Electric Bike Reviews, News, & Testing

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Patrick Brady

E-bike Writer & Reviewer

Patrick got his start as a bike reviewer back in the 1990s before e-bikes were a thing. In more than 30 years of writing about cycling, he has written about every angle of the sport—bike reviews, travel features, essays, race coverage, how-tos, personality profiles and more. His work has appeared everywhere from Bicycling Magazine to Mountain Flyer. He’s the former publisher of the cycling blog Red Kite Prayer and Asphalt Magazine. He served as chief judge for the North American Handmade Bicycle Show for seven years. On the weekends he helps coach his son’s mountain bike team and tries to remember not to catch air in front of impressionable kids.

Get to Know Patrick Brady

Certifications

  • MFA University of Massachusetts, Amherst
  • BPS University of Memphis
  • SBCU graduate
  • Fit Kit Certified
  • Lowell Thomas Award for travel writing

Favorite Style of E-Bike

Mountain, Gravel and Road

Favorite E-Bikes Reviewed

Yuba Spicy Curry

Current Bikes You Ride/Own

Mark DiNucci custom gravel, Chris Bishop custom road, No. 22 Drifter custom gravel bike, Allied Cycle Works Echo gravel bike, Ibis Ripley mountain bike, Ibis Exie mountain bike, Co-Motion tandem, Yuba Spicy Curry, the one and only Brady custom cyclocross bike

Favorite New E-bike Tested

Globe Haul ST

Hobbies

Regular bikes, writing fiction, playing music (reformed rock drummer), wine tasting (Pinot Noir, anyone?)

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

Patrick Brady

NYC Receives $5.6M Grant for Last-Mile Delivery

The USDOT has awarded a grant to the NYCDOT to create a lab that will research last-mile-delivery solutions, including the use of cargo e-bikes.

NYC Receives $5.6M Grant for Last-Mile Delivery

The U.S. Department of Transportation has given a $5.6 million grant to the New York City Department of Transportation from its Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program. RAISE is part of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, one of the largest infrastructure investments in U.S. history; to date it has awarded more than $1.8 billion in grants.

The RAISE money will fund the creation of an Urban Freight Mobility Collaborative (UFC). It is intended to serve as an innovation hub that will revolutionize urban freight movement while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It will be the first lab of this sort in the United States.

The UFC will work with the community, industry and universities to create public-private partnerships that will explore ways to decarbonize freight movement. Their goal is to secure a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions caused by freight movement by 2032.

A recent study demonstrated that delivery micro-hubs and cargo e-bikes could help save the city more than $240 million per year by simply eliminating delivery trucks idling while parked and blocking traffic.

The Urban Freight Lab will work to establish “microhubs” for delivery where a large delivery truck can offload its packages and then have those packages delivered to their final destination by smaller, nonobstructive forms of transportation including e-bikes—especially cargo e-bikes—handcarts and EVs. It will also work to develop marine infrastructure so that some trucks could be replaced by ships.

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You don’t have to be a New Yorker to appreciate what this grant could help establish. Anyone who has ever been stuck in traffic behind a double-parked delivery truck knows the frustration that comes with traffic that won’t move due to one vehicle.

The solutions that this grant will help establish won’t be limited to large urban centers, either. Cargo e-bikes are certain to play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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Bosch PowerMore 250 Review | Compact Range Booster

Bosch has introduced a new 250Wh range-extending battery to work with e-bikes using their SmartSystem and Flow e-bike app.

Bosch PowerMore 250 Review In Progress

Bosch has introduced a new range-extending battery, the PowerMore 250. This water-bottle sized battery provides 250Wh of capacity in a 3.3-lb. package. It comes with a mount that will attach where a water bottle cage would be bolted into place on the frame—no Velcro straps holding this in place.

