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 Haibike SDURO HardLife SL is a women’s specific variation of the Haibike SDURO HardSeven SL… They cost the same and have matched components and drive systems but the colors and sizes are slightly different. With the HardLife for women you get a nice matte white with light grey and hot-pink accents, the top tube […]
The Everly 202 is an electric bicycle that emphasizes pedaling, it embraces efficiency with a minimalist 250 watt internally geared motor and 187.2 watt hour battery configuration. The motor spec is below average by US standards but common in Europe, it’s roughly equivalent to doubling your own pedal output. This isn’t a bad thing if […]
The Newport is a cruiser style electric bike designed for casual, comfortable riding… but offers a heck of a lot of power! It does not offer any kind of sprung suspension but the tires are large, the handlebar is swept back and the saddle is wide and soft so it feels pretty comfortable. Even the […]
The E-Lux Tahoe is a really cool electric bike in my opinion, it’s unique in that it blends the cruiser and fat tire frame styles to create a comfortable, powerful and “go anywhere” platform. With its powerful 500 watt internally geared hub motor (that peaks out around 750 watts and offers ~40 Nm of torque) […]
The XM700+ is Trek’s speed pedelec offering, capable of reaching 28 mph top speeds. It’s perfect for commuting, touring or trekking but you’ll need to add a rear rack for the later two unless you’re a super minimalist or okay wearing a backpack. I enjoyed riding this model more than the less expensive Trek Conduit+ […]
The Conduit+ is my favorite electric bike model from Trek at the time of this review because you get lots of quality accessories, four frame size options and a solid mid-drive system working with a 10 speed Shimano Deore drivetrain all for ~$3k. Not only does it include things like fenders, a pannier rack and […]
The Lift+ is Trek’s most affordable electric bike (unless you count the Townie Go! from Electra which is also owned by Trek). The Lift Plus is significantly lighter at just ~45 pounds and I’m a huge fan of the quick release seat tube clamp, quick release wheels and adjustable angle stem! You can dial this […]
The 2016 Electra Townie Go! switched from using a SRAM hub motor and rear mounted battery pack to the Bosch Centerdrive which is better in pretty much every way. Now, it is more expensive than the 2014 and 2015 models at $2,727 and it does weigh more at ~58 lbs but you get an eight […]
The ElectroBike Seal is my least favorite model in the Electro Bike family because it’s the most expensive but doesn’t deliver the performance it could. It offers a gearless direct drive motor that’s louder than I expected (given that there are no moving parts inside) and the battery powering it is average in terms of […]
The Cross is my second favorite e-bike model from ElectroBike (at least at the time of this review) because it looks beautiful, almost like a regular bicycle, and it’s relatively cheap… like most of their products. Cheap means you aren’t breaking the bank but you also aren’t getting the same premium or even mid-grade parts. […]
