Gateway drug: How much fun can you get?
The Vitus E-Mythique LT VRX in Review

The price gap in high-end e-Mountain bikes is staggering. Brands like Santa Cruz and Rocky Mountain are asking up to €11,000 for their enduro e-MTBs.
But those looking to shred extreme terrain don’t have to drain their savings accounts. The Vitus E-Mythique LT VRX proves there’s another way, hitting the trails at €5,100. But can such a value-packed contender hold its own on the trail?

The Vitus E-Mythique LT VRX packs a punch with its simplicity. No complex rear suspension design, no costly frame material, and no proprietary motor system. The shock on the Vitus is controlled by a classic four-bar linkage rear suspension. The frame is made of aluminum.

And for the motor, Vitus opts for a reliable off-the-shelf unit – a Bafang M510. By embracing this level of ordinariness, Vitus manages to keep the price of the E-Mythique reasonable. Can 95 Nm of torque and 170 mm of travel deliver the magic carpet ride that Vitus promises in its advertising?

95 Nm of torque are a lot even for a Full Power E-MTB. The maximum output of the Chinese e-motor is 550 Watts. In real terms, this means: you’ll be three times as powerful on the climbs.

These specs suggest a quick uphill flow. But can the bike actually translate this power onto the trail? And can a bike weighing just under 25 kilograms truly excel in technical climbs? We put it to the test on the diverse trails in Finale Ligure.

Robust it stands, the Vitus. The beefy aluminum frame with its generous tube profiles promises durability. The connection between the rear triangle and the main frame also looks solid: The yoke at the chainstay offers a high profile and is attached to a substantially sized main pivot. That should hold up.

The tires also appear potent. The aggressively treaded tires are 2.5″ wide and mounted on 30mm wide rims. The wheelset is hefty. The weight reinforces this impression. A proud 5,850 grams is what the wheels, together with the tires and fittings, bring to the scale. Even for an e-bike, that’s quite a bit.

The suspicion: The rotational inertia of the heavy wheels might be a killer for active handling. One can only hope that the high weight positively affects puncture resistance.

The E-Mythique features an intelligent yet affordable assembly for its price range. No special details or innovations can be found on the Vitus. Instead, shifting is done with a mix of SRAM GX rear derailleur and NX shift lever.

The brakes are also supplied by SRAM. The DB8 is SRAM’s most affordable four-piston brake. Unlike all other SRAM brakes, the DB8 doesn’t use DOT brake fluid, but rather mineral oil.

This impacts the maintenance intervals: Instead of annually, the DB8 only requires servicing every two years. A hefty plus when it comes to maintenance costs.

The E-Mythique LT VRX is very competitively priced at 5,100 euros. At this price point, few manufacturers offer durable enduro e-bikes built for heavy shredding. Apart from specialist dealer brand Cube, in this price bracket there’s hardly any way around direct-to-consumer brands like Canyon, Radon, and YT.

The YT Decoy comes closest to the Vitus E-Mythique. A hefty 170 mm of travel upfront and a mullet wheel setup with a 29” in the front and 27.5” in the rear unites these two bikes on the spec sheet. However, with comparable components, the YT is 1,100 euros cheaper.
Here are the three models in a head-to-head comparison:

The street price of the Vitus is well below the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. Most recently, the bike was offered by online retailers for an affordable €3,019.

Vitus scores big with their warranty: 5-year warranty is granted by the manufacturer to the original owner on the frame. This is an exceptionally good warranty commitment in this price range.

Vitus promises an uphill flow like riding on a magic carpet. Whether an e-MTB can deliver that depends not only on the punch of the motor but also on the rear wheel traction. Yet, more crucial is the software that controls the motor. Only when the software accurately interprets the rider’s impulses, does the e-bike come into its own flow.

The motor makes an impression in the truest sense of the word. Once it gets going, it propels the rider powerfully uphill. This even holds up well in challenging terrain.

The starting behavior is noticeable. Here, the power delivery of the motor feels a bit sluggish. When the rider wants to take off, the motor keeps you waiting. The delay is slight, but compared to other e-systems from Bosch or Shimano, it’s distinctly perceptible. For a snappy start on steep inclines, the Bafang motor owes the rider a more immediate power response.

On climbs, the motor’s torque is definitely felt. The acceleration is good, with no slippage at the rear tire. Motor and tires deliver power confidently to the ground. If you increase the cadence to push the boundaries at high RPMs, exceeding 85 revolutions per minute to get an extra surge, the motor struggles to keep up.

And this is despite Bafang increasing the support range up to a cadence of a whopping 120 RPM. However, even seasoned Tour de France pros might not be able to sustain such a rate for long.

On the trail, when facing steep ramps or terrain edges, it feels as if the motor has already burned through its reserves. This costs precious momentum. In terms of software, the drive system lags behind the competition from Bosch and Shimano.

For truly ambitious uphill enthusiasts, the Bafang motor even offers a “R” mode – which stands for “Race.” This mode has a unique feature: if you stop pedaling, the motor continues to push a little longer.

Riders unprepared for this may experience quite a few scares on the trails. However, those who embrace it and learn to manage the motor’s extra push can tackle technical sections in a motorcycle trail style.

All in all, the Vitus E-Mythique is a strong climber, unafraid of technical ascents. However, uphill trails shouldn’t be too tight or rocky, as the bike’s considerable weight can be a hindrance.

Additionally, the front tends to rise more quickly than desired due to the high cockpit. Only active weight shifting forward can keep the front wheel grounded on steep inclines.

A definite no-go for the drivetrain is the magnet that, reminiscent of the early days of e-bikes, still dangles from a spoke on the rear wheel. This is simply outdated.

The major downside: If the spoke magnet collides with a solid object, for example, a branch protruding onto the trail, the magnet on the spoke can twist out of position, losing contact with the readout sensor. No contact between magnet and sensor means no motor power.

Quick direction changes aren’t the Forte of the Vitus, even though the tires aren’t the limiting factor. The issue with the Vitus: its weight and the high front end. The weight makes the bike sluggish, and additionally, it pushes the front wheel. The lofty cockpit demands a lot of effort from the rider to put enough pressure on the front wheel in turns.

If you lean boldly over the handlebars, the Vitus follows the steering input from the rider comfortably, yet obediently. The great surprise comes from the tires. They provide tremendous grip and keep the bike firmly on track.

The Vitus will appeal to freeriders who prefer to bomb downhills straight and hard. However, if you’re looking for a nimble trail bandit, the Vitus isn’t the right choice. Despite this, the geometry provides quite a bit of security, the bike runs smoothly, and the tires dig into the ground well. So, descent fun is definitely on the cards.

Pros

Cons