The DYU R1 electric bike certainly wins points for a unique design, but how well does it work? That’s exactly what I set out to find out when I began putting some miles on this interesting-looking e-bike a few weeks ago.
review Stories January 21
review Stories January 17
The Polarna M4 electric bike may not look fancy, but it hides away a lot more e-bike than you bargain for. This fast and fun off-roader even folds to make it easier than ever to take a full-suspension fat-tire e-bike anywhere.
review Stories January 13
The CycleBoard Rover is unlike anything I’ve tested before. It looks like a scooter and handles more like a skateboard. It’s a wild ride that is hard to describe, but that’s what I’m here to try and do.
review Stories January 10
I absolutely love moped-style electric bikes. They are just so much fun to ride! The format gives you that fun-loving motorcycle cruising feeling, yet keeps you legal as a bicycle without all the hassle of motor vehicle ownership. And rarely have I seen a moped-style electric bike capture the motorbike essence quite as well as the Biktrix Moto.
This is one seriously exciting bike to ride, combining the convenience of the bicycle world with the cruising attitude of the motorbike industry.
review Stories January 5
The Xiaomi Mi Electric Scooter 3 continues to build upon Xiaomi’s strong start in the electric scooter space, making small tweaks to features that needed improvement, yet having enough sense to leave the good stuff alone. The result is an electric scooter that still feels every bit like a Xiaomi, but has now become the company’s best rendition yet.
review Stories January 3
As more e-bikes cram in extra features and components, they also start packing on the pounds. But what if you’re just looking for a lightweight, simple e-bike to get you where you’re going quickly and easily? That’s where Propella comes in. And the Propella Mini may be the best lightweight electric bike yet for urban residents.
review Stories December 30, 2021
Fat tire e-bikes are tons of fun for both on and off-road riding, but their large proportions don’t always look the best. The Gen3 Outcross manages to maintain a sleek-looking frame despite rocking big ol’ 4-inch fat tires.
review Stories December 27, 2021
I try to never take for granted that, as an electric vehicle journalist, I’m often given the opportunity to test out some of the most interesting EVs on the planet. They come in many forms. Some have wheels. Some have wings. Some defy classification altogether. But the one thing they all have in common is that they use batteries and electric motors to go vroom, whish, or splash.
Just for fun as we round out the year, I wanted to take a look back at five of the most far-out electric vehicles I tested in 2021. Some are cool, some are weird, but all were awesome to experience and share. Now we can experience them together one more time and send off the year with a bang!
review Stories December 21, 2021
The SWFT Maxx electric moped is one of those rare two-wheeled EVs that tries to have its cake and eat it too. On the one hand, it’s a scooter for all intents and purposes. On the other hand, it offers performance that most people would associate more with electric bicycles.
So what’s it good for? Let’s dive in and see.
review Stories November 22, 2021
Ariel Rider has proven time and again that it knows exactly how to build fast, powerful electric mopeds that push e-bike performance to entirely new levels. And the Grizzly 52V dual motor e-bike is yet another great example of the brand’s dedication to high-performance bikes that combine light electric motorcycle specs with e-bike parts for a line-blurring ride.
review Stories November 19, 2021
I love riding electric bikes in part because of how many different uses they offer. I enjoy riding the trails or cruising the beach as much as the next guy, but e-bikes offer so much more than just fitness or recreational riding. Any day I can replace a car trip with an e-bike is a good day, and electric cargo bikes like the Blix Packa Genie I’ve been riding offer some of the best utility out there for true-errand running and people-moving.
review Stories November 17, 2021
I’m a huge proponent of electric motorcycles, which offer all the thrill of gas bikes yet without the emissions, maintenance, or generally associated ownership headaches. The only problem is that they’re traditionally much more expensive than gas bikes. Or at least they were, until the Kollter ES1 rolled into North America.
review Stories November 15, 2021
Ever since I began riding electric bikes from Ride1Up back in 2018, I’ve found that the company does two things very well. First, it makes classic-looking e-bikes that perform even better than they look. And secondly, it does so for a price that leaves me scratching my head wondering how they can sell it for that little. The Ride1Up 700 Series is a perfect example on both counts.
