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E-bike News: Trek and Lectric Go E-cargo, Ride1UPs New Model and Much More!

Electric bike news 24th February

One of the US’s best known and most successful premium bike companies, Trek, just launched two premium electric cargo bikes clearly aimed at families as the range of two bikes (and the PR shots that accompanied the launch). It’s a far cry from their sporting foundations many years ago, based on (at the time) lightweight road and mountain bikes. It’s also interesting the Trek bikes have been made available in Europe and the UK straight away, with their home country having to wait just a bit longer. In contrast, Lectric have also launched into the e-cargo bike space with a model that costs less than a quarter of Trek’s cheapest e-cargo offering. It all begs the question, will e-cargo bikes eventually move from their e-bike niche into the mainstream? This week’s developments all suggest so.

In this week’s e-bike news:

  • Trek’s two new premium e-cargo bikes ideal for the school run
  • Lectric XPedition – an e-cargo bike from only $1399
  • Ride1UP Turris – capable looking all rounder at a great price
  • Tenways CGO600 Pro – new bigger removable battery and frame-integrated front light
  • FLIT M2 – lighter single speed e-folder
  • Veloe e-cargo bikes now in the UK – choice of Bosch and Shimano mid-drives
  • Linus e-bikes recall

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Replacement Electric Bike Batteries Guide

Shimano frame integrated
A good e-bike battery should last for hundreds of cycles. With average use, this means several years. Eventually, electric bike batteries need to be replaced as their life cycle comes to an end.

You can tell when a battery is nearing the end of its life when it does not provide you with much range. Some high-quality batteries that come on the top e-bikes such as a Bosch battery have a battery management system (BMS) integrated into the battery that actually tells you the current capacity and also how many charge cycles it has gone through.

But no matter what type of battery you have you’ll sooner or later be asking yourself the all-important question: how can I replace my e-bike battery?

Down below we dives into this question and more in greater detail.

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Blix Dubbel E-Bike Review – 2024

Blix Dubbel Electric Bike Review 2023

E-bikes offer a realistic alternative to driving a car. Whether someone chooses to buy one for environmental reasons or health reasons or even economic ones, the reasons to ride an e-bike are pretty compelling. But not every e-bike can serve as a suitable substitute for a car. Car’s provide a ton of utility afterall. But our review of the Blix Dubbel will consider how much utility an electric bike can provide when thoughtful design meets practical function.

The Blix Dubbel is a response to the varied needs we have for driving a car. In addition to driving to work, we usually drive to go anywhere with a child and running errands to places like the grocery store call for the ability to transport more than can fit in a backpack or a pair of panniers.

And there’s more to a good e-bike than just carrying capacity. Load junior on the back and put a gallon of milk in the front basket along with jars of peanut butter and pasta sauce and those additional pounds have the potential to change the handling of the e-bike. The Blix Dubbel is designed to take any reasonable load without blinking.

But it’s not all about what it can be outfitted to do. It’s also just a wildly fun e-bike with sportier than you’d expect feel. Let’s take a look at some of the highlight features and impressive data the Electric Bike Report team collected during our Blix Dubbel review.

*Blix no longer sells the Dubbel, but you might try looking into our Blix Vika X review instead.

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E-bike News: Wildeway F11 Big-Batteried E-folder, Lightweight Bikee Kit and Much More !

Electric bike news 17th February

Electric Bike News is US-based and as such often focuses on US models – or European models also available in the US. Hence this week we look at the attractively specced and priced Wildeway F11 fat tire folder – very much a US-targeted design as well as looking at where premier US-based brand Trek is heading with its Rail e-mtb model in 2023. Often as not though it comes alongside news with a strong European undertone; this week it is the fact that the Rail will use the latest Bosch Smart system mid-drive – Bosch being German-based. Perhaps most striking though is the news that annual e-bike sales in Europe may well exceed sales of all cars by 2025. Wow!

In this week’s e-bike news:

  • Wildeway F11 – one of the best-specced e-folders out there
  • Bikee now mass-producing ‘Lightest’ mid drive kit
  • Trek and Cube announce 2023 Bosch Smart emtb models
  • Battery safety debate continues
  • Riley RS3 – a novel folding electric scooter
  • E-bikes on track to overtake all car sales in Europe

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Blix Ultra E-Bike Review, 2024

Blix Ultra Review 2024
Fat tire bikes aim to offer multipurpose functionality for a wide range of riders, with their tendency to feature high-powered motors, off-road capability, respectable range, and a comfortable ride. In our review of the Blix Ultra, we found that this aggressive-looking e-bike fills such a role in the company’s lineup, and is a bit of a departure from their usual style – or at least a merging of the features spread across their other models.

