Easy Motion Xenion Jumper 27.5 Review

The Easy Motion Xenion Jumper 27.5 is a Bosch-powered full suspension mountain bike with 27.5 inch tires. Got it! It’s one of my favorite models in the 2015 Easy Motion lineup from BH because it’s a blast to ride, extremely well balanced and outfitted with high quality components (including Shimano hydraulic disc brakes and Shimano Deore XT derailleur with 10 speed cassette). The black and red color scheme looks great and blends in with the stock gray/black motor battery combo from Bosch and while it isn’t quite as integrated as the Easy Motion EVO Jumper 27.5″ battery pack, it still blends in quite well. When you compare these two models on paper it seems like the only difference is motor placement. Both offer 350 watts and a 36 volt ~11 amp hour pack but in practice there’s a huge difference in performance. The Bosch Jumper is more powerful for climbing and efficient in long range applications because the motor actually benefits from the gear you’re riding with. On the flip side, this model lacks a twist throttle so you always have to pedal to get the motor to activate but because it’s a mid-drive both wheels offer quick release and the rear suspension performs much faster because there’s less unsprung weight (no hub motor). There are several full suspension Bosch powered electric bikes on the market now including the Felt DUALe and the Haibike Fullseven but the Bosch Jumper is the least expensive. You trade frame size options (there are several from Felt and Bosch) and you also miss out on locking grips, larger brake rotors and a special “sprocket equalizing system” from Haibike that raises the chain and reduces kickback. I often find myself choosing bikes based on dealer availability and support these days and the two year warranty from Easy Motion offers a lot of value in that sense.

Driving the bike is an efficient 350 watt geared mid-drive motor. The frame is custom built to interface with this motor which completely replaces the bottom bracket. You can see in the pictures that there’s a dark gray plastic casing with a red rubber skid plate for added protection on the trail (something unique in the world of Bosch right now). It looks good, protects the actual drive systems inside and ultimately keeps weight low and center on the frame which improves balance. On the right side of the case you’ve got a smaller 18 tooth chainring with a nice aluminum guide to keep the chain on track. This smaller size allows the motor to operate at a more efficient RPM and start and stop more quickly as shown in the video review above. It’s an impressive system but there are limitations… you’ve only got this one cog at the front instead of multiple gears and that limits your cadence increment options. Thankfully, the rear portion of the drivetrain offers ten rings and a premium Shimano Deore XT derailleur. As you pedal one stroke the smaller front ring rotates about 2.5x and the combined force is transferred directly into the chain. As you switch gears, this system is smart enough to ease off to avoid grinding and mashing. It’s a sweet setup and relatively quiet considering how fast and powerful it rides. The controller measures your bicycle speed, pedal speed and pedal torque to determine when to activate the motor and it does this ~1,000x per second.

Most of the wires are run through the frame and concealed well on the Bosch Jumper but the battery stands out because it’s mounted above the downtube. This is the case for all second generation Bosch systems and it keeps weight low and center while reducing costs and making replacement simple. I feel like the battery is well protected by the frame and I like the little decals that help it blend in. Inside are 18650 Samsung cells with Lithium-ion chemistry chosen for durability and power transfer properties. It offers 36 volts of power and 11 amp hours of capacity which is actually less than the EVO Jumper… but it will still take you further if you use your gears properly. The pack can be charged on or off the frame and has a nice loop at the top for easy carrying. There’s also an LED power level indicator built into the left side and this is useful if you’re storing it inside and maybe haven’t gone out for a ride in a while. Keep this thing in a cool dry location (not in the freezing or boiling garage) and top it off every few months to maintain 20% to 80% fill in order to help it last. Replacements aren’t cheap at $800+ but they truly will last 1,500+ cycles if you care for them.

Operating the Easy Motion Bosch Jumper is very intuitive. Once the pack is charged, mounted and locked to the frame you just press the power button at the lower left corner of the Intuvia display panel. It comes to life very quickly and shows your battery level, speed, assist level and several other sub menus like odometer, trip distance, max speed and range. Range is actually really cool, it dynamically estimates how far you can go with the remaining battery charge based on the level of assist you’re in. For me it was estimating anywhere from 30 to 60 miles but I’d step that down slightly given the efficiency lost to knobby tires and suspension bob. Choosing assist levels is very easy thanks to a small plastic break out box mounted near the left grip. It’s not quite as easy to reach as some other Bosch powered bikes I’ve ridden due to the double suspension lockout but it’s still reasonable. As you click up or down there’s a tactile click letting you know what’s going on even if you’re not looking at the LCD. It all looks great, feels solid and offers an intuitive way to manage your ride. Back to the LCD unit… this thing swivels to help reduce glare, is removable to reduce wear and vandalism and even has a micro USB port at the top right side for charging portable electronics. Hard to beat that.

For a person of the right size who wants a cross country type mountain bike or maybe a trail bike the Bosch Jumper 27.5″ would be an amazing and fairly affordable option. It comes with a great warranty, offers high end components and is available through a vast network of dealers in the US, Canada and parts of Europe (where the motor power may be specced down a bit). There are other options in this space that use the same drive system and offer more sizes or specific builds for downhill but they cost a bit more. Aside from the seat post not going all the way down and the basic non-locking grips there’s not much to complain about here. I had a blast riding the bike for this video review and would enjoy using it to commute with that lockout just as much as on the mountain.

Pros:

• One of the most affordable full suspension electric bikes running the Bosch mid-drive system that I’ve reviewed to date
• Neat dual-locking remote suspension lock out, lets you transition from downhill to climbing fast and easily
• Burly 15 mm thru-axle and quality Fox suspension front and rear, oversized hydraulic disc brakes from Shimano
• Excellent two year comprehensive warranty from BH (the company that makes Easy Motion) upgradable to 5 years if you register the bike
• High quality Bosch-made second generation Centerdrive has “zero maintenance schedule” meaning it’s meant to stay sealed and last for a long time without issue
• The lower cut diamond frame is very sturdy, stiff and light weight, it handles well and is balanced (battery and motor low and center)
• The drive system on this bike pulls the same chain as the rider and therefore benefits from the eight speed cassette for climbing or riding at higher speeds, it can get 50+ miles of range per charge using the lowest level of assist in flatter hard packed conditions
• Built in shift-detection helps to relax the motor as you change gears, this keeps the chain and sprockets from mashing which reduces the need for tuneups and extends the life of hardware
• Nice rubberized skid plate protector on the bottom of the mid-drive motor, should add even more protection to the plastic case for off-road riding

Cons:

• The seat post doesn’t go down as far as I expected due to the angled seat tube… you could always take a hack saw to the post if you needed it lower I suppose?
• I couldn’t figure out the CDT (climb trail descend) settings for the suspension, it seems they both just have open or locked out
• Only available in one color (black with red accents) and one standard size (medium 17.5″)
• This is a pedal-assist only electric bike which means you have to pedal at all times in order to activate the motor
• The chain gets pretty close to the chain stay, there isn’t a guide lifter system as I’ve seen on some other bikes with the Bosch mid-drive, the smaller chainring at the front just brings the chain in close and you might get more chain suck as a result here

Resources:

• Official Site: http://www.emotionbikesusa.com/ebikes/EB665
• More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/NREfFwWMpL7YjahUA