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+).
Since late 2014 I’ve seen Pedego secretly working on an electric mountain bike and this first generation Ridge Rider is the culmination of that effort. To be honest, it’s far more capable and technical than I was expecting… my preconception of the brand has been built around their wide selection of comfort-oriented cruisers with fun […]
This review was for a pre-production Specialized Turbo Levo. I was told by reps at the company that it was an S-Works level but that does not appear to be the case. I am leaving it here for historical purposes but a more accurate and updated review of the Specialized Turbo LEVO FSR Expert 6Fattie […]
The CUBE Reaction Hybrid HPA Pro 29 is a “high performance aluminum” 29er (meaning the wheels are 29 inches in diameter) that offers excellent value as a trail bike or around-town platform. The larger wheel diameter (compared with a standard 26″ or 27.5″ design) feels stable, smooth and efficient. It’s closer to the size of […]
The Easy Motion Xenion Jumper 27.5 is a Bosch-powered full suspension mountain bike with 27.5 inch tires. Got it! It’s one of my favorite models in the 2015 Easy Motion lineup from BH because it’s a blast to ride, extremely well balanced and outfitted with high quality components (including Shimano hydraulic disc brakes and Shimano […]
The OHM Sport XS750 Plus is one of the first electric bikes I’ve tried with the new 27.5″ x 3.25″ fat tires. They strike a balance between increased cushion and surface area (great for soft terrain like sand and snow) and narrow, nimble handling. To me, they look sleek and clean compared with the chunky […]
Leisger is a german electric bike company that is expanding to the US with a few models for 2015/2016 including the MD5. This is a “mountain” style ebike with “downtube” mounted battery that’s a “5th generation” build. That’s what the MD5 stands for and it’s a fairly good overview of the bike. You get a […]
Magnum electric bikes are relatively new to the US but they’ve been successful in Israel and parts of Europe for several years. The Mi5 is an “mountain” model with “integrated battery” offering “5th generation” technology… to call it a true mountain bike is a bit of a stretch in my mind because many of the […]
Haibike offers a wide range of performance oriented electric bikes including the Fullseven RX here which is a full suspension 27.5″ model… see where they got that name from? It used to be called the FS RX or FS 27.5″ in 2014 and aside from the name, most of the bike remains unchanged (which isn’t […]
The EVO 27.5 Jumper is one of my favorite electric bike models from Easy Motion because it’s zippy, nimble and comfortable off-road or around town. I used to own the NEO Jumper (from 2013/2014) and am very impressed with the upgrades that were made for the newer model. It’s modest 350 watt hub motor can […]
The Evo 29 is one of the largest trail bikes that Easy Motion offers in part due to the 19.5″ frame but also because the wheels are 29 inches in diameter. The benefits are a smoother ride over cracks, rocks or bumps and increased rolling momentum once you’ve gotten up to speed. It’s a beautifully […]
