Propain Ekano Starting 29 Review

In the automotive and motorcycle world, Japan has always had a reputation for being a breeding ground for excellent engines. Shimano is doing its utmost to live up to this reputation in the e-bike world with the EP8 engine. With torque under the motor cover, the support is generous. Nobody needs to fear steep hills anymore. Furthermore, the power of the motor control is regulated so that the start always feels dynamic,. The short range unfortunately limits the tour radius quite significantly.

Rough descents take away some of the fear thanks to the average chassis. 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. The average shifting components and accessories leave some tuning potential open. For most e-bikers, this should be an acceptable point. 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. Overall, the geometry does not seem to be up to date anymore. The competition is significantly more modern in this regard.