I tested six eMTBs to crown our 2026 Mountain Bike of the Year – the Avinox-powered winner is faster, cheaper and more fun than its rivals

Six bikes began the battle for out 2026 Mountain Bike of the Year crown, representing our pick of the latest and most exciting full-power enduro eMTBs available today.

The progression in eMTB tech has been rapid over the past 12 months, so we focussed our 2026 Bike of the Year test on mountain biking's most complex category.

I tested the bikes across technical climbs, trail-centre loops, steep, dusty and chopped-out descents, and bigger bike-park hits, doing back-to-back runs so I could compare their motors, suspension and handling as fairly as possible.  

After hours of deliberation over ride feel, geometry and suspension performance, there were three that kept forcing their way back into the conversation to form our final showdown:

• Atherton S.170E.2
• Merida Lithos 8000
• Yeti LTe T4

Each delivers the grip, travel and motor support expected from a modern full-power electric mountain bike. More importantly, each has a distinct character that remained clear after weeks of swapping bikes, changing settings and riding the same test trails.  

I put the finalists against the clock during the Forest of Dean’s ‘FOD Thursday’ definitely-not-a-race session, before roping in BikeRadar's technical editor-in-chief, Robin Weaver, to provide a second opinion, compare conclusions and argue the merits of each bike.

After all, only one could be named as our champion...

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Introducing the 2026 Bike of the Year podium

Third place – Yeti LTe T4

By far the priciest bike here in the test, Yeti’s carbon e-enduro rig is equipped with a six-bar linkage, Fox’s upside-down Podium fork, a Bosch CX-R motor and a removable 800Wh battery. It has 170/160mm of travel and can be run with 29in or mixed wheels.

Verdict: The LTe blends Yeti’s superb Sixfinity suspension with excellent range and the strongest climbing performance here.

Second place – Merida Lithos 8000

This carbon-fibre enduro eMTB has 170/174mm of travel and can be run with mixed wheels or as a full 29er. It uses Bosch’s most powerful CX-R motor and a removable 800Wh battery. The build is based around RockShox Ultimate components.

Verdict: Merida’s enduro-focused Lithos 8000 boasts exceptionally supple suspension, natural handling and great composure at speed.

First place – Atherton S.170E.2

Available in 12 sizes, this Welsh-built aluminium e-enduro bike has 180/170mm of travel and runs a mixed-wheel setup. It’s powered by Avinox’s M2S motor with a 700Wh battery. Again, you get RockShox Ultimate suspension.

Verdict: With the most controllable high-power motor and excellent suspension, the Atherton S.170E.2 offers a truly rewarding ride at a competitive price.

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Three different solutions 

Each of our finalist brands takes a different route towards the same goal, creating a full-power eMTB that can climb, survive hard bike-park use and yet still reward on subtler trails.

The bikes’ prices vary almost as much as their designs. The Atherton S.170E.2 is the least expensive at £7,999, followed by the £8,500 Merida Lithos 8000, while the Yeti LTe T4 sits in another league at £12,999. 

The S.170E is comfortably the most interesting to look at. Rather than welding hydroformed tubes together or laying up carbon fibre in a mould, Atherton machines individual lugs from 7075 aluminium and bonds them to straight alloy tubes at its factory in Wales.

This lug-and-tube construction enables the brand to offer 12 frame sizes, rather than forcing riders into the usual small-to-extra-large steps. Our S6 has a tall 647mm stack, a roomy 610mm effective top tube, a 455mm reach and relatively compact 440mm chainstays. 

Its 63.6-degree head angle makes its gravity intentions obvious, but the short 440mm rear centre (chainstay length) and mixed-wheel setup prevent it from feeling like a mini downhill bike that's only suited to travelling in a straight line.  

Atherton’s DW4 suspension system uses two short links to control the 170mm of rear-wheel travel. Dave Weagle (DW-link, Split Pivot) designed the platform specifically for the S-range, and Atherton has tuned this version around the extra motor power and mass of an eMTB.  

It provides a supportive pedalling platform, but the axle remains free enough to follow rough ground and preserve traction. 

