If you have rough terrain where you live and you’re looking at eMTBs, you might as well go big and get something that will shred descents… you know the bike will climb well with a motor in it! For 2026, Devinci introduces a mid-powered, pedal-assisted model of their Spartan enduro bike. The new E-Spartan Lite allows you to get rowdy on technical trails, and it’s Bosch drive system offers enough assist power to get you way further than your legs alone.

In this article, we’ll cover the launch of both new E-Spartan Lite builds, plus my impressions from riding the GX AXS 12s model. Right away, I was very impressed with the bump gobbling capability of the E-Spartan Lite. The best part is that the bike does this while maintaining a pleasantly lively and poppy ride!

Devinci E-Spartan Lite: Key Features

The E-Spartan Lite is available with a Canadian-made 6061-T6 Optimum G04 aluminum frame only. All frames are hand-welded and hand-aligned, then undergo final machining to ensure precise build quality. Devinci says their frame design offers plenty of stiffness and a great strength-to-weight ratio.

You’ll likely notice that the E-Spartan Lite does not feature the same high-pivot suspension linkage as the Spartan HP. Devinci decided to keep this bike lighter in weight and simpler overall; they would stick with the more traditional linkage.

While it didn’t get the high-pivot treatment, the E-Spartan Lite’s 165mm Split Pivot linkage actually offers 5mm more travel than the Spartan HP. This linkage was also optimized specifically for an eMTB, ensuring the suspension remains active through hard acceleration.

Devinci tunes their linkages so they will work well with either air or coil shocks, which is great, as the burly E-Spartan Lite could be a good candidate for a coil. Pivot points feature Enduro double-lip sealed bearings for long-lasting, smooth action. Up front, both models come equipped with 170mm RockShox Zeb forks.

The E-Spartan Lite runs a set of MX wheels and is intended to be ridden that way. There is no flip chip like Devinci’s Troy MTBs use to accommodate different wheel options, and no geometry was provided for matched 29” wheels. 

One eMTB-specific touch to the build is short cranks – The E-Spartan Lite comes with 155mm crank arms. The shorter arms reduce pedal strikes, but Devinci says they also provide a smoother cadence and better efficiency on technical climb trails.

Devinci gave the E-Spartan Lite GX AXS 12s another nice e-specific feature: The wired-in AXS derailleur draws power from the bike’s main battery, so you don’t have to worry about charging a derailleur battery separately. The bike comes set up to cut pedal assist power with 2% battery life remaining, leaving a bit of juice so you can still shift gears.

Fitments:

The E-Spartan Lite frame features internal cable routing, with Devinci’s favored straight entry ports at the head tube to prevent cable rub or rattling.

Other fitments include a Boost 148mm rear axle and SRAM UDH dropouts. Built for gnarly terrain, the E-Spartan Lite includes an upper chain guide, and the frame provides clearance for up to 2.6” rear tires.

The frame runs a 31.6mm seat post. GX AXS models run 170, 200, and 230mm posts on M/L/XL frames, while the Eagle 90 build sticks with a 200mm post for the XL.

Photo: Steve Fisher

There is one water bottle mount atop the down tube, and all frame sizes can fit at least a 500ml bottle with a reservoir rear shock. I rode a medium frame, and I was able to squeeze my 620ml Camelbak Podium water bottle into it. However, this bottle would rub the frame coming in and out, so realistically, a standard small water bottle is more ideal, or a water bottle cage/adapter that would position it lower in the frame.

The frame is protected from damage with chainstay and full-length down tube protectors, while the motor gets a nylon shield that’s vented to reduce heat buildup and allow for drainage.  

Photo: Steve Fisher

The complete E-Spartan Lite GX AXS 12s (with pedals) weighed in at 47.64lbs, which confirms Devinci’s claim of 47.29 lbs without pedals. This is not the lightest mid-powered eMTB out there, but it’s a burly build, and it doesn’t feel heavy due to its lively ride qualities.

Bosch Drive System:

The E-Spartan Lite is assisted by Bosch’s Performance Line SX motor. This is their lightest drive unit yet, offering 60Nm of torque and a 600W max output.

Power comes from Bosch’s CompactTube 400Wh battery, hidden in the down tube. Removing the battery does require pulling out the motor, but utilizing this design saves considerable weight in the frame. The charge port is located above the motor on the bike’s down tube.

With the included 4A charger, a full battery charge takes 3.5 hours, but the battery should reach 50% in 1.5 hours. One nice thing about Bosch’s system is that it will shut itself off once the battery is fully charged.

Of course the E-Spartan Lite’s range can be expanded with Bosch’s PowerMore Range Extender. It adds an extra 250Wh of juice for tackling longer rides. If you run the extender, you will have to forgo a water bottle as the mounts for either overlap.

At the handlebar, Bosch’s mini remote provides the necessary controls. The compact and ergonomic remote allows you to toggle between assist levels and activate walk mode. The E-Spartan Lite comes configured with Eco, Tour+, eMTB, and Turbo assist levels.