If 250Wh sounds like a modest amount of power, it’s important to keep in mind that this is meant to work with Bosch mid-drive motors which do not need the kinds of capacity that are necessary to give an e-bike with a 750W hub motor reasonable range. Also, as this is a range extender and not a primary battery, we wouldn’t expect it to be huge.

The Bosch PowerMore 250 is meant to take a big day and make it bigger while also serving as an insurance plan: With the PowerMore 250, you can be confident that you’ll have enough power to make it home.

The PowerMore 250 does have limitations on just which Bosch-equipped e-bikes may use it. According to Bosch it is compatible with SmartSystem e-bikes from model year 2024. To learn whether your e-bike is compatible, you can find out in the Bosch Flow app. If you’re not using the Flow app, that might be your first indication that your e-bike may not be compatible.

Bosch PowerMore 250

If your e-bike is recent and you’re using the Bosch Flow app, then you can verify your e-bike’s compatibility by going to: System Settings > My eBike > eBike pass > Components. Also, if you are using a Bosch e-bike display, you can find out within its settings; click on: My eBike. If you see a menu item for PowerMore, then you’re in luck.

Bosch does not include the connecting cable; it must be purchased separately. That may seem inconvenient, but there is a good reason why: The PowerMore cable comes in a variety of lengths, ranging between 50mm—if the reach is short—up to 750mm. This helps to ensure you are using a cable of appropriate length for your e-bike.

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We mounted the Bosch PowerMore 250 to the Norco Fluid VLT C1. With its CompactTube 400 battery, our tester covered 24.8 mi. with 2853 feet of climbing in a time of 2:07. The PowerMore 250 added 11.3 more miles with roughly 400 more feet of climb and nearly another hour of riding (55 minutes).

Considering that 250 is 62.5 percent of 400, we expected the Bosch Powermore 250 to add another 15.5 mi. of range to the Norco Fluid. Instead, what we saw is closer to a 50 percent increase. Expectations can be a tricky thing. When we set our expectations for the PowerMore 250 aside and simply consider the value of an external battery that can increase an e-bike’s range by half, we quickly conclude that it’s a very valuable accessory.

Justin observed that the CompactTube 400 gave him enough range to handle the rides he does during the week. What the PowerMore 250 offers is the sort of range increase to allow for the kinds of longer rides that most of us can only find time for on the weekend.

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This Smart Cargo Bike Will Eliminate Cargo Wobble

The Tarran T1 Pro is billed as a smarter cargo e-bike. It includes stabilizing wheels, three cameras plus radar and a carrying capacity of up to 485 lbs.

This Smart Cargo Bike Will Eliminate Cargo Wobble

Everyone seems to be releasing “smart” products, but few of them really seem to be all that intelligent. A new brand, Tarran, claims to have designed and built the first “smart” cargo e-bike, one that comes with landing gear to stabilize the riding experience.

Cargo e-bikes may be the wave of the future for many of us who hope to ride an e-bike for more of our trips, but many potential cargo e-bike owners and riders face a hurdle: The more weight you put in or on the cargo e-bike, the harder it will be to handle. Heavy loads are most difficult when starting and stopping, which is that the Tarran T1 Pro is meant to address.

The Tarran T1 Pro is a classic box-style cargo e-bike with a sizable cargo area in front of the driver, with the capacity to carry kids, pets, groceries and more. It features a proprietary mid-drive motor that produces 100Nm of torque. It is powered by a whopping 1500Wh battery that is estimated to offer riders up to 200km (124 mi.) of range per charge. The drivetrain combines an Enviolo continuously variable hub with a Gates carbon belt for smooth, quiet operation that will always offer the riders the perfect gear.

While there are a number of features that make the Tarran T1 Pro a very different cargo e-bike, the “landing gear” feature is unique so far as we know. Tarran’s proprietary Dynamic Dual-Drive Landing Gear uses stress, angle and speed sensors to know when to lower two small wheels hidden inside the cargo box. When deployed, they prevent the Tarran T1 Pro from tipping onto its side, no matter how heavy the load is. And the load can be quite heavy, thanks to a weight capacity of 220kg (485 lbs.).

