Electric Bikes

Electric bike maker Cowboy is in an intellectual property dispute over the new AdaptivePower feature it released in March via a free software update. Seems the company was originally developing the tech to automatically overcome resistance like wind and hills through a partnership with eBikeLabs before terminating the contract sometime last year. Unsurprisingly, eBikeLabs feels cheated. Coincidence? Decide for yourself after reading TechCrunch’s excellent explainer.

The full-size S4 and smaller X4 (pictured) cost $2,498 / £2,198 / €2,198 and start shipping in August. They arrive after the company said they’d skip the 4-series of e-bikes because the 5-series was such a major advancement.

After reviewing both the S5 and S4, I can tell you that the cheaper and simpler SX4 models built for reliability are the ones most should buy.

It took four years to build, but Amsterdam’s underwater bike shed in front of Central Station is set to open on January 26th with space for 6,300 privately-owned bikes and 700 more spaces for bike-shares. Parking is free for 24 hours, then €1.35 (about $1.46) for each additional day.

47 percent of Europeans surveyed by Shimano now cite cost-of-living as the primary reason to use an e-bike in 2022, compared to 2021 when the primary motivator (39 percent) was avoiding covid on public transport. Government subsidies and increasing environmental concerns are also helping to spur the adoption of e-bikes, which already outsell regular bikes in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Cargo bikes can save our cities from the pollution and snarled traffic created by delivery vans, and replace the family car to get the kids to school on time. They can also host a rave.

The Lectric XP 3.0 is a thorough update to the XP 2.0 with improved motor, brakes, and suspension to accommodate a second rider up to 150lbs. Introductory pricing starts at $999, but jumps by $75 for the comfy passenger package, and another $200 if you want the long-range battery. It’ll even accommodate a pet trailer for an extra $170.

52 percent of all new bicycles sold in the Netherlands are now electric, followed by Austria (45%), Germany (43%), Belgium (39%), and Switzerland (38%), with numbers expected to continue to rise, according to Bike Europe. Subsidizing the purchase price has helped spur adoption in some countries like France.

Micah Toll reporting for Electrek on a second e-bike that has a frame defect causing it to split in two:

I would have loved to see them include all of their future e-bikes in that $10,000 guarantee, though, as that would make them extra sure that any new e-bike gets sufficiently tested on the way out of the factory.

How can anyone trust this e-bike brand after two serious recalls in six months?

The city authorized $9 million to finance incentives through 2024, but that money is already nearly exhausted. More than 4,100 Denver residents have redeemed vouchers worth more than $4.1 million — way more than the $400,000 city official expected to spend. All residents are eligible for a $400 (or up to $1,200 for low-income residents) off the purchase of a new e-bike. Federal officials, take note.

The popular YouTuber just put up a great video outlining all the various ways of getting around New York City (walking, running, subway, his signature Boosted Board) and lamenting how none of them are really compatible with having kids.

So he pulled the trigger and got an electric cargo bike. Specifically, the Enurau MAX-CARGO, if I’m not mistaken, which can be had for the very attractive price of $1,699. Casey calls it “the most perfect means of transport,” and I tend to agree!

Super73’s tribute to mountain-biking pioneer Tom Ritchey has my inner American engorged with flag-waving desire. The “ZX Team” edition features a red, white, and blue colorway with custom components fitted throughout. Modern MTBers might scoff at the idea of doing any serious trail riding on a heavy Super73 e-bike, which is fine: this one-off is not for sale. 

You can, however, buy the Super73 ZX it’s based on (read my review here), which proved to be a very capable all-terrain vehicle on asphalt, dirt, gravel, and amber fields of grain.

Earlier this year, Specialized announced a new sub-brand called Globe dedicated to building high-quality electric utility bikes that are designed specifically to replace car trips. We still don’t know what these bikes will look like, but today the company released its brand statement in the form of a poem, which is cute. Specialized promises it will have more to say on September 27th, so mark you calendars.