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MOD Bikes Berlin Electric Bike Review – 2024

Mod Bike Berlin Review 2024

Rear hub motors have long reigned king as the drive system of choice for affordable electric bikes, but there are signs that paradigm is beginning to shift.

One of those signs is the MOD Berlin, an electric commuter bike that boasts a 350W Shengyi mid-drive motor and priced at less than $3,000. In this MOD Berlin review, we put the bike to the test to parse out how this reasonably-priced e-bike performs in the real world.

The Berlin is a retro-styled electric commuter designed to be sporty, comfortable and fast. It’s a Class 3 e-bike with no throttle, so its mid-drive motor will assist your pedaling to 28 mph, and it sports hydraulic disk brakes and a solid drivetrain that balances affordability and function.

It also features an unconventional front fork (that we found to work very nicely) and it comes stock with a suspension seatpost. But the real star of the show is that mid-drive motor, which performed incredibly well in all our tests.

With its relatively low price point and powerful mid-drive motor, can the MOD Berlin compete with the more expensive mid-drive powered e-bikes? We put it to the test in the real world to find out.

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PASELEC GS9 Review 2024

PASelec GS9 Ebike Review

From the moment we received the PASELEC GS9 for review I knew what the hook for prospective buyers would be: It’s a full suspension e-bike with mountain bike styling for well under $2K.

While that may be the hook, the rest of the spec sheet seemed to offer plenty worth sticking around for: A 500W motor capable of class 3 speeds, 624 Wh battery and Zoom hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors.

But could a fully-loaded e-bike on everybody’s favorite end of the affordability spectrum deliver the goods? That’s the question we set out to answer.

But first, expectations need to be set accordingly. That much bike on that little of a budget won’t be without compromise, but compromise doesn’t have to be a bad thing necessarily. And having your expectations set to the proper level can make all the difference in determining whether or not you’ll be happy with it in the end.

In this review of the PASELEC GS9 we put the bike through its paces via a series of tests designed to better understand its motor, braking, handling capabilities and so much more. Keep reading down below for greater insight on what the bike is all about.

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Aventon Aventure Step-Through Review 2024

Aventon Aventure Step-Through Review 2024 - full bike frame profile

Aventon Aventure Step Through Review: Overview

Looking for the latest Aventure review? Click here for our Aventon Aventure 2 review.

During the Aventon Aventure Step-Through review process I quickly learned why this bike is held in high regard by many, including my Electric Bike Report counterpart, Sam Gross, who reviewed the standard Aventon Aventure earlier this year.

The Aventure is a rugged, refined jack-of-all-trades that comes alive thanks to its 750W motor, 4-inch wide tires, and a long lasting 48V, 15Ah battery.

I really enjoyed the freedom that the Aventure provided me with, I never felt confined to one riding style or terrain because of the fat tires, high rolling speeds, and powerful hub motor. I was able to go where I pleased without the worry that I was potentially pushing the bike out of its element.

I tested the Aventure Step-Through’s hill climbing ability, battery range, stopping power, handling and more throughout the review process. All of our tests reaffirmed that the Aventure is a well-designed, high-performance electric bike that will suit your needs whether you’re on a paved path joy ride, or on a rocky expedition.

By the end of this written review, you should have a good idea of if the Aventon Aventure Step-Through is the right bike for you and how it stacks up against the other Aventon e-bikes we’ve reviewed.

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Honbike HF01 Review 2024

Honbike HF01 Review

After spending some time riding and reviewing the Honbike HF01 it became apparent what problems exist within the world of e-bikes that Honbike was aiming to solve. When it comes to durability, ease of maintenance and cleanliness, most modern electric bikes are lacking in some — if not all — departments.

Unlike most transportation built for the masses, such as automobiles and motorcycles, e-bikes are a Christmas tree of components hung from a frame; fragile parts exposed to the elements, threatening wayward pant legs with greasy mastication. Many of those components are also wear parts that stretch or degrade with normal use, with maintenance or replacement intervals in terms of hundreds or the low thousands of miles — comparably short to similar components on cars or motorcycles.

But slowly, e-bike manufacturers are catching on and lessons from the automotive industry are being applied to make bikes that are cleaner, simpler and much longer lasting.

In this Honbike HF01 review, we take a look at one e-bike attempting to apply several of those lessons. Built on a folding frame, a 250W front hub motor and cast magnesium wheels, the Honbike HF01 uses an innovative drive shaft in place of a traditional chain and sprocket drivetrain to make a ride that’s clean, simple and, allegedly, far more durable than your average e-bike.

Mixed in with all that innovation is also some of the quirkiest bike design we’ve ever seen at Electric Bike Report, including a golf club-shaped seat and brake levers that attach on the outside of the handlebars.

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Surface604 Boar Explorer Review 2024

Surface 604 Boar Explorer Electric Fat Bike Review

An adventure-ready electric fat bike that takes a refreshing less-is-more approach, the Surface604 Boar Explorer is the Canadian company’s more trail oriented fat tire e-bike.

In this Surface604 Boar Explorer review, we put the bike through a series of challenges designed to push the Boar to its limits. We found it’s a nimble, lightweight and capable e-bike that’s purpose built for more challenging terrain.

The Boar Explorer is the more pared down version of Surface604’s electric fat bike. If you’re looking for a fat tire e-bike with accountremants like racks and some other extras, take a look at this bike’s sibling, the Boar Hunter. The Explorer, which lacks racks and weighs in at just 50 lbs, is designed for lightweight (but not light-duty) trail riding and adventuring. It feels functional in more technical terrain, and Surface604 made some smart decisions with the drivetrain and rigid suspension that help contribute to its capable vibe.

