The R.X750 is ROTWILD’s answer to the growing competition in the eMTB segment. With a massive 750 Wh battery and superb handling qualities, it’s designed to tackle the remotest backcountry and conquer the highest peaks – and we’ve already tested one for you on our Alpine home trails.
The concept behind the ROTWILD R.X750
If you want to truly understand the ROTWILD R.X750, you’ll have to meet its creator first. Lutz Scheffer isn’t just a bike designer, he’s also an enthusiastic eMTBer. During a radical self-experiment he exposed himself in his adopted home of Garmisch-Partenkirchen three years ago, Scheffer piled up over a quarter of a million vertical meters (in just one year!), riding an electric mountain bike almost exclusively on Alpine terrain. Together with his team, he developed the ROTWILD R.X750 especially for this kind of very demanding terrain. High on the list of priorities were a large rechargeable battery, a suitable motor, a harmonious geometry and, above all, an adequate suspension system. But the engineering team also put a lot of thought into small details and the overall design of the bike.
Integration as a priority
At the heart of the ROTWILD R.X750 is a full carbon frame, which was designed with an eye toward integration. As a result, the frame can accommodate both a fully-integrated, yet removable 750 Wh battery, and an Eightpins dropper post. The latter utilizes the actual seat tube as the lower-post, a clever solution that allows for neat integration and a huge adjustment range of up to 228 mm (size xl).
In addition, ROTWILD developed its own stem, which perfectly matches the boisterous look of the frame. Small details such as the magnet used to hold the cover of the charging socket in place during charging, reveal loving attention to detail. To round off the harmonious picture, ROTWILD runs the display cable through the handlebars and attaches the spoke magnet directly on the brake rotor.
The ROTWILD R.X750 – designed to perform
A flashback to 2014. At the Bike-Festival in Riva del Garda, ROTWILD introduces the first eMTB prototype with a Brose motor. To this day ROTWILD sticks with the German motor-manufacturer and equips its new R.X750 with Brose’s latest drive, the Drive S Mag. This delivers tons of power, is incredibly easy to modulate and also provides the most natural ride-feeling. A 750-Wh- battery equipped with the latest type 21700 cells provides the power.
But power is useless without traction, especially when riding on demanding terrain and steep climbs. And that’s why ROTWILD deliberately changed the rear-end kinematics of the R.X750 to reduce pedal kickback, which is usually engineered into the suspension of non-motorized bikes to improve pedalling efficiency and prevent the rear-end from bobbing. Whilst the constant supply of power from the motor helps reduce bobbing in the rear-end, spinning and specifically slipping wheels are a major concern in terms of energy management – says Lutz Scheffer.
With the purpose of increasing traction, ROTWILD uses a 27.5″ wheel at the back and combines it with a 2.6″ tire. To make room for the tire and keep the rear-end as short as possible, the engineers developed a clever pivot-axle which doesn’t require any additional bracing. By meshing from both sides, the teeth in the axle allow for a self-centering, torsion-free pivot. At the front, a 29″ wheel is meant to provide better roll-over characteristics and a more precise handling.
The geometry of the ROTWILD R.X750
The ROTWILD R.X750 is available in four frame sizes, S to XL. One striking feature common to all bikes is the huge adjustment range of the dropper post, which provides great freedom of movement. At first glance, the reach, head angle and chainstay-length harmonise well together – something you would expect with a bike in this class. Suspension travel is 150 mm front and rear. Below, all relevant data at a glance.
| Size | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat tube | 413 mm | 444 mm | 473 mm | 509 mm |
| Top tube | 588 mm | 617 mm | 654 mm | 688 mm |
| Head tube | 110 mm | 110 mm | 130 mm | 140 mm |
| Head angle | 66° | 66° | 66° | 66° |
| Seat angle | 74° | 74° | 74° | 74° |
| Chainstays | 445 mm | 445 mm | 445 mm | 445 mm |
| BB Hight | 350 mm | 350 mm | 350 mm | 350 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1,172 mm | 1,198 mm | 1,236 mm | 1,270 mm |
| Reach | 405 mm | 437 mm | 468 mm | 500 mm |
| Stack | 610 mm | 617 mm | 637 mm | 648 mm |
Specs and availability
The ROTWILD R.X750 will be available in three versions from September 2019. With prices starting at € 6,499, all models share the same carbon frame, Brose Drive S Mag motor and 750 Wh battery. Only with the cheaper Core model, ROTWILD replaces the fancy Eightpins dropper with a more humble Crankbrothers Highline model.
