Thok Gram 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 Shimano motor climbs steep ramps effortlessly. The natural riding feeling combines the Shimano EP8 with a harmonious power delivery. The average range can become a problem especially for long mountain bike rides.

In the about 7500€ price range, most manufacturers use aluminium as the frame material. With a carbon frame, Thok turns the weight screw and sets itself apart from the competitors. A good chassis sits in rugged terrain and generates plenty of traction. That's exactly what the good Fox chassis in the Gram hits. The thick 38mm stanchions on the fork provide an extra dose of steering precision and performance. The mid-range brakes from SRAM 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.