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SixThreeZero Rickshaw Review | Not Your Average E-Trike

A dedicated multi-passenger trike with some neat application potential, but there’s room for improvement for it to thrive in its niche.

The e-trike market offers plenty of options these days, but most designs feel a bit predictable. It turns out the e-trike market can still hit you with something new though.

One quick glance at the SixThreeZero Rickshaw and you can’t help but immediately notice the large bench seat in the rear for passengers. This immediately sets it apart visually, promising a unique riding experience that turned heads and sparked questions during my test rides.

Clearly, this Sixthreezero Rickshaw review will be venturing beyond the typical e-bike you may be used to, and exploring something fresh and potentially exciting.

The concept of carrying passengers on bikes isn’t new – tandem bicycles and child seats have long been part of the cycling world. But the Rickshaw attempts to meet the same goal with a different twist. Its permanent, spacious passenger platform isn’t just an add-on; it’s a core design element.

This opens up possibilities that standard e-bikes rarely consider: think multiple children enjoying a leisurely ride together, or a beloved pet joining the adventure without the awkwardness of a carrier. Families with members who have special needs can finally experience the joy of cycling as a unit. The included lap belt provides peace of mind, especially for those with extra energy to burn.

The Rickshaw’s capabilities extend beyond leisurely rides. Its massive 500 lb payload capacity turns this e-trike into a true workhorse. For those with an entrepreneurial spirit, it’s the perfect foundation for a low-cost pedicab business, offering a unique service without the hefty investment of a traditional pedicab. However, you’ll want to check out our speed tests, we had some issues with the Rickshaw’s top speed – some safety measures could be implemented for peace of mind.

The Rickshaw hints at a whole world of untapped potential, blurring the lines between personal transport, family fun, and even commercial use. On the other hand, we did find a few areas where the Rickshaw could improve and really dial-in this unique e-trike: namely better braking and making the ride less rattly in general.

All in all, the Sixthreezero Rickshaw isn’t just another e-bike – it’s a reminder of the possibilities that emerge when innovation meets real-world needs.

Have You Seen This? ENVO ‘s Semi-Enclosed Recumbent Trike

This tadpole e-trike can protect you from the elements or can be configured to carry a passenger.

ENVO Drive Systems, a company based in British Columbia, has introduced a new recumbent e-trike that offers a very different take on what an e-bike can be. The Veemo is an e-trike that places two wheels in front, with the third wheel trailing, a configuration often referred to as a “tadpole.”

The ENVO Veemo comes in two versions: The Veemo SE is equipped with what the company calls its Epod partial enclosure and another—the Veemo LT—that dispenses with the enclosure, but incorporates a bench seat behind the rider plus running boards for their feet. All three wheels receive hydraulic disc brakes.

ENVO got its start with e-bike conversion kits before moving into offering its own e-bike designs.

The ENVO Veemo is a Class 2 e-bike (20 mph max speed, plus a throttle) that is legal on most bike paths and in bike lanes. The Epod enclosure includes LED lights, windshield wipers and a storage space behind the rider. The seat on the Veemo SE includes a large backrest that extends from the lumbar to the shoulders for an unsually high degree of support and comfort. Range for the ENVO Veemo SE is reported to be in the neighborhood of 43 mi., but it can be doubled by purchasing it with a dual battery setup.

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For the rider who wants to commute regularly but doesn’t want to get soaked by a shower, the ENVO Veemo provides a solution to riding in wet conditions that doesn’t require a change of outfit.

The ENVO Veemo SE and LT are premium products and are priced accordingly. The Veemo LT goes for $5999, while the single battery Veemo SE goes for $7999 and the double-battery version comes in at $8943.

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Colorado Right-to-Repair Bill May Cover E-Bikes

People for Bikes opposes e-bikes being included in the bill due to concerns that it would allow people to rebuild and repair lithium-ion batteries.

A Right to Repair bill making its way through the Colorado assembly has been expanded to include new categories of products. The new bill extends its reach to include consumer electronics. The law would require manufacturers to give consumers access to tools, software, parts and diagnostics in order to repair many products.

