German brand Focus has given its burliest e-MTB, the Sam², a refresh for 2025. There’s an updated motor package, improved adjustability, and a mixed wheel platform — all the right ingredients for a rowdy time.
We’ve just received the new Focus Sam² 6.9 for review, so let’s run through the ins and outs of what’s new with the Sam², along with some very early impressions on how it rides.
A sleek new frame, party-sized rear wheel, updated geometry and a new motor — we’re keen to log some more rides aboard the new Focus Sam².
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What’s new with the Focus Sam²?
The biggest news with the updated Sam² is the swap to a mixed wheel-only platform. The previous iteration rolled on a pair of 29in hoops, with no adjustability for the party-sized wheel out back. For a big-rig e-MTB, this is likely to do wonders for manoeuvrability and playfulness.
The frame’s overall aesthetic has been refined, too, and we must admit it’s a sleek-looking rig. It’s no secret that the older generation Sam² was a bit of a tank, and this newer bike looks and feels much more refined overall.
The frame is only available in 7005 Aluminium, with no carbon fibre options in the lineup. Up at the headtube, the welds appear almost non-existent, and we’d wager that some folks might even mistake it for carbon fibre at first glance.
Excuse me, is this carbon?
Suspension-wise, there is 165mm of rear wheel travel out back, a 5mm decrease from the previous iteration. This is paired with a 170mm fork up front on all models, and Focus doesn’t recommend jumping up to 180mm.
The cables still go through the headset, but the brand has ditched the in-stem routing, which, bluntly put, was a pain to work on. The older-style battery cover, down near the motor, has been given the flick and replaced with a more conventional cover that runs the length of the downtube. Other frame protection details include a soft rubber flap at the chainstay bridge and a super-soft, gooey chainstay protector to quieten chain slap.
Related:
Yep, the cables still go through the headset, but at least they don’t route through the stem this time around.
Motor & Battery
Similar to the previous iteration of the Sam², this one is powered by the Bosch CX motor system, albeit the updated Gen5 version. It punches out 100Nm of torque and 750W of peak power, and is powered by a 600Wh or 800Wh Bosch PowerTube. The battery is removable via the hatch on the underside of the downtube, but you’ll need the provided ABUS key to unlock it first.
There is a charging port on the seat tube, with a swinging cover that keeps the dirt and muck out. The top tube houses the Bosch LED System Controller to manage battery levels, but unlike many other frames with the Gen 5 CX motor, the Sam² is not compatible with the new LED Kiox 400C display.
The frame is compatible with the Bosch 250Wh range extender, which boosts the total capacity up to 850Wh or 1050Wh, but is an aftermarket purchase.
The mighty Bosch CX Gen5 motor powers the Sam² up the hills.
Geometry & Sizing
There are four sizes in the Sam² lineup, ranging from Small to Extra-Large, and they seem to be on the longer end for each given size. A size Large sports a 490mm reach, which would be closer to an Extra-Large in some brands. We should point out, this is 5mm shorter than a size Large of the previous iteration, but it’s still worth riders having a detailed look at the geometry chart.
Focus has developed a pretty neat solution to incorporate an adjustable rear centre length, which is typically a little tricky with UDH-compatible frames. There are two pairs of flip clips on the chainstay and rocker link, allowing 7mm of adjustability, with rear centre lengths ranging from 441mm to 448mm. There’s also a two-position angle-adjust headset, offering adjustability from 63.5° to 64.5°.
Price & Specs
There are three models available in the Sam² lineup, with prices starting at $8,499 AUD and jumping to $12,499 AUD. We have received the middle-tier offering, the Sam² 6.9, which retails for $10,499 AUD.
It’s running a top-tier Fox Factory 38 fork with a GRIP X2 damper, paired with a Fox DHX shock in the rear. Slowing down is taken care of by TRP, with the brand’s newest generation DH-R EVO brakes with the updated lever design, paired with 220mm rotors front and rear. Other specs include an SRAM Eagle 90 Transmission, DT Swiss HF1900 wheels, and a OneUp V3 dropper post and OneUp 35mm rise bar.
The 6.0 is the top-tier model in the lineup, retailing for $12,499 AUD.
