Surface604 Shred Review – 2024

That’s a lot of energy.

As you’d expect, that larger-than-average battery yielded a larger-than-average range. We did two range tests on the Shred, one in PAS 1 and the other in PAS 5.

In the first test, PAS 1, our test rider saw a range of 62.41 miles before the battery died. In the PAS 5 test, which I performed, the Shred lasted for 44.21 miles before giving out. Both of those results are exceedingly far, which is to be expected considering the size of the battery and the judicious output of the 500W rear hub motor.

So, considering the 960Wh battery we tested is an upgrade option, is it one I’d personally spend my money on? Maybe. It depends on how you think you’d use the bike.

In my opinion, there are going to be two camps of e-bike riders interested in the Shred. The first are those who are going to like the bike for its off-road looks and versatile build, but are primarily going to use it for path riding and commuter-like excursions. The second are those who are going to use the Shred as an off-road machine for exploring trails.

I’d recommend the larger battery to those in the first camp, who may be a little more likely to use their bikes on longer-haul rides where battery range might become a concern. For those in the second camp, a more than 44 mile range is exceptionally far on trail or double track. My suggestion would be to choose the stock 48V, 14Ah (672Wh) battery which would save some weight.

We did two timed laps on the Shred up our test hill Hell Hole, the first using just the throttle and the second using PAS 5. Despite the comparably modest 500W hub motor, the Shred put up times in both tests that go toe-to-toe with e-bikes that, on paper, are more powerful.

In the throttle only test, the Shred cleared Hell Hole in 1:27.00 with an average speed of 12.5 mph. That’s one of the best throttle-only times we’ve seen among off-road style e-bikes we’ve reviewed, not to mention that most of the bikes with similar times have 750W hub motors.

In the PAS 5 test, the Shred put up a 1:07.00 with an average speed of 16.2 mph. That’s the eighth best time up Hell Hole to date among all of the e-bikes we’ve reviewed. It’s a remarkable feat considering the Shred is just one of two 500W e-bikes in the top ten, the other is the Shred’s sister model, the Surface604 Quad.

We do have hill climb data from when we reviewed the previous model of the Shred, but I’m hesitant to make any direct comparisons because a different Electric Bike Report reviewer, who is lighter than me, did those tests. But it is worth noting that this model still went faster despite the weight difference, so it’s safe to say the new version of the Shred is a very capable climber.

Continuing with the theme of “the Shred is a very high-performing e-bike,” it fared very well in our braking test, too.

Our review model of the Shred came with a set of Tektro HD-E350 hydraulic disk brakes with 180mm rotors front and rear, a brakeset we see often on e-bikes that we trust quite a lot. But as braking is an amalgamation of several different components working together — the brakes, tires, geometry and more — we put the bike through five full-power stops from 20 mph to get an average braking distance.

On average, the Shred came to a stop in 11-feet-3-inches, which is far above the current average of 16 feet.

Not only do the Tektro brakes stop well, they have the added benefit of being a name brand that most local bike shops are going to recognize. That means that if the brakes ever need service (they likely will), your local shop will likely be able to house.

Like much else on the bike, Surface604 says quite a lot of thought was poured into the Shred’s geometry. Unlike some other affordable e-bike makers, the Shred’s frame was engineered in-house by a designer who actually rides — and that difference shows. It feels very at home on trail.

While the handling is solid, there are some eMTB-specific handling idiosyncrasies brought on by the hub motor. One of the advantages of the more expensive mid-drive units is they position the motor’s weight — one of the heaviest components — low and centered on the frame, which helps keep the bike balanced. A hub motor, on the other hand, moves all that weight to the rear of the bike.

On trail, this rearward weight distribution is most noticeable when you get the bike in the air, while negotiating really rough terrain and in situations where you need to lift the rear wheel up and over an obstacle. In any of those situations, the extra mass in the rear end can come as a surprise, but I did find myself figuring out how to compensate for that mass the longer I spent on the bike. In my opinion, it’s a small price to pay for the Shred’s affordability.

There were many upgrades on this bike that differ from stock spec, but by far the most impactful was the Wren suspension fork. The SR Suntour XCM fork is fine for most light-duty off-road use and paved trail riding, but the Wren fork is what made this bike capable on the rocky trails we have here in Electric Bike Report’s home base of southwest Utah. It’s plush, stiffens up the front end, and seemed to handle the repeated abuse of our trails in stride.

Though it’s billed as an off-road e-bike, Surface604 did a great job at making it versatile for those who may still want to use it for other purposes. There are bosses for racks and fenders, and the geometry is friendly to a broad spectrum of riders. The riding position is balanced and upright, with a relatively tall headtube and low standover height. You can even get it fitted with a swept handlebar if you want it even more upright.

Of all the types of e-bikes sold today, I’d bet the toughest to design and execute is likely the affordable electric mountain bike. I’m not talking about a cheap e-bike that sells the image of off-road capability, I mean an eMTB in the truest sense of the word; something that can handle the abuse of day-in-day out trail riding and do it well.

But I think Surface604 may be onto something with the Shred.

For an e-bike that costs less than $3,000 and utilizes some unconventional componentry (like a hub motor instead of mid-drive), the Shred sure can rip some single track. I’m sure there are other e-bikes out there that can compete with the Shred’s balance of affordability and off-road performance, but I can’t think of any off the top of my head; let alone any I’ve personally ridden.

The bike’s handling is remarkably balanced, its power delivery feels usable for trail applications and its component package is smartly chosen. Best of all, though, is its starting price, which I think will agree with the budgets of e-bike newcomers looking to dip their toes in the dirtier side of e-biking, but who may not be ready to commit to the $4,000-plus price tags of eMTBs from big-name brands.

I also like that Surface604 kept the Shred relatively versatile. It’s got bosses for racks and fenders, and a geometry that’ll be friendly to a very broad range of riders. It’s a bike that can wear many hats, but deep down, it just wants to put some miles in on the less beaten path.

For those reasons and more, I really like the Shred and would absolutely recommend it.

Like the rest of Surface604’s e-bikes, the Shred can be ordered online and shipped to your door.

‘Happy Riding, make sure to let us know if you have any questions down in our comments section or if you think we left anything out in this review of the Surface604 Shred.