Mountain bike racing is a tough racket. It might not seem like it to the casual observer, but the rates of injury are high, the travel schedule is cruel and unrelenting, the stress and pressure from manufacturers is unimaginable, and the level of professionalism is just like any other pro sport. To say the least, it can take the joy out of mountain biking pretty quickly.

Samantha Soriano knows that all too well. A former national champion downhiller and the youngest woman ever to win on that stage, she found herself down and out after the 2019 season. She got injured and the results didn’t come, and as the COVID-19 pandemic took off, she was looking for a new direction.

But the pandemic provided a blessing in disguise. With no racing to focus on, Soriano found her two-wheeled outlet in the freeride discipline, which fosters the creativity racing stifles and thrives on laid-back riders with a thirst for ever gnarlier lines. Freeriders build their own lines, finding unique features that are far too nasty for a normal mountain bike trail. The pressure is high when it comes time to perform, but the pressure is self-applied, and Soriano found freedom and calm in the ability to literally cut her own path.

So she moved to Virgin, Utah, freeride’s spiritual home, and the site of freeride’s biggest contest, Red Bull Rampage. As a Virgin resident, she has worked to pull other women into freeride, which until a couple of years ago was very much a boys’ club.

In her pursuit of new terrain, Soriano relies on a 2023 Can-Am Commander to get her from ride spot to ride spot in the desert. The rig allows her to traverse terrain more quickly and get to further-flung places that would be less accessible by truck or van. The Can-Am is her tool for getting to the lines nobody else is riding.

Check out the video to hear Soriano tell her story and see how she uses her Can-Am as a willing partner in crime.

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Looking to “bring the joy of ebikes to more riders,” Rad Power Bikes enters an entirely new category today with the introduction of its first three-wheeled electric, the RadTrike.

“The journey to the RadTrike began with one of my first customers who couldn’t ride a traditional bike due to health issues,” Rad Power founder and chairman Mike Radenbaugh said. “Since that early interaction, I’ve had countless conversations with customers looking to Rad for more solutions. Fast forward to now, and we’ve honed our expertise to create a high-value, purpose-built three-wheel option that will popularize another micromobility category. The RadTrike is the next big acceleration in our mission to make transportation energy-efficient, enjoyable, and accessible to all.”

Rad Power says an e-tricycle has been the most requested model in the Seattle brand’s history, and that the $2,499 RadTrike makes electric assist an option for people of nearly all abilities.

“To some, two wheels is daunting and prohibitive,” said Sarah Bruce Courtney, senior product manager at Rad Power. “That’s why we created RadTrike. It was engineered specifically for comfort and stability but designed for fun and adventure. It was thoughtfully crafted so those who simply haven’t ridden a bike in a while, struggle with balance, or face mobility challenges can ride Rad with friends and family. Now, these individuals can ride to the grocery store, cruise around their neighborhood, or pursue new outdoor activities.”

In addition to making pedaling accessible for more people, the RadTrike is also designed with utility in mind. The steel-framed tricycle has a total payload capacity of 415 pounds (including rider), and comes with a built-in rear rack as well as front rack mounts, and is compatible with racks, baskets, and bags already offered in Rad Power’s accessories line.

Tall handlebars, a short frame reach, and a well-padded saddle with a low backrest put the rider in a very upright, head-up riding position aboard the trike. The extremely low-slung frame drops step-over height all the way down to the top of the front chainring, and the seat tube is short enough for riders down to a height of 4-foot-10 or a 25-inch inseam to fit, according to Rad Power.

The RadTrike gets its electric assist from a central hub drive connected to a singlespeed drivetrain between its two rear wheels. Riders can toggle through five levels of pedal assist or use the twist throttle by the right-hand handlebar grip for an electric push topping out at 14 mph, compared with the 20 mph max speed for all of Rad Power’s two-wheelers. (Trikes handle very differently from bicycles, and Rad Power recommends not only that riders practice turning at safe speeds to get comfortable, but that they also not exceed speeds of 15 mph going downhill.)

Advertised range is 20 to 35 miles from the 10Ah/48V frame-mounted external battery, which can be charged on or off the RadTrike. Braking for the 82-pound cycle comes from a combination of a rear coaster brake and a single disc brake up front. The front brake lever includes a parking brake button. Pull the front lever and press the button at the same time to park the trike, then pull just the brake lever to release the parking brake.

Rad Power also includes a reverse mode on the three-wheeler for parking or navigating in tight and awkward spaces. Simply hold the downward arrow button (also marked with an R) on the electric controller for two seconds, then twist the throttle to move backward—no pedaling required. When done, press the button again to exit reverse mode.

The RadTrike is available for preorder, with deliveries expected to begin in mid-January. More information: radpowerbikes.com.

This holiday season, as we gather with family, loved ones, and that uncle whose life was ruined by kooks on YouTube, it’s important to look at our plates and ask, “What does this wonderful bounty teach about ebikes?”

And, maybe, “Is this delicious bounty what Guy Fieri has been trying to teach us for decades?”

The answer to both questions is the same: Fat is the fast track to fun and Flavortown. Both in the kitchen and on two wheels.

Before we get into the details of the Denago Fat Tire Step-Thru, it’s essential to get into the history of fat bikes. This look into the past is relevant to this ebike. The Denago Fat Tire is unique, affordable, and way more fun than we should expect out of a $2K ebike.

First, your history lesson.

Although analog fat bikes have been around for decades, and maybe even a century, they started to become popular in the aughts. These bikes are great in the snow and sand, and they excel on flat terrain.

Bearded bike nerds in the mostly flat Midwest kickstarted this trend of bicycles with massive tires: about 4 inches wide, give or take. Minnesota-based Surly Bikes built the Pugsley fat bike in 2005, and the industry grew from there.

This was a monumental shift for pedalers. Just looking down and seeing 4 inches of rubber underneath you was fun. Cyclists felt like they were on a pedal-powered monster truck. But the thing that your conspiracy-loving uncle pays no mind to—science—got in the way.

Mainly physics. Most of your effort when you spin the pedals on a bike goes to moving your wheels. The farther the mass gets from the hub, the more work it takes to move. This is why most racers spend more time on a light wheelset than a featherweight frame: Thanks to quicker acceleration and less work to maintain high speeds, it’s the smartest place to spend your money.

But, when you add weight to your rims or tires, your bike feels sluggish. It’s tough to get all that mass moving. And that, dear reader, is why electric-assist fatties might just be the best realization of a fat bike.

Just be careful when saying that to a purist. That hole smack dab in the middle of their beard might start frothing!

That’s a really, really long way of saying the Denago Fat Tire Step-Thru is a helluva good time. So much so that it might transcend ebike-ness.

Can we call it an e-fat? That would be delicious.

Unlike the Denago City Model 1 and the Denago Commute Model 1 we reviewed earlier this year, which utilize a 500W Shengyi rear hub motor and a 652.8Wh removable internal battery, the Denago Fat Tire offers more on both fronts. The removable internal battery is significantly larger: a massive 921.6Wh. The Bafang rear hub motor is a full 50 percent more powerful: 750W. And the Bafang uses a torque sensor to measure out pedal assist up to 28 mph. Like both of Denago’s other models, a throttle will also get you to 20 mph without pedaling. Claimed range is 45 miles.

The downtube of the low-step aluminum alloy frame houses the removable battery, which can be charged on or off the bike. And the wheels are old-school: 26 inches! That’s a good thing. They’re a bit hardier than larger options, and you want all the beefiness you can get for this almost 80-pound rig.

The rubber? Four-inch-wide Kenda tires with puncture protection and reflective sidewalls.

Unlike the other two Denago models, this e-fat gets its gearing from Shimano: a Tourney seven-speed drivetrain. For bike folks of a certain age, seeing a bike equipped with seven-speed may bring flashbacks to a time when Kurt Cobain was alive and helmets were not yet mandatory in races like the Tour de France. But on the streets, the Tourney drivetrain performed really well. It’s not sexy or buttery smooth, but is very functional.

Shimano groups, even the inexpensive ones, are impressively utilitarian.

Those fat ol’ tires inspire confidence and exploration. Confidence because they look like they’re ready to plow through just about anything. Although you never want to hit a pothole, if you do, it’s tough to imagine a better tire to hit them with. Those knobbies mean choosing the dirt path less taken is always an option.

Thanks to that motor, acceleration is peppy. Not paying the weight tax for that rotating mass is great. Sure, it probably affects the overall range of the bike by a smidge, but this ebike isn’t for the max-range set. Nice to have, for sure, but not necessary for most.

And all that prattle you just read about the big tires? There’s a reason for it: High-volume fat tires deliver Cadillac-like ride quality and comfort in the saddle. With the crumbling infrastructure of a lot of American communities, the e-fat might just be the future

Although I really loved riding the Commute Model 1 around Los Angeles, the e-fat is next level. Stay tuned for the full review to find out what it was like to ride this very upright e-fat both off road and around town—and whether it’s really possible to have your proverbial cake and eat it too.

Aventon has come a long way from its beginnings as a seller of non-electric track and fixed-gear (or fixie) bikes.

Founded in 2014, the Southern California brand released its first ebikes in 2018 as the electric market was heating up in the US. Like the humble single-gear analog bikes Aventon started with, its first electrics were modest in design and aimed at accessible price points: basic cadence-sensing hub-drive ebikes with bolted-on external batteries for $1,000 to $1,400.

Fast-forward to today, and Aventon is exclusively electric, with an expansive line of throttle- and pedal-assist models for commuting, recreational riding, and moderate off-road use. The brand sells consumer direct online, at electronics retailer Best Buy, and through a network of around 800 local bicycle dealers.

Aventon still plays in the sub-$2,000 sandbox, but its ebikes have grown a bit more sophisticated, with frame-contained batteries, suspension forks on select models, and cleanly integrated lighting.

The Level.2 and Level.2 Step-Through commuter models represent Aventon’s latest push forward: the adoption of torque sensing in its hub-drive system.

What Is the Aventon Level.2 Step-Through?

The Level.2 Step-Through is a low-stepover commuter/urban ebike. It ships as a Class 2 ebike, with pedal and throttle assist both limited to 20 mph, but pedal assist (not the throttle) can be increased to as high as 28 mph using Aventon’s app when paired with the bike. This is how I rode the Level.2 for the duration of my testing.

A 500W sustained/750W peak brushless hub motor puts out pedal assist based on input from a bottom-bracket-based torque sensor, which measures the pressure the rider applies to the pedals. This is a first for Aventon, which until now has exclusively used only cadence sensors that initiate assist based simply on crank rotation. Throttle assist is activated with a thumb lever just inboard of the right handlebar grip.

The drive system is powered by a 672Wh integrated battery that locks into the frame’s massive downtube section. The rider can toggle through five levels of pedal assist with the left-hand thumb controller, and an LCD smart display with backlighting sits front and center on the handlebars reading out ride data including speed, assist level, trip distance, odometer, battery level, and more.

Aventon outfits the Level.2 (also available in a high-step frame) with a host of commuter and comfort touches: a rear rack with 55-pound carrying capacity, metal fenders front and rear, tail and brake lighting integrated into both the rear fender and the frame’s seatstays, headlight, a coil-sprung Zoom suspension fork with 65 millimeters of travel, ergonomic comfort grips, and a wide, moderately soft saddle.

Rounding out the component spec are a Shimano Acera eight-speed drivetrain, Tektro hydraulic brakes with 180-millimeter rotors, and 27.5-inch double-wall alloy wheels shod in 2.1-inch-wide Arisun hybrid tires with reflective sidewall striping, a rounded profile, and a low-profile tread pattern.

Aventon offers the Level.2 Step-Through in two frame sizes: S/M fitting riders 4-foot-11 to 5-foot-7, and L/XL for riders 5-foot-7 to 6-foot-1. At 5 feet, 11 inches, I fit comfortably to the latter size.

How Does the Aventon Level.2 Step-Through Ride?

I already mentioned that I maxed out the bike’s top pedal assist setting to 28 mph—wanting as much speed as possible to better keep pace with motor traffic. This was done easily by pairing the bike with Aventon’s smartphone app and navigating to the “speed limit” setting. Here, the user can set that limit anywhere from 12 to 28 mph. This affects pedal assist only, not the Level.2′s thumb throttle, which is capped at 20 mph.

From the first pedal stroke, the Level.2 felt different from any Aventon I had ever ridden before. This was down entirely to Aventon’s adoption of a torque sensor rather than the cadence-sensing drive systems the brand has used until now. Torque sensors measure how hard you’re pedaling, whereas basic cadence sensors only tell the motor whether you’re pedaling. So the onset of the pedal assist is markedly more immediate, as well as strikingly fluid and measured. No huge delay or herky-jerky fits and starts at the pedals.

As I mentioned in my First-Ride Review of the Level.2 Step-Through, the pedal assist isn’t as sophisticated and natural-feeling as more complex and pricey mid-motor ebikes, but experienced cyclists and ebike riders will no doubt appreciate the improvement in pedaling quality over simple cadence-based systems.

Novice riders comparing the different sensing systems might not be so easily convinced.

Cadence-sensing ebikes take a bit longer for the pedal assist to initially kick in (which can be overcome with a throttle), but once it gets going the rider can easily keep turning the pedals in an easy gear to “ghost pedal” the bike and get essentially free assist from the motor. Not so with a torque sensor, which measures the force the rider puts into the bicycle drivetrain. So overall, the torque-sensing bike will require more legitimate effort from the rider.

Personally, I’ll take the more natural-feeling assist of torque sensing every time. It’s just a more pleasurable ride experience.

I rode the Level.2 almost entirely in the top two levels of pedal assist—rarely touching the throttle—and saw 39 miles of range over 1,500 feet of elevation gain before the battery dipped below 5 percent remaining charge. Pretty solid performance carrying a 170-pound rider over rolling topography. Flat-landers and those setting the bike to a lower max pedal assist level can expect even greater range.

Aventon has done a commendable job outfitting the Level.2 for its intended use as a commuter. The rear rack is a bolt-on piece rather than integrated into the frame, but it’s super stout and stable. Riders in damp climates will appreciate the full-wrap metal fenders, which are also very securely mounted and don’t rattle at all when riding over rough pavement. And the front and rear lighting combined with the tires’ reflective sidewalls give the rider 360-degree visibility in traffic.

But most important of all, the Level.2 is just fast. That’s what I want most when riding in traffic. It accelerates quickly off the line—no throttle assist required—and has all the gearing needed to fully take advantage of its powerful Class 3 pedal assist. If that kind of speed isn’t your thing, or you lean more toward leisure riding than snaking through busy traffic, go ahead and tone down the max assist. Aventon lets you tailor the Level.2 to your needs and preferences.

Who’s gonna complain about that?

