Just tested 2026 Amflow Pl

[Nomadic Dad]

Just finished my test ride of the cheaper new 2026 Amflow Pl and have to say I wasn't that impressed. It was 22.5kg in XL with the standard trail tyres on and that rear Dissector is dangerous as soon as there's any mud

I currently ride a Specialized Kenevo mulleted with a 29 inch Fox Factory 38 on the front and Fox Factory X2 on the back with Enduro casing Vittoria Maza on the front and Magic Mary in Gravity casing on the back and that's just over 25kg with the 700 battery.

My fully kitted up riding weight is just under 100kg so around 3kg difference to my Kenevo which I really couldn't't notice.

The Amflow definitely had more power but that's only to the restricted speed limit and then it feels like someone has thrown the anchors on I was 100% slower on it than any normal bike would be on the flats or downs cause of the limiter so without 'moving to NZ' it would be simply be unrideable for me.

The Amflow was set up totally stock i.e. full 29 wheels but even if you swap the rear wheel to 27.5 and put a gravity tyre on and Enduro casing min on front I reckon it will still be closer to 23kg so then only about 2kg difference to my Kenevo that has burlier and heavier suspension with removable battery and i haven't tried swapping anything on that to carbon to bring the weight of that down

I only had it for 2 hours so I obviously very hard to draw any real conclusions but have to say the new Fox 36 definitely felt stiffer than the 2022 36 I have on an old bike but I would need to tweak it a lot to see if it would ever feel as good as my current 38.

Renting it for a couple of hours was an itch I wanted to scratch and has definitely given me something to think about as I actually have a deposit down on the Unno Mith that comes as standard with nothing I'd want to change and should be about 22kg in S3 size. Again 3kg is not as much difference as I'd thought for someone like me that's 100kg all kitted up but maybe with the factory level suspension on that it would feel more like my Kenevo.

Anyways if I didn't have an ebike already I'd 100% recommend the cheaper Amflow but for others, especially those of us heavier units I suggest test riding one before you buy as you might be surprised how little difference you feel

EDIT video version live now here

 

[Astro66]

so without 'moving to NZ' it would be simply be unrideable for me.

You can move to NZ, without moving to NZ.

 

[Nomadic Dad]

You can move to NZ, without moving to NZ.

Yes hence why I said 'moving to NZ' like that and I reckon the majority of people must derestrict them as the resistance and performance at the limiter was shocking to me.

I'm really not sure I can gamble spending £1000s on a bike that gets so many software updates where one could render it slower than my normal bike on any flat tracks or slight downs as honestly it felt like I was going to go OTB trying to pedal it to keep up above 15mph

 

[Astro66]

I'm really not sure I can gamble spending £1000s on a bike that gets so many software updates

You don't have to update the software. It's your choice. If you are happy with the bike's performance. Just ride it.

I went nearly 2 years without updating my Shimano, because I didn't want the patch applied. The bike still rides fine without the internet.

 

[conman]

it felt like I was going to go OTB trying to pedal it to keep up above 15mph

Do you know if the bike had many miles on it? I think I've read that the resistance lessens after a few hundred miles.

 

[VWsurfbum]

Comparing a 29er trail bike to your customised to you Kenevo seems like apples and oranges?

Interesting what you say about the power though.

 

[Weeksy]

If Amflow wasn't a more powerful motor than everything else, they'd have sold 4 by now.

It's not exactly cutting edge.

 

[Svarun]

This reads like you are looking for reasons and convincing yourself not to get it. So not sure I get the point of this post. Keep riding your kenevo, sounds like you are really enjoying it. In the end, that's what matters, not which latest and greatest sits in your garage...

