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Why are electric bikes so expensive?

Why are e-bikes so expensive?

Electric bikes cost money; probably more money than the average person might expect. So why are electric bikes so expensive?

Bicycles have come a long way since the heyday of Schwinn and the classic six-speed. Even without a motor and battery, a traditional bicycle is a complex piece of engineering. That engineering takes time and money — likely a lot more time and money than the average person might expect, which could explain some of the sticker shock so many first-time e-bike buyers experience.

Why are e-bikes so expensive? Stromer

The Stromer ST5 is in the upper echelon of luxury e-bikes and has a price tag to match.

This post will offer some explanations for modern e-bike costs and hopefully help you better understand what you’re paying for when you do pop for a new ride. It’s not comprehensive by any means, but we’ll try to take a look at this from two angels: why they are expensive in general, and why they are even more expensive lately.

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E-bike News: Fiido’s Familiar Looking T1 Cargo, Eovolt E-folders Up Quality & More!

Fiido's T1 Cargo bike

Are there any new ideas left in bike and e-bike design? That’s a question this week’s news seems to throw up more than once. Giant’s latest e-mtb is an update on an existing model – albeit an extremely high tech one that promises to take performance to an even higher level with the introduction of the company’s latest mid-drive. Elsewhere the Asian firm Fiido have clearly been ‘inspired’ by a popular design from the one of the US’s leading e-bike manufacturers and there are suggestions a frame material that was tried and didn’t succeed in the1980s is being tried again. It brings a whole new meaning to the buzzword circular economy….

In this week’s news:

  • Recognise the design of Fiido’s T1 e-cargo bike already?
  • Eovolt’s attractive and high quality 2022 lineup of e-folders unveiled
  • Giant Trance E+ gets new motor and huge battery option for 2022
  • Will the Freeflow mid-drive finally achieve a breakthrough?
  • Plastic e-bike anyone?
  • Why France’s new light electric vehicle category muddies the waters further
  • UK’s new Highway Code
  • Giant PON group head to Lithuania

[Read more…] about E-bike News: Fiido’s Familiar Looking T1 Cargo, Eovolt E-folders Up Quality & More!

Benefits of Electric Recumbent Bikes

ICE electric assist

A recumbent bike or e-bike, as the name suggests, is one where you lay down in a seat rather than perch on a saddle. They come in 2, 3 and 4 wheeled versions. 3 wheelers, or trikes as they are more commonly known, are by far the most common design.

While they are a little more niche than the millions of traditional 2-wheeled bikes you’ll typically encounter on the road, they have a dedicated fan base that finds enjoyment and utility from their design.

The electric revolution hasn’t only given us some of the best electric bikes around, but they’ve led to innovation in the recumbent trike world as well.

I’ve test ridden several recumbent and electric recumbent machines and always enjoyed it – and always received loads of interest in the bike itself, mainly in the form of what is it and why would I want to ride one? So, if you want to know too, read on…

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Comfort

Fancy cycling in real comfort? Why not try an electric recumbent? These models are from HP Velotechnik who have a wide network of dealers in Europe, US and Canada.

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E-bike News: Noko Lightweights, Brompton Titanium, Electric Access and Lots More!

Noko e-bikes

Probably the most remarkable headline stat in this week’s news is the 16.4lb of the newly announced Brompton P-line. It’s not electric but it could show the way forwards for ultralight, high-quality e-bikes with its blend of iconic, tried and tested folding technology and new weight-saving features.

Titanium has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any metal, is highly resistant to corrosion and doesn’t fatigue. The downside is cost as the extraction of titanium from ore is expensive and the manufacturing of bike components from it highly skilled and therefore costly. But lucky owners will receive a bike that truly lasts a lifetime, is lightweight and maintains its value well over time. No wonder the first batch of titanium Bromptons sold directly from the London factory have sold out in a flash.

The Electric Bike Report team will keep a close eye on how that will translate to Brompton’s ebikes, and as always, we’ll continue to scour the world for all of the latest electric bike news.

