To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This review was sponsored by Electric Bike Technologies. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased, this video and written review are not meant to be an endorsement of Electric Bike Technologies products.
If you haven’t noticed, Electric Bike Technologies has been keeping their new bike names straight forward and simple. Such is the case with the bike we are reviewing today, the ‘Electric Cruiser Bike’. To reduce redundancy and confusion, we will refer to it as the ECB for the rest of the review. As the name says, it is just that; an Electric Cruiser Bike… it should also be noted that it is competitively priced at $2,600. It is powered by a Dapu Mid drive motor that features torque based pedal assist, a thumb throttle, and adjustable speeds in the menu. More on that later, for now, let’s jump into some of the features. The frame is made of aluminum alloy and comes in just 1 color, size, and step-through frame style. It has a very comfortable riding position and a low stand over height for easy approachability which will appeal to many riders. For tires, the ECB gets a nice set of Kenda’s measuring at 26” x 2.12”. The tires here have both puncture protection and reflective sidewalls. As a big fan of safety and convince, having both means visibility for riding at dusk or dawn as well as peace of mind against potential threats to your tires. No suspension is present here as you have a rigid fork as well as suspension seat post, but I suppose you could swap out that seat post with something nicer, it measures about 30.4mm. The saddle however, is very comfortable, and it has a really nice and wide base to it. Once seated you will notice the swept back handle bars that kind of come forward to meet you, along with these comfortable faux leather stitched grips. I love that the stem is an adjustable quill too, so you can really dial in the geometry that works best for your body. Looking around the bike, you will notice it has a set of integrated lights and a rear rack. The lights are great, but there is one curious point about them… The front and rear light are both battery integrated and function perfectly fine. Safety has always been a priority for myself and other cyclists, so it’s nice to see that more and more companies are including these on ebikes. However, there is an addition rear light placed into the back of the battery, that interestingly enough, is not integrated into the main battery. Thats right; despite being mounted on the main battery itself, it is operated independently with disposable batteries. Not sure why they chose this option, but I will say, I am glad you have 2 sets of rear lights because anytime you can squeeze more safety and visibility in a bike, the better off you are. The rear rack here holds the battery and also has some mounting points for panniers which is great. Other features include an integrated bell, center mounted kickstand, and color matched metal fenders.
Driving the bike is a Dapu MD250. Despite the 250 in the title, the motor can be configured in a number of different ways to meet the needs of bike manufacturers and users alike. On the ECB here, it is set for a rating of 350 watt nominal and 720 watts at a peak rating. This is using both a trigger throttle on the left and cadence based pedal assist. The modes of assist go from 0-5 and there is even a thumb throttle on the left which I found to be a lot of fun along with the assist. This system was designed somewhat for light trail riding, but I think it shines perfectly here for cruising, I am really impressed with the feeling. Mechanically, the ECB makes use of a 7 speed Shimano Tourney system. This has an 14-34 tooth cassette in the front with a 44 tooth chain ring in the front and a grip style shifter. 14-34 is not the largest pedaling range in the world, but I think for a cruiser going around town or the beach, it works just fine. The crank arm here even has a bash guard on the outside, so again, something I appreciate. Stopping the bike is done with a set of mechanical disc brakes. The handles are 4 finger lever handles with a nice rubberized edge to them, and the disc rotors themselves are 180mm in both the front and rear. Mechanical disc brakes are easy to maintain as well as adjust, however, they lack the immediate stopping power that hydraulic brakes offer. Mechanical brakes are still quite capable, but they take a little bit more hand actuation compared to hydraulic brakes.
Powering the bike is a lithium ion battery at 48v 14ah. With the combination of the voltage and amp hours, I would consider a very high capacity pack. The battery is easy to get in and out of the housing and is protected by lock and key. Electric Bike Technologies chose to house the battery underneath the rear rack, which helps keep it protected somewhat. Recently, other companies have been moving the battery to the middle on cruiser bikes for weight distribution. This is not really a big issue for the ECB, since it has a mid mounted motor and rider to keep most the weight in the middle as opposed to other bikes that have a heavy rear hub motor and battery. To really care for this and other lithium-ion packs, I have heard that storing in a cool dry location vs. extreme heat or cold will extend the life and try to keep it about 50% full when not using for long periods so you won’t stress the cells. Try not to let it run down to zero, because that’s really hard on the cell chemistry.