How Much Does the Aventon Level.2 Step-Through Cost?

MSRP is $1,949. Aventon sells consumer direct online at aventon.com, through Best Buy (in-store and online), and at authorized independent bicycle dealers.

My first thought when I saw Magnum’s new Premium 3 Low Step folding electric bike was how well it would’ve suited my pre-pandemic life. Back then, my commute to the office involved a flat 1-mile ride to the train station on one end and a 10-mile, hillier route on the other. A compact and fast ebike that I could easily stow during the train portion of the commute would’ve saved me a lot of sweaty arrivals to the office.

These days I tend to lean toward bikes with more cargo space, as I work from home and am much more focused on replacing as many quick-errand trips with a bike as possible. But even without a monster commute, so far the Premium 3 is proving pretty handy to have around.

The new $2,000 release from Utah-based multichannel brand Magnum is powered by Bafang’s 750W (500W nominal) rear-hub motor that gets its juice from a big 720Wh battery that tucks in behind the seat tube and rear fender. That translates into a range 30 to 50 miles and a 7.5-hour charge time from empty.

The battery placement leaves ample room in the front triangle for a super-low, 15.75-inch standover, one of the distinguishing features of the aptly named Low Step model. The Premium 3 also comes in a High Step version with less swoop in the frame and a straight toptube. The aluminum frame folds by flipping a lever mechanism located where the seat tube and downtube join, then the two halves of the frame easily join together. The handlebar folds down as well, as do the pedals, so it all tucks into a nice compact package. At just over 62 pounds, the bike’s total weight is reasonable if you need to, say, hoist it onto a commuter train or lift it into the back of a car, but removing the 11-pound battery first certainly makes it easier to move around.

The motor offers five levels of power—from Eco to Boost—with a top speed of 20 mph via throttle and up to 25 mph of pedal assist, depending on how the bike is programmed. It’s paired with a seven-speed Shimano drivetrain and rolls on 20-inch wheels. The credit-card-sized, backlit bar-mounted display clearly shows battery level, assist level, speed, power output, distance, range, and trip time, and also has an odometer.

My first ride on the Premium 3 consisted of a 2-mile jaunt to the grocery store and back, and happened to take place when the main road through town was torn up for a repaving project. I was immediately grateful for the suspension fork and wide 3-inch tires, both of which helped to smooth out an otherwise jarring, bumping ride through gaping potholes and over abrupt breaks in the tarmac. The fork does have a lockout for those who prefer to feel all of the road.

The other ride quality that’s immediately noticeable is the Premium 3′s zippiness, especially after spending time on much longer, heavier cargo ebikes. The integrated rear rack holds panniers, so even with a fairly compact bike, you haul a decent amount of cargo—at least a couple of grocery bags. Despite the built-in cadence sensor with the pedal assist, it still felt a bit sluggish off the line, as rear-hub drive bikes tend to, but the throttle provides a necessary boost.

I also found the bike a bit quirky to start—the key has to be in the battery ignition and turned to the “on” position, and the power switch is tucked away under the handlebar-mounted controller that toggles the pedal-assist mode. I won’t go into too much self-incriminating detail into how long it took me to figure that winning combination out, but will admit that it did require a call to the local Magnum shop. Fortunately, there are many ways to reach someone at the brand, including an online chat, Magnum’s vast dealer network, and a customer service line, so finding answers is quick and convenient.

I’ll be curious to ride the Premium 3 for longer distances and see if it’s comfortable for more saddle time, or if its sweet spot really is short connections.

Cycle Volta parent company Octane Lending Inc. has announced a partnership with UBCO, the Oregon-based maker of utilitarian two-wheel electric vehicles, to make it easier for consumers to finance their UBCO purchases.

The deal gives customers a hassle-free path to purchase, with an easy online financing application and soft-pull tools that do not affect credit scores. These enhancements to the purchasing process along with the new relationship with Octane’s inhouse lender, Roadrunner Financial Inc., make it possible for dealers to offer competitive rates and even more flexible terms than before.

Related: UBCO 2X2 First Ride Review

Octane has been in the business of optimizing powersports financing since 2014, giving dealers in numerous markets the tools and support they’ve needed to thrive.

“We’re thrilled to partner with UBCO to bring our seamless buying experience to even more enthusiasts and to fuel our customers’ lifestyles in an environmentally friendly way,” said Jason Guss, CEO and co-founder of Octane, in a company press release. “The EV industry allows us to merge technology, sustainability, and innovation while tapping into a rapidly expanding market and delivering on our mission to connect people with their passions.”

Related: UBCO Launches 2020 Product Line

UBCO chief revenue officer Phil Harrison added: “UBCO wants to get more people on two wheels than ever before. Up to 92 percent of Americans currently don’t participate in powersports, and we want to change that by providing approachable, easy-to-ride vehicles that expand powersports to the masses. Octane’s purely digital experience is a key part of the value proposition to our customers.”

I’ve never understood the phrase “There’s more than one way to skin a cat,” mostly because, eww! Why would you want to? However, “different strokes for different folks,” sort of makes sense, especially if you might be talking about strumming a guitar or picking a fiddle.

I raise these aphorisms because with ebikes we sort of forgot about—or perhaps chose not to look at—the idea that there are many different approaches to the same end goal. If I just want to get across town, and the town isn’t LA from south to north, probably a pretty inexpensive low-power ebike will be just fine. But if the town in question is San Francisco, those hills require mega torque.

Head for the singletrack and the equation shifts yet again. Want more range? Want longer travel? Then we’re talking about heavyweight eMTBs that, sure, can bomb down a ski run, but forget about shredding tight singletrack, because high power and high weight will destroy great cornering.

So you’ve got to choose what matters most. Because you’re not going to get a long-travel suspension that’s great at zero weight penalty. Plus, the more range you want, the more a larger battery is going to weigh down your sled.

With the Fuel EXe, Trek looked at all the “wants” and decided to make hard choices. Above all, Trek wanted a lighter mountain bike. The trouble with what I’d call “eMTB 2.0″ (or circa 2019 and onward) has been a sort of default to a need for range that really doesn’t exist. It’s neat to be able to session all day with seven hours of battery life, but most folks ride singletrack for 90 minutes to two hours and call it a day. And if you want to even split the difference, you’re still talking about a bike that weighs more than 50 pounds, because you still need the power supply and motor to handle it; and in turn, everything else, from suspension to wheels, must be beefier to handle the additional heft.

Still, Trek’s first stab at a different stroke probably went too far in the other direction, from tremendous range, but heavy, to very light, with the E-Caliber — but with barely enough range in an under-suspended bike.

Advance the clock barely a year and we’re now seeing “eMTB 3.0,” with the poster child in the form of the Fuel EXe and its tremendous TQ drive system, described in greater detail below.

By focusing first on shedding weight, Trek was able to build this bike with lightweight carbon rims and didn’t have to spec downhill-burly suspension parts. The less-is-less (and more nimble) approach has paid serious dividends in every way, and as you’ll read, I had very few issues with the EXe save having to return it to sender at the end of the test.

What Is the Trek Fuel EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS?

No matter which Fuel EXe you buy, from the $6,500 Fuel EXe 9.5 to the eye-watering Fuel EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS at $14,000, the bike comes with the same powertrain. Kudos to Trek, by the way, for not cheaping out here and making a lower-wattage or different-drivetrain version of the EXe for the plebes who can only afford what my KTM moto cost me.

But in all seriousness, if Trek is going to make a breakthrough with the TQ system, pairing a 360Wh battery and a mid-drive assist capable 50Nm of peak power, then they ought to get it into the hands of buyers who might be torn between a new non-powered mountain bike at six grand or a new eMTB at a similar price rung. And I think anyone who rides the TQ powertrain will have their head whipped right around like it’s on a swivel. It’s different, and entirely in good ways.

The rest of the kit, of course, varies if you’re going from the 9.5 way up to the 9.9 XX1 AXS. But since I reviewed the latter, not the former, that’s where I’ll focus—mostly.

What they have in common, though, is the same new EXe carbon frame as well as the TQ drive system, and the ability to pair the bike with the Trek Central app. With the AXS component spec, app pairing also enabled reading suspension pressures as well as tire pressure, since all of these have sensors, but the app works in pairing with any of the TQ-equipped bikes whether they have SRAM’s fancy electronic suspension or not.

Regardless of which EXe you buy, you can power up and just ride without pairing. But at least the first time you’re ready to ride, syncing with the app lets you customize the different power modes. There are Eco, Mid, and High levels of assist, but you can tailor not only the percentage of boost each mode offers, but also the quickness of onset. Experimenting with this aspect led me to understand that I prefer very fast input, but not necessarily the highest wattage. I mostly tested the Trek in Eco mode and left the max wattage at about 150 and at a top input of about 25 to 30 percent of my own output.

That was just enough to give me propulsion to overcome the added weight of the bike versus something about 10 pounds lighter, which is what I’m used to for shredding singletrack. And if I was facing a long, grinding climb, I could bump up to Mid mode and get an additional 50 watts of shove. I seldom needed High assist, save for on the steepest of ascents.

By the way, because the EXe I tested tipped the scales at about 38.5 pounds and I really didn’t need to churn in High mode much, I saw five hours of riding before needing to recharge. That’s dang sweet. Trek had said it switched to the TQ system (from Fazua on the E-Caliber) partly for efficiency, and that certainly showed during testing.

If you tackle steeper climbs than what I see in my backyard (1,500 feet per 60-minute shred is pretty normal on my home turf) and think you’ll dig deeper into the assist per climb, Trek does sell a 160Wh piggyback battery that adds 40 percent more range, costs $660, and slots right into a bottle cage.

FYI, even if you don’t pair a phone to the bike, there’s a toptube-mounted screen that gives you most of the data you’d want during a ride. And the single button here lets you scroll to see battery life (reflected in percentage or time as well as range in miles), and you can also see your own power and speed.

How Does the Trek Fuel EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS Ride?

In my First Ride Review I didn’t focus that heavily on the suspension spec of this bike. And while you might opt to eat from the merely deluxe $6,500 table rather than the ultra-deluxe $14,000 “private room” level where I dined, it’s still important to note that that the pairing of the 150-millimeter-travel RockShox Lyrik Ultimate fork combined with the RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate shock with 140 millimeters of travel made for a bike that handles supremely well. And, the important part: These aren’t parts that have to be overbuilt to handle a really heavy frame. You’ll find a nearly identical fork, minus the insane electronic sensors and updated damper, on Trek’s Remedy 8—a non-electrified mountain bike.

While I’m sure the lower-spec RockShox suspension isn’t quite as fluid and beautifully buttery on the EXe 9.5, Trek doesn’t rob you of travel or warp the geo for customers paying less—you’ll still get a long-travel trail bike, just like the 9.9 XX1 AXS.

The bike’s angles are adjustable via a chip in the rear suspension rocker that allows going slacker, to a 64.7-degree head angle, or steeper, to 65.2 degrees. Trek says that although the frame is spec’d with 29er wheels, 27.5 is compatible, which did have me wondering about how the bike would ride with a slightly shrunken wheelbase, because if I have any critique, it’s that it can have that hard-to-induce turn-in feel that’s an issue with taller wheels.

This is, to be clear, the weensiest of niggles.

Because simply put, the EXe frame offers any rider superb engineering that pays off with stellar handling, especially on really technical singletrack. It was so easy to place precisely on the trail that I easily railed a super steep set of switchbacks that usually have me puckering with a lot of brake. But the EXe simply ate up the line and I felt like I was just along for the ride. Bikes that make you feel superhuman are rare; the fact that the EXe can do that both while climbing and descending deserves a serious huzzah!

We’re pretty deep into this review and I’ve yet to delve much into the exceptional TQ system, other than to describe the joy of the quick power delivery. And while I mentioned in my earlier review how quiet this system is, I did discover that you can actually hear it, but basically only when pedaling at about 90 rpm and higher. Even still, you have to really try — so much so that it’s very easy to completely forget you’re riding an ebike at all.

In addition, the power on/power off characteristics are pretty astonishing. If you’ve ever felt your ankle sort of torqued forward by a mid-drive bike’s assist, that simply never happened with the TQ. Pedal ratchet motions are super common when you ride tech singletrack, for instance to crawl over a log or ladder up and down some whoops, and the calibration for just that kind of maneuver was clearly part of Trek’s study, since this is the most naturally pedaling electric bike I’ve tested to date, for dirt or pavement.

It all adds up to a terrific package, and possibly the most extraordinary bicycle Trek has ever built. It’s certainly not inexpensive, but that is literally the only thing holding Trek back from total dominance with this system.

How Much Does the Trek Fuel EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS Cost?

MSRP is $14,000. The Fuel EXe is available in five additional spec levels from $6,500 to $13,000. More information: trekbikes.com.

Editor’s note: This story originally appeared on CycleVolta.com sibling website CycleWorld.com.

So here’s the thing: LiveWire claims the LiveWire One gets 146 miles of in-city range and 95 miles in mixed highway/city riding, although those numbers are greatly affected by factors like temperature, wind, and elevation changes. The company also claims the bike can fully recharge in as little as 60 minutes. So the bike is a known, or at least knowable, quantity.

But just as important as understanding this electric motorcycle, and by extension this whole new segment of motorcycling, is an understanding of the infrastructure required to power it. After all, using a charging station is not like using a gas station. Therefore, to truly experience what it’s like to own an EV in America, we had to live with the bike, travel, and experience it in new and different settings. In other words, we had to take it on a road trip.

This test began with a very specific goal: Not to repeat what Michael Gilbert had already done in his 2020 Road Test or what Don Canet had done in his comparison between this bike and Zero’s SR/F Premium, but to try to experience LiveWire as an owner might. This meant spending a few weeks using the bike as my sole mode of transportation; getting to know the bike around home, commuting to the office, and slowly pushing the boundaries of exploration, culminating in a 500-mile round trip to California’s Central Coast and back.

The LiveWire One, or LW1, is essentially a naked electric sportbike. Ergonomics are not terribly aggressive, but with rearsets and low bars, the rider leans slightly forward over the not-a-gas-tank. A small cowl surrounding the headlight is all but aesthetic and does little to shield the rider’s body. A clearly laid out and highly customizable full-color 4.3-inch LCD screen serves as the bike’s instrumentation. Ride modes are clearly displayed and easily switched. The manufacturer suggests a retail price of $22,799.

The LiveWire is incredibly easy to ride and can change personality with the push of a button. There is no clutch, as there are no gears, or only one, depending on how you look at it. Sport mode gives the bike rapid acceleration; the One clocked our 0–60 mph test in 3.1 seconds every time without variation. Rain mode slows down power delivery and maximizes traction control. Eco and Road modes feel similar on acceleration, with a little more engine-braking in Eco. In any mode, throttle response is perfectly consistent and launches are predictable.

