Electric Bike Reviews, News, & Testing

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Sam Gross

Product Reviewer, Content Writer

Sam likes bikes a lot. Probably too much. After a childhood spent racing bikes and learning to work on them in his hometown bike shop, Sam spent his college years skipping classes to chase his dream as an elite mountain bike racer. Injury and a lack of talent sent him back to school and into a career as a journalist, where he covered wildfires, public safety and environmental policy for a major U.S. newspaper chain before working at electricbikereport.com. Sam likes to get lost on his mountain bike in the deserts of the southwest and harass his two cats. He’s a new convert to the e-bike family but firmly believes they will change the world for the better.

Get to Know Sam Gross

Certifications

  • B.A. Communication and Media Studies

Favorite Style of E-Bike

eMTB, Gravel, Road

Favorite E-Bikes Reviewed

Specialized Turbo Vado, BULLS Alpine Hawk EVO

Current Bikes You Ride/Own

VENON EVO-GR FORCE AXS

Hobbies

MTB Races, cat videos

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

Sam Gross

Aventon Soltera Electric Bike Review, 2024

Aventon Soltera City E-Bike Review 2024
Looking for the review of the latest Aventon Soltera.2? Click here.

A new lightweight and lightly-powered e-bike from Aventon, the all new Soltera is the California-based company’s entry into the budget-priced electric city bike category.

In this Aventon Soltera review we dive into the nitty gritty details of this brand new e-bike and put it to the test to see how it performs in the real world. We test its climbing ability, stopping ability and even how far it can go on a single charge so that you can have a better idea if this is the right e-bike for you.

Powered by a 350W rear hub motor and a 36V, 10 Ah (360Wh) integrated battery, the Soltera is designed to be a wallet-friendly option for those who want a little motorized assist for their commute. It’s also designed with aesthetics in mind, with a frame shape and overall finish meant to look like the ultra-popular fixed gear track bikes found in urban areas and college campuses.

The model we reviewed is a single speed, though you can get it in a geared option to, which makes this bike a direct competitor to some other lightweight and lightly-priced electric city bikes we’ve reviewed such as the Ride1UP Roadster, Propella V4.0 and Rad Power Bikes RadMission.

Let’s see how it stacks up.

[Read more…] about Aventon Soltera Electric Bike Review, 2024

Propella Mini Review 2024

Propella Mini Review

The Propella Mini is a rolling reminder that sometimes less is more.

Less can be cheaper; less can be lighter; and sometimes, less can just be more fun. In this Propella Mini review, we dive into this super affordable, super simplistic and super quirky electric bike to see how it performs in the real world.

Powered by a 250W Bafang geared rear hub motor and a 36V, 7Ah (250Wh) battery, the Mini is modestly powered compared to the more typical rear hub-driven e-bikes we see on the market today. But what it lacks in raw power it makes up with its notably low weight of just 33 lbs and its sheer nimbleness — it’s a really, really quick handling e-bike.

To get a sampling of the Mini’s performance, we put the bike through a gauntlet of tests including a range test, hill test, braking test and more so you can have a better idea if it’s the right e-bike for you.

It may be small, but is it mighty? We put it to the test to find out.


[Read more…] about Propella Mini Review 2024

Buyer’s Guide to Electric Bikes

New to the world of electric bikes? Welcome.

The bicycling world is going through a bit of a reckoning right now. Or maybe it’s growing pains; it’s hard to say.

Even before a pandemic drove everyone outside (and drove bike sales through the roof) the budding popularity of electric bikes had been attracting newcomers to bicycling in droves. E-bikes have democratized the cycling world, opening the door for people who previously wrote off the sport (and mode of transport) as a pastime of lycra-clad fitness enthusiasts. Bikes equipped with small motors and batteries are changing the shape of what is possible on two wheels and by who; making bicycling more accessible, less intimidating and flatly more fun for beginners and experienced riders alike.

The bicycling world is booming and we’ve got e-bikes to thank. So if you’re new here, welcome.

But with this new tech (and all these new people) has come a void of knowledge. E-bikes are complicated, and things like amperage, motor type and watt hours can be foreign concepts to the uninitiated. So, we wrote a guide to help with that.

This electric bike buyer’s guide will help you navigate the budding e-bike market and choose which bike is right for you. From commuters to cruisers and drive systems to laws, we’ll cover the basics of what you need to know before opening your wallet.

Want to jump to a specific topic? Here’s links to specific sections of this guide.

[Read more…] about Buyer’s Guide to Electric Bikes

RadRover vs Himiway Cruiser vs Aventon Aventure: Fat Tire E-Bike Comparison

RadRover vs Himiway Cruiser vs Aventon Aventure: Fat Tire E-Bike Comparison

Aventon Aventure, RadRover 5, Himiway Cruiser Compared

There’s few things the readers of Electric Bike Report have asked for more than a comparison of the Himiway Cruiser vs. Rad Power Bikes RadRover 5 vs. the Aventon Aventure — three of the most popular and affordable fat-tire electric bikes.

