Is it groundhog day? It sure feels that way to me. Because exactly one year and three days ago, I was typing up a review on the (then) new Whyte E-Lyte 150 Works. Whyte’s first foray into the weird and wonderful world of SL e-bikes. Now, Whyte is launching the Evo version. To read our news story on the new Whyte ELyte 150 Evo Stag Works click here.

– Short of time? Click here to skip to the verdict –

The covers are off and the 2025 Whyte ELyte Evo gets the latest Bosch CX motor.

So what’s evolved? Well, Whyte has dropped the hyphen and 150 from the name, so the new model is called the ELyte Evo. The important difference though, is that the new Evo version gets the brand new Bosch CX motor with 85Nm torque and zero rattle when coasting, rather than the 55Nm Bosch SX motor on the standard ELyte 150.

There’s simply no better location for a range extender.

There are two models in the ELyte Evo range – the flagship Stag Works build that I’m testing here at £9,999, and the ELyte Evo RS for £7,250.  And both come with the 250Wh Bosch Powermore range extender included in the price.

Frame and Geometry

So what else has changed? To be frank, not a lot. Sure, the new Evo rolls on an MX wheel format, rather than being a full 29er, but the carbon frame is identical in every way to the winning Whyte ELyte from our bumper SL E-bike of the Year test. So we already know that the geometry, suspension and handling are all best-in-class. The Evo version just has more low-end grunt and finesse to the power delivery, and you no longer have to spin like a maniac to get that 600 watts peak power.

Evo. Same standout ride quality, just more torque and way less noise.

And I’m kinda kicking myself here. Because as a tech geek, I should have seen this coming from a mile away. Whyte’s custom housing that shrouds the Bosch SX motor on the standard ELyte was there to mask the fact that the frame was always designed with this upgrade in mind. So does that mean the standard ELyte is dead? No. Well, not yet anyway, as Whyte plans to run both platforms in tandem. It also means that you could potentially upgrade the existing Whyte ELyte from the SX motor to the CX.

Is a modular battery system with the lowest possible centre of gravity the future of e-bikes?

Whyte ELyte Evo Stag Works Need to know

• Two Evo models: Stag Works £9,999, RS £7,250
• Same enduro-rated full-carbon ELyte frame
• Evo version gets new Bosch CX motor with 85Nm torque
• Peak power is still 600 watts
• Integrated 400Wh Bosch battery + 250Wh Powermore range extender included
• Fox Factory suspension on Stag Works
• Frame travel is 142mm, the fork gets 150mm
• High/Low geometry flip chip
• New 2.5in Maxxis Minion DHR II rear tyre
• Fidlock water bottle compatible (as well as range extender)
• SRAM X0 AXS T-type transmission
• Adjustable drop seat post
• 29er compatible with aftermarket Shape.it Link
• Weight 22.34kg (49.25lb)
• Sizes S to XL

Motor and battery

So with the extra torque, do you get more battery capacity? In short, no. The ELyte Evo gets the exact same 400Wh Bosch Compact Powertube battery concealed inside the down tube. But both Evo models do come with the 250Wh Powermore range extender fitted as standard, so you will have 650 watts to burn through straight off the showroom floor.

Come on Bosch! Where’s the new touchscreen display?

The blanking plate that houses that basic LED display indicates that the eagerly anticipated top tube display from Bosch still isn’t ready. So if you want detailed ride metrics you’ll just have to wait, or connect to the Bosch eBike Flow app. And while the rubber cover on the wireless Bosch Mini handlebar remote can peel off at the corners quite easily, if anything goes wrong with it you can still toggle between the assistance levels using the top tube mounted controller, so you’ll never be left high and dry.  In addition to the increased torque, the new Bosch CX motor also brings improved control, efficiency and an altogether smoother ride.

Wireless Mini remote for a clutter-free cockpit

Connecting the range extender is a little tricky, but the cable is just long enough so you can connect it to the charging port in front of the seat tower before sliding the range extender onto the dedicated mount. Also, I’d like a splitter cable for the charger, just like the one Specialized has for the Turbo Levo SL, so I could charge both batteries at the same time.

Suspension

Being the top-end Stag Works build, my test bike had the latest 150mm travel Fox Factory 36 Grip X2 fork and Float X shock. Now, if you’ve read my Orbea Rise LT review, or Danny’s report from the launch of the latest Fox 36 fork, you’ll already know that we both think that Fox has been a little heavy-handed with the damping on the Grip X2 cartridge. As such, I was running the compression damping on the fork wide open.

Fox has gone overboard with the damping on the new Grip X2 cartridge.

The difference between the Whyte and the Orbea Rise LT however, is that the rear suspension on the Whyte didn’t feel out of sync with the fork. As such, the Whyte still offers a really balanced and composed ride. I’m also convinced that the longer 453mm chainstays on the ELyte 150 and Evo load the fork more easily, so the Whyte actually benefits more from the increased support.

The suspension on the Whyte ELyte Evo feels perfectly balanced.

Now, I’m not saying that the Fox 36 fork on the ELyte Evo wouldn’t be better with a lighter damping tune – it would. Not least because it would also mean I could fine tune the suspension response of the fork more accurately, rather than simply running the compression damping wide open. It would also give lighter riders some tuning options too.

Whyte has nailed the shock tune on the Fox Float X Factory shock.

