Year: 2021

We’ve got new bikes coming into stock every day at WHEELBASE, here’s just a selection of some of our latest arrivals from the World’s best brands…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve got loads of kid’s bikes at WHEELBASE to suit your child at every stage of development! Here’s just a selection from the World’s best bike brands.

 

Confused about which size of bike will best suit your child? Click the handy guide below…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s that time of the week again – Fast Bike Friday! Today we’re taking a look at the super-stylish Genesis Fugio 20, a split-personality utilitarian gravel adventure bike that’s not only capable of ferrying you and your camping gear over endless tracks and trails in remote locations but is also ready for fun-filled, playful trail riding when you’ve the left the luggage at home and are simply heading out for a quick blast at your local riding spot.

You may already be familiar with Genesis? They’re a UK bike brand with a reputation for producing modern road, mountain and gravel bikes with a romantic, nostalgic feel. Within each genre of cycling their ranges usually include beautifully crafted steel or titanium framesets (as well as more common aluminium or carbon options) and they’ve really gained quite a cult following over the past decade thanks to this sophisticated use of these frame materials which have been largely ignored by other global bike brands in recent years.

The Fugio 20 may be a functional, utilitarian adventure bike but Genesis haven’t missed the opportunity to give it some seriously stylish looks!…

Hang around with any group of gravel riders for a short length of time while onboard the Fugio 20 and you’ll no-doubt hear someone say ‘steel is real’ or talk about ‘the unique ride quality of steel’. If there’s any riders in your group who are over a certain age they’ll very quickly be looking off into the middle distance with misty eyes and begin enthusing over some steel bike or another that they had way back in the day; steel bikes do evoke a nostalgic mood, but let’s be clear these modern chromoly steel bikes are bang up to date and are certainly not all retro-style and no substance.

But what about that common ‘unique ride quality’ remark associated with steel bike frames? Well, there’s definitely something it; good carbon frames are known for being stiff and light but with some compliance cleverly engineered into them, aluminium frames are light and stiff too but are usually less forgiving than carbon frames. By comparison steel is a little heavier than alloy, but is renowned for giving a more comfortable ride, with a unique almost springy, responsive feel; it’s hard wearing too making it ideal for the rough-and-ready world of gravel riding and bike-packing. And it’s important to point out that these days modern steel frames aren’t THAT much heavier than frames made from other materials, thanks to very some sophisticated manufacturing techniques and clever engineering.

The Mjonlnir seamless double-butted chromoly frame gives a unique ride quality… 

There’s a real mix of retro-styling and simple, traditional & functional elements within the frame, combined with more modern design features that will help to make your riding experience that more enjoyable. For example all gear and brake cables run externally along the frame making general servicing and emergency maintenance at the trail side that much easier – a key consideration if you’re heading out on a remote multi-day bike-packing adventure. There’s also a threaded bottom bracket and external headset bearings which are both more user-friendly in the long term when it comes to bearing replacements; for each traditional feature there’s a contrasting modern element – take the powerful hydraulic disc brakes, extra secure thru-axles and that lovely full carbon fork to provide you with a little extra comfort and compliance on the rough stuff.

Romantically retro looks but with all the perks of a contemporary gravel bike? Genesis have nailed it…

Scan your eyes over the frame and fork and you’ll quickly notice the copious amount of bolt-on-bosses that are ready for almost whatever you want to fit to your bike; frame bags, extra water bottles, top tube packs, mudguards or pannier racks are all legit options for this bike so if you do plan to head out on a bike-packing adventure then the Fugio 20 is more than ready.

