While the e-bike polarises debate in mountain biking, a single visit to a UK trail centre riding one and you’ll never go back to the pedal and push life. However, with the best road bikes, there hasn't really been an e-bike system available that doesn’t just result in a heavy bike when it’s not being useful in e-bike mode, slowing the adoption by ‘real road riders’ as a result.

It's the hardware that's really the problem here, given that when you hit the limit, the motor stops assisting, and when not working for you, it essentially works against you. You can feel both the excess weight in the system, and resistance from the system itself, defeating the object somewhat.

Bizarrely, the lower powered system from TQ featured here in what otherwise, looks like a pretty standard Canyon Endurace, promises to deliver a push when you need it, but less drag when you don’t. The marketing material refers to it as a ‘tail wind’ system rather than a driving motor that takes over, and that’s exactly what e-bikes promised roadies all those years ago, but failed to truly deliver. If the Canyon Endurance with TQ system on board rights those wrongs, it could be that the road e-bike has finally come of age.

Design

Canyon’s Endurace is somewhat of a people’s champion in the world of the best road bikes. It’s reasonably priced, handles well, is designed with a stack and reach that’s sensible for most of us, and it’s actually comfortable.

An e-bike version that takes those characteristics, and adds 200w of power, but doesn’t look like an e-bike or hinder you in any way, is pretty compelling then.

The version I tested is £6499 with the excellent Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset, is largely as expected in terms of spec, except for a sprinkling of supplements, the most obvious being the Praxis chainset. For me, Praxis makes a very decent chainset, so whilst this is likely an economic move on Canyon’s part, it looks smart and certainly won’t detract from the smooth and reliable shifting you’d expect from Shimano at this lofty level in the range.

Specification

Still, this isn’t cheap for an Ultegra equipped bike, but the motor and remaining specification starts to look like good value when you start totting it up. The full spec is actually pretty impressive, in that you get a proper deep section DT Swiss ERC 1400’s in 45m depth. Shod with Schwalbe’s excellent Pro One TLE, in 32mm. There’s room for 35mm if you want to go wider.

The wheels on my bike were subject to the widely published DT Swiss recall. I took my chances for the purposes of the review, and experienced no problems. I’ve made no secret that I’m a big fan of DTSwiss products, and despite a niggling doubt that the front or rear might explode at any minute, I had absolutely no problems with them during the test period.

The bike comes with Canyon’s own integrated bar and stem and a Canyon S15 VCLS 2.0 CF seat pin in 27.2mm diameter, which flexes up to 20mm, to give added vertical compliance and an integrated front and rear lighting system. The latter is neatly integrated into the seat stays, while the former packs a decent punch and is very inconspicuous, slung under and just ahead of the elegant and sporty looking carbon bar set up. So punchy in fact, it’s the smallest bike light on the market to conform with the German StVZO standard.

All the cables are stowed away neatly, as is now the norm at this level, despite protestations from every mechanic on god’s earth. All told, you’d be hard pressed to spot if this was an ebike at all.

The battery gives 292wh and is expandable for longer excursions, but that should equate to 2000m of climbing, and around 60km. With some careful planning, that’s a long day out, or a couple of legendary cols before you’re out of juice and on your own. The weight of all this is perhaps the most impressive stat on the sheet, at under 11kg for the bike I tested. The top spec one comes in comfortably under 10kg.

The conventional Endurace comes in loads of sizes, including a 2XS and 3XS with 650b wheels for smaller riders. I’m not sure Canyon gets enough credit for that, as it’s a remarkable outlier in the market. They also traditionally cater for a bigger rider also, and many of their models come in 62cm or equivalent, making the brand the only boxed bike option for many before going custom. Here in powered form, it offers the Endurace On:fly in just seven sizes from 2XS up to 2XL which is still better than many. And impressive given the niche this bike sits in.

Performance

I worked with a talented engineer called David Barnes for years on various custom frames, and he always used to say ‘slow is fast’. What he meant by that was that for us normal folk who aren’t hitting podiums at local crit races, detuned road bike geometry was always going to be fastest, and more pleasurable for most of us.

The Endurace:ONfly CF 8 features a relatively short, yet not overly short, wheelbase of 1016mm, with a head angle of 72 degrees and a trail value of 67mm. That is what David would call, slow but fast. Here it delivers some very stable handling, and whilst there is a bit of wheelflop, a slight hesitation, then a sense of some instability when the thing does turn, it’s not slow and after just a few rides you soon get used to its unflappable ride quality. Indeed, it starts to feel pretty effortless in terms of the thought required to manage the bike, and I suspect David was right all along, as the bike does feel like a very nippy bike, helped of course by the tail-wind provided by the TQ system.

The seat post cushions the worst of the bumps, but despite having a frame full of strengthening plys to make room for battery doors, and various other e-clobber, the frame is also very comfortable in use. The bolted-together BB, complete with a motor that is only about the size of your fist, incidentally, feels very solid too. Despite the slow steering geometry, following a line is pleasant and flattering, rather than bland or vague.

So to the motor. And this is the real story here, in that it’s brilliant. It doesn’t make e-bike sounds, somehow, and it hands over to your pedalling so smoothly that you can’t really tell when the assist is on or off. This is especially important if you’re racing your mates up a hill, killing them with your ghostly pro bike power, but then heading to the flat. On a heavier, or draggier system, you’d be getting slapped around on the flats as your mates stop fighting gravity, and start pushing on, nullifying your star performance on the climbs and making you wish you could jettison the extra weight.

Here is the place where e-bikes really needed to arrive, and in the Endurace:ONfly they certainly have. If you’ve tried e-road or one of the best electric gravel bikes and hated it, I’d encourage you to go again, and get one of these to play with. Once you take the macho out of cycling, the idea of an eternal tail wind is wonderful, and in practice that’s exactly what it is. To those who say it’s cheating, I’d argue they’re missing the point somewhat as this is an enabling technology, not a scam.

You can ride, as it says in the marketing, ‘Further and Faster’, and if you’re not racing anyone, where’s the harm in that? After all, people spend thousands to save a handful of watts, here you buy 200w, in one hit. And you don’t need to go near a wind tunnel to prove the benefits.

Riding this bike has been a huge amount of fun, flattering in all the good ways, enjoyable for the sheer lack of effort needed to turn over a good few miles with relative ease, and for the opportunity to get out on something new in cycling that actually moves the dial.

Value

And so to the cost. £6.5k is a big chunk of change for a bicycle. We cannot get away from that. My Ducati cost me a third of that, albeit at nearly 30 years old and in several bits so it’s not quite comparable, but bike pricing continues to make me blush, especially when I am asked to justify value.

If you take that obvious tension out of it, this bike represents exceptional value in a world where you can buy a bike with largely similar equipment, but without a motor and battery for the same kind of money from almost all the big brands. That’s madness, when you can get one that gives you a push surely?

But it’s that question, that tension in fact, that’s harming e-bike’s more than even Chinese imports that set your flat on fire, or the confusion between kit like this, and the Suron your take away delivery guy rides.

And if roadies could find it in themselves to forgive the sacrilege of giving up some of the suffering, for a slightly easier journey, this bike – with the incredible TQ system on board – would make a ton of sense, for literally hundreds of road-racing fans, who love a bit of cycling at the weekends. Far more so, I think, than a similarly priced conventional road bike and it’s probably more comfortable to boot.

Specs

• RRP: £6499 (as tested)
• Frame: Canyon Endurace:Onfly
• Size: M
• Weight: 10.97kg
• Groupset: Shimano Ultegra Di2
• Crankset: Praxis
• Wheels: DT Swiss ERC1400
• Tyres: Schwalbe Pro One TLE
• Brakes: Shimano Ultegra Hydraulic
• Bar/stem: Canyon
• Seatpost: Canyon with 20mm flex
• Saddle: Fizik Arione

Logbook

• Temperature: 10-36 degrees C
• Weather: Fair weather
• Road surface: UK A and B-roads
• Route: Tarmac, rolling hills, long flat sections
• Rides: 8+
• Mileage: 350km

The steel bikes of Minnesota brand Surly are like the Midwest people themselves: no-nonsense, practical and focused on getting the job done. Their machines have a blue-collar charm that’s easy to love.

Surlys aren’t bikes for people chasing KOMs or the latest tech trends, they’re for riders who value durability over dazzle, utility over hype and the kind of solid construction that can shrug off decades of hard use. The more scuffs and scratches, the more character. They also ride really nicely.

The brand won over countless riders back when bikepacking was still just called touring, and it’s held onto them with a cultish following among commuters, n-1 die-hards, long-distance fanatics, and anyone who sees a bicycle as a practical vehicle rather than a delicate toy.

That’s not to say Surly has been standing still. Sure, long-running models like the Disc Trucker and the now-legacy Cross-Check still feature their familiar silhouettes, but Surly knows that even the most utilitarian bikes have to evolve. The Skid Loader e-bike is proof of that. First introduced in 2022, it blends Surly’s steel-forged durability with modern e-assist and cargo capability.

The updated 2025 model recently made its way to Cycling Weekly for review, showcasing Bosch’s new Performance Line Cargo smart system along with targeted improvements to handling and everyday utility. Yet the underlying ethos remains unchanged: a steel platform built for longevity, customisation and real-world use. It’s evolution rather than revolution, and unmistakably Surly.

About the Surly Skid Loader

The Surly Skid Loader takes its name from the compact construction machine, the skid-steer loader. Those machines are small but incredibly strong, able to pivot within their own footprint while shouldering weighty loads all day long. Surly’s cargo e-bike was designed with that same spirit: a compact yet heavy-duty tool built for getting big jobs done.

According to Surly, it's designed for anyone who wants car-replacement capability without the bulk of a longtail cargo bike.

“The Skid Loader was designed as a human-powered sustainable transportation solution for hauling it all,” said Tim Simundza, brand and marketing manager at Surly. “We designed it to reduce reliance on cars by offering a compact, cargo-capable bike that can handle the demands of everyday urban life. Whether you're running errands, commuting or hauling gear, the Skid Loader empowers riders to carry more and drive less. We are proud to continue challenging the status quo and expanding what’s possible by bike.”

At first glance, the latest version of the Skid Loader looks very much like its predecessor. At its core is Surly’s custom-butted ‘Natch’ steel tubeset, engineered for strength, durability and a ride quality that feels reassuringly Surly.

The sloping top tube, generous standover, and three broad size options allow it to comfortably fit riders from 5'0” to 6'6”, while the stock dropper post helps fine-tune the fit for shared use.

The bike also retains its full-sized 27.5" wheels and big volume, 2.8" tyres for a more traditional bike feel (as opposed to the smaller wheels commonly found on e-cargo bikes).

Updates come in the form of subtle, quality-of-life improvements. There's now a front wheel stabiliser that keeps the bike steady while loading and unloading, integrated front and rear lights, and a burly rear rack that can carry loads up to 100 lbs (45kg).

The Skid Loader is powered by Bosch’s Performance Line Cargo smart-system motor, offering 85Nm of torque and speeds up to 20mph. A 545Wh Bosch PowerPack battery is included, with a dedicated mounting space for an optional second battery for extended range.

Completing the bike is Shimano's Cues 1x10 drivetrain, Tektro hydraulic brakes, and a heavy-duty Ursus Jumbo 80 dual-leg kickstand.

Specs

• Frame & fork: 100% Surly Chromoly Steel, Natch tubing, double-butted main triangle, TIG welded, E.D. coated
• Motor: Bosch Performance Line Cargo smart system with four levels of ride assist (Eco, Tour+, Cargo, Turbo) and 85Nm of torque 
• Handlebar Remote: Purion 200
• Max speed: 20mph
• Battery: Bosch PowerPack 545Wh battery included. Secondary batteries available aftermarket
• Charge time: 4-5 hours
• Range: 15-150 miles
• Drivetrain: Shimano Cues 1x10
• Wheel size: 27.5"
• Brakes: Tektro Orion HD-M750 Hydraulic Disc Brakes 
• Seatpost: TranzX Dropper Post with 120mm travel 
• Kickstand: Urusu Jumbo 80 Dual-legged kickstand 
• Tyres: Surly ExtraTerrestrial 27.5 x 2.5″
• Rear rack capacity: 100 lbs
• Total weight capacity (rider and cargo): 400lbs
• Weight: 60lbs
• MSRP:  $4,599.00
  

The Ride

When I went to pick up the Skid Loader at my local bike shop, I was in for a surprise. Not only did its rear rack interfere with the arms of my 1UP USA bike carrier, but at 60+ pounds, the bike also threatened to max out the tray’s weight limit. So into the truck bed it went.

While not a longtail, the Skid Loader still feels big, or rather, tall. The 27.5" wheels wrapped in 2.5" tyres create the same outer diameter as a 700c x 45mm setup, and paired with the upright fit. long steerer tube and wide bars, the bike just feels large, even in a size small.

Most e-cargo bikes lean on 20" wheels for a lower centre of gravity and stability, but Surly instead prioritises “normal bike handling” and a mile-cobbling cruising pace.

On long straightaways, that approach pays off. The Skid Loader rolls with ease and settles quickly near that 20mph max speed. But in tight or wet corners, the bike can feel a bit top-heavy and not the most confidence-inspiring.

Those large wheels, however, are exactly what make the Skid Loader surprisingly capable off-road. The 2.5" ExtraTerrestrial tyres and the steel frame’s natural compliance deliver better gravel performance than most e-bikes I’ve ridden. For out-of-city weekend excursions, the bike feels composed and grinds gravel with ease. Add in its dual-battery capability, and more than once I wondered whether the Skid Loader’s ideal life might be as a mixed-terrain adventure rig rather than an urban hauler. Maybe it’s my mental association of Surly with touring, but I could easily see someone taking this on short bikepacking trips.

And that’s part of the charm of any Surly: the steel platform invites you to turn it into whatever you want it to be. The Skid Loader arrives as a blank canvas, which is both an opportunity and a bit of a drawback. There are mounts everywhere, ready for racks, bags, baskets, child seats, or whatever system you prefer. But until you choose, purchase and install those accessories, the bike isn’t especially functional as a cargo carrier. Surly’s own accessory lineup is sparse, meaning most riders will be mixing third-party gear and add-ons from the onset. For my test period, I simply strapped a milk crate to the rear rack so I had somewhere to toss my lock, a jacket or some groceries without having to carry a backpack.

The Bosch Performance Line Cargo motor delivers quiet, seamless assist, making 18-20mph cruising feel natural and well within the bike's comfort zone. With 85Nm of torque, it has ample oomph for hills, headwinds and loaded errands. Surly quotes a 15–50 mile range depending on load and assist level; in real-world riding, I consistently managed around 35 miles without trying to conserve energy. Riders with longer or more frequent commutes will appreciate the dual-battery option.

The newly added integrated front and rear lights are a must-have on any commuter bike, though the front light on my test unit didn’t work out of the box. The new front-wheel stabiliser spring is a small but useful upgrade, keeping the fork controlled and centred while riding and loading a front rack or basket. And the Shimano Cues drivetrain was faultless: smooth shifting under load and an all-around good, affordable yet durable option.

Having previously owned a Surly Midnight Special, a frame I adored for its versatility and smooth ride, I kept looking for that same level of comfort in the Skid Loader. But I never found it. The heft, combined with the rigid frame and lack of suspension, makes for a bumpy ride despite the large-volume tyres. Broken pavement produced sharp jolts, enough to send me bouncing in the saddle and small items flying out of the milk crate. I could only imagine what a rear passenger might experience. There’s a reason so many city-oriented e-cargo bikes rely on 20" wheels: they keep the ride more planted and controlled.

During my time with the Skid Loader, I struggled to pinpoint its best use case. For parents hauling kids or riders wanting a ready-made, comfortable commuter or grocery-getter, I'd probably point you to a more turnkey and smoother-riding option.

In the end, I decided the Skid Loader is much like a 2010 Ford Ranger pickup truck: it's not the most comfortable rig, but capable well beyond its size. It can haul big loads, it’s not afraid of getting dirty, and it will probably outlive you.

It’s a tool—tough and adaptable—not a polished lifestyle product. If you're willing to embrace its heft, accept its quirks, and customise it to your needs, the Skid Loader will give you years of dependable service.

Value & Verdict

At $4,600, the Skid Loader sits in an increasingly competitive corner of the e-cargo market. And when you look strictly at features and numbers, there are bikes that deliver more for less.

For urban riders, especially parents hauling kids, options like the Specialized Globe Haul are hard to beat. It's got a larger battery, a rear rack that can carry even more (132 pounds vs 100 lbs), a smoother ride, and an ecosystem of plug-and-play accessories, all for roughly $2,000 less. It won’t match the Skid Loader off-road, but as a day-to-day city tool, it represents strong value.

These commuter bikes won't match the Skid Loader's do-it-all abilities, but even on the adventure end, brands like Aventon, Rad Power Bikes, and Ride1Up offer off-road e-bike capabilities like large, wide tyres, extended battery range, and suspension on a much smaller budget.

With that said, durability and long-term serviceability are to be considered. And ultimately, you don’t buy a Surly on a spec sheet alone. You buy it for the steel, the soul, the do-anything ethos, and the knowledge that the bike will likely outlast everything else in your garage. The Skid Loader delivers that in spades. It’s rugged, versatile, and willing to be made into whatever you need it to be.

It’s not the obvious choice, but for the right rider, it might be the perfect one.

Despite having lived in several very small city apartments over the years, I’ve never once owned a folding bike. Perhaps it's cultural, but folding bikes simply aren’t as common in North America as they seem to be in the UK. I can picture business people in suits zooming about London on two tiny wheels, but the same phenomenon hasn’t happened here (yet).

When the opportunity came to test out Brompton’s new Electric G Line model, I was curious, but I was also a little unsure what to expect. Would a folding bike be up to the rigours of Seattle’s potholed, SUV-filled streets? And would such a bike actually be useful? I was also hesitant to test out a commuter-specific bike as someone who works exclusively from home.

Nevertheless, I was excited to build it up and get out for a spin when the Brompton arrived on my doorstep in its compact cardboard container. Whereas most Bromptons use 16-inch wheels and rim brakes, the Electric G Line features larger (20-inch) wheels, wide tyres and disc brakes. Oh, and a battery and motor, as you may have surmised from the name.

Who is the Electric G Line for exactly? I asked Brompton this, and was told that it’s intended for “urban commuters who value portability—avoiding theft, taking the bike on trains or in the car—as well as adventurous riders who fold it to travel by car, train or campervan (RV) and enjoy riding for leisure on both gravel and paved roads.”

Specifications:

• Frame material: Steel
• Sizes: S, M, L
• Price: $4,950 /
• Motor: 250-watt rear hub motor with torque sensor
• Weight: 42.5 lbs, as tested
• Colours: Traildust White, Adventure Orange, Forest Green
• Range: 30-60 km (approximate)
• Certification: UL 2849 Standard

Design and Construction

Just like every bike that Brompton produces, the Electric G Line’s most notable feature is its ability to fold down to a compact size. Producing a bike that folds presents several complex challenges, especially in cable routing. Making everything work with hinges requires precise engineering and installation. Further, the drivetrain needs to accommodate both a motor and shifting system on top of this. As such, the Brompton is visually quite busy—everywhere you look, there are cables, wires, plugs, etc.

Part of the wiring system is dedicated to the integrated lighting, which is necessary for regular city riding. The lights and electronic-assist settings are controlled via a handlebar-mounted display and buttons located directly on top of the battery. Brompton also offers a companion app that allows users to monitor performance.

The hub-based 250-watt motor is paired with a four-speed rear derailleur developed by Brompton, with a single chainring up front. The bike uses Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, and the specced tyres are Schwalbe’s excellent G-One Allround, which measure 2.1 inches wide. Brompton designed the bike as a Class 1 E-bike, which means it is limited to 20 mph for pedal assist. It does not have a throttle.

The bike is available in three sizes, which Brompton claims can fit riders from 5' ‘to 6'6”. Brompton sent me a size medium, recommended for those from 5'6 “to 6’. Since the geometry is designed around 20” wheels, it’s not easy to compare it to a standard diamond frame, but the company provides size guidance via a video guide on its website and stack and reach measurements for each of the sizes.

The 345Wh battery is tucked into a bag attached to the front of the bike, just below the handlebars. The bag also has a small amount of space for additional items, though the payload is limited.

The Electric G Line comes stock with fenders and a rear rack, which features small integrated wheels to allow it to roll when folded, a necessity for the nearly 45-pound bike. It has a three-year electric systems warranty and a seven-year frame warranty. Bicycles are available for purchase directly from Brompton or through the company’s dealer network.

The Ride

Before I first started taking the Brompton around town for errands, I girded myself for ridicule. Would I be laughed out of the grocery store? Teased on the train? Stuffed in a locker at the gym? Instead, what I encountered was unbridled curiosity. “What is that?” “How does it work?” “Can I see it fold up?”

People were also surprised to learn that not only does the bike fold in half, but it has a motor. The list of features is impressive, but the end result is something fun that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a bike, first and foremost, that just happens to fold up.

I did the majority of my testing on city streets, but I also tried to seek opportunities to take the Electric G Line off-road. The wider tyres have a huge impact on the bike’s overall performance: they add comfort, stability and traction, as well as increased puncture protection compared to narrower tyres.

I’m a fan of wide tyres on all bikes, but they are especially important on bikes with small wheels because they increase pneumatic trail, which helps a great deal to make the front end handle predictably. Even with 2.1-inch tyres, the front end is twitchy compared to a larger-wheeled bike, but once you adjust to this, it’s perfectly comfortable. Overall, the bike is quite playful to ride and seems to encourage fun, despite the rather hefty 42+ lbs of weight.

It took me a few tries to learn how to fold and unfold the bike—there’s definitely a learning curve, but once I understood how everything fit together, I was comfortable breaking it down everywhere I went.

Since I don’t take the train to work, I used the Brompton primarily for errands. It was pleasant to ride around without carrying a lock, and even better to not worry about the possibility of theft since the bike was with me at all times. Of course, doing groceries while wheeling around a bicycle, even folded up, is cumbersome, but for the post office, gym or meetings, the bike was easy to stash in an unobtrusive spot nearby. Not every office is bike-friendly, but a Brompton is compact enough that it can live under a desk comfortably.

The location of the battery, on the front of the bike, is unusual, but this decision allowed Brompton to add controls to the battery unit, which are easy to adjust from the saddle. The power assist level and light settings are both visible, as well as the charge level. I was pleasantly surprised by how long the battery lasted during my rides, even at full e-assist.

I was less enamoured with the fact that the battery must be removed to charge, and further, that the plug is located on the bottom, which is awkward. It would be preferable to have the charging port in a location that doesn’t require battery removal.

I also think the battery cradle could be more robust—I didn’t have any issues in the time I tested the bike, but I worry that repeated jostling, especially off-road, would overly stress the mechanism and it could fail.

Through repeated foldings and unfoldings, I had a connector wire come undone, which prevented the torque sensor from communicating with the motor and robbed the bike of power. This ended up being an easy fix, but troubleshooting the many wires and cords could be more straightforward. I was able to ascertain that the issue was related to the torque sensor from the sequence of blinking lights, but I had to ask for help from Brompton in order to solve the issue.

I also experienced the rear derailleur cable popping out of the brazed-on cable stop, which mucked up the shifting and required some adjustment. This is the kind of thing that someone who isn’t an experienced mechanic would have trouble noticing and repairing, and could be improved.

Despite these issues, my primary takeaway from my time on the Electric G Line is that it is an extremely enjoyable bike to ride. I found myself adding stops to my errands and being able to easily and comfortably bring the bike along with me wherever I went. I’m not sure how I would carry more cargo if I were using it as a daily commuter (Brompton does sell a variety of bags and such), but the combination of a compact backpack and the front bag was sufficient for my needs.

Value & Verdict

If you ride a train or bus wherever you need to go every day, the Electric G Line would be a fantastic option for getting to and fro comfortably and efficiently. It takes some practice to be able to fold the bike up quickly, but once you get the hang of the sequencing, it becomes familiar.

Other than the small troubleshooting issues I encountered, which I chalk up to the sheer complexity of manufacturing a folding electric bike with integrated lights, my primary criticism of the Brompton is the price. For someone who wants the best folding electric bike available, the Electric G Line is an excellent option. Tern and Dahon also make very good folding bikes, and there are several more affordable options out there as well. The closest competitor to this bike is Tern's Vektron S10, which also has 20-inch wheels and disc brakes, but uses a Bosch mid-drive motor instead. The Tern is heavier and does not fold down as compactly as the Electric G Line; however, it is significantly cheaper at $3,549. Brompton’s new model is very capable, but the price is a tad too steep for it to be an option for many commuters.

Tern’s range of e-bikes is one of the most diverse you’ll find, including folding bikes with various wheel sizes, hybrids, pseudo beach cruisers and, at the heart of the range, the cargo bikes. The majority of their bikes share two traits: low step-over height and flat bars.

These make all their bikes pleasingly accessible as do all the extra features that help make them easy to ride and live with - important when it comes to cargo bikes which are typically big, heavy, and require space to store.

With the school run in mind, I tested the £5,900 (not including accessories) GSD S10 Gen 3, their top-of-the-S10-range e-cargo bike. The R14 range which features the same frame will set you back even more, thanks to a Rohloff speedhub gear system and belt drive transmission.

All their GSD bikes are a similar compact design with different specs. This S10 step-through bike comfortably squeezed two passengers and the rider onto a 135cm long wheelbase. Quite incredibly for a bike that carries three people and baggage, that’s just 36cm longer than most 6.9kg, carbon fibre race bikes.

THE BUILD

The bright blue, step-through 6061 aluminium frame at the heart of the bike somewhat resembles the Forth Bridge, perhaps because it’s similarly built for heavy lifting. And I do mean heavy. The rider weight limit is 130kg, while the rear rack limit is 100kg. Our S10 also came with a front rack and had an overall system weight of 310kg, meaning this bike can happily trundle along with almost a third of a tonne weighing it down.

