Whyte has expanded its electric mountain bike range with four Karve models built around the Avinox M2S drive system and an 800Wh battery. The new family splits into a 160mm-travel Karve trail/enduro platform and a 180mm Karve EVO, giving UK riders a choice between a full-29er chassis and a mixed-wheel gravity-focused bike. Prices start at £5,650 for both RS builds, while the range tops out at £7,799.
The motor is the headline. Whyte’s published specification tables list 150Nm maximum torque, 1,000W standard peak power and 1,300W in Boost, with 250W nominal output. An integrated 800Wh battery is used across all four models, and the Avinox DPC100 colour OLED controller adds touchscreen operation alongside the familiar wireless handlebar controls. That places the Karve directly in the new high-output eMTB category rather than treating it as a conventional mid-power trail bike. If you’re looking for an Avinox powered eMTB but unsure which model to go for, Electric MTB UK has a guide to the best Avinox powered eMTB’s.
Whyte Karve range at a glance
| Model | Travel / wheels | Frame and key kit | UK price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whyte Karve RS | 160mm / 29in | Carbon front, alloy rear; RockShox Select; Eagle 90 mechanical | £5,650 |
| Whyte Karve RSX | 160mm / 29in | Full carbon; Fox Factory; S1000 AXS; DT Swiss H1900 | £7,799 |
| Whyte Karve EVO RS | 180mm / mixed wheel | Carbon front, alloy rear; RockShox Select; Eagle 90 mechanical | £5,650 |
| Whyte Karve EVO RSX | 180mm / mixed wheel | Carbon front, alloy rear; RockShox Ultimate; S1000 AXS; DT Swiss HF1900 | £7,299 |
Karve brings 160mm travel and full 29in wheels
The standard Karve runs 160mm of travel at both ends and arrives with 29in wheels. Whyte’s Shape.It geometry system gives the frame high and low settings, changing the head angle by 0.6 degrees and the bottom-bracket height by 8mm. The same hardware also lets owners configure the bike with a 27.5in rear wheel, although the stock full-29 setup should suit riders who prioritise rollover speed and stability on natural trails.
The £5,650 Karve RS combines a carbon front triangle with an aluminium rear end. A RockShox Lyrik Select fork and Super Deluxe Select shock handle the suspension, while SRAM’s mechanical Eagle 90 T-Type transmission avoids adding another battery to the bike. SRAM Maven Base brakes use a 220mm front and 200mm rear rotor, a sensible pairing for a high-output machine, and Whyte supplies the RS with the standard 4A Avinox charger.
At £7,799, the Karve RSX moves to a full-carbon frame and adds factory-applied RideWrap protection. Fox Factory suspension comprises a 36 fork with Grip X2 damping and a Float X shock, while SRAM S1000 AXS provides wireless T-Type shifting. Maven Silver brakes and DT Swiss H1900 wheels complete the build. Whyte quotes 22.9kg for a large, and the included 12A fast charger is a meaningful part of the price difference rather than an accessory hidden in the small print.
Karve EVO targets bigger terrain with 180mm travel
The Karve EVO raises travel to 180mm and uses a 29in front wheel with a 27.5in rear as standard. It can be converted to a full-29in setup using the Shape.It system, so the choice between agility and rollover is not permanently fixed at purchase. Sizing starts at medium rather than small and runs to extra-large, reflecting the EVO’s more gravity-focused remit.
The £5,650 EVO RS mirrors the standard RS frame construction and mechanical Eagle 90 drivetrain, but swaps to a RockShox ZEB Select fork and Super Deluxe Select RT shock for its longer-travel job. The £7,299 EVO RSX keeps the carbon-front, aluminium-rear layout rather than moving to a complete carbon chassis. Its component upgrade centres on a ZEB Ultimate with Charger 3.2 damping, a Vivid Ultimate RC2T shock, S1000 AXS shifting, Maven Silver brakes and mixed-size DT Swiss HF1900 wheels.
That pricing creates an unusual hierarchy. The longer-travel EVO RSX is £500 less than the full-carbon 160mm Karve RSX, despite receiving top-level RockShox suspension and the same Avinox system. Whyte quotes 24.4kg for the EVO RSX in large, 1.5kg more than the Karve RSX, so the decision is not simply about getting more travel for less money. Frame material, wheel format and intended terrain separate the two flagship builds.
Fast charging is restricted to the RSX models
Whyte lists different charging packages for the two trim levels. The 12A charger supplied with each RSX is quoted at one hour 45 minutes to 80 per cent and two hours 23 minutes for a full charge. The 4A charger packaged with the RS models is listed at four hours 54 minutes to 80 per cent and six hours 11 minutes to full. Riders comparing prices should therefore include charging speed in the decision, particularly when a bike needs to be turned around between riding days.
All four bikes share the 800Wh battery rather than offering a smaller lightweight option. That keeps the range simple and should give the Avinox motor a useful energy reserve, but it also means riders cannot choose a cheaper, lighter low-capacity build from the launch specification. Whyte has not yet published a weight for either RS model, so direct mass comparisons should wait until production bikes are measured rather than extrapolated from the RSX figures.
What the Karve range means for UK eMTB buyers
The £5,650 starting point is the strategically important number. Both RS bikes put the complete 800Wh Avinox system into a well-known UK brand’s trail and enduro chassis without forcing electronic shifting or top-tier suspension. The Karve RS is the more conventional all-rounder, while the EVO RS offers the same entry price for riders who genuinely need 180mm travel and a mixed-wheel setup.
The RSX models make different arguments. The Karve RSX asks the highest price but combines the lightest quoted complete-bike weight with a full-carbon frame and Fox Factory suspension. The EVO RSX costs less and leans harder into gravity performance, using RockShox’s Ultimate-level suspension and a heavier aluminium rear triangle. Both receive fast charging, wireless shifting and factory frame protection.
What remains to be tested is how Whyte’s geometry, suspension tunes and chassis stiffness manage the Avinox motor’s output on wet, technical UK trails. Peak figures attract attention, but low-speed control, noise, heat management and real 800Wh range will decide whether the Karve is easier to ride quickly than its rivals. The four-model structure at least makes the buying decision clear: choose 160mm or 180mm first, then decide whether the RSX frame, suspension, shifting and charger upgrades justify the step up.
Early verdict
Whyte’s Karve launch is significant because it covers trail and gravity riders at the same £5,650 entry price while keeping the Avinox motor and 800Wh battery consistent throughout the range. The Karve RS looks like the broadest UK all-rounder, and the EVO RS is the value-led option for bigger terrain. The two RSX builds are less directly comparable than their names suggest, with the full-carbon Karve favouring lower weight and the EVO prioritising long-travel hardware. A proper verdict will depend on trail testing, but the specification and pricing make all four bikes credible additions to a rapidly growing Avinox category.