Be prepared for regular ‘bike chat’ on your café stops, the Fugio garners a LOT of attention…

Pleasingly retro but with a contemporary twist – there’s a compliant carbon fibre fork with thru-axle to compliment the chromoly steel frame…

A rugged gravel bike that can handle multi-day adventures as well as playful sessions on your local trails needs a simple, reliable groupset that isn’t going to let you down, with crisp, predictable gear shifts that provide you with all the gear ratios you’ll need to negotiate tricky terrain and super-steep, loose gravel climbs. To meet the brief Genesis have spec’d the Fugio 20 with SRAM’s wonderfully simple but effective Apex 1 groupset; this 11-speed drivetrain consists of a single 42 tooth chainring upfront matched to a whopping 11-42 tooth cassette for a generous spread of gears that will help you cope with almost any gradient you encounter, even when the bike is heavily loaded with your bike-packing gear.

The Fugio’s SRAM Apex 1×11 speed drivetrain features a massive 11-42T cassette to help you climb efficiently even when you’re carrying luggage… 

The SRAM Apex rear derailleur with clutch mechanism keeps your chain securely located on the chainring and cassette…

The Fugio’s alloy drop handlebars are flared and differ in width depending on which size of bike you’re on…

Genesis have gone with a 650B diameter wheel rather than a 700c; this allows them to spec a slightly fatter tyre (45c) to give more volume and as a result more cushioning from rough trail surfaces. The combination of the smaller 650B rim circumference and the fatter tyre gives an overall diameter that is very similar to a 700c wheel and slimmer tyre combination, this means you get the same amount of rolling-efficiency as a 700c – it’s basically a fast-rolling wheel that accelerates and holds its speed on tarmac but also cushions you on the rough stuff.

Fast-rolling WTB Venture tyres provide plenty of grip off-road without slowing you down on tarmac portions of your ride…

The Fugio 20 features a pair of WTB ST125 TCS 2.0 wheels with a nice wide rim profile that helps give a slightly squarer profile to the tyre meaning the sidewall of they tyre is not so dramatically pinched in towards the rim as would be on narrower rims. This square profile helps to increase the contact patch of the tyre with the ground and also helps to prevent pinch flats too. These gravel-specific wheels are shod with a pair of 650B x 45c Kenda Flintridge Pro GCT tyres; with a smooth centreline tread pattern and grippy shoulder knobs they roll really fast on the smooth stuff but when surfaces become more unpredictable off-road that more aggressive tread pattern really digs in and keeps you in control. The tyres feature GCT casing making the Flintridges ready to be set up tubeless while also providing a healthy amount of sidewall protection from sharp rocks and the like.

WTB ST i25 TCS 2.0 rims feature a 25mm internal rim width to give the tyre a nice square profile for a larger contact patch with the ground…

Even with wide 45C wide 650B tyres there’s plenty of clearance between tyre and frame / fork…

The Genesis Fugio 20 ticks a lot boxes – super-stylish with cool retro looks, utilitarian & ready to carry a substantial amount of bike-packing equipment, practical & user friendly – perfect for the home mechanic or for fixing your way out of a mid-adventure breakdown AND probably most importantly to a lot of you, it’s bags of fun out on the trails thanks to its trail-ready geometry, forgiving ‘steel is real’ feel, compliant carbon forks and those fatter tyres on 650B diameter wheels. If you’re looking for a modern classic with stunning looks and practical capability and don’t mind spending time explaining your bike to enthusiastic strangers at every café stop then the Genesis Fugio 20 may be the gravel bike for you!

Stylish but super-functional too, the Fugio is an adventure gravel bike that is bound to catch the eye of riders, ramblers and sheep!…

Genesis Fugio 20 £2,299.99

Full Specification:

• Frame: Genesis Mjolnir seamless double-butted chromoly
• Fork: Genesis full carbon Gravel Disk fork
• Headset: F17A Taper 1 1/8″ – 1 1/5″
• Shift Levers: SRAM APEX Hydrualic 11spd
• Rear Derailleur: SRAM APEX 1 Long Cage 11spd
• Cassette: SRAM CS PG-1130 11/42T 11spd
• Chainset : SRAM APEX 1 42T, XS/S = 170MM, M/L = 172.5MM, XL = 175MM
• Brakes: SRAM APEX Hydrualic disc
• Wheels: WTB ST I25 TCS 2.0
• Front Tyre: Kenda Flintridge Pro GCT 650B X 45C
• Rear Tyre: Kenda Flintridge Pro GCT 650B X 45C
• Stem: Genesis Alloy, 31.8mm, -6 deg, 100mm
• Handle Bars: Genesis Alloy, 16deg flare, XS = 420MM, SM/MED = 440MM, L=460MM, XL = 480MM
• Seat Post: Genesis Alloy 27.2 x 350mm
• Saddle: Genesis

