2023 Bicycling E-Bike Awards

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Electric-assist bikes are the biggest talking point in bicycling and transportation right now. The e-bike landscape is evolving at a rapid pace—from how we buy them, to the technology and features, to the legislation and infrastructure of roads and trails where they are ridden. E-bikes have an important role in transportation and recreation by decreasing our reliance on cars and making bike riding accessible to more people.

The Bicycling Test Team chooses the top bikes by starting with an analysis of price, features, and how each bike solves a rider’s needs. With that criteria, we tighten our focus to the bikes with the most potential. Then we test a variety of models across a range of riding categories and prices. These award winners impressed us with their performance, ease of use, and price. We’re confident one of these e-bikes will fit your needs.

Specialized Globe Haul S/T

Cleverly priced at $2,700, the Specialized Globe Haul ST fills that middle ground between entry-level cargo bikes and pricier alternatives. Over three months of testing, the Haul completely changed how I get around town, shop for groceries, and run all sorts of errands. The transformation of these mundane weekly chores into a joyful extension of my cycling life has been eye-opening.

But, what seals the deal for me on the Haul is, simply put, that it’s a blast to ride, which might not strike you as earth-shattering, but many e-cargo bikes just aren’t. What makes e-cargo bikes good often comes down to their utility, and the Haul ST has that in spades. But what it does so well is simultaneously managing to be incredibly practical and irresistibly fun.

Specialized designed the Haul to replace many short and medium-distance car trips with bike rides. While commuter and cargo bikes have been doing this task for many years, the Haul ST pulls off the incredible trick of being both. It’s at once a fully capable cargo e-bike with a 419 lbs total weight capacity (including the rider) and still manages to ride and feel like a lightweight, zippy class 3 (28mph) commuter e-bike.

Specialized built the Haul ST around 20-inch wheels with a 3.5-inch wide tire, combining cargo capacity with the ride feel of a much smaller and lighter bike. The smaller wheel size positions the center of mass as low as possible, which makes the Globe feel more stable when fully loaded without sacrificing its maneuverability. The pairing of a clever frame design and smaller wheels also gives the Haul ST a much smaller footprint than many comparable e-cargo bikes.

A big reason for the Haul ST’s ride quality and handling boils down to how compact it is for an e-cargo bike. The bike’s short wheelbase allows for a very tight turning radius which, combined with its direct steering feel, makes for a very playful and engaging ride experience. More practically means you can ride the Haul ST (more or less) just like a traditional bike.

If you haven’t ridden an e-cargo bike, you might take this for granted. But the reality is that even some of the more compact e-cargo bike options out there often don’t ride like a typical bike, or worse, they simply ride poorly. Since cargo bikes focus on practicality, a little sacrifice in ride quality is acceptable to some riders. But as a cyclist, one of the Haul ST’s most enamoring traits is how much it rides like a “normal” bike. Well, that and the ability to carry a week’s worth of groceries on it.

I tested the Haul ST set up for maximum cargo capacity with four Specialized Coolcave panniers and a Turbo front basket, all of which came with individual cargo nets to keep everything in place once loaded down. As a relative newbie to the e-cargo bike life, I won’t lie; there is a learning curve. For example, I was used to bringing bags to the grocery store. But with the Haul, I found it easier forgoing bags altogether and simply wheel the cart of groceries out to the bike rack and put everything directly into the panniers.

The Haul uses a powerful hub-based motor rated for a peak power of 700 watts and paired with a huge 772-watt-hour battery. The power delivery of the Haul’s motor feels surprisingly refined compared to many other hub motors I’ve previously tried. Its quick reaction time gets you moving from a stop, typically kicking in before you get through your first pedal stroke. The algorithm Specialized has come up with balances getting you up to speed quickly without feeling like the motor is only “on” or “off”—something which makes some e-bikes seem more like out-of-control electric scooters than a bicycle. The Haul nails the balance between having enough power to flatten hills and carry lots of cargo with delivering that power in a way that doesn’t erase the experience and feel of riding a bike.

