Pete takes Ducati’s out-and-out race-inspired ebike for a lap in the Dolomites to see what the big red Powerstage RR is all about.
The latest motorsport manufacturer to get into the World of ebikes is Ducati, and their latest offering, the Powerstage RR is every bit the race machine as its faster two-wheeled brethren.
Photos by Bike Connection Agency – Roo Fowler.
Key features:
- Ohlins RXF38 m.2 Air 180mm fork
- Ohlins TTX22 m.2 coil shock
- SRAM GX AXS 12-speed drive
- Shimano EP801 motor
- Shimano 630Wh battery
- Braking First 2-piston brakes
- Ducati dropper post
- £11,690.00 RRP
- Ducati.com
Everything about the Ducati Powerstage RR says ebike racing. It’s also got plenty of motorbike racing influence too when it comes to the spec choices. The current zenith of the brand’s collaboration with Thok is this, the Powerstage RR which is only going to be available in 230 units.
So what have you got? Well, a full carbon fibre frame, including the linkages, houses a Shimano EP801 motor and 630Wh battery. A steering lock helps keep the forks away from the gloss red carbon fibre of the head tube.
Ohlins was chosen for their racing heritage, with an RXF 38 m.2 fork and a TTX22 m.2 shock handling the damping. Braking have launched their First brake, again, with motorsport heritage, with their 2-pot brakes coming in big, reminiscent of old Hope Open 2s, or more recently, Formula’s offerings. These come with large, 3mm thick rotors for maximum heat dissipation. Pirelli is another motorsport marque that almost had to be fitted. These roll on Crankbrothers Synthesis Carbon wheels. Finishing kit is Fizik and Renthal.
Unlike other bike brands though, you’ll not find the Powerstage RR at the shops, they are only available through Ducati’s motorbike dealer network, through selected dealers.
Geometry
The Powerstage RR is available in M, L and XL.
Read on the Medium is 455mm with a seat tube of 415mm. Head tube angle is 64 degrees with a seat tube of 78 degrees. Chainstays are 450mm with a wheelbase on the Medium of 1246mm.
Opening moves
Setup for the big red Ducati started in the usual manner. Sag and damping setup, lever throw and angle, let most of the air out of the tyres… A few caveats to throw in here though. While the Ohlins TTX22 m.2 coil is a delight, the team at Ducati didn’t have a spring light enough for me. Not a million miles off but the rear was running a little firm. Also, the Braking First anchors require several screws to be loosened prior to departure, and any on-the-fly adjustments are… tricky.
Nevertheless, I’d get the bike as close to how I’d want it, before heading out for an early morning lap before the lifts opened. A bike with a name like Powerstage RR is aimed at one thing. You guessed it, the EDR-E Powerstages. I found a good test of the seated climbing in a fierce straight up the piste lap to access the flow trail on the hill. I don’t think I have ever pedalled up such a steep, loose slope in such a comfortable seated position. Grip and balance were unreal and I was left to just winch away with the EP801 whirring away between my feet.
Obviously, the Powerstage RR isn’t aimed at bike park flow trails, but it was a good place to get used to the bike. Giorgio at Ducati told me that the faster and rougher the trail, the better this bike goes. I immediately sought out something to suit. The Black Bear at Andalo is notorious. Mostly for punctures and the limestone that is utterly treacherous when shown 0.1% humidity or higher.
Dropping in with visibility down to zero, I found myself getting nothing that even approached traction. Reset and go again. This had nothing to do with the bike. There simply was no grip. The 808 trail was my next port of call, a fast, rough trail that would have the bike singing if Giorgio was correct in assertion. No dice. Closed for construction work. A trail that ran parallel was awash with sheep, guarded by some very aggressive Great Pyrenean mountain dogs. Never mind…
So, I defaulted back to the ebike loop trail. “At least this”, is what Giorgio told me when talking about what the bike was designed for. If I had any criticism about the bike, as I don’t think it got a fair run out, it would be the tyres. The older style Pirellis are just too rigid and offer limited grip, even with little wind inside and really clipped the Powerstage’s wings on the descents. I fully understand the racing heritage and if the non-limited edition version comes with something a little better, even the newer ‘Race’ Pirellis, then that problem would easily be solved.
In the places where the trail opened out, and outright traction wasn’t my main consideration, the Powerstage RR felt like it was well within its limits. It’s a big bike designed to be ridden hard. That much was evident from my limited time on the bike. When I did call on the Braking brakes to bring everything into line, the power on tap was imply ludicrous. For the first time in a long time, it didn’t feel to me like the Ohlins forks were over-damped too.
When the starts aligned on that damp morning in the Dolomites, the Powerstage RR showed its class but a morning on a bike that never really got going likely wasn’t going to give fair assessment of its potential. Hopefully I’ll get to swing a leg over one here at home and more time on setup will let me wring the most out of the big red Italian race machine.
