Thanks to the addition of an electric motor, e-bikes unlock tons of versatility when compared to their non-electric counterparts. All of a sudden, weight doesn’t play as much of a role when it comes to getting yourself moving, and so e-bike manufacturers can fill their bikes to the brim with cutting-edge features. Indeed, when it comes to e-bikes, versatility is the name of the game, as lots of e-bikers want their machines to be capable of handling both utility and recreation.
Lots of brands leverage versatility when selling their e-bikes, and German brand Electrolyte is no different. Its newest model, the Bergblitz S9E, is an e-bike that wears many hats – it can be a commuter, a long-distance tourer, and even a mountain bike. The way Electrolyte did this is simple and effective, but expensive, as the German company opted to make use of some thoroughly premium componentry to get the job done.
For starters, we find no less than the Bosch Performance CX mid-drive motor, a top-tier e-bike drive system that’s most at home in the e-MTB scene. Here, the Performance CX dishes out 250 watts of nominal power and 85 Nm of torque providing more than enough grunt to flatten even the steepest hills. Complementing the Performance Line CX is Bosch’s PowerTube 750 battery, which the manufacturer claims can deliver up to 140 kilometers (88 miles) of range on a single charge.
As mentioned earlier, the Bergblitz S9E is all about versatility. As such, riders need to be able to fine-tune performance depending on the terrain. Electrolyte’s got you covered with a fancy Rohloff hub gear with 14 gears to choose from. Rohloff’s internal gearing system is virtually maintenance-free, and can be integrated with the bike’s other features thanks to the Bosch Gen5 system. Furthermore, the Berblitz’s frame design allows you to slap on a wide selection of accessories, making it easy to mix and match according to your needs and preferences.
On top of all that, you can configure the parts your bike is equipped with straight from the factory. Everything from handlebars, stems, seat posts, brakes, and of course, colors, can be configured. Electrolyte even offers custom paint schemes, but these command an extra charge. As for sizing, the Bergblitz S9E comes in Small, Medium, and Large, with base builds tipping the scales at 24 kilograms, or about 53 pounds.
Of course, as you equip the bike with practical and performance-oriented goodies, the weight increases. Parts like a fancy Fox 34 Performance fork, as well as luggage racks, mud guards, and other add-ons not only add weight, but increase the price too. Speaking of which, base touring builds start at 7,790 euros – around $8,527, while MTB builds can fetch as high as 10,000 euros (approximately $10,946 USD).