The massive battery gives the Haul phenomenal range even on higher levels of assist. I’ve routinely done 30 to 35 miles of errands (with various levels of load) while only draining about two-thirds of the battery. The Haul’s motor control display provides range estimates based on the selected assist level. With a fully charged battery, the system estimates 71 miles of range on the lowest setting and 27 miles on the highest.

We all need bikes like the Haul ST to become commonplace in our towns and cities. As the world confronts climate change and energy resource problems, transitioning mobility from cars to more sustainable modes of transport like e-bikes is essential. And e-cargo bikes, in particular, help reduce car use for everyday errands like shopping or transporting children. For some riders, an e-cargo bike might even allow them to be car-free. For others, it might replace a second car in a household to go car-lite.—Dan Chabanov

Read Full Globe Haul S/T Review

Trek Fuel EXe

While the usual e-bike story is about more power, battery, and range, Trek’s EXe falls into the intriguing e-light category, where the key idea is “less.” The EXe is much lighter—by 10 or so pounds—than a full-power e-bike because it uses a smaller, less powerful motor that requires a smaller (lighter) battery. While many view less as less, I found that less powerful doesn’t mean less enjoyment. The EXe is proof that the old “less is more” axiom works for e-bikes, too.

The EXe’s embrace of less makes it an appealing choice for e-curious riders who also want the feel and handling of an unpowered e-bike. It also attracts smaller and lighter riders put off by the wrestling match that often comes with riding a 50-pound e-mountain bike. Plus, the bike’s lower weight means it’s easier to load onto a car rack, carry up a flight of stairs, or hang on a wall. These are chores that make life with heavier, full-power e-bikes burdensome.

Both the chassis and the motor represent new directions for Trek. While the EXe retains the brand’s familiar ABP suspension system, the frame is all-new and very different-looking. And for the motor, Trek turned to TQ Group, a new (to them) supplier.

Though not as big a name in e-bike motors as Shimano, Bosch, and a few others, TQ is no newbie startup: Its e-bike journey began in 2008. And, like many of its e-bike-motor competitors, it is part of a large and diversified company. In addition to its e-mobility products, TQ plays in the robotics, automation, electronics, aviation, and medical fields.

The HPR50 maxes out at 50Nm torque (300 watts maximum assist), putting the Fuel EXe into the growing e-light category of mountain bikes with the Levo SL and a handful of others. With less than half the maximum torque of a full-power e-bike motor, these e-light bikes don’t have the sheer thrust of a full-power e-MTB. But they’re smaller and lighter, and they draw less juice, meaning the bikes can use smaller and lighter batteries. And that’s why this EXe is easily 10 pounds under a comparable full-power e-bike. For example, the full-power Trek Rail weighs 51.3 pounds, while the similarly equipped EXe weighs 40.9 pounds.

Wrapped around the new motor is a mid-travel trail-bike frame with 140mm rear travel. All complete bike models get a 150mm fork, though the frames are rated to take up to 160mm forks. Trek’s ABP (Active Braking Pivot) rear suspension is a single-pivot system with a floating brake arm. The frame fits a water bottle inside the main triangle, has a cargo mount under the down tube, and is compatible with air- and coil-spring shocks. There’s nothing radical in the bike’s fit or handling numbers. It’s a modern trail bike: long, reasonably slack in the head angle, with a steepish seat-tube angle.

While there’s a lot to gawk at and geek out about, the EXe still manages to blow away expectations once you get it on the trail. I got comfortable with it very quickly, and it wasn’t long before I was in love with this bike. I’m going to declare that this is one of the best mountain bikes—powered or unpowered—that I’ve ever ridden.

Everything about this bike makes it great, but I’ll start with the frame. The chassis has a modern fit and balanced handling that lets the rider climb comfortably or let the bike run on the descents. Yet the bike is still agreeable on mid-speed and flatter trails. There’s nothing particularly unique or different about the EXe’s geometry numbers, which is the point: It finds an equilibrium that works well on many kinds of climbs and flavors of descents without neglecting that some trails are flatter.

Altogether, the EXe’s overall feel on the trail is so snappy and lively—two words rarely used to describe e-mountain bikes—that I often forgot I was on an e-bike.