The bill includes a vast collection of product categories. It covers household appliances, smart and cell phones, plus IT equipment. A number of exemptions have been carved out: vessels, aviation and medical devices, not including powered wheelchairs.

Whether the bill would cover e-bikes is uncertain as of yet. According to Matt Moore, policy counsel for People for Bikes, said the bill may not cover e-bikes.

“While electric bicycles are generally not regarded as motor vehicles for purpose of their operation on public streets,” Moore wrote in an email to BRAIN, “the broad definition of ‘motor vehicle’ in the Colorado bill defines a motor vehicle as ‘a vehicle that is designed to transport individuals or property on a street or highway’ if it is ‘certified by a motor vehicle manufacturer under all applicable safety and emission standards’ and ‘all requirements for the distribution and sale of motor vehicles in the United States.’

“It is our position that low-speed electric bicycles and bicycles with electronic components that are required to be certified for compliance with all applicable federal standards in 16 CFR 1512 meet this definition. Certain other e-mobility devices that have no applicable regulatory standards would likely be subject to the bill’s requirements.”

However, Nathan Proctor, senior director of the U.S. Public Interest Research Groups Campaign for the Right to Repair, disagreed with Moore and said it would cover e-bikes.

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The issue with regard to e-bikes is that if bill does include e-bikes, that may open the door to rebuilding and/or repairing e-bike batteries. As we’ve seen with the steps that New York has taken to crack down on lithium-ion battery repair as it works to reduce the number of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries, repaired or rebuilt batteries have been the source of several fires.

When New York passed a Right to Repair law—the Digital Fair Act—in December, whether the new law covered e-bikes or not was unclear. People for Bikes, which is the largest cycling advocacy organization in the U.S., took the step to lobby legislators in Albany to amend the law so that it explicitly excluded both e-bikes as a whole and lithium-ion batteries specifically.

Right to Repair laws are meant to have a two-fold effect. First, they are meant to save consumers money by allowing them to fix devices on their own without going to an expensive service provider. Second, they are meant to cut down on the amount of trash generated each year by extending the lives of products.

According to the Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG), the Colorado bill has the potential to save Colorado residents $882 million per year as a result of e-waste reduction, which is the fastest-growing category of waste, worldwide.

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Orbea Updates the Rise

Orbea has just announced the new generation of its eMTB, the Rise. They’ve updated their lightweight trail e-bike by giving riders a new version of the motor and two different configurations of travel as well as a new frame design they call “Steep’N’Deep” that allows for an even longer-travel dropper post.

The Rise continues to be based on 29-in. wheels; Orbea hasn’t gotten on the mullet bandwagon of shrinking the rear wheel to 27.5 in.

Orbea is producing the Rise in four different configurations, two long-travel and two shorter travel (shorter, but not short). This is an eMTB aimed at experienced mountain bikers prepared to make a significant investment. Pricing begins just below $9000.

Buyers are given more choices than you might expect. In addition to choosing which size, color and version of the Rise, most components on the eMTB feature options for upgrades. It’s a level of customization that even the folks at Electric Bike Co. would admire.

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Orbea Rise Spec Review: Bike Overview

Orbea took an unusual approach with the Rise. Most companies that plan to release a shorter-travel eMTB as well as a longer-travel eMTB, i.e. a trail model as well as an enduro model, will design two different e-bikes from the ground up. This poses some challenges for a company that doesn’t have an entire phalanx of engineers in a cube farm.

The Rise was introduced in 2020. In all likelihood, Orbea engineers have been working on this new Rise for two years. It’s far more efficient to come up with a single frame design that can be built two different ways. Inevitably there are some compromises that have to be made to make one design serve two masters. With the Rise, that compromise may have been the decision to make the Rise LT roll on 29-in. wheels front and rear.

Mullet setups are all the rage in long-travel mountain bikes and eMTBs, so their choice may make this star shine a little less for consumers who want whatever is “in” at the moment. There are plenty of us who still love the way an eMTB rolls on 29-in. wheels front and rear, though, so we expect it will find an audience.