Having ridden it for a few months, I don’t doubt its capacity to carry that much weight (and probably a bit more if anyone was willing, or able, to test it), but I suspect the battery wouldn’t last long, especially around me, where you’re never far from a 15-20% hill.

Ours came with a rear rack bolted to the back of the frame above the rear wheel and two seat pads for the passengers. Attached to the frame in eight places, it has separate, fold-up foot rests, and velcro attachments for the seat pads. The pads and many other accessories come as extras, allowing you to build the bike for your needs. (More on this later.) But remember to allow for this when looking through the prices.

A compact bike needs a set of compact wheels. The GSD comes with 20 inch Atlas 36 wheels built with 32 spokes. Atlas is Tern’s in-house wheel brand which ran perfectly well on the 2.35 inch wide Schwalbe Pick-up cargo-ready tyres, which themselves are built to carry a big load, each boasting a 125kg limit.

You might think rolling along on wheels you’d normally find on a kids' bike (my eight-year-old daughter rides a Woom bike with 20-inch wheels) might make for a twitchy ride, but, like me, you’d be wrong. They’re perfectly suited to the low speeds a bike like this is ridden at and makes it more maneuverable than a front-loading bike, like the Raleigh stride 3, or the slightly longer Specialized Porto.

The only, very minor, downside of the smaller wheels was descending on bridleways when compared to bigger wheels. I’d been riding the Specialized Porto with 700c wheels beforehand, and the Tern wasn’t quite as surefooted on loose surfaces. But I don’t think many people will be buying this bike to tackle rough terrain.

What does help over bumps and poor surfaces is the suspension. The GSD comes with a set of Suntour suspension forks with 70mm of travel, and a Cane Creek Thudbuster seatpost. As well as softening the hard hits, the forks made it more intuitive to ride out of the saddle up a hill, as the front end moves in tune with your weight as it rocks from side to side.

Although you’re never going to hit high speeds on the GSD, you still need some serious stopping power when you consider the weight of the bike. An adult, two children and some shopping bags could easily amount to 100kg plus. 203mm rotors with four-piston, double pad hydraulic Magura callipers provide this, and, in a first for me, the bike comes with an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), making it impossible to lock up the front wheel.

At least I didn’t manage it, despite multiple attempts. I thought I had as I slammed on the front brake (on dry tarmac) and came to a stop with a noticable judder, but technically, ABS should only activate if it detects the wheel skidding. A quick scan of the ride stats in Bosch’s Flow app showed (on a very short test run) I’d braked 26 times with no activations of the ABS system.

There’s some clever tech in this system that’s best explained via Bosch’s own videos that can be found on YouTube. And for anyone who wants more information on their own braking performance, the Bosch system can give stats on braking time and distance. All extremely clever and useful for improving DH MTB performance, but in all honesty, I didn’t feel the need to analyse this data after our 1.4-mile school run.

TERN GSD CARRYING CAPACITY AND ACCESSORIES

The upright nature of the riding position means most of the bike's horizontal surface area is given over to storage, whether that be kit or kids. The short wheelbase is only part of the story of course, as the whole bike is longer. Front to back, it measures 192cm. Of that, the front rack takes up 33cm in space and the cage at the back is 70cm long.

It’s the rear rack that is the most adaptable part of this bike, with countless ways to set up what Tern calls The Clubhouse.

It can be a simple rack for those just transporting ‘stuff’, it can take one or two young kids with rigid child seats bolted inside the handhold cage, two older kids with seat pads inside the cage, one young kid and one old kid, a seat for an adult and you can even get ride along bars to mount behind the saddle or a tent-like structure for complete coverage. Oh, and there’s a trailer available too.

I tested the GSD S10 with two seat pads, a handhold cage and stow deck all covered by the Stormbox. I took this off as the weather improved, but despite the fact the Stormbox made it a little harder for my kids to get in and out of unsupervised, they preferred having that extra layer of protection the it offered. It also had four pockets inside for water bottles, which came in handy.

70cm doesn’t seem like much, but it was enough for my five and eight-year-old to fit in. It’s a bit of a squeeze and they have to mind where they put their feet, and how much they move their heads around (so as not to bonk each other with their helmets) but it only caused the occasional argument. There is an optional u-shaped bar that fixes to the back of the cage allowing the rear passenger some space to lean back a few inches.

The front and back bars of the handhold cage protruded further than the side bar, which importantly offers little hands some protection in the event of a sideways tumble. Their left foot is also protected from overheating brakes with a metal guard covering the rear caliper.

Up front, we had the transporter rack with a WeatherTop bag. A semi-rigid bag that will hold a lot of shopping, or a couple of school bags, and has a flap that goes over the top to protect contents from the rain. This will set you back an extra £145, however. Like I said, keep the prices in mind when choosing your extras

ELECTRONICS AND OTHER TECH

The GSD is powered by a Bosch Cargo Line motor with 85nm of torque and a Bosch Powerpack 545 battery. The 545 stands for the battery’s ‘watt hours’, the standard measure of an e-bike's capacity. The bigger the wh, the more power your battery can store, and then deliver through the motor. The higher the motor's torque, the better it is able to put the battery's power into action.

Both the battery size and torque are standar size for a cargo bike (some use 400wh batteries and lack power as a result) as power trumps weight. There’s room for a second battery to be added if you think range might be an issue. Range, of course, being a hard thing to pin down. The battery takes several hours to fully charge (I typically left it on overnight, confident of the fact it wasn’t a cheap Chinese import off of some dodgy website) and lasted anything from 15km to 36km.

A battery’s range depends on how and where you use it. The power assist level you choose, the hills you do or don’t ride, how hard you ride, and how much you carry all feed into the equation. The system's efficiency comes into play here as well, and is impossible to rate in an objective manner. As Bosch is the biggest player in the e-bike market, we can ride their systems with a good deal of confidence.

Essentially, the harder you ask your battery to work, the lower the range and vice versa. But it’s something you get used to over time, and the battery life and predicted range can be viewed on the Kiosk 300 display which is easy to scroll through

The Kiosk display is part of the Bosch ecosystem showing simple metrics like speed or time, but also more involved data such as rider power and braking distance. The display is controlled by the buttons on the unit to the side of the left-hand grip where you can also scroll through power assist modes and turn the system off and on. The display can also be mirrored on your smartphone via the Bosch Flow app.

The front and rear lights run off the battery, as does the brake light. One other thing that affects the range is whether or not you use it to charge your phone. Yes there’s a USB-C charging port just above the bottom bracket.

For security, it comes with an Abus frame lock that goes through the front wheel, and even if that isn’t locked, the bike can’t be ridden if the key isn’t in the lock. Top tip. Make a note of the key's serial number and do not lose it. Bosch’s Flow app also has an anti-theft alarm, although you do have to subscribe to use this.

I have to mention the kickstand. It’s nice and solid, allowing kids to climb in and out of the clubhouse - carefully - without risk of the bike toppling over. The rubberized feet meant it didn’t get scuffed or scratched, and you can’t roll the bike off the stand without first engaging thumbshift lever on the bars.

RIDING AND LIVING WITH THE TERN GSD

Perhaps the best commendation for the GSD’s ride-ability is that my non-riding partner hopped on it and rode off without any problems. The low step-through height of the frame makes it easy to get on and off, and the riding position is easy to adjust. The Cane Creek seat post slots into a sleeve, that slots into the frame, giving double the extension, while the handlebars rotate by releasing two big quick-release skewers either side of the stem. There's enough adjustment built into it that Tern only produce this bike in one size, happy that it will fit everyone.

Once rolling, the ride is nicely balanced with a low centre of gravity and relaxed, upright riding position. As long as you get your foot down as soon as you stop, it’s easy to keep the bike upright when at a standstill, even with two passengers whose weight naturally raises the centre of gravity. Passengers leaning to one side does affect the steering and balance, but I never felt like the bike was at risk of toppling over.

Anyone who has ridden a Bosch based e-bike will know how easy and instinctive they are to ride. Anyone who hasn’t ridden one will be pleasantly surprised when they do. The assistance (limited by law to 15.5mph) was set to kick in at low speeds when riding in a small gear and slightly higher in the power phase in a bigger gear as it picks up on your input.

All this can be adjusted in the Bosch Flow app, but the basic settings will suit most people as they did me. The range goes from Eco, Tour, Auto and Cargo. I spent most of my time in Auto setting which adapts to your riding, only switching to cargo when approaching a long or steep hill.

The motor's input is smooth throughout the pedal stroke, no matter what mode you're in, or terrain you're riding. There are no sudden surges as you accelerate and when it backs off it does so without any sudden kick back in speed.

The best thing about the GSD is that it feels like you're riding at a good speed. Unlike the Raleigh Stride 3 that was painfully slow on climbs, the GSD is easy to get up to a good speed, in part thanks to torque that delivers plenty of power low in the phase and keeps it on higher up the speed range which you need on a steep climb.

Bike handling is solid and reliable and all the controls, from gears to lights to power ranges, are at your fingertips.

With a background in commuter bikes, Tern know a thing or two about making bikes easy, or easier, to live with. Neat trick number one is the ability to store this bike in an upright position. The handhold rack and heavy rubber pad at the back of the frame (below the brake light) are designed to give a stable base. I wouldn’t say it’s easy to lift the front wheel up due to the bike’s weight, and you wouldn’t want people brushing past it, but it does takes up a lot less floor space.

The handlebars can also be stowed by releasing the clamp just above the headtube, lowering them down and holding them in position with a rubber strap on the downtube. This reduces the width, handy if kept in a hallway, or anywhere people are likely to be walking past it.

CONCLUSION

While not cheap, the GSD is great fun to ride, packed with tech that makes it easy to ride and easier to store, and can be built to suit your needs, whatever they may be. The range of accessories really is extraordinary, meaning you can use this for pretty much anything you can think of, and the little touches, features and inbuilt tech show Tern’s design team know what their customers need. A standard chain and rear mech that’s tucked away behind guards and framework - and the fact the bike can’t be lifted into a stand - does mean drivetrain maintenance is not easy. But if spending thousands on a bike such as this, I would recommend an annual service as a bare minimum.

Specification

The bike
Frame: Tern GSD 6061-AL Multi-truss design
Fork: Suntour suspension fork (70mm travel)
Wheels: Tern Atlas heavy duty 36mm rims on Tern Atlas hubs
Seatpost: Tern telescopic + Cane Creek Thudbuster
Handlbar: Tern Sweep
Saddle: Tern GSD
Brakes: Magura MT-C ABS 4-piston hydraulic
Gears: Shimano Deore 1 x 10spd

Electronics
Motor: Bosch Cargo Line (400% assist)
Battery: Bosch 545 Powerpack
Display: Bosch Kiosk
Charger: 220V, 4A
Lights: Ignis front light, RearStop brake light
Onboard charging: USB-C

Accessories
Frame lock: Abus
Kickstand: Atlas Lockstand

There’s something undeniably joyous about riding an e-bike. Even as a fairly capable cyclist, I still get a kick out of hopping on one, gliding along with minimal effort, running errands, commuting, or just cruising without arriving sweaty or racking up dreaded “junk miles.”

I’m a big fan of the e-bike boom we’re experiencing—not just because I’m a lifelong cyclist, but because e-bikes are the great equaliser. They make it easier than ever for people to embrace life on two wheels, maybe drive a little less, and spend more time outdoors. E-bikes let me share my passion with a wider group of people while encouraging a more sustainable lifestyle.

But buying an e-bike can be a daunting and expensive experience, especially if you’re just e-bike-curious and not quite ready to go all in. That’s why one of the most accessible alternatives is converting the bike you already have.

Electric conversion kits are becoming increasingly common, and they’re a smart concept. So many of us have a neglected bike collecting dust in a garage or shed. These kits not only give those bikes a second life, they’re a user-friendly entry into e-biking without the cost of buying a whole new setup.

So when I was offered the chance to review the Swytch GO conversion kit, I was eager to give it a try. Cycling Weekly testers had previously given high marks to the Swytch Air setup, praising its quick installation and sleek design. The Swytch GO+ promised similar ease of use and compatibility, but with the added benefit of a longer battery range.

I took on a long-term review to test its user-friendliness, assess how it performed as a daily around-town ride, and determine whether its $654 / £499 price tag makes it a compelling alternative to an entry-level e-bike.

Overall, the Swytch GO+ conversion kit was a positive experience—but there are a few things I wish I’d known going in that would have made for a smoother process.

Swytch GO​ electric conversion kit

The Swytch GO is an e-bike conversion kit that transforms your existing bicycle into an e-bike by replacing the front wheel with a 250w motor hub and attaching a frame-mounted battery pack to the centre of your bike and, optionally, a display onto your handlebars.

What’s in the box

• A front wheel with a 250w hub motor, providing 40nm of torque and speeds up to 15mph (in the UK/Europe), 20mph in the U.S.
• A Power Pack GO+
  • 280Wh
  • Range: 30-40 miles
  • Weight: 2500g
  • Charge time: 4 hours
• Pedal sensors
• An LED handlebar-mounted display
• Charger
• Cables, wires, attachments
• Price: Starts at $525 for the smaller 15-20-mile range, $654 for the 30-40-mile range, and $774 for the 40-60-mile range.

How it works:

Once you’ve installed the kit, power on the battery pack and the display. The moment you start pedaling, the pedal sensor should detect movement and the hub will engage and offer assist. The pedal sensor communicates with the motor controller, which in turn communicates with the hub and the battery pack. It regulates the flow of electricity from the battery to the motor wheel, controlling speed and torque based on rider input from sensors. When you stop pedaling, the hub disengages.

5 Things I wish I’d known before reviewing the Swytch Go e-bike conversion kit

1. Choose your bike very carefully

Swytch claims that its products “fit almost any bike.” Yet my stable of bikes proved to be the exception. While the Swytch motor wheel can accommodate both rim and disc brakes (with a bolt-on rotor), the GO range is not thru-axle compatible. Swytch tells me thru-axle wheels are coming soon—at least for the MAX+ range—but in the meantime, this rendered 95% of my bikes incompatible. That left me with a steel Surly Midnight Special and an aluminium Raleigh Rainier single-speed cyclocross bike. The fork on neither bike readily accepted the wheel without modifications (more on that below), and in the end, I opted to fit the kit to my Raleigh.

It wasn’t long before I realised this had been a mistake. The Raleigh Rainier is a fairly light bike, and the addition of the kit quite literally doubled its weight, significantly affecting handling. On my scale, the Swytch motor wheel—without tube and tyre—weighed 6.57 pounds. The battery pack, cables and accessories added another 8.4 pounds, bringing the total weight gain to 14.97 pounds (6.79 kg). With the front wheel outweighing the rear by so much, the bike felt unbalanced.

Additionally, when converting a single-speed, you’ll likely want to change the gearing. With pedal assist, I found myself spinning out far too quickly with the existing setup. This required a trip to my local bike shop for a larger chainring and a new chain.

In retrospect, a heavier, geared bike would have been a better choice than a light single-speed.

2. Get ready to make some modifications

“The Swytch GO is compatible with universal-type bikes and supports wheel sizes from 26 inches and up,” states Swytch.

But by “universal-type bikes,” they specifically mean bikes with a 100mm front axle and 9mm or 10mm dropouts.

The website includes a handy compatibility form but the listing is somewhat limited. While my contact at Swytch assured me that one of my bikes would be able to fit the kit, it wasn’t without some modifications and time investment.

Upon receiving the kit, I realised the axle of the motor wheel was too big for the forks on both of my quick-release-equipped bikes. In this scenario, Swytch recommends filing down the axle flats until they fit. So off to the hardware store I went to pick up a metal file. I carefully filed—taking care not to damage the threads—then tested the fit, then filed some more. It took quite a while to remove the approximately 1mm of aluminium needed for the axle to fit into the dropouts.

I got it to fit in the end, but it was a cumbersome process and, to be honest, it dampened some of the “new bike day” excitement.

3. It's not as clean-looking as I expected

Here’s how the website depicts the kit:

Here’s what it looks in real life

On the website, the Swytch GO kit looks sleek, with clean lines that don’t disrupt the bike’s silhouette. In reality, there are wires and zip ties everywhere. The pedal sensor by the crank arm needs to communicate with the motor controller inside the battery pack, which is mounted somewhere in the bike’s main triangle. The front hub also needs to send and receive signals and power, and finally, the handlebar display must be plugged in for power and data. That means you’re running cables all over the bike. Swytch includes a wire harness to manage all these connections, but they still need to be secured to the frame in some way. And, unless you’re handy with shortening and soldering wires, you are also likely to end up bunching up the excess and zip-tying them to the frame. Or, as I did, stuffing them all into a frame bag in a half-hearted attempt to tidy things up.

Call me vain, but I care about my bike’s aesthetics—and the messy look is a bit off-putting.

4. The battery is easy removed but also easily stolen

The GO power pack attached to the bike frame using a set of strong velcro straps. This allows the user to attach the battery pack wherever it’s convenient—be it the top tube, downtube, seat tube or luggage rack. It works well: the velcro straps are secure and the battery does not sway or rattle at all. The pack can also be easily removed for charging or swapped between bikes should you have multiple Swytch-equipped bikes.

However, this also means it can be easily stolen. This may be a non-issue if you live in a safe area, have secure bike parking, or don’t intend to use the Swytch system on a commuter bike. But if security is a concern, your best option is to remove the battery and carry it with you. At nearly six pounds, though, it’s not very convenient.

If you’re using the Swytch kit for your commute, perhaps the Swytch Air would be a better option. It’s more portable and for many, a 15-to-20 mile range is plenty for a day of commuting.

5. It’s going to make you want an e-bike

Once you’re out and riding, most of the downsides quickly fade into the background. It’s genuinely fun to ride. The 250w motor, while on the lower end of the power scale, delivers smooth, steady assistance. It’s also pleasantly quiet.

The steps in between the levels of assistance are gradual, though I admittedly found myself mostly using levels 3 to 5. It feels like riding with a perpetual and steady tailwind, carrying you to your destination. It’s great for stop-and-go city riding and adds a little joy to otherwise mundane trips. Most of all, it encourages you to get out on your bike more often.

In other words, the conversion kit effectively offers the joys and conveniences of a regular e-bike at a smaller price tag. But that brings me to the final question: should you invest in a Swytch Go or just buy an entry-level e-bike?

Conversion kit or entry-level e-bike?

The answer truly depends on your needs and priorities. If you already own a compatible bike that you love, enjoy a bit of hands-on tinkering, and like the idea of giving an old frame a new life, the Swytch Go is a compelling and cost-effective introduction to e-biking.

That said, if you’re already leaning towards buying an e-bike, I’d be inclined to recommend investing in a purpose-built entry-level model.

The kit reviewed here retails for $654/£499 , not including extras like a new chainring, chain, and installation tools. For a slightly higher investment, in the $1,000 to $1,500 (£755 to £1,150) range, brands like Lectric, Velotric, Ride1Up, and Aventon offer ready-to-ride e-bikes with the integrated features and conveniences of modern bikes. For example, many of these models come equipped with fenders/mudguards, integrated lighting and cargo carrying capabilities. Also, most of these bikes tend to come with more powerful motors and larger batteries, offering enhanced range and torque.

While going this route means acquiring and storing another bike, if your old ride is gathering dust anyway, consider donating it to a local charity or community cycling programme for a second life with someone else.

The Swytch GO is a clever solution for the right rider. But as e-bikes are getting more affordable, the value proposition is fading. If you’re looking for everyday utility, convenience, and plug-and-play simplicity, a purpose-built e-bike may be the smarter long-term investment.

Designed as a city e-bike, the Whyte Rheo 3 is packed with features to make travelling by bike as simple and as easy as possible. From integrated lights to the rear rack that's ready to load, this electric bike should make getting about town a breeze.

But what if you don't live in a town? Can all these functions still be put to use in the rural hills? I hopped on to find out if the Whyte Rheo 3 is one of the best electric bikes for any rider regardless of where they live.

Construction

At the heart of the Whyte Rheo 3 are an aluminium frame, hub-based motor and 250Wh internal battery, teamed with a straight-bladed alloy fork. This deviates from the current trend of adding front suspension and higher-range batteries to e-bikes, as seen on bikes such as the Specialized Turbo Vado, in favour of keeping the overall weight down as much as possible to a claimed 16.9kg/ 37lbs (size medium).

Whyte says that the Kynamic hub motor will deliver 450W of peak power with 45Nm torque. Comparing this again to the above Specialized, it has a smaller battery, with almost half the torque. However, according to Whyte's Cheif Designer, Ian Alexander, the Rheo 3 still delivers a high power-to-weight ratio.

Battery location has also been a key design aspect of the Rheo 3, with Alexander drawing on the brand's off-road bike experience, explaining that it's vital to get right. "You can't upgrade the frame geometry," Alexander explains, adding that the location of the battery as low as possible in the down tube creates a low centre of gravity that will ensure sure-footed handling and confident ride feel.

In terms of range, as always, it's near impossible to predict because external factors, such as speed, rider weight, terrain, and even temperature all impact performance. Whyte suggests anywhere between a 20 to 65-kilometer range, with a 3.5hr charge time from empty to full, although an after-market range extender will be available from this December.

The frameset and electric set-up are tied together with the respected Shimano Cues 9-speed groupset, and intriguingly a Whyte dropper seatpost, which provides 100mm drop. While not perhaps an obvious addition to a hybrid e-bike, the team behind the design say it's a very practical addition that allows you to raise and lower the saddle as you need for easy on- and offs, as opposed to assisting in tackling steep off-road terrain and gap jumps.

The bike is mounted on Whyte's own-brand wheels, with WTB STp I27 rims. Tyres are fast-rolling, wide, high-volume Maxxis Reaver Tanwall 45c rubber for a confident and comfortable ride along potholed urban streets or rough, uneven rural terrain.

Up front, the Whyte one-piece bar and stem has a 720mm width, 20mm rise, seven-degree backsweep and four-degree upsweep. Stack is 599mm and reach is 435mm for a size medium, which, in combination with the cockpit, provides an upright riding position. Alexander explains that the design borrows from contemporary mountain bike geometry to help riders feel confident with the Rheo 3's handling while ensuring a nimble front end.

The Ride

With its wide, chunky tyres and mountain bike aesthetics, I immediately judged the Whyte Rheo 3 as a do-all, go-anywhere electric bike. And I wasn't far wrong.

Town to rural, flat to hilly, tarmac to trails, all were tackled with the same ease as if it were purpose-built for each riding terrain.

The nine-speed Shimano Cues drive train and hub-based Kynamic motor are a great combination. Even living in a hilly location, I found that level one or two of the three pedal assist options were sufficient. Level three assist was reserved for tackling the steepest climbs, normally the ones after a dead stop when surrounded by traffic and I wanted to power out of potential harm's way.

I appreciate its responsiveness and the slight overrun of the motor 99% of the time, which prevents that jerky 'on/off' feel that was noticeable on the Mycle Cargo electric bike. However, when relying significantly on assistance up a hill, I found that if I'd neglected to knock the power levels back once at the summit, I could be slung around the next corner.

Moderating motor level before any descent is one to watch for, especially if you are a nervous rider. That said, the surefooted nature of the bike goes a long way toward building rider confidence.

Other than incapacity for human carrying, the Whyte was a close second to cargo bikes as a car replacement option. I loved the integrated setup, never having to remember to charge or attach lights, and the mudguards and rack were a great addition. My only gripe was that the cable lines cut across the front light beam. It's a quick fix for the brand, but one that I wasn't able to do without rewiring.

I found myself just hopping on the bike when I needed the headspace for a bike ride but didn't have the energy for a full outfit change or a physical workout. With the Rheo 3 I was able to pop on a pair of trainers, a warm jacket, gloves, helmet and be out of the door in just a few minutes. After a bracing ride into the hills, I could return still fresh enough to sit at the laptop without having broken a sweat.

Initially perplexing, the dropper seat post made sense when I encouraged my bike-riding novice sister to hop aboard the Whyte. Combined with the step-through frame design, the dropper seat post allowed her to feel confident with both feet on the ground when stopped, but then to adjust the height back up for a much better riding position.

Watching my sister riding the bike made me realise just how light the Whyte Rheo 3 is compared to its e-bike peers. While I found it nimble enough to manoeuvre in tight turns or gaps, my bike-riding novice sister needed to manhandle the bike more, which she did with absolute ease thanks to its lightweight.

Of course, it is lightweight because the battery is small, which hampers range. On hilly terrain and cooler days using a lot of level two assist, I was close to using 75% of the battery in only 20 miles (45km).

However, it's so lightweight that for a flat ride of 10 miles (25km), with level one assist used sporadically, and level three once to conquer the home hill, the battery remained almost full for the duration, only dropping down to 80%.

Value and conclusion

The Whyte Rheo 3 is an agile and nimble e-bike that is capable of town and rural forays. It's fast rolling and on test, I found it wasn't fazed by any terrain or topography.

It was a great addition to the household, using it for errands, enabling mixed-ability family rides and even just heading out for a refreshing cycle without the faff factor normally associated with a sweaty traditional ride.

The price of the Whyte Rheo 3 makes a distinctive mark on the e-bike market. It's low enough to give the top-end e-bike conversions, such as the Skarper, a run for their money, and has a more subtle power assist. It is also significantly cheaper than many e-bikes.

Comparing the Whyte Rheo 3 directly with the Specialized Turbo Vado, it shares similar levels of versatility but it's about a third less expensive and 10kg lighter.