 

The Genesis Fugio 20 might just be the ultimate freedom machine…

The Genesis Fugio 20 2021 is available in-store and online now.

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Studio photos by James Vincent

 

Want to see more fast bikes? You can now see all of our featured bikes in one place over on Pinterest where you’ll find links to each of our Fast Bike Friday Blogs too!

Click the link below and search our archive…

The Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli road racing team is back! A fair number of our riders from the senior squad as well as the U23 / Junior squad recently got together for a decent training ride in the South Lakes. It was one of the first opportunities to ride in a larger group following the relaxation of the Covid 19 restrictions and a chance for riders and staff to plan how, what and when the team will race in the remaining months of this shortened 2021 road racing season. Team Manager Toby Dalton was keen to pull together as many of the Wheelbase team riders as possible together for a quality group ride, helping to build solidarity and get everyone enthused about the opportunities coming up in the weeks and months ahead. It’s been a strange time, this last year, with lots of changes in circumstance with regards to road and circuit racing, with numerous cancellations and false starts along the way. It goes without saying, that to remain focused and as near to being race-ready as possible during the past year has been a challenge for every team rider on the squad, with each of them living through their own personal experience of the Coronavirus Pandemic and the restrictions caused by an ever-changing succession of Lockdowns, Tier Systems and national or regional rule changes.

The UK road racing calendar for 2021 is ever evolving as we come out of Lockdown and there looks like there’s going to a good amount of local and regional races for our riders to get themselves tuned up and really race fit for the bigger National races. Competition at the highest level will be spread between races on the open road and elite circuit races in popular venues such as Otley. National road races include the British Cycling Elite Road Race Series with iconic races such as the gruelling Beaumont Trophy in Northumbria and our ‘home’ race on the super-tough Dolphinholme circuit at the Lancaster GP. With a late start to the season we’ll also see road racing stretch further into Autumn this year, with the National Road Race Championship due to take place in Lincoln on the 17th of October. Our Junior and U23 riders will continue to build experience at a local, regional and national level and we’ll keep you up to date with how they progress through the summer.

A big thank you to everyone involved in the Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team; from our supportive co-sponsors who have continued to partner with us despite the difficulties that we’ve all had to work through over the past year, to our staff and team helpers who work tirelessly behind the scenes getting the team bikes built and tuned to race, organising riders and ensuring race entries are done on time. A special thanks to Tyla Loftus for all his hard work putting the Junior / U23 team together and for keeping the wheels turning during lockdown as well as ensuring Wheelbase was well represented during the sporadic Cyclocross season.

Look out for our individual rider profiles coming out over the next few weeks and months, where we’ll find out more about their racing backgrounds and their ambitions for this season and beyond. We’ll also be asking them some random questions in our ’20 Questions’ feature just like we did recently with our multi-discipline star Lucy Bell. Good luck to the Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli cycling team! Have a successful and safe racing season.

UNITE. FIGHT. BELIEVE.