The TQ feels exceptionally well-tuned, and the experience is refined, eclipsing even Specialized’s excellent motors. Some of this smoothness likely results from the TQ’s lower torque. The quiet system tricks the brain into perceiving the lack of noise as smoother. But riding the EXe was such a pleasant experience that I never missed the extra boost of a “full power” e-bike.

The EXe’s 360Wh internal battery is good for “two to five hours,” according to Trek. While frustratingly vague, that’s also about as truthfully accurate as a brand can get, since so many factors—like air temperature, rider weight, terrain, and assist mode—influence battery range. I weigh about 180 pounds and rode for two hours and 40 minutes in the “Mid” assist mode, covering 25 miles with almost 2,500 feet of climbing. I finished with under 30 percent battery remaining, so the two-to-five-hour estimate is accurate. If you want more range the EXe offers a couple of options: a piggyback battery that fits into the bottle cage, or a second in-frame battery.

Everything added up, this e-light mountain bike might provide a superior experience for many riders, even committed e-bike riders. Yeah, it’s not going to hurl you up the climbs the way a full-power e-bike will. Yes, I did wish for more range at times—if only because riding the EXe is so damn fun. But the Fuel EXe has enough power and battery capacity to offer substantial assistance while remaining lithe and agile. And it doesn’t punish the upper body on descents.

Based on Strava, even with the EXe’s assist, I was still slower on the climbs and descents than my town’s fastest pro riders on their acoustic bikes. I wasn’t even as fast as my best unassisted times from when I was in my best riding shape. But I rode quicker with less effort than I could at my current fitness on an unassisted bike. It lessened—but did not eliminate—the pain and, most importantly, increased the fun in a quiet, sleek, and easy-to-ride package. These are the hallmarks of an extraordinary bike.—Matt Phillips

Read Full Fuel EX-e Review

Trek Domane+

To start, it’s important to make the distinction between Trek’s latest (and third generation) Domane+ and most other e-bikes currently on the market. Most e-bikes in the commuter and mountain bike categories are what is referred to as “full-power e-bikes”. These bikes have big (heavy) batteries paired with powerful motors that can hit peak power outputs of around 700W with max torques in the 80 Nm range. Very often, these bikes deliver as much power as fast as possible to get you to their max cruising speed of either 20 or 28mph.

Trek’s Domane+ is not like that at all. Riding this bike is an experience that is much closer to that of riding a traditional road bike, except that you have a sweet tailwind where ever you go. While there is no agreed standard for this categorization, the Domane+ is what’s increasingly termed a “lightweight e-bike”.

The Domane+’s TQ HPR-50 motor is far less powerful than something you would find on hub motor-powered e-bikes. Max torque is capped at 50 Nm, and the most power a rider will ever get from it is 300W. The most obvious benefit of this is the huge weight saving in the motor and battery units, which allows for the rest of the bike to be built lighter as well. Both of these things combine to make the Domane+ E one of the lightest production e-bikes on the market at 26.7 lbs for a size 52cm.

Trek designed the Domane+ to feel and ride much like a regular road bike, and I think they have come exceptionally close. Riding the Domane+ feels much more like you're simply having an amazing day on the bike. The TQ motor is incredibly subtle with its power delivery—There’s no sudden jolt or kick when the motor kicks in.

Compared to a full-power e-bike, it feels like a slowly gathering tailwind that’s helping you get up to speed. Adding to this feeling is how clever the whole system is at figuring out how much pedaling assistance you need. The TQ system does a remarkable job of making you feel great on the bike without constantly reminding you that you’re on an e-bike.

The Domane+ is so good at blending the fact that it’s an e-bike into the background of your ride that sometimes it begged the question: Why wouldn’t I just want to ride a regular bike? I spent plenty of time thinking about this while riding Domane+ back-to-back with non-assisted bikes.

And the truth of the matter is just that the Domane+ was fun. It was simply fun to go out and experience what riding with an extra 300 watts feels like (without riding something that felt unwieldy and overpowering).

While my inner grumpy bike racer might scoff at the easy availability of “unearned speed” that the Domane+ E provides, the rider in me thinks the joy of going fast on a bike is worth sharing with everyone.—D.C.

