Propain Ekano 3 AL Enduro Reviewed

Options, options, options - Propain's Ekano is all about the possibilities of configuring your bike exactly the way you want it. With the new Ekano, that starts with choosing your intended use. The aluminium frame is identical (only the damper stroke changes), but you can choose between Enduro with 170 mm up front and 160 mm at the rear, or Trail with slightly less travel.
After that comes the choice between an Avinox M2 or M2S motor, plus a fixed 600 or 800 Wh battery.
Only then do you get to the familiar menu of component choices - a system you simply can't help but love. Depending on intended use, the component options differ between Trail and Enduro, meaning the Ekano Trail can be specced up more affordably.
Propain has stayed true to itself with the suspension system - it's still relying on the Pro10 system with a virtual pivot point.

Let's start with the real reason we buy a bike in the first place - the paint job. Joking aside: the Funky Oyster colourway (one of three available) on our test bike is genuinely eye-catching. Classy, striking, simply gorgeous - however you want to describe its shift between conventional grey and shimmering purple, it drew positive comments more than once, even mid-trail from complete strangers.

It's welcome that the display's tracking function isn't hidden behind a paywall, and that the higher-spec display with its very well-functioning touch interface only requires a SIM card. As someone with a paranoid streak about theft, that's an absolute plus point I'd activate immediately.

Propain doesn't offer any detailed help online for suspension setup, beyond the note in the manual that shock sag should be between 20 and 30%. The website generally suggests a range between 25 and 30%. When we asked directly, Propain recommends 30% sag for the Ekano AL Enduro, depending on rider weight, skill level and riding style.

One side effect of the high average leverage ratio shows up in the air pressure needed in the shock chamber. The figure I have to run on the Ekano 3 is considerably higher than what I've been used to on nearly every other bike for a long time. A bit of digging turns up reports suggesting heavier riders could hit the limits of maximum air pressure on Fox shocks - a point worth keeping in mind when ordering.
In general, a shock's seals and bearings are under more stress at high air pressure, even though shock quality has improved significantly over recent decades - especially in terms of longevity. In Propain's system's favour, there's neither a yoke nor a trunnion mount, meaning lower lateral forces on the shock, which should support longer service life. Why such a high leverage ratio was chosen for the Ekano 3 at all - one that brings more negative than positive traits and has actually been avoided by most frame builders for decades - remains an open question; space constraints could be one explanation.
Partly for that reason, the Ekano 3's suspension isn't the easiest to dial in. I had the feeling that depending on how much or how little air ended up in the negative chamber of the Vivid air shock after pumping up, sag varied slightly, meaning it doesn't always correlate perfectly with the set air pressure - making setup a bit tricky.

The charging port sits above the motor under a protective cap and did its job without any issues during the test period - no rattling, no dirt ingress.

Thanks to the steep 78-degree seat angle, the pedalling position is pleasantly efficient. At just under 25.5 kg without pedals, the Ekano 3 with its sturdy enduro spec is no lightweight. On the climbs, though, you can more or less forget about that thanks to motor assistance - it doesn't really stand out as an issue, unless you have to push the bike up a steep bank where even the simple-to-activate and powerful Walk mode no longer helps, or a large fallen tree blocks the path and the bike has to be carried.
Overall, the Ekano is a very competent climber. The long chainstays help maintain traction even on steep terrain. The grippy tyres dig in reliably. Even technical, black-graded, climbing-specific routes are handled by the Ekano without issue; of course the extremely strong, yet always easy to modulate Avinox motor helps out in tricky sections.
With 30% sag and around 100% anti-squat in the sag range, letting the suspension work unimpeded, the bike can be pedalled effortlessly along even rough trails, munching through bumps with ease and high sensitivity. Naturally, the chassis reacts a bit firmer with less sag.

Since the Ekano was my first encounter with an Avinox system (finally), a few comments about the often-hyped M2S come to mind. For instance: believe the hype. In my opinion, the Avinox M2S is the most complete full-power motor system currently available on the market. And not necessarily because it's the strongest relevant motor out there. Rather, it's the control, sensitivity and power delivery that make the Avinox one of the most pleasant systems to ride, full stop - no matter which mode you're in.

