First Ride: Velduro Rogue R eMTB – A Rebel on Two Wheels?

Founded in 2024, newcomer Velduro are looking to make their mark with the new Rogue R eMTB. Split between China and New Zealand, their small team are focusing on understatement and the Avinox M1 motor. But a powerful drive unit isn’t the only ingredient in a great ebike, so we put the Rogue R to the test to find out what it can really do.

Velduro are a new name in the eMTB universe. A small, international team from New Zealand and China are driving the brand forward. Frustrated by hype-driven eMTBs, the team set out to create bikes of their own. Design and frame development happen in New Zealand, supported by some suspension design input from Australia, while production takes place in China.

Velduro are aiming their first eMTB firmly at enduro riding, so it should be capable of tackling the roughest and steepest trails without sacrificing climbing performance. A high pivot rear end, full-carbon frame, Avinox M1 motor and a permanently integrated 800 Wh battery form the technical foundation behind this bold promise.

With a system weight of 24.02 kg, the Rogue R is not among the lightest Avinox eMTBs on the market. Bikes such as the AMFLOW or the UNNO Mith tip the scales at noticeably lower weights, but do without a high-pivot rear end. Whether the roughly €10,000 Velduro Rogue R justifies its uncompromising focus is something we tested on our home trails around Stuttgart, as well as on the rough tracks of Spain.

The Velduro Rogue R in Detail

Visually, the Velduro Rogue R looks clean, understated and well proportioned. The majority of the bike’s bulk is concentrated around the motor, tapering clearly towards the front and rear. While down tubes on Avinox eMTBs tend to be slimmer, the volume here remains reasonable given the integration of the 800 Wh battery. The generously sized front triangle also leaves room for a large water bottle and a tool mount underneath the top tube.

Cables and hoses enter the frame via ports at the side of the head tube, which makes servicing refreshingly easy. There are no additional clips, but the lines remain pleasantly quiet even on rough trails. The only area that looks a little less tidy is just above the motor, where the cables briefly become visible before disappearing back into the chainstay.

A generously sized chainstay protector helps keep the Rogue R impressively quiet on the trail. There’s also an integrated bash guard to protect the chainring, which is a nice touch.

At the heart of the bike sits a four-bar mid-high pivot rear end, with kinematics based on the patented i-Track system – this might look familiar from Norco’s high-pivot bikes. It’s designed to deliver excellent composure and loads of traction at speed, while keeping pedal kickback to a minimum.

The downside of the high-pivot concept is the added engineering effort it requires. An additional idler pulley routes the chain along a longer path, increasing complexity and making maintenance more involved than on a classic four-bar rear end.

The Avinox M1 Motor System in the New Velduro Rogue R

In the bottom bracket area of the Velduro Rogue R sits the Avinox M1, a full-power eMTB drive unit with some impressive figures. It delivers up to 120 Nm of torque and reaches a peak output of 1,000 W, placing it among the most powerful systems currently available.

The drive system includes two wireless remotes, a 2″ OLED touch display permanently integrated into the top tube, and an app packed with adjustment options. Support modes, maximum torque and various other parameters can all be customised to suit your preferences. As standard, the system is supplied with a 4 A charger only (so no fast charging). The charging port on the top side of the down tube is protected by a rather fiddly rubber cover. It does the job, but it looks and feels a little cheap compared to the rest of the bike.

We analysed the role the Avinox M1 currently plays in the market, and found out how it stacks up against established systems in our big eMTB motor group test.

The Specification of our New Velduro Rogue R

On the Rogue R, Velduro opted for a consistently gravity-focused build, with no experiments. Shifting is handled by a SRAM GX Eagle Transmission AXS derailleur, mounted directly to the frame and delivering reliable performance even under heavy load. The drivetrain runs wirelessly, powered by a small rechargeable AXS battery rather than the bike battery. Because there is no data link to the motor system, Avinox features such as SmoothShift are not available. Regardless, the Transmission works perfectly well.