The Boar Explorer, like all of Surface604’s e-bikes we’ve reviewed, is powered by a 500W rear hub motor engaged via an ultra-sensitive torque sensor, giving the rider greater control over the power simply by adjusting how hard they’re pedaling.

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Espin Sport Review 2024

Espin Sport Ebike Review 2024

An electric bike designed to strike a balance between affordability and capable commuting, the Espin Sport is an electric commuter bike with good looks, a peppy 500W motor and an MSRP that won’t break the bank.

In this Espin Sport review, we dive into this bike’s specs and its performance in a series of tests designed to demonstrate how it performs in the real world.

Started by a couple inspired by European and Asian extensive public transportation networks, Espin is a California-based e-bike brand trying to change the status quo that good e-bikes have to be expensive. The result is a growing line of e-bikes designed as tailored solutions to different commuting needs, ranging from a lightweight single speed commuter to a folding utility-style bike.

The Sport model we review here is a commuter aimed at style, speed and light off-pavement capability. With a high-step frame that loosely resembles a mountain bike and more aggressive tires, it’s the type of bike that’s equally at home in a city center or on a rural rails-to-trails bike path.

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Aventon Soltera Electric Bike Review, 2024

Aventon Soltera City E-Bike Review 2024
Looking for the review of the latest Aventon Soltera.2? Click here.

A new lightweight and lightly-powered e-bike from Aventon, the all new Soltera is the California-based company’s entry into the budget-priced electric city bike category.

In this Aventon Soltera review we dive into the nitty gritty details of this brand new e-bike and put it to the test to see how it performs in the real world. We test its climbing ability, stopping ability and even how far it can go on a single charge so that you can have a better idea if this is the right e-bike for you.

Powered by a 350W rear hub motor and a 36V, 10 Ah (360Wh) integrated battery, the Soltera is designed to be a wallet-friendly option for those who want a little motorized assist for their commute. It’s also designed with aesthetics in mind, with a frame shape and overall finish meant to look like the ultra-popular fixed gear track bikes found in urban areas and college campuses.

The model we reviewed is a single speed, though you can get it in a geared option to, which makes this bike a direct competitor to some other lightweight and lightly-priced electric city bikes we’ve reviewed such as the Ride1UP Roadster, Propella V4.0 and Rad Power Bikes RadMission.

Let’s see how it stacks up.

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Propella Mini Review 2024

Propella Mini Review

The Propella Mini is a rolling reminder that sometimes less is more.

Less can be cheaper; less can be lighter; and sometimes, less can just be more fun. In this Propella Mini review, we dive into this super affordable, super simplistic and super quirky electric bike to see how it performs in the real world.

Powered by a 250W Bafang geared rear hub motor and a 36V, 7Ah (250Wh) battery, the Mini is modestly powered compared to the more typical rear hub-driven e-bikes we see on the market today. But what it lacks in raw power it makes up with its notably low weight of just 33 lbs and its sheer nimbleness — it’s a really, really quick handling e-bike.

To get a sampling of the Mini’s performance, we put the bike through a gauntlet of tests including a range test, hill test, braking test and more so you can have a better idea if it’s the right e-bike for you.

It may be small, but is it mighty? We put it to the test to find out.


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Buyer’s Guide to Electric Bikes

New to the world of electric bikes? Welcome.

The bicycling world is going through a bit of a reckoning right now. Or maybe it’s growing pains; it’s hard to say.

Even before a pandemic drove everyone outside (and drove bike sales through the roof) the budding popularity of electric bikes had been attracting newcomers to bicycling in droves. E-bikes have democratized the cycling world, opening the door for people who previously wrote off the sport (and mode of transport) as a pastime of lycra-clad fitness enthusiasts. Bikes equipped with small motors and batteries are changing the shape of what is possible on two wheels and by who; making bicycling more accessible, less intimidating and flatly more fun for beginners and experienced riders alike.

The bicycling world is booming and we’ve got e-bikes to thank. So if you’re new here, welcome.

But with this new tech (and all these new people) has come a void of knowledge. E-bikes are complicated, and things like amperage, motor type and watt hours can be foreign concepts to the uninitiated. So, we wrote a guide to help with that.

This electric bike buyer’s guide will help you navigate the budding e-bike market and choose which bike is right for you. From commuters to cruisers and drive systems to laws, we’ll cover the basics of what you need to know before opening your wallet.

Want to jump to a specific topic? Here’s links to specific sections of this guide.

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Tenways CGO800S Review

Tenways CGO800S Review: Overview

Tenways is an unusual company; based in Asia, they nevertheless look to produce lightweight and very smoothly designed European style e-bikes, using more sophisticated technology than you might expect on a competitively priced hub motor e-bike coming from the Far East. Think responsive torque sensing power delivery, belt drive and a small, virtually silent hub motor all aimed at making your e-bike journeys as smooth, easy and bike-like as possible.

Another notable thing about Tenways is that on both their e-bikes – the latest step-thru CGO800S and the earlier diamond-framed CGO600 – there is only one gear. EBR has already looked at the overall pros and cons of single speed tech here, so it’s clear that Tenways are aiming at a rider who wants a riding experience that is a step up from most budget e-bikes but doesn’t want to pay a premium price tag.

The company has already very successfully crowdfunded their first e-bike, the diamond-framed CGO600. The CGO800 shares the same bijou Mivice M070 rear hub motor with torque sensor system, the single speed belt drive transmission and also hydraulic disc brakes.

Unlike its predecessor though, the CGO800 has a larger and removable battery, rear rack, mudguards, front and rear hardwired lights and kickstand as standard. It’s also an upright city e-bike in the Dutch style in contrast to the CGO600’s racier frame geometry and riding position.

The CGO600 was initially offered direct to consumer only but just as this review was being written Tenways had begun to roll out their dealer network program which will give the reassurance of ‘local’ backup.

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