Whenever I walk into a Decathlon store, I usually go in for a simple pair of running socks and somehow end up staring at their high-end bicycle section for an hour. If you have been following the cycling world lately, you know exactly what I mean. Decathlon has quietly transformed from a budget-friendly sports retailer into a serious heavyweight in the cycling industry.
When I heard they were releasing the renewed version of the Stilus E-Touring electric bike, my ears immediately perked up. Touring bikes are a completely different beast compared to your standard city commuter. You demand reliability, immense battery life, and a motor that won’t give up when you are carrying 20 kilos of camping gear up a steep mountain pass.
I’ve been diving deep into the specs of this new release, and I have to say, Decathlon is not playing games. They have partnered with industry giants like Bosch and Shimano to build what looks like an absolute tank of an exploration machine. Let’s break down exactly what makes the new Stilus E-Touring so special and why it might just be the ultimate companion for your next cross-country adventure.
The Heart of the Beast: The Bosch Performance Line CX Motor
Let’s get straight to what matters most on a heavy-duty e-bike: the motor. If you are miles away from civilization, the last thing you want is a cheap, underpowered hub motor whining as you hit an incline.
Decathlon made the incredibly smart choice to equip the Stilus E-Touring with the Bosch Performance Line CX mid-drive motor.
- 85Nm of Torque: If you aren’t familiar with torque numbers, let me translate this for you: 85Nm is massive. It means that even if you are heavily loaded with panniers, this bike will practically flatten out steep, gravelly hills. It provides an aggressive, punchy power delivery exactly when you push down on the pedals.
- Intelligent Assist Modes: The bike comes with 5 distinct riding modes, ranging from the battery-sipping ‘Eco’ mode to the full-power ‘Turbo’ mode. This granular control is crucial for touring, allowing you to manually balance your physical effort with your battery preservation strategy.
I always tell people that a mid-drive motor is non-negotiable for real touring, and seeing the top-tier Bosch CX on a Decathlon frame proves they understand their target audience.
Killing Range Anxiety: Battery and Charging Speeds
The biggest fear any e-biker has is the dreaded dead battery. Pushing a heavy, gear-laden e-bike without motor assistance is a workout nobody wants to endure.
To combat this, the Stilus E-Touring is packing a massive Bosch PowerTube 750Wh battery.
How Far Can It Actually Go?
According to Decathlon, this powerhouse can deliver a maximum range of 130 kilometers on a single charge. Of course, as someone who rides frequently, I have to add a reality check: that 130km figure is likely achieved on flat terrain, using the lowest Eco setting, with a lighter rider. However, even if you are climbing hills on standard assist modes, you are still comfortably looking at 70 to 90 kilometers of real-world, heavy-duty range. That is easily a full day of riding for most cycle tourists.
The True Secret Weapon: Fast Charging
What genuinely surprised me the most about this spec sheet isn’t the battery size; it’s the charging speed. Decathlon claims a full charge takes only 2.5 hours.
Think about how this changes your travel itinerary. You can ride for 60 kilometers in the morning, stop at a countryside café for a long lunch, plug your battery into a wall socket, and by the time you finish your espresso, you have enough juice to tackle the rest of the day. This completely eliminates range anxiety.
Built Like a Tank: Frame, Suspension, and Comfort
When you are touring, comfort is just as important as speed. The Stilus E-Touring is built around a robust 6061 aluminum frame, available in three different sizes to fit various rider heights.
- The Weight Factor: I won’t sugarcoat it; at 26 kilograms (for the medium size), this is a heavy bicycle. But in the world of e-touring, weight is a secondary concern. The motor does the heavy lifting, and the heavier frame provides much-needed stability when flying down gravel descents with loaded cargo racks.
- Front Suspension: To save your wrists from getting battered on rough trails, Decathlon included a Suntour XCM32 ATB suspension fork with 100mm of travel. It is a reliable, coil-sprung fork that handles potholes, roots, and rocky paths with ease.
- The Rubber Meets the Road: The bike rolls on large 29-inch Schwalbe Johnny Watts tires. I absolutely love this tire choice. They feature a continuous center tread that rolls silently and efficiently on paved roads, but aggressive side knobs that bite into the dirt when you take a detour through a forest trail. It is the perfect hybrid tire.
Drivetrain and Stopping Power
You can’t put a ridiculously powerful motor on a bike without upgrading the gears and brakes to handle the extra stress. E-bikes naturally chew through chains and cassettes much faster than regular bikes.
Decathlon recognized this and opted for the Shimano CUES 11-speed drivetrain. If you haven’t heard of CUES, it is Shimano’s relatively new ecosystem specifically engineered for the high-torque demands of e-bikes. It prioritizes extreme durability and smooth shifting under heavy loads, which means less time fixing broken chains on the side of the road.
To stop all this momentum, the bike is equipped with Shimano MT200 hydraulic disc brakes. While these are entry-level hydraulics, they offer significantly more stopping power and modulation than any mechanical brake, which is absolutely vital when trying to stop a 26kg bike loaded with gear going downhill.
The Price: Is It Worth It?
So, what is the damage to your wallet? The new Decathlon Stilus E-Touring is hitting the market with a price tag of €3,300.
I know what you are thinking—over three grand for a Decathlon bike?! But we need to put this into perspective. If you look at boutique cycling brands like Trek, Specialized, or Cannondale, an electric touring bike featuring a Bosch CX motor and a 750Wh battery will easily set you back €4,500 to €5,500.
At €3,300, Decathlon is offering flagship-level electrical components on a highly capable frame. It is an incredible value proposition for anyone who wants to get into serious electric bikepacking without completely emptying their savings account.
I genuinely think Decathlon has hit a sweet spot here. They aren’t trying to make the lightest bike, or the flashiest bike. They built a practical, unstoppable workhorse designed to cross borders and conquer mountain passes. If I were planning a month-long trip across the Alps right now, this bike would be at the very top of my shortlist.
But I want to know what you think about the future of cycle touring. Do you feel that electric bikes take away the “purity” and physical challenge of traditional bikepacking, or do you think they are the ultimate tool to open up the world to people who might not otherwise be able to explore it? Let me know your thoughts down below!
You Might Also Like;
- The True Cost of Being Stranded in Space: How Much Do NASA Astronauts Actually Earn?
- The Illusion of Autonomy: Why Your Futuristic Robot is Secretly Controlled by a Human
- Decathlon’s New Stilus E-Touring is a Game-Changer for Electric Adventures
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