For braking, the Rogue R relies on SRAM MAVEN brakes paired with HS2 rotors, sized at 220 mm up front and 200 mm at the rear. The MAVEN delivers its stopping power like an anchor on steep terrain: consistent, fade-resistant and still easy to control when the descent ends up being longer than planned.

Velduro haven’t cut any corners when it comes to the suspension either. Up front, the bike runs a FOX 38 Factory fork with the GRIP X2 damper cartridge, offering an extensive range of adjustment options. At the rear, a FOX FLOAT X2 Factory shock takes care of suspension duties, with separate high and low speed compression and rebound damping adjustments allowing for very fine tuning. This wide setup range requires you to invest a little time dialling in the suspension, but gives you the scope to really unlock the bike’s full potential.

In the version we tested, the Velduro Rogue R comes equipped with Velduro e-Enduro carbon wheels in a mullet setup, fitted with Michelin eMTB tyres. From the factory, however, the bike is supplied with MAXXIS rubber. Up front rolls a MAXXIS ASSEGAI in 29 × 2.5″ with the MaxxGrip compound and a robust DoubleDown casing. At the rear runs a MAXXIS Minion DHR II in 27.5 × 2.4″ with MaxxTerra compound, also in the tough DoubleDown construction. The combination suits the bike well, offering solid pinch-flat protection and, thanks to the harder compound at the rear, a clear focus on durability.

Rounding out the build, OneUp supply a 42 mm stem, an 800 mm aluminium handlebar and a OneUp V3 dropper post with 210 mm travel on the size L frame.

Specification Options for the New Velduro Rogue R

Alongside the top-spec R model we tested, Velduro also offer the Rogue as a frameset, as well as a more value-oriented X model. Retailing at €6,999, the Rogue X uses the same frame and Avinox M1 motor as the R.

When it comes to suspension, Velduro take a more pragmatic approach for the X. Up front, the bike runs a FOX 38 Performance Elite fork with the GRIP X2 damper, while rear suspension duties are handled by a FOX FLOAT Performance shock. It offers fewer adjustment options, but is correspondingly easier to set up, aimed at riders who prefer a straightforward, no-fuss suspension tune. Velduro also keep things simple with the brakes and drivetrain. The MAGURA MT5 brakes deliver a little too little stopping power, something our sister magazine has already highlighted in a dedicated brake group test, while a mechanical SRAM Eagle 70 Transmission drivetrain takes care of gear changes with precision and reliability.

Velduro told us that the Rogue will be available in Europe from April. The prices quoted here apply to the German market.

The Geometry of the Velduro Rogue R

The Velduro Rogue R is available in four frame sizes from S to XL and, according to the manufacturer, covers rider heights from 1.60 to 1.95 m. Reach figures are on the long side across all sizes, ranging from 440 mm in size S to 515 mm in XL. This is paired with a very slack 63.5° head angle.

The seat angle sits at 78°, designed to deliver a balanced climbing position despite the bike’s clear downhill DNA. Stack height falls into the middle ground, measuring 634 mm in size S and 648 mm in XL, neither particularly low nor excessively tall.

One striking detail is the chainstay length, which remains constant at 440 mm across all sizes. Velduro deliberately forgo size-specific rear centre lengths and instead opt for a uniform figure throughout the range.

The Velduro Rogue R features a flip chip in the rocker link. This allows you to switch between 27.5” and 29” rear wheels in all frame sizes.

A second flip chip at the lower shock mount works independently to alter the suspension progression, giving you more options to fine-tune the suspension to suit your riding style and local trails.

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat Tube	390 mm	410 mm	430 mm	465 mm
Top Tube	582 mm	604 mm	623 mm	647 mm
Head Tube	110 mm	110 mm	120 mm	125 mm
Head Tube Angle	63.5°	63.5°	63.5°	63.5°
Seat Tube Angle	78°	78°	78°	78°
Chainstay	440 mm	440 mm	440 mm	440 mm
BB Drop	10 mm	10 mm	10 mm	10 mm
Wheelbase	1229 mm	1255 mm	1276 mm	1311 mm
Reach	440 mm	466 mm	485 mm	515 mm
Stack	634 mm	634 mm	643 mm	648 mm

With The Rebel Yell: The New Velduro Rogue R On The Trail

Whether seeking warmth in Spain or on our home trails around Stuttgart, we put the Velduro Rogue R through its paces. For most of our testing, we ran the progression flip chip in its more progressive setting, and kept the geometry flip chip in the 27.5” mullet configuration, pushing the bike hard across our test trails.

