When Electric Bike Company (EBC for short) came out with the Model J, we were intrigued. EBC has been known for their classic beach-cruiser style electric bikes for over a decade. At first glance, the Model J felt like it would be a departure from that classic look.
At least before we saw the Model J.
Once Sean sent us images of the design, we understood immediately what Electric Bike Company was going for with the Model J. Instead of following the Super73 crowd, EBC created their own version of the moped / cafe style e-bike: they brought their beach cruiser style to the moped.
There is a lot that we like about the Model J. From its somewhat toned-down motor to unlimited customization options
My Experience Riding The Electric Bike Company Model J E-Bike
When riding the Model J, it is important to remember that while it might look a little different, it is still a moped-style e-bike at its core. As such, you’re just going to basically relax and throttle this one around town.
CAN you pedal? Sure, but you’re not going to have much leg extension, and that’s ok. Just keep that in mind as I take you through how the bike performs while riding.
The model that EBC sent us included a front suspension fork, single gear, with a twist throttle and cadence sensor. Overall, the ride was very comfortable thanks to the long, banana-style seat and raised BMX-style handlebars.
In fact, the raised BMX style bars were one of my favorite aspects of this bike. If you look at something like the Ride1Up Revv1 (one of my favorite class moped-style e-bikes), you’ll see that the handle bars are raised slightly, but not as much as the Model J. This gives the Model J a slightly more upright riding position and pairs nicely with the classic EBC cruiser style e-bikes.
EBC touts the Model J as a solid performer both on-road and off. I can agree that it rides decently well off-road if you upgrade the front suspension fork like we did, just keep in mind that the downside of a more cruiser-style bike is that it’s going to feel more natural on the boardwalk vs a multi-use trail.
Overall, I found the Model J to ride nicely and would be a great option for teenagers and young adults (more on that below in the motor section).
Range
Estimated Range (from Electric Bike Company): 60 miles
Real World Range Test Results: see details below
The Model J from Electric Bike Company comes standard with a single, 14 Ah: 672Wh battery. EBC claims a range of up to 60 miles on this, and I think that’s about right if you are in PAS 1 and pedaling the bike.
However….
I don’t think anyone will want to pedal a bike this style in PAS 1 for 60 miles. That’s not a knock on the Model J. We actually think the Model J pedals a bit better than average for this style bike. But, you still don’t get much leg extension, and my hip flexors would have hated me had I pedaled the bike for that long.
Because of that fact, we like to do range tests on moped-style e-bikes using throttle only. In that mode, we got just over 25 miles in our real-world testing, which I found to be more than acceptable. 25 miles while throttling is a long way. And, if you’re worried and suffer from range anxiety, then you add up to (2) additional 14Ah batteries to triple that range.
Side note: the battery is very nice, and I really like how you can upgrade to either a 3.4 or 5 amp fast charger. It currently costs an extra $229 for the 5A version, which isn’t cheap, but I do love it when I can fast charge my e-bike. If you don’t want to spring the extra cash for that upgrade, then expect it to take around 7 hrs to charge a battery that is fully drained.
Power (Motor & Battery)
The motor is a component that surprised me.
The Model J comes with a 500W (continuous rated) motor, that peaks at 750 watts. EBC is very conservative with respect to following guidelines set by the CPSC and People for Bikes when it comes to motor outputs.
Essentially, they want to ensure that whatever bike you purchase from them will still be street-legal even if the CPSC (or the state of California) change some of the language around what is classified as an electric bike.
The downside to being conservative here is that you won’t get the same amount of power output that you get on something like the Ride1Up Revv1. The Revv1 simply flies. However, I did find in my testing that I got the same, if not slightly more, power than the Super73.
Riding on flats and small hills, the bike feels very peppy, fun, and controlled. Up hills I do notice the bike slowing down a bit, which I think is a function of EBC limiting the wattage output on the motor.
However, I’m ok with that, and have found myself liking what EBC has done with the motor for the following reasons:
1. TONS of young adults and teens ride these around coastal beach towns. My brother lives in Carlsbad, and I see kids on e-bikes every single turn I make. As a father of 4 kids, I would personally prefer the Model J over some of the more powerful moped-style e-bike options.
2. The motor is still powerful enough to get me up a long, steep hill while only using the throttle. I know I’m spoiled with an office full of 200+ e-bikes, and I can get jaded sometimes when it comes to hill-climbing capabilities. However, when I take a step back and realize that I’m literally conquering steep hills without even pedaling this bike, I can’t help but give the motor kudos.
