2024 eMTB SHOOTOUT

ARI TIMP PEAK PRO REVIEW

PLAYFUL ENDURO EBIKE

Photos by Max Rhulen & Dusten Ryen
Video by Brian Niles / Treeline Cinematic

Following the success of the Timp Peak in last year’s eMTB Shootout, we were very excited to welcome it back into the fold to go up against the 13 other bikes this year. In case you didn’t see it, this Ari took the award for “best bang for the buck” thanks to it’s impressive performance given its comparatively reasonable price tag, albeit under the “Fezzari” brand name. Did losing the “Fezz” remove any of the performance or value proposition? Without giving too much away, that’s a negative.

2024 EMTB SHOOTOUT SERIES – The Ari Timp Peak Pro was one of 14 eBikes that our staff thoroughly tested with absolute objectivity in mind. From different types of riders to terrain, our goal is to present the best and most honest information possible to help you make your best decision. Of course, we’d love to thank Fox Racing and Schwalbe Tires for being invaluable partners to this series and making it happen and to Howler Bike Park for hosting us for our testing.

QUICK HITS

• 170mm TetraLink Suspension
• 29” Wheels
• Shimano EP801 Motor
• 635Wh Darfon Battery

Price: $6,199 – $9,799

WE DIG

WE DON’T

ABOUT THE ARI TIMP PEAK PRO

FRAME AND FEATURES | The Timp Peak is Ari’s Enduro eBike, manufactured out of their CleanCast carbon fiber, including the rocker link. There’s a 170mm travel rear end delivered by their TetraLink (Horst Link) suspension system, which is matched by a 170mm fork up front. As standard, the Timp Peak runs on a pair of 29” wheels, though the GA-Link geometry adjusting flip chip allows for a smaller 27.5” rear wheel to be fitted.

The Timp Peak frame offers plentiful room for a water bottle in the front triangle. There’s internal cable routing that avoids the headset, and uses clamped ports at the head tube to manage cable rattle. The battery cover doubles as a long plastic downtube cover, and protection is added to the chainstay to reduce noise and damage from the chain. Ari backs the Timp Peak with a Lifetime Warranty, letting you ride hard without concern.

DRIVE UNIT AND ELECTRONICS | The Ari is one of four eBikes powered by the Shimano EP801 system in this year’s eMTB Shootout. The updated Shimano drive unit produces 85Nm Torque and 600W Peak Power, now rivaling the Bosch system.

Ari opted to spec a 635Wh Darfon battery to supply power to the drive unit, which is mounted using their rail system which they claim to give an ultra-low center of gravity. An Abus lock at the head tube keeps the battery secure from theft, and allows it to be dropped for off-bike charging or easier transport.

Ari spec’s the standard EM800 display and two-button toggle on the handlebars, which is a well-proven system but falls behind from an integration standpoint due to its wiring and clutter. There’s a power button on the side of the headtube, next to the battery lock.

Shimano’s E-Tube App allows for full mode customization, with the user able to set up two profiles with three standard modes up to 15 levels of Microtune. Ari provides the Timp Peak with a custom-tuned profile that delivers their idea of a natural ride feel.

GEOMETRY | The Ari Timp Peak has a purposeful and aggressive geometry selection that our crew enjoys a lot, retaining plenty of agility for more playful riding or the slower and tighter sections of trail. The rear end is amongst the shortest in this year’s shootout, and the Reach is on the longer side at 485mm.

BUILD SPECS | Ari offers a range of Timp Peak builds from the $6,199 Comp to the $9,799 Team. Ari offers their 23-point customization service to get key components like bar width and dropper length dialed in to fit each rider best, and offers some spec customization choices at the point of purchase to tailor the build to rider preference. There’s also a frame, motor and RockShox Vivid shock package on offer for $4,999 for those who want to custom-build their Timp Peak.

The $7,999 Pro build we tested for this year’s shootout is a SRAM-heavy affair, and packs impressive quality for the money. There’s a RockShox suspension package, with the ZEB Ultimate fork and Super Deluxe Ultimate rear shock offering great tunability.

The drivetrain is SRAM’s XO AXS T-Type Transmission, with a 160mm length Shimano EM600 crankset. Braking duties are handled by the new ultra-powerful SRAM Maven stoppers, with a pair of 200mm rotors.

The cockpit is provided by Ari, with their Team 35 alloy bar and Charger CNC stem. A PNW Loam Dropper post is topped by an Ergon SM10 saddle.

