Following the update of its Sommet and Vitus mountain bikes recently, Vitus has also taken time to redesign its Sommet eMTB, seeing an integrated battery for the new Shimano EP8 motor, as well as taking lessons from the development of the regular Sommet when it comes to the suspension design.
Vitus E-Sommet key features
- 167mm rear wheel travel, 170mm fork travel
- 29in front, 27.5in rear wheels
- Shimano EP8 or E7000 motor with either 504Wh or 630Wh internal battery
- Aluminium frame
- Pricing from £3,599.99 to £5,499.99
Vitus E-Sommet frame
While the analogue Sommet has a carbon front triangle, Vitus has stuck with a 6061-T6 grade aluminium for the E-Sommet.
The down tube holds the new batteries from Shimano, with either a 504Wh (E-Sommet VR) or 630Wh (VRS / VRX) battery.
There's a door on the underside of the down tube for battery removal, and the cut-out for said door is made from a flat area of the tube. Vitus says this means the structural integrity of the frame can be maintained.
The seat tubes on the frames have been designed to easily accept longer dropper posts.
Longer drop droppers need deeper insertion lengths, and so the seat tube has a longer uninterrupted length, with the base of the post being able to pass the main seat tube pivot location. On a Small you can fit a 150mm dropper, on the Medium a 175mm and on Large and XL sizes a 200mm.
The frame features integrated protection for the down tube, seatstays and chainstays, as well as using SRAM's Universal Derailleur Hanger. Cables enter the frame through the Acros Block Lock ICR headset, giving the bike smoother lines.
Vitus E-Sommet suspension
Vitus has moved away from a fully-floating shock design with this generation E-Sommet. Previous versions had a system by which the chainstays extended past the main pivot, with the shock mounting to these extensions and the rocker link. Now, the lower section of the shock mounts directly to the frame as part of a true four-bar (or Horst linkage) system.
The fully-floating design was said to give a very bottomless feel to the bike's suspension, however Vitus believes this change to the layout improves the suspension's overall performance.
Vitus has straightened the leverage curve of the frame to give better small bump sensitivity, as well as mid-stroke support, while increasing progressivity from 8 per cent to 25 per cent, helping to prevent bottoming out on big hits.
This also means the bike is better compatible with coil shocks.
- Mountain bike suspension set up tips
- BikeRadar Tech Talk podcast: suspension springs and MTB drivetrains
In conjunction, the anti-squat figures have been lowered, working better with the altered leverage curve, meaning there should be less feedback through the pedals on impacts.
As with the regular Sommet, the anti-rise figure has also been reduced early in the suspension's stroke, so there's less pitching over the front on steep trails.
Vitus E-Sommet powertrain
Vitus has opted for Shimano's motor systems. On the cheapest VR model you get the E7000 series motor, with the smaller 504Wh battery. This helps keep the price to a very competitive £5,399.99.
The E7000 motor has 60NM of torque, which is less than the outgoing E8000 and new EP8 motor, but we believe this is mostly noticeable at lower torques.
The new EP8 motor has much reduced internal friction over the outgoing E8000 motor, and comes in a couple hundred grams lighter thanks to its magnesium casing.
Torque is boosted from the 70NM of the E8000 to 85NM. You can read BikeRadar's Shimano EP8 coverage here.
Vitus has equipped the VRS and VRX models with the EP8, along with the larger 630Wh battery.
Vitus E-Sommet geometry
A size Large E-Sommet comes with the following key geometry figures:
- Reach: 478mm
- Seat tube length: 440mm
- Effective top-tube length: 624mm
- Chainstay length: 442mm
- Head angle: 64 degrees
- Seat-tube angle (effective): 77.5 degrees
- Wheelbase: 1,267mm
- Saddle layback: 172.8mm
For more information on the saddle layback measurement, take a look at our news piece on the new Sommet.
Vitus E-Sommet model specs
Vitus E-Sommet VR key
- Price: £3,599.99 / €4,199.99
- Fork: X-Fusion Trace 36 RC, 170mm
- Shock: X-Fusion O2 Pro R
- Motor/battery: Shimano E7000 / 504Wh
- Groupset: Shimano Deore
- Brakes/rotors: Shimano MT520 / 203/203mm
- Hubs/rims: Vitus hubs, WTB ST Light / i30
- Tyres: Maxxis Assegai Maxx Grip DD 29 x 2.5in f / Maxxis High Roller II Maxx Terra DD 27.5 x 2.5in r
- Finishing kit: Nukeproof and Brand-X
Vitus E-Sommet VRS
- Price: £4,799.99 / €5,499.99
- Fork: RockShox ZEB Select RC, 170mm
- Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select R
- Motor/battery: Shimano EP8 / 630Wh
- Groupset: Shimano SLX
- Wheels: DT Swiss H1900
- Brakes/rotors: Shimano SLX / 203/203mm
- Tyres: Maxxis Assegai Maxx Grip DD 29 x 2.5in f / Maxxis High Roller II Maxx Terra DD 27.5 x 2.5in r
- Finishing kit: Nukeproof, WTB and Brand-X
Vitus E-Sommet VRX
- Price: £5,499.99 / €6,299.99
- Fork: RockShox ZEB Ultimate RC2, 170mm
- Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ RT
- Motor/battery: Shimano EP8 / 630Wh
- Groupset: Shimano XT
- Brakes/rotors: Shimano XT / 203/203mm
- Wheels: DT Swiss H1700
- Tyres: Maxxis Assegai Maxx Grip DD 29 x 2.5in f / Maxxis High Roller II Maxx Terra DD 27.5 x 2.5in r
- Finishing kit: Nukeproof, WTB and Brand-X
More information can be found at Vitusbikes.com and the bikes will be available through Chain Reaction Cycles and Wiggle.