When slowing while braking, the wheels deploy and then retract once the rider is back up to a sufficient speed to maintain stability. They can also be deployed so that they can assist a rider when pushing the T1 Pro, such as when parking it. Finally, they feature a kickstand mode that will support the e-bike when parked.

The Tarran T1 Pro’s smart features don’t end there. It includes three cameras, each with different missions. A front-facing camera with a 180-degree view increases the rider’s view, even when partially obscured. A head-tube-mounted camera provides security features. A rear-view camera and radar monitor all approaching vehicles and will alert the rider to risks with a handlebar vibration and video stream on the display screen.

The Tarran T1 Pro also includes dual headlights, adaptive lighting on the box to increase visibility and automatic signal lights to indicate turns.

Additional features for the T1 Pro include an MIK cargo rack, USB charging, a wireless charging panel for smart phones and built-in Bluetooth speakers. The proprietary display runs a diagnostic program that can inform the rider of what parts they need to replace.

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It can be tiresome to read through manufacturer’s claims of “smart” features and on-board artificial intelligence, only to realize that there is nothing earth-shakingly different about the product. The Tarran T1 Pro, if they deliver on all of the promised features, will likely be the “smartest” e-bike on the market.

The Tarran T1 Pro is an especially well-designed cargo e-bike. There’s no word yet on pricing, but with so many proprietary features, we expect it will run five figures. And it may well be worth that and more.

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Have You Seen This? Worlds First Extendable Cargo Bike

The Dutch brand CYCLR has introduced a design for an expandable cargo bike. Riders can adjust the length of the storage area based on their needs.

Have You Seen This? Worlds First Extendable Cargo Bike

Eurobike, the world’s largest trade show for bicycles is going on right now in Friedrichschafen, Germany. For those looking for the latest in new ideas in bikes or e-bikes, Eurobike is the place, and one of the newest ideas to debut there is a design concept for an extendable cargo e-bike.

Designer Nikolaï Carels of the Dutch brand CYCLR spent six years working on his design for a variable-length cargo bike. The Dutch call this style of cargo bike a bakfiets and they are prized for their ability to haul big loads. Multiple kids and groceries? No problem.

The challenge with bakfiets is that they are long, like school-bus-long. That makes them terrifically stable at low speeds, but difficult to maneuver in tight spaces because they have the turn radius of an SUV. CYCLR’s design allows the rider to change the container length, which changes the overall length of the bike.

CYCLR worked with VROEGH Design to create a patented system and build a prototype, the CYCLR-FLEX. While they don’t explain quite how they did it, they say the design uses customized bearings and slides that work with the steering cables that run from the handlebar to the fork, and that are said to be stiff enough to give the rider and load sufficient support so that it provides a stable ride. The CYCLR-FLEX can carry a load of up to 175kg (386 lbs.), including rider. As the CYCLR-FLEX will be an e-bike destined for market in the Netherlands, it will have a maximum assist speed of 25kph (15.5 mph). It is expected to come to market in the third quarter of 2025 and will retail in the neighborhood of €7,500.

CYCLR hopes to license the design to other bike brands.

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The idea that you could have a cargo e-bike that isn’t always the length of a kayak carries obvious appeal; no real sales pitch is needed. That said, whether or not the system actually maintains the stiffness necessary to be rideable is a different issue. A lack of stiffness is the sort of deficiency in a bike or e-bike that many casual riders may not be able to verbalize, but they will feel it and it will undermine their sense of confidence because they won’t be certain of just where the cargo e-bike is headed.

The expandable design will also prove useful to anyone for whom storage space may be in short supply.

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Time To Stop Renting? Citi Bike To Increase Prices

Citi Bike rental rates will increase for both members and nonmembers; the company blames high overhead due to the logistics of recharging.

