Dan reviews the Superior eXF
Superior bikes might not be particularly well known in Australia, but that’s soon about to change. The Czech-based brand was recently launched in Australia via BikesOnline, where it will be sold direct-to-consumer alongside Marin and Polygon.
Whereas the electric mountain bikes from those brands are built around Shimano motor systems, the Superior eXF is the first Bosch-equipped model to be available through BikesOnline. It’s certainly a solid-looking e-MTB that comes in at a competitive price point, but our relative inexperience with the brand meant we weren’t entirely sure what to expect.
To explore its capabilities and find out how it compares to the Treks, Specializeds and Meridas of the world, we’ve been putting the Superior eXF through the wringer over the past few weeks.
Watch our video review of the Superior eXF:
An overview of the Superior eXF
The Superior eXF is the Czech brand’s big-hitting, full suspension e-MTB. It rolls on 29in wheels and features 160mm of travel front and rear, putting it into similar territory as the Trek Rail, Orbea Wild, Specialized Levo and Focus JAM².
The eXF is built around a hydroformed frame with a four-bar suspension platform. It’s powered by the latest Bosch Performance Line CX motor that produces up to 85Nm of torque and 600W peak power. Inside the downtube is a 750Wh PowerTube battery that’s designed to be easily removable with the help of a key.
Superior has integrated the Bosch System Controller into the frame’s top tube, and a Wireless Mini Remote next to the left-hand grip allows you to switch assist modes on-the-fly. It results in quite a tidy setup that eschews any big screens or unsightly electric wires.
Superior eXF geometry & size chart
Our Superior eXF 9039 test bike is only available in three sizes; Medium, Large and X-Large.
Most of the geometry looks to be appropriate for the application, including the 64° head angle and 77° seat angle. The 446mm rear centre is noteworthy as it’s quite short for a long travel e-MTB that features dual 29in wheels and a Bosch motor.
While most of the dimensions are on the money, the use of the same 625mm stack height for all three sizes is unusual. We’d expect to see that kind of stack on a Medium size frame, which would suggest that taller riders on the X-Large may find the front end to be too low.
Superior eXF price & specs
The Superior eXF is offered in a huge array of spec options over in Europe, but for the meantime there’s just a single model coming into Australia; the eXF 9039. If it proves popular, we’d expect Bikes Online would be looking at expanding on the lineup in the future.
To be honest though, this is the bike we’d pick out of the range anyway. It comes with a RockShox Lyrik fork and Super Deluxe shock, robust DT Swiss wheels, Shimano 4-piston brakes and a 1×12 drivetrain.
2024 Superior eXF 9039
- Frame | Alloy, Four-Bar Suspension Design, 160mm Travel
- Fork | RockShox Lyrik Select, Charger RC Damper, 44mm Offset, 160mm Travel
- Shock | RockShox Super Deluxe Select R, 230×65mm
- Motor | Bosch Performance Line CX, 85Nm
- Battery | Bosch Powertube 750Wh
- Wheels | DT Swiss H 1900, 30mm Inner Rim Width
- Tyres | Schwalbe Nobby Nic, SuperTrail, Addix SpeedGrip, 29×2.6in Front & Rear
- Drivetrain | Shimano Deore 1×12 w/ONE Race 34T Crankset & 10-51T Cassette
- Brakes | Shimano M6120 4-Piston w/180mm Rotors
- Handlebar | ONE Alloy, 12mm Rise, 760mm Width
- Stem | ONE ICR, 50mm Length
- Seatpost | ONE Sport Dropper, 150mm Travel
- Saddle | Fizik Aidon X5
- Confirmed Weight | 25.52kg
- RRP | $9,399 AUD
Testing the Superior eXF
To see what this long travel e-MTB is all about, we handed the Superior eXF over to our tester Dan.
Previously a national-level enduro racer, Dan is a strong and powerful rider that tends to push bikes very hard. Along with his preference for riding rough and technical terrain, he’s developed a remarkable track record for unearthing durability issues that has made him a formidable bike tester.
