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).
Electric bicycle technology is becoming smaller, lighter weight, and smarter. Electric mountain bikes are often on the forefront of new technology because they need to be powerful but also blend in… Nobody wants a loud motor disturbing the natural setting of a trail and most eMountain bike riders that I know, shy away from causing […]
VoltBike is an online-only electric bike company based out of Burnaby Canada. They recently expanded to a shipping depot in Northern Washington to serve both markets more effectively, and to me, that’s a sign that the business is going well. I’ve reviewed a handful of their products over the years and the speed and quality […]
If you like the style of city bikes, single speeds and fixies, but want an electric bike and are excited about the Class 3 speed pedelec (which can reach ~28 mph assisted vs. just 20 mph) then the Riese & Müller Roadster Touring HS would be an excellent option. While to does compromise on style […]
The Regroglide iE is one of my favorite electric bicycles from Raleigh. It strikes a perfect balance of quality, comfort, and value. In a world with so many hub motor powered cruisers, Raleigh has introduced a mid-drive concept that feels more balanced, offers better climbing ability and keeps the drivetrain clean and simple. You even […]
Juiced Bikes, which used to be called Juiced Riders, is an electric bike company with humble origins and a wicked smart founder. Tora, who helped me with this review, is a former Olympic athlete, multi-language speaking, mechanical engineer, businessman who bounces between Asia and the US to create products like the OceanCurrent we see here. […]
The Trek Powerfly 8 FS is a full suspension trail ebike with 130 mm RockShox air suspension. What really sets it apart from others in the space right now is the straight downtube (offering a higher stiffness to weight ratio) and adjustable seat stays with Mino Link plates that can be flipped for a slack […]
The Electric Bike Company has been around in one form or another since 2012 when they launched as Madiba Electric Bikes (that’s Nelson Mandella’s nickname btw) then updated to Newport Electric Bikes (since they’re based in Newport California) and finally settled on the Electric Bike Company. The models I reviewed here were originally called the […]
The Riese & Müller Packster combines comfort with utility so you can haul large loads (or children) without the vibration and discomfort that some other e-cargo bikes are known for. It comes stock with an alloy frame only, no wooden deck planks or front box. There are several options to customize the front area but […]
Yuba is a leader in the two-wheeled cargo bike space, and one of the first mainstream companies in the US that I saw experimenting with electric drive systems. It makes perfect sense because a fully loaded cargo bike can be quite heavy with groceries, lumber, children or even a second passenger! The Spicy Curry was […]
The 2017 IZIP E3 Sumo is a complete upgrade from prior year models. Instead of using the mid-tier TranzX motor system, IZIP has opted for the top-tier Bosch Performance Line CX motor system. This thing offers 75 Newton meters of peak torque output, shift-sensing and shift recommendation, as well as a compact design. Electric bike […]
