This year, we’ve reviewed a whole bunch of electric two-wheelers, and three of them have really stuck in our minds.
The Brompton Electric
Why we love it:
The Brompton Electric is the smallest folding electric bike out there. It weighs 14.5kg (excluding the 2.2kg battery) and measures just 565 x 585 x 270mm when folded, which means that you can bring it along almost everywhere! So yes, it’s the ebike you almost never have to worry about getting stolen. At the same time, its lightweight and small design don’t reduce the riding quality. Instead, the ebike even feels more comfortable than some full-size ebikes, thanks to the suspension block built into the rear folding mechanism. Plus, its 3-way folding frame and extra-long seatpost feel just as solid as any normal bike, and the rim brakes have good enough stopping power and you don’t really miss the disk brakes available on most other ebikes. It comes with a 250W hub motor, which can take you as fast a 25km/h, while its 300Wh battery gives you enough juice for some 40 to 80km on a single charge. Prices start at $2,995.
The Priority Current
Why we love it:
For starters, the Current has a beastly motor with 140Nm of torque and a 45 km/h max speed. But most importantly, riding it feels so smooth. The Current is the ebike equivalent of silk pajamas — if those pajamas gave you Hulk legs. Unlike the majority of ebikes we’ve tested, there is virtually no jerkiness to the ride and almost no delay between moving the pedal and the assist kicking in. Whether you’re in assist level one or five, the torque sensor, mid-drive, and acceleration curve make for a super-natural ride. You know the motor is putting in the work because you can fly up inclines while the motor makes a light hum. And the bike has among the subtlest pedal assist systems we’ve tried, at least among those with this much torque. No wonder it comes with a $3,299 price tag.
The Tenways C-GO 600
Why we love it:
At $1,693, the C-GO 600 offers a Gates Carbon belt drive, a stealthy appearance that doesn’t betray its electric nature, a low weight of 15 kg, and an impressively smooth pedaling experience. It mostly feels like riding a normal single-speed bike, except your legs just got super strong. Every part of the electric drivetrain appears to have been chosen to prioritize smooth, quiet power delivery. The torque sensor and acceleration curve feel exceptionally natural and responsive, and even at full power, the motor only makes a faint whirr that’s barely audible over road noise. Generally, the bike’s even quieter and smoother than an “acoustic” bike. Its 250W motor isn’t crazy powerful, but it’s surely enough to for inner-city trips or to get you on top of small hills, despite the lack of gears. Plus, if you run out of battery, the C-GO 600 makes for a pretty nice single-speed bike. There is no resistance in the rear wheel whatsoever when the motor isn’t engaged, so the bike is fully pedal-able without the assist.
