Whyte is not particularly well known outside the UK, where they have a reputation for offering well thought out bikes with decent value, especially among critics. Its latest offering is the eMTB E-160 2023.
Although the E-160 name has previously existed only as a 27.5 “bike, the 2023 model is available as a 29er or with mixed wheels in sizes M to XL, and with 27.5” wheels in S sizes. and XS. It also gets some upgrades over the previous version, including Bosch’s latest CX Smart System engine with a huge 750 WH battery.
Details of Whyte E-160 • Bosch CX Smart System with 750 WH battery • 150 mm rear, 160 mm fork • 27.5 “, 29” or mixed wheel options • Weight: over 26 kg / 57.3 free (this is the limit of my bike scale) • Seat angle 75 °, head angle 64.8 °, base 446 mm • Sizes: M, L, XL (29 “or MX), XS and S (27.5 “) • Price: £ 7,999 (E-160 RSX 29er) • Whytebikes. Details of comFrame
To reduce costs, the frame is only offered in 6061 aluminum. Whyte decided to use a full descending tube to maintain structural integrity compared to a design where the battery is inserted into a hole in the belly of the “tube”. They say this allows them to keep the thickness of the wall of the tube below 2 mm, which makes the total weight lighter than a descending tube with a door, where the thicknesses of the wall are inflated to compensate for the lack of structural efficiency. This bike is not light, beware.
Whyte also tried to keep the weight as low as possible on the frame to make it easier for the bike to move and change direction. To do this, they rotated the Bosch motor counterclockwise so that the battery in the lower tube could slide down the bottom to charge off the bike, keeping it as long as possible. as close to the ground as possible. Although the bike is shipped with Bosch’s larger 750 Wh battery, smaller batteries can be used; and as the battery sticks to the bottom, the empty space is at the top of the bottom tube, helping to keep the center of gravity even lower.
The E-160 has a rotating chip that changes the height of the bottom bracket by 8 mm and the angle of the head by 0.7 degrees. There’s the usual frame protection, bottle cage heads, and internal routing you’d expect from a modern bike, and the steering tube allows forks with 1.8 ”guides. Suspension.
Despite the name, the E-160 offers 150mm of travel at the rear, along with a 160mm fork. The suspension link is progressive throughout the race, with a 23% progression from start to finish. This is pretty progressive, but nothing crazy. The anti-squat levels (how long the pedal-bob suspension resists) are roughly typical of an electric bike, with about 80% falling.
What makes Whyte’s suspension stand out is the shocking melody. “I’ve found that, in general, electric bikes don’t require more cushioning than a regular bike,” says Whyte Mountain Bike Engineer Sam Shucksmith, “because of the stability that the bike’s extra weight provides, in “In any case, you can get out with less cushioning and benefit from greater grip and traction in small strokes. Mid-stroke spring support is important when it comes to the added weight of an electric bike.”
Geometry
Whyte Bikes was one of the first to adopt modern geometry, and the E-160 is up to date. The length of the sheath is well balanced with 446 mm (not too long, not too short). With all this weight in front of the bottom bracket, a long sheath can make an electric bike very difficult to drive and move on the road. The seat angle is about 75 degrees, which isn’t the steepest, but when it comes to pedaling ergonomics, that doesn’t seem to matter too much with electric bikes. The spec sheet says the bottom bracket measures 344mm in the high setting (336mm in the low), but I find it lower.
Models and specifications
There are two spec options for the 29er version, both have the same Bosch engine and 750 Wh battery. I rode the more expensive RSX model with Fox 38 and Float X Performance Elite shock absorbers, while the cheaper model has a RockShox ZEB RC fork and a Deluxe Select R inline shock absorber.
Whyte E-160 RSX 29er £ 7,999
Fork: Fox Float 38 Performance Elite, 160 mm Shock: Fox Float X Performance Elite, custom transmission: SRAM GX Eagle AXS, 10-52
Brakes: Code SRAM RSC 220/220 mm Wheels: Hope Fortus 30 o DT Swiss HX1700 Tires: Maxxis Assegai EXO + Maxxgrip (f) / DHR2 DD, MaxxTerra (r)
Whyte E-160 S 29er £ 6,399
Fork: RockShox Zeb RC, 160 mm Shock: RockShox Deluxe Select R, Transmission: SRAM GX Eagle, 11-50
Brakes: SRAM Guide RE, 220/220 mm Wheels: WTB HTZ i30 Tires: Maxxis Assegai EXO + Maxxgrip (f) / DHR2 DD, MaxxTerra (r)
Walking impressions
I only had the opportunity to ride the E-160 29er once, but I was able to traverse a wide selection of known test trails in the Tweed Valley. I brought my own scale to the launch event, but I couldn’t weigh my XL test bike because the scale only weighs up to 26kg (57.3 lbs). All you need to know is that this is not a lightweight electric bike.
The Bosch CX engine is powerful and intuitive; responds proportionately and with little delay, facilitating the negotiation of technical rises with tight returns. It is also reasonably quiet, with less clutch noise than is found in other engines.
I tested the bike only in the high setting and while the bottom bracket is not exceptionally low on paper, I had many pedal strokes on the E-160. The seat angle is looser than most and puts more weight on the rear suspension as it climbs, making the suspension sit lower in its travel. With the stock shock setting, it’s pretty progressive; with a 30% drop, I never took it all the way out, but for starters, it sits pretty much in its path. If I had more time, I would try a smaller volume spacer with less drop.
When lowering, the weight is not hidden by means of technical movements and closed turns; It takes more effort and more time to negotiate these pinch points, and despite a 220mm front rotor, it can be tricky to slow it down quickly. The low bottom bracket resulted in a few deep wheel pedal scratches as it went down.
Compared to many bikes with longer chains, however, it’s not the hardest to do manually and do. When I got stuck on some wider trails with quick turns and jumps, the bike got underway. It’s easy to bring up the speed and break the berms, while swallowing the roots well and keeping the tires pressed to the ground.