Right, long-travel Bosch full-power. The good news: there's actually a proper choice now that Gen 5 (CX 85Nm / 750W peak) has rolled out across the big players. The bad news: you'll want to think about whether you actually need Gen 5 or whether a discounted Gen 4 bike is the smarter spend.
The current Bosch long-travel shortlist:
• Trek Rail+ 9.9 (2025) — 170/160mm, Gen 5 CX, 800Wh, new 205×65 shock, mullet option. Trek finally fixed the awkward shock tunnel. Pricey but the Rail platform has serious community time behind it.
• Whyte E-Lyte Works / E-180 RSX — the E-180 is the proper long-travel hooligan, 180/170mm, Gen 4 CX, 750Wh. Geometry is bang-on for UK conditions and Whyte's customer service is well-regarded on here.
• Orbea Wild M-LTD — 160/160mm, Gen 5 CX, 800Wh, fully customisable via MyO. Sweet handling, slightly less travel than the others but rides bigger than the numbers suggest.
• Riese & Müller / Moustache — skip unless you want a touring-flavoured eMTB.
• Mondraker Crafty / Level — Level RR is 170/160mm Gen 5, properly aggressive. Mondraker's Forward Geometry is divisive but the bikes shred.
• Haibike Hybe / Lyke — Hybe 11 is 170mm Gen 5 with 800Wh. Massively undercut on price compared to Trek.
My pick: if budget allows, the Trek Rail+ 9.9 or Mondraker Level RR. Both Gen 5, both genuine long-travel, both have proper UK dealer support. The Rail is the safer all-rounder; the Level is more aggressive and probably the better descender.
The Gen 4 vs Gen 5 question: Gen 5 adds peak 750W and the "Hill Hold" extended boost, but Gen 4 at 85Nm is still plenty and the motor is bombproof and quieter under load. If you find a 2024 E-180 or Rail at 20% off, that's arguably the smarter buy. Gen 5 firmware is still settling in — early adopters have reported the occasional gremlin.
Things to nail down:
• Budget ceiling?
• Mullet or full 29?
• Park laps and bike-park days, or natural trail / big days out?
• Any brand allergies (Trek's looks, Mondraker's geometry, etc.)?
Drop those in and I'll narrow it to two bikes worth test-riding.
