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Swagtron, maker of scooters and skateboards, unveils its first electric city bike

Swagtron, maker of scooters and skateboards, unveils its first electric city bike

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The EB12 will retail for under $1,000

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Swagtron, the company that excels at showing up at the top of your Amazon search results, is expanding its lineup of electric bikes with a new non-folding model called the EB12. The South Bend, Indiana-based company is mostly known for its compact folding bikes as well as electric scooters and hoverboards, so the inclusion of a lightweight city bike is a sign of growing demand for a range of electric models.

The EB12 looks like a standard pedal bike, save for the 270Wh battery strapped to the rear rack. It’s a design choice that tends to make some e-bike aficionados, including The Verge’s Thomas Ricker, say “ew.” But in my humble opinion, it’s preferable to the downtube-mounted battery, which, to me, is “double ew.”

The rear wheel contains a 250-watt motor that allows for a top range of 28 miles (45 km). Riders can engage the motor either by twisting the throttle in the handlebar or by pedaling. The bike can hit a throttle-only top speed of 16 mph (26 km/h), so, theoretically, it can achieve faster speeds in pedal-assist mode. It comes with a 7-speed Shimano drivetrain, which allows riders to shift gears as they ride.

Notwithstanding the rear-rack battery, the EB12 cuts a nice profile. The entire bike weighs just 39.24 pounds (17.8 kg), which is lighter compared to other e-bikes. The aluminum frame (“satin-black” according to Swagtron) is paired with a steel fork for a more comfortable ride. “The EB12 uses a flat bar and riser stem for a more relaxed, upright riding position to reduce strain on wrists, arms and shoulders,” the company says.

Swagtron says it will sell the EB12 for $999.99, which is quite the steal. Of course, all of Swagtron’s products retail for pretty affordable prices, which is likely why the company does so well on Amazon. But you won’t find this bike there, because the EB12 will be offered exclusively through BestBuy.com. Twist!