Specification

• Frame and forks: 6061 alloy, 12mm thru-axle, mudguard mounts
• Drivetrain: Shimano Cues, 9 speed, 11-46t
• Motor: Kynamic hub motor, outputting 450w peak and 45Nm torque
• Battery: 250Wh internally mounted
• Brakes: Tektro T3020 hydraulic
• Seatpost: Whyte dropper 100mm drop
• Tyres: Maxxis Reaver Tanwall 700x45c
• Saddle: White custom
• Weight: 16.8 size medium (claimed)

Much like the speed of the steeds in question, the best electric commuter bikes are infiltrating our city centres at a slow and steady pace, very gradually earning precedence over cars. Therefore, a considerable niche in the modern bike market has been carved out for casual cyclists looking to save money on fuel or congestion charges while getting fit in the process. The Cannondale Mavaro Neo SL 1 is one such bike, and its competitive price point doesn’t detract from a dizzying array of features and a surprisingly solid spec sheet.

Construction

“Sweat free urban rides” promises the coverline, and a quick glimpse over the frame suggests that’s exactly what you’ll get from the Cannondale Mavaro Neo SL 1. An 18 kg rated rack brings up the rear, and frame bosses abound on an aluminium frame, creating a bike that looks custom-built for a trip to the supermarket or a city commute. It boasts rigid front and rear fenders/mudguards – sagaciously specced for those who want to arrive at work without sporting half of the commute on their back. Present too, are front and rear lights, the former a Lezyne Pro E115, which is a quality piece of componentry and encourages confidence about the rest of the build. The SL suffix – Super Light – though, isn’t merited. At 24kg, the Mavaro isn’t light, in fact, on the e-bike weight spectrum, it’s leaning towards the more portly end of the scale. However, for now, we’ll give Cannondale the benefit of the doubt – city commuter bikes are never going to be on the radar of weight weenies, so for now, this indiscretion gets a pass.

The drivetrain features Microshift’s eight-speed derailleur which provides a wide enough range to find optimum cadence in most urban settings. It’s a budget set-up and keeps the overall price down, but shifts were sure if not seamless, and there’s even a clutch rear mech present to mitigate chain-slap. Brakes are hydraulic so modulation is sorted and absolute stopping power, even when taking into account the considerable heft of the machine, is dialled – which, during rush-hour commutes, could save a red face and a broken spoke or two.

Up front an SR Suntour fork with 50mm travel has been specced – enough to soak up most potholes or imperfections. Alloy rims decked out with Schwalbe Big Bens provide an extra layer of comfort, as well as offering a good level of puncture protection courtesy of added Raceguard technology - essentially a double layer of nylon situated below the tyre tread.

The saddle is a Selle Royal – a commodious perch which goes some way to adding compliance to the rear, and the handlebar is an in-house Cannondale riser, giving the bike a silhouette not dissimilar to a classic Dutch sit-up and beg. Lastly, there’s an Abus 4650 XL ring lock, which, for a city commuter-cum-city bike is always going to be worth its weight in gold.

A Bafang rear hub motor takes up the heavy lifting duties here – indeed such motors are often found on e-bikes of this ilk. The Mavaro has been assigned 350 watts, while the 360wh Darfon battery integrated into the downtube is claimed to be good for up to 67 miles on a single charge.

The ride

My first outing on the Mavaro Neo SL 1 was an eight-mile round trip to the shops. I only had a few bits and pieces to get, the weather was unseasonably fair and I’d been festering in the office all morning - time to rouse the legs and get some blood pumping. The hardest part of the entire trip was manoeuvring the bike from the shed to the front of the house – a series of 10-point turns ensued just to get it pointed in the right direction. Indeed such is the weight of this machine that lifting it should only be undertaken if you’ve done a pretty comprehensive warm-up, or you’ve just had your Weetabix and your name’s Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Once out on the road though, with the motor engaged, the Mavaro offered a planted ride. Aided by 350w, it’s reasonably quick to reach its capped assisted speed of 15mph on flat terrain. Given the bike’s weight, unless you’re going downhill it’s unlikely you’ll ever go any faster than this. No great shakes when you’re going to the shops in a shirt and a pair of jeans.

Bungee cording my shopping onto the rear rack, the return leg was just as sedate and I never felt over-burdened. But then I had to wrestle the Mavaro back into the shed - cue, a little bit of cursing and a grazed shin.

Next on the agenda was to ascertain the strength of the motor system. Locating the steepest hill I could find – a mile long with sustained sections of 20% – I made sure my heart rate monitor was charged and ready to receive a serious beating. Surely the weight of the Mavaro wasn’t conducive to an easy spin to the top. Not a bit of it. Even the most precipitous parts of the slope – with the third and highest motor setting deployed, along with the lowest gear – barely bothered anything beyond ‘warm-up’. Only when my foot slipped off the pedal (the large platforms have little grip and did become slippery when wet) did my BPM hover around the realms of an aerobic reading. It’s definitely not the most powerful of motors, but in my opinion, it has been correctly specced – anything more would add unnecessarily to the price tag.

Toggling through the three power levels – matter-of-factly referred to as one, two and three – is simple and there’s even a boost paddle which offers a short burst of power that I found particularly helpful when pulling away from junctions.

After these two rides - the second of which was some 15 miles and ridden exclusively in the highest power level - the battery life had been reduced by a third. This suggests that if you’re canny with the power you use and don’t go up too many 20% slopes, the battery life should be good for Cannondale’s claimed 67 miles in one charge.

Value and conclusions

The Mavaro Neo SL 1 is a good bike rather than a great one, but it is well-conceived with its many commuter-friendly features, such as fenders, lights, rack and lock. To be fair, the primary criticisms we do have - namely, it’s heavy and slow - could be levelled at much of the competition too. At £2,400 it is very well priced but it’s about to become even better value.

As we were finishing this review, Cannondale refreshed its Mavaro line. The new bikes are already available in the US and should be coming to the UK in spring 2025. However, we do know that there’s still plenty of stock of the old bike – the one reviewed here – in the dealer network. So, expect to see some heavy discounting and favourable deals over the next few months.

Specs

• Frame: SmartForm C3 Alloy, integrated down tube battery, internal cable routing, tapered head tube, 18mm two-bolt kickstand mount
• Fork: SR Suntour NEX custom crown, DS, 50 mm travel
• Motor: Bafang G020 Hub, 350W
• Battery: Darfon, 360Wh
• Tyres: Schwalbe Big Ben, 700x50c
• Cassette: Microshift, 12-42t, eight-speed
• Rear Derailleur: Microshift Acolyte
• Shifters: Microshift Acolyte, eight-speed
• Handlebar: Cannondale Riser, 6061 Alloy, 8° sweep, 4° rise, 680mm
• Brakes: Tektro HD-275 hydraulic disc, 160/160mm rotors
• Brake levers: Tektro hydraulic disc
• Saddle: Selle Royal Lookin Trekking
• Seatpost: Cannondale 3, 6061 Alloy, 31.6x350mm

It is a biblically wet London afternoon, forget Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell in Four Weddings and a Funeral. I am picking my way through a grey and cold Camden Town, having to choose if I want to be splashed by taxis or have my eyes poked out by umbrella-wielding tourists. I am heading for a quiet mews just off the main thoroughfare and away from the famous market to visit Skarper.

Skarper’s e-bike conversion kit has been in development for three years but will soon be available to the general public. To make it possible, the company teamed up with Red Bull Racing’s Advanced Technologies department and raised £12.8m of investment. Skarper also has the backing of Olympic gold medalist Sir Chris Hoy, who devastatingly announced his terminal cancer diagnosis this week.

As I step into Skaper's unassuming office, I am immediately greeted with the repetitive hammering of a testing machine. This sets the tone for our meeting, presenting Skarper as a company spending its hard-earned investment focusing on its engineering.

While the final production models will be completed in China, the design and engineering are all done in the UK. There is not a single ‘off-the-shelf’ component, an impressive feat considering the relatively small size of the company. As I’m shown around, I spot test rigs everywhere, some recognisable, like high-end turbo trainers stripped and providing data alongside a team of engineers hard at work. The result is an e-bike conversion kit with a very unique design.

Construction

The Skarper is suitable for mounting on any bicycle chainstay and is driven using a geared disc rotor. This small drive unit can produce up to 45 Nm of torque, while housing everything it needs to operate, including a 240wh battery.

At 4.5kg, with an added 600 grams for the DiskDrive® brake rotor, Skarper is double the weight of the Swytch Bike Air Kit we tested last year, but there are no wires or batteries taking up valuable handlebar or frame space. The big reason for this weight difference is mainly down to battery size; Swytch uses a tiny 90Wh battery, which weighs only a kilogram. However, most lightweight integrated e-bike systems add between four and five kilos, so the weight of the Skarper isn’t at all unreasonable.

My first question to Alastair Darwood, co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Skarper is, why the disc brake? Was there not a concern that you were playing with a bike's primary safety device?

Alastair replied with a simple and well-thought-out reasoning.

“With so many ‘standards’ on bicycles it is nearly impossible to narrow down a single area without adding complexity,” he said. “The only real area left on a bicycle that has a single standard is the brake mount, with all bicycle manufacturers having to design around SRAM or Shimano’s tolerances. This means no matter what bike you own, you can fit Skarper”.

In response to any possible effect on rider safety, Alastair says "Bicycle brands have to do a lot of fatigue and clearance testing in this area of the frame. With its low torque output and weight, Skarper has little effect on strength or braking performance".

In January of this year, Skarper announced it had been working with Red Bull Advanced Technologies. Skarper is not the first bicycle brand to have worked with the engineering arm of the Red Bull Racing F1 team. BMC redesigned its time trial and Teammachine R with them and both launched last year.

“Red Bull helped to finalise the gearbox design, helping to improve reliability and make the click-on system faultless,” said Darwood. And it’s an impressive system. Held in place entirely by the DiskDrive® brake rotor gearing and a small clip placed on the chainstay, once removed you’d never know that it had been there.

Another neat solution to reduce complexity is a single cadence sensor mounted to the crank arm to allow the system to register movement. This makes it simple to use across multiple bikes and removes the need for wiring or a change of bottom bracket. This cadence sensor, combined with speed and torque sensors built into the unit, processes the data to gauge how much assistance is required.

The Skarper unit features two-speed settings, Turbo and Eco, which are selected manually on the unit before you get on and ride. The system can be switched off entirely whilst in motion by backpedalling three times. It’s a nice feature if you are only looking for some support on the hills. Skarper claims the Eco mode will produce around 50km of range from the built-in 240wh battery.

First Ride Review

While the rain put a bit of a damper on my test ride plans, my bike was fitted with a mudguard and I was kindly lent a pair of waterproof trousers. I then set out for a short ride through the quiet residential roads of Camden and up towards Holloway Road, expertly guided by Skarper Co-Founder Uri Meirovich.

Setting off in Turbo mode, I instantly noticed how punchy the Skarper unit is. With the relatively low torque output number compared to Bosch or Shimano systems, it felt like a decent shove that didn't tail off, even when nearing the speed limit. London’s not the hilliest of places, so it was hard to assess if that was because I was in Turbo on flat terrain. Would that feeling translate to hills too?

We headed up the A503 towards Finsbury Park and Holloway Road, which I checked on Strava, has a 500m section at 3.5% average. To many seasoned cyclists, you wouldn’t notice this but for non-cyclists on an unassisted bike, this is a lump in the road many could do without. This section included several stops for traffic lights and buses and I didn't notice any drop in performance. The system stayed consistent and strong, with great acceleration away from those lights.

With any e-bike system, the real test is how it performs once you hit that 15.5mph assistance limit. While the drop-off in assistance was noticeable, it was nothing like the ‘pedalling through mud’ feeling of older Bosch CX units. For comparison, it was akin to the Fazua Ride 50/Evation unit I have on my personal e-bike. It’s extremely smooth and with a decent tapering off, taking you briefly over the limit, to ease you into being under your own steam. In essence, it’s like riding a normal bike with very little, if any resistance.

Dropping down to Eco mode, as you would expect, offers considerably less assistance. I can only describe it as a ‘barely there’ feeling. If I was going to nitpick a bit, the Turbo mode is very strong and I am not sure it needs to be quite so powerful, as a slightly increasing assistance level in Eco mode could strike a better balance. It might be nice to see a third or dynamic mode as standard. That said, with the lack of varied terrain to tackle in London it’s hard to give a full overview of the overall assistance levels. For this, I’d need a longer testing period.

Value and conclusions

When compared to other e-bike conversion kits, Skarper is one of the more expensive options at £1,495 (£1895 to upgrade to the dual bike kit). The obvious comparison is to the Swytch Bike Kit, which with its largest battery option, comes in well under half the price at £599.

That said, there are very few e-bikes at this price point, and certainly not ones that would be as light or refined as Skarper. Its nearest full bike rival would be something fitted with a Mahle X35 hub, with these typically starting at around £2,600.

As a rear wheel drive kit, Skarper offers better potential value and performance over other conversion kits, specifically front-wheel drive options. With significant effects on handling, front wheel drive kits are far too often poorly controlled in how and when they apply power, becoming a huge safety issue. Think about going around a roundabout or sharp corner in a front-wheel-drive car at speed and you’ll understand what I mean. Furthermore, fitting a whole-wheel conversion kit generally means a significant downgrade in the specification. The other option would be to have the e-hub rebuilt into a quality rim, but that's a whole heap of hassle and expense. In contrast, the simplicity of Skarper makes it a proposition that I think could be very attractive to many seasoned cyclists.

Time will tell if the system is durable and reliable. I quizzed Alastair and Uri heavily on this, as I had first-hand experience being an early adopter of the Fazua Evation systems and how difficult that had been. Both reassured me there is a good plan in place including, a small but highly trained UK dealer network and multiple ways of contacting Skarper directly. Importantly they are confident in their product, offering a 2-year warranty, which is double that of most e-bike manufacturers.

Verdict

After a short and wet ride, I believe the Skarper system has plenty of legs, with its performance promising. Skarper has certainly solved a lot of the compatibility issues with many e-bike conversion kits. While the cost is undeniably high, I think this will be justified once durability has been confirmed. To that point I have requested a production version to do a long-term review, so watch this space.

Early pre-orders of Skarper will ship before the year is out, of which all units are sold out. I am told ‘stock’ will be available early in the new year for UK customers only, pre-orders or open for that delivery window now.

Here at Cycling Weekly, we are big fans of e-bikes and electric cargo bikes, especially. But it’s becoming increasingly difficult to decide which bikes to test, let alone buy. In today’s rapidly growing e-bike market, new brands seem to pop up overnight, often following a familiar formula: a small leadership team based in the U.S. or Europe with manufacturing outsourced to Asia. These brands often embrace a direct-to-consumer model, offering prospective buyers little more than a few online reviews, tech specs and promotional videos before asking them to hit that “buy now” button. We receive countless pitches from e-bike brands hungry for exposure, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to decide which new brands are worth a look.

Troxus, yet another young e-bike brand, stood out among the bunch thanks to its dealer network. While many new e-bike brands rely on a purely digital shopping experience, Troxus is working with bike shops around the country to allow potential buyers to see, touch, and, most importantly, test-ride their bikes before committing. Additionally, if a store is nearby, customers can buy a bike online and pick it up, often the same day, at their local dealer – services that are becoming increasingly rare in this online-first market and are often reserved for big-name brands.

For us, picking up the bike in person wasn’t just convenient, it also gave us the chance to connect with the brand’s local dealer and discover a small, community-focused bike shop we hadn’t known about before.

Troxus, I learned, started as an electric four-wheel ATV (all-terrain vehicle) and electric scooter company before expanding into the e-bike market in 2019. The company does not rely on third-party manufacturing; instead, Troxus prides itself on owning its production facilities and maintaining control over the assembly and quality of its products. The brand’s design and management team is California-based and offers U.S.-based support and repair services as well. Troxus currently offers five model families, serving recreational mountain bikers, commuters and families looking for car-free transportation options.

Our introduction to Troxus comes through the brand’s self-proclaimed “ultimate two-wheeled cargo hauler,” the Lynx Cargo E-bike. Let’s dive in.

The Troxus Lynx Cargo E-bike

The Troxus Lynx Cargo E-bike is a long-tail cargo bike –meaning that the bulk of the cargo is meant to be carried at the rear– made of a burly aluminium frame with a nice glossy paint job and paired with a suspension fork and 20” wheels. The bike sports a step-thru frame with the UL-certified battery housed inside the sizable downtube. The bike is powered by a Bafang rear hub motor, which offers both pedal-assist functionality and throttle control.

The Lynx comes with a rear and front cargo rack, fenders (mudguards), integrated lights, a beefy kickstand, a handlebar control and a large display. Additional accessories, including the rear seat pad, runner boards and basket, as seen on the review bike, are available for purchase.

Features overview:

• 6061 aluminium frame
• Shimano 8-speed shifting 46T x 12-32T
• Hub-based motor: Bafang 48V 750W
• 5 Level Pedal Assist
• Thumb throttle
• Tektro Hydraulic Brakes w/ massive 203mm/180mm rotors
• Troxus suspension fork with 80mm travel
• Kenda Cursor 20” x 4” tyres
• Front and rear rack included; more accessories available aftermarket
• Carrying capacity: up to 500 lbs
• Max speed: 20lbs
• Max torque: 86nm
• UL-2849 Certified
• Battery: 960Wh range / Samsung Cells 48v 20Ah
• Battery is removable and lockable
• Large and clear colour display
• Multi-functional handlebar remote with USB charging
• Integrated lights
• Turn signals
• Unique, switchable mode between torque and cadence sensors
• 5yr/ 5K mile “Fender to Fender” warranty

Switchable torque and cadence sensor technology

A standout feature of the Lynx is its switchable torque and cadence sensor technology, which Troxus claims is the first of its kind in the e-bike market.

This technology aims to provide a smoother, more natural, and customizable ride experience by allowing the rider to control how and when motor assistance engages.

Cadence Sensor: This common type of motor assistance, especially on lower-end e-bikes, triggers the motor when it detects crank movement. The motor assistance is at a preset level and does not vary based on pedalling effort. You can adjust the assist level (from 1 to 5) via the display or handlebar controller, but the assistance is either on or off.

Torque Sensor: This mode measures the actual force (torque) you're applying to the pedals. The motor provides more assistance the harder you pedal, making the ride feel more like a traditional bike with a boost when needed. This mode is beneficial for preserving battery life or enhancing your workout.

The ability to toggle between these two modes allows riders to customise their experience based on cargo load, battery preservation or desired exercise level. For instance, cadence mode is useful for carrying heavy loads or tackling hills, while torque mode may be preferred for a more natural ride feel or efficient battery use. You may even want to switch between the modes on the fly. For example, when you’re carrying heavy cargo – humans or otherwise, it can be tricky to get started. In this case, you’d likely shift into an easy gear and make use of the cadence sensor mode. Once up to speed, you could opt to toggle into torque mode for a more pedal control.

How it rides

I picked up my Troxus Lynx test bike at Outer Rim in Portland, Oregon, and rode the 18 miles home in its stock state. The requested accessories –a rear seat pad, running boards and front basket– were sent to my home so I could get the ‘full customer experience’ of installing these myself, like a customer would. Of course, a local Troxus dealer would be happy to install any accessories for you. However, the installation truly was a breeze.

The bike comes with front and rear racks already installed that can carry a combined weight of 135lbs. The rear rack measures 60cm in length, which offers plenty of cargo space and could seat two small children quite comfortably. For those who don’t want to go all in on the safety rails accessory, the seat features a handgrip in the rear for a passenger to hold onto, which is a nice touch.

The Troxus basket, which can be mounted on either rack, is a great addition for hauling groceries or gear, and like the racks, it's built from sturdy metal. I use a cargo bike to minimise short car trips like carting around my nephew, running errands or grocery shopping. The seat pad adds comfort for passengers, while the running boards provide a secure platform with their anti-slip coating. A neat design element of the Lynx is that the running boards fold up when not in use, to save on space.

In terms of performance, the Lynx handled all the tasks I threw at it, and felt capable of handling a lot more. I don’t have a daily commute but the Lynx would be a reliable car alternative with a battery that consistently reached its 80-90 mile capacity. I never challenged the 500-pound max cargo capacity but with its robust construction, I have no doubt that the bike could handle a heavy with ease.

The Lynx is equipped with five different levels of pedal assist up to 20 mph, along with a thumb throttle for a little extra oomph to get going. Paired with the 8-speed drivetrain, I never felt under-geared.

The switchable torque and cadence mode, as explained above, is a neat but uncommon feature, especially for a bike at this price point. With the Lynx being a utility bike, I’d imagine that many users will primarily use the cadence mode, but the torque mode does offer more nuance and pedal control, which I appreciated on rides with little or no cargo. With that said, I doubt many Lynx riders will actively make use of the switchable technology, and perhaps it’s better used on recreational or sporting bikes.

Both modes are quick to engage, but I did occasionally experience some ‘ghost assistance’ in the cadence mode, where the motor continued briefly after I stopped pedalling. It’s a minor quirk and one that the rider would likely adapt to with regular use.

The Lynx’s display is large and easy to read, and the controls are intuitive. Safety features like brake lights and turn signals, rare at this price point, are welcome additions. I can’t say that I ever used the turn signals –habitually opting for hand signals instead–), but I can see how they’d be a helpful feature for riders uncomfortable with taking a hand off the bars.

Speaking of safety features, the hydraulic Tektro brakes, paired with a large 203mm rotor in the front, provided strong, responsive stopping power — a crucial feature for such a hefty bike. And I was also glad to see the use of thru-axles instead of quick-release skewers.

All 2024 Troxus e-bikes are now UL-certified, as well. This certification ensures the bike’s battery, motor, and electrical systems are safe, reliable, and protected against hazards like overheating or short circuits, which can lead to the catastrophic electrical fires e-mobility devices have become infamous for.

Overall, the bike offers a very stable, planted ride, even with a wiggly passenger on board. I did, however, find the bike to be rather unwieldy. While not the longest cargo bike out there, the Lynx is heavy and quite burly, particularly in the front end, making it tough to manoeuvre through tight city streets or weave around urban obstacles. It’s a tad cumbersome to park and to get moving again, and it certainly made me think twice about my parking options and the route I’d take to my destination.

Other drawbacks of the Lynx were small and easily remedied in future iterations of the Lynx: the chain frequently falls off its tensioner; the crankset sports an uncommonly wide axle to clear the frame, which makes for a less ergonomic pedalling motion; and the kickstand, while sturdy, is unrubberised which led to some deep scratches in my garage floor.

Verdict

The Troxus Lynx Cargo E-Bike is a durable workhorse that delivers in stability, power and durability. It impressed with its advanced electronic features rarely seen at this price point, such as the switchable torque or cadence modes, brake lights and turn signals.

But where the bike excels in strength and durability, it falls short on manoeuvrability. Even at this sub-$3000 price point, there are other e-cargo bikes that offer a more refined balance of power, portability and manoeuvrability, which may be better suited for everyday use in an urban environment. (For this use, the Aventon Abound or Tern Quick Haul come to mind.)

Swinging my leg over a three-wheeled, 110kg bike isn’t the usual way I start a ride. But then this isn’t my usual kind of bike. Heavy tyres, a big metal frame holding a polystyrene-formed bucket, a roof with windows, a wide fat saddle, big flat bars and, thankfully, a whopping great battery down by my feet, this e-cargo bike is like nothing I’ve reviewed in more than 20 years of cycling journalism.

But the Raleigh Stride 3 (£4,499) isn’t just unlike the svelte carbon race bikes I usually test, it’s unlike any kind of bike I’ve ever ridden. But perhaps that’s because a) it’s a trike, and b) it’s not meant to be like a bike, it’s meant to be more like a car. These machines are designed for carrying little loads over short distances. 

I had two little loads to transport in mine, a four and a seven-year-old, who both fitted nicely onto the wooden bench and enjoyed the many admiring glances, excited waves and comments they got on their travels around our town.

Not only does the Raleigh Stride 3 comfortably carry two young children, there’s room for several shopping bags as well. Stick a couple of pannier bags on the rear rack and you could haul even more. With a couple of strong bungee cords, you could probably take the kitchen sink. 

Travelling to school this way was no punishment. Despite the hard wooden seat and incredibly bumpy roads, my kids would take this option over the car any day. And I do mean any day. I was once begged to take them to school in monsoon-like conditions. While I was utterly soaked, through my waterproof jacket and trousers, they were happy and dry inside the sheltered front section, laughing their heads off at the water pouring off of me. 

Raleigh Stride 3: The build

Do a quick web search and you’ll see the majority of e-cargo bikes come with two wheels, including the Raleigh Stride 2. Having three gives much more stability, which means there’s no need to take the weight of the bike on one leg when balancing at a standstill - which gets harder the heavier it is. This is a boon for hill starts and waiting at traffic lights, but it does affect the steering, which we’ll come to later. 

The two 20-inch front wheels sit on either side of the rectangular frame that holds the 109cm(l) by 76cm(w) by 51cm(d) polystyrene bucket. In here is a small wooden bench and two seatbelts. Although adjustable, they wouldn’t reach over the shoulders of a seven-year-old, and were a bit tight on a four-year-old, so we fastened them around their waists. The Raleigh website shows this bike with two padded seats attached to the bench, and another bench at the front, with two more seatbelts, so be sure to check for the available options.

The bike’s main frame attaches underneath the bucket via an angled pivot that allows the main bar - which runs back to the rear triangle and up to the saddle -  to slant gently from side to side when steering. The steering column is bolted to the back of the bucket frame with vertical adjustability and some for-and-aft rotation in the stem. 

The pedal-assist Bosch Performance CX Cargo line motor sits as per usual in the bottom bracket area with the 500Wh battery pack locked in place on the back of the cargo bucket. Power is controlled by the buttons on the head unit that's mounted inboard of the left handgrip, while on the right is the gripshift for the ingenious Enviolo internal hub gear. 

That hub is built into the 26-inch rear wheel that’s surrounded by a pannier rack, which is bolted to the main frame. Interestingly, the bars of the rack were too wide for an old Thule pannier bag with twist clamp fixing. This fixing type now looks to be obsolete and most bags should fit, especially those with fabric fastening straps. 

The bike has two front and one rear light that run off the main battery, turned on and off by holding the + button on the head unit. Disc brakes are courtesy of Tektro with two 160mm rotors at the front and one 180mm rotor at the back providing plenty of stopping power. There’s also a handbrake on the right lever to stop the bike from rolling away.

