When it comes to e-bikes there are two extremes, heavy commuter bikes with large batteries and lightweight stealthy e-bikes. Desiknio’s e-bikes fall into the latter category with premium bikes that combine stylish designs and well integrated power systems. One of their latest offerings is the Desiknio X20 range of bikes which utilize high powered Mahle electric hub motors and sleek carbon fiber frames. We were lucky enough to get our hands on the Desiknio X20 Gravel for a few weeks which combines the sleek carbon frame with flared bars and wider tires to tackle trails. The X20 Gravel is available in two flavors: the $5,995 with a Shimano GRX 600 drivetrain and a $7,495 Campagnolo EKAR option. Motivation comes from a Mahle hub motor with 55 nM of torque along with a 236 Wh battery concealed inside the frame. Premium details on the bike include a torque sensor based assist along with integrated headlight and taillight.
The Desiknio X20 Gravel combines a beautiful carbon fiber frame with metallic paint finish with a smooth and surprisingly powerful hub motor.
| Retail Price | $5,995 |
| Rating | Design: A+ Components: A Handling: A Value: A- |
| Weight (lb) | 26.5 |
| Likes | + Beautiful design + Seamless power delivery from hub motor + Stealthy battery and mode display |
| Dislikes | – Premium pricing – Bike lacks fork and rack mounts |
| Where to Buy (US) | Desiknio |
FIT AND FINISH
Visually, it’s easy to mistake the Desiknio X20 Gravel for a high-end all-road or road bike. The bike has a classic double triangle frame design with a full carbon frame and straight tubes with beveled edges. The rear triangle uses an offset seat stay design which provides additional compliance. What’s so impressive about the bike is that the 236 Wh battery is completely disguised inside the downtube which could easily pass for a standard bike. The only real giveaway that the bike is an e-bike is the Mahle hub motor which is also obscured behind the brake rotor and rear cassette.
The X20 Gravel is currently only offered in a green color scheme that Desiknio refers to as Sunlight Magic. What makes the color magical is the heavy metallic flakes inside the paint that light up when the sunlight hits it. It’s a beautiful paint color scheme that looks like a dark green in the shade and sparkles in the sun. Branding on the bike is limited to a Desikno headtube badge which helps give the bike a premium appearance. The mechanical Shimano GRX 600 setup has completely concealed cabling with the wires routed through the headset and into the frame. Unlike all-road or bike-packing bikes, the X20 Gravel is limited to two standard water bottle mounts without accommodations for fenders or additional mounts.
Given the price point of the bike, it’s not surprising that the finishing kit on the bike uses high-quality pieces. The handlebars are a Ritchey Ergo Comp with a pronounced flare for additional stability. Right off the front of the handlebar is a Supernova V521s front headlight with hidden wiring that’s connected via a single sided clamp. The saddle on the bike is a comfortable Ergon SR Pro attached to a carbon fiber seat post that helps soak up the miles. Wide Pirelli Black 45 tires with tan sidewalls add a bit of contrast and provide traction on looser roads.
USER INTERFACE
With the sleek design of the X20 bikes, it’s no surprise that Desiknio opted for a minimal user interface to control the power system. Instead of large screens or adding multiple controls like you’d find on typical e-bikes such as the Troxus Lynx, the X20 has a single power button and illuminated light bar on the top tube. It’s quite subtle and easy to miss at first glance as there is only a black rubber button and an illuminated bar below it that blends into the bike when it’s off. Holding the button powers the bike on which illuminates the light bar. The battery percentage is indicated by how much of the bar is illuminated while the color indicates the assist level. White indicates the bike is on with no power assist while green, purple and other colors.
Although the color indicators aren’t particularly intuitive, it’s easy to feel the difference between the modes and cycle through the levels as needed. Desiknio has also opted to not incorporate a remote assist level controller on the handlebars for a cleaner look which means you do have to move your hands off the bars to the single button the top tube. Given the sleek lines of the bike, we found the simple color-coded bar approach to be well suited for the bike and simple to operate. The integrated headlight and taillight don’t have separate controls, and are automatically turned on when the power on the bike is on.
RIDING IMPRESSIONS
With it’s combination of lightweight and full carbon fiber frame, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Desiknio X20 Gravel is quite fun to ride. The almost endurance-bike like geometry, Pirelli gravel tires and flared dropped bars provide smooth and stable handling on and off the road. It’s also light enough that you can enjoy the bike with no power assist and simply use it as a standard mechanical bike. The bike does a good job of absorbing rough terrain and providing a fairly upright position that is comfortable for longer rides. Desiknio has also geared the bike well with the Shimano GRX 600 drivetrain to provide enough range for faster speed flat terrain as well as steep climbs. While the aggressive tires of the bike make it a bit slow on the road, we’d recommend the standard X20 or thinner tires, they shine on looser terrain with great grip and confident braking.
If you’re going up a steep climb or just getting tired, it’s easy to power up the bike and add a bit of assist. As with the Stromer bikes, the combination of the rear hub motor and torque sensor provide smooth and seamless power delivery. Even in the higher assist modes, the power delivery is well tuned to match your effort and let you ride faster or tackle harder climbs. We found the simple user interface worked well as the colors let you see the assist level and battery status at a glance. The downside of the stealthy design is that there is no remote for switching assist modes so you do need to move your hands off the handlebars to change levels.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Desiknio X20 Gravel to be a fast and fun bike. The X20 Gravel is an attractive full carbon bike that nearly completely hides all the e-bike related components. Even the downtube is the size of standard bikes which gives the bike a sleek appearance and lightweight. That means you can easily use the X20 Gravel with or without power to suit your needs. We were impressed with the minimal display and smooth power deliver that provides Class 1 pedal assist with a very well tuned torque sensor. Desiknio has done a great job integrated gravel specific parts while still sticking to their ethos of fast and premium bike designs. As far as negatives, the bike does have a premium price for the drivetrain and the X20 Gravel lacks fender and gear mounts. That said, if you’re looking for a sleek and fast gravel bike that doesn’t look like a e-bike then the Desiknio X20 Gravel is a compelling option.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Desiknio. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.