The frame has no geometry flip chips or wheel-size settings to experiment with. What you buy is what Atherton believes works – a 29in front wheel and 27.5in rear, paired with a 180mm fork and proven measurements. 

Geometry customisation comes when choosing the frame rather than after purchasing it. Selecting from 12 sizes gives riders a much finer choice of reach and cockpit height than with either rival brand here, although it also means getting the initial decision right matters. 

Adjustments or a sorted base line

Yeti takes the opposite approach. The LTe’s ‘TURQ-series’ carbon frame is moulded around one of the most complex suspension systems here – ‘Sixfinity’, a six-bar linkage developed specifically to meet the packaging and dynamic demands of an eMTB.  

The brand tunes its anti-squat around the sag point for efficient pedalling, then alters the leverage behaviour and braking response as the suspension moves deeper into its 160mm of travel.  

Owners have a choice of three progression settings at the lower shock mount, while a separate wheel-size chip enables the LTe to run either a 29in wheel or a 27.5in wheel at the rear without changing its intended geometry.  

That makes the Yeti the most configurable finalist, even before you consider our preferred off-menu setup with the smaller 27.5in wheel installed and the frame left in 29in flip-chip position. 

In size medium, the LTe has a long 465mm reach, very low 625mm stack, modest 64-degree head angle, a well thought out 78-degree effective seat-tube angle and relatively long chainstays at 449mm. Those dimensions explain much of its personality.  

The long rear centre and steep seat tube angle keep rider weight well-distributed for climbing, while the head angle and low stack give it more of an all-round position than the gravity-specific Atherton or Merida.  

That low front end is also our biggest criticism of the geometry. Despite the Yeti having ample length and a stable wheelbase, its stack is more than 20mm lower than the other finalists. This helps it feel direct and manageable on flatter trails, but places more rider weight over the handlebar on steep descents than we’d choose.  

The Lithos appears to be the simplest design, but that shouldn’t be confused with being unsophisticated. Its carbon frame uses a flexstay suspension design, with the seatstays flexing as the rear wheel moves through its travel instead of using a conventional pivot near the rear axle. 

This reduces the number of bearings, saves weight and lowers maintenance, while still producing 174mm of rear travel. Merida also tunes the progression according to frame size, helping lighter riders access the full travel while giving heavier folk the support they need.  

The Lithos comes with a 170mm fork and mixed wheels, but can also accept a 29in rear. In the Mid size we tested, it has a balanced 460mm reach, tall 646mm stack, steep 78.5-degree effective seat tube angle and stable 447mm chainstays.  

This sits it between the other two approaches – it's nearly as tall and gravity-focused as the Atherton, but with the longer rear centre and steeper seated position that help the Yeti remain balanced on climbs.  

Unlike the LTe, the Lithos doesn’t offer a range of shock-progression settings, and it can’t match Atherton’s vast sizing menu. Instead, it relies on a carefully chosen baseline. Its geometry feels neutral rather than radical, and its flexstay suspension looks comparatively straightforward beside Sixfinity and DW4.  

That simplicity is a strength. The Merida needs little experimentation, while the Yeti invites setup changes and the Atherton asks buyers to choose carefully from a much broader size range. 

All three designs overlap in capability, but they get there differently. The LTe provides the greatest versatility and adjustment; the Lithos concentrates on delivering deep, forgiving enduro performance with minimal fuss and the S.170E combines unusual construction with race-led dimensions.  

What matters is whether those differences make them easier – or harder – to ride when the motor begins adding power. 

Two motors, three different climbing experiences 

The Yeti and Merida share Bosch’s CX-R motor, delivering 120Nm of maximum torque, 750W of peak power and up to 600% assistance, while the Atherton uses the Avinox M2S with its monstrous 150Nm, 1,500W and 800% figures. 

Both systems have more than enough grunt for steep climbs, but the important difference is how that support is delivered. 

On the trail, the Bosch drive unit is fast-reacting and effective. Its adaptive modes respond well to changes in gradient and rider effort, while the Extended Boost (often referred to as ‘overrun’) function helps carry the rear wheel across obstacles when completing another full crank rotation isn’t possible.  

