Electric Bike Reviews, News, & Testing

Electric Bike Report

x
Menu
Sponsor

John S. Bozick

E-Bike Writer & Reviewer

Originally from a small town in northeastern Ohio, John was eventually drawn elsewhere in the pursuit of self-actualization. What began as a creative background slowly shifted into the technical; John’s early interest in art led him to learn design, fabrication, and manufacturing techniques while attending the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He applied his creative, mechanical, and critical thinking skills in various industries including fine art, orthotics, furniture and interior design, construction, etc. before arriving in his current position at Electric Bike Report. Bikes have been present to varying degrees throughout John’s life; as a teenager, he spent much of his free time on a Diamondback BMX, and during/following the pandemic, a secondhand Specialized trail bike offered a way to blow off steam. Writing has been similarly ubiquitous; a natural skill with the written word developed through formal education into a source of pride and passion. At Electric Bike Report, John uses his analytical mind, technical writing skills, and dry sense of humor to share the best e-bikes with the world!

Get to Know John S. Bozick

Certifications

  • Bachelor of Science, Entertainment Design

Favorite Style of E-Bike

City, All-Terrain, Hybrid Path

Favorite E-Bikes Reviewed

Ride1UP Revv 1

Current Bikes You Ride/Own

Juiced Bikes RipCurrent S

Favorite New E-bike Tested

Magnum Vertex

Hobbies

Cooking, Hiking, Camping, Gaming, and Traveling

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

John S. Bozick

Public Lands Sale Withdrawn, New Bosch Mid-Drive, and New Blix Bikes Mgmt | TWR Ep 38

Plus Bluetooth Speaker Etiquette, 4th of July Sales, and Lots of E-Bike Recommendations!

This was another busy week in the realm of e-bikes and e-bike news!

Following up on a story from last week, a piece of legislation that proposed the sale of public lands has been withdrawn from the Senate. The areas under threat, many of which are locations hosting bike trails and other recreational sites, are now safe from being lost.

Additionally, Bosch released a new mid-drive motor specifically designed for trekking and other types of off-road adventuring. The motor can provide up to 400% assist, and is compatible with the Bosch Flow app, as well as the brand’s automatic eShift and eBike ABS systems.

In other news, Blix Bikes is under new management! The brand released a statement announcing the changes while prioritizing its commitment to resolving outstanding issues and customer complaints.

Finally, 4th of July sales are on! We identified a few incredible bargains to encourage you to get out and enjoy the summer sun while it lasts.

For more information, continue reading below or check out the audio or video versions of The Weekly Recharge above.

[Read more…] about Public Lands Sale Withdrawn, New Bosch Mid-Drive, and New Blix Bikes Mgmt | TWR Ep 38

Trek FX+ 1S Review | Legacy Meets Affordable Lifestyle

This mid-weight city commuter has a fun and easy ride, lots of useful integrated tech for those who want to use it, and a simplified experience for those who don’t.

Trek FX+ 1S Review

The Trek FX+ 1S is a weird bike.

Not because of funny looks or strange behaviors; as lightweight city e-bikes go, the FX+ 1 looks and feels the part. Instead, the bike is unusual due to a single feature that may not immediately stand out when comparing it to similarly equipped models from other brands.

Unlike previous e-bikes from Trek, which were limited to pedal-assist only, the FX+1S (like its somewhat slower sibling, the FX+ 1) comes equipped with a throttle.

Here at Electric Bike Report, we’ve long espoused the virtues of throttles. Whether of the half-twist or thumb variety, they allow riders an easy way to get moving. They also offer the opportunity to take a break from pedaling—or simply relax and enjoy the ride while the motor does all the hard work.

Like similar global bike companies, Trek built its foundation on decades of analog bike production. While it embraced adding batteries and electric motors to its bikes, the company encouraged the traditional experience of active pedaling by previously producing only Class 1 and 3 e-bikes, despite the increasing popularity of throttle-equipped Class 2s.

Thus, the FX+ 1S marks a turning point—but the throttle wasn’t the only uncommon feature we found and appreciated on the bike. It’s decked out with a powerful 500W motor, an uncommonly large battery, and even a tail light with brake lights and integrated turn signals.