Compared with certain rivals, the M2S doesn't kick the pedal unless your foot is actually resting on it. Even on steep climbs you can get going without the rear wheel spinning wildly, and setting the bike down on the ground is no problem either. You also don't need to worry about overrun catapulting you off a cliff edge from a mistimed pedal stroke. Long story short: the Avinox can deliver more power than its rivals, yet remains brilliantly controllable in every mode.
I mainly used Turbo mode in genuinely technical, loose or extremely steep sections where momentum was needed, or when trying to fit in as many runs as possible in a short time. Naturally the motor drains the battery pretty heavily in this setting; in the weaker modes, which can compete with the strongest modes of other motors, power consumption is similar.
I used Boost mode, which unlocks the maximum torque, only sparingly in technically critical sections - but there it proved very helpful, carrying me over tricky spots with momentum.
Otherwise I was very taken with Auto mode both for climbing and in general, since it delivers quite a range and feels extremely natural without making the bike feel like a limp sack.
The latter is roughly how I'd describe Eco mode, which I've more than once used to limp home after being a bit too optimistic about the remaining distance. That said, the system fortunately keeps running for quite a while even once the remaining charge indicator hits zero percent.
Without motor assistance, incidentally, the Ekano in our spec rides like dragging an anchor through deep mud. The Schwalbe tyre combo delivers masses of grip, but they'd almost certainly not win any prizes in a rolling resistance test. The bike's high overall weight adds to that.

For the battery, Propain lets you choose between a 600 and an 800 Wh model, though sadly without a quick-swap feature. The battery is therefore fully integrated and can only be charged as part of the whole bike.

If you choose Avinox's 12-A fast charger, topping up over your lunch break is a genuine option - the charging times are a game changer. The fact that Propain throws in a small discount on DJI power stations helps; still, the price of such an energy source needs to be stomached first.

In theory, the derailleur should be fed with a cable from the Avinox system and, with SmoothShift, make gear changes butter-smooth - including shifting without pedalling - but unfortunately the matching cable wasn't available at the time of testing.

For quite some time now, Propain has managed to make you feel at home on their bikes within minutes, thanks to intuitive handling. Less experienced riders benefit from this too. That formula seems to hold true for the Ekano 3 as well: hop on, ride off, have fun.

Propain has fitted the Ekano with swappable dropouts, which in my opinion is one of the finest adjustment features you can give a bike nowadays. Tastes differ, and there's no right or wrong when it comes to chainstay length. Short (though at 447 mm that's probably more middle-of-the-road) for higher agility, but also more load on the rear wheel - long for more directional stability and better front/rear balance. Five millimetres of difference isn't the world, but every millimetre counts.
For some time now, a high front/rear balance has been very important to me, which is why after the very first corner with the longer dropout setting and 452 mm chainstay length, I already felt completely at home. The size-M frame with its 450 mm reach gets loaded up with plenty of front-wheel pressure as a result, letting you carve through corners with very high control and confidence in the chassis.
I wouldn't mind if Propain offered even longer options still - especially the larger frame sizes, where the front/rear balance shifts further, could benefit from that.

A slack 63.5-degree head angle (which, thanks to the headset's ZS56/ZS56 fitting standard, could even be adjusted afterwards using angle-adjust headsets) delivers stability at speed. A low top tube provides freedom of movement.

The bottom bracket is extremely low, measuring 332 mm in height with Schwalbe tyres fitted. Not too long ago, on another bike with a different motor system and longer cranks, I had comparatively big problems with an almost identical bottom bracket height. Thanks to the very compact shape of the motor and the short 155 mm cranks, though, interestingly I had almost no problems with premature pedal strikes on obstacles - even so, pedal strokes need to be well-timed in technical sections to avoid the odd clip.
The positive side effect of the low bottom bracket is a very low centre of gravity in corners, which earns the bike comparisons to "riding on rails".