With a wide range of accessories to adapt its functionality, Bluetooth connectivity that allows its user to switch between Class 2 and Class 3 speed limits, an optional dual-battery configuration, and the bike’s 750W, 90Nm motor, the Blix Ultra is highly customizable and built for function. Its bold styling is a nice touch that suits its capabilities, and with quality construction and components, it should prove a reliable ride.

We cover all of the bike’s features, specs, and performance in our detailed review of the Blix Ultra below. Keep reading to see how this bike measures up!

*Blix no longer sells the Ultra. Take a look at one of their latest e-bikes with awesome tech: the Blix Vika X review

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E-Bike Batteries: Volts, Amps, & Watt Hours Explained

What Are These Volts, Amps, and Watt-Hours? How Battery Specifications and Capacity Equate to Capability and Cost

Electric Bike Battery Basics

Understanding e-bike batteries can be challenging, even for those of us in the know; the nitty-gritty details are figured out by electrical engineers with years of education and experience under their collective belts – and for good reason, it’s all chemistry and math over there!

You’ll encounter a host of terms when reading about e-bikes or looking at electric bike battery specifications: things like battery size, capacity, voltage, amp hours and watt hours. Some of these words are more-or-less interchangeable, others are related but distinct. All of them can be confusing, but they are also hugely important in understanding electric bikes and their capabilities – most notably when trying to interpret how far they can take you before needing to be recharged. Range is a big deal for most of our readers, and if an e-bike is going to perform well on our range tests and have a shot a being listed among the top e-bikes, then a quality battery is a must.

In this guide to e-bike batteries, the helpful writers at Electric Bike Report will help you to understand the meaning of common battery terms and their relation to the performance of the electric bikes they power.
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6 Mistakes To Avoid When Buying E-Bikes

Mistakes to Avoid When Buying E-Bikes

With a gazillion different brands, categories, price ranges, and levels of quality among e-bikes (trust us, we checked), it can seem difficult to separate the proverbial wheat from the chaff. For many folks, the number of variables can be overwhelming, so they may feel inclined to make a purchase based only on a price tag or the repetition of an advertisement. Doing so can result in disappointment when an e-bike does not meet their expectations – whether in comfort, functionality, or longevity. To help prevent unfortunate results and unhappy customers, the friendly folks at Electric Bike Report have assembled this list of the 6 mistakes to avoid when buying e-bikes.

The most important thing we can recommend is doing a healthy amount of research; we’ll provide a brief overview of topics in this article, and link to sources you can explore for more in-depth information (for starters, you might also consider reading our buyer’s guide for electric bikes). There are many factors that go into finding an e-bike that is right for you, and fortunately there is a wealth of information available on the internet (we strive to be one of the most reliable and comprehensive) to help make that search easier. A thorough understanding of both the parts of a bike and your own needs in relation to those will help you find a model that you’ll be happy with for years to come.

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Mistake #1: Being Unaware of E-Bike Basics

Motor, Battery, and Other Important Features & Terms

To put it bluntly, e-bikes are complicated machines. For many newcomers, looking over a spec sheet for an e-bike can be like trying to do your own taxes; there is usually a ton of potentially confusing yet relevant information crammed into a small space on a page, and much of it can seem esoteric when compared to just glancing at a price tag.

But the importance of learning what components make up an e-bike, what their various sizes/ratings/capacities mean, and how that translates into a bike’s performance and feel when you’re actually ON one cannot be understated.

For example, a 250-watt (250W) mid-drive motor (one that is mounted centrally with the bike’s crank arms) is likely going to feel and perform much differently than a 750W rear-hub motor (one that is mounted in the center of the back wheel). Conversely, while a 36-volt (36V), 14 amp-hour (Ah) battery may look much differently than a 48V, 10 Ah battery on paper, they should, in theory, provide similar range in the real world.

Learning the basics of e-bike anatomy is a great first step in understanding the big picture. Then, it’s a good idea to focus on expanding your knowledge of e-bike motors and batteries and how their types and ratings relate to things like speed, hill-climbing ability, and maximum range.

Finally, research the various types of e-bikes, what they are designed for, and how their design affects rider position, comfort levels, and handling. We’ll touch on some of these things further down on this list, but by no means will this be a comprehensive guide.

Establishing a working knowledge base should help you to differentiate e-bikes both visually and on paper, and it will aid in deciphering all of the technical jargon that really does matter when finding a great e-bike for you.
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Will E-Bikes Replace Cars?

Continued Growth in Manufacturing and Infrastructure Sparking an e-Bike Revolution

Can electric bikes replace cars

Here at the Electric Bike Report we are often asked, can e-bikes replace cars? The answer is, in most cases, yes! E-bikes are currently being used in place of automobiles by a growing segment of the population. Some people face limitations like access to e-bikes, or living in a city that lacks suitable routes for travel – but that is quickly changing across the US.