Right out of the box, this urban-assault commuter e-bike has everything a rider needs for a potent city e-bike.
review Stories November 12, 2021
Remember the good old days of your childhood, yanking your siblings around in a little red wagon or racing it down the hill like a rocket ship? I definitely do, and so when the original little red wagon company Radio Flyer announced that they were getting into electric bicycles earlier this summer, I was hot to trot for a test ride. Now that I’ve spent several days testing the Flyer M880 midtail cargo e-bike, here are my thoughts on this interesting new addition to the e-bike landscape.
review Stories November 8, 2021
I ride all types of electric bicycles, from the dainty to the powerful. And while I love any chance to throw my leg over a new electric steed, it’s usually the higher-power options that really tickle my fancy. And the Addmotor Wildtan M5600 is pretty much the living embodiment of the excessive, high-power electric fat tire bike movement, offering more fun and excitement than anyone really needs, but that we all truly want anyway.
review Stories November 4, 2021
The SWFT brand is relatively young in the electric mobility space, but it’s coming out swinging with a variety of options. Casting a wide net, SWFT sells direct and through Best Buy, both online and in 10 stores in the US. Today we’ll be reviewing an offering right in the middle with their electric cruiser, which is called the Fleet.
review Stories November 1, 2021
Lectric Ebikes first rolled onto the scene in 2019 when they dropped the affordably priced Lectric XP fat tire folding e-bike seemingly out of nowhere. At just $899, the fast and fun electric bicycle became the first e-bike of tens of thousands of new riders around the US. But like in most things in life, first attempts are seldom perfect. So with great anticipation, Lectric Ebikes launched their updated Lectric XP 2.0 earlier this year.
The new version improved upon the few shortcomings of the original bike and added plenty of new features that many of us didn’t even know we wanted.
review Stories October 28, 2021
I recently had the chance to borrow a Zero SR/S electric motorcycle for several days to test out how well the company’s flagship model rides. The result? I’m going to go broke if I keep doing this stuff, because now I really want one in my garage.
review Stories October 26, 2021
The Fiido X folding electric bike is the latest rendition of Fiido’s modern take on the classic folding bicycle. Not only are these electric bikes easier than ever to ride, thanks to their pedal assist feature, but now they come with fancy new tech for locking that innovative seat tube battery.
The Fiido X was originally released as part of a crowdfunding campaign earlier this year. But for those that didn’t want to take a risk on an Indiegogo project, now is your chance to snag a full-production model. And to let you know if it’s worth it or not, I put my body on the line to test this newfangled e-bike with the fanciest, most complicated battery locking mechanism I’ve seen yet.
review Stories October 21, 2021
The Juiced Scorpion X recently replaced the original Scorpion moped-style electric bike and offers new upgrades to improve upon an already strong entry in the market.
review Stories October 1, 2021
Electric cargo bikes are one of the most fascinating e-bike categories to me because of just how much creativity exists in the industry and how much utility the e-bikes offer. The EUNORAU G20 e-bike embraces the prototypical longtail cargo e-bike style yet adds new upgrades to the 2021 model, including a second battery for even longer range.
review Stories September 24, 2021
While staying in Munich for a week during the IAA Mobility show, Electrek’s Fred Lambert, Seth Weintraub, and I each got the chance to test out Unu’s electric scooters as a way to navigate the city. Unu was kind enough to loan the three of us our very own 4 kW matte black Unu scooters. Together we constituted Electrek‘s first and only short-lived, mild-mannered biker gang as we toured the city in formation on our electric steeds.
review Stories September 14, 2021
We’ve watched many electric bicycle models in North America push further into the heavier, more aggressive categories of fat tire e-bikes and electric moped-style rides. But the KBO Breeze takes a different approach, bucking the trend toward bigger and bolder e-bikes. This comfortable and leisurely contender is light on riders’ backs and even lighter on their wallets.
review Stories September 9, 2021
The GOTRAX Endura electric bicycle is the answer to the question, “What e-bike would you recommend if I wanted to spend as little money as possible but not get a pile of junk?”