Operating the bike is simple enough. I’m kind of a control center geek and I always love to see comprehensive stats while riding. The control center on the ECB does just that. It displays pretty much everything, including current speed, top speed, average speed, range, battery level, pedal assist mode, wattage output and more. More importantly, I could read it in direct sunlight! I love that it is color and uses an automotive motif. A big win here is that the battery power is listed in percentages. Some ebikes use just 4 or 5 ticks on the display to portray battery life. This can leave you guessing at the last tick. Do you have 25% battery life left? Do you have 2% left? You simply will have to guess. Not with this display… since it is written in percentages, you know exactly how much battery you have at all times. The only downside to this display was that it’s not removable, so I might worry about it getting dinged up when the bike is being parked or transported and just taking more sun and rain damage over time. It does however angle, and I love that the controls can be pressed easily by your left hand since they are positioned well as to keep your eyes on the road. Electric Bike Technologies was kind enough to enter a deep menu mode. By holding the UP and DOWN button, it will allow you to get in there and change things like the top speed or motor output. A great feature that goes well with Electric Bike Technologies customer support that can help you get it to where you want.
So spending time with the ECB has left me quite pleased. I feel the Dapu MD250 works very well in this application and overall, the bike is quite a comfortable cruiser. It may not be for everyone though, so let’s look at some of the tradeoffs to see if it is right for you. I noticed the kickstand was mounted near the pedals, so you get pedal lock when reversing the bike with the stand down unfortunately. The lights are a little puzzling too. There are 2 sets in the rear, but for some reason, the one attached to the main battery is not powered by that battery. Instead it is operated by a set of independent disposable batteries. At the end of the day however, I like the smooth feel of this bike, as well as its safety and features. I love Electric Bike Technologies customer service and support as well. When you couple that with all that you are getting, I think the offering is simply great. I want to thank Electric Bike Technologies for letting me check out the Electric Cruiser Bike.
As always, I welcome questions and feedback in the comment section below. Whether you own a previous version of the bike, have taken a test ride, or are brand new to the space, my goal is to provide an objective and honest resource. You can also join the Electric Bike Technologies Ebike forums and share your own photos, videos, and review updates to help others! Have fun out there, and ride safe :)
Pros:
- An electric cruiser bike with a powerful mid-drive motor and battery, laid back and comfortable fun riding, and some great features
- 3 sets of lights for safety and visibility, each front and rear has a main battery integrated light, and there is an extra light in the rear that is powered by disposable batteries
- A set of Kenda 26” x 2.12” comfort tires that have a good size, good tread, and they are even complimented with puncture protection as well as reflective sidewall striping
- The bike features a rear rack, metal fenders, and a comfortable saddle, stem and grips for smooth and relaxed riding
- I love the wire setup here, it uses internally routed cables and this great wire loom zipper case, having this helps for maneuverability, keeping the frame from being nicked, makes it easy for maintenance, and keeping those wires in-line means better aggressive riding
- I really appreciate that they made room for bottle cage bosses here, this is great for water bottles or even other accessories for your ride like a folding pump or bike lock
- The Dapu MD250 is powerful, here it is set for a rating of 350 watt nominal and 720 watts at a peak rating, and keeps weight centered for better riding by making it a mid-drive
- Not only do you have a trigger throttle here, but it also makes use of cadence based pedal assist, I feel the Dapu MD250 works really well on this cruising application
- Mechanical 180mm disc brakes in both the front and rear, mechanical brakes are easy to maintain as well as adjust, and the rotor size works great for this application
- The battery is one I would consider high capacity, thanks to its 48v 14ah rating, it can really go the distance and then some, even though mounted in the rear, it doesn’t effect weight distribution as much since you have the motor in the middle instead of the back like other cruisers
- The display is color and is easy to read, it also has a percentage readout for the battery, which keeps out the guess work of how much you have left
- Electric Bike Technologies has added a deep dive menu into the system which will allow you to tinker with your bikes electric capabilities if you so wish, the support is great and the company will help you change things like top speed or number of pedal assist levels for example
Cons:
- The kickstand is appreciated, however, it is mounted near the crank arm which can produce pedal lock, an annoying occurrence where reversing the bike with the stand down will lock up the pedals and not allow it to move, really annoying when backing out of a garage for example
- The lights are a little puzzling, there are 2 sets in the rear, but for some reason, the one attached to the main battery is not powered by that battery, instead it is operated by a set of independent disposable batteries, not sure why they did this, when they went through the trouble of wiring the other rear light through the fenders to act off that main battery
- The pedaling range is not the largest, but I suppose this is fine for the easy going riding you might be doing on a crosier bike
- The frame does not have any other styles (like a high-step), colors, or sizes, so be sure to check out the measurements to make sure this is a good fit for you, there is also a lot of adjustability here too, so that could help
- Mechanical brakes lack the immediate stopping power of hydraulic brakes, but I guess they were chosen to keep cost down, they still work great and are easy to maintain and adjust
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