Electric Bike Reviews, News, & Testing

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Griffin Hales

Senior Writer | Edtior

Like most of you, I turned 16, got a driver’s license, and spent more time on four wheels than two. I got into e-bikes shortly before their boom years back in 2019. From my first ride - when I really saw what an electric motor could do for bikes - I was happily back on two wheels as often as possible! Since joining Electric Bike Report I’ve tested and ridden over 300 different e-bike models, logged thousands of miles of riding, and have had the privilege of riding and working with people from all over the industry. I’ve traveled to tradeshows and expos, corporate headquarters, and local bike shops talking with and learning from passionate people in all corners of the industry. My favorite part of working for EBR is being known as “the e-bike guy” by my neighbors, family, and friends and geeking out and talking about all the cool things in the e-bike world with them!

Get to Know Griffin Hales

Certifications

  • B.S. Business Administration; Emphasis in Marketing

Favorite Style of E-Bike

Fat Tire, Commuter/Touring, Moped/Moto

Favorite E-Bikes Reviewed

Aventon Aventure.2 ST, Evelo Atlas, Ride1UP Prodigy V2

Current Bikes You Ride/Own

Trek Rain 9.8, Ride1UP Prodigy V2, Aventon Pace 500.3, Specialized Turbo Vado 4.0 IGH, Globe Haul ST

Favorite New E-bike Tested

Ride1Up Roadster V3

Hobbies

Watching trash TV with my wife (the secret to a strong marriage), doing anything and everything with my kids and dogs, playing basketball, watching the NBA and NFL, learning all I can about tech, learning to cook new recipes, and scoping out the best new food places.

Some links may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these.

Griffin Hales

E-Cells Goes Bust, Rad Refreshes The Runner, A Procumbent Bike? | TWR Ep 29

Plus California’s E-Bike Voucher Delayed, Cargo Bike For Hauling Twins, Regen Braking & More!

In this week’s e-bike news roundup: industry icon Rad Power Bikes has refreshed and renamed its RadRunner lineup, adding new features and tech across all models. Meanwhile, E-Cells—a brand known for pushing limits—announced it is shutting down due to tariff hikes and market challenges. Martoni also unveiled a new micromobility concept with a unique standing, forward-leaning “procumbent” riding position. And California’s e-bike voucher program hit a snag, with its launch delayed due to website issues.

In our weekly Rider Q&A, we tackle two family-focused questions: which longtail cargo bikes are best for riding with two kids, and which bikes are good for towing a child trailer? We also explore why many brands list size ranges by rider height instead of inseam, what’s holding back regenerative braking on e-bikes, and whether there’s an affordable step-thru fat tire model with a mid-drive motor.

Our Trail Highlight takes us to neighboring Nevada for a closer look at the River Mountains Loop Trail—a 35-mile paved path southeast of Las Vegas, connecting riders to Henderson, Lake Mead, and even the Hoover Dam.

[Read more…] about E-Cells Goes Bust, Rad Refreshes The Runner, A Procumbent Bike? | TWR Ep 29

Trek FX+ 7S Review | Lightweight, Yet Feature-Loaded

Quiet, light, and packed with premium features—this stealthy city bike feels more like a regular bike than just about anything we’ve ridden.

Trek FX+ 7S Review

City commuter e-bikes are prized for being lighter, quieter, and more agile than other e-bike styles. They also tend to fly under the radar, with a more stealthy look that doesn’t immediately scream “e-bike” thanks to fewer obvious giveaways.

Trek’s FX+ 7S isn’t just trying to fit that mold—it’s aiming to elevate it, delivering a more premium and polished experience that nails those attributes and then some.

It starts with the motor. The TQ HPR50 uses a fundamentally different construction than most e-bike drive systems, giving the FX+ 7S an ultra-natural feel and keeping it whisper-quiet. It’s a motor that complements active riders by helping you go faster and climb better without replacing the personal satisfaction of putting in the effort.

Handling is another highlight. With four sizes available—or eight if you count the mid-step frames—the FX+ 7S offers well-balanced geometry that strikes a nice blend between active and comfortable riding. A carbon fork further improves the experience by keeping weight low and soaking up road vibrations better than standard aluminum would.

The design is clean and thoughtful, from the internally routed cables to the carefully constructed frame. The bike weighs close to 40 pounds and even includes a built-in grab section that makes carrying it upstairs much easier.

