Fantic XEF1.8 Sport Review

Even seemingly hopeless inclines the powerful Brose motor easily climbs up well. The Brose Drive S Mag provides a natural riding experience with a progressive power delivery. Thanks to the good range, longer tours with the XEF1.8 Sport are no problem.

The Rock Shox chassis provides safety and traction, even when the trail gets rougher. However, it comes to its limit at high speed. The thick 38mm stanchions on the fork provide an extra dose of steering precision and performance. At the rear, the steel spring shock absorber provides maximum sensitivity. Bad brakes reduce the riding pleasure. Fortunately, this is not the case with the XEF1.8 Sport. With their four pistons and large brake rotors the SRAM brake brakes good. The drivetrain and components have a subordinate but not to be neglected importance when it comes to EMTB. Even the bike brand product managers know this and don't aim too high with mostly average components. When it comes to the geometry, Fantic does not go completely crazy. The head tube angle and reach values were chosen with care. The result: A balanced riding behaviour with a good combination of playfulness and straight-line stability. The low bottom bracket height is a party pooper for the handling on the trail. On other bikes, you are more centrally located behind the handlebar. For the good geometry, the developer team of Fantic definitely deserves props. Such a knack for detail in geometry is rarely seen.