German bike specialist Propain is all about providing riders with a pure mountain biking experience. A visit to the brand's website reveals that the brand is run by passionate mountain bikers who are in touch with what cyclists want. That being said, the rapid growth in popularity of electric mountain bikes has not gone unnoticed, and Propain has launched its newest model, the Ekano 2 AL.
Propain's bike lineup consists entirely of off-road capable mountain bikes ranging from enduro, freeride, dirt jumper, and downhill. The new Ekano 2 AL is the brand's vision of an electrified freerider, and is equipped with the brand's latest technology. It's the first e-bike from Propain for feature the Pro10 linkage, a dual-link suspension system that evenly compresses the rear shock top and bottom, ensuring optimal suspension performance. This gives the bike 170 milimeters of rear wheel travel. On top of that, the bike comes standard with a 180-millimeter suspension fork.
As the name suggests, the Propain Ekano 2 AL gets a frame made out of aluminum. More specifically, the front portion of the frame, as well as the tubes on the swingarm are made of 6066-T6 aluminum. Meanwhile, the linkages and axles are constructed out of 7075-T6 aluminum. Lastly, milled and forged parts are made out of 6061-T6 aluminum.
As for the parts that make this bike an e-bike, Propain has looked no further than Shimano, with the tried and tested EP801 motor. With 85 Newton-meters of torque on tap, the EP801 is the ideal motor for climbing across all terrains, while still having enough oomph to take you home after a ride. The battery here comes from Darfon, and it's a 626-watt-hour unit. Propain doesn't provide any range estimates, as bikes of this sort are usually ridden hard off-road, so range would certainly vary on multiple factors.
Regarding pricing and availability, Propain offers a customization program on their website (linked below), and the most affordable build for the Ekano 2 AL is priced at $5,294 USD. Across the board, the bike is fitted with a 12-speed drivetrain, a dropper seat post, and four-piston hydraulic brakes. Moving up the ladder, the Price2Ride variant retails for $5,889, while the more premium Shred2 retails for $7,579 USD. The range-topping Goldrush model carries a price tag of $8,999 USD, and features fancy components like a Fox 38 Factory fork, Magura MT7 brakes, and a Sram XO Eagle Transmission.
