Intro 0:00

A few years back, I made it my goal to find my dream XC race bike. I started with the Polygon Syncline C3, and I upgraded that bike into a legit beast. The next year I moved over to the Marin Team 2. I added carbon wheels from Hunt and a SRAM AXS drivetrain to get to one of the most fun, fastest hardtail XC bikes I’ve been on.

The Idea 0:42

In the midst of training for my annual 50 mile XC style MTB race (The BT Epic), I started getting the urge to upgrade to a short travel, full-suspension XC bike. This year I’ve become familiar with a brand that is new to the USA, but has a solid international reputation – Superior Bikes – which are now being distributed through BikesOnline.com. I’ve ridden the budget friendly hardtail XP919 and the EXF9039B all mountain style eMTB, and I was really surprised by both. Then, I found the Superior Team XF 29 Issue R and my goodness, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Buying the Bike 1:43

Eventually, I decided to stop dreaming and stop looking, and actually buy this thing. I reached out to my friends at BikesOnline.com and told them I wanted to buy this for my personal use. They asked me if I would make some content, and I said, “Absolutely.” So, over the next 3 months you’re going to see more videos about this bike of me training, potentially doing upgrades, and of course, my race day at BT Epic. During training I’ll also be using my Polygon T9 and the EXF9039B eMTB to gain the skills and strength I’ll need to take on the BT Epic.

Price 2:31

If you’ve seen very much of my content, you know I’ve had a lot of budget friendly bikes, and let’s just get this out of the way… this bike is not cheap. However, if you factor in the quality parts that are coming on this bike, it’s a really good value compared to the bigger brand’s prices for an equivalent bike. Not to mention, right now it’s $1,200 off at BikesOnline.

Specs 3:13

The Issue R is equipped with a load of goodies. Let’s start with the basics. The front suspension is 110 mm DT Swiss F232 and the rear is 100 mm DT Swiss R232. Both are controlled simultaneously with the DT Swiss Two In One remote lockout. The frame is a high modular carbon that offers a stiff but forgiving ride, and there’s room in the main triangle for 2 bottle cages.

Drivetrain 4:31

This is an all mechanical setup a Shimano XTR shifter, cassette, and rear derailleur while the chain is a Shimano XT. The crankset is a Race Face Next SL with carbon crank arms and a 34T chainring. They also went with XTR for the brakes using 160mm rotors on the front and rear with 2-piston XTR calipers. The wheel set is the tubeless ready DT Swiss XRC 1501 29″ carbon, and they are incredibly light – coming in at just over 1200g. These wheels are wrapped with Schwalbe 2.25 Racing Ray in the front and a Schwalbe 2.25 Racing Ralph in the rear.

Cockpit 5:32

The cockpit is helmed by a One Race 760mm carbon handle bar connected to an allow One Race stem. On either end of the bar you’ll find One lock-on grips.

The dropper post is kind of special. It’s a carbon Crank Brothers Highline 11 with 150mm of travel. A carbon dropper has never been on my radar, but it looks amazing and we’ll just have to see about its longevity. Connecting me to that dropper will be Fizik Terra Argo X3 saddle.

Weight 6:33

Right out of the box: I went tubeless, added Shimano’s most basic SPD pedals, added a computer mount, shortened one of the cables, and added some Ride Wrap frame protection. After that, this bike weighed in at just under 24 lbs (10.89 kg).

First Ride 7:26 (loads of POV riding)

After all the time spent dreaming before buying and then the time spent with set-up, I had to wonder, “Did I hype this bike up too much?” I didn’t even throw a leg over this bike until the Ride Wrap was installed. Could it possibly perform the way I’ve built it up in my mind?

I have a local MTB trail system that is perfect for testing XC bikes, and I’ve used it in a bunch of my videos. Fellows Lake, located in Springfield, MO, has smooth, flowy single track, some climbs, some switchbacks, and a few (very little) technical sections. Fellows is built for speed and so is the Superior Issue R. My first ride on this bike was only about 14.5 miles, but I could tell that in the first few feet of trail this bike just wants to accelerate like it’s being shot out of a cannon. It’s snappy but not twitchy. In summary, it rides like a dream.

