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Pacific Cycle Recalls 2 E-Bikes

Ascend Cabrillo

Pacific Cycle is recalling two models of e-bike due to improper assembly that can result in a fire. There have been three reports of fires, and one injury involving second-degree burns.

The recall covers the Ascend Cabrillo and Minaret models, which affects about 1700 e-bikes. Owners of these e-bikes should stop using them immediately and leave them unplugged. Pacific Cycle will issue refunds to the affected owners. The affected e-bikes carry the model numbers R7583BPS and R7585BPS (Ascend Cabrillo) and R7586BPS (Ascend Minaret).

The e-bikes were sold at Bass Pro and Cabela’s stores between January and November 2023.

E-Bike News Roundup, 1/19 to 1/26/24

This week we saw two bikes sold at Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s recalled due to a risk of fire as a result of incorrect assembly. Canyon Bikes introduced the 2024 Spectral:ON CF 7, an impressive eMTB. Officials in Spearfish, S.D., take on the issue of how or whether to legislate e-bike use in their town. An innovative new add-on e-bike motor, called Skarper has been developed by a company in the U.K. Canadian company LMX has introduced an e-bike they say splits the difference between eMTB and e-motorcycle.

In this week’s e-bike news:

Canyon’s Spectral:ON CF 7 gets a 2024 update
Skarper: A Conversion Kit That Motorizes the disc brake!?
LMX introduces an eMTB with dual drivetrains
Pacific Cycles recalls two e-bikes
Local tows still mulling e-bike ordinances

LMX Introduces eMTB With 2 Drivetrains

Canadian manufacturer LMX has introduced a novel eMTB meant to address the stress that powerful mid-drive motors place on the drivetrain. The LMX 64 employs a mid-drive motor that turns a gear on the rear wheel’s non-drive side. They bill it as, “eMTB meets moto.”

LMX was recently in the news because the French military is considering one of their eMTBs and one of their e-motorcycles for use on the battlefield.

The LMX 64 is a high-end, full-suspension eMTB (it retails for more than $7000) with a surprising use of a proprietary mid-drive motor. The motor, made by LMX, is a 2500W brushless, geared unit that uses a belt running between the non-drive side of the e-bike (left side) and a freewheel on the rear wheel to provide assistance. It is powered by an 850Wh semi-integrated battery that LMX estimates will give riders up to 62 mi. (100km) of range.

Yamaha Wabash RT E-Bike Review, 2024

This powerful, well-crafted e-bike makes gravel riding accessible and fun!

With a name that means “water flowing over white rocks,” it would only be right that the Wabash RT would be Yamaha’s fluid, responsive gravel e-bike. We were impressed after reviewing the brand’s CrossCore RC city/commuter e-bike, so we had high expectations from this offering. Read our thoughts in this Yamaha Wabash RT review!

At the center of the bike’s riding experience is its PW Series ST mid-drive motor. Also made by Yamaha, this 250-watt drive unit makes pedaling easy, but preserves the analog feel of a non-electric bike. With four types of sensors to inform its motor, we think dedicated cyclists will quickly get hooked on the bike’s traditional yet powerful feel.

The Wabash RT gains other benefits from its heritage; with 30 years of experience and separate divisions for motors and batteries, Yamaha clearly knows how to maximize the efficiency of its components. The pairing of the bike’s 250W mid-drive and 500 watt-hour (Wh) battery allowed us to ride for a frankly ridiculous number of miles before needing to refuel!

When riding on doubletrack, we appreciated the stability and control granted by its flared 44cm drop bars. The drops themselves, which measure 55cm center-to-center, helped us to steer precisely while providing easy access to the brake and shift levers.

These are just a few elements that stood out to us during our time on the bike. To see how it performed in our Speed, Brake, Range, and Hill Tests, check out our full Yamaha Wabash RT review below!

Skarper: Innovative Kit Turns Ordinary Bikes Into E-Bikes Using Disc Brake

Most e-bike conversion kits have, until now, been unwieldy devices that aren’t easy to install and result in a cluttered array of leads running from the motor to the handlebar. We’ve looked at conversion kits and examined their many pros and cons. One new innovation aims to improve upon that.

Skarper is a new motor that mounts to the rear of a bicycle and uses a special disc brake motor to propel the newly minted e-bike. To use Skarper, a rider replaces their rear disc brake rotor (just the rotor, not the caliper) with Skarper’s special DiskDrive, in which a proprietary gearbox is housed within the brake rotor’s mounting area.

