Liteville 301 CE MK1-AIR X01 Review

As a component giant, Shimano is mostly known for its dominant position in bicycle gears. But with the EP8, the Japanese are clearly showing that they can look beyond their own plate too. The well-rounded motor control and the gentle power output characterise the character of the Shimano motor. Fans of XXL tours are greatly restricted by the 301 CE MK1-AIR X01 with only an average range.

The chassis, besides the motor and battery, is one of the most expensive components of an EMTB. With the golden shine Fox suspension elements, Liteville doesn't skimp in this area. Thanks to an fantastic function, the entire bike lies comfortably on the track when it goes downhill. Setup-Nerds can squeeze out the maximum performance from the chassis thanks to the many setting options. The thick 38mm stanchions on the fork provide an extra dose of steering precision and performance. The mid-range brakes from Formula do their job but could be a bit firmer. The power of the four pistons setup is only average. At the drivetrain components and the rest of the parts, Liteville leaves almost no wishes open and only uses fantastic parts. The handling of the bike is pleasantly balanced due to the moderate geometry. This allows you to intuitively control the bike over the trails. 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. 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. Hell yeah, the geometry is killer! Here the know-how of the Liteville developers is videly visible.