Final Thoughts

My first ride was so so good, but I want to discuss one last thing. This bike frame is not UDH compatible. It has a regular derailleur hanger, so if you are wanting to go wireless, SRAM Transmission will not be compatible. Not a game changer, just something to be aware of.

If you’re interested in this bike, or anything else on BikesOnline, I’d really appreciate it if you used my links. It won’t cost you anything extra, but it really helps out my channel.

https://bikesonline-usa.sjv.io/rQvrrG

For Starters

I have reviewed over 50 eBikes and talked to well over 100 people and I can tell you this: The average person in your life probably would prefer a step-thru style bike. They offer a level of comfort and ability to get on and off like no other bike out there. Anybody who’s intimidated by a bike can get on and start riding.

Why the Magicycle CT-1 Stands Out

The territory that the CT-1 occupies is a crowded marketplace. Here are some of the things I think make the CT-1 stand out over the competition (1:18).

1. Most bikes in this price range and class come with a 500 watt motor, but the CT-1 comes with a 750 watt motor that peaks at 1100 watts. You know I test all the eBikes on a 19% hill so check that out at 1:51 in my video above.
2. The CT-1 has a cadence sensor and a torque sensor, and you can choose either option from the onboard computer screen without swapping out any parts. Most other bikes offer one or the other – not both.
3. The CT-1 is a lighter weight bike (54lbs.) and offers a higher weight capacity (400 lbs.) than a lot of other eBikes (65+ lbs. & around 300 lbs.) in this class.

Drivetrain

The CT-1 comes with a Shimano 7-spd drivetrain. This will be a super reliable system from a reputable company, and when you need it serviced you’ll be able to go to any local bike shop.

Brakes & Tires

The brakes on the CT-1 are a 2-piston hydraulic system with 180mm rotors on the front and rear. The wheels are a common bike size at 26″ so you won’t have a hard time finding replacements for the wheels, tires, or tubes. The tires are 26 x 2.1 which are perfectly plush for cruising the city streets.

Design and Comfort

The CT-1 offers an adjustable stem and aims to fit riders between 5’5″ & 6’8″ tall. The rear rack has a nice strap included from Magicycle, and the rear tail light is built in to that rack so you’re more visible to motorists. The rack is rated for 55 lbs. and fits most standard pannier bags for extra cargo. This bike comes with metal fenders to protect the gorgeous paint of which you can pick from 5 colors.

Battery

The battery on the CT-1 is removable from the top of the downtube for easy in-home or office charging. After reviewing a ton of eBikes, I really appreciate when companies make this accessible from the top. It’s just so much more convenient. The CT-1 uses a 15Ah battery to power a 48V system to give you an estimated max range of 60 miles.

Conclusion

Overall I enjoyed this bike for what it is – which is a comfy cruiser bike. If you liked what you saw here and want to buy your own (or just do a little more research) please use my link as it lets Magicycle know that I sent you and it really helps out the channel. Thanks, and until next time, get out there and ride your bike.

http://shrsl.com/4njtb and remember to use code RBMIKE for $100 off.

For Starters

Hey! Today I’m reviewing a couple of hitch-mounted bike racks from Hyperax. The video above starts out with me walking you through assembling the two bike Volt SP before we get into some specifics about the racks and finally a road demo starting at 6:47 in the video. Let’s go!

Rack Ratings

If the readers of this blog are like some of my friends, then you want to jump straight into the stats. The trays on the 2-bike Volt SP and the 1-bike Volt 1x are the same and are capable of holding up to a 5″ wide tire and up to 80 lbs. (36.29kg) in each tray. That’s 160 lbs. (72.58kg) on the 2-bike model! The hitch only comes in a 2″ version and has a threaded hitch pin to help tame the wobble. The max wheelbase is 48″ which should fit the majority of modern bikes.

***RV Certified*** when used with a 2″ class 3 or higher receiver hitch.

Ease of Use

The thing I love about these racks is that they have a slide out ramp and they rotate down to make loading even the heaviest e-bike super easy. As you push the bike up on the rack it just rotates around and locks into place. You’ll have to go to 3:32 in my video above to really see what I mean. It’s so easy.