The different models in overview
R.X750 Ultra
R.X750 Ultra
Fork FOX 36 FIT4 LSC Factory E-Bike+150 mm
Shock FOX FLOAT DPX EVOL Factory150 mm
Motor/Battery Brose Drive S MAG 750 Wh
Drivetrain Shimano XTR
Brakes Shimano XTR
Sattelstütze 8Pins Pin Lock 228 mm
Vorbau S35 Al6061
Handlebar B35 AL7075 780 mm
Wheels DT Swiss HXC 1200 Spline Carbon
Tires Continental Baron Projekt Protection 2.4″ / 2.60″
Price € 9,999
R.X750 Pro
Fork FOX 36 GRIP Performance E-Bike+150 mm
Shock FOX FLOAT DPX EVOL Performance 150 mm
Motor/Battery Brose Drive S MAG 750 Wh
Drivetrain Shimano XT
Brakes Shimano XT
Sattelstütze 8Pins 228 mm
Vorbau S35 Al6061
Handlebar B35 AL7075 780 mm
Wheels DT Swiss HX 1501 Spline One
Tires Continental Baron Projekt Protection 2.4″ / 2.60″
Price € 7,999
R.X750 Core
Fork FOX 36 GRIP Performance Rhythm E-Bike150 mm
Shock FOX FLOAT DPX EVOL Performance 150 mm
Motor/Battery Brose Drive S MAG 750 Wh
Drivetrain Shimano XT
Brakes Shimano 520
Sattelstütze Crankbrothers Highline 150 mm
Vorbau S35 Al6061
Handlebar B35 AL7075 780 mm
Wheels DT Swiss HX 1900 Spline
Tires Continental Baron Projekt Protection 2.4″ / 2.60″
Price € 6,499
The ROTWILD R.X750 on the trail
We had the opportunity to test the ROTWILD R.X750 on our Alpine home-trails around the Kampenwand in Aschau but, unfortunately, just for a few runs. With a body height of 1.80 and a medium-sized bike, the riding position is rather compact but still very comfortable. Despite the long dropper extension, you never feel like you’re sitting far back over the rear wheel, not even on steep climbs.
One striking feature of the R.X750 is the fully active rear-suspension which, on technical climbs especially, filters out even smaller bumps sensitively, without digging too deep into the travel and always generating tons of traction. If you ride seated, you won’t have to deal with annoying bobbing and only when sprinting out of the saddle will you notice the rear-end bouncing a little. That being said, no one really sprints out of the saddle on an eMTB. The Brose Drive S Mag inspires with its natural ride-feeling and pushes powerfully when riding in the highest support level – we recommend keeping your finger on the brakes though! At the same time, in the highest mode, the motor delivers lots of power even at low cadence – which is extremely practical on techy climbs. And yet, we would have preferred a more progressive, Bosh-like eMTB mode.
Once you drop the seat, you’ll feel nicely centred and firmly integrated between the wheels. Despite the deep front-end, the R.X750 doesn’t feel as front-heavy heavy as previous ROTWILD models. Instead, the riding position is pleasantly balanced and, in combination with the low slung top tube, the ROTWILD provides plenty of freedom of movement and inspires tons of confidence. On narrow, technical trails the bike is enjoyably nimble and implements each direction change directly and willingly. Despite its lively character, the R.X750 always feels composed, even on fast-paced trial sections – a very positive first impression!
UOur first impressions about the new ROTWILD R.X750
Unfortunately, it’s too soon for us to give a final verdict on the new ROTWILD R.X750 as we didn’t have enough time to test it properly. And yet, we can tell you that ROTWILD did a very good job. Good integration, top frame quality and well thought-out details. The suspension system is impressive both up- and downhill and the huge battery capacity should guarantee for long days of trail fun. Although the bike was mainly designed for Alpine terrain, its agile handling makes it a fun option for even more conservative trails. If you’re looking for a high-end eMTB bike, the ROTWILD R.X750 might be what you’re looking for.
For more info head to: rotwild.de
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