In this week’s electric bike news:

  • New Italian e-bike brand Noko on sale soon
  • 16.4lb Brompton T-Line – it’s not electric but the tech promises a superlightweight e-bike in future…..
  • E-bike car news from Podbike and Northern Lights
  • Innovative carbon frame technology from Germany’s Advanced
  • US e-bike access decisions detailed
  • Updates from the European e-scooter scene

[Read more…] about E-bike News: Noko Lightweights, Brompton Titanium, Electric Access and Lots More!

Ebike News: Okai and Rivian May Expand E-bike Choices, New Lime Auto-Gear Bike and More!

Rivian electric bike

This week’s news is looking to the future slightly more than usual. First we have the news of what looks to be a very powerful yet reasonably light e-mtb from e-scooter specialist Okai followed by the revelation electric truck specialist Rivian might just be getting into e-bikes. There are no dates or prices from either company (in Rivian’s case just a tantalising trademark application) but it does hold a glimpse of possible future trends.

More in the here and now is new fat tire brand Magicycle and we take a look at just how light you might be able to make Brompton’s iconic folding bike if electrifying it yourself plus a look at where e-scooters might (or might not) be heading in the UK.

In this week’s news:

  • E-scooter and e-car specialists Okai and Rivian head towards e-bikes
  • Magicycle, the affordable fat tire e-bike
  • Brompton looks headed for a lightweight future
  • Lime’s new auto-gear changing e-bike
  • E-scooter delay and debate in the UK
  • A novel new way to keep that cycle lane a puncture-free delight

[Read more…] about Ebike News: Okai and Rivian May Expand E-bike Choices, New Lime Auto-Gear Bike and More!

E-Bikes at CES 2022: How E-bikes and e-mobility stole the show

CES e-bikes

We were supposed to go see the latest e-bikes at CES this year, but for reasons that start with “C” and end with “OVID,” we stayed home and watched the show unfold through a computer screen.

The yearly CES show in Las Vegas is one of the world’s largest stages for consumer electronics companies to show off their latest and greatest. With record growth over the past several years, electric bikes and other micro mobility solutions were set to steal the show this year, and they did not disappoint.

From e-bikes with record-setting battery range to electrified ways to travel over snow, CES 2022 brought a number of new innovations and shined a very bright light on electric mobility. We may have missed the show in person, but we logged in virtually to see what brands were bringing to the table.

Here’s the cool new e-bikes and e-bike-adjacent things we missed playing with at CES 2022:

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Delfast Top 3.0

CES E-Bikes: Delfast Top 3.0

Once you’re already the Guiness World Record holder for the longest range e-bike, what’s more left for you to do? Try to build a bike that goes further.

Delfast unveiled their new Top 3.0 model, a very dirt bike looking e-bike that promises a range of up to 200 miles on a single charge. Though it has cranks and pedals, the Top 3.0’s spec sheet quickly begins to look more like an electric motorcycle than an e-bike.

Though Delfast says the Top 3.0’s speed can be limited to Class 2 settings, marketing materials and Delfast’s website boast the bike’s claimed 50 mph (80 kph) “default” speed and 56 mph (90 kph) “max” speed. There’s also the 3,000W motor, which, combined with those eye-watering speeds, make this e-bike less of an e-bike and more of an electric motorcycle. That is, unless you change the speed settings using the app.

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The Bosch Smart System

CES E-Bikes: The Bosch Smart System 2022

Bosch’s Smart System may not be brand new, but now it’s award winning.

Representing the next generation of Bosch drive systems, the Smart System is Bosch’s vision for an ultra-connected e-bike future. It was formally released last August, but it earned Bosch recognition as a 2022 Innovation Awards Honoree at CES.

The Smart System is currently built around the tried and trued Performance Line CX motor and a few other new parts unveiled in August, including a larger 750Wh battery and a new wireless remote and display combo. We got to give the Smart System a try at last year’s Sea Otter Classic on a couple of BULLS e-bikes, which at the time were the only e-bikes in the U.S. equipped with the system.

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Momentum Voya E+ Series

CES E-Bikes: Momentum Voya E+ Series

Like most of our New Year’s resolutions, cutting weight seems to be all the rage in early 2022.

