E-bikes from Santa Cruz, Giant and YT put to the test: Who builds the best E-Enduro?

What AI is supposed to achieve in everyday working life, e-MTBs achieve on an enduro ride: they allow you to concentrate fully on the essentials. Instead of having to spend time and effort on tough climbs, you can let the E-Enduro shuttle you to the next trail entrance in a relaxed manner. The e-bike shouldn't be too heavy to be fun to ride, but it should also be able to withstand hard impacts and impress with intuitive handling. The latest E-Enduros from Giant, Santa Cruz and YT Industries are designed to do just that. Everyday use and comfort were deliberately prioritised. These are not clumsy SUVs, but genuine sports and fun machines.

Less weight, more fun

To keep the weight in check, all three candidates focus on the battery. The Bosch bikes from Santa Cruz and YT have the battery permanently installed in the down tube, while Santa Cruz only uses the 600 Bosch battery - an effective weight saving. Giant makes do with a small and light battery that can be removed quickly. The result: Santa Cruz' Bullit leaves the check on the scales as the clear winner. 22.2 kilos - despite robust components and still plenty of potential for optimisation, e.g. on the wheels. But the battery capacity of 600 watt hours is manageable, and the price of the Bullit is steep. At 9799 euros, it is the most expensive candidate, although the equipment still has to make do without Kashima glamour and carbon parts. The YT Decoy with its thick Powertube 800 offers more glamour and range, weighing a good kilo more. However, the Decoy Core 4 goes all out in terms of equipment and comes with high-end parts including super-light carbon wheels. For 9000 euros you only get high-end parts, typical of a mail-order bike. Giant stays with the Reign Advanced E+ 1 for 7999 euros priced below the two competitors. The equipment is fully customised: Top functionality, but no frippery. In terms of weight, at 23.3 kilos it is on a par with the YT.

Weights in the lab check

With a small, permanently installed battery, the Santa Cruz Bullit is clearly the lightest E-Enduro in the comparison. A good 22 kilos is a strong value, because the equipment is solid. The Californians still have room for improvement when it comes to the wheels - tuning potential! Giant and Santa Cruz's high weight approval is also commendable. Both bike brands also offer a lifetime warranty. The Giant Reign is the only bike with a removable battery, which puts pressure on the scales.

Motors and batteries for E-Enduros

Santa Cruz and YT Industries have installed the Bosch Performance CX. The classic is rightly very popular. With the latest update, the Performance CX is better than ever. Although it can't achieve the absolute best values in terms of weight or power, its modulation and smart support are unrivalled. The motor is also unrivalled in terms of range. The Kiox 400 C display is smartly integrated, easy to read and provides plenty of information. Enduro bikers will also appreciate the fact that the CX is one of the very few e-bike motors that remains absolutely rattle-free on the trail.

Giant traditionally relies on its own e-motors, which are based on Yamaha hardware and spiced up with its own software, batteries and controls. The Syncdrive Pro 3 is slightly lighter than the Bosch Performance CX and can still keep up in terms of power in a direct comparison. However, it has slightly less torque. The modulation is good and the riding feel is dynamic. On difficult uphills, the tight trail can be limiting. Unfortunately, the Syncdrive motor rattles quite noticeably when rolling on the trail.

How much battery do I need?

Giant has designed its E-Enduro as the only candidate with an easily removable battery. At 560 Wh, the battery is small and light. This means the lowest range in the comparison. The range can be optionally extended via a range extender in the frame triangle. All in all, a flexible system.

Santa Cruz favours lightweight construction for the battery. You have to make do with the 600 Bosch Powertube, which offers significantly more range than the Giant system. However, the battery is permanently installed in the down tube. Changing it on tour or charging it outside the bike: not an option. The optional 250 range extender from Bosch gives you flexibility.

With its large 800-cell battery, the YT Decoy is also equipped for long tours and is clearly the range winner in this trio. However, the battery is permanently installed in the bike. The Bosch range extender does not fit into the bike due to the low-slung shock. This leaves only the charger for refuelling on tour - without a quick-charging function. Enduring, but not very flexible.

Can e-bikes even do enduro?

Off-road, all three rivals can take on even the nastiest descents. Plenty of suspension travel, sophisticated geometry and good suspension tuning - that's a success. However, the differences in character are huge. In line with its weight, the Bullit remains the most manoeuvrable and fun candidate. On flat trails it is still lively and agile, so it is also great fun away from bike park tracks or rough trails. A top enduro all-rounder.

The Decoy also explicitly emphasises riding fun. However, with its plush suspension and high front end, it is much more suited to steep descents and tough missions. Here, it convinces in freeride style with a good mix of take-off qualities and lively handling. You have to make compromises on flat trails, where it lacks a little liveliness. And on difficult climbs, the Decoy is the first to lose control. As with the Bullit, the climb is more of a means to an end than a real playground.

The Giant Reign is different. This E-Enduro also climbs steep ramps and key uphill sections with extreme control and traction. In addition to the central seating position, the suspension is responsible for this. It keeps the rider active and far forward on steep climbs. Downhill, the Reign is more of a determined model student than a party animal. It prefers to keep both wheels on the ground and take the ideal line instead of casually jibbing over roots - it feels the most sluggish in a three-way comparison. The defined chassis generates a lot of traction, but requires more power from the rider in very rough sections and descents. Even if the key data sounds similar at first, the areas of use, strengths and weaknesses of the three high-end bikes differ significantly.

Conclusion of the BIKE editorial team

None of the three test bikes comes without compromises. YT offers a really potent freerider, Giant a powerful all-rounder. The Bullit from Santa Cruz is designed to be the most fun to ride and achieves the best compromise between handling qualities and agility. Test victory for this enduro all-rounder! The disadvantage is the small, permanently installed battery. - Florentin Vesenbeckh, Deputy Editor-in-Chief

The detailed tests of the three E-Enduros can be found right here:

>> The YT Decoy MX Core 4 in test

>> The Giant Reign Advanced E+1 on test

>> The Santa Cruz Bullit GX AXS on test