It is far from the best e-bike I’ve tested, but it still scores major points for combining good-enough parts with a super-low price tag of $649. I’ve tested e-bikes that cut too many corners before, and this is not one of them. It makes some sacrifices that we’ll discuss, but it still lands a solid win in the end.
review Stories September 6, 2021
It was a cool summer morning overlooking the pier in Santa Cruz, California, when I first watched Zero CEO Sam Paschel pull the cover off the company’s latest electric motorcycle. I immediately fell in love with the design of the Zero FXE. But I also knew that it takes more than a sleek body to make a good bike. Only by throwing my leg over the shiny new metallic steed and hitting the open road could I know if the FXE was really worth the attention.
Fortunately I was doing exactly that barely an hour later.
review Stories August 27, 2021
I’ve tested a few different Cyrusher electric fat tire bikes over the years, and they all have the same basic qualities: The fit and finish might not match the pros, but the bikes offer a fun helping of ridiculous excessiveness. The Cyrusher XF900 full-suspension fat tire e-bike might just be the most excessive yet, in all the best ways.
review Stories August 25, 2021
Tenways has just launched a new belt drive e-bike known as the CGO 600. We got a chance to test one out pre-launch to determine whether the nascent brand’s urban electric bicycle was worth a look.
Spoiler alert: It’s worth much more than a look.
review Stories August 23, 2021
Bodyboarding the old-fashioned way is plenty of fun, but what if the sea is too calm (or you’re in a pool or lake)? Then an electric bodyboard can give you the same thrill no matter what type of water you’re in. I just had the chance to test out Firduo’s electric bodyboard, and I haven’t stopped smiling since!
review Stories August 18, 2021
You may be familiar with Ariel Rider from the Seattle-based company’s popular high-power and high-speed electric bicycles. But they also recently unveiled a decidedly mid-power e-bike that is overflowing with value. The new Ariel Rider Rideal borrows from many of the e-bike industry’s favorite parts and features, then delivers in an affordably priced electric commuter bike.
review Stories August 16, 2021
When it comes to e-bikes, full-suspension electric mountain bikes are where the fun’s at. They give you the confidence and the comfort to do things you wouldn’t attempt on most other e-bikes. But that comes at a high cost – as in a high price. Budget eMTBs may not pack the same punch or performance as the top-dollar versions, but bikes like the Paselec GS9 give us normies the chance to have some real fun on a full-suspension electric mountain bike without having to sell a kidney.
review Stories August 13, 2021
While most bike manufacturers like to claim their electric bikes are suitable for almost anything, it’s clear that the Furo X has a pretty distinct market in mind: City dwellers living in apartments.
That’s apparent from the carbon fiber construction, aimed at minimizing the weight of the bike for those who have to lug it upstairs, and the folding design so that it doesn’t take up much space when stored at home.
review Stories August 11, 2021
EUNORAU, the makers of electric bikes both large and larger, is blazing a new trail for both its customers and its company. The Spectre S is its new flagship electric bike, built to rocket up rough terrain and bomb down with equal grace. As the company’s first foray into a new segment of the industry, there are improvements to be had, but this solid freshman entry should catch the eye of the varsity team.
review Stories July 23, 2021
I ride e-bikes a lot. Some days it’s a lightweight road e-bike. Other days it’s a longtail cargo e-bike. And some days it’s a ridiculously overpowered full-suspension fat tire e-bike. And as you may have guessed, I’ve been having a lot of days like those lately while reviewing the EUNORAU Defender S e-bike.
review Stories July 21, 2021
REI, the nation’s premier outdoor equipment retailer, enters the e-bike space with its CTY e2.2. For reasons unclear, REI decided to enter the electric bike space with a city bike rather than something made for off-road. If their goal was to nail down a commuter bike and test out their mettle, I believe they’ve succeeded.
review Stories July 20, 2021
The newly released RadRover 6 Plus marks the biggest update Rad Power Bikes has ever launched and showcases brand-new components like upgraded hydraulic disc brakes, new dual-screen displays, and a totally redesigned semi-integrated battery.