Skarper houses the motor and battery within a small unit that attaches to the frame. The motor drives the DiskDrive rotor. The obvious question is what that does to the rear brake, but Skarper says that the brake functions as normal.
[Read more…] about Skarper: Innovative Kit Turns Ordinary Bikes Into E-Bikes Using Disc Brake

Four Tips for Winter E-Bike Riding

Winter riding isn’t as much fun as riding during spring and summer months when the weather is nice, but for the dedicated commuter, riding when the weather is cold can be rewarding for a number of reasons. First, it cuts down on that gas bill, and saving money is always handy. Second, for those of us trying to improve our health by riding rather than driving, year-round exercise is a win. And for those of us who need to correct for all that holiday eating, and possibly drinking, riding on e-bike is one of the best ways to burn those pie calories.

But riding in the winter requires a slightly different game plan than riding in warmer weather. Here at Electric Bike Report we’ve got a few tips that will make winter riding more enjoyable.

Keep the battery inside

Most of us store our e-bike outside or in a garage. While those are appropriate places for an e-bike, lithium-ion batteries don’t perform well in cold temperatures. During a recent blast of cold air that gripped much of the nation, there were widespread reports of EVs suffering from reduced range.

Engineers we’ve spoken with suggest keeping your e-bike’s battery indoors for both charging and storage. The ideal temperature range for both charging and storing is between 50 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spearfish, S.D., Officials Contemplate E-Bike Ordinances

Officials in Spearfish, S.D., are examining how e-bikes use is beginning to grow in their city. Spearfish is just one of many cities across the U.S. that hasn’t passed any local ordinances defining where and which e-bikes can be ridden.

While the three-class-system defining e-bikes may seem the law of the land, many cities around the country have yet to take up the question.

In Spearfish, the Parks and Recreation Department is examining e-bike use on a recreation path that runs through the city of 12,000 as well as on the trails of Lookout Mountain, a popular mountain biking spot.

The reason the city is choosing now to examine how to handle their use is due to citizen complaints following what Parks and Recreation Director Tyler Ehnes termed “negative interactions.”

In a meeting with the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Advisory Board, Ehnes said, “If you can imagine a 28-mile-an-hour bike coming up the rec path, that is extremely fast. That’s I think where the speed comes in. I think the class three is where people start to get a little bit nervous about how fast it can go.”

It’s a common dilemma cities face: How fast is too fast for an e-bike?

The concerns over Lookout Mountain take a different form. Users express concern about increased erosion, a position Ehnes doesn’t agree with.

“Claims of erosion simply aren’t true…. It’s still a bike tire,” he said.

In 2023 the Northern Hills Ranger District took up the issue of e-bikes and concluded that they are motorized vehicles. That distinction effectively banned all e-bikes from the area’s forest service trails used by hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians.

“Like I always do, I tried to reach out to other agencies to figure out what they’ve done, how they’re addressing it so that we don’t have to recreate the wheel. Most of the time when I reach out, I find a trend, you can sometimes figure out what the general consensus is,” Ehnes said. “This is wildly different across every organization.”

On the other side of the state, in the city of Sioux Falls, the city ordinance allows Class 1 (maximum assist speed of 20 mph and no throttle) and Class 3 (maximum assist speed of 28 mph and no throttle) e-bikes, but Class 2 e-bikes (which have a throttle) are banned.

Confusing matters is the existence of a South Dakota state statute. It declares that Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes are permitted on any bicycle path or multi-use path in the state, unless otherwise forbidden.

Potential user conflicts are but one consideration when examining how to legislate e-bikes in the city. The city must consider whether they can effectively enforce any law they pass.

“My concern as director is that if ordinance and regulation is adopted, enforcement will be difficult,” Ehnes said. We don’t have the staff to control these areas and even if we did, parks department doesn’t have any authority to ticket them or fine them for violating ordinances. “I called the district ranger and I said, ‘OK, you’ve got the regulations; are you enforcing them?’ He kind of laughed and said, ‘I don’t have the staff available to enforce it.’”

Some area residents want laws on the books regardless of their ability to enforce them.

“I have spoken to several concerned citizens…. While they understand that enforcement is an issue, they believe having an adopted ordinance would give them the ability to say something when another user is in violation. Kind of a self-patrolling mentality. Right now, they don’t feel like they can say anything because there’s nothing on the books,” Ehnes said.

One possible solution the city is considering would be posting speed limit signs to encourage good behavior. The city plans to accept input from the cycling community as well as citizens both for and against e-bike usage.

Burley Nomad Review 2024

Light, Nimble Touring Trailer, Holds up to 100 lbs of Cargo

The Burley Nomad bike trailer is perfect for the touring cyclist who needs to carry cargo. This 16 lbs trailer offers 2.4 square feet of open space so can pack just about anything you want to bring with you, and also includes a rain cover. We tested out the Nomad to help you decide if it’s the right trailer for you – read all about it in this Burley Nomad trailer review!

