The bike industry had to wait a long time for this: a motor-driven, almost maintenance-free drive system without a traditional rear derailleur. With the MGU, Pinion is setting a milestone in the history of mountain bikes. No more chain and cassette maintenance, no more occasional readjustment of the gears. As with cars, the bike now needs a service, i.e. an oil change, every 10,000 kilometers. The twelve gears are made possible by the use of two partial gearboxes. The gears are changed using an electronic trigger switch. Other highlights of the system are "Start Select" and "Pre Select". The former engages a predefined gear when stationary so that you can set off again with the right gear ratio. The latter engages an automatically calculated gear when cruising - rolling without pedaling - to prevent interruptions when pedaling is resumed. Start Select works perfectly. The pre-select function does not always engage the perfect gear, but always one that fits so well that neither pedaling into the void nor extreme force is required to start pedaling. What takes some getting used to is that Pre Select constantly shifts gears while cruising to provide a suitable gear, while the transmission's electric motor whirs almost non-stop. Both functions are controlled via the system computer and can be set individually.

Simplon's successful model in the enduro segment is the Rapcon. This is available as a classic mountain bike and with an electric drive. The latest version is equipped with the Pinion-MGU and is available in two versions: as an E-Allmountain with 150 millimetres of travel at the front and rear and as an Enduro version with 170 millimetres at the front and 165 at the rear. As usual with Simplon, the equipment can be individually configured online or at a specialist dealer. The E-Enduro was available for this test.

The bike in action

The frame size M is rather small, which means the riding position is upright and enduro-like. Fortunately, the MGU has plenty of power, because the 25-kilogram projectile needs real pressure to get into the gears. On flat terrain, the gears shift quietly and barely noticeably. This changes immediately when riding uphill with maximum driver input. If the cadence and the pressure on the pedals increase, the Pinion motor is quite loud. If you then shift from 8th to 9th gear, the gearbox briefly slips, the cadence drops and the uphill flow is interrupted. It feels as if you've accidentally shifted up three gears instead of one. The same happens from 4th to 5th gear. The reason for this is that two gear pairs are changed at the same time, resulting in a minimal but noticeable interruption.

The combination of an upright riding position and powerful motor makes the Simplon a rocket uphill. Whether on asphalt and gravel roads or on single trails. Thanks to the high pulling power of the MGU, moderate climbs can be mastered at over 20 kilometers per hour - with the right amount of power. At the top, the battery has even more juice than the rider. The Pinion motor needs surprisingly little power; after 1000 meters of climbing under full load, there are still 54 percent reserves left. The motor got very hot, but only lost a minimal amount of power in the last few minutes. Chapeau! 
Off-road climbs go well with the Rapcon, the rear end provides decent traction, only on tight uphill sections does the bike's high weight inhibit maneuverability.

The suspension is a classic "swallow", gives little feedback, literally "sucks up" the ground and offers a lot of grip. However, due to the very progressive suspension, it rides more like an all-mountain bike than an enduro bike. It hardly releases the entire suspension travel. The geometry and the resulting handling are generally pleasing. However, the high weight makes it less fun to ride on tight trails. Steep descents are no problem, the high front holds up well. On jumps, the Rapcon takes off slowly, but lands all the more smoothly.

Conclusion

The MGU drive system is already an audible dream of the future, but it remains to be hoped that Pinion will get the problem with the two gear jumps under control. This is not yet satisfactory for ambitious sporty bikers. For those who take a leisurely approach to bike tours, this will certainly not be a major problem. On the descents, the Simplon Rapcon leaves mixed feelings. The suspension and geometry are good, but a 25-kilogram bike is a sluggish affair.