Ask, and you shall receive.

We’ve thoroughly reviewed each of these three heavyweights on their own, but now it’s time to see how they stack up in a head-to-head comparison. They’re all relatively similar on paper — with powerful 750W rear hub motors, 4-inch wide tires and competitive componentry for less than $2,000 — but despite their similarities, each has gained a loyal fanbase that claims their favorite is the best.

The Himiway Cruiser, for example, is known among its cult-like followers as the most powerful 750W e-bike money can buy; the RadRover 5 has a reputation of dependability, refinement and well-done tuning; and the Aventure, the disruptive new kid on the block, is seemingly too new to be known for something yet, but some who’ve ridden it claim it’s the best of both the Himiway and the Rad packed into one bike.

So which is best? That’s a tough question with a very subjective answer, but we’ll do our best here to help you decide.

For this comparison we’ve assembled three of EBR’s bike reviewers, each with a different fitness level, weight and experience on bicycles. The goal, since an e-bike’s performance is so dependent on the rider, is to capture as broad of a perspective as possible on each bike. Our three reviewers — Griffin Hales, Pierce Kettering and myself — spent time on each bike during a host of tests aimed at sussing out which climbed best, stopped quickest and had the best range, among a few other things.

*See the Best Price on the Rad Power Bikes Rad Rover 5
*See the Best Price on the Aventon Aventure
*See the Best Price on the Himiway Cruiser
[Read more…] about RadRover vs Himiway Cruiser vs Aventon Aventure: Fat Tire E-Bike Comparison

Magicycle Cruiser Review

Magicycle Cruiser Review

An affordable electric fat bike with a 750W motor and larger than average battery, the Magicycle Cruiser is an e-bike from a lesser-known brand trying to carve out space for itself in the e-bike world.

In this Magicycle Cruiser review, we take a look at the relatively new company’s bid to compete with some of the larger, better known and more established electric fat bike brands. Built around a 750W motor and a suite of components comparable to those we see on e-bikes from big-name brands, the Magicycle — at least on paper — makes a verisimilar argument that it is indeed a competitor to the Rad Powers and Aventons of the world.

But spec sheets and marketing can be deceiving, which is why we put the Magicycle Cruiser through a series of real world tests to suss out its true capabilities and to see if it’s a true threat to the more established affordable electric fat bike brands.

So can the Magicycle Cruiser compete? Let’s find out.

[Read more…] about Magicycle Cruiser Review

Gen3 The Stride Review 2022

Gen3 The Stride E-Bike Review

Though price is usually a pretty safe indicator of quality, a high(er) price tag is not always a foolproof bellwether of a high-performing electric bike. Sometimes, it’s the cheap ones that steal your heart.

The Gen3 The Stride electric commuter bike is one such exception to the cost/quality rule. Powered by a 500W Bafang rear hub motor, a fully integrated 500Wh battery and a full Shimano Drivetrain, The Stride is a serious contender in the commuter category. The best part, however, is the price — just $1,499 MSRP. In this Gen3 The Stride Review, we’ll dive into the details of the bike and parse out just what makes this such a solid affordable e-bike.

In addition to taking a hard look at the specs, Electric Bike Report also put The Stride through a series of real-world tests designed to demonstrate how the bike will perform in the real world. Giving you an idea of how well the bike rides, brakes, climbs and even how long the battery will last.

[Read more…] about Gen3 The Stride Review 2022

Ask Electric Bike Report: Are e-bikes safe for seniors?

Are e-bikes safe for seniors

The team at Electric Bike Report fields a surprising number of questions on whether electric bikes are safe for seniors and older people.

We get so many of these questions, that we actually tailor-made a list of our recommendations of the best e-bikes for senior riders.

But to answer the question in short: Yes, e-bikes are safe for seniors. Not only are they safe, they offer a host of health benefits from low-impact physical exercise to boosts in mental and cognitive health.

But it makes a lot of sense that we get this question so often — cycling, at least before e-bikes grew popular, hasn’t always been the most friendly sport for older demographics. It’s an activity with a reputation for hard physical exertion; one where pedaling unaided up hills and over long distances, among other things, could be obstacles unkind to aging bodies.

That paradigm quickly changed as e-bikes gained popularity.

[Read more…] about Ask Electric Bike Report: Are e-bikes safe for seniors?

Serial 1 SWITCH/MTN: Harley Davidson’s Serial 1 Launches First eMTB

Serial 1, the electric bike brand built on Harley Davidson’s legacy and engineering, announced on Friday its latest foray into the world of electric mountain bikes with a model that promises off-road performance accessible to all riders.

The new eMTB, called the Serial 1 SWITCH/MTN, is built around the backbone of the brand’s riotously successful /CTY models but with off-road specific geometry and a component suite chosen for performance in dirt. Like all of Serial 1’s other e-bikes, the new SWITCH/MTN is built on the Brose S Mag mid-drive motor that makes 90Nm of torque and offers 410% support at peak power. It also uses a 529Wh battery integrated into the lower portion of the frame for good looks and a low center of gravity.