Rounding out the specs is a DT Swiss HX1700 wheelset, which is wrapped in a pair of Maxxis Double Down casing tires as standard. However, we replaced these for our control tires as with all of the bikes in this year’s shootout. Schwalbe’s Magic Mary 2.4” tires with the Super Gravity casing and Addix Soft rubber provided a consistent tire combo we could trust for this year’s eMTB Shootout.

Our Ari Timp Peak Pro build equipped with the control tires weighed in at a respectable 51.2lbs (23.2kg).

THE DIRT – RIDING THE ARI TIMP PEAK

SETUP | We’re quite familiar with the Timp Peak by this point, having kept last year’s entrant in rotation ever since. Even so, this year’s Pro spec – which shared quite similar suspension spec – proved to be a little trickier to find the perfect setup for some of our testers. For others though, it was business as usual.

ELECTRONICS AND INTEGRATION | As with all of the Shimano-powered bikes on test, getting connected to the E-Tube Project App was trouble free. We maximized the power of the BOOST mode to create an even playing field without any headaches.

The Shimano EP801 system provides a notable improvement over the outgoing EP8 that was fitted to last year’s Timp Peak. This allows it to be considerably more competitive with the other drive systems, and so the Timp Peak is a fast machine uphill. Integration on this bike is not excellent, with this system falling behind in this respect compared with wireless remotes and integrated top tube displays, but it’s passable.

The removable battery will be a bonus to some, and the keyed locking system has proven to be trouble free. However, the plastic cover for this battery is not the sleekest out there, and is certainly an area we’d like to see improved slightly. At 635Wh capacity, riders looking to cover a huge amount of ground may wish to purchase a second battery to swap out on the biggest days.

We didn’t experience much in the way of drive unit rattle on the Timp Peak, but the motor noise was notable compared to the likes of the same system fitted to the Pivot Shuttle LT. Motor acoustics won’t matter to many, but the Timp Peak did allow for the drive unit noise to be more easily heard.

CLIMBING | On the way up, the Timp Peak is a solid performer. Steeper pitches can occasionally lead to struggles with keeping the front wheel adequately weighted, but otherwise the seating position is comfortable and the geometry and suspension platform allow the full power of the EP801 to be harnessed effectively. The suspension is a little more on the efficient and firm side than some softer and plusher bikes, so we’d recommend spec’ing a more cushioned eMTB-optimized saddle like the Fizik Terra Aidon X5 to keep your butt happy.

DESCENDING | Descending the Ari Timp Peak leads to a good time on just about all types of trail and terrain. It balances agility and capability exceptionally well, giving a playful ride with plenty of reserves. Thanks to a reasonable weight and good amount of “pop” in the suspension, jumping and bikepark attacking are strong suits. In the roughest and rowdiest terrain it may lose a little to some more plow-friendly machines, but it can still absolutely hang. Being an enduro eBike it should come as no surprise that it prefers to be ridden on the more gravity-fed descents, but as 170mm travel bikes go it still retains a little bit of life for the mellower runs.

The Pro spec we received for our updated Ari Timp Peak was an absolute pleasure, with one of the most dialed spec lists in this year’s shootout. This is the area that Ari consistently excels in, and with a ride quality that’s also up there with the best of them, the Timp Peak continues to be an easy bike to recommend to the right riders.

FINISH AND VALUE | Ari is a brand that continues to deliver high levels of quality for the money, and the Timp Peak is no exception. At $7,999 and with an spec list that rivals some of the $10k bikes in this year’s group test, there’s only a couple of minor gripes that separate the Timp Peak from the upper echelons of quality. These are the aforementioned battery cover fitment; a lack of protection for the frame linkages, and the slightly less clean integration than the best of them. Certainly nothing that would prevent us from parting with our cash, but all points of note nonetheless.

The Wolf’s Last Word

Back in the mix for 2024 and still delivering a whole lot of bang for the buck, the Ari Timp Peak is an easy bike to recommend for just about any rider looking for an aggressive yet well-rounded electric mountain bike.

WHO’S IT FOR?

Riders looking for a playful long-travel eBike that’ll still hold its own when it gets gnarly are sure to enjoy the Ari Timp Peak. It wouldn’t be our pick for the longest epics due to that 635Wh battery, and there are bikes that’ll offer a faster or more muted ride in the gnarliest terrain, but it’s still a seriously capable and enjoyable bike. 

Price: $7,999
Weight: 51.2lbs
Website: Aribikes.com

SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR 2024 eMTB SHOOTOUT SPONSORS

Without their support, we would not be able to make this series possible.

FOX RACING

SCHWALBE TIRES

HOWLER BIKE PARK