Electric Bike Reviews, News, & Testing
Electric Bike Report
Some links may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these.
When it comes to eBikes, and bicycles in general, an important accessory to consider is your ebike lock. A simple, lightweight lock might be easy to throw in your backpack, but won’t do much to deter thieves as they cut through the lock or find ways to undo it. At the same time, you don’t want to lug around a heavy and bulky lock.
Finally, even if you do lock up your bike properly, you are still at risk of having someone come by and steal your saddle.
There are two things you want to achieve with your e-bike battery. Firstly, whatever size the battery is in watt-hours (Wh), you will want to make sure you know how to get the most range out of it, as running out of battery is the last thing anyone wants to do and the longer you can go without charging the more useful your e-bike is. Secondly, you will want to look after it to maximize its lifespan; the battery is far and away the most expensive ‘consumable’ on any e-bike so of course the longer it lasts the better it is for your wallet. Additionally looking after the battery carefully will also help you get the most range out of it; all batteries decline in capacity over time but those that are treated more harshly show a greater decline. Read on to find out how you can achieve both ends.
You want to make sure your battery will perform to its full potential
We’ve all seen e-bikes advertised with a range ‘up to’ a certain limit. But how do you know you can achieve that range? Of course, until you try any e-bike out in the real world – with your body weight, your style of riding, and over the kind of terrain you use it in – you won’t. And range claims are often based on laboratory conditions, or at least conditions so benign they are not likely to be replicated in the real world very often. But you can make sure you maximize the range of any e-bike – and with today’s ever-more energy-dense lithium-ion batteries that can be quite significant. Here are EBR’s top tips for getting the most miles per charge.
[Read more…] about How To Get The Most Range & Life From Your eBike Battery
In this week’s news:
Wilier’s Hybrid Triestina Move Fast looks as though it certainly should do just that
In this week’s news:
The Orbea Rise is light and agile and the software modification makes it suitable for sportier riders who want to contribute more effort
After recently writing that eMTBs under the 20kg mark are extremely rare along comes the Orbea’s new Rise model at 18.8kg (though note that weight is for the battery lite version without the extra range extender). It packs Shimano’s EP8 mid-drive that looks great on paper and also an in-frame 360 Wh battery, integrated in the slim down tube. With an additional (and optional) battery in the bottle cage, the Rise reaches a total capacity of 612 Wh.
[Read more…] about eBike News: Orbea Light eMTB, Gazelle Low Maintenance, Delfast Cargo, World’s Thinnest Helmet, Winter eBiking & Much More! [VIDEOS]
LeMond Bicycles has announced the release of their first electric bikes. The LeMond team has a meticulous approach to design, technology, and innovation which is reflected in the sleek design of their two new ebikes: the Daily and the Dutch. Both eBikes have carbon fiber frames and high-end components. The frames are clean and simple with the battery, motor, and lighting system fully integrated to retain the classic look of a traditional bike.
The Daily is the result of years of work by LeMond to create the perfect ebike for daily use. The carbon fiber frame is sleek and fluid with impressive integration. The Daily integrates both the battery and MAHLE ebikemotion® X35 motor into the frame. A multiple mode light system is tucked into the barstem and seat stays, and charged by a single port. The Daily also features the Shimano GRX Hydraulic 1×11 drivetrain, tubeless compatible aluminum wheelset, and Spurcycle bell. Current retail price: $4500
[Read more…] about LeMond Launches New Carbon eBikes
Here at ElectricBikeReport, we had the opportunity to sit down with Don DiCostanzo of Pedego Electric Bikes for an in depth discussion about Pedego, e-bikes, and the industry in general.
Don is the CEO and founder of Pedego Electric Bikes, located in Fountain Valley, California. In 2006, Don purchased an ebike to help him ride up a large hill to his home. But after many frustrating experiences with several different ebikes, Don decided the only way to get the ebike he wanted would be to design it himself. So he set out to create a bike that was powerful, durable, stylish, and comfortable to ride. He and a partner began Pedego bikes in 2008 and Don has been learning from and influencing the ebike industry ever since then.
Today, Pedego is the number one brand of electric bikes in the US (according to Navigant Research) with over 140 stores and 30 more set to open soon.
