ONE BIKE, TWO PERSONALITIES
The Propain Ekano 3 AL is offered in trail or enduro guises, catering to different rider preferences and goals. Using the Propain Bike Configurator, the customer is able to tailor the spec of the bike to their exacting preferences, including choosing the wheel size and suspension travel.
The Trail Tamer – Ekano 3 AL Trail
- 29” or MIX Wheels
- 150mm R / 160mm F
In its trail guise, the Ekano 3 AL is targeted at riders looking to cover ground and adventure, or offer a more dynamic and engaging ride for mellower terrain.
It provides strong agility and efficiency, giving a lighter and more playful overall feeling.
The Enduro Enthusiast – Ekano 3 AL Enduro
- MIX Wheels Only
- 160mm R / 170mm F
In the enduro guise, the Ekano 3 AL receives a boost of capability to cater to the more aggressive enduro rider. Fast up and down the hill, the Ekano 3 AL Enduro is a capable bike for all terrain.
It supports more aggressive descending, with more reserves for bigger hits and confidence on steep and rough trails.
FULL POWER
The Avinox M2 and M2S drive unit options are both category-defining in the full-power eBike space, and Propain lets you choose between these at the point of purchase.
- AVINOX M2 | With the Avinox M2 delivering 125Nm (in BOOST) and 1100W for its 2.65kg (5.84lbs) motor, it’s a serious powertrain for riders looking to keep the price of their Ekano 3 AL down.
- AVINOX M2S | For those who demand the best, the Avinox M2S is more refined, and delivers a whopping 150Nm (in BOOST) and 1300W for its 2.59kg (5.71lbs) weight.
FULL BATTERY, OR LIGHTER WEIGHT
Propain’s Bike Configurator allows riders to choose between a 600Wh or 800Wh fully integrated battery to supply their Avinox M2 or M2S drive units with the necessary energy. The 800Wh battery weighs 3.74kg (8.25lbs) and is the obvious choice for riders looking to go further or to regularly enjoy the full capabilities of their powerful Avinox drive unit. For more weight-conscious riders looking to obtain the most dynamic handling package, the 2.87kg (6.33lbs) 600Wh battery saves a reasonable chunk of weight.
The Ekano 3 AL can be purchased with either a 4A or 12A charger. The 4A is the more economical choice, while the 12A gives incredible fast-charging capabilities, replenishing the 600Wh or 800Wh battery fully in just over 2 hours.
DISPLAY YOUR WAY
The Propain Ekano 3 AL can be equipped with the rider’s choice of Avinox displays, with the new more affordable DPC-100 display or original DP-100 Flat display. Both display options have the same 2-inch touchscreen, with a 326ppi resolution and 800 nits max brightness.
The DPC-100 loses the 4G functionality and ambient light sensing of the DP-100, and the charge port only outputs 10W. The premium DP-100 Flat display gains 4G, ambient light sensing and a 65W smart USB-C interface for charging gadgets on the move. What the new DPC-100 display gains over the premium display is Apple Find My, allowing riders to easily keep track of their eBike.
CLEAN OR CONVENIENT CABLES
Propain gives riders the option between the ICR through-headset cable routing, or using the conventional cable routing through the ports in the side of the head tube. This gives riders the option for the more sleek look of headset-routed cables, or the easier maintenance of the conventional cable routing.
DROPOUT, DROP IN
The Ekano 3 AL features a replaceable dropout, giving geometry and wheel size tuning possibilities. With a 27.5” rear wheel for the MIX setup, riders can tune the chainstay length by 5mm between a short and long position. Or on the Trail setup, the dropout can be used to convert between a MIX and 29” wheel setup.
PROPAIN EKANO 3 AL GEOMETRY
The Ekano 3 AL Trail and Enduro geometry differs slightly on paper due to the longer fork fitted to the Enduro spec, with a 0.4° slacker head tube and seat tube angle, 3mm BB height increase and 4mm reach reduction on the Enduro model. On the trail, this difference increases due to the deeper sag of the longer-travel guise. Regardless of the model selected, the geometry is balanced and fairly aggressive, with a relatively slack head tube angle and mid-to-long rear end. On trail, this delivered great poise and confidence.
