Electric Bike Reviews, News, & Testing

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Richard Peace

Product Reviewer, Content Writer

Richard Peace is an experienced cycle journalist whose work and range of cycle publications can be found at richardpeacecycling.com Richard has written a book on eBikes called “Electric Bicycles” and it is a great way to immerse yourself in the world of electric bikes. Richard has also written and published over 20 cycling titles, including the best-selling Ultimate C2C Guide (Sea to Sea by Bike) plus many of the UK’s most popular Sustrans routes. Richard lives in Huddersfield, England.

Get to Know Richard Peace

Certifications

  • B.A. Modern History History

Favorite Style of E-Bike

Touring

Favorite E-Bikes Reviewed

Tenways CGO800S

Current Bikes You Ride/Own

Tenways CGO800S

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

Richard Peace

Ebike News: 30lb Whippet Launches, Solar Power Epic, New E-Terra Trike and Much More!

This week shows just what variety there is in the e-bike world. The UK’s Revolution Works has come up with an e-bike that looks both affordable and light (the two don’t often go together in the e-bike world). Over in the US solar power pioneer Sushil Reddy is part way through an epic solar-powered e-bike trip, whilst Terra Trike recumbents have launched another more powerful Bosch-powered range of electric-assist bikes for e-bikers who fancy rolling along in a laid back kind of way.

In this week’s e-bike news:

  • Whippet from Bristol, a lightweight and affordable city e-bike
  • Sunil Reddy’s 6,500 mile solar e-bike trip
  • Terra Trike recumbents now offer Bosch Cruise Line mid-drive option
  • Hiplok crowdfunding for ‘angle-grinder resistant’ D-lock
  • Pendix’s new chain free modular drive system
  • People for Bikes summit coming soon
  • California Governor vetoes pro-bike stop sign law

[Read more…] about Ebike News: 30lb Whippet Launches, Solar Power Epic, New E-Terra Trike and Much More!

Ebike News: Speed E-bikes from Super73 and Van Moof, Amcargo E-bikes to the UK & Much More!

More speed is all the rage this week, with both Super 73 and Van Moof high speed models featured. What’s becoming increasingly clear is that many players in the e-bike world feel that restrictive speed laws and city infrastructure are holding things back. Some feel that more liberal speed regimes could help many countries achieve net-zero pledges by removing internal combustion engines more quickly (especially the case when most electric cars in the western world still cost many tens of thousands of dollars).

Hence Van Moof accompanied the announcement of the development of its new high speed model with these words; ‘the VanMoof V will have integrated speed settings to match your country’s regulations. However, this bike has the technology and capacity to hit speeds up to 60 kilometers per hour or 37 miles per hour. As it stands, local regulations across the world cap the top speed of this category. But in the long term, we need much bigger thinking.’ Clearly some e-bike companies see the decline of the internal combustion engine as a massive opportunity.

  • Super73’s more affordable high speed model the ZX
  • Van Moof developing new high-speed, high-tech model
  • Amcargo – affordable Danish e-cargobikes for the UK
  • Chevrolet’s big battery problems draw to a close
  • NYC’s boom in electric personal transport

[Read more…] about Ebike News: Speed E-bikes from Super73 and Van Moof, Amcargo E-bikes to the UK & Much More!

Ebike News: Ride1UP Gravel Option, Carbon Fiber Future, Amazing US Bike Growth & More!

Frame material is an old chestnut for discussion in the bike and e-bike world, but despite lots of exciting new tech appearing on the horizon (and sometimes disappearing back beneath it) the vast majority of e-bikes and bikes are still made from steel and aluminium alloys. New alloy mixes and new manufacturing processes like aluminium tube hydroforming (pioneered on bike frames by Giant in the early part of the 20th century) have given a new twist and new possibilities to frame design. But, at the heart of it you are still left with the same metallic core properties of steel and aluminium on the vast majority of bikes and e-bikes available today.

EBR has reported on many of the new developments such as 3D-printed frames, magnesium cast frames and even bamboo-framed e-bikes. Despite being around for quite a while on road bikes, carbon-fiber has remained relatively rare on e-bikes but this week we look at two e-bike startups looking to bring carbon fiber frames to more affordable e-bikes, price being traditionally one of the big sticking points of mass adoption. Is this really a new dawn for e-bike frame materials or another false one?