 

[Mikerb]

Probably like many others, I have read many reviews on the Amflow and increased power versions of the Bosch and the Specialized motors. I take far more notice of the everyday riders than the influencers or indeed those who seem to only ride in turbo! My initial reaction was do all riders know about or indeed use the tuning functions in the apps for Bosch and Brose motors? They can make a significant difference to motor response. Then of course, as above, whatever power you have is only available up to the legal cut off and the limitation of maintaining traction. So where is the benefit? Well you can climb a steady fireroad incline a bit quicker because you can use a higher gear......possibly making 12 speed obsolete and/or wearing out the higher gears quicker. There may be a benefit on extreme technical climbs as well......but I have no problem with my existing motors on any climb on my local rides. No benefit of course on downhill which is my favourite riding and bike weight is more beneficial than a hindrance there as well. More power also means more wear and tear so my conclusion is that 85/90 nm and c 600w is the sweet spot.

 

[mooby77]

Probably like many others, I have read many reviews on the Amflow and increased power versions of the Bosch and the Specialized motors. I take far more notice of the everyday riders than the influences or indeed those who seem to only ride in turbo! My initial reaction was do all riders know about or indeed use the tuning functions in the apps for Bosch and Brose motors? They can make a significant difference to motor response. Then of course, as above, whatever power you have is only available up to the legal cut off and the limitation of maintaining traction. So where is the benefit? Well you can climb a steady fireroad incline a bit quicker because you can use a higher gear......possibly making 12 speed obsolete and/or wearing out the higher gears quicker. There may be a benefit on extreme technical climbs as well......but I have no problem with my existing motors on any climb on my local rides. No benefit of course on downhill which is my favourite riding and bike weight is more beneficial than a hindrance there as well. More power also means more wear and tear so my conclusion is that 85/90 nm and c 600w is the sweet spot.

Yes agree . I have a 2023 Whyte E160 RSMX GEN 4 , and tuned via the app how i want it , and it rides how I want it , I have a 2025 Trek Rail Gen 5 , tuned how I want it too , to be honest , other than the motor being quieter , and getting a good deal on the Trek , i don't really notice a vast difference between motors , and not sure why I bought it , then upgraded the fork , especially as i am as deaf as a post on one side the motor noise makes no difference to me ,
Weight being low, centre of mass does , on the Whyte its dialled in but it is a big old mass and takes some stopping at speed. tyre selection , pressures and suspension and brakes in my opinion matter much more than motor power alone ,
For all the tech and motor this , toque that , you still need to ride it , and yesterday after having the previous days at BPW and hit some big stuff , no issues , had what was meant to be a chilled day at my local at Bwlch Nant yr Arian, a coupe of loops of the blues and reds and then the black , on the exit of the black down on to the fire road , at speed hit a branch over hang which i should of seen , over the bars , threw me down the bank on to the fire road , cut elbow, hand , no pads , bashed knee , between pad typically ,bike hit it and bruised shoulder and cuts , point being is , whether it was a gen 4 , gen 5 , DJI , its how you ride , how you crash and how much fun you have that counts , as on oldie now 58 , the current motor's have more than enough power for me , I rarely use Turbo , mainly tuned emtb and tour modes , I would trade power for reliability , water proofing and ease of repair over another 100 watts , x Nm's etc

​

 

[Nomadic Dad]

This reads like you are looking for reasons and convincing yourself not to get it. So not sure I get the point of this post. Keep riding your kenevo, sounds like you are really enjoying it. In the end, that's what matters, not which latest and greatest sits in your garage...

Nope I have a refundable deposit down on a DJI powered Unno Mith and had never ridden a DJI bike until this one but have been caught up in the non stop amazing reviews of them like many others I suspect. I actually went into the test ride thinking the Amflow might be enough bike for me in general hence my surprise that at stock it's not noticeably lighter in XL size with trail tyres on than my Kenevo at my 100kg riding weight and the drag at limiter is really harsh.

Anyway given my experience, I'm probably going to decide that the Unno Mith in S3 at around 1kg lighter than the XL Amflow is not actually the bike for me unless it can also be derestricted as easily. However even then I'd still be in two minds as future software updates that pretty much are pushed onto you it seems on the DJI with all it's connectivity don't block this at some point.

 

[Astro66]

There may be a benefit on extreme technical climbs as well......but I have no problem with my existing motors on any climb on my local rides.