FRAME DETAILS
Propain has given the Ekano 3 AL’s Blend Alloy frame all of the premium features that you would expect, plus some extras.
Propain revised the lower link and general frame design to boost integration. The new motor cover gives a sleek look while protecting the Avinox M2 or M2S drive unit during aggressive riding.
Propain gives the Ekano 3 AL a tool mount to bolt on accessories easily. Their Dirt Shield bearing protectors are used to shield the pivot bearings from water and dirt, prolonging their wear life.
The complete Propain Ekano 3 AL builds meet ASTM Category 4, covering trail and enduro usage. The frame was build and tested to meet ASTM Category 5 for gravity riding, giving peace of mind when pushing the limits.
PROPAIN EKANO 3 AL SPECS AND PRICING
The base price for the Propain Ekano 3 AL in its Trail version is $5,599, while the enduro is slightly more expensive at $5,799.
With the Propain Bike Configurator, the customer is able to fully customize the build spec to their preferences. From the choice of drive unit and battery size to the components throughout the build, it ensures riders are provided with their ideal balance of price and quality. Not only can components be selected, but a choice of three colors is available for each version of the Ekano, and graphics and the headtube badge can be chosen beyond this.
The Propain Bike Configurator is a system that customers are sure to appreciate, giving every Propain bike the special touch.
THE WOLF’S FIRST IMPRESSION
Between Molini, Italy, and Santa Cruz, California, I have spent quite a bit of time riding the Propain Ekano in three different build specs so far. With a RockShox-equipped trail build, and Fox and Ohlins-equipped Enduro builds, it has been a fun opportunity to see where the builds differ and align. Personally, I would choose either of the Enduro builds if I were purchasing this eBike, as a descending-biased rider favoring longer travel e-bikes. But for those looking for a lighter, more agile and more efficient eMTB, the Trail offering is likely to please.
Testing the Ekano 3 AL with the DT Swiss Degrees of Freedom hubs, the performance benefits of the hub really shone and helped to alleviate some of the natural tendencies of that PRO10 suspension to feel a little bit stiffer over rough, chattery terrain. This same stiffness gives the PRO10 its peppy, lively feel that many riders enjoy, but through the larger braking bumps in Santa Cruz and rock gardens around Bend, Oregon, the spikes of energy through the bike can be tiresome at times. The 10-degree setting on the DT Swiss DF hub allowed the rear shock to work more freely, improving comfort and calmness.
CLIMBING | The power of the Avinox drive unit is undeniable, but as exciting as it may be, the Avinox M2S is thirsty in its full power mode. So far, the level of control has been solid, but we plan on seeking out more technical climbs to see how usable its power truly is. We will likely continue to de-tune the lower power modes to increase the range of the Avinox system for longer days in the saddle.
Seated comfort was solid, avoiding being overly stiff and abusive on the longer days. It provided a nice bit of platform for when you really want to get on the pedals and hammer, keeping the pedals in check and the chassis stable on the climbs. It does a good job of managing all that torque and power, letting you deliver it to the ground effectively through the rear tire and maintaining a well centered climbing position.
DESCENDING | Regardless of the build spec tested, the Ekano 3 AL gave a fairly planted ride, but it felt especially plush and plow-friendly in the Fox Podium-equipped Enduro setup. Some further tuning with volume and air pressures is required to see if we can get this bike to feel a little bit more lively, as while it will get off the ground alright, it sits more on the smoother and muted end of the e-bike spectrum. For the riders that want a stable, planted and plush enduro e-bike, you are likely going to enjoy the confidence and the stability on offer, especially when using the DT Swiss DF hub or a similar pedal feedback reduction system. The bikes ran dialled overall, staying quiet on the descents and giving an impressive level of confidence.
Value is a very subjective term, but we think Propain have done a good job of speccing this bike and getting an MSRP that is competitive. With their bike configurator, the customer gets the freedom to choose where their investment goes, which is a great system to have. Overall, for an Avinox-equipped eMTB that is ready to charge hard or play, the Propain Ekano 3 AL is a pretty solid option so far. We’re excited to put it up against the competitors in our upcoming eMTB Shootout, so keep your eyes peeled for that.