  • Ride1UP’s new affordable, single speed gravel e-bike
  • Urtopia and CrownCruiser carbon fiber e-bikes
  • Automatic suspension from SRAM
  • Orion look to popularise low cost e-bikes
  • Amazing e-bike and Brompton US growth
  • Dott to launch 10,000 share e-bikes across Europe

[Read more…] about Ebike News: Ride1UP Gravel Option, Carbon Fiber Future, Amazing US Bike Growth & More!

E-bike News: Ares sub 20lb E-road Bike, Eskute Go Mid-drive, E-bike Speed Debate & More!

Lighter, faster, greener, smarter. All themes that crop up regularly with e-bike and e-scooter companies wanting to claim they have the lightest or fastest or greenest or smartest product out there.

Ares have broken the seductive 20lb weight barrier with an e-road bike, BMW want variable e-bikes with a near-on 40mph speed capability on their latest concept vehicle, Unagi claim their new e-scooter is the smartest out there and the UK’s Royal Mail are heading for greener and greener ways of electric delivery. Read on for more detail…

  • Ares use HPS Watt Assist system to launch their first sub-20lb e-bike
  • Switzerland’s FLYER head to the US
  • UK’s Eskute launch Bafang powered mid-drive models
  • Royal Mail trialing micro electric vehicles from Norway and France
  • Fazua acquires innovative hub drive company
  • European e-bike speed debate hots up
  • Unagi’s new ‘smart’ e-scooter with sensors
  • Chicago set for more bike lanes

[Read more…] about E-bike News: Ares sub 20lb E-road Bike, Eskute Go Mid-drive, E-bike Speed Debate & More!

Ebike News: Scott’s Integrated eMTB, Vaast Urban Adventure, UK’s Evari and Much More

Bird Bike 4

Three new e-bikes this week and all feature Bosch mid-drives. With high end mid-drives now giving pretty similar and very impressive performance the question for the manufacturers must increasingly be how they differentiate themselves from others.

Integration and connectivity are two areas based on the evidence of this week’s new e-bike releases – Scott have produced one of the most integrated looking e-bikes to date whilst Vaast have opted for a Unique suspension system and Evari stress hidden (or very well integrated) display and connectivity tech, with as many elements as possible hidden in a carbon monocoque frame.

In this week’s news:

  • Scott’s integrated Patron eRide eMTB
  • Vaast go Urban Adventure
  • Carbon-framed Evari from the UK
  • Bafang mid-drives
  • Magnet speed hack from New Zealand’s NLS
  • San Francisco Transit First Analyzed

[Read more…] about Ebike News: Scott’s Integrated eMTB, Vaast Urban Adventure, UK’s Evari and Much More

Ebike News: Bosch 2022 ‘Smart’ System and New Mid-drives from Yamaha, Fazua and Others

Bird Bike 4

It’s Eurobike right now – Europe’s biggest bike trade show – so new announcements on e-bikes come thick and fast. Some are more predictable than others; bigger batteries and more powerful mid-drives from the likes of Bosch and Yamaha may be welcome developments for some but they are hardly massive surprises.

The more exciting changes these days seem to be at the lightweight end of the market with lightweight yet powerful mid-drives announced by Fazua and the little known Maxon – to give just two examples. Of course, only time will tell which systems will endure and which will be less popular or even fade away (see the mention of the Mando Footloose below….) – but Eurobike remains a great showcase for all the new developments and an exciting time for e-bike tech watchers, whichever tech goes on to succeed.

In this week’s news:

  • Bosch 2022 Smart System
  • All new Yamaha PW-X3 mid-drive launches
  • Lighweight Maxon mid-drive
  • Fazua’s new removable mid-drives
  • Schaeffler’s Free Drive that needs no chain or belt
  • New Gen4 Lime e-scooters launch in New York City
  • E-bike charging stations set to grow says report

[Read more…] about Ebike News: Bosch 2022 ‘Smart’ System and New Mid-drives from Yamaha, Fazua and Others

Ebike News: Bird Bike On Sale, Tenways Lightweight Crowdfunds, Eurobike Highlights and Much More!

Bird Bike 4

This week’s headline news has to be Bird’s new e-bike now on sale to the public. It’s not a groundbreaking e-bike in itself, though it looks to pack in plenty of sleek design features at a reasonable price. Most comment-worthy has to be the fact this is a giant of e-micromobility hire now selling its own-designed e-bike.