Components
While there are quite a few upgrade options on the Model J, the base model is pretty straightforward and simple (in a good way).
You get:
- Single speed drivetrain (18/56t range)
- Twist throttle
- 4 piston hydraulic brakes (note: ours came with 2 piston brakes, but current production models come with 4)
Then, you can upgrade the following:
- Spring suspension fork, with lockout and some very basic preload adjustment options
- Torque sensor
- 7 speed Shimano drivetrain
- Thumb throttle
In general, I do recommend upgrading to the front suspension fork. It costs $199, which is on the ‘less expensive’ side of things when it comes to suspension forks – and you do get what you pay for. While this is nowhere near a top-of-the-line fork from someone like Rockshox or Fox, it still does the job and really takes the edge off of little bumps in the road.
I also do think this gives the bike a little more capabilities off-road, although we personally think EBC oversells the off-road capabilities of the bike a little bit too much on their website.
However, unless you’re looking to only cruise the boardwalk with the Model J, then the fork is a nice upgrade that doesn’t cost too much.
I would not recommend upgrading to the torque sensor on this bike simply because I don’t think you’ll be pedaling it more than 5-10% of the time. In addition, on a bike where I don’t get full leg extension, I prefer cadence sensors because I only have to get the pedals moving at a decent cadence to get solid output from the motor.
On that note, if you are someone who would prefer to pedal more than I do, then I’d also suggest getting the 7 speed Shimano drivetrain upgrade (and again pair that with the cadence sensor, still don’t opt for the torque sensor).
Regarding the option to upgrade to a thumb throttle, I would also not recommend that on this style of bike. I typically prefer thumb throttles, but not on bikes where I will be throttling more than 30% of the time.
Screen / User Interface / App
I really like the look of the centrally-mounted, full-color display of the Model J. Like other bikes from Electric Bike Company, the display is easy to read and it shows you most everything you would want to see, including:
- Speed
- Your ride time
- Your current assist level
- Battery level, in percentage readout
- Controller temperature (which is pretty cool if your an e-bike nerd like us)
- Voltage
- Cadence
- Odometer / Trip meter
Electric Bike Company Model J Model Upgrade / Customization Options
I don’t know if I have enough space on this webpage to write out all the customization and upgrade options available on the Model J. Electric Bike Company is very unique in the e-bike space in that they build (assemble) the bikes in house.
However, they don’t just assemble the bikes in house. They also custom paint the frames, fenders, chain guards, forks, racks, and even helmets in southern California. That means you can literally choose whatever paint color you want on each of those components.
Be warned: you might spend 2-4 hrs customizing your Model J when you go check out. But, that’s because you’ll be having so much fun going through all the options.
One particular area I want to highlight is the technology and security packages. EBC offers the following:
- Technology package. This is a $399 value, currently costing $199 to upgrade. This gives you:
- Front and back turn signals
- Brake lights
- Hi and lo beam lights
- An electric horn
- An anti theft alarm with panic buttons on the remotes.
- It also upgrades the brakes to 180mm x 2.3” rotors
- A upgraded tool kit with about $40 (which I happen to really like)
- Full color display w/ battery % readout
- AirTag bell
As you can see, you get a lot with the technology package, so it is something I recommend. While I wish the turn signals and brake lights came standard, everything else you get with the upgrade is well worth the $200.
- Extended warranty. This extends the warranty on the frame, motor, and battery up to 1, 2, or 3 years.
Is The EBC Model J Worth Buying?
Overall, we think the Model J is a great looking, fun cafe-style e-bike that is perfect for young adults and teenagers.
Perhaps the most distinct feature of the Model J is the ability that you have to customize it however you want. As such, if you’re someone who likes to personalize your bike, if you have a teenager who loves the color pink and wants a moped-style e-bike, then the Model J just might be a perfect fit.
Pros
- Lighter weight than many other moped/moto style e-bikes
- Almost unlimited color and customization options
- Priced below many competitors (we hope it stays that way!)
- Comfortable riding (more like cruising) position
- Not overly powered so it’s safe for teens, but powerful enough to get up hills for even adults without pedaling.
Cons
- Placement of the kickstand. The kickstand gets in the way if you are moving the bike backwards while the stand is down (this is likely more of an issue for us since we currently have 141 e-bikes crammed into our bike shop)
- Not great leg extension when pedaling, which is to be expected from a moto style e-bike.
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