MCLAREN EXTREME 250 REVIEW

BOLD DESIGN & BIG CLAIMS

When we were offered the chance to test and review Mclaren’s eBike, the Extreme, we were very open to the opportunity. As motorheads, it was thrilling to hear that a brand with such a reputation and history found our little sport worthy of their time, money and engineering efforts. Our crew was both excited and worried about what that bike was going to look like, as McLaren is not the first automobile company to try and capture sales in the bike industry when its trendiness seems to be peaking. At the time we’d not yet seen the press release, images or details of the bike, just silhouettes and enough to have us skeptically excited. Fast forward and we’ve now likely all see the press release, images and details of the McLaren Extreme eMTB line. While the bike boasts a ground-munching 161Nm of torque from a 3.6kg drive unit, it was pretty clear that they did not make an eMountain Bike for eMountain Bikers. Nevertheless, once our test bike arrived, we hit the trails as we always do, with open minds and a hope to have our opinions changed.

Check out our video review to see if it did just that.

ABOUT THE MCLAREN EXTREME 250

McLaren claims to have spent over 1,500 engineering hours crafting the fully carbon fiber frame. While we’d argue much about this frame isn’t in-tune with aggressive mountain biker’s desires, there is no denying that the bike’s lines, design elements, and other McLaren touches, are neat.

An integrated one-piece bar and stem combo hold a 1,550 lumen headlight and one-of-a-kind dash display that is very, supercar! The fully colored digital display screen displays a number of real-time info graphics, and will give supercar owners a comfortable feeling behind the bars.

Speaking of comfort however, whether it’s a bike brand or a supercar company, we are not fans of one-piece bar/stem combos as they do not allow riders to adjust the reach, roll or rise of the cockpit. While it’s undeniably impressive, a work of art even, we’re after practical performance, not talking points.

Then again, that’s ultimately what we believe this bike is more about than aggressive mountain biking. Which is totally fine! We know there are tons of people out there who do not engage in this sport the same way we do, and for those people, there’s no need to have 63-degree head tube angle, 170mm of travel or any of the other “must haves” some riders require. For those casual riders, car enthusiasts, and people who want to explore some paths, ride trails and then pedal over to the coffee shop aboard an eye-catching, conversation starting eMTB, then the McLaren Extreme and it’s incredibly powerful drive unit is worth considering, provided you’ve got $10,000 to spend.

While McLaren have not created a competitor in the eMountain Bike space, they will most certainly start a lot of conversations with this bike, and that’s never a bad thing as more riders means more growth for our sport. For the right consumer who’s looking to have a discussion piece, cruise around in “dip their feet in the dirt,” so to speak, this bike will certainly make you a popular person at the trailhead and coffee shop. If you’re wondering if McLaren is the first car company to make a mountain bike that will compete with mountain bike brands, the answer is no. 

Price: $10,950
Website: Mclarenbikes.com

TECH SPECS

POWER

250W mid-drive motor, 121Nm of torque with three power modes:

• • ECO – Energy conservation for long rides
  • TRAIL – A set-it-and-forget-it balance of power and efficiency
  • SPORT – Extra oomph for when the trail demands more

Class: Class 1
Maximum Assist Speed: 20MPH

BATTERY | 36V / 15AH / 540Wh

Frame: Carbon Fiber
Fork: RockShox Lyrik Rush RC, 160mm travel
Shock: RockShox RS Deluxe Select+, 145mm travel

Drivetrain: SRAM XX Eagle AXS Transmission, 12-speed, electronic shifting
Brakes: SRAM G2 RE 4-piston hydraulic, 200mm brake rotors F/R

Wheels: Carbon eMTB-specific wheelset, mixed wheel setup — 29″ front & 27.5″ rear
Tires: (f) Pirelli Scorpion Enduro M, 29×2.6″ | (r) Pirelli Scorpion Enduro R, 27.5×2.4″

Cockpit: Custom carbon fiber integrated bar and stem with integrated digital display

Paint: Custom McLaren design
Warranty: Two years comprehensive