Bird was founded in Santa Monica, California in 2017 and went on to become one of the biggest share e-scooter outfits in the world. Initially their business model was all about the software and the app, as many companies’ early cheap and cheerful share e-scooters had a notoriously short service life. But the hardware was gradually updated by many e-mobility companies, with share e-bikes and e-scooters becoming much more durable. Bird’s latest move seems to suggest their hardware capabilities have fully caught up with their software expertise.

In this week’s news:

  • Bird Bike on sale in US and heading to Europe
  • Lightweight Tenways city e-bike crowdfunds
  • Eurobike reveals latest e-bike designs
  • Spin and Bird on Google Maps
  • 39lb Eovolt e-folder takes on 17lb carbon racer
  • DPD all-electric city aims to show the way on parcel delivery

[Read more…] about Ebike News: Bird Bike On Sale, Tenways Lightweight Crowdfunds, Eurobike Highlights and Much More!

Ebike News: Motorbike Inspired E-bikes from Ruff & Super 73, Peyman CVT, MacAskill Endorses E-bikes & Lots More!

harley serial

This week we have a truly mixed bag of news, which shows how wide-ranging the world of e-bikes can be. Motorbike-inspired e-bikes have come to the forefront with two very different designs from Ruff and Super 73 / Mattel. There’s also a novel new bike transmission system from Peyman, a team up between e-scooters and an e-bike microvan and an example of mind-boggling e-mtb ability from Danny MacAskill.

In this week’s news:

  • Ruff e-bike produce their first Bosch mid-drive powered e-bike
  • Mattel and Super 73 team up for a limited edition
  • Intriguing Peyman CVT design
  • Specialized’s new battery recycling partnership
  • Spin e-scooters use EAV 2Cubed four-wheeled e-bike for logistics
  • Arlington’s life-saving bike lanes
  • Huge new e-cargo showroom in London
  • Danny MacAskill rides Torridon e-mtb style

[Read more…] about Ebike News: Motorbike Inspired E-bikes from Ruff & Super 73, Peyman CVT, MacAskill Endorses E-bikes & Lots More!

Guide to E-Bike Conversion Kits

Guide to E-bike conversion kits

E-bike conversion kits are a solution that allow you to add a motor, battery and electric controls to a non-electric bike to make it into an e-bike. Chosen with care and installed correctly, the resulting e-bike lets you ride with electric assist just like a ‘regular’ e-bike. With the range of readymade e-bike designs larger than ever, kits have some competition from off-the-peg, ready to pedal e-bikes. However, they still offer positive advantages as well as some drawbacks which are considered first-off.

E-Bike Conversion Kit Pros

You Like Your Current Bike: You might want a bit of power assistance on a cherished non-electric machine that fits you like a glove.

Unique Bikes: The type of bikes you prefer may not be available in electric versions (folders and recumbents are cases in point, though more are appearing on the market, especially e-folders). Electric bike conversion kits can be useful at the ends of the power envelope less catered for by off the peg e-bikes, that is to say moderately powered but very ‘bikelike’ machines or at the other end of the scale, power hungry beasts.

Swapping: E-bike conversion kits can be swapped between bikes, giving the option of trying electric-assist on several different machines. Similarly, if the kit is a very easy to remove front hub wheel kit (for example as is the case with Leeds, Cytronex,Swytch etc.), you can use your bike unassisted at any time by simply swapping the wheel back to the original and leaving the battery off (the bike then weighs just a few hundred grams more than before). With such systems you can also choose at any time to electrify more than one bike and fully utilize your battery, just by swapping it between bikes.

Greener: If you already have a bike you want to make electric, e-bike conversion kits are generally a ‘greener’ option than a brand new e-bike, for the obvious reason they don’t need another brand new bike to be manufactured to replace the one you have bought!

Tinker or Do Something Totally Different: Those who love fiddling with bikes may be intrigued by the endless permutations of motor kits and bikes – the performance of a kit will be affected by the bike it is fitted to. Hub motors are usually geared for a specific wheel size to ensure they stay within the speed limit set for electric bikes in the territory in which they are sold. However, to take one example of how you can play with the design characteristics of motors and bikes, if you fit a hub geared for a larger wheel into a smaller one it will give excellent pulling power at low speeds, producing an excellent hill-climber or load-hauler.
You even have the chance to design an e-bike radically different to anything any mainstream manufacturer offers. To give one example, Canada’s Grin Technologies have a range of solar panels and associated devices that allow for solar charging of your e-bike conversion kits bike as you ride along.

swytch E-Bike Conversion Kits

Great Value: E-bike conversion kits can be great value for money. If you have a ‘recipient’ bike languishing in the shed or have picked up a decent quality steed at a good price, it can be converted quite cheaply when compared to the cost of a new e-bike of similar quality. Do note the Fitter’s Responsibilities section below about the quality of the recipient bike you might want to fit a kit to.