One of the most tiresome topics when reviewing a Propain bike has been, and remains, seat tube length. By today's standards, a difference of only 20 mm (25 mm on the S) between reach and seat tube length isn't exactly thrilling. In the Ekano's case, this seems to be partly down to the design of the lower link. Viewed from the side, it looks like a continuous seat tube, but from the rear you can see it narrows to roughly half the seat tube's width in the lower section, to give the link more lateral clearance towards the chain. The insertion depth of the seat tube shrinks accordingly.
Given that, the fact there's also a small kink in the seat tube at the point where it narrows is more or less beside the point.
The armchair engineer in me - or, as a friend of mine would say, the "pretengineer" - believes that with a bit of tinkering the lower link could have been placed further outboard and the seat tube built without a kink, but at this point that's pure speculation without knowing what tolerances Propain was targeting.

What I'm actually getting at is that I would really have preferred to test the size-L bike with its 475 mm reach, but the long seat tube would have been too big a compromise in handling for me, since I'd only have been able to run a dropper post drop of around 150 mm.
The bigger puzzle, though, is that when we asked, Propain confirmed the insertion depths of the seatposts they'd communicated for the frame should be correct. For the size-M frame that would be 210 mm. With that figure, according to Propain, the RockShox Reverb with 175 mm of drop shouldn't be able to sink fully into the frame - by the numbers, around 55 mm should stick out of the frame, which would then no longer be even remotely compatible with my inseam.
On my test bike, however, I could push the RockShox Reverb all the way in to the stop, and on the size-M model I had exactly the full 175 mm of drop available to me, which would be a good figure - even if anyone who has ever ridden more than 200 mm of drop might see even this setting as something of a compromise, as I do. The fact is, if the Reverb 175 really did stick out 55 mm from the frame, I'd have to run a post with only 150 mm of drop even on the size-M frame, which would be questionable for an enduro bike these days - especially since our test bike proves that even Propain's own design allows for more insertion depth. Freedom of movement would be severely restricted and the whole review would leave a bitter aftertaste.

In reality, incidentally, the seat tubes are around 5 mm longer still, since the sealing lip of the seat clamp (a very cool feature for keeping dirt and moisture out of the frame) adds a bit more to the overall height.
So if you're a shorter rider who likes to size up to longer frames, or simply wants to make the most of the longest possible drops on telescopic posts, you might hit your limits with Propain - so it's worth thinking carefully about whether the bike meets your personal requirements in this respect. Put another way: only taller riders who like a comparatively short reach are likely to have nothing to complain about here.

The suspension is based on Propain's PRO10 system with a virtual pivot point. In the case of the Ekano 3, at the recommended 30% sag the suspension reacts extremely sensitively from the start of the travel right through into the mid-stroke. Accordingly, the rear suspension gobbles up obstacles of all kinds, tracking confidently and precisely down trails littered with boulders and staying planted on every surface.
Where the Ekano 3 runs into trouble with this setting is on very hard hits. Even at the highest high-speed compression setting on the RockShox Vivid shock, the chassis tends towards bottoming out on harder landings and even strong compressions, quite apart from the fact that the highest setting also creates a somewhat harsh side effect towards the end of the travel. Looking at the shape of the leverage ratio curve, and its high average leverage ratio, offers a possible explanation. The curve stays in a high leverage ratio right up to the mid-stroke and only then dives sharply to build up more counter-pressure.
Accordingly, the shock only gets the chance to shed speed quite late. The Vivid shock's Linear-XL feature, which mimics the behaviour of a steel spring, probably doesn't help matters in this case. What does help a great deal, though, and what protects the shock from excessive bottoming out, is the ABO feature (Adjustable Bottom Out). The adjuster screw on the Ekano is very well hidden and not easy to reach (though the rebound knob is removable and can be used as a tool for it), but it very effectively alters compression damping within the last 20% of the travel and helps give the Ekano 3 a more harmonious spring curve. Fully closed, it becomes very hard to reach full bottom-out; one click back from fully closed is a very good compromise.
Then it's time to let go of the brakes and aim straight at the boulders - the rear wheel is then hard to knock out of shape.

At 25% sag, especially at slower speeds, you sacrifice some of that plush suspension feel in the first half of the travel, but bottom-out potential increases in return.

