2021 Commencal META POWER EP8 – new motor, bigger battery and revised geometry

The Commencal META POWER has long been among the favourites of our editorial team and it secured itself the coveted Best Buy in our big E-MOUNTAINBIKE group test of 25 bikes. Commencal have updated the bike for the new season, equipping it with Shimano’s new EP8 motor, revised geometry and a bigger battery. We’ve got all the details.

Commencal equip the META POWER 29 and META POWER SX with Shimano’s new EP8 motor, a bigger battery and a revised frame

New motor, new battery, same weight distribution

The ‘Power’ addition in their models’ names has long been Commencal’s designation for all of their electronically assisted bikes and Shimano have always been their go-to supplier for the electronic components. So, with the introduction of the new, lighter, more powerful Shimano EP8 motor, the Andorran brand have also revised their eMTB lineup. To find out more about the motor, we’ve written a dedicated article with all the details, including a first ride review and a comparison with the other options available on the market.

Smaller, lighter, more powerful – the new Shimano EP8 sounds very promising, but there is one problem with it as our big test revealed

Commencal rely on Shimano’s new SW-EM800 remote

Besides the new 85 Nm motor, Commencal also opted to use Shimano’s bigger 630 Wh battery for their latest eMTBs. It’s obviously bigger in size too, which technically leads to a higher centre of gravity on the bike. However, thanks to the more compact motor, Commencal were able to place the battery lower in the frame and claim to have kept the weight distribution the same as before. The charging port has also been moved down, placed on top of the motor where it should be easy to reach.

The charging port of the new 2021 META POWER now sits on top of the motor

Shimano’s EP8 motor doesn’t only allow you to customise its tuning to personal preference, you can also save two individual motor profiles. Commencal have preconfigured one of the profiles to be energy-saving while providing maximum grip on technical terrain. The other profile is extra powerful to make easy work of even the toughest climbs, making Trail mode very powerful and direct. Of course, these profiles can be changed by the rider to suit their preferences.

The characteristics of the new EP8 can be customised via Shimano’s new app.

At first glance, the display and remote look unchanged. However, Shimano have made quite a few improvements. The remote has been made more ergonomic and the display features all the connectivity options to link up with the apps from Shimano as well as third party devices. The cable of the display and remote are routed through the specially designed Ride Alpha handlebar, making for a clean look and keeping everything nicely protected.

The added weight of the bigger battery is claimed not to have affected the weight distribution. Commencal have achieved this by placing the battery lower in the frame.

META POWER SX and META POWER 29 – Two wheel sizes for two types of riding

Commencal offer the new META POWER with either 27.5″ or 29″ wheels. The META POWER SX model with the smaller wheels and 165 mm rear travel is aimed at riders who like hitting big jumps and blasting down shaped bike park trails. The META POWER 29 on the other hand, is destined for those who like challenging themselves on more technical terrain. It offers 160 mm rear travel.

The new META POWER 29 will come in three different builds. The flagship model is the META POWER 29 Signature featuring FOX Factory suspension and a Shimano drivetrain.

Filling the gap between the flagship and the entry-level model is the Commencal META POWER 29 TEAM featuring RockShox’s new ZEB fork

The META POWER 29 essential is your entry into the range

The META POWER SX version is available at two different price points. The META POWER SX RACE is specced with a coil shock.

The entry-level META POWER SX RIDE comes with an air shock.

Improvements in the frame’s details for improved performance

Besides the integration of the new motor, Commencal have revised the frame of the two META POWER models. The META POWER has gotten a completely new, stiffer top tube and slightly updated geometry. The seat tube angle has been steepened by 1°, bringing it to 78°, and the 63.5° head tube angle of the META POWER 29 is 1.5° degrees slacker than before. The META POWER SX has 63° head tube angle. Both models now also come with shorter offset forks. The cable routing has been redesigned too, allowing you to access the cables from underneath the down tube. New rubber plugs promise to keep the inside of the frame free of water and mud. The speed sensor has been integrated into the brake rotor – nice.

The geometry of the META POWER 29 in detail

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	415 mm	440 mm	465 mm	495 mm
Top tube	567 mm	587 mm	614 mm	649 mm
Head tube	120 mm	120 mm	125 mm	130 mm
Head angle	63.5°	63.5°	63.5°	63.5°
Seat angle	77.8°	78°	78°	78°
Chainstay	453 mm	453 mm	453 mm	453 mm
BB Drop	20 mm	20 mm	20 mm	20 mm
Wheelbase	1239 mm	1259 mm	1286 mm	1313 mm
Reach	430 mm	450 mm	475 mm	500 mm
Stack	616 mm	616 mm	620 mm	625 mm

The geometry of the META POWER SX in detail

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	415 mm	440 mm	465 mm	495 mm
Top tube	567 mm	587 mm	614 mm	649 mm
Head tube	120 mm	125 mm	130 mm	135 mm
Head angle	63°	63°	63°	63°
Seat angle	78°	78°	78°	78°
Chainstay	445 mm	445 mm	445 mm	445 mm
BB Drop	0 mm	0 mm	0 mm	0 mm
Wheelbase	1238 mm	1260 mm	1287 mm	1315 mm
Reach	440 mm	460 mm	485 mm	510 mm
Stack	609 mm	614 mm	618 mm	623 mm

Burly forks, sturdy wheels and robust tires

The components of an eMTB are exposed to extreme forces. For the optimal performance and to guarantee long-lasting fun, Commencal rely on forks with 38 mm stanchions across the range. Depending on the model, you either get a FOX 38 or RockShox ZEB. Besides that, the bikes also feature extra sturdy wheels with more durable rims, thicker spokes and reliable DT Swiss hubs. Often, the tires are the first to go, but the robust Schwalbe Super Gravity casing should minimise the risk of punctures.

All META POWER models feature burly forks with thick 38 mm stanchions

The speed sensor is integrated into the brake rotor

Robust tires are essential for an eMTB. Good thing that Commencal choose to rely on Schwalbe’s Super Gravity casing.

Prices and availability of the new Commencal META POWER 29 and META POWER SX

For the prices of Commencal’s new bikes, we recommend taking a look at their website. Unfortunately, the prices weren’t yet available at the time of writing this. The availability of the new META POWER 29 and META POWER SX models depends first and foremost on the availability of the new Shimano EP8 motor. Shimano are currently experiencing delays, making it difficult for us to predict when we can see these bikes become available.

When will the new Commencal META POWER be available? That depends on the Shimano EP8 motor.

Our first impression of the new EP8 equipped Commencal META POWER

The Commencal META POWER 29 has made a positive impression on us several times before, and we think the updates have only made it better. The motor feels more natural, the battery capacity is bigger, and the revised geometry will have it climbing even more confidently. We’re very excited and hope to swing our legs over the bike very soon.

For more information, visit the Commencal website.

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Words: Photos: Commencal