The cover is a heavy material with PVC windows front and side, held in place by a metal frame. It’s open at the back but otherwise completely waterproof.  It’s held in place with two elastic straps at the front that fix over the lights, and two more at the back. 

Raleigh Stride 3: Battery, electronics and gearing

The pedal assist Bosch Performance CX Cargo line motor sits in the bottom bracket, as with all their motors. This is powered by the 500Wh power pack that is locked in place on the back of the cargo bucket. It can be charged in situ, or unlocked and taken off for charging. The key that unlocks the battery is the same for the frame lock on the rear wheel. 

The battery and motor can deliver power in four different modes. Eco, Tour, Sport or Turbo. Bosch’s manual lists assistance factors of 60, 140, 240, and 400% for those modes respectively. All levels assist up to 25kph before cutting out as per the regulations. I never used the Eco level - it was almost imperceptible - and rarely used Tour. 

Instead, I spent most of my riding time in Sport or Turbo. Turbo level was always engaged whenever going up a gradient, even a slight one, with or without passengers. The bike is simply too heavy to ride without. To test this I tried to ride up a 5% gradient with no assistance and promptly came to a standstill. As I said, this is one heavy bike.

Flicking between the modes is done via the + and - buttons on the head unit and changes can be made while pedalling, which immediately updates power delivery. The rate of power delivery works seamlessly with the ingenious stepless Enviolo hub system that is controlled with the gripshift. A stepless gearing system means resistance is on a sliding scale that you can stop at any point, with no clicks or fixed points to stop on.

The system works by rotating metal balls altering the friction on an input and output ring on either side of them. It’s maintenance-free and works brilliantly. Enviolo claims shifting under load is a breeze, which isn’t quite true. I found I needed to back off the pedals for a split second to allow it to change, especially when going uphill.

The gear you’re in and the pressure you put on the pedals feeds back to the Bosch motor, which will deliver more power earlier in the pedal stroke when you’re in the smallest gear, helping you get up the hills. As you change into bigger gears, power delivery backs off at lower speeds. 

Initial pick-up in the power delivery is spot on too, waiting for you to press firmly on the pedals before it smoothly delivers power. This means there’s no sudden lunge forwards, which could be dangerous on a bike this heavy. On a really steep hill, moving from a standing start did take a fair bit of effort to get the motor to kick in, but we’re talking about a 20% gradient, and I suspect very few people would be using it on roads this steep.  

As ever, battery range - that can be displayed on the head unit - is dependent on usage. Ride over hills in Turbo mode, with heavy loads and the range is as short as nine kilometres, but take it a little easier, in Sport or Tour mode on flat roads and it will stretch out to 25-30km. After a full charge, Eco mode will show a range of 70km, but Eco mode is unrealistic on a bike this heavy. The range is something you’ll get to know the more you use it and it can also be affected by temperature and battery age. But whatever you do, do not run out of battery as you’ll end up pushing it home.

One nice little feature is the Walk mode. Hit the switch on the bottom of the head unit to engage this mode, then hold down the + button and the bike will move forward at a very slow walking pace. As soon as you take your finger off the button the power cuts out and it switches out of Walk mode, so there’s no accidental forward movement should your finger slip off and back on. This was very helpful when parking. 

Raleigh Stride 3: The ride

The riding position of the Stride 3 resembled the sitting position on my office chair more than my race bike. And no, I didn’t wear lycra to ride it. The position gives good visibility, allowing you good vision of the road over the top of the bike’s roof. The first thing I noticed when on my first ride was the steering. This bike does not lean, it steers. The front wheels are fixed to the frame and have no tilt in them, meaning corners need to be taken very slowly. Compared the the BMC Teammachine I’m currently testing, it’s like turning an oil tanker.

A right angle turn ridden at any more than 15kph deweights the inside front wheel, unnervingly so. And adding weight to the bucket doesn’t minimise this. I never got anywhere near the tipping point, I wouldn’t dare, and although the low centre of gravity helps keep it grounded, I had to completely change my perception of what is and isn’t fast. 

I also found the bike became unstable at speed. I know, I know, this bike is not built for speed, but if you live in or around hills it’s not difficult to reach 40kph on descents just by letting it roll. 

On a smooth, straight stretch of road (note to the HR department and my wife: all my speed testing was done without passengers) I reached 44kph and had no issue, but speeds in the mid to high 30s on a rough road or one that needs steering resulted in some very scary moments when I almost lost control of the front end. 

The one thing I would like to see added to this bike is a tilting mechanism on the front cage, or at least some suspension. Either of these would improve the handling. Suspension would also improve the ride for the passengers. We hit some bumps that actually lifted them off the seat. While this initially produced great howls of laughter, we did have to create a makeshift padded seat to protect them, as it eventually started to hurt them a little. We also got to know where every bump is on the routes to school we took. I then started giving them a countdown to the bump so they could ready themselves. 

The difficulty of riding a trike is that there is almost no way to avoid a pothole, other than taking early action to give it a wide berth. Run the front wheels on either side of it and the rear wheel catches it, while trying to steer around it quickly is too destabilizing. Suspension on the front wheels would improve this as well as the handling. 

The roads and routes I tested the Stride 3 on are, I’m willing to bet, the opposite of what it was designed for. And while it didn’t pass every test with flying colours, the joy of travelling this way was indisputable. At nearly £5,000 this is not exactly a cheap transport option, but it’s cheaper than a car, doesn’t require VED, tax or insurance and comes with the additional benefit of adding some exercise to your daily routine. 

And did I mention? The kids absolutely loved it.

According to one of our twin boys, the Specialized Globe Haul LT is “a very talented bike.” I’m inclined to agree. Testing cargo bikes is one of my favourite assignments because scientifically-speaking, they’re the most fun kind of bike. How can you not end up with a smile while riding around being serenaded by preschoolers? (Caveat: your mileage may vary)

Cargo bikes typically come in two varieties: bucket (bakfiets), with cargo in front, or long tail with payload located behind the rider. Bucket bikes are often more expensive, but work well for heavier loads as the weight is placed closer to the ground where it’s more stable. Long tail bikes are simpler, and thus are usually cheaper, but can be plagued by handling difficulties with freight on board. Both types have benefits, depending on where you ride and how much weight or how many passengers you regularly carry.

Specialized’s Globe Haul ST came out to much fanfare in 2023 as a well-designed do-it-all short tail cargo e-bike. The Globe Haul LT is the longer, more robust sibling of the Haul ST (the letters denote short tail vs. long tail). We put it through its paces riding to and from school, to playgrounds, grocery stores and more.

Design and construction

The Haul LT features an aluminum frame with a steel fork, Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, and a Microshift 9 speed drivetrain. The frame is complex, with a latticework of struts and tubing support to make for a very robust unit. The steel fork is similarly stout, offering little in the way of comfort.

The Haul ST’s 20” wheels come equipped with Specialized’s own 3.5 inch “Carless Whisper” tires. These wide tires roll well, have some tread and, with careful pressure-changes, can add some cushion. The hub-based motor puts out 700 watts and the large battery (772 wh) has a stated range of up to 60 miles. Top speed is a zippy 28 mph. MSRP for the complete bike is $3500.

The bike does not come stock with a throttle, though Specialized sells one as an add-on. This allows for throttle assist up to 20 mph, and changes it from Class 3 to Class 2. I didn’t test this, but my understanding is that even with the addition of the throttle, the pedal assist still works up to 28 mph.

The Haul LT comes in one size and one color only (“Gloss White Mountains”). The weight limit, including the rider, is 440 lbs. The bike itself weighs approximately 90 lbs, without accessories, and feels every bit of that. Overall bicycle length is a little under 7 feet (82 inches, to be precise).

Saddle height and handlebar height are both adjustable, making for relatively easy swaps between different size riders. The low standover height also helps with rideability.

Specialized equipped my test bike with the “School Bus Kit,” which consists of padded seats and a cargo rail for passengers to hold on to, running boards, a front rack and basket and hard shell front panniers. These panniers look a bit like waste paper baskets, but work great for quick grocery store runs. They have drain holes in the bottom, just in case. Installed, the baskets bring the bike’s overall width to about 27 inches.

Total retail price for this kit comes out to roughly $1100, which bumps the overall price up substantially. The seats on the back are extremely cushy (yes, I tested them) and the cargo rail is suitably stout. The frame has a lifetime warranty and Specialized also offers a 2 year “e-system” warranty in addition to this.

The Ride

 One of the shortcomings of  long tail cargo bikes is that any minor frame flex is magnified with weight—especially wiggly kids—on the rear of the bike, which can create steering problems. Of the bikes I’ve ridden in this category, the Specialized Haul LT avoids this issue the best. The bike is clearly very well built and is remarkably stiff, which translates directly to confidence while riding. 

The downside is that, in order to achieve this stiffness, the bike is heavy. The Haul ST, which is significantly shorter, is weighty for its size, and the LT has been both lengthened and strengthened compared to the ST. 

This isn’t much of an issue while riding, but does pose a problem while parking or maneuvering the bike on foot. Lifting this bike up a curb, or up a couple of steps just isn’t feasible. The size and weight also make storage difficult. You’ll need dedicated storage space on ground level, and if for some reason you need to transport the bike somewhere, you’ll want a van to do so.

I also had a hard time engaging and disengaging the kickstand with kids on the back, simply because of how heavy the bike was. For a smaller person, the Haul LT would be extremely difficult to maneuver with any kind of cargo on board.

If the size and weight don’t pose an issue, and they won’t for everyone, the Globe Haul LT does a lot right. It’s fun to ride, and handling is spot on. The tyres are excellent—I would say best in class. Brakes and drivetrain did everything they needed to and the gear range (sometimes an afterthought on cargo bikes) was solid. One small miss was the lack of chainguard. This is a bike meant to be ridden in casual clothes, and a chain guard is a necessity. Were I keeping this bike long term, that is the first thing I would fix.

The integrated 1500 lumen lights worked great. They’re unobtrusive most of the time, but plenty bright enough when needed.

I primarily used the bike on the level 5 (full send) assist setting, and seemed to get around 35 miles per battery charge, which is very good for this category. The power was quick to engage and offered consistent help as needed, once I got the hang of the torque sensor. I did experience some “ghost assist,” where pedaling gently at speed caused the motor to engage. Every system has its quirks, and it seems that it’s just a matter of familiarizing yourself with each of them to best extract performance.

Value and conclusion

I think it is a very good thing to see a company like Specialized bring its considerable resources and OEM purchasing power into the cargo bike world. Though a bike built for puttering around town doesn’t seem like it has much in common with one for racing the Tour de France, there are similarities: both bikes need to work flawlessly and both need to be purpose built for the task at hand. I hope we see more big bike companies throw their hats in the ring in this category. The more e-cargo bikes there are in the world, the better, I say

Specialized’s Globe Haul LT does a lot right. It rides well, carries weight very well and goes a long way on a single charge. But, it’s big. I would love to try out the same bike but shortened by six inches and 15 lbs lighter, just to see how much easier that would be to work with. I understand why Specialized went this route (presumably in part to differentiate the LT from the ST), but I think the size will be an issue for some people.

Price-wise, it matches up very favorably against options like the well-reviewed Tern’s GSD ($4,500) or Momentum’s PakYak E+ ($5,500) or various others with larger wheel sizes. It’s an increasingly populated market, with lots of good options across price points. At $3500, the Specialized Globe Haul LT has few peers—at least for now.

A bike that began its existence in road form, the Creo SL could not have strayed further from that path. This latest iteration is big, it's burly, and it looks ready to take on just about anything this side of a World Cup downhill course.

Front suspension? Check. (It's there in the head tube). Dropper post? Check. Tyres that wouldn't look out of place on a hardtail? Also, check.

But this, the Creo SL Expert Carbon (let's call it by its full name at least once) doesn't look unwieldy for one of the best electric gravel bikes – or in the least bit slow. It's compact and muscular and well dressed, with geometry that makes it look as though it'd do pretty well in a gravel race (though it's an ebike, so it almost certainly would).

Released towards the end of last year, the Creo SL is an upgrade from its predecessor in a multitude of ways. Perhaps most obviously, it has an improved motor with more power and torque. On top of that, the frame has been redesigned to take much bigger tyres.

Let's look at the bike in a bit more detail.

The frame in detail

It's finished in 'Gloss Black Pearl Birch Black Pearl Speckle'. The valuable seconds lost off your existence telling your buddy the colour are repaid to some extent by the fact you can enjoy a pale paintjob without it being spoiled by the first flecks of dirt. 

This is very much a gravel frame, even taking the big tyres out of the equation. The clearances are huge. Enough, in fact, to take 2.2in (57mm) tyres, not that Spesh goes as far as that with the standard 47mm offerings.

Low rider-style fork mounts are in place for bikepacking overnighters, and dropout eyelets for rear racks are also present. There are also mounts for a seat stay bridge. A top tube bag is not an option though – it would obscure and likely damage the electronic display, and the rubber Future Shock suspension boot wouldn't like it either.

At which point, let's talk about that Future Shock. The one here is the most premium of the three Future Shock designs, and features six levels of adjustment accessed by a dial on top of the stem.

In terms of geometry, this newer version of the Creo features a slightly slacker frame than its predecessor, making it a more capable gravel-tamer. The wheelbase has gone out from 1,020mm to 1,059, while the head angle is reduced by a degree-and-a-half to 71°. Stack and reach are 607mm and 392mm respectively, making for what feels to me like a neutral position well suited to the task at hand.

Components & Wheels

It's no surprise on such a clear-cut gravel bike to find a single chainring (44t) up front, and this is paired with a 12-speed cassette, with 11-50 teeth to choose from. The whole drivetrain is SRAM eTap AXS, with Rival at the levers and calipers and Eagle chainring and rear mech. The brakes are hydraulic discs, of course.

Wheels are built with Roval Terra C carbon rims that feature a 25mm internal width, with DT Swiss hubs and spokes. Notably, this newer version of the Creo eschews the Boost hub spacing standard used by the previous incarnation, making it compatible with a good deal more wheels than before. 

The 47mm tyres are Specialized's own Tracer Pro. They're summer tyres, really; three-season at a push. 

Finishing kit is in-house too, with a short-nosed Body Geometry Power Expert Saddle and 42cm Hover handlebars with a slight rise. The Trans-X dropper seatpost completes the picture, offering 50mm of travel.

The Motor

Specialized SL 1.2 motor is another upgrade for this newest version of the Creo, with the previous bike using the SL 1.1.

The new item offers 320 watts of power driving 50nM of torque – considerably more than the previous unit's 240 watts and 35nM. In turn the motor is powered by a 320Wh battery hidden in that chunky down tube. This can be supplemented by a proprietary external Range Extender battery (£295) that fits in the bottle cage in the pictures and offers half as much battery life again.

The bumf for the bike quotes a range of up to five hours, but it varies, of course. Inputting my vital stats into Specialized's range finder gave me a 90km (54-mile) range for a hilly ride in Eco mode. But if I dropped 20 kilos I'd get another 20km. It's a useful tool.

Q-factor is now 169mm – less than the previous Creo but also 18mm more, for example, than Shimano's GRX crankset.

The top tube display (or Mastermind Turbo Connect Unit to give it its full name) offers all the key info you're after – battery health, mode, speed and more – and it can be tailored pretty much exactly as you'd like by pairing it with the Specialized app. This alsos enables you to record your rides and dial in the assistance you'd like from the motor.

Paired to all of this is a pair of blip buttons on the rear of the handlebar, which allow the rider to cycle through power modes more easily than with the single button on the TCU, and without taking a hand off the bars.

The Ride

Even in Eco mode, the assistance kicks in rapidly from the off. Out on a flat road with no wind, you'll need to get past the legal 25kph (15.5mph) speed limit for assistance before feeling like you're doing much in the way of work – the Creo just makes it that easy.

Of course, getting up to that speed is a doddle with the power assistance, which feathers away almost unnoticed when you hit the limit, rather than cutting out abruptly and leaving the rider suddenly feeling like half the cyclist they were a moment before.

On the woodland paths that mostly pass for gravel in my part of the world, the Creo SL makes riding an absolute joy. The uphill drags with slow, difficult surfaces that mean minutes of unpleasant toil on a standard machine are made light work of, with the 47mm Tracer Pro tyres playing a significant part here. Combined with the motor, and the Future Shock, they make choosing a line so much easier. Almost any line, in fact, becomes open to you.

Steeper hills – usually my bête noir as a rider well into 90-something kilos – found me calling on the Sport mode at times, even if Eco still made a useful difference. 

Like everything else, steep hills are best taken seated on this bike, given that (on any bike) there's a pronounced dead spot at the bottom of each pedal rev which doesn't make for the smoothest power delivery once you bring a power-matching motor into play.

Sport mode was an absolute hoot, offering all the power I needed and more. Off-road became fun, fun, fun, and all those toils back up to speed after tackling a tricky section were replaced with an exhilaratingly quick return to grin central.

However, I didn't find the highest assistance mode – Turbo – particularly useful. It made a small difference on the steepest hills, but there is a much bigger jump from Eco to Sport than from Sport to Turbo. These jumps can be tuned by the rider, but I really did feel as though Sport gave me all the boost I needed.

The Future Shock was unintrusive. But I've used it enough to wish I had one on all my road and gravel bikes. The tuneablity of the 3.3 version fitted to the Creo SL is a nice touch but I found I kept it resolutely on the softest setting.

Lastly, the SRAM eTap was almost faultless. The changing was quick and smooth – not quite as smooth as on the Roubaix SL8 I rode recently, but fuss-free all the same. The brakes, unsurprisingly, threw up no complaints either.

Perhaps the only misfire are the handlebars. They would definitely benefit from a flare – even just a small one – for added control and ease of riding in the drops. But given I'd like to see flared bars on endurance road bikes too, I probably would say that.

Value

At £7,500 / $9,000 this is not a small-change bike by any means (are any of them these days?); in fact it's getting towards the top end when it comes to gravel ebikes. But the amount of know-how and technology that has gone into this bike feels as though it justifies that price tag.

Clearly, all the know-how and the tech in the world wouldn't count for much if it didn't ultimately produce a high quality and eminently capable machine, but the Creo SL is without doubt both of those things.

In terms of rivals, you could look at the Cannondale Synapse Neo Allroad 1 for £6,000, which features a 600w motor with 55nM of torque, or perhaps the Canyon Grizl:ON CF 9 (£6,699), featuring an 55nM Bosch motor with 400Wh battery.

The Spec

Frame: FACT 11r carbon, front/rear thru-axles, fully integrated down tube battery

Fork: Future Shock 3.3

Motor: Specialized SL 1.2, 250 watts / 50nM torque with 320Wh battery

Shifters: SRAM Rival eTAP AXS, hydraulic disc

Rear mech: SRAM GX Eagle

Brake calipers: SRAM Rival eTAP AXS, hydraulic disc

Wheels: Roval Terra C, 25mm internal width carbon rim, 32mm depth, DT 370 hub

Tyres: Specialized Tracer Pro, 47mm

Saddle: Body Geometry Power Expert

Handlebars: Specialized Adventure Gear Hover

Stem: Future Stem Pro

Seatpost: Trans-X Dropper, 50mm Travel

Weight: 14.1kg (56cm)

I believe the law should treat electric bikes and regular bikes no differently. The law determines where we can cycle legally, whether licensing is required, what safety equipment is required and whether regular maintenance is needed (though this is always advised). 

Of course, in sporting events or at point of purchase, where the consumer wants and needs to know what sort of bike they’re getting, there is a need to classify e-bikes differently to ‘analog’ or ‘acoustic’ bikes. But where you can cycle, whether you need a helmet, registration or insurance – for e-bikes the law should stay the same as your normal push bike.

That is, of course, so long as the legal definition of an e-bike does not differ massively from conventional bikes (which for the sake of this article I’ll just call ‘bikes’).

Most countries around the world do not differentiate between bikes and e-bikes in terms of the legal requirements to ride them. They also broadly share similar rules on what legally defines an e-bike: engine size (measured in watts), they must be pedal assist (no pedal, no power), and will have a maximum speed where the electric assist cuts off.

The specifics do vary from country to country, and even from state to state in the US. For instance, the EU and UK currently have a maximum engine size at 250W and cut off at 15.5mph, while in the US you can have 750W and cut-off speed at 20mph. Those are speeds that most reasonably fit folk on a bike can easily match and probably surpass.

If you increase the capacity of speed and/or engine or remove the pedalling aspect, then by most legal definitions that means you’ve no longer got an e-bike, but a low-powered electric motorcycle. In the UK, that means you need registration, a licence, insurance and you have to wear a helmet – not a cycle helmet but a motorcycle one – if you want to ride it legally.

This distinction between e-bikes and illegally registered e-motorbikes is important. Public concern is largely focussed on the latter, but because there is a failure to sometimes understand the difference, aided by sensationalised stories in the media,  it’s the former that are taking a reputational battering.

By and large, e-bikes do not have particularly different average speeds to normal bikes, and that’s because of one crucial factor: the rider. Pedaling still requires effort whatever bike you ride, just for most people it’s going to be a bit easier on an e-bike, at least until the power cuts out when you hit your maximum speed – or runs out altogether.

This crucial factor keeps cycling, whether e-bike or bike, as an active pursuit – not a sedentary one such as driving.

In recent times the UK government ran a consultation that sought to change the status quo, and suggested increasing engine capacity to 500W, and introducing a ‘twist and go’ throttle that negated the need to pedal for power. Speaking to the Department for Transport, the outcome of this consultation is unclear due to the July general election and is dependent on the next government deciding whether it's a good use of public resources to conclude and then act on its findings.

Let’s hope whichever political party is elected it doesn’t bother with this bit of legislation, as current proposals are likely to cause more harm than good. No one in the cycling industry, the active travel sector, or even consumers had called for these changes. The consultation did, however, cause concern about the risk of creating a two-tier system in cycling, potentially setting a path where e-bikes might become classified differently to bikes, in part because pedalling was no longer required to get up to 15.5mph.

The Bicycle Association, representing the cycle industry in the UK, said in their consultation response moving to “full throttle” and the other measures were unnecessary, risky and even detrimental to the policing of illegal e-bikes.

“Longer term, it risks moped-style regulations on the whole e-bike category, because with no pedaling required e-bikes would be seen as light mopeds, not as cycles. There are also as yet unquantified risks from more powerful, heavier e-bikes sharing cycle lanes, risking further regulatory backlash.”

I couldn’t agree more, and my views are shared by the All Party Parliamentary Cycling and Walking Group, which wrote to the Department for Transport expressing its concern.

Fabian Hamilton MP, co-chair of the APPG for Cycling and Walking told Cycling Weekly the group saw the measures as counterproductive to encouraging more cycling: “The resources would be better spent on policies that would actively encourage e-bike uptake, and bring us in line with other European countries. A significant number of organisations and manufacturers have also set out in detail their opposition too, so it's clear that the industry is speaking with one voice on this matter.''

E-bikes and bikes are currently co-existing quite well from my experience, so why change that? Especially when making e-bikes unnecessarily more powerful and faster could actually set the wider uptake of cycling back, making it more difficult and more expensive to design the places where people can ride in safety.

Ed Lancaster is the Global Designing Cities Initiative program lead for the Bloomberg Initiative for Cycling Infrastructure (BICI). BICI currently operates across 10 global cities, from Bogota in Columbia to Wellington in New Zealand, working to build safe cycling networks in each location.

"We believe that the key to increasing cycling use is providing facilities that are suitable for all ages and abilities,” Lancaster said. “Allowing more powerful bicycles, riding at higher speeds, to use existing infrastructure will likely increase conflicts and the risk of collisions.

“It will therefore require even more investments in ensuring that streets and cycling facilities are designed to accommodate all users safely."

And where we don’t have infrastructure (yet) e-bikes could actually help people feel safer and therefore keep on cycling, through their ability to increase riders’ average speed. Dr Rachel Aldred from the University of Westminster’s Near Miss Project found “Cycling speed is the main factor affecting near miss rates: those who reach their destination at an average speed of under 8 mph have around three times more near misses per mile compared to those who get there at 12 mph or faster.”

Maybe you’re new to cycling, in your twilight years, suffering from mobility issues or just not looking to break a sweat every time you jump onto a bike (a bad look for meeting with clients if ever there was one). An e-bike will change that, and in turn make cycling not just a more pleasant experience by limiting your experience of close passes, but also likely that bit safer.

We all know bikes are at their best going forward, but classifications that treat bikes and e-bikes differently on and off the road will set cycling on a backward path. Such a two-tier system will further confuse the public, making uptake of this wonderful technology more difficult and less likely for those who will benefit the most.

It will create unnecessary headaches for policymakers and the architects of our streetscapes, which will end up costing more and ultimately is a bit of cycling snobbery that we can do without.

E-bikes are a part of cycling’s future and have a deserved place in the rich tribal family of our beloved activity, just as much as road, mountain, BMX, gravel or cargo bikes. We cast them out at our peril.

There’s a lot to like about Velotric’s first cargo e-bike, the Go 1. It’s compact, zippy, fun to ride and looks great. It’s also backed by ISO and UL safety certification and a two-year warranty, arrives in eco-friendly packaging, and is compatible with a host of accessories to make the bike uniquely yours. Best of all: it carries a sales sticker of just $1300.

With the Go 1, the young company shows itself more than capable of competing with the popular brands of Rad Power Bikes and Aventon in the U.S. market. However, the Go 1 has a significant safety concern that we’d like to see addressed in future iterations.

Meet Velotric

Founded in 2021, Velotric is a young company based in Shenzhen, China, and Carson, California, with a mission to "help more people rekindle their joy of riding."

Adam Zhang, the hardware co-founder of the e-bike and e-scooter sharing company Lime, is at the helm. He's joined by a team of industry experts from brands like Specialized, Giant and Decathlon. 