Given the overall weight, I wouldn't call the Ekano 3 particularly poppy, though it's willing enough for deliberate pops off jumps.
That said, you don't need to be constantly zig-zagging through extreme terrain to enjoy what the Ekano has to offer. Even the enduro version of the Ekano is a great companion on long tours and, generally speaking, a very competent all-rounder. The bike accompanied me on several rides in high-alpine terrain and in the remote backcountry of a few renowned areas in France and Italy, showing its best side there and never feeling out of place despite its extra travel.

With every percent of sag, or a few PSI change in the shock, the character of the rear suspension shifts, so with a bit of experimentation you should be able to find your own sweet spot between 30 and 25%.
My favourite was 28% sag, with high-speed compression in the middle setting and ABO one click below the firmest setting.

With all this talk about the rear suspension, we shouldn't forget the latest version of the RockShox Zeb Ultimate. The fork is quick to set up (the recommended air pressure works fine as a starting point) and its performance is beyond doubt. Extremely sensitive, buttery-smooth in its response and across its entire suspension action, and as a result seriously comfortable in how it absorbs hits. The Linearizer XL genuinely gives the fork much lower progression than was the case with its predecessors.
As a result, the travel is very usable even at the lowest bottom-out setting, and although it can regularly be used in full, I can't recall a single instance of feeling a harsh bottom-out. With a higher setting, it's hard to get the fork to the end of its travel even riding at your hardest. After hundreds of very dusty kilometres, no deterioration in performance could be detected. The new Zeb has quickly become one of my favourite forks - it just could stand to be a bit lighter.

When it comes to overall weight and handling, the Ekano AL is a bit of a puzzle to me anyway. Most of the time you don't waste a single thought on the fact that the build, with pedals, weighs just under 26 kg. The bike presses easily into corners and reacts willingly to weight shifts or steering inputs. It's only when you really spur the bike on that the high overall weight makes itself felt. The mass wants scrubbing off speed first. That said, the Ekano doesn't push as much on the way into tight corners - even on very steep trails - as I'm used to from other bikes in this weight class. My guess is that a considerable chunk of the extra weight is hiding in the wheels. If the weight, for example, were concentrated only in the battery - which, despite its size, has a fairly high energy density at 800 Wh - a negative effect on handling from a high centre of mass would likely be more pronounced.

Naturally, bunny hops over cross-ruts are still painful, and the height I can get the bike off the ground can only be described as pathetic. Even shifting the rear wheel sideways takes some real effort - in that case it's presumably again the wheels, or rather the Schwalbe tyres with their heavy Gravity carcass, making life difficult. On the plus side, puncture resistance goes up with a tubeless setup - everyone has to weigh the pros and cons for themselves.
Our test bike, incidentally, was delivered with inner tubes fitted, so around 200 g could easily be saved there.

The Crankbrothers Synthesis Alloy 2.0 wheelset isn't among the lightest either; even so, in terms of ride feel and durability they remain among my absolute favourites. I've ridden various sets on my personal bikes for years and have never once had to true them (which actually seems almost impossible), despite never having gone easy on them. That experience was confirmed again during the test period - the wheels remained completely unfazed, and although I could hear hard rock contact several times, no dents turned up in the rims.

The OneUp V2 handlebar is my favourite bar, and so far the only one where I can actually notice vibration damping. My hands, on the other hand, never quite got along with the Sixpack grips. The brand-new Sixpack Evo Rail Ultra is a fine saddle companion, which we've taken a closer look at separately.

The motor cover is minimal, and the entire down tube has to make do without additional plastic protection. A large part of the down tube is covered with a clear RideWrap protective film (a great feature), but it's no match for larger stones thrown up - something I regularly encountered on the trails I rode - or rather, it's exactly the section in front of the motor that's left unprotected. The sound of fairly deep gouges being added to the frame's aluminium made my heart bleed every single time.