Lightweight: Kits also make it possible to put together an incredibly lightweight electric bike – a total weight of 22 pounds or 10kg is actually possible, and if money really is no object even lighter! There are an increasing number of off-the-peg lightweight e-bikes available now however, though these are generally mid to high priced e-bikes, so e-bike conversion kits can still be an economic way to a lightweight e-bike. E-bike conversion kits that add a little over 3kg to the weight of a non electric bike are now widely available and there are even lighter options out there, though these tend to be rather light on the amount of power assist you get.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Kits containing illegal motors and control units are in the market, and many people are using them on the road, either innocently or otherwise. A fast and/or powerful kit can be a lot of fun, but bear in mind that once you exceed the parameters set in the regulations, you are on your own. In most territories, your bicycle will be treated as a moped in the eyes of the law, and subject to the much more stringent penalties that come with motorcycle use. If you are found responsible for injuring someone, you will be in very serious trouble. The electric bike legislation is a safety net for your protection, and you leave it at your own risk.

E-Bike Conversion Kit Cons

May Be Complicated: Some e-bike conversion kits are easier to fit than others, but most require at least basic bike DIY skills. However, the simplest, such as the Leeds system and the rather more sophisticated Cytronex system really only require you to install a wheel, mount the battery on your bike and attach a basic cable run, so don’t really require any specialist bike knowledge. Even then you might need to do some unexpected mods in supposedly ‘universal’ fit systems, for example filing out fork dropouts that are a little too narrow.
All-In-One Wheels like the Zehus and Smart Wheel can offer an easy install option, though they have their performance limitations.

Somewhat Limited: If you want a mid-drive system your choice is very limited and they are more difficult to fit than most hub motor systems.

Aesthetics: Often kits will not look as neat as off-the-peg electric bikes. External cable runs secured with cable ties are the order of the day, whilst most complete electric bikes nowadays come with cables hidden within the frame.
Having said that, the smallest and neatest e-bike conversion kits out there do integrate very well onto the bike and it may be hard to tell it’s an e-bike.

May Not Fit: Not all e-bike conversion kits will fit all bikes. Attention needs to be paid to getting the correct speed of motor for your size of wheel (although most hub motors come ready spoked into the correct size of wheel) and finding a suitable battery mounting point amongst many other factors. Front hub motor e-bike conversion kits are generally easier to fit than rear hub e-bike conversion kits simply because they don’t involve interfering with the gear system. Some e-bike conversion kits must be fitted by a qualified fitter whilst with others it is only recommended unless you are a very competent bike mechanic.

Quality: As with complete electric bikes, quality varies from kit to kit: Heinzmann for example stand out in this regard because of its high quality connectors and cabling, giving you the confidence to produce smooth tight cable runs, minimising the kit’s visual impact.

[Read more…] about Guide to E-Bike Conversion Kits

Ebike News: Juiced go Step-Through, More Euro-lightweights, Serial 1 Head to Europe and Lots More!

harley serial

In last week’s news intro I touched on how e-bikes in Europe tend to be lighter and pricier than in the US. So what happens? The very next week arrive two European spec e-bikes that are both lightweight and around the extremely competitive price point of £1000 ($1385). That’s great to see, so congratulations to both both Pure Electric and Velotton on their light and attractively-priced e-bikes.Meanwhile in the US the march of the powerful hub-motored, big-batteried e-bikes continues, this week with the launch of Juiced’s Class 3 Cross Current X Step-Through.

In this week’s news:

  • Juiced’s new step-through is sub $2,000
  • Pure Electric’s first e-bike
  • Polish firm Velotton announce new lightweight ebikes
  • Serial 1 e-bikes now in Europe through Harley-Davidson
  • EBFEC budget e-bikes for the UK
  • 3D printed e-gravel bike from Urwahn
  • Checkout the latest kids seat – now compatible with some e-mtbs
  • Tern’s $45,000 Give Back grants

[Read more…] about Ebike News: Juiced go Step-Through, More Euro-lightweights, Serial 1 Head to Europe and Lots More!