Never mind all of the other world events that 2024 threw at us, a ton of e-MTB technology came our way this year. Top of mind are three new motors, and they weren’t just copycat designs that stuck to the well-trodden paths of brands like Bosch, Specialized Turbo (a.k.a. Brose), or Shimano (no offense to those tried and true drive units).
The new e-bike drive units that came out in 2024 are distinct and unique. I’m talking about the Pinion Motor Gearbox Unit (MGU), DJI Avinox, and SRAM Eagle Powertrain.
But are they really fantastic, you might ask? Fantastic in terms of exceptional performance? I can’t say, because I haven’t ridden them (yet). In one sense of the word, yes — they’re fantastically remote from reality, both in terms of their features and, unfortunately, the fact that you can’t find them on many bikes in the wild.
Let’s over the finer points of these three novel motors, but then more importantly, I’ll see if we can actually find one of these fantastic beasts here in the World’s Greatest Nation, the United States of America (USA).
Pinion MGU Specs and Availability
I was floored when I caught wind of the new Pinion MGU earlier this summer. It was like an ancient prophecy had come true. At Sea Otter Classic in 2023, I talked with Brent Foes about e-bike technology. This legendary mountain bike designer and fabricator told me that he expected to see e-bikes with the gearing integrated into the motor — no more chintzy derailleurs or slender 13-speed chains. And wouldn’t you know it, that’s what Pinion did.
The MGU lives at the bottom bracket, like a typical e-bike drive unit, but it also houses gears that offer either 12 or 9 speeds. You can shift it while coasting. You can shift it under load. You can shift it while pedaling. You can shift it in the rain. You can shift it on a train!
But in all seriousness, if the Pinion MGU can offer comparable shift action and gear range to a conventional drivetrain, it’s a major advantage — little to no maintenance, extremely reliable, less weight at the rear wheel. That last detail isn’t unique to this e-bike application of Pinion’s gearbox technology, but up until now, we’ve yet to see many production gearbox mountain bikes. In a nutshell, suspension tuning is far easier and performance is better when there is less weight sitting at the wheel.
Now the bad news: It’s nearly impossible to find a Pinion MGU bike in the USA. Here are the key brands Pinion lists on its site:
- Nicolai
- Rotwild
- Simplon
- Bulls
The first three simply do not ship or distribute to America, which is a shame because the Nicolai Saturn 16 MGU looks especially cool. Bulls does sell in the U.S., but alas the Vulcan Evo AM2 is not available. Rotwild is a very small German operation that doesn’t distribute stateside, and honestly, I’ve never heard of Simplon.
DJI Avinox Specs and Availability
This is what happens when a drone company decides to make an e-MTB motor. It makes sense: Drones demand a ton of power from lightweight construction. Because they fly. So that’s basically what you get with the DJI Avinox. It’s not a huge departure from conventional e-bike motors; it’s just on a different level in terms of power delivery, battery size, and general performance.
DJI claims the Avinox throws a frightening 105nm of torque, well eclipsing the typical 85nm you get from most full-power e-bike drive units. The motor weighs 5.5lbs, which is about one pound lighter than a Bosch Performance Line CX. DJI’s 800wh battery weighs 8.25lbs, comparable with a Bosch Powertube 800wh. However, the DJI battery appears to be more compact, fitting into a smaller frame down tube for a full-power e-bike that looks a whole lot like a lightweight e-bike.
However, like Pinion, this ultra-powerful drive unit is not available in the U.S. In fact, it doesn’t really seem to be available anywhere right now. The only bike manufacturer using the DJI Avinox motor is Amflow. Never heard of them… I suppose they’re a startup that’s tied in with DJI, because they only “offer” one bike, and that’s the Amflow PL, with the Avinox. But then again, they don’t really have it for sale — you can sign up to be notified when it becomes available. It’s like a sneaker drop. I guess.
