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QuietKat Villager Electric Bike Review, 2024

QuietKat Villager Review
QuietKat is known for being a hunter or outdoorsperson’s kind of e-bike maker, but in our QuietKat Villager review we found an e-bike made with appeal for that crowd while producing a capable commuter bike.

So, what happens when an e-bike maker best known for powerful all-terrain designs decides to make a commuter? In the case of QuietKat, that means building it with a 500W Bafang hub motor and 614Wh battery, spec’ing it with 3-in.-wide tires for comfortable road riding and light offroad riding, a 7-speed Sram drivetrain to conquer hills, plus lights, fenders and a rear rack to give it commuter functionality.

We took the QuietKat Villager on roads, bike paths and even some smoother unpaved roads and trails to see just how versatile this e-bike is for ourselves.

While the QuietKat Villager isn’t meant to be a backwoods explorer delivering sportsmen (and women) to their favorite hunting blind or fishing hole that its stable-mates are, it accommodates a broad number of uses and many of QuietKat’s accessories can be added to give the Villager optimal versatility.

For this review of the QuietKat Villager we subjected the bike to all the same tests as we’ve done for its off-roading siblings.

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JackRabbit OG Electric Bike Review

JackRabbit Review

Many e-bikes we review attempt to be one-stop shops; e-bikes often try and be versatile enough to be a commuter, cargo vehicle, leisure ride, etc. all at once. But when we got the JackRabbit to review it was apparent that this was a product that knew to lean into what it is: a quirky and fun little mobility solution that is designed to be highly portable and save a lot of collective time by getting you around quickly on shorter trips.

Billed as a micro e-bike, the JackRabbit at first glance could be mistaken for an e-bike for kids, but in fact, it’s intended for adult use as it accommodates riders from 4’10” up to 6’2” (seriously!). The JackRabbit’s short wheelbase and minimal frame make this easy to toss in a trunk or keep in a closet. Heck, they even sell a shoulder strap for the JackRabbit which makes sense given it’s only 24 lbs., making it simple to move around and you can store it almost any place.

While the JackRabbit does have two wheels, a seat, and handlebars it’s readily apparent that it has pegs where pedals should be. There is no drivetrain so the JackRabbit is a throttle-only option. In truth, it’s closer to an e-scooter than an e-bike, but for simplicity’s sake, we’ll evaluate it similarly to how we evaluate e-bikes.

In this review of the JackRabbit we will take a look at answering basic questions about how it performs, what it’s good at, what it’s not good at, what use case it serves and whether or not we feel it accomplishes what it sets out to do.

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REI Co-op Cycles Generation e1.1 E-Bike Review 2024

REI Co-op Cycles Generation e1.1 Review 2024
We geek out for a lot of e-bikes we get in, but we really looked forward to receiving REI’s Co-op Cycles Generation e1.1 to review.

REI, the store we go to for everything from puffy coats to camp chairs, sleeping bags to binoculars, has been selling its own branded products for a fair number of years. They even make their own bikes, produced overseas, alongside some of the biggest brands in cycling. More recently, REI has begun offering e-bikes. The Co-op Cycles Generation e1.1 is REI’s first cargo/utility bike.

In broad strokes, the REI Co-op Cycles Generation e1.1 is meant for lighter cargo needs. It’s ideal for carrying a kid in a child seat, in part because it positions the child farther behind the rider. That means the child can see more easily and therefore better enjoy the ride, plus it reduces the distraction that can come from grabby hands or a foot that escapes restraint.

Because the rear rack is integrated into the frame design, both the rack and the frame enjoy improved stiffness than if the rack were bolted on. That means no matter what the load, the rider will feel less input from the back of the e-bike when riding through turns.

So how did the REI Co-op perform in our testing, and can REI make an e-bike that earns top honors among all e-bikes? Continue reading our full review to find out.

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Blix Sol Eclipse Electric Bike Review

Blix Sol Eclipse Electric Cruiser Bike Review Bike Path

Blix Sol Eclipse Review: Overview

The Blix Sol Eclipse is a Class 2 electric beach cruiser that comes with a 48V, 12.8 Ah battery and 750W rear hub motor. With a comfortable and upright riding position and plenty of power, the Sol Eclipse excels at keeping the rider satisfied by keeping things easy.

Throughout the Blix Sol Eclipse review process I found myself liking the bike more and more with time. It’s a great bike to cruise around paved trails and boardwalks on. Blix has designed the Sol Eclipse in a way that makes it great for just about anybody who wants to go on a stress free casual cruise.

The budget-friendly price point mixed with the bike’s smooth sailing riding experience makes it a hard one to ignore. We conducted numerous tests and put in over 100 miles on the Sol Eclipse so that you can get a better understanding of if it’s the right bike for you.

Looking to cruise? Stay comfortable? Own a good looking bike? If you answered yes to any of these questions then I’d highly recommend you read on. Let’s get into it.