We’ll see how long that lasts.

Momentum, the urban and lifestyle e-bike arm of bicycle super company the Giant Group, unveiled the all-new Voya E+ Series at CES, a family of two lightweight commuters that claim to weigh in at just 39.7 lbs.

There’s a flat bar and drop bar model to choose from, both of which have the SyncDrive Move rear hub motor and a brand new micro battery integrated into the frame. That new battery, the EnergyPak Micro, promises a full charge in 3.5 hours and weighs in at just 8.8 lbs.

We’ve seen a handful of new e-bikes at the turn of this year that emphasize lightweight designs, including the new Aventon Soltera, which was also on show at CES but we got a sneak peek at before the show.

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OKAI EB20

CES E-Bikes: OKAI EB20

It’s carbon, has one of the most powerful mid-drive motors on the market and a full suspension design. The newly-unveiled OKAI EB20 is the first electric bike from the Chinese company best known for its electric scooters.

The new EB20 comes with the 750W Bafang Ultra mid-drive motor, a SR Suntour suspension setup and promises a full Shimano XT drivetrain (though those have been notoriously difficult to source, lately). We don’t know much about this new e-bike aside from what we’ve read in a press release and seen in photos, but it looks like it could be a neat new offering.

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Moonbikes

CES E-Bikes: Moonbikes

It’s not an e-bike, but the new Moonbikes electric snow bike unveiled at CES is just too darn cool to not mention.

With a 10 inch track and a whopping 3,000W motor, the Moonbike is a cross between a traditional snowmobile and an e-bike. Photos and the spec sheet show an amalgamation of parts we’d typically see on a bicycle — TRP disk brakes, an SR Suntour fork and a bicycle-ish looking front end — with parts more typical of a snow machine, namely the front ski and rear track.

It looks fun to say the least, just educate yourself on avalanche terrain and local regulations should you get one and want to venture into the wild. Snow can move on its own, people, and it tends to be not super friendly to humans when it does.

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Ebike News: Momentum Lightweights, NIU Promises Low Price Double Battery Model and Much More!

R1UP CAFE CRUISER

Two very interesting launches are announced in this week’s news. First off Giant will be a familiar name to many readers and have chosen a US launch for a new lightweight series of e-bikes in a market perhaps better known for inclining to power and speed over lightweight e-bikes.

Secondly, probably less well-known outside Asia, and perhaps promising to break the e-bike mould even more is the Chinese moped king Niu. Despite being listed on NASDAQ and having $300M in revenue in 2019, November 2020 figures showed 98% of its sales were in China. All this could be changing with the announcement of its first conventional style e-bike – one of several innovative looking electric vehicles Niu announced that may welll be heading to the USA and Europe in 2022 – and allegedly at ultra competitive prices. Watch this space and EBR will keep you up to date!

In this week’s e-bike news:

  • Giant’s lifestyle brand Momentum has two new lightweights
  • China’s electric moped specialist Niu announces double battery model
  • Would a 1.3lb e-bike battery be useful?
  • Prices rises and shortages; more detail

[Read more…] about Ebike News: Momentum Lightweights, NIU Promises Low Price Double Battery Model and Much More!

Aventon Soltera: new 41 lb single speed e-bike

Aventon Soltera

Post update: Catch our full in-depth Aventon Soltera review.

Aventon released its newest model on Tuesday, and it feels like a bit of a blast from the California-based company’s past.

The Aventon Soltera is a throwback to the company’s roots building simple, functional and affordable single speed and fixed gear non motorized bicycles. Like those first bikes (that’s right, Aventon got its start building traditional bikes, not e-bikes), the Soltera is an e-bike that places a premium on aesthetics and affordability.

It’s cheap — with a starting MSRP of $1,199 for the single speed variation or $1,299 if you want a 7-speed drivetrain — and the frame design echoes those of the company’s now-discontinued line of fixed gear bikes, such as the cult-loved Aventon Mataro.

Aventon Soltera rider profile

It’s not identical, but the Soltera’s design has shades of Aventon’s now-discontinued line of fixed gear and single speed bicycles.

