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iGo Core Extreme 3.1 EZ Review | Sand, Sleet, Snow? No Problem

A Canadian-born e-bike designed to withstand the harshest climates, yet be simple to ride.

iGo Core Extreme 3.1 EZ Review
In a landscape filled with fat tire e-bikes that all seemingly promise to ‘go anywhere’, it can be a challenge for consumers to sift through sales pitches and find the right bike. However, the iGo Core Extreme 3.1 EZ steps up to the challenge, making it a promising contender for tackling a wide range of terrain or managing your daily errands.

iGo, a Canadian-based brand, specifically designed this fat-tire e-bike to ‘withstand the full force and diversity of the Canadian climate’. This could not be more apparent by simply glancing at the 26×4.5 Kenda Juggernaut tires. And while the red rock canyons of southern Utah are a world away from the Canadian backcountry, these tires, combined with a beefy build, made the bike feel more like a Jeep than an e-bike as it traversed our rocky trials.

It faced off-road trails head-on, handling bumps and rough terrain as one would expect from a bike marketed for offroad capability.

However, the romance faded a little on the pavement. The large tires are a bit noisy, and the nearly 80-pound weight might prove challenging for some, especially when lifting it onto a rack or carrying it upstairs.

Despite this, the iGo Core Extreme 3.1 EZ shines on off-road trails, providing a sense of freedom and readiness for adventure. It’s a solid choice for those who prioritize backcountry capability, and can accept a couple of quirks as part of the package.

*iGO has shared an exclusive discount code with the Electric Bike Report audience. Use code: GOELECTRIC100 at checkout for $100 off your e-bike purchase.

[Read more…] about iGo Core Extreme 3.1 EZ Review | Sand, Sleet, Snow? No Problem

Employee Bike Benefit Programs 5X Average Miles Traveled

A Finnish employee benefit program backed by the government has promoted bike commuting; participants are riding five times as much as those without a ‘benefit bike.’

Employee Bike Benefit Programs 5X Average Miles Traveled

The country of Finland has a government-backed program for its citizens to lease a bike or e-bike for commuting to work. It takes the concept of a company car and extends it to two-wheeled machines. A recent study by the Finnish employee-benefit platform Vapaus found that people who rode a “benefit bike” covered five times as many miles as Finns who don’t have one.

According to the study, Finns with benefit bikes ride, on average, 1,217 km (756 mi.), while the typical Finn who doesn’t have one will pedal just 234 km (145 mi.).

Benefit bikes are typically leased, not purchased, and program participants can receive up to €1200—tax free—per year. On top of that, they usually save between 30 and 50 percent of the bike or e-bike’s original purchase price.

Among program participants 43 percent reported a significant increase in their riding. Another 36 percent reported a slight increase in their riding. That means that 79 percent of the program’s participants increased their cycling, which is precisely what the Finnish government hoped to inspire with the program, which was instituted in 2021.

Some 80,000 Finns are taking part in the program and according to Vapaus 46 percent have reduced the amount they drive and 56 percent report improved health. Averaged across the program, the typical Finn drives 42 fewer kilometers each week. Were every program participant to ride that much, Finns would see a decrease of 74 million km (45.9 million mi.) traveled by car per year.

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We are encouraged every time we see an incentive program meant to inspire people to ride more, whether it is specific to e-bikes or not. Rebate programs have been a terrific boon to shoppers. The Finnish benefit bike program is a great example of how much room there is for creativity when creating a program meant to get more people riding.

Considering that many buyers have to focus on the most value-focused e-bikes when making their purchase due to budget constraints, a bike-lease program that results in a small monthly payment makes terrific sense. That Vapaus was able to see such a large and quantifiable gain in health and reduction in car miles shows just how important and effective these programs are.

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Küat Piston Pro X Review | The Rack I’m Not Giving Back

Kuat Piston Pro X Bike Rack Review 2024

As a professional e-bike tester, I’ve used numerous hitch racks over the years. It’s not a claim I make lightly, but the Küat Piston Pro X is the closest any product has come to eliminating the major pain points of rack ownership.