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Orbea Rise Review: Specs & Features

Frame and fork

Orbea makes the Rise in two different configurations and each of those configurations comes in two different builds—one north of $10k and the other south of that mark. As we mentioned in the opening, the Rise rolls on 29-in. wheels front and rear on both versions. Both the frame’s main triangle and rear swingarm are constructed of carbon fiber to keep weight as low as possible while maintaining necessary stiffness.

The frame is made in four sizes and is reasonably estimated to fit riders from as petite as 4 feet 11 inches up to 6 feet 6 inches, with each size accommodating a roughly 7-in. range of height, which seems rather generous.

The Rise SL—as in Super Light—features 140mm of travel front and rear. This version gets a fairly slack 65.5-degree head tube angle, roughly where most trail bikes are being built currently. What this does is make this eMTB very calm and stable in rowdy terrain, especially rock gardens that might otherwise twist the bar from the rider’s hands.

The Rise LT—Long Travel—uses the same frame, but makes a few tweaks that result in a substantially different ride. Travel grows to 160mm in the fork and 150mm in the rear and thanks to a difference in how the suspension is set up, plus some adjustability, the head tube angle slacks out to either 64.5 or 64 degrees, a big enough difference to allow the notion of “rowdy” to be redefined.

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Motor and battery

The single biggest change from the previous edition of the Orbea Rise comes from the new version of the Shimano EP8 motor. Previously, Orbea’s EP8 RS, a special version of Shimano’s top-of-the-line motor with special software tweaks to make the pedaling feel more natural for experienced mountain bikers. It also dialed the torque down on the EP8 motor, from 85Nm to 60Nm. They did this for two reasons: 1) the aforementioned natural pedaling feel and 2) to increase range.

With the new edition of the Rise, Orbea is unveiling a new version of the EP8 RS. This one gives riders the full 85Nm the motor is capable of delivering, while still offering highly tweaked software, as well as an app that allows riders to adjust just how the motor responds to rider input.

The RS designation refers to Orbea’s Ride Synergy. It denotes the company’s tweaks to Shimano’s firmware, which is designed to give the rider a more natural pedaling feel. Riders can make adjustments to the motor’s performance in a smartphone app.

Previously, the Rise came with a 360Wh battery standard, with an option for a 540Wh battery. The new Rise comes with a 420Wh battery, with an option for a 630Wh battery, plus a 210Wh range extender option. Orbea estimates that the 420Wh battery will give riders up to two hours of riding in Boost mode, three hours in Trail mode and four hours in Eco mode.

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Componentry

The biggest news on the componentry front comes as a result of a change to the Rise’s frame design. Orbea’s “Steep’N’Deep” design results in a shorter seat tube than on the previous frame. What this means is that riders can choose to run a 230mm-long dropper post—a length very few frames can accommodate.

All of the Rise builds are spec’d with a carbon fiber handlebar, save the Rise SL M10, which comes with an aluminum bar.

Drivetrain, brakes and wheels

The builds for the four versions of the Rise are mouth-watering dreams that make riders clear their Saturday schedule.

The Rise SL M-LTD is built with a wireless SRAM XX 12-speed drivetrain and Shimano XTR 4-piston brakes with 180mm rotors.

The Rise SL M10 comes equipped with a 12-speed Shimano SLX drivetrain and Shimano Deore XT hydraulic disc brakes and 180mm rotors.

The Rise LT M-Team receives Shimano’s top-of-the-line XTR Di2 electronic drivetrain (12 speed), along with XTR 4-piston brakes and a 203mm rotor from and 180mm rotor rear.

The Rise LT M10 opts for the same Shimano SLX 12-speed drivetrain but goes for the stouter 4-piston Shimano Deore XT brakes with 203/180mm rotors.

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EBR’s Orbea Rise First Look Review:

The new Orbea Rise is an exciting eMTB, no matter which build you look at. The fact that they stuck with 29-in. wheels and didn’t go with a mullet setup is gratifying to those of us who want a nimble climber and ride in places with a surplus of rock—because the bigger the wheel, the more easily it rolls over obstacles.