 

Senior Races, Confirmed Key Race Dates:

British Cycling Elite Road Races

• Lancaster Grand Prix, Lancaster (15 August)
• The Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix, Ampleforth (22 August)
• Beaumont Trophy, Northumbria (26 September
• National Road Race Championship, Lincoln (17 Oct)

British Cycling Elite Circuit Race Series

• Otley Grand Prix, Otley – Wednesday 30 June

Junior Races, Confirmed Key Race Dates:

• Fensham Howes – MAS Design Junior Tour of Yorkshire (12th June – 13th June)
• 7th Junior CiCLE Classic (27th June)
• British Cycling Junior National Time Trail & Road Race Championships (10th July – 11th July)
• Fenwick’s Junior Tour of Mendips (13th August – 15th August)

 

Senior Team:

• Logan Maclean
• Matt Clarke
• Fraser Martin
• Finn Crockett
• James Coates
• Harry Hardcastle
• Stuart Reid
• Alex Turner
• Sam Lashley
• Fin Robertson
• Davie Lines
• Ben Barlow
• Tim Shoreman

A selection of our Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli Senior squad…

Junior / U23 Team:

• Ryan Middlemiss
• Ben Houlihan
• Adam Bent
• Flynn Gregory
• Tyla Loftus

Our Junior / U23 squad continues their efforts following a successful (albeit shortened) Cyclocross season…

 

The team enjoyed a successful training session in the South Lakes…

 

Road captain Davie Lines has so much knowledge and experience to pass on to the younger team members…

 

Watching the team put themselves through their paces, Team Manager Toby Dalton is always on hand for support and guidance…

 

Fraser Martin and Fin Robertson dictate the pace, keeping the team in close formation…

 

Fraser Martin returns to the team for another season and is itching to get back to racing…

 

We depend on Davie Lines for his passion for racing, his coaching and guidance as well as his great results! He shows no signs of slowing down!…

 

Coming off the back of a successful Cyclocross season Adam Bent has a real appetite for road racing too…

 

Thank you to P.V. Dobson for your continued support, helping to kit us out with our awesome Volvo Wheelbase team car…

 

Tyla Loftus put in so much work during the past year to set up our Junior and U23 squad, thanks Tyla! Have a great season…

 

Fraser shows off his stunning Cannondale SystemSix aero road bike; it’s great to be working with Cannondale again for 2021…

 

We’re so pleased to see Logan Maclean make a return to racing after a very serious, life-threatening accident last year; great to have you back Logan!… 

 

The Wheelbase squad enjoyed a relaxed get together after a long period of training in isolation due to Covid 19 restrictions…

 

The South Lakes provides some great training roads with very little traffic…

 

Following on from the 2020 race season that never was, we’re again equipping ourselves with the awesome Cannondale SystemSix aero road bike. With a super-aero profile carbon fibre frame and fork, lightweight Vision SC55 carbon wheels, Shimano Ultegra groupset and some great finishing kit including an aerodynamic Vision Metron 4D Flat UD carbon handlebar our team bikes are ready to perform at the elite level of UK road racing. The team bikes have been finished off with some very slick looking custom Wheelbase graphics so the SystemSix looks fast even when it’s stood still and with our elite racing team piloting them they ride even faster!

Our stunning Cannondale SystemSix team bikes feature Wheelbase custom graphics by James Vincent…

Cannondale SystemSix Key Features:

• Frame: Ballistec carbon
• Fork: Ballistec carbon
• Wheels: Vision SC55 Carbon Clincher
• Crankset: Cannondale Hollowgram w/ OPI SpideRing 52/36
• Gears: Shimano Ultegra, 52/36 – 11-30
• Brakes: Shimano Ultegra hydraulic disc
• Finishing kit: Vision Metron 4D Flat UD Carbon handlebars, Hollowgram 60 KNOT Carbon seatpost, ProLogo Dimension saddle

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

All photos by James Vincent

 

 

 

We’ve got new bikes coming into stock every day at WHEELBASE, here’s just a selection of some of our latest arrivals from the World’s best brands…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out this hot bike just in! We’ve got good stock of the Kona Rove AL 700 ready to ship direct to you or collect in-store. The Kona Rove is the perfect bike for someone looking for a do-it-all machine – need a reliable workhorse to get you to and from work during the week, but want to throw off the pannier bags come the weekend and head out into the countryside? the Rove AL 700 is ready for exactly that. Pavement, dirt, gravel this lightweight alloy, mechanical disc-brake-equipped bike can handle whatever you throw at it; the Rove features multiple bolt-on bosses allowing you to run mudguards and a pannier rack if you want to set it up primarily as a super-commuter. With a superb range of gears you’ll be able to climb the steepest hills, even when you’re carrying a heavy load and the 37c wide tyres can handle potholes and rocky trails with ease.

