[[{“value”:”
Chinese brand Amflow is best known for its full suspension electric mountain bikes, first with the PL, and more recently with the second generation PX and PR.
Now, Amflow is expanding its range with a more comfort-focussed touring e-Bike called the TL.
Like its off-road siblings, the TL is a carbon full suspension e-Bike that’s built around the latest Avinox motor system. However, it provides a much more upright riding position along with components and accessories that are designed to suit mixed surface riding across different environments. Think commuting, rail trail riding, touring, even bikepacking.
Long-time readers will know that this isn’t the sort of thing that we generally cover here at Flow. We’re getting into a lot more gravel and bikepacking these days, but practical utility bikes? Not so much.
However, Amflow was very keen to send us out a TL to try out. And, having just built it up, we can see why. Sure, it isn’t built for singletrack shredding, but it’s got a lot of interesting features that should make it appealing to non-MTB types. If you’ve got a family member, a partner or friend who’s in the market for an electric assist bike that’s comfortable and confidence-inspiring, the TL could very well be worth a look.
Amflow TL Carbon Overview
The Amflow TL is a full suspension e-Bike that aims to cover everything from urban commuting through to off-road touring.
It’s designed to be smooth and stable across mixed surfaces, featuring an air-adjustable 120mm travel fork and 105mm of rear travel. Dual 27.5in wheels come as standard, providing greater strength and a lower standover compared to larger 29in wheels. This makes it easier to mount and dismount the bike, especially when utilising the dropper post.
The TL has a maximum total load capacity of 200kg, including the bike itself, the rider and any loads carried on the front and rear racks. A rear pannier rack comes mounted as standard, while a front rack can be purchased separately. Other practical accessories that come with the bike include full coverage mudguards, a robust direct-mount kickstand, a bottle cage, an LED headlight that’s hardwired into the main battery, and an LED taillight that has its own rechargeable battery.
Motor & Battery
Powering the Amflow TL is the latest Avinox M2 motor. In the normal modes this pumps out up to 110Nm of torque and 1,100W of peak power. Engage the Boost mode and you’ll increase torque to 125Nm for a 30-60 second burst. While we’ve found those numbers are unnecessary on mountain bike trails, we can see the extra support being useful on a fully-loaded bike like the TL.
Inside the downtube is an Avinox 800Wh removable battery that’s shielded by a large plastic guard. After taking this off, a key is required to unlock the battery from the frame. Two keys are included in the box.
For longer distance riding, there will be an optional 480Wh range extender battery that mounts externally on top of the downtube. However, there is no confirmed pricing or delivery dates for the range extenders at the time of typing.
The TL gets the same Avinox user interface as its sportier siblings, including a touchscreen display that’s integrated into the frame’s top tube. There are two wireless controllers – the left side changes the assist mode, while the right side shifts the electronic TRP derailleur. Further functions can be accessed via the buttons or the touchscreen display to turn on the LED headlight, record your ride, and customise the motor’s power output. The system can be paired to your smartphone using the Avinox Ride app, which is used for free over-the-air firmware updates.
Geometry & Size Chart
The Amflow TL comes in just two sizes; S/M and L/XL. Amflow says these two options will fit riders from 155-190cm, which is a frankly staggering range.
While we’re skeptical of that claim, it’s true that the TL comes with plenty of headset spacers for adjusting the bar height, and the slack seat angle means the effective cockpit length will grow for taller riders with a higher saddle height. For shorter riders, travel reducers are included in the box for the dropper post if you need a lower saddle height.
Geometry on the TL is quite different to a typical mountain bike. The reach is much shorter and the stack is higher, which is amplified by 93mm (yes, 93mm!) rise handlebars. Ha, eat your heart out, Dakotah Norton! Along with the slack seat angle, low BB and whopping 470mm rear centre length, the TL gives off a chopper-esque vibe that is all about maximising stability and rider comfort.
Unlike the latest PX and PR, there are no geometry adjustments built into the TL’s frame. However, Amflow says this bike is compatible with 29in wheels front and rear, provided you remove the mudguards and pannier rack. This would lift the BB up quite a bit to give you more ground clearance, which would likely make the TL better suited to off-road terrain.
Price & Specifications
The Amflow TL is currently offered in just a single model; the TL Carbon. It sells for the very attractive price of $5,599 AUD, which is impressive given the full carbon frame and Fox-branded suspension.
Other spec highlights include custom Tektro 4-piston disc brakes that utilise 2.3mm thick rotors for added durability and heat dissipation. There’s also a 1×10 drivetrain mostly made up of Avinox components as well as a TRP electronic derailleur. This wires in to the motor system, which unlocks the clever SmoothShift function that allows you to change gears while coasting. It doesn’t yet offer automatic shifting, but we suspect it’s only a matter of time before that’s an option.
Amflow specs 2.35in wide Maxxis Crossmark II tyres that feature a semi-slick tread pattern to keep things smooth and fast on bitumen, while still having sufficient traction for gravel and light trail use. They’re not tubeless ready out of the box, so you’d need to upgrade the tyres and fit both tubeless tape and valves to the wheels if you wanted to ditch the inner tubes. While we’re big fans of tubeless, it’s true that it can be messy and intimidating for less mechanically-experienced riders, so perhaps most TL Carbon owners will be just fine with the stock setup.
As to how it rides? While this genre of bike isn’t our area of expertise, we’re looking forward to discovering what it’s all about. If you’re curious too, stay tuned for more!
Amflow TL Carbon
- Frame | Carbon Fibre, Four-Bar Suspension Design, 105mm Travel
- Fork | Fox AWL Sport, Rail 2.0 Damper, 120mm Travel
- Shock | Fox Float Rhythm, 190x45mm
- Motor | Avinox M2, 125Nm Torque & 1,100W Peak Power
- Battery | Avinox RS800 Removable 800Wh
- Wheels | Amflow HTA-25 Alloy
- Tyres | Maxxis Crossmark II EXO Wire Bead 27.5×2.35in
- Drivetrain | TRP 1×10 Electronic Derailleur, Avinox SL 38T Crankset & 11-43T Cassette
- Brakes | Tektro TKD173 4-Piston, 180mm Rotors
- Handlebar | Amflow Touring Alloy, 93mm Rise, Width: 720mm (S/M), 740mm (L/XL)
- Stem | Amflow Touring Bike Split Stem, 35mm Length
- Grips | Amflow Enduro Grip 2 Lock-On
- Seatpost | Amflow TA Dropper Post, Travel: 150mm (S/M), 170mm (L/XL)
- Saddle | Amflow Touring Saddle
- Claimed Weight | 22.6kg
- Price | $5,599 AUD
The post On Test | The New Amflow TL Carbon Is A Full Suspension Utility e-MTB appeared first on Flow Mountain Bike.
“}]]
[[{“value”:”Chinese brand Amflow is best known for its full suspension electric mountain bikes, first with the PL, and more recently with the second generation PX and PR. Now, Amflow is expanding its range with a more comfort-focussed touring e-Bike called the TL. Like its off-road siblings, the TL is a carbon full suspension e-Bike that’s
The post On Test | The New Amflow TL Carbon Is A Full Suspension Utility e-MTB appeared first on Flow Mountain Bike.”}]] Read More Flow Mountain Bike
#flowmtb #mtb