The criticism of the previous version of the Orbea Rise was how their special edition of Shimano’s EP8 motor, the EP8 RS produced only 60Nm of torque. In a vacuum with no other riders around, no one would complain about an eMTB that offers 60Nm of torque. The problem comes in riding with others on eMTBs with motors that produce more torque. Riding with someone on an eMTB equipped with a Bosch Performance Line CX motor would see the rider with the Bosch pull away on the steeper climbs because the Bosch Performance CX motor produces 600W to the EP8’s 500W and 85Nm to the old EP8 RS’s 60Nm.

Now that Orbea’s new version of the EP8 RS produces 85Nm of torque, it is on a better footing with the Bosch Performance Line CX motor. But when we compare the Shimano EP8 RS to the new Bosch Performance Line SX motor, Bosch’s new, lighter, housingless motor aimed at eMTBs, the EP8 RS looks even more attractive.

Orbea says the new Rise won’t weigh any more than the old Rise, and that’s no small achievement. Previous versions weighed between 35 and 41 lbs., depending on the build. Let’s take the highest weight we’ve seen published: 41.4 lbs. The new Rise at 41.4 lbs. with a motor that produces 500W and up to 85Nm of torque will be competitive against other lightweight e-bikes with the new Bosch Performance Line SX motor. The new Canyon Neuron:ONfly weighs 44.8 lbs., while the Norco Fluid Vlt weighs 42.5 lbs. Both the Canyon and the Norco feature the Bosch Performance Line SX motor, which produces 600W, but only 55Nm of torque.

With competitive weights, what’s the functional difference? Based on our experience, many riders will be able to coax more power from the Orbea Rise because the Shimano EP8 RS motor can respond with more torque when a rider has a low cadence, such as when you’re on a steep climb and have run out of gears. It’s in climbing that our cadence is most likely to drop, and that’s when we need the most torque. EMTBs with the Bosch Performance Line SX motor offer a bit more raw power, but to draw that performance out, it will be important to keep your cadence up, in the neighborhood of 100 rpm, which is something that demands a fair amount of experience.

This new edition of the Orbea Rise is an exciting new chapter for this eMTB. The improvements over the previous rise—better motor, bigger battery, longer dropper post and improved geometry—make this an eMTB we are metaphorically dying to ride.

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New Utah Law Defines Out-of-Class E-Bikes

The law takes a firm stance on e-bikes with unrestricted top speeds.

A new law has gone into effect in Utah that will address unrestricted and multiple mode e-bikes. This puts Utah in the unusual position of being the first state in the country to take on the issue of e-bikes that don’t conform to the three-class system.

Utah’s new regulations became law on May 1. It is the first law to address the increasing proliferation of e-bikes with unrestricted top speeds. E-bikes that can exceed a maximum-assist speed of 28 mph are classified as Out-of-Class EVs (OCEV).

Some reporting on the new law has suggested that it groups Class 2 e-bikes with a maximum pedal-assist and throttle speed of 20 mph in with OCEVs. That’s not the case. Class 2 e-bikes that cease their assistance at 20 mph, whether pedaling or with a throttle are still considered Class 2 in Utah’s law.

The new law does cause some confusion, though. In 41-6a-102 (18)(a)(i) it defines an “electric assisted bicycle” as having a power output of “not more than 750W,” which is in-line with the three class system. However, in section (18)(b)(v)(B) it saysis says the definition of an “electric assisted bicycle” does not include “continuous rated motor power of 750W or greater.” This could potentially capture every e-bike we’ve reviewed with a 750W motor. From the Aventon Aventure to most of Rad Power Bikes’s lineup, their nominal rating of 750W makes them not e-bikes according to Utah’s new law. The law also does not distinguish between max wattage and nominal wattage, which is something you also see in People for Bikes model legislation – and it’s a detail we believe needs to be clarified by both organizations.

Just who can ride an e-bike receives some restrictions. E-bike riders must be at least 14 years old to ride legally on roads, sidewalks, etc. Kids under the age of 14 can ride in public so long as their parent is present and supervising them. Anyone under the age of eight is not permitted to ride an e-bike in public, period.

