Centurion No Pogo R Carbon 2026

I had never been to Sasbachwalden before. Not that the region lacks charm – I objectively find the Rhine Valley beautiful, a fantastic area for leisure cyclists. However, the town is not directly in the valley but halfway up, right on the western foothills of the Black Forest. From the hotel terrace, you can enjoy a magnificent panoramic view stretching all the way to the Vosges Mountains; with a bit of imagination and good weather, you can even spot the church tower of Strasbourg. However, I did not travel here for the fine panoramic view. No, the purpose of the exercise is the presentation of the new No Pogo R Carbon, Centurion's flagship model.

And at first glance, it makes a solid impression. Visually, the No Pogo has transformed over the last five years from a – let’s be honest – ugly duckling into a true swan. The clean lines, the visually appealing silhouette, and the generally burly appearance speak volumes: Centurion doesn’t need to hide behind larger manufacturers. The development team has done its homework; the bike is cleanly designed. Many solutions are familiar from other bikes, such as the classic four-bar linkage with a horizontal shock and progressive kinematics, which has been known since the last iteration. Once again, they’re relying on this tried-and-true setup. The geometry, unsurprisingly, is tuned for downhill performance, as is typical for all bikes in this category – meaning: slack & low. For those interested in the numbers, take a look at the geo charts.

Geometry

So, I hop onto the saddle of this beautiful beast and I'm not surprised. It looks high-end, feels high-end. The cost? 8,990 euros for the top model with a large battery – doesn't scare me.

For the price, you get a hefty package here, so listen up: The Bosch Performance CX delivers up to 100 Nm, the battery is available either with 800 watt-hours or 600, there's a display on it, and an additional remote is mounted on the handlebar. At the rear, a Fox Float X2 Factory takes care of the suspension, and at the front, a 38 Factory - both, of course, in gold, because we're not wimps, we're real hardcore shredders. Shifting - if necessary - is handled by XT Di2, and braking is managed with the TRP EVO Pro. An e-bike like it’s straight out of the book. By the way, the weight is said to be a slim 24 kilograms.

No Pogo R7000

This is largely thanks to the completely new carbon frame, which weighs just 2,795 grams – or so I was told; I didn’t weigh it myself. Anyway: This frame offers fully integrated cable routing, which is pleasing to the eye. Mechanics are less thrilled about it, but whatever. Does anyone even tinker with e-bikes?

Since the 24 kilos can really pick up speed on the descent, Centurion has widened the rear triangle for increased frame stiffness. Additionally, double-row ball bearings have been installed in the rear triangle for longer durability. Of course, all the bikes come with dropper posts; depending on the frame size, these are equipped with 150 to 230 mm of travel. Cool.

No Pogo R5000

The No Pogo is not the first e-bike I have ridden, and it will probably not be the last. What will certainly stay in my memory are the beautiful trails I rode with it. The bike does not require any special level of skill to ride. Whether you are 15 or 75, you really can't go wrong with the No Pogo.

The consistently executed integration, whether it's the Kiox display on the top tube, the rear lights on the rear triangle, or the battery cover, makes the bike look high-quality, while the geometry and ride behavior reinforce this impression. A solid bike.

The decision to focus more heavily on e-bikes and to let the rest of the lineup more or less fade into the history books is something I can understand purely from an economic standpoint. The e-bike market is booming, and people want them. Bread and circuses.

On the other hand, I don't think this No Pogo has even the slightest chance of achieving the legendary status of the first generation from 1996. How could it? The sport we then simply called mountain biking no longer exists in that form. Even in the mid-90s, the term encompassed a variety of disciplines—from cross-country to downhill to trials and many more.

The No Pogo is not a sports device but a leisure device, and that's okay. I just find it a shame that the development of the classic bicycle has been discontinued without replacement.