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eMTB racing at the Sea Otter Classic 2021

Sea Otter Classic eMTB Race

I raced an eMTB at Sea Otter. Here’s what it was like.

Racing bicycles is nothing new, but what about racing an electric bike? At this year’s Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California, I got a chance to find out what e-bike racing is all about. Bosch loaned me a Cannondale Moterra powered by the Performance Line CX motor and I hit the track for the Sea Otter eMTB race.

I’ve ridden and raced quite a bit on my enduro bike and I’ve also had plenty of miles in the pain-cave on my XC bike. Both of these disciplines are ones that I’m very familiar with and feel comfortable doing, but I wasn’t sure what to expect racing an eMTB.

Sea Otter Classic eMTB Race

The 2021 Sea Otter Classic eMTB racecourse was built specifically to challenge modern e-bikes.

The race took place on an XC short-track style course that was about 3.5 miles long. The goal? Do as many laps as you can within an hour. I didn’t think much of the challenge, as I figured I’d be railing on maximum assistance simply holding on to the bike as it did its thing. I got the “hold on” part right, but it ended up being a challenge of harnessing the beast of a motor, and maintaining speed on steep, loose terrain.

The bike I used was a 2020 Cannondale Moterra powered by a 250W Bosch Performance Line CX mid-drive motor and PowerTube 625 battery pack. With 85 Nm of torque, there’s no forgetting the Moterra is an e-bike. It’s an enduro-oriented model that had the power and poise on nasty terrain to give me an edge on the steep, loose climbs that were a large part of the race course.

[Read more…] about eMTB racing at the Sea Otter Classic 2021

Ebike News: Rad Power gets (another) $150M in funding, the world’s smallest e-bike, new Trek eMTBs and more!

This week brings news that there may be hope for those who want an ultra-light, ultra-compact electric bike … as long as you’re willing to look a little ridiculous while riding it.

The 30% e-bike tax credit looks to be back on after another round through congress. We’ve also got some very new and very cool eMTBs from Trek, news that Rad Power Bikes may or may not have a Scrooge McDuck-style swimming pool of cash and a patent on a cardboard box that bike industry wonks are reading like a Ouija board

In this week’s news::

  • The (allegedly) world’s smallest rideable e-bike
  • The proposed e-bike federal tax credit is back to 30%
  • Trek releases new Rail eMTBs
  • With another $150 mil investment, Rad Power becomes “most funded electric bike company in the world”
  • Camelbak & Lifestraw team up for filtration bottles and packs
  • Trek files patent for apparent D2C bike box

[Read more…] about Ebike News: Rad Power gets (another) $150M in funding, the world’s smallest e-bike, new Trek eMTBs and more!

Hiplok D1000 Bike Lock Review

Hiplok D1000 review

Call this Hiplok D1000 bicycle lock review tempting providence, but this hunk of angle grinder-repelling, Ferosafe-reinforced metal is the closest to theft proof of any D-lock we’ve ever tested, researched or heard of.

If there’s anything bicycle commuting has taught us it’s that the above statement is probably bad karma, but we’ve got good reason to tempt the fates with this one. Why? Because Hiplok designed the D1000 specifically to ward off the bike thief’s weapon of choice: The high powered angle grinder.

Hiplok D1000 review - stamps

At first glance it looks like an average D-lock, but this one turns angle grinder blades to dust.

Angle grinders are the Achilles heel of traditional bike locks. Bike thieves use the high power tools to grind through the shackle of most traditional bike locks — or really any lock, for that matter — in just a few seconds. Hiplok’s answer to the angle grinder is a material called Ferosafe, a graphene reinforced ceramic composite that effectively disintegrates angle grinder cutting blades and carbide drill tips.

So naturally, when Hiplok sent us a media sample of the D1000 the Electric Bike Report’s first instinct was to do what any other reasonable person would: Let’s bust out the angle grinder and try to cut it.

[Read more…] about Hiplok D1000 Bike Lock Review

First Look: BULLS Iconic Line

Bulls Iconic TR 1 Full Suspension Commuter Electric Bike

BULLS Iconic line – electric city bikes

The BULLS electric city bike lineup next year will be a little simpler, be entirely powered by Bosch and (hopefully) will have a dash of color.

BULLS, a long time German manufacturer of electric bikes with a growing presence in the U.S., had much of their Iconic e-commuting lineup (alongside their Copperhead eMTBs) on show at this year’s Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California. Adam Anderson, BULLS’ North American marketing manager, walked Electric Bike Report through the Iconic e-bike family and what we can expect from the brand in the upcoming year.