To ride a Class 3 e-bike legally, the rider must be at least 16.

The law also defines both moped and motor-assisted scooter as not just different from an e-bike, but different from each other. A moped will not produce more than 2 hp (generally considered to be 1500W nominally), and cannot propel a rider to more than 30 mph. A motor-assisted scooter has a motor of not more than 2000W and a design that permits the scooter to be “propelled by human power alone.” A motor-assisted scooter will have a maximum speed of 20 mph on a level surface.

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The law includes some new requirements for brands and/or e-bike dealers based in Utah.

E-bikes sold in Utah or sold to people living in Utah (as in the case of direct-to-consumer sales) must carry a sticker denoting each of the classes that the e-bike can be set to perform. That’s not a big deal, but one wonders whether the D2C brands will respect this.

The most significant aspect of the law regards how it defines what is not an e-bike. Not only is any e-bike that can be throttled to speeds faster than 20 mph not an e-bike, but anything that can be pedaled at speeds above 28 mph not an e-bike.

The law includes a requirement that all not-e-bikes as defined by the law carry a sticker making this fact clear. It is to read:

“THIS VEHICLE IS NOT AN “ELECTRIC ASSISTED BICYCLE” AS DEFINED BY UTAH MOTOR VEHICLE CODE AND IS INSTEAD A TYPE OF MOTOR VEHICLE AND SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE MOTOR VEHICLE LAWS IF USED ON PUBLIC ROADS OR PUBLIC LANDS. YOUR INSURANCE POLICIES MAY NOT PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR ACCIDENTS INVOLVING THE USE OF THIS VEHICLE. TO DETERMINE IF COVERAGE IS PROVIDED YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY OR AGENT.”

The above paragraph gives insurance companies an opportunity to wash their hands of claims involving e-mopeds.

The law’s definition of a motorcycle isn’t terribly specific. According to the law, a motorcycle isn’t a tractor and it doesn’t have more than three wheels. What that means is that everything that isn’t an e-bike, moped, motor assisted scooter or motor-driven cycle is a motorcycle. It’s a process of elimination.

What this means is that anything with two wheels and an electric motor that produces more than 1500W nominally (admittedly not many machines fit that definition, and that’s providing that we accept 1500W being equivalent to 2 hp) is, as a matter of deduction, a motorcycle. This means that police could potentially ticket someone on one of what we call e-mopeds and require them to register it as a motorcycle, which requires a license and insurance as well.

The most surprising aspect of the law comes right at the end. It says, “A person’s actions to knowingly advertise, offer for sale, or sell a vehicle that is not an electric assisted bicycle as an electric bicycle, electric assisted bicycle, electric bike, or e-bike without making the disclosure described in Subsection (8)(d) constitutes prima facie evidence of a deceptive trade practice under Section 13-11a-3.”

According to the law, this violation constitutes an infraction, which suggests a ticket and a fine, not criminal court. But if a brand or retailer is found in violation of this section, it would seem to trigger the opportunity for prosecution for a deceptive trade practice.

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Our Take

At the risk of stating the obvious, we are boosters of e-bikes. We believe in them because they come with so many benefits. From making life less expensive and reducing our carbon footprint to the physical and mental health benefits from riding, we’d love to see everyone riding e-bikes when possible.

That said, we do carry concerns about e-bikes that can be unlocked and ridden at unrestricted speeds. We’re experienced enough that we know how both drivers and pedestrians can misunderstand the closing speed of someone on an e-bike. We also know how the faster you’re moving the worse the injuries can be if something goes wrong, and helmets are tested at speeds of 11 or 14 mph (depending on the test), not 34 mph.

If the market becomes flooded with e-bikes that don’t conform to the three-class system, state and local governments are likely to step in with additional restrictions, as Utah is doing, especially if the number and severity of injuries begin to rise. Our preference would be to see brands simply respect the three classes rather than market products based on falling into a gray area that isn’t highly regulated, yet. After all, if both the number of injuries and the severity of the injuries rise, that’s not good for the e-bike world as a whole.