Another thing I love about these racks is the hydraulic assist on the pivot up and down on the 2-bike Volt SP. Again, it might just be easier to go to 2:24 in my video to see what I’m talking about.

Additional Features I like

The straps that hold the wheels in place are highly adjustable along a channel. There are little white reflective stickers all over this thing for dark parking lot safety. The hitch lock and middle arm lock(s) are keyed the same, so you just need one key. They also include a cable lock to secure your bike(s) to the rack, straps to further ensure that your bike stays on the rack, some tire strap extenders in case you’re hauling a fat tire, and some padded frame protectors for the top tube connection points.

The thing that’s not included is the Step Thru Adapter kit if you have a step-thru style bike. The Troxus I showed in my video is a step-thru, but the bottom is thick enough that the clamp engaged without issue, but your individual mileage may vary.

Wrapping Up

I really think both of these racks from Hyperax are super solid offerings. I’m a big fan of the single bike Volt 1x as I keep a 1 bike rack on my truck all the time, but being able to haul 160 lbs. of bike on the Volt SP might be what you’re after. If you like what you’ve seen I’d really appreciate it if you used my links. It lets Hyperax know that you came to see them from my channel and it really helps me out without costing you any extra. Here are those links one more time Volt 1x, Volt SP, Volt, and Step Thru Adapter.

For Starters

The Tenways CGO800s is a purpose built cruiser bike with a simple, sleek design worthy of a tech-engineer’s dreams. Any Tenways bike I have received has arrived in a standard bike box. Inside that box you will find a very nicely packed bike that is around 80-85% assembled. It comes with all the tools you need to install the handle bars, front fender, front wheel, and the pedals.

Design & Comfort

The Tenways CGO800s has simplicity written all over it with a single speed, belt driven drivetrain and the display built right into the stem. There is no clutter in this cockpit. Add an upright riding style to a step thru design and an SR Suntour front fork and this city cruiser is also built for comfort. They’ve even added a rear rack and fenders to make this your go-to errand runner, no matter the weather.

Motor Power

The Tenways CGO800s has a 350 watt rear hub motor with 45 Nm of torque, and it’s a true class 1 eBike with a 20 mph max pedal assist and no throttle. I found that on flat ground I was able to comfortable cruise at 16-17 mph before I felt spun out. Tenways claims this bike can handle 15% grades on hills but will be limited by your strength. I took it to my 19% eBike testing hill and it definitely gave me a work, though I did make it to the top.

Lighting & Safety

The Tenways CGO800s has a front headlight as well as a rear taillight with built in turn signals. If you are going to be doing any riding at dawn/dusk or after dark, you owe it to yourself to check out magicshine.com and use my code “RunBikeMike15” for 15% off your purchase.

Brakes & Tires

The Tenways CGO800s comes with Tektro hydraulic disc brakes which watchers of my channel know I’m a fan of. The tires are 700 x 48c with a nice street tread for a comfortable ride.

Drivetrain

The Tenways CGO800s is equipped with a Gates carbon belt drive. This is a single speed set up with zero maintenance, zero slipped chains, and zero rattle. The belt should be good to go for over 10,000 miles, which for a lot of riders is more than a lifetime of riding. The simplicity of this system is absolutely wonderful, but it will limit you on top speed and what kind of hills you can climb.

Battery

The Tenways CGO800s is a 36 volt system powered by a 10.4 Ah battery claiming around 370 Wh. Tenways claims this is good enough for up to 53 miles of range depending on external conditions. The batteries are perfectly color matched to each of the three frame color options, and they can be charged on or off the bike in about 3-4 hours for a full charge.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this review of the Tenways CGO800s. Go checkout the Tenways website and see the other options they have too. From August 1 – August 25, 2024 Tenways is running a back to school sale:

1. CGO600 Pro
   • Avocado Green: $600 off
   • Other colors: $500 off
2. CGO800S
   • $400 off + $19.90 Front Carrier & Pannier Bag
3. AGO X
   • XL: $600 off
4. Special Offer
   • Buy 2 and save an extra $200

The Camera

Over the years I’ve tried really hard to get good quality POV (point of view) footage of the trails. I’ve had every GoPro from the original GoPro Hero all the way up to the GoPro Hero 12. I’ve messed with settings and different editing techniques on the computer in an endless quest to get steady POV shots.