Focus Sam² 6.0
Frame | 7005 Aluminium, 165mm F.O.L.D Suspension, 148x12mm Axle Spacing
Motor | Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5, 100Nm, 750W
Battery | Bosch PowerTube 600Wh
Fork | RockShox ZEB Ultimate, Charger 3.1 Damper, 170mm Travel
Shock | RockShox Vivid Ultimate Coil, 230×62.5mm
Wheels | DT Swiss HFR1700 Aluminium, 29in Front, 27.5in Rear, Boost Spacing
Tyres | Schwalbe Magic Mary, Super DH Casing, ADDIX Ultra Soft Compound, 29×2.4in Front, 27.5×2.4in rear
Drivetrain | SRAM GX AXS Transmission w/ SRAM GX 165mm Cranks
Brakes | SRAM Maven Silver, SRAM HS2 220mm Rotors
Bar | OneUp Alloy, 800mm Wide, 35mm Rise
Stem | Focus C.I.S. 2.0, 40mm Length
Seatpost | OneUp V3, 34.9mm Diameter, 150mm (S), 180mm (M), 210mm (L), 210mm (XL)
Claimed Weight | 25.8kg
RRP | $12,499 AUD
Our test bike is the 6.9 model, which retails for $10,499 AUD.
Focus Sam² 6.9
Frame | 7005 Aluminium, 165mm F.O.L.D Suspension, 148x12mm Axle Spacing
Motor | Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5, 100Nm, 750W
Battery | Bosch PowerTube 600Wh
Fork | Fox Factory 38, GRIP X2 Damper, 170mm Travel
Shock | Fox DHX Performance Coil, 230×62.5mm
Wheels | DT Swiss HF1900 Aluminium, 29in Front, 27.5in Rear, Boost Spacing
Tyres | Schwalbe Magic Mary, Super DH Casing, ADDIX Ultra Soft Compound, 29×2.4in Front, 27.5×2.4in rear
Drivetrain | SRAM Eagle 90 Transmission w/ Samox 165mm Cranks
Brakes | TRP DH-R EVO, TRP RS01E 220mm Rotors
Bar | OneUp Alloy, 800mm Wide, 35mm Rise
Stem | Focus C.I.S. 2.0, 40mm Length
Seatpost | OneUp V3, 34.9mm Diameter, 150mm (S), 180mm (M), 210mm (L), 210mm (XL)
Confirmed Weight | 26.44kg (L)
RRP | $10,499 AUD
The 6.8 model is the cheapest in the lineup, retailing for $8,499 AUD.
Focus Sam² 6.8
Frame | 7005 Aluminium, 165mm F.O.L.D Suspension, 148x12mm Axle Spacing
Motor | Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5, 100Nm, 750W
Battery | Bosch PowerTube 600Wh
Fork | Fox 38 Rhythm, GRIP 3-Pos Damper, 170mm Travel
Shock | Fox DHX Performance Coil, 230×62.5mm
Wheels | WTB STi30 Rims w/ Formula Hubs, 29in Front, 27.5in Rear, Boost Spacing
Tyres | Maxxis Assegai DoubleDown MaxxGrip 29×2.5in Front, Maxxis DHRII DH Casing MaxxGrip 27.5×2.5in Rear
Drivetrain | Shimano Deore M6100 1x12spd w/ Samox 165mm Cranks
Brakes | Shimano Deore M6120 4-piston, Shimano SM-RT66 220mm Rotors
Bar | Focus Alloy, 800mm Wide, 30mm Rise
Stem | Focus C.I.S. 2.0, 40mm Length
Seatpost | Post Moderne DP-212, 34.9mm Diameter, 125mm (S), 170mm (M), 200mm (L), 200mm (XL)
Claimed Weight | 26.5kg (L)
RRP | $8,499 AUD
First Ride Impressions
While on paper and on the scales, the Sam² is a heavy bike, the low centre of mass and smaller 27.5in rear wheel certainly work in its favour, keeping things nimble. I think this is likely the most significant improvement over the previous version, which was 29in only.
The few short rides we’ve squeezed in so far have been with the flip-chips in the longer setting, with a 448mm rear centre length, which is 2mm shorter than the previous version. It’s calm and stable, but with the hefty weight, it may lack a bit of liveliness. We’ll be trying it in the shorter setting, resulting in a 441mm rear centre length. While 7mm doesn’t sound like much, it should hopefully add some pep into the Sam²’s step.
The package as a whole is near silent when hammering downhill — even the freehub has a muted, subtle buzz. Apart from a headset creak from day dot, which was sorted with a dab of grease, it seems like a tight, tidy package. The execution and finishing details are impressive, and the chainstay protection would rank among the best we have seen. The gooey, rubber blobs are super soft and soak up any impacts from the chain to keep things nearly silent.
The spec choice on our Sam² 6.9 test bike is well sorted, with a sensible, durable package throughout. We’ve gotten along well with TRP brakes in the past, and the new lever design on the DH-R EVOs retains the ultra-light feel while being more compact, which should suit a broader range of riders.
The stock 500lbs spring is a little stiff for my 80kg-ish rider weight, resulting in around 24% sag. The trouble with coil shocks is that they are inherently a bit more work to adjust, requiring sourcing a lighter spring rate coil. I’ll likely end up chasing down a 450lbs spring, which should land a little closer to 30% sag as recommended by Focus.
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