Related: 7 Reasons Why Your First Motorcycle Should Be Electric

The LW One weighs 544 pounds ready to ride. This weight is low and well centralized, definitely sensed as the bike is lifted up off of its centerstand, but much less so while moving.

As I first got to know the LW1, I focused more on the bike than the use of local charging infrastructure. Those first weeks of testing rarely required a public charging station, as daily errands and casual rides were usually a 30-mile round trip at most.

But I found this had a wonderful result on how I used the bike. Coming up the hill to my house, most often in Road or Eco mode, I would see 60–70 percent of the battery’s charge remaining and decide to pass my street. I would switch the bike into Sport mode and head for the hills. Not for long, just a quick blast, say 20 or 30 minutes to get the blood pumping and use up some charge. Then I’d cruise back down the hill with my adrenaline itch scratched. I’d soon discover that this is how the LW1 is best enjoyed.

As I branched out and went for longer rides, I encountered the first harsh reality of EV ownership: Not all chargers are created equal. Many of them are very slow. Some don’t work at all. There are several smartphone apps to locate chargers, some of which feature reviews that let you know if they’re currently working or not, but you can ride to a location and use up whatever energy it takes to get there, only to arrive at a nonoperable charger.

I used a few different apps to try and avoid this. I downloaded PlugShare, A Better Route Planner (ABRP), and Electrify America’s app. ABRP is a navigation app that takes things like elevation changes and estimated range of your specific vehicle into account while planning your route. PlugShare is a user-based mapping system that shows where the chargers are and their current state of operation, but it’s based on user reviews and therefore not always current; it’s a bit of a gamble. Electrify America supplies many of the fast-charging stations along highways 1 and 101, and the company’s app updates as the units are in use. This last app was the most consistent and therefore the most trusted, but that was largely because of where I was going. On another highway, fast chargers from another manufacturer may be more common, making this app much less effective.

For my first tour of any appreciable length, I planned to ride a familiar path from my home in Pasadena: West to the coast, then north along Highway 101 to my uncles’ home in Atascadero. I recently completed this 212-mile ride on a BMW K 1600 Grand America; it took just over three hours.

On this LiveWire it would take much longer.

Related: Harley Confirms Next LiveWire Electric Motorcycle

The bike charged all night. I unplugged the 110-volt home charger and tucked it back into its spot underneath the seat, attached my Enduristan soft bags, and started off toward my first destination, an outlet mall just outside of Oxnard. With range in mind, I was soft on the throttle, accelerating casually to preserve the battery. Once on the highway, I locked cruise control at 65 mph, tucked in, and arrived at my first charger in 70 minutes with 25 percent battery remaining.

Most gas stations are built near major roads and highways for convenience. Fast-charging stations along highways 1 and 101 are almost exclusively positioned around shopping centers. Chargers also stand alone, commonly on parking lot islands, not in a building with refreshments and a restroom. If you need to use the bathroom, you need to go into a nearby shop. It feels intentional, premeditated, almost as if you’re forced into the nearest Panera Bread or Gap Outlet just because you need human amenities. If you’re charging an electric car, you have the option to sit inside it, run the air conditioning, maybe get some work done or play games on your phone. That isn’t an option on a motorcycle.

Charging is rarely, if ever, as simple as plugging in the bike and waiting. Charging errors were common until I developed a meticulous system that I had to repeat every time. I would pull into a charging station and first make sure that the charger and payment system were working as intended, no bashed screens or clogged ports. The most common failure among Electrify America chargers, I found, was broken card readers. Then I would turn the LW1 off completely and wait for the screen to go black. Once it was fully powered off, I would power it back on and wait for the screen to wake up, then plug in the fast charger and wait for communication with the charger to begin. Assuming this all worked, I could finally pay and charging would begin.

At this point I was using ABRP to plan my route, which suggested I leave Oxnard with a minimum of 64 percent state of charge and head to Santa Barbara 47 miles away. I cautiously charged the bike up to 95 percent before leaving. I was soon very glad I did, as I pulled into Santa Barbara with only 18 percent battery left. Cruise control was still locked at 65. Surprise, surprise: The Santa Barbara charger was in the parking lot of a bank across the street from a mall. I went to a familiar burger joint and got some onion rings and an iced tea to kill the time.

Related: LiveWire Unveils S2 Del Mar Electric Motorcycle

I left Santa Barbara near 2 p.m. with a 92 percent charge. I’d found that ride times and charge times were pretty well balanced; I could ride for about an hour, charge for about an hour, then get back on the road to repeat the process again. At the behest of my ABRP app, I headed toward more outlet stores near Pismo Beach. This was an 82-mile stretch, which was more than I had done in a single bound at that point. But the app assured me I could do it, and the total journey was still less than the bike’s claimed max highway range. Shame on me for trusting the app over instinct.

I had traveled 69 miles and had 13 to go, but the bike was displaying only 10 percent battery life remaining. If I didn’t make it to Pismo Beach, I’d be forced to find a wall outlet and spend hours waiting for the bike to even get enough charge to make it to a fast charger. I decided to turn around and head about 5 miles back into Santa Maria, where a slow charger is available outside of a Best Western.

It was now after 5 p.m. With only 1 percent battery, I pulled into the Best Western hotel and jumped through the hoops to start charging the bike. This was a very slow charger, estimating over 13 hours until a full charge. I waited 30 minutes until the bike had 9 percent and rode to a nearby fast charger I’d found in a Target parking lot. After another 59 minutes, the LW1 was at 93 percent. With 50 miles to my destination, I was confident it would be enough, so I loaded up and once again continued on my way.

I had been calling my uncles along the way, so they knew not to worry. They also knew I would be tired and frustrated, as anyone would after spending 10 hours on a three-hour journey. David opened up the garage and showed me to the wall charger, then handed me a beer. Bob had dinner in the oven. A fire was already burning in the fire pit out back. I showered, enjoyed the lovely company and the delicious meal, then slept like a damn baby. I should have double-checked the bike first.

When I woke up the next morning I immediately went to make sure the LiveWire had achieved a full charge. At some point in the night the garage circuit breaker had tripped and shut off current to the charger. I was at 30 percent, not enough to make it to the Pismo Outlets but enough to make it north to the fast chargers in Paso Robles. I was exhausted just thinking about another 10-hour day, but it seemed that’s what I was in for.

Related: Demo a LiveWire at New Malibu Experience Center

Slowly but surely I made my way back to Los Angeles, tucking in and trying to draft behind trucks to increase my range. Even with my initial detour, I was able to make it home in about 10 hours, the same amount of time it took me to ride north. On my ride home, however, I had accepted this as the reality and come to terms with it. It was to be another day of Cinnabon, Wetzel’s Pretzels, and outlet malls. But as we often say: “A bad day on two wheels is still a damn fine day.”

After weeks of regular testing, it took one full day in the saddle to understand and predict the LiveWire’s range more accurately than the apps I was using. A stiff wind or a steep hill can come along any moment and change your percentage in an instant. After my ride north, I only used my phone to locate chargers. I had learned the bike’s range. I had learned how to charge it. I was still learning how to maximize range. But most importantly, I had learned that the LiveWire is a tool that does a specific job very well, and I had been using it incorrectly.

Motorcycles are freedom machines. They encourage exploration and often bring us to places that we would never go without them, destinations that we find ourselves at for no other reason than their proximity to twisty roads. At times, the LW1 took away this feeling, took away my desire to explore, especially if I was far from home. Destinations held special discounts, not scenic lookouts. But back home, running errands in a less-than-50-mile loop, the opposite was true.

To know the limits of a system, person, or machine, you must push expected boundaries. Like any tool, the LiveWire One was designed for a specific job, and it does that job very well. The One is not a Great American Freedom Machine, built to cross state lines and freely explore backroads. This is a tool for a modern age, for destinations that are much closer together.

It will help you achieve your daily tasks quickly and efficiently. It will help you explore your neighborhood and your city, and eagerly whir down your nearest riding road for a shot of lean-angle-induced adrenaline. If the task is pure, joyful riding, that task is easily achieved on the LiveWire. Just be mindful of the task this tool was built for.

2022 LiveWire One Specs

MSRP:	$22,799
Motor:	Revelation internal permanent magnetic synchronous w/ water jacket cooling
Battery:	15.4kWh Rechargeable Energy Storage System (RESS)
Transmission/Final Drive:	1-speed/belt
Claimed Horsepower:	100 hp
Claimed Torque:	84 lb.-ft.
Frame:	Cast aluminum
Front Suspension:	Showa SFF-BP (Separate Function Front Fork-Big Piston); 4.5 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	Showa BFRC (Balanced Free Rear Cushion-Lite) monoshock; 4.5 in. travel
Front Brake:	Dual radial-mounted 4-piston Brembo Monoblock calipers, 300mm discs w/ ABS
Rear Brake:	2-piston caliper, 260mm disc w/ABS
Wheels, Front/Rear:	17 x 3.5 in. / 17 x 5.5 in.
Tires, Front/Rear:	Michelin Scorcher; 120/70-17 / 180/55-17
Rake/Trail:	24.5°/4.3 in.
Wheelbase:	58.7 in.
Ground Clearance:	5.1 in.
Seat Height:	31.3 in.
Cycle World Measured Wet Weight:	544 lb.
Contact:	livewire.com

The Orbea Wild (heretofore known as the Wild-FS) is not new to the Spanish brand’s eMTB line, but it has mostly lurked in the shadow of Orbea’s groundbreaking lightweight, down-torqued Rise trail bikes, which have flown out of bike shops since their introduction in 2020.

The Wild is the Rise’s longer-legged (160 millimeters of front and rear travel), full-powered cousin, with greater suspension travel, more aggressive geometry, bigger battery, and all the newton meters of torque its Bosch mid-motor had available. More all-mountain e-rig than the Rise’s trail orientation, to put it simply.

For 2023, Orbea has made over the Wild into a full-fledged enduro eMTB, with a stiffer yet lighter carbon frame, slacker head angle, longer reach, a steep 77.5-degree seat tube angle, two battery choices for either lighter weight (625Wh) or longer range (750Wh), and, on the top-end M-LTD build, Bosch’s Performance Line CX Race mid-drive motor (regular Performance Line CX at other spec levels). The M-LTD also gets a bump up to 170 millimeters of front travel with a Fox 38 Float Factory Grip2 fork.

In making the Wild frame stiffer and lighter, Orbea has fixed the eMTB’s battery in place rather than having it be removable via a door on the underside of the downtube. The new Secure Battery System (SBS) brings several benefits, according to Orbea.

“Frame designs which focus on removing the battery for charging necessitate many structural compromises. Extra mounting hardware adds weight and complexity, and opening access to the battery greatly compromises frame rigidity,” the company states. “Our SBS fixes the battery rigidly in place, resulting in a frame structure much like that of your favorite non-ebike, adding security, removing noise from covers or rattling battery mounts, and limiting the possibility of damage to the battery.”

Now the Wild frame closely mimics Orbea’s acclaimed Rallon non-electric enduro model in behavior as well as geometry, according to the brand, all while coming in 51 percent stiffer and up to 32.5 percent lighter than the Wild-FS. Complete builds tip the scales at as little as 21 kilos (46.6 pounds).

The 2023 Orbea Wild comes in four carbon and three aluminum models that share “all the technologies of the carbon frame but at a more accessible entry price.”

Prices range from $5,699 (Wild H30 alloy) to $11,999 (Wild M-LTD carbon), with availability expected in early 2023.

More information: orbea.com.

Velotric’s Nomad 1 e-fat bike could not have arrived on my doorstep at a better time. I’ve long struggled with the practicality of an electric fat bike, tending to think of them as niche products more focused on fun than functionality. But then it snowed the day the box arrived, and the lightbulb went on over my head.

This winter I’ll be experimenting with ditching my car as much as possible and riding bikes the rest of the time. A cargo bike suits my needs best, but it sure does snow here frequently in Colorado, so it seems logical I’ll need a bike that can handle such conditions. The Nomad 1 seems ideally suited to the challenge.

Related: Velotric Nomad 1 First Look

It’s got big, 26 x 4-inch tires to counter nasty conditions. And Velotric wisely includes big, wide-coverage fenders front and rear to help eliminate the inevitable spray of muck from those big bits of rubber.

The electronics trend big too. The LG/Samsung battery specs at 48 volts and 14.4Ah—that’s 691.2Wh—and pairs to the 750W motor that can reach a peak of 1,200W. It takes six hours to charge the system fully, and Velotric says you should get a 55-mile max range from a single charge. That, of course, depends on how you ride, where you ride, and what the conditions are. The Nomad 1 does feature a throttle, so if you’re heavy using that, you’ll reduce range.

The Nomad 1 (MSRP: $1,600) has five assist levels to tailor your ride. That works in conjunction with a Shimano eight-speed drivetrain.

A suspension fork with 80 millimeters of travel, hydraulic disc brakes, and two frame designs to choose from—step-through for shorter riders, and high-step for taller riders—round out a solid spec from Velotric. And finally, you can choose from four different colors.

Velotric Nomad 1 First Ride

I rode the Nomad 1 about 5 miles on my first ride, to go get coffee in Olde Town Arvada on a cold morning. The Nomad immediately feels stable and solid, with one small exception.

The suspension fork has quite a bit of fore-aft play, which gives the front end of the bike a wobbly feel under braking. The suspension does, however, do a decent job of scrubbing off big bumps and most chatter, though it does get stacked up when the impacts come fast and furious. It’s generally a nice touch, but with the massive tires I’m not sure it’s entirely necessary.

The motor shines. It engages quickly and has a ton of power, so you might want to dial it down to the middle of the five settings when you first hop on. The throttle helps you get up to speed quickly too.

I started the Nomad from a dead stop on a steep incline, and it all but rockets off the line. This is a huge win for the Nomad, as so many ebikes I’ve tested have faltered on this very hill.

Related: Velotric Discover 1 Review

The big tires on the Nomad make it ideal for plowing through rough conditions, and I suspect this is going to make a wonderful winter commuter. It’s a fairly heavy bike, which means you have two factors affecting the steering: the big rubber, and the weight of the bike and rider. The Nomad has a tendency to dive to the inside while cornering as the tires hook up into the pavement or dirt, so you’ll need to pay attention to that and do a bit of countersteering.

I’m quickly falling in love with this bike as more snowstorms threaten through the winter months. It’s comfortable and powerful, and it seems designed for nasty weather. I wish it came stock with some sort of rack or cargo carrier, but even without those accessories (which do not yet appear to be available on Velotric’s website), the Nomad has a lot of tools that make it a good addition to the arsenal.

