We wouldn't call a bike "Action Team" and paint it red and blue without good reason. The Stereo Hybrid 160 has earned the right to wear this name because we're confident it can meet the stringent demands of performance enduro riding. From the new HPA frame to the Fox Factory suspension components and next generation Bosch drive, this e-MTB sets new standards in its class.
The triple butted 7005 High Performance Aluminium frame isn't just light, it's also extremely stiff and stable thanks to hydroformed tube technology. The Tuned Drive Position (TDP) allowed us to reduce the chainstay length as much as possible. Combined with our much-praised Efficient Trail Control (ETC) suspension design, semi-integrated battery and Agile Trail Geometry (ATG), we've achieved a fantastically compact chassis with superb manoevrability. This makes the Stereo Hypbrid HPA 160 27.5 a veritable rocket out on the trails, pushing you to beat your personal bests time after time. Given the speed of which it's capable, the 148mm Boost X12 rear hub was an obvious upgrade. We've even made sure that it's possible to fit a shock with a piggyback reservoir - a real benefit if shredding epic enduro trails is your thing.
This state-of-the-art enduro e-bike features only the best. Suspension components from the Fox Factory Series offer premium performance and unsurpassed responsiveness thanks to the low-friction Kashima coating. There's a 36 Float fork up front and a Float X shock with innovative EVOL air chamber at the rear. For drive, it had to be the Bosch CX - its incredible 75Nm of available torque makes it the best-performing e-MTB motor for this type of bike. A 500Wh battery helps provide a previously unimaginable range, to ensure that your enduro adventure doesn't come to a premature end. DT Swiss CSW EM 3.7 Straightpull wheels shod with grippy Schwalbe Magic Mary and Hans Dampf tyres - in puncture-proof Super Gravity form - safely apply the drive's epic power to the trail. But the real treat for 2017 is SRAM's EX1 transmission, with an 8-speed 11-48 tooth cassette specificaly adapted to the torque characteristics of the drive unit. What does this mean for you? Unprecedentedly smooth shifting, even under power. Magura's MT7 brake system has the power to tame all this speed, whatever the trail conditions. Finally, the Race Face cockpit with its 800mm handlebar and 35mm diameter clamp offers the best possible steering precision, while the RockShox Reverb Stealth adds manouevrability for the steepest, most technical trails.
e-Bikes come in as many shapes and sizes as non-powered bikes, so you can have an electric road bike, mountain bike, city bike or general hybrid style. But, there are extra choices for you to make as well, so this is a brief guide to choosing the e-Bike best suited to your needs. For a more complete guide, please visit our Blog post on Choosing Your e-Bike.
Frame design
The primary choice is whether there is a top tube or you have a step-through frame. If you have any limitations in your hip flexibility and find it hard to raise your leg around the back wheel and saddle, then a step-through frame will be the better option for you. Given e-Bikes are heavier than other bikes, a step-through is also easier to handle if you're not very strong.
Battery power & capacity
"How far can I go between charges?" is the most common question, and the answer is "It depends", but here are some useful guidelines. Firstly, you control how quickly you deplete the battery. e-Bikes have power assist settings that you use to control acceleration and the amount of assist. If you choose "economy", it will take longer to get up to speed, and your top-end speed will be lower than if you select "turbo" mode. In addition, most e-Bikes are pedal assist, so you need to turn the pedals, and the more force you put in, the less you consume the battery charge. Finally, hills consume more power than flats, so your route selection makes a difference.
Batteries are rated in Watt hours (WH), and you can use this to compare the expected range between bikes. You simply multiply the voltage (V) by the amp hours (Ah) to calculate the Watt hours. On average, if you didn't pedal at all, each mile of flat travel will consume 15 WH. The e-Bikes we sell all have batteries with 300 - 400 WH, so that is 20 - 27 miles on a flat road with no pedaling.
Motor location and drive system
There are three primary positions for the drive system, the front wheel, the rear wheel and the crankset (to which the pedals are attached). By far the best is the crankset, as it is the most efficient, and it keeps the centre of gravity low. Motors in the wheel hubs are more common, as they are less expensive, and there are offsetting pros & cons for front versus rear wheel. drive.
Throttle or Pedal-assist
Our FreeGo e-Bikes have a throttle, so you can choose to be powered exclusively by the electric motor. Our other e-Bikes are all pedal-assist, which means the motor amplifies your own pedaling. The amount of power added by the electric motor in all cases is controlled by the setting, for example "economy" or "turbo".