First ride on the superlight Superior iXF 9.7 - Bosch SX powered

The lightweight Superior iXF was introduced a while ago, but it didn’t materialize. Not until now. We were lucky enough to ride a pre-production version of what will eventually be the iXF 9.7. Why were we so excited about this bike, you ask? It’s the motor.

Bosch Performance SX 55 Nm motor system​

After having ridden this motor last summer, I was excited to finally test it again. This is smaller and milder, it can’t be as strong as a full power motor? Well, it’s maximum power is 600W, that’s comparable to a few 85 Nm+ motors. But it’s weaker at lower pedaling frequencies. This small motor won’t shove you up steep hills while you pedal slowly with little effort.

But increase the force and cadence and the motor comes to life. The motor inspires me to make an effort and pedal faster. It’s an engaging ride. And it feels fine pedaling above cut-off speed. It’s not like it’s weak at low cadence either, not compared to other mild, lightweight motors. There is a decent amount of help down low too. Even though it can’t compete with 85 Nm+ motors, this one is still strong over a surprisingly wide cadence range. Se our first ride review of the motor:



The battery is the Bosch CompactTube 400. This 400 Wh battery is fixed inside the frame, meaning it’s not easily detachable. A PowerMore 250 range extender is available if you need more range.

The Superior iXF 9.7​

The bike is currently listed in three spec levels, the 9.2, the 9.7 and the 9.8. We’re riding a pre-production bike that resembles the 9.7, so that’s what I’ll call it. A superlight bike rarely is super light. Our demo bike weighed in at 19.5 kg with pedals and heavy studded tyres. I guess it’s well below 19 kg with the standard Schwalbe tyres and no pedals.

Also, a superlight bike usually isn’t cheap. Prices aren’t out yet, but according to superiorshop.cz, it should be just under €7.000. That’s quite a bit of money, but not bad compared to the competitors. And this is a nicely spec’ed bike.

Suspension​

I have little experience with DT Swiss suspension. It’s still winter and cold around here, so it’s no point testing the suspension. Most forks and shocks feel harsh and slow in the freezing cold. The DT Swiss suspension I’ve ridden previously has been 120-130 mm travel and it felt quite progressive. It ramped up fast, giving an XC racing feel. I think the 150 mm travel F535 fork and 140 mm R535 shock felt plusher than I was expecting. This should be a step up from the cheaper Rockshox suspension.

Rest of the specs​

I like the 29er wheelset, the DT Swiss H1900. And I’m happy with the Shimano XT dual caliper brakes. The 12 speed Shimano XT/SLX gears are as expected. I’m a bit surprised to see the Schwalbe Wicked Will tyres on this bike. I would have expected a tougher and heavier tyre, at least on the front. Because the Superior iXF does look like a capable bike.

Geometry​

The iXF has a properly slack head angle of 64.5*. That’s a great number, indicating this could be a capable descender without making the steering too slow and sluggish. The wheelbase too suggests this bike is a confident descender. It measures 1.274 mm, which is nice and long for a medium-travel emtb in size Large. The 450 mm chainstays aren’t the shortest for this category, but it’s not like they’re too long. They too suggest the Superior iXF is capable going downhill. This seems like nice and modern numbers, and that’s confirmed by the steep 78* seat tube angle.

Riding + conclusion​

Riding fluffy snow and hard ice tells me little about the handling. Sure, it’s not a lot of work lifting the front end. Also, it seems easy weighing down both tyres for optimal grip in the turns. The bike feels nice and nimble despite the frozen suspension and the studded tyres with low air pressure.

But there is one thing I could test properly, the motor. It was nice riding the 55 Nm Bosch Performance SX again. The motor was stronger than I remembered at lower pedaling frequencies. It was fun and inspiring pedaling faster and feeling the motor power increasing. I’ve asked myself if this could be the mild, lightweight motor for me. And I think it could.