There are several standout features you don’t often see at this level, like a Quadlock mount integrated into the stem that can charge your phone (with a compatible case), and an app that pulls in some bike computer functions. It’s a great setup for riders who aren’t just commuting (though it’s great for that) but also serious about tracking fitness goals.

All in all, the FX+ 7S is a seriously impressive package that should appeal to a wide range of riders who want an active experience and are willing to pay a little extra for higher-end performance and features. Check out the testing sections below for all the details.

[Read more…] about Trek FX+ 7S Review | Lightweight, Yet Feature-Loaded

Best Fat Tire Electric Bikes 2025 | 13 Expert-Tested Options

Best Fat Tire Electric Bikes 2025

Fat-tire electric bikes are a dime a dozen nowadays, but which are the best?

From stable and user-friendly bike path cruisers to high-powered bruisers built for hunting and heavy off-road use, e-bikes with fat tires are enjoying some time in the limelight. Whatever your reason for wanting a fat tire e-bike, the Electric Bike Report staff of experts & bike geeks have tested some of the best fat tire electric bikes money can buy.

Birthed from Alaskan snow and New Mexican sand, the ancestors of modern fat bikes first emerged in the 1990s as a means to explore (and race) in terrain unkind to a typical bicycle tire.

Fat tire bikes have had high points of popularity in recent years, but it wasn’t until the rise of the electric bike that they were used by the masses. Motors made the heavy, relatively inefficient bikes more friendly to ride.

Riders like the big tires because they add a feeling of confidence and stability. That’s not to mention that many think they just look cool. As their popularity has exploded, fat tires have been adopted into nearly every category of e-bike.

So, which fat tire e-bike is best for you? That’s a tough question with an answer that differs from person to person. We’ve compiled this list of our picks for the best fat tire electric bikes to help you find the best option based on your specific needs.

Our Best Fat-tire Electric Bikes for 2025

*Electric Bike Report aims to help consumers find the right electric bike for their needs. When you buy a product we recommend, we may earn a commission.

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Bimotal Elevate Review | Adding the “e” to MTB

The Bimotal Elevate finds a clever way to introduce a motor to acoustic bikes. It’s power-packed and removes in mere seconds to return your bike to its original handling.

Bimotal Elevate Review

“I like my bike now; I just wish it was electric” is a sentiment I’ve heard a thousand times from riders on standard mountain bikes who haven’t made the electric leap. One of the biggest problems in mountain biking that eMTBs solve is taking the sting out of climbs so you can stay fresh for the fun stuff.

But eMTBs come with their own tradeoffs: extra weight, different handling, and buying into a second bike isn’t cheap, or you’d have to consider saying sayonara to the ride you like now for the cash/garage space to make the switch.

The Bimotal Elevate we’ve been reviewing is a clever conversion kit that aims to address all of those problems with a unique brake-integrated mounting system that allows for quick motor and battery attachment and detachment to your current acoustic bike. Strap on the motor for an easier climb, then stow the motor and battery in a pack to restore your bike’s handling to exactly how it was before. In other words, it’s a “have your cake and eat it too” solution — at least in theory. But how does it do in practice?

Overall, the execution is impressive. The motor feels punchy (which our testing data more than backed up), and it has a solid power-to-weight ratio. It’s a Class 2 throttle-based system, so while it’s not ideal for highly technical climbs, it is a super useful shuttle service that helps you breeze through the more tiring parts of the ride so you can extend your time ripping through XC trails, berms, and downhill.

This isn’t a true eMTB replacement — at least not yet. But if you’re already enjoying riding your acoustic bike, the Elevate will unlock even more for you. It’ll help you squeeze in more laps or longer rides. It’s essentially adding new features to what you already have, making it an additive upgrade to your experience.

Even though you can stow the motor and battery, it isn’t a necessity. The total added weight is closer to that of SL eMTBs, so if you’re not too concerned about a few extra pounds of unsprung mass on a full-sus, it’s fully capable of hitting the downhill with you — where it sits surprisingly solid on its mount.

What it can do today in electrifying a beloved bike is highly impressive, and the future applications are even more tantalizing if they’re fully realized. For more on what it can do today and what’s coming next, check out how it performed in our testing below.

[Read more…] about Bimotal Elevate Review | Adding the “e” to MTB

Lectric XPeak 2.0 Review | The Fat Tire Value King?

The XPeak 2.0 has an impressive blend of performance and versatility; the value of the ride is hard to match.

Lectric XPeak 2.0 Review

Fat tire e-bikes are coveted for their power and versatility. The wide tires make for comfortable riding on paved roads and add a bit of a wild side, as the chunkier tread pattern and broader surface area help you navigate rough or loose terrain without sliding around or losing control.