All racks serve the same purpose: they help get your bike from point A to point B. Most hitch racks from reputable makers will get the job done as long as the weight rating and wheelbase work for your bike(s).

But many of them have limitations or require extra payment for essential features like security or lighting. Many racks are a pain to adjust. Some transport bikes well enough, but their construction requires me to triple-check that everything is secure each time I use it.

The Küat Piston Pro X was the cure for my past issues. It fits the majority of bikes and has locking features and lights integrated into the frame itself. I swapped out bikes of all sizes and secured them in a few seconds, and once they were there, thanks to the rack’s heavy-duty materials, I knew they weren’t going anywhere.

The Küat Piston Pro X may not be the most budget-friendly option, but its price is justified by its premium features and performance. For those who want to avoid the frustrations of rack ownership, this product is a game-changer. It effectively resolves major issues, leaving only a few minor inconveniences to deal with.

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Pros
  • It’s one of the easiest-to-use hitch racks on the market. It is highly adaptable to all kinds of e-bikes.
  • The integrated lights are great for safety and aesthetics.
  • It has premium materials all over: Kashima coat, Tiger Drylac powder coating, and 99% metal construction throughout.
  • The included cable lock is great for safety.
  • No frame contact ensures your bike’s paint job stays nice.
  • There are helpful accessories like the bike ramp, Pivot 2 (swingarm attachment), and a rack dock for garage storage.
  • It can be expanded to either a three or four-bike carrier (it will lower the weight rating, though).
Cons
  • You can add either one tray or two trays. You can’t add one and then one later. Know how many bikes you need to carry upfront.
  • A rubber stopper for keeping dirt out of the keyhole would have been nice.
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Kuat Piston Pro X Bike Rack Review

Küat makes a ramp to help roll e-bikes onto the rack to simplify loading.

Kuat Piston Pro X Bike Rack Review

The Piston Pro X folds up flat against the back of the vehicle.

Kuat Piston Pro X Bike Rack Review

The wheel blocks can be adjusted up or down to suit the wheel size of the bike or e-bike being carried.

Kuat Piston Pro X Bike Rack Review

The Piston Pro X includes an integrated cable lock to secure your e-bikes while making stops. The keyhole housed some dirt when no lock was used though.

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The Küat Piston Pro X Hitch Rack features a design similar to the 1Up USA racks in that the e-bike is secured by two arms that swing up to clamp the wheels.

This means that each e-bike can be adjusted slightly left or right within its carrier, which is handy when loading the rack with two e-bikes. This helps avoid conflicts between pedals, handlebars, and saddles that can make it difficult to fit two e-bikes.

The pneumatic piston sliders on the swingarms receive a Kashima coating, and that gold color might as well be a gold standard. That coating ensures smooth, friction-free operation, which is why it is used on the best suspension systems in the world. One frequent complaint from riders is that those swingarms on other hitch racks can get sticky from sitting out in the elements year-round. That likely won’t be the case here.

Küat uses very little plastic in the Piston Pro X. With 99% of its materials being metal, the rack cleans up easily, and there are few opportunities for it to show age or weathering, thanks, in part, due to a powder coat—not paint—finish.

Among hitch racks, one common problem is that many struggle to accommodate more than a couple of wheel sizes. With the Küat Piston Pro X, the FastFit Wheel Chock System can be adjusted to accept wheels as large as 29 in. and as small as 18 in. It’ll even fit tires as wide as 5 in.

The Küat Piston Pro X ships with two trays but can be expanded to carry three or four e-bikes. The rack comes in two different versions, one for 1.125-in. hitch mounts and one for 2-in. hitch mounts.

With just two trays, the Küat Piston Pro X can hold up to 67 lbs. per tray. With three trays, that capacity drops to 50 lbs. per tray, and with four, the capacity shrinks to 40 lbs.

