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 CUBE Reaction Hybrid HPA SL 500 is a hardtail electric trail bike that seems uniquely well suited to urban environments. With a 100 mm travel air suspension fork from RockShox, offering remote lockout, you’re not going to experience efficiency loss from bobbing or sluggish steering from a steep head tube angle as you would […]
Apparently in Japan there’s a type of bicycle called the Mamachari or “mom bike” that’s easy to approach, with a low stand over height, and very useful, because of its front and rear rack provisions. These bicycles are frequently used to transport children and goods around town and they inspired Kiyoshi Iwai, a Japanese transplant […]
The original Townie Go! has become one of the most popular mainstream electric bikes to hit the market since it first launched in 2012. Since that time, Electra has upgraded the motor from Bosch Active Cruise to Bosch Performance Cruise (going from 50 Nm to ~60 Newton meters of torque), adding color options, and refining […]
I reviewed the Trek Neko+ in Colorado with the help of a Trek rep named Stephanie Jones. We chatted about this model and the companion Trek Dual Sport+ and she referred to it as a “Colorado commuter” because it’s capable on road and light trail conditions. Howeso you might wonder? Well, the wheels are large […]
Riese & Müller makes some of the cleanest, sturdiest, and most comfortable electric bikes I have reviewed to date. They’re a German company with a rich history of designing and producing traditional bicycles but recently, transitioned almost completely to e-bikes. And all of their models use the trusted and highly efficient Bosch drive system and […]
Bulls offers an extensive line of electric mountain bikes and the E-Stream EVO FS 2 27.5 Plus is their cross country model with 120 mm air suspension from SR Suntour. Actually, to me this is something of a cross country / trail hybrid because I’m used to seeing 80 to 100 mm travel for pure […]
The CX E8D is Oyama’s first folding electric bike to reach America and it gets several important things right. The bike feels sturdy with a firm folding stem, thick 13 gauge spokes, and rigid Steel fork. It’s efficient and compliant, zipping forward energetically as you pedal in of three assist levels. And even without assist, […]
KTM is an Austrian motorcycle and sports car manufacturer with roots dating back to the 1930’s and a more formal partnership forming in 1954 between Ernst Kronreif and Trunkenpolz Mattighofen. What began as a car repair shop eventually transitioned into a motorcycle manufacturing operation after some struggle post WWII. The company gained widespread recognition with […]
The original 2013 Easy Motion Neo Cross was one of the first purpose-built electric bicycles I ever reviewed… and in 2017, the Easy Motion Evo Cross+ has maintained a lot of what made that bike unique and desirable, it was one of the best selling ebikes of the time. Notice how the battery pack is […]
The ProTour is one of IZIP’s most exciting electric bikes, at least to me. It offers high-speed 28 mph pedal assisted rides, feature-complete accessories like fenders, a rear rack, and integrated lights, and now it runs off of your Android or iOS smartphone device because it comes stock with the Cobi system. If you don’t […]
