Test: Last season, Conway presented the eWME 27, the electric version of its popular fully platform. For this year, the German manufacturer is going even further: With the eWME 629 and the eWME627MX, the range of wheel sizes has been expanded to include a 29″ variant and a mixed version with plus tires on the rear wheel. We were able to kidnap the 29″ bike from the exhibition center for a few hours and put it to a correspondingly tough test on the notorious 601, among other things.
But first things first: In terms of looks, the eWME 629 hasn't changed much compared to its well-known siblings with smaller wheels. The characteristic damper linkage through the seat tube has been retained, as have the curved lines and the partially integrated battery on the down tube. The latter supplies the Shimano E8000 drive with power and can also be easily replaced if the worst comes to the worst.
With 140mm of travel at the front and rear, the eWME629 clearly places itself in the all-mountain category and underlines its universal character. It should usually be able to provide enough reserves for rougher use without deterring touring riders with too extreme an orientation. This can be clearly seen in the geometry: the steering angle is moderately flat at 67°, the 450mm long struts cost a bit of liveliness, but ensure that the front wheel doesn't want to go up too quickly on climbs.
Geometry Conway eWME 629
| S | M | L | XL | |
| seat tube (in mm) | 410 | 440 | 470 | 500 |
| Top tube horizontal (in mm) | 565 | 590 | 615 | 640 |
| head tube (in mm) | 100 | 100 | 105 | 110 |
| chainstay (in mm) | 450 | 450 | 450 | 450 |
| Wheelbase (in mm) | 1158 | 1182 | 1208 | 1233 |
| Steering angle (in °) | 67 | 67 | 67 | 67 |
| Seat angle (in °) | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 |
| Reach (mm) | 414 | 437 | 467 | 494 |
| Stacks (in mm) | 606 | 611 | 615 | 620 |
Proven quality in the equipment
When it comes to equipment, no experiments are dared and you rely on proven material. The chassis comes from Fox front and rear. The Float DPS damper in the rear is supplemented by a Fox 34 in the performance version. The latter offers 140mm of spring travel and thanks to the reinforced e-bike design, it is also stiff enough to withstand the tough everyday e-MTB use.
Both the gears and the drive rely on quality from Japan - the 11-speed XT group with 11-46 cassette has more than enough bandwidth reserves for an E-MTB in this class and guarantees the usual reliable function. In addition, the triggers fit very well into the ergonomic cockpit and match the counterparts on the left side, with which the support of the motor can be regulated.
The seat post stood out positively during our short test trip to the rocky Lake Garda terrain. The Contec Drop-A-Gogo has a very good operating lever that can be pressed without much resistance and extends at a pleasantly brisk but not too fast speed. Already during our test as part of our List of the best dropper posts the Contec support convinced us.
The brakes also come from the XT series - the new 4-piston version at the front and rear in combination with 203mm discs ensure plenty of reserves. At around 629kg, the eWME21 is quite light for an e-fully, but the high system weight means hard work for the brakes. The proven Schwalbe combination of Magic Mary at the front and Hans Dampf at the rear sits on the 30mm wide rims - in both cases in the robust SnakeSkin version to prevent punctures.
Also available: The Conway eWME627 MX with two wheel sizes
In addition to the pure 29″ version that we tested, the eWME627 MX will also be available as a model with a mix of 29″ front wheels and plus tires on the rear wheel. You can see this mixture more and more often on E-MTBs - and for good reason: The thick rear tire offers a lot of grip even on steep uphill sections, while the large front tire rolls over obstacles more easily and can boast with more steering precision.
The MX version shares the frame with the 29″ model – but since the plus tire is still a bit smaller than most 29ers despite its large circumference and the geometry would change as a result, there is a flip chip in the damper rocker. This can be used to compensate for the size difference in the rear wheel without affecting the geometry.
The first driving impressions
For a few hours we were allowed to take the Conway eWME 629 for a test ride during the Bike Festival in Riva. We headed straight for Busatte to tackle some of the most beautiful trails in the region. The Shimano drive flexed its muscles on the asphalt climb, even if it was quite audible even with medium support, it did the job as confidently as usual.
On the trail, the balanced characteristics of the new e-offspring from Conway are a particular pleasure. The efficient seating position and the high-traction chassis help on technical climbs, even if the rear tire quickly loses grip on loose soil – the MX variant could perhaps score here. When going downhill, the eWME 629 lets you really let go and even tricky passages can be mastered very well. Above all, the Shimano stoppers, which are very easy to dose and at the same time powerful, knew how to convey a lot of security.
The final price for the new Conway E-Fully has not yet been determined - but in our tested equipment it should probably be somewhere between €4.500 and €5.000 - that's a decent amount of money, but in view of the successful overall package it's quite justified.