Once underway, the Yeti and Merida’s pedalling assistance feels natural and easy to control. However, the standard overrun can be too assertive at low speeds, so reducing it through the Flow app makes slow, technical riding calmer and more predictable.  

My back-to-back testing also highlighted a more noticeable weakness. In the stronger modes, simply resting a foot on a pedal could make both Bosch-equipped bikes attempt to surge forwards earlier than intended. 

That eagerness is awkward when balancing on a slope, positioning the cranks or preparing for a difficult restart.

The Avinox motor feels more obedient. Light pressure produces gentle assistance, while a firmer push releases more power immediately. Resting a foot on the pedal doesn’t trigger the motor repeatedly. 

It’s no less responsive than the Bosch drive unit, but its output feels more proportional to what the rider is doing. 

That control makes Atherton's huge performance usable. Over roots or loose stones, assistance can be reduced simply by softening your pedal stroke, rather than managing the motor with the brakes. Push firmly on a surface with grip and the bike accelerates with extraordinary force. 

Climbing positions and traction 

The LTe counters with the most efficient-climbing frame, its long chainstays and steep seat tube angle helping to keep the front wheel tracking accurately on severe gradients. 

As you climb, the Sixfinity linkage remains active beneath you, moving rapidly when you hit roots and rocks. This preserves rear-wheel contact and generates excellent traction, without creating the sense that effort is being lost through unnecessary suspension movement. 

Add the bike’s relatively light 22.33g weight and it takes the lead on uphills. 

At 24.5kg, the Lithos feels more substantial, but balanced. Its taller cockpit is comfortable on sustained climbs, while the seated position keeps enough weight over the front wheel without demanding exaggerated body movement.  

The suspension remains supple over square edges, helping the bike maintain momentum rather than hang up. There’s also enough support so the rear end doesn’t feel as though it’s collapsing into the travel whenever you add hard pedal strokes.  

That leaves the S.170E, which demands the most from the rider, uphill. Its seated position places you more rearwards with its slacker 76.6-degree seat tube angle and shorter chainstays, meaning steep climbs require a deliberate chest-forward posture to keep the front end tacking to hold a line. 

A benefit is that it's easy to get the front end up and over steps and ledges in tech climbs. However, getting the rear wheel up and over the same obstacles requires a deliberate forward weight shift. 

You need to move around more on the bike than on the Yeti and, combined with the extra weight, that makes the Atherton more physically demanding on technical climbs.

Yet, when ridden actively, the Atherton may be the most capable technical climber of the three, thanks to the Avinox motor. The rear suspension produces excellent traction, while the M2S drive unit enables you to carry meaningful speed through difficult sections. 

Instead of carefully crawling across every root or rock step, you can use controlled power and momentum to drive over the top. 

Range versus charging speed 

Range matters differently depending on whether you’re planning one long ride or repeated hard laps with access to a charger.  

The LTe recorded the best result on our maximum-assistance range test, covering 29.3km with 1,760m of climbing and descending on full power. Using the same Bosch motor and 800Wh battery, the Lithos managed 26.6km and 1,650m. 

We tested the S170.E with its Avinox drive unit in its 130Nm/1,300W setting, not the short-duration 150Nm/1,500W Boost mode. With a smaller 700Wh battery, it covered 23km and 1,250m.

Those figures reflect more than just battery capacity. Tyres, weight, motor settings, terrain and rider input all influence energy consumption. Still, the results show the general hierarchy. 

For uninterrupted long rides, the Yeti looks strongest. The Merida isn’t far behind, and combines its range with the most comfortable long-climb position of the three. 

With its smaller battery, higher motor output and sticky downhill tyres, the Atherton places last for outright range.  

However, its 12A fast charger changes the equation, replenishing around 80% capacity in under 90 minutes. That makes it well-suited to repeated hard laps or bike-park riding, where the battery can be topped up during lunch. 

It would also be interesting to see the range of the Atherton when its motor settings match the 750W and 120Nm of the Bosch CX R motor on the Merida and Yeti. We expect the range to be less due to the smaller battery, but closer. 

