Tech
New Whyte E160 focused on performance with oh-so-low centre of gravity – BikeRadar
All-new frame is built around Bosch’s Smart System 750Wh battery and Performance Line CX motor
Published: July 1, 2022 at 9:00 am
British bike brand Whyte’s newest E-160 electric mountain bike has been tweaked and refined as Whyte seeks to hone its focus on lowering its centre of gravity (COG).
The brand claims the changes improve how the bike rides, making it feel closer to a non-assisted bike, while also making battery removal and installation easier.
The 150mm rear-travel emtb range now includes a full 29in-wheel bike and a dedicated mullet setup, where the front is 29in and the rear 27.5in, both available in medium to extra-large sizes. The extra-small and small sizes get 27.5in hoops front and rear, making them a better fit for smaller riders.
The move from Bosch’s Performance Line CX motor with basic Purion display to the Smart System and redesigned down tube sees an increase in battery capacity, with space for up to a 750Wh unit, plus increased smartphone connectivity.
Prices start at £6,399 for the E-160 S 29er and MX, rising to £7,699 for the mullet-only E-160 RS, and top out at £7,999 for the E-160 RSX, which is sold with 29in wheels only.
2022 Whyte E-160 frame and suspension
Whyte’s focus on lowering the E-160’s COG is founded in the belief doing so will “dramatically improv[e] the ride performance by minimising the… negative effects of poor weight distribution in three main areas… pitch, roll and yaw.”
In order to investigate the importance of lowering the bike’s centre of gravity with the aim of improving the way it rides, Whyte used computer-modelling software to cut the bike into portions, giving each section its own COG.
Each section’s centre of gravity is then averaged out to produce the whole bike’s centroid (arithmetic mean position of all points). The aim was to make this as low as possible.
Along with the anti-clockwise rotation of the motor (when seen from the driveside) – used on all current Whyte full-suspension ebikes, so the battery can be mounted beneath the motor – the brand has managed to lower the battery further for the latest E-160 by relocating the connector from the bottom of the battery to the top.
This, Whyte claims, culminates in a ride “that feels much more like… an ‘acoustic’ bike,” with a planted feel while maintaining the ability to change direction quickly.
Whyte is also keen to highlight its down tube’s design that remains intact, without the cut-out used on many other brands’ designs for battery installation or removal.
The “uncompromised” down tube means it retains its torsional stiffness and structural importance.
For the 2022 bike, the down tube has been re-profiled and hydroformed to fit tightly around Bosch’s 750Wh battery, that slides into the down tube using Bosch’s slide-in-rail system.
Because the system is modular, owners can swap between 750Wh, 625Wh and 500Wh Power Tube battery sizes without having to buy a whole new bike.
The brand has moved to the 1.5in upper cup and 1.8in lower cup headset standard, while making changes to the internal cable and electric wire routing. The E-160 now uses SRAM’s UDH, too.
Suspension
Although the new E-160 still uses Whyte’s Horst-link four-bar suspension – dubbed Quad-Link 4 Suspension by the brand – found on its other full-suspension bikes, it has worked hard to tune the bike’s shock damper tunes.
Whyte said its in-house enduro racer and engineer Sam Shucksmith helped develop the tune on both Fox and RockShox shocks fitted to the bike, going through many iterations to find the perfect performer.
The E-160 has 150mm of rear-wheel travel and, like its full-suspension stablemates, the overall rate of progression of its travel is around 25 per cent.
2022 Whyte E-160 motor and battery
Bosch’s Smart System Performance Line CX motor and 750Wh battery are fitted to the 2022 E-160, although, as mentioned, the frame is compatible with the smaller 625Wh and 500Wh batteries, too.
The motor boasts 85Nm of torque and 250w of assistance, and via Bluetooth connectivity thanks to the Smart System, the motor’s modes can be adjusted in Bosch’s Flow smartphone app.
This latest generation also features Tour+ mode. This functions similarly to eMTB mode, where increased rider inputs make the motor provide more assistance.
However, none of the E-160 bikes are fitted with a Bosch display. Instead, an LED controller – with battery and mode indicator – is fitted to the left-hand side of the handlebars. A Bosch Smart System display can be added as an aftermarket upgrade, however.
2022 Whyte E-160 geometry
Bike geometry across manufacturers seems to be converging on what is becoming a universally agreed sweet spot, where bikes with those perfect figures tend to ride well.