This affordable gravel bike could well be the utility bike you’ve been looking for and is capable of taking on every-day riding duties; why not take advantage of our 0% interest, zero deposit finance offer or buy through a Cycle to Work Scheme for a really easy way to spread the cost of your new bike. Now is the time to leave the car at home, head out to work in style and explore further afield at the weekends on the hot new Kona Rove AL 700…

 

 

Full Specification:

• Frame: Kona 6061 Aluminum Butted
• Fork: Kona Project Two Aluminum Disc
• Shifters: Shimano Claris 8 x Speed
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Claris 8 x Speed
• Front Derailleur: Shimano Claris
• Cassette : Shimano Claris 11-34T 8 x Speed
• Chainset: FSA Tempo Adventure 34/50T
• Brakes: Hayes L-Series Cable-Activated (160/160mm rotors)
• Front Wheel: Rim – WTB SX19 / Hub – Formula Hub 100 x 9mm Quick Release
• Rear Wheel: Rim – WTB SX19 / Hub – Formula Hub 135 x 9mm Quick Release
• Front Tyre: WTB Riddler Comp 700x37c
• Rear Tyre: WTB Riddler Comp 700x37c
• Stem: Kona Road
• Handlebar: Kona Road
• Seat Post: Kona Thumb w/Offset 27.2mm
• Saddle: Kona Road

Geometry:

Launched today! The all-new Wahoo Elemnt Bolt V2 in stock now at Wheelbase. Check out the key features below and if you want to find out a little bit more about some of the special functions featured on the Elemnt Bolt V2 then read on through our Blog…

Key features:

• Aerodynamic design
• On device smart navigation
• 64 colour screen
• Updated UI and data cells
• Multi-sport handover
• 16GB of memory
• Structured workouts
• USB-C charging
• Convex buttons
• Ambient light sensor

 

 

The Wahoo Elemnt Bolt V2 brings together an almost endless wealth of information to make your ride navigation and training more effective than ever before.

 

The free ELEMNT Companion App uses the intuitive interface of your own smartphone to help you customise your preferred settings, create your rider profile and plan routes. Using the App you’ll be able to link your ELEMNT BOLT to your favourite cycling Apps and wireless sensors.

 

The Elemnt Bolt V2 includes Smart Navigation which allows you to create turn-by-turn directions by selecting a location on the ELEMNT BOLT map page using pan and zoom, or by selecting from one of your saved locations. Smart Navigation helps you find the most direct course and automatically get rerouted back on course.

 

Elemnt Bolt V2 Quicklook LEDs  provide you with a clear way to quickly monitor your power, heart rate, speed, turn-by-turn directions and other notifications.

 

The Elemnt Bolt v2’s 2.2″ 64 Colour Screen makes seeing all your data and routes easier than ever before.

 

Receive calls and texts as well as Whatsapp notifications during your ride. Or if you prefer you can turn them off by using the Do Not Disturb mode.

 

The Elemnt Bolt V2 allows you to integrate with Strava Live Segments to alert you before a segment begins; it displays your progress status for set goals and gives a unique Final Push alert when you are close to hitting a personal record or taking an illusive K.O.M.

 

Get on-screen directions with scrolling LED turn directions. Use the ‘Take Me To’ feature which generates a route that is best suited to cycling and includes turn-by-turn cues as well as elevation details on the Bolt’s Climbing Screen.

 

Planned workouts automatically sync to your Elemnt Bolt V2, sending notifications at each training interval. It comes pre-loaded with three Team Ineos Grenadiers structured workouts and two FTP tests. You can do Planned Workouts on the road or use them to control your home smart trainer.