When gravity takes over 

All three bikes carry serious speed, but the terrain decides which feels strongest. On steep, rough descents, the Lithos makes life easier, the LTe produces remarkable grip and the S.170E provides the best platform to attack from. On faster, shaped trails, the Atherton’s sharper response becomes increasingly valuable. 

On steep natural trails, the Merida is easiest to trust from the get-go. Its tall stack, and relatively long reach and chainstays create a centred position between the axles. The suspension moves willingly over roots, holes and braking bumps, then continues to use its travel smoothly through bigger impacts. It’s a very easy bike to ride and quite forgiving.

While it only has 4mm more travel than the Atherton, its deeper, supple suspension makes the difference feel far greater on the trail, and enables you to relax. Enter a root spread off-line or drop into a hole poorly prepared, and the Lithos absorbs much of the consequence, buying time to react and preventing small mistakes from escalating.  

The Yeti is nearly as reassuring, but through grip rather than seemingly endless travel. Its suspension remains active while braking across diagonal roots, loose rocks and chopped turns, keeping the rear tyre tracking rather than skipping. 

With the longest reach and rear centre here, and a decently slack head angle, it’s stable without being a straight-line bike. However, the low stack gives it a more forward weight bias on steep trails. 

While the LTe stayed composed in these situations, I’d have preferred my hands to be higher and there to be less pressure over the front, especially as the bike’s Fox Podium fork moves into its travel readily with minimal friction. 

The Atherton’s higher stack and slackest head angle create the most gravity-focused stance, giving you confidence as gradients steepen, and more room to absorb compressions. Its compact chainstays prevent that stability from becoming cumbersome, enabling the rear to follow quickly through changing lines.  

Compared with the Merida, its suspension feels tauter and more supportive underfoot. It cushions mistakes less generously, but responds more strongly to accurate inputs. It’s not as forgiving as the Merida, but has a racier edge to it. 

Corners, cambers and quick direction changes 

The 24.5kg Merida hides its weight impressively in turns. Its mixed wheels and supple suspension help it lean naturally and grip broken cambers without the understeer seen elsewhere in the test, while the calm chassis settles onto a line predictably and holds it even when the surface turns rough.  

While the Yeti is similarly composed, its stock 29er setup changes its personality. The bike carries speed smoothly, but its larger rear wheel is less nimble than those of its mixed-size rivals. It remains agile, but needs more effort to tighten or switch lines. 

The Yeti’s party trick, however, is fitting a 27.5in rear wheel while leaving the chip in the 29in position. That lowers and slackens the bike, causing the rear end to drop and weight to shift away from the handlebar. 

The LTe becomes easier to manoeuvre, quicker onto a new line and more willing to drive through a corner. It gains the urgency missing in 29in form, yet retains its grip. The compromise is reduced bottom-bracket and motor clearance. 

This setup worked brilliantly on our trails, but is a deliberate tuning choice rather than a universal recommendation. 

As for the S.170E, it needs no experimentation. Its shorter rear centre, mixed wheels and supportive DW4 suspension give it the quickest direction changes. Load the tyres and it snaps onto the next line. Push through a berm or compression and the suspension holds the chassis up. It feels more urgent than the Merida, although it demands pressure control and timing. 

Faster trails and carrying momentum 

On fast, flowing trails, the differences sharpen. The full-29in Yeti carries momentum most easily. Its rear wheel smooths out smaller holes and helps it hold speed, while its neutral geometry on flatter trails helps it cover ground without demanding you constantly fight for speed. 

The Merida is equally calm at pace, but feels overqualified on tame terrain. It pumps and carves well for its weight and travel, yet waits for more gradient or roughness before revealing its best.  

With its supportive platform and smaller rear wheel, which help it pump, accelerate from turns and link transitions, the Atherton is the most energetic-feeling bike here – impressively so for its 170mm of travel. 

Where the Lithos preserves speed, the S.170E helps you to create it, making it more entertaining on ordinary trail centres than you might expect. However, the Yeti’s trail-like posture and bigger wheels give it the edge on modest descents. 

Bigger hits and braking control 

All three have enough travel and strength for bike-park terrain, but their characters remain distinct. The Merida is most forgiving on imperfect landings, moving deeply and smoothly into its travel while retaining enough support to avoid vagueness.  