We were pleased to note that the Nomad’s hitch attached quickly and easily to our test bike using the axle nut, allowing us to hit the road in no time. The solidly built aluminum chassis remained stable during all of our rides, giving us the confidence that we could tow safely for many miles.

Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 Spec Review 2024

Canyon, the German manufacturer that pioneered consumer-direct bike sales, has introduced its updated Spectral:ON CF 7 eMTB for 2024. The Spectral:ON CF 7 is considered a “trail” eMTB, which is to say it has less travel than an enduro model, such as the Canyon Torque:ON. In our spec review of the Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 we will look at what makes this a trail model as well as what sort of value it represents.

Of the many categories of e-bike, eMTBs can run the most expensive (and good ones rarely go for less than $4000). There’s fierce competition in the $4000-$6000 price range, and the Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 sits right in the middle of that range. Part of the appeal of Canyon is they cut out the markup that a retailer would add, which can save consumers 20-30 percent, which in this case can mean $1000 or more.

In mountain biking the trail category runs from roughly 115mm of travel in the rear, up to about 135mm. Forks run from 120mm up to 145mm in travel. With eMTBs, though, due to their greater weight thanks to the motor and battery, travel tends to run more like 140-160mm in the rear and 140-170mm in the fork.

The Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 sits well within this range as well, with 150mm of travel in the rear and 160mm of travel in the fork. This is a go-anywhere, drop off most things eMTB.

Let’s take a deeper look at the Spectral:ON CF 7.

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Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 Spec Review: Bike Overview

In broad strokes, the Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 begins with a carbon fiber frame with 150mm of travel and a 160mm-travel fork. Providing the muscle is a Shimano EP8 mid-drive motor. As is the trend with eMTBs currently, the Spectral:ON CF 7 uses a “mullet” wheel selection, with a 29-in. wheel front and 27.5-in. wheel rear. In 2023 Canyon began sourcing their own batteries so that they could better optimize their placement in the frame to optimize the eMTB’s center of gravity.

The component selection is a bit of a surprise as it mixes Shimano and SRAM components. Component makers have often prevented such mixing by forcing product managers to spec the whole of a group of parts, rather than just the brakes or drivetrain. In this case, Canyon went with a Shimano drivetrain and SRAM brakes.

Total e-bike weight comes to 51.3 lbs. (23.3kg). Considering the motor, battery size and the fact that the components exist at the value end of the eMTB performance spectrum, that’s a very respectable weight.

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Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 Review: Specs & Features

Frame and fork

The Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 frame features full carbon fiber construction with the battery positioned internally in front of the motor. The RockShox Deluxe Select R shock delivers 150mm of travel.

The one notable change between the 2023 Spectral:ON CF 7 and the 2024 model is that the RockShox Lyrik Select fork was upgraded to the RockShox Lyrik Base fork, boosting travel from 150mm to 160mm, which should give this eMTB both a bit more sensitivity over small bumps and a greater ability to absorb bigger hits.

The Spectral:ON CF 7 comes in four sizes: small, medium, large and XL. Their sizing guidance goes:

Small: 5 feet 9 or shorter
Medium: 5 feet 9 to 6 feet
Large: 6 feet to 6 feet 4
XL: 6 feet 4 and taller

This new edition of the Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 includes a new feature: GPS tracking. Not only can riders use the GPS to track their riding, it will send an alarm if the e-bike is tampered with and the new Canyon smartphone app offers additional features. And even if the battery is completely depleted, the GPS has a separate battery that will keep it active.

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Motor and battery

Of the various mid-drive motors being spec’d on eMTBs, the Shimano EP8 is one of the most popular out there. The EP8 is a 250W motor that provides 85Nm of torque and up to 400 percent assistance. When combined with a wide-range drivetrain, there is little a rider can’t climb.

The battery gives riders 720Wh of riding, which should be good for at least three hours of mountainous riding, even in Boost mode.

Canyon’s charger pushes 4A and is reported to fully charge the 720Wh battery in four hours.

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Componentry

Canyon produces a line of components specific to their eMTBs, Canyon:ON. The alloy bar is 780mm wide and rises 30mm to give the rider excellent steering leverage as well as make it easier to lift the front wheel.

The Canyon:ON stem is a bit shorter than we typically see in eMTBs: 45mm instead of 50mm. You can tell that this is an eMTB meant to take some hits thanks to the 35mm bar and clamp diameters.

Canyon’s Iridium dropper post gives riders a chance to get the saddle out of the way for steep descents. A Fi:zi’k Terra Aidon XR saddle sits atop it.

