Whyte Bikes lifted the curtain on its newly revamped and rebranded 2024 electric mountain bikes a few weeks ago at a closed door press event, but while the brand is best known for innovating for the off road, we think the new commuter range – dubbed RHeO – will turn heads in 2024.
For the uninitiated, Whyte Bikes is a British designed MTB specialist that has become a firm favourite in the UK for unashamedly designing around our typical riding conditions, with chief engineer Ian Alexander noted for producing a number of award-winning bikes.
Later in the brand’s history there came a divergence into some more commuter friendly builds and though the headlines may well mostly point to the brand’s investment in building the perfectly balanced off road machines, in the present climate it’s the £2,000 (unequipped) and £2,200 (equipped) urban builds that we think will prove an instant winner.
The Whyte Bikes 2024 RHeO range consists of only three bikes, one mechanical (RHeo1) and two electric under the RHeO2 and RHeO3 headers.
The price point will prove attractive, not because they’re among the cheapest urban commuters out there right now, but because the spec sheet for that price looks very appealing. Plus, these are among the very first electric bikes to go public with the new KMC Kynamic hub motors equipped, which we’re told comes with a three year warranty.
Notably the geometry of the urban bikes acknowledges again how the British prefer to use their bikes. There’s hints of mountain bike positioning evident in the geometry, while the spec is urban ready but capable for light off road. On the loaded spec there is in fact the addition of an internally routed dropper post, which aside from being a bonus for stability at traffic lights, is another nod to the capability for these bikes to take shortcuts away from the roads. Take a look at the tyres too; a set of Maxxis Reaver rubbers that comes tubeless ready and with a 700 x 45c size that’ll be more than comfortable on a variety of terrain.
The RHeO3 is the spec that comes fully loaded, inclusive of mudguards, a kickstand, a pannier rack, integrated lighting both front and rear, plus that remote activated dropper. There’s a very cool detail on the mudguard too – a reflective Whyte logo that really shines when hit by light. Each of the RHeO bikes opts for a 1X 10-speed gearing.
Both low step and higher standover frames will be on offer when the bikes become available in the spring. The non-electric RHeO1 will cost only £1,000. Two colours will be available on the RHeO2 and RHeO3 builds – a bright and a more muted shade for each.
If you’re in the market for an e-bike on a budget, take a look in at what we consider to be some of the best electric bikes under £2,000, or indeed on a budget of £1,000 and under.