E-Fine 1

Over the years we have tested a lot of E Bikes but there was never any bike that truly stole our team’s heart. It took us a while to figure out what kind of bike we want to make for NS.  
We ask ourselves what makes an e-bikes great? Well, if we put the motor aside for a moment, it all comes down to the bike’s geometry and suspension, and these are the main points that we focused on. We looked for a geometry that works best on a motor assisted bike – and it’s not necessarily the same as on our “analog” products. The geometry must be complemented by suspension that works perfectly on a bike that is inherently heavier than a normal MTB, and the tires, brakes and cockpit all need to have more of a “moto” character.  
Back to the motor: there are no “bad” drive units on the market these days. What we think is critical for our customers is reliability and easily accessible service if something goes wrong. That’s why we chose to work with the Shimano. Our brands share similar values and Shimano offers excellent customer service around the globe.   
Everyone loved the new EP8 motor from Shimano. It kicks in seamlessly and its weight and size has been reduced significantly. It’s almost 400g lighter than its predecessor, the E8000. The second important feature is that Shimano cut drag by 50%. It’s now almost comparable to a muscle powered drivetrain. 
One of the key things we noticed is that the NS crew doesn’t dig wimpy rides. So, we made sure that the E-Fine is a big, burly machine. It’s fitted with the excellent SRAM ZEB fork with massive 38mm stanchions and 170mm of travel, powerful brakes and aggressive tires. 
Other essential features of the drive unit include improved ground clearance, low Q-factor and new short cranks (160mm). All this means that we could make the BB really low without fear of pedal strikes. Just in case, we included an option to adjust the heigh of the BB to suit personal preferences). 
So, have we succeeded in making an E Bike that all the guys in our team would love? Well, even the most die-hard dirt jumpers in our company are lining up to borrow a prototype for a weekend of shredding, which is something that we haven’t seen with other E Bikes that have been laying around the office. Our team riders love the E Fine, our close friends who would never consider going electric are changing their minds. Honestly, we believe we have achieved our goal.