Thok has launched a new and updated Mig, the Thok Mig 2.0. Since our trails are frozen and covered in snow, this won’t be a regular test. Under normal circumstances we would wait for spring to do the review. But times aren’t normal. EMTB access is limited, so we take a look at the Thok Mig 2.0 now while it can still be ordered.
The old Thok Mig was referred to as a playful bike in the reviews I’ve read. And everyone mentioned the looks. I quite liked how Thok experimented with battery placement. But I couldn’t see why the battery cage had to be red when the rest of the bike was black, or dark grey. The red color drew the attention towards that lump on the downtube. Sure, the bike was available with a grey battery cover too. Still, I don’t think the design worked too well. It was sort of untidy with all them grey bars going in every direction.
I usually don’t spend that much time commenting on the looks. But I’m making an exception for the Thok Mig, because the new Mig 2.0 looks so much better. Thok has done a few design changes that makes the new bike look much cleaner. I think the Mig 2.0 looks at least as good as any external battery emtb. All Thok did was to alter the shape of the battery cage and change the color scheme.
Updated
Frame geometry is updated too. The Mig used to have 27.5×2.8″ tyres front and rear. The new Mig 2.0 gets a 29×2.6″ tyre up front. This is a bigger wheel that lifts the front end of the bike. This results in a slacker headtube angle of 66*, and slightly longer wheelbase and reach. It seems Thok has done some minor changes to the rear end, to maintain the fairly steep seat tube angle of just under 75*.
These are welcome changes. The geometry now looks more modern. 66* is a nice and slack figure for a less agressive trail bike. The test bike in size Medium feels a bit short and compact compared to many other size Medium emtbs. So increasing reach and wheelbase on the Mig 2.0 was probably a good idea.
Impression
Thok Mig 2.0 offers 140 mm suspension travel rear and 150 mm front. That’s just 10 mm less than many of the more burly emtbs with more enduro-inspired geometry. The relatively short wheelbase and compact reach goes well with the reduced suspension travel. The Thok Mig 2.0 feels like a less aggressive trail bike for all-round trail riding. It’s a shorter bike that doesn’t feel slow and heavy when going slow.
That’s not to say the bike can’t be ridden fast. We rode wide trails covered with a moderate layer of compact and hard snow. The 450 mm chainstays are long enough to easily climb any hill we encounter. On the descents, we lean well forward over the front wheel and take the turns at surprisingly high speeds. This is so much fun, and none of us felt the short frame was holding us back.
Equipment
We haven’t got much more to say about how the bike rides. When it’s -12*C outside and the damper oil flows like syrup, it’s not easy saying much about the suspension. But we’ve ridden the Rockshox 35 Gold RL fork several times on other bikes. And we think it performs okay this time. It seems the 2021 version could be slightly improved over the 2020. The Rockshox Deluxe R is a basic shock with little adjustment options, still it performs well. The 12 speed Sram SX drivetrain with an 11-50t cassette has a nice range of gears. The Sram Guide T is a relatively cheap brake, but braking power is decent thanks to the dual caliper design. Tyres are nice, it’s the Maxxis Assegai 2.6″. 29er front and 27.5″ back.
Consider the dropper post
The 150 mm travel dropper seatpost suits us well. But, it’s really long and something you have to consider before ordering a Mig. Both of us doing the test is a little over 180 cm tall. Thok reccommends size Large for us, suited for riders between 174 and 185 cm tall. But the test bike is a size Medium, and we have no more than 20 mm between the frame and seatpost collar. The Large bike has got a 35 mm taller seattube. So, the seatpost would most likely be too long for us on a size Large bike. And our height is at the upper end of what’s reccommended for size L. Thok will deliver the bike with a 100 or 120 mm dropper post. We would discuss this with Thok before ordering a Mig 2.0.
Looking for a burlier bike? Check out our review of the 2021 Thok TK01.
Conclusion
The Thok Mig 2.0 is an interesting bike. It’s got interesting looks and an interesting price. After a quick online search, we find the bike for £ 3.995. This makes the Mig 2.0 among the cheaper emtbs that can be considered a proper trailworthy emtb. It’s got a sensible frame geometry and lots of solid components.
Specs
Weight: 24.8 kg w/ pedals on our scale