Time to Stop Renting? Citi Bike to Increase Prices

Citi Bike’s e-bikes provide a great alternative to buying an e-bike for those who live in New York, but they are about to get a bit more expensive due to a new price increase. The convenience of a Citi Bike is considerable: Citi Bike riders don’t have to worry about security, range or charging.

Citi Bike has already imposed one rate increase this year, taking the cost up to $0.20/minute and now the rate will increase by another 20 percent, to $0.24/minute. That’s the cost for members who pay an annual membership fee of $199/year (Lyft Pink) or $219.99/year (Citi Bike). For those who aren’t members, the cost will also rise by 20 percent, from $0.30/minute to $0.36/minute.

Citi Bike blames the price increases on high overhead due to the fact that the docks do not charge the e-bikes. When a Citi Bike’s battery runs low, it must be picked up by staff, driven to a warehouse where it is charged, and then returned to a dock.

Battery swapping would seem to alleviate this issue, but Citi Bike says that battery swapping has proven to be more expensive than anticipated.

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While $0.24/minute isn’t much money, as all incremental costs do, it adds up. Combine a $200/year membership cost with $2.40 for a 10-minute ride and anyone who uses a Citi Bike to commute to and from work 150 days per year starts to close in on the cost of some of the budget-conscious e-bikes.

As is the case with many costs, a slightly higher incremental price can be preferable to bearing the entire investment to buy a new e-bike. So even if someone’s annual spend with Citi Bike exceeds the cost of a new e-bike thanks to daily or near-daily riding, the convenience of paying only a bit per day and knowing you don’t have to worry about charging or someone trying to steal your e-bike is likely to keep riders turning to Citi Bike for their service.

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Magicycles Launches Ocelot Pro 2.0

Thanks to a 1040Wh battery and the addition of a torque sensor, Magicycle estimates that the Ocelot Pro 2.0 can offer as much as 120 mi. of range.

Magicycle Launches Ocelot Pro 2.0

Magicycle has updated their powerful step-thru e-bike, the Ocelot Pro with the launch of the Ocelot Pro 2.0. The new version of the Ocelot Pro comes in a maroon color and improves upon several features of the existing Ocelot Pro.

The basics of the Magicycle Ocelot Pro remain unchanged. This is a Class 2 or Class 3 e-bike with a potential top assist speed of 28 mph. The 52V, brushless, geared hub motor produces 750W (1500W max) with a sizable 100Nm of torque. Powering the motor is a 52V, 20 Ah (1040Wh) battery. It is still equipped with a 7-speed Shimano drivetrain and Tektro hydraulic disc brakes paired with 180mm rotors.

The big change is that the Magicycle Ocelot Pro 2.0 comes standard with a torque sensor. This change alone has allowed Magicycle to increase their range estimate for their 52V, 20Ah (1040Wh) battery from 100 mi. up to 120 mi. on a single charge.

Magicycle still includes a 12-magnet cadence sensor with the Magicycle Ocelot Pro 2.0. This gives riders the choice between a motor which responds to pedal input immediately, but requires more effort from the rider to hit top speed. The cadence sensor provides a steadier power output and can provide a greater degree of assistance to riders.

Rounding out the parts package is a suspension fork, 20 x 4-in. Kenda Krusade tires, fenders, rear rack, front and rear lights and a heavy duty kickstand.

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The Magicycle Ocelot Pro 2.0 goes for around $2,500, but currently enjoys an introductory price just less than $2,000 for pre-orders. Magicycle anticipates shipping the Ocelot Pro 2.0 in July. It now comes in four colors. As before, it comes in white, army green and space gray, and to that they’ve added maroon.
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Slipper Bike Rolls on … Slippers!

Designer Sergii Gordieiev made special wheels with slippers at the ends of the spokes to create the world’s first slipper bike.