I’ve recently switched over to the DJI Osmo Action 4, and this camera is at the absolute pinnacle of action cameras at this time. The stabilization is amazing, and its ability to go from light to dark areas quickly is a game changer. The video isn’t necessarily why I switched to the DJI, though…

The Microphone

The DJI Mic 2 is a completely wireless, dual microphone setup for your camera. This definitely blows GoPro out of the water in this category because you no longer have to use something like the media mod. You just clip these microphones anywhere on your body or your bike and you get really crisp, clean sounds. In my opinion, the audio on POV footage is just as important as the video. While it may be the reason I switched, the audio is not the real main reason I wanted to talk to you about the DJI Osmo Action 4.

The Video

The point of this post (and the video linked above) is to talk about capturing really good POV footage – especially in darker conditions. There are two good ways to capture good footage after the sun goes down.

LIGHTS – One is to have a good set of bike lights. The more light that you can produce in front of your bike, the more stable the footage will actually be. I’ve been using Magicshine lights for a long time and recently they became a sponsor of my channel. If you use this link and my code RunBikeMike15 you can save 15% on a really great light. The one I’m using in the video is the EVO1700.

MOUNTS – The other important thing is the camera mount. The two main camera mount styles are the chin mount on a full-face helmet and the chest mount. I really like the chin mount if I’m shooting downhill or enduro style footage, but if it’s XC I just find the full-face helmet to be uncomfortable and opt for a chest mount.

The Mount

Now, a typical chest mount has elastic straps and over time, the elastic wears out and it just doesn’t fit as good or stay as stable as when you first get it. Any jiggling in your camera mount will result in less crispy footage, especially in dark conditions. If you’ve watched my channel for a while, you know that I’m a huge budget guy. I’ve also shot a lot of POV footage that has been unusable due to an unstable mount. If you want the best stabilization, you can’t go the cheap route. That led me to my current setup: a USWE hydration pack combined with a USWE action cam chest mount (pronounced you-sweeee). This not only gives me the benefit of a hydration pack and convenient storage for all my gear when I go ride, but it’s also an extremely stable mount for my action camera. USWE uses what they call No Dancing Monkey (NDM) technology to make sure their packs are not bouncing all over the place while you’re riding, and they have really taken hold recently in the off-road cycling community.

The Results

I have been able to capture some of the smoothest night riding shots that I’ve ever captured with a chest mounted camera. Please check out the video linked above starting around 3:40 for example footage from my DJI Osmo Action 4 combined with the USWE pack and chest mount from a recent gravel night ride. The DJI is really good at capturing night footage compared to GoPros I’ve used in the past. The DJI seems to be able to pull out light from the environment even when it seems really dark out. It doesn’t just stabilize the images right in the middle of the frame, but all the way out to the edges of the shot where you sometimes get what I call jitter motion on the sides.

Conclusion

This setup took me a couple of years to really dial in – different cameras, different mounts, different settings on the cameras – and I’m really happy with where I’ve currently landed. So, if you want to start capturing quality POV footage get a good action camera like the DJI Osmo Action 4, pick up a USWE pack and chest mount, and grab some high quality lights from Magicshine.

For Starters

Hey! If you’ve been following my channel (or this blog), then you’ve likely already seen two of these bikes. If not, here are the links for those:

Velotric Summit 1 – YouTube video and Blog Post

Velotric Discover 2 – YouTube video and Blog Post

Today, I also have the Velotric Fold 1 to add to the mix. These are three of Veltoric’s top sellers, and I’m going to dive into their features as well as try to help you determine what style of eBike might suit your needs. Let’s get into it!

