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Cargo Trailers for eBikes – The Complete Guide

Got an e-bike already but want to carry more with it? Bike trailers are a superb resource and a natural fit with the extra power offered by e-bikes. If you have ever tried cycling with a regular (ie non-electric) bike and a very heavy trailer load up a steep hill you will know this is a task for only the very fit, especially if it is something you want to do on a regular basis.

Some e-bikers might have safety concerns about towing a trailer or think it adds an extra layer of difficulty or unnecessary complication to using your e-bike but that really shouldn’t be the case if you bear in mind a few basic tips. The main complication lies in making sure your particular e-bike will take the hitching system of the particular trailer you want. Once you’re over this stage you should find a good trailer transforms just what you can carry on your e-bike.

Let’s go ahead and dive into all there is to know about finding a good cargo trailer for e-bikes. But if you’re trying to put the cart before the (electric) horse, you can also take a look at our picks for the best electric bike if you need to.

eCargo Bikes VS Trailers

eCargo bikes are undeniably great but may not be for everyone; you may simply not have the space or the means to manoeuvre and store what can be quite lengthy and heavy vehicles. And it remains pretty hard to find a budget e-cargo bike so a budget e-bike and budget trailer remains one of the most economical and greenest cargo carrying solutions out there.

Qualities Of Well-Desgined Bike Trailers

Construction Quality

The HBS Mini is typical of the build quality of the cheapest trailers, with axle and towbar bolted to a plastic box.

The strength and weight of the materials used in construction are the biggest clues. The very cheapest designs such as the HBS pictured above use a plastic box as part of the construction. Whilst this keeps things light, simple and cheap, it may bring some compromises as in this design, where you are relying on the main plastic box itself to act as the mounting point for wheels and towbar.
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Electric Bike Battery Brands and Their Warranties

Why Are Battery Warranties Important on eBikes?

Today’s e-bike batteries are bigger and more complex than ever but also more reliable than ever.

E-bike batteries are perhaps the most expensive ‘consumable’ on an e-bike and, despite the fact that today’s e-bike batteries are a world away in performance and quality from those around in the early days of the industry, they are complicated items that can occasionally fail. Even barring the unlikely event of total failure, a battery-specific warranty can be important in determining if a decline in battery capacity over a number of months and years falls within the acceptable, or actually triggers the warranty.

The good news is that as e-bike battery technology has developed and the terms of the warranties from most major e-bike battery manufacturers have become more generous and more specific as they have realized they can put their trust in the vast majority of batteries to perform well.

Of course, the flip side of this is that you should look after your battery in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations in order not to void the warranty. Check out our brief five-point advice at the end of this article on how to get the most range and life from your e-bike battery.

The Legal Stuff – First Port of Call?

OK, it’s obvious but it’s always worth reminding yourself that a retailer with a good reputation can help make any warranty claim much easier.

It is worth quoting the United States’ Federal Trade Commission on the importance of warranties in the US:

‘When you make a major purchase, the manufacturer or seller makes an important promise to stand behind the product. It’s called a warranty. Federal law requires that warranties be available for you to read before you buy even when you’re shopping by catalog or on the Internet. Coverage varies, so you can compare the extent of warranty coverage just as you compare the style, price, and other characteristics of products.’
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eBike News: Lightweight eBikes from Startup Equal and BH, REI’s Good Value, eBike Ambulances & More! [VIDEOS]

In this week’s news:

The Equal Bike – Light & Affordable
BH Core Carbon – Big Battery & Light Weight
Good Value Co-op eBikes from REI Cooperative
eBike Ambulance Hits Parisian Streets
COVID Cafe to the Rescue
eBike Racing in Oregon for 2021?
Peachtree Solar Road Innovation
eScooters Getting Sturdier and Expanding in UK’s Trials
All the Latest eBike Biz News

New eBikes & eBike Systems

The Equal Bike – Light and Affordable

Light, sleek and affordable – Equal Bike from Finland

Finnish start-up Urban Cycles has launched the Euro spec (15.5mph assist) Equal Bike.

‘With a starting price of €1,490, we want people to stop comparing the cost of a decent e-bike to a used car, ”says Andriy Sytnyk, Co-Founder and CEO.