Slipper Bike Rolls on … Slippers

Some slippers are so comfy that you wish you could wear them all the time, be it to work, a wedding—or on your bike. Sergii Gordieiev took that idea literally (not metaphorically) and made a bike that rolls on—you guessed it—slippers!

In his YouTube video, Gordieiev adapts wheel hubs with the addition of steel rods and plates to sandwich the slippers (which feature the face of Jake the Dog from the cartoon Adventure Time). After welding everything together, he mounts the slipper wheels on his mountain bike and takes off.

[Read more…] about Slipper Bike Rolls on … Slippers!

Bosch Celebrates 10 Years of Connected Riding

Bosch continues to increase the range and sophistication of the features in their Smart System.

Bosch Celebrates 10 Years of Connected Riding

Back in 2014 Bosch introduced the concept of Connected Biking which aimed to provide a more connected experience for riders of e-bikes equipped with Bosch systems. Since then, Bosch has added a steady stream of improvements and features, culminating in the introduction of the Smart System in 2021. The Smart System, which can be accessed and fine-tuned through the Bosch eBike Flow App has given riders a suite of firsts in the e-bike market including performance adjustments, navigation and e-bike security.

New advancements with the Smart System include the ability to integrate electronic shifting systems from Shimano and TRP so that a Bosch-equipped e-bike can automatically change gears when the rider needs it. The Bosch eBike Flow App can be used to specify exactly when the drivetrain shifts.

Bosch has also added artificial intelligence to its mapping and route-finding features. Range Control allows a rider to plan a route and then for the eBike Flow app to display the remaining range more precisely once the rider reaches their destination. Riders can even set a minimum battery level they want when they reach their destination. That means that the commuter who can’t recharge at work can set Range Control to not drop below a 55 percent charge upon reaching work, ensuring they will have enough battery to reach home. The Smart System adjusts the assistance level as necessary to give the rider as much support as possible while maintaining the minimum battery level upon reaching the destination. A rider can also choose their arrival time when planning a route and the Smart System will tell them when they need to depart. The Smart System also recommends routes that are appropriate to cycling based on road surface, gradient and other factors.

Other recent Bosch innovations include a new mode, Eco+. This new mode keeps riding as close to traditional cycling as possible by leaving the motor turned off until a rider-selected threshold is reached; the threshold can be customized in the eBike Flow App. Eco+ helps to extend range for riders.

The eBike Flow App also allows riders to customize the Purion 200 display, choosing just what data points can be displayed in select display tiles. E-bikes equipped with Bosch’s ABS system will now be able to view statistics regarding the system, such as how much braking was performed with the system on a ride, vs. without.

Yet another new feature for Bosch owners is “extended navigation” which will now show all the nearby side roads, giving riders greater flexibility in route choice.

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With such a rich suite of user friendly features and increased integration with other brands’ products, Bosch is doing all they can to differentiate their product line from similar product lines, such as those from Shimano and Yamaha. It’s clear that they want to show consumers that even if two e-bikes have motors and batteries, the Bosch-equipped e-bike will provide a better overall experience thanks to features like superior security and helpful navigation.
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People for Bikes Names its Best Places to Ride

Minneapolis, Davis California, and Mackinac Island, Michigan topped People for Bikes’ annual list of the best communities for cycling in the U.S.

People for Bikes Names its Best Places to Ride

What do Minneapolis, Davis, California and Mackinac Island, Michigan have in common? All three were named among the best places to ride in the U.S. People for Bikes, the largest cycling advocacy organization in the U.S., listed them among the best large, medium and small cities in the nation for cycling.

Each year People for Bikes comes out with their list of the best places to ride. To avoid unfair comparisons, PFB groups communities into those with a population of fewer than 50,000 people (small), those with 50,000 to 300,000 residents (medium) and those with more than 300,000 residents (large). They also rate international cities.

