About Electric Bike Reviews

Why I Started Electric Bike Reviews

I switched from a car commute to an e-bike commute in 2021, primarily for cost reasons. Parking near my office had just hit $350 per month, and I did the math on an e-bike purchase versus parking costs. The e-bike won by a wide margin. My first bike was a purchase I made in about two hours of research — a decent brand, mid-range price, and it worked fine for about eight months before the battery started losing range in cold weather faster than I expected. I learned that battery quality is the thing most reviewers barely touch on.

Over the next two years I went deeper: learned to read motor specs (hub drive vs. mid-drive matters enormously for hills), understood battery chemistry differences, learned which brake systems were actually serviceable by local bike shops. I helped a friend choose her first e-bike and realized how confusing the market was for someone without my accumulated knowledge. I helped her avoid three bikes I would have steered away from — and I thought: I should write this all down somewhere useful.

Writing for the local cycling advocacy group gave me access to a community of riders with diverse needs — cargo bikes, commuter bikes, folding bikes for transit riders, bikes for older riders who needed lower step-over heights. That breadth made me a better reviewer. I now think about who a bike is for, not just whether it's a good bike in the abstract.

How I Test and Review

Every e-bike I review gets at least 300 miles of real-world riding before I publish, covering my standard commute plus weekend riding in varied conditions. I measure real-world range by riding each bike to battery depletion on my test route — flat roads and hills, at different assist levels — and compare to the claimed range. Claimed range is almost always tested on flat ground with a light rider at low assist; my test conditions are honest. I've tested 5 bikes over 4 years and logged over 8,000 total miles of riding data.

I also evaluate the ownership experience: how easy is it to get the bike serviced at a local shop, how available are replacement parts, and what does the manufacturer's warranty actually cover versus what it excludes in the fine print. I test charging times from real-world depleted states, measure battery degradation over 6-month periods where I have long-term test units, and evaluate the app and display experience across iOS and Android. I carry a scale and weigh every bike I test, because weight matters enormously for apartment storage and carrying up stairs.

My Recommendations Policy

Every product I recommend is something I have personally used or would use myself. I don't accept payments to feature products, and my affiliate commissions never influence my recommendations — products I don't believe in simply don't appear on this site.

When I link to Amazon, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps keep the site running and free to read. Thank you for your support.

Contact

Have a question about a product I reviewed, or want me to test something specific? I would love to hear from you. While I can't respond to every message, I read everything and it helps shape future articles.