I’ll be testing the Nomad 1 over the coming weeks (and hopefully months) as the winter weather moves in. During my testing, I’ll keep a close eye on the battery’s ability to contend with cold conditions, and the bike’s overall ability to handle less-than-ideal road conditions.

I’m also curious if the suspension fork ends up being a worthy addition to the overall build, or if it ends up feeling superfluous given the big tires that allow you to tailor compliance through air pressure.

And finally, if accessories—specifically, front and rear racks—become available through Velotric, I would love to test the Nomad’s ability to haul cargo. I have a feeling this would be a great ride for trips to the grocery store with the right storage solutions added.

We first got to learn about the compact, lightweight, and virtually silent TQ mid-drive motor when Trek launched its Fuel EXe trail eMTB this summer. BMC, too, tapped TQ for its 2023 Fourstroke AMP LT cross-country line soon after, and now brings the motor tech to the pavement (and beyond) with the Roadmachine 01 AMP X endurance road ebike.

BMC says the new carbon fiber drop-bar ebike is “built to extend the riding experience,” tapping the TQ-HPR50 drive system with 50Nm of torque and Class 3 pedal assist up to 28 mph. A fully integrated 360Wh downtube battery powers the system, with a 2-inch display housed in the toptube serving as the command center.

The drive system weighs 3,900 grams (8.6 pounds) altogether, according to BMC.

The Roadmachine 01 AMP X is designed with relaxed endurance geometry and tall stack height for comfort and short chainstays for enhanced maneuverability. “This amplified road bike is the best choice for multisurface rides with its 35-millimeter-wide tires and comes with a clearance of a maximum measured width of 38 millimeters for bigger tires and rims,” BMC stated.

The bike also accepts fenders and gets a new ICS MTT x Redshift suspension stem that is tunable with different elastomers to smooth out bumps in the road.

Starting this month, BMC is offering the Roadmachine 01 AMP X in two builds, with the main spec differences being SRAM groupsets (both with wireless shifting) and wheels:

• <b>Roadmachine 01 AMP X One USA</b>: SRAM Force XPLR eTap AXS gruppo, BMC CRD-400 SL carbon wheels. <b>MSRP: $8,899</b>.
• <b>Roadmachine 01 AMP X Two USA</b>: SRAM Rival XPLR eTap AXS gruppo, BMC XRD-522 aluminum wheels. <b>MSRP: $7,899</b>.

More information: bmc-switzerland.com.

Juiced Bikes is a Southern California brand that has found success by packing powerful hub motors and gigantic batteries onto beefy frames and marketing them to non-bicyclists who enjoy riding the throttle and speeding through town.

In other words, it makes out-of-classification hot rods for young men. Or that’s what its marketing and video content would have one believe.

I’m neither young nor dangerous, but my reviews of powerful ebikes that are marketed to speed demons have taught me that even a souped-up muscle car can be used to grocery shop and commute—while also obeying the speed limit.

Last March, we reviewed the Juiced Bikes CrossCurrent X, which we summed up as a “powerful and long-range ebike” and a “muscle car that also functions as a workhorse.” Now we turn our attention to the RipRacer, which Juiced launched in 2021.

What Is the Juiced Bikes RipRacer?

The RipRacer is a singlespeed street blaster with 20 x 4-inch fat tires, a short wheelbase, and a throttle. It can be configured in the display’s menu settings to operate as a Class 2 or Class 3 ebike, or for outlaws as an out-of-classification hot rod.

The RipRacer packs a 750W hub motor and 800Wh battery onto a diminutive frame whose size (40.3 inches long) could appeal to individuals with minimal indoor storage space. It weighs 66 pounds, has a payload capacity of 275 pounds, and, according to Juiced, fits riders from 5 feet tall to 6-foot-3.

The RipRacer comes with hydraulic disc brakes, a powerful headlight and taillight with a braking indicator, both wired into the battery, plus a kickstand and a handle on the rear of the saddle.

The LED display on the upright handlebars has a power button, speedometer, headlight indicator, plus up and down buttons that enable you to toggle through the multiple pedal-assist levels: Eco, 1, 2, and—for individuals who set it to Class 3—an S icon for Speed.

Juiced advertises a range of 35 to 55 miles, though battery range estimates should all be taken with a grain of salt as they’re highly variable based on rider weight, reliance on the throttle, and maximum level of pedal assist.

How Does the Juiced Bikes RipRacer Ride?

If you’re new to singlespeeds, your first ride on the RipRacer will be a learning experience. I happen to love singlespeeds for their simplicity, and I thoroughly enjoyed reviewing the Rad Power Bikes RadMission 1 for this reason. But one-speeds are not for everyone.

The RipRacer is geared tall, which means that you must really put your weight into the first pedal stroke when starting from a complete stop before the assist kicks in. This is where the throttle shines.

I set my review bike to Class 3 mode to get 28 mph of pedal assist, and I relied on the throttle to get a boost from red lights or stop signs. Once I reached my desired speed or hit 20 mph, I laid off the throttle and let the pedal assist take over to achieve maximum velocity.

I typically rode in level 1 because I like to push hard on the pedals to get exercise, and to preserve battery life—using the throttle to provide short bursts of power to get up hills. Alternatively, you could boost the pedal assist on hills, but I find it easier and safer to twist the throttle rather than take my eyes off the road to find the + button.

The seating position is upright thanks to the tall handlebars, which means you get a good look at the road. The fat tires and 20-inch wheels are confidence-inspiring, as they lower the standover height and make it easier to put a foot down.

The smaller wheels also reduce overall bike weight compared with fat-tire bikes with larger wheels. The 4-inch-wide tires create a lot of friction and rolling resistance, but that’s why you’ve got a motor.

As with many affordable hub motor ebikes, the RipRacer’s power delivery will feel imprecise compared with more expensive and refined ebikes with more sensitive torque sensors. In practical terms, that means the bike surges forward for a second upon takeoff, and the assist continues for a microsecond after you stop pedaling.

Thus, be careful on your first ride. If you’re new to ebikes, practice riding in a safe spot before hitting the streets. Due to the short wheelbase, it would be easy to accidentally wheelie the RipRacer if leaning backward and twisting hard on the throttle from a dead stop.

After a couple of rides, however, I became accustomed to the RipRacer’s jumpiness, and to its unique handling characteristics.

Thanks to the powerful motor and the bike’s weight, which provides rolling momentum, I had no problem maintaining 25 mph on flat ground in level 1 or 2. The only time I found it necessary to use the top level of assist, S, was when jumping into traffic and needing to rapidly reach and maintain top velocity.

The headlight and taillight, which you turn on by holding down the + assist button for three seconds, both provided powerful illumination at night. The disc brakes developed a squeak in Seattle’s foggy and dank weather, but better to alert people to my presence.

Readers of my Cycle Volta reviews know that I’m a utilitarian ebiker who lives a car-lite lifestyle. When initially offered the opportunity to test the RipRacer I declined. It appeared at first glance to be nothing more than a fun bike for speeding around town.

Then I noticed that Juiced offers a full complement of accessories. I added a front Relay Basket, which easily bolted into the headtube; a RipRacer Relay Rack on the back for holding a pannier; and a RipRacer Fender Kit because, alas, I live in soggy Seattle rather than sunny SoCal.

The resulting build turned heads and made for a fast and powerful pack mule. For people seeking an affordable, utilitarian ebike with cargo-lite capabilities and Class 3 speed, the RipRacer provides great value. However, I would have preferred a suspension fork for increased safety and handling at speed.

I grew up in a rural area where many of the neighborhood boys had minibikes and dirt bikes, so I understand the appeal of going fast and ripping through the woods. But if you’re going to go onto the streets or bike lanes, keep the speed in check, OK? I’m looking at you, teenage boys and young men.

How Much Does the Juiced Bikes RipRacer Cost?

Normally priced at $1,499, the RipRacer was on sale for $1,299 when we checked in mid-November. A spokesperson for Juiced said the $300 discount would likely last through mid-December.

Without the discount, our RipRacer as tested cost $1,866 including the Relay Rack ($79), Relay Basket ($89), and Fender Kit ($89). With the discount: $1,556. That’s not bad for a fully loaded mini-monster truck that can function as a second car. If you don’t want Class 3 speed, the Class 2 version ($1,299) was on sale for $999.

More information: juicedbikes.com.

If Class 2 ebikes include a throttle that propels riders to 20 mph sans pedaling and Class 3 ebikes help riders from 0 mph to 28 mph, what do you call a Class 3 with a throttle?

A Denago Commute Model 1.

Or a Class 2.5, which isn’t really “a thing.”

Thing or not, it sure is fun. It might be a superpower for urban commuters. For me, someone who has pedaled thousands of urban miles everywhere from Boston to New York City to Los Angeles, the throttle actually made me feel safer and was the tech enhancement I never knew I needed.

Related: Denago eBikes Line Launches at Bike.com

To put a fine point on it, the Denago Commute Model 1 falls outside of the traditional classification system. It’s not the only one. Ebikes with a throttle and pedal assist up to 28 mph aren’t uncommon.

For fun, let’s call it a Class 3+.

What Is the Denago Denago Commute Model 1?

The Denago Commute Model 1 is a Class 3 (3+!) and the second ebike from Bike.com’s house brand.

Just like the Denago City Model 1 we reviewed earlier this year, the Commute Model 1 is powered by a 500W Shengyi rear hub motor that’s connected to a 652.8Wh removable internal battery, and handlebar-mounted backlit LCD display. Like the City Model 1, the new ebike has Class 3 pedal assist up to 28 mph plus a thumb throttle that cuts out at 20 mph. But you knew that.

We were surprised at just how much having the throttle changed the experience. More on that farther down.

The Commute Model 1 includes a suspension fork and suspension seatpost to smooth out the ride. Fat 27.5 x 2.6-inch tires also help create a Cadillac-like ride, as does the sizable cushioned saddle.

Unlike a lot of brands that offer just one size to fit “most,” the Denago is available in two sizes. The S/M fits riders 4-foot-11 to 5-foot-8, the L/XL riders 5-foot-8 to 6-foot-5.

How Does the Denago Commute Model 1 Ride?

Upright. Very, very upright. I’m 6-foot-2 and have flat-back posture on the Denago. I feel both very visible and like a sail. My wife, who is 5-foot-5, could also ride the L/XL, but it’s not an ideal fit.

This position is the antithesis of aero. Since it’s an ebike, that’s not much of an issue. But for many cyclists, being in this upright position is best suited for shorter trips since the majority of your weight is always on the saddle—a less relaxed position helps you spread out and distribute your weight more evenly.

There’s also a simple suspension seatpost. There’s no adjustment on it, but it takes some of the buzz out of the road and is extra fun when coming in hot to bumpy turns.

Related: Denago Commute Model 1 First Look

Tailoring the fit of the bike is better than most thanks to an adjustable stem that lets you tweak the position of the handlebars just by loosening a single 5mm bolt. Props to Denago for this. It’s a great way to help riders dial in fit. And since weight isn’t as much of a concern on an ebike, it’s a no-brainer.

The motor has five assist modes, the eight-speed drivetrain includes an 11-32T cassette. The shifters are built by Microshift and are perfectly adequate.

The first two of the five modes mostly help compensate for the weight of the bike. Once you’re in the third level of assist, you feel the power of the motor.

Using modes 3, 4, and 5 plus the throttle is significant. Getting a quicker jump when starting from a stop as well as being able to start in a bigger gear than we could with just pedal assist alone was great—especially in rush-hour traffic, when it feels better to get out ahead of drivers.

The acceleration was solid. Enough torque to get our giddy-up going, without being worried about hyper-acceleration that can be scary in tight spaces.

Burly wheels and rims, fat tires, and an overbuilt aluminum frame seem up to the task of larger pedalers.

One caveat: We went through the last 50 percent of the battery much more quickly than the first 50. So you might want to reset the trip odometer, especially early on in ownership, after every charge so you’re not caught far from home sans power.

Range is reported to be about 45 miles. We got close to that: 35 miles per charge or so.

How Much Does the Denago Commute Model 1 Step-thru Cost?

Two grand. All in. Props to Denago for that—there are no necessary upgrades.

The bike is outfitted with a selection of city/commuter accessories, including front and rear fenders, a burly rear rack, an integrated headlight that runs off the bike’s battery, and a rear reflector that turns into a taillight with the addition of three AAA batteries.

Related: Denago Fat Tire Step-Thru Ebike First Look

With a full set of lights, fenders, rack, and kickstand, you have just about everything you need. No additional hardware required.

The only thing it’s missing is a spot for a water bottle. We used a pannier with a spot for a bottle.

All in, there’s a lot to like about the Denago Commute Model 1 Step-Thru: It’s a solid daily driver for banging around town, especially for folks who want to be upright.

Electric vehicle fest Electrify Expo is expanding its footprint to seven locations in 2023—up from five this year—to bring the latest in electric bikes, motorcycles, scooters, cars, and more to the festival’s audience of consumer and trade attendees.

Citing the new locations as “EV-leading markets,” Electrify adds San Francisco and Washington, DC, to the schedule for the fest’s third edition. The full 2023 schedule is:

• May 19–21: Long Beach, California
• June 24–25: San Francisco
• July 22–23: Washington, DC
• Aug. 12–13: New York City
• Sept. 9–10: Seattle
• Oct. 14–15: Miami
• Nov. 10–12: Austin, Texas

“The expanded 2023 schedule is expected to generate 200,000-plus demo rides, making it the premier EV testing ground for high-interest buyers and enthusiasts,” Electrify stated.

Related: Electrify Expo Photo Gallery

Bookending the 2023 schedule, Long Beach and Austin will include Electrify Expo’s Industry Days, a daylong slate of industry-only events featuring “C-suite executives from leading automotive manufacturers and mobility companies, top analysts, and media, as well as the latest research findings related to electrified mobility.”

“Interest, excitement, and demand for EVs continue to soar, and Electrify Expo is at the intersection and heart of it,” said BJ Birtwell, founder and executive producer of Electrify Expo. “2023 will be our biggest season yet, providing amazing all-electric experiences and thrills for consumers, strong engagement for executives and exhibitors, and tons of breaking stories for the media. This festival has changed the landscape of emobility and how consumers engage with, buy, and share their love of electric vehicles.”

More information: electrifyexpo.com.

Editor’s note: A version of this report first appeared on CycleVolta.com sibling website CycleWorld.com.

Kawasaki offered a look into its emobility game plan last week during the EICMA show in Milan, using the international motorcycle and accessories exhibition as a platform to display naked “Z” and faired “Ninja” versions of the company’s planned electric motorcycles due in showrooms next year.

While detailed specs were not revealed, Kawasaki also offered a look at its “HEV” hybrid bike due in 2024.