However, we also see some potential issues with this legislation from the State of Utah. We’ve already mentioned how they are not defining max vs nominal watt output. Given that max output from motors only occurs for short bursts, we would prefer the model legislation to focus on nominal/continuous output instead of max. Either way, a distinction should be made between the two.

In addition, we would prefer that model legislation focused more on speeds vs power output of the motor. We feel that how fast the bikes go is a much easier challenge to tackle, and it also doesn’t exclude the possibility of motor manufactures designing more efficient motors that are capable of producing more than 750 watts of power but that are also very safe.

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VinFast to Receive $1 Billion; Will E-Bike Line Benefit Too?

The company’s CEO, who is also chairman of the board of its holding company, will make the investment from his personal fortune.

Vietnamese billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong has announced that he plans to invest $1 billion from his personal fortune into electric car maker VinFast. The announcement came during a shareholder meeting of Vingroup, the parent company of VinFast. Vuong is chairman of the board and he owns 18 percent of the company’s shares.

VinFast has been operating at a loss. As of Q4 2023, Vingroup had invested $11.4 billion in the EV maker. VinFast, which is traded on Nasdaq, has lost 75 percent of its share value since it’s offering in August 2023, when it began trading at $10; in the months since, the share price has dropped to $2.50.

The company has failed to meet sales targets, which has led to the losses. VinFast sold some 35,000 cars in 2023; of those, 70 percent went to taxi company GSM, which is owned by Vuong. Another 10 percent of the EVs VinFast sold went to units within Vingroup.

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In addition to making EVs, VinFast also offers an e-bike, the Drgnfly. We can’t help but wonder if with this big cash infusion to VinFast Vuong will earmark some of that for the e-bike division. With just one model sold in VinFast’s showrooms, the company’s e-bike presence is thin. With such an enormous investment, the company would have the resources to expand production as well as develop new models, not to mention offer online sales.

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Have You Seen This? Worlds First Electric ‘Screw Bike’

Inventor James Bruton has a YouTube channel where he produces videos of his creations. Recently, he built the world’s first “screw bike.” This is an electric bike with four mecanum wheels. Without going too engineering-speak, mecanum wheels are big wheels with smaller dual-tapered wheels inset into the wheels at a 45-degree angle.

Bruton has built a variety of impressive devices, such as self-balancing robots, but an e-bike with four mecanum wheels was a challenge even for him.

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The video gets very technical, but between his 3D-printing skills, welding chops and mechanical engineering genius, he managed to build the screw bike. It balances, goes forward, turns, moves backward and even goes sideways. We’ve skipped straight to the fun bit below. The best moment comes when he says, “Let’s try going forward—woo—oh it works!”

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Retrospec Valen Rev 2 Review | A Solid, Affordable, and Fun Moto-Style E-Bike

Unique Moto Looks and Class 2 Speed at a Budget-Friendly Price.

Moto- or moped-style e-bikes are often less accessible to budget-conscious shoppers, with prices for quality models commonly starting between $1500 and $2k. Retrospec has answered the call for a more affordable bike in this category with the Valen Rev 2. A decked-out version of the bike also exists, but in this Retrospec Valen Rev 2 review, we will focus specifically on the capable but cost-friendly model.

As the budget-tier version of the bike, the Valen Rev 2 includes fewer features than its sibling the Rev Plus, but we found that it still delivered on the overall moto-style experience. With a powerful 750W rear-hub motor, it can conquer hills and speed through flats up to a Class 2 max of 20 mph – so while its cost is low, it doesn’t sacrifice much in terms of performance.

The bike was fast and fun, but we also identified some aspects of its motor with room for improvement. Whether using throttle or pedal assist, slower-than-expected motor engagement left us waiting for the acceleration to kick in. Additionally, we found it difficult to modulate speed with the thumb throttle.

Otherwise, we appreciated the overall simplicity of the Rev 2; a single-speed drivetrain and LED indicator panel made the bike functional and easy to use. Riders who prefer a variety of gears or a display should turn to the Valen Rev Plus, but those seeking quick, straightforward operation and affordability should find the Rev 2 appealing

Continue to our full Retrospec Valen Rev 2 review below to discover more about its feel and performance!

