All-mountain vs enduro electric mountain bikes: which one is right for you

AMFLOW

26/09/2024

Nowadays, there are a ton of options on the market and knowing what kind of bike is right for you is difficult. Do you need an enduro bike or are you better suited to an all-mountain bike? Which of these is the most fun to ride? And what are their limitations? Does the boundary blur between them at a given point? Luckily, we’re here to help. Here’s your guide to all-mountain vs enduro e-bikes.

In This Article

What is an enduro e-bike?

To start, what exactly is an enduro mountain bike? Enduro mountain bikes are designed for longer, multi-stage races with timed descents and uphill transfers between stages. Because of this, enduro bikes are made to be versatile, in order to allow riders to excel on the downhills without labouring too long on the climbs.

That being said, the main focus of an enduro bike is descending. They are built to rocket down steep or technical descents with ease. Modern enduro bikes tend to be heavier, in order to handle the hits that come with technical descents and have become more specialized and less of a true all-rounder. While an enduro bike still allows you to pedal uphill, and an enduro e-bike will help give you that extra boost up to the next downhill, these bikes don’t have climbing as their main focus. If your main focus is the descent and you prefer to rely on the bike to do your climbing for you, an enduro bike is an excellent consideration for you.

What is an all-mountain bike?

There is some debate as to whether the all-mountain category of mountain bikes still exists today. These bikes sometimes get confused with trail bikes, or occasionally with enduro bikes, but there are some aspects that make them their own unique category.

All-mountain bikes are true to their name. They’re meant to be able to handle the whole mountain and give you the ability to do it all. Unlike enduro bikes, which are designed to be able to cope with climbing and do the downhills better, all-mountain bikes don’t have a specific focus. If you’re looking for true versatility, then an all-mountain bike will be right up your alley.

5 key differences between all-mountain vs enduro eMTBs

We’ve covered the broad strokes of each type of bike already, but what exactly makes them unique? Here are five key differences between enduro and all-mountain bikes.

Difference 1: Geometry

As with many categories of mountain bike, some of the main differences lie in the geometry. Enduro bikes tend to have a slacker head tube angle, a longer wheelbase and a higher bottom bracket. This makes them more stable and better at handling technical descents. All-mountain bikes have a slightly shorter wheelbase, a lower bottom bracket and a steeper seat tube angle for better pedalling efficiency while climbing. The lower bottom bracket and shorter wheelbase makes for better cornering.

Difference 2: Handling

With their lower bottom bracket and shorter wheelbase, electric all-mountain bikes have more agility and nimbler handling than enduro bikes. This makes them a bike that is comfortable and capable on the uphills, without compromising performance on the descents. In contrast, enduro bikes are more stable and confident on the descents, due to their longer wheelbase and slacker head tube angle, which reduces some of the bike’s climbing ability in order to give you the advantage on more technical downhills.

Difference 3: Components

The components on enduro and all-mountain bikes vary from model to model but tend to be fairly comparable, though there are a few places where they differ. Because enduro bikes are built for the descent, the components on enduro bikes tend to be more focused on durability in order to survive the hits that invariably come with descending at speed. All-mountain bikes, however, because they are designed to be an all-rounder, still pay attention to the weight of components to help the bikes climb more efficiently.

In terms of the electric systems used in each type of bike, because enduro bikes are less concerned with weight, many enduro e-bikes have heavier and thus more powerful motors in order to help riders up ascents. While this will vary from brand to brand, many all-mountain eMTBs have a more discrete electric system to save weight and give riders just a small boost. In Amflow’s PL Carbon and PL Carbon Pro, we deploy DJI’s pioneering Avinox Drive Unit, which features a compound planetary gearset with an industry-leading power-to-size ratio. With 105Nm max torque and a peak power of 850w, we don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that we put a motor with the power of an e-enduro bike onto an all-mountain geometry – with incredible results…

Difference 4: Suspension

As with the components, suspension on both enduro and all-mountain bikes varies from model to model. As a general rule though, all-mountain bikes have less suspension travel on both front and rear, with their suspension ranging from 140mm to 160mm.

In order to handle the more technical and rough descents associated with enduro riding, enduro bikes have more travel, with some bikes having up to 180mm of suspension.

Difference 5: Application

We’ve already briefly touched on the different applications of enduro and all-mountain bikes, but here are some more specific examples. Enduro bikes are meant for riders who are looking to crush the descents but are happy to skip the chairlift to climb to the top. On the other hand, all-mountain bikes are for the rider who is looking to do it all without needing to be the be the best in one specific area. Adding an electric drive to that simply amps up the scale of your adventures, allowing you to explore to the peak and beyond.

Is an all-mountain or enduro eMTB right for you?

So, now that we’ve gone through the main differences between electric all-mountain vs enduro, how do you decide which one is the right bike for you? The answer will always be in where your priorities lie. Do you enjoy the sensation of the wind in your face on your way down the mountain and are looking for a bike that will give you a hand up the ascents so you can save your energy for the downhills? Then an enduro eMTB will be your ideal trail companion.

If you would rather savour the entire ride start to finish, both the ups and the downs, and are looking for a bike that will help you ride for longer (and to keep pace with your faster riding buddies), then an all-mountain electric mountain bike will be perfect for you. Our crew of passionate MTB riders created Amflow because we’re devoted to the joy of all-mountain riding, and wanted to build bikes that helped people tap into that awesomeness.

Bike examples: the best electric all-mountain bike

We currently offer two versions of our flagship electric all-mountain machine, the Amflow PL Carbon and Amflow PL Carbon Pro. Both models are built around the same all-mountain geometry, built to keep you riding strong and comfortable all day long. They each also deploy the same Avinox Drive Unit, with its epic power output and impressive battery life.

Where they differ is chiefly in the componentry. The top-end Carbon Pro uses a FOX FLOAT X Factory rear shock and FOX 36 Factory fork, while the Carbon uses FOX Float Performance and Fox 36 Performance. There are also some slight differences throughout the groupset, with the Carbon Pro getting brakes that are that little bit lighter.

Whichever model you choose, make sure your next all-mountain adventure machine is an Amflow!

Amflow PL

The Amflow PL electric mountain bike offers 850 watts of power in an ultra-light sub-20kg build. With an unrivaled combination of power, range, and weight, it delivers the ultimate ride.

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