The Küat Piston Pro X is a premium hitch rack and it is price as such, coming in a bit less than $1400. For those who appreciate the flexibility offered by the tire arms, the Piston Pro shaves off $300 as well as a few of the more premium features, such as the LED lights and the Kashima coating.

One detail some potential buyers need to be aware of is that the Piston Pro X has a weight capacity of 67 lbs. per tray; we routinely review e-bikes that weigh 70 lbs. or more, which puts it right on the bubble. Add a third or fourth tray, and that capacity shrinks to a point where the carrier can only handle the very lightest eMTBs and road e-bikes. Many potential buyers may simply need to remove the battery before loading their e-bike.

Also, you need to have a good idea of how many e-bikes you will transport before making an order. While you can expand the rack with either or two more trays, you cannot add a second single tray after adding a first.

Küat makes several accessories for the Piston Pro X and Piston Pro that make it notably more user-friendly. They make an expanding e-bike ramp to allow you to roll your e-bike onto the tray. They also offer a way to adjust the wheel arms and add accessory straps that enable the carrier to accommodate e-bikes with fenders, something most hitch racks struggle to accept.

Because the police will sometimes pull over drivers if they can’t see their vehicle’s license plate, they make a license plate holder for the carrier to make sure it isn’t obscured.

If you already have a premium bike, this rack is a befitting mate. Or even if you don’t drop top dollar on your bikes, but you just want something that is highly adaptable and makes transporting your bike as easy as can be, the Piston Pro X fits the bill.

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Check Out Ducati’s Futa – An All-Road Electric Bike

The new Futa All Road moves to a wider front tire and adds three packs to give it solid carrying capacity for bikepacking trips.

Check Out Ducati’s All-Road Electric Bike

Ducati entered the e-bike world a few years back with two eMTBs, the enduro-oriented TK-01RR, the all-mountain MIG-S and a road e-bike, the Futa. They’ve now added an all-road version of the Futa. As is befitting an e-bike bearing the Ducati monicker, the Futa is a high-end carbon fiber creation that weighs in at just 27.3 lbs. (without pedals). It comes in four sizes (S-XL).

The Futa All Road uses the FSA HM 1.0 hub motor, which produces 250W and 42Nm of torque. It is powered by FSA’s 250Wh integrated battery. The FSA HM 1.0 hub motor offers five PAS levels; it is operated by a Garmin-made controller that mounts to the handlebar. The parts pick features FSA K-Force components mixed with SRAM Rival hydraulic brakes and electronic eTap levers.

The All-Road Futa rolls on Pirelli tires, using the Tirreno Dry in a 38mm width in the front and 35mm in the rear; this is only a slight departure from the Road Futa which features 35mm-wide Tirrenos both front and rear, which suggests there may not be clearance for a wider tire in the rear.

The biggest departure for the All-Road Futa from the Road Futa is the inclusion of bike-packing bags from Skuad. The All-Road Futa comes with three bags: handlebar, frame and seat.

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Think of the All-Road Futa as the pedaled version of a Ducati dual-sport machine such as the Multistrada. It will be plenty comfortable on paved road and capable for lighter off-road use.

Check Out Ducati's All Road Electric Bike

The All-Road Futa will have some limitations for bikepacking, as the more you load on a bike, the wider you want the tires to be in order to provide more cushion. A 35mm tire in the rear will make some rougher roads … rough. Another challenge is that even with FSA’s lightweight hub motor, when touring or bikepacking, you tend to want some fairly low gears for climbing and the 35 x 30t low gear will make steep climbs a challenge. With three bags, it will be able to easily accommodate weekend trips or longer, tentless excursions.

On Ducati’s web site the Futa All Road has been discounted from its list price of more than $7500 down to €6490 ($7010).

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Motorists Might Soon Be Paying Fees To Drive Cars

State and local governments are looking for ways to reduce car trips and ease congestion in cities and charging drivers of EVs for their use of the roads.