"We believe how you get there is more important than where you go, which is why we build versatile and accessible e-bikes to help you discover the small adventures all around you," the company states.

"We believe e-bikes should be elegant, stylish, high performance, reliable, safe, and affordable. We have a vision of a simpler and more expressive e-bike experience for riders who want to feel the exhilaration of the open road without any stress or anxiety."

Velotric's first model, the Discover 1, hit the streets in March of 2022. Three more models soon followed, and the Go 1 reviewed here is Velotric's fifth and newest model, available since summer 2023. 

Meet the Velotric Go 1

The Velotric Go 1 is a short tail cargo e-bike. This means that the rear-end is significantly shorter than a full-sized cargo bike. For the compromise of a little less cargo, say, one less passenger, you tend to get better handling, a zippier ride, and a bike that takes up less space in your garage. The small but mighty Velotric Go 1 can carry a load of up to 440 lbs in total yet handles much more like a regular hybrid bike – with the benefit of an e-assist of course! 

The Velotric Go 1 comes stock with a 500w rear hub motor set to a max speed of 20 mph, a seven-speed drivetrain, a flush suspension fork, hydraulic brakes, fenders, lights, a wooden cargo platform, and a LCD display. If you're planning on carrying a passenger, the mesh wheel guard is a particularly nice touch. Additional accessories like front and rear baskets and a passenger handrail and pegs are available for purchase.

Features overview:

• Frame material: 6061 Aluminum
• Bike weight: 65 lbs
• Cargo capacity: 440 lbs total
• Drive system: Velotric's proprietary Velopower H50 rear-hub  with 5-level assists, 500W and 65Bm torque
• Throttle and pedal-assist
• Top speed: 20 mph by default, 25 mph when unlocked
• Battery: 48V with LG21700 cells - UL recognized and lockable
• Max battery range: 55 miles pedal assist, 48 miles throttle-only
• Brakes: Unlabeled hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors
• Drivetrain: Shimano 7 speed
• Suspension: 60mm hydraulic suspension with lockout
• Tires: CST e-bike puncture resistant tires, 20 x 2.0"
• Thru axle: yes, Novatec 15 x 110
• LCD Display
• Front and rear fenders
• Front and rear LED lights
• Center kickstand
• Certifications: UL 2849 Certified (bike); UL 2271 Recognized (battery), IPX6 rated, ISO4210 compliant
• Works with Apple's Find My 
• Front and rear baskets; passenger seatpad, handrail and pegs available aftermarket
• Available direct to consumer: www.velotricbike.com
• On sale for $1,299 (usually $1,799)

Assembly & ride

 When the delivery person, huffing and puffing, delivers the 70-pound box to your doorstep, the bike is almost ready to ride. The cardboard box opens on the side and a QR code will pull up an unboxing video with step-by-step instructions. Velotric even provides you with the tools needed for the assembly; no prior know-how is required.  All in all, it’s a very user-friendly experience. 

As a consumer, you only need to mount the bars, the LCD display, front wheel and fender, and pedals. You then secure the saddle to your preferred height, charge the battery and off you go. 

Of course, if you ordered any additional accessories like the font and rear basket we received, you’ll need to mount those as well. The whole assembly took less than 30 minutes and once it’s done, you’ll unlikely need to ever do it again. 

The ride

Once assembled, my first impression was that I liked the bike's aesthetics. The matte forest green paint, limited branding and compactness all spoke to me. From there, features like a thru-axle (which ought to be standard on all e-bikes), UL certification, smaller 20-inch wheels and a low bottom bracket all earned instant points in favor of the bike. 

For me, a cargo bike is mostly used to minimize car trips by getting groceries and running errands by bike instead. As such, stock features like fenders and lights are much appreciated. The after-market baskets add utility though some creativity may be required to make use of off-brand panniers and additional cargo-carrying devices. 

After leafing through Velotric's provided quickstart guide, I was off and running in no time. The five-button control and sizable display are quite intuitive. The power button turns the bike on and off, the button with the light icon controls –you guessed it– the lights, the plus sign means more assist, minus sign less assist. The i button toggles through your ride stats such as trip distance, odometer, speed, calories burned and time. Beyond those basic functions, the user can unlock the assist's max speed from 20 mph to 25 mph and dive into more advanced settings.

For this review, I mostly rode with the default 20mph (Class 2) limit in place, which, I find, is plenty for most use cases.

My general impression of the Velotric Go 1 is that it's a very comfortable and fun ride. The Go 1's small and wide wheels paired with a low center of gravity provide stability, while the 60mm hydraulic suspension adds a little extra cush over poorly maintained roads or light gravel paths. 

The bike handles nimbly, maneuvring capably around the urban cityscape and its many obstacles. The front rack, however, is bottled to the mainframe and the front wheel moves independently, meaning that while you may be pointing your wheel right, ready to turn, the rack continues to face forward, which takes a ride or two to get used to. 

The performance of Velotric's proprietary Velopower motor impressed, especially on the steady uphills. It's rated at 500w continuous with a 900w peak, which, for me, was sufficient wattage to keep me pedaling along merrily on the climbs and flats alike without jerking me forward at the first pedal stroke as some high-wattage e-bikes tend to do. 

E-bikes with similar cargo capabilities such as Rad Power's Rad Runner and Specialized's Globe Haul St have upped the wattage to 750w and 700w, respectively, but I didn't find the 500w limiting. 

At 65 pounds pre-cargo, the Go 1 is certainly no lightweight and one is likely to use the higher levels of assist. The steps in between its five levels of assistance are gradual. As with any e-bike, I suggest starting in level 1 and toggling through the ranges as you pedal up to speed. The throttle is removable but I found that it comes in handy when you've loaded up the bike and need a little extra oomph to get going at a stoplight.

The large, 691.2Wh battery gave me a stress-free riding experience in that I didn't fear running out of juice. Velotric claims the battery will keep you going for 55 miles of pedal assist and 48 miles of throttle-only but realistically, users should expect to see a range of 35-40 miles if they're relying heavily on the assist. Still, that should be plenty for most bike commutes and city-wide errands.  The battery is both removable and lockable, which provides a good theft deterrent. 

The 7-speed Shimano drivetrain is bottom-rung but still does the job capably. Seven speeds aren't much these days, but the motor will make up the rest.

A safety concern

This entry-level cargo e-bike checks all the right boxes except for a significant speed wobble that occurs when one removes their hands from the handlebars while going at a speed above 15 mph. 

A speed wobble, or a shimmy, refers to the shaking of the handlebars when one unweights them.

Speed wobbles are not uncommon, especially in e-bikes that are rear-heavy. They occur due to unbalanced weight distributions, frame geometry, frame material or suspension issues. 

I alerted Velotric about my findings and met with the brand's technician leader, Samuel Hunter, who confirmed the issue. Hunter explained that the Go 1 is equipped with sealed headset bearings for weather protection. The bearings, however, appear to have some play in them.

Hunter assured Cycling Weekly that Velotric will address this issue in future iteration of its cargo bikes. In the meantime, customers who experience the speed wobble may contact Velotric for a bearing replacement.

Most riders are unlikely ever to experience the issue. However, the speed wobble does create a potential safety hazard. One could experience the shaking while signaling to turn or attend to one's cargo. I would, therefore not recommend using the Go 1 with passengers, especially children. And, when possible, to keep both hands securely on the bars. 

Value & conclusion

The e-bike market is teeming with affordable, China-made e-bikes at the moment but Velotric managed to stand out by offering some serious competition to the popular Rad Power Bikes and Aventon bikes already in the market. 

There's a lot to like about the short-tail Go 1 cargo e-bike. It's compact yet capable, UL certified, aesthetically pleasing, a joy to ride and just $1799 or $1299 on sale.

With the availability of additional cargo accessories and, most importantly, the fixing of the speed wobble, I'd happily give it 5 out of 5 stars. 

E-Bikes have been getting increasingly popular in recent years, with more people looking to reduce their car use, often supported by government incentives to reduce congestion and pollution in major cities. 

For over a decade now, Seattle-based company Rad Power Bikes has been the go-to brand for Americans looking for a car-replacing commuter and utility bikes at a wallet-friendly price. Founded in 2007, they are North America's largest e-bike company with 10 different models to choose from. Recently, the company has faced some challenges with several lawsuits and rounds of layoffs. Despite this, the company continues to be a very popular option for Americans and one can take comfort in the fact that all Rad Power Batteries and chargers are certified to meet UL Mark’s safety standards. 

Curious about these bikes, Cycling Weekly received the RadRunner 3 Plus in for review. With plenty of accessories and a 350lb cargo capacity, it's more than capable of hauling cargo, trailers or passengers. With small wheels, wide tires and a suspension fork, it's competent and has a quick, playful feel. The wide gear range combined with the 750-watt motor makes even the steepest hills feel effortless, and cruising around town is smooth and speedy. 

Full disclosure: I had never ridden an e-bike for a meaningful amount of time before getting on the RadRunner. I was expecting to use it for commuting and minor errands but I never expected that I'd end up almost wholly replacing my car with the RadRunner 3 Plus. I am using it nearly every day instead of my car. Seeing just how much less I could use my car has been eye-opening, and it feels great to know I am reducing my own carbon footprint.

The RadRunner 3 Plus in numbers

• Frame material: Aluminum
• Bike weight: 75.5 lbs
• Load capacity: 350 lbs
• Battery: 672 Wh 
• Charger: 48V, 2 Amp Rad Power Bikes smart charger
• Motor: 750W brushless Rad Power Bikes geared hub motor, 5:1 planetary gear reduction. 
• Pedal Assist: Intelligent 5 level pedal assist with 12 magnet cadence sensor Range: Estimated 25-45+ miles (40-72+ km) per charge
• Controller: Custom Rad Power Bike controller; 48V, 750W
• Display: Charge indicator, speedometer, odometer, trip odometer, pedal assist level, motor watts, headlight/taillight indicator, trip time, clock Hub
• Throttle: Half twist throttle
• Integrated Lights: Auto-on feature. Front: Standard Rad Power Bikes LED headlight Rear: Integrated taillight with brake light 
• Shifters: Shimano SL-TX50-7R, thumb shifter, 7 speed 
• Brake Calipers: Tektro Hydraulic HD-E350 
• Brake Levers: Tektro aluminum hydraulic three finger levers with motor cutoff switch
• Brake Rotors: Tektro 180 mm front and rear 
• Chain: KMC Z7, 132 links 
• Crank Set: 48T chainring; ProWheel Ounce Forged Alloy 170 mm crank length; square taper J.I.S.; dual-sided aluminum chainring guard 
• Derailleur: 7 speed Shimano Altus MD310
• Gearing: 1x7, 11-34T cassette, 48T front chainring 
• Fenders: Full-coverage front and rear
• Fork: RST Spring Fork, 60 mm travel with preload adjustment and lock-out 
• Handlebar: Aluminum alloy, 710 mm wide, with 8.7" rise, 22 degree handlebar sweep, 31.8 clamp diameter, 22 mm crossbar diameter 
• Kickstand: Side-mounted, adjustable lean angle Pedals: CrMo axle, forged aluminum platform with reflectors, standard 9/16" x 20 TPI threading 
• Rear rack: Integrated, 120 lb (54 kg) carrying capacity 
• Seatpost: 390 mm x 27.2 mm 
• Tires: Kenda K905 with K-Shield puncture protection and reflective stripe

The RadRunner 3 Plus frame

The RadRunner 3 Plus comes in just one, compact frame size. Meant to fit most, the frame sports a step-through design and a long seatpost for height adjustability. To significantly change the reach, however, one would have to start swapping parts. 

At 5 '11, I had no issues finding a comfortable seat height but if you are on either end of the height spectrum, you may have trouble getting the one size to work for you. 

The frame has plenty of mounting points for the many accessories that Rad Power Bikes sells. The frame's rear end has an integrated rack where you can attach panniers or strap things down. The battery is semi-integrated into the downtube, keeping it out of the way while still being removable when needed. The battery is removable with a key for effortless charging, security or transport. 

There is a  small space above the bottom bracket with rails on either side, which I found handy for stashing small items. Rad also offers a console box, which fits perfectly in this space for storing cargo.

The frame is pretty compact for a cargo bike and in addition to saving on storage space in the garage, it also handles nimbly and responsively.

The RadRunner 3 Plus motor

The RadRunner 3 Plus utilizes a hub-driven 750-watt motor system. The RadRunner has both a pedal assist and a throttle. For safety, the motor is automatically cut if the brakes are applied.

There are five levels of pedal-assist ranging from the first level, which provides very little assistance, to level five, where you are at the max speed of 20mph with minimal pedaling effort. The acceleration is quick and I did observe some added noise at level 5. 

Level four is my ideal assistance level. It provides enough assistance to bring the RadRunner up to the speed, but you still felt like you're pedaling without being overwhelmed by the motor. 

I was initially skeptical of the throttle but found it handy for getting going at stop signs and red lights. The throttle is not limited by the pedal assist level you choose, so it always provides maximum acceleration. 

One can adjust the pedal-assist level using the buttons and LCD screen on the left side of the handlebars. The LCD screen is also where you can power up or down the whole bike and control the integrated lights. 

I live in Durango, Colorado, and took the RadRunner 3 Plus on some pretty steep hills to test how it would climb. At 75 lbs, the bike is undoubtedly hefty and only gets heavier when you add panniers and cargo, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well it performed on steep climbs. The motor provided plenty of torque and handled the steep grades well. 

The RadRunner 3 Plus components

The RadRunner was specced well with a seven-speed Shimano drivetrain providing more than enough range. The 11-34 cassette paired with a 48T front chainring gave me plenty of gear for the flats, and I only needed the 34 in the rear a couple of times. The chainring has a bash guard to protect it from damage and also helps protect the bottom bracket area of the bike.

The suspension fork, small wheel and wide tire combination is becoming increasingly  popular among cargo e-bikes and I'm a big fan.  The 20-inch wheels keep the bike low and stable, while the high-volume tires provide cushioning for poor road conditions. Combined with the 60mm of front suspension travel, the RadRunner 3 Plus is extremely comfortable to ride, and I often found myself venturing off the road onto dirt trails to test the bike's limits. The small wheels and wide tires make the bike feel playful and surprisingly quick to handle despite its significant weight. 

Adding hydraulic disc brakes was great to see and not always a given at this price point. The large 180mm rotors provide plenty of stopping power and were connected to the motor and lights, so when you use the brakes, it cuts off the assist and brightens the integrated tail light to act as a brake light. These safety features are a nice touch, especially for city riding. 

The integrated lights worked well. Riding the bike at night, the headlight provided adequate illumination to see where I was going, but I would have liked to have seen Rad's more premium halo light included on this bike. You can buy the upgraded light for $49, which provides nearly twice the brightness as the stock headlight. 

The grips were one of the few component choices I disagree with. The leather ergonomic grips were comfortable enough, but when they get wet, they become slippery. I think a traditional gel grip would be better suited, but this is a minor detail.

The RadRunner 3 Plus accessories

I chose to include two of their locking panniers on my test bike, and I am a big fan of the extra carrying ability. They mount using large brackets to the bike's rear and are easy to take on and off. You simply slide them into the holes at the top of the bracket and screw them on from the inside. I used the panniers for groceries and could fit everything I needed without much rattling. I tried transporting some fragile items like eggs and had no issues. 

Rad offers an impressive collection of aftermarket accessories to make the bike suit your needs best, including baskets and a padded seat for the rear if you are traveling with a passenger. 

The RadRunner 3 Plus value & verdict

At $2,299 (£2,199//€2,499), the RadRunner 3 Plus is one of its most expensive models but is relatively competitively priced compared to other cargo bikes. For example, the Specialized Globe, a similar bike in its cargo capacity, comes in at $2,800. Both are a steal if I consider the amount of car-trips I have replaced with this bike.

The RadRunner 3 Plus is an excellent e-bike that can handle most commuting and cargo carrying duties. Rad's many accessories give added versatility, and a powerful motor lets you get where you need to go quickly and without too much effort. While not the lightest or the cheapest, the RadRunner 3 Plus provides good value and is extremely capable. With well-chosen components, it is easy to recommend for anyone looking to reduce their car dependency.

Who didn’t spend their childhood pulling wheelies on a Raleigh Chopper or a Grifter, or getting air on a Raleigh Burner after watching ET?

OK, you might be getting a bit long in the tooth for those particular moves, but as a grown up you can still experience the classic Raleigh fun: there’s a whole range of Raleigh e-bikes, equipped with the latest tech and designed to power you to whatever type of riding you want to do.

Whether it’s effortlessly speeding about the city or a bit of extra oomph for your off-road adventures and bike packing trips, Raleigh’s ever-growing e-bike range has it covered.

Let's take a look at four models, each designed to excel in a specific area.

Raleigh Trace

If you want to make the morning commute at least 10 times more enjoyable without breaking a sweat, a lightweight, speedy machine like the Raleigh Trace is the e-bike for the job. The Trace has a classic-looking Raleigh frame with sleek, straight tubes and at a glance, you might not even know it’s an e-bike. 

The 250Wh battery is tucked neatly away in the down tube and the Ebikemotion motor is in the rear hub. You’ve got a discreet display and control panel on the top tube. 

The Trace weighs 16.5kg, which is impressively light for an e-bike. On the flat you could easily find yourself pedalling at over 15.5kph without the electric assistance - but when you come to a hill or need to accelerate away from the lights, that’s when you’ll really notice the boost. The range of 50 miles could actually be a conservative estimate with this bike.

Of course, low weight also means low stress for apartment dwellers who carry bikes up and down steps.

As you’d expect of an urban machine like the Trace, it comes with all the necessary fixtures and fittings - front and rear lights, mudguards, pannier rack and mounts for more racks front and rear.

There’s a Shimano nine-speed drivetrain with a 40t 1x chainring and Tektro hydraulic disc brakes - and it’s priced at a very competitive £2,199.

Raleigh Motus

If you’re looking to take commuting to the next level and need more range and extra comfort than the lightweight Trace with its smaller battery supplies, then check out the Raleigh Motus. 

With a bigger 400Wh battery, or 500Wh on the iTour and Grand Tour models, you can get up to twice the range of the Trace - 100 miles compared to 50. 

The Motus has an RST suspension fork with 50mm of travel and it comes in different frame configurations giving you the choice of step-through or crossbar as well as different specs with different gear systems - derailleur or hub. The top-spec Motus Grand Tour is powered by a Bosch motor that supplies the assistance to the cranks rather than the rear wheel. 

Some people prefer the weight of the motor in a more central position - and the assistance comes in a smoother, more natural feeling way. It’s also worth noting that the Bosch Active Line motor is virtually noise free.

With the bigger battery and motor drive unit plus the suspension, you’re looking at an overall sturdier bike with a weight of 28.5kg.

However, with a range that could take you from Raleigh’s founding city of Nottingham all the way to London without breaking a sweat, a lot of easy riding is guaranteed. The bike is Priced from £2,199 for the standard Motus to £2,799 for the Motus Grand Tour. 

Raleigh Centros

The Raleigh Centros is for people who want to go further afield or off the beaten track. It’s basically designed for adventures with no limits for everyone. It has a 130-mile range thanks to a 625Wh battery that beats both the Motus and the Trace, and it has a superior motor too. 

You get a mid-mounted Bosch Performance Line motor, which supplies more power to the cranks than the Active Line of the Motus, so that you can get up steep, gnarly climbs by just finessing the pedals.

The Suntour Nex suspension fork has 63mm of travel - 13mm more than the Motus’s fork - so that going off-road is not only enabled but positively encouraged. The wheels are 650b - a slightly smaller diameter than the standard road 700c of the Motus and the Trace, which gives extra manoeuvrability, strength and tyre clearance. As such they come with chunky 55mm Schwalbe Marathons.

For portage, it comes with a pannier rack but there’s also a built-in modular rail system making it easy to carry extra water bottles and batteries if you’re nowhere near a water or electricity supply.

There are two models: one uses a Shimano Nexus eight-speed hub gear and the other has a Shimano Alivio nine-speed derailleur system. Prices are £2,999 for the derailleur version and £3.099 for the hub gear-equipped Centros.

Raleigh Modum

If you’re after an e-bike that can handle heavy-duty commuting and heavy cargo haulage too, the Raleigh Modum is an all-new urban utility bike that ticks all the boxes, combining features of the Motus and Centros with a cargo-friendly frame.

It has a 500Wh battery and 100-mile range like the Motus. But it has the superior Bosch Performance Line motor of the Centros, so that when it’s in beast-of-burden mode, it can power any payload.

Small 20in wheels leave plenty of space to load the Modum up while keeping the centre of gravity as low as possible. The other benefit of small wheels is that they’re super strong - especially when they’re shod with super wide 60mm Schwalbe Pick-Up cargo tyres.

It can go but it can also stop: the Modum is specced with Shimano MT200 mountain bike hydraulic disc brakes with a big 180mm rotor up front and 160mm at the rear.

As for the gearing, to keep things simple there’s a bombproof Shimano Nexus five-speed hub and a 38t chainring - nicely judged gears that will work well with the Bosch motor for a good range of speeds, keeping the cadence even. 

The Modum is all about keeping things simple and practical, and for that reason the aluminium frame comes in just one size, with all the adjustability taken up by the dropper post and the stem.

It comes with SKS mudguards, lights front and rear, and a modular carrier that makes it simple to add extra haulage capacity if you need it. And finally, in keeping with the simplicity and practicality that is its USP, it comes in a single build option for £3,399.

So, that’s four extremely compelling reasons to swap four wheels for two. Raleigh’s e-bike range doesn’t even stop there, either. Looking for a long-tail e-cargo bike or something else not covered here? Check out Raleigh's website for details of all the others. 

If you’re after an e-bike that can handle heavy-duty commuting and heavy cargo haulage too, the Raleigh Modum is an all-new urban utility bike that ticks all the boxes, combining features of the Motus and Centros with a cargo-friendly frame.

It has a 500Wh battery and 100-mile range like the Motus. But it has the superior Bosch Performance Line motor of the Centros, so that when it’s in beast-of-burden mode, it can power any payload.

Small 20in wheels leave plenty of space to load the Modum up while keeping the centre of gravity as low as possible. The other benefit of small wheels is that they’re super strong - especially when they’re shod with super wide 60mm Schwalbe Pick-Up cargo tyres.

It can go but it can also stop: the Modum is specced with Shimano MT200 mountain bike hydraulic disc brakes with a big 180mm rotor up front and 160mm at the rear.

As for the gearing, to keep things simple there’s a bombproof Shimano Nexus five-speed hub and a 38t chainring - nicely judged gears that will work well with the Bosch motor for a good range of speeds, keeping the cadence even. 

The Modum is all about keeping things simple and practical, and for that reason the aluminium frame comes in just one size, with all the adjustability taken up by the dropper post and the stem.

It comes with SKS mudguards, lights front and rear, and a modular carrier that makes it simple to add extra haulage capacity if you need it. And finally, in keeping with the simplicity and practicality that is its USP, it comes in a single build option for £3,399.

So, that’s four extremely compelling reasons to swap four wheels for two. Raleigh’s e-bike range doesn’t even stop there, either. Looking for a long-tail e-cargo bike or something else not covered here? Check out Raleigh's website for details of all the others. 

The Ride1Up Roadster V2 has a stripped-back, urban singlespeed vibe and doesn’t even look like an e-bike at a glance, but the powerful motor that whirrs into action propelling you effortlessly up hills and into headwinds leaves you in no doubt whatsoever. And at $1,045 the fun-to-dollar ratio is very high.

This is a class 3 e-bike with a 350w motor that assists it up to 24mph. That means it doesn’t meet EAPC (electrically assisted pedal cycles) rules in the UK unless it’s registered and taxed and you wear a crash helmet and have a driving licence. So this is strictly one for our US audience. Additionally, direct-to-consumer brand Ride1Up doesn't ship to the UK at the moment, but they're a young company with big plans, so watch this space.

Ride1Up Roadster V2: construction

The Roadster V2 frame is made from 6061 aluminium tubing – a type used for standard pedal cycles as well as e-bikes. The clean look is enhanced by the smooth welds.

There are mudguard eyes and braze-ons for one bottle cage, and also rack mounts on the seatstays. Although you’d class it as a leisure bike rather than a tourer or a utilitarian city bike, it could be used in a more practical way if that's what you were looking for.

There's a quick-release seatpost clamp so that you can change saddle heights easily if you're sharing it with your household or letting your friends have a go.

The frame has a retro look with its straight tubes but it is cleverly designed to house the battery in the down tube. You wouldn’t know there’s a battery in there, which is great for the aesthetics, but it means you can't whip off the battery and run the Roadster V2 as a standard pedal bike, as you can with some e-bikes, and there’s no provision for a range extender battery. However, the battery is replaceable. Reassuringly, Ride1Up says it plans to keep the Roadster model for years to come, and will also stock replacement batteries ($190 each) – but we’re talking 2-4 years and hundreds of charge cycles before you have to think about that.

Like the battery, the electric components are really neatly integrated, or even disguised. The controller on the bars just looks like a basic cycle computer with a black-and-white LCD screen and the wiring to the Shengyi 350w motor, which is in the rear hub, is tidily concealed under the chainstay.

It’s worth pointing out there’s no throttle – you select your assistance level on the controller by pushing the ‘up’ arrow or ‘down' arrow on the controller to select levels 1-5 and assistance only takes place when you're pedalling. Unless you’re in a real hurry I've found it’s rarely necessary to go beyond level 1 or level 2 (level 5 is the highest power) even on moderate hills, so it works best to set it and leave it.

As for sizing, I am 5ft 10in with relatively long legs and the size large fitted perfectly. This is the kind of flat-bar bike where you want to be sitting upright with a good view of city traffic rather than crouched over the bars, so the fit was correct. However, I’d say if you were in between sizes – there’s just two, large or small – at, say, 5ft 7in, it would be better to size down and get the extra standover height. A medium size would be nice to have for those people.