review Stories July 19, 2021
NIU is famous for its smart electric scooters – as in seated electric scooters. But the company recently made waves by announcing its entry into the electric kick scooter market with the NIU KQi3. Despite this being a totally new kind of electric scooter for NIU, they nailed it with their first model.
review Stories July 2, 2021
The RadRunner Plus from Rad Power Bikes is perhaps one of my favorite all-time, do-anything electric bicycles – and that’s coming from someone with hundreds of electric bike reviews under his belt. I may have ridden some e-bikes that go faster or carry more passengers or fulfill any number of specific niches. But if I had to choose one single e-bike that could handle as many different daily tasks and types of riding as possible, I think it would be the RadRunner Plus.
review Stories June 25, 2021
One of my favorite things about Fiido’s electric bikes is that the company has always done things a bit differently. And the Fiido L3 continues that tradition, while bringing along some key upgrades and improvements as well.
review Stories June 22, 2021
Review: $1,199 Torque 1 electric bike just may be the most affordable torque-sensor e-bike out there
The Torque 1 electric bike from Florida-based RideScoozy is a commuter style e-bike that combines two features rarely seen together: a torque sensor and an affordable price tag.
review Stories June 17, 2021
As much as I love electric bicycles, I have to admit that we rarely see anything revolutionary anymore. The last few years of e-bike advancements have largely been incremental. Important, but nothing groundbreaking. However, one look at the Igogomi e-bike had my inner child buzzing with excitement – finally something new!
review Stories June 14, 2021
Single-speed e-bikes are excellent options for anyone in search of a lightweight, straightforward e-bike that simply works. And one of the best options on the market in the US has proven to be the Propella V4.0.
review Stories June 8, 2021
Electric bicycles in the rugged moped style are all over the place these days, and for good reason. Unlike fitness e-bikes that are often used for a combination of exercise and leisure riding, electric mopeds are built mostly for good old fashioned getting around. And the Addmotor M-66 R7 moped fully embodies that design ethos. It’s a transportation e-bike that will have you zipping around your city faster than a car and cheaper than a public transport season ticket.
review Stories June 3, 2021
The Apollo Phantom electric scooter is one of the first truly new electric scooters I’ve seen in a long time.
review Stories June 1, 2021
Metakoo is a fairly new e-bike brand that was spun off by the same company that brought us the MacWheel series of e-bikes that we enjoyed testing late last year. These bikes aren’t known for being top shelf (or even mid-shelf), but they do present strong bang-for-your-buck in the entry-level class. The company’s first model, the Metakoo Cybertrack 100, offers a quasi-mountain bike format designed for price-conscious consumers.
review Stories May 31, 2021
The market is seemingly flooded with impressive new electric offerings in both the four-wheel and two-wheel varieties. But what about three-wheeled electric vehicles? I recently took a test ride on the Arcimoto FUV and its chopped-top rebel cousin, the Arcimoto Roadster, to see what this wild and wacky EV could do.
review Stories May 26, 2021
The Ariel Rider X-Class 52V e-bike is one of those electric bikes that just straight up looks like it needs to be ridden. Everything about it screams, “Hop on and rip it!” so that’s exactly what I did.
review Stories May 21, 2021
You know those sleeper cars that roll up looking like any other bucket on the road and then proceed to shred a set of tires right before your eyes? The Biktrix Swift Step-Thru is pretty much the electric bicycle equivalent.
It’s a fine-looking e-bike, though nothing fancy initially jumps out at you. But when you start to examine it deeper, you realize all of the hidden high performance that makes this an electric wolf in sheep’s clothing.
review Stories May 14, 2021
The Inokim Quick 4 electric scooter is a masterclass in high-quality scooter design that focuses on safety and performance over flash and glitz. I was super excited when Miami-based FluidFreeRide announced they were bringing Inokim scooters to the US market last year, and getting to test out the Quick 4 confirmed everything I’ve heard about the quality of these scooters (and that I saw on my own test of the Inokim Light 2 last year).
