Dedicated is not trying to build a mass-market trail eMTB. The newly revealed FASTER is a deliberately boutique project that sits at the extreme end of the performance and price spectrum, and it is interesting precisely because it ignores several conventions that have become the norm in mainstream electric mountain bikes.

The FASTER is presented as a “pedallable freeride” eMTB, which is a useful phrase for UK readers because it implies a bike that can climb under its own steam, then be ridden hard on steep, bike-park style terrain, without being compromised into a dull shuttle machine. It also arrives at a time when the eMTB market is split between ever more powerful full-fat bikes on one side and lightweight, lower-output systems on the other. Dedicated has taken a third route: high travel and aggressive intent, but paired with a relatively compact motor system and a smaller battery, prioritising responsiveness and weight in a way that is still uncommon in this travel bracket.

Lugged construction, high pivot, and why this bike is different

The most distinctive part of the FASTER is its construction. Rather than a conventional one-piece carbon front triangle, the frame uses machined aluminium lugs joined to carbon tubes. It is the kind of approach you normally associate with niche engineering projects, not with production eMTBs, and it helps explain why this bike is priced like a luxury item. Dedicated’s approach also allows it to target stiffness and flex characteristics with more intent than a typical “one mould fits all” carbon chassis.

Suspension design is clearly the other centrepiece. The FASTER uses a high-pivot layout and runs very long travel: rear wheel travel is adjustable from 175mm up to 195mm, with fork travel intended to sit between 170mm and 190mm. That puts it comfortably into bike-park territory, but with the clear intention that it still climbs and pedals in a way that makes sense for riders who do not want to rely on uplift access every time.

Geometry numbers underline the point. A slack head angle in the low 62-degree range is very aggressive, while the seat tube angle sits steep enough to keep the rider positioned for climbing rather than hanging off the back. Dedicated is also making adjustability a theme, with multiple chainstay length options and the ability to run 29in wheels or a mullet setup, plus a geometry tweak via a chip to compensate for changes in rear wheel size.

Maxon Air S drive unit and the fixed-battery decision

In the power system, Dedicated takes a stance that will divide opinion. The motor is the Maxon Air S, rated at 90 Nm of torque and 620W of peak output, and it is paired with a 400 Wh battery. The key detail is that the battery is not designed to be removable, a choice Dedicated frames as a structural and packaging decision, reducing compromises in stiffness and weight.

For UK riders, fixed batteries can be a deal-breaker for practical reasons: flat and secure charging is not universal, and many owners prefer to remove a battery for charging or storage. But in the context of a niche freeride eMTB, the logic is clear. A fixed battery can allow a more compact chassis, avoid bulky battery doors and mounts, and potentially reduce noise and movement under heavy impacts. The smaller battery capacity is also an implicit statement about how the bike is expected to be used: shorter, higher-intensity rides rather than all-day epics, with the motor used to enable repeat descents rather than to maximise distance.

Dedicated is also positioning this as a European-led project, with the motor produced in Switzerland and the broader manufacturing intent tied closely to Europe. Whether that matters to a given rider depends on priorities, but it is part of the story: this is a bike as an engineering exercise as much as it is a riding tool.

Price, availability, and what the FASTER tells us about 2026

The published pricing is eye-watering. Complete bikes are quoted to start around €11,900 and rise to around €16,000, depending on specification, with availability expected around August and production volume described in very limited terms. That immediately places the FASTER outside most riders’ decision-making, but it still matters for the wider market because it shows where boutique design is going.

The FASTER is effectively betting on a niche audience that wants a freeride eMTB that doesn’t feel like a freight train, even with near-200mm of travel. It is also part of a broader trend: more experimentation with motor systems beyond the obvious mainstream choices and a greater willingness to accept smaller batteries when the aim is a specific ride feel rather than maximum range.

For Electric MTB UK, the best way to read the Dedicated FASTER is as a “concept made real”. It is a signal that the eMTB space is mature enough for true boutique engineering to exist alongside big-brand volume bikes. Most riders will not buy one, but many will recognise the design ideas that filter down over time: how frames are built, how suspension is tuned for e-power, and how manufacturers balance travel, weight, and battery capacity for specific ride types.