The two full-electric models were officially confirmed as 2023 production bikes, though final names have yet to be released. Both bikes share the same steel tube frame and an 11kW (15 hp) electric motor; in Europe, that  makes them legal for learners to ride on the street. Dual batteries mounted in a box under the tank give a total capacity of 3kWh and feed an electric motor mounted where the transmission would normally be. This motor drives the rear wheel via a single reduction gear. The single-ratio transmission and electric motor eliminate any need for a clutch or gear lever, but Kawasaki has opted to keep the rear brake foot-operated, as on a conventional motorcycle, rather than moving it to the now-bare left handlebar, where a scooter’s rear brake is typically found.

Related: 5 Standout Electric Motorcycles From EICMA

Both the Z and Ninja models borrow their bodywork from existing machines, the Z400 and Ninja 400, with the exception of the fuel tank; that now-unnecessary part is replaced by a cover panel hiding the top of the battery. The frame is a simple steel-trellis design and the swingarm a box-section unit. The fork and wheels are off-the-shelf parts from Kawasaki’s existing lineup. Sharing components like this could help Kawasaki keep final dealer pricing low.

We’ll have to wait a bit for the next step in Kawasaki’s electrification plan, which comes in 2024 with the launch of the hybrid model—simply dubbed as the HEV for now—shown in near-production form at EICMA. The HEV is another Ninja-style bike that takes elements from the Ninja 400, this time including its parallel-twin engine. It’s bolstered by an electric motor, with both the electric powertrain and the combustion engine driving through a semi-automatic transmission operated by buttons on the left handlebar. Other features include a “walk” mode, allowing the electric motor to be used to maneuver the bike at low speed, and a switch that moves the transmission into a fully automatic setting.

On the right handlebar, there’s a more intriguing button marked eBoost, a name Kawasaki trademarked some time ago. This is intended to engage an additional power mode, harnessing both the electric motor and combustion engine together. Dual powertrains mean the bike can operate in pure-electric mode for short low-speed city trips, using a relatively small battery pack mounted under the seat, or in pure gasoline mode while cruising, and recharging the battery as it goes. For maximum fun, both are used together, giving 650cc-class performance.

Rad Power Bikes is working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission to recall and repair more than 29,000 RadWagon 4 cargo ebikes because the rim strip on the wheels can be misaligned, causing the inner tube to pop and damage the tire. The CPSC recall follows a less formal “stop ride” notice first announced by Rad Power in August.

The recall also includes spare RadWagon 4 tires sold separately under the product name Rad Power Bikes by Vee Tire Co. Tires with a ribbed sidewall on the RadWagon 4 can unexpectedly go flat, risking serious injuries from loss of control and/or crash, the recall notice states.

The company has received 137 reports of tires blowing out, deflating, and separating from the sidewalls. Eight injuries have been reported, including five reports of road rash, cuts and/or bruises, one report of a broken wrist, one report of a broken arm.

The recall affects 29,300 RadWagon 4 ebikes sold from September 2020 to August 2022.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled ebikes and contact Rad Power Bikes to schedule a free repair to replace both tires and rim strips. Rad Power is contacting all known purchasers directly, according to the recall notice.

Related: Rad Power Bikes RadWagon 4 First Look

Affected purchasers can reach Rad Power Bikes toll free at 844-406-2703 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT Monday through Sunday, by email at RadFix@radpowerbikes.com, or online www.radpowerbikes.com/pages/recall-radwagon4-tires, They can also go to radpowerbikes.com and click on “Recalls” at the top of the page for more information.

Related: Rad Power Bikes RadWagon 4 Cargo Ebike Review

The full CPSC recall notice can be read here.

Crow Bicycles’ Gravital Risbar gravel bike looks sharp, as was demonstrated the first time I threw a leg over it and two gentlemen on the trail remarked on it as I passed. It’s a flat-bar gravel bike, so it of course turns heads anyway, and perhaps invites some bickering as to whether gravel bikes are just mountain bikes lite. Crow has embraced that in-betweenness, calling the Gravital an ideal balance between the two disciplines.

The Gravital Risbar SL 4 comes built with Fazua’s Ride 50 Street drive unit. It’s light and small, and the battery just about disappears into the frame’s downtube. At first glance, riders don’t look like they’re riding an ebike.

The battery gives 250Wh of power, and the motor puts out up to 58Nm torque. There are three settings to choose from, and riders can adjust those settings via the single-button system (paired with LED indicators) integrated into the downtube.

Related: Crow Bicycles Launching Electric Gravel Bikes on Indiegogo

Fazua says its Ride 50 Street system reduces weight without reducing power, and cooling fins help keep everything from overheating. The drive pack and the battery are both removable. In fact, riders will need to remove the battery to charge it.

All that bodes well for a bike intended to offer minimal weight with the assist needed for tough climbs or during the last few miles of the ride. The bike design itself also keeps the rider in a more upright position, baking in some general comfort from the get-go.

A Shimano Alivio nine-speed drivetrain and Shimano hydraulic brakes top off a decent build that’s trail-ready and reliable.

Crow Gravital Risbar First Ride

With the mountain bike DNA and gravel build in mind, I took the Gravital Risbar to one of my go-to gravel climbs, Joder Ranch in Boulder, Colorado. It’s a smooth gravel road for the first part of the climb, becoming a bit grittier about halfway up. The pitches go from gentle to brutal, then back to gentle all the way to the top. Then you get to bomb down some chunky singletrack on the back side.

Out of the parking lot, the Gravital Risbar felt just right in terms of fit and general comfort. I turned on the motor, a bit of a production while rolling since the button lives on the downtube, and felt the assist kick in immediately.

Related: Crow Bicycles Gravel Ebikes First Look

I put the motor into the highest assist setting, which gives a quick jump before sort of leveling out. After a while, I wondered how much of the climbing was under my own power and how much was the motor; that’s how seamlessly the assist kicks in. It’s impressive.

When I turned it off entirely I realized the bike had been helping quite a lot. That said, I still felt like I was working; the bike didn’t do it all. It just took the top-end pain off it all. I was immediately enthused.

Unfortunately, about halfway up the climb, the motor started intermittently cutting out. At one point it stopped working entirely and I had to stop, pop the battery out, pop it back in, and turn the unit back on. It started working again after that, but it had a tendency to cut out right when I needed it most.

No need to panic just yet, as it’s entirely possible this could be solved with a simple adjustment. I’ll be sure to report back on this issue and the steps I take to solve it when I write my long-term review.

I got to the top of the climb huffing and puffing a whole lot less than I normally do, but I still felt like I’d worked enough to earn the descent. And that particular descent is a doozy: it’s fast, occasionally steep, and littered with sharp rocks. This is the place to test if the Gravital indeed has any mountain bike DNA.

Unfortunately I didn’t get very far. I hit the first section of chunky singletrack and immediately dropped the chain, which lodged in between the chainring and the motor housing. These things happen, so it’s not a knock on Crow’s bike; it just happened, and cut my ride short.

It took a bit of surgery to get the chain dislodged, by which time the sun was setting. So I headed back the way I came, on the fast and relatively smooth dirt road I’d just climbed. The Gravital’s reach felt a bit tight here, which could be a result of the flat bar. I’m used to drop bars on gravel bikes, which place the rider in a far more aggressive position. Of course, flat bars offer far more stability, especially in cornering and on steep descents, so this felt good to me.

The Shimano brakes took a bit of bedding-in before they really grabbed. But once I reached that point, the brakes felt excellent, with plenty of modulation and a good bit of grip.

While my first ride on the Gravital was short and riddled with some issues, I’m confident they’re all fixable problems. In my long-term review I’ll report back on the diagnosis of the intermittent motor cutouts, as well as any changes I make to my body position for a slightly longer reach.

Ultimately, the Gravital seems built for someone who wants a workout but needs a little extra help on the steep stuff or toward the end of a long day.  Purists who want to “feel it” on the climbs but don’t want to be overwhelmed by it will enjoy this ride.

Stay tuned for the long-term review coming soon.

Range anxiety? Pssht!

NIU Technologies practically scoffs at the notion with the micromobility manufacturer’s new BQi-C3 Pro commuter ebike, superpowered with twin 920Wh batteries.

The swappable batteries—one housed in the step-through frame’s downtube, the other partially integrated into the seat tube section and secured with a key—power a 500W sustained/750W peak Bafang rear hub motor with three levels of pedal assist up to 28 mph and throttle assist topping out at 20 mph. NIU puts range at 37 to 62 miles for the 67.5-pound (with both batteries, we assume) ebike.

The BQi-C3 Pro’s frame is designed with upright geometry suiting its commuter/city riding intent and features an integrated rear rack with a 66-pound load capacity. NIU says the low-slung ebike fits riders 5-foot-2 to 6-foot-5.

A mess-free Gates Carbon Drive final belt drive promises less maintenance and greater long-term durability than a traditional bicycle chain, and it’s a nice spec to see at this bike’s $1,999 price. NIU did save a few dollars, however, outfitting the BQi-C3 with cable-actuated disc brakes rather than hydraulics.

That’s not to say that NIU skimped on outfitting the BQi-C3 for its intended use. In addition to the rear rack, it comes equipped with full-coverage front and rear alloy fenders, a daytime running headlight, integrated tail light with brake lighting, ergonomic grips and saddle, and puncture-resistant 27.5 x 2.4-inch puncture-resistant tires.

“We are thrilled to add the BQi-C3 Pro to our wide assortment of world-leading micro-mobility vehicles and to bring this innovative ebike to urban riders in the U.S.,” said Benjamin McGill, head of North American sales for NIU Technologies, a maker of electric motor scooters and kick scooters. “The BQi-C3 Pro is a versatile transportation solution with impressive range. It’s not only great for bike enthusiasts riding for leisure and sport; it’s perfect for city dwellers to commute to work and for fun, thus reducing their carbon footprint.”

The BQi-C3 Pro is available now in white, gray, and black frame colors at Shop.NIU.com for $1,999.

A few years ago I had the luck to test-ride the Kalk, a dirt-biased but street-legal electric motorcycle from Swedish startup brand Cake. It’s worth pausing for a little context here.

Cake was founded by Stefan Ytterborn, the entrepreneur who in 2005 began the protection brand Poc, which you probably know for making helmets. Poc was one of the first helmet makers to work with MIPS, the Stockholm-based creator of a helmet-lining technology designed to reduce rotational forces of impact that can lead to concussion.

It’s smart for you to ask here why you’re reading about helmets, not electric motos, in a story about the new Cake Bukk. The reason is simple: At Poc, Ytterborn was fairly brilliant for raising awareness to causes he cared about. Back then it was concussions; at Cake it’s something a little bigger: emissions, and the fate of our planet.

Changing the latter has  been a taller order than alerting people about harm to our brains, and even though Ytterborn said in 2019 that he wanted Cake to sell 70,000 bikes a year by 2027, and in 2021 raised $60 million for Cake, arguably the time horizon for Cake to become a major player will be longer than he predicted just pre-pandemic.

Related: 2021 Cake Kalk OR Race and Kalk INK Race First Look

Of late Cake seems to have narrowed its focus into two very distinct niches: Making slower electric mopeds that can supplant cars in cities for last-mile delivery, and off-road e-motos with the Kalk dual sport bike, a 70/30 dirt/pavement machine.

But the Kalk didn’t quite hit the mark.

First, at $13,870, it’s expensive. So is the new off-road-specific $14,970 Bukk, which debuts today and is designed to be the bigger brother of the Kalk. The Bukk is launching with just 50 units, but it heralds an entirely new off-road platform for Cake, with more Bukk variants to come next year.

The first iteration, the Bukk you see here, will deliver more mustard than the Kalk: 51 lb.-ft. of torque and 21.5 hp, which is considerably more output than the Kalk’s mere 13.5 hp and 30.9 -lb.-ft. of torque. But if the idea is to appeal to off-roaders, you can get a four-stroke KTM 350 SX-F for three grand less. And that’s no idle comparison, since that KTM blasts forth with 54 hp and 29 lb.-ft. of torque.

Note two key factors, though. Did you see how much more torque the new Bukk offers versus that KTM? And that’s from an electric bike that weighs 187 pounds, compared with 240 pounds for the KTM when fueled.

Related: Cake Electric Motorcycles Opens First US Store

I’ll dive in here to say I didn’t feel like the Kalk lacked torque. While Ytterborn said the Bukk is designed to promote “additional torque and flight,” the Kalk has a serious amount of snot already, from zero rpm, so the Bukk is apt to feel astonishingly quick. Luckily it gets multiple ride modes, like the Kalk, which should enable riders to learn progressively and not wheelie loop themselves off the rig on the first crack of the throttle.

Likewise, I learned on the Kalk to ride with the highest-level regenerative braking. Why? Because you cannot downshift. The Bukk has a chain-driven 12-tooth front and 72-tooth rear sprocket. It’s a single-gear machine. There’s a definite advantage for new riders in one sense, because you can’t stall the bike, and there’s no subtle clutch play to master.

Related: Cake Introduces Line for Kids

But there’s also no engine-braking. Testing the Kalk, I found even the strongest regen didn’t emulate all the control of downshifting, so anyone who finds the Bukk intriguing who already shreds dirt on an MX machine will have to rewire their habits.

Cake has seemingly learned from a few deficiencies of the Kalk.

First, while the company hasn’t revealed the tire spec, it says the rubber will be off-road specific. That is good, since the Kalk’s rubber—although engineered specifically for the Kalk to leave less of a footprint and churn less earth—didn’t have enough bite to inspire much confidence off road, yet also wasn’t great on pavement. A dual sport bike like the Kalk meant to at least be able to do light street duty might be forgiven for not having great dirt grip, but hopefully the Bukk won’t have that flaw.

The other big challenge with the Kalk was that although in theory you could swap batteries easily, that proved to be a major hassle when I tried it. Cake says that’s been addressed, with quick and tool-free swapping.

Range is listed as three hours of continuous riding time, which is pretty decent, since that KTM, with a 1.9-gallon tank, likely wouldn’t go much longer. And Ytterborn argues that “building flighty and light is the way forward” for off-road use, since that will preserve the electric moto’s weight advantage. Putting a greater emphasis on range—by using a bigger, heavier battery—would defeat that edge.

Some other specs stack up well versus the Bukk’s gas rivals. Top speed of about 60 mph is more than fast enough for off-roading, and 10.9 inches of travel from a custom WP fork and 11.6 inches from an Öhlins rear shock should please anyone who wants to catch air on the Bukk. But the 38-inch seat height is mighty tall, and unless you’ve got a very long inseam you might need to find a lowering kit.

