Centurion No Pogo 2025 Review

The new 2025 Centurion No Pogo surprises with a progressive approach. With 170 mm of travel and a mullet setup and bike park approval, it has turned into a shredder. Does the bike live up to its radical specs on the trails?

The bike not only offers a tremendous level of grip with its suspension but also manages to provide a sense of comfort even on rough sections. Most e-bikes we have for testing feature 160 mm of travel in the fork and 150 mm in the rear. This is also the case with the latest models like the Focus Jam², the Amflow, or the Mondraker Crafty.

An extra 10 mm of travel in the fork might not sound like much at first. However, on the trail, it makes a big difference. Especially because the Zeb, with its 38 mm thick stanchions, performs much more smoothly in gnarly terrain and under full load compared to a Lyrik or a 36 fork from Fox. The bike feels like a true magic carpet ride, carrying you down the mountain with absolute safety and ease.

The downside: If you’re looking for a bike to actively carve through turns on easy trails, you’re in the wrong place. Because you genuinely sink into the 170 mm of travel with an active riding style. For lighter rolling trails, Centurion offers the 7 kg lighter No Pogo SL, which has already proven its qualities in our test.

With its generous suspension travel, the No Pogo always provides a secure riding feel. The powerful braking system, the Maxx Gripp front tire, and the dropper post with 200 mm travel fit perfectly into the overall picture. The permissible total weight of 150 kilos and the official clearance for Category 4 usage show that Centurion doesn’t do things by halves but follows through consistently.

However, this orientation does increase the weight. At 25 kilos, the No Pogo is no lightweight. Although almost 2 kilos have been shaved off compared to its predecessor, you may find a lighter alternative in this price range on the market. But looking at the new Crafty or the Focus Jam², it becomes clear: A Bosch Full Power EMTB with a removable battery doesn’t get much lighter. This is also a reason why the bike doesn’t switch from left to right super quickly in corners.

The bike performs well downhill, but it demands that you set your braking points in time. On steep trails, you always have to be prepared for the bike to push a bit over the front axle due to the weight. While it’s somewhat better than competitors in the same price range thanks to the high grip level at the front wheel, you can’t completely manage it with 25 kilos. However, that’s nitpicking at a high level.

Details like the 800 Wh battery, which can be removed from the downtube, increase the complexity of the frame and thus the weight. The large opening in the downtube requires thick lateral wall thicknesses as a structural balance. Additionally, Centurion installs double-row ball bearings in the rear suspension from the factory. This means that in the bearing installed here, not just one row of balls runs, but two parallel to each other.

Thus, the pressure during compression is distributed over double the area, which naturally increases durability in the long run. This is particularly important for rear suspension bearings, which only move in a very small range and never make a full rotation.

The installed Linkglide shifting by Shimano is also specially designed for the higher load on an EMTB. The robust orientation of the bike is also reflected in the frame weight of 4.5 kilos. For comparison, if you aim for lightweight construction, you can save 2 kilos at this point. The No Pogo SL achieved this exactly as the developers intended. But the development focus was different in that case.

A significant selling point is the motor. The No Pogo is powered by Bosch’s new 5th generation CX. In terms of performance, nothing has changed: 85 Nm of torque, 600 watts peak power. These specs are familiar from the predecessor. What isn’t familiar, however, is that the motor is finally quiet.

Both uphill and downhill, Bosch has managed to tame the noise output. As the only manufacturer working with a geared system, Bosch manages to control gear chatter when descending. How they do it remains a secret, but for us, the result is what counts. The motor is finally quiet on the downhill. It’s still audible on the climb, but much quieter than its predecessor. Especially the high-frequency noises are gone.

The motor control has always been a forte of Bosch, and it continues to perform excellently with the latest generation. Those who really want to climb technical uphills now have the option to power the motor with small pedal kicks. This can be quite handy when the terrain does not allow a full crank rotation.

Otherwise, the motor engages with the usual powerful thrust and delivers full performance starting at a cadence of about 70 revolutions. A major advantage of the Bosch system is the modular design of the batteries. If the 800 battery doesn’t suffice, any other 600 or 800 battery of the Bosch system fits into the downtube.

If someone in your circle of friends has an e-bike with such a battery, you can simply borrow it for extra-long rides. That’s definitely a compelling argument, especially given the widespread use of Bosch motors. The price for a 600 exchangeable battery is almost 1000 €, but for occasional use, you don’t have to bear this cost.

The integration of the light, which is powered by the main battery, is familiar from the No Pogo SL. The front light leaves a high-quality impression and is sufficiently bright for road traffic. It doesn’t rattle and is sturdily mounted with the aluminum bracket. Unlike the SL model, the taillight is also powered by the main battery.

Do you need this feature? It didn’t bother us. And indeed, we used the light twice when we stayed at a restaurant along Finale’s coast after the test. Actually, it’s quite handy to have.

With an MSRP of €7199, the price for the top model is fair. Other Bosch bikes with an 800 battery are usually more expensive. If you want to pay less, you can ride the No Pogo R1000 for €5399 with the same frame. However, you will have to compromise on the components. With the arrow symbol, you have the option to put our test bike in a direct comparison with the entry-level model.