To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This review was sponsored by Rambo Bikes. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased, this video and written review are not meant to be an endorsement of Rambo Bikes products.
The bike before us today is the Rambo 750 26″, a fat-tire mid-drive geared towards rough terrain and outdoor adventure. It is driven by a powerful Bafang motor, has reliable and durable internal gear shifting, and even hydraulic brakes for immediate stopping power. More on that later, for now, lets jump into some of the features. As I said, the bike is geared toward outdoor and rugged riding. Rambo has a large series of accessories to outfit it for your specific purpose. For example, they have a tail gate cover for your truck, racks, bags, and even a canoe/kayak trailer or a hunting trophy trailer! There really are a number of ways you can go with this bike and another point of versatility to assist that would be the fat tires. These are Kenda Krusade tires that are a large 26” x 4” nobby setup that include puncture protection as well. I should also mention at this point that Rambo has a 750 24″, which is essentially the same bike, just scaled down with 24” tires rather than the 26” tires we are reviewing today, so that bike could also be a consideration for you since this one only comes in one frame size. In the cockpit you have the display and the shifter for the internal Sturmey Archer hub. The shifter operates a little differently than most as you really just put it into a position for the desired gear, almost like an automatic car lever. There are also ergonomic locking grips here which I really appreciate. Looking around the bike, I see an adjustable length kickstand that is mounted in a great place, away from the crank to eliminate pedal lock (an annoying occurrence on some bikes when reversing with the kickstand down). The pedals here are a Neco metal platform pedal, so very sturdy… I notice there is a metal chain ring guard which is nice, but it is on the smaller side so it may not protect your pants when pedaling fully, but most people will be taking advantage of that throttle anyway. I also love the fender provisions and bosses, so you can add those if you want. I hesitate to call the bosses under the downtube bottle cage bosses though, they are positioned in such a way that if you tried to put one there, it would probably rub the tire, although you could probably fit smaller accessories like a folding lock or tool kit or something.
Driving the Rambo 750 is a Bafang BBS02 motor system that is rated for 750-1000 watts of power. Both throttle and pedal assist are available here as well. The motor itself has been custom-integrated into a metal bottom bracket casing for improved aesthetic, increased ground clearance, and additional toughness. I have reviewed the stock BBS02, which is designed to bolt onto the spindle tube of a non-ebike, and it hangs forward. It is still one of the most popular aftermarket kits available, but it isn’t winning any beauty contests. Messy cables and bolt-on battery packs are another byproduct of the stock BBS01 and BBS02, but all of that is overcome through Rambo’s fame here. Some cables do protrude at the bottom bracket, but they are mostly hidden and the battery pack is not nearly as vulnerable. This is part of what you’re paying for, a nicer look with less vulnerable cables and parts. The motor itself seemed to perform as I had remembered from my first stand-alone BBS02 review. It relies on an on/off cadence sensor that isn’t especially fluid but does start and stop quickly. This could be a good or bad thing depending on your needs; you don’t have to push hard to make it start (unless the bike isn’t moving, it requires 5-degrees of rotation to activate), but it could feel abrupt if the power is set too high and you’re going from zero. The motor can also be loud when riding in the highest levels of assist, especially in a lower gear. For a mid-drive however, the Bafang BBS02 motor does not offer shift sensing or torque sensing… easing off of the pedals a bit is not going to slow the motor down if those cranks are still turning, and if you were to shift gears this way, the chain, sprockets, and derailleur would all take a beating so it makes perfect sense that Rambo would chose a Sturmey Archer internally geared hub. By using the Sturmey Archer internally geared hub, Rambo eliminates gear-grinding potential and allows you to shift at standstill. This is great for riders who might not be as coordinated or familiar with traditional derailleurs and trigger shifters. With just 3 gears to choose from, it’s not as distracting and there’s just less that can go wrong… but it’s still nice to have 3 vs. 1 gear because it makes climbing and unpowered pedaling much easier. Stopping the 750 is a set of 180mm hydraulic disc brakes in the front and rear, I love the immediate stopping power here combined with the powerful motor, they work together fantastically.