Dan’s had a load of e-MTB experience over the past couple of years, having previously reviewed the Trek Rail, Husqvarna MC6, Polygon Siskiu T7E and Canyon Torque:ON.
How would the Superior eXF sit within the broader e-MTB landscape? Here we chat with Dan about his experience from the past few weeks of testing.
How have you found the sizing and overall fit of the bike Dan?
I’m 183cm tall and the size Large fits pretty spot on. The 630mm effective top tube length is quite long, so I slid the seat rails forward to shorten up the cockpit, as I tend to do on most bikes these days.
As a do-it-all bike the geometry feels pretty good. Some fiddling with stem spacers is required to get the desired position, though the integrated cable routing means this is a bit more of a pain. The bars have a very flat profile, which exacerbates the short stack height.
Ideally the Large and X-Large frames would come with taller head tubes, but at the very least a higher rise handlebar should be spec’d as standard. I expect many riders would prefer a wider bar too.
While I’m nit-picking, the 150mm travel dropper post is too short these days. The fact that the X-Large comes with the same length dropper is odd and screams of cost-cutting.
Otherwise the saddle has been comfortable and the grips are sufficiently tacky, albeit a bit firm on the outer edges where I tend to wrest my palms.
Suspension & tyre setup
I’m 83kg and went with the usual 30% sag for the shock. Because of the high volume air can and low leverage suspension design, I needed just 165psi to achieve the desired sag value. I set rebound damping on the faster side at nine clicks out (9/14 clicks).
The rear suspension has felt pretty good right off the bat, though it is on the more linear side. Heavier riders and those hitting bigger jumps will want to consider adding a volume spacer or two to get it to ramp up more.
Up front I set up the Lyrik with 87psi and the rebound at seven clicks out (7/20 clicks). It’s worth noting that our test bike has a Select+ fork with a Charger 3 damper, though production bikes will come with a Select fork and Charger RC damper. As such, we won’t dwell too much on the specifics of the fork’s performance.
We’ve had good durability experience with Schwalbe’s Super Trail tyre casings in the past, and that was also the case here despite not using any tubeless inserts. I ran pressures at around 24psi front and 26psi rear.
What do you like about the Superior eXF?
The Superior eXF is a fantastic all-round performer. It’s a solid package at a reasonable price and I’ve found it does everything pretty well.
It’s a thoroughly competent climber, offering a comfortable and nicely centred riding position. There’s heaps of traction available from the active suspension and high volume 2.6in tyres, which keep the rear wheel driving into the ground up lumpy and technical climbs.
Of course the Bosch motor is superb, with plenty of torque to pull you up some nasty steep gradients. In my opinion it’s the benchmark of the full-powered motors. Combined with the big 750Wh battery the Superior eXF is capable of taking on big rides with plenty of elevation gain and little fear of range anxiety. The sleek, minimalist controls also make for a nice change from the big display and clunky controllers used on previous Bosch bikes we’ve tested.
Thanks to the plush suspension, long wheelbase and 25kg weight it also feels really stable and planted at speed. While it doesn’t munch up the descents quite as effortlessly as the Rail or Torque:ON, it still loves to plough through chunky sections of trail and rarely feels unsettled. The RockShox suspension package does a great job of keeping the heft of the bike under control, though I did find the whole bike takes a bit to muscle around tight corners. The 50mm stem is on the longer side, so I’d be interested to swap that out for a 35-40mm stem to quicken up the steering a touch.
Any downsides?
In really steep and tight corners I found myself wondering how the Superior eXF would go if it were set up with a smaller 27.5in rear wheel.
This isn’t a short or lightweight bike, and that means it can build considerable momentum when you’re pointed downhill. That’s great for when you’re charging off the brakes, where the dual 29in wheels provide masses of stability and grip. The downside is that it can make the Superior eXF feel a bit difficult to wrangle when the trail twists and turns on you in a hurry.
