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 Felt VERZAe delivers comfort and utility at a reasonable price (considering it uses the high-end Bosch drive system). Compared with its sister bike, the SPORTe Step-Thru, it’s heavier and less stiff but also easier to approach and much more feature rich; delivering lights, fenders and a sturdy rear rack. Though, to be fair you […]
This review is for the 2015 model Evo City Wave from Emotion, you can see the latest version on this page which costs slightly more and has a larger battery and more powerful motor. The Easy Motion Evo City Wave is a well balanced, feature-packed electric bike that delivers pedal assist and throttle on demand […]
The e-Joe Koda originated from the e-Joe One prototype in 2013 and I was given a chance to test ride it in 2014. Thankfully, a lot has changed since then! Almost everything is better with this finalized design and I was really impressed with the power, feature set and relative low price point being offered. […]
The Specialized Turbo is the most affordable model in the Specialized electric bicycle lineup (as of 2015 when this review was published) which also includes the Turbo X and Turbo S. With the standard Turbo you get a beautiful purpose built frame in one of four sizes, a powerful but silent gearless rear hub motor […]
The Evo Street is part of Easy Motion’s “Urban” lineup offering dynamo powered lights, full length fenders and a rear rack with built in bungee cords. It’s a great platform for commuting and priced at ~$3k you really get a lot of bang for your buck. I see it as an upgrade for the Evo […]
For 2015, Pedego improved its Classic Interceptor model in several key ways. The LCD display panel and button pad were combined into one main interface to create a cleaner cockpit, a second frame size dubbed the “Miniceptor” with smaller 24″ wheels was added and an optional magnesium wheelset was introduced for managing heavier loads (up […]
The EG Barcelona offers a lot for ~$1,000 but you still basically get what you pay for. The aluminum alloy frame comes in two colors (white or brown) but just one size, which I’d call small/medium. It felt a little tight for me (I’m ~5’9″) but I loved the mid-step layout which makes mounting and […]
Energie Cycles launched in the US around 2013, it’s an ebike line created by a battery manufacturer based out of Las Vegas. This company makes batteries for electric fork lifts and other large machines but has been able to leverage this expertise to fit a lot of high quality cells into traditionally sized packs (read […]
The 2015 Pedego Trail Tracker builds on the original Trail Tracker design which was launched in 2013. It was one of the very first electric powered fat bikes that I saw in the US and it offered the same power, quality build and customer support that Pedego has built its reputation on. The downside was […]
The City Commuter has long been a favorite ebike model for me, especially from the Pedego lineup. It’s comfortable but more active than some of the cruisers they sell with a shorter handlebar and lighter frame. In recent years they’ve improved the way the throttle works (letting you override pedal assist) and introduced a smaller […]
