose Drive S Mag motor.

To access the charging port or remove the battery from the down tube, you have to unlock it at the top tube mounted console using an NFC wristband or a standard key, so you’ll always need either one of these to charge the bike. Once unlocked, the cover, which doubles as a handle, pops up, allowing you to pull the battery up and out of the down tube. The NFC wristband can also be used as a ‘Security Smart Key’ which, when activated, you have to use to unlock and start the bike. This is a clever security feature, but you’ll have to carry the wristband with you at all times. An optional GPS tracker rounds off the bike’s futuristic features and allows you to track the bike in the event of a theft.

The unique looks of the AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S are polarising – you’ll either love it or hate it!

The high-quality display is placed in a nicely protected position where it’s easy to see and provides all necessary information, though the font is somewhat illegible. It doesn’t just display your ride data but also allows you to configure and tune the settings of the five support modes. You can scroll through the menu using the minimalist and intuitive remote on the handlebar. While it is great to be able to do this on the bike, it would be more convenient to be able to do the basic setup using your smartphone. BH Bikes say they’ve already started developing the app but it wasn’t yet available at the time of our test.

The BH Bikes AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S eMTB bike in detail

The BH Bike AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S rolls on 29″ Alexrims EM35 TR wheels with 160 mm travel front and rear, controlled by a FOX 36 FLOAT Performance fork and a FOX FLOAT DPS shock. Braking is taken care of by a set of Shimano SLX brakes with 203 mm rotors. The Shimano drivetrain comprises an SLX shifter, SLX 11-speed cassette (11–46 t) and XT derailleur. For the tires, BH have specced the AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S with a set of MAXXIS Minion DHF and DHR II in 2.5″ and 2.4″ respectively, both with the EXO+ casing.

The Kind Shock RAGE-i dropper post works flawlessly, but 100 mm drop on a size M is far too little. In size M, the AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S weighs in at 23.0 kg. BH developed a special bottle to fit the small front triangle for the AtomX in cooperation with Fidlock. This is available separately for € 49.90. Setup problems? Not with the BH! The integrated sag indicator makes finding your initial setup a walk in the park with no ruler or measuring required. Another special feature is the hefty maximum permissible weight limit of 165 kg, leaving 141 kg for the rider and all their gear after deducting the weight of the bike.

The geometry of the AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S

The AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S is available in M, L and XL, meaning that short riders will be forced to look elsewhere. Due to the split-pivot rear linkage effectively truncating the seat tube, the insertion depth of the seat post is very limited and the size M frame comes specced with just a 100 mm dropper post, while sizes L and XL come with a 125 mm version. Overall, the eMTB is short and compact. In size M, the reach is 441 mm and the stack is relatively low at 607 mm. The 461 mm chainstays are on the long end of the spectrum. The seat tube angle is 74.5° and the head tube angle is a moderate 66.5°

size	M	L	XL
Seat tube	450 mm	480 mm	4510 mm
Top tube	609 mm	628 mm	646 mm
Head tube	95 mm	110 mm	125 mm
Head angle	66,5°	66,5°	66,5°
Seat angle	74,5°	74,5°	74,5°
Chainstay	461 mm	461 mm	461 mm
Wheelbase	1.213 mm	1.223 mm	1.255 mm
Reach	441 mm	456 mm	471 mm
Stack	607 mm	621 mm	634 mm

The BH Bikes AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S on flat terrain and climbing

The AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S gets off to a good start with a sensitive and comfortable chassis. However, due to the low front end there’s a lot of weight on your hands when riding on flat terrain. If you plan to go on long rides in less hilly terrain, we recommend mounting a handlebar with more rise to take some of the pressure off your hands. The riding position is much better on moderate climbs, where you’ll sit comfortably on the AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S. The slack seat tube angle means you’re positioned far over the rear of the bike as things get steeper, but plenty of traction and the easily controllable motor lets the BH master these nonetheless. However, you’ll have to put in a lot of effort to keep the light and twitchy front end planted and in control. Due to the high centre of gravity and the sagging rear suspension, it’s difficult to keep the bike on track on technical climbs and you’ll struggle to hit your desired line.

Overall, the AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S is a unique and polarising bike. Due to the design, which is centred around the battery integration, you have to accept compromises in handling.

The support levels of the powerful Brose Drive S Mag motor are fully customisable, allowing you to fine-tune all five separately. As you might know, we prefer using smart modes that regulate the level of support depending on rider input and it’s no different on the BH Bikes AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S. However, we found the default setting of the ‘Automode’ to be a bit too aggressive. After adjusting the acceleration, pulling away on steep, loose terrain was no longer a problem due to the sensitive engagement of the motor and the linear power curve. If you want, you can also link the support mode to your heart rate and the bike comes with a heart rate monitor included. The motor carries on pushing relatively long after you stop pedalling.

The AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S on the descents

If you lower the dropper post in preparation for descending, you’ll immediately notice the limited freedom of movement of the 100 mm travel post. Combine this with the unusual weight distribution with its high centre of gravity and the handling feels unbalanced and takes a while to get used to. Despite the low front end, the excessive sag of the rear suspension means you have to get actively involved to generate traction on the front wheel and prevent understeer through the corners.

As sensitive as it is, the rear end easily absorbs small to medium hits, though it lacks mid-stroke support to allow you to generate speed through berms and rollers if you’ve got an aggressive riding style. In this case, it might be worthwhile closing the compression lever half way. On the other hand, the progression towards the end of the stroke is good and we never had any problems with bottoming out. The battery cover on the top tube rattles even over small bumps, which is annoying. On bigger impacts, you can also hear the chain slap the chainstay. Due to the nervous front end, sending it isn’t the greatest strength of the AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S since it lacks the necessary composure. Nonetheless, with a skilled rider and the appropriate time getting used to the handling, the compact BH can be fun to ride on tight, winding trails. During our test, the ebike failed once altogether. Due to vibrations and shocks, four screws came loose, which led to a loose battery connection and faulty battery wiring – nothing worked. To fix the problem, BH Bikes had to completely remove the motor and retrieve the screws from the engine compartment. Annoying! After the repair the problem did not reappear.

Tuning tips: push the saddle all the way forward | higher rise handlebar | use medium compression mode of the shock

Conclusion

Innovation also needs the right dose of function! The BH Bikes AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S is an unusual eMTB with numerous technical features that don’t only determine the look but also the bike’s handling on the trail. The 720 Wh battery can easily be pulled out of the top of the frame but its position creates an unbalanced weight distribution with a high centre of gravity. Due to the wallowy suspension and the low, nervous front end, the amount of fun you can have on flowing as well as on more demanding terrain is limited. Not all innovation makes sense: in the case of the AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S, the delicate balance between functionality and innovative features that offer a tangible benefit is off. We would have hoped for more intuitive handling. It’s a shame, since some features, including the adjustability of the support levels, comfortable and futuristic details and the high maximum payload are very promising!

Find more info at bhbikes.com

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Words: Photos: Felix Stix