With its full-power motor and relatively small battery, Whyte’s E-Lyte Evo might come across as a little confusing, but there’s a real method behind the madness. The brand has created one of the best handling e-MTBs I’ve ridden – in a package posing zero compromises. It’s familiar, instinctive, versatile, willing to be pushed and rather pretty.
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Whyte E-Lyte Evo RS - Technical details
Although the E-Lyte Evo borrows the same moniker as the E-Lyte, it does things a little differently and will appeal to a slightly different crowd. That’s because it uses the very same frame as the SX-equipped lightweight e-bike but gets the full-power and updated Bosch Performance Line CX motor – at the expense of some additional weight, of course.
Whyte says it caters to those who love lunchtime or post-work laps and trail to enduro riding. The E-Lyte Evo benefits from the full 85Nm of torque and 600W of peak power. Keeping the bike towards the lighter end of the weight spectrum is the 400Wh integrated battery. The brand has also given the bike the same 142/150mm front/rear suspension configuration of the E-Lyte 150 as standard, pointing it more towards the heavier-hitting side of the trail genre.
While that configuration keeps system weights around the 20-kilo mark, Whyte has taken full advantage of the fact that the PowerMore range extender exists, which boosts the overall battery capacity to 650Wh. And that puts it right in line with bikes like the carbon-framed Merida eOne-Sixty bikes that come with 600Wh batteries. Of course, these can be extended further but even with the range extender installed, the E-Lyte Evo is a lighter machine.
We can talk about adding a range extender all we like, and it’s a subject that graces nearly every e-MTB press release, but the important thing to note here is that Whyte includes the PowerMore range extender in the box and the asking price. So riders aren’t stuck with a £400 bill if they want to extend their rides to full capacity e-MTB distances, making the E-Lyte Evo surprisingly adaptable. Given that this bike's integrated battery only provides 400Wh, it's a key feature.
But the whole point behind this motor and battery layout is Whyte’s seemingly never-ending pursuit of achieving a low centre of gravity. It’s a story we’ve seen on Whyte e-MTBs for a few years now, with the e-160 having its motor tilted upwards so its battery could be shifted downwards. However, on the E-Lyte Evo, Whyte says that it boasts the lowest centre of gravity yet and that’s been done by equipping it with that heavier Bosch motor, which places more mass than the regular E-Lyte, low in the frame. The brand claims that the centre of gravity is up to 37% lower than bikes with traditional motor and battery layouts.
As for frame features, Whyte has everything covered. There’s room for two bottles, so if the lowermost mount is taken up by a range extender, there’s still space for a 750ml Fidlock bottle higher up on the downtube. There’s a rubber gator around the seat tube collar to stop muck from working its way into the frame. Geometry adjustment is provided by a moveable offset bushing and unlike the regular E-Lyte, the E-Lyte Evo provides a choice of a mixed or full 29-inch wheelset through swapping the shock yoke. This E-Lyte RS build comes with 29-inch hoops as standard.
Cable routing is fully internal and can be run with exits at either side of the head tube, or cables can be run through the headtube, in case you like to make life harder for yourself.
As for geometry, it’s identical to the E-Lyte as it’s graced with a 64.6-degree head angle, a 77.1-degree seat tube angle, and a 450.4mm chainstay. The reach on this large frame comes in at 481mm. Popping the offset shock bushing into its low position lowers the BB by 8mm and tips the head angle to a round 64-degrees.
Along with the famous lifetime bearing warranty, Whyte now offers a lifetime frame warranty to the first owner, which is a big plus.
Whyte E-Lyte Evo RS - Componentry
The RS build of the E-Lyte Evo is the entry into the range that’ll cost £7,250. Again, the range extender is included in the price.
Bolted to a full carbon frame, you get a RockShox Lyrik Select+ with 150mm of travel and a RockShox Deluxe Select+ shock damps 142mm. Both of these are very easy to set up, the fork especially, as the dials are clear and very easy to read.
SRAM provides the shifting with its OEM-specific S1000 AXS T-Type drivetrain that is surprisingly adept. Its shift quality is slightly clunkier than fully-fledged GX or XO options but provides all the T-Type goodness at a more accessible price.
Slowing the bike is a pair of SRAM Code Bronze Stealth brakes with 200mm rotors at both ends and compared to the Stag Works bike, it gets a less aggro, more trail-friendly tyre setup. So that’s a Maxxis Minion DHF with an EXO casing and a MaxxGrip rubber paired with a Maxxis Dissector at the rear with an EXO+ casing and MaxxTerra rubber. My test bike came with a Minion DHR II at the rear.
To note, tyre clearance is rather limited. With a 29-inch wheel at the rear, there’s not much more space for anything over 2.4in wide on the same wheel size. A 650b wheel gets a 2.5in tyre.
Those tyres are inflated on a pair of WTB ST i30 wheels.
Generally, it’s tough to complain about the build kit. It’s certainly open to upgrades but I was happy with everything and the performance it offered. For the wetter weather I’ve recently been riding in, I would swap the tyres for something more aggressive and if I were to be very picky, the freehub’s engagement is a little slow. But the latter hardly detracts from the overall ride and the former is mostly a personal preference thing.
I weighed the bike at 22.04 kilos with the range extender in place. Without, it’s 20.5kg. With the weightier motor, it’s departing from the lightweight e-bike space but even then, it’s at the lighter end of the scale for a full-power e-MTB, even with the range extender.
There's only one colour available for this model, but its black, purple and silver colourway is very tasteful.
