Unbiased, In-Depth Analysis of the Best Electric Bikes
This type of electric bike is designed to go off-road. Mountain bikes usually have higher volume tires with aggressive tread (smaller knobs for gravel roads and packed dirt, larger knobs for soft loose terrain). Most eMTB products have front suspension and many offer full suspension! This improves rider comfort and control, but tends to increase the price and weight of the bike. Most electric mountain bikes have aluminum frames, but the really fancy ones use lightweight titanium or carbon fiber. They are often ranked by toughness, terrain capability, and suspension travel going from cross country (120mm), trail (150mm), all mountain enduro (150mm to 180mm), and downhill (180mm+).
It seems like 2017 is the year for Bosch powered electric bikes with neatly integrated downtube batteries… Prior to this year, most models from Felt, Haibike, Bulls, and others had the Powerpack 400 positioned on top of the downtube. This didn’t look great, took up the open triangle space for accessory mounts and lifting, limited […]
Lapierre is a French bicycle brand based in Dijon France, it was founded all the way back in 1946 and became part of the Accell Group between 1993 and 1996, along with Haibike, Raleigh, and Diamondback. This transition has led to increased global distribution and I reviewed some of their first electric bikes to reach […]
The Cannondale Moterra is a Trail style electric bike with 130 mm air suspension from RockShox. It’s a great platform for all around mountain riding and delivers improved float and traction thanks to a pair of plus sized 2.8″ tires. The plus standard ranges from 2.6 to 3.0 and is becoming more and more common […]
As more and more electric mountain bikes switch to mid-drive motors for better climbing power, reduced unsprung weight, and increased range efficiency… Easy Motion has maintained and improved their hub-motor approach for the Evo line. Now, they do offer mid-drive models as well, such as the ATOM Lynx 4.8, but it costs ~$1,300 more and […]
Bulls created something special with their SIX50 E 1.5. This is an affordable, trail capable, city capable, electric bike offered in four sizes, running top-of-the-line Bosch drive systems. For just over $3k you’re getting a bike that looks good, is sold through a wide network of dealers globally (in the US since late 2015), and […]
IZIP completely updated their hardtail trail bike, the Peak, going from the 2016 season to 2017. The price did rise $300, but in my opinion, it looks a lot better and is definitely using a smarter, more durable electric drive system. Moving from TranzX to Bosch brings shift detection which reduces drivetrain wear, faster pickup, […]
Haibike is a high-end German electric bike manufacturer that was one of the first to integrate with Bosch drive systems and enter the US market. What you see on the XDURO FullSeven Carbon Ultimate is a third generation Bosch Performance Line CX motor that is capable, fast, and fluid. It blends into the frame, and […]
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 […]
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 […]