GT Grade e-Bike

The GT Grade e-bike is easy to love. It combines the same proven geometry from GT’s Grade aluminum gravel bikes with a lightweight ebikemotion X35+ hub-based motor. But what enamored me with the Grade is how easy and engaging this bike is to ride regardless of the terrain you are on.

The Grade is not an overpowered e-bike. Sure, there is plenty of kick if you put the bike into the highest (of three levels of) motor assist, but because the Grade is fairly light for an e-bike (30 lb.), for the most part, you can ride it just like a non-assist bike and save the turbo for the steep climbs. The motor system on the Grade is contained entirely in the rear hub with a 250Wh battery hidden in the downtube. I initially had some concerns about the 250Wh battery’s range, but after my first 50-mile ride, that anxiety quickly disappeared.

With its wide tires and endurance-oriented geometry, the Grade is well-suited for tackling mixed-terrain rides. But what’s unique to the gravel e-bike format is that it still feels quite zippy on the road thanks to the assist from the hub motor. The only thing limiting it from being more road capable is the 20mph maximum assisted speed. This max speed is much less noticeable on gravel but is reached quickly on smooth roads.

Overall, the Grade impressed me and put a huge grin on my face. It is a bike that initially didn’t seem that exciting to me, but it exceeded my expectations in every respect once I rode it.—D.C.

Yuba Super Cargo

After sometimes writing-off front-load cargo bikes because they looked too big and too much, I finally tested one. The Yuba Supercargo CL changed my outlook, and my literal life, the way few bikes have. Because few bikes are as useful and practical as the Supercargo CL.

The Supercargo capacity easily swallows a week’s worth of groceries, plus cat litter and a few cases of seltzer. Or use it to haul bags of mulch and potting soil, a keg; a bunch of boxes, or a handful of kids. There were very few daily errands I couldn’t comfortably do on this bike. Plus, it reduced my car use dramatically.

The Bosch motor is smooth and powerful, helping to turn chores into fun tasks. Though, and as you might expect, because of the bike’s size and weight, it chews through its 500 Wh battery quickly. Consider the dual battery setup if you make frequent or longer trips.

The Yuba’s handling is awkward at first—the first acceleration from a stop is an especially wobbly experience—but it becomes intuitive quickly and the bike is ultra-stable. And the cool thing is the handling is almost the same whether it’s empty or loaded to its 440-pound maximum carrying capacity. However, I recommend adding a suspension seatpost to smooth out the ride over bumps and potholes.

One bit of warning—This bike is large (about 90 pounds and tk long tip to tail). It is not practical to carry up any flight of stairs, nor will it comfortably fit inside many homes or apartments. But if you have the literal real estate for this bike, it might change your life as it did mine.—M.P.

Aventon Abound

E-bikes and cargo bikes are not inexpensive. And finding a high-quality, “affordable” e-cargo bike can sometimes seem impossible—some of the best options available cost upwards of $3,000 or even $5,000. However, over the past few years, several brands entered the market offering a combination of hauling capacity and sharp pricing. With its new Abound, Aventon gives these brands some healthy competition.

At $2,200, the Abound is Aventon’s priciest bike. But it’s also probably the brand’s most unique and stylish offering. The Abound looks fantastic and well-prepared for the designated assignment. The bike’s squat appearance and stout-built frame practically beg you to load it up with every possible parcel, payload, or accessory. Also included in the Abound’s base price are a sturdy rear rack, footboards for a passenger, a center-mount kickstand, and an SR Suntour suspension fork.

More importantly than its looks, the Abound functions outstandingly as well. The list of stock features is very compelling for the price. For the drive unit, a 750-watt rear hub motor powered by an integrated downtube battery pushes the bike to a maximum assisted speed of 20 mph (which can also be throttle operated). Aventon equips the Abound with a torque sensor to regular power to the rear hub motor ensuring a smooth and natural pedaling feel. Another high-quality touch is Aventon’s updated backlit color LCD head unit.

In addition to the frame and power features, the Abound is well-appointed for the price. Stopping the bike are Tektro hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors. The bike has front and rear fenders to minimize road spray from getting you too wet and head and tail lights to see the road and be seen by traffic. A particularly nifty feature of the rear lighting is the Abound’s integrated turn signals, operated via the left-side controller. A small frame bag also comes with the bike that can carry items like a lock or the battery’s charger.

