Along with the increased torque, the range increased and we really liked being able to get more laps in. We quickly noticed the EP8’s increased power and more natural delivery compared to the STEPS E8000 unit on the older Meta Power.

The first rides aboard the Commencal Meta were at home in Oregon and we quickly acclimated to the bike before taking it down to St. There is no worrying about paint chips and or rubbing on this frame. Thankfully after a few days the finish blended in well and looked even better.

Initially, we were concerned with the finish, assuming cleaning and rubbing would cause micro scratches. It was hard not to grin as we pulled the polished aluminum Meta Power TR Signature out of the box and noticed how well the finish paired with Fox Factory Kashima stanchions. Commencal’s goal was to strike the perfect balance of downhill performance and climbing stability, so they gave the Meta Power TR a high amount of anti-squat and a healthy dose of progression at the end of the curve. Suspension kinematics are controlled by a custom four-bar linkage that has an adjustable geometry chip to lower the bottom bracket, rake the headtube angle, and lengthen the already long wheelbase for ultra-stable descents. We feel that this is the best combination the EP8 system comes with, since it packs enough power for all day missions but is light enough to not feel like a boat anchor on the trail. The Meta Power TR boasts the new Shimano EP8 motor with a 630Wh battery. A Fox Transfer Factory post with 175mm of travel rounds out the build. Commencal delivered with DT Swiss H1700 rims and 350 hubs, which are some of our favorite aluminum wheels. The cockpit consists of Commencal’s in-house brand, Ride Alpha, which provided no-nonsense 780mm bars with a 20mm rise, and a 50mm stem. Brakes and drivetrain come in the form of Shimano XT, with 203mm rotors for plenty of heat dissipation and stopping power while the shifting and power transfer have performed flawlessly for months of riding. The Signature Edition we received came spec’d with a 150mm Fox Factory eMTB fork and a Fox DPX2 Factory rear shock, packing 140mm of rear travel. At the same time, Commencal wanted it to be agile enough to climb back up the same trails and gave it a seat tube angle of 77.5 degrees and 453mm chainstays with a powerful Shimano EP8 drive unit. It is aggressive enough to hang in the steeps and chutes thanks to a wheelbase of 1,279mm, reach of 485mm, and a head tube angle of 64.5 degrees. Stay tuned to the site and our YouTube channel as we work our way through all twelve bikes until our Grand Finale video and feature, where we name our top picks.Ĭommencal Bikes designed the Meta Power TR 29 to be all things on all trails. For our 2021 eMTB Shootout we put the Commencal eBike to the test in our Trail category, 150mm or less of rear wheel travel, and are excited to share the results. We’d spent time on their older Meta Power, which we reviewed a while back, but this shorter travel Trail eMTB promised a slightly more versatile feel on a variety of trails.

Commencal Bikes have provided some of the best bang for the buck around and we were excited to see how the new Meta Power TR would stack up. The Commencal Meta Power TR is one of the latest additions to a brand that has been delivering direct to consumer shred sleds for the better part of a decade.

Commencal meta tr 29 race 2020