Fantic Rampage 1.4 Race in the test: Flyweight with natural drive and racing genes

E-MTB / Test: With the Fantic Rampage, there has been a new, exciting option for light E-MTB fans since the summer. The slim bike, equipped with a TQ HPR50 drive, goes its own way and - depending on the variant - moves somewhere between marathon, XC and down-country. We were able to test the bike in its long-travel top version.

The Italians from Fantic have been active on the e-MTB market for several years. The iconic motorcycle manufacturer relies on actual in-house developments with their very own charm. It's nice in times when automobile companies are happy to have their names printed on any run-of-the-mill frames for a license fee and sell them for a premium price.

Fantic's motorcycle roots can only be seen in a few frame details on the Rampage 1.4 Race. Apart from that, none of the Italians' bikes have so far been as close to the classic bike as the Light E-MTB introduced this year, which actually lives up to the name with its weight of under 18 kg.

With the TQ HPR50, the Rampage has chosen what is probably the sportiest mid-engine on the market. What the extremely compact drive unit lacks in power, it makes up for in its naturalness and low noise level. The 360 ​​Wh battery is secured in the frame with three screws, but can be removed for charging. A real special feature of the TQ system, especially since such a solution always comes with additional weight. The low weight of the Rampage 1.4 is all the more remarkable. If the 360 ​​Wh is not enough for you, you can also install the optional range extender with another 160 Wh.

Down-country with extra suspension travel

A cursory look at the key data of the Rampage 1.4 could lead you to suspect that it is a real trail bike - after all, the slim black E-MTB comes with 140 mm of suspension travel. But its geometry and the installed components show where the journey is headed: The Rampage 1.4 is much more of an XC, marathon or down-country bike with extra suspension travel than a full-fledged trail bike. This is also supported by the fact that Fantic offers the Rampage 1.2, a variant with 120 mm travel based on the same frame platform.

Exciting choice of components

When choosing the components, the product management shows courage and creativity: one of the unusual things in this price range is the chassis from SR Suntour, a manufacturer that is primarily found in the entry-level segment in this country. On the one hand, many people are not aware that Suntour is probably the largest producer of bicycle suspension components and has been offering high-quality components for many years. This also applies to the Axon34 installed here and the Edge Plus damper in the rear. The fork with its 34 mm stanchions also clearly shows where the manufacturer places the bike.

The Magura brake system is in a similar vein to the slim fork. Unlike most other E-MTBs, neither MT5 or MT7 are installed here, but the lighter MT Sport with “only” two pistons. The 180 mm discs at the front and rear also fit. The wheels and tires are at least as lightweight: the sparsely profiled Vittoria tires sit on the lightweight Mavic Crossmax SL S wheelset. The most common component is the gearshift: As usual, the Sram GX Eagle changes gears reliably on the widely graduated 12-speed cassette.

Fast E-MTB with race character

There aren't many e-MTBs like the lightweight Fantic on the market - that becomes clear as soon as you get on. The deep front ensures that the saddle is noticeably raised, the long stem ensures a stretched seating position - ideal for putting as much pressure on the pedal as possible. It's definitely not the right thing for everyone, but as an overall package the bike is simply great. The excellently functioning SR Suntour chassis is quite firm despite its 140 mm; The combination of easy-rolling tires and lightweight wheels from Mavic ensures a brisk start. Of course, with such a basic concept you have to take it a little slower on the trail, at least on challenging terrain. The race character demands a little more from the rider, and the bike immediately acknowledges any driving errors.

The Rampage 1.4 can particularly demonstrate its strengths on slightly flatter, not too rough trails, where the incredibly natural TQ drive also fits in very well. The pleasant background noise is also a relief: uphill you can hear nothing more than a quiet hum and downhill the Fantic is one of the quietest e-MTBs we have ridden in a long time.