 

Use Live Tracking to locate friends and other Elemnt users with real-time location on map screen or share your location with friends via text or email.

 

You can pair the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt V2 with the Kickr Bike and Kickr Smart Trainers, allowing you to train in four different modes – Route Simulation, ERG, Level or Passive which lets you record your workout while controlled by another App.

The Wahoo Elemnt Bolt V2 is available now in-store and online for £249.99

All the techy facts…

• Weight: 2.4oz / 68g
• Screen Resolution: 240×300 pixels
• Dimensions: L 4.7 x W 7.7 x D 2.1 (cm)
• Display: 64 Colours
• Display Size: 2.2″ / 5.6cm
• Battery Type: Lithium Ion
• Battery Life: 15 hours
• Water Rating: IPX7

What’s in the Box…

• ELEMNT BOLT V2 Unit
• Aero Integrated Out Front Mount
• Stem Mount
• USB-C Charging Cable
• Quick Start Guide

Elemnt Bolt Sensors…

• Barometric Altimeter
• Ambient Light Sensor
• GPS, GALILEO & GLONASS

Compatibility…

• iOS 12 or newer
• For Android compatibility visit Wahoo support page

Connectivity…

• Bluetooth
• Ant+

Wahoo Apps…

• Wahoo Elemnt

 

Also available – The Wahoo Elemnt Bolt V2 Bundle is available now in-store and online for £309.99

 

 

Expertly-built bikes delivered to your door, ready to ride. FREE SHIPPING for a limited time only*

Last updated: 5pm, Friday 15 October 2021

*on orders over £50.00 UK mainland only, excludes Northern Ireland, Scottish Highlands and Islands. Excludes cycle to work orders.

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Bike orders – current delivery timescale on new bike orders approximately:  3 days* 

*UK mainland only. Upon placing your order our mail order team will be in contact to confirm a convenient delivery date with you.

 

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Parts and Accessories – current turnaround on parts and accessory orders: 2-3 days**

**UK mainland only.

 

You can shop from the comfort and safety of your living room and browse our extensive range of Electric Bikes, Mountain Bikes, Road Bikes, Kids Bikes and Hybrid Bikes from the world’s biggest bike brands as well as the latest Clothing and Accessories. We’re continuing to offer 0% finance with no deposit and expert advice at info@wheelbase.co.uk

All mail order bikes are professionally set up and checked by our CyTech qualified mechanics – all bikes ship with the front wheel removed for increased transit security and are delivered by FedEx. We’re taking extra precautions to ensure our staff are safe and can operate as efficiently as possible in-line with the latest government advice.

Due to the current circumstances we are experiencing an increased demand for online sales but rest assured our team are processing orders as quickly and efficiently as possible, please be patient as we respond to enquiries. If you have any queries regarding an order please contact our mail order team at mailorder@wheelbase.co.uk 

 

 

It’s Fast Bike Friday! This week we are taking a look at the Kona Remote 160 DL which is an e-MTB which is firmly focused on having fun on the trails; with a healthy amount of suspension travel and progressive trail-focused geometry the Remote is built to be stable at speed giving a confidence-inspiring ride when you point it downhill. But what about getting back to the top of your favourite trail? No dramas, the Remote features Shimano’s compact, powerful EP8 motor…

Kona launched their original Remote 160 e-MTB back in 2020 and gained rave reviews from the bike media, retailers and customers alike. With its Shimano E8000 motor, tough 27.5” wheels and agile, trail-focused geometry taken from Kona’s popular Process sub-range of mountain bikes it was a clear favourite with riders looking for all the fun of a conventional trail bike combined with the extra pedal assistance of an e-MTB. Typically, the bike industry moves on very quickly and with the trend for even more progressive trail geometry and a swing towards 29” wheels on a lot more of bikes like this it’s not a surprise to see the all-new Remote being taken a step further. The 2021 Kona Remote 160 DL comes spec’d with 29” wheels and a lower bottom bracket that not only accommodates those larger wheels but also lowers your centre of gravity to help give a more stable ride; the bottom bracket now sits 25mm below the axles of the wheels. With geometry that’s very similar to Kona’s Process model the Remote 160 DL features short 435mm chainstays and a slack 64° head angle making it ideal for tight, technical singletrack descents as well as higher-speed downhill runs.

