#newbikeday for Richie Schley. The R.EX
Even for experienced mountain bike pros, the first ride on a new bike is always a special experience. This also applies to freeride legend Richie Schley, who traveled to Dieburg at the beginning of July to take delivery of his new R.EX bike. The ROTWILD engineers derived the all-mountain bike from the technology of the R.EXC World Cup bike, the workhorse of the ROTWILD Schwalbe Gravity Team in the E-EDR World Cup. The R.EX is characterized by its versatility: It is designed for a wide range of uses and has a new chassis that masters both demanding uphill passages and rapid descents on fast trails.
Richie sums up his first impressions: "Over the past few days, I've been riding the R.EX around our Dieburg headquarters, exactly where the ROTWILD crew do some of their testing. These are typical, flowing and medium-fast low mountain trails in the forests around Darmstadt and Frankfurt. Ideal conditions to fully exploit the strengths of the R.EX. There are technical passages and a few jumps - real all-mountain riding. The R.EX is perfect for this type of biking and of course for even more aggressive trail riding. I'm looking forward to trying out the bike on different terrains and in different places."
Elevated Box Design - what the pro says
A special feature of the R.EX is the newly developed rear triangle with the innovative Elevated Box Design. This construction combines high symmetrical stiffness and optimized anti-rise and anti-squat values. Richie's impression: "After my first rides, I can definitely say that the newly designed rear triangle with the Mid-High Pivot System has perfect stiffness and gives me a lot of feedback on the trail. No matter what the situation, you know exactly what's happening. From front to back, the bike feels incredibly balanced and agile. It changes direction quickly, it feels like a real race bike. It absolutely loves speed."
Latest cell technology for more range
The new IPU820 carbon battery offers a greater range, with a capacity of 820 Wh it sets new standards in battery technology. The lightweight carbon battery housing saves weight and can be removed and replaced in seconds thanks to Quick Release. The Pro says: "I find the ratio of battery capacity to weight almost unbelievable. The carbon housing makes a decisive contribution to this: only around 3,500 g with so much capacity. But above all the new Gen2 cells, they offer even more range. It will be difficult for me to run the battery down on the trails. I also particularly like the convenient handling of the battery. The quick release fastener makes it so easy to remove the battery. Whether it's for charging at home or in my hotel room when I'm out and about. Simply press the button, the battery is released and that's it. Inserting it is just as quick. It's still the easiest battery removal mechanism I've seen so far."
"What impresses me is the total weight of the R.EX of just over 21 kg. Low weight, but lots of suspension travel, enormous reach and components designed for enduro use for maximum durability. Thanks to the low weight, my signature trick - the Schleyble top - even works on small kickers."
Richie Schley
Shimano EP801 - race-proven and with lots of power
The torque of up to 85 Nm and the many customization options of the Shimano motor provide optimum support in many off-road situations. Richie feels the same way when he says: "The Shimano EP801 gives me confidence in its reliability and adaptability. I'm familiar with the software and how the app works. It's pretty simple and customizable. If I'm planning an epic ride, I reduce the torque settings to get the maximum range. On my daily rides around Laguna Beach, California, I prefer full power because of the steep terrain. Crunchy climbs and steep grades, those are my home trails there. "
"As I haven't used the Di2 much in the past, I am deeply impressed by its shifting precision, ease of use and, above all, the fast response time."
Richie Schley
Standover
"The low-slung top tube not only looks really fast, it also gives me the advantage that the Standover is very comfortable. I'm not the tallest, but even for me it fits perfectly. And, as a shorter rider, I can adjust the Eightpins seatpost to my desired height within seconds and without tools."
"The R.EX feels like a true race bike, it wants to go fast and stick to the ground."
Richie Schley