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Ride1UP Roadster V2 Electric Bike Review – 2024

Ride1UP Roadster V2 Review 2024

Summary Review: Ride1UP Roadster V2

*Looking for the review of the new Ride1Up Roadster V3? Click here.

When Ride1UP sent us their Roadster V2 electric commuter bike for review and we pulled it out of the box for the first time, I was hit with a healthy dose of nostalgia.

It’s clean lines, urban styling and refreshing simplicity for an e-bike made me spend the rest of the day thinking about a bike I used to spend a lot of time on.

In college I rode a steel frame fixed-gear commuter bike to and from campus every day. It was silver with black wheels and a funky “Metropolis” handlebar from FSA and a leather Brooks saddle. It was the paramount of cool campus bikes, and I rode the wheels off it. It ferried me daily on an eight-mile round trip to campus, shepherded me safely home from more than a few nights at my favorite watering hole and was quick enough to claim victory at a small handful of local alleycat races.

I loved that bike. In fact, I loved it so much I’ve never been able to part with it. That steel commuter still lives in my garage today; its heavily stickered frame covered in a layer of dust (almost) thicker than my nostalgia.

The Ride1UP Roadster reminds me so, so much of that bike.

Ride1UP’s Roadster clearly takes its style cues from the same fixed-gear and urban commuting culture I sank my teeth into in college. The wheelbase is short and snappy and the bars narrow, perfect for darting through congested areas. It’s also hard not to stare at the monster 64-tooth front sprocket that turns a belt drive instead of a traditional chain — a 20-tooth cog at the rear wheel makes that gear manageable for the average commuter (when the motor is on), but it just looks fast when the e-bike rolls by. The frame is racy, and the geometry more closely matches that of a road bike than a commuter.

Our testers at Electric Bike Report agreed this is a bike rider’s e-bike, perfect for someone in an urban environment that needs a great looking e-bike to cover a relatively short distance fast. The modest 350W motor packed a nice punch and easily propelled larger testers to a good cruising speed; it even flattened hills surprisingly well considering you’ve only got one gear. This e-bike is extremely affordable at $1,095 and is a good value for the money. It’s also lightweight, and has an exceptionally well performing bottom bracket cadence sensor for a value-priced bike.

Overall, it’s a great buy for someone in the market for a value-priced, stealthy commuter e-bike with enough juice to whisk them around town for a day. In EBR’s opinion, the Roadster is an homage to the stylish fixed-gear commuter and messenger bikes made popular on the streets of Chicago, New York and L.A. The modest 350W hub motor has a surprisingly strong kick and the bike’s geometry favors a person unafraid of riding in a more aggressive body position.

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Ride1UP Core-5 E-Bike Review, 2024

Ride1UP Core-5 Electric Bike Review 2024

Summary Review: Ride1UP Core-5

I’m a sucker for sleek, stealthy bikes. I’ve always appreciated the subtle details that can add up into one bike. Ride1UP’s Core-5 is just that, as everything from the sharp angles on the top tube to the low profile battery integration on the downtube screams sophistication. I couldn’t wait to see if the performance matched its looks.

The Ride1UP Core-5 review was an instance of not knowing what to expect when it comes to performance. While it may look nice, it’s what’s on the inside that counts and I was ready to put the Core-5 through the ringer to see how high performance of an e-bike it truly was.

Right away I discovered that the Core-5 is ready to get low in corners and blast up hills. With a respectable weight of just 49 lbs it rides more naturally than some of its heavier competitors. The Core-5 rolls smooth and rides fast thanks to the powerful 500W motor and fast rolling tires; it feels like a true Class 3 e-bike. If you can appreciate a good looking frame design and enjoy getting out for a pedal, check out the Ride1UP Core-5.

*Ride1Up has ceased production of the Core-5. They have several other models worth looking at though:
Ride1Up Roadster V3 Review
Ride1Up Turris Review
Ride1Up CF Racer 1 Review

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BULLS Grinder EVO Lite Review 2024

Bulls Grinder Evo Lite Electric Gravel Bike Review

BULLS Grinder Evo Lite Review: Overview

I love electric bikes that make me forget they’re electric bikes.

It’s not that I’m one of those cyclists who dislikes e-bikes or even remotely thinks they are cheating, but I am a person that identifies as a “cyclist.” I’m a bona fide, lycra-wearing endorphin addict who not just appreciates, but craves the feeling of physically taxing myself on a bike.

I’m also the type who’s grown to appreciate the help of an e-bike, especially the stealthy superlight variations that’ve grown more popular over the last few years.

That’s why I loved reviewing the BULLS Grinder EVO Lite, a hybrid road and gravel electric bike designed to be an affordable do-it-all e-bike with a motor that compliments your pedaling, but doesn’t overpower it.

It’s got fatter, knobbier tires and disc brakes, but it’s not designed to be a thoroughbred gravel bike. The Grinder is designed for the gravel curious, who maybe want to dabble on gravel roads but also want an e-bike that’ll be equally at home on pavement.

