As many readers are no doubt already aware, last Thursday we attended the Charged Up e-bike media event at the Crystal Springs Resort in northern New Jersey. The day was mainly a chance for a select group of journalists to chat with representatives from a number of electric bike companies, and to ride some of their bikes around the resort grounds. While we've already profiled a few of the stand-outs, here's a quick look at some of the other e-bikes that caught our eye.
Say what you will about the attributes of electric bikes, but one thing we really noticed is that they are heavy. While the assistance provided by the motor largely makes up for that added weight, it was nonetheless nice to see a few that weighed almost as little as regular human-powered bikes. One in particular, the titanium-framed ProdecoTech Titanio 29er, claims the title of "world's lightest e-bike" at 32 lb (14.5 kg).
Additionally, although most of us probably think of e-bikes as commuters, it was fun to try out the electric mountain bikes. There's still some question, however, as to legality of taking motorized vehicles on off-road trails in different regions. The M1 Erzberg offers a compromise – its hub-motored rear wheel can be quickly swapped out for a regular wheel, turning it into a non-electric bike within seconds.
... and for people who secretly really want a motorcycle, there's the Outlaw SS. One of the most popular bikes at the event, its 750-watt motor runs in throttle mode only (there's no pedal-assist option), and it has a top speed of 28 mph (45 km/h).
You can see the Titanio, Erzberg, Outlaw SS and a bunch of other electrically-enhanced two-wheeled wonders, in the photo gallery.