The Abound’s cockpit also has some clever and practical features. Up front, the bike has a telescoping stem (to adjust the height up or down) that also folds down to make the Abound easier to store. The saddle is a wide-profile, comfortable Selle Royal model. It has an integrated handle that is a grab point for moving the bike or can be a grab handle for a passenger.

The bike also comes equipped with a dropper seatpost. Commonly found on mountain bikes, this post allows the saddle to raise or lower when riding the bike (via a switch lever under the nose of the saddle). The dropper enables riders to get on or off the Abound when it has a full cargo load and enables sharing between riders of different heights. The bike has a one-size-fits-most step-through frame which riders 4’11” to 6’3” can ride.

The Abound is about fitting a lot of capacity into a small-ish footprint. The bike sits 1,910mm tip-to-tail (about 6’3”) with a wheelbase of 1,274mm. That’s 5mm shorter than a size large Santa Cruz V10 downhill bike—If you have the storage space for a mountain bike, you can fit an Abound in your life. With the stem folded down and the seat dropped, the Abound measures 1,910mm (L) x 440mm (W) x 882mm (H).

Aventon rates the rear rack to 143 lb., with a total maximum capacity of 440 lb. for the e-bike. The rear seat (with handrail) option can hold two youngsters. Without the handrail affixed to the rack, one tween or small adult-sized person comfortably fits. Aventon also offers several accessories to customize the Abound to your cargo-hauling needs or budget.

Over several weeks, we rode the Abound for daily commuting and running errands near our Easton, Pennsylvania headquarters. Our testing included riding some of the steeper hills in the area, riding in the rain and snow, doing grocery runs, and kid-carrying. Overall, the Abound scored praise from testers for its speed, power, and hauling capabilities.

Aventon claims “up to 50 miles range” for the Abound. E-bike battery ranges depend on the rider and cargo weight, the terrain where ridden, and the level of power assist used. With a 200 lb. rider, over a combination of hills and flat surfaces, and being quite liberal with using the throttle and highest power setting, we averaged about 25 miles range per charge on the Abound’s battery. So, quite literally, YMMV.

The Aventon Abound is a capable e-cargo bike that will fit the needs of many riders. While not perfect, it is an overall great bike. The Abound is competitively priced, well-equipped, and has lots of power and hauling ability. If you were fence-sitting about purchasing a cargo bike due to price or because longtail models are too unwieldy, this might be the bike that will get you ditching the car for those short trips around town.—Tara Seplavy

Read Full Abound Review

Aventon Level.2

At first glance, it could be easy to overlook the updates Aventon made to the Level. This second-generation Level receives a new torque sensor, integrated lighting, and a full-color display. They help make an already excellent commuter and around-town bike even better.

Aventon equipped the Level.2 with a torque sensor for a more intuitive feel. It is a feature you might not notice if you are new to e-bikes or have not previously ridden a hub motor-powered e-bike. But, the torque sensor improvement is noticeable when riding the Level.2 back-to-back against the first-generation model.

When accelerating, the Level.2 feels more fluid than its predecessor. The motor still has plenty of torque, but that power is applied more proportionately and is relative to the riding speed and pedal input. This sensor helps the bike feel more controlled and easier to manage, especially when riding at slower speeds.

The bike feels premium quality, more intuitive, and better polished than similar commuter models from competitors. The ride feel is not quite as smooth and natural as mid-drive motor-equipped e-bikes, but it is probably the best-feeling hub motor we have ridden on a sub-$2,000 bike.

Aventon loaded the Level.2 with accessories that ensure riders have a solid base to start commuting by bike. In addition to the front and rear lights, the bike include a rear rack, full-metal fenders, alloy pedals, a comfortable saddle, a kickstand, and lock-on grips with alloy ends. It is excellent when a bike comes with all of these items right out of the box, as it saves you from spending hundreds of dollars on upgrades.

