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 Surface 604 Colt is a feature rich electric bike that would perform well as a neighborhood cruiser due to it’s comfortable geometry and ergonomic upgrades (gel saddle, curved handle bar and adjustable stem) or shine as a commuter platform because it has fenders, a chain cover, integrated lights and a sturdy rear rack with […]
Fat tire electric bikes have grown in popularity over the past few years and mainstream brands have taken note. At least one major company introduced a mid-drive powered fat bike with front suspension during the 2015 / 2016 season but the Bulls Monster E S is the only model I’m aware of that’s powered by […]
The Jarifa I29 Pro is a hardtail cross country style mountain bike with 29 inch wheels for smooth fast performance on trails. Driven by the new Impulse 3.0 mid-drive motor system, it operates efficiently (running off a 36 volt battery) and offers even more torque than some of the big competing brands like Bosch, Yamaha […]
The Outlaw E45 is a standout in the Bulls line of electric bicycles. It doesn’t use the Bosch or Brose mid-drive system like the other 2016 / 2017 models and the battery isn’t as as standard (either built into the downtube or bolted on as a little pack). This thing looks completely custom with a […]
The Gadis is a value priced active step-thru from E-Joe, a company that has been selling folding electric bikes and some other city models for the past several years. The first thing that jumped out and caught my attention when I saw it in my friend Sam’s shop in Fullerton, CA was the unique triple-tube […]
Rad Power Bikes has rapidly grown their business from a crowd funded single-product offering to include a cargo bike and a mini fat folding bike in just a couple of short years! But it all started with the RadRover… This classic fat tire electric bike offers some of the best value I’ve seen on the […]
The Sturmvogel has a name that I don’t quite understand but the design and performance are clear. It’s an electric bike that blends in because the motor and battery are integrated, it would look good under a man or woman… or anyone in between, and it comes in four sizes so mounting and dismounting doesn’t […]
The SmartMotion Pacer delivers a lot of value and performance for a pretty reasonable price and it impressed me with a several creative new features such as LED strips along the downtube and rack supports. These, in addition to more standard integrated LED lights and a rear light that activates when you pull the right […]
VoltBike is a leader in low cost electric bikes, I visited their headquarters near Vancouver Canada in 2015 and learned more about their online sales business… shipping to Canada and the US for a flat $70. If you don’t live near a bike shop but want an efficient city ebike or something a little more […]
The highly anticipated, industry disrupting affordable speed pedelec from Juiced Bikes has finally arrived. The CrossCurrent is a $1,500 electric bike that can go ~28 mph if you are willing to pedal with some gusto… Or you can get the optional trigger throttle and struggle to hit higher speeds while draining the battery more quickly. […]
