British brand Whyte has launched a new full-powered eMTB range called Kado. The bikes incorporate Bosch’s latest Gen 5 Performance Line CX motor and batteries, a choice of alloy or carbon frame and 160/150mm travel with 29in wheels. The bikes are aimed at the trail and enduro market, replacing the outgoing Whyte E-160 and prices start at £4,499.

Want to see how they stack up against other eMTBs? Read our guide to the best electric mountain bikes on the market today.

The motor has been tilted in the new Kado frame to lower the centre of gravity

Whyte Kado need to know:

• Two bikes so far in the Kado range: Kado S and Kado RSX
• Prices start at £4,499 and go up to £7,499
• 160mm front/150mm rear travel
• Can accommodate up to 800Wh battery, all models get Bosch’s latest CX motor
• Claimed weight of 24.2kg for the Kado RSX in size medium

Each size frame can accommodate a water bottle

Whyte’s most affordable full-power e-bike yet?

Whyte has continued the trend for dropping its prices with the latest Kado range. We reported on the Whyte T-140 RS last month that was revamped with a £1k cheaper price tag than its predecessor but not much difference in spec level. And now the Kado fills the gap between the lightweight E-Lyte and its E-180 beasty bikes.

The Whyte Kado is a pretty interesting beast. It’s positioned as a full-fat trail/enduro bike, sitting on the heels of the E-160, which started at a grand more for the entry-level option. The Kado will be replacing the E-160, and with a better price point and Bosch’s Gen 5 CX motor and 600Wh or 800Wh batteries – could it be a big bike killer?

The bottom of the down tube comes with some armour to deflect from rock strikes and keep your electrical systems safe

According to Whyte, the new Kado has been designed from the ground-up, with a low centre of gravity largely the focus for the design, which the brand has been a big believer in, particularly with recent launches like the E-Lyte. Riders can choose from three frame options: full carbon, carbon and alloy mix and full alloy, which helps keep the price point attractive.

And the price is pretty attractive – the S model costs £4,499, and uses an aluminium frame with a 600Wh battery. It also uses RockShox Psylo Gold forks and a Deluxe Select R shock, with 29in wheels as standard, and the entry-level Shimano Cues 1×11 groupset helps to keep the cost low.

If riders want something a bit more snazzy, there’s the top-end RSX model, which costs £7,499 and uses SRAM T-Type AXS Eagle 12-speed transmission, Magura MT7 brakes, and Fox Performance suspension. It’s not top, top spec, but for the money, it’s pretty good.

The S model comes with Shimano’s Cues drivetrain

What’s different about the Kado?

It’s all well and good talking about the spec, but what about the bike all those components are attached to? The big buzzword, or buzzphrase to be more precise is ‘low centre of gravity’. The E-160 was pretty ahead of its time, but the Kado follows in its footsteps and is lower and more central. Whyte has managed to achieve this by tilting the motor, as Sam Shucksmith explains:

“By tilting up the motor, we’ve been able to slide the battery towards the bottom bracket and down towards the ground. This lowers the bike’s centre of gravity as much as possible, reduces the effect of the weight, and makes the bike more agile and a lot more fun to ride.”

All three models feature a removable battery which are positioned as low in the frame as possible, which Whyte claims “optimises the distribution of battery and motor mass so you can experience exceptional cornering agility and confident handling on any terrain.”

The Kado has a similar profile to the E-Lyte, and looks much sharper than the outgoing E-160.

First ride impressions

Danny had the chance to ride the prototype Kado last year, and he had this to say about it…

“I had the opportunity to ride Whyte’s development Kado at the Forest of Dean last November, and although the bike wasn’t the correct spec, and there were some details that were being finalised, the chassis was essentially finished.

“I don’t know the exact weight of the bike I rode (it was a size large), but it was not a light e-bike compared to some of the more minimal options on the market. Whyte claims 24kg for the RSX, and I would guess the prototype was in this ballpark. That’s a lot lighter than the outgoing E-160 – circa 2kg – while also boasting a bigger battery (800Wh Vs. 750Wh).

“But more significantly than the weight reduction, is the work Whyte has done on optimising that centre of gravity. It was clear from the first turns that the Kado is really eager to change direction, with the front and rear ends being relatively light and inertia-free, meaning I needed less effort to make it do what I wanted. I could pick up the front end over dips and obstacles, hop between lines, and throw the bike around on jumps much better than I would have expected by just picking it up in the car park.

“Yet there was still an inherent stability to the chassis at speed and over rough ground that you don’t get just from taking weight out of the bike as a whole. And that low C.O.G. also made the Kado feel impressively stable once leant over in a corner. The fact that the new bike comes with a carbon frame instead of alloy, a massively improved motor, bigger battery, and improved spec for £500 less than the alloy E-160 RSX we tested in 2023 is pretty remarkable. I can’t wait to try the finished version.”

Although size-specific, the bikes have been given full-drop dropper posts

If you’re after figures, the Kado RSX in a size medium’s centre of gravity sits at a claimed 510.2mm, which is 12.54mm lower than the E-160. So bigger batteries, better price point, and lower centre of gravity…what gives?

The Kado is pretty heavy – the RSX, the carbon fibre option is a claimed 24.2kg in a size medium. So we can guess that the alloy models will be somewhat heavier. But, the lower centre of gravity could help to reduce the effect of this weight and make the bike that bit more agile, although by how much is likely difficult to quantify.

One other thing we think is pretty cool is that the electronic gearing on the RSX models is wired into the bike’s battery rather than using an external SRAM battery on the derailleur. And if that’s not enough, you can still change gear if the bike runs out of juice by using the battery’s lighting reserve.

Each bike uses Maxxis tyres with grippy compounds

“All-new chassis”

The E-160 replacement has apparently been redesigned with an “all-new chassis,” thanks in part to Sam Shucksmith, racer and head of MTB design at Whyte. His project has seen some significant changes to the full-fat bike, including shorter 155mm cranks on RSX models to increase ground clearance, size-specific, full-drop dropper posts for steeper terrain maneuverability.

They also come with 800mm wide bars as standard, and 10-52T gearing on the RSX bikes. The RSX models are also equipped with Maxxis’ MaxxGrip tyres with EXO+ and Double Down sidewall protection. Of course, some things remain the same – like Whyte’s renowned weather sealing, which includes things like sealed cable and hose ports.

Two of the Kado bikes will be available to buy from Whyte dealers from 6 March and will qualify for Whyte’s lifetime frame and pivot bearing warranties for the original owner.

whytebikes.com