I have a 600Watt 85Nm Merida E160 as a spare bike to my Amflow PL Carbon Pro. There is no comparison on technical climbs. The power, torque and overrun of the Amflow, means you can take completely different lines when climbing. I just go right over the top of obstacles with the Amflow, that I have to go around with the Merida. You just carry so much more momentum over the obstacles, when you can accelerate so quickly, so instantly.

The reason I place such importance on technical climbing, is because you can normally clear a technical downhill, by just slowing down. But when your EMTB is less capable climbing. It means you need to walk the bike through technical sections, that you can clear on the Amflow.

I don't want the fastest bike up or downhill. I just don't want to need to walk some of the uphill sections, because I stall during the climb.

 

[Nomadic Dad]

I don't want the fastest bike up or downhill. I just don't want to need to walk some of the uphill sections, because I stall during the climb.

Well I want to have a bike that is faster than my normal bike on the flats and slight downs and when hitting jump lines which when restricted the Amflow I tried wasn't but for as long as you can get around this via hacks it is a great ebike overall at a great price.

 

[Nomadic Dad]

Here's my video to accompany my test ride comments above. Enjoy

 

[dcxs]

This seems a little bit more cross country then I usually ride. Another layer of complexity when reading peoples opinion online! You have no idea how they used the bike

 

[Nomadic Dad]

This seems a little bit more cross country then I usually ride. Another layer of complexity when reading peoples opinion online! You have no idea how they used the bike

This was some off piste trails at Dalby in the UK and some of the standard red trail centre stuff certainly not XC i.e the kind of stuff I believe it's aimed at?

I usually do more Enduro style stuff but was limited by the location of the bike shop which had my size on test however my main points weren't about the capability of the bike but the limiter, motor, weight and feel compared to what others have said

 

[RustyMTB]

Wouldn't disagree with the arc of reasoning. A lot comes down to what you want from a bike but for me, the UK assistance limit combined with the nature of riding I do precludes a lot of what I want from an ebike stuck at 15.5mph. I am very tempted to stick with Gen four Bosch bikes for this very reason.

 

[The undecided]

Had a brief ride on a base model on Wednesday also to scratch a major itch and tbh came away somewhat unimpressed.
Super easy to gain speed but as others have said you still hit that wall when the limiter cuts in.
Turbo mode was so good that the lesser modes felt to me as if the brakes were dragging?
Definitely a great tool for climbing anything quickly but nothing standout descending over other e-bikes that have better geometry (full time) and bigger travel when you’re not needing/using a motor.
Despite all the hype,nobody seems to be talking about the elephant in the room ie the non removable battery, but plenty of riders,so called would-be purchasers or internet trolls are more than happy to slate other manufacturers eg Santa Cruz for this very same issue.
I wasnt a fan of the somewhat bland silver paint job,there’s currently much better looking bikes out there imho irrespective of its drive system.

 

[Nomadic Dad]

Had a brief ride on a base model on Wednesday also to scratch a major itch and tbh came away somewhat unimpressed.
Super easy to gain speed but as others have said you still hit that wall when the limiter cuts in.
Turbo mode was so good that the lesser modes felt to me as if the brakes were dragging?
Definitely a great tool for climbing anything quickly but nothing standout descending over other e-bikes that have better geometry (full time) and bigger travel when you’re not needing/using a motor.
Despite all the hype,nobody seems to be talking about the elephant in the room ie the non removable battery, but plenty of riders,so called would-be purchasers or internet trolls are more than happy to slate other manufacturers eg Santa Cruz for this very same issue.
I wasnt a fan of the somewhat bland silver paint job,there’s currently much better looking bikes out there imho irrespective of its drive system.

Good to hear some others honest opinions.

I've got a fair bit of stick for giving my honest opinions in a few online places however the conclusion I've come to about the Amflow is that I reckon 90% or more of owners have derestricted them as it's so easy and seemingly risk free compared to other ebikes.

