A lightweight full-power eMTB with spritely handling and the best climbing performance we’ve ever tested.
In my five years of testing electric bikes, few have arrived with as much hype as the Amflow PL Carbon Pro, which we received for review. Plenty of products make a splash and generate headlines for a moment, but it’s rare to see one that makes the entire industry stop and stare, and then remain a topic of conversation for nearly a year.
So what’s all the buzz about? This is a seriously well-designed bike, with class-leading power and an impressively lightweight build. At a glance, you might not even clock it as electric. It has a slim downtube which hides a surprisingly large 800Wh battery that powers a tiny motor capable of propelling the bike up and over just about anything.
Spoiler alert: it’s the best hill-climber we’ve tested, and it also delivers one of the longest ranges we’ve seen for a full power rig. Power and efficiency? Yes, please.
The component package is mostly top-tier—aside from the tires, perhaps—with upper-level Fox Factory 150/160mm suspension, wireless SRAM Eagle shifting, and Magura MT7 brakes that deliver strong modulation and excellent stopping power.
Its geometry strikes a smart middle ground that suits nearly all riding styles, short of full-on downhill. It rolls on dual 29” wheels out of the box, but a flip chip at the linkage lets you run a 27.5” rear wheel for extra playfulness.
Speaking of playfulness: the PL Carbon is helping redefine what a full-power trail bike can feel like. Our size large test bike weighed just 45 lbs, a number that’s flirting with SL eMTB territory, but it has twice the battery and way more power than most bikes in that class.
Much of that performance is courtesy of the Avinox motor system, which delivers the best power-to-weight ratio we’ve seen, weighing just 5.5 lbs with an output of 1,000 peak watts and 105Nm of torque. There’s even an optional Boost mode that bumps torque up to 120Nm and really ramps up acceleration. The result is a lightweight, poppy ride that launches off jumps with serious power behind it.
It’s not without flaws; the power is great, but you’ll want to spend some time tuning it, and we swapped the stock stem almost immediately. However, the PL Carbon Pro ultimately left a lasting impression.
Hype is common, while follow-through is rare. Yet this bike delivered with a genuinely terrific debut.
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