In the photos of the Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 they show it with Shimano Deore XT clipless pedals; those are not the pedals that come with this eMTB. It comes with a set of flats for those who don’t want to be attached to their e-bike.

Drivetrain, brakes and wheels

Canyon chose a Shimano Deore 12-speed drivetrain for the Spectral:ON CF 7. They pair a 34t chainring with the Deore 10-51t cassette for a 510 percent gear range. This eMTB can climb any trail it encounters.

Rather than go with Shimano disc brakes, Canyon chose SRAM’s DB8 hydraulic disc brake. This brake is based on their pricier Code brake, but is designed to be more maintenance free. As is appropriate with a 51-lb. eMTB, the brakes were paired with 203mm rotors for excellent stopping power and modulation.

The wheels use Sun Ringlé wheels with aluminum rims and thru-axles. A Maxxis 29 x 2.5-in. Assegai tire is mounted on the front, while a 27.5 x 2.6-in. Maxxis Minion DHR is mounted in the rear.

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EBR’s Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 First Look Review:

So how good is the Spectral:ON CF 7? There’s no question that this is a terrific value as eMTBs go. Often, when a manufacturer tries to keep an eMTB priced below $6000, to do so they go with a smaller battery that cuts the rider’s range. Canyon, however, gave the Spectral:ON CF 7 a 720Wh battery. Frequent EBR readers may recall that our rule of thumb for acceptable range is a 1:1 ratio of motor wattage to battery watt/hours. As the Shimano EP8 motor produces 250W (nominally), the Spectral:ON CF 7 enjoys a nearly 1:3 ratio of motor power to battery capacity.

What that means is that many riders will be able to enjoy two or even three days of riding before needing to recharge.

It may seem odd to call an e-bike that goes for more than $4000 value-oriented, but it’s important to keep in mind that high-end eMTBs can run more than $15,000. The question, then, is: What does someone give up by choosing the Spectral:ON CF 7 as opposed to a more expensive eMTB, such as its big brother, the Spectral:ON CFR, which goes for more than $8000?

The Spectral:ON CF 7 shares most of the features found in more expensive trail eMTBs. It has a great motor and sizable battery, plus the travel, the 12-speed drivetrain, hydraulic disc brakes with 203mm rotors, dropper post and strong wheels shod with terrific rubber.

The difference that will be most apparent in a test ride is that this eMTB will be heavier than a more expensive model, possibly as much as 10 extra pounds. The weight will cease to be an issue if you aren’t comparing it to other eMTBs, which is to say by the second or third ride, it will simply feel like the owner’s eMTB.

The biggest difference, then, will depend on how much the Spectral:ON CF 7 is ridden. The Shimano Deore drivetrain performs remarkably well when new. What it won’t do is last the way Shimano’s Deore XT or XTR groups do. For the rider who plans to ride two or three times a week and only in fair weather, this e-bike will last for years. The rider who goes out daily—rain or shine—will begin to see deterioration in as little as 18 months. The good news? The stuff that will wear out—the tires, chain, cassette, brake pads, rear derailleur, shifter—is easily replaced.

From a value perspective, Canyon has created an eMTB that will perform like one that goes for substantially more. The Spectral:ON CF 7 is one of those e-bikes we are happy to recommend to friends and family.

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Burley Coho XC Bike Trailer Review, 2024

We’ve been singing our praises for the many cargo e-bikes to hit the market in the last year. We believe that they offer one of the best opportunities for hauling groceries and other loads. But what if you already own an e-bike and aren’t interested in replacing it? Well, a trailer presents a terrific opportunity to be able to carry loads greater than a rear rack or front basket can handle. The Burley Coho XC offers a terrific opportunity to increase carrying capacity.

One of the reasons we at Electric Bike Report wanted to review the Burley Coho XC trailer was that it will work with almost every kind of e-bike on the market. Whether someone plans to use it for deliveries, camping, hunting, fishing or general errands, this is a trailer that will allow an e-bike to expand its capabilities.

There are a number of features that made the Burley Coho XC trailer a standout among trailers. Let’s take a deeper look.

Pacific Cycle Recalls 2 E-Bikes

E-Bike News Roundup, 1/19 to 1/26/24

LMX Introduces eMTB With 2 Drivetrains

Yamaha Wabash RT E-Bike Review, 2024

This powerful, well-crafted e-bike makes gravel riding accessible and fun!

Skarper: Innovative Kit Turns Ordinary Bikes Into E-Bikes Using Disc Brake

Four Tips for Winter E-Bike Riding

Spearfish, S.D., Officials Contemplate E-Bike Ordinances

Burley Nomad Review 2024

Light, Nimble Touring Trailer, Holds up to 100 lbs of Cargo

Canyon Spectral:ON CF 7 Spec Review 2024