Besides the whole pile of stats here, it’s compelling to think about what the Bukk means for Cake as a brand. States like California are beginning to severely restrict access to off-road riding, because gas bikes are both loud and of course polluting. Plus, California is the biggest off-road market in this country, and no other state comes remotely close. Europe is way ahead of the US with such restrictions, so quite soon off-road riding there is very likely only going to be possible with electric motos.

But it’s still a push to think the market is going to shift overnight. CEO Ytterborn says that “everything will be electric in five to six years from now.” But that feels mighty bullish. Mainstream makers—from KTM to the majors like Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha (which already makes electric bicycle powertrains)—have to follow suit. Can-Am is in the mix, but the dominoes toward “electric everything” have yet to tip.

The Bukk is a cool new line, sure, but just a tiny chess piece in a much bigger game.

Cannondale appears to be aiming at a nexus of convenience, urban utility, and value with its newest pedal-assist commuter, the $1,900 Compact Neo.

True to its name, it’s quite compact—designed around 20-inch wheels and having a nicely snug wheelbase of just under 43 inches. The sub-40-pound Compact Neo also features a quick-release folding stem, to easily turn the handlebars parallel to the bike, and folding pedals for easy around-town parking or storage in tight living and work spaces.

Related: Cannondale Adventure Neo 1 EQ Review

Its 250W Hyena rear hub motor with a bottom bracket torque sensor (yay!) offers three levels of pedal assist up to 20 mph. The drive is powered by a 250Wh frame-integrated battery and operated via a simple left-hand controller with no display screen. Cannondale estimates range on a single charge up to 47 miles.

Cannondale outfits the Compact Neo with a fairly comprehensive selection of commuter accessories: rear rack, front and rear fenders, headlight, and tail light. A cushy Cannondale Treadwell saddle and a pair of Cannondale Comfort grips greet riders at the touch points, and the spec is rounded out with an eight-speed Microshift drivetrain with an 11-34T cassette, Tektro hydraulic disc brakes with 160-millimeter rotors, and 20 x 2.35-inch Kenda K-Rad tires

Related: Cannondale Topstone Neo Carbon Lefty 3 Ebike Review

The Cannondale Compact Neo is available in Graphite and Chalk colors. More information: cannondale.com.

Editor’s note: This review originally appeared on Cycle Volta sibling site CycleWorld.com.

Electric motorcycles are the perfect learning-tool playbikes for kids. E-motorcycles are super quiet, have very low maintenance requirements, and allow young riders to skip over some of the quirks in technique (yes, quirks) necessary to operate combustion engines (clutches and shifting gears are actually a huge part of the learning curve). Electrics aren’t perfect for every application, and aren’t meant to replace combustion; in many cases they simply can’t. But battery-powered kids motorcycles have opened up a lot of riding opportunities and can make it much easier for little folks to take that first ride.

And if the exhaustive research conducted by my 9-year-old son, Ian, is any indication, kids who ride motorcycles are happier, more confident, smarter, and more active overall. OK, it ain’t science, and as his dad I’m definitely biased. But Ian loves riding, and he loves being able to say he rides. The two-wheel time he’s had since he threw his not-quite-4-year-old leg over a running Yamaha PW50 has shaped him in many positive ways.

Ian’s years as an almost strictly play rider have been spent on a variety of bikes (PW50, Yamaha TT-R50E and TT-R110E, Honda CRF110F, and Torrot E10 and E12 electrics). That seat time has given him a pretty broad perspective for a single-digit-year-old kid, so he was a natural for testing the 2022 Honda CRF-E2 build. In addition to Ian, we wrangled a couple other kids who normally ride CRF110Fs.

Note that while we’ve called the bike a Honda, and it is, it is also a Greenger. So what is a Greenger?

“The company has been manufacturing, designing, and engineering two-wheel electric mobility for more than 17 years,” says Doug Chapman, Greenger’s marketing supervisor in the US. “Greenger, the brand, was created in 2017 to enter the US market. Lithium-ion batteries finally had the capacity to make products to suit the North American market. The company has seven overseas factories and makes millions of electrics per year.”

Related: Electric Minibikes and Balance Bikes for Kids

About two and a half years ago, American Honda bought a wide selection of electric two-wheelers in search of a partner to manufacture a kids motorcycle and approached Greenger after being impressed with its products.

“That’s when we went into collaboration,” Chapman says. “Over about 24 months, the CRF-E2 was developed. Honda had to sign off on the specs and performance. Honda was part of the entire engineering development. We did all the dev work, but they signed off and did their own internal testing in Ohio.”

And so the Greenger became an officially licensed Honda product, currently available only in the American market. “Honda put its name on an actual dirt bike,” Chapman says. “It has a VIN and you get an MSO (manufacturer statement of origin). It is sold exclusively in Honda dealers. None of these parts will be on another electric dirt bike.”

While the CRF-E2 is pitched as a 50cc equivalent and is meant to slot between the CRF50F and CRF110F in terms of size, it serves as a pretty good alternative to either.

Adjustable Seat Height and More

A few key adjustments help the 12-inch-wheeled CRF-E2 fit different-sized riders.

First is a two-position seat with heights of either 24.8 or 25.5 inches. The upper shock mount has two holes in the nicely made aluminum frame, echoing the racy CRFs. An Allen wrench is the only tool required, though it helps to have someone support the rear of the bike while you align the upper shock eye with the mounting hole and thread the long bolt through.

Second is that both handlebar brake levers are adjustable for reach through a useful range. When I say useful range, I mean 50 clicks (about 12-and-a-half turns) on a threaded adjuster, moving the lever through a range from very close to the grip at one end to far enough from the bars to be outside this adult’s preferred reach.

Related: Cake Introduces Line for Kids

Add in the ability to rotate the levers on the bars, and also to move the tapered aluminum handlebar fore and aft, and most budding riders will fit (though note that maximum load is 99 pounds). The shock spring is also preload adjustable, and rebound damping can be tuned to suit. Although it wouldn’t be optimal for performance, adjusting spring preload up or down for a lower or higher seat height further increases the available range.

For comparison, A CRF50F runs 10-inch wheels, has a 21.6-inch seat height, and weighs a claimed 111 pounds ready to ride. A CRF110F rolls on a 14-inch front and 12-inch rear, has a 25.9-inch seat height, and weighs a claimed 169 pounds ready to ride.

Our Kid Testers

The discussion of ergonomics is a good time to talk about the size of our testers. My 9-and-a-half-year-old son Ian is 4-foot-10 and 85 pounds. He’s joined by Jackson Carpenter, age 8, 4-foot-3 and 63 pounds, and Logan Hamilton, also 8, 4-foot-4 and 60 pounds. Both are CRF110F riders. The three boys all have similar riding experience and enjoy trail riding and shredding their backyards since they have the space.

We also had Jackson’s 5-year-old sister Avery throw a leg over; she’s 3-foot-10 and 50 pounds, with lots of seat time on Stacyc electric balance bikes. Avery had a go, but couldn’t flat-foot both feet even on the lower seat setting; combine that with power output that was too much for her, and she wasn’t ready to be a tester. She looks forward to trying a CRF-E2 when she gets a bit bigger.

Honda CRF-E2 Motor Power and Modes

Motive power for the Greenger Honda CRF-E2 is a 48V brushless direct current (BLDC) motor with inner rotor. The motor is capable of producing a maximum of 2.5kW (about 3.4 hp) and spins to 4,000 rpm. Honda is targeting playbike riders and has dialed back max output in the faster Stage 2 to 1.2kW (1.6 hp) and 2,000 rpm for a speed-limited 20 mph top end. In gentler Stage 1, speed is limited to 10 mph and torque production is lower.

That said, don’t be deceived by the horsepower numbers, because as with all electric motors, all its stated 5Nm/3.7 lb.-ft.of torque is available instantaneously, from zero rpm. Like the max power, this is dialed back: The motor can produce as much as 25Nm or 18.4 lb.-ft. How long until we see tuners cracking the code of the CRF-E2 and unleashing the full potential or modifying output curves? We’d wager not long, and we’d like to see it for reasons we’ll explain later.

Greenger Honda CRF-E2 Care, Maintenance, and Warranty

Many kids dirt bikes still run carburetors. Many parents are acutely aware of this, because they’re the ones cleaning the clogged pilot jets when they don’t drain the float bowl after that last ride. While many parts of the country still sell ethanol-free gas, all Californian 10-percent-ethanol fuel, even 91 octane, seems to go off quickly. Thankfully, EFI playbikes like the CRF110F do make life easier in terms of storage between rides.

The CRF-E2 eliminates this concern altogether, of course, and air-filter and oil changes along with it, simply by being electric. Basically, maintenance consists of lubricating/adjusting the chain and checking tire pressures. Also of note is that the CRF-E2 is OK to pressure wash, just like a dirt bike should be.

The 960Wh battery uses LG cells with Greenger programming in a Greenger housing. The battery has a two-year warranty that covers 3,000 miles or 1,000 charges. I wondered aloud if I’d filled Ian’s PW50 1,000 times in the four years we owned it (no, I did not). The CRF-E2 has a one-year warranty on the drivetrain and frame. The battery is easily accessed and removed (it took me 30 seconds) with two toolless screws, and a spare battery is available at an MSRP of $1,000. It would be an easy field swap. Greenger says the battery provides a two-hour run time “under ideal conditions.” We ran the bike 20 miles on a mostly flat riding area at one whack and found the battery showed a bit less than half a charge remaining.

A separate 5-amp charger is delivered with the CRF-E2; it can charge the battery from zero to full in four hours. An accessory $250 8-amp quick charger will do a full charge from dead in 2.5 hours, Greenger says. Either charger works on a household 120V outlet and also, therefore, a Honda EU2200i generator. Hey, the Hoyers go dirt bike camping.

Greenger says about 70 percent of the 1,000 Honda dealers in the US are selling the bike, and that 100 percent of the dealer network is equipped to handle parts and service.

Honda CRF-E2 Riding Impressions

Ian’s had a lot of recent seat time on a CRF110F on our backyard flat track, so rolling the CRF-E2 in the same setting, plus taking some cool lines through the trees, was a perfect go. Right off Ian liked the info display that shows state of charge, max speed, current speed, odo, and tripmeter better than the one on his Torrot E12. He specifically cited that it showed mph, making this the first bike he’s ridden that does. He liked knowing his speed.

We started in Stage 1, which reduces torque, softens motor response, and limits speed to 10 mph. Not surprisingly, Ian was ready for Stage 2 pretty quickly. On our decomposed-granite flat track Ian got into the groove pretty quickly, though he found the throttle response a bit too abrupt for his liking, with a lot of wheelspin and roost (great for photos).

“I thought that the low power mode was OK, but it was a bit too slow,” Ian says. “It would only go up to 10–12 mph. The high power would go up into the 20s but its torque was a bit too much. For me one was too little and the other was too much.”

Jackson and Logan adapted fine to the throttle in Stage 2 on their harder-packed riding area. “It wants to lift the wheel and do little burnouts,” Jackson’s dad, Blake, says. “It’s quick—it rips. It moves those little kids around!”

There is real damping going on in the fork and shock, and the settings are on the “play” end of the spectrum where they belong on a bike like this. That said, the DNM shock rebound can be made really slow to really fast—there is a 20-click range of adjustment, and it really changes damping. Overall, Ian’s 4-year-old Torrot E12 has firmer damping, befitting its racier nature, though the brakes are beefier and have better feel on the CRF-E2.

Small-wheel life on this bike, with its 12-inch rims front and rear, helps keep the bike low and manageable. A trade-off this brings is reduced grip and ability to roll over bumps compared with bikes with larger wheels. Our CRF110F riders, who were accustomed to that larger 14-inch front wheel on the bigger gas motorcycle, found they had to ride far forward on the CRF-E2′s seat to get the front end to stick. This appears to be a combination of the smaller front wheel, the E2′s lighter overall weight, and the instant torque at work when the kids rolled back on the throttle. Ian, for example, is only 25 pounds lighter than the CRF-E2, so moving his 85 pounds around on this 110-pound motorcycle makes a huge difference in steering behavior. The CRF-E2 is agile and easy to steer overall.

All the kids had a ton of fun riding the bike. Ian has no prejudice against electrics (he owns one, after all) but he said he does prefer gas power; he’s been hugely influenced by all the piston-powered rolling stock we keep around. The other kids?

“My kids don’t care,” Carpenter says. “They grew up on the Stacyc. They’d probably prefer the electric because it’s quiet and they can talk to each other easier. But even the 110 is perfect because of how quiet it is, and I could talk to him the whole ride when I was on it. They like that they don’t have to start the CRF-E2. But Jackson was stoked he didn’t have to kick the (electric start) 110, though.”

I also have ridden our CRF110F with Ian on his electric. There is nothing cooler than hearing your kid laugh in his helmet as you pass each other.

Honda is the first of the major Japanese motorcycle makers to provide an electric in this segment, albeit through its subsidiary American Honda. Other competitors include Spanish company Torrot’s $3,399 Motocross One (10-inch wheels) and $3,499 Motocross Two (14-/12-inch wheels). KTM is in the space with the $4,999 SX-E 3 (10-inch wheels) and $5,499 SX-E 5 (12/10 wheels). All are racier than the play-oriented $2,950 CRF-E2.

Electrics allow us to wail all the laps we can stand in our semi-rural neighborhood yard with virtually no noise, and the run time afforded by the CRF-E2 matches Ian’s “run time” pretty well in terms of how much he wants to ride at one whack. As a market-expanding option that reduces maintenance load on parents, the CRF-E2 is a success; it’s definitely coming with us on our next desert camping trip. It’s a fun motorcycle.

California-based Yuba Bikes boasts a 15-year history in the cargo bike market, first making its name with nonmotorized “longtail” bikes—that is, bicycles with an extended deck behind the rider’s saddle for carrying all manner of cargo or adult and young child-seated passengers.

Related: 5 Cargo Ebikes to Replace Your Car

Since the company’s founding in 2007, Yuba has branched out into giant front-loading cargo bikes as well as more compact and maneuverable midtail rear loaders, then electrifying the majority of its line with high-quality mid-drive motors from the likes of Bosch and Shimano.

Related: Yuba Bicycles Electric Mundo First Look

Related: Yuba Electric Supermarché Cargo Ebike Review

Now Yuba has expanded its selection of cargo ebikes with the new Fastrack, a 20-inch-wheeled midtail with a patent-pending integrated Dual Rack System out back that be quickly adjusted four ways for carrying different types of cargo or a passenger—without having to bolt on separate footboards—or folded down out of the way for easy storage of the bike. The bike is also designed for space-saving storage in the home or garage by standing up vertically on its back end, a feature seen on compact cargo bikes like Tern’s HSD and Quick Haul models.