We asked Don to tell us a little bit about Pedego, what makes this company unique, and to give us some insights into the history and evolution of the ebike industry.
[Read more…] about eBike Industry Leaders: An Interview w/ Don DiCostanzo of Pedego Electric Bikes
In this Spec Review we will take a look at the build, design and components on the DOST Drop.
The Drop e-bike by DOST Bikes is a comfortable e-cruiser with a step-thru frame that comes in glacier white or space gray. It comes with a 48 volt, 10.4Ah battery with the option to add a dual battery system for just $350 more. The Drop is currently on backorder, but the Oct/Nov 2020 batch is available on the DOST Bikes website.
DOST Bikes is a new e-bike manufacturer located in Canada. This company is a collective of e-bike professionals who are now working together to provide high-end e-bikes at mid-range prices. DOST Bikes only produces two bikes currently, the Drop (reviewed here) and the Kope (high-step version of the Drop).
One of DOST Bikes main emphases is extending the range and quality of traditional e-bikes. The Drop has a 750W mid-drive motor and a throttle and will zip up to 28mph (throttle peaks at 20mph), so it classifies as a Class 3 ebike. According to DOST Bikes, the Drop has up to 120miles of range (on the dual battery) depending on your assist/throttle level and weight. The Drop is currently listed at $2799 for the single battery and $3148 for the dual system. DOST only sells the Drop on its website; all bikes are shipped from Canada.
[Read more…] about DOST Drop eBike Review 2020
In this Spec Review we will take a look at the build, design and components on the BULLS Iconic EVO TR 1 Speed. We haven’t included a Ride Test in this review — that will be posted later (though you can check out some other BULLS electric bikes we’ve ride testedin the meantime).
The BULLS Iconic EVO TR 1 Speed is a new e-bike from BULLS that is fully equipped with a Bosch Performance Speed (Gen 4) motor and the new Bosch Powertube 625Wh battery for more power and longer rides. This is a hybrid off road/commuter e-bike designed for comfort and performance. The EVO TR 1 Speed is full suspension to absorb shock from bumpy cobblestones on your way to the cafe while also reducing impact shock from rough terrain when you take the Iconic EVO out for a recreation ride on the weekend. This all-around bike boasts 75Nm of torque. The Bosch Purion onboard computer is easy to use with four riding modes and clear display metrics. This bike will zip up to 28mph which is plenty for around town and enough for riding through the hills. In this review we cover the specs and overall build of the Iconic EVO TR 1 Spd, more details about the handling and navigability of the bike will be covered in a separate Ride Review.
The BULLS Iconic EVO TR 1 Spd has a wide range of features, making it a good choice for riders who:
[Read more…] about BULLS Iconic EVO TR 1 Speed eBike Review 2020
Having a comfortable e-bike that is easy to control and that you feel safe on can make all the difference to how much you use it. This is doubly so as you begin to age – when it’s especially advisable for people to keep cycling to stave off the effects of age on muscles, motor coordination, and the immune system.
With this in mid EBR looks at some of the best e-bikes for older riders.
Comfort and controllability are of extra importance to older riders and a fairly upright riding position is usually the best way to attain this. If the e-bike has a traditional diamond frame (though see below for the advantages of step-thru frames), a short top tube means the seat and handlebars will be quite near each other, making it easy to sit upright. Sportier designs and e-road bikes in particular will have longer top tubes and are inherently hard if not impossible to ride in an upright posture. As with everything, it’s a case of pros and cons though.
This striking image from bike designer Mark Sanders shows how the spine, neck and wrists are forced out of their natural riding positions by sportier designs of bike but a natural and comfortable position is maintained on an upright bike.
In this week’s electric bike news:
The BiMotal Elevate retrofit system has just been announced. It features a unique motor that mounts around disk brake mounting points and has a claimed weight of 2lbs / sub 1kg with a 750W rating assisting ‘up to 28mph’!
It claims to remove in 20 seconds with only 200g of extra weight remaining on the bike.
[Read more…] about eBike News: Avalanche of New e-Bike Launches, CycleSight Safety, Huge UK eScooter Micromobility Project and Lots More [VIDEOS]
