We got the Riese and Müller Charger Mountain for a test. SUV or off-roader? I drove the Charger more than 100 kilometers on forest, gravel and bike paths to put it to the test.
This is how R+M marketing man Tobias Spindler describes the target group of the Riese and Müller Charger Mountain: price, design and quality-conscious buyers who are looking for a high-quality E-MTB hardtail that is versatile. Think for a moment... ok, you can clearly declare it a success. Above all, I am convinced of its versatility. During the first few kilometers I had the impression that I wasn't quite sure what to equip the bike, but with every hour in the saddle I understood the concept behind the bike as a clever compromise of all the requirements that a rider could place on such a bike.
The aluminum frame is well thought out. It serves as a platform for some Charger models for different areas of application. There are also city and trekking versions of the 45 km/h Speedpedelec, the GX for long tours and the Charger Mountain, which poaches in the MTB area. The frame inspires confidence with the fact that a maximum system weight of 140 kilos is specified for our test bike. Raised chainstays also allow the assembly with drive belts and it was noticeable when descending off-road that the chain did not maltreat the chainstay loudly. The Shimano XT rear derailleur also contributed to this, which makes it possible to increase the tension on the chain by turning the lever.
It, along with the SLX shifter, shifted gears quite smoothly if you weren't pedaling too hard. Otherwise you can tell every gear change by the background noise, but that's not unusual, and we know it from practically all mid-motor e-bikes with derailleur gears. The KMC 11-speed chain and the Shimano SLX 11-42 cassette shift excellently and always safely under low loads and provide a very good range. If you shy away from mountains with this and the Bosch CX drive, you won't get up with any other bike.
If you keep your eyes on the rear of the Riese and Müller Charger Mountain, you will also notice that you can vary the length of the rear end. In mountain construction, however, only the maximum length of approx. 490mm makes sense, because the tire clearance with the lavish Schwalbe tires is otherwise very tight. Both the equipment with Rohloff allow the dropouts, as well as the installation of a side stand. And all of this is beautifully integrated both visually and functionally. You use quick releases, not thru axles. Incidentally, the rear end also allows the attachment of a luggage rack or mudguard.
Another great detail is the cable routing in the seat stays or under the top tube. The bike looks very tidy with it, but in the event of repairs, you can get anywhere quickly, unlike with routing in the down tube, which often gets on the nerves of the mechanic and costs the owner money. In addition to the various frame details, the geometry of the bike also deserves attention. As soon as you sit down, you feel comfortable. The front is relatively high and the handlebars are wide. Despite the not too short top tube, this is due to the 150mm long head tube.
This height not only allows you to sit comfortably, you also always feel in control of the situation. Climbing also works effortlessly with Charger Mountain. That was to be expected with the not unusual seat tube angle of 73 degrees and the long rear end, and it is fully confirmed in practice. Overall, the bike's handling is quite good-natured and predictable. It only makes a limited career as a corner robber, it needs a bit of emphasis here, the chainstay is too long. For use on wild trails I would probably recommend the Delite Mountain from the Riese and Müller family. The tires offer more traction. The Schwalbe Nobby Nic installed here in 2,35 shines with a good profile on gravel and forest soil and also rolls well on firm ground.
On wet roots and very demanding surfaces, I would have preferred a different rubber compound than that of the performance tires installed. However, it remains questionable whether very many buyers will approach this area with their bikes. The robust and high-quality rims with an inner width of 23mm already provide good conditions to eventually turn the Riese and Müller Charger Mountain into a real trail bike. Because it doesn't take much to turn the all-rounder into a real off-road sports device. I simply pushed the brake levers of the Deore brakes in the trekking version far inwards so that I could only grab them with two fingers on the outside. (on the picture you can see the starting position)
Depending on your taste, just a different tire, possibly a shorter stem and a telescopic support. Incidentally, the latter could be laid easily with external control, because the cable could be stowed under the top tube. That would make the bike a real trail robber. For those who ride more moderately, I would recommend ergonomic grips and possibly a suspension seat post. These suggestions for changes to the bike can be understood as criticism. But they are meant as ideas for personalizing a very versatile E-MTB, which bridges the gap between trekking and trail segments.
Overall, there is nothing to complain about in terms of equipment. I would also like to positively emphasize the Suntour Aion fork, which can be perfectly adapted to any driver and area of application. It was a bit tough at first, but that improved while driving and is due to the temperatures around the freezing point. From experience we can only recommend the fork and say clearly. It's really a shame that SR Suntour products are still underestimated by many manufacturers and buyers. Of course, the Bosch CX drive is a real pleasure again, but that wasn't a surprise. The only thing I didn't find useful is the use of a rigid 34,9mm seatpost, which gives decent feedback via the popometer when riding in real terrain. Here I would at least wish for a thinner, more flexible seat post in 27,2 as standard for relaxed tourers. Especially with a company that shows so much attention to detail that they even install an Acros BlockLock headset that limits the steering angle and thus protects the bike.
The supplied accessories also show the customer-oriented company orientation. High-quality touring pedals, a suspension fork pump and very good instructions for the bike are included. Even the keys come with a chic leather tag. The buyer can choose from various options: Possible options include luggage racks, the Bosch Nyon display with navigation and many other features, or an Abus Bordo folding lock, which locks with the same key as the battery. If you want to ride really long tours, you can even get 2 batteries on your bike, i.e. a whole 1000 watt hours. What more do you want?
With all the options, here is the information about the bike that we rode in the test:
Frame height: 49 cm
Frame color: white
Display: Intuvia
Battery: 500 Wh
