Retrospec has been in the bike game for over 15 years now, starting with stylish, affordable bikes to get students across campus and for the last half a decade they have been making e-bikes to join their success. But, bikes isn’t all they deal in, Retrospec has a mantra “ Making Nature, Second Nature” showing that it’s not just about getting people on two-wheels, but about getting them outside, and that’s a mantra we can get behind.
Now, in 2026, Retrospec has launched a refresh to their popular city cruiser, the Beaumont Rev+ City, a modern take on the Dutch-style city cruisers that puts its priority on comfort, power and classically good looks.
Priced at $1599, the Beaumont Rev+ City has been Retrospec’s best selling ebike to date, equipped with a 500W motor than can push 65Mn of torque and a torque sensor, which makes the rig surprisingly hill-climbing capable, but also with a touch of modern tech like USB device charging from the full-color display.
So, with a new bike ready to ride, I set out to put the Beaumont Rev+ City through its paces on the mean streets of Southern Utah to see what’s changed, what hasn’t and what the bottomline is in this Retrospect Beaumont Rev+ City Review.
My Experience Riding The Retrospect Beaumont Rev+ City E-Bike
Curb appeal is strong with the new Beaumont Rev+ City. It’s not new for Retrospec to make cruisers that nail the classic vibe of the cool cars of yesteryear, but with some really well-placed and thoughtful upgrades in key areas, it just feels like it mixes old school cool with glossy paint, smooth lines and those gumwall tires with modern Dutch-style city commuter ergonomics. The colorways are sharp, and for my size and fit, the single 16″ step-through frame worked just fine.
The riding position is upright and relaxed thanks to the seat tube angle and Dutch-style cruiser handlebars, and that sets the tone for everything else. Because the big star of the Beaumont Rev+ City is the comfort factor. Between the frame geometry, the handlebar sweep, the contact points and definitely those 27.5×2.4″ high-volume tires, there is a lot working in your favor here.
Those wide tires aren’t just for classically good looks with the gumwall sidewalls either, they carry enough volume to air down and give the rigid frame a nice built-in suspension effect. That 10 to 20mm of squish you pick up in the tires is just enough to smooth out vibrations and take the edge off rough pavement in a way that really emphasizes how comfortable this bike is to ride, even without a fork with any travel.
Then there’s the new Ananda e-system. The 500W motor with a torque sensor and 65Nm of torque is basically silent and delivers power in a very smooth, natural way, and it’s a big step up for Retrospec on the Beaumont platform. It’s not my first time riding an ebike with an Ananda motor, but it remains a motor I really enjoy consistently for those same reasons. What genuinely surprised me though was how confident the felt power is out on the road. On paper, 500W doesn’t exactly jump off the spec sheet, but paired with 65Nm of torque and what I can only assume is some slick programming under the hood, the acceleration feels good, the hill climbing is great, especially for a cruiser, and in this segment that is a very complimentary setup to the bike’s overall personality.
Braking and drivetrain are the usual suspects, and I mean that in the best way. The Tektro hydraulic disc brakes with 2-piston calipers and 180mm rotors, complete with those motor cut-off sensors in the levers, and the 7-speed Shimano Tourney are both industry workhorses at this point. Straightforward, effective and reliable. Exactly what you want at this price point.
At the end of the day, riding the Beaumont Rev+ City is exactly what it should be, with a few surprises sprinkled in. It’s comfy, it’s capable thanks to that new Ananda motor, and it handles very intuitively. You can carve corners and just ride without a care in the world.
It’s one of those bikes that just puts a grin on your face from the first pedal stroke to the last. Nothing too fancy, nothing that feels underwhelming, it just feels right. And coming from someone who spends most of his riding time on performance rigs, obsessing over grams of weight and squeezing out every last watt in my own personal competitive delusion, that is genuinely strong praise.
Range
Estimated Range (from Retrospec): Up to 75 miles
Real World Range Test Results:
- Eco Mode Real-World Test: 72 miles
- Turbo Mode Real-World Test: 32 miles
In terms of range, Retrospec advertises the Beaumont Rev+ City as being able to cover ‘Up to 75 miles’, which seems like a pretty optimistic number for a bike weighing 58lbs and carrying a 500Wh battery. But, with improved programming and the addition of a torque sensor, ranges really can get pushed out further than we saw just a couple years ago.
Does that mean the Beaumont Rev+ City can hit that 75 mile number? Well, we aimed to find out and put that to the test. So, we headed out in two different runs on separate days, one in pedal assist level 1 using the minimum assistance, and the other in pedal assist level 4, the maximum power available.
It’s also worth mentioning we do these tests on a public bike path that has other folks out and about along with natural elevation changes, and our rider weighed about 190lbs. Is that ‘ideal’ testing conditions? No, but that’s why we do that, it’s the most realistic way we can get results to share with you that feel fair.
So, when the rides were complete and the numbers came in, the results showed us on PAS 1, the minimum assistance, we were able to cover 72 miles in a single charge. Then, after a night of sleep and a full recharge, we set out on PAS 4, the maximum assistance and saw 36 miles before the battery waved the white flag.