In some circles — probably the same people who thought up the *great* idea of calling non-motorized bicycles “acoustic” bikes — this sort of bike is called an “allroad” bike. This hybrid road/gravel ethos is further evident in the bike’s geometry, which more closely matches that of a comfort road bike than a longer-wheelbase gravel bike.

It’s also designed to be affordable. The Shimano 105 groupset is solid and reliable, but not over the top, and the frame is made of aluminum, helping to keep the cost below the $4,500 mark — pretty cheap for a performance e-bike.

But the Grider does not ride cheap. The component package is utilitarian but solid, even featuring such luxurious technology as hydraulic disc brakes and great tires from Schwalbe.

The cherry on top of this bike, however, is undeniably the Fazua Momentum drive system. This is the second BULLS I’ve reviewed with this lightweight and lightly-powered motor — the BULLS Alpine Hawk EVO was the other — and I’m a very big fan.

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Diamondback Response Review 2023

Diamondback Response Review

Hipsters and young folk in bike-saturated cities know and love a flavor of commuter bike dubbed the “urban assault bike,” or, to the unindoctrinated, a mountain bike that’s been repurposed as a go-anywhere do-anything asphalt commuter.

It would appear that there’s some hipsters and young folk on the Diamondback product development team.

The Diamondback Response electric bike is, for all intents and purposes, an urban assault bike. At its core, the Response is a Bosch-powered hardtail mountain bike with a few tweaks — like Schwalbe Super Moto semi-slick tires and Class 3 capabilities — that make it uniquely capable in paved environments. It’s a bike equally at home ferrying you to the office or sending stair sets.

Diamondback Response Review - Bosch Performance Motor

The Response’s Bosch Performance Speed mid-drive motor

Electric Bike Report got the chance to do a quick-hit review of the Diamondback Response at the Big Gear Show in Park City this August. It’s a shorter review than we typically do — it’s tough to squeeze in-depth testing into the schedule of a trade show — but we got to spend enough time with the bike to get a good feel for it.

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Diamondback Union 2 Review 2024

Diamondback Union 2 Review

There’s few things better than an electric bike that feels exactly as fast as it is.

I like racy bikes — ones that don’t just roll fast, but look fast — and for me, Diamondback’s Union 2 electric commuter bike hits in exactly the right way. It’s sleek, has sporty geometry, no suspension (don’t @ me rigid bike haters) and is powered by the ultra-lux Bosch Performance Speed power plant.

To put it short, this bike is exactly as quick as it looks. It’s a thrill to ride and is a surprisingly affordable option in the growing lineup of Bosch-powered Class 3 commuter bikes.

Diamondback Union 2 Review - Branding

Sleek and stealthy


We got the chance to do a brief review of the Diamondback Union 2 during the Big Gear Show in Park City, Utah this August and were impressed by the bike’s considerable power, stable handling and solid spec level. It’s a lot of bang for your buck.

This is a shorter review than we typically do at Electric Bike Report (our normal in-depth reviews typically take several weeks, which isn’t particularly feasible during a morning at a crowded trade show) though we hope to land a bike for a long term-review of the Union 2 soon, so stay tuned.

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BULLS Alpine Hawk EVO Review 2024

BULLS Alpine Hawk EVO Electric Bike Review 2022

Summary Review: BULLS Alpine Hawk EVO E-Bike

If there’s one thing I’d like you to keep in mind while reading through this review of BULLS Bikes’ Alpine Hawk EVO electric road bike, it’s that subtleness is the name of its game.

Part of the emerging category of super light electric bikes, the BULLS Alpine Hawk EVO blends the pedaling performance of a traditional road bike with a small and lightweight motor and battery, packing just enough punch to take the edge off the more difficult parts of road cycling. Think steep hills and hard, low speed accelerations. With a slim 250W Fazua power plant tucked inside the frame and few obvious buttons or LED lights, it plays coy that it’s an e-bike. Even in the highest pedal assistance setting, I never felt like my legs were being overpowered by the motor and it was easy to forget I had some extra wattage backing up my pedaling.

That’s not to say this is an underpowered e-bike, because it absolutely is not. But bear in mind this is an e-bike for people who still want their legs, lungs and heart to produce the lion’s share of the force that drives them forward. The motor’s power delivery is subtle; it’s just there to take the edge off.

There’s been lots of debate on where these lightweight and lightly-powered e-bikes fit into the larger e-bike ecosystem. From the perspective of a human-power traditionalist, the Alpine Hawk’s 33.5 lb weight is high for a performance road bike; and from the e-bike perspective, it’s modest motor and battery combination can be construed as underwhelming. It seems to have one foot in the traditional bicycle world and the other in the e-bike world.

So, with one foot in two worlds, the Alpine Hawk begs the question: Is it a good choice for the e-bike enthusiast or is it best suited for the serious road cyclist?

I spent the month of May pedaling the Alpine Hawk EVO on Electric Bike Report’s home roads in southern Utah to find out.

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