Now while it may not be for everybody to swap out car keys for a bike helmet, it is easier than ever to reduce your dependence on cars for travel and spend more time on e-bikes. Let’s take a look at a couple of the leading reasons people are replacing their cars with e-bikes.

Cars Aren’t Cheap, While E-Bikes Are Becoming Even More Affordable

When factoring the cost of buying a car, as well as maintenance, insurance, registration, and fuel, we find that car use along with the cost of housing, food, healthcare, and entertainment, more people are discovering the benefits of replacing their car with an e-bike. Most business analysts predict a coming boom in electric bike sales, with most being used to replace cars for local transportation.

For some car users, switching to an electric bike is not an option, either due to their proximity to their job and daily amenities, or physical limitations. But for many people, automobile commutes are short enough for e-bikes to replace the car.

Owning and driving a car is the second-most expensive cost for most people, behind the cost of housing. The Kelly Blue Book average price for a car in 2023 is $47,000. Compare that with the US median wage of $54,132 (according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics), and that’s 87% of a person’s average yearly income (which explains why folks have to finance over 5 – 6 years). The Automobile Club of America found that the average cost of maintaining a car is $9,660 per year. That’s right, cars aren’t cheap!

Why are e-bikes becoming more affordable? Like most other new products, e-bikes are becoming cheaper because manufacturers are learning how to build e-bikes faster, more efficiently, costing them less per unit, and developing sustainable methods.

Deloitte, a global business consulting firm, predicts over 40 million e-bikes will be sold globally in 2023, generating $40.16 billion. They also predict annual growth of 12.6%, to $92.19 billion, by 2029. More manufacturers, with large capital resources and a high talent base in research and development, are streamlining production to reduce costs and build better e-bikes.

Cero CeroOne Electric Bike Review

Some automobile makers, like Prosche and Ford, see the potential rewards of horizontal integration by adding e-bike production to their base. Both carmakers have been acquiring e-bike companies, mainly to add to their talent base new employees who are experts at e-bikes. Within the coming years we may not see the Ford and Porsche name on a lot of e-bikes, but we can be sure they probably own the company names you will see.

Add to that existing large global bike makers, like Specialized and Giant, and the chances are most of the popular affordable e-bikes will be coming from those companies. The important things these companies will bring to the e-bike world are 1) technical advances, and 2) lower costs to consumers.

Compare the price of owning a car with the price of an e-bike – roughly $1200 – $1800 for a good quality e-bike – and it makes more sense how an e-bike fits in most people’s budget. For people who still cannot afford an e-bike, there is assistance available from local governments and non-profit organizations.
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E-bike News: Thömus 25lb Hybrid, Brompton T-Line Cytronex and Much More !

Electric bike news 9th February

Just how light can e-bikes get? There have been a number of ultra-light electric road bikes in recent years but it’s good to see Swiss firm Thömus and the UK’s Cytronex pushing the boundaries of weight in the hybrid and folding areas. Other areas we explore are how far auto firms will get into e-bikes (with Rivian the latest manufacturer to signal a possible move in that direction), state subsidies, e-bike camping conversions and speed pedelec recumbents in Europe. A truly mixed bag.

In this week’s e-bike news:

  • The Thömus Swissrider, a 25lb hybrid e-bike
  • Will Rivian get into e-bikes?
  • SpaceCamper convert e-cargo bike into e-camper
  • Brompton T-Line Cytronex conversion – the ultimate e-folder?
  • Speed pedelec recumbent first of its kind to get German type approval
  • US state subsidy update

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Electric Bike Company Model S Review

Electric Bike Company Model S Electric Bike Review

Electric Bike Company Model S Review: Overview

The Electric Bike Company Model S is a well made Class 3 electric beach cruiser powered by a 500W motor. With casual cruiser-oriented geometry and loads of customization, there are a lot of great features that make the Model S one of our favorite beach cruisers.

When we started the Electric Bike Company Model S review, we were impressed with how sturdy the frame was and how clean its welds are. It also came fully assembled, which was a nice touch. It didn’t take long for us to tell that EBC put a lot of effort into their electric cruiser.

Electric Bike Company has one of the most complete online customization tools we’ve seen in the e-bike industry, and our review model of the Model S was decked out with a custom colorway (even on the battery pack!), wood fenders, an upgraded 48V, 18Ah battery and a single speed drivetrain, plus a couple of additional custom features and accessories.

Note: The main difference between the Model S and the Model Y is the location of the battery. The Model S has the battery located above the rear tire, while the Model Y’s battery is stored in the basket up front. The Model R and Model E store the battery in the downtube.

If you’re looking for a comfortable cruiser oriented e-bike that will withstand the tests of time, then we would highly recommend looking into the Model S. During our review its performance and extensive features backed up its looks.

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