8 Tips for Riding in the Rain—How to Stay Comfortable While Pedaling

Rain seems to be the litmus test for how serious a rider is. If someone tells you they rode their e-bike in the rain, then you know they really like riding their e-bike. The person who doesn’t like it is more likely to use a word like “caught,” as in, “I got caught in the rain.” Most of us don’t really want to start a ride when rain is falling.

My Norwegian ancestors were known to say, “Det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlig klær!” To the rest of us, that translates as, “There’s no bad weather, only bad clothes.” It’s a point reasonable people could argue, but riding in the rain doesn’t have to mean suffering, and we’ve got a set of tips that can make riding in the rain no big thing.

You don’t need all of these to make peace with water falling from the heavens, but every one of them can make those wet days a bit more pleasant.

Rain Jacket

The single most helpful tip we can offer for riding in the rain is to buy a good rain jacket. The secret to comfort in the rain is keeping your core warm, and the drier you are, the easier that is. A good rain jacket will keep the weather off your torso, which will help you stay comfortable.

A good rain jacket will have long sleeves so you can bend forward and reach the handlebar without the sleeves riding up your forearms. Many rain jackets also have a drop tail, that is, a long tail in back to protect from spray coming off the rear wheel. Many will have either zippers in the armpits (pit zips) or breathable panels to allow moisture to escape. Some will use a more water-resistant material in the front and something more breathable across the back; such jackets are aimed at riders who will be pedaling hard.

Other details that can be handy: A storm flap or waterproof zipper will help keep your front dry. A high collar can help prevent rain from finding its way into the jacket. Some offer adjustable cuffs on the sleeves to keep rain from blowing in. Almost all of them will feature reflective hits to help make you more visible to drivers and pedestrians. Some are small enough and light enough to keep in a backpack to they can be accessed in the event of a sudden downpour, and some of those can be packed into a pocket to make managing them as easy as possible when not in use.

One note about the value of a truly waterproof jacket: The more waterproof a jacket is, the less breathable it is. That means that any perspiration your body releases will stay inside the jacket, so while you’ll be protected from rain that may be cold, the inside of the jacket will feel like a rainforest.

Fenders

We’re pleased that fenders have become an accepted part of an e-bike’s standard accessory package. Fenders do more than keep you dry when it’s raining. They also keep spray from reaching you if you get surprised by a puddle.

Here’s the thing about fenders that we don’t always know until it’s too late: Not all fenders are created equal. Fender length matters. The best fenders are long, often looking longer than necessary. Fenders that are long enough will keep your feet dry or nearly so and will prevent spray from the e-bike’s rear tire from painting a wet stripe up your back. If after riding in a downpour you find that your back is wet or your feet are soaked, you may need longer fenders.

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Waterproof backpack

There’s a particular kind of horror we feel when we open our backpack and discover the contents are wet. Of course, laptop computers are more averse to water than a cat, though perhaps a bit more stoic. You can save yourself a degree of worry by picking up a backpack that combines the waterproof performance of a drybag with the protection of a padded laptop sleeve.

As we progress through the other items below, it will become apparent that a sizable backpack is handy because to be truly comfortable in the rain, you may find yourself putting your shoes, socks and pants inside your backpack and donning items specifically for that rainy ride.

Rain pants

A good rain jacket and waterproof backpack are necessities for anyone commuting in the rain. Once those are covered, the next most important item a rider can pick up to improve their comfort while pedaling in the rain is a set of rain pants.

Rain pants come in two different broad classes. Some are form-fitting enough that they are meant to be worn as your only pants, while some are cut loose enough to fit over chinos, slacks or jeans. Most don’t include traditional front pockets so that they don’t collect water, though some will include a single hip pocket.

Like some rain jackets, rain pants will sometimes feature a water-resistant fabric in the front with a more breathable fabric in the rear to prevent the rainforest effect. Others are weatherproof all the way around. Most are nothing more than a shell and don’t include any insulation.

