Rideables

Weight can be a major factor in whether an e-bike makes sense for a certain customer, especially those that live in cities. With that in mind, here’s how Rivian’s new Also TM-B bike stacks up, as per a spokesperson:

It’s due to be announced tomorrow by the company’s micromobility spinoff Also, with an initial focus on US and European audiences. You can read more over at Electrek.

My absolute favorite thing I own is a Flyer L885 electric cargo bike. It’s not the most powerful or most expensive, but it fits my lifestyle perfectly. I use it almost everyday to replace car trips, which is no easy task in a nation as car dependent as the US.

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 But the real culprit here is the outdated laws that allow manufacturers to market what are essentially high-speed electric motorcycles and mopeds as “e-bikes” by putting pedals on them.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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.