Bike Review- 2022 Forestal Siryon e-MTB
Words by Mia:
They say e-bikes are heavy… that’s one of the main reason I hear why women don’t want to get an e-bike… I’ve also heard the old “e-bikes are for lazy people”… I very much disagree. At one point, I was the type of rider who thought e-bikes were for those who took the “easy way” to get up a mountain… But, boy was I WRONG!!!
A few weekends ago I was able to demo a 2021 Specialized Levo and I enjoyed the bike so much, it convinced me to get an e-bike. One of the main reasons is that I can ride for longer, session more, and lap over and over again. But also, it’s just FUN.
Folks have to understand that e-bikes have a myriad of functions. Not to mention how much it helps those with disabilities get on the trail, have fun, and shred!
Doesn’t matter what bike you have; analog/acoustic or electric…A bike is a tool, it’s a way to practice your craft, and most importantly, have fun!
So, I’ve had my eye on this Forestal bike ever since I saw the crew at Worldwide Cyclery got their hands on it a year or so ago!
I walked into the shop last week for something random and was fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of this little beauty in person. AND even more fortunate when I was able to take it out for a demo for a couple of days! Check out the vid and more info below!
The 2022 Forestal Siryon is an Enduro style eMTB that has 170mm of front and rear travel. It was the lightest ebike I have seen and riden, and for a high travel bike, it was playful, fast, and sturdy.
Even though I was only able to ride the bike for two days, I was able to gauge the battery life, tune the suspension to my liking and take it on some loose terrain, tight switchbacks, steep ups and downs, and a little chunk.
It has 4 different e-modes, and let me tell you, this bike goes uphill very quickly! The model I demoed was the Siryon Halo, which is the ‘entry-level’ trim.
Frame: Forestal Siryon, Medium-Carbon – Alpha Box Design
Rear Shock:Rockshox Super Deluxe Select+
Fork: Rockshox Lyrik Select 29″ 170mm
Handlebar/Stem: Proprietary Forestal Handlebar, Stem & Headset
Brakes: Magura MT7, Magura Storm HC 203mm Front / 180mm Rear
Rear Derailleur: SRAM GX Eagle
Cranks: Praxis Carbon w/ 32t Chainring, 160mm or 165mm Carbon crank arms
Dropper Lever: One Up
Dropper Post: Crankbrothers Highline 7 150mm
Display: 3.2″ Integrated HD Transflective touch screen
Chain: SRAM GX Eagle
Cassette:SRAM Eagle XG-1295 10-50t
Shifter: SRAM GX Eagle
Wheels- Front & Back Rim: Crankbrothers Synthesis Alloy Enduro 29″
Saddle: WTB Volt
Tires: Maxxis High Roller 2 (Rear), Maxxis Minion DHF (Front)
Riding Style: All Trail
Weight: Roughly 40lbs
Grips: Forestal
Battery: Forestal Aurora Performance 350wh
Drive Unit: Forestal EonDrive (60nm)
Sizing: Being on the shorter size at 5’4, I felt the Geo on the Medium frame fit really well. The reach was great, and I was able to handle the back end of the bike with no issues. For those of you who like info on geometry, check out the graph below:
Screen: I was impressed by the technology! The screen function was very smooth, intuitive, and something that I was very curious to use. The bummer was that the map feature wasn’t working when I got the bike, and I found that it was due to a software update that was required.
Trail: Like I said earlier, I was only able to ride the bike for two days. Being that it was a demo, that’s currently for sale, I didn’t want to take it to a park or do anything with it that was beyond my skill level in the event I damaged it. Luckily for me, I have a ton of amazing trails where I was able to ride the bike for over 15 miles, on cross country style trails, some fun flowly down hills, little drops and steep climbs.
The uphill climbs were just as fun as the downs! The bike was efficient, fast and never did I feel like the battery was going to deplete when I was on full power. One con was the loudness of the motor. The higher the gear, and faster I went, the louder and high pitch the motor got.
My recommendation: if you want a super lightweight ebike, and you don’t care about the range, this bike is a great option.
We’ll be demoing more ebikes long term over the next few months, so stick around for more info on new and upcoming ebikes! If you have any questions for Mia directly, about her bike, or ever just want to ride in SoCal, you can contact her on Instagram, or email [email protected]
https://www.worldwidecyclery.com?aff=622
Where to buy: https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/3598932/
Forestal Bikes- Check out Forestal’s site for all the geo info- https://forestal.com/en/products/siryon
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Easy to pedal on steep terrain
- High travel
- Nimble
- Screen tech-when functional
Cons:
- Battery life- can deplete quickly after 20 miles
- Technology- Map wasn’t working- Electronics can be expensive to fix
- Charging port is finicky
- Higher models are expensive
- Loud motor
- Dropper lever-but it’s an easy fix