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Diamondback Response Review 2023

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.

Diamondback Union 2 Review 2024

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.

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.

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.

E-bike Trends to Expect in 2023

As the old joke goes, we can predict everything except the future – but that doesn’t stop us trying at Electric Bike Report anyhow. Many of the trends we outlined for 2022 at the end of 2021 did happen – but most weren’t really difficult to predict as they were signalled in advance – think single speed e-bike launches and battery recycling.

Trickier to predict are those more complex developments that have been bubbling away on the back burner for some time but the cost of production may still be prohibitive or they may need the final piece of functionality perfecting before a mass rollout. Some of these have been on the horizon for a number of years but sometimes it seems to be a constantly moving horizon. Still, in some cases we do seem to be genuinely nearer mass adoption in 2023….

Which Long-Promised Tech Will Arrive in 2023?

As we’ve seen a string of companies announce gearing that changes automatically and even gearing combined with motors – only for the rollout of the technology to be pretty limited, if it appears at all on any production run e-ebikes – perhaps some caution is wise in making any dramatic predictions here.

However, it’s clear the idea is still an attractive one, not surprisingly as it’s yet another small step to making bikes and e-bikes easier to use and with lower maintenance requirements. What’s more, it’s an idea that has worked well in the past (SRAM Automatix hub gears have come and gone but worked well on some e-bikes that used them before their demise in 2017).

Could automatic gearing be on the verge of mass adoption again in 2023? Some sophisticated auto-gearing systems are already out there, but these systems from the likes of Shimano and Enviolo naturally tend to appear on pricier e-bikes.

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Encouragingly, early 2022 saw Lime investing $50 million in their next generation of share e-bikes, which feature two-speed automatically changing gears amongst a host of other improvements which also include swappable batteries (meaning bikes don’t have to be out of use during charging). By summer Lime had auto-geared e-bikes available in Charleston, Atlanta and London, UK.

More evidence that automatic gearing was nearing the mass-adoption stage comes from the northern French city of Lille, France, where Decathlon held a test ride for journalists of their new B’Twin Long Distance 920 E Connected, due spring 2023. Whilst details are still scant, it’s clear this is a more complex design than Lime’s share e-bike, Decathlon choosing to house all gears along with a mid-drive in the bottom bracket area of the bike frame. French language reports from the initial journalist tryout are very positive, so EBR awaits the spring launch with baited breath. Whilst much heralded French competitor Valeo previously made a big splash with a similar motor design that still appears to be in the development stage as of late 2022.

Even more groundbreaking would be the emergence of the ‘disc-drive’ design of motor in 2023. EBR have reported on the lightweight, quickly removable Bimotal drive several times already with mass production having been slated for September 2022, though Bimotal’s website still only shows their $1950 Elevate disc drive as available for pre-order with delivery dates now stretching into 2023.

2022 saw the emergence of competition to produce the first commercial disk brake rotor drive in the form of Skarper – on paper this looks good, with a 3.3kg / 7.3lb weight, 50Nm torque and a 200Wh battery. But as yet no word on price or availability…

The Rise of the E-trike…Perhaps

Electric trikes are one thing EBR are often asked for more info on but struggle to come up with a huge range of options. We’ve reviewed the Evelo Compass and the front-loading Bunch Bikes The Original. But it’s very true to say electric trikes are a rare breed – they are great for stable load hauling or those with balance problems but often pricey and heavy.

2023 will see two new e-trike releases from Rad Power and Mate and where market leaders like Rad Power go others often follow. You can check out our detailed article on the RadTrike here, but with a pre-order price of $2499 it undercuts many competitor e-trikes. Hopefully EBR will be able to get their hands on one soon to give you direct feedback as the Rad Trike is due to start shipping in mid-January 2023.

Mate are not as well known in the US as Rad Power as they hail from Denmark and sell mainly in Europe. Up until now they have been known for folding e-bikes but their new SUV certainly looks novel – it is made from 90 per cent recycled aluminium, has Envilio stepless hub gears and and 4G connectivity that allows vehicle tracking. Perhaps more importantly, it can carry two children or one adult). It’s available to pre-order now for €49 and a final estimated RRP of around €6,499 / £5,600 and ‘current estimated delivery time is September 2023’ with availability in UK and Europe.

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Automakers Making a Move on E-bikes?

2022 saw Porsche acquire Fazua, maker of lightweight e-bike mid-drives. This comes on top of the German sports car company acquiring high end Croatian e-bike brand GreyP in 2021, giving it some serious proprietary e-bike hi-tech.

Could 2023 see more acquisitions by Porsche or more announcements by electric car makers they will enter the e-bike field? No doubt Porsche will be noting with interest the progress of Mercedes’ own-brand e-bikes as well as keeping an eye on electric vehicle makers Rivian and Polestar who both signalled possible moves into e-bikes in 2023.

