Orange PHASE MX RS Review

As a component giant, Shimano is mostly known for its dominant position in bicycle gears. But with the EP801, the Japanese are clearly showing that they can look beyond their own plate too. Even nasty steep sections are effortlessly climbed by the motor. The Shimano EP801 conveys a riding feeling. Fans of XXL tours are greatly restricted by the PHASE MX RS with only an average range.

Even on rough terrain, the PHASE MX RS doesn't lose its composure thanks to the excellent Rock Shox chassis, giving you a lot of control. The thick 38mm stanchions on the fork provide an extra dose of steering precision and performance. At the brakes, Orange instals upper class brakes with four pistons and 2 millimeter rotors from SRAM. The shifting and the rest of the components are always in the shadow of the engine when it comes to electric mountain bikes. Nevertheless, Orange 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 deep bottom bracket also provides excellent cornering and thus contributes to the good handling. Short chainstays and and a slack seat angle make the front end light in steep climbs. To keep the front wheel on the ground, you need to consciously lean forward. Hell yeah, the geometry is killer! Here the remarkable know-how of the Orange developers is videly visible. The deep bottom bracket can however lead to crank strikes in technical uphills and disrupt the climbing flow.