E-mountain bikes: First Ride: Ghost SL AMR X – shooting electronic

Test: The new Ghost SL AMR X is an E-MTB that sporty trail fans want – with a powerful chassis, grippy tires, two different wheel sizes and a main frame made of carbon, it can already score a few points on paper. We were able to extensively test the brand new Shimano fully on Lake Ledro.

Just in time for the Bike Festival Riva, Ghost-Bikes is presenting its new e-bike, the Ghost SL AMR X. Ghost is one of the main sponsors of the anniversary edition of the festival and is presenting a number of new bikes, including the Ghost SL AMR X. I was allowed to ride at Lago di Ledro examine the bike at a three-day E-MTB Experience Press Camp and test it with guided tours.

Arrived late on Wednesday, there was the information that the first sunrise tour started at 4:45 a.m. on Thursday. That meant eating something quickly and going to bed early to be fit for the following day. I have to admit: I was very curious about what to expect and getting up early was definitely worth it. But first things first…

The trained eye should immediately notice the first contact with the new Ghost E-MTB: Two different wheel sizes are installed at the front and rear. This is reminiscent of the MX sector and one or the other manufacturer is taking a similar path for e-MTBs this season. A wide plus tire at the rear should provide plenty of traction up and downhill and thanks to the large 29 wheel at the front, the steering precision should not be neglected.

As befits a bike in this suspension travel range - the SL AMR X offers 160mm at the front and 140mm at the rear - the tires are suitable for trails. At the front you have the Maxxis Shorty 3C MaxxTerra Exo in 29 inches and the new, wide WT version, at the rear a 2,8″ wide Maxxis Minion DHR II 3C MaxxTerra Exo in 27,5 inches provides traction. DT Swiss provides the wheels and the necessary rigidity with their specially developed e-bike hybrid wheels. Front DT Swiss H 1700 Spline 30 mm wheelset 15×110 mm, rear DT Swiss H 1700 Spline 35 mm wheelset 12×148 mm.

Incidentally, the main frame is made of carbon and the rear triangle is made of aluminium. This is also reflected in the weight: At 21,1kg, the top version of the Ghost SL AMR X is one of the lightest E-MTBs in its spring travel class. The SL AMR X will initially be available in two different configurations. The SL AMR is a little more moderate with a 140mm fork. After Ghost only offered bikes up to size L for a while, they rediscovered their heart for tall riders with the SL AMR X and also offer XL frames. The geometry in general is very modern. The reach and stack are significantly longer than many other eMTBs.

As with some other Ghost models, there is also a RockShox Super Deluxe Coil R 140 mm damper in the rear of the top version. Known for RockShox, this one also has the function pedal for the ascent or open for the downhill. The "only" 140mm spring travel at the rear felt like a lot more during our test rides - certainly thanks to the potent damper. In order to lower the fork travel from 160mm to 140mm on steep climbs, Ghost installed a Rock Shox Lyrik RCT3 Dual Position Air 160mm. This reduces the risk of the front wheel lifting on steep climbs.

So now we come to the drive of the E-MTB: Here, a Shimano E8000 motor with a partially integrated battery was installed in the Ghost SL AMR X. The motor is already well known and it is not for nothing that it is installed in many other sporty e-bikes. It responds very pleasantly and is fed up with performance. The trail mode brings a lot of dynamics to the trail and conveys a very natural riding experience. The battery has 504 Wh, but it reaches its limits on longer tours - after all, thanks to the partial integration, it can then be replaced quickly and easily.

A Sram EX1 circuit provides the necessary bandwidth. Although this only offers eight gears, thanks to the widely graduated cassette, it does not have to hide from 11 or even 12-speed drives. To ensure that the bullet and driver come to a standstill in every situation, Ghost uses one of the most powerful brake systems currently available with the Sram Guide RE and 200 discs at the front and rear. Despite its undeniably high power, this also has to pay tribute to the high system weight on longer descents.

In the cockpit you get a carbon handlebar from the new Ghost brand Ground Fiftyone with a width of 780mm. The comfortable grips from Ergon know how to please and thanks to the successful Shimano system integration there is also plenty of space in the cockpit.

The crank length is interesting. At 155mm, these are extremely short - and that in all sizes. However, the background idea is extremely simple: Since the power transmission plays a rather subordinate role with the E-MTB, you gain a lot of ground clearance with the short crank arms without having to accept any serious disadvantages. This reduces the risk of getting caught with the pedal or crank while driving to a minimum.

We were also able to put the Ghost SL AMR X 7.7+ through some tests on the test bench at Velotech. While the range values ​​here were a little below average - which is certainly also due to the potent tires, the Guide RE brakes on the other hand showed that there is hardly anything stronger to be found on the market at the moment. In addition, at just over 21kg, it was one of the lightest e-fullies that we have ever tested - despite the heavy tires mentioned and the steel spring damper.