The single-speed bike itself is very much in the line of slick city bike offerings from Van Moof, Ampler and COBOC though the price certainly undercuts them all. It features a rear hub motor with frame integrated lights and battery (225Wh) plus hydraulic disc brakes and fenders. Inevitably there is an app but it isn’t vital to use of the bike. The basic version gets a chain drive with belt drive an optional extra. Rack and kickstand are due in 2021.

eBike News: COBOC Lightweight Hybrid, New Furo & CBT eBikes, Missing UK Bike Links & Much More [VIDEOS]

In this week’s news:

COBC’s New Lightweight Hybrid Due 2021
Furo Aventa Lighweight Urban Bike
CBT’s Artik Responds to Your Heart Rate
Premium Ducati eMTB Announced Featuring Shimano’s EP08 Mid-drive
Lezyne e-bike LEDS and PED Indicating Pedals
Lime’s 4th Gen eScooter and Micromobility News from London
Cycling UK’s Missing Links Campaign
London 2021 Cycle Show Dates
All the Latest eBike Biz News

New eBikes & eBike Systems

COBOC Announce Trekking Hybrid Model with Front Suspension

COBOC’s Iseo is a rare beast – a lightweight yet fully equipped electric trekking model

German e-bike manufacturers Coboc have launched their first hybrid bike with front suspension. The Iseo has a claimed weight of 17.5-18kg (depending on frame size), which is pretty light for a front suspended bike with a reasonably-sized 380Wh battery. The suspension gives 60mm of travel and is air sprung. Like all their other models it features a rear hub motor but another difference here is that the torque sensor is integrated directly into the motor rather than in the bottom bracket where it is on othern Coboc e-bikes. Coboc say this offers ‘an even more natural response behavior’.
[Read more…] about eBike News: COBOC Lightweight Hybrid, New Furo & CBT eBikes, Missing UK Bike Links & Much More [VIDEOS]

Gocycle GX Review – 2020

The Gocycle GX is a dapper fast-folding ebike that is a blast to ride and literally folds up in seconds. Electric Bike Report has tested other Gocycles in the past, but we were excited to get our hands on this one! The GX was released in 2019 and dubbed Gocycle’s “Fast Folding” model. Right off the bat you can see this bike came to play. The lightweight frame, fully encased drive system, and chic mag wheels give it a very clean, airy look. The GX also sports a front hub motor, which we weren’t sure we’d love, but it is both powerful and efficient. We are also impressed with the frame engineering which keeps the left side of the wheels open for easy tire changes (always a pain on an ebike) but also maintains a very balanced feel while riding. When the GX is folded, the wheels come together for more stability so you can easily roll the bike with one hand using the seat as a handle.

Overall, we found the Gocycle GX to have a very natural feel. It pedals like a regular bicycle with added power stealthily tucked into the compact frame and is a fantastic option for anyone looking for a compact/foldable commuter electric bike.
[Read more…] about Gocycle GX Review – 2020

Evelo Galaxy 500 ebike Review – 2020

Summary Review: Evelo Galaxy 50

We were really excited when Evelo asked the team here at Electric Bike Report to review their Galaxy 500 electric bike. The Galaxy 500 is designed for those between 4’11 and 5’10 who want an electric bike that is easy to ride but is still very powerful.

After testing the Evelo with 5 different team members and putting well over 100 miles on the bike, we concluded that Evelo has pretty much hit those goals 100%. We found this small, upright city cruiser easy to get on and off, a ton of fun to ride, and very smooth due to it’s impressive automatic transmission system (the “Enviolo variable transmission”).
[Read more…] about Evelo Galaxy 500 ebike Review – 2020

eBike News: Serial 1 Revealed, OHM Celebrates, Knaap into UK & Lots More! [VIDEOS]

In this week’s news:

Serial 1 eBikes ‘Powered by Harley Davidson’ Revealed
OHM Powers Ahead with Shimano EP8 Models
Knaap’s Motorbike Style eBikes Arrive in UK
Shimano E5000 Firmware Update
Reevo Hubless eBike Crowdfunds
Pirelli’s New Winter Tyre
New Cash Released for UK Infrastructure
Over 80s eBikers Safety Concern

New eBikes & eBike Systems

Serial 1 eBikes ‘Powered by Harley Davidson’ Revealed

After several months of teasing and hints of what these new Serial 1 eBikes will look like here they are. There is a single Serial 1 MOSH/CTY model and three variants of the Serial 1 RUSH/CTY design, making four new e-bikes in all. They are all powered by the 90 Nm torque / 410% pedal assist Brose S Mag drive more often found on top performing e-mtbs. Battery packs are frame integrated and very low down with a choice between 529 Wh and 706 Wh capacities.