Bulls Iconic eCity Bikes

The BULLS Iconic EVO 1 Speed, a Class 3 e-bike powered by the Bosch Performance Line Speed motor and a 625Wh integrated battery.

BULLS doesn’t do model years, so while these aren’t technically 2022 bikes, they’re what’s going to be on offer from the brand for the upcoming year. While some of the bikes are similar to BULLS’ existing electric city and commuter lineup, there are some changes coming down the pike. Namely, the entire city and commuting lineup is being paired down and brought into the Iconic family of e-bikes and all bikes will be powered by Bosch systems.

We’re also going to be seeing several BULLS e-bikes powered by the brand new Bosch Smart System, which includes the new 750Wh Bosch battery. There will also be a number of full suspension commuter and Class 3 options. In total, next year we’ll see four different styles of BULLS electric commuter and city bikes with a number of spec levels of each — making for lots of style, price and spec choices. We got to see a number of these in person at Sea Otter.

To the bikes:
[Read more…] about First Look: BULLS Iconic Line

BULLS Copperhead EVO HD Wave Review

Bulls Copperhead EVO HD Wave Electric Hardtail Mountain Bike

BULLS Copperhead EVO HD Wave Review: A step-thru eMTB

German e-bike manufacturer BULLS is one of the earliest adopters of electric bikes and, while their presence is still growing in the U.S., they’ve been a longtime innovator in the e-bike space.

Those innovations have gone further than integrating small motors and batteries into well made bicycles. At the 2021 Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California, BULLS had one of their more eye-catching (and to some, head-scratching) eMTBs on display — a step-thru hardtail eMTB called the Copperhead EVO HD Wave.

Electric Bike Report got a chance to get our hands on the bike and do a short BULLS Copperhead EVO HD Wave review in the hills around the famous Laguna Seca raceway. It’s not our typical in-depth review, but it was enough to get some general first impressions of this relatively unique eMTB.

Bulls Copperhead EVO HD Wave Electric Hardtail Mountain Bike

Tradition be damned, it’s about time we see more step-thru eMTBs.

The Copperhead EVO HD Wave is just one of several eMTBs in the Copperhead lineup — including a cool full suspension model and a women’s-specific eMTB we’ll look at below — but it’s one that appears to be getting some special attention.

Why? “We cannot keep it in stock,” said Adam Anderson, BULLS marketing manager for North America. “It’s so popular … (the step-thru design) opens up a multitude of opportunities for so many riders.”

[Read more…] about BULLS Copperhead EVO HD Wave Review

1UP USA Super Duty Double Bike Rack Review

1Up USA Bike Rack Super Duty

Based out of Wisconsin, 1UP USA is a bike and e-bike rack manufacturer that we had the opportunity to meet up with at the 2021 Sea Otter Classic, in Montery California. We spoke with Robbie Lange, the owner of 1UP USA to learn about their fully aluminum bike racks and what makes them so unique.

Lange walked us through 1UP’s Super Duty Double bike rack, which, in the two bike variation, has one of the highest carrying capacities of any rack on the market. Each tray is rated for e-bikes up to 75 lbs with a total carrying capacity of up to 225 lbs. You can choose between a silver finish or black, and the rack’s carrying capacity can be expanded to three bikes or four — though adding additional trays will reduce the bike weight it can handle. The black model is $675 and the silver rack is $625.

1Up USA Bike Rack Heavy Duty Double

The 1UP USA Super Duty Double has a very low profile design with the arms folded down. The rack also pivots up when unloaded to sit more flush against the back of your vehicle.

The full aluminum design and 1UP USA’s ratcheting clamp mechanism makes for a stable and secure design that protects your bike’s paint by holding onto the wheels instead of the frame. The Super Duty Double also has a 15-degree incline, so each additional bike has higher ground clearance than the prior. The standard Super Duty Double can fit tires up to 3.1 inches in width, but 1UP also has a well-engineered solution for those with electric fat bikes.

“Anything beyond 3.1 inches would require a fat tire spacer kit, which is just an additional accessory.” Lange said.

[Read more…] about 1UP USA Super Duty Double Bike Rack Review

Ebike News: 30lb Whippet Launches, Solar Power Epic, New E-Terra Trike and Much More!

