One bit of technology they have opted to embrace is the electric bike. It looks like a tough, no-nonsense bike that verges on mountain bike durability. The layout is also comfortable, with a seat and ergonomic setup that is suited to long rides.
High-level componentry is found throughout the bike from the SRAM hydraulic brakes, SRAM NX 11-speed drivetrain, and the generous 710Wh battery powering the bike (on the 4.0 model we tested).. It’s not just about the pain job though, you get a lot of options in hardware too. You get to pick your option of grips, wheel size, tires, fork, drivetrain, throttle, size of battery you want and more.
The adjustable stem is a great touch for dialing in the reach. It may not be the fanciest or highest-spec’d folding electric bike on the market, but by golly it’s hard to deny the popularity and value of the Lectric XP 3.0. Although the electrical components on some of these bikes might not be plastered with a familiar name, like Bosch or Shimano, that doesn’t mean they’re not capable. Aventon, for example, pieced together its own e-bike system for the Pace 350—rather than buying a complete one from someone else—to keep the price down and allow for higher-quality parts elsewhere. The SCiB batteries are power dense, charge insanely fast, are proprietary and un-obtainable by normal people, and just don’t make sense for an electric bicycle.
Our team of experienced testers spent many hours and miles using most of these bikes for their intended purposes. Concerns about the volatility of gas prices have made these lower-cost e-bikes an even more attractive option for short trips or leisurely recreation. But, another thing to consider is that the Shimano Nexus 8 with Roller Brake retails for around $250 alone – so if you want one, this one comes with a whole 700C based electric bike attached! Throw a better battery and a better controller on it, and I bet you can get a whole lot more than 250W out of the motor as well.
We found some problems with the way it mounts to the bike. First, after sliding it into place on the luggage rack, it is supposed to lock into place by flipping down its red handle. We found that it doesn’t lock very securely, and riding over bumpy pavement can cause it to slip so that it loses its electrical connection. This handle also doesn’t provide enough room for your fingers when you are carrying the battery pack. Second, putting that weight over the rear wheel makes the Tailwind more likely to flip over when the bike is stopped suddenly. Our test bike’s front brakes were particularly grabby, causing an end-over incident during an emergency stop.
But there’s another class of EV that might have slipped below your radar, but which has transformed my summer in very unexpected ways. The bike was provided by Schwinn for the purposes of the review. As a commuter e-bike, I’m also glad to see some good commuter specific parts, like the included fenders and the excellent lighting. Not only do you get typical head and taillights, but you also have LED frame lights built into the sides of the battery.
Each frame is available in step-through form and includes wide tires, integrated lights, upright positioning, and a powerful motor. With every Schwinn electric bike, there is the option of using pedal-assist or throttle. Aventon’s Level e-bike delivers smooth and linear power from its rear hub motor, giving this bike has a natural and intuitive feel when riding. The addition of integrated lights and a small, easy-to-use display help make one of our favorite commuter e-bikes even better. In our testing, the Level.2 performed better than expected in every situation. The Aventon Level.2 remains the best commuter e-bike you can purchase for less than $2,000 and one of the best commuter bikes you can buy overall.
It’s got 3 buttons, up down and a power/enter button in the middle. There’s a port in the side of the frame where you can charge it without removing, or you can use the keys to pull out battery and charge separately. All in all, this bike offers good performance and quality for its price. The 280Wh battery gives enough juice for up to 25miles, which might not seem much, but it’s perfect for weekend adventures. Lastly, the Marshall comes with integrated LED frame light and headlight, but with just a battery taillight. Your bike will be shipped via one of our trusted freight carriers.
Of course, I wanted to try the assist, and when I did, I found that I never needed more than level 1 to roll at a comfortable trail speed. But it being a midweek day, I had the trail mostly to myself and was able to test all the assist levels — learning that the bike could indeed do the advertised maximum assist speed of 20 mph. When Schwinn contacted me about reviewing one of the bikes, I chose the Coston DX in the schwinn mountain bicycles step-thru version, which makes for easy mounting. It also has upgraded fenders, a rear rack and a unique storage saddle that opens like a clamshell with the hinge in the nose and has room for your wallet, phone, energy bars or a multi-tool. All three models have headlights, taillights and integrated downtube lights for full visibility. The gear shift for the rear hub is integrated with the right handlebar grip.
We test the bikes by riding them around, to see how responsive their electric motors are when going up hills and getting started from a dead stop. We also gauge the comfort of the bikes over long miles, and note the ease with which we can use their various features, such as an accompanying smartphone app. Because electric bikes are so hot, there are hundreds of models available — but that also means that there are a lot of duds out there, too. That’s why we’ve tested a number of the top models across all types of electric bikes to give you the best recommendations for your needs. The RadExpand 5’s versatility is part of what makes it so great. It’s a capable commuter, thanks to lights, fenders and a rear rack, and with its wide tires, it gives a smooth ride even on rough roads.