Summit 1 Highlights

• Style is for mountain biking with modern geometry.
• Compared to the other bikes, you’ll get:
  • a wider handlebar for stability
  • a more forward leaning position
  • better suspension for heading off-road
  • 27.5 tires with a knobby tread pattern great for off-road
  • a full-color display
• Can be set up as a class 1, 2, or 3 eBike – capable of hitting speeds up to 32mph (51kmh)

Discover 2 Highlights

• Traditional Hybrid style eBike with step-thru design
• Can be set up as a class 1, 2, or 3 eBike – capable of hitting speeds up to 32mph (51kmh)
• Comes with with fenders and a rear rack making it ideal for city commuting
• Compared to the other bikes, you’ll get:
  • a more upright riding position
  • smooth tread, 2.4″ wide tires – super plush
  • full-size wheels
  • a full-color display

Fold 1 Highlights

• IT FOLDS! People find this to be a great feature if they have a small space where they live or work, and it’s also great for campers
• Can be set up as a class 1, 2, or 3 eBike – capable of hitting speeds up to 32mph (51kmh)
• Compared to the other bikes, you’ll get:
  • a primarily paved-path loving bike – smaller wheels with 3″ wide tires and very light suspension makes it great for city streets and greenway paths
  • upright riding position and ergonomic grips
  • again, it folds – great for small spaces
  • the rear rack will hold 120 pounds!

Velotric Standards

These are the things that you’ll get from any of these Velotric bikes:

• No skimping on the motors. All three have 750 watt rear-hub motors, though the available torque on each bike is different
• Big batteries (given the size of bike) offering around 70 miles of range for Summit 1 and Discover 2 and 55 miles of range for Fold 1.
• Charge time from a fully dead battery is just a few hours
• All batteries have a UL certification with a high water resistance rating
• Throttle will take you to top speed – some brands only allow you to hit top speed if you’re pedaling, but Velotric allows you to hit that top speed just using the throttle
• Multiple mounting points on the frame for bottles and accessories
• Hydraulic Tektro brakes with 180mm rotors front and back – going fast is only fun if you can stop
• Headlights and taillights (with a brake light also) on all models – Discover 2 also has turn signals
• All batteries are removable which is great for convenience

Conclusion

Looking for compact and portable? That’s the Fold 1. Maybe speed and comfort with a nice step-thru design? Check out the Discover 2. Looking to shred the trails and get rowdy? The Summit 1 is calling your name.

If you found this useful, head on over to Velotric’s site to check them out and use my discount code mikes1v1rv60 to save $60. Thanks for stopping by! Now, go ride your bike.

For Starters

Hey everyone, today we’re reviewing an analog XC race bike from the brand Superior. This is a Czech company that is making its U.S. debut. When riding XC style trails, the bike can make or break the experience. The XP919 is a budget friendly ($950), but really solid, XC style bike to either add to your stable of bikes or get you started out on the trails. Let’s get into it!

Geometry and Build

The XP919 has an aluminum frame and traditional XC geometry. That includes a 69° head tube angle and 74° seat tube angle. I noticed that there wasn’t a lot of extra material around where the seat tube, top tube, and seat stay all come together. I felt like this (along with the pretty small diameter seat stay tubes) gave the bike the slightest amount of shock absorption in the rear end on my local XC trail. It’s not going to eat up big bumps, but on smooth dirt I felt like it reduced the vibrations.

Drivetrain

FULL SHIMANO – 12 speed drivetrain. The XP919 has an SLX rear derailleur with built in clutch and a 10-51T Deore cassette. The Shimano chain runs up and around a 34T Shimano crankset. This is all controlled from the cockpit with Deore shifters.

Front Fork

With the XP919 being less than 1,000 USD you might think that the front fork would be a spring suspension – and you’d be wrong. This bike comes with a RockShox Judy air fork with remote lockout and 100mm of travel.

Wheels and Tires

The wheel set is nothing to write home about, but Superior did use quality Shimano hubs with thru-axles and boost spacing with some Scwalbe tires. Now these Racing Ralph tires are not tubeless ready and do have a wire bead. So, a quick and cheap way to drop a couple of pounds off the starting weight of this bike would be to buy some tubeless tires and some sealant. Here’s a video of how to go tubeless!

Brakes

Part of going fast is being able to stop, and Superior didn’t skimp on the brakes either. The XP919 has a Shimano 2-piston hydraulic calipers with 160mm rear and 180mm front rotors. The levers controlling that stopping power are Shimano MT410s.

