Ekano 2022

The Propain Ekano was the German factory-direct brand's aluminium E-enduro, built around the four-bar PRO10 suspension platform giving 170 mm at the front and 165 mm at the rear. Like every Propain, it was sold fully configurable: you picked 27.5", Mix or full 29" wheels, then chose fork, shock, brakes, drivetrain and finishing kit, so any single spec sheet only tells part of the story.

Power came from Shimano's EP8 motor (85 Nm) fed by a deliberately compact 504 Wh BT-E8035 battery, semi-integrated and easy to whip out for charging or to carry a spare. Geometry was middle of the road for the era rather than extreme, with a 64.3 to 65 degree head angle depending on wheel setup, effective seat angles in the mid-70s and 445 to 459 mm chainstays, which suited both long climbs and rough, rocky descents.

Pre-configured builds ran from the Start through the Performance to the Fox Factory and AXS-equipped Highend. UK buyers faced direct-import shipping plus post-Brexit duty and import VAT on top of the list price, which blunted the usual direct-sales value. The Ekano is now discontinued, superseded by the carbon Ekano 2 CF which moved to a larger battery and revised geometry.