You'll Soon Be Paying Fees To Drive Your Car

New York City will soon implement congestion pricing—that is, fees to drive a car in lower Manhattan. The Metropolitan Transit Authority will soon begin charging cars $15 and motorcycles $7.50 to drive into the Congestion Relief Zone, which will be everything south of 60th Street in Manhattan. New York will begin charging people driving into the Congestion Relieve Zone on June 30, 2024.

Meanwhile, in California, the California Department of Transportation (known as Caltrans) is testing a pilot program that would tax drivers on the mileage they drive rather than on the gas they buy. This is to help recoup the revenue the state has been losing due to the increasing number of EVs on the road. With roughly 1.2 million EVs on its roads, the Golden State is experiencing a $200 million annual loss. Estimates suggest that could turn into a $4.4 billion shortfall over the next ten years.

According to Caltrans, the average California driver spends roughly $300 per year in state gas taxes, which are collected at the pump, which is why California has some of the highest gas prices in the country. By comparison, EV drivers pay just $100 per year in registration fees. The $200 million shortfall will only grow with time. California has seen a 1000 percent increase in the number of EVs on the road, and in 2023 one quarter of all new cars sold were EVs.

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Cities are looking for increasingly creative ways to reduce congestion in high-density areas. Cities are also realizing that they will have to be more creative about how to tax road users so that they can reap the tax revenue necessary to keep roads maintained.

As more and more people replace their internal-combustion-engine (ICE) cars with EVs, governments will need to find ways to effectively tax EV drivers. There is an obvious solution for drivers who want to decrease how much they spend in order to drive: Ride an e-bike.

E-bikes cut a person’s transportation expenses by orders of magnitude. Not only is an e-bike’s purchase price 20 to 40 times less than most cars, there are very few costs associated with making an e-bike your daily driver. Depending on where you live, charging an e-bike costs between $0.40 and $0.60 and you can replace an e-bike’s tires and inner tubes for less than it costs to fill a gas tank. There are no registration fees, no licensing or insurance and because governments are trying to encourage people to park their ICE cars and find other modes of transportation, there is little chance that a city will ever concoct a scheme to charge e-bikes for their use of the roads.

Even if cutting your carbon footprint doesn’t enter into your plans, the money you save by making more of your trips by e-bike will make a difference in your monthly budget, leaving you more money at the end of each month.

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E-Bike Rebate Program Launched in Minnesota

Buyers can choose between brick-and-mortar shops and some online retailers as well.

E-Bike Rebate Program Begins in Minnesota

Minnesota has allocated $2 million from its budget for the purpose of offering rebates to buyers of e-bikes. The program went live, Wednesday, June 5, 2024 at 11:00 am CDT.

Buyers can see rebates of up to $1,500, depending on the applicant’s income. Timing will be important as the Minnesota Department of Revenue—which will be administering the program—will be considering applications on a first-come, first-served basis.

To be considered, the buyer must purchase their e-bike from a list of approved retailers. Most of the eligible dealers are traditional brick-and-mortar retailers, including Minnesota stalwarts Erik’s Bike Board and Ski and Freewheel,, but there are a handful of online sellers, including Ride1UP, Vvolt and Electric Bike Co. that have been approved for the program.

To make the program as easy to participate in as possible, Minnesota has created a video that will walk applicants through the process. To apply, visit this page.

Rebate applicants must be at least 15 years old, a Minnesota resident in 2023 and 2024, and must provide their date of birth and Social Security number, tax filing status and adjusted gross income (AGI).

The state expects to award roughly 1,300 rebate certificates. Because the number of rebates available is limited, applicants who do not receive a rebate certificate will be put on a waitlist for a potential second round of rebates that would be awarded in October. The program will be repeated in 2025.

The rebate will be mailed to recipients who will then provide the certificate to the retailer at the time of the purchase. The retailer will then discount the purchase price by the amount indicated on the certificate, making the process as simple for buyers as possible.

While each eligible individual may apply for only one rebate, each eligible member of a household may apply.

