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Bicycle designer Tony Ellsworth made his name building some of the most recognizable mountain bikes of the 90’s and early 2000’s. But now, in the years since the 2014 sale of the bike brand that bears his last name, Ellsworth has been up to something new — he’s building electric bikes.

In this TheRide Radiant Carbon review, we take a look at the very unique first model released by Ellsworth’s latest project. Ellsworth and TheRide opted to release their most premium model first. It’s a full carbon and fully-integrated affair that blurs the line between cruiser comfort and every day functionality. It’s also going to be a very rare e-bike, with only 360 units of the Radiant Carbon ever being made.

The goal, according to Ellsworth, was to build a bike using materials and technology really found nowhere else. The Radiant Carbon boasts a Shimano STEPS 6100 drive system, a full-carbon frame and a very unique styling we’ve never really seen before. If you’re looking for something comfortable but with a performance bend and, above all else, premium — TheRide Radiant Carbon may be worth a look.

Electric Bike Report got a chance to catch up with Ellsworth and get some first impressions of the Radiant Carbon at the 2021 Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California. While this bike — priced at just under $5,300 MSRP — is the first released by TheRide, Ellsworth said more affordable models will come close on its heels.

“The goal is to keep that user experience top notch,” Ellsworth said.

While this is a first-look review of TheRide Radiant Carbon, we’re currently in the process of doing a long-term review of the bike, so stay tuned for more details.

[Read more…] about The Ride Radiant Carbon: First Impressions

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!

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!

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!