Built for fun, the Kona Remote 160 DL e-MTB takes its DNA from their Process family of trail bikes…

A tough but lightweight aluminium main frame and rear triangle includes some clever tube shaping to create a frame that is compact and easy to throw around at speed. You almost have to do a double take to notice the compact EP8 motor and Shimano battery stowed neatly into the frame’s downtube and bottom bracket. The all-new Shimano EP8 motor is considerably more compact than its closest predecessor, it’s lighter and quieter too; key improvements over Shimano’s previous version include higher power (with a maximum torque output of 85Nm) with power-delivery being noticeably smoother for a more natural ride feeling. Thanks to its Magnesium drive unit casing the EP8 motor is 300g lighter than their E8000 motor which was previously at the top of the tree in the Shimano motor range.

The all-new Shimano EP8 motor is compact but powerful…

Interestingly Kona have spec’d the Remote 160 DL with Shimano’s smaller 504Wh battery; their rationale for this is to not only keep overall weight down but to also utilise the smaller dimensions of this battery to help keep the compact look and feel of the 160 DL, the end result is a more agile feeling e-MTB – no bad thing at all. Toggling through the motor’s three modes – Eco, Trail and Boost couldn’t be easier with each mode selected via the Shimano SW-EM8000-L remote switch on the left of the handle bar; there’s a Shimano EM800 display to provide you with all the on-board information you’ll need and the EP8’s software is customisable via Shimano’s own app, allowing you to fine-tune just exactly how the motor assists your pedalling.

The Remote 160 DL features an easy-to-use Shimano switch to toggle through motor modes and a clear Shimano SC-EM800 display unit…

Click the link below to find out more about the Shimano EP8 motor…

A powerful e-MTB designed for rowdy trail riding needs some very capable front and rear suspension to keep you in control and handle those inevitable big hits. A bike that’s designed to be this fun can quickly get you into trouble, pushing you to the edges of your own skills level very quickly. With this in mind Kona have spec’d a Rockshox Zeb Select+ Charger RC2.1 Deboniar suspension fork that provides a very plush 160mm of travel; this fork has been tuned specifically for e-MTB use and is sensitive to small impacts as well as being able to take big hits in its stride. To compliment the Zeb forks there’s a RockShox Super Deluxe rear shock that also gives 160mm of plush travel; it’s sensitive enough to absorb braking bumps at speed before arcing through its travel to handle bigger impacts off rock-drops and any similar trail obstacles in your way.

The RockShox Zeb Select+ Charger RC 2.1 DebonAir fork provides 160mm of plush travel and has been tuned to handle the extra demands of an e-MTB…

The Kona Remote 160 DL comes spec’d with a mix of SRAM components to make up the drivetrain. There’s a single 34T chainring on a Shimano M8150 crank up front which is paired with a big 11-50T wide-ratio cassette to give you all the gear combinations you could need. These gears along with Shimano’s EP8 motor and its three assist modes should mean that at the bottom of each run of your favourite trail you’ll be heading straight back up again for more! It really doesn’t matter how steep or loose the climbs get, the Remote will get you over almost anything; you know when you’re pedalling up such a climb on an ‘acoustic’ on ‘manual’ mountain bike and see a rocky, stepped section that needs a sudden burst of power to overcome it? If your timing is wrong or you’re simply too fatigued to hit it with enough power then you come to a frustrating standstill and can’t get going again. There’s no such scenario with an e-MTB like the Remote; at the push of a button you’re into turbo mode and you’re up and over that obstacle. It really does redefine what you thought was previously unrideable.

