First Rides

SWINGING A LEG OVER WHAT’S HOT THIS MONTH

- Alan Muldoon, Paul Burwell, & Mick Kirkman

WHYTE E-150 RS

£5,250 / 27.5in / whyte.bike

The big-hitting British marque takes its first pedal-assisted foray into the enduro e-bike arena Cloaked in secrecy and developed

around the new Gen 4 Bosch motor, the E-150 RS combines everything Whyte knows about regular full-suspension bikes with the latest e-bike tech. With modern geometry, 150mm travel and 27.5in wheels, Whyte is billing the E-150 as a do-it-all trail/enduro e-bike.

But how did Whyte even develop an e-bike when production versions of the new Bosch motor were in such short supply? In the prototyping stages, Whyte actually rode a dummy motor and battery housing full of chains to represent the true weight of the bike, just to get the geometry and suspension dialled in. Once the production motor and battery became available, the pedal assistance was layered on top of a sound design. It’s a somewhat unorthodox approach, but I’m convinced it’s why the Whyte E-150 is such an accomplished design.

Why 27.5in wheels on a 150mm travel bike when the current trend is for 29ers? In a nutshell, they are stronger. Current e-bike riders will already know that the wheels, especially the rear, take a pounding, so stronger is better. Also, because e-bikes are more stable than their non-motorised cousins, Whyte didn’t feel the need for the extra stability that 29in wheels typically offer.

There are additional benefits of the smaller wheels too. They offer the widest range of tyre choice, which led Whyte to settle on 2.5in tyres, because they are available in the biggest choice of casings and compounds — Whyte opting for a reinforced Double Downcasing Maxxis High Roller II on the rear for increased puncture protection.