Everyone seems to be obsessed with motors at the moment. Power and torque numbers have become the new head angle and BB height, with everyone (us included) fixated on the headline stats. Yes, this has always been an important aspect of e-bikes, but since the introduction of the Amflow PL Carbon and the DJi Avinox motor, the arms race really seems to have ramped up, and we are all lapping it up. 

But are we missing something? What about the rest of the bike? The geometry, the sizing, the frame design and material, and most importantly, the suspension – all of these aspects feed into the blender that gives the bike its handling qualities and ride performance. A poor bike design is not magically fixed by a class-leading motor. 

So we discuss this topic, drawing on experiences with standout e-bikes we’ve tested in the past that didn’t have the hottest motor, as well as speculating about the remaining brands that have partnered with DJI to power their next gen e-bikes. 

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Gates has clicked its marketing into overdrive for 2025 with the rollover of the Belted Purse competition. This contest offers €100,000 to the first man or woman to win an Elite UDI World Cup Downhill race. Last year, a few riders tried their hand, but for 2025 the list of competitors making a play for the ultimate payday in mountain biking includes two former World Champions and a host of other talented riders.

In the mix is Continental Atherton's Charlie Hatton, and fellow former World Champ Reece Wilson, on his newly-formed AON Racing team. But could we see Rachel Atherton lured out of retirement (again)? She's done it once, and that was without a big, fat, juicy carrot being dangled at the start line.

Not forgetting Intense Factory Racing, with Joe Breedon and Mille Johnset on board, and MS Racing with Elenora Farina amongst the roster. And as an interesting aside, while MS Racing is on Zerode bikes this season, last year it was on Intense, and the US brand showed a Pinion/Gates prototype M1 downhill bike at Eurobike, at the exact same time Elenora made sense of the wild conditions in Les Gets to win her first World Cup. That win could have been all the sweeter if she'd been riding the Gates-equipped Intense.

We also run through the pros and cons of this alternative drivetrain, and the reasons why a belt drive and gearbox might suit downhill racing even more than some other MTB disciplines.

And we comb through the small print, to find a couple of interesting points about what happens if the men's and women's are won on Gates belts at the same round of the World Cup.

This video was recorded before the official Gates press release came out, and some team announcements were made, so you'll have to forgive a few speculative inaccuracies, like Matt Walker joining AON Racing.

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On this episode of the MBR Show Alan and Jamie are debating the rise of electronics in mountain biking. Are they dumbing down the sport we love? Do we really need automatic shifting, electronic suspension, and ABS braking? Or are they adding unnecessary cost, complication, and a layer of interference that's undermining hard-won skills?

This debate has been prompted in part by Danny riding the latest Bosch EASI shift system developed in partnership with TRP. As well as the latest ABS braking system.

We're also seeing more of RockShox's Flight Attendant reactive suspension system, particularly in racing situations, where they have won World Cup and World Championship races. It's clear we'll be seeing more of these systems appear on the market. But as riders, do we really need them, or want them?

Jamie has also been out riding the new Santa Cruz Hightower. Given the launch was in the high alpine, on the acclaimed trails of the Stone King Rally, he was glad of all the bike he could get. So the changes to shift the Hightower closer to the burly Megatower in terms of travel and attitude, were greatly appreciated.

https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/full-suspension-bikes/santa-cruz-hightower-cc-xo-axs-rsv-enduro-bike-review

Canyon has launched its second lightweight e-bike recently, and we've ridden it. Called the Spectral:ONFly, this is effectively Canyon's Spectral trail bike with the compact and lightweight TQ motor system. As our contributor Paul Burwell found out on the launch, this stealthy motor was a great choice for keeping the weight down and the noise low, and the bike handled like a dream, but the range from the small 360Wh battery was the big limiting factor.

https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/mullet-mx/canyon-spectralonfly-ltd-e-bike-first-ride-review

Finally we run through the pricing for the hotly anticipated Amflow PL Carbon e-bike with DJI Avinox motor. And while not cheap, this potentially game changing new bike is very competitively priced.

We hope you enjoy the show, let us know in the comments what you think about electronic assistance in mountain biking, and check back soon for a first ride review of the Amflow PL Carbon Pro with DJI motor.

https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/dji-powered-amflow-bikes-announces-markets-prices-demo-stock-uk-441359

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In this episode of the MBR Show we reveal the biggest U-turn in mountain biking. Danny has been out to Bosch HQ to ride the latest Performance CX motor, and Pivot's new Phoenix downhill bike is discussed.

Santa Cruz is no stranger to making huge U-turns. It said it would never make an e-bike, then it came out with the Heckler. And now, after nailing its colours to the VPP suspension mast, it has launched a bike with an FSR-style four-bar linkage.

But this should come as no surprise. Earlier this year we made a video predicting that all e-bikes would end up looking the same. And in that video we specifically singled out the way Santa Cruz's VPP design restricted its ability to package the motor and optimise the weight distribution. And while Santa Cruz hasn't gone full Specialized with the new Vala (it's more Trek Rail than Turbo Levo) it's still a massive departure for the Californian brand.

And ultimately we think it's a really good move. Not only because it means the bikes can be better, but because it shows Santa Cruz is not tied to a design just because of its history. In fact we think more brands should have the courage to stray our of their lanes and try new designs that work better for today's technology.

The Vala itself is a cool looking bike, with a 160mm fork, 150mm rear travel, MX wheels and five frame sizes. It comes with the latest Bosch Performance CX motor with 85Nm of torque and 600W peak power, mated to the new, lightweight 600Wh battery. This is enclosed in the down tube and non-removable, but compatible with the PowerMore 250Wh range extender for longer rides. Which should mean you get the most agile bike possible for short laps, and only lug the extra weight around when you really need it.

Further reading:

• https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/electric-bikes/santa-cruz-vala-ebike-first-ride-review
• https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/motor/bosch-performance-cx-gen-5-motor-first-ride-review
• https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/pivot-phoenix-downhill-bike-highpivot-idler-mx-carbon-news-2025-441798

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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