Bosch’s top tube display conveniently shows your battery life and assist level as you ride, plus houses the bike’s power button. You can use the display’s lower button to toggle through assist levels as well. Further customization, updates and ride tracking features are available through Bosch’s eBike Flow App.

Geometry:

There are two things to note about the E-Spartan Lite’s frame geometry: One, there is no flip chip in this bike. Two, there are just three frame sizes ranging from medium to XL.

Check out the above chart for all the numbers, but here’s a quick rundown of some key figures. Head angles are slack at 63.5°, and seat mast angles range from 77.7-77.4° depending on frame size. Reach numbers are roomy but not huge, with a medium coming in at 460mm and a large at 480mm. All frame sizes get shorter 436mm chainstays.

Model Lineup:

E-Spartan Lite GX AXS 12s – $7499

The GX AXS 12s model’s frame comes in Gloss/Deep Olive.

E-Spartan Lite Eagle 90 12s – $6099

All photos above c. Devinci Cycles, unless noted otherwise

The Eagle 90 build comes in a Gloss/Holographic colorway.

E-Spartan Lite GX AXS 12s Short Term Review:

I was lucky to get my hands on an E-Spartan Lite GX AXS 12s before launch, but I didn’t have it for too long. I was able to get a good feel for the bike, but I’ll keep my review short and sweet.

First up, I set up the fork and rear suspension following factory suggestions, except the E-Spartan Lite’s linkage does require more than ‘body weight=psi’. Devinci suggests setting it up with 30% sag. That setup worked well for me, and I didn’t feel the need to significantly deviate from any recommended settings.

At 5’10”, I found the medium E-Spartan Lite’s frame geometry felt very comfortable right away. The reach is lengthy but not too long, the rear end is on the shorter side, and the steering feels nice and slack. If I could change any of the angles or measurements, I don’t think I would!

Suspension:

Climbing singletrack trails with the shock in Firm mode, I used roughly 40% of its travel. When left open, the shock sagged considerably more, giving up about 80%. In Firm mode, the bike still holds great traction on a singletrack trail, but you’ll feel the trail below and the rear end heaving over bigger bumps. Climbing with the shock open offers a much softer ride and maximum traction. Without a motor, I’d definitely use the Firm mode to climb this bike, but with pedal assist, you can keep it open and enjoy a very comfortable climb.

Between its 165 mm of travel and RockShox Vivid Ultimate rear shock, the E-Spartan Lite absolutely butters its way through the rough stuff! Any size of bump is easily and smoothly absorbed by this bike, but I noticed it’s particularly good at softening big hits and repeated medium-sized bumps. This bike begs for your gnarliest trails!

Despite its awesome bump absorption, the E-Spartan Lite really won me over with its surprisingly playful and poppy ride. Devinci worked some magic, making this thing plow as well as it does, without giving up the mid-stroke support that keeps it feeling lively on the trails. Airing jumps and popping off roots was easier and more fun than expected on the E-Spartan Lite. Suspension aside, the 27.5” rear wheel helps give the E-Spartan Lite a pretty snappy and agile feel for an enduro bike.

Battery Life/Motor Output:

The E-Spartan Lite’s 400Wh battery went from fully charged to one red bar after two rides, totalling about 3 1/2 hours on trail. I did most of my first 2 ½ hr ride in eMTB mode, and was moving pretty fast on the climb. My next ride was about 30 minutes in Tour and 30 minutes in eMTB mode. 

After several more rides, I determined that when using power freely, you’ll likely cap out at about 3 ½ hours of ride time from the 400Wh battery. That’s a bit light to get two decent rides from one charge, so if you tend towards longer loops, you may wind up charging this bike for every ride.

As for power output, Eco mode pretty much makes the bike pedal effortlessly on flat terrain, but doesn’t help that much on climbs. Tour+ offers enough power to make climbing at a casual pace very easy, but if you want to climb at higher speeds, eMTB mode (or Turbo) is much better with more power on tap.

I should note while Bosch’s eMTB mode is described as their self-regulating assist level, it seems Tour+ also does a great job of increasing output power when you’re pushing harder on an uphill trail.

Despite being a mid-powered bike, that 60Nm motor in eMTB or Turbo mode still provides a laughable amount of assist power. I did ride with a friend on a full-powered Levo one day, who was easily catching up to me on steep climb sections, highlighting the difference in torque between full and mid-powered bikes. Compared to other mid-powered eMTBs I’ve ridden, the E-Spartan Lite is not lacking in output power.

Components:

Photo c. Devinci Cycles

I had no issues with any components on the E-Spartan Lite, so I’ll keep this bit short with a shout-out for one standout. Devinci won points with me by giving the E-Spartan Lite SRAM’s powerful Maven brakes! I love them on my personal enduro bike, but on a heavier eMTB, they’re even more rewarding. The Maven Silvers on the GX AXS model had no problem quickly scrubbing speed or bringing this bike to a near-halt anywhere, anytime. They also performed with perfect consistency right from day one.

Check out Devinci’s website for full details on the new E-Spartan Lite.

devinci.com

The post The New 2026 Devinci E-Spartan Lite Eats Up Rough Trails, But Remains Surprisingly Playful appeared first on Bikerumor.