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Gazelle Medeo T9 City Review 2024

Monterey, CALIF. (Sea Otter Classic) — Who said mid-drive electric bikes had to be expensive?

At this year’s Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California — the first edition of the event after a year-long COVID-19 hiatus — Dutch e-bike maker Gazelle quietly touted their all-new Medeo T9 City, the cheapest e-bike they’ve ever built.

This new member of the Medeo lineup isn’t yet available for purchase — part of the reason its presence at Sea Otter was slightly less advertised than some of the other new bikes shown off at the event — but at just $2,299, it’s priced to compete with some of the most affordable Bosch powered mid-drive e-bikes on the market. That’s a lot of motor for not a lot of bucks. Electric Bike Report got a chance to take the new T9 City out for a quick test ride during the show.

Gazelle Medeo T9 City glamor shot

Mid-drive but cheaper — The new Gazelle Medeo T9 City is an affordable electric commuter with a Bosch drive system, quality components and good looks to boot.

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Nakto Folding OX Review 2024

Nakto Folding Ox Ebike Review

Every now and then an e-bike comes along that throws everything at you but the kitchen sink. This one may have included the sink too. Today we’ll take you through our review of the Nakto Folding OX – a bike that can correctly be called a cruiser, fat tire, step-thru and more.

Not only does it try to give you so much in terms of styling, but it’s also trying to maintain an entry-level price to entice the e-bike curious who might not be ready to make a substantial monetary investment into e-bikes. It makes this bike a curiosity of sorts – one that we were eager to test out as we’ve seen plenty around our corner of Southern Utah.

Besides the handling characteristics of this amalgamation of different bike styles, we also wanted to see how the Folding OX’s 500W motor, 480Wh battery, 160mm mechanical disc brakes, and more would hold up while out in real-world conditions.

Over the course of several days and many miles, we put the Nakto Folding OX through all of Electric Bike Report’s standard tests to see how it performed. To get a better glimpse into how this e-bike does, and if it’s the right one for you, dive into the full review down below.

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Vvolt Proxima Electric Bike Review 2023

Vvolt Proxima E-Bike Review 2023

Since most modern internet users have the attention span of a Petsmart goldfish, I’ll cut right to the chase with this Vvolt Proxima review: Buy this e-bike.

It’s fast, has a mid-drive, handles superbly and boasts a component package that’s not only functional and high-performing, but is nicer quality than almost any other e-bike I’ve ridden in the sub-$3,000 price bracket.

It’s also designed by people that get it: They get that good e-bikes — especially good commuter e-bikes are made in the small details — they get that mid-drive motors can and should be affordable, that durability matters and, perhaps most importantly, that you shouldn’t need to take out a second mortgage to get all of the above.

For those still with me (analytics data tells us the average Electric Bike Report reader does, in fact, have a much better attention span than the nine seconds we’d get with a goldfish), our real-world testing has shown that the Vvolt Proxima is a nicely rounded e-bike that’s billed as a versatile model, but will serve those looking for a light and fast commuter very well. We put it through a gauntlet of tests to help paint a picture of how this bike performs in the real world, the results of which are detailed in the sections below.

It’s not a perfect e-bike, as there are a few things (mainly the battery range) that left our review staff wanting a little more, but as a complete package, the Proxima has quickly become one of our favorites.

*Vvolt has discountinued the Proxima line, but make sure to check out the Alpha II.

[Read more…] about Vvolt Proxima Electric Bike Review 2023

Surface604 Shred Review – 2024

Surface604 Shred E-Bike Review
Electric mountain bikes are not known for being inexpensive, and there’s a lot of reason for this: Building an eMTB that isn’t just fun on trail, but is durable enough to withstand the repeated impact and rigor off-road riding entails is difficult. It requires lots of engineering and careful parts choices; which requires a lot of investment from the brand; which, in turn, means consumers should expect a larger price tag for a capable eMTB.

But as technology and eMTBs have aged and advanced, the price tag for quality appears to be slowly inching down. Brands have become more innovative and cost effective in how they design eMTBs, which is good for those of us who don’t want to shell out $4,000 or more just to get on a trail.

In this Surface604 Shred review, we take a deep dive into one such eMTB that’s pushing the envelope of low cost and off-road performance.

With a MSRP starting several hundred less than $3,000, the Shred is a (compared to mainstream eMTBs) very affordable option that takes the frugal rider’s approach to a trail-capable eMTB. In this review, we dive into the bike’s spec sheet and parse out how Surface604 made some careful component selections and utilized a torque-activated hub motor to keep costs down while still keeping an eye on performance.

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MOD Black Electric Bike Review 2024

MOD Black Review 2024

E-bikes by their very nature are versatile products. The addition of a motor to a bike allows you to go further and ride more diverse areas regardless of what style of bike you have. But while you can commute on a mountain bike, or have a beach cruiser be your cargo hauler, there is no better solution to true versatility than purpose-building a bike for it. Making a bike that effortlessly achieves multiple ride styles requires thoughtfully assembling a parts that lets you ride in two worlds. And that is exactly what the MOD Black bike we’re reviewing here sets out to do: be as capable a commuter as it is a trail bike.

That’s a pretty ambitious task for any bike maker to undertake – heck, it’s hard enough to really nail one style of e-bike let alone two. But MOD seems to have done their homework on pulling in the best elements of both styles while giving the bike a signature look that doesn’t feel haphazardly slapped together. Instead, you get a unique bike that fits nicely in a spot all its own amongst some of the other MOD e-bikes we’ve reviewed, and it gives consumers a chance to purchase one bike that can satisfy different wants and needs.