The Contact Points

The XP919 has 760mm bars with nice lock-on grips all made by One. These attach to the frame via an 80mm stem, also made by One. This stem is longer than you might be used to if you’re used to trail bikes, but is pretty standard for XC. Also connecting you to the bike is a Fizik Terra Aidon X5 saddle setting on a One seat post. Now, I will point out here that this bike is not compatible with an internally routed dropper post.

Conclusion

I really wasn’t expecting the XP919 to be that great straight out of the box because of the price. I thought this would be a good bike to do some upgrades, but I was pleasantly surprised. This really is a great bike right out of the box, and I’m hopeful to get a chance to see one of their higher end bikes in the future.

If this bike seems right for you, I’d appreciate it if you used my link. It won’t cost you any extra, and it really helps out my channel. https://bikesonline-usa.sjv.io/PyGWGY

For Starters

Alright, everybody. This bike is a purpose built, premium commuter style e-bike. But, if you’re here for my regular e-bike review, then it’s time to strap in. This week, we’re doing something a bit different. I’m going to raid the parts bin and see how trail-capable I can make this bike. Let’s dive in on the Prodigy V2 from Ride1Up.

Out of the box Prodigy V2 setup

There is a chain-drive or belt-drive version of this bike. We’re working with the chain-drive version, which comes with an Advent Microshift 9-speed drivetrain. The derailleur does not have a clutch built in (no big deal for commuting). This bike comes with a mid-drive Brose motor capable of generating 90Nm of torque. That mid-drive motor is going to make this a perfect eMTB crossover. The battery is a 36V 14Ah battery that will give you 30-50 miles of range. You get 100mm of travel out of the front air fork. That fork is connected to 27.5 x 2.25 Maxxis Rekon Race tires. Stopping those tires is the job of the Tektro 4 piston Orion hydraulic brakes and 180mm rotors. The Prodigy V2 also comes with metal fenders and a rear rack with built in lights.

The first thing I did, was just remove the fenders and the rear rack. In removing the rear rack, I also had to disconnect some wires from the motor. Check out my video above to see how I did that! I also removed the shift sensor, which cuts off the motor anytime you shift. That’s great for reducing wear and tear on your drivetrain, but in a technical single track situation, I don’t want to lose power. I swapped out the stock seat for a WTB.

Bars and Stem

Maybe the cheapest and easiest way to make this feel like an MTB is to replace the bars and stem. I’m putting on Full Send 780mm bars from FUNN and a 35mm FUNN Equalizer stem. To the end of these bars I added FUNN lock-on grips.

Drivetrain

I’ll be taking the Prodigy V2 from a 9-speed to a 12-speed bike. I’ll be removing all the Advent stuff, and in its place I’ll put on:

• Shimano SLX 12-speed shifter
• Shimano Deore XT derailleur with built-in clutch
• Sunrace 12-speed cassette (hg hub)
• KMC 12-speed chain
• Deckas narrow-wide 34T chainring

Front-end

The front fork is a decent air fork, and it has a quick release skewer, but I’m going to convert to a better fork with a thru-axle. I’ll be installing a RockShox SID Select Plus fork with boost spacing and 120mm of travel… oh yeah, and it’s a 29er. That’s right, we’re making this bike a mullet in the process! I picked up a Maxxis Rekon Race 29 x 2.35 to match the rear tire, and I’m installing that on 29″ rim from a previous build.

Some highlights and downfalls of the conversion

First trip out on this upgraded setup was a 12-mile XC adventure. This bike was fully capable, and the mullet style was really enjoyable. The beefy 29er up front stomped over the terrain with ease, and the rear 27.5 felt really nimble, if not wild at times. To no one’s surprise, the Shimano drivetrain worked flawlessly. Whether you convert to eMTB or just want a more robust drivetrain for a hillier commute, this is a proven way to do it.

A big downfall of this particular bike being your full-time eMTB machine is the rear axle. It’s a threaded solid axle instead of a thru-axle or quick release. Generally a mid-drive bike has at least a quick release. The other thing that makes this a hard sell as a modern eMTB is the lack of being able to run an internally routed dropper post. I looked it over from every angle, and it’s just not feasible.