Covering over 72 miles on a single charge, and doing so in real-world conditions is impressive. It’s more than enough for up to a week of commuting without a charge or just a really long weekend out with friends without the worry of a charge.
Power (Motor & Battery)
By their very nature, cruisers aren’t meant to be speed demons popping wheeling down mainstreet as the ‘kids’ love to do these days, cruisers are meant to cruise. So, when we look at the power setup on the Beaumont Rev+ City, it shows that it can certainly cruise, but it also has more muscle than expected for getting up and over those pesky hills.
Starting with the motor, it’s a rear hub made by Ananda that’s rated at 500W’s and can push 65Nm of torque. Activating the pedal assist is a torque sensor for a more natural pedaling feel, and you have 4 pedal assist modes to cruise in. This setup of 500W’s and 65Nm of torque gives the Beaumont Rev+ a unique ability to do double-duty as a relaxed cruiser, but still keeping the grunt it needs to hang in morning commutes and ascend decent elevation gains.
One thing that stood out on the rides was just how quiet this motor is. Honestly, I never really heard it unless I was actively trying to listen for it, and even then it only made itself known when working harder on climbs. For a city cruiser where the whole vibe is calm and relaxed, that’s exactly what you want.
On the battery side, the Beaumont Rev+ City runs a 48V, 10.4Ah, 500Wh pack that is UL 2271 Certified for safety and sits fully integrated into the downtube with a color-matched cover that keeps the whole look clean and intentional. The battery is removable and lockable with a key, so you can charge it on or off the bike, which is a nice touch. Here is where I will flag one small design quirk though.
To charge the battery while it is still on the bike, you need to pop off that color-matched cover to access the charging port, which means you are now hunting for somewhere to set the cover every time you plug in. It is not a dealbreaker by any stretch, but I would have preferred a simple rubber-flapped port either on the cover itself or on the frame nearby that the charging cable could pass through without the whole removal step. A small thing, and honestly more of a personal preference than a real complaint, but worth a mention.
Components
Starting from the ground up, the Beaumont Rev+ City rolls on 27.5″ double-wall aluminum rims wrapped in 27.5×2.4″ city tires with puncture protection built in. That extra width isn’t just for looks either. Run a little air out of those tires and you’ve got a natural suspension system doing quiet work underneath you. Combined with the Dutch-style geometry that already puts you in a relaxed, upright position, the Beaumont soaks up the bumps surprisingly well for a bike with a rigid steel fork and no suspension to speak of. Smooth ride? Yeah, we’d call it that.
Moving to the drivetrain, the Beaumont Rev+ City runs a 7-speed Shimano Tourney setup with a rear derailleur, shifter, and an 11-32T cassette, paired with a KMC chain and a 3-piece aluminum crankset. Nothing exotic here, but Tourney is a proven workhorse that gets the job done on a city bike, and the range in that cassette gives you a comfortable spread for both flat cruising and climbing.
One nice touch Retrospec added is a color-matched alloy chain guard that wraps the whole chainring, which keeps your pants clean and adds a polished, intentional look that fits the aesthetic of the bike really well.
For stopping power, Retrospec went with Tektro hydraulic disc brakes front and rear, running 180mm e-bike specific rotors with semi-metallic pads. This is a legitimately solid brake setup for a bike at this price point. Hydraulics give you a more consistent, predictable feel than cable-actuated discs, and the vibration-resistant rotors handle rough pavement without that annoying brake shudder. The Tektro levers also come equipped with motor cut-off sensors, which kill power to the motor the moment you squeeze the brake. It’s a small safety detail, but it’s one we really appreciate, especially when you’re navigating traffic and need to brake hard without the motor fighting you.
Up at the cockpit, you’ve got alloy Dutch-style bars that sweep back toward the rider, keeping everything relaxed and your back upright. The lock-on comfort grips feel solid in hand and the controls are clean, with assist levels, throttle, lights, and walk mode all within thumb’s reach on the handlebar-mounted buttons. The centerpiece is the full-color TFT display, which is bright, readable and shows you everything you need at a glance. More on that down in the display section below.
The saddle is a Selle Royal Gel unit, which is a name that carries some weight in the comfort saddle world. It’s wide, it’s padded, and paired with the upright position the bars put you in, you can genuinely rack up miles on this thing without your sit bones staging a protest. Rounding out the component list, the platform pedals are a simple PP build with non-slip tread. Nothing fancy, but they grip well and do what they need to do.
Screen / User Interface / App
The display on the Beaumont Rev+ City is a new full-color TFT unit that sits front and center in the cockpit.
On the right side of the display is a USB Type-A port for charging your devices on the go, protected by a small rubber weather cover to keep rain and debris out when it’s not in use. On the left side of the handlebar sits a compact control pad with UP and DOWN arrows for navigating, a headlight button up top, walk mode on the bottom, and the menu and power button centered between the arrows. Clean, simple and intuitive right out of the box.
The display itself keeps all the important numbers big and easy to read at a glance. Battery level lives up top, speed takes center stage, and below that you get your pedal assist level alongside a scrollable list of data metrics so you can dig into all sorts of ride info while you cruise.