Powering the bike is a lithium ion battery pack at 48v 10.4ah. This makes for about 500 watt hours and offers a lot of get up and go as well as towing potential with that 48v power rating. The battery is easy to get in and out of the housing and is protected by lock and key. It also has an LED lights on it that indicate how much juice is left in the battery via 4 LED bars showing 25% increments each. 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 Rambo 750 is straightforward and easy. The LCD is large, backlit (if you hold the up arrow), and adjustable angle to reduce glare. It is not removable, but there does appear to be a disconnect spot for easy replacement if you experience damage at some point down the line. All of the standard readouts about current speed, battery capacity, and assist level are shown, and if you tap the power button (the little rubber button on the remote pad) it will cycle through advanced readouts like average speed and max speed. Holding down on the button pad activates walk mode, and double tapping the power button opens a deeper menu. The real consideration is how fast the throttle will get you going, because it’s always offering up full power when pushed all the way down. I was able to reach just over 20 miles per hour in the highest assist level during my tests. The display is within reach and easy to learn (there are only three buttons). After a bit of practice, it’s easy to click up or down without even looking at the display for feedback. The one thing I have noticed about this particular button pad is that if you snag the buttons with fabric or somehow bump them when parking, the plastic cover can get bent up and become vulnerable to breaking off. I have only seen this once, but I have never seen the rubberized buttons get broken, so I consider it a point of consideration and extra care.
In conclusion, the Rambo 750 is a good choice for those looking for a capable excursion ebike, or even something for fun around town. There are a few tradeoffs, so let’s get those out of the way real quick. The fork is rigid and does not offer any suspension, so I might think about adding a suspension seat post to the ride to soften it up. However, I was surprised how well the fat tires absorbed the bumps, so try one out and see what you think. Also, the bottle cage bosses are placed in a way where they would benefit fenders more than a water bottle, so I might be careful what you put underneath that downtube. And finally, the only other tradeoff is the 1000 XPC, its more capable sibling. While the 750 will meet the needs of most, if you are looking for a step up, definitely check out the 1000 XPC. Rambo has been in the business of making outdoor bikes for years now, and it was great to catch up with them and review a couple, so I want to thank them for that.
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 Other Brands ebike forums and share your own photos, videos, and review updates to help others! Have fun out there, and ride safe :)
Pros:
- Incredibly powerful and torquey Bafang HD motor with 750 watt nominal output and 90 newton meters of torque makes climbing steep hills possible
- A durable and reliable Sturmey Archer internally geared hub, eliminates gear-grinding potential, allows you to shift at standstill, with just 3 gears to choose from, it’s not as distracting and there’s just less that can go wrong, it’s still nice to have 3 vs. 1 gear because it makes climbing and unpowered pedaling much easier
- Kenda Krusade 26” x 4” wide fat tires, these have some great knobby tread, also has some nice puncture protection as well
- A big win here are the hydraulic disc brakes, you get a 180mm rotors in the front and rear, these are super responsive and one of my favorite parts about the bike
- Motor inhibitors cut power to the motor whenever the brakes are the levers are depressed, ensuring the rider isn’t fighting agains the motor when trying to stop, another great safety feature
- Control center is easily visible even in direct sunlight and offers a plethora of information including current speed, max speed, average speed, battery level, range, pedal assist mode, and more
- The kickstand here is adjustable length and is mounted away from the cranks so you don’t get pedal lock with this bike, an annoying occurrence in other bikes where the pedals lock up when revising the bike with the kickstand down
- I love that the electric controls are reachable from your left hand without having to take your hand off the handlebars, it really keeps your eyes on the road
- Metal platform pedals are extra wide and grippy and help keep my feet in place even when hitting extra bumpy terrain
- Battery has decent power and capacity to match the motor, battery is locking and removable and even has a LED charge level readout
- Tons of available accessories like bags, tail gate lift, trophy cart, it even has provisions for fenders and other accessories
- The fat tires here offer a lot of cushioning, I was surprised in my ride how well they overcame the bike not having any suspension of any kind
Cons:
- No included rack, fenders, lights, rear suspension, many accessories are available, but you must purchase after the initial cost
- There is a set of bosses here under the downtube, but its more for fenders or something since it is in close proximity to the tire, so you likely won’t be adding any water bottles down there
- I was surprised how well the tires handled the bumps, but others looking for more suspension may want to look into purchasing an additional suspension seat post
- Control center can’t be removed, leaving it vulnerable to theft and scratching when the bike is left at a public bike rack
- Only one frame size may limit the range of rider heights the bike can accommodate, but there is a 24” version of the bike, so you could chose that
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