Denago EXC2 EMTB Review, 2024

Intro

An eMTB is a particular sort of e-bike. Whereas it’s possible to find a fat tire e-bike that is great for offroad riding, commuting and even running errands, the better an eMTB is at taking on rough terrain, the worse it is at everything else. Compounding this is the fact that, as a category, eMTBs are the most expensive e-bikes on the market. In our review of the Denago EXC2 we will look at how Denago created an affordable eMTB that is up to the task of riding offroad.

The Denago EXC2 is Denago’s second eMTB model. It answers the question, “How affordable can you make an eMTB without undercutting its off-road abilities.” As it turns out, an e-bike maker can offer a package of remarkable value at not much more than $3000, which is less than many non-motorized mountain bikes.

With a 250W brushless, geared, mid-drive Bafang motor and a 672Wh battery, the Denago EXC2 gives riders the power necessary to ride challenging terrain with enough range so that riders need not fear they’ll get stranded in the middle of nowhere.

To perform capably offroad, there are some touches that an eMTB can’t skip. An eMTB needs front suspension in order to handle bumpy terrain. It also needs enough gears spaced over a wide-enough range that a rider can handle steep uphills. And the need for hydraulic disc brakes really can’t be overstated. The Denago EXC2 gets all this right, and more.

Let’s take a look at what makes the Denago EXC2 a solid value for someone looking for their first eMTB.

E-Bike Category: eMTB

Who the Denago EXC2 Electric Bike Is for:

shoppers looking for their first eMTB and want an e-bike that can handle offroad riding more strenuous than other e-bikes can handle.

Denago EXC2 E-Bike Specs

• Battery: 672Wh
• Expected Range: N/A
• Charger: 3A
• Motor: 250W geared mid-drive motor, 95Nm torque
• Pedal Assist: 5 PAS levels
• Throttle: N/A
• Display: Bafang LCD
• Headlight: N/A
• Taillight: N/A
• Frame: 6061 Aluminum
• Fork: 6061 Aluminum100mm-travel SR Suntour suspension fork
• Fenders: N/A
• Kickstand: N/A
• Handlebars: Alloy, 740mm wide (medium),. 780mm wide (large and XL)
• Grips: Rubber, lock-on
• Drivetrain: 9-speed Shimano Alivio, 11-36t cassette
• Brakes: Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, 180mm rotor, motor cutoff switch
• Pedals: alloy, with reflectors
• Saddle: Denago
• Tires: Maxxis Rekon Race, 29 x 2.4-in.

In-Depth Denago EXC2 Review

Denago EXC2 Review: Comfort, Handling, and Ride Qualities

To talk about comfort with the Denago EXC2 is to miss the point in a way. Yes, the EXC2 has big 29 x 2.4-in.-wide tires and a 100mm-travel suspension fork. Those features are aimed at rider control less than comfort.

Riding on a technical singletrack trail can require a lot of dynamic activity from the rider. Even with a motor, the uphills are still challenging and the degree to which a rider is bumped around by sticks, rocks and ruts depends on the suspension and tires. And in order for a rider to feel well-balanced on the e-bike, purchasing an appropriate size is important. The Denago EXC2 comes in three sizes—M, L and XL.

The three sizes are distinctly different; the M has a reach (distance from the saddle to the handlebar) of 17.5 in., the L has a reach of 18.1 in. while the XL is 19 in. Denago suggests that riders as small as 5 feet 7 inches can ride the M, while riders as tall as 6 feet 5 can ride the XL. We are often a bit suspicious of the ranges that e-bike companies give for possible rider heights on their e-bikes; Denago seems pretty on-the-mark with these recommendations.

While it may seem like a small feature, the 29-in. wheels on which the Denago eXC2 are notable. Larger wheels roll over rocks, branches and other obstacles more easily than smaller wheel sizes. The decision to go with 29 rather than 27.5 or 26 helps to give this e-bike even more credibility. Riding offroad goes better with bigger wheels.

We’re not going to drag you in the weeds with us, but looking at the geometry for the Denago EXC2 we can say that this e-bike really does have the design of an eMTB. It will offer stable riding on fast downhills, balances the rider’s weight between the front and rear wheels, and will turn with the sort of agility needed on narrow and twisty trails.

One notable feature of the Denago EXC2 that would be easy to miss is their decision to give it a dropper seatpost. Allow us to explain. On a steep downhill a rider needs to get their weight down so that they don’t go over the handlebar. With a dropper seatpost, a rider can depress a lever (usually near the left-hand grip) and with their weight, cause the seatpost to drop down. That makes negotiating a steep downhill significantly easier. Once the downhill is over, the rider can press the lever and as long as they are standing on the pedals, the seat will rise back to its previous position. We never see dropper posts on budget-minded eMTBs, so this was a really nice addition.

Denago EXC2 Review: Motor, Battery, and Drivetrain Performance

With most e-bikes, every feature is negotiable. With eMTBs some can’t. Two of the least flexible are the motor and the drivetrain. We’ll start with the motor.