Feeling firmer and more precise, the Atherton gives more to push against on jump faces and in compressions, while retaining progression for bigger hits. Its chassis invites attack, although the Mavic wheels, with their blended spokes, can twang when heavily loaded.

Sitting between them, the Yeti combines impressive impact absorption with the strongest braking performance. Yeti’s Sixfinity six-bar kinematic is excellent when braking hard, with its rear end remaining active and tracking well through choppy ground even when you’re on the anchors. It's a highlight of the bike. 

The Merida makes speed easiest and cushions mistakes, the Yeti finds grip on unpredictable surfaces, and the Atherton rewards good decisions and offers the highest ceiling, giving committed riders the most back. 

Putting a number on speed 

Feel matters, but the stopwatch challenges assumptions. I timed all three repeatedly on the Forest of Dean’s ‘FOD Thursday’, definitely-not-a-race session. This involved a short run with enough rough ground, heavy braking and dusty corners to expose differences in support, grip and handling.  

With the smaller rear wheel in the 29in setting, the Yeti clocked 56.23 seconds, effectively tying with the Merida on 56.25 seconds (two hundredths of a second can vanish in one braking input or pedal stroke), although the LTe felt more agile and the Lithos more composed. 

The Atherton was fastest, with a time of 55.44 seconds, supporting my impression that it has a higher performance ceiling. It might be less forgiving than the Merida, and less settled under braking than the Yeti, but its overall composure, handling and enthusiasm for speed gave it an advantage against the clock.

One timed run never proves one bike is universally faster, however. Familiarity, fatigue and line choice all matter. But these results aligned closely enough with my wider impressions to carry weight. 

Components that help and those that don’t 

All three are exceptionally well-equipped, but bling doesn’t guarantee brilliance. For example, the Yeti’s trail-casing Schwalbe front tyre looks misplaced beside the Merida’s enduro rubber and the Atherton’s downhill spec. 

The Lithos’ parts are chosen sensibly. Its fork, shock and tyres suit its chassis, while its aluminium wheels add planted compliance without obvious harshness. The SRAM Maven brakes are powerful, although bite-point consistency depends on a good bleed.  

On the S.170E, you get Hayes' Dominion A4 brakes, which lack some outright aggression but offer dependable modulation and lever feel. It’s the Mavic E-Deemax wheels that are the obvious compromise here, though. I found them harsher and unsettling on choppy trails.

They can twang through rough cambers and release stored load with a springier, less damped feel than the DT Swiss wheels on its rivals. The Atherton’s rear rim was also the only one dented. A more accurate wheelset could make it calmer at the limit.  

Beyond those few issues, the kit across all three bikes is excellent, as it should be for the price.

Why the Atherton S.170E.2 is our 2026 Mountain Bike of the Year

The Yeti LTe T4 finishes third, but remains the most versatile bike of the three. Its Sixfinity suspension is exceptional, combining excellent grip, support and braking control, while the Bosch CX-R motor and removable 800Wh battery delivered the strongest range in the test.  

In standard 29in form, the Yeti is stable, efficient and capable across a broad mix of trails. Fitting a 27.5in rear wheel, while leaving the bike in its 29in setting, unlocks a more aggressive and playful character. That adaptability is a major strength, but at £12,999, needing geometry or cockpit changes to reach its best is difficult to overlook. 

The £8,500 Merida Lithos 8000 takes second. Its flexstay suspension feels exceptionally supple and controlled, giving the bike a deep, forgiving character that makes difficult terrain easier to manage. The handling is natural, the mixed wheels help it change direction without fuss and its composure enables the rider to build speed quickly with very little learning curve. 

It’s the strongest pure enduro option here for riders who value confidence, comfort and repeatable pace. However, its weakness is that it can feel slightly overqualified on tame trails, and it lacks the Atherton's urgency when pushed to the limit. 

The Atherton S.170E.2 wins. At £7,999, it’s the cheapest finalist, offers an unusually broad 12-size range and pairs the most controllable high-power Avinox motor with the fastest timed descent.  

