RUST magazine: RUST#40

FANTIC XF1 INTEGRA ENDURO 160
with that of dirt bike tech, and that
works just fine in this hybrid market.
The bike runs on an 11-speed
transmission (derailleur in cycle-speak
– a French term, meaning to de-rail)
and it’s a wide ratio ‘box (or rather
groupset) ranging from 11 to 42 teeth
(the proverbial granny wheel) combined
with the one 32 tooth crank sprocket
(non-electric mountain bikes typically
come with three sprockets on the crank
– presumably the e-mtb doesn’t need
these). Top speed is a limited 27km/h (if
it wasn’t limited these e-mtbs would be
reclassified, maybe as mopeds or some
such), but take that limiter off (ahem)
and no doubt this thing could go a lot
faster. And the chassis could easily
cope with that, freewheeling downhill
it could get a lick on (just as well the
brakes and suspension are so good).
FUN
The Fantic is some piece of kit. Most of
us have developed a nose for expensive
stuff, and you can smell it on the
Fantic immediately. It’s beautifully
designed and made and everything
about it is both super-fancy and
sweetly assembled. The battery is neatly
integrated into the frame (hence it’s
called the ‘integra’), the motor is neatly
enclosed into the crank housing, the
brakes, suspension – all of it is top
spec and not just bolted on but fitted
perfectly into place. And it doesn’t
shout ‘electric’, you need to look twice,
or more, before the enlarged crank
housing really gives the game away.
So what does the electric ride feel
like? Initially you may sense a little
delay – it reminds me of turbo-lag
on those 1980s turbo’d Japanese road
bikes – between your own pedaling
and when the assistance comes in. But
that’s only from a standing start in the
initial push-off if you like, after that the
assist is steady and continuous, so you
can almost fool yourself it’s all your
own effort that’s making you so speedy.
Not so. The bonus here is that the
Fantic travels faster than your average
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