Unbiased, In-Depth Analysis of the Best Electric Bikes
Electric bikes or ebikes combine human power from pedaling with electronic power from a hub motor, mid drive, or friction drive powered by a battery pack. They come in all shapes and sizes, including trikes, tandems, folding, cargo, and more. A traditional analog bicycle can usually be converted to electric through the use of kits. Ebikes fall into three classes including Class 1 pedal assist only up to a set speed (usually 25kmh or 32kmh), Class 2 throttle only or throttle with pedal assist up to a set speed (usually 25kmh or 32kmh), and high speed Class 3 up to a set level (usually 45kmh 28mph).
The Grace MX II Urban combines the balance and efficiency of the Bosch Gen2 Centerdrive with the cleanliness and silent operation of the Gates carbon belt drive and the smooth anytime-shifting of the NuVinci continuously variable transmission (CVT). It’s a beautiful electric bike available in two frame sizes and multiple configurations including a solid fork […]
Update! The Faraday Porteur and Cortland moved from $3,799 to $3,499 in 2017 and the review listing price here has been updated to reflect that. The Faraday Porteur is one of the smoothest, quietest, most beautiful electric bikes I’ve ever tested. Rather than relying on a greasy chain, cassette and derailleur it opts for a […]
The Pedego Boomerang is cruiser style electric bike designed to be extra easy to mount and dismount. Pedego has long offered traditional step-thru designs (even one that’s specifically built for shorter riders) but this model, new for 2015, takes that concept even further by reducing the step height by about one foot. The top tube […]
The Grace MX II Trail is a hardtail cross country style electric bike with excellent hardware, a beautiful look and top of the line drive system from Bosch. To date, this is one of the most affordable Bosch powered electric bikes I’ve tested, coming in around $3,700. It’s available in two sizes for improved fit […]
The ST2 is a third generation electric bike from the Swiss brand Stromer that has been around since 2009; the bike is distributed globally. It maintains the quality, style and speed performance of the older ST1 Platinum but adds bluetooth connectivity for an app which allows riders to “tune” settings and activate anti-theft features including […]
The Schwinn GSE or “GSElectric” is an electric bike that was sold from 2007 to 2009 in a couple of different forms. There was a cruiser style frame and the city commuter “World” setup you see here. Although it is becoming harder to find, many of these are still on the road with their original […]
The most recent version of the IZIP E3 Path+ came out in 2016 and features a mid-drive motor from Shimano STePs instead of a gearless direct drive hub, this makes the frame more balanced front to rear and offers better efficiency and range by leveraging the cassette, the price also dropped. The latest review is […]
This is a review for the 2015 IZIP E3 Dash, in 2016 the motor was changed from a gearless direct drive hub to a mid-drive improving frame stiffness and efficiency, it dropped the twist throttle in favor of an optional $50 “boost button” that could be installed by dealers, read the full review here. The […]
The iGo metro is a value priced urban cruiser that offers a comfortable ride, beautiful aesthetic and high quality components. I was very impressed with the design which resembles the Pedego City Commuter but costs much less. It’s available in a high-step and low-step frame configuration with 18″ and 16.5″ sizes respectively to fit a […]
The Optibike Pioneer City is an efficient mid-drive style electric bike that offers a durable frame and drive system with lots of useful accessories. This is the kind of ebike you see a lot in Europe where people cycle to work on a daily basis and need to be able to carry supplies and stay […]