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A number of states and cities have begun offering rebates to e-bike buyers. The programs have drawn great interest, and more and more we are seeing governments administer the programs so that they are as simple for people to participate in as possible.
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Ride1Up Turris Review: Affordable Versatility for All

Simply solid, and packed with value: The Ride1Up Turris is a comfortable, great-looking, and versatile e-bike that works for almost any rider.

Ride1Up Turris Review
When I first got my hands on the Ride1Up Turris, I was eager to see if it could defy the skepticism that often comes with budget-friendly e-bikes. Could it balance affordability with quality? To find out, I put it through its paces on various rides—from city streets to light trails.

The Turris is marketed as a versatile e-bike, capable of handling a range of terrains and tasks, much like an SUV. During city rides, practical features like fenders kept me dry, and integrated lights increased visibility during early morning and late evening rides. On trails, the knobby tires and hydraulic disc brakes provided reliable handling, while the 100mm front suspension fork smoothed out bumps along my route.

Quality components like the Shimano drivetrain and Kenda Boost tires stood out, not only performing well but also offering the reliability of trusted brands. The bike’s eye-catching colors added a stylish touch, and all of this came at an impressive MSRP of just $1095.

So, does the Turris truly balance affordability with performance across all of our testing? Through my rides, I discovered both its strengths and some quirks. This review will shine a light on those real-world insights, pinpointing where the Turris excels and where it has room for improvement.

[Read more…] about Ride1Up Turris Review: Affordable Versatility for All

Trek Launches Gen 2 Allant+ 7

The flagship electric commuter gets some upgrades.

Trek Launches Gen 2 Allant+ 7

Trek has announced the new generation of the Allant+ 7, one of their Bosch-powered commuter e-bike models. As before, Trek makes two different versions of the Allant+ 7. There is the Allant+ 7, which is a Class 1 e-bike with a maximum pedal-assist speed of 20 mph; there is also the >Allant+ 7S, which is a Class 3 pedelec with a maximum pedal-assist speed of 28 mph.

The biggest single difference between the Gen 1 and Gen 2 versions of the Trek Allant+ 7 and 7S is the price. Where before the Allant+ 7 was priced at $3799, the new version now retails for just below $3000. The Allant+ 7S did cost for $4099, but now goes for just below $3500.

Most of the specs for the Allant+ 7 and 7S remain unchanged. It uses the same hydroformed-aluminum frame that comes in three designs: high-step, low-step and what Trek calls “Stagger,” which features a more radically sloping top tube than we see in the high-step version. Each of the three frame designs are offered in three sizes, giving buyers nine potential choices to find their optimal fit.

The Trek Allant+7 is built with a Bosch Performance Line CX motor, which produces a very solid 85Nm of torque. The Allant+ 7S comes equipped with the Bosch Performance Line Speed motor, which also produces 85Nm of torque, but can propel riders to a pedal-assisted 28 mph. Both versions are powered by the 500Wh Bosch PowerTube battery.

Most of the specs remain unchanged on the two models, though some specific parts have changed. The Allant+ 7 still comes with two-piston hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors, while the faster Allant+ 7S receives four-piston hydraulic discs and 180mm rotors. The lights have changed, but the front light still produces 180 lumen and 60 lux.

The most notable change can be found in the drivetrain. Previously, the Allant+ 7 and 7S came with a 9-speed Shimano Alivio drivetrain 46t chainring and an 11-36t cassette. They now come with a 9-speed Shimano Cues drivetrain with a 48t chainring and an 11-46t cassette. What this does is give the Gen 2 Allant+ 7 and 7S a wider range of gears, including both a higher high gear and notably lower low gear. The switch means that the Allant+ 7 goes from a roughly 330 percent range to a 420 percent range.

There’s an even bigger change hidden within this drivetrain upgrade, because it is an upgrade. The shift from Alivio to Cues means that the Allant+ 7 and 7S now have a drivetrain that was specifically designed for e-bikes. The parts are designed to last longer and respond well to the extra torque exerted by the mid-drive motor.

