First impressions of my new Karve RSX.
The first thing I noticed was just how light the bike feels to ride. It actually feels lighter than its weight suggests, probably helped by the motor's power, something we'll come back to!
Coming from a Kado Works, my Kado weighed in at 24.5kg. That was with sealant, pedals and a CushCore Pro fitted to the rear, so it was never the lightest setup. The Karve, straight out of the box, came in at 22.8kg, slightly lighter than Whyte's claimed weight of 22.9kg.
I rode the bike on a few rides in its standard specification, which you can find here:
The first few rides
My first impressions were very good. The power from the Avinox MS2 motor is absolutely insane!
It does take a bit of getting used to, though. The AXS system on this motor is wired into the bike's battery, and there is a mode in the display, which can be removed, that cuts the power when you shift gears to protect the chain and cassette.
This was something I wasn't aware of initially, and I thought there was an issue with the bike. It turns out it's completely normal.
I've actually kept this mode switched on, mainly because of just how much power the motor produces. Without it, I can see the potential for it to cause some serious damage to the drivetrain components.
The only thing I didn't like about the standard specification was the tyres.
I'm not a fan of Maxxis whatsoever, especially on an e-bike. In my opinion, there simply isn't enough protection in the sidewalls. This was proved on my first ride when I managed to put a hole in the tyre right on the bead, and, by the way, this was just riding around a country park!
Ride two
The second ride was still on the standard setup. I'd repaired the rear tyre using a DynaPlug and headed to a local spot that's a lot more technical, with steeper, more natural and rooty trails.
It's a superb place to ride. Most of the locals around us will know the location, and it's definitely worth a visit. Shout out to the trail builder!
It was a bit damp on the day, and I bumped into some guys I used to ride with years ago. On the first few trails, I was once again impressed with the Karve.
To be honest, you've just bought a new bike, you're going to be impressed. If you're disappointed, you've probably bought a really shitty bike!
One thing I was noticing, though, was the battery usage, or should I say the lack of it.
A few of the Bosch-powered bikes I was riding with were using around 30% more battery than the Karve. That's a massive difference and something that really stood out to me.
Again, though, I was massively let down by the tyres. The grip levels from the Maxxis tyres were nowhere near what I'm used to with my usual Schwalbe Radial setup.
Things I don't like about the Avinox motor
Now onto a few things about the motor that I don't like.
These aren't things you usually see or hear people mention when talking about bikes fitted with the Avinox motor, so I wanted to include them.
1. Drag above 15.5mph
Once you're above 15.5mph, the motor has quite a lot of drag.
Yes, it's better than the M1 motor, but it's still noticeably worse than a Bosch system in my opinion.
2. Low-speed assistance
When climbing slower, more technical climbs, I don't find the assistance from the Avinox as predictable as Bosch.
With a Bosch motor, when you turn the cranks, you know the motor is going to assist exactly when you need it. I don't find that the Avinox is quite as consistent in this situation.
It's not a massive issue, but it's something I've noticed.
3. General issues
On my first ride, I had an error where the motor power was restricted. The battery percentage also disappeared from the display and the bike stopped working.
I turned the bike off and back on again, and thankfully everything returned to normal.
It hasn't happened again since, so I'll keep an eye on it and see whether it was just a one-off or something that develops into a bigger issue.
Turning the Karve into an e-enduro race bike
I've already changed a few things on the bike because I'm basically trying to create what I consider the ultimate e-enduro race bike.
The reason for going down this route is simple: the Karve Evo is around 2kg heavier than the Karve, and personally, I don't need 180mm of travel.
In fact, I'm not sure many people genuinely need it.
For me, 160–170mm is more than enough.
I am changing the fork to a 170mm Podium, which will slacken the bike out slightly. I'm also converting it to a mullet setup.
My Kado was a full 29er and, if I'm honest, you do buzz your arse a fair amount!
I've also changed the shock to a Float X2, and the brakes will be getting changed as well.
And, of course, those terrible Maxxis tyres will be coming off the bike!
I'll do a second blog looking at all of these changes and upgrades and, more importantly, how they've actually changed the way the bike rides.
So stay tuned!