Superior eXF 9019 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 average range can become a problem especially for long mountain bike rides.

As the hits get faster and harder the average chassis limits the downhill fun. At the drivetrain components and the rest of the parts, Superior uses average parts. When it comes to the geometry, Superior does not go completely crazy. The head tube angle and reach values were chosen with care. The result: A balanced riding behaviour with a good combination of playfulness and straight-line stability. 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. Oh boy, with the geometry you have to be ready to make compromises from our perspective. The most important measurements and angles fall slightly out of the grid of good bikes.