Lectric’s XPeak 2.0 delivers all the hallmarks of a good fat-tire bike but manages to put its own unique spin on the experience while also offering better features than you’d expect at its price point.

The motor experience is a standout. The XPeak 2.0 has plenty of power, but its unique delivery—thanks to the brand’s in-house torque sensor—is what truly sets it apart. Even a light turn of the cranks moves you along with ease, but the bike rewards harder pedaling with more power. It creates a relaxed, natural ride feel even at low power levels, making this 80+ pound bike surprisingly easy to maneuver.

Many of the upgrades the 2.0 brings over the 1.0 have given it superb handling. The frame feels stiff and confidence-inspiring, while the drivetrain, handlebars, and tires all work together to help you climb hills, navigate turns, and ride comfortably. The brakes offer better value and performance than before, and nice quality-of-life improvements like a sharper aesthetic and a color display are much appreciated.

The XPeak 2.0 handles both paved and unpaved roads well, making it a reliable choice for daily commuting or exploring.

When you stack its spec sheet against the competition, anything that matches it spec-for-spec typically costs hundreds more—making the XPeak 2.0’s value hard to ignore.

Its shortcomings are typical for such an affordable ride: sizing covers most riders but is somewhat limited, and while other Lectric models offer color options, this one locks you into either white or black (depending on whether you choose the step-thru or high-step model).

Even so, these minor drawbacks don’t take away from what the XPeak 2.0 offers. It’s fun to ride, loaded with features, priced lower than most competitors, and performed great throughout our testing. For all the details, see the full testing breakdown below.

[Read more…] about Lectric XPeak 2.0 Review | The Fat Tire Value King?

E-Bike Prices Continue to Rise, Tenways Goes Front-Load Cargo, Canyon’s Unique Bike | TWR Ep 28

Plus, Moped Options for Short Riders, Aventon Lineup Similarities, Is 250W Enough Power & More!

This week’s e-bike news brings a mix of exciting developments and some unfortunate updates. Tenways is set to introduce an unconventional bike style to the American market at a more accessible price point, while Canyon has unveiled an out-of-the-box concept and is seeking public feedback. Meanwhile, further tariff impacts were announced by major industry players, and Revel is planning to shut down operations unless a buyer steps in.

We’re also tackling a range of reader questions this week, including the differences between the Ride1Up Vorsa and the LMT’D V2, good moped-style e-bike options for shorter riders, whether a 250W motor provides enough power, and much more.

Finally, we head north to British Columbia, Canada, for a look at an epic rail trail system offering 400 miles of rideable terrain, complete with stunning trestle bridges that wind through the beautiful Canadian countryside.

[Read more…] about E-Bike Prices Continue to Rise, Tenways Goes Front-Load Cargo, Canyon’s Unique Bike | TWR Ep 28

Best Electric Cargo Bikes 2025 | Twelve Top Cargo Haulers

Best Cargo E-Bikes of 2025

Cargo bikes have been in use since the 19th century when tradesmen used them to deliver and transport their goods around Holland. These tradesmen must have been on to something because the idea stuck!

Electric cargo bikes may look a bit different from those early models, but their motors make them even more practical. These days, cargo e-bikes are great for carrying loads of groceries, taking the kids to school, delivering food or packages, and generally serving as a versatile alternative to a car when running errands around town.

As the cargo e-bike category has grown in popularity, our team of reviewers has tested a myriad of makes and models. In our experience, not all of them are up to snuff! Rest assured that we’ve sorted the good from the bad—and we’ve assembled this list to make your search simple and straightforward.

While there are quite a few proven designs for cargo e-bikes, our list will focus on the short-tail/utility and long-tail (ST and LT, respectively) styles. Both types of bike share similar functionality—the only major differences are length and carrying capacity (usually volume, but also sometimes weight).

Whether you’re looking to live a healthier lifestyle while spending more time with the kids or seeking a dependable ride for gig work (think Doordash or Instacart), check out our top electric cargo bike picks below!

Our Best Cargo Electric Bikes for 2025

Long-Tail (LT) Cargo E-Bikes

Short-Tail (ST) Cargo/Utility E-Bikes

*Electric Bike Report aims to help consumers find the right electric bike for their needs. When you buy a product we recommend, we may earn a commission.

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Heybike Alpha Review | A Rare Mid-Drive Fat Tire

A great feel on the roads highlights the Alpha experience, while a few quirks leave room for improvement.

