I love getting the chance to see and test new and innovative designs in the world of micromobility, especially since many of the repetitive designs we so often see turn out to be cookie-cutter rehashes of other models. But the designers of the Easybike G16 definitely went in a new direction, creating something innovative and comfortable for all types of riding.
Despite the name, the Easybike G16 isn’t a bike at all. It may ride more like one, but it’s actually a full-suspension electric scooter. And it’s a great example of something new and different in this industry.
I’ve quite literally traveled around the world in search of the most interesting micromobility products, and I found this specific one in Tel Aviv, widely considered the micromobility capital of the Middle East. A reported 170,000 bike and scooter rides take place each day in the city, despite a population of just 475,000 residents.
It is in that intense hub of micromobility innovation that the Easybike G16 was born.
Take a look at how it performs in my video review below. Then keep scrolling for the rest of my review.
Easybike G16 video review
Easybike G16 tech specs
- Motor: 750W continuous-rated, 1,500W peak-rated rear hub motor
- Top speed: 45 km/h (28 mph)
- Range: 40 km (25 mi)
- Battery: 52V 13Ah (676 Wh)
- Weight: 22.5 kg (49.6 lb)
- Frame: Aluminum
- Suspension: Front suspension fork and rear swingarm
- Brakes: Front and rear mechanical disc brakes
- Wheels: 16-inch front, 12.5-inch rear
- Extras: LCD display, rear rack with storage case included, LED lighting, folding stem, wireless key fob with alarm, optional trailer accessory, 5-year frame warranty (2 years on everything else other than battery, 1 year on battery)
What makes this thing different?
The G16 name comes from the scooter’s 16-inch front wheel, which is significantly larger than most scooter wheels. In fact, even the 12.5-inch rear wheel is already bigger than you’d find on nearly any other electric scooter out there.
Not only are the wheels much larger on this scooter but there’s also full suspension that actually works really well at absorbing bumps. This isn’t just-for-show suspension like we’ve seen on plenty of cheap e-bikes and e-scooters. I rode this scooter down sets of stairs and the suspension kept the ride surprisingly comfortable.
While I didn’t have the chance to do serious off-roading, at least not outside of the dirt and grass riding I did in the local park, I saw videos of others riding on serious mountain bike trails and single track, and the scooter did things that I never would have attempted if I hadn’t seen someone else succeed at it first. You can see those clips in my review video above.
Obviously this scooter isn’t meant to be a mountain bike replacement, but the fact that it can handle big drops and rocky terrain shows that it will be more than capable of riding on rough asphalt streets.
A different stance
When I first mounted the scooter, I tried riding it side-stance like I do on most scooters and skateboards. But the company’s co-founder, Idan, showed me how the G16 is really designed for a straight-forward stance, more like you’re standing up on bicycle pedals.
That normally feels strange to me on a scooter, but for some reason, it just clicked on the G16. Perhaps it’s because it actually feels closer to a bicycle than a kick scooter thanks to that larger front wheel. If anything, it really did feel like I was simply standing up on the pedals while riding a folding e-bike.
I’m definitely an e-bike rider first and foremost, but I spend plenty of time on electric scooters, and so having this hybrid feeling was a really cool way for me to bridge the two camps and get the best of both worlds.
What’s so good about a hybrid ride?
The G16’s hybrid ride style might seem strange at first, especially since it’s larger than a compact scooter but doesn’t offer the same sit-down comfort as a bike. But it’s got some real advantages.
For one, I feel much more stable on it than on a kickscooter. I rode down staircases that I would never attempt on a normal standing scooter. But it’s also a lot more portable than a larger e-bike. When you fold the stem down, the handlebars tuck down next to the frame and the whole thing can easily fit in a car. If you have a local train or subway that allows scooters but not bicycles, this will give you the bicycle feel while still allowing you to carry it on public transit.
And of course, that full-suspension is going to provide a much more comfortable ride than most scooters, even most other full-suspension scooters. That’s because this is bicycle-level suspension, using real mountain bike-style shocks instead of simple elastomer suspension found in many scooter swingarms.
There are even cool accessories available, like a hand cart-style trailer that mounts right onto the scooter’s rear rack. You can tow it around for serious cargo capabilities, and then you can detach it and walk it right into the local market or grocery store like a shopping trolley.
Of course, the G16 isn’t without downsides, either. The large 52V 13Ah battery and the 750W/1500W motor work together to provide plenty of power, but they’re also heavy components. The scooter tips the scales at 22.5 kg or 49.6 lb, which isn’t as light or portable as many budget scooters out there. But then again, it’s also a lot more capable than most budget scooters, too.
Oh, and since I tested this prototype version, they’ve added a locking mechanism to the battery, so don’t worry about those straps – they’ve been supplemented.
Next, this isn’t a cheap ride. The current local price translates into around US $1,950. Obviously, that’s a significant chunk of change, especially when there are plenty of Chinese scooters around for significantly less. But none of those more affordable models had to invest in developing their own brand new full-suspension frame that could accommodate such large wheels, or design it with all of these bike components to create such an innovative vehicle. So yeah, it’s not cheap. But the company invested in building something new, and innovation doesn’t come cheap.
For tinkerers, Easybike even sells a frame kit that includes the frame, handlebars, and suspension — basically everything but the electronics. That way folks who enjoy DIYing their own rides can put whatever powertrain into the G16 they’d like. I found that 28 mph (45 km/h) speeds and the 750W motor felt like plenty, but I can see people hot-rodding these things with crazy motors to take advantage of the more stable ride that the larger wheels and full-suspension design offers.
Unlike most of the e-scooters I review, this one isn’t as easily available – at least not yet. The company has begun selling it domestically and has already sent many scooters overseas to individual buyers, but they are now working on expanding their official dealer network to offer more direct sales around the world.
So far though, the demand from individual international buyers shows that there’s something to this big-wheeled madness!
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