SRAM Eagle Powertrain Specs and Availability
Finally, we have a more familiar beast on this list of novel e-bike drivetrains, SRAM, which dominates MTB drivetrains on both the analog and electric sides of the market. Its Powertrain isn’t a unique concept, but it’s a good one. Shimano combined its drive unit with electronic shifting a few years back to offer automatic shifting. However, SRAM seems to have a cleaner integration with this new system.
You can choose to shift the old-fashioned way, or you can set up your Eagle drivetrain to talk to the Powertrain for auto shifting, and a range of other functions. It shifts while you coast, which can be quite handy. And above all, it has SRAM’s superb Transmission system, which combines cassette architecture with shift timing for the most secure and reliable gear changes I’ve experienced.
As for the drive unit itself, SRAM took an unconventional approach and only offers two assist modes, Range and Rally. Cute names, but I’m not sure if I’d be satisfied with only two options there. On the plus side, this drive unit produces an impressive 90nm of torque and two battery configurations — 630wh and 720wh — plus a 250wh range extender.
Now, here is some fantastic news! You can actually buy bikes with the SRAM Eagle Powertrain in the U.S.A. … GOD BLESS AMERICA! In fact there are several decent options:
- Transition: A proven MTB brand with a great stable of enduro bikes.
- GasGas: A moto brand that’s trying to make inroads with the world of e-MTBs.
- Propain: Small brand with a U.S. HQ in Vancouver, Washington.
- Nukeproof: British brand that’s had some success in enduro, but maybe not actually available in America.
- Berria: Never heard of ‘em. Looks Spanish.
Of all these options, I’d start with the Transition Repeater PT. The bike looks badass, has Transition’s standard Horst Link suspension — no funny business. You can buy them direct, and currently the GX version is on sale for $8,899. That’s expensive, but fair.
The Propain Ekano 2 CF is a great deal at $7,794 for a GX Powertrain, but it’s got a rather unconventional suspension layout. Maybe you’d love it. Maybe you’d hate it. It’s far from the run-of-the mill design you find on the other bikes, though.
Finally, GasGas. The GasGas ECC4 is the cheapest way to get into a SRAM Powertrain at $6,999. But do you want to buy an e-bike from a moto brand? You could say it might open up another level of technology and engineering unavailable to a typical bike brand. Or, you might worry that it’s a little side project that could be mothballed anytime the business goes south, leaving you with a bike from a brand that doesn’t make them any longer. It’s a gamble, is all I’m saying.
But Here’s the Real Story
If you launch a new product — whether it is ho-hum or groundbreaking — people need to be able to go buy it. But with these three e-MTB drive units, which at face value seem pretty groundbreaking, you can’t even look at them IRL on a bike. They aren’t even in the country (my country, that is). What is going on here?
For starters, as you may have heard, the bike industry is experiencing, oh how shall I put this, a bit of a let’s say “clusterf*ck” when it comes to inventory. Yes, the pandemic was years ago, and everyone’s running around without masks again, but the ripple effects are still, you know, rippling. Bike brands are struggling with old inventory. Their balance sheets are out of whack. It’s a struggle to sell stuff, let alone launch new products, with the glut of discounted product still on the market.
In addition to this mess, nearly every bike brand is spoken for when it comes to e-bike drive unit providers. They have established relationships with the big players I mentioned in the intro. And Specialized, the biggest manufacturer, is committed to only its own Turbo drive units. Best case scenario, a brand like Trek or Giant offers a blend of motors in their line — a Bosch here, a Shimano there. They don’t have room for a new vendor, especially if it means reengineering their frames and retooling their manufacturing for different motor mounts or battery dimensions.
The only likely exception is SRAM, which has such a strong relationship with bike brands that it should be able to make inroads. But that’s just one of the three beasts in this line-up.
It’s quite a pickle. Someday, the business turmoil will abate, but the physical realities of e-MTBs won’t change. Unless everyone settles on a specific motor mount pattern and battery size/shape, it will be a tall order to bring a new motor supplier into the mix.