Heybike Alpha Review

I’ve been testing and reviewing e-bikes for a long time, and since many products overlap, it can sometimes feel like there aren’t many surprises left. In all that time, though, I can’t say I’ve encountered a description like “lightweight, affordable, mid-drive, fat tire electric bike” very often.

But that’s exactly what HeyBike’s Alpha is, making it stand out from the norm. So, how does that unique mix of features and adjectives actually feel?

In many ways, the Alpha is one of the better HeyBike products I’ve tested to date. Both the floor and ceiling of any e-bike experience are determined by the quality of the motor, and the Alpha’s mid-drive is terrific, which makes for a nice starting point. It’s got great torque (105Nm, in fact!), an intuitive feel, and it can fly on the flats while making hills feel far easier than I first expected.

I’d grown so accustomed to fat bikes tipping the scales near or above 80 lbs that riding one that was “only” 70 lbs felt refreshing. The bike is easy to control, with a good handlebar and tire combo that offers mellow steering and solid control if you want to test the fat tires on varied terrain.

The riding sensation was positive, but the testing was oddly mixed. The range testing set high and low marks, as did the hill tests. It can climb hills exceptionally, but at the expense of battery when using a lot of high power, while those who are looking for a comfortable cruiser ride will love the range it produces at practical cruising speeds.

There are a few rough edges that need smoothing out. The throttle experience was underwhelming, and the display and app interface have some issues that were common years ago — issues I had hoped would be laid to rest by now.

Still, with enough positives across the board, the Alpha is a viable option for riders wanting the stability fat tire e-bikes bring, with a little versatility to tackle mild sand, dirt, and snow — all in a manageable weight that can confidently fit on most hitch racks. For all the details, check out how testing went down below.

[Read more…] about Heybike Alpha Review | A Rare Mid-Drive Fat Tire

Trump Administration Sued Over Tariffs, What E-Bikes For A College Student, What’s The Deal With Frame Flex? | TWR Ep 27

Plus California E-Bike Vouchers, Sur Ron Legislation, More Details On Morelle’s Fast-Charging E-Bike & More!

Leading off this week’s e-bike news is a recap of some of the coolest finds from this year’s Sea Otter Classic. Aventon’s back with not one, but two new Aventure models—plus a prototype full-suspension Ramblas! We also spotted Velotric’s dual-suspension fat tire Nomad X, the folding gravel-ready Brompton Electric G Line, the Tern GSD 3, and plenty more.

In this week’s headlines: California is offering 1,000 e-bike vouchers—selected applicants can get up to $2,000 toward a new ride. Meanwhile, new legislation aims to clarify whether high-powered bikes like the Sur Ron qualify as e-bikes. Several businesses are also suing the Trump administration over tariff-related costs, and we got a few more details on Morelle’s super-fast-charging bike.

We also spotlight a top-10 rail trail in Idaho and answer your questions about the Ride1Up Vorsa, Nomad 2, affordable belt-drive options, and more!

[Read more…] about Trump Administration Sued Over Tariffs, What E-Bikes For A College Student, What’s The Deal With Frame Flex? | TWR Ep 27

Best Electric Bikes For Heavier Riders 2025 (Tested & Approved)

Best E-Bikes for Heavier Riders 2025

Take it from a guy who weighs 235 pounds: I’ve heard people talk about electric bikes as being “super fast,” or they say, “This flew up hills!” and…. I had no such experience on those bikes. What a bike does for a person weighing a buck sixty and what it does for somebody weighing eighty or a hundred more pounds will be different experiences.

People come in all sizes, and larger riders need to know which e-bikes in today’s market are worth their time and money. We’re excited to bring you our top picks for electric bikes that cater specifically to heavier riders.

Rest assured, each selection was meticulously chosen with the needs of heavier riders in mind. The motors are robust, ensuring a powerful ride, and the range is sufficient to accommodate heavier users without compromising performance. Also, we understand that style matters too, so we’ve included a variety of frame styles to suit different preferences.

Our recommendations are not just based on personal opinions, but on a comprehensive dataset and insights gathered from testing over 300 e-bikes. This wealth of information equips us to guide you toward the most suitable e-bikes for heavier riders, ensuring you make an informed choice.

*Electric Bike Report aims to help consumers find the right electric bike for their needs. When you buy a product we recommend, we may earn a commission.

Our Picks Best E-Bikes For Heavy and Tall Riders of 2025

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