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Any time we review a commuter e-bike, we hope to see a complement of accessories that will make commuting easy. That means including front and rear lights, full fenders, a rear rack and a kickstand. That gives the rider everything they need to be able to ride to work save a backpack or panniers to carry work items or a change of clothes.

The Trek Allant+ 7 and 7S now feature Bosch’s Smart System which, thanks to its eFlow app, allows increased control for the rider over the motor’s performance.

We were surprised to see the new editions of the Allant+ 7 and 7S feature price decreases, but this reflects the bike industry’s ongoing post-pandemic turmoil. It’s hard to introduce new models when a company still has stock on the old version. This is good news for consumers, of course. And for those looking for the best possible deals, the existing stock of Trek’s Allant+ has been discounted by hundreds of dollars.

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Lectric XP Lite 2.0 Review | A Great E-Bike UNDER $1K?

In an era of getting less for more the new Lectric XP Lite 2.0 offers better specs at the same crazy low price of the original, but does the ride still hold up?

Lectric XP Lite 2.0 Review 2024
You don’t get more when you pay less; that’s the reality of 2025, right?

Almost every purchase I made this year, from groceries to streaming services, has me paying more and seemingly getting less. Prices keep rising in the name of inflation, yet wages struggle to keep pace. It’s a frustrating reality for anyone who remembers when you felt you got some value for money.

Thankfully, Lectric has decided to buck that trend with their latest release, the Lectric XP Lite 2.0. We previously gave high marks to the original XP Lite for its solid performance and affordable $799 price tag. So, when I received the newer XP Lite 2.0 this week, I did a double-take at the spec sheet. They somehow managed to add hydraulic brakes and larger rotors, a more efficient and quiet motor. So, how could the price still be $799?

To me, the math didn’t add up. So, I set out to put this bike through its paces, ready to see if the enticingly small price tag would suddenly come with a much larger asterisk of performance or capability tradeoffs.

Could this be the ultimate budget-friendly e-bike that delivers both quality and value? I began this week’s testing with an open yet critical mind, prepared for the good, the bad, and the potentially ugly. In a time of soaring prices and plummeting value, my mission was clear: Could the Lectric XP Lite 2.0 truly be a bargain?

[Read more…] about Lectric XP Lite 2.0 Review | A Great E-Bike UNDER $1K?

E-Bike Insurance Adoption Is On The Rise – Do You Need It?

Considering the expense of an e-bike, having yours stolen could present a major financial setback; an insurance policy could get you back on the road more quickly.

E-Bike Insurance Adoption Is On The Rise - Do You Need It

A study of more than 5,500 Dutch people found that insuring e-bikes is on the rise. E-bike owners took out a collective 621 million Euro in insurance in 2023, an increase of 71 million Euro from the year before.

Roughly 62 percent of owners surveyed indicated that they had purchased an insurance policy for their e-bike. The average cost for the insurance was €14 per month. Fat-tire e-bikes are more expensive to insure, generally €23 per month because they are more frequently stolen. Some insurance companies have stopped writing policies for fat-tire models because they are stolen so often. Six percent of respondents indicated that they had had an e-bike stolen in the past.

Protecting against theft was one of the primary reasons for insurance.

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We’ve seen an increase in the number of premium and luxury items that people have begun to insure. While a good homeowner’s policy should cover an e-bike, some owners want coverage for their e-bike that extends beyond when it’s home. A separate insurance policy can offer coverage that might not be available with a homeowner’s policy.

Some policies will cover an e-bike while it is locked up at work or a store, as well as locked within your vehicle or locked to a rack which is locked to your vehicle. Other coverage includes repairs in the event of an accident. Another important detail is whether the coverage includes replacement cost or only allows for what a cheap big box store bike runs. The difference between the two can be enormous.

Check with your insurance agent to find out how well-covered your e-bike is through your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance.

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