As for the rear suspension, the 142mm travel on the ELyte is pretty much as good as it gets with current tech. There is stacks of grip, ample support for pedalling and pumping, and the bike behaves really naturally even under hard braking.

Components

And it’s under heavy braking that the new, wider 2.5in Double Down casing Maxxis Minion DHR II rear tyre is so much better than the 2.4in Dissector that came stock on the regular ELyte. And with the extra torque of the CX motor, I needed that extra grip for climbs too, as the ELyte Evo took me into terrain that was previously out of reach on the Bosch SX motor.

Bigger volume and a tougher casing, the 2.5in Minion DHR II DD is the right choice.

Given that there wasn’t a single set of brakes that blew me away during our SL E-bike of the Year test, but there were a couple of sets that scared the living daylights out of me, I was happy to see the Hope Tech 4 V4 brakes on the ELyte EvoStag Works. Dropping in on the very first descent I was instantly reminded how good the latest Hope brakes are. But with the organic pads fitted, they are probably too powerful for an 83kg rider like me, especially in mixed or damp conditions. Thankfully, the bike ships with two alternative pad compounds, so in addition to all of the adjustments at the lever, you can also fine tune the braking power and pad durability of the Hope brakes too.

Hope ‘s Tech4 V4 brakes have great modulation and stacks of power

Hope Pro 5 hubs and super-short 155mm Hope E-bike cranks round out the made-in-Britain build kit. And Whyte has also switched from carbon to alloy rims, where the DT Swiss HX531 rims are more than fit-for-purpose on such a hard-hitting trail bike. They probably make the pricing more competitive too.

SRAM’s Infinite AXS clamp makes it easy to put the shifter pod exactly where you want it.

No top-end build would be complete without SRAM’s AXS wireless T-type transmission. This time round it’s SRAM’s X0 throughout, and with SRAM’s infinite shifter pod clamp, I could now position the shifter just so.

SRAM’s T-type AXS shifting isn’t lightening fast, but it’s robust and reliable.

Yes, I’ve complained about the sluggish shifting response of the new T-type AXS compared to old AXS in the past. But that doesn’t really bother me any more, probably because no test bikes come with old AXS, so I’m not constantly being reminded how much faster it was. Speed is nothing without control however, and there’s no doubting the benefits of the improved shifting under load with T-type, especially now that the ELyte Evo is a full power, higher torque e-bike.

Performance

When I tested the Whyte ELyte 150 RSX, I said that if you want to rally up and down hill, then the ELyte could only deliver half of that equation. That’s clearly not the case with the new ELyte Evo, where switching to the Bosch CX motor makes the numbers add up whichever way you slice and dice them.

Climbing

Get the Whyte ELyte Evo on a more demanding climb, and it’s not just the increased torque of the CX motor that I noticed. No, it’s also quieter. The distinctive high pitched whine as I revved the cranks has been transformed into a subtle hum. It has a smoother pedalling action too. And I won’t insult you by saying it feels more natural, as there’s nothing natural about having 600 watts of assistance.

Up or down, the Whyte ELyte Evo now delivers.

But it does feel smarter and much less invasive. I could light-pedal when I wanted, without constantly having to spin like crazy to keep it in the power band, and the extra overrun really comes into its own for getting up stuff that I wouldn’t dream of riding on the SX motor. The improved overrun was also good for propelling me through techy sections of trail, when half-cranking is the only option – even with those short 155mm crankarms.

Descending

Point the Whyte ELyte Evo downhill and it feels remarkably similar to the current bike. Yes, it’s almost 2.5kg heavier with the range extender fitted, but because Whyte has all of the extra mass centred and as low as possible in the frame, the handling isn’t negatively impacted. In fact, Whyte would probably argue that it’s even better, as it gives the bike a more favourable ratio of sprung-to-unsprung-mass.

Stacks of standover clearance makes it easy to pull shapes.

And it’s probably the ultra-low BB height that has the biggest impact on the handling of the ELyte and ELyte Evo. It really made me feel ‘in’ the bike, but I could still ride it dynamically. So it’s not just a big old straight line plough.

Pull, push, pump or pedal, the ELyte offers a really dynamic ride.

The Maxxis MaxxGrip Assegai front tyre gave me the confidence to really lay the bike over in turns, and with the extra grip of the Minion DHR II on the rear, keeping my speed in check is much easier than before. And if you’re a shorter rider, the smaller 27.5in rear wheel will give you more clearance for those sketchy seat-of-the-pants moments. Converting the ELyte 150 from full 29in to MX is also possible, and just a reverse of the process on the older bike. You just need a 29in rear wheel and the aftermarket 29er Shape.it Link (shh, you might even get a slightly higher top speed).

The Whyte ELyte Evo can play hard, but it knows how to party too.

Ultimately, Whyte has taken one of the best SL E-bikes and made it even better. With more torque, less noise, and a smoother pedalling action, the Bosch CX motor is a marked improvement over the SX in every way. But with the overall weight of the Whyte ELyte Evo Stag Works creeping up to 22.34kg, can it really be considered SL? Probably not, but who cares, as it’s just an arbitrary category within a category anyway. The important take-away here is that the Whyte ELyte Evo is an amazing e-bike.

A perfect 10 rated bike? Well, it is the new benchmark. The 2025 Whyte ELyte Evo Stag Works £9999