Aventon offers the Level.2 in traditional (step-over) and step-through frame styles. We got to spend time with both versions. The step-through style is the more versatile of the two. Riders who have difficulty swinging a leg over a bike will find it easier to ride. Similarly, a step-through is handy when the bike is loaded-up with things like groceries or a kid's seat on the back.

The Level.2 comes out of the box as a class-2 e-bike with a maximum pedal-assisted speed of 20 mph. If you want pedaling assistance up to a higher top speed, you can easily bump it up to 51 kph (31.7 mph) in the Aventon app. The throttle control allows you to cruise up to 20mph without pedaling. This throttle proves handy for getting the bike up to speed after stopping or for an unexpected hill if you find yourself in too large a gear.

The drivetrain and brakes on the Level.2 are solid and dependable. The Shimano 8-speed Acera derailleur, paired with a Rapid Fire shifter, clicks through the gears without issue. Tektro hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors handle stopping duties for the bike. Since many shops stock Tektro brake pads, it makes servicing these brakes easier than the non-name brand units often found on lower-priced e-bikes.

This is the best commuter e-bike you can purchase for less than $2,000 and one of the best commuter bikes you can buy overall. The updates to the platform make an already great bike even better. If you are seeking an e-bike for transportation, the Aventon Level.2 should be on your shortlist. This e-bike has everything you need for commuting or getting around town. Plus, it rides great and is priced right.—T.S.

Read Full Level.2 Review

Cannondale Compact Neo

Cannondale reimagined the budget-friendly utility e-bike using the brand’s signature design cues and an eye toward build quality. The Compact Neo works well for city commuting and around-town use. Plus, apartment dwellers or those with limited storage space will appreciate the bike’s folding features and small footprint.

With a clever front triangle design reminiscent of 1990s Cannondale Killer V frames, the Compact Neo has the rigidity to ensure responsive handling and maintains a low standover height. Available in a Smoke Black paint with a bright multicolor fork, the finish, combined with the small wheels, offers the Compact Neo plenty of style and personality.

At first glance, the Compact Neo doesn’t even look to have a battery. But there is one tucked inside the modestly sized downtube. This gesture of subtlety translates through the entire on-bike experience.

Where other manufacturers in the lower-priced, urban e-bike segment prioritize throttle power and acceleration, Cannondale focused on maintaining the cycling experience. Many e-bikes in the sub-$2,000 category suffer from poor ride quality when the battery is dead or riding with the motor off. Brands assume that city riders are interested in deploying power at all times.

The Compact Neo is like a utility bike, but one that just happens to have a small motor for those moments when you need a little extra boost. Even without the pedal assist engaged, the bike remains extremely capable. Riders can easily use the Compact Neo assist-free with very-limited drawbacks—this is not the case for most other e-bikes in general, but especially for e-bikes in this price range.

In addition to the 250W Hyena motor, Cannondale fitted the Compact Neo with reliable components from well-established brands. Tektro hydraulic disc brakes do their job, bringing the bike down comfortably from its 20mph maximum assisted top speed. Small and chunky Kenda K-Rad tires eat up rough roads.

The Compact Neo has some great features to make the Compact label quite fitting. The bike features a TranzX folding stem, allowing the handlebars to rotate 90 degrees when stationary for a much flatter profile—paired with folding pedals, this bike collapses to the width of its saddle, which is extremely useful for hallway storage. I can’t overstate how practical this is, perhaps even more convenient than a traditional mid-frame folding bike.

The Compact Neo takes Cannondale’s accumulated knowledge of premium e-bikes and translates it to the budget-friendly utility market with resounding success. Thoughtful component choices and high-minded design ensure the Compact Neo provides all the functionality of a much heavier e-bike but with enhanced portability and ride quality that integrates seamlessly into everyday life.—Aithne Feay

Read Full Compact Neo Review

Denago Commute Model 1 Step-Thru

Are you looking for an uber-comfortable and practical e-bike for riding around town, RVing, or commuting? Usually, when brands throw the kitchen-sink approach at a bike’s design, the result is a disjointed and impractical mess. Denago’s Commute Model 1 proves to be the exception to that rule. And that combination of features and performance makes this bike great for so many riders.

