Rockrider

The Rockrider Bike Hydration Vest is Decathlon’s hydration vest for mountain bikers and gravel riders.  Rockrider Bike hydration vest design

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Aggressively priced eMTB is held back by limited spec and conservative geometry

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Decathlon’s entry-level Rockrider E-EXPL 520s proves that e-bikes don’t have to be expensive to be fun. Outdoor specialist, Decathlon offers a massive range for full-suspension e-bikes and the Rockrider E-EXPL 520S is a full power, 29er e-bike with 140mm travel and a category 3 rated frame. So it’s clearly designed for trail riding, not thrashing enduro tracks, but it’s still a really capable, fun package, and one of the best budget electric bikes you can buy for under £3k. Decathlon Rockrider E-EXPL 520S Need to know Full power e-mtb with 140mm travel Brose Drive T motor with 70Nm torque Four power modes, plus Boost 500Wh removable battery 29in wheels with asymmetric rims and 2.4in tyres Fully adjustable air-sprung  X-Fusion suspension Two-piston Tektro brakes Four frame sizes, S to XL Weight: 25.86kg (57lb) size L Frame and geometry The full alloy frame on the Rockrider E-EXPL is available in four unique sizes, small to XL. And what’s really cool is, Decathlon has rider height recommendations right next to each size option on its website. So, at 181cm tall, that puts us squarely on the size L, which is designed for rider heights between 175 to 184cm. So how did it fit? Like a glove. With a 477mm reach and short 430mm seat tube, the size L Rockrider leaves plenty of room in the cockpit to manoeuvre, without the bike ever feeling cramped when sat down spinning along flatter sections of trail. Yes, the 60mm stem feels a touch too long for more technical terrain when compared to the other bikes in this test, but it’s cheap to swap out for something shorter. Just be aware that the electric cable from the handlebar mounted remote runs through the inside of the handlebar and out the bottom of the stem faceplate. If you’re looking to sharpen the steering or adjust your weight balance, then we’ve got loads of recommendation in our stem buyers’ guide. The colour handlebar display is neat and functional, and it sports all the usual metrics including a percentage-based battery level indicator. Rockrider has also resisted the temptation to introduce more confusing terms for each of the four power modes, instead it stuck with 1, 2, 3 and 4, with 4 being the most powerful option. There’s also a separate button on the remote for “Boost” mode, which takes you straight to full power if you’re in a lower power setting – handy for surprisingly sharp climbs. Housed inside the oversized down tube is a 500Wh removable battery. It’s side loading, which makes it really easy to remove, and more secure than a bottom-loading battery, as found on the Polygon. The cells power a chunky Brose Drive T motor which boasts 460W peak power and 70Nn torque. Now, if Brose rings a bell, it’s probably because it also manufacturers motors for Specialized and SRAM. And while this isn’t the same motor found on the Specialized Turbo Levo or SRAM Powertrain equipped bikes, it has familiar traits. Namely, it’s really, really …Continue reading »

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