E-cargo Innovation?

E-cargo bikes are a small but growing segment of the e-bike world and there’s always plenty of interest in big load carriers with the potential to replace expensive-to-run cars – so there’s bound to be a steady flow of e-bike companies looking to make a mark in this area in 2023. Here are a few who clearly have plans…

If you are not familiar with the UK’s innovative EAV four-wheelers you can check them out in use on the streets of New York here:

So far EAV have concentrated on the commercial market, selling more than 200 of their 150kg / 330lb capable machines to the likes of Amazon, FedEx and DPD. But they have plans aside of purely logistics sales in 2023, in the wake of a 2022 £7.5 million funding drive. These plans include a subscription scheme, a consumer machine called the EAVme and a two-wheel taxi, the EAVgo. They are also said to be working on a so-called L7 class light electric cargo vehicle (higher speed than the 15.5mph e-bike version they currently produce) and for their planned expansion into Europe and beyond EAV are working on a ‘flatpack’ solution.

EAV’s plans were perhaps responsible for sparking some German competition from Mubea who have traditionally specialised in lightweight auto technologies and developed the likes of specialist suspension systems and coachwork. 2023 should see various model configurations of the Mubea Urban_M Cargo, a four-wheeled electric cargo bike strikingly similar to the EAV, roll out of their factory. Prices are from 10,590 euros (ex VAT and delivery) and once ordered there is a 16-20 week build period.

Turning to the other end of the scale, 2023 might yet be the year of the lightweight e-cargo bike. Most notably the VELLO SUB is now available to pre order on Indiegogo with an expected delivery date of autumn 2023 and pre order prices starting at £2999. The lightest version, the VELLO SUB Titanium is £3749 in single speed configuration (with a 24kg / 53lb claimed weight) and £4249 with gears. VELLO has a history of successful Indiegogo campaigns, with the original bike and VELLO Bike+ being supported by nearly 500 backers to the tune of over £800,000.

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Four Wheels (or Possibly Three) and the US

Whether it’s four-wheeled e-bikes or electric microcars, the question remains who will be the first to crack the more difficult US market?

California-based Eli makes NEVS – Neighborhood ELectric Vehicles with a max 25mph speed (they are micro-cars in essence, not e-bikes) and 2022 saw them announce over 100 of their NEVs have been built, shipped and sold. Note Neighborhood Electric Vehicles is a class of street-legal transportation vehicle in the US that has a maximum speed of 25 mph, and can legally be driven on most roads posted 35 mph or less. You need a drivers’ licence, insurance and registration in states where NEVs are allowed – which is most states.

A European firm looking to come to the US in 2023 is Squad Mobility who are pioneering a micro-car with solar power from panels on the vehicle roof, touted as ‘the world’s first solar city car’. The solar power is claimed to provide up to 12 miles of solar range per day, as tested in Dutch summer conditions. It is available for pre-order now with delivery in 2023, and two versions will be offered, a 28mph two-seater and a 43mph four-seater.

One area EBR rarely covered – because there are so few machines out there of this design – is tilting three wheelers. Michigan-based manufacturer Nimbus has opened pre-orders for their compact electric vehicle, the Nimbus One in 2022 so we will be keenly tracking its progress in 2023 as delivery is slated for autumn.

As this is a very appealing but niche area, it also comes with a lot of risk, so 2023 could just as well see more scaling back of plans in addition to new launches. Just before writing this article Denmark’s Podbike downscaled its production plans which were aiming for a 10 million euro factory to a much smaller limited edition run of handbuilt vehicles. All the vehicles in this category can only really make retail prices appealing with such massive investment in production, so unique are the designs.

For more on the various contenders on the electric micro-car field check out this interesting video:

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More Solar Power ?

With the ongoing energy crisis there may be more solar e-bike products launched in 2023 – it’s perhaps surprising that 2022 didn’t see more launches like that of Mokwheel – but judging from the comments section the highly ambitious launch price has meant widespread dissatisfaction with numerous non-deliveries…..as ever with crowdfunding caveat emptor!

Far more reliable are the kits provided by Canada’s Grin – explained here and with parts here. As Grin say, you need a lot of panel to get anywhere near self-sufficient and you need to be riding somewhere with a lot of sun – but in many locations it’s clearly feasible for a solar panel setup of some description to make a meaningful contribution to an e-bike’s power requirements for at least part of year, even if it’s only on the form of a static solar-powered charging station.

Having said all this, it’s likely that totally solar powered (ie sun reliant) e-bikes will remain the stuff of serious hobbyists as this video of the 2022 Sun Trip through California demonstrates – just look at the size of those solar panels needed! If you are interested in this area note Sun Trip California 2023 is now being organised.

A Less Rosy Future for E-scooters and the Subscription Model?

