By Ken West | 2025 QLD eMTB & Masters 2 Downhill State Champion | Sponsored Rider, Electric Bikes Brisbane
At Electric Bikes Brisbane, we proudly sponsor SEQ downhill mountain biker, Ken West — 2025 QLD eMTB and 2025 Masters 2 Downhill State Champion. We're backing him for the full 2026 QLD DH Series on the Focus Sam2 6.9. We asked him to tell you exactly what he thinks of it four months into the race season. If you're searching for the best downhill eMTB for Brisbane and South East Queensland trails, his answer might surprise you.
My Background
Growing up racing and riding dirtbikes, I adapted to eMTBs pretty quickly. I got my first eMTB in late 2023 and was hooked. Two years later I was crowned the 2025 QLD DH State Champion — racing the Masters class on my eMTB with the battery out, alongside taking the eMTB category title. It's fair to say I push my bikes hard, and this is a proper review from someone riding the toughest trails in South East Queensland every week.
Picking Up the Sam2 6.9 — First Impressions
Early this year, I excitedly picked up the 2026 Focus Sam2 6.9 from the great crew at Electric Bikes Brisbane in Milton. This bike would be my general ride and race bike for the 2026 season, all across QLD and Northern NSW — downhill and enduro, every weekend.
I set my suspension sag and hit my local trail.
On paper, the Sam2 6.9 has an impressive specs list — Bosch Gen 5 CX motor with up to 100Nm of torque, Fox 38 Factory forks with 170mm of travel, a Fox DHX coil shock, TRP EVO Pro 4-piston brakes with 220mm rotors front and rear, SRAM Eagle 90 Transmission, Schwalbe Magic Mary Super DH tyres, and a mullet wheel setup — 29" front, 27.5" rear. But words on a tech sheet don't always translate to a great real-world riding experience.
That's not the case with the Sam2.
On Trail: What It Actually Feels Like
The moment I sent it down its first trail is when the real excitement hit. Everything just worked, and instantly I felt I could ride smoother, faster and more controlled than ever.
Maybe it was the mullet setup, giving the best of both worlds in rollability and cornering. Maybe it was the Fox Factory forks soaking up every little bump and keeping me planted even in the rough stuff. Maybe it's the big oversized 220mm rotors and TRP Pro brakes that give you all the confidence in the world.
Or maybe it's a culmination of everything — the parts and geometry of the bike working in harmony. I felt slower, but I was going faster. Obstacles that were once hard seemed much easier, and I could charge through them much faster. I was also surprised by how much lighter the bike feels when riding it compared to my previous bikes.
I expected I would have to change some parts to get the bike familiar — bar height, brakes, perhaps even suspension. But out of the box, the Sam2 felt great. So much so that all I did was trim the handlebar length down 10mm at each end. I have a habit of clipping trees.
Flow Mountain Bike reviewed the Sam2 6.9 and described it as having a "planted ride feel", with the coil shock and Fox 38 fork combining so that it "wants to hug the ground and motor over everything." Their verdict: "The Focus Sam² is unapologetically burly and is most at home smashing through steep, deep and rough terrain." That's exactly my experience, and exactly what you want from a downhill electric mountain bike in Brisbane and SEQ.
Watch Ken in Action
Race One: Renegade Gravity Enduro, Stanthorpe
After only a couple of small rides on the bike, I went and raced the first round of the Renegade Gravity Enduro at Stanthorpe. The trails were loose, rocky, tight and twisty with big slabs and drops — the kind of rough, technical terrain that South East Queensland is known for.
The bike carried me through flawlessly — even though I rode fairly comfortably and didn't push too hard. I was still searching for the bike's limits — they are very hard to find — so I was stoked to get the third step on the podium for its first race.
Race Two: Outlaw Downhill Series, Coffs Harbour
A couple of weeks later, I headed down to Coffs Harbour, NSW, for the first round of the Outlaw Downhill Series. This track was almost the polar opposite of Stanthorpe — very flowy with big jumps and drops, hard g-outs and a lot of white-knuckle speed sections. Despite my having some sketchy moments, including one of the biggest cases of my life, the Sam2 handled everything thrown at it and awarded me the top step of the podium.
Dialling It In
Since those races, I discovered that if I was riding bigger jumps and drops, the spring on the rear shock was a tad soft for my weight. I put a heavier spring on and slowed down the rebound to counter — perfect. I picked up the spring on sale for $50. That's literally the only dollar I've spent on this bike since buying it.
Apart from that, I've just kept an eye on the nuts and bolts, particularly in the rear swingarm, and re-tightened any that have worked loose — a common teething issue on new bikes.
The Verdict: Is the Focus Sam2 the Best Downhill eMTB for Brisbane?
Overall, I couldn't be happier with the Focus Sam2 6.9. It's a rock-solid, reliable electric mountain bike perfect for the vast variety of trails we have here in SEQ. On fast, flowy trails, it feels like it's on rails. On loose, rocky and bumpy tracks, it floats and stays composed.
What I found, though, is that the steeper and rougher the trail gets, is where the Sam2 really starts to shine and stand out from the crowd. For downhill riding in Brisbane and South East Queensland — from my home trails at Parklands and Tewantin to the rocky slabs at Stanthorpe — it's genuinely hard to beat at this price point.
If you're in Brisbane or SEQ and looking for a race-ready eMTB, I'd genuinely encourage you to head down to Electric Bikes Brisbane in Milton and test-ride one. It's a bike you need to feel to appreciate fully.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Focus Sam2 6.9 the best downhill eMTB in Australia?