Because mountain biking can be dynamic, that is, a rider may need to get on the power at the foot of a hill or coming out of a turn. The delay common to e-bikes with hub motors and cadence sensors can be too long and the motor needs to be responsive to the rider’s effort; if the rider eases up on their pedal stroke, the motor can’t still be going 100 percent a second later, so an eMTB needs a mid-drive motor with a torque sensor so that power is instant and never delayed and the rider can vary speed with how hard they are pedaling

By spec’ing a 250W mid-drive motor, Denago was able to go with a motor that was lighter and yet wasn’t underpowered. Some readers may wonder why we can say that a 250W motor isn’t underpowered. That’s because mid-drive motors take advantage of the drivetrain and the way gears multiply effort. The Bafang motor produces 95Nm of torque, which is enough muscle to handle steep hills, so long as the rider uses the low gears for climbing.

Shoppers may be surprised to find that this is a Class 1 e-bike, meaning it has a top assist speed of 20 mph and no throttle? There are reasons why this is the case. First is that e-bikes are not permitted on many trail systems. When they are permitted, to our knowledge, only Class 1 e-bikes are allowed. And if 20 mph seems slow for having fun offroad, most singletrack trails are windy enough that it’s hard to go a full 20 mph.

Denago doesn’t give an estimated range for the 672Wh battery the EXC2 is equipped with. While that will frustrate the person considering this e-bike, the more extreme the terrain, the harder it becomes to estimate range. With that caveat, it is safe to say that a rider should enjoy hours of riding without fear of completely draining the battery. Set to a low PAS, a rider could be out most of the day.

For e-bikes with mid-drive motors, the drivetrain matters more than those with hub motors. That’s because the gears available to the rider determine how hard the motor will have to work. Even producing 95Nm of torque, this motor has its limits, so the 9-speed Shimano Alivio drivetrain gives a broader range of gears than we usually see, thanks to its 11-36 cassette. The under-the-bar trigger shifter makes shifting quicker and more secure.

Denago EXC2 Review: Braking, Safety & Warranty

For offroad riding, hydraulic disc brakes are the industry standard, and for most mountain bikes, 180mm rotors are standard as well. As the cost of eMTBs rises, they shift from 2-piston brakes to more powerful (and expensive) 4-piston disc brakes. For this sort of riding, riders are generally less concerned with stopping on a dime than having the ability to scrub speed ahead of turns.

With eMTBs, our concerns for safety run toward having an e-bike that will allow a rider to ride trains without getting into trouble. The decision to spec a popular mountain bike tire known to offer great performance as well as the choice to add a dropper post both point to this being a much smarter eMTB for the money than we usually see.

Denago’s warranty is a hair better than what we often see. They offer a lifetime warranty on the frame and one year on everything else, including the electronics.

Denago EXC2 Review: Recommendation/Final Verdict

There are a few of us on staff between our two publications (Best Electric Bikes and Electric Bike Report) who ride both mountain bikes and eMTBs. We know what the features are on the better bikes and e-bikes and we see where other e-bikes fall short.

The Denago eXC2 does a remarkable job of managing to be as affordable as possible while not sacrificing key features that are crucial to successful offroad riding. The mid-drive motor, 9-speed drivetrain with a 300+ percent range, suspension fork and last, but certainly not least, the dropper post. To try to frame just how important a dropper post is to get safely down a steep descent, let me try to frame it this way: Imagine buying an SUV and the back hatch is welded shut. Limits its usefulness, huh?

We love that they included a popular MTB tire known for good performance. The miss is that they didn’t spec tubeless-compatible rims so that the buyer can remove the rims, ditch the tubes add tire sealant and then run the tires tubeless. Running a tubeless setup decreases the chances of a puncture, improves rolling resistance and improves traction because a rider can run lower tire pressure. As misses go, this is pretty minor.

The eXC2 is short on accessories. That’s okay. On a bike of this sort, fenders would probably pack up with mud and dirt. A kickstand would rattle over every bump and in tight brush, it could easily become caught on something (like a blackberry bush—ouch). Lights aren’t as big an issue if the e-bike isn’t being ridden on the road and as this isn’t an e-bike for commuting, a rear rack would be pointless. Leaving out those things is not only appropriate on this bike, but their omission helps keep the price in a remarkably affordable range.

Judging from other eMTBs with 250W mid-drive motors, the 672Wh battery should offer enough range that most riders simply won’t be interested in riding long enough to drain the battery. Unless someone is considering an adventure that begins in dark and ends in dark, the eXC2 is likely to offer range enough for most weekend shenanigans.

We usually praise an e-bike for versatility, the more versatility the better. This is a rare occasion where being bad at everything else is a selling point. The Denago eXC2 is designed to be ridden offroad on terrain that most of us would hike in boots, not sandals. It’s made for exploring.

Thank you for reading through our review of the Denago eXC2. Still have further questions? Wondering how it compares to a similar e-bike we’ve reviewed? Let us know in the comments below!