Product news / E-MTB: The BH Xtep Cross Pro Shimano e-bike scores with equipment suitable for everyday use and touring and a huge 720Wh battery. Thanks to its E-MTB genes, it is also in the top league when it comes to comfort.
Fully equipped E-MTBs are one of the big trends in the bicycle sector in the 2020 season. No wonder: in the past, many e-mountain bikes were fitted with retrofit parts such as mudguards, kickstands and pannier racks anyway. More and more manufacturers are picking up on this development and are already offering such "SUV bikes" ex works. That makes perfect sense and depending on the area of application, such bikes should gradually outstrip classic e-trekking bikes.
Lively drive, huge battery
The Basque manufacturer BH has had a number of such e-bikes in its range since last season - the Spaniards themselves speak of "hybrid e-bikes" - i.e. somewhere between e-MTB and e-city or trekking. The Xtep Cross Pro is also one of these bikes: Equipped with the powerful and dynamic Shimano E8000 motor and the in-house, long-lasting battery with a full 720Wh - so even extensive tours should not be a problem at all.
The installation of this large battery is made possible by the patented X-System, which gives the bikes their name and also ensures the distinctive frame shape. The down tube meets the top tube well behind the head tube – and at a very steep angle at that. As a result, not only can almost the entire interior be used to stow away the battery cells, but it can also be easily removed from above. Either classic with a key or a smart key bracelet that automatically opens the lock when held in front of it.
Equipment and geometry with a focus on suitability for everyday use
The frame is a hardtail variant of the full-suspension Xtep Lynx E-MTB and features a sporty geometry that is still suitable for touring. In concrete terms, this means: A steering angle of 69° that is not too slack meets a balanced frame length that positions the rider comfortably upright. So you get a lot of comfort and no pinching and tweaking even during longer tours. Speaking of comfort: This is where the great strength of bikes like the Xtep Cross Pro lies: It inherits the Suntour air suspension fork with 100mm spring travel and the wide 27,5″ Schwalbe tires from the E-MTB – but here in one less profiled variant. In practice, bumps, bumps and vibrations are swallowed up effectively, while both propulsion and range thanks to the powerful motor and large battery leave nothing to be desired.
When it comes to suitability for everyday use, the boys and girls from BH have also not splashed out: Wingee mudguards and luggage racks, side stands, lighting from Busch & Müller and even a Hebie Chainglider chain guard are on board. This means that the BH Xtep Cross Pro is not only fully equipped for everyday use, but also meets the requirements of the Stvzo. By the way, the gears and brakes come from Shimano - the gears are changed by a mix of Deore and XT 10-speed components, while the SLX stoppers with 180mm discs at the front and rear provide braking power. The BH Xtep Cross Pro is available in this configuration for 4.299 euros.
BH Xtep Cross Pro: First Impressions