Serial 1 MOSCH/CTY

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eBike Trends To Expect In 2021

Interested in just where e-bikes might be heading as we head towards 2021? We take a look at five e-bike trends set to accelerate over the coming months and years.

Lighter, More Responsive and More Automated Motors

There have been plenty of new motor releases and upgrades in 2020. The power increase and weight reduction war between the big four mid-drive motor manufacturers (Bosch, Brose, Shimano and Yamaha) continued in 2020 with the release of Shimano’s headline-grabbing EP8 as exemplified by the Orbea Rise with the EP8 especially tuned for a ‘more natural and sportier’ ride as the ‘RS’ version.

Just by tweaking the software of the motor, Orbea managed to reduce the maximum torque from 85 Nm to 60 Nm – Orbea realised that, at cadences between 80 and 90 rpm, neither the Performance Line CX nor the EP8 use their full torque at maximum power and the difference in torque becomes evident particularly when setting off, accelerating and negotiating steep technical climbs: here the EP8-RS requires more input from the rider and thus makes for a very natural, sporty ride feeling and reduced battery consumption.’ This in turn means less power consumption, a greater range and so a smaller battery is suitable (Orbea went with 360Wh capacity for the Rise with the option to extend the capacity to 612Wh via a ‘bottle’ battery if required).

Bosch have also been tweaking their software in 2020 to get a more natural feeling ride for off-roaders. I’ve done a lot of serious off-road miles in this semi-automatic e-mtb mode which switches between power levels for you based on your effort and the terrain – and really like the feel of it. 2021 sees the release of an e-mtb mode software upgrade for the Performance Line CX motor which is fitted to many, many top-line e-mtbs. The motor itself boasts a headline-grabbing extra 10Nm of torque but the real innovation comes in how and when the power is applied in an effort for a natural ride that is aimed at getting the rider over more obstacles in difficult positions and toning the power down in some situations such as at high cadences with light pedal pressure.
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Reflective Bike Backpack: Riderbag Reflektor35 Review

Being easily seen is important for bicyclists, as a lack of visibility is often cited as one of the leading factors in many of the 45,000 biking accidents and collisions that happen per year. While there are a number of great accessories that increase visibility, they often come in the form of bulky, hard to wear backpacks or vests, or tend to only work at night or certain parts of the day. Many visibility options are also quite uncomfortable to wear, or don’t offer other benefits outside of just increasing the biker’s profile.
[Read more…] about Reflective Bike Backpack: Riderbag Reflektor35 Review

eBike News: US eBike Imports Doubling, Powerful Priority Current, Tern’s Clubhouse Fort & Much More! [VIDEOS]

In the news this week:

Huge Growth in US Imports in 2020
Priority Current – Powerful New Mid-drive for Under US$3000
Rad Power’s Rad Runner Plus Heads to Europe
People for Bikes Vote for Bikes Update
Van Moof Security and Speed Limit Settings
Tern Adds All Weather Protection to Clubhouse Fort Carrying System
eBike Share from Boulder, Charlotte and the UK’s Big Issue
Tier eScooter Developments
All the Latest eBike Biz News

US eBike Imports Doubling this Year With Demand Outstripping Supply

Micromobility Newsletter reports that ‘Last year, the US imported about 270,000 ebikes. This year, the total is expected to end up somewhere between 500,000 and 600,000.’

This is from Ed Benjamin, founder and chairman of the Light Electric Vehicle Association. This year, Benjamin expects the total will end up somewhere between 500,000 and 600,000. Even that won’t fully meet demand, he says, because the virus forced many Chinese factories to shut down in the spring: “There’s howls of frustration about getting more bikes.”
[Read more…] about eBike News: US eBike Imports Doubling, Powerful Priority Current, Tern’s Clubhouse Fort & Much More! [VIDEOS]

Cargo Trailers for eBikes – The Complete Guide

eCargo Bikes VS Trailers