To round out the groupset Kona have spec’d powerful SRAM Code R 4-piston hydraulic brakes and matched them up with large 200mm rotors front and rear. Components wise handlebars, stem and grips are all from Kona; there’s a cable-activated TranzX internal dropper post so you’ll be able to get the saddle out of the way quickly and efficiently when you hit the steeps and need to throw your weight back.

A clever mix of SRAM drivetrain components adorn the Remote 160 DL and give you all the gears you’ll need…

The 12-speed SRAM GX 12-speed rear derailleur with clutch mech is secure and provides crisp gear-shifts…

So what about those big 29” hoops? Well, on an e-MTB like this they need to be particularly tough and able to handle the extra forces incurred from both the drive of the motor itself and the terrain that the Remote 160 DL is hitting. Front and rear hubs are from Formula with the front being Boost (110x15mm) and the rear being Super Boost Plus (157x12mm) going one step further than conventional Boost rear wheel spacing (148mm) for an even stronger rear wheel – perfect for the extra demands brought on by this powerful e-MTB. Those Formula hubs are laced to tough, wide WTB HTZ i35 TCS 2.0 rims which are shod with a pair of Maxxis Assegai EXO+ TR 3C 2.5” tyres; these tyres were originally developed for downhill racing hence the very aggressive tread pattern, and feature a tough EXO casing to help protect them from punctures and tyre slashes which have the potential to strike when you’re pushing a bike like this to its limits. That tread pattern really comes into its own on the rear too, when the Shimano motor kicks in and you put the power down it really bites and provides plenty of traction, even on loose, steep climbs.

With an aggressive tread pattern the 2.5″ wide Maxxis Assegai  tyres help keep you in control even at the speeds encountered on an e-MTB…

Originally developed for downhill racing the Assegai tyres are perfectly suited to the demands of riding hard on this e-MTB…

The Kona Remote 160 DL is a super-charged trail bike! We already love the way the 29” wheeled Kona Process rides (see our recent feature on the Process X) and this bike is almost one and the same, just with a really powerful e-bike motor integrated into it. By utilising the latest generation Shimano motor which is more compact than its predecessor and using a slightly smaller 504Wh battery compared with what you might find on some other e-MTBs Kona have managed to keep the weight down for a more spritely feeling e-Bike. There’s been some smart thinking when it comes to suspension and componentry choice making the Remote 160 DL ready for almost anything you can throw at it.

The Kona Remote 160 DL e-MTB is a gravity-focused trail bike with the added bonus of being able to ferry you back to the top of the trails with the minimum of effort…

Full Specification:

• Frame: Kona 6061 Aluminum Butted
• Fork: RockShox Zeb Select+ Charger RC 2.1 DebonAir 160mm
• Rear Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select
• Drive Unit: Shimano EP800 25kph
• Battery: Shimano 504Wh
• Display Unit: Shimano SC-EM800
• Charger: Shimano STEPS 2A
• Shifters: SRAM NX Single Click
• Rear Derailleur: Sram GX 12xSpeed
• Cassette : SRAM NX-Eagle 11-50T 12xSpeed
• Chain: SRAM GX Eagle
• Crankset: Shimano M8150 with 34T Sync Eagle chainring
• Brakes: SRAM Code R
• Wheelset: WTB HTZ i35 TCS 2.0 29”
• Front Tyre: Maxxis Assegai EXO+ TR 3C 29×2.5″
• Rear Tyre: Maxxis Assegai EXO+ TR 3C 29×2.5″
• Stem: Kona XC/BC 35
• Handlebar: Kona XC/BC 35
• Grips: Kona Key Grip
• Seat Post: TranzX Dropper Internal 31.6mm
• Seat Clamp: Kona
• Saddle: WTB Volt

The Kona Remote 160 DL is in stock now; available in store or online

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

 

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We’ve got new bikes coming into stock every day at WHEELBASE, here’s just a selection of some of our latest arrivals from the World’s best brands…