This week shows just what variety there is in the e-bike world. The UK’s Revolution Works has come up with an e-bike that looks both affordable and light (the two don’t often go together in the e-bike world). Over in the US solar power pioneer Sushil Reddy is part way through an epic solar-powered e-bike trip, whilst Terra Trike recumbents have launched another more powerful Bosch-powered range of electric-assist bikes for e-bikers who fancy rolling along in a laid back kind of way.

In this week’s e-bike news:

  • Whippet from Bristol, a lightweight and affordable city e-bike
  • Sunil Reddy’s 6,500 mile solar e-bike trip
  • Terra Trike recumbents now offer Bosch Cruise Line mid-drive option
  • Hiplok crowdfunding for ‘angle-grinder resistant’ D-lock
  • Pendix’s new chain free modular drive system
  • People for Bikes summit coming soon
  • California Governor vetoes pro-bike stop sign law

[Read more…] about Ebike News: 30lb Whippet Launches, Solar Power Epic, New E-Terra Trike and Much More!

Ebike News: Speed E-bikes from Super73 and Van Moof, Amcargo E-bikes to the UK & Much More!

More speed is all the rage this week, with both Super 73 and Van Moof high speed models featured. What’s becoming increasingly clear is that many players in the e-bike world feel that restrictive speed laws and city infrastructure are holding things back. Some feel that more liberal speed regimes could help many countries achieve net-zero pledges by removing internal combustion engines more quickly (especially the case when most electric cars in the western world still cost many tens of thousands of dollars).

Hence Van Moof accompanied the announcement of the development of its new high speed model with these words; ‘the VanMoof V will have integrated speed settings to match your country’s regulations. However, this bike has the technology and capacity to hit speeds up to 60 kilometers per hour or 37 miles per hour. As it stands, local regulations across the world cap the top speed of this category. But in the long term, we need much bigger thinking.’ Clearly some e-bike companies see the decline of the internal combustion engine as a massive opportunity.

  • Super73’s more affordable high speed model the ZX
  • Van Moof developing new high-speed, high-tech model
  • Amcargo – affordable Danish e-cargobikes for the UK
  • Chevrolet’s big battery problems draw to a close
  • NYC’s boom in electric personal transport

[Read more…] about Ebike News: Speed E-bikes from Super73 and Van Moof, Amcargo E-bikes to the UK & Much More!

First impressions: Super73, SoCal’s lifestyle e-bike brand

Monterey, CALIF. (2021 Sea Otter Classic) — Founded in 2016, Super73 has one goal in mind — create something the electric bike industry has never seen before. With inspiration from vintage 1970’s “taco style” motorcycles, the original Super73 model combined modern electric bike performance and componentry with a touch of nostalgia.

Fast forward a couple of years, and their bikes started to gain traction — and it wasn’t just from their 4 inch-plus tires. By 2018, Super73 gained loads of attention online thanks to popular YouTubers riding and reviewing their bikes, and celebrities like Post Malone taking notice of the brand.

We sat down at the 2021 Sea Otter Classic with Drew Palos, one of the head marketers for Super73 to learn more about the company and their bikes. The Southern California native gave the skinny on the history of the company, what makes their bikes special and why he personally enjoys owning a Super73 e-bike so much.

Super73 e-bike company

We got to catch up with the Super73 team during the 2021 Sea Otter Classic.

[Read more…] about First impressions: Super73, SoCal’s lifestyle e-bike brand

Checking out the new SCOR Bicycles eMTB

Monterey, CALIF. (2021 Sea Otter Classic) — SCOR Bicycles was born from a couple employees at BMC searching for a bike to push their limits on the world class trails found in the Swiss Alps. While BMC is no stranger to high performance bicycles, the Swiss brand’s endurance-based bikes left some day dreaming about a bike for the bigger hits and gnarlier terrain.

Electric Bike Report got a chance to meet the SCOR/BMC team at the 2021 Sea Otter Classic and see what they were all about. Tyler Miller, the midwest regional sales manager for BMC America told our team more about how SCOR came to be and what makes them so unique.

Naturally, we had our eye on their eMTB, the SCOR 4060 Z LT XT which was on display at the event. The rear linkage design, beautiful paint job, Shimano EP8 motor and the rarity of the eMTB made it a hard bike to ignore. We are hoping to put this bike to the test on our rocky Southern Utah terrain in the near future.

SCOR 4060 Z LT XT

The SCOR 4060 Z LT XT we saw at the Sea Otter Classic was done up in this gorgeous purple paint. It’s a looker.

[Read more…] about Checking out the new SCOR Bicycles eMTB

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