BH iLYNX Carbon under test: Light E-MTB with race genes - but for whom?

Test / E-MTB: The BH Lynx platform has been able to convince with the respective teams in different disciplines over the years and has won one or the other World Cup. BH is now crossing this race DNA with an e-bike: the result is a modern light e-MTB with an almost record-breaking weight – despite the large battery and central motor. We were able to test the top race version for you and pursue the question: does the concept work? 

BH iLYNX Carbon – The frame

BH has largely tried to transfer the DNA of the non-motorized XC bike to the light e-MTB. The bike also inherits the modern carbon fibers. The frame including the rocker is manufactured using the hollow core internal molding process in conjunction with high-modulus fibers. The weight of the frame without the battery and motor can be reduced to around 2.200 grams, which is in the league of modern XC full suspension frames. In addition, the motor is packed in a magnesium housing, which also saves weight.

The BH iLYNX frame is designed for suspension forks with 100 to 120 mm, depending on the equipment variant. Likewise, the rear suspension travel can be adjusted by different damper lengths according to the suspension forks. While many XC bikes now do without a pivot point on the rear triangle for weight reasons and instead use a flexing seat stay, BH uses the Split Pivot developed by Dave Weagle. The pivot point is located directly on the rear axle. With this attachment, braking, pedaling and suspension forces are decoupled from each other. The rear end should be very drive-neutral and remain active when braking. In addition, the system should be very sensitive, but at the same time ready for bigger things. Torsion-resistant dropouts on the rear triangle and oversized bearings on the pivot points ensure the necessary rigidity.

BH iLYNX Carbon – drive and battery

With the BH iLYNX Carbon, the layman has to look more often to identify it as an e-bike. The down tube can hardly be distinguished from a bio bike, but BH still manages to pack a whopping 540 Wh there. Unbelievable when you consider that a few years ago you had to strap a powerful battery pack to the down tube for such data. If you are planning a longer tour, you can even put a range extender with an additional 180Wh in the bottle holder. The motor can be fed directly from there without having to attach any additional cables. Otherwise, the bottle holder can be used normally.

For the motor, BH relies on an in-house development, which is already installed in the Core Gravel X gravel bike. The 2ESMAG offers a good 65 Nm torque and scores particularly well with its weight of only 2,2 kg. That's a good half a kilogram lighter than the competition from Shimano or Bosch. The motor is also very compact and offers a low Q-factor, as racers are used to. The display is located at the center of the handlebars and is controlled by a controller on the left handlebar grip. The display shows the levels in different colors and is very easy to read. The coordination of the support levels can be adjusted via app. In addition, the system can also be connected to a Garmin GPS and the control can be regulated directly via this.

BH iLYNX Carbon – Geometry

As already mentioned, the iLYNX is available as a Race version (100 mm travel) and LT, the Down Country version (120 mm travel). The geometry changes slightly with different travel, but the orientation remains very similar. The dimensions are based on the developments in the XC area. Technically more demanding routes require more potent geometries. The steering angles have been flattened and the reach has been extended for more control. On the BH with 100 mm travel, the head angle levels off at a moderately flat 68,5° and the reach is correspondingly long. The chainstays are also rather long at 453 mm for a bike in this class. In order to keep the power transmission optimal on the mountain and to compensate for the front wheel placed further forward, the seat angle was designed correspondingly steeper at 75,5°.

BH iLYNX Carbon – features

Race and LT variants are differentiated purely by the orientation of the equipment. The LT variants are designed with 120 mm suspension forks and the Race with 100 mm. The LT are also equipped with Vario supports. We have already put together all equipment variants for you in one article.

