Visordown tests Oset full-size electric trials bike
Why OSET?
Some of you may be thinking why is Visordown reviewing an OSET electric trials bike? Well, off-road riding has several benefits such as, improved balance/feel, cornering confidence, decreased reaction times and better stamina, all of which are transferable to road and track riding. Most, if not all MOTO GP riders ride off-road and enduro in pre-season training - maybe you should give it a go to?
All seriousness aside, OSET was kind enough to lend us the 24.0 Racing to have a play on, we took the bike to a top-secret location (just outside of Coventry), and my goodness did we have some fun!
Fancy one ----> osetbikes.com
Style
Whilst the 24.0 has the unmistakable appearance of a trials bike, it is not limited to this style of riding, which is good because I don't have skills like Danny MacAskill. The bike is a bit of a head turner with its bold black, red and white digital camo colour scheme (like something from Call of Duty). Also, the number board is optional, so we whipped it off to expose those bling downhill MTB forks.
Price
With all the blingy parts, this puppy is coming in at £3,369 brand-new. Although this might seem pricey the 24.0 Racing is a premium product which has almost no maintenance cost, requiring about the same level of attention as a mountain bike. In addition, unlike its petrol counterparts, there is no adjusting valves, no piston replacements, no cleaning pilot jets... Just plug and play baby!
Now if you are a bit of a bargain hunter you might think eBay but, just be aware that it's probably not been professionally PDI’d, nor do you know if it has been properly serviced. Honestly, for a bike this capable and rapid I would recommend splashing out and buying a new one, plus you get a 5-year warranty on the lithium-ion battery – not something you’d get from Dodgy Dave (not his real name) off of eBay.
Motor and batteries
Paired with the 48V battery is a mega punchy 1400W (48V) OSET neodymium motor, which is more than powerful enough to move my chubby butt up the steepest dirt inclines. In full ‘razz’ mode we got about 4 hours of battery life, which is bloody good going. And the slower you go the longer they last, taking around 8-10 hours to fully recharge.
What if you aren't not bombing it around everywhere, I hear you ask? Lucky for you, there’s a nifty 48V controller set in the frame, which allows adjustment of power, speed, and throttle response. The first time I hopped on the OSET I went full Spinal Tap and turned the thing up to eleven. It was when I nearly took out my colleagues fence, I realised this was a bad idea and decided to drop the power and response down a bit. After this comical near miss, and a little practice, the throttle felt perfectly natural and using it to control the bucket loads of torque to the back wheel is a proper blast, especially as the rear sprocket is designed for maximum acceleration.
Frame and suspension
The lightweight steel trellis frame, trick RST front forks and DNM rear shock (preload and compression adjustable) do a mega job of making all that torque easily manageable. Although the 24.0 Racing has all the components of a high-spec, downhill push bike, it’s still massive fun, which for a manchild like me is great!
Adjusting the suspension is very straightforward and so long as you’re under 90KG you can tweak it to suit your weight and riding style, the closer you are to the weight limit the more preload and compression you’ll need. But other than that, it’s very simple – just have a play and tweak it till it works for you.
Handling
The money spent on the suspension and wheels becomes quickly evident when you hit the dirt; the light frame and 19” hoops create a very flickable and responsive package. The chunky Vee Rubber tyres provide plenty of grip, even on the wet loose dirt we were ripping on. It’s not as lightweight as a downhill mountain bike, but because of this extra mass it feels way more planted and getting into a rhythm down the fast sweeping muddy paths was easy.
Over the jumps the 24.0 also feels right at home, urging me to hit them faster and harder each time. The landings are plush and require minimal thought, this cracking little package does all the work. Now, don't get too carried away like me and ride into a bush (after getting ‘sick’ air time bro), staying on the OSET is far more enjoyable.
Brakes
Once I realised I was going to crash into said bush, I calmly/not calmly applied the SRAM hydraulic brakes, which grasped onto the 180mm disks with firm intent. Alas, it was fate for this bush and I to become acquainted. It’s not the brakes fault mind, they worked well in bleeding off a ton of excess momentum. I really like the progressive feel at the lever, it gave me much better braking confidence and control over rougher terrain, and as you can see from my riding, I need all the help I can get...
Comfort
Now you don't get much support in the seating department, but it is a trials bike after all. You can perch on the plastic mud-guard if you need a little rest, although I personally felt the standing position very comfortable and natural (even being above 6ft). The tall 1090mm handlebars, grippy low mount foot pegs, and bikes low weight greatly reduce fatigue, if you’re not battling to stay in position and keep it pointing in the right direction.
This comfort was clarified the next day, as my legs didn't feel like I had been training for the world's strongest man, and getting up and down stairs was a breeze.
Verdict
I genuinely have only good things to say about the OSET 24.0 Racing and could not recommend one more highly. You’re getting the off-road capability of a two or four-stroke petrol bike, without pissing off the neighbours with nuisance noise. And without costly and time-consuming servicing or lugging around 20l jerry cans. This OSET has really stolen my heart and until they ask for it back, I’m gonna keep razzing it!
If you fancy improving your riding level and having a lark on an unintimidating yet properly capable bike, look no further, this is the bike for you.
Fancy one? Find your local dealer here ----> https://osetbikes.com/gb/bikes/oset-24-0-racing/
