Test: Bulls is breaking new ground with the Sonic E-MTBs. The platform is specially tailored to the requirements of the additional drive, which is reflected in many small and large details. With the Bulls Sonic EVO AM1, Velomotion has looked at one of the entry-level models that offers an almost sensational amount of technology.
Just ten years ago, with the first E-MTBs, people were wondering what a motor was needed for when mountain biking. But that was in a different era. At first it was the off-road touring riders who discovered the charms of the additional drive for themselves, in the last two or three years more and more ambitious riders have switched from the "bio-bike" to the e-MTB. Thanks to innovative implementation by some manufacturers, the advantages are undisputed. With the new possibilities - longer tours, easier uphill driving with a lot of suspension travel - the demands of off-road drivers on the industry also grew: While existing concepts and geometries were simply "electrified" at the beginning, at some point the realization prevailed that a modern e- MTB would have to be redesigned from scratch.
Bulls Sonic EVO AM1: E-mountain bike through and through
At Bulls, the fruit of this knowledge is called the Sonic EVO - a bike that breaks new ground both technically and visually. "We're experiencing mountain biking again in a completely new dimension", says Marc Faude, developer at bike manufacturer Bulls, and this is exactly what the innovative fully is tailored to. The driving force of the current engine generation has led to new construction methods, which can be seen particularly in the area of the head tube and the steerer tube of the Sonic. Maximum torsional rigidity on the one hand and an optimal connection of the head tube to the wide down tube with the Intube battery require a new dimensioning. A spring fork with a full 1,8 inch steerer tube is therefore used on the Sonic, which is mounted in a likewise large steering head area. On the one hand, this does justice to the high drive power, on the other hand, the frame and fork can optimally digest high braking forces - not to mention the harmonious look.
Bulls is also breaking new ground when it comes to integrating the battery into the frame: it is removed at a 45° angle, which is convenient on the one hand; on the other hand, makes compromises in the shape of the frame unnecessary. The compact frame triangle of the Sonic is striking, but even more so the smooth transition from the top tube to the rear triangle; the vertical damper of the swingarm does not disturb this shape and teases out 150 mm spring travel from the classic four-bar rear structure. The chassis, which can be easily adjusted via air pressure, strikes a successful balance between comfort and sportiness and should appeal to many drivers. An advantage compared to non-motorized bikes is that you hardly have to consider any bobbing - with the e-MTB you don't have to ride out of the saddle, thanks to the Bosch CX motor there is plenty of propulsive power.
While the sporty, tautly sprung touring MTB set the tone up until a few years ago, today the trail bike is in the lead. Modern mountain bikes are handier and more playful; the seating position has become more upright, the suspension travel longer. The Bulls Sonic shows this very clearly in the cockpit. The steering angle is flat, which ensures safe straight-line stability at high speeds; The pleasantly short "The Frog" stem (a special construction that looks very nice with the large head tube) ensures that the bike can still be steered with a light hand and has the agility required for winding trails. The wheel mix of the Sonic points in the same direction: The 29-inch front wheel runs smoother and rolls over bumps more dynamically; the 27,5-incher at the rear allows for a shorter rear triangle and therefore more manoeuvrability. And there is something else: With a larger volume, the rear tire offers better traction with adjusted air pressure, which means that the high torque of the Bosch Performance CX can be optimally applied to the trail.
Facilities
frame | Sonic aluminum |
suspension fork | Bull's Lytro 34 Air 1.8 |
Power Type | Bosch Performance CX |
Battery | 500Wh / 625Wh |
Suspension shocks | SR Suntour Edge R |
Wheels | Bulls 30mm rims / Shimano MT400 hubs |
Tire VR | Schwalbe Magic Mary Addix Soft |
Tire HR | Schwalbe Hans Dampf Addix SpeedGrip |
derailleur | Sram SX Eagle |
Gear levers | Sram EX Eagle |
Crank | Shame |
Front derailleur | ohne |
Brake | Shimano MT420 |
Brake discs | Shimano 203/180mm |
Seat post | Limotec Alpha 1 |
Saddle | Seal Royal Live |
Stem | Bull's The Frog |
Links | Bull's Riser |
The Bull's downhill performance includes the retractable seat post. This gives you the helpful freedom of movement on the bike on the trail to shift your weight according to the circumstances; Getting on and off is also easier with the dropper post.
“We are driven by the mountain bikers out there who have discovered a new sport for themselves”, says developer Marc Faude – and the Sonic EVO AM 1 shows that Bulls doesn’t just mean the absolute cracks. only a few hundred more than a solid e-trekking bike. And the aluminum fully is by no means spartan: in addition to the features described, there is a Sram twelve-speed gearbox; the compact Purion display of the Bosch drive is completely sufficient, especially as many bikers nowadays ride with a GPS bike computer on the handlebars anyway. So it's no wonder that more and more people are discovering MTB sport for themselves - on material that is affordable even for beginners, which ten years ago would have been reserved for the absolute cracks.
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