Focus VAM² SL 9.0 Review

Even steep ramps are surprisingly easy to climb with the Fazua motor. With its boost function, which provides 450 watts of support for a short period of time, the Fazua Ride 60 reduces the gap between light and classic full-power motors. At the moment, hardly any other light motor offers such a good combination of natural support, dynamic power delivery and capability. Fans of XXL tours are greatly restricted by the VAM² SL 9.0 with only an average range. Who wants to remove the battery for charging or storing, will be disappointed with the VAM² SL 9.0. The battery is firmly built-in.

The suspension travel at the fork qualifies the VAM² SL 9.0 for only touring on challenging single trails. In this area of use, the Fox chassis works quite well. Especially for heavy riders, the Focus brakes could be a problem. With two pistons they only decelerate averagely. The shifting and the rest of the components are always in the shadow of the engine when it comes to electric mountain bikes. Nevertheless, Focus doesn't skimp here and instals very good components. The moderate head tube angle provides a good compromise between stability and agility when going downhill. The reach is also right there in the middle ground. The bottom bracket is high, which costs handling points. This tends to make the rider stand on the bike. On other EMTBs it feels better integrated. Due to the short chainstays and the shallow seat angle , when climbing steep sections, it requires active weight shifting to prevent the front wheel from lifting. When I looked at the weight of the complete bike, my jaw actually dropped. With 16,2 kg, the VAM² SL 9.0 is a real lightweight. Especially going downhill, the good geometry of the VAM² SL 9.0 really shines.