e-Bike, News - July 10, 2023

Privateer e161 is a New Well-Priced Enduro eBike

Privateer Bikes has released its first ever eBike in the form of the e161, designed for the rigors of E-Enduro racing, and as a training tool for the brand’s sponsored enduro athletes – like Fergus Ryan, featured. Rocking a Horst-Link suspension platform delivering, you guessed it, 161mm of rear wheel travel, this Shimano EP801-powered eMTB is a dedicated mullet. The four frame sizes on offer (P1-P4) each have a unique chainstay length implemented as part of Privateer’s proportional approach to geometry. It is pretty impressive to see this attention to detail on a well-spec’d eBike with a retail price of £5,999.

The good value proposition makes the Privateer e161 worthy of consideration for anyone in the market for an enduro-worthy eMTB. Here’s a quick overview.

Photo Credits: @jamesvincent

Privateer e161

Intention: E-Enduro Racing
Fork Travel: 170mm
Rear Wheel Travel: 161mm
Wheel Size: Mixed-Wheel (29″ Front, 27.5″ Rear)
Frame Material: 6061-T6 Aluminum
Motor: Shimano EP801
Battery: 630 Wh
Price: £5,999 / 7,499 €

Frame Construction

Like all of Privateer’s mountain bike frames, the e161 is fabricated from 6061-T6 aluminum tubes that are welded in Taiwan. The brand certainly place more more focus on durability than weight in the design of their frames. That said, given the bike’s length, it isn’t a total juggernaut; claimed weight for the e161 in P3 (490mm reach) is 25.5 kg (56.2 lbs) with the 630 Wh battery.

privateer e161 rocker — For durability purposes, the main pivot of the e161 is serviced by two bearings on the drive side and one bearing on the non-drive side

The rocker driving the 65mm stroke Fox Float X2 is forged and cnc-machined one-piece affair. We are told the forging process maintains the alloy’s grain structure, enhancing overall strength while eliminating the need for welding and heat treating. Privateer say the construction method ensures accurate alignment of the bearings for long-lasting performance and ease of maintenance.

The frame’s 630 Wh battery is removable via a doorway in the downtube. Underneath that are the guides for the internal cable routing, said to make maintenance an easy affair, and noise levels to a minimum.

privateer ebike 161 enduro emtb 630 wh battery removable — The 630 Wh battery can be removed with a 4mm allen key

privateer e161 protection shimano ep801 bash guard — The 630 Wh battery can be removed with a 4mm allen key

Extra protection is conferred to the Shimano EP801 motor with the addition of a UK-made 4mm hard-anodized bash guard. Then, on the drive-side, rubberized protection is added to the chainstay to reduce noise produced by chain slap.

Privateer e161 Geometry

As you might imagine, the geometry of the e161 is roughly based upon the geometry of the Privateer 161 enduro bike. That’s a 64° head tube angle and generous reach figures spanning a 445mm to 515mm range, with equally generous chainstay lengths specific to each frame size; that range spans 446mm in P1 to 466mm in P4. Indeed, this is lengthy eBike, with a wheelbase of 1332mm in P4.

Importantly, the e161 sees a slacker seat tube angle of 78.7° (versus the 80° of the 161). That is still relatively steep, but should go some way to improving rear wheel traction in steep climbing scenarios by biasing weight a little more rearward.

fergus ryan climbing steep singletrack privateer e161 e-enduro bike — Fergus Ryan making light work of steep, rocky singletrack on the Privateer e161. Credit: @jamesvincent

e161 Kinematic

privateer e161 anti-rise — Privateer e161 Leverage Curve (Click to Enlarge)

privateer e161 anti-squat — Privateer e161 Leverage Curve (Click to Enlarge)

Pricing & Availability

The Privateer e161 is available in the following build only, retailing at £5,999 / 7,499 €. It is available to pre-order in Black or Raw now, with shipping expected in the first week of August.