Ride1Up Roadster V2: components

The standout component has to be the singlespeed belt drive. I’m a big fan not just because of the silent, smooth running but also because belts don’t need oil or lube. The Roadster V2 is not crazy heavy at 33lb, but if you’re shouldering it up some steps or out the front door it’s not as easy to hold clear of clothing as a lighter pedal bike.

Singlespeed also gets a thumbs-up from me – it adds to the bike’s minimal look and is one less thing to maintain. And if you have electric assist and you plan to use it then you don’t need gears, simple as that. The levels are the gears.

The wheels are very sturdy and come with some pretty heavy duty Kenda Kwest 28c tires that you’ll struggle to puncture. They don’t need to be the lightest and the supplest because you’ve 350w of assistance at your fingertips – reliability is the name of the game here. But if you wanted to improve rolling resistance, get a bit of extra speed and squeeze out more battery life they could be upgraded to something a bit lighter.

The Tektro dual-pivot caliper brakes look as though they’re going to be underpowered, especially considering the 33lb weight and the extra speed they have to check, but actually they were perfectly fit for purpose during our test period. I would imagine that over a longer time their performance might diminish, especially after a rainy ride or two when dirt works into the pads, and when the time comes I would upgrade the pads to the separate shoe/pad type from the cheaper moulded pads that come as stock – it’s an inexpensive but worthwhile upgrade.

Battery life

As I pointed out earlier, assist levels 1 and 2 are easily enough for riding along on the flat at about 17 or 18mph with minimal effort, and up gradients slightly at a slower lower speed. Once you go up to the top assist levels yes, it’s much more thrilling but the battery drains that much quicker.

It’s hard to say exactly how many miles you get per charge because everything depends on the terrain, the wind and how much of the input is from your legs. Ride1Up says 20-30 miles, but if you’re zooming up steep hills in level 5 it’s going to be considerably less. Or, if you use the assist sparingly, you can get more.

Probably my only criticism of the Ride1Up Roadster V2 is that if you run out of charge and you’ve got some hills to go up, it’s very tough with no electric assist and only a single gear – which is quite a big one (86.4 inches). Due to the size of the gear and the weight of the bike you can't realistically ride it like a standard, geared pedal cycle once the battery has run out (unless you live somewhere very flat) so you’ve got to factor that into your schedule and make your plans around its range.

Charging takes around four hours tops, so you could easily keep a charger at work and one at home if you planned to do a longish commute and blitz some climbs on level 5.

Ride1Up Roadster V2: the ride

This bike has become my guilty pleasure. It’s just so much fun to ride that I rarely take the direct route to wherever I’m going on it and I’ll often throw in an extra loop on the way back too. I say guilty because I’m also a regular road bike rider who trains and races. And because I have to somehow explain the grin on my face when I arrive back from what ordinarily should have been a short and mundane shopping trip.

The smooth acceleration you feel when the motor kicks in is addictively exhilarating. Even after three months of riding the Roadster V2 it’s still a novelty and a joy. If you’ve put in thousands of miles on a standard road bike over the years, to suddenly be spared the effort and still be cruising along at a good pace is something I'll probably never get over.

As for the hills – if I was less than scrupulous I could very likely grab the Strava KOM on any steep hill. Level 1 means you lose a bit of speed on a hill but you still go up without breaking sweat, but start increasing the levels and you find yourself surging upwards at a ridiculous speed.

Starting from a standstill on a hill is not easy, however, since the cadence sensor in the bottom bracket needs the cranks to be turning before it activates the motor. I struggled to get moving after having to stop at some lights halfway up a hill. As with the battery life it's best to anticipate what the bike doesn't cope with so well when unassisted. If you don't live in a hilly area, it's obviously not an issue.

The motor is extremely quiet, even on level 5. I’m convinced people just assume I’m some kind of superman when I’m tearing up a 15 per cent climb in the saddle. There's a muted whirring but it could easily be the drivetrain as far as anyone not in the know is concerned.

Ride1Up says the motor will assist up to 24mph. On the flat you also need to be pedalling pretty hard yourself to reach that speed, but downhill I have to say I didn't feel it cutting out at higher speeds.

As for practicalities, the geometry feels surprisingly aggressive. Whether you’re level 5-ing it or not, you’re sitting in a powerful position over the bottom bracket, which is good for when you want your own input to count.

However, it feels super stable at speed. I’ve caught myself secretly wishing all my race bikes felt this good descending. The fork is very direct and you’re in total control at speed with the riser bar – at 30mph upwards the Roadster still feels totally solid, more like a motorcycle. Obviously the weight helps, but it has a nice balance when it's going fast.

I've had no technical or reliability issues whatsoever. It is literally plug and play, fit and forget.

Value and conclusion

Currently on sale at $1,045 this bike represents good value. For around the $1,000 mark there are e-mtbs, e-folding bikes, e-hybrids and city bikes to choose from but I haven’t come across anything like this e-urban singlespeed.

Check out our e-bike buyer's guide to compare models themselves.

Provided you don’t need to carry lots of bags and as long as you don’t leave yourself with a flat battery and a big hill to go up, the Ride1Up Roadster V2 represents one of the biggest doses of good, clean fun you’re likely to find.

Janet Bradford hadn't cycled for years until she had the opportunity to try Ducati's e-Scrambler. Here she outlines her experience of getting back in the saddle. This isn't a comprehensive review, as you'd expect from a member of our Cycling Weekly Tech Team, but instead a look at the experience of getting back on a bike after a long absence - and how a little added boost influenced that experience... 

I'd been saying for years that an e-bike was just what I needed. At my age, 68, with a history of sciatic trouble – leaving me with long-term weakness in one leg – plus various niggling aches, pains and stiffnesses, a little bit of pedalling assistance wasn’t merely a preference but an absolute necessity. It was the only way I’d be able to ride any substantial distance.

Knowing that an e-bike represented an investment of several-thousand pounds, I didn’t want to commit immediately – and so jumped at the chance to trial Ducati’s e-Scrambler (full disclosure: the loan was negotiated by my son David, who is Cycling Weekly’s fitness editor).   

I had not cycled regularly for many years, and had never tried an e-bike, so I had no idea whether or not the e-Scrambler would suit my needs – but it sounded fantastic. My husband had been a motorcycling fanatic, so the Ducati name resonated – I associated it with racing success and exotic styling, albeit without a question mark over reliability. Then again, I wasn’t going to be piloting the e-Scrambler in the fashion of Carl Fogarty. No, I just wanted to get down to the village shop and back as safely and comfortably as possible. 

The bike arrived in the biggest box I had ever seen but was thankfully quite easy to set up – with a little help from a mechanically-minded friend. I was relieved to see that it had flat pedals, as clipping in would have been a step too far at this stage in my cycling career. The e-Scrambler looked amazing – I couldn’t wait to get it rolling. A quick trip to my local bike shop for a jacket, gloves and helmet, and I was ready to go. 

I live in a very secluded area of rural Sussex, and the quiet routes locally are a mix of bumpy farm tracks and lumpy country lanes. I needn't have worried. The Shimano Steps 250W engine, which is powered by a 504Wh battery, offers three modes: Eco, Trail, and Boost – switchable via a smart little electronic dash. It was simple to switch modes, and with such a broad spread of gears – SRAM NX, 11-speed – I found that the medium Trail provided plentiful assistance for normal riding and had me gliding along at a very respectable speed with minimum pedalling effort.

The e-Scrambler is by no means lightweight at 22.5kg (claimed weight for size M), but the motor’s assistance eliminates any feeling of heft – even my own – on the move. Hills were dispatched with incredible ease – so much so that I was eager to challenge David to a hill-climb race!   

An area I had been concerned about prior to trying the e-Scrambler was braking, but again my worries were soon resolved. The SRAM four-piston disc brakes were amazingly responsive and powerful, without being scarily sensitive – to me, they felt as strong and reassuring as the brakes of my Nissan Juke.

My biggest worry was saddle comfort – the brutally firm, narrow perches on previous bikes I’d ridden had seriously limited my enjoyment. Again, I need not have worried. Ducati’s own ‘Comfort Plus’ saddle lived up to its name – so comfortable that I could have ridden all day without discomfort if the battery range had allowed it. On this point, I didn’t ride far enough to test it, but the claimed range on a single charge is 75 miles. Another seating perk was that the seat post is spring-loaded, meaning saddle height is super-simple to adjust, even on the move.

Pootling around my local lanes, the e-Scrambler was delightfully smooth and stable, thanks to its low centre of gravity, Pirelli Cycl-e GT 2.35-inch-wide tyres and Suntour XCR 34 suspension fork absorbing the bumps. Detaching and charging the battery was simple once I’d worked it out, though getting to grips with the digital dash took a while longer. A younger, more computer-savvy rider probably wouldn’t struggle, but for me it did not seem very intuitive – switching on the lights, for example, required at least 20 minutes of button-pressing, scrolling and soul-searching. 

My only significant difficulty – for which the e-Scrambler cannot be blamed – was getting on and off.

Owing to my limited hip mobility, I found it difficult to swing my leg over the saddle regardless of the angle of bike or technique employed. The sad truth is, I either need to dramatically improve my flexibility or restrict my search to step-through frames. It’s sad because I loved the e-Scrambler: it was just so endearing and, with its integrated luggage racks and mudguards, versatile and practical, but without being dowdy – it’s a Ducati, after all. It’s convinced me to go ahead and buy an e-bike; my time on the e-Scrambler – a month’s riding, mainly short jaunts on local lanes – proved to me that, though you can’t stop growing older and creakier, an electric bike can give you the freedom to get out there and keep enjoying life to the max.    

As for the hill-climb race – did it happen? Yes, but the least said about it, the better! The only thing it proved was that, if I’m going to beat my son to the top of Common Lane, I’m going to need a heck of lot more than 250 watts’ worth of assistance from my motor!   

Canyon's Precede:ON arrived amid great expectations. After all, it won the German Design Award for 2021 and offers what the brand says is the first automatic and continually-variable shifting system, as well as a completly cable free outward aesthetic.

The Precede:ON CF 9 ST is available in two guises: either step-over or step-through. Measuring in at 165cm, I tested size Small step-through model.

Frame

The champagne coloured Precede:ON - with its integrated stem and handlebar, and Supernova front light - is quite a slick and stylish machine. To provide an automotive example, it's a Rolls-Royce among Fords.

Canyon has teamed up with TRP to design brake levers that allow all of the cables to be internal when paired with a one-piece Canyon CP02 handlebar and stem (cockpit). Internal cable routing such as this increases the time taken when maintenance duties call, but I would hazard a guess that most owners would not intend to complete a re-cabling job on their own.

The frame is of course constructed from carbon, as is the fork - which is a good thing as even utilising this material the built weight came in at 23.2kg for my size small.

Motor System

The Precede:ON is powered by the newest generation of Bosch motor, the Performance Line CX (Gen4) with a 500 Wh battery and a Gates belt drive.

According to Canyon, the range of the battery can go up to 100km, but this depends on factors like the power mode, the terrain, and the weight of the rider. Note also, that a trailer can be attached to the Precede:ON, and can tow an additional 30kg. This will further lower the range of the bike, particularly if you ride in turbo mode.

When I cycled mainly in sport mode on gently undulating terrain, with the lights on intermittently, I found the range to be around 65km.

This does not compare particularly favourably with the Ribble AL e, which we found provided about 100km or the BMC Alpenchallenge at 150 to 200km. With an additional booster battery, the Scott Addict e-Ride provides a claimed 120km (with ~02,200 metres of climbing) for a 73kg rider.  However, that's the Ribble, BMC and Scott without helpful commuter trinkets like lights and luggage. In short, the Canyon Precede:ON may not go quite as far as competitors, but it is designed with shorter city trips in mind and comes with all the features provided to make journeys easier and more comfortable.

The 85Nm of torque provided is also of note, it's higher than traditionally specced on the likes of the aforementioned Ribble and Scott, and closer to the high torque motors found on mountain bikes. This gives a greater 'kick' when required, for example, moving away from the lights though it's less natural than the lower torque designs favoured by e-road bikes targetted at those looking to hit the hills with their buddies.

Charging the battery can be done separately from the bike, by unlocking its housing and removing it from the down tube. From empty to 100 per cent takes around 5 hours.

The control panel of the Precede:ON, the Kiox, sits on the handlebars, where you can programme the settings you would like on the Bosch Kiox display panel. As well as the cadence, other parameters that can be adjusted include the power settings – Turbo, Sport or Tour.  Trip information is also recorded on the panel, such as distance, trip time, power, heart rate, average speed, maximum speed.

Very importantly the range is also displayed, not only in terms of percentage of battery remaining but also the number kilometres when ridden at the different the power settings. This is really useful information, as I must say that range is always the thing that plays on my mind when doing a long bike ride on an electric machine.

As the Kiox panel is like the “nerve centre” of the Precede:ON, taking it off the bike can serve as an anti-theft measure. It would be difficult for the opportunist thief to make off with 23kg of bike without a motor.

Components

As alluded to already, you won't need to touch the gears on this bike as the Precede:ON boasts automatic transmission. All you need to do is set the desired cadence you wish to ride at – for example 75, 80 or 85, and the Enviolo hub internal gears (Gates CDX 24T cassette with a 50T Belt ring) and the Gates belt drive (much cleaner and lower maintenance than a chain) automatically do the work for you. So you don't need to worry about straining your legs in a grinding low cadence on a hill.

Auto shifting itself is not new - Shimano's Steps E6100 can adjust the gears per the gradient, too. The difference is that Enviolo use NuVinci technology, which offers a stepless Constantly Variable Planetary gear (CVP) and thus an 'infinite number of ratios'. It's the difference between that feeling of not quite being able to locate the perfect gear, and opting for any choice along a sliding scale. Not only that, the system allows for shifting under load so there are no 'clunks' or complaints as you auto shift down right in the middle of a particularly nasty climb.

Flat, ergo handlebars were really comfortable and great for my wrists, and the Fizik Essenza saddle sits atop a flexi seat-post that adapts to your natural seating position. This is not necessarily a feature that I think about when riding a bike, but after you’ve been riding one, and then you get on a rigid bike, it is then that you realise what a difference this makes to bike comfort.

All this makes the experience of riding the Precede:ON a real pleasure, and that’s even before the trimmings like the built-in Supernova front and rear lights, plus fenders (mudguards) and a pannier rack. I really like the fact that there is a kick-stand too. I think more city bikes should have this feature, and it’s just one less thing to have to fiddle with when you come to a stop with your bike – especially when it is as weighty as this one.

As mentioned above, security is dealt with by way of removing the control panel when the bike is parked. Furthermore, there is an integrated lock bracket in the frame.

Performance

When setting off, for example from traffic lights you feel a kick as the motor fires into action. I preferred to set off in Sport or Tour mode, as Turbo does have quite a pull.

Riding around London I didn’t worry about the Precede:ON when going on excursions through different off-road, cut-through routes or gravelly trails, since the 57mm Schwalbe G-one tyres are built to take on anything. This makes the bike quite a work-horse that you can rely on as you zip around your local area.

While the Precede:ON has all the trappings of a high end e-bike, it does come at a cost in a few ways. Firstly, the weight is a consideration. It's sometimes necessary to lift or carry a bike: up steps, loading it into a car or at a train station. We might turn up at the Greenwich foot tunnel and find the lifts are out of order. And who knows, we might be silly enough to set off without charging it up and run out of range while riding. I have done that before!

Regardless of the reason - I like to know that I can wheel or carry my bike if need be, or I can pedal it when out of range. Even with the battery removed, the Precede:ON weighs almost 20kg. While I have managed to pedal other e-bikes without a motor, it would be very difficult for me to that with the Precede:ON, especially should the road turn upwards.

Personally, I like to know that my bike can pass the “emergency” test, if push came to shove, or lift. I would struggle with the Precede:ON in such a situation, and I would have to rely on the kindness of a taxi driver to get the bike into their vehicle!

The weight of the Precede:ON means that it's very important that everything works perfectly. From my experience everything did work, but I still find its heft to be a detraction from its otherwise perfection.

Value

Another thing to consider with the Precede:ON is the price tag. At £4,699, (and £3,999 for the non-automatic transmission CF 8) the price is commensurate with the high-end specification, and as ever with Canyon there's a saving made possible by the direct only business model.

However, much lighter hybrid style e-bikes are available for considerably less. What you're paying for here is the Rolls-Royce features: the crème de la crème of invisible cables, in-built lights, and autoshifting. They're not necessary, but they are nice to have.

In tests gone by I've named the Canyon Endurace aluminium models fun-maxmisers and performance pushers in their own rights. For bikes that have typically been considered "entry level" or "enthusiast" they've proven themselves hugely versatile.

Now Canyon looks to take that versatility further by endowing the bike with a Fazua battery and motor.

Canyon Endurace:ON 7.0 Frame and geometry

In my mind, it makes total find sense that Canyon would choose this range of bikes to be its first drop bar electric road bikes. Whereas other brands focussed on top end carbon fibre models, Canyon has chosen its popular all rounder, a bike whose remit firmly states its more about fun and leisure than busting KOMs.

>>> Canyon bikes range explained 

While the bike shares the same 'sport' geometry as the existing Endurace range there are a few tweaks that make the new Endurace:ON7.0 more relaxed still. It features a moderately higher stack to ease the rider into a more upright position and although the reach is longer it's partnered to a shorter stem.

Much like the analog version of the Endurace, the electric model offers calm and collected handling. On descents the bike's extra heft picks up speed quickly but it felt very stable on the straights. The higher stack puts you in a more commanding position, and takes the strain off your shoulders and back.

Black Pepper performance update

Canyon has opted for a Fazua Evation system in the Canyon Endurace:ON over the more powerful Shimano Steps system used in its mountain biking range.

The Fazua system offers a maximum of 250w of additional assistance in Rocket mode and its 250Wh battery is a smaller in capacity than the larger Shimano Steps models. It's an altogether neater package than either the Bosch or Shimano options, and while it's still a mid-mounted solution the Evation drive system houses both the motor and the battery in the bike's down tube, removing the need for a bulky bottom bracket.

Of course, a bike's looks are only half the story and far more important is how well integrated the battery and motor are into the bike as well as its ride feel. As the drop bar e-road bike market grows, the impact of the motor and battery on the quality of bike's ride comes under ever greater scrutiny. Fazua's 'Black Pepper' performance update has sought to address this, delivering its power at cadences between 50 and 120rpm, allowing it to feel more natural.

As with all Fazua systems, there are three different assistance modes: Breeze, River and Rocket, delivering 100, 210 or 250 watts of assistance respectively. There's also "off" mode, where no assistance is delivered at all. Switching between the modes requires a tap on the Fazua pad on the bike's downtube. It'd be convenient to have a bar mounted remote (which is available via Fazua) or have the touch pad on the top tube, as used on the Specialized Creo.

According to Canyon, a full charge will allow 90kms of range from the battery if you only ride in Breeze mode. In my tests I typically managed to use 2/5 of the battery over 60kms or so, usually riding in breeze mode with only occasional stints in the more spirited Rocket mode.

The battery is removable and is secured in the downtube by lock and key. It makes for easier charging as you can just remove the battery rather than lug the whole bike indoors.

Watch: 5 tubeless myths busted!

Canyon Endurace: ON Specification

Although an e-road bike, the Endurace uses Shimano's gravel GRX groupset, which partners an extra wide 11-42 cassette with a single 48t front chain ring. It's a suitably wide spread of gears anyway and when partnered with the assistance of the motor I didn't find myself longing for a second chain ring on the front.

The Shimano GRX brakes are simply superb. The wide levers give you plenty to hold on to and the pivot point of the lever allows you controlled braking even from the tops. It's good to see Canyon speccing 160mm rotors, too.

Unfortunately, I can't extend the compliments to the Iridium Fitness saddle. Its long, curved profile had me shifting around over the duration of my rides, never quite able to find the perfect resting position.

A bit of zip could certainly be added to the bike's ride above 25km/h by upgrading the lacklustre Alex Rims wheelset. Fortunately, on the downhills the bike's added weight allows it to pick up and hold momentum. The wide Schwalbe E-One tyre offered a decent compromise between durability, grip and comfort – especially when run at lower pressures. There's clearance for wider tyres, too and it has been tempting over my testing to take the bike off road. It's suitable to quick darts down a gravel path, but for more serious off road riding there's always the Canyon Grail: ON.

Canyon Endurace: ON 7.0 Ride

In my testing I found I mostly stuck to Breeze mode, not because I was trying to conserve battery but because it felt much more natural.

I found a fondness for riding the Endurace on my recovery rides, typically on the Sunday after a hard 100+kms the day before. Breeze mode's gentle assistance was enough to make getting out the door bearable but also spin my legs and work out the aches and pains of the previous day's rides. Dipping into Rocket mode saw the bike accelerate, although the Fazua system has less torque than systems like Bosch, which is why it feels more natural.

When not recovering, though, the Endurace came up against the same issue as all other road e-bikes I've tested: I ride above the 25km/h limit. Although there's only limited resistance from the cranks when you do cross this threshold you notice the bike's extra heft. It's tiring enough that I wanted to sit just below the 25km/h limit, even on the flat. If you're likely to ride below this pace regardless, it won't be an issue.

Canyon Endurace:ON 7.0 Value

At £2999, Canyon's Endurace: ON sits at the value end of the e-bike market, which says a lot about the electric bike market and the cost of the technology right now. That being said, it is possible to pick up a carbon fibre electric road bike from Ribble which uses an eBikemotion system for around the same price point.

The Ribble Endurance SL e Enthusiast was selected for an Editor's Choice award in 2020. This year's list contains 78 items which scored a 9 or 10/10 with our tech team - this gear is the best of the best, and has received the Cycling Weekly stamp of approval. 

The Ribble SL e is a lightweight electric road bike, which carries its motor in the rear hub.

The chassis is constructed from top-end T800/T1000 carbon, with Ribble getting the weight right down to 12kg in a size XL.

The MAHLE Ebikemotion X35 M5 250W motor is nestled in the rear hub, and it's powered by an internal Panasonic 36V/250Wh battery. A button on the top tube lets you choose between three power settings.

The battery life is said to last for three and a half hours if on none stop, we used it on and off, only turning it on for the climbs, so the battery had plenty of charges left after a solid testing period.

The set-up can be linked to the Ebikemotion app, effectively transforming the machine into a 'smart bike'. You can see how much charge the bike has, your heart rate (as long as you're using a monitor), bike diagnostics and maps all on your phone.

You can even use the settings to have the power automatically kick in once your heart rate gets to a specific level. Former pro, Sean Yates rides the Endurance SL e, using this feature since he developed heart problems meaning he has to keep tabs on his heart rate.

There's no chunky battery on the downtube, and this means that the bike doesn't look like an e-bike at all without close inspection.

There's also a reduction in aerodynamic drag when compared with traditional e-bikes, so you're not fighting extra resistance when up to speed, as a result of a bulky battery.

Like all electric bikes in the UK, assistance will cut out when you reach 15mph/24kph - which means that for most riders the real power of the motor comes into play on the climbs.

>>> Electric bikes and the law

On flatter sections, being lighter than most e-bikes and more aerodynamically efficient, it's easier to maintain speed thus overcoming the common complaint of maxing out the assisted speed and being left with a heavy bike. However, the weight is still there - mostly concentrated in the rear hub - and it was something our tester noticed on shallower climbs when the motor was not assisting. And of course it's heavier to move around, a notable factor if for example you live up a flight of steps.

Comfortable but agile

Ribble has chosen to maintain the geometry of its Endurance SL R road bike on the Endurance SL e model - the former is the machine raced by the Ribble Weldtite team it sponsors, so it's no slouch.

The stack/reach on a size Extra Large comes in at 582/400mm - so those after an aggressive position will still be able to find that, here. The reach is just 2mm shorter than the race ready SL R.

The head angle is maintained, too at 73º so the ride is an agile one and the Endurance SL E corners well, despite the added weight at the rear well. The location of the assistance means there's no need to widen the q-factor, and in every way the Endurance SL e handled like a quick and efficient road bike.

However, there's plenty of compliance built-in so comfort is still ample. Our test bike came with 28mm Mavic Yksion Pro tyres which soaked up the bumps and smoothed out rough roads.

A predominantly desk-based job followed by bike riding in the evening means that our tester often struggles with back pain, however, this didn't rear its head whilst aboard the Ribble SL e - a big tick in its favour.

Using the motor

Out on the climbs in Hampshire, our tester found the assistance provided by the rear wheel motor to be extremely helpful in most cases.

High torque e-bikes can give a real 'jerk' when the motor comes into play; the SL E instead delivered a more gentle push - a bit like having someone place a hand on your lower back. It meant that there was little need to change pace as the road went upwards.

Riders seeking a high torque jolt, which can help you get off the lights quickly, might be a little underwhelmed by the power on offer here, but it does feel very natural so will suit most road cyclists.

The motor doesn't do it all for you, at all, you'll still need to put some effort in - ideal for those seeking fitness but with a little help.

On shallower climbs, when maintaining over 15mph, we did find that the motor became a hindrance, with the weight at the rear hub seemingly pulling us back downhill. Of course, one option would simply be to slow down and let the motor help out - but more aggressive riders may not be keen to do this.

We did pick up on one issue, however. To turn the motor on, there's a button on the toptube - and locating this meant taking our eyes off the road. Granted, this is a 'one press wonder', once on you won't need to press it again, but we'd rather this was more accessible and riders less confident on the road may find this disconcerting.

The charging port is located on a flattened section on top of the bottom bracket shell. We did feel this made it quite vulnerable to water ingress, though we didn't see any evidence of this during testing.

Specification

The Endurance SL e we had on test was the 'Enthusiast' model. This is fully specced out in Shimano 105, with a compact 50/34 chainset and a wide ratio 11-32 cassette. This combo, with the additional motor, provides plenty of options on the hills. Shifting was quick and crisp, as you'd expect from Shimano's entry level race groupset.