The Fastrack gets its pedal assist from a 250W Shimano STEPS E7000 mid-motor with a 500Wh external battery attached to the downtube of the low-slung 6061 aluminum step-through frame with a dual-leg kickstand to provide a stable footing for loading up the Fastrack. Yuba has also outfitted the bike with rock-solid componentry throughout: Shimano Deore 10-speed drivetrain, an SR Suntour Mobie suspension fork, 36-hold double-wall alloy wheels, 20 x 4-inch Schwalbe Super Moto tires, and Magura MT32 mountain bike hydraulic brakes to slow down the 72-pound bike whether it’s fully loaded (440-pound max load, including bike and rider) or not.

Related: Living Car-Lite With an Electric Cargo Ebike

But the Dual Rack System on the rear deck is the Fastrack’s most intriguing—and novel—feature. It requires no tools, and can be adjusted in seconds among four modes: flat-bed, for carrying items extending beyond the deck; carry-on, creating side walls on top of the deck to secure narrower loads; side-loader, in which the system folds down to cover the rear wheel on both sides and create footrests for an adult or young passenger; and compact, folding the rack up fully against the rear wheel for easy bike storage or to hang panniers on the rear deck.

Related: Yuba Bicycles Kombi E5 First Look

Yuba offers the Fastrack in three colors (blue, Stealth Gray, and green) at an MSRP of $4,799. More information: yubabikes.com.

Lectric eBikes this week launches the third generation of its flagship folding ebike with the new XP 3.0, now boasting dual-rider capability with a passenger (up to 150 pounds) riding on its reinforced rear rack, according to the company.

“Taking utility to the next level, the XP 3.0 marks the industry’s first foldable ebike with dual-rider capability,” Lectric states.

Levi Conlow, Lectric’s CEO, explained: “It was too often that I was at a buddy’s house and we wanted to rip over to a restaurant for dinner, but they only had one bike so we’d resort to getting in the car. Analyzing our consumer feedback, we found the lack of dual-rider capabilities to be a common challenge in various use cases.

“If we really believe in creating the Greatest Urban Transportation Solution Ever, we need to make it a no-brainer for commuters to select an ebike over a vehicle, and the passenger capabilities of the XP 3.0 offers that solution,” he added.

Related; Lectric eBikes XP 2.0 First Look

Related: Lectric XP 2.0 Folding Ebike Review

Available in step-through and step-over versions, the XP 3.0 is equipped with a new 500W sustained/1,000W peak rear hub motor (up from the XP 2.0′s 500W/800W unit) that delivers 55Nm of torque, five levels of pedal assist up to 28 mph, and throttle assist topping out at 20 mph. The XP 3.0 can be configured as a Class 1, 2, or 3 ebike.

Buyers can choose between a standard battery (500Wh for up to 45 miles of claimed range) or long-range power pack (672Wh and up to 65 miles), with the XP 3.0 sold at introductory prices of $999 and $1,199, respectively. Both are $100 off regular MSRP for a limited time.

Related: Lectric XP Lite Folding Ebike First Look

Letric has also introduced new accessories for the XP 3.0, including insulated food carrying bags as well as a Passenger Package comprising a padded seat for topping the frame’s integrated rear rack, mini handlebars that attach to the bike’s seatpost, and a pair of foot pegs. All are available for preorder now at Black Friday discounts of 25 percent off.

More information: lectricebikes.com.

A force in the electric motorcycle market for 15 years now, Zero Motorcycles recently introduced its first adventure bike with the 2023 DSR/X.

Zero’s motorcycles are known for producing a formidable amount of torque at the rear wheel, and the new ADV rig falls right in line with that, producing 166 lb.-ft. of torque, according to Zero. That motor is powered by a huge 17.3kWh battery, the biggest yet from Zero.

Possessing a rugged, modern styling, the DSR/X rolls 19-inch front and 17-inch rear cast aluminum wheels, suited for riders looking to sprinkle light off-roading into their road outings.

In addition to the easily adjustable windscreen, our favorite features include the giant 7-gallon storage compartment—double the capacity of Zero’s SR/F—that stands in for the fuel tank. Additional storage is accessed via two torque screws on the front left side of the bike, and the DSR/X also has the usual small storage compartment underneath the seat.

Related: Putting Zero Motorcycles’ DSR/X Adventure Bike in Context

This vehicle is charged with a standard J1772 charging point or a conventional household three-prong 110-volt adapter. The household adapter takes approximately 10 hours to charge from zero to 95 percent; the J1772 reduces that to roughly four hours.

The DSR/X is suspended up front by an inverted Showa fork with radial-mount brakes from J.Juan, a Brembo-owned Spanish brake manufacturer. A Showa rear shock mounts directly to the frame and swingarm without a linkage. (We generally aren’t fans of bikes without rear suspension linkages, especially for off-road use, but it works well here.) The suspension components deliver 7-plus inches of travel front and rear.

Related: Zero DSR/X First Ride Review

Another notable design feature is the oh-so-quiet belt final drive, instead of slap-prone (and therefore much noisier) chain drive. Neat!

This bike is a big rider-friendly motorcycle, ergonomically speaking. The handlebar is tall and swept forward, putting the rider in an aggressive stance. The seat is luxurious, and the faux fuel tank area is sizable and does a fine job of blocking the elements, which is what you want on a touring bike. Standing ergonomics work well throughout—this is a very cozy motorcycle.

Related: 7 Reasons Why Your First Motorcycle Should Be Electric

Considering the DSR/X’s heft (544 pounds), the suspension has a lot of work to do. The fork and shock have spring preload and damping adjustment. No doubt that big reservoir chamber inside the shock has a lot of nitrogen to help keep the damping qualities fixed when controlling all 500-plus pounds of this motorcycle. The weight is certainly felt, and riders can sense the suspension controlling movement and vehicle pitch off-pavement. However, riders probably won’t get really nasty with this bike; it just weighs too much. But for fire roads and light off-roading, the DSR/X is more than capable.

On the other hand, the DSR/X feels remarkably agile on the road. The suspension feels well-supported on slow- to medium-speed curvy pavement stints. And thankfully, there are those triple-sized disc brakes. The rear brake is the biggest rear disc Zero Motorcycles has ever put on one of its bikes. The off-road traction control mode is really nice, allowing a decent level of wheelspin. The connection between motorcycle and throttle works well, and we like the throttle response—not too touchy, not too dull.

A good, old-fashioned mechanical key starts this bike. Insert key, turn the ignition on, and the 5-inch color TFT display illuminates with a neat Zero Motorcycles logo. The fonts are nice and sharp and it looks crisp. Problem is, the font sizes used mean there’s a lot of wasted space around the perimeter of the display. Still, just hit the “run” rocker switch, and away you go.

The DSR/X offers an easy-to-access 12V power point and two more USB-type chargers inside the center storage box. Three-level adjustable heated grips are included for comfort in chilly weather. We ran the adjustable windscreen mostly in the low position to get a little bit of airflow over our body, but if it had been colder out, we would have elevated the setting. The rearview mirrors do a nice job of showing off what’s behind.

A left/right toggle switch accesses the bike’s power modes. Obviously Sport was our favorite. On the other end of the spectrum, the Eco power setting reduces acceleration force and uses power more sparingly. It also adds regen, which feels like engine-braking, as it slows the motorcycle without having to actuate the brakes by returning regenerated power to the power pack. Folks who like a lot of conventional engine-braking effect during deceleration are going to want regen.

Related: 2020 Zero Motorcycles SR/F Review

The brakes offer decent response, but the pad-bite feeling is a tad soft. An even more robust brake package would be nice considering how heavy the DSR/X is. A neat feature here is the integration of Bosch-sourced vehicle stability and ABS controllers. Bosch-sourced ABS and vehicle stability controllers are class-leading in the powersport space. And Bosch and Zero Motorcycles have been working together for nearly a decade now. So the electronics and their integration of their vehicles work really well.

Riding electric motorcycles is neat, because there’s no engine noise, no vibration, no exhaust noise. And we like that there’s no clutch to actuate; no gears to shift.

Zero claims the DSR/X is good for a range of 85 highway miles. If you ride in the city, that claim jumps to more than 100 miles. If you ride off-road, it’s over 100 miles too. Highway use has the highest energy consumption because you’re going at a constant speed. In city and off-road situations, you are varying your speed. You also get the benefit of regen during deceleration. So that’s why range increases in those scenarios.

LED lighting front and rear helps this motorcycle stand out after dark. Curiously however, this bike has halogen bulb turn signals. We weren’t able to ride after dark, so the jury is still out on the nighttime usability of this motorcycle. But judging by the shape of the LEDs, we bet this thing throws a good swath of light.

The neat thing about electric motorcycles is they require virtually no maintenance. The DSR/X needs periodic tension checks on the belt final drive and hydraulic brake fluid flushes, but that’s pretty much it for maintenance. Of course, you’re going to have to update the firmware every so often; Zero Motorcycles is always improving its firmware and software. But for motorcycle riders who want to spend more time riding and less time dealing with maintenance, EV bikes are a great option.

MSRP: $24,495. More information: zeromotorcycles.com.

Sweden-based electric motorcycle maker Cake has opened its first brand-dedicated store in the US, offering sales, service, and test rides of its growing line of emobility products in Los Angeles’ Venice neighborhood. The new “Cake :site” also serves as the company’s North American sales and marketing headquarters.

Related: Cake Introduces Line for Kids

“Los Angeles was a natural choice when we planned our first location. California is the world’s largest market for off-road vehicles and it’s our strongest market in North America,” said Cake CEO and founder Stefan Ytterborn. “Along with wanting to be close to our largest customer base, California’s progressive environmental policy is a good match with our vision of inspiring society toward a zero-emission future.”

The company envisions the new space as a community hub for Cake customers and owners, presenting events and giving those customers direct access to team members behind the brand.

Related: Cake Puts Electric Two-wheelers To Work

“We’re very proud to have our North American headquarters in Los Angeles,” said Eric Asmussen, Cake’s managing director for North America. “Cake has already partnered with the city on a few key projects, like using the Ösa (utility electric) for patrolling bike paths with StreetsLA. Using the new :site as a base of operations, we’re excited to continue our work with the city and all the people of LA who are tired of being stuck in traffic as we strive for a zero-emission society as it drives toward a sustainable future.”

The Cake :site LA is now open at 4112 Lincoln Blvd., Marina Del Rey, CA 90292. More Cake :sites are planned to open in cities around the US in 2023, the company stated.

High-end analog bikes have always been spendy. The pricing seems to break away from inflation. A small analysis from last year found that similar bikes from a few years ago, adjusted for inflation, were disproportionately more expensive.

The same goes for components: The high-end stuff is more expensive than ever.

But, if you’re going to spend your hard-earned cash, there’s a lot to be said for spending it on where you actually touch the bike: handlebars, seat, and pedals. There’s a lot to be said for treating yourself when it comes to gloves, a saddle, and shoes because you’ll literally feel and enjoy the benefits of these things each time you ride.

With that, I give you the S-Works Torch shoes from Specialized. They’re $450 and worth every cent if you’re prepared to open up your wallet that wide for a pair of road shoes.

It might buy you a perfect fit.

Engineers utilized the research of more than 100,000 foot scans that informed the shoe’s design. The new base plate is 4 millimeters wider at the ball than the previous-generation of S-Works 7 shoe, and 20 grams lighter.

The placement of the dual Boa cables also makes it near impossible for any unwanted lift, which can cause a loss of max power.

I used these tooling around town testing and for indoor racing, where I’ll take every watt I can get.

Related: Specialized 2FO ClipLite Mountain Bike Shoe Review

For the uninitiated, Boa is a lacing system. Tightening is as easy as turning the quarter-sized knob clockwise. Loosening means a counterclockwise click. And the distance between these clicks is tiny, so you can fine-tune your fit in a big way—even if you’re on the bike.

There’s no other system that lets you make micro-adjustments more effectively. The fact that you can do it with gloves is just gravy.

Releasing all tension is easy: Just pull outward on the dial and you can yank all the slack, so it’s quick and easy to get in and out of the shoe. Thankfully, the lace can be removed from the clip that the lace pulls against. Again, this makes putting them on and taking them off easy.

The dials are anodized aluminum and complete the package. Without the Boa tech, it’s tough to imagine getting a similar Cinderella-like fit.

And that’s what you’re paying for: a shoe that feels custom.

Back in September we told you about Aventon’s second-generation Level.2 commuter, taking the brand’s first integrated-battery ebike and upping the sophistication with the addition of a torque sensor. (Aventon’s ebikes up to that point had relied on only cadence sensors paired with its hub motors.)

Related: Aventon Aventure Ebike Review

We’ve just started getting some time aboard the Level.2, in its easy-access step-through version, and we can easily say this is by far Aventon’s best-pedaling ebike yet. It doesn’t have the ultra-natural feeling of a much more pricey mid-motor ebike, but it’s a huge step toward that high bar of performance.

Mostly gone is the huge delay between applying power to the pedals and the drive system’s pedal assist kicking in, typical of cadence-sensing hub-drive ebikes. From a dead stop, you’ll feel the added power in less than one-eighth of a rotation of the pedals—no need to lean on the Level.2′s thumb throttle to get moving. Once the bike’s at cruising speed, however, the lag time becomes greater. On a performance mountain or road bike—especially navigating technical terrain on the former—that delay would not be acceptable. But it’s hardly a concern with the Level.2′s intended commuter use. It’s still worlds better than a cadence-based system, with the strong off-the-line performance being the biggest benefit in real-world riding situations.

Related: Do I Need a Hub Drive or a Mid-Drive Motor?

But what about carryover power from the hub motor once pedaling ceases? Gone. Assist cuts off immediately, meaning no added push when approaching stop signs or traffic signals. Again, this is due to the fine torque sensing.

The Level.2 ships as a Class 2 ebike (pedal and throttle assist to 20 mph), with the option of boosting pedal assist as high as 28 mph (or, conversely, toning it down as low as 12 mph). Since I planned to ride the ebike predominantly in motor traffic, maxing out the assist through Aventon’s app was my first order of business. Pairing the bike with the app and navigating to the “speed limit” setting were intuitive and easy.

Related: 2022 Aventon Pace 500 and Pace 350 First Look

To take advantage of the bike’s full power, I’ve spent almost all my time aboard the Level.2 in the highest of the five pedal-assist modes, with judicious use of the left-hand thumb throttle because I’ve found it largely extraneous. Exhausting 55 percent of the 672Wh battery, I’ve ridden the Aventon a touch under 21 miles over 900 feet of total elevation gain. That’s solid range pedaling the Level.2 at full whack over rolling terrain, given that Aventon estimates battery range at up to 60 miles for a 160-pound rider using the lowest assist level on flat ground. (For comparison’s sake, I walk around at 170 el bees.)