[Read more…] about Aventon Soltera: new 41 lb single speed e-bike

Zipchock E13 e-bike stand review

Zipchock Bike Stand

The Zipchock stand for electric bikes is an easy to assemble, high quality e-bike stand that allows riders to keep their e-bikes upright without a kickstand. The Zipchock design allows riders to clean, service and store their bicycles without needing to lift them into a clamp-stand or fit them with a kickstand. In this Zipchock e-bike stand review, we reviewed the Zipchock Model E13 designed for tire widths between 1 inches and 3-inches.

The Zipchock also comes in the E255 model which fits tires from 2.5-inches up to 5-inches. Between the two models there isn’t a bike we have at our Electric Bike Report headquarters that won’t be able to fit into one stand or the other.

Both these Zipchock stands bridge the gap between smaller, lighter bicycle stands and heavier, bulkier motorbike stands. The Zipchock is designed to have the best of both worlds between the two stand styles.

Zipchock stands are currently being crowdfunded on Indiegogo, with deals on the stands for those that back the campaign. The E13 we reviewed is marked down 19 percent from about $200 USD to about $165 USD.

Zipchock stand for e-bikes review: Impressions

The Zipchock isn’t a bike stand that’s a pain to put together. It only took us a couple of minutes to fully assemble the E13, the instructions were straightforward and the process was quite easy. There are only five steps needed to fully assemble the Zipchock E13 stand, none of which involve tools.

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One of the most unique features of the Zipchock is its ability to adjust its width relative to tire size. Even if you have two bikes with radically different tire sizes the stand will be able to house both snuggly.

Keep in mind that the E255 is going to be a better option for those with mountain bikes and fat tire bikes (anything above 2.5 inches). The E13 will be good for anything with a tire below 3-inches wide. The E13 and E255 both can fit both front and rear wheels with equal capability.

Zipchock Bike Stand

The Zipchock E13 is a burley bike stand built to easily support the weight of a modern e-bike without contacting the frame.

The Zipchock also comes with ground stakes for keeping the rack in place on grass and other uneven/off road surfaces. Those who go to lots of trade shows and those looking for a high quality bike stand to match their high quality bike will find a lot of value within the Zipchock. On flat ground the rack was plenty stable without the stakes, however they may be a good idea if you don’t want your stand walking off.

The E13 is a very stable stand regardless of the weight of the bike. The design uses gravity to its advantage with its down sloped ramp which cradles any wheel between 20 and 30 inches. Between the stable side plates, adjustable width and easy assembly/disassembly the Zipchock stand for e-bikes simply makes a lot of sense.

Zipchock Bike Stand

The e-bike in this photo is equipped with 2.8-inch tires, which fit easily into the E13 stand.

Zipchock Bike Stand

The stand uses an adjustable screw to manipulate how much tension is being applied to the tire.

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Rad Power Bikes RadMini 4 Review 2022

Rad Power Bikes RadMini 4 Electric Bike Review - Header

Rad Power Bikes RadMini 4 Review: Summary

Editor’s Note: The RadMini 4 is now discontinued. Rad replaced the Mini with the RadExpand 5 Plus.

When I heard that we were reviewing the RadMini 4 I wondered if I was going to be able to tell the difference between its performance versus other foldable fat tire e-bikes.

I asked myself, “How much can the performance of a foldable fat tire e-bike really vary from one brand to another?” And I soon realized that they can vary in performance and experience quite a bit more than I was initially anticipating.

Testing and reviewing the Rad Power Bikes RadMini 4 showed us that not all foldable fat tires are created equal. With seemingly more refined engineering than lots of its competitors and smoother rolling tires, it didn’t take long for us to see the edge the RadMini 4 has on some other foldable fat-tire e bikes.

We quickly learned that cruising, and commuting are a couple of the activities that are even better when the Rad Power Bikes RadMini 4 is involved. Because of its 20-inch wheels and a foldable frame the RadMini 4 is ready to go wherever you are, without taking up too much space.

I had a lot of fun reviewing the RadMini 4, and it definitely provided me with a more polished experience than I was expecting.


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