Similarly, to their carbon cousins, the full aluminium eONE-SIXTY and eONE-FORTY models also share the same frame but differ a lot in terms of riding character. The difference between the two bikes is that the shock stroke on the eONE-FORTY is shorter. That reduces the rear travel to 133 mm instead of 150 mm which the eONE-SIXTY offers. On top of that, the shorter 140 mm travel fork extends the reach of the eONE-FORTY in comparison to the eONE-SIXTY which is equipped with a 160 mm fork. That’s the reason why the eONE-FORTY has different sizing compared to eONE-SIXTY. A frame with a 44 cm seat tube length, for example, is a size L in the eONE-FORTY, but at the eONE-SIXTY, it is a size M. We believe that a bike with less travel should be more agile and playful than one with more travel, and the reach has a significant influence on that.
Compared to the eONE-SIXTY, the seat angle at the eONE-FORTY is almost one degree steeper, and the front is lower because of the shorter travel fork and the lower head tube. This puts more weight on the front of the bike and gives the eONE-FORTY better climbing performance as the front wheel rises later than at the eONE-SIXTY. Also, due to the shorterfork, the head angle is almost one degree steeper making the bike feel less wobbly at lower speeds. Again, a positive attribute for uphills.
Another big difference compared to the eONE-SIXTY is that the stand over height is lower. The reason for that is the lesser travel, lower head tube and lower bottom bracket height. Especially for beginners, the lower stand over height gives a lot of confidence.
So, to summarise, the all-aluminium eONE-FORTY is the more climbing and all-day ride focused bike, which is also slightly more agile on twisty tracks. On the other hand, the all-aluminium eONE-SIXTY is super capable at speed and on demanding tracks and trails. While still a super capable climber and fun-packed ride, it has a slightly more downhill focused set-up and geometry. The choice is yours.