The Endurnace SL E is a disc brake only model, and the hydraulic discs worked excellently and provided plenty of confidence thanks to their quick stopping, which we found to be equally effective both in the wet and dry.

Finishing kit comes in the form of a Ribble SL carbon seatpost with 5mm offset, Fizik Antares R5 saddle, Mavic Aksium elite disc wheelset and Mavic Yksion Pro UST tyres. The Antares is a fairly racey saddle, in keeping with the geometry, though some riders aiming to relax and sit back a bit more on the ride may wish to swap this out for something a little more cushioned.

When we received the test bike, it came with Level 1 6061 alloy bars and stem. However, Ribble has since updated this - and customers at this level will now get a smart looking Level 5 carbon integrated handlebar and stem - a real boost in spec. The colour scheme has also changed, with a fetching grey and white option now available.

As per all of Ribble's bikes, you can adjust the spec as you see fit - but this model comes in at £3,299.

The Sport with Shimano Tiagra 4700 2x10 Speed and 50-34T x 11-32T Gearing with alloy Level 1 bars and a Prologo Kappa RS saddle, this comes to £2,799. Or you can go with the top spec 'Pro' version at £4,999 with Shimano Ultegra Di2.

The Liv Thrive E+ was selected for an Editor's Choice award in 2020. This year's list contains 78 items which scored a 9 or 10/10 with our tech team - this gear is the best of the best, and has received the Cycling Weekly stamp of approval. We tested the 2020 model - a 2021 version has since been released, but the frame and spec is very similar. 

This is the first foray into women-specific road e-bikes for Liv. There are two models to choose from – the Thrive E+ 1 Pro, which has higher spec components, and the Thrive E+ 2 Pro, which is what I tried. Being 5’5” (1m66) I tried out size S.

Frame

To look at the bike, I must say that I like the metallic turquoise and black design (officially described as silver and pine) of the aluminium frame and fork. The way the battery has been seamlessly integrated within it means it doesn’t look obvious that this is an e-bike. Of course, when riding it, folks will know what this is an e-bike when you sail past them effortlessly on the hills!

I find the design attractive, and that alone makes me want to be seen on the bike. Some e-bikes do look very much like an “electric bike” but this looks more like an ordinary hybrid that happens to have a motor.

Although Liv is attached to Giant, the Thrive E+, like other Liv bikes has been built under the 3F design ethos (fit, form, function) specific to all bikes and taking into account women’s body dimensions, strength patterns, user-friendliness, and exciting designs. The Thrive E+ is like a sporty hybrid and the form mirrors that of the non-assisted hybrid Alight range.

It is also good to see that the bike has other touches to make the Thrive a good utility bike, such mounts for a rack, mudguards, and it comes fitted with a bell too.

Motor System

Operating the Thrive E+ and knowing how much battery charge (range) remains is simple and easily done by way of different buttons on the handlebars. On the left-hand side of the handlebars are the controls, known as RideControl One.

There is an on-off button, with five LEDs to the right of it indicating how much range (battery charge) is left. Five LEDs to the left of the on-off button indicate how much power assistance is being given. Separate buttons can increase and decrease the level of power assistance, as well as putting it into ECO mode.

Gears are operated by levers in exactly the same way as on standard hybrids. When pedalling along, even when on low assistance or no assistance at all, I can still feel the traction in the crank area which makes pedalling action smooth, and requires less effort than when on a non-assisted bicycle.

This sensation is probably thanks to the Giant SyncDrive Pro motor, powered by Yamaha, and built into the frame - this drives the chain directly. With Smart Assist Technology (Pedal Plus 6-sensor technology) this means that when pedalling, sensors pick up the amount of power you transmit through the pedals and can then calculate the amount of assistance needed, and replicate your pedalling style. So the result is a smooth natural feel when pedalling.

Furthermore, this will give an optimised range when setting out with a fully charged bike. Battery consumption varies depending on which of the six assistance settings are used.

I tend to use the lowest assistance setting most of the time when riding around Central London, which is largely flat, and I have a tendency to put in a bit of work myself too! For gentle inclines I then move to the second setting, while the third setting works for the steeper hills in South London, at around 10 per cent gradient. For those wanting even more assistance on the hills, or who live in notoriously hilly areas like the Surrey Hills or Sheffield, there are still two further assistance settings to help you.

Of course, the higher the setting used, the shorter the range of the battery. Based on my personal usage, the battery lasted around 110km before it went flat. Consumption would depend on the terrain you ride. In ECO mode, the amount of assistance required automatically adjusts itself depending on the terrain you encounter, and the engagement of the SyncDrive motor.

Another setting, which is via a button at the bottom of the control panel, is walk assist. This is really useful if you have to wheel the bike up a ramp. This is particularly useful given that the bike weighs 18.5kg.

Talking of battery, the Liv Thrive E+ 2 Pro is fitted with a Giant EnergyPak 375, 36V Integrated Lithium-Ion battery. This type of battery has a lower discharge rate than other batteries on e-bikes, meaning that leaving it unused for a period of a few weeks should not pose a problem.

In addition, this battery can be fully charged to 100 per cent of capacity 1000 times, after which time the battery is fully charged up to 80 per cebt of full capacity 800 more times. Thereafter, charging the battery up to 60 per cent of capacity can be done a further 600 times.

So, for example, if you are commuting by bike 30km per day and doing a 50km social ride at the weekend on mainly flat terrain with the odd hill, you would need to charge the battery twice a week, and it could be 10 years before the battery began to lose capacity! That certainly gives me confidence.

Charging the battery from flat to 100 per cent takes around 3.5-4 hours, and is done using the Giant EnergyPak 6A fast charger. One handy feature is the facility to charge the battery while off the bike, so you don’t need to worry about finding a large and possibly an indoor space for the whole bike. Removing the battery from the bike involves unlocking the casing on the frame and is straightforward. If you are happy to charge up the bike directly without removing the battery, the socket is easy to find and slots easily into the lead.

Components

The gearing is a good range, so you still have assistance for hills care of a 10-speed 11-32 Shimano Tiagra groupset paired with a 34/50 chain ring. If you want more choice of gears the Thrive E + 1 Pro is fitted with and 11-speed Shimano 105 groupset with the same spec chain ring.

Tyres are Maxxis Re-Fuse 32mm Folding MaxxShield tyres, these can be run as tubeless, and are well suited to cope with multi-terrain settings, including light gravel paths. I cycled along the Wandle Trail, a multi-terrain track in South London and the bike more than coped in all of those areas. Shimano MT201 hydraulic disc brakes provides confidence too when on undulating roads and tracks.

Performance

Although the Thrive E+ is set up for a sporty ride, comfort is not compromised as a women-specific Liv Sport saddle is fitted to the aluminium seatpost. Regarding speed, bear in mind that the motor on the Thrive E+ 2 Pro limits the maximum speed to 25km/h (15.5mph) and a battery power of 250 Watts, a legal requirement in the UK. Of course, if you cut out the engine and let the bike plummet down a hill you can decide how fast you want to go!

Value

At £2,749 the Liv Thrive E+ 2 Pro may seem a little steep compared with other hybrid e-bikes. However, the quality frame and motor, along with the Smart Assist Technology come at a price. This is by no means at the high end, and this price point represents good value given that the components are designed to last for a lot longer than a couple of years.

Innovative as always, Focus were one of the first brands to not only utilise Fazua’s clever removable motor and battery system but also deliver a proper performance based e-road bike with the Paralane2. It delivers a realistic ride, one that you still have to work for, and this year’s Editor’s Choice really wouldn’t be complete without it.

The Focus Paralane² (that’s “squared” not “two”) is one of a new breed of e-bikes based on a performance road bike. Whereas the original e-bikes were heavy urban machines, these newer bikes often have carbon frames and integrate the battery and motor neatly into the frame, so that they’re less intrusive.

Other manufacturers with this type of bike include Wilier and Orbea. Ribble too has recently launched an e-road bike. All three are based on the ebikemotion rear hub motor, with a battery in the down tube.

Focus has used a different system with the Focus Paralane², with the Fazua motor housed in the bottom bracket shell and providing input through the cranks. It’s the same system as used by Pinarello amongst others.

The power

With any e-bike it’s worth noting that in Europe assistance is limited to below 25kph. Many road riders will be managing more than this on the flat, so the motor won’t be providing any power. In the US, assistance can be provided up to a more realistic 32kph/20mph.

The Focus Paralane²’s motor is designed so that it doesn’t add any resistance when it’s not operating. But it’s only likely that it will kick in on uphill segments or if you’re riding into a headwind. Then it will add up to 250 watts to your power output, dependent on assistance level selected, so there’s a lot of extra power on tap.

The Focus Paralane²’s battery is a 250Wh number which clicks into the underside of the down tube. This results in quite a chunky looking profile, particularly width-wise. There’s a button on the top of the down tube to release it, which you need to do to plug it in and charge it. Fazua’s battery can’t be locked to the bike, so it’s at potential risk of theft.

You can part drop the battery to expose the charge port, its charge level LEDs and on/off switch, but this requires that you turn the bars a bit to get the front wheel out of the way. I found it easier to just take it out completely to charge.

The battery is a chunky beast and alone weighs 3.3kg. It has a magnetic connection to the plug on the charger and a series of green LEDs on its end to show you its charge status.

If you decide that you can do without the motor, you can easily remove the battery. The Paralane² looks a bit odd without it, but functions just fine and the bike’s weight drops to around 10kg. There’s a cover coming that will let you fill in the gap in the frame.

There’s a small controller for the motor that sits unobtrusively on the bar top and also indicates battery charge level via a series of LEDs. There are just three buttons: one to turn on the electrics, another to increase assistance level and a third to decrease it.

Fazua is working on an app, to pair with the controller via Bluetooth, with functions including battery monitoring, navigation, and viewing and sharing your ride stats.

The frame and components

Focus has used its Paralane endurance bike as the starting point for the Focus Paralane². That’s most evident in the rear triangle, which has a similar arrangement to the original Paralane chainstays with a flattened profile and bowed seatstays. It’s a good move, as we really rated the Paralane’s rear end compliance.

That’s helped by the BBB CPX Plus carbon seatpost. Its narrow diameter and split head design helps add extra compliance at the saddle. Prologo’s K3 is a comfortable design too, with the right degree of padding for many miles on the road.

>>> Focus bikes: which model is right for you?

Like the Paralane, the head tube isn’t too long either, with the longer fork blades adding extra tyre clearance and increasing the bike’s stack. The front brake hose is routed inside the left fork leg for a neat, protected run to the brake caliper.

The Focus Paralane² 9.8 has a Shimano Ultegra Di2 drivetrain with an FSA Octalink semi-compact chainset with carbon crank arms meshing to the motor’s spindle. There’s plenty of low range even without the motor to help you, as Focus fits an 11-34 cassette.

Focus adds DT Swiss RR521 Spline DB 32mm deep alloy wheels to the Focus Paralane². Tyres are 28mm Continental GP4000 S II, although there’s frame clearance for tyres up to 35mm, so you could fit more knobbly tyres for some off-road action. There are also clearance and hidden mounting points for mudguards, which ship with the bike.

The wheels run on thru-axles with Focus’s quick release RAT Evo II axle system. This lets you get the wheel off in double-quick time relative to a conventional thru-axle, which needs to be unscrewed.

But Focus has also increased the thru-axle length. Its Road Boost axles are 110x12mm at the front and 148x12mm at the rear. Mimicking MTB thru-axles, they allow the spokes to have a wider stance for a potentially stronger wheel, to handle the extra power you and your motor are now putting through them.

Made by Fazua, the Focus Paralane²’s motor results in a 6mm wider bottom bracket shell than on a standard road bike. Focus says that Road Boost pushes the cassette out by 3mm and so offers a better drivetrain geometry, leading to a quieter, more durable chainline.

The flip side of Road Boost is that if you do want to replace your wheels, there are currently few options out there. This may be the next big thing though, as the new Mason ISO uses Hunt 650b wheels that run on Boost axles.

Riding the Focus Paralane2

There are three assistance levels on the Focus Paralane². Stick to the green level in which it starts up and you can feel the extra push from standing and on uphills. But it’s never obtrusive and cuts in and out gently as your speed increases and decreases.

The motor is pretty quiet and is only really noticeable when it kicks up the power on steep uphills; there’s not the whine that you get from Bosch’s mid-mounted unit and it doesn’t drag you along to the extent that the Bosch motor does.

Push the assistance level up to the top, red 250 watt level (there’s a blue level between this and green) and you really start to feel the push. Long draggy small ring ascents westwards to the Chilterns Ridge become… long draggy large ring ascents.

In fact, if you suppress the tendency to drop to the small ring when you see a hill coming and brazen it out in the large ring, the Focus Paralane² will pull you up pretty much anything without using the front mech. There’s a similar effect even with the green level of assistance. You still need to put work in to keep moving though, so you’re not getting a free ride.

Battery life is pretty good and will comfortable get you around a hilly Sunday morning ride – even on the highest level of assistance it should in theory be able to keep going for ten hours. Once battery level gets below around 20%, assistance level is gradually reduced, so you won’t suddenly be left powerless.

The battery will go into deep sleep after a period of 8 hours of non-use and can only be reawakened by dropping it out of the frame and pressing its on button. Before I worked this out, I ended up taking an unassisted ride. On the flat and descents, you can get along quite nicely on the Focus Paralane² without the motor.

There’s the gear range to crawl up climbs motorless too, although with the bike’s 13kg weight I didn’t break any KOMs and this does feel like hard work. But it means that you could get yourself home reasonably comfortably if you did run out of juice mid-ride.

It’s been damp during the test period for the Focus Paralane². Road spray tends to throw up muck that gets into the groove between the battery and the down tube, so that there’s more clean-up required than with a seamless down tube. The battery has cooling grooves built into the bottom end, which also collect muck.

Despite the extra weight you’re carrying around, the Shimano disc brakes and 28mm Conti tyres are more than up to the job of slowing you down and maintaining grip, even in damp winter conditions.

Ride quality is as you’d expect from Focus’s endurance Paralane, with excellent comfort levels both at the rear and the bars. The wide tyres and in-built compliance areas mean that you won’t give up due to discomfort before the battery does.

Buy now: Focus Paralane² 9.8 for £6059 at Sigma Sport

Value

At £6399, the Ultegra Di2 equipped Focus Paralane² 9.8 is not cheap, although it’s worth noting that a non-electric Paralane with Ultegra Di2 costs £4099. The Paralane² range is priced from £3599 up to £9299 for the all-singing Dura-Ace Di2 specced 9.9.

But with the Paralane² 9.8, you are getting an excellent spec and Focus has thought carefully about what’s required to convert its endurance Paralane into an e-bike.

If you’re after an e-bike that looks and handles not too unlike a normal road bike, there are still only a few options out there and the Focus Paralane² is amongst the best available.

With the Specialized S-Works Turbo Creo SL, the boundaries between tech and cycling are merging. The Specialized S-Works Creo SL is forging a brave new world, and for that reason it's on our Editor's Choice list. 

The Specialized S-Works Turbo Creo SL is the American brand's first ever drop bar electric bike. Touted as a performance road bike, the Creo was in development for over two years, with Specialized developing a unique system from the ground up.

It's impressively advanced, and technologically is a merging of tech and cycling on a scale not seen before.

Specialized S-Works Turbo Creo SL: The frame

But before I crack on with the bike's tech advancements, I'll take a quick moment to talk about the frame.

One of the many reasons that this bike costs at eye watering £10,999 is because its FACT 11r frame (the same as the S-Works Roubaix) and it gives the Creo a racy, lively feel.

Specialized S-Works Turbo Creo SL: a brave new world

Having tried and tested every battery and motor system on the market, Specialized decided to develop its own, viewing the compromises of a third party system (namely weight) as unacceptable.

The new SL1.1 motors sits in the bike's bottom bracket and at 1.95kg, Specialized is claiming it to be the lightest of any system available and offers 250w of power. Meanwhile, the SL1-320 battery offers 320wh of support and boasts a 130km range.

Unlike other systems on the market, I found the the Specialized Creo to deliver its assistance in a very natural way. The SL1.1 motor doesn't pull you along like a Bosch system does (it has comparably far less torque) but instead incrementally provides support alongside your pedalling – up to 70rpm. There are no unnatural power curve or big power jumps.

The bike offers four modes of assistance: 'Off' (no assistance but data is still recorded), 'Eco', 'Sport' and 'Turbo'. You cycle through them at a press of the 'S' on the turbo connect unit on the top tube. This also shows via LED lines your battery life remaining and that of any extenders you might be using. When riding you do find yourself glancing down at the Turbo Connect unit a lot, especially if you're trying to change modes in gloves. It wouldn't look as neat, but having it on the handlebars might have been a safer placement.

It might seem odd having an 'off' mode, but Specialized did want this to be a bike that was ridden without support and actually, on my rides, I found myself turning it off more than I thought I would. Because most of rides have long stretches of flat roads (this is something I'll come back to), my reasoning was that once I clocked above 26kmh I might as well save as much battery as possible.

My preconceptions of a 'performance' electric road bike, based on my previous experience on electric drop bar bikes, fell away quite quickly when I first road the Creo. Not wanting to get carried away I stuck it in eco mode, still expecting to be whisked away by the whirring motor beneath my legs. That was not the case. In actual fact, it felt a lot like riding a normal bike and my legs felt like they had to work in much the same way, with the motor giving an almost imperceptible helping hand.

Of course, Turbo mode gets you up to the 26km/h limit sharpish, although it's not like your just holding on while it wheel spins off the line. I've found that the assistance doesn't really kick in until you're a couple of pedal rotations in, although there is still the slightly unnerving sensation on gentle inclines where you're going a lot faster that your leg speed should allow.

I'm still of the view that road going e-bikes are somewhat limited in flat areas. While the Creo does a better job of managing this thanks to an impressive level of customisation in the bike's companion app, the fact it isn't overpowered and that it delivers the power very naturally, it's still limited to 26kmh.

However, it does have an impressively resistance free pedalling action, and its lightweight (for an e-bike) means chipping along above the 26kmh mark is possible.

Customisation

I've briefly spoken about the bike's companion app, but it deserves a bit more detail. Using Specialized's Mission Control app you alter how much power each mode gives you. For example you can set turbo mode to 60%, effectively meaning you will have to ride at or above certain wattages, handy if you want to use the bike to train with.

Battery life

The Specialized S-Works Turbo Creo SL boasts 130km of range as standard. However, obviously you range is dependent on what mode you use, how much you weigh, how much elevation you gain and many other factors, including aerodynamics.

Having tested the bike both in its road and off road guises I've been impressed. Over the course of a 69km gravel ride with 1000m of climbing I drained about 70% of my battery. I'll admit I wasn't being very judicious with my mode selection, preferring turbo over eco for most of that.

Enter the battery extender, a small black unit that comes as standard on S-Works models that adds a further 80% battery life. It's weighs just over 1kg and plugs in above the bottom bracket, extending your ride or getting you home safely.

Specification

The bike is a real mish-mash of compenents, all of which are top of the market stuff. The groupset is a mash up of Shimano groupsets - Dura-Ace Di2 shifters and an XTR rear mech - that I'm lovingly calling business up front and party at the back.

The only time I've found the gearing lacking is when spinning out on long alpine descents. On the flats it was fine, even giving you a bit of extra spread to manage the extra weight of the bike. Without a doubt, the Roval CLX 50 wheels helped with this as well.

Electric bikes are a fast growing category - they're re-writing the rule book on cycling, allowing more people than ever to enjoy life on two wheels. We asked a 60-something-year-old to take the Giant FastRoad E+ out for a spin, and he liked it so much it's earned an Editor's Choice award in 2019.

I am a sixty-something male, I'm not unhealthy and am reasonably active but I am no cyclist and I’m certainly not fit.

I live in Surrey, atop a hill, and the town centre being within a valley means that riding a bike into town involves negotiating some substantial inclines.

For some time I’ve thought that I’d like to be able to cycle into town, both for pleasure and in an effort to improve my fitness level. I’m not confident in my ability to do so relying upon my own pedal power, hence an e-bike looked like a sensible solution which would allow me to ride approximately 8km into town and back without (a) bringing on a heart-attack or (b) demanding an immediate shower on return home!

The bike selected for me to attempt this was the Giant FastRoad E+ Electric Road Bike. It is a flat-bar road bike featuring additional Contact Ergo grippers. The chassis is built with Giant’s SL (super light) grade aluminium, paired with a carbon fork with added OverDrive2 Steerer (for increased stiffness) and the rider’s power is bolstered by the Giant’s own SyncDrive motor by Yamaha.

The 500WHr battery is nicely integrated into the frame, and the system is capable of delivering some 80Nm of torque. The battery is removed via a lock and key so you can bring it indoors for charging, after which it will provide pedal assistance for some 150km in the lowest ECO mode and 70km in the highest Sport+ mode, although these figures will vary according to actual usage and terrain.

My initial ride out was not as successful as hoped.

With everything up and running I set off for a first short excursion around the local area to familiarise myself with the new machine. Not knowing exactly what to expect, I set the drive system to ‘Normal’ mode and found the bike to be very responsive.

However, I soon became aware of a problem. The power assist faded in and out every five or six pedal cycles, regardless of gear ratio or ground speed. I raised the matter to Giant, who referred it to their Guildford brand store where it was resolved by a firmware update which promptly solved the matter.

Once I was up and running for real, I soon discovered that quite apart from the electric drive, the Giant FastRoad E+ is a pleasure to ride.

The dual Shimano MT201 160mm hydraulic disk brakes are very responsive, bringing me and the heft of the bike to a halt very promptly when required.

The 50/34 compact chainset paired with 11-32 cassette provided ample gear options whilst the Shimano SL shifters moved smoothly through the range.

Whilst the frame is that of a nippy road bike, it’s an endurance style which in a size Medium came with a reach of 382mm and a stack of 581mm – a set-up which felt relaxed enough to be comfortable for me.

The tyres are 32c Maxxis Re-Fuse rubber, wide enough for a little light pootling through the park, and they’re tubeless ready for those who want to push the fear of punctures to the back of their mind.

Being unused to the feel of a rigid road bike, I did find the frame and set-up combo yielded a ride that was harsher than I'd hoped for, and personally in a long-term ride I might look for beefier tyres and suspension. Those already accustomed to the road style might appreciate the speed and nippy handling on offer here more.

The Giant SyncDrive Sport with 250kW motor by Yamaha incorporates four sensors; wheel speed, pedal cadence pedal torque and motor rpm. The data from these sensors is used to deliver the optimum level of assistance as seamlessly as possible.

One significant benefit of this system that I noticed early on was the ability to accelerate quickly from a standing start, with no hesitation and no wobble!

Confident that the bike was performing as expected after the firmware update, I set off for a somewhat longer sortie.

The first half of my ride was predominantly downhill and I found myself holding the bike back on the brakes as I was going just a tad too quick for my ability.

Then came the first challenge: a fairly steep hill, about 1km in length. I selected the Sport+ mode and set to it. What a difference – I cruised up the hill as though it were little more than a gentle incline. I very much doubt that I could have managed that hill on a conventional bike, but with the help of this machine I not only managed it, I actually smashed it.

In Sport+ Mode the Giant SyncDrive Sport delivers some 300 per cent pedal assist, compared to a more modest 50 per cent in Eco Mode. The level of resistance when outside of the power band (e.g. above 25kph) is certainly noticeable. However, I can’t say that I tried to measure it any meaningful way.

It was only my third outing on the e-bike that took me into the town centre – for the first time ever on a bicycle of any kind! It was quite congested in town and I was very pleased to have the ability to accelerate away from a standing start quickly, without any weaving.

Having stopped briefly in the park, I set off toward home, taking the steepest route, which presented no difficulty whatsoever. The Giant FastRoad E+ delivered in spades, I climbed the hill with ease, a distance about 3km, at some 20+ kph – without as much as breaking a sweat.

My next outing was much more adventurous. I took a completely different and longer route into town, and then back via the lanes, totalling about 25km, further than I have been on any bike since I was a boy.

For my last day of the trial I took the Giant FastRoad E+ to my local gliding club, where the average age is probably a good deal older than that of the average cycling club. Following a very pleasant ride around some wonderful Hampshire lanes it was back to the airfield where the Giant FastRoad E+ attracted several admirers, some of whom were fortunate enough to have a short test ride for themselves.

It is an e-bike for the road riders who still want their road bikes feeling and riding like a race bike. The Cento 1 Hy is a lightweight machine, which’ll assist you up those tough climbs, however the motor isn’t going to be all encompassing. Our test model was the Ultegra version, however to show its class, Wilier has given us a special build for this Editor’s Choice entry. What a machine!

When it launched the Wilier Cento1Hy, the Italian marque claimed a headline-grabbing sub-12kg weight for its e-bike. The large size Ultegra Di2 equipped bike tested was 70g over that, but that’s pretty close and a smaller frame would surely skim below 12kg.

Although UK importer Hotlines will not bring them to the UK, there are Dura-Ace, Dura-Ace Di2 and SRAM eTap specs available from Wilier too. With carbon Miche wheels, they should also comfortably drop below the 12kg mark.

So how does adding a motor to Wilier’s carbon machine work out?

The power

The ebikemotion system fitted to the Wilier Cento1Hy uses a rear hub motor, built up into a custom rear wheel, with the battery housed in the down tube. The battery is completely enclosed, but can be removed via a screw-on panel under the bottom bracket shell. There’s a chunky power cable zip tied to the underside of the right chainstay that leads from the battery to the motor.

The ebikemotion system’s 250 watt hub motor weighs a claimed 2.1kg. Ebikemotion quotes a weight of 3.5kg for the whole system, with the in-built battery providing 250Wh of juice – so that’s enough for one hour of assistance at full power.

Although that doesn’t sound a lot, the motor isn’t likely to be working flat-out much and regulations require that assistance cuts out at 25kph. So for the averagely fit rider on flat roads, the motor will probably not be working most of the time. When it’s not providing extra power, the motor doesn’t add any rolling resistance.