For riders who want a bike that's downhill-focused, race-ready straight out of the box, and priced under $11,000, it's very hard to beat. The Sam2 6.9 at $10,499 comes specced with Fox Factory suspension, TRP 4-piston brakes with 220mm rotors, and a mullet wheel setup — and it is built tough and tidy. It's the most downhill-oriented electric mountain bike in the Focus range, and the one I chose for the 2026 QLD DH Series.
Sam2 vs Jam2 — why did you choose the Sam2 over the Jam2?
I picked the Sam2 over the Jam2 because the Sam2 is downhill oriented, with bigger travel and built for steeper and rougher descents. The Sam2 also runs a mullet setup, which I prefer for downhill. While still a very capable bike, the Jam2 is a more nimble and playful electric mountain bike, better suited for riders who enjoy tighter, tecchy terrain, uphill as well as downhill. Have a look at the full Focus electric bikes range to compare them side by side.
Sam2 vs Amflow — what's the difference?
For me, there are two main reasons I chose the Sam2 over an Amflow. First, I personally love the Bosch motor and how it delivers its power — and how it tapers off naturally as you reach the speed cut-off. Second, the Sam2 is purpose-built for downhill, with a slack head angle, burlier suspension and oversized 220mm rotors for more stopping power. For riders focused on downhill and steep terrain in SEQ, you need a bike that is built for it, whereas the Amflow is built for trail and all-mountain riding.
Sam2 vs Orbea Wild — which is better for downhill?
I'm a fan of the Orbea Wilds and consider them very capable bikes. But when it comes to downhill riding, there are two key factors. First, price — an out-of-the-box Sam2 6.9 is downhill race ready with comparable or better components than the Orbea, at a considerably lower price point. Second, setup — the Orbea runs a full 29" wheel configuration rather than the mullet setup I prefer for downhill, and it's not as purpose-built for steep, rough descents as the Sam2.
How much extra have you spent to make it race-ready?
Literally zero. After riding a demo Sam2 for a week, I picked up my new bike on the way to the races and raced it — with zero changes beyond adjusting the suspension — the next day. It got me on the podium. The only change I've made since is swapping to a slightly heavier coil spring to suit my riding style, which I grabbed on sale for $50. That's it. For anyone asking whether the Focus Sam2 6.9 is race-ready out of the box — yes, completely.
Flow Magazine mentioned the weight. Does 26kg feel heavy to ride?
On paper, the Sam2 is a burly bike at around 26kg — Flow Mountain Bike confirmed it at 26.44kg on their scales. But as they also found, the low centre of mass and the mullet setup work in its favour for sharp cornering and flick-ability. Flow's own conclusion was that it has a "planted ride feel" and "wants to hug the ground and motor over everything" — and that's exactly what I experience.
I feel the weight and overall balance work in the bike's favour — many DH racers are actually adding weights to their bikes to stop them bouncing around on rough terrain. When you're charging through rock gardens or bumpy tracks, that planted feel is exactly what you want.
Mullet vs full 29er — what do you prefer for downhill?
For downhill riding, it's the mullet setup every time. The 29" up front gives better rollability and grip over rocks and roots, while the smaller 27.5" wheel in the back helps with cornering and flicking the rear around. There's also a practical bonus — having the 27.5" on the back means I don't graze my backside against the rear wheel as much on steep drops and descents, which can be a common occurrence for me with my short legs.
The 600Wh battery — is that enough for Brisbane and SEQ trails?
The Sam2 comes with a 600Wh battery here in Australia, sized to save on weight. For most of the riding I do — including racing — it's more than enough. I get 25–35km through steep terrain without fully depleting it and not being too conservative. I can race a full gravity enduro mostly in boost mode and still have charge left.
For longer rides, there's the Bosch Powermore range extender — a 250Wh bolt-on that replaces your water bottle cage and brings total capacity to 850Wh. That's more range than most competing electric mountain bikes on the market.
What do you do about the water bottle if you run a Range Extender?
If I'm going on a ride that warrants the range extender, I'll be carrying a hydration pack anyway.
What are your favourite trails to ride in SEQ?
We are quite blessed in SEQ for a wide selection of great tracks. It’s honestly hard to pick a favourite as I like to mix it up. Tewantin is always fun and great for fast, flowy trails. Gympie is great for jumps, while you can get lost and explore Parklands all day. Mt Cootha has some rocky, steep technical sections to keep you on your toes, and Toowoomba has a great mix of everything. I also can’t say no to a day at Boomerang Bike Park.
Shop the Focus Sam2 6.9 at Electric Bikes Brisbane
The Focus Sam2 6.9 is available now at Electric Bikes Brisbane for $10,499 AUD in White-Steelgrey and Dark Violet-Black, in sizes S, M, L and XL. You can be lucky and pick up some ex-demo and ex-display models at even better prices. Test rides are available at our Milton store — the best way to experience why it's one of the most capable electric mountain bikes in Brisbane.
Use discount code West200 at checkout for $200 off any Focus bike.
Want to explore more options? Browse the full electric mountain bike collection or read more about eMTB racing in Australia.
Focus Sam2 6.9 — $10,499 AUD | 10-year frame warranty when registered within 8 weeks | Bosch 2-year system warranty | Available in-store at Electric Bikes Brisbane, Milton, QLD | Flow Mountain Bike review
