Test: Today, a trekking e-bike like the Winora iX11 is not simply a bike with an e-drive. The demands on function and quality have grown rapidly, and the competition between manufacturers is fierce. With the iX11, the Schweinfurt-based manufacturer Winora could have hit the nerve of the times.
With the Winora iX11, a parallel to German cars comes to mind: not only that they are popular abroad. The so-called golf class, i.e. compact cars with high standards, has long been a flagship segment, SUV or not. High-end in quality and, depending on the type, also motorisation, but not over-the-top and without airs and graces. If this class existed for e-bikes, the Schweinfurt-based company Winora-Staiger might have created the original with the iX11.
The company is part of the Dutch Accell Group, which brings together names such as Batavus, Ghost, Raleigh and Koga. With the Sinus series, Winora has released a trekking pedelec for 2019 with three frame and countless equipment variants, which covers the entire range of tours and even goes beyond that - in the city and on trips.
Design of the Winora iX11: absolutely state of the art
The appearance of the pedelec shows that you have mastered the design language of the time. The look of the stiff aluminum frame is strong, while being more distinctive than clumsy. The transitions of the aluminum tubes are cleanly worked, the battery is completely hidden in the lockable down tube compartment. The conical head tube means that the people from Schweinfurt are prepared for the higher braking performance of disc brakes - and the associated higher demands on the material.
The two-tone paintwork and the finish are also convincing. When it comes to integration, it's not just the battery compartment that scores points: With the Winora iX11, the majority of the cables are plugged directly into the adjustable stem, so that they can then be unobtrusively routed from the head tube to the down tube; the frame triangle itself remains absolutely clean - very beautiful and, if laid clean, also very low-maintenance.
Winora iX11 : Pure trekking with many capabilities
Suitable for many uses: the seat geometry on the iX11. The posture has a slightly sporty touch, but thanks to the angle-adjustable stem, the bike is also very comfortable to ride and with a good view of the traffic in the city. However, the adjustment requires some tools and a few minutes of your time. The seat post from Accell's own component brand XLC also creates comfort. Rough bumps in the road are effectively dampened; however, there is hardly any reaction to smaller ones. The handlebars, which are bent strongly backwards, are easy on the wrists - with the 64 centimeter bracket width you have the best control.
In general: The bike runs very balanced and without any special preferences. Manoeuvrable in the city, with sufficient directional stability and smoothness on the tour, but always pleasant to handle. The special e-bike tires from Schwalbe also contribute to this, which are not too heavy with a Kevlar belt, but ensure sufficient puncture protection - excursions on (dry) dirt roads are also possible with them. The carrier takes panniers - unfortunately not on a special railing that would lower the center of gravity of the bike even more - but even so, the touring bike is not impressed by the luggage load. Practical: there is a spring flap for the rain jacket on short trips.
The 180 millimeter brake discs also cope well with the extra weight; they can be dosed sufficiently and have enough power for every situation. However, one would like to have thru-axles instead of the usual quick-release skewers – as is almost standard today with disc brake bikes – they make handling when braking even safer. The rather simple but adjustable suspension fork is also not overstrained on trekking terrain – although it could be a bit more responsive. In any case, the comfort on the bike is good thanks to it, the spring support and the wide, thickly padded saddle. If you like longer tours, you should swap the saddle for a saddle with less padding.
The Winora iX11 also has plenty of power on the mountain
Eleven gears, which can be changed using the high-quality Shimano XT gears, provide sufficient development even on the mountain and are downright pleasurable to shift, the pinion and gears work together so quickly and precisely. A small disruptive factor is the jerky shifting that is inherent in the system, which is caused by the rich electric support, especially when shifting up - a tribute to the engine power, which is not completely reduced when shifting.
The motor itself is powerful - in two ways: On the one hand, the Winora iX11 can hardly be beat on the mountain in turbo mode, that's how much power - 75 Newton meters - the Performance CX motor brings with it. And the motor control is also a lot of fun, the drive is so precise, if not super gentle - even starting on a hill is fun! Incidentally, with the new motor, which is actually intended for the E-MTB sector, you can do without the mode selection - the motor control works dynamically: Power is added depending on the cadence and pedal pressure.
On the other hand, the powerhouse is not the most economical and in turbo mode it delivers around 15 percent less range than its little brother Active Line Plus - but since you only drive in the highest support modes in mountainous areas anyway, that should be tolerable. The 500 watt hour battery in the frame should be enough for most hilly tours.