The 2022 E-160 doesn’t buck the trend, its figures looking spot-on for a trail/enduro ebike.
Headline numbers include a 64.2-degree head tube angle (low setting), 75.3-degree actual seat tube angle, 446mm chainstays and a 483mm reach figure for the size large.
Whyte E-160 29in wheel geometry
Whyte E-160 MX/mullet wheel geometry
Whyte E-160 27.5in wheel geometry
The range features a wide gamut of sizes, from extra-small to extra-large. The XS and S bikes run 27.5in wheels front and rear, while the medium to extra-large bikes can be fitted with either 29in wheels front and rear, or a mullet or MX setup.
Like its other full-suspension bikes, it’s fitted with the Shape.it Link – a small flip chip in the shock yoke that switches between high and low positions. Whyte says the link slackens the bike out by 0.6 degrees and lowers the bottom bracket by 8mm.
The link’s secondary function is to allow the frame to accommodate a 27.5in rear wheel, transforming it into a mullet bike. All E-160s, whether they’re sold as a mullet or 29in-wheeled bike, can be changed to the other wheel configuration without any additional purchases.
2022 Whyte E-160 models, specifications and prices
In the 2022 E-160 range are three models, with the base E-160 S model retailing for £6,399 in both 29in and MX wheel configurations, along with a full 27.5in-wheeled bike for the smaller sizes.
This is fitted with a RockShox ZEB fork and Super Deluxe Select R rear shock. Braking is taken care of by TRP’s Trail Evo, while Shimano’s ebike-specific XT M8130 Linkglide drivetrain features.
The bike’s finishing kit – including dropper, saddle, bar, stem and grips – is Whyte-branded.
Sitting in the middle of the line-up is the E-160 RS, available with a mullet-wheel setup or full 27.5in for the extra-small and small sizes.
This model retails for £7,699, and is specced with a Fox 38 Performance fork and Float Performance DPS rear shock.
Drivetrain duties are taken care of by SRAM GX Eagle AXS (like the RSX model), and it’s fitted with WTB HRZ i30 rims laced to unbranded hubs. Elsewhere, there’s a Crankbrothers Highline 3 dropper post and a mix of Whyte and branded kit. SRAM Code R brakes provide the stopping power.
Headlining the range is the E-160 RSX, costing £7,999, but available only with 29in wheels.
This comes with Fox Float 38 Performance Elite forks with 160mm of travel and a Float X Performance Elite rear shock. Elsewhere, it has a SRAM GX Eagle AXS drivetrain and a Crankbrothers Highline 3 dropper post.
In the UK market, it’s fitted with Hope’s Fortus 30 wheels, while other territories get DT Swiss’ HX 1700s. The wheels are wrapped in Maxxis rubber, with an Assegai 3C MaxxGrip EXO+ front tyre and a Minion DHR II 3C MaxxTerra DoubleDown at the rear.
Stopping is done by SRAM’s Code RSC brakes with a 220mm front rotor and a 200mm rear.