Its DW4 suspension is sensitive enough to generate grip, but supportive enough to pump, change direction and create speed. While it asks for slightly more commitment than the Merida, it rewards that effort with greater precision and a higher performance ceiling.  

The Yeti is the most versatile and the Merida the most forgiving, but the Atherton delivers the strongest blend of speed, fun, control and value.

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Yeti LTe T4 spec

• Price: £12,999 / $14,900 / €14,500 
• Weight: 22.33kg, size medium, measured 
• Frame: TURQ carbon fibre, Sixfinity suspension, 160mm 
• Sizes: S, M, L, XL 
• Fork: Fox Podium Factory, 170mm 
• Shock: Fox Float X2 Factory 
• Wheels: DT Swiss HXC 1700 carbon, 29in 
• Tyres: Schwalbe Magic Mary Radial Trail Pro Ultra Soft 29x2.5in (f) and 27x2.5in (r) 
• Derailleur: SRAM XX Eagle AXS Transmission 
• Shifter: SRAM AXS Pod 
• Crankset: Alloy, e-specific 
• Cassette/chain: SRAM XX Eagle AXS Transmission 
• Brakes: SRAM Maven Ultimate, 200mm rotors 
• Bar/stem/grips: Yeti carbon, 800mm, 35mm rise / Burgtec Enduro Mk3, 50mm / ODI  
• Seatpost/saddle: RockShox Reverb AXS / WTB Solano SL 
• Weight: 22.33kg, size-medium without pedals 

Merida Lithos 8000 spec

• Price: £8,500 / €8,899 
• Weight: 24.5kg, size Mid, measured 
• Frame: Carbon fibre, 174mm rear-wheel travel 
• Sizes: XShort, Short, Mid, Long, XLong 
• Fork: RockShox ZEB Ultimate eMTB, 170mm travel 
• Shock: RockShox Vivid Ultimate 
• Motor: Bosch Performance Line CX-R 
• Battery: Bosch PowerTube 800Wh, removable 
• Wheels: DT Swiss HX 1700 aluminium, 29in front/27.5in rear 
• Tyres: Continental Kryptotal-F Enduro SuperSoft 29x2.4in front, Kryptotal-R Enduro Soft 27.5x2.4in rear 
• Derailleur: SRAM GX Eagle Transmission 
• Shifter: SRAM AXS Pod 
• Crankset: SRAM S1000 Eagle eMTB, 160mm, 36t 
• Cassette/chain: SRAM XS-1275, 10-52t / SRAM GX Eagle Transmission 
• Brakes: SRAM Maven Bronze, 220mm front and 200mm rear rotors 
• Bar/stem/grips: Merida Expert eTR, 780mm / Merida Expert eTR II, 40mm / Merida Expert TR 
• Seatpost/saddle: Merida Team TR II, adjustable from 30 to 230mm / Proxim Altius Steel 

Atherton S.170E.2 spec

• Price: £7,999 / €7,599.05 before applicable local taxes 
• Weight: 24.05kg, size S6, measured 
• Frame: Lugged and bonded 7075 aluminium, 170mm travel 
• Sizes: 1 to 12 
• Fork: RockShox ZEB Ultimate, 180mm travel 
• Shock: RockShox Vivid Air Ultimate, 205x65mm 
• Motor: Avinox M2S 
• Battery: Avinox Premium Cell, 700Wh 
• Wheels: Mavic E-Deemax, 29in front and 27.5in rear 
• Tyres: Continental Kryptotal Dowhill SuperSoft, 29x2.4in (f), 27.5x2.4in (r) 
• Derailleur: SRAM GX Eagle Transmission 
• Shifter: SRAM GX Eagle Transmission 
• Crankset: SRAM GX Eagle eMTB 
• Cassette/chain: SRAM XG-1275, 10-52t / SRAM GX Eagle 
• Brakes: Hayes Dominion A4, 203mm rotors 
• Bar/stem/grips: FSA Gradient alloy, 25mm rise, 800mm width / FSA Gradient, 33mm / ODI Elite Flow 
• Seatpost/saddle: Fox Transfer Performance / Prologo Proxim 450