The Model 1’s list of stock features is robust. The step-through frame cleanly hides a 652W battery that powers the 500W rear hub motor. In addition to the electric assist are several practical features for commuting or around-town use: rear rack, metal fenders, kickstand, and front light.

Though not powerful and peppy as some bikes in the commuter segment, the Denago has a smooth ride feel. Several test riders remarked about the Commute’s relaxed and calm ride quality. By lacking the sometimes jarring, torquey feel of some hub motor e-bikes, the Model 1 is more approachable for newer riders.

A big part of the Model 1’s smooth ride feel comes from the bike’s numerous comfort features. First up is the suspension fork that soaks up bumps and cracks on the road or bike path. Then there is a suspension seatpost topped with a super-cushy elastomer spring saddle. An adjustable rise stem, sweptback handlebar, and ergonomic grips top it all off.—T.S.

Pivot Shuttle LT

Pivot was a relatively early adopter of e-MTB technology, debuting its first Shuttle in 2017. What was one e-bike back then has become three bikes in 2023.

The Shuttle SL is Pivot’s lightweight offering, with 132mm rear travel paired with a 150mm or 140mm fork, a Fazua Ride 60 motor, and a 430Wh battery. The Shuttle AM is the direct descendant of the 2017 Shuttle and features 140mm of rear wheel travel with a 160mm travel Fox 38 fork, a Shimano EP8 motor, and a 726Wh battery.

And then there’s this machine: The Shuttle LT. Patterned after its Firebird enduro bike, the Shuttle LT is Pivot’s biggest e-bike. It has the most travel (160mm rear travel with a 170mm fork) and the largest battery in the line (756Wh) but runs the same Shimano’s EP8 motor as the AM.

Pivot applied the design language from its recent non-assist models to its newest e-bike. Compared to the original Shuttle, the LT (and the SL) frame features straighter lines and squarer tube shapes, while the shock rotates about 90 degrees into a nearly vertical position. Pivot says the vertical shock yields a stiffer and lighter frame, better standover height, and a more progressive shock rate than the horizontal shock position of the original Shuttle.

Aiding the execution of this new frame design is a more compact battery capsule. Drawn up by Pivot’s engineering team (and executed by Darfon), the battery sits as low as possible in the frame. The front of the Shimano EP8 motor gets raised, allowing the battery to slide out from below. This battery is designated “Shimano Certified” and all warranty issues are handled directly by Shimano.

Like all Pivot full suspension frames since the brand’s inception in 2007, the Shuttle LT uses dw-link short dual-link suspension. Pivot equips its bikes with Fox suspension exclusively. However, the LT uses a standard-sized shock (205mm x 65mm trunnion mount), and the frame is coil-over compatible (riders can change to a different shock if desired).

What sticks with me most about my time with the Shuttle LT is this e-bike's agile and maneuverable feeling. The Shuttle LT's travel and weight are in-line with other long-travel e-bikes. But I have never been as comfortable on a full-power e-bike as I felt on this bike. On the big e-bikes, I usually feel like I am along for the ride, finding it best to point them in the approximate direction I want to go and hang on. I didn’t have that sensation on the LT. This Pivot is a long-travel and heavy e-bike, but I could toss it around, finesse it, and be more precise with it than on any other bike in the category. The Shuttle LT is a full-power e-bike I can almost ride like I do an unpowered bike. I felt more comfortable and confident, more quickly, on the LT than on any e-mountain bike I have yet ridden. It feels freakin' dialed in. Plus the Shuttle LT has one of the best e-bike motors and a generously sized battery.—M.P.

READ FULL SHUTTLE LT REVIEW

Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay

Perhaps you live near some great downhill runs but have no lift or no buddy with a truck to shuttle those trails? Or do you like just knocking out lap after lap of gravity-assisted fun? If you’re seeking an enduro-capable rig that’ll ensure you get tired from ripping descents before your legs give out, Rocky Mountain’s Altitude Powerplay is worth your consideration. The 720Wh battery holds enough juice to comfortably ride 3 hours of total ride time at the local enduro trails.

