Electric bicycles are bikes with a battery-powered motor that kicks in when you pedal or use a throttle. E-bike sales have been growing steadily over the years, but they still only represent a small portion of the overall bike market in the US. That’s expected to change dramatically over the next decade, with brands like VanMoof, Rad Power Bikes, and legacy bike makers like Specialized, Trek, and others introducing new and more powerful models. The Verge brings you reviews of the latest models, trend reports, and buying guides to help you find the right e-bike for your life.
I’m sure you’ve seen the posts on Facebooks complaining about scofflaw teenagers on high-powered electric bikes. But the real culprit here is the outdated laws that allow manufacturers to market what are essentially high-speed electric motorcycles and mopeds as “e-bikes” by putting pedals on them. Berm Peak just put out a great video that gets at the crux of this freakout.
The boutique e-bike maker that squeaked through bikeaggeddon proclaiming it wouldn’t be the next VanMoof is reportedly in trouble. Deliveries and repairs are taking months, payments have been missed, and debt is mounting, according to De Tijd. Last week, the Belgian company missed a deadline to publish its annual figures.
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Customers that never received their expensive e-bike due to the company’s bankruptcy are being offered a discount on the resurrected company’s new — and seemingly much improved — S6 series, reducing the price to €2,298. Now that the new VanMoof is once again producing spare parts for its expanding network of European service partners, co-CEO Eliott Wertheimer told Bike Europe that he wanted “to help those who were let down by the old company and get them riding.”
A test ride of its first new electric bikes since bankruptcy shows lots of promise.
JW Zhang, founder of US-based Aventon, now has control over UK-based Gocycle — the financially troubled maker of premium, fast-folding electric bikes. “Aventon is going to help Gocycle unleash its true potential and bring more exciting products to people in the future,” said an unidentified Aventon spokesperson speaking to Cycling Electric.
What comes next is unclear, but it should accelerate global expansion for both brands once the deal is settled, and finally make Gocycle’s CX lineup of electric folding cargo bikes a reality.
[cyclingelectric.com]
The TOPO2 MTB trailer from Escapod features a Küat Piston ION rack that can handle two 80-pound e-bikes, an integrated Feedback sports toolkit and workspace, heating and water system, and 140 watts of solar to keep its 240Ah battery charged to help power your electronics. Delivered in 2-3 months if ordered today for a price starting at $53,990... because a boy can dream!
you’ll need buy a new full suspension Turbo Levo 4 electric mountain bike from Specialized, apparently. It features a new 12A, 700W “Super Charger” that can charge its 840Wh removable battery to 80 percent in less than an hour — take that USB-C! Add a 280Wh range extender and you can ride for about 4.75 hours in eco mode even with “significant elevation gain.” It’s also the first Specialized e-MTB with gear storage in the downtube.
One catch: prices start at $7,999 and go up to $13,499.
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Testing ‘the most versatile e-bike in the world.’
Phil Molyneux is stepping down as chief executive of the embattled e-bike company, Electrek reports. The once dominant e-bike company has faced a series of challenges over the years, including layoffs, recalls, import taxes, lawsuits, and regulations. And now it appears to be going through another leadership shakeup. Molyneux, a former Sony and Dyson executive, was Rad Power Bikes’ chief operating officer when founder and CEO Mike Radenbaugh tapped him as his replacement. According to Electrek, the company’s CFO Stephanie Roberts will serve as interim CEO while the board searches for a replacement.
The 20-inch all-terrain wheels and extended wheelbase make the ride less twitchy compared to the iconic British foldable and it still packs up incredibly small for those last-mile commutes. Prices start at $3,300 for the non-electric pedal bike. The Electric G models will be available Stateside in the fall with a 20mph top speed and handlebar controls for a price that’s TBD, but will likely demand a 40 percent premium if European pricing holds true. Look for my review in the coming weeks.
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The company goes legit with a European lineup that can’t be hacked.
A Ride Pro subscription lets you hunt down your stolen e-bike yourself — instead of paying €150/yr for the Bike Hunters recovery service — while adding remote notifications, health app syncing, and more. It’s available for older S3/X3 models first, with newer S5/A5 support “following soon.” Ride Pro’s introductory price costs €4.99/mth or €49/yr with a two-week free trial.
Correction: Bike Hunters is part of Theft Proof service, not Ride Pro
Denver’s much-lauded subsidy program has helped more than 9,000 residents afford an e-bike. And those bikes are being used in lieu of car trips — a lot of car trips. According to Mother Jones:
Research commissioned by the city in 2022 found that voucher recipients rode 26 miles a week on average, and many were using their e-bikes year-round. If even half of those miles are miles not driven, it means—conservatively, based on total e-bikes redeemed to date—the program will have eliminated more than 6.1 million automobile miles a year. That’s the equivalent of taking up to 478 gas-powered vehicles off the road, which would reduce annual CO2 emissions by nearly 190,000 metric tons.
[Mother Jones]
The TFL has announced plans to create additional parking spaces for dockless rental e-bikes and e-scooters, and will “consider taking action against operators” who allow them to be dumped in busier areas of the city.
Following a version of its electric motorcycle with a design inspired by Nintendo’s atomic purple Game Boy Color, Dab Motors has revealed a Back to the Future customization. It’s got a glowing flux capacitor, DeLorean-themed rims, an elaborate time circuits dashboard, and a speedometer capped at 88mph, which is a bit faster than the bike’s actual top speed.
After cruising onto the scene in 2018, Yamaha told e-bike dealers that it’s ending its US e-bike business due to the “significant softening” and “oversupply” after the pandemic-fueled e-bike boom, reports Electrek.
The company said it will continue offering an up to 60 percent discount program for bikes “retailed and warranty registered” through June 30th, 2025.