In our MOD Black review, we will take a look at how this bike does at being both a commuter and off-roader. We’ll be evaluating their choice to spec a 350W mid-drive Shengyi that produces 90Nm of torque as well as our battery of performance tests. The Samsung battery offers 557Wh of charge; we will see how its range stacks up. And of course we’ll weigh in on the suspension, tires, shifting, braking and more.

[Read more…] about MOD Black Electric Bike Review 2024

Eskute Voyager Pro Review 2024

Eskute Voyager Pro Review: Overview

We’ve been looking forward to this Eskute Voyager Pro review for some time. Why? It gives us our first UK-based trial of a Bafang mid-drive in the form of the M200. Bafang class it as a “city” mid-drive rated at 65Nm torque — around the same as the highly regarded Bosch Performance Line Gen 3 motor — so, despite the “city” tag, the figures suggest it should be fine for at the very least moderate off-road use. The motor also weighs around the same as it’s nearest on-paper Bosch equivalent, the Performance Line, at 3.2kg. Would it rival Bosch’s impressive performance but at a much lower price?

We have already reviewed Eskute’s hub motor models, the Wayfarer and the Voyager and were impressed with the value for money that they both offered. The Pro versions now on offer both use Bafang M200 mid-drives and again, on paper, both look to offer great value on the UK market at £1549 (Eskute doesn’t sell in the US) – that price tag is at the very least several hundred pounds cheaper than most other mid-drive bikes out there.

Other upgrades on the new Pro versions include larger capacity batteries, hydraulic disk brakes and additional derailleur gears. The Voyager Pro tested here is the mid-drive version of Eskute’s leisure eMTB and with a powerful sounding mid-drive and 27.5” x 2.1” enduro style knobbies I was very curious to see how it would rival much more expensive Bosch-powered hardtail eMTBs.

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Rad Power Bikes RadCity 5 Plus Review, 2024

RadCity 5 PLus Review - full bike frame profile

A sensible electric bike for sensible riders, the freshly redesigned Rad Power Bikes RadCity 5 Plus is a Dutch-inspired e-bike that’s thoughtfully designed to cart you and the things you need for the day safely and efficiently.

In this Rad Power Bikes RadCity 5 Plus review, we take a look at how well this bike functions in the real world, putting it through a gauntlet of tests including a range test, hill test, braking test and more.

Rad re-released the RadCity in September 2021, giving the bike a new look, new motor and a refreshed battery design that looks slimmer and claims to stretch the battery range. The bike is modeled after the wildly popular (in Europe) Dutch-style commuter bike that boasts an upright riding position, relaxed styling and wonderfully balanced handling. They started with that design, added a nicely tuned 750W rear hub motor and decked the bike with affordable but good componentry.

The result is one remarkably nice electric commuter bike that won’t break the bank but will do just about anything you ask of it.

*Rad now just sells the Step-Through model of the RadCity 5. Check out that review here.
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Tern Vektron S10 Review 2024

Tern Vektron S10 Electric Bike Review

It’s not super often that I ride a folding bike and am able to forget it’s a folding bike.

Usually there’s something — a creak, a little wobble in the handlepost or maybe even some flex in the jointed frame — that serves as a constant reminder that the bike I’m riding is technically cut in half.

The Tern Vektron S10 is a rare exception to this rule.

Electric Bike Report got a chance to do a mini review of the Tern Vektron S10 during the Big Gear Show in Park City, Utah this August and, while I had limited time on the Vektron, I was thoroughly impressed by this little bike’s balanced handling, ultra-responsive Bosch drive system and thoughtful features. Despite its small stature, it’s a bonafide form of alternative transportation ready for commutes, grocery runs and can even ferry a small human on the rear rack. It’s a sensible bike for people low on space but unwilling to sacrifice performance for convenience.

Oh, it also folds down easily and stows propped up on its rear end.

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Bunch Bikes The Original Review 2024

Bunch Bikes The Original eBike Review

Summary Review: Bunch The Original E-Bike

Reviewing the Bunch Bikes The Original (Yes, there’s a “The” in there, as in “The Ohio State University”) was a refreshing, unique experience that gave me a new perspective on the utility, fun, and convenience of cargo style e-bikes. The Original comes with a torque sensor and a 500W geared hub motor that makes for a very smooth cargo-hauling machine that’s also great for carrying kids

Here at Electric Bike Report, we love reviewing unique e-bike designs, especially when we feel like the company could be on to something. In the instance of Bunch, we definitely think they’re on the right track with the concept and engineering on The Original.

With plenty of modular accessories, a powerful motor and plenty of storage room, The Original is ready to suit your lifestyle needs.

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Bike Category:Cargo-style e-bike
Bike Class: Class 2 Class 2: Throttle assist, up to 20 MPH

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Tower Beach Babe Review 2024

Tower Beach Babe Electric Bike Review

Tower Beach Babe Review: Overview

The Tower Beach Babe is a Class 2 electric beach cruiser that combines comfort and leisure-based cruising with a powerful 500W motor and 48V, 14Ah battery. Between the comfortable riding geometry and capabilities of the motor and battery, it’s hard to ignore the fun factor this bike provides.

When we did the Tower Beach Babe review it was interesting to see how it compared to the Beach Bum 2, which we reviewed earlier this month. Both bikes have some consistency between them, the main being the very comfortable and smooth riding experience.

The Beach Babe has a low-step frame that makes it easier to get on and off of the bike. Shorter riders and those who don’t want to swing their leg over the top tube will likely find this low-step frame design to be very beneficial to the overall experience the Beach Babe provides.

By the end of this e-bike review, you should have a good idea how the Beach Babe climbs hills, how long its battery lasts and what our overall impressions were of Towers’ low step electric beach cruiser.

[Read more…] about Tower Beach Babe Review 2024

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