If you go down that route then having that amount of power on the flats between downs or jumps is a game changer esp if you had to deal with how draggy the DJI seems to be for some people for at least the first xxx miles as stock.

 

[Ridgydidge]

At the price point the PL is a very good trail bike… I’m super happy with mine - I’ve only changed out the stem and bars. For example, I’m very happy with the bread and butter suspension - in fact I’m surprised by how supple it is, and it seems stiff enough, but, I’ve never ridden a 38 so what would I know - probably stuck in a mental framework of developments of 5 years ago, ha ha.

I do ‘live’ in NZ as a sensible speed cut off is a non-negotiable for me (the law is an ass). The Amflow delivers extremely well on this front. (I adopted the latest software update reluctantly, only after others reported that it didn’t bung up the speed limit. I don’t think I’ll ever update it again.)

It’s not perfect. There is something about the XL’s handling that is less than inspiring. I have changed the flip chip to 27”, while keeping the 29” rear, which has improved things. I intend to keep working on that.

All that said, it’s a lovely bike if you can put up with the hard charging limitations of the chassis. It’s a trail bike.

 

[Winford]

the standard trail tyres on and that rear Dissector is dangerous as soon as there's any mud

to the restricted speed limit and then it feels like someone has thrown the anchors on

Tires get changed out quick you have nothing valid or credible here.

My shimano does the same thing at 19mph, not a credible or valid complaint

 

[Winford]

my conclusion is that 85/90 nm and c 600w is the sweet spot.

Typical for slow people with less skill. Some people cant ride a 450 motocross bike and prefer an 80cc bike.

I ride a 85nm 600w everyday and do 25 miles and 4000' of climbing. At speeds you never will hit. if I had a 105nm and 800w I would go that much faster everyday, and cover more ground at a higher average pace. Sweet spot for slow people is not the sweet spot for faster people.

 

[Winford]

There is no comparison on technical climbs.

Exactly!! slow people will never understand since they dont even know the lines to ride. There is no comparison, 85/600 and im on that 28mph limiter all day, i can use more power instantly if I had it. Still cant decide Sworks or amflow. the 28mph limiter is a huge negative and the weight of the Sworks. But the genie rear shock is a positive, and I like the whole mullet ride which i can switch the amflow to.

 

[Winford]

ebike stuck at 15.5mph

Dude! I feel sorry for you guys. In Ca everyone runs unrestricted.

Literally very little reason for more power in a country like that. Sad.

 

[Winford]

I’ve never ridden a 38

my buddy has the high end 38 and thinks its a bit stiff. at 190lbs, I have the cheapest 38 and run no spacers and 80lbs of air and ts plush and performs amazing in rough technical stuff and high speed flowing as well. Set it and run. Not sure I would trade mine for the high end stuff.

 

[RustyMTB]

Dude! I feel sorry for you guys. In Ca everyone runs unrestricted.

Literally very little reason for more power in a country like that. Sad.

Yeah, you're definitely striking the right tone.

 

[Mikerb]

Typical for slow people with less skill. Some people cant ride a 450 motocross bike and prefer an 80cc bike.

I ride a 85nm 600w everyday and do 25 miles and 4000' of climbing. At speeds you never will hit. if I had a 105nm and 800w I would go that much faster everyday, and cover more ground at a higher average pace. Sweet spot for slow people is not the sweet spot for faster people.

My hero

 

[Svarun]

Maybe, if I try hard enough, I can also be like Winford when I grow up

 

[irie]

my buddy has the high end 38 and thinks its a bit stiff. at 190lbs, I have the cheapest 38 and run no spacers and 80lbs of air and ts plush and performs amazing in rough technical stuff and high speed flowing as well. Set it and run. Not sure I would trade mine for the high end stuff.

 

[Fangs2k]

Maybe, if I try hard enough, I can also be like Winford when I grow up

Winford is such a riding god, I have a poster of him on my bedroom wall!

Honestly, as a slow guy, I just sit here in awe of his speed and power!