To get into the advanced settings, just hold the UP and DOWN arrows for a few seconds. From there you can adjust speed settings, switch units, dial in display brightness, pull up hardware and firmware info, set a security passcode, check current bike stats and, probably most usefully, customize which data screens show on the home page so you see exactly what you want and nothing you don’t.
There is no companion app for the Beaumont Rev+ City, and honestly, having all of these options baked right into the display is a nice touch that keeps the feeling of being in control of your ride without the frustration of needing to pull out your phone or download something just to make a simple change.
Best of all, every screen and menu from the home page through the deepest advanced settings is written in plain, straightforward English. No decoding cryptic abbreviations, no roadside manual hunting, no YouTube rabbit holes just to flip a setting. It’s refreshingly approachable, and that fits the whole personality of this bike perfectly.
Retrospec Rev+ City Model Options
The Beaumont Rev+ City comes in one frame size that Retrospec says fits a range of 5’3″ to 6’4″. At 5’11”, it felt very dialed in for me and I’d expect those numbers to ring true for most riders. That said, as with any bike, if you’re sitting on the shorter or taller end of that range, it’s worth taking a few minutes to check the frame-specific measurements on the Retrospec website just to be sure before you pull the trigger.
I was sent the Classic Blue colorway for this review, but the Beaumont Rev+ City also comes in Fern green, a warm Oat beige and Matte Graphite. All four are well-executed and fit the Dutch cruiser aesthetic nicely, so there’s something in there for most tastes.
On the included accessories front, Retrospec did a solid job of bundling in the things that actually matter for city riding. You get integrated front and rear lighting with an LED headlight and a taillight that doubles as a brake indicator when you squeeze the levers. There’s a rear rack already built into the frame with a 55lb payload capacity for hauling your gear, and full-coverage color-matched alloy fenders front and back to keep puddles from making an unwanted appearance on your outfit when the roads are wet. Rounding it out, pedals and a kickstand are included as well, so the bike is genuinely ready to ride right out of the box.
If you want to build the setup out further, Retrospec has a useful lineup of accessories including helmets, bike locks and a front rack that mounts directly to the headtube mounting point up front. Speaking of mounting points, there are also two more on the underside of the top tube for a pump or other trail-side accessory, which is a thoughtful little detail that not every brand bothers with.
Finally, the Beaumont Rev+ City ships with a pretty generous warranty. Retrospec covers the frame with a limited lifetime warranty and backs the rest of the bike, including the battery and motor, with a 2-year warranty. For a bike at this price point, that’s a confident statement from the brand and good peace of mind for the buyer.
Is The Retrospec Rev+ City Worth Buying?
The Retrospec Beaumont Rev+ City is a well-executed city cruiser that punches above its weight in a few key areas. At $1,599, Retrospec took their best-selling platform and made smart, meaningful upgrades that actually move the needle rather than just dressing up the spec sheet to justify a price bump.
The Ananda e-system with the torque sensor is the headline and rightfully so. The power is smooth, the motor is whisper quiet and the hill climbing capability is genuinely surprising for a Dutch-style cruiser.
Pair that with a bike that is already very comfortable by nature and the package is hard to argue with. The hydraulic disc brakes are a step above what you typically find at this price, the display is one of the more user-friendly units I’ve come across and the included accessory package means you aren’t nickel-and-dimed right after checkout.
Small gripes? The charging port cover situation is a minor annoyance and a water resistance rating on the spec sheet would be a nice confidence builder. But those are small things on an otherwise strong package.
If you’re after a stylish, comfortable and capable city commuter that doesn’t ask you to sacrifice one for the other, the Beaumont Rev+ City belongs on your short list. It’s the kind of bike that makes you want to find excuses to ride it, and at the end of the day, that’s really the whole point.
Pros
- Super comfy and upright geometry despite the rigid frame, thanks to the Dutch-style bars, Selle Royal gel saddle and high-volume 27.5×2.4″ tires that act as natural suspension.
- The Ananda 500W motor with 65Nm of torque and a torque sensor is nearly silent and delivers surprisingly confident hill climbing power for a cruiser.
- Range testing hit 72 miles on Eco mode with a 190lb rider, which is impressive for a 500Wh battery on a 59lb bike.
- The full-color TFT display is bright, easy to read and has all settings in plain English with no app required, plus a USB Type-A port for device charging.
- Hydraulic disc brakes from Tektro with motor cut-off sensors, 180mm rotors and semi-metallic pads give reliable stopping power well above what you’d expect at $1,599.
- Comes fully loaded out of the box with integrated front and rear lighting, color-matched alloy fenders, a frame-integrated 55lb capacity rear rack, kickstand and pedals.
- Four sharp colorways with color-matched components and a clean Dutch cruiser aesthetic that gives it serious curb appeal.
- Limited lifetime warranty on the frame and 2 years on everything else including the battery and motor is a confident and reassuring package at this price.
Cons
- Battery cover must be removed to charge the bike as there is no externally accessible charging port.
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