It’s been an up-and-down year for e-scooters with 2023 set to be equally unsettled. The UK is one of the last countries in the western world where the use of privately owned e-scooters is banned on public highways. As Move Electric tells us ‘That suggests that rules to legalise e-scooters are now unlikely to be put before Parliament before the second half of 2023 at the very earliest – and is more likely to spill into 2024 or beyond.’

Clearly many e-scooter companies are struggling to make ends meet. Just to give one example, German e-scooter company Tier acquired Spin early in 2022, the e-bike and e-scooter firm owned by Ford, giving it access to the North American market where Spin operated in more than 70 cities with 50,000 vehicles. Shortly afterwards Spin left 10 U.S. markets due to ‘a combination of low demand, over-regulation, under-regulation and poor cost structures’, according to Spin’s CEO.

E-bike subscription services also felt the chill winds of a downturn as, months after poaching executives from US rideshare companies Uber and Lyft, Australian e-bicycle start-up Zoomo laid off 16 per cent of its staff. Those looking for a good e-bike deal in 2023 might well be turning to second hand models – French startup Upways certainly hope so, having raised $25 million investment in 2022. Upways has taken the second hand car dealer model and applied it to e-bikes. Buying electric bikes from both consumers and companies, Upways brings those bikes to its warehouse, checks them, repairs them in some cases and lists them on their website. Of course, Upway tries to generate a small margin on every sale. If the business shows itself to be successful it will be interesting to see if they – or others using the same idea – expand outside their own home territory of France.

However, turning away from e-scooter share’s struggles there appears plenty of innovation going on that may bear fruit in 2023. UK manufacturer and retailer Pure specialises in own-brand e-scooters and announced the Pure Advance, billed as ‘the e-scooter reimagined’. It boasts a new riding position that claims to spread your weight evenly on either side of the chassis combined with steering that returns to a central position automatically. We look forward to bringing you news of its public reception. Even more of a test for how far the e-scooter design envelope can be pushed is the Dragonfly Hyperscooter, from London-based company D-fly; a wild success on IndieGoGo indicates there may be a real demand for ‘out there’ e-scooter designs. Prices are from $1879 which will test just how much appetite there is for it.

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Lighter, more integrated kits?

The UK’s Swytch had one of the most high profile kt launches of 2022 with their new kit featuring a much lighter (though smaller capacity) battery. The smallest battery option, the Air, is now reduced in size by 70% and weight by 50% compared to its predecessor, with the quickly removable battery now fitting in the palm of your hand. The Air has a claimed weight of 700g (about 1.5lbs) and measures little more than 20x10x2.5cm. There is also a Max version of the battery which is only 1.4cm longer but twice as thick. Interestingly the charging port uses XT style connectors often used with solar panels, perhaps hinting at future developments.

Like many other kits, Swytch relies on a basic magnet ring sensor – perhaps another UK kit launched in 2022 points the way to neater, cleaner installing kits – the Boost kit has movement and speed sensors integrated into a rear hub motor so it’s simply case of swapping out the rear wheel and hooking it up the frame mounted battery. The display is wireless so in effect there is just one short wire run, making this one of the cleanest installing kits we’ve seen. It will be interesting to see if similar designs follow suit in 2023, should Boost prove hugely successful.

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Blix Aveny Skyline Review: Overview

Poise, elegance and maybe a little European flair — For an electric bike that costs less than $2,000, the Blix Aveny Skyline has those features (and more) in spades.

In this Blix Aveny Skyline review, we’ll test the mettle of this Dutch-style electric commuter bike, including how well it climbs hills, comes to a stop and even how far you can make it on a single battery charge. Re-released in 2021, the Aveny Skyline is the latest edition of the Aveny model that blurs the line between cruiser comfort and commuter efficiency.

This is the third and final Blix electric bike review Electric Bike Report has done in relatively quick succession, and we’ve learned a few things as we’ve blitzed through much of the Santa Cruz-based company’s lineup: Namely, that simple elegance seems to be the name of Blix’s game. Blix e-bikes are straightforward and lack many of the newfangled frills we see on many other affordable e-bikes. Instead, they’ve clearly invested in quality components, solid geometry and a paint job that’s top-tier.

The Aveny Skyline, in my opinion, is a very well done electric commuter with high-brow styling and an extremely competitive price tag — but that’s not to say it’s faultless. Let’s dive into our real world impressions of the Blix Aveny Skyline.

*Blix no longer sells the Aveny Skyline. But they have a folding cruiser bike worth checking out. See the Blix Vika X review here.

Blix Vika+ Flex Review: Overview

What’s painted British racing green, folds in half and rides with all the enthusiasm and excitement of a peppy little go kart? The Blix Vika+ Flex electric folding bike does.

