Propain Ekano – Versatile eMTB with the new Shimano battery

The German direct-to-consumer brand, Propain, is well established in the mountain bike segment. With the Propain Ekano, they’re now also making their first entry into the world of eMTB’s. The standout features include Shimano’s new integrated Steps BT-E8035 battery, a choice of wheel size combinations and a freely configurable build spec. We’ve got all the details for you.

The Propain Ekano is the first eMTB of the German direct-to-consumer brand and rolls on either 27.5″, 29″, or with mixed wheels. Pricing for the bike starts at an affordable € 4,100.

The Propain Ekano in detail

Anyone familiar with Propain will be a bit surprised to find that the Ekano doesn’t feature their proprietary Pro10 rear linkage. Instead, they opted to mount the shock parallel to the top tube. In combination with the new, slim and integrated 504 Wh Shimano Steps BT-E8035 battery, you still have room for a water bottle in the main triangle of the aluminium frame.

The Propain Ekano is the first eMTB featuring the new Shimano STEPS BT-E8035-battery.

The suspension design of the Propain Ekano looks very similiar to a classic DW-Link

At the rear suspension you can choose between 150 mm and 165 mm travel depending on the shock and the flip-chip position.

Propain are giving their customers a lot of options with the Ekano. Thanks to a flip-chip, the bike can be adapted to take all current wheel size combinations (27.5″, 29″ and mixed). On top of that, the rear travel can be adjusted between 150 and 165 mm (making 150 to 170 mm ideal up front). According to Propain, the kinematics of the rear linkage are progressive enough to work with both air and coil shocks.

As with the classic mountain bikes, Propain also uses extra sealed bearings for the Ekano.

The cover prevents the linkage from scratches

With the suspension, Propain have designed the anti-squat to be 30% higher than their non-motorised mountain bikes. This should make the rear end stiffen up even more during pedalling and prevent it from bobbing or wallowing on steep climbs.

The aluminium bike is powered by a Shimano STEPS E8000 motor, which is fed by Shimano’s brand new battery. The battery capacity remains at 504 Wh, though it is much slimmer and more user-friendly than the previous integrated BT-E8020 version, giving the bike a sleek silhouette. Therefore, the electronic assistance is provided by a complete Shimano system designed to work together. Should you require it to be serviced, you’ve got Shimano’s worldwide dealer network to fall back on, according to Propain.

The Propain Ekano uses a Shimano STEPS E-8000 drive unit

The new Shimano STEPS BT-E8035 battery can be charged internal and external.

Propain relies on the E7000 remote. This allows a ergonomic positioning of the seat post lever.

Propain offer a choice of the three basic colours for the Ekano: Black Matte, Lime Gloss or Oslo-Blue Matte. These can be matched with different frame decals and colour-coordinated components from Sixpack, to suit your own preferences.

The chainstay length of the Ekano can be varied via flip-chip on the rear triangle. Here you see the bike in the short position.

A lot of options with the build spec

Typical Propain, the choice is yours with the build spec of the Ekano. The direct-to-consumer brand gives its customers a choice of three pre-configured builds at different price points, which you can then configure to suit your own preferences and budget. As we’ve come to expect from Propain, the price range of € 4,100 for the entry-level model and € 5,970 for the flagship model is very fair.

Here are the three pre-configured models at a glance:

	Start	Performance	Highend
Fork	RockShox Yari RC 150 mm	RockShox Lyrik Select+ 150 mm	FOX 36 Factory 150 mm
Schock	RockShox Deluxe R 150 mm	RockShox Super Deluxe RT 150 mm	FOX DPX2 Factory 150 mm
Motor/battery	Shimano Steps E 8000/BT-E8035 504 Wh
Brakes	Magura MT5 200/200 mm	SRAM Code RSC 200/200 mm	Magura MT7 200/200 mm
Drivetrain	SRAM GX Eagle	SRAM X01 Eagle	SRAM AXS X01
Seatpost	Sixpack Menace	BikeYoke Revive	FOX Transfer Factory
Wheelset	Propain ZTR Baron S1
Tires	Schwalbe Magic Mary/Hans Dampf
Price	€ 4,100	€ 4,950	€ 5,970

The top model of the Ekano comes with a SRAM AXS drivetrain

The FOX 36 Grip2 Factory is always great to see

A constant in all Ekano configurations is the Stans Baron wheelset. It is built with special designed eMTB hubs.

The geometry

Thanks to a flip-chip, the geometry of the Propain Ekano can be adjusted, which also gives you the option of running different wheel sizes. What all the settings have in common is a steep seat tube angle, providing for a central riding position, as well as a moderate chainstay length and a slack head angle. The reach is neither too stretched nor too compact. Propain have tried to balance good climbing capabilities with downhill performance as well as agility with sufficient composure.

On the next page you can find the different geometry options at a glance

The new Propain Ekano is available this fall. It can already be pre-ordered online soon.

Our first impressions of the Propain Ekano eMTB

At first glance, the Propain Ekano makes a lot of sense. Propain have taken their time before releasing their first eMTB, learning from others’ mistakes. The geometry is balanced, the componentry is good and the price seems very fair. Relying on a complete Shimano system for the electronic assistance gives the customer added peace of mind with regards to reliability and service. The only question that remains is: how does the bike ride? We can’t wait to take it out on the trails to find out!

More info at: propain-bikes.com