Communities are scored on a 100-point scale and the select 10 per category. The criteria for selection are designated by the acronym SPRINT: Save speeds, Protected bike lanes, Reallocated space for cycling, Intersection treatments, Network connections and Trusted data.

2024’s Best Cities for Bicycling

Small Cities (<50,000 population)

Medium Cities (50,000-300,000 population)

Large Cities (>300,000 population)

International Cities

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Many of the cities on the list show up year after year. Davis, California, has led the way on medium-sized cities for years. And with so much infrastructure devoted to cycling, it will be difficult for any city not already on the list to make the kind of gains necessary to challenge perennial tops like Minneapolis, Seattle and San Francisco.

If you want to plan a vacation and take your e-bike with you (or rent one there), this list is the perfect place to start.

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Smith Payroll Helmet Review, 2024

This mountain bike helmet is certified for e-bike use.

Smith Payroll Helmet Review 2024

Not all bike helmets are created equal. While anything you’re going to find online or in your local bike shop or e-bike dealer will carry the requisite certifications, the Smith Payroll helmet provides protection of a different sort. In our Smith Payroll helmet review we will look at how this helmet is different from some of the other helmets on the market. And as we’ve reported previously, wearing a helmet is the best way to prevent an injury while riding.

Let’s get the basics out of the way. The Smith Payroll features Smith’s exclusive Zonal Koroyd material, which is an energy-absorbing material made up of plastic tubes that are welded together. Think of the material as a box of soda straws all glued together, side-by-side. It provides terrific compressive strength, but absorbs energy through plastic deformation—a kind of crumple zone for your head.

The Smith Payroll also uses MIPS to protect the rider’s head from rotational forces should they fall. Both Koroyd and MIPS are technologies that protect beyond what is needed for the Payroll to meet NTA8776, CPSC, CE EN 1078 and AS/NZS2063.

Of note is the NTA8776 certification, which is the standard helmets must meet for Class 3 e-bike use. The Payroll features an integrated skeletal structure that functions as a roll cage for the wearer.

Smith Payroll Helmet Review, 2024

There are a couple of features we like about the Smith Payroll that give it an appeal beyond what we see with many helmets. The most significant among these is that because the Payroll is aimed at mountain bike and eMTB riders, it features greater coverage at the back of the rider’s head, giving the rider increased protection in the event of a fall in which the back of the helmet strikes first. The helmet also offers a bit more forehead coverage than some helmets.

We also like that this helmet features an adjustable visor, which can be set in three different positions, depending on the time of day and sun’s brightness. With 19 vents, the Payroll will also offer riders better ventilation on hot days, which is part of why a helmet offering such thorough coverage can weigh only 14 oz. (400g).

The VaporFit dial system gives riders a way to adjust the helmet’s fit on the fly with an easy-to-reach dial in the rear.

The Payroll is made in six different colorways, but this particular one (Matte Black/Topo) comes with a crash sensor called Aleck. Electronics in the VayporFit dial include an accelerometer that can detect if the rider crashes. If so, it sends a signal to the Aleck smartphone app which will then send out an SOS to any contacts entered in the app. The Aleck electronics add just a few grams to the helmet, making this a safety upgrade that’s hard to pass up.

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Getting a helmet to cooperate with eyewear can be an exercise in frustration. Not only is having a helmet knock against the frame of your glasses annoying, the knocking can be uncomfortable due to the way it places pressure on your ears. Smith avoids this issue by designing the helmet to be compatible with both their eyewear and goggles. The helmet even features channels so that you can remove your eyewear in low-light situations and keep it secure.

The Smith Payroll comes in at the $200 price point which, while not cheap, is a good deal for such a full-featured helmet. It’s made in four sizes (S-XL) and six different colors. The version with Aleck increasing the cost about 10 percent.

You needn’t be an eMTB rider or even riding an all-terrain e-bike to make use of the Smith Payroll; its features make it suitable to any rider, especially those with Class 3 e-bikes.

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