I can appreciate that the look of the headset-integrated cable routing is very clean. Unfortunately, our test bike came fitted with the 50 mm-long version of the Sixpack Millenium ICR stem. When I tried simply swapping in a shorter version from my own stash, the dependency on this proprietary system became clear. Besides special spacers, there's a dedicated seal built in at the front between stem and headset, which contributes to the system's longevity. However, because of a headset lip that sits around 5 mm higher than usual, no conventional spacer or stem can be fitted. For a moment I toyed with the idea of cutting a notch out of a standard spacer. The effort involved, plus the side effect of leaving part of the headset exposed to dirt and water afterwards, made me give up on that idea.
So I had to make do with the longer stem and the unwanted feeling of altered balance when initiating a turn, along with a somewhat more indirect steering feel. The longer the stem, the more the bike seems to want to tip in more strongly during steering input. Especially at speed through tighter corners, I couldn't - and didn't want to - fully get used to that feeling throughout the entire test period.
Fortunately, you can also choose a shorter stem length with ICR when ordering (the 35 mm version), or better yet, have a conventional stem fitted from the start - the frame can also route cables in through the side.

Speaking of cables: even though on our electronics-laden bike only a single cable runs into the frame's interior, at least that cable produced absolutely no rattling. In fact, the Ekano is very quiet even through brutal, chattery sections - the soft chainstay protector covers a large area both above and below, and unlike what's been reported about its predecessor, no rattling could be heard from the Avinox M2S motor throughout the long test period either.

As mentioned several times already, the Gravity tyres are heavy, but the combination of the latest-generation Radial tyres, Magic Mary up front and Tacky Chan at the rear, is among the grippiest tyre pairings on the market. With a Super Soft compound at the front and Soft at the rear, the range of conditions in which this combo delivers reliable grip is enormous. Only on loose-over-hardpack does the Magic Mary still fail to make my list of favourites, though I can only report the odd slip, and in situations where most other tyres probably wouldn't have fared much better either.

Given its intended use and spec, it's hard to shave off much weight. Choosing the smaller battery would save almost 900 g; but given that the battery can't simply be swapped, you'd then be permanently limited in range. Anyone mainly doing after-work loops, though, should seriously consider it - the handling will reward you for it.

With the Avinox M2S, the Ekano 3 AL in our test configuration is superbly set up on the motor front. Compared directly with other full-power systems, the drive unit feels not just stronger, but above all more composed - in every single mode.
Add to that handling that's remarkably intuitive for a 25-plus-kilo aluminium enduro - the bike presses willingly into corners, reacts quickly to weight shifts, and builds speed on a fast descent as if it had simply forgotten its own weight. That Schwalbe's Gravity combo delivers unshakeable grip and the bombproof Crankbrothers wheels inspire confidence is the icing on an already convincing overall package.
Where the Ekano does have to give up a bit of ground, on closer inspection, is in the frame details. The seat tube construction, with its shallow insertion depth (assuming the figures Propain communicated are correct - our test bike actually offered far more usable insertion depth) combined with the seat tube length, could be a genuine drawback for ambitious riders who want maximum freedom of movement with long dropper posts, depending on their height. Anyone torn between frame sizes will likely hit limits here fairly quickly.

The rear suspension, with its high leverage ratio, is a story of its own: the Pro10 system swallows everything in its path through the first half of the travel, but on hard landings and fast compressions the rear suspension tends towards bottoming out, unless you're willing to sacrifice comfort at lower speeds in favour of less sag. On our test bike, the Vivid shock's bottom-out feature helped a lot in this regard, so the rear suspension could behave somewhat differently depending on which shock is chosen.

Despite these minor rough edges, the overall impression of the Ekano 3 AL Enduro remains more than convincing, scoring particularly well thanks to its configurator and fair entry price. More importantly still: the Ekano 3 is simply great fun to ride, feeling just as at home in high-alpine terrain as on your local enduro track.
That said, if I really did have to run a dropper post with only 150 mm of drop on a frame with 450 mm of reach, my enjoyment throughout this entire review would have been seriously dampened.
It's not a playful jib bike, and it's no lightweight either, but as a robust, powerful all-rounder with a high fun factor and arguably the best drive system currently on the market, it's a serious alternative for anyone who values riding fun over chasing grams.