Simplon's Sengo Pmax Is an E-MTB Like Few Others Around: Absolutely Filled With Magic

As you've picked up from the conversation above, one character is completely ecstatic over the Sengo Pmax, while the other could care less, much like our audience. Nonetheless, follow along for the next few moments so that you may be acquainted with an e-MTB that, honestly, does things like very few others around.

Simply put, the Sengo Pmax is an electrified mountain goat with skills, capabilities, and a design that breaks away from traditional biking methods. The minds and hands behind this machine are none other than Simplon, a Swiss crew that's been a name in the cycling industry since 1961, even though they trace their activity back to 1928! Oh, and this crew has taken the same approach to building bicycles the way this nation creates timepieces, because this thing comes across as dang flawless, to me anyway.

Now, don't be mistaken, what we're looking at is a beast of an e-MTB, and that means a whole lot for you and your expectations. For starters, most dealerships are selling this machine for around $8,000. Starting to get the idea?

All that's mainly because of the way this bike is built, by hand, and backed by countless years of R&D. Yes, it is composed of carbon fiber, and we all know how difficult it is to manufacture anything from this stuff. Best of all, the result of all this attention, according to Simplon, has led to an MTB suitable for just about any type of riding, including light downhill tracks.

Wait a minute, downhill tracks? But this is a hardtail! True, it is a hardtail, but part of the magic lies in how Simplon builds the Pmax with asymmetric chain stays, yielding maximum torsion resistance, power direction, and precision steering, all through the power of carbon fiber.

More on the frame design, the dropouts are also built from carbon fiber and follow a hollow structure. There are steel protectors on the bike, ensuring the frame remains undamaged, and this thing can even be equipped with a belt drive; the frame opens up so you can make changes to it without losing stiffness. This latter feature I have yet to encounter on any carbon fiber bike to date. I've added an image in the gallery with one of these buggers tuned with a belt drive, and I must say, I'd rock that around town with no problems.

I also mentioned that we're looking at an e-bike, and with that said, let me point out that the Pmax is equipped with nothing more than a mid-mounted Bosch CX Drive motor. While this is nothing, wow, the Pmax's ability to accommodate up to 1,125 watt-hours of battery power ensures you can ride for more than just a couple of hours. This, of course, depends on the terrain you encounter, but that's a lot of juice. Did I mention all this amounts to a bike that weighs just 19 kilograms (42 pounds) for a model without additional gear?

From here, Simplon also throws in a plethora of other abilities and traits that really make the Pmax unlike other bikes around. Sure, a dropper post and internal cable routing should be standard these days, but a steering stop ensures you don't bang your fork crown against the frame, and this thing can even be loaded up onto a trailer, no bike racks necessary. Oh, it can also be equipped with cargo carriers, too. It is a hardtail, after all. Top it off with 29-inch tires, and you're set to lose your life savings.

If you do make the decision to purchase this machine, do so by finding a shop that offers a test ride first. God forbid you buy it, don't like it, and then can't return it for some reason. But I feel that won't be the case with the Sengo Pmax e-MTB.