Denago Hunting: a Mid-Drive, Class-3 EBike for Backcountry
Josh Jones
A devoted road and gravel cyclist and all-around gearhead, Josh has been riding and writing about electric scooters for the past five years. He’s generally happier on two wheels than two legs. When Josh isn’t writing or wrenching, he’s usually out on the road….
Texas-based e-bike maker Denago seems determined to build an e-bike for nearly every rider. Their two most recent entries on the market are well-positioned to grab the attention of two very different kinds of e-bike enthusiasts. But while the Denago Cargo 1 and Denago Hunting 1 e-bike appeal to different segments, both are designed with a sharp eye for maximum utility.
We reviewed the Denago Hunting 1, a huge, fat tire, mid-drive, Class 3 e-mountain ebike built for backcountry.
“If you’re looking for a bike that does it all, this is a very good candidate.” – Mitchell
The Denago Hunting: A Sure-Footed Pack-Mule
The Denago Hunting 1 makes climbing hills and rough trails easy, with strong torque and front suspension. An intelligent torque sensor enhances the rider-machine connection, maximizing each pedal. The Mozo 80mm fork provides cushioning on rough terrain and can be locked for smoother trails. It’s more than a bike; it’s a pack mule for adventurers exploring off the well-trodden paths, and a mountain goat that never loses its footing.
Kenda Juggernaut tires are true to their name; measuring at 4.5 inches across on 26″ wheels, these pretty much act as cushioned platform over any type of terrain.
The Hunting’s welded-on rear rack and multiple bosses and mounting points for accessories, packs, and trailers make the bike wilderness-ready with a stock build, and an optional front rack offers even more cargo capacity for hauling extra gear uphill or a fresh kill down the mountain.
Given the Hunting’s beefy build, huge tires, and large battery and motor, it’s surprisingly light at only 86 pounds, and its hydraulic brakes give it all the braking nuance and/or brute force stopping power you need. Star of the show, of course, is the 750-Watt Bafang mid-drive motor with torque sensor that reads how hard you pedal and meets your power needs accordingly.
Our Full Video Review
Go Out for Miles and Always Get Home
The benefits of a mid-drive e-bike motor include lighter weight, higher torque for climbing, and up to 10-15 additional miles of range than a hub drive motor because of increased efficiency.
You can get a feel for what it’s like to ride the Hunting 1 in our video review above. We’ll say this: not only does the mid-drive motor improve the bike’s range, which the manufacturer cites at a whopping 76 miles, but an optional, 672Wh secondary battery extends that long range even further.
The primary LG battery has plenty of battery life and power on tap all on its own, with 48V and a 960Wh capacity. Despite the sport-specific name, this really is a bike built for every imaginable kind of backwoods adventure, from hunting, to camping, to fishing, to birding.
If you need to get a couple dozen miles out into the backcountry, electric bikes are increasingly the best option to do it, and the Denago Hunting 1 is a serious contender for an all-around best backcountry e-MTB.
Our Verdict: Should You Buy the Denago Hunting 1?
We were very happy with the Hunting 1’s performance. “I actually feel my confidence growing as I ride this thing,” our video reviewer Mitchell commented. “It’s really proving how capable it is,” over the rocky, unforgiving Nevada terrain he rode.
Should you buy a Hunting 1 e-MTB? If you are one of its intended outdoorsy users, yes, this bike just makes sense. It’s quiet and won’t disturb the wildlife, but it’s powerful and durable enough to go anywhere and do just about anything off-road.
The Hunting 1 may not work as well for those who want an e-MTB with fewer purpose-built add-ons that also add weight and bulk. But the name alone should signal that this is a bike made for a particular kind of rider: one who loves to get into the backwoods for a few days and hunt, fish, camp, or otherwise commune with nature.
See our full video review above to learn how else the Hunting 1 qualifies as “a bike that does it all,” and check the latest price on the Denago Hunting 1 just below.
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