Based on our previous experiences with other Trek e-bikes in the FX+, Allant+, Marlin+, and Verve+ lines, we anticipated that the FX+ 1S would be well-constructed. We also expected it would be engineered for comfort, user-friendliness, and responsiveness. We were not disappointed.

We put the bike through our series of standardized Speed, Range, Brake, and Hill Tests to measure its performance against similar city and urban e-bikes we’ve tested. See our full review below to discover how it compares!

[Read more…] about Trek FX+ 1S Review | Legacy Meets Affordable Lifestyle

Best Commuter Electric Bikes | Top 14 Picks From Our Testing

Best Commuter Electric Bikes

The daily commute for an average person can be many different things. It can be dozens of miles spent in a car each morning and evening, an hour or two on public transit per day, a couple of three-block walks, etc. So, why can’t a daily trip from A to B be spent on one of the top commuter electric bikes?

From powerful speedsters and sporty, long-haul pedalers to elegant and comfortable cruisers, our team of reviewers has tested the best commuter e-bikes money can buy. We’ve compiled our favorites to help you pick the bike that fits your needs.

The commuter e-bikes included on this list will not just get you to your destination without sweating through your clothes; they’ll get you there quickly and have the battery capacity to cover long distances with ease.

Because commuting can mean so many different things depending on where you live and work (especially here in the U.S.), we’ve tried our best to stick to bikes designed for commuting as their best-intended use.

These bikes are primarily built for pavement, and their motor and battery systems were chosen with speed, efficiency, and longevity in mind. If you’re looking for a lighter-duty commuter more at home in a bustling urban environment, check out our list of the best city and urban e-bikes; otherwise, keep reading below!

Our picks for the Best Commuter Electric Bikes of 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.

Sponsor

[Read more…] about Best Commuter Electric Bikes | Top 14 Picks From Our Testing

New Bikes at Electrify, Public Lands for Sale, and 2025 City Ratings | TWR Ep 37

Plus Apple Find My vs ACU, Our Top 3 Commuters, and Can the XP4 Go Tubeless?

One of the most fun stories in this week’s e-bike news is Griffin’s visit to the Electrify Expo in California! He saw new e-bikes and e-bike-related products from a variety of brands, including Mokwheel, P-51, JackRabbit, LeMond, and more!

On a more somber note, the Trump administration’s “Big, Beautiful” budget bill includes legislation that threatens millions of acres of public lands, including many areas with e-bike-friendly trails. We encourage you to contact your legislators and tell them to reject the proposal.

In happier news, People for Bikes released their 2025 City Rankings, which use a variety of metrics to determine each location’s bike-friendliness. Many cities improved their rankings, making it easier for folks to commute and otherwise get around on two wheels instead of four!

See the video above or the full stories below to learn more.

[Read more…] about New Bikes at Electrify, Public Lands for Sale, and 2025 City Ratings | TWR Ep 37

Velotric Fold 1 Plus Review | A Great Bike Just Got Better!

A bright, flashy folding e-bike with cool tech, a responsive ride, and heaps of customization options!

Velotric Fold 1 Plus Review

It’s not uncommon for e-bike brands to make updates to their bikes between new model releases. In most cases, these changes are small quality-of-life improvements, such as minor gearing changes, new color options, or tiny tweaks to the geometry.

Case in point: Velotric’s Nomad 1 Plus and Discover 1 Plus models—a fat tire e-bike and a hybrid commuter/cruiser, respectively—added adjustable stems, brighter headlights, and a basic speed adjustment feature.

The brand’s updated folding e-bike, the Fold 1 Plus, took a different approach.

Instead of a light refresh, the Fold 1 received a boatload of upgrades, bringing all the features of Velotric’s full-size models to its most portable bike. The Fold 1 Plus has a color display and a new control panel, updated programming, integrated turn signals, and a slightly more powerful motor.

It can also pair with the Velotric app, allowing users to customize nearly all aspects of the ride. Riders can adjust throttle and pedal assist speeds separately, select from three riding modes with varying power and sensitivity ranges, and even customize the brake light behavior. The bike also features Apple Find My™ technology to track its location.

Perhaps the most impactful upgrade from the original model is the addition of the SensorSwap feature, which offers riders the option between a classic, relaxed cadence-sensing mode and a new, more active torque-sensing mode. We tested the bike’s torque-sensing mode for this review; see below to learn how it performed!

