P96
RIDE REVIEW I 2021 HUSQVARNA E-BICYCLES
well, when you have the power
of an e-bike, why not go with
180mm of travel and FOX 38
fork suppleness? Yes, the bike
handles descents and technical
terrain superbly, with the 27.5-
inch wheels dodging into and
over obstacles with ease, help-
ing to make the 50-plus pound
bicycle feel as light as possible
on the roll.
Control and maneuverability
were nice on our ride together.
The Fox suspension absolutely
saved me in a near-miss cor-
ner incident at speed, and the
brakes came on strong—and
worked exceptionally well. I can't
wait to get it on more local trails
to see how it compares to my
regular rides.
I was most happy and im-
pressed with the EP8 motor
delivery right off the bat. This is
my first test on an EP8-equipped
bike, and the smooth transition
of power input combined with
the Eco, Trail and Boost vari-
ability options in delivery made
sure I could enjoy any style of
ride imaginable. It's hard not to
just Boost around everywhere
when you have a stout 630Wh
battery onboard. But the Trail
setting is probably my favorite for
the combination of ample assist
and MTB reality/suffering. Even
when charging enduro sections
I've raced before, I didn't really
need the Boost power output to
have a good time. It's fun that it's
there (for extreme angle climbs
and ultra-fast sprints), but I think
Trail is where it's at. The EP8 is
quiet, too. The only sound you'll
The Mountain
Cross is the
Trail weapon in
the Husqvarna
E-bicycles lineup
with 150mm of
travel and a mullet
wheel stance.