Whyte E-Lyte Evo RS - Performance
I’ll admit when the bike was first dropped at off.road.cc HQ, I didn’t quite understand it. Pairing a full 85nm motor with a small battery spelled a recipe for range anxiety as the higher output motor would surely chew through its limited battery supply quicker than the SX engine on the regular E-Lyte. And it does.
When riding my favourite winch-and-plummet riding spot with 150 meters worth of climbing before each descent, I certainly noticed the bars on the Bosch display drop sooner than I would expect. But don’t get me wrong, it’s more than enough for a couple of hours worth of boost-mode party laps. Bung on the range extender, and you’ve got plenty of range for bigger miles.
And the theme of ‘no compromise’ runs from there. Handling is simply stellar everywhere. The E-Lyte Evo is more than accommodating on techy climbs thanks to the lengthier rear centre that helps edge weight more centrally on the bike. Even on climbs that required an extra bit of brain power and foresight, the bike posed no distractions as both wheels remained planted unless I needed to lift the front.
For an e-bike, the E-Lyte Evo is light but still heavier than a regular mountain bike. Impressively, it’s never hamstrung by the weight of its motor and battery and that’s wholly thanks to the brand's efforts in lowering the centre of gravity by every millimetre it can. This allows the bike to take advantage of its weight while making it undetectable in scenarios where extra kilos would negatively affect the ride.
Because the weight is low, cornering is seriously natural and easy. Tipping the E-Lyte Evo into corners is no different than cornering a normal mountain bike. It’s eager to lean in and then incredibly stable at an angle due to its low centre of gravity and reasonably low BB. The same goes when the corner doesn’t have the support of a berm. Grip is plentiful and super predictable.
Where the weight or the low centre of gravity comes into its own is when driving through technical sections, where the bike shows serious composure. Because there’s more mass low in the frame and behind the front axle it drives through chunk while keeping both wheels tracking straight.
This is also where Whyte’s well-designed suspension kinematic gets to work. Although there’s only 142mm of squish to play with, it feels like there’s more. However, that travel is controlled. It’s free enough to absorb hits when needed but when pushing hard into corners, there’s plenty of support to help keep the bike feeling balanced and communicative.
During my time on the E-Lyte Evo, I experimented with the geometry adjustment which is fairly easy to do. Just whip the shock out and turn the offset shock bushing. The result is a slacker head angle and a lower bottom bracket with the pair making for a more stable bike that’s more confident when navigating steeper tracks. However, putting the bike into its low position puts the heavy-duty skid plate to work, as the now lower BB lowers the plate, making it prone to scraping trail obstacles. Notably sharper roll-ins. But because that skid plate is there, the bike has slid over such obstacles, rather than get caught up and spit me out the front door.
Whyte says that adding the range extender doesn’t do that much to alter the location of the bike’s centre of gravity – and I can attest to that. Although there’s more weight, overall handling is hardly affected. If anything, it's more planted. Because of that, I reckon a lot of E-Lyte Evo owners will ride with the range extender but ditch it for simpler and shorter spins.
It does raise questions, though. I believe most will run the range extender almost permanently, so why not build the bike with a larger battery? The answer is the centre of gravity. A larger and heavier battery would likely place more weight higher in the downtube, thus, the bike wouldn’t handle quite as excellently.
Whyte E-Lyte Evo RS - Verdict
Comparing the E-Lyte Evo RS to other bikes is a difficult task because it does something that few others do – combine a full-power motor with a smaller-capacity battery. But due to its exemplary handling and the fact it comes with a range extender in the box, its value is pretty good compared to somewhat similar bikes from similar brands.
The Specialized Turbo Levo SL Comp Carbon comes in at £7,000 and, for that, you get more basic componentry and a lesser level of assistance from its motor. Its battery is smaller, too. However, it offers more geometry adjustment, and weighs less at just under 19kg in an S4 (large) size.
Merida’s eOne-Sixty 7000 also comes in at £7,000 and it gets more of an enduro flavour with its 174mm of travel and Fox 38 Performance fork. Present is a Shimano XT Linkglide drivetrain and a Fox Float X2 Performance rear shock. With a bike like this, you get a 600Wh as standard, which can then be boosted with a range extender. It is a heavier bike though.
The same goes for Trek’s Rail+ 9.8 GX AXS T-Type Gen 5 but this will cost more at £7,750. It runs the same Bosch motor but gets more battery capacity at 800Wh. For that money, you’ll get RockShox Select+-level suspension, SRAM GX T-Type shifting, and the same brakes that you see on the E-Lyte Evo RS. Again, Trek claims a weight of 24.18kg on a medium frame, so it's heavier.
Where this bike sits in the market is difficult to decipher but there is an answer. It’s a full-power e-MTB that prioritises lightweight and handling. It’s more of a conscious decision you’ll need to make before dropping the cash - how far do you want to ride most often? But, for me, I’ve found myself perfectly happy with the range to be ample for my usual ride with the range extender fitted.
But the real shining aspect of the Whyte E-Lyte Evo is how beautifully it handles. It’s unlike any other e-mountain bike on the market – lightweight, SL or full-fat. Handling is intuitive, direct and addictive. It’s one of few bikes on the market that have got me pushing my limits comfortably and repetitively as it balances all out composure with easy and unencumbered cornering. Once again, Whyte has done a great job.
2 comments
Thanks very much! This bike's internal battery is not removable, unfortunately, but that's expected of a bike like this. However, Whyte solves the issue to some degree with the included range extender. I've managed to get some reasonably large elevation days by keeping the motor in its lower power modes.
Hi Liam, great review. One thing I was wondering is, how hard is it to swap the internal battery?
The bigger e-160 looks relatively simple. Is it the same design as that? Therefore how realistic would it be to have a spare 400 for longer days? Or is this bike not designed with that in mind?