Amflow TL Carbon eSUV Review: Trail-Ready but City-Compromised

The eSUV category claims to combine wide all-terrain tires, front and rear suspension, and practical accessories such as fenders and racks. The Verge reported that the TL Carbon is built on Amflow's Avinox drive system, the compact and powerful motor platform that disrupted the electric mountain bike industry. The reviewer found the TL Carbon less powerful, sporty, and springy than the Amflow PX Carbon Pro tested over the summer, but said its eMTB roots are undeniable.

The review's main test was a 170km bikepacking trip from Amsterdam to Texel, at the northern tip of the Netherlands. About 70 percent of the route was asphalt, 20 percent gravel and dirt, and 10 percent rutted, hilly single-track for mountain bikers. The reviewer rode a 19.2kg bike while weighing 87kg and carrying about 20kg of gear. Amflow's Avinox M2 mid-drive motor, with 125Nm of torque and 1100W of maximum output, flattened long technical hills that other mountain bikers had to walk, according to The Verge.

The reviewer also praised the range from the 800Wh battery. Amflow offers an optional battery extender that adds 480Wh, but the reviewer did not use it. Riding mostly in Eco mode, switching to Auto mode for strong headwinds and Trail mode for steep or technical single-track, the reviewer finished an 82.3km day with 22 percent charge remaining. The Verge calculated that as 7.58Wh per km. Because the TL Carbon's battery is removable, unlike Amflow's premium eMTB, it can be charged in a bar, cafe, or home. The reviewer had no trouble finding public chargers in the Netherlands, which has extensive bicycle infrastructure.

As an eMTB, however, the TL Carbon makes compromises. Its 27.5-inch front wheel is fine in town but does not roll over roots and rocks as well as the 29-inch wheels on modern mountain bikes, though there is clearance to swap in a 29er. The geometry is more upright than many riders would want on trails, and front and rear suspension travel is relatively short, tuned more for potholes than one-meter drop-offs, although The Verge said it handled those fine. City features such as integrated lighting, a kickstand, a bell, mudguards, a front rack, and a rear rack are not designed for quick removal and add weight to the 2.9kg carbon-fiber frame. Removing everything for full eMTB use could take up to an hour, and returning to city mode could take another hour.

In urban settings, The Verge said the Amflow TL Carbon looks out of place. It appears expensive, and its gas shock, Fox branding, and wide knobby tires make it stand out from basic city bikes, which the reviewer said is not desirable where bicycle theft is a problem. The reviewer would not feel comfortable parking it on the street overnight. The Verge concluded that the TL Carbon gets the job done in cities if it is the rider's only bike, but it is more at home on trails than on pavement.

The review described the TL Carbon as a true off-road sport utility vehicle that can carry a child to daycare and handle trails, with a powerful yet compact Avinox drive system and excellent range. Its drawbacks, according to The Verge, are that it is more at home on trails than in the city, that city accessories make it a compromised eMTB, and that it is a thief magnet. The Verge's answer to whether an eSUV e-bike can really go from trail to town was yes, if it is Amflow's TL Carbon, but with expected compromises.