Though Serial 1 has recently been releasing a series of special edition and otherwise one-off e-bikes, the SWITCH/MTN will be a permanent fixture in the brand’s e-bike lineup. It will be priced at $4,499 MSRP and is expected to begin shipping in early August of this year.

Serial 1 SWITCH/MTN

The all-new Serial 1 SWITCH/MTN eMTB.

“The vast majority of our world is unpaved,” said Aaron Frank, Brand Director at Serial 1, in a release announcing the new e-bike. “Fire roads, Jeep trails, singletrack paths, terrain parks, ski hills, state forests—there are so many great destinations to explore on two wheels and SWITCH/MTN, with its powerful motor, large-capacity battery, fully adjustable front suspension, and wide-ratio 1×12 drivetrain, has the all the performance and capability to take you anywhere you want to go.”

READ MORE: Our one-on-one interview with Serial 1’s Aaron Frank

Electric Bike Report had actually been invited to attend a special press event this week at the Bentonville Bike Fest in Arkansas, so I’d planned on having some first ride impressions ready for you. Unfortunately, a bout with COVID-19 derailed those plans so a first-glance spec review will have to do until we get the Serial 1 SWITCH/MTN in for full review.

[Read more…] about Serial 1 SWITCH/MTN: Harley Davidson’s Serial 1 Launches First eMTB

Electrify Expo 2022: The Coolest E-Bikes (and Sorta E-Bikes) On Show

If you were to swing by the grounds of the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center in southern California over the weekend of June 4 – 5, you could have test driven an electric car from the likes of Polestar, Lucid Motors or Toyota and then walked across the venue to another test track, and taken a spin on an electric bike or e-motorcycle.

The event, called the Electrify Expo, was the first stop in a national series of expos by the same name intended to showcase all sorts of electric vehicles. From e-skateboards to e-snowmobiles and e-bikes to electric cars, there was seemingly one of every form of electric transport on show. There was even at least one e-tractor, which drew a surprisingly large crowd and at least one audible “I’m not a farmer, but I want one” from one attendee.

Unlike the usual trade shows and events the Electric Bike Report team attends throughout the year, which are typically focused on performance cycling and dominated by traditional e-bike brands, the Electrify Expo drew a more eclectic crowd of EV enthusiasts and had suited auto industry execs rubbing shoulders with e-mobility inventors and small e-bike startups. It was an interesting crowd, but one that surely better reflected our readership and the greater e-bike consumer base.

As per usual at one of these shows, I scoured the venue for the latest, greatest and downright weirdest new and cool models the e-bike industry had on show. While I tried my best to stay focused on e-bikes, I admittedly strayed from my lane more than once and found myself test riding and photographing things that aren’t exactly e-bikes in the traditional sense.

Without further adieu, here’s some of the latest, greatest and downright weirdest EVs (mostly e-bikes) I saw and rode at the Electrify Expo Long Beach.

[Read more…] about Electrify Expo 2022: The Coolest E-Bikes (and Sorta E-Bikes) On Show

Ride1UP 500 Series Review, 2022

Ride1UP 500 Series Electric Bike Review - Header

Summary Review: Ride1UP 500 Series Electric Bike

An old problem reared its head while we were reviewing the Ride1UP 500 Series: Electric bikes are just really tough to sort into categories.. There’s just too many ways you could feasibly use an e-bike — or too many opinions chiming in — to neatly parse out who and what exactly a particular bike is best for. But by golly we try.

That’s why this review of the Ride1UP 500 Series was a bit tough to write. When the Electric Bike Report team sat down to debate how we’d describe this bike and define who exactly it was for, we hit a wall. Despite our different backgrounds and areas of expertise in the bicycling world — from racing to weekend path cruising and everything in between — we all really liked the 500 Series. Usually, there’s at least one among us who’s a detractor. Not this time.

The 500 Series is a comfort commuter at heart, but in reality it’s just a really good all-around e-bike for the money. It’s comfortable, sporty enough to throw around, has good battery life and doesn’t pretend to be some newfangled take on an eMTB or electric folder. We’re not trying to claim it’s perfect — we’ve got some gripes with the cadence sensor and battery readout that I’ll get into later — but you’ll be hard pressed to find a more versatile and well decked comfort e-commuter at this price

Our testers with a racing background liked how stable the bike felt at speed, and our testers that look for commutability appreciated its surprising range and comfort during longer stints in the saddle. Everyone, no matter their background, liked the 500 Series’ mellow yet satisfyingly torquey 500W motor.

Add this all together, and Ride1UP has given you a solid option for anyone looking for one bike that can wear many different hats and won’t break the bank.

*The Ride1Up 500 Series is no longer being sold. However, the brand has several enticing models in the same vein you might be interested in:
Ride1Up LMTD 2 Review
Ride1Up Roadster V3 Review
Ride1Up Turris Review

[Read more…] about Ride1UP 500 Series Review, 2022