[Read more…] about Velotric Fold 1 Plus Review | A Great Bike Just Got Better!

GoCycle Gets New Funding, MAHLE Debuts eMTB Mid-Drive, New Bill Eliminates Tariffs | TWR Ep 36

Plus Canyon opens an Experience Center, Vorsa vs Stellar Falcon Comparison, E-Bikes for Women & More!

This was an exciting week in the world of e-bikes, with a variety of news stories and interactions with our audience to highlight.

Perhaps most notably, the premium folding e-bike company GoCycle, which recently sought an injection of capital through a crowdfunding campaign, has received new funding after a buy-in from the owner of a prominent North American e-bike manufacturer.

MAHLE, a Spanish producer of e-bike drive systems, has entered the eMTB space with a powerful mid-drive clearly intended to compete with some of the biggest-hitting motors already found on bikes. Additionally, the DTC company Canyon has established its first brick-and-mortar “Experience Center” in California.

Finally, a new bill introduced to Congress seeks to eliminate tariffs on bicycle components to encourage domestic assembly. Continue reading below or see the video above (heck, why not both?) to find out more!

[Read more…] about GoCycle Gets New Funding, MAHLE Debuts eMTB Mid-Drive, New Bill Eliminates Tariffs | TWR Ep 36

Velotric Nomad 2X Review | Double the Squish, Double the Fun

This reimagined version of the Nomad 2 adds more power, better range, and a full air suspension for a cushier ride.

Velotric Nomad 2X Review

Nearly all fat-tire e-bikes have suspension forks to absorb impacts and smooth rough terrain, but without a rear shock, many bumps and rattles often still find their way to the rider. Outside of a handful of focused subcategories, such as speedy moto-style bikes or overpowered all-terrain monsters, full-suspension fat bikes are somewhat of a rarity.

Velotric aims to fill this niche with the Nomad 2X: a sportier, more powerful, and generally more off-road-capable version of its Nomad 2 fat tire e-bike.

The 2X has a more robust motor with a whopping 105 Nm of torque, a larger 802-Wh battery, and a full air suspension to complement its redesigned frame. Aside from those changes, the two bikes are largely the same, and the new version includes Velotric’s typical suite of impressive customization features.

Once paired with the Velotric app (or accessed in the display menu), riders can tune the feel of the ride through a variety of parameters. For example, the SensorSwap function allows users to switch between an active torque-sensing mode and a relaxed cadence-sensing mode depending on their preferences.

Additionally, there are three riding modes with a wide range of power levels for the pedal assist system (PAS). Velotric even allows granular control over the bike’s speeds, with the ability to set separate limits for the throttle and PAS anywhere between 12 and 28 mph.

In our experience, these features make Velotric’s e-bikes some of the most versatile rides on the market. With so many options to choose from, models like the Nomad 2X can appeal to riders of most ages, sizes, experience levels, etc.

So did the Nomad 2X meet our expectations based on our testing of similar models? Find out in our full review below!

[Read more…] about Velotric Nomad 2X Review | Double the Squish, Double the Fun

Aventon Aventure 3 Review | Recapturing the Fat Tire Crown?

The newest version of Aventon’s versatile, all-terrain adventure e-bike adds a variety of security and ride customization features to an already stellar foundation.

Aventon Aventure 3 Review

Aventon has largely raised the bar among fat-tire e-bikes with each new model in the Aventure line. The original model delivered a comfortable, capable, and stable ride with its upright geometry, powerful 750W motor, and genre-defining 4-inch-wide tires.

The second-generation bike added a torque sensor for improved responsiveness and range. Great overall performance and value additions like a color display, Bluetooth connectivity, and integrated turn signals cemented it as our go-to recommendation for the best fat-tire e-bike on the market. It also turned out to be one of the best e-bikes we’ve tested and reviewed, period.

Now, Aventon has brought the Aventure 3 to market, boasting a redesigned frame manufactured with the brand’s recently adopted method of gravity casting and equipped with its hi-tech ACU module.

The ACU is noteworthy for its integrated 4G chip, enabling owners to monitor the bike’s location via GPS tracking, limit its riding area through geofencing, and remotely deactivate it in the event of theft. The module also governs the mechanisms for a rear wheel lock and an ejectable battery, along with a motor customization feature in the Aventon app.

