First Ride Review: COMMENCAL META POWER 29 – Improving a winning formula

The COMMENCAL META POWER 29 has always been a great choice for those who want to use their eMTB to tackle steep climbs and demanding descents. So when we heard about their new bike, we asked ourselves: “Can COMMENCAL build on a winning formula with their new META POWER 29?” We flew to Andorra to find out…

Since its introduction in 2018, the COMMENCAL META POWER 29 has been highly praised for its climbing prowess and monster-trucking descending ability alike, and its smaller wheeled sibling, the META POWER 27, won the “Best Value” prize in our affordable eMTB group test earlier this year. It’s safe to say we had high expectations for this new bike.

What’s new with the META POWER 29?

In short, there is not much that isn’t new with the COMMENCAL META POWER 29. While the most visually obvious change is the sleek integration of the new, streamlined 504 Wh Shimano BT-E8035 battery, the new META POWER 29 also features an entirely new frame and re-designed geometry. The shape of Shimano’s new battery has allowed COMMENCAL to locate it low in the downtube, which should improve the META POWER 29’s balance, handling and dynamic ride feel. The battery is easily removable with just a quarter turn of a 4 mm Allen key, and COMMENCAL have chosen to forego a battery lock for the sake of simplicity and ease of use.

While the downtube of the new COMMENCAL META POWER 29 frame has been redesigned around the integrated Shimano battery, the changes don’t end there. COMMENCAL told us that the entire alloy chassis has been reworked to increase stiffness and durability. A new rear triangle was created to boost stiffness and strength, and the beefed-up linkage now runs on Enduro Bearings, which should increase service intervals. The new frame also enjoys a bump up in travel to 150 mm – a 10 mm increase over previous models – which is paired with a 160 mm travel fork up front.

Other improvements include the relocation of the charging port onto the left side of the seat tube and the on/off button onto the left side of the downtube for better access. COMMENCAL have specifically designed rubber seals for the charging port and power switch to prevent water ingress. The frame’s cable routing has also been re-worked, as has the speed sensor, which is now integrated into the dropout and paired with a brake-rotor mounted magnet. Frame protection has also been taken into consideration, with a large yet effective chainstay protector and a moto-trials inspired bash plate to protect the motor.

The build kit of the new META POWER 29

One big benefit of buying from a direct-to-consumer brand like COMMENCAL is the value for money they can offer. The new META POWER 29 makes the most of this with a well thought out build kit and some drool-worthy parts. The suspension is taken care of by RockShox and their Super Deluxe Ultimate shock and Lyrik Ultimate fork. Brakes and transmission are covered by SRAM, in the form of their powerful CODE RSC brakes with 200 mm rotors front and back and an X01 Eagle derailleur matched with a GX Eagle shifter and ebike friendly NX Eagle 12-speed cassette. The new META POWER 29 rolls on grippy Schwalbe Magic Mary tires in their Addix Soft compound and Super Gravity casing which are fitted to DT Swiss H 1700 SPLINE wheels – an excellent combination, especially at this price point.

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Fork RockShox Lyrik Ultimate 160 mm
Shock RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate 150 mm
Motor/battery Shimano E8000 504 Wh
Drivetrain SRAM XO1/GX/NX Eagle 12-speed
Brakes SRAM CODE RSC 200/200 mm
Seatpost KS LEV INTEGRA
Stem RIDE ALPHA 50 mm
Handlebars RIDE ALPHA 780 mm
Wheels DT Swiss H 1700 SPLINE
Tires Schwalbe Magic Mary 2.35”
Price € 5,799

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The META POWER 29 will be available from the end of August in the “Race” build we tested. However, you can expect two more model options (a flagship build and a more affordable version) to drop later in the year.

The geometry of the new META POWER 29

COMMENCAL have completely reworked the META POWER 29’s geometry for 2020. The bike has been given the “longer, lower and slacker” treatment, to good effect as we found out whilst riding. The head angle is now a degree slacker than previously, sitting at 65°. The seat tube angle has been steepened by two degrees to an upright 77°, and the reach has been stretched out to 475 mm in size Large. The wheelbase has grown and the BB has dropped slightly to -20 mm.

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	415 mm	440 mm	465 mm	495 mm
Top tube	573 mm	595 mm	622 mm	648 mm
Head tube	120 mm	125 mm	130 mm	135 mm
Head angle	65°	65°	65°	65°
Seat angle	77°	77°	77°	77°
Chainstay	453 mm	453 mm	453 mm	453 mm
BB Drop	20 mm	20 mm	20 mm	20 mm
Wheelbase	1,223 mm	1,245 mm	1,273 mm	1,300 mm
Reach	430 mm	450 mm	475 mm	500 mm

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First Ride Review of the new COMMENCAL META POWER 29

After just the first few meters of trail, we felt right at home on the new COMMENCAL META POWER 29. The geometry puts you in a very comfortable and balanced position right from the get-go, and the bike stays confident and controllable no matter how demanding the trails become. On the way up, the steep 77° seat angle keeps the rider central and upright on the bike and makes climbing a very comfortable affair. Neither long fire road slogs nor steep and technical sections can defeat the new META POWER 29 – it just keeps rolling. Its relatively long chainstays keep the front end under control on the steeps and its 29” wheels and grippy tires mean you can fly up the hills and focus on what the COMMENCAL enjoys the most: descending.

Point the META POWER 29 downhill, and it really comes into its own. Its generous reach measurement and relaxed 65° head angle paired with a balanced ride feel mean you stay in control no matter how steep the trail becomes, and the redesigned rear end gives loads of traction. The bike feels stiff and direct and holds its line well, however, it is still agile and lively enough to pop off roots and rocks and it flicks around corners despite its lengthy chainstays. We never felt like we got to the limits of the bike – no matter how hard we pushed, the META POWER 29 still had reserves to give. One thing that is especially noticeable out on the trail is the lack of noise. The only sounds we heard were the noise of the suspension doing its job and the tires hooking up with the ground. Occasionally there was some cable rattling from the cockpit, but that can easily be taken care of with some zip ties or heat-shrink. The battery stayed very quiet in its casing, and the frame was free of rattling during the two big days of riding. Of course, this may change over time but first impressions were very good.

We never felt like we got to the limits of the bike – no matter how hard we pushed, the META POWER 29 still had reserves to give

The build kit fitted to the new COMMENCAL META POWER 29 performs convincingly. The excellent RockShox suspension works well and eats up any bumps it comes across, while the powerful SRAM Code RSC brakes provide plenty stopping power and modulation on the steeps. Our only gripe is the shift cable routing on the drive side of the bike, where the cable passes over the lower link. Here the cable sits directly on the paint job, and we would recommend using some heat-shrink or rubber mastic tape to cover this small (15 mm) contact point in order to avoid any damage through rubbing. On the non-drive side, however, COMMENCAL employ a neat cable guide to overcome this issue.

Conclusion

With the new META POWER 29, COMMENCAL prove that it is possible to improve a winning formula. The new frame, geometry and integrated battery are the ingredients needed to create a worthy successor to the original model. The spec is on point, and the majority of the frame details are very well thought out too. In short, the new COMMENCAL META POWER 29 is a great choice for anyone looking for a hard-charging eMTB that will not hold them back. We can’t wait to test it against its toughest competitors soon!

For more information head to commencal-store.co.uk

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Words: Photos: Finlay Anderson, Nicolas Brizin