Megamo has launched the Upon, an electric road bike that uses the latest Avinox motor from DJI.
The Avinox M2S motor has taken the mountain bike world by storm, thanks to its 1,500 watts peak power and 150Nm torque.
There are already a significant number of mountain bikes (and one gravel bike) fitted with the new motor, including two from DJI’s Amflow brand.
To be clear, the 1,500 watts figure is the peak power and the Avinox M2S is still rated at 250 watts continuous power output and speed-limited to 25km/h. This means it complies with the regulations governing ebikes and is road legal.
So, rather than supporting you up to higher speeds, the extra power on tap enables you to reach the assistance limit faster. But nevertheless, the peak power and torque represent a hefty increase over most electric bike motors. Whether that’s useful, even off-road, is moot.
As BikeRadar’s Robin Weaver says: “This motor is like feeding your regular eMTB steroids with some EPO thrown in for good measure. It’s masses of fun and stupidly fast, but maybe a bit too much for nearly everyone.”
Tuned for road use
Megamo says it has tuned the M2S motor for road use, avoiding a torque spike at low cadence. It claims the toned-down torque delivery curve provides sustained support on tarmac, rather than the short bursts on variable terrain more typical of off-road riding.
It says the power of the Avinox motors delivers real-world performance gains for road riders, particularly on long climbs and sustained efforts at group pace, although the latter assumes your group is riding at less than 25km/h.
In the Megamo Upon, the Avinox motor is paired to a carbon frame with road geometry, a UDH dropout and an integrated carbon cockpit with internal routing. It’s powered by a 600Wh in-frame battery that Megamo claims offers a range of between 70 and 120km.
Megamo has developed the Upon’s geometry to work with the motor, with a longer reach, which it says reduces the bike’s tendency to rotate under motor torque.
The bottom bracket has also been lowered, while the frame offers 42mm tyre clearance and Megamo fits 42mm Vittoria Corsa Pro Control tyres, helping to handle the power on tap.
According to the brand: “The Upon is Megamo's answer to what a rider-focused platform in this category should look like: a bike that feels natural on the road, responds to rider input, and provides motor support that enhances rather than dominates the experience.”
Megamo says its new electric bike is designed chiefly for experienced road riders aged between 45 and 70, who want to continue to ride at a high level and want the extra assistance to extend what’s possible rather than as a substitute for effort.
It also reckons it should suit recreational riders aged from 30 to 50 who want to use the motor selectively on climbs and recovery rides, and who might turn the motor off or lower the assistance level on the flat.
Megamo Upon specs and builds
Megamo is offering the Upon in three specs. The £6,499 Upon 05 has a single-chainring Shimano Ultegra Di2 drivetrain, while the £5,999 Upon 15 CW has a Shimano 105 Di2 groupset, also 1x. Both are powered by the Avinox M2S motor.
The Upon range starts with the £3,999 Upon 20, equipped with an Avinox M2 motor and a 1x Shimano 105 mechanical drivetrain. This motor tones down the power (slightly), with 1,100 watts peak power and 125Nm boost torque.
The M2S motor has a 2.6kg claimed weight, which is low for a full-fat motor system, although heavier than less powerful motors fitted to many road ebikes such as the 1,850g claimed weight of the TQ HPR-50 and 1.4kg of the Mahle X20 that are popular on many electric road bikes.
Although there are no specific weight figures for the complete bike, Megamo claims target weights starting under 14kg.