2022 Whyte E-160 RSX 29er
- Frame: 6061-T6 alloy, 150mm travel
- Shock: Fox Float X Performance Elite
- Fork: Fox Float 38 Performance Elite, 160mm travel
- Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle AXS
- Wheels/tyres: Hope Fortus 30 on Hope Pro 4 hubs / Maxxis Assegai 3C MaxxGrip EXO+ WT TR 29×2.5in (f), Maxxis Minion DHR II 3C MaxxTerra DoubleDown WT TR 29×2.4in (r)
- Brakes: SRAM Code RSC 220mm front, 200mm rear rotors
- Bar/stem/grips: Whyte Custom 6061 Alloy 800mm / Whyte Enduro Stem 35mm / Whyte lock-on Enduro
- Seatpost/saddle: Crankbrothers Highline 3 / Fizik Terra Aidon
- Price: £7,999
2022 Whyte E-160 RS MX
- Frame: 6061-T6 alloy, 150mm travel
- Shock: Fox Float Performance DPS
- Fork: Fox Float 38 Performance, 160mm travel
- Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle AXS
- Wheels/tyres: WTB HTZ i30 TCS 2.0 on Alloy hubs / Maxxis Assegai 3C MaxxGrip EXO+ WT TR 29×2.5in/27.5×2.5in (f), Maxxis Minion DHR II 3C MaxxTerra DoubleDown WT TR 27.5×2.4in (r)
- Brakes: SRAM Code R 220mm front, 200mm rear rotors
- Bar/stem/grips: Whyte Custom 6061 Alloy 800mm / Whyte Enduro Stem 35mm / Whyte lock-on Enduro
- Seatpost/saddle: Crankbrothers Highline 3 / Fizik Terra Aidon
- Price: £6,399
2022 Whyte E-160 S MX or 29er
- Frame: 6061-T6 alloy, 150mm travel
- Shock: RockShox Deluxe Select R
- Fork: RockShox ZEB, 160mm travel
- Drivetrain: Shimano Deore XT M8130 Linkglide
- Wheels/tyres: WTB HTZ i30 TCS 2.0 on Alloy hubs / Maxxis Assegai 3C MaxxGrip EXO+ WT TR 29×2.5in/27.5×2.5in (f), Maxxis Minion DHR II 3C MaxxTerra DoubleDown WT TR 27.5×2.4in (r)
- Brakes: TRP Trail Evo 220mm front, 200mm rear rotors
- Bar/stem/grips: Whyte Custom 6061 Alloy 800mm / Whyte Enduro Stem 35mm / Whyte lock-on Enduro
- Seatpost/saddle: Whyte Drop.it Adjust / Whyte Custom
- Price: £7,699
2022 Whyte E-160 RSX 29er ride impressions
I was lucky enough to ride the Whyte E-160 RSX 29er on my local test loop, taking in some of the best off-piste trails at the Glentress trail centre in Scotland’s Tweed Valley. Although I only managed a single 1,190m ascent/descent, 25km distance ride, I was able to get some good initial impressions of the bike.
The E-160 felt very similar to the E-180 RS I reviewed in BikeRadar’s Bike of the Year test, but with the increased control and grip afforded by the larger 29in wheels.
This meant it felt super-smooth on particularly rough, choppy terrain with the improved roll-over of big hoops, increasing how fast it could be ridden before control was reduced.
This made it addictive to ride quickly, where the Float X’s rear shock felt as though it was doing a great job of improving grip and ironing out the worst of the bumps. In fact, this was the best-feeling Float X I’ve ridden, where the weight and speed of an electric bike wasn’t able to overwhelm the damper’s performance.
Furthermore, the front-to-back balance – with the relatively long 446mm chainstays and 823mm front centre creating a 1,269mm wheelbase – gave a very intuitive ride from the get-go.
It was easy to hop on the E-160 and ride fast and confidently. The low-slung weight, suspension performance, spot-on geometry and spec list – that included the impeccable MaxxGrip Assegai front tyre with EXO+ casing and DoubleDown DHR II MaxxTerra at the rear – worked perfectly together.
The bottom bracket felt a touch on the low side. This was great for cornering confidence, but I did encounter a few pedal strikes.
On the climbs, I felt as though the seat tube angle could have been steeper, but this wasn’t a big issue compared to some bikes.
With Bosch’s Smart System 750Wh Power Tube battery fitted to Mondraker’s Level R, it feels as if it drains its power quicker than the 625Wh battery fitted to a basic Performance Line CX motor. More investigation is required here, however.
The proof of the Whyte’s performance was, however, in the pudding.
Although this evidence should be taken with a pinch of salt, I managed to beat all my current personal records on my test loop during the single ride I spent on the 2022 E-160 RSX. Make of that what you will, but it at least suggests Whyte’s latest ebike is an impressive bit of kit.
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Authors
Alex Evans is BikeRadar’s mountain bike technical editor. He started racing downhill at the tender age of 11 before going on to compete across Europe. Alex moved to Morzine in the French Alps at 19 to pursue a career as a bike bum and clocked up an enormous amount of riding. Riding those famous tracks day in, day out for eight years, he broke more bikes than he can remember. Alex then moved back to the UK and put his vast knowledge of mountain biking to good use by landing a job working for MBUK magazine as features editor. Since working for MBUK, Alex’s focus has moved to bike tech. He’s one of BikeRadar’s lead testers, knows how to push bikes and products to the limit, and wants to search out the equipment that represents the best value for money. Alex is also a regular on the BikeRadar Youtube channel and BikeRadar podcast.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
___
Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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