Gloves

Riding an e-bike requires some dexterity, less because of steering than operating the brakes and gears. For this reason, we rarely recommend mittens, even when conditions turn both cold and wet. If conditions aren’t too cold, neoprene gloves can provide sufficient warmth to make wet hands a non-issue. Neoprene gloves generally do a good job of providing grip when it’s wet, as well.

In truly cold conditions (such as when the mercury drops below 45 degrees, a waterproof winter glove will provide more comfort. Warm hands are the goal here; they will still be damp from perspiration, but at least that moisture will be warm.

It’s important to check gloves not only for fit, but dexterity, which is one reason neoprene gloves rank high on our list. Some waterproof winter gloves are filled with so much insulation that the dexterity necessary to brake and shift gears can be lost.

Hat

Keeping your head protected from the elements is another notable ingredient in staying comfortable when riding in the rain. A waterproof cap will keep the weather out and the heat in, too. This would be an occasion to stick with a cycling cap with a short brim; baseball caps, thanks to their longer bill, tend to catch the wind and get blown around, and most won’t fit beneath a helmet. The short brim of a cycling cap also does a fair job of keeping rain out of your eyes, which is handy, considering eyewear is often useless in the rain.

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Waterproof socks

If your e-bike’s front fender isn’t long enough, your feet will notify you. To keep your feet dry, and hopefully happy, an alternative to a longer fender can be provided by waterproof socks. Most waterproof socks run twice the thickness of athletic socks, so they are most comfortable in a pair of loose shoes.

Lube your chain

Not all chain lubes are created equal. To paraphrase George Orwell, some lubes are more equal than others. During the monsoon season, or if you simply ride on wet streets, if a lube is too light, even a single ride in wet weather can wash the lube away, leaving behind an orange chain. Choose a lube intended for wet conditions. These lubes tend to be heavier and stickier, bad qualities for dry and dusty conditions, but ideal strengths on any ride that turns damp.

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We Need More of This: Oonee Expanding Public Bike Storage & Charging

Oonee offers secure storage and charging in a variety of attractive solutions.

We recently ran a piece that considered whether e-bike charging stations or battery swap kiosks were the future of e-bike infrastructure. While we think that battery swapping is the most efficient approach, due to the technical challenges of having so many different batteries on the market, charging stations seem to be an easier solution to implement. Oonee is a relatively new company that is providing e-bike infrastructure to communities that has decided to skip the either/or question and move toward offering both.

Oonee makes a variety of bike storage and e-bike charging solutions. They range from as small as a five e-bike charging station called a Dock all the way up to Dutch-style storage rooms (Hub) that can store 100+ bikes and e-bikes and provide charging as well.

While the Hub is a solution that is implemented in a building, the midsize designs—Pod, Mini and Lite—are small enough that they can be constructed outside transit stations. They feature controlled entry and exit, ADA ramps, assisted-lift bike racks, and a rooftop planter with irrigation. The Pod and Mini are big enough to step inside, while the Lite is a multi-bike locker.

Oonee has already provided solutions in New York and New Jersey and is about to begin a pilot program with the city of Minneapolis. Minneapolis plans to set up 15-20 locations over the course of the three-year program.

Oonee intends to cover the expense of running the locations by offering advertising, but may charge a nominal fee to users through their app.

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The idea behind Oonee is simple enough: More people would make trips by e-bike if they felt confident that they could safely store their e-bike. Oonee aims to remove the e-bike rider’s concerns by providing a secure location to store their e-bike and while not all locations will provide charging, they have stations that do provide charging and they intend to offer battery swaps at some locations.

The Oonee Power project will provide a kiosk that will allow for swapping batteries in their system or for users to charge their personal batteries.

In New York, Oonee has converted two former newsstands into delivery worker rest stops. They provide an area to rest, charging and bike repair/maintenance.

It’s out-of-the-box solutions like these that society needs as we transition to fewer trips made by car. Just as today’s gas stations devote their space to what drivers need when they are out and about rather than repairs, we need infrastructure for e-bikes that reflect what riders need when they get around by e-bike. It’s nice to see a company take an imaginative approach to such an obvious need
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