STRATOS 9

On smoother singletrack, faster-rolling tires and lighter builds show up clearly, and that's what this score reflects. Key drivers include typical trail-width tires and a high-end drivetrain that tends to feel crisp under load. Net effect: the bike either carries speed well or feels like more work to keep it rolling. Put simply, it tends to feel slower when you try to hold a high tempo.

Overall on climbs: 8.6/10. Within e-mountain bikes, it lands near the top. When it gets steep, the gearing feels very easy. In numbers, the low gear is roughly 16.9 gear inches. In its peer group, it lands around the easier ~91% for low-gear climbing. We use “gear inches” as a shortcut for climbing gearing. Lower numbers mean you can spin more easily when it gets steep. Being an e-bike helps on climbs because the assist adds steady push when you need it. This kind of low gear helps you stay smooth on long or steep climbs. Different builds can shift the feel a bit, and some manufacturer specs aren’t always publicly listed, so consider this a helpful direction.

Suspension performance: 8/10. It’s grouped into “High-impact ready”. It typically supports higher-speed rough sections where impacts stack up quickly. With suspension in the front and rear, the bike can stay more settled through repeated bumps. It prioritizes stability at speed on rough ground. When exact travel numbers aren’t available, we base this on the suspension layout and what’s typical for similar builds. This is meant for rougher terrain where repeated impacts demand stable wheel tracking.

Balanced fit - a middle ground between comfort and speed. It feels this way because bars are around 26 mm lower than the saddle, which is a very small drop, and the forward stretch measures around 629 mm (very long). Plan for roughly 25 degrees of lean.

Main reasons for the fit flexibility result: The bar and stem are integrated as one unit, so changing reach or bar height is more restrictive, Less routing complexity makes swaps and adjustments more practical. Plus, A dropper post adds practical adjustability while riding. Net result: Limited Adjustment. Put simply, it describes how practical it is to reconfigure your position later.

This scores 8.2/10 for comfort, so it feels plush out on the road. It’s tagged Firm for Enduro — it feels plush overall, but it’s on the firmer end compared with the plushest Enduro builds. The posture is neutral (posture 6/10), which keeps it balanced — not overly aggressive, not overly relaxed.

This bike is built for rougher, more technical trails where control matters. It has about 160 mm of suspension travel (how much it absorbs bumps), which helps on rough, technical trails. Overall, the setup matches this surface range well.