The new, Bosch equipped CENTURION No Pogo E R2600i is full of smart tech and well-considered solutions for integrating the motor. Thanks to the addition of lights, everyday practicality doesn’t have to give way to the bike’s trail capabilities. Is the No Pogo E R2600i the perfect all-rounder for tech nerds?
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The CENTURION No Pogo E R2600i immediately stands out from the crowd, with the technical parts of the aluminium frame highlighted in orange. The robust skid plate protecting the Bosch Performance Line CX motor and the in-house aluminium cranks immediately catch your eye. The standout feature here is the lateral offset of the motor to sit flush with the frame. The custom cranks compensate for this to put the pedals back at an equal spacing around the centreline of the 23.82 kg bike. But the integration of the Bosch system doesn’t stop at the motor and the 625 Wh battery in the down tube. The speed sensor is neatly hidden in the dropout, the charging socket is outfitted with a high-quality magnetic cover and CENTURION have also designed their own mount for the KIOX display and position it next to the stem, similar to CUBE and RADON. Together with the Specialized Kenevo, the No Pogo E is the only other bike on test that relies on 27.5” wheels both front and rear. The wheels are shod with 2.6” wide MAXXIS MINION EXO+ tires. The € 5,099 bike has a FOX FLOAT DPX2 shock and a RockShox Lyrik Select fork which control 160 and 155 mm travel respectively. The No Pogo E R2600i promises to cut a fine figure not only on the trail but in everyday life as well. It comes standard with a 310 lumen LEZYNE headlight and a small tail light. On top of that, there’s a well-hidden mounting point for a stand in the dropouts.
CENTURION No Pogo E R2600i
€ 5,099
Specifications
Motor Bosch Performance Line CX 75 Nm
Battery Bosch PowerTube 625 Wh
Display Bosch Kiox
Fork RockShox Lyrik Select 160 mm
Rear Shock FOX DPX2 Performance 155 mm
Seatpost Procraft AL Pro Drop 170 mm
Brakes Shimano MT520 4-Kolben 200/200 mm
Drivetrain Shimano XT/SLX 1x12
Stem Procraft Trail Pro 50 mm
Handlebar Procraft Trail Pro 780 mm
Wheelset Procraft MD30 27.5"
Tires MAXXIS Minion DHF/DHRII EXO+ 2.6"
Technical Data
Size S, M, L
Weight 23.82 kg
Perm. total weight 150 kg
Max. payload (rider/equipment) 126 kg
Trailer approval yes
Kickstand mount yes
Specific Features
lights come as standard
Geometry of the CENTURION No Pogo
Currently, the No Pogo E is only available in three sizes. To accommodate tall riders even without an XL frame, CENTURION have kept the seat tube extremely long at 500 mm on an L frame. Unfortunately, this restricts your freedom of movement in many situations. Even our tallest test riders had problems with the saddle being too high on the climbs, despite the 170 mm Procraft AL Pro dropper post being fully inserted in the seat tube. Of the test field, the Centurion also has the tallest front end. With a stack height of 650 mm (size L) the handlebar is positioned a lot higher than on the competition, but it is precisely this tall front end paired with the sensitive suspension that makes the No Pogo E R2600i so comfortable on long rides.
Size | S | M | L |
---|---|---|---|
Seat tube | 400 mm | 450 mm | 500 mm |
Top tube | 576 mm | 607 mm | 638 mm |
Head tube | 110 mm | 135 mm | 160 mm |
Head angle | 65.5° | 65.5° | 65.5° |
Seat angle | 73.6° | 73.6° | 73.6° |
Chainstays | 445 mm | 445 mm | 445 mm |
BB Drop | 15 mm | 15 mm | 15 mm |
Wheelbase | 1,174 mm | 1,209 mm | 1,245 mm |
Reach | 420 mm | 445 mm | 470 mm |
Stack | 605 mm | 628 mm | 650 mm |
CENTURION No Pogo on test
Even going uphill, the No Pogo E R2600i is super comfortable, though it prefers a more leisurely pace on tight and winding trails. It offers a lot of traction when rolling over roots, small obstacles or on loose ground, allowing the rear wheel to make full use of the 75 Nm torque delivered by the Bosch Performance CX motor. As such, the CENTURION feels most comfortable on natural paths and wide trails. The No Pogo reaches its limits when the climbs become rough and steep. You find yourself having to actively weight the tall front end to keep it under control and you have to be careful not to catch your pedals on roots or rocks.
The suspension of the No Pogo E is super plush. It makes for a very comfortable ride and generates loads of traction on the trail.
Downhill, the No Pogo E R2600i is one of the quietest bikes on test. The plush suspension and the grippy MAXXIS tires provide all the traction you need. With its tall cockpit and generous reach, the CENTURION makes the rider feel at one with the bike and never has you worried about going over the bars. However, this doesn’t apply to shorter riders whose freedom of movement is severely restricted by the long seat tube. Nevertheless, the CENTURION is very balanced and predictable in open corners. While the suspension generates a lot of traction, it makes an active riding style difficult. Quick direction changes, jumping or playing around all require a lot of strength on the No Pogo E. The suspension is plush but as a result offers little support, absorbing the rider’s input instead.
Tuning tips: make sure you include the metal skid plate in your order (€ 59.99 ) | clean up the cables at the cockpit
Riding Characteristics
7Agility
- sluggish
- playful
Stability
- nervous
- stable
Handling
- demanding
- balanced
Riding fun
- boring
- lively
Motor feeling
- digital
- natural
Motor power
- weak
- strong
Value for money
- poor
- top
Conclusion of the CENTURION No Pogo E R2600i
The CENTURION No Pogo E R2600i is full of sophisticated details that make day-to-day (trail) life easier. Its long-distance comfort and good climbing characteristics make it an excellent bike for all-day epics, instilling you with confidence even when the terrain gets steep and rough. The CENTURION isn’t agile enough for trail riders with an aggressive and playful style and the long seat tube is a no go for riders with short legs.
Tops
- equally suitable for commuting and trail riding
- long-distance comfort
- smart integration of the Bosch motor
- consistent design
Flops
- extremely long seat tube
- sluggish on tight trails
- untidy cockpit
- front doesn't stay planted on technical climbs
For more information head to centurion.de
The test field
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All bikes in review: CENTURION No Pogo E R2600i | CUBE Stereo Hybrid 140 HPC (Click for review) | Haibike XDURO AllMtn 3.0 (Click for review) | Moustache Samedi 29 Game 4 (Click for review) | RADON RENDER 10.0 (Click for review) | Scott Genius eRIDE 920 (Click for review) | Specialized Kenevo Comp (Click for review) | Trek Rail 7 EU (Click for review)
Relaxed and comfortable riding on surfaced roads, both uphill and downhill.↩
Easy climbs up trails with few obstacles, wide turns and a moderate incline.↩
Active and playful descents on easy trails with few obstacles, wide turns and a moderate slope.↩
Single-track climbs on challenging terrain. Loose ground, steps, roots, tight corners and occasionally extreme inclines.↩
Singletrack descents on challenging terrain. Loose ground, steps, roots, tight corners and small jumps as well as some very steep descents.↩
High speed descents on sometimes very rough trails with large jumps and obstacles that you can’t roll over.↩
The rating used for riding characteristics refers to the bikes in the group test and the current state of development of eMTBs. The best bikes managed to blend supposedly opposite riding characteristics, feeling both lively and stable at the same time. The handling describes the balance of the bike on downhill sections. The information regarding motor-power refers to the ride-feeling in the overall context of the bike and not exclusively to the motor – that’s why the same motor can present different values.↩
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Words: Photos: Finlay Anderson