Related: Do I Need a Throttle on My Ebike?

The Level.2′s hub motor is the same unit we’ve ridden on other Aventon ebikes like the Class 2 Soltera and Pace 350, so the swift acceleration we’ve come to expect remains. Aventon also geared the Level.2 appropriately with a 46T single chainring and 12-32T cassette to hit that 28 mph max assisted speed without having to spin a furious cadence. An eight-speed trigger shifter moves the Shimano Acera derailleur smoothly and precisely across the cassette, with no clumsy gear skipping, and a set of Tektro hydraulic disc brakes with nicely modulated lever feel and gobs of power slowed me smoothly and confidently from downhill speeds exceeding 35 mph.

Come back soon for our full review of the $1,949 Aventon Level.2.

Hovsco’s HovRanger may look a bit like a mountain bike, but it’s more at home commuting around town. It looks decent but not so flashy that you’d feel nervous about locking it up outside the pub or coffee shop. And it’s got plenty of assist to get you around the city, even on moderate hills.

The HovRanger has a few drawbacks that hold it back and keep it from truly being worth the $1,800 price tag—most notably, some steep steering geometry and reliability issues with the motor. As it is, there are better bikes out there for less money. The HovRanger would be worth a look at a lower price, or if Hovsco had included a more reliable drive system

What Is the Hovsco HovRanger?

The HovRanger is a multisurface commuter bike. The 27.5-inch wheels allow for wide tires, which means it’s certainly appropriate for light off-road riding—think mellow gravel roads, not singletrack.

The Zoom suspension fork can take the edge off of road chatter and slightly larger hits, but it would not be an appropriate choice for serious trail use.

The 500W Sutto brushless geared hub motor offers plenty of assist power, with 65Nm of torque at the ready. A 720Wh Samsung/LG battery similarly gives the HovRanger plenty of kick. Hovsco advertises a 60-mile maximum range, which seems reasonable given my experience, as I used my throttle-heavy thumb to wear out the battery as quickly as possible.

The removable battery features a built-in flashlight, which seems like a strange perk. It might come in handy for those bringing the bike to the campsite, though.

The HovRanger is capable of assist speeds up to 28 mph. That’s only applicable to pedal assist; there’s a throttle, but it cuts out at 20 mph. You can set the bike to Class 2 for a max of 20 mph of pedal assist as well. It’s easy to switch between the modes using Hovsco’s app.

The app is quite handy in a lot of ways, though I found it irritating that I had to sign up for an account in the app before I could get any assist from the bike at all. Once the app was set, however, everything ended up being quite intuitive to get going.

There’s an integrated front light that you can control using the buttons mounted on the handlebar. There’s also a rear light included, but it’s not integrated. You’ll have to turn it on and off manually.

A seven-speed drivetrain complements the pedal-assist motor. This ended up being more than enough gearing for the rolling terrain near my house outside of Denver.

Hovsco says the HovRanger is appropriate for any rider within the 5-foot-1 to 6-foot-7 range. If you’re on the extreme ends of that range, you’re not likely to find a very comfortable fit here. The HovRanger seems best suited to riders near the 5-foot-8 range or so.

The bike offers a total payload capacity of 300 pounds, which includes the rider. My test bike did not come with racks or other accessories.

The HovRanger is available in two colors and one size.

How Does the Hovsco HovRanger Ride?

Generally the first thing I notice about any ebike when I throw a leg over it is the motor: its power, consistency, and lag time. But on the HovRanger, the first thing I noticed was the handling.

More specifically, the front end of the bike feels quite steep. Hovsco does not advertise what the headtube angle is, but in my testing it felt like road bike geometry. That means you’ll need to pay attention to the steering, particularly when you’re on rougher surfaces. The HovRanger could benefit from a slacker headtube angle that would offer much more steering stability.

The Zoom suspension fork offers 75 millimeters of travel. By mountain bike standards, that’s not a lot. But for a general commuter bike, it’s more than enough. The fork feels fine, though I wouldn’t want to take it on any trails.

The Sutto motor feels plenty powerful once you get pedaling. There is a slight lag time between your pedaling input and the assist kicking in. But it’s not bad enough that it will cause you any problems unless you’re starting from a dead stop on a hill.

In that situation, you’d be best served to use the throttle to get going anyway. That works best for the HovRanger. I did, however, encounter a few instances in which the motor seemed to “slip” when I engaged the throttle on hills from a dead stop. This was a first for me; I’ve never felt such slipping in any other motor.

It began happening every time I started from a dead stop on a hill. That’s problematic if you live in a hilly locale. The only other way to get going from a dead stop on hills is to shift into an easy gear and pedal under your own power until the assist kicks in.

In all other riding situations the throttle worked just fine. The pedal assist too felt powerful and useful enough for general commuting. And the hydraulic disc brakes offer plenty of modulation and stopping power, which makes the bike more useful in inclement weather.

The head-up display is quite bright and colorful. It’s positioned at the center of the handlebars, which makes it easy to read at a glance. But there was quite a bit of glare off the screen that often made it difficult to read.

How Much Does the Hovsco HovRanger Cost?

The HovRanger costs $1,800 and is available on Hovsco’s website. You can add accessories like front and rear racks, fenders, and a taillight to your order too.

Hovsco offers free shipping in the contiguous 48 states. The company also offers a 15-day return period so you can try the bike out before you commit to it. After that, there’s a two-year warranty.

Given the HovRanger’s spec and performance, it seems a touch overpriced. There are definitely bikes on the market that offer a more comfortable ride and better consistency in the pedal assist, for less money.

That said, the HovRanger has a strong motor with good battery range, and it’s capable of tackling pavement and light gravel. If multisurface riding is part of your daily ride, the HovRanger can handle it.

Kona enters a fresh segment of the ebike market today with the introduction of its first hub-drive pedal-assist bicycles, complementing its line of mid-motor ebikes.

The new HD series launches with three models: the Rove HD, based on the Bellingham, Washington brand’s drop-bar adventure bike; Dew HD, the electrified version of Kona’s townie/commuter model; and Coco HD, its European-style step-through bike now with a motorized push.

All three bikes have Class 1 pedal assist up to 20 mph—no throttle—from SR Suntour’s R250 HP hub motor (250W nominal/400W max power, 60Nm peak torque) paired with a 418Wh downtube-integrated battery. The keyed battery can be charged on or off the bike in six to seven hours, Kona says.

Kona’s other current ebikes all use more expensive Shimano mid-motor systems, including versions of the Dew and Coco priced at $3,000 and higher. The closest comparison to the sportier Rove HD is the Kona Libre EL gravel/commuter ebike, at $5,000. MSRPs on the new Kona HD ebikes are significantly lower, with the Rove HD at $2,199 and the Dew HD and Coco HD at $1,999 each.

Related: Kona Introduces Trio Of 2021 Ebikes

Related: Kona Unveils More 2021 Ebike Models

But Kona’s focus doesn’t appear exclusively to be cost-cutting, although the company does say that new models “help lower the barrier to entry to riding an electric bike.” Rather than only using an inexpensive cadence sensor, all three bikes are equipped with a torque sensor in the bottom bracket, similar to mid-drive systems. That should translate to a more natural pedaling feel and more immediate activation and cutoff to the assist than systems relying solely on cadence sensors. We’re eager to find out for ourselves, as we’ve been talking with Kona about getting a test bike soon.

The drive system has four levels of assist—Eco, Tour, Sport, and Turbo—plus a Walk mode. Its command center is a combination controller and OLED display, with large readout, mounted on the left side of the handlebars. Display data includes current assist mode and speed, battery level, trip distance, and odometer.

Dew HD

Rove HD

Coco HD

More information: konaworld.com

Related: Kona Remote 160 Electric Mountain Bike Review

Related: Kona Remote Electric Mountain Bike Review

Related: Kona Remote 160 DL Long-term Review

In late July we told you that the new Trek Fuel EXe heralded the reinvention of the electric mountain bike. If you were hoping Cycle Volta was wrong, I have bad news: For the past 85 miles of testing, the $14,000 Fuel EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS hasn’t been merely great, it’s been almost entirely mind-blowing.

Yes, it would require both a second mortgage and perhaps cause major friction with my significant other to buy one; nonetheless I’ve literally lost sleep about making room for this bike in my life. I think Trek has delivered so much tech here that there are significant lessons not just for rival bike makers, but for both automotive and motorcycle manufacturers.

What follows is more “back of the napkin” than a complete summing up, because this bike is exceptionally complex. Also, it’s a “first ride” review, even if I’ve basically been trying to ride the Fuel EXe every time I get a window. More details on this leap-forward Trek will come in a few weeks.

The Tech

First off, this version comes with SRAM’s electronic drivetrain and suspension. The entry-level $6,500 Fuel EXe 9.5 weighs closer to 44 pounds and doesn’t have an ultralight component set, nor does it shift electronically like the AXS model, but for the sake of comparison, it’s only about 4 pounds heavier, and you literally could buy two 9.5s for the sticker of the XX1 AXS build.

But hey, I’m hardly complaining that I’ve had the perk of testing the halo-level eMTB, since its integrated electronic powertrain, shock, and fork—as well as wheels’ air valves—all pair via Bluetooth. That means you can accurately tune the bike to do exactly what you want.

Fire up the Wisconsin juggernaut’s very simple-to-use Trek Central app and you see every aspect of the system in just a few screens. Enter your rider weight and the app gives you target settings for tire inflation and pressure in both the RockShox Lyrik Ultimate fork and RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate rear shock. If you’re out of those suggested ranges, add or reduce psi and the app signals you’re dialed by turning digits from red to green.

Then sift for the amount of assist you want in three levels: Eco, Mid, and High, with propulsion capped at 20 mph and modes selected via a simple toggle inboard of the left handlebar grip.

In the menu you immediately see how much range you’ve got in each level, depending on the state of charge. This is represented both in the screen on the frame’s toptube and in the app in either miles or hours—whichever you prefer. In the app you can drill down further, setting not just how much power you’d like, from 30 to 300 watts, but also determining assist as a percentage of your own output, from 25 to 200 percent and also how quickly you want power to arrive.

I love these granular settings because I really dig fast pedal response but don’t necessarily want a ton of power for most singletrack rides, where you might get bucked right into an obstacle if there’s overkill assist.

Setting Eco mode to a maximum wattage of 147 but only up to 25 percent of my own output meant that I could safely and comfortably climb all but the gnarliest steeps and still clean them pretty comfortably. And because I wanted pedal assist even at that modest boost to hit instantly, I could get the Fuel EXe to hop rocks and logs with merely half or even quarter crank turns. But the TQ powertrain (more on that below) didn’t throttle my motion beyond my expectations, so the hit of muscle felt very natural.

Luckily, all the aforementioned variables are up to you. On more wide-open terrain than my native Northeast singletrack, I might prefer a different set of X/Y axes, and that’s something I could set in less than a minute.

Total Quessence (TQ)

We told you when we previewed this bike that TQ was a new system created by a smallish German robotics company rather than a titan like Bosch or Shimano. The promise was less about a breakthrough in power than in lightness and efficiency. This is all true based on initial experience.

The TQ system combines a downtube-integrated 360Wh battery and a mid-drive motor that can churn out up to 50Nm of torque. Compared with more robust systems that produce 85 or 90Nm of peak power, you might think the TQ system’s lowish output would leave you wanting more. But I took this bike to an insanely steep power line climb I’ve never cleared on a non-electric mountain bike. The ascent is also technical enough that a heavier ebike would make for an oafish attempt at summiting—you’d just never be able to finesse the off-camber rocks and balance-y bends.

In top assist mode I just about cleaned my way to the top, even though, yes, I was very gassed. I don’t blame the bike, however. My lack of skill eventually had me teetering sideways on the leaf-littered, ultraslick stone near the apex. But thanks to its sub-40-pound weight, the Fuel EXe never suffered for lack of muscle. And so far TQ and Trek have absolutely aced their promise of excellent power-on/power-off characteristics. That’s something I could feel while ratcheting pedals ahead of stunts, berms, and swoops in a bike park.

Trek also promised efficiency, and I’ve seen at least five hours of juice per charge riding lots of doubletrack approaches and singletrack descents. It’s possible that means this bike wouldn’t be an ideal “big mountain” option for churning up the Alps and back down, but then, with about 5.5 inches of suspension travel it’s not really set up for that kind of terrain anyway.

I absolutely must add that the TQ system is astonishingly quiet. When really hammering in the highest assist mode you will discern a tiny whir, but I caught up to some friends during an evening shred one night and nobody on the ride even noticed I was rolling e-assisted. Only when we got back to the car did anyone realize I’d been riding an ebike. Subsequent ribbing didn’t deter the huzzahs, head-scratching, and minds blown.

Some Niggles?

Besides the asking price, there’s not a lot to beef about. While the wheelbase can feel a little truckish, this bike gets the identical footprint from tire patch to tire patch as the non-electric Fuel EX 9.8 AXS that has the same amount of suspension travel. On very tight singletrack and especially on stacked switchbacks, that can be a challenge. But it would be even more of a struggle without a bunch of watts powering your caboose up the climbs.

One swap I might make would be to ditch the integrated stem/bar combo and its quite wide 820-millimeter spread. While it’s very stiff and steers wonderfully, that’s wider than the bars on some motorcycles. It’s awesome during bombing descents but often made me feel like I was gripping the wheel of a cross-town bus.

What to Think?

I began this piece suggesting that car and moto makers could learn a thing or five from Trek. My belief there is based around the Fuel EXe’s exceptional customization that imparts a natural-feeling ride quality within the first hour of pedaling. I also test electric cars and motorcycles, and I can fully imagine that level of hackery opened up to those buyers—and I don’t mean just the techie crowd of tuners who customize their own software, but any purchaser. Isn’t that what “electric everything” has promised us?

Speaking more specifically of the TQ powertrain, you have to argue the compactness and low weight of the system enabled Trek to build a far lighter—and therefore far more efficient—electric mountain bike that’s nimble enough to ride even tight singletrack. That’s important: The closer ebikes get to riding and feeling like non-assisted bikes, the less we’ll divide ourselves into tribes of different kinds of cyclists and can more readily coexist.

For now, my head spins at what this means. For instance, Trek just launched a new line of Domane+ SLR “endurance road” ebikes using a similar TQ powertrain and weighing as little as 25 pounds. One can easily imagine Trek deploying something similar in a whole spate of more affordable lightweight commuter and alt-category electric rigs that aren’t so beefy that they require a powerlifter’s physique to heft them onto a car’s roof rack.

The Fuel EXe and Domane+ are, I’m betting, just the start. It seems like Trek just kicked a door down into a wonderful new dimension of electric cycling.