2024 Whyte

E-Lyte 150 Works

Whyte has finally released the details of the mild and lightweight E-Lyte. This bike was first seen on Eurobike this summer, so we already knew it would be a Bosch powered emtb. Watch my video or keep reading below. Three times E-Lyte Years...

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Just as you thought the lightweight mid-power e-bike category couldn’t get more complicated, along comes the Bosch Performance Line SX motor boasting 600 watts peak power and 55Nm torque. All of a sudden we now have high-power, mid-torque, lightweight e-bikes. And one of the first bikes in this category is the new Whyte E-Lyte 150 Works. It’s a hardcore 29er trail bike, with a full carbon frame that boasts 142mm rear wheel travel. That’s right, it’s called the 150 because it has a 150mm travel Fox 36 Factory fork and it could be one of the best lightweight e-bikes to date. Hidden inside the sleek carbon frame is a Bosch Compact 400Wh battery and the Works model includes a 250Wh Bosch PowerMore range extender, to bring the total battery capacity up to 650Wh. That puts the range of the E-Lyte well above any full-power e-bike still running a 630Wh battery. Best of all, Whyte has placed the 1.42kg range extender as low as possible in the frame, which improves the weight distribution and ultimately the handling of the bike. The low-profile lock-in mount is cool too, and much more secure than simply using a bottle cage and a rubber band. And it’s not an either or option when it comes to water or range, as you can still run a bottle on the second set of mounts further up the down tube. Need to know: Whyte E-Lyte 150 Works £9,999 Full carbon frame, designed around Bosch Performance Line SX motor Bike weight without range extender is 19.72kg 250Wh range extender and cable weighs an additional 1.47kg Bosch SX motor has 55Nm torque and 600 watts peak power Bosch Compact Power Tube 400Wh internal battery, with 250Wh range extender Fox Float X shock delivers 142mm travel Fox 36 Factory fork has 150mm travel SRAM X0 T-Type AXS drivetrain Hope Tech 4 V4 brakes with 200mm floating rotors Hope Pro 5 hubs and Hope chainset Maxxis EXO/EXO+ casing tyre combo Available in four frame sizes S to XL Two 150 models: Starting with the E-Lyte 150 RSX at £7,999 Geometry and sizing for modern trail riding The geometry and fit of the Whyte E-Lyte are remarkably close to the 170mm travel full-power Nukeproof Megawatt that I tested a couple of months ago. So even though the Whyte has much less travel, it’s clear from the numbers that it has been designed for hard charging on the toughest terrain. The difference here is that the Whyte E-Lyte has a flip chip in the shock eyelet for tweaking the geometry. There’s also an aftermarket Shape.it Link for correcting the geometry for an MX wheel format. Which some riders will definitely want to do, as I’ve had the rear tyre buzz my ass on a couple of occasions. Size-wise, Whyte has nailed it, the large E-Lyte frame sporting a 478mm reach. And that’s measured to the top of the headset cover, not the frame, as that’s as low as you can realistically get the stem. …Continue reading »

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