In this Blix Vika+ Flex review, Electric Bike Report takes an in-depth look at the Santa Cruz-based electric bike company’s electric folding bike by putting it through a gauntlet of tests. Those tests — including a hill test, range test and many more — are designed to demonstrate how well this bike performs in the real world so that you can make a better informed choice on if this is the right bike for you.

The Blix Vika+ Flex is a through-and-through electric folding bike designed for urban commuting and riders who need a compact, stowable and efficient mode of transportation. Blix recently updated the Vika in July of this year, so the version in this review is the most recent iteration of the bike with wider tires and a redesigned folding mechanism.

It’s an incredibly pleasant riding e-bike with quick handling, a surprisingly peppy 500W rear hub motor and an overall nicely done finish. And with a claimed weight of 55 lbs, it’s respectably light — an important factor for an e-bike designed to be folded up and stored in tight spaces.

*There’s a new Flex in town! Check out the latest with the Blix Vika X review.

*Are you looking for a review of the latest Aventon Pace 500.3 Step-Through? Click Here.

An old favorite with a new look: Aventon’s Pace 500, their original and best selling electric bike, just got a face lift and a few new parts.

In this Aventon Pace 500 review, we take a first-hand look at the newest generation of Aventon’s tried and trued electric cruiser bike.

The Pace 500 has long been one of our most highly recommended affordable e-bikes for its looks, for its power and for its really, really nice handling. This new version of the Pace seems to have capitalized on those qualities by making very small (but impactful) changes. In addition to its redesigned look, the Pace 500 also got a larger battery and several other cool features like a color LCD display and inset tail lights.

Launched in March 2022 alongside its sister bike, the Pace 350, we got an early release version of the bike to put through our gauntlet of testing.

So, how’s it stack up against the old bike? Very well, actually.

Summary Review: KBO Hurricane

For current pricing on the KBO Hurricane click here.

When we reviewed the KBO Hurricane electric commuter bike, one of our main takeaways is that it’s a standard bike first and an electric bike second. The Hurricane does a good job of not overwhelming the rider with loads of wattage and power.

Instead, it seems to give the rider assistance in the background which makes for a very organic feeling e-bike. With a sleek design and low weight, the KBO Hurricane is a great commuter for those who don’t want to spend lots of money on an e-bike.

We found the Hurricane is also good for those who still want to get a good workout on their ride. With only 250W of sustained power, the Hurricane is never going to take over for the rider which we found to be a refreshing experience.

Balling on a budget? Don’t want to look like you’re on an e-bike? Don’t want a heavy bike? If you answered yes to any of these questions, check out our review of the KBO Hurricane.

Propella V4.0 Review: Overview

Over the course of reviewing the Propella V4.0 we noticed it emphasizes the “bike” in e-bike. First and foremost, it feels like a traditional bicycle while you’re riding it, but with an added boost on hills and during acceleration. I’d relate the riding experience to feeling physically at 100 percent, while riding with a tailwind. The assistance never takes over the ride experience as a whole, instead it does a great job of completing it.

If you simply love to ride bicycles, you don’t like the idea of an over-powered e-bike and you don’t want to spend too much money, I see the Propella V4.0 as a great option for you.The 250W motor provides consistent and smooth engagement, and the 630mm bar will keep you confident at speed. This is a great e-bike for those who are curious about e-bikes but don’t want to commit to a $2000-plus model.

Plus, because of the V4.0s predecessors you’ll receive a refined version based on years of feedback and testing; the V4.0 has puncture resistant tires, a 4th generation battery, and a more compact charger than the previous model.

Like the U.S. Postal Service, neither rain, snow, sleet or a demanding 9-to-5 work schedule can stand between you and your training with the Wahoo KICKR smart trainer.

In this Wahoo KICKR smart trainer review, we dive into the specs and features of this top-of-the-line home trainer and talk a little about my real world experience integrating this training tool into my regimine ahead of the 2022 mountain bike season.

Wahoo’s KICKR has long dominated the direct drive home trainer market and has been heralded as the gold standard tool for those who wish to make their outside bike an inside bike. Controlled by a smart device via bluetooth, the Wahoo KICKR pairs with the virtual cycling app of your choice — among the most popular are Wahoo’s SYSTM app, Zwift, TrainerRoad and many others — and automatically adjusts resistance based on whether your going uphill, downhill or are partaking in a structured workout. This makes for an incredibly realistic indoor riding experience that’s engaging, fun and incredibly effective for those looking to gain fitness in a short amount of time.

I used the KICKR to fit structured interval training around my 9-5 duties at Electric Bike Report and saw considerable results. It’s now my favorite training tool, and one I’d recommend to anyone who wants to ride well but doesn’t have a ton of time.

Blog

Summary Review: BULLS Alpine Hawk EVO E-Bike

Blix Aveny Skyline Review: Overview

Blix Vika+ Flex Review: Overview

Summary Review: KBO Hurricane

Propella V4.0 Review: Overview

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