The Powerplay’s appropriately named “Ludicrous” mode gets you to the top of climbs in record time, then let it rip on the way back down. Three more reasonable assist modes can take the bike from a tame, lightly assisted, long-distance machine to an uphill rocket. With the options of no assist, Eco, Trail, or Trail+, I could fine-tune the assist levels while riding on the trail. Need some help keeping the bike moving over mellow trails, choose Eco. Want to have a little punch out of some not-so-steep corners, Trail is great for that. Need to pedal up a technical rock section, Trail+ made quick work of sections like that without making the bike feel unruly.

Once dropped in, the Altitude Powerplay stays composed and feels incredibly well-balanced on various types of trails. Riding the Powerplay encouraged me to ride faster, even over some very rough sections. The 170/160mm of front and rear travel (paired with burly tires and CushCore inserts) affords you plenty of room for error. This robust feel makes the bike ride much like a non-assist Rocky enduro bike on the descents, just a little more planted, thanks to the bike’s added weight. Riding the Altitude, I had to adjust my riding style to be more flat-out and point-and-go in sections where I typically get a little more playful popping off rocks to avoid roots or changing lines quickly. The added weight of the Powerplay makes sudden line changes a bit more challenging. The bike instead rewards riders who aren’t afraid to commit to a line and stick with it.—Trevor Raab

Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite

Liv introduced the Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite, its first performance carbon trail e-MTB. The Intrigue features a 29-inch front wheel and 27.5-inch rear for a zippy ride that can handle tough descents and technical climbs.

Liv was founded in 2008 by Giant executive Bonnie Tu and is the only full-range cycling brand dedicated to women. The Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite was custom-designed using only data on women’s body dimensions. Components like handlebars and grips are selected to offer as close to a perfect fit as possible for each frame size.

The Liv’s most impressive feature is its clean-looking 400Wh battery inside the frame’s downtube. The 22,700-cell battery is exclusive to Liv’s e-bikes. When fully charged, the battery has up to a 93-mile range.

The best part is the battery’s small size, which allowed Liv to significantly slim down the bike’s downtube. From across the room, you can barely tell that the Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite is an e-bike. Another plus, the battery is compatible with bike lights via a light connector behind the headtube for those who ride trails at night.

Like most mountain bikes in Liv’s repertoire, the Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite features the Maestro suspension system. The Intrigue X models pair 140mm of rear travel with 150mm forks to hit the sweet spot of trail bikes—not too little for burlier trails or technical descents, but not too much that it weighs down the bike or makes the bike too slow for flatter terrain.

Riding the Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite showed me the future of ultralightweight electric mountain bikes, and it looks very promising. Not only did Liv make a significantly lighter, more powerful, and virtually standard-looking electric mountain bike, but the integration of the features looks, feels, and works seamlessly. It is a clean-looking bike with sleek and user-friendly qualities that provide a top-notch experience.

The Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite has a great motor, so climbing is a non-issue unless you run out of battery power. And the mullet setup lowers your center of mass to make descending feel more confident. The bike is 15 lb. lighter than its previous version, making it significantly easier to load in and out of a car, and if you must hike a bike, the Walk Assist is there to save you. At 41 pounds, the bike is heavy compared to an acoustic equivalent, but to be honest, I didn't even notice the weight during my riding.

As my first rides with an e-MTB, I expected to face more of a learning curve when familiarizing myself with the support modes. On the first day of riding, I relied heavily on the Intrigue’s Smart Assist, which proportionally responds to the pressure you put down on the pedals. And to my surprise, it felt quite “natural.” The response time is almost immediate, and unless you abuse your newfound power, it won’t jolt away, allowing you to rescue yourself from all kinds of tricky situations.

This made me realize that, more often than not, what I usually lack when riding my “acoustic” mountain bike at home are torque and speed as opposed to skill (in most scenarios, in the type of riding I do). The ability to make the most out of your available riding time provides a great boost in confidence. It also gives a feeling of productivity when it comes to skill development—or just having the most amount of fun. If you use an e-MTB like this one efficiently and smartly (and safely), you will constantly surprise yourself with what you can do on the trails. In short, I challenged myself and conquered features I wouldn’t have tried otherwise. That, alone, is worth the money for many riders.—Rosael Torres Davis

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