We were provided with the top version of the race variant for testing. This one comes with high-end equipment for 8.999 Available for €1, it's definitely World Cup-level performance. Not only does it offer electric pedal assistance, but gear shifting is also handled by a wireless Sram XX1 AXS groupset. The cassette and chain feature an oil-slick finish, providing another visual highlight. The XX203 AXS groupset is complemented by a lightweight FSA carbon crank. No expense has been spared on the suspension either. A Fox Factory suspension with a gold Kashima coating was installed. The suspension can even be locked from the handlebars—for greater efficiency uphill, despite the e-assistance. Despite the low overall weight, BH relies on powerful brakes. These are Shimano XT Trail brakes with four pistons and XNUMX mm rotors.

In-house BH Evo C30 Carbon TR wheels are used. The carbon rims of the wheels come with an inner width of 30 mm and the Maxxis tire combination of Ardent and Ikon comes out of the rim with a width of 2,35″. Also made in-house are the seat post and low-riser handlebars with a width of 760 mm made of carbon. The stem provides integrated cable routing through the head tube and the Fit System has been integrated into the steerer tube, which stores the most important tools well. In addition, the Prologo Scratch M5 Stn saddle is installed. All in all, a very harmonious equipment and the price of the complete bike is definitely fair for this equipment.

BH iLYNX Carbon – On the trail

The bike park on the Geißkopf offered us ideal test conditions for the iLYNX with its uphill flow and diverse trails. This allowed us to take a close look at the bike in all conditions. The low weight of the bike was already noticeable when lifting it from the bike rack and it is much easier to handle than conventional e-bikes. The iLYNX already attracted attention in the parking lot. You don't see the eye-catching neon red finish and the classy spec including Oilslick XX1 every day. Due to the slim down tube and the compact motor, many identified the bike as a bio bike without a motor, but the surprise was even bigger when you picked it up.

Saddle height, cockpit and chassis adjusted and off we went. The first seat test is very positive. Despite racing genes, the seating position is not too sporty and one can imagine longer tours at first glance.

The engine has five support levels, we start on the flat with the Eco mode. This provides gentle support in the background, as if someone were pushing very gently. In Uphill Flow we first switch to Sport mode and then when it gets steeper to Boost mode. It should be noted here, however, that you shouldn't expect any punch like with a conventional E-MTB. At 65 Nm, the torque is 20 Nm lower than, for example, with the Bosch Performance Line CX. The typical boost feeling is somewhat lost here, especially with heavier riders, but this gives you a very natural handling, as if you always had a bit of tailwind. The bike feels really comfortable on forest roads that are not too steep and you can easily unwind meters of altitude. The acoustics of the engine are positive, it supports quietly and does not emit any disturbing noises. If necessary, the chassis can be blocked from the handlebars so that no watts in the spring travel are wasted when you accelerate hard. Once you've picked up speed, the motor provides good support and it's easy to keep up the pace. The AXS circuit works perfectly and enables fast gear changes. The position on the bike is very balanced and you keep control even in technical sections. The tires also offer enough grip.

At the top of the summit, we lower the saddle with a mini tool. Here in the bike park we would have wished for a dropper post, but if you mainly ride on forest roads and easy trails, you will be fine with it. But without a dropper, you give away some of the bike's potential, because downhill, despite only 100 mm of travel, it's really fun. First on the Flow Trail, where the bike was easy to maneuver around the berms and was very stable even on the high-speed sections. On the next lap, we tackled one of the enduro trails, and the bike performed surprisingly well here too. Despite the low profile, the tires performed well. In any case, the rear end felt like it had a lot more travel and also took stronger hits well. The fork also performed perfectly. Only when braking did the 32 stanchions flutter a bit. We would definitely recommend a heavier fork for heavier riders.

Finally, we ask ourselves the question, who is this bike for? XC racers who want to train more relaxed in a lower zone will definitely have fun with it. Even drivers who prefer to drive on forest roads and unwind long distances will get along well with it. We noticed that the race version is somewhat limited in its range of use, but is fully geared towards weight and speed. Based on our experience from the test with the missing dropper post and the somewhat soft fork for the overall weight, we would probably recommend the LT version, as it offers a wider range of use and should make more riders happy - despite the additional weight of around one kilogram.