review

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Tenways has just launched a new belt drive e-bike known as the CGO600. 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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.