Based on our previous experiences with the Aventure and other new Aventon models, the Aventure 3 has been one of our most anticipated releases. We knew to expect refined geometry, improved programming, and a suite of security features, but we weren’t sure how well it would perform. After all, the competition has had a couple of years to catch up.

Did the Aventure 3 continue to build on the excellent foundation laid by its predecessors, or do we expect it to get lost in a sea of superior fat tire e-bikes? Continue reading our full review below to arrive at our verdict!

[Read more…] about Aventon Aventure 3 Review | Recapturing the Fat Tire Crown?

Urtopia Carbon Joy Review | Light, Simple, and Lots of Fun

This bike blends elements of a utility e-bike and a cruiser to create a cool, responsive, and highly maneuverable ride with lots of versatility.

Urtopia Carbon Joy Review

Let’s face it: e-bikes are often large and heavy. Their motors provide a helpful boost to riders looking to reduce strain or ride a little faster than their legs could otherwise move them, but their weight can make them cumbersome and difficult to maneuver.

Urtopia, a maker of carbon fiber e-bikes ranging from the portable, aptly named Carbon Fold 1 to the high-tech, ChatGPT-integrated Carbon 1 Pro, aims to solve the aforementioned problems by utilizing lightweight materials and employing smart design.

We recently had the opportunity to test and review Urtopia’s latest model, the Carbon Joy. This fun-size, multi-purpose cruiser/leisure bike has a responsive ride and a manageable size and weight. It’s also outfitted with a set of curved, cruiser-style handlebars to give the bike a relaxed vibe.

Landing at just under 60 lbs on our scales, including its 5-lb battery, the Carbon Joy is one of the most conveniently-sized bikes of its style that our team has reviewed—and one of the most agile.

One of the first things that stood out to us was the bike’s responsive and natural-feeling pedal-assist system (PAS). Urtopia paired a torque sensor with its lively 500W rear hub motor, allowing its PAS to adapt to the rider’s effort level. This makes the Urtopia feel like a faster and easier version of a non-electric bike—and a true joy to ride (pun intended!).

We found the bike to be quite versatile, thanks to its efficient motor and an accessory package including integrated lights and a cargo rack. With the potential for impressive range, a functional cargo capacity, and a generally comfortable ride, the Carbon Joy can serve as an all-in-one commuter, grocery-getter, and/or leisure bike.

We put the Carbon Joy through our series of standardized performance tests to gauge its speed and programming, its braking power, its climbing ability, and its range. See our full review below to find out how the bike performed and how it compares to similar e-bikes we’ve tested!

[Read more…] about Urtopia Carbon Joy Review | Light, Simple, and Lots of Fun

Trek Debuts FX+ 1 and Townie Go! E-Bikes with Throttles, We Compare the Aventon Aventure 3 and Velotric Nomad 2 | TWR Ep 32

Plus the Low-Profile Echo Pro Helmet, How to Adjust Suspension, What Bikes Did We Have the Most Fun Riding, and More!

This week was lighter than usual in the world of e-bike news, but we managed to track down a few buzzyworthy stories:

Across the pond, a partnership between Swobbee and the Yamaha-backed ENYRING is set to provide battery swapping stations with subscription plans in two major European cities.

Pirelli has a new Cinturato road tire with a range of standard sizes available now. Larger sizes, including beefy 55mm widths, will be available later this summer.

Additionally, a Kickstarter campaign for a low-profile helmet is nearing its funding goal. The helmet features a unique ratcheting fit system for comfort and precision, plus it just looks cool!

In this episode, we respond to questions about suspension adjustment, how we selected the best e-bikes for seniors, and the pros and cons of off-road bikes like the Velotric Summit 1, the Mokwheel Obsidian, and the new Velotric Nomad 2X. We also share some of our most fun experiences on an e-bike and dive into a detailed comparison between the Aventon Aventure 3 and the Velotric Nomad 2X!

See the video above, keep reading below, or do both for more details!

[Read more…] about Trek Debuts FX+ 1 and Townie Go! E-Bikes with Throttles, We Compare the Aventon Aventure 3 and Velotric Nomad 2 | TWR Ep 32