Test: The name Ducati on the frame raises great expectations. The Mig-S can mostly fulfill this - with great performance on the trail, which should especially appeal to sporty drivers. On the uphill you have to take it a little easier.
Ducati MIG-S: the facts
Suspension travel: 150mm / 140mm
wheel size: Mullet mix 29/27,5 inch
Drive: Shimano E8000
Display / control unit: Shimano E7000
Battery capacity (test bike): 504Wh
Frame material: Alu
Weight complete bike (size L without pedals): 23,66kg
Maximum weight allowed: 120kg
Price: € 4.699
| Frame | MIG |
| Fork | Marzocchi Bomber Z2 |
| Drive | Shimano E8000 |
| Battery | Shimano 504Wh |
| Suspension shocks | Fox Float DPS 140mm |
| Wheels | Thok e-plus |
| Tire VR | Maxxis Assegai Exo+ 2,6" |
| Tire HR | Maxxis Assegai Exo+ 2,6" |
| Derailleur | Sram SX Eagle |
| Shifter | Sram SX Eagle |
| Crank | Shimano E8000 |
| Front derailleur | Without |
| Brake | Sram Guide T |
| Brake discs | Sram Centerline 203/203mm |
| Seatpost | Kindshock E20i 150mm (L) |
| Saddle | Ducati |
| Stem | Thok aluminum |
| Handlebar | Thok aluminum oversize risers |
It's always a problem with bicycles from automotive manufacturers. The bikes are often neglected and usually don't really do justice to the big name that is emblazoned on the frame. We were correspondingly skeptical when cult manufacturer Ducati announced an E-MTB a few years ago. Fortunately, our skepticism at the time was completely unfounded. The 2020 version of the Ducati MIG-S is also an exciting, individual e-mountain bike that quite rightly bears the legendary name!
Similar e-mountain bikes on test
[blog posts_per_page=”3″ taxonomy=”post_tag” tax_term=”43565″ order=”desc” orderby=”rand”]Mullet mix and stiff rear end
For the development of the Ducati E-MTB, Ducati brought the compatriots from Thok on board, on whose frame the MIG-S is then largely based. The bike, which is equipped with a mullet mix of a 29er wheel at the front and 27,5 inch at the rear, feels very harmonious on the trail – assuming you can handle the fairly sporty orientation.
What is particularly surprising here is the rear end, which despite "only" 140mm of travel is extremely potent, especially at high speeds. It offers large reserves for a harder pace and can easily cope with an unsuccessful landing or a bad choice of line. However, if you are looking for a plush, feel-good rear end that irons out every little pebble, you will definitely be disappointed. The Marzocchi Bomber Z2 suspension fork at the front also cuts a very good figure, which harmonises well with the rear end thanks to its sensitive response behavior and decent damping.
The geometry is similar, but not quite as ambitious as the suspension setup. Due to the rather low bottom bracket and the special battery position under the down tube, the MIG-S has a low center of gravity, which rewards it with a very full and safe riding experience. The other dimensions of the frame, which is quite compact overall, are rather moderate. Even less experienced bikers should be able to find their way around the Ducati very quickly.
Geometry Ducati MIG-S
| S | M | L | XL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| seat tube (in mm) | 400 | 435 | 470 | 520 |
| Top tube horizontal (in mm) | 560 | 585 | 615 | 650 |
| chainstay (in mm) | 450 | 450 | 450 | 450 |
| Steering angle (in °) | 66 | 66 | 66 | 66 |
| Seat angle (in °) | 74.5 | 74.5 | 74.5 | 74.5 |
| Reach (mm) | 405 | 426 | 450 | 479 |
| Stacks (in mm) | 596 | 606 | 624 | 642 |
The Maxxis Assegai tires with a width of 2,6 inches and with the puncture-proof Exo+ carcass also ensure a lot of safety on the descent. Even in difficult ground conditions, they reliably cling and offer a lot of grip. Unfortunately, the brake system wasn't quite as convincing: The Sram Guide T is combined with large discs at the front and rear, but offered few reserves, especially on longer descents - despite our light test riders.
Average climbing performance
As convincing as the gaudy E-MTB is on the descent, the way up is not necessarily one of its strengths. This is not even due to the Shimano E8000 drive, which is not one of the most powerful mid-engines, but still has enough power for steep sections. In addition, the wide range of the SX Eagle gears from Sram helps with easy mountain gears. However, when it got really steep, we had to actively shift our weight forward to keep the wobbly front wheel on the ground. The main reason for this is the rather slack seat tube angle in combination with the rather short main frame. This combination results in a rear-heavy seating position.
The big Velomotion E-MTB test 2020: test fields, individual tests and background information
We set ourselves the daunting task of conscientiously and objectively testing 57 eMTBs. With our two large test fields "Highend" and "Bestseller" we had a huge range of different bikes.
Our test conclusion
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Our test candidates in the bestseller category: BH AtomX Lynx 6 Pro | BMC Trailfox AMP SX two | Bottechia proton | Bulls E-Stream Evo AM 3 | Canyon Neuron: ON 9.0 | Centurion No Pogo E R2600i | Corratec E-Power RS 160 Pro | Cube Stereo Hybrid 140 HPC™ | Ducati MIG-S | Flyer Uproc 3 6.50 | Focus Jam² 6.8 Nine | Fuji Blackhill Evo 27,5+ 1.3 | Ghost Hybrid ASX 6.7+ | Giant Stance E Pro 0 | GT Force AMP | Haibike XDURO AllMtn 3.5 | Hercules Nos Pro FS 1.1 | Kettler Scarpia FS 2.0 | Kona Remote CTRL | KTM Macina Chacana 291 | Lapierre Overvolt AM 7.6 | Nox Hybrid All-MTN 5.9 Comp Sachs | Radon Render 8.0 | R Rayom FullRay E-Seven 9.0 | Scott Strike and Ride 910 | Specialized Turbo Levo | Stevens E-Pordoi | Stevens E-Sledge ES | Thok Mig 2.0 | TrekRail 7
You can also find this at the kiosk Velomotion E-MTB test yearbook 2020. There you will find all 57 individual tests of the bikes, exciting stories and advice on everything to do with e-mountain bikes on over 160 pages.
Here you can also order the E-MTB yearbook 2020 directly from us.
