I never know what to expect when people switch industries to start making electric bikes. E-bikes are hot right now and everyone wants a piece of the pie! However, in the case of motorcycle racer Eric Buell, the resulting e-bikes are simply excellent. I got to test ride a prototype of the 3S in the summer of '23 and even though it was a little rough around the edges I was blown away by the quality. The 2S is the "so long range it's extreme" variant, rocking dual batteries for a whopping 2,000 watt-hours of total capacity. Combine this with the responsive and efficient mid-drive motor from VALEO and you've got an insane amount of range potential. These Class 3 e-bikes can easily cruise at 28mph, and feel safe even on congested city streets thanks to a certified motorcycle-grade loadout of lights, signals, and mirrors - rare in the US but legally required for such a powerful e-bike in Europe. Kudos to the FUELL team for keeping those high standards on both sides of the pond!
I never know what to expect when people switch industries to start making electric bikes. E-bikes are hot right now and everyone wants a piece of the pie! However, in the case of motorcycle racer Eric Buell, the resulting e-bikes are simply excellent. I got to test ride a prototype of the 3S in the summer of '23 and even though it was a little rough around the edges I was blown away by the quality. These bikes have mid-drive motors from VALEO, a French company I hadn't heard of before. I love these motors! They're incredibly powerful and their responsiveness rivals that of high-end Bosch systems; they have an "auto mode" that intelligently adjusts not only the motor power output (which is fairly common) but also automatically shifts the gears of the internal hub. It's an incredibly elegant system; just turn on the bike and ride, and never fiddle with controls. Electronics aside these are kitted out to motorcycle specifications with surprisingly bright lights and a full suite of signaling controls, plus the usual fenders and sturdy rear rack, and even a rearview mirror!
E-bikes don't get much stealthier than the CGO600 Pro, with electronics so sneakily integrated that few people will realize it isn't just a regular old acoustic bicycle. It's lightweight and incredibly smooth to ride thanks to the maintenance-free carbon belt setup. However, this is only a single speed, so it's best suited to city riders in relatively flat areas; sure, it can climb hills pretty well thanks to the 350-watt hear hub motor, but not being able to downshift means you'll have to put in quite a bit of work as well.
Most direct-to-consumer e-bikes have bad warranties, especially if they're affordably priced. Not so with the Cruiser Model 1 from Denago, who warranties their frames for life, and goes the extra mile to UL certify both their batteries and complete e-bike systems. This Class 2 is capable of 20mph speeds using either the twist throttle or cadence-sensing pedal assist, and includes fenders for easy riding in bad weather. There are mount points for a rack but you'll have to pay extra or install one yourself if you want to haul some cargo.
It's all aboard the electric minibike train for the e-bike industry! The Core has an eye-catching design with tasteful branding colors, and it's a bit more comfortable than the average minibike thanks to full suspension and raised BMX-style handlebars. The 1,000 watt rear hub motor is incredibly fun to ride on, but a bit too powerful to legally call this an electric bike in some jurisdictions (sorry Californians). The extra-long banana seat can hold two passengers easily with the help of foot pegs, though riding two up will seriously affect your handling.
If you want a trike that's ready for some heavy duty hauling then the 4|2 Rickshaw is definitely worth checking out. Load it up with up to 500 pounds of cargo or passengers; the passenger seat is even rocking two seatbelts for safe transportation! Oh Wow Cycles uses advanced rear wheel differentials on all their trikes, which means that the rear wheels can turn at different speeds, allowing the Rickshaw to corner pretty darn well... for a trike, anyways. Fat tires and a suspension fork provide comfort and you'll feel good riding anywhere a trike has business riding. Like all trikes the hub motor is in the front wheel which can feel a bit weird at first, but you get used to it, and when the Rickshaw is fully loaded down you shouldn't notice any wheel slip when accelerating.
Rawr, it's the Lynx! Usually when you ride a small folding e-bike you have to make some sacrifices such as not being able to haul cargo, but there's no such trade-off for the Lynx, which is rocking not only a rear rack but also a sturdy front basket! It's also surprisingly adjustable thanks to the extra long seatpost, which is doing double duty holding up butts and also housing the battery pack. 20" wheels give a mechanical advantage to the motor for more ZIP, but they also don't roll over bumps as nicely as a big wheel would, and since there's no suspension you should avoid rough riding surfaces.
With it's unique frame and cleanly integrated electronics the Chord is aesthetically pleasing, and quite stealthy - most people won't realize it's electric without close inspection. The Chord also sports some unusual features, such as built-in navigation and fingerprint unlock... that's got to be a first on an e-bike! It has integrated lights and fenders so it's ready for basic use, but you'll have to spend a bit more if you want a rack for hauling cargo. While the battery isn't very high capacity, the lightweight construction combined with a responsive and efficient torque sensor means you'll still get plenty of range out of it.
Denago was on to a good thing with the City Model 1 and they've added some improvements for the Model 2 that include wider tires and a sleek integration of the battery. The Model 2 is also rocking a step-thru frame, much more approachable for riders of any ability to jump on and go. This is a Class 2/3 electric bike which means you can get up to 20mph on the throttle, or 28mph with just the pedal assist. Denago has gone the extra mile to UL certify their products, and the Model 1 also has quality components not usually seen at this price range: hydraulic disc brakes, and an 8-speed drivetrain with a nice wide 11-32 tooth range.
While I haven't officially reviewed this bike I did get to spend some time riding it and I was seriously impressed: it's comfortable, it's fast, and it's SMOOTH. Some of this is from good electronics that are configured well, but underneath Cyrusher has built a quality bicycle that feels good to ride without the electric assistance. This is an e-bike made for adventuring, with nary a fender nor a basket in sight, though you do get an integrated headlight to cover the basics. The fat tires provide traction and comfort on any terrain, the full suspension gobbles up bumps, and the 750 watt rear hub motor can climb even the steepest of hills thanks to the 52 volt battery platform and spicy 25 amp controller.
The Fat Tire, Do Anything Adventure Bike! This is a winning style of e-bike that can handle everything from running errands to commuting to off-road adventure riding, and it's quite comfortable thanks to those high volume fat tires and of course the suspension fork. The Gemini has dual batteries totaling an impressive 1,092 watt-hours and a much higher than average weight limit, so it's a perfect fit for both cargo haulers and long range trekkers. While the 1,000 watt motor is certainly fun to ride and allows speeds of 35+ mph while unlocked, this also pushes it into "moped" territory and it won't be legal to ride in some areas.
Dual batteries on a small folding e-bike? Qualisports says "sure, why not!" Having the dual battery option is nice if you want to maximize your range, but you might not want to ride that far since this is a small bike with no suspension... but even then it's nice to not have to charge up as often. Plus, the battery-hiding seatpost is extra thick which means you can raise it extra high; this combined with the telescoping stem make the Dolphin Plus surprisingly comfortable for what it is. The 500 watt motor feels pleasantly zippy due to the smaller diameter wheels, with a tried-and-true Shimano drivetrain for pedaling.