Review: Liteville 301 MK15 Enduro electric bike

What’s new? We reviewed Liteville’s 301 MK 14 two years in the past and our overview bike, the MK 15, seems like an similar twin at a look. So, what’s new? For starters, its aluminum body makes use of a brand new, stronger alloy that Liteville is reluctant to reveal. The one trace could also be within the welding, which has transitioned from merely glorious to excellent – a number of the greatest I’ve seen in my life. Liteville says the scale medium body weighs solely 2760 grams with out a shock, which meets or beats the claims of many carbon rivals within the 160-millimeter-travel area.

The swingarm has been reconfigured to offer extra chain clearance, and there are two positions for the rear swingarm pivot that enable homeowners to run both a 29 or a 27.5-inch wheel with out considerably affecting the underside bracket peak or body angles. Meaning you may configure the 301 with combined wheel sizes or, utilizing a Syntace “Degree Hyperlink” headset spacer, swap to 27.5-inch on each ends (Extra about that later).

Geometry has modified as properly, with an extended attain, an extended wheelbase, a slacker head tube angle and a steeper seat tube angle. The chainstay size has been lengthened barely too, about six millimeters, relying upon the body dimension. (Liteville alters the chainstays to correspond to every of the 301’s 5 dimension choices.)

Great news, skip to the riding impressions

Which options carry over? Liteville’s checklist of stand-out options is lengthy. Some have been out there as aftermarket upgrades, like needle bearings for the shock bushings and adjustable-angle headset cups. The 301 additionally shares its offset rear triangle and dishless rear wheel idea with Cannondale, and it is uncommon, however a handful of motorcycle makers additionally alter the body geometry and chainstay lengths for every body dimension to make sure constant dealing with and climbing efficiency.

Liteville’s engineers additionally account for quite a lot of firsts. They have been the primary bike maker to adapt their body design for an built-in dropper submit, with the award successful Eightpins design. Its X-12 axle makes use of tapered collets to cinch the axle in rigidity and torsion, and the 301’s Kind-3 derailleur hanger, with its breakaway bolt, provides a a lot stiffer, higher shifting different that additionally protects the derailleur extra successfully.

The deeper you look, the extra you may uncover: the spare hanger bolt within the swingarm yoke; the Allen/Torx wrench that stowes into the rear axle suits virtually each screw on the bike; the oil port on the seat collar which lubricates the dropper submit; its just about invisible cable and hose routing; the cable entry/storage door beneath the downtube; and maybe you may discover that each piece of its titanium, aluminum and stainless-steel {hardware} is designed particularly for its utility, and accompanied by a torque specification. The checklist goes on, however the message is that, by themselves, few of those enhancements would generate a lot fanfare. Collectively, nonetheless, they make the 301 a formidable machine.