To be fair I’ve almost exclusively ridden mixed wheel bikes over the last 12 months, so that could be a factor as I’m used to the agility a mullet provides. I think there’s something to be said for full powered e-MTBs set up as a mullet, as it does feel easier to manoeuvre all that weight around, especially through tighter corners. As such, we’d love to see Superior add in a flip chip to provide users with some wheelsize flexibility.
Overall it is a bike that feels more planted than playful. Part of this is due to the ground-hugging suspension, which emphasises grip and sensitivity over outright support. I hit full travel on quite a few occasions, and while it was never an awful metal-on-metal sensation, I would recommend harder-hitting riders fit a volume spacer or two in the shock. This would add some progression and improve its willingness to get off the ground.
Component Highs & Lows
In terms of on-trail performance we’ve had few issues with the Superior eXF.
The wheel and tyre combo have been solid with no durability issues to speak of. The Schwalbe Nobby Nics have held up really well and are only just beginning to show signs of wear. While they’ve been great on my local trails, which are quite dry and rocky, folks riding in wetter and looser conditions may want to fit a more aggressive front tyre like a Hans Dampf or Magic Mary.
As mentioned earlier we’d like to see a longer travel dropper post and a higher rise bar as standard. We’d also suggest that heavier riders and those frequenting longer descents should fit larger brake rotors. It speaks volumes to the power and consistency of the Shimano Deore brakes that I’ve not had any issues with the stock 180mm rotors, and on the plus side they seem to be less susceptible to bending.
Frame details
As far as finishing details go, we were disappointed by the tight clearance between the bottle and the shock’s piggyback reservoir. That’s with a 600ml bottle, so you can forget about trying to fit anything bigger.
We’re also not fans of the headset cable routing. It adds complexity to servicing and the integrated design makes stem adjustments more involved than they need to be.
Initially we thought the battery cover seemed a bit flimsy. The locking mechanism uses a basic twist nut, but to its credit it’s stayed tight and quiet the whole test period. No complaints there.
And apart from the rear axle needing a quick tighten up after a few rides, nothing else has worked its way loose. We’re also happy to report that the drive unit on our test bike hasn’t exhibited a whole lot of clacking on the descents. Overall it’s been a remarkably quiet bike with little drivetrain noise in spite of the thin chainstay protector.
Value for money
Considering the $9,399 AUD retail price, the Superior eXF 9039 offers good value for money.
It has a noticeably better spec and a bigger battery than the Trek Rail 7 ($9,499 AUD). And while the components are comparable to the Cube Stereo Hybrid 160 HPC SL ($9,499 AUD) we prefer the geometry and ride quality of the Superior eXF.
Things get more complicated when you look towards the Focus JAM² 6.8 ($8,499 AUD). That bike comes with the Bosch Kiox 300 display and the bulky LED Controller, leading to a busier cockpit. It does have a sweeter spec overall though with the excellent Factory Series Fox 36 GRIP2 up front.
And if you’re perusing other options on the BikesOnline website, you’ll no doubt come across the just-released 2025 Marin Alpine Trail E2 ($9,299 AUD). This bike features the same Bosch motor and 750Wh battery as the Superior eXF, but it’s built around a mullet setup and incorporates several geometry flip chips. It also comes with a coil shock, a bigger Fox 38 fork, and CushCore tubeless inserts installed as standard. That does make for a much chunkier bike however, with a claimed weight of 27.55kg.
Flow’s Verdict
With its sturdy alloy chassis and powerful Bosch motor the Superior eXF 9039 has proven to be a solid all-rounder. There’s nothing particularly fancy about its frame design or the components that are strapped to it, but that’s kind of the appeal.
The RockShox suspension is smooth and active, the Shimano groupset offers dependable performance, and the tough DT Swiss wheels have been trouble-free. While we think there’s room for improvement when it comes to the cockpit and dropper post, and we’d like to see the ability to set it up as a mullet, you’re still treated to a comfortable and confidence-inspiring ride both up and down the mountain. Combined with the brilliant Bosch motor and big 750Wh battery, this is a thoroughly capable e-MTB for the price.
