E-Enduro GasGas ECC: Lots of Prominence in the Game

After Sram recently introduced its own ebike system Eagle Powertrain, the focus is now increasingly taking on ebikes based on this drive. This includes, for example, the brand new GasGas ECC. In addition to the motor, however, this E-Enduro has at least two other details that deserve special attention.

At this year’s Eurobike, GasGas already gave glimpses of one of its most important innovations for the 2024 season. At the trade fair stand of Pierer Mobility, to whose group of companies the GasGas ebike brand has belonged since 2019, an ECC stood prominently placed on a jump ramp. In keeping with the image, it was covered in plenty of dirt. If you looked past the dirt, you could spot a fully installed Sram Eagle transmission. All the other components were also installed, of course. However, the motor, suspension fork and shock came without any label.

Expertise squared

Meanwhile, the mystery of the ebike drive has been solved by Sram. And now we know who is responsible for the suspension system. WP Suspension and DVO Suspension, two companies that are considered absolute experts in their respective fields, worked together on the suspension system. The name DVO will surely make the penny drop for some of you. The Californians produce noble and, above all, high-performance suspension forks, shocks and seatposts.

Those who also know WP may already have a connection to motorcycling. That’s where the company based in Mattighofen, Austria, comes from. In the mid-1970s, its founder Wim Peters developed a suspension system for off-road motorbikes that was almost revolutionary at the time. Even though the company name represents the initials of the founder, the term “White Power” Suspension is hidden behind it. This is meant in a completely non-political way and refers solely to the traditional white springs of WP’s systems.

Apparently, WP and DVO made plans for a joint project some time ago. According to GasGas, the very first prototype of the spring system now on display dates back to 2016. By 2021, a team had designed several operational concepts, which were, however, repeatedly discarded. At some point in 2021, a basic model was ready. The final touches were added in the UCI E-Enduro World Cup EDR.

New valve, familiar function

The special feature of this cooperation is the cone valve technology brought in by WP, which DVO has combined with its components. Both in the suspension fork and in the shock there is a kind of inner chamber. As an inlet to this chamber, the cone valve works like a release valve. If a sufficiently high force is applied to the front wheel, for example, the fork dives in to compensate for the force. As it does so, the cone valve closes exponentially to increase damping and prevent sagging.

According to GasGas, the process works so well that you can increase the stroke on the fork and shock. You are less likely to be forced to shift weight to compensate for the suspension’s response. This means that you stay in the optimal position on the bike for longer and tire more slowly. At the same time, the suspension system is supposed to maintain the necessary sensitivity to smoothly eliminate even small obstacles.

How significant the difference is compared to a chassis with conventional valves cannot be answered seriously without a test ride. From our point of view, there are a few indications that you will have to race very fast over technically demanding trails with larger jumps to notice the added value. Riding skills on the level of Andreas Fischbach would certainly be a good prerequisite. The World Cup rider has been chasing down the slopes of the World Cup with the material since this season. If you believe his videos, he does it with enthusiasm. However, a development stemming from this environment is likely to require a similar riding style in order to play out its qualities to the full. And let’s be honest – very few of us get anything like that on the trails.

Steel instead of air

While the cone valve only catches the eye at second glance, if at all, the steel spring on the rear shock immediately stands out visually. With a steel spring, such large suspension travel as the 170 millimetres on the fork and the 160 millimetres on the shock can be implemented quite comfortably. We find the use of a spring convincing, because in the best case the suspension travel can be used completely and no valuable centimetres are lost for the sag of an air suspension. Above all, however, the linear characteristic curve with the even increase in resistance speaks for this choice. Usually, one quickly gains confidence in such a constantly working suspension, which is absolutely conducive to a safe riding experience.

Of course, the option also involves one or two disadvantages. The greater weight is usually easier to get over on an ebike. Less so is the fact that the spring cannot be adapted to every rider’s weight. Springs with different degrees of hardness are used for different body weights. There is nothing in the GasGas technical specifications to indicate a possible choice in this respect. If this were to be confirmed, it would be clear that the riding experience would only be a really optimal one for some of the riders.

Useful gadget

The frame of the GasGas ECC holds a special kind of fun in store. The frame material used by the manufacturer is entirely carbon. This reduces the weight and guarantees enormous stiffness. But we mean a part that comes as an extra to the frame. There are red covers on both the top tube and the down tube. They are reminiscent of motorbike fairings. According to GasGas, their primary purpose is to protect the frame parts in case you fall or the bike gets hit in some other way and the paintwork could suffer. A nice side effect is their interchangeability. Should the manufacturer bring more colours and designs onto the market in the future, you could give your ebike an individual touch.

If you don’t like the plastic parts so much, simply click them off. GasGas offers suitable plugs for the attachment points that are then suddenly visible on the frame, so that no annoying dirt can collect in them.

The idea for the shrouds probably came from the Austrian design agency Kiska. They designed the look of the ECC. Probably the covers are also part of it. Pierer Mobility and Kiska have worked together before. They also did so for the GasGas brand. The design for the e-cruiser GasGas Moto came from the agency as well. Kiska has additional references within the bicycle industry. The company was also involved in the presentation of the IXGO brand of the Bico dealer association, which was introduced in May 2023.

Prepared for everything

Firmly bolted to the frame, on the other hand, is a metal bash plate. This effectively protects the motor from scratches and impacts when it comes into contact with the ground or other obstacles while riding. It also emphasises the daredevil character of the ECC. In addition to the already mentioned generous suspension travel, the E-mountain bike’s modern geometry invites you to step on the gas. In the three frame sizes offered, S/M, M/L and L/XL, the manufacturer works with different chainstay lengths. The larger the frame, the longer the chainstay. This is a perfectly understandable decision. Usually, this improves contact with the ground, so that you maintain grip and thus control, especially on climbs.

Well-matched duo

With its maximum torque of 90 Newton metres, the Sram Eagle Powertrain is an excellent addition to the bike. The motor’s power, which can soar to 680 watts at peak times, also plays into the concept’s favour. It remains to be seen how riding with only two support modes, Range and Rally, will prove. Of course, the special shifting functions Auto Shift and Coast Shift add to the ease of use. Nevertheless, this is a fundamental difference in operation compared to the e-drives of other manufacturers. The 630 watt-hour battery is removable. GasGas has also approved the system for use with the range extender.

Crucial question still unanswered

In the course of the first quarter of 2024, three different models of the ECC will be available: the ECC 6 as the top model in the colour Electronic Red, the ECC 5 in Jet Black and the ECC 4 as the only one with a RockShox suspension system in the colour combination Anthracite Metallic / Sangria Red. However, it is still unclear what prices GasGas will charge for the ebikes. The manufacturer is silent on this in the preliminary information.

GasGas ECC 2024 at a glance

• Variants: ECC 6, ECC 5, ECC 4
• Frame: Carbon
• Suspension fork: DVO Onyx D1CV OTT, DVO Onyx D1CV SL, RockShox ZEB Select+
• Shock: DVO JadeX CV, RockShox Super Deluxe Select+
• Motor: Sram Eagle Powertrain
• Battery: Sram Eagle Powertrain, 630 Wh
• Display: Sram Eagle Powertrain AXS Bridge
• Drivetrain: Sram XO Eagle Transmission, Sram GX Eagle Transmission, Sram GX Eagle
• Brakes: Sram Code RSC, Sram G2 RS, Sram DB8
• Maximum permitted total weight: 130 kg

 

Pictures: Pierer Industrie AG