There’s no such thing as the perfect mountain bike, but the Whyte E-Lyte 150 RSX comes pretty darn close.
MBR.co.uk
Kicking off our Staff Bikes series in style, we’re thrilled to showcase Ben Wilson’s Whyte E-Lyte 150 RSX—and wow, is it something special!
Working in a bike shop has its perks, and one of the best is getting to test ride a wide array of bikes from countless brands every year. Among all the incredible options in 2024, the Whyte E-Lyte stood out as a clear favourite for the team at On Yer Bike. So much so that Ben couldn’t resist making it his own and parting with his hard earnt cash.
He took an already exceptional ride and set out to make it even better, upgrading and fine-tuning it into something truly one-of-a-kind. Stay tuned to see what makes this bike a cut above the rest!
Ben’s list of upgrades is nothing short of impressive, so let’s dive into the big-ticket changes first.
If you know Ben, you’ll know he’s no stranger to pushing bikes to their absolute limits. With his aggressive riding style in mind, the first upgrade was swapping out the already excellent RockShox Lyrik Ultimate fork for the burlier RockShox Zeb Ultimate. Not only does the Zeb bring beefier 38mm stanchions, but Ben also added 10mm of travel, taking it up to a confidence-inspiring 160mm.
Next came the powerhouse Hope Tech 4 V4 brakes, the same high-performance setup found on Whyte’s top-spec Works models. Paired with Hope floating rotors, these brakes deliver a massive boost in stopping power compared to the stock SRAM Level brakes. With their unmatched modulation and lever adjustability, they’re a perfect fit for Ben’s style.
Rounding out the cockpit, Ben added a Hope dropper lever in a striking silver and red color combo to match the Hope trail stem and top cap and some Renthal FatBars. The result? A dialed-in setup that looks as good as it performs.
Not every upgrade has to be about pure performance, sometimes, it’s all about style! Because let’s face it, a bike this good needs to look the part too.
To complement the red and silver theme running through the build, Ben added matching custom decals for both the fork and shock, tying the whole look together beautifully. Of course, no staff bike is complete without the signature Shackwrap seal of approval. A premium bike protection wrap to ensure that flawless paintwork stays in mint condition, no matter how hard the trails get or how badly your skills let you down.
Function meets fashion with these upgrades, proving that a great ride can be as stunning as it is capable.