Once on board the Rogue, the bike distributes your weight evenly between hands and hips. Despite its hard-charging image, the Velduro delivers a surprising level of comfort, making longer stints in the saddle feel relaxed.

As soon as the surface changes from transfer to trail and you switch the Avinox system into Turbo mode, the drive unit surges forward without hesitation. Climbing, the motor pushes with finely metered power, hauling you uphill efficiently even at low cadences. Power delivery is eager, releasing its output quickly as soon as you load the pedals. Despite this, it never feels abrupt, instead delivering assistance precisely when you ask for it. As a result, the Velduro takes the sting out of demanding climbs and opens them up to less experienced riders as well. One thing does require attention on the way up, though: while the rear wheel traction is impressive, the front end is a little light, requiring some careful weight shifts to hold your line.

The bike only really comes into its own once the summit is behind you and the trail drops away. Stay at full gas through rock gardens or root carpets, and the Velduro simply flattens everything in its path. The rear end sticks to the ground, the bike holds its line with impressive stability, and your head stays free to focus on line choice. That planted ride feel puts a grin on your face almost instantly.

On very steep and rough descents, we found ourselves wishing for a slightly higher front end. A bit more stack would allow you to load the front wheel more aggressively, without having to hinge your upper body too far over the bars. The motor isn’t perfect either – while the bike’s cables and drivetrain are rattle-free, the motor is certainly not. On rapid sequences of small hits, the Avinox M1 produces an audible rattle which is frustrating, especially since the rest of the bike remains impressively quiet on the trail.

If you hit your lines cleanly and keep the speed high, another small downside becomes apparent. The handling feels noticeably sluggish, making quick direction changes and abrupt manoeuvres a little harder. Part of this is likely down to the substantial overall weight of 24 kg, which is hefty for a top-spec eMTB with the relatively light Avinox M1 motor. That may catch some riders off guard at first, but it does forgive riding mistakes in hectic situations. What the Velduro is not, however, is a corner carver.

We also noticed that in very muddy conditions the Velduro struggles with dirt build-up around the rear end and the idler pulley. Mud accumulates quickly in this area. A small fender, like the one used by MERIDA, would be a welcome addition to prevent the rear triangle from getting completely clogged. Of course, the issue can be mitigated simply by riding fast enough.

On jumps or botched landings, the suspension impresses with deep reserves and plenty of support, even if you misjudge the take-off now and then.

Who Should Take a Closer Look at The New Velduro Rogue R?

The Velduro Rogue R is a true bruiser with a clear focus on downhill capability. If you like pushing hard, riding fast and staying off the brakes even when things get rough, you will feel right at home. Playful it is not, with handling that leans more towards sluggish than agile. That said, it is far from boring to ride – if you tap into the Rogue R’s outstanding composure, you will roll back to the van with a smile on your face.

Conclusion On The Velduro Rogue R

With the Rogue R, Velduro deliver a surprisingly mature first effort, at least when it comes to downhill performance. The high-pivot suspension creates an extremely planted ride feel, bulldozing through rock gardens and root carpets with ease. This is backed up by the Avinox M1 motor, which impresses on the climbs with huge power delivered in a finely controlled manner. That uncompromising DNA does come at a cost, though. The high weight and sluggish handling rob it of some agility, while details such as motor rattle and mud accumulation show that there is still room for improvement. If you are looking for a no-compromise bruiser built for hard descents, the Rogue R is a strong debut, even if Velduro still need to refine the details to truly play in the top league.

More information at velduro.com

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Words: Robin Ulbrich Photos: Lars Engmann