Being based near the Dolomites, Wilier has the opportunity to test its machines on some long ascents. It says that you should get between 1000m and 2000m of altitude gain from the battery when it’s fully charged. Even at the top, red, level of assistance, there’s plenty of juice for a longish ride through the hilly terrain of the Chilterns.

You can purchase a second battery too, that fits into a bottle cage. It plugs into the charge port, which is positioned under a cap on the top of the bottom bracket shell, and pushes the total battery capacity up to 460Wh for extra range.

The motor is controlled via a single button which Wilier mounts on the top tube. This is surrounded by an LED ring that indicates the battery charge level and assistance level selected.

It starts off in green “soft” assistance. Press the button once and the LED will start to flash. You can then cycle through the higher amber and red assistance levels, while another 3 second press turns assistance off.

Once you’ve set the assistance level, the LED will revert to showing battery charge going from white, via green and amber to red, which indicates that you’re down to your last 25% battery charge. It starts blinking too when you hit 15% and blinks furiously at 10%.

There are a whole range of other colour codes for the control button LED ring, indicating everything from “OK” to “go to dealer”. It’s confusing at first, but like most electronic systems you quickly work out how to use what’s important to you. Its advantage is a very low profile, unobtrusive control for pretty much everything you want to do and it’s conveniently close to the bars, without taking up room on them.

>>> New bikes in Wilier's 2019 range

The ebikemotion system has a smartphone and PC app that provides more system management options, as well as coupling to a Bluetooth heart rate monitor and providing Strava-like ride stats and navigation – and automatic sync with Strava itself. The app syncs via Bluetooth with the Wilier Cento1Hy (or whichever Bluetooth enabled bike is closest).

If you use a heart rate strap and carry your phone along. you can use the app to turn on the motor when your heart rate goes over a pre-set threshold.

The frame

Wilier has used an all-carbon frame and fork for the Cento1Hy, incorporating the same materials and technologies as used in its pedal-powered machines. So the frame and fork are both made of high modulus 46 tonne carbon fibre, like the endurance oriented Cento1NDR and GTR.

One nice feature of the ebikemotion system is that the battery is totally enclosed in the down tube. So the down tube of the Wilier Cento1Hy doesn’t look a lot different from that of a standard aero machine, although it has a more oval profile.

The Cento1Hy has a similar sloping top tube and dropped seat stays to the Cento1NDR. There’s clearance for 28mm tyres, such as the Vittoria Zaffiro Pro tyres fitted to the test bike.

The Wilier Cento1Hy’s geometry comes in somewhere between the race-oriented Cento10Air and the endurance Cento10NDR. So although the reach is almost identical to the Cento10Air, the stack is around 2cm higher, partly from a longer head tube.

That leads to a slightly more upright ride position and also makes it easier to ride in the drops for longer periods.

The Spec

The Ultegra Di2 spec of the Wilier Cento1Hy comes with a complete gruppo of Shimano’s lowest price electronic groupset. So you get a 50/34 compact chainset coupled to an 11-30 cassette for plenty of lower range (which I didn’t actually find that I needed).

Wilier makes two Ultegra Di2 specs of the Cento1Hy, with the UK version having Miche Race Axy WP DX alloy wheels, while the higher specced version gets Miche SWR carbon hoops.

When we tested the Race Axy wheels without a motor, we commented on their robust build: it’s a quality likely to be of use with the extra power that the motor puts through them. Those wheels came out at around 2kg a pair, so they’re not light, but with a motor to help out, slow acceleration isn’t a problem. The standard thru-axle spacing means that you could potentially swap out the front wheel or have the rear wheel rebuilt with a lighter rim too.

The rest of the spec is FSA alloy. It’s durable kit but not de luxe, although it does all come with Wilier branding. There’s a Selle Italia X1 saddle that’s plenty comfortable.

Riding the Wilier Cento1Hy

If you always wished that you could have been a pro, then the Cento1Hy gives you just that bit of the vicarious experience. Even in green assistance level, the ebikemotion motor really doesn’t seem to like your speed to drop below 15mph.

So pulling out of junctions, it will cut in and quickly accelerate you away. Likewise, waiting to pass parked cars, once there’s no oncoming traffic, the motor will cut in hard and push you forward.

Hit a hill, either a long draggy one or a short sharp one, and the motor will pull you along to keep up that 15mph. So I was much less out of breath and my heart rate was significantly lower on reaching the top than would be the case normally, even when I’d hit PB times on ascents on the Cento1Hy.

In fact, even on hilly rides through the Chilterns, I found that I barely used the small chainring, except on arrowed hills. Even more so than the Fazua unit on the Focus Paralane², the ebikemotion motor will take over to keep you moving.

Switch from green to red assistance level and the effect is even more pronounced, although there’s a certain gradient – longer false flats – where you are hovering around 25kph and the motor doesn’t help much, so you start to feel your efforts and the weight of the bike more.

A couple of times I found that motorists went to overtake me, obviously expecting that I would be slogging up hills at 5mph, only to drop back in shock and awe as I ploughed on up steep ascents in the drops on the large ring like Marco Pantani in his prime (when he rode a Wilier, incidentally).

There’s satisfaction in racing up ascents that for years you’ve crawled up in bottom gear, even if it’s little thanks to your efforts. But one disadvantage of my new-found climbing prowess was that it was quite easy to slip the rear wheel on damp back roads – a more grippy tyre might help with this.

A plus from not wrecking yourself on uphills is that you feel a lot livelier on flatter roads. So I found I was taking full advantage of the Wilier Cento1Hy’s fast ride feel and great handling, getting down into the drops and pushing on, rather than taking it easy to recuperate for the next uphill.

The Cento1Hy has the Wilier DNA, with a taut ride, but not lacking in comfort, so it’s enjoyable to ride even when the motor is taking a rest. Steering is precise and agile and you don’t feel the extra kilos’ weight of your little helper, nor does its concentration in the rear hub seem to affect the bike’s balance.

Ultegra Di2 is a first rate groupset, with precise shifting and a quality look and feel. Its hydraulic disc braking is an excellent match for the Cento1Hy’s heavier weight too, providing the stopping power for a confident ride, even in the wet. It has its own battery buried somewhere in the frame, so needs to be kept charged separately from the motor.

The price

At just over £5000, the Wilier Cento1Hy is actually pretty good value for an Ultegra Di2-equipped e-road bike from a prestige Italian marque. Drop down to mechanical Ultegra and the price is £4199.99.

By way of comparison, the Ribble SLe is £3999 and the Orbea Gain M20i is £4999, both with Ultegra Di2 and using the same ebikemotion motor as the Wilier. The equivalent Ultegra Di2 spec Focus Paralane² 9.8 is priced at £6399.

The summary

If you live somewhere hilly and would like a bit of help on your ride, to make things a bit easier or to keep up with fitter ride buddies, the Wilier Cento1Hy is a good proposition. It’s got the quality ride along with the Italian looks and prestige of the Wilier marque, as well as the added power from the motor.

It’s great fun zooming up hills rather than slogging up them. But the ebikemotion motor doesn’t leave you much room for your own efforts, so you crest hills and get back from a ride not feeling that you’ve had the workout that you’d expect, and perhaps with a bit less satisfaction.

Whether that works for you depends on your mindset. I enjoyed my time on the Wilier Cento1Hy, but I’ll be content to take climbs at my own pace again and without assistance too, so perhaps the Wilier Cento1Hy is more of an n+1 for faster hilly trips than a substitute for your own effort.

The Volt Axis is one of two folding electric bikes in Volt's range taking aim at the urban commuter in need of a little extra assistance. At £3099 the Volt Axis sits above the Volt Metro, its more affordable sibling.

£3099 is a lot of money, but there's plenty about the bike that makes it perfect for commuting. It has integrated front and rear bike lights that are both bright enough for riding in traffic, relieving you of the constant worry about how well charged your removable bike lights are. The headlight can be turned on or off from the control screen on the handlebars.

By using the Gates carbon belt drive rather than a standard chain, Volt has cleverly avoided the irksome oily hands and even more irksome oily trouser leg that can come as a result of normal bike chains. It is also much more silent and smoother, too.

Volt Axis frame

The Volt Axis folds at two points, with a pivot in the middle of the frame that allows the bike to fold directly in half,  and then another one on the neck that allows the bars to fold over. The parts then stay put thanks to some well placed magnets. But the result isn't exactly what you'd call portable, though, and folding the bike does nothing to diminish its overall size.

Sadly, this means it hasn't exactly been useful on my train commutes and I prefer to leave it unfolded, finding it easier to push the bike on two wheels rather than try and carry it through the station and up stairs where its weight of 18.65kg makes it almost unmanageable.

Unlike the Brompton e-bike, folding the Volt Axis doesn't make it easier to store, either. Instead of folding down to a manageable size, the bike retains it bulk making it impossible to hide away in a corner or slip it under a desk.

Volt Axis: The ride

However, what it lacks in folding sophistication, the Volt Axis makes up for with its 250w Shimano Steps battery and motor. It's impressively slick, and I was pleasantly surprised that it took less than 10 minutes of riding to work out exactly how the system works.

On the left you control the level of assistance you want, ranging from off, eco, normal and high. Using the button on the right hand side, it's easy to see how the different modes affect the range of the bike. It's perfectly suitable for commuting, and at full charge it was suggesting a range of 30miles, which is a fair few trips to and from the office.

I'll admit, I only used the bike in 'high' mode, and did very little to conserve its battery life, opting instead to zoom around the streets of Clapham, in London, relishing the bike's acceleration.

Watch: Tech of the month 2017

When the battery does need charging, you can either use the key to unlock it and remove it from the seat tube where it resides or plug it in with it still connected to the bike. Volt say it should last 1000 charge cycles.

>>> E-bike batteries: Everything you need to know

The Volt uses a crank-based 250w motor, which is one of the more common ways that companies spec its e-bikes and differentiates it from the Brompton which used a front hub motor and accompanying battery bag. The Volt's motor is also capable of receiving software updates and should, according to the brand, just need to be plugged into a computer.

The Shimano Alfine 8-speed Di2 gears are based in the rear hub and shift using the buttons on the left hand side, although you can opt to switch to automatic if you'd rather avoid the hassle. I usually kept it in manual as I found it took too long to shift through the lower gears when pulling away from lights, leaving your legs spinning. In fact, I did away with the lower gears altogether as it's quite easy to pull away in sixth or even seventh gear depending on the gradient.

The Volt carries the weight of the battery on the down tube and the motor in the bottom bracket, along with a hefty rear hub that houses all the Di2 gears, precariously weighting the rear end. It could be improved by distributing some of this heft more equally, because I found the front wheel lifting when accelerating.

The good news is that there was no shortage of torque when setting off from lights or at junctions and the Volt's motor and battery was more powerful than the Brompton's, pulling me clear of the line faster than most cars.

It's when you hit the 25km/h limiter that problems arrive, and while it might seem contrary to what an e-bike needs, the Volt Axis could do with higher gears, or gear ratios that allow your legs to provide more power after the 25km/h motor limit comes in. Riding alongside a friend on the Brompton e-bike, with its bigger gear ratio, put this in perspective as he rode away from me on flat roads when we came to relying on our legs.

Braking duties were handled excellently by the Shimano Alfine hydraulic disc brakes, and the levers are similar in size and shape to Shimano's mountain biking brakes; with just as much power on hand. Which is a good thing because they've got a heavy e-bike to slow down.

The saying 'never judge a book by its cover' was never more apt for most e-bikes. In fact, it's probably one of the reasons why there are still many e-bike naysayers, as looks alone are preventing many people from poking a toe in the electronic bike world. Once they did, I'd bet 99 per cent of them would be immediate converts.

The industry, however, is getting there. The latest 2019 e-bike releases are looking, dare I say it, rather hot. Take for example the Ribble Endurance SLe, which turned a lot of heads in the Cycling Weekly office even before people realised it was electronic. And now there's the Ampler Curt e-bike.

What the Ribble and Ampler Curt have in common is their ability to not actually look like e-bikes.

>>>The best new e-bikes of 2019

Construction

Made from 6061 aluminium and teamed with a carbon fork, the Ampler Curt e-bike actually weighs in pretty respectably at around the 14kg mark for the singlespeed option, or 15kg for the 10-speed Shimano Deore option. This is around 1-1.5kg heavier than the top carbon road e-bikes but more importantly 8-10kg lighter than other commuter/hybrid e-bikes on the market, such as the Specialized Vado.

The weight of the Ampler Curt e-bike is actually a key design feature for the Estonian brand, with the words 'stealth' and 'stripped back' key words in its marketing. And indeed it is. Ampler has done a grand job of secreting the 48V 336 WH battery in the down tube,  with only the oversized rear hub, which holds the 250w motor, the only real giveaway as to the bike's electronic credentials.

This is also probably where the biggest compromise of the Ampler Curt e-bike comes: with all the weight saving and hidden motors the battery is limited, with a claimed range of between 45 and 100km depending on terrain and assist mode. The upside is that if you do run out of juice it's light enough to carry on regardless, and even an hour's top-up will give you an additional claimed 33km, with a full charge, according to Ampler, only taking 2.5 hours.

There are two standard assist modes, normal and boost. Both hit a claimed 25kmph top speed, but the boost setting gives you up to 50 per cent more assistance (150 per cent compared to 100 per cent) over the normal setting.

Switching between the two is via the on/off switch located on the seat tube near the bottom bracket, which makes it near impossible to do on the fly. The easiest way to toggle between them, or better still have total control over the configuration of the battery assist, is to download the Ampler app (both iOS and Android compatible). The app also allows you to check battery levels, map and share rides, so a helpful addition all round.

The bike is finished nicely  with respectable Shimano M500 disc brakes and shod in 32mm Continental Grand Prix 4 Season tyres.

The ride

Before clambering aboard the Ampler Curt e-bike, it's worth noting a couple of things.

First, as a website direct brand, the bike comes shipped directly to your house for free – well it does while we're still in Europe. It comes in a supersized box, so there's approximately four bolts to tighten and a pair of pedals to fit.

Second, in order to set you bike up, Ampler not only has a full, detailed 'how to' guide, but has also made probably the finest Allen key and spanner presentation box I've ever seen. With this level of attention to detail I just knew that the ride was going to be sweet, and I wasn't wrong.

It did take all of two minutes to put together the bike, slightly longer to find a EU to UK plug adaptor in our house and no, toothbrush plugs don't work sadly. Loft thoroughly rummaged and plug sourced it was incredibly easy to charge the battery thanks to the magnetic cable end.

This, however, is assuming that you have the ability to bring the bike close enough to an electricity source. The downside of a hidden battery is that you can't unclip it to bring it inside to charge it.

Bike set up and charged and I was off out. My first expedition was a general out-and-about ride to get a feel of the bike's characteristics, and it was clear from the outset that this is an out-and-out city bike.

Again compared to the Specialized Vado, which is a bit of a all-terrain mile muncher, the Ampler Curt e-bike is clearly happiest when racing cars away from lights, pulling out of junctions and generally cruising, at pace, along the cycle lanes.

I was struck just how nimble the whole bike felt and how agile it was. The handling especially, think responsive not twitchy. I was even able to ride a few laps of my downstairs on it to check the set-up to give you an idea of its nimble, athletic prowess.

Roaming ride out the way, it was time to do what the Ampler Curt e-bike was born to do: a commute into town where I'd do the whole coffee shop remote-working thing. It's worth noting here that town to me means a rather hilly commute, so sexy as the singlespeed belt drive looks, I was grateful for the 10-speed option I was testing.

I loved the way the bike just picks up immediately as pressure is applied to the pedal. There's no 'getting going', it's pow! straight out the blocks, although in a fully controlled manner as the power assist uses a torque measure in the bottom bracket to control the motor – so the harder you press down, the more power assist you get. This feature is perfect for hill starts, especially when you've decided to go the whole hog of city commuting and do away with bike kit in favour of high heels, skinny jeans, a rather large winter coat and of course an oversized bag stuffed with laptop, chargers, headphones etc slung over the shoulder.

Smugly arriving at the cafe, I ordered coffee and sat down to prep for a virtual meeting in 30 minutes, only to discover the cafe internet wasn't working. Cue the necking of just-ordered coffee, a quick phone google for alternative cafes with wifi nearby, before deciding that my best option was to promptly hot foot it back home again.

A commute that had taken me some 30 minutes to arrive now had to take less than 20 minutes by the time I had faffed with trying to get online, drunk the coffee and packed up again.

This time I immediately hit the boost setting on the bike and got pedalling. I'd be lying if I said the Ampler Curt e-bike did all the work, you still have to put in a reasonable amount of effort when on the flat, and I was slightly out of breath when I got home but it certainly did make things a lot easier and I got home with two minutes to spare for the meeting.

Value

Being a European direct brand, the price of the Ampler Curt e-bike is naturally in euros, €2,890 to be exact. This roughly converts to a couple of quid under £2,600. Whichever way you look at it, it's at the upper end of the hybrid/commuter e-bike scale.

Performance and looks wise, the Curt is pure class. I personally think it sits closer to the current road e-bikes in terms of weight, nimbleness and agile handling, and when compared to those, it punches well above its price tag,

E-bikes are still relatively new to the UK bike-riding market but the Specialized Vado Turbo 2.0 is already a second-generation model. It has had a motor redesign and is now, according to the brand, ready to prove itself as the ultimate city bike. But we've discovered it can do a lot more than that.

Buy now: Specialized Turbo Vado 2.0 at Cyclestore for £2599

>>> Seven of the best electronic bikes for 2018: all you need to know about e-bikes

Specialized Vado electric bike line-up

The Specialized Vado Turbo 2.0 sits fourth in the line-up of five models, the significant difference within the range being motor oomph size. It comes with the 250w Specialized 1.2 battery, 460wh, with a top speed of 15.5mph (the current EU limit)and range of up to 93 miles in Economy mode, 40 miles in Sport mode and 25 miles in Turbo mode based on a total rider/bike weight of around 15.5st, a flat terrain with some inclines, and either no wind or a light breeze. Specialized says it offers the best balance between power and efficiency to ensure maximum range.

All the male and female Specialized Vado Turbos share the same 'Fitness' geometry: expect upright but slightly more sporting angles than a Dutch-style bike.

It's constructed using an alloy frame and is specced with SR Suntour NCX E25 forks with 50mm of travel. The men's Vado uses a straight top tube design and men's Body Geometry Canopy saddle, while the women's gets a step-through frame design and women's-specific Body Geometry Aldia saddle, all equipped with Trigger Sport 47c tyres.

>>> Beginners bike fit: how to set up your bike

Specialized Vado Turbo 2.0 electric bike: ride

I've dabbled with a couple of e-bikes prior to this test but for nothing longer than a few kilometres, so I was excited to hop on the Specialized Vado Turbo for some longer rides. Unboxing the bike, however, the first thing to draw my attention was the weight.

Tipping 23kg on the scales, it's clear that even a modest battery and motor add around 10kg to the weight of a standard bike. Lugging the bike into the house was no mean feat as the weight is concentrated around the bottom bracket and down tube area, making it difficult to lift over any steps. Thankfully, if you're fortunate to own a secure outdoor bike parking space, or a garage, then you'll be pleased to know that the fully integrated battery is easily removed to make charging significantly easier.

Tinkering done and suitable riding position dialled in, I was off for the maiden voyage on the Specialized Vado Turbo 2.0. I was instantly impressed by how easy it was to mount and read the BLOKS LCD screen, which gave me all the real-time data I needed such as the usual ride time and distance, but also the important additional e-bike information such as battery consumption and motor mode.

From the front door, it was clear the Specialized Vado Turbo has been designed to be a fun ride. Despite its weight, even in the unassisted mode it was still a comfortable ride, and one that rolled reasonably swiftly. I suspect this, in part, is down to the location of the weight all around the bottom bracket area, which is closest to the bike's centre of gravity, giving it a very stable and predicable handling quality. It's also thanks to the Trigger Sport tyres with their file-tread centre meaning they weren't too prone to road drag.

With the power on, it was grin inducing. Specialized says the bottom bracket motor amplifies your imput by 320 per cent and it uses custom software that senses the torque you're applying in each pedal stroke so that the more power that you apply, the more power the motor puts out. This not only makes riding fast seem relatively easy, but it also means getting up to speed is a doddle, causing several car drivers' heads to turn on pulling away from lights and junctions.

Fast forward to the bike's biggest outing and the Specialized Vado Turbo 2.0 got somewhat put through its paces. I'd seen the 50mm of travel, felt the pedal-assisted motor power and decided it would be a good idea if I promptly called a family bike ride. I mounted my four year old on a rear bike seat I'd attached to the Vado Turbo, seated my un-riding-fit other half at the cockpit and we took off for what turned out to be a rather epic, very hilly 50km ride of nearly three-and-a-half hours. Following on behind on the mountain bike as we did much of the ride on bridleways and canal towpaths, I swiftly realised just how good the motor was, as even in the ride's early stages I was struggling to hold a wheel on some of the inclines, despite this not even being Specialized's specific climbing motor and on a bike that now weighed somewhere in the region of around 50kg with the bike seat and child on board.

Throughout the ride the Specialized Vado Turbo 2.0 didn't miss a beat, even though we threw some pretty rough terrain at it. The Trigger Sport tyres were totally up to the job – riding on the canal towpaths were exactly what they made for, munching up kilometre after kilometre without revealing a single chink in their armour.

The other half and daughter took great pleasure in racing mumma on the mountain bike, turning the screw of the top speed whenever the whim took them, giving me several Strava PBs and even one fifth place overall trying to chase them down.

Having used all three motor modes for various durations, as well as taking advantage of the nine-speed 11-36 cassette and compact 40t chainring, I was impressed to see that the battery had only just dipped below the half-full level, not bad when you consider a total bike and rider weight of around 118kg and over 500 metres of climbing in the 50km ride.

Buy now: Specialized Turbo Vado 2.0 at Cyclestore for £2599

Value

When it comes to cycling, there's no such thing as a free watt. Whether it's spending hours training to get super fit, splashing out on a super light or aero bike or, in the case of the Specialized Vado Turbo 2.0, attaching a motor to a bike, there is always a cost involved.

£2,600 isn't by any stretch of the imagination small change, but for a ride that brings such genuine joy not only to the rider but to the whole family too, it's well worth it.

First things first, I'm something of an e-bike newbie, but that doesn't mean I'm anti e-bike. In fact I can see their benefits quite clearly; non-sweaty commuting or injury rehabilitation are just two that spring to mind. In fact, to put the Bianchi Impulso E-Road through its paces I took the former to the very max and commuted the 75km from our Farnborough offices to my home in London, backpack, laptop and all.

>>> All you need to know about e-bikes

On this mega commute, I learnt a lot about e-bikes; mostly things I had never considered previously. Like how, if you ride over the 25kph threshold they just become REALLY heavy, or how the acceleration is so powerful you feel like you're sliding off your seat – it was an eye opening experience.

Bianchi Impulso E-Road – the electric and not so electric bits

First things first, it's a big bike, a very big bike and an extremely heavy one too. E-bikes were always considered heavy, and they were given some leeway to get away with it considering all the added gubbins that they housed. That was until the market changed and Cube and Focus started releasing bikes that weigh a comparatively featherweight 12kg, battery included. In comparison, the Bianchi weighs in at 12.89kg without the battery, which at this point is starting to look quite dated.

That motor unit is a Polini E-P3 which sits around the bottom bracket while the battery unit sits in the down tube, and is removable thanks to a key. The unit is activated by a power button on the top of the battery which when pressed illuminates a triangle of lines that indicates battery level.

The battery itself takes around four hours to charge when plugged into the mains and lasts an impressively long time. For context, I rode my 75km ride at four out five assistance level and only lost a nugget of battery life. At level four and five, the motor is giving out 250 per cent and 350 per cent assistance respectively. Up front, there's a dash that shows your battery life, trip distance or current/average speed.

A mixture of FSA cranks and Shimano's Ultegra drivetrain makes up the mechanical side of the Bianchi Impulso E-Road. The wheels are Fulcrum's 700 disc wheels and they're shod with wide, 32mm Vittoria Zaffiro Pro G+ tyres. Interestingly, I really noticed the squirming in the wider tyres, which I suspect is due to the additional weight of the bike; it's well worth putting a few extra PSI in than you would on your standard ride.

Riding the Bianchi Impulso E-Road

In my mind, a 75km commute was the perfect testing ground for an e-bike. It was a ride that certainly made many things clear to me that I perhaps hadn't thought about.

So, for starters, an e-bike's motor unit only gives assistance up to 25kph, which is amazing on steep hills and you'll be snatching KoMs all over the place. However, the issue is after that point, the bike just becomes quite heavy. I found that it rocketed up to speed very nicely depending on what level of assistance you set it to, but after that it was almost impossible to push the speed above 27 or 28kph.

After about 15km of the ride I learnt to start riding very differently. Instead of pushing to ride at around 30kph like usual, I instead learnt to feather the gas around 24kph for constant assistance. It made the ride slower, but a lot easier.

The opposite is when things start going downhill, at which point the additional weight of the bike really worked to its advantage. It's also at this point that you begin to realise  the importance of where the motor sits. On the Bianchi Impulso E-Road, the Polini unit sits under the bottom bracket and it weights the bike very nicely for descending. It picks up momentum really quickly and feels really stable at speed, balancing on the additional weight around the bottom bracket that makes for really fun descents.

Rolling into London, as the traffic started to build, the benefits of motorised acceleration became immediately clear. Moving through traffic, a quick pedal had me darting around and between cars and moving through gaps I previously would never have been able to make. Push the assistance levels up and the Impulso had me darting off the line faster than the rest of the traffic. If I was commuting in London, I'd really consider getting a hybrid e-bike for just this reason.

Ultimately, the Bianchi Impulso E-Road has great battery life and impressive assistance levels but due to its weight compared to the rest of the market it feels quite dated.