Conclusion

I’m definitely going to keep taking this bike out to my local trails. As I mentioned in the video, we’ve had a lot of rain recently that kept me from visiting the XC park I wanted to hit for this video. I think this bike is ideal for that area, but all-in-all, I think this bike is best served as a commuter. Ride1Up – I really hope you have a true eMTB lined up for future release because you’re already really close.

If you enjoyed this and you want to pick up your own Prodigy, I’d really appreciate if you used my links. It doesn’t cost you any extra, and it really helps out my channel.

https://go.ride1up.com/SH82

for starters

The Hovsco Hovcart came with SO MUCH STUFF! We’ll get into that more down in the options section, and if you want to see what I’m talking about then go check out the video above. It took me about an hour to assemble the bike, and put on my desired accessories. This bike arrives as a class 2 e-bike (throttle & 20mph max), but you can unlock the class 3 (throttle & 28mph max) potential in the app. This can be unlocked without the app see description within my YouTube video.

design & comfort

The high-rise bars on the Hovcart put you in a nice, upright position. On the ends of those bars are ergonomic, dual lock-on grips. The left side is where you’ll find the thumb throttle and the control pad for your pedal-assist levels, lights, etc. It comes with front and rear plastic fenders, and what I consider to be a name brand – but budget friendly fork. It’s a Zoom fork, and it’s an entry-level spring fork, but it’s going to be just fine for this bike.

The kick stand is a two-foot kickstand like a scooter, as opposed to just the one side/leaning kick stand. This is important because when you’re loading your cargo…especially if it’s your kids, you don’t want the bike to be leaning. This will keep your bike upright and steady while you’re loading until you’re ready to take off. The seat was pretty comfortable, and it has a built-in handle to help you maneuver it when your off the bike.

but can this cargo bike haul???

Yeah! It’s got a max payload capacity of 450lbs (204kg), which includes rider weight. The front rack is attached to the frame, and it’s rated to hold 22lbs (10kg).

motor power

The Hovcart has a 750 watt rear hub motor. Hovsco claim that it will put out 1300 watts of power, but there is nowhere on the display that shows max or current output, so we just have to take their word for it. Now, I will say, for a 750 watt motor, it was really quiet. This bike did great on the hill climb test. The throttle was great to get up to speed and the torque sensor kicked in quickly to keep me going up that 19% grade. Speaking of the torque sensor, it performed adequately giving a little assist when I was pedaling lightly and more assist as I put in more pressure to the pedals.

lighting & safety

The Hovcart does come with a head light and a tail light. The headlight was as good as any other e-bike headlight I’ve reviewed which is to say, not great. If you are going to do much dawn, dusk, or night riding then for your safety, I absolutely recommend getting a quality headlight from MagicShine. Use Code “RunBikeMike15” to save 15% on your Magicshine light purchase. As for the tail light, it is a single LED on top with a large reflector underneath. It does not have any turn signals, but it does double as a brake light.

brakes & tires

The Hovcart does come with hydraulic disc brakes, which are a much better system than mechanical disc brakes. However, I’ve never heard of the company – Radius, but they have some nice features like a reach-adjust knob, so you don’t have to have an Allen key to adjust that. The rotors are 180mm front and back.

drivetrain

The Hovcart comes with a 7-speed Shimano thumb and trigger shifter, and an entry level Shimano derailleur. I found that it shifted well under load during my hill climb test.

battery

The Hovcart is a 48 volt system. The battery is Samsung cells, and a total of 15Ah. It’s not huge, but they claim 60 miles on flat ground in pedal assist 1. I have found that with cargo bikes, I tend to stay within about 5 miles of my house. So, for me, a 15Ah battery would be plenty big, but this is something you’ll need to consider. This is a step-thru style e-bike and something I always look for on this style frame is a battery that loads from the top side of the down tube. The Hovcart has that. It’s just so much more convenient for removal.

options

The Hovcart came stock with a really long rear rack with a wooden top. The Hovcart comes in several package options, so you may want to take advantage of any offers they currently are running. You can replace the wooden top with a cushioned seat, add foot boards, and depending on how small the people you’re hauling are, there is also a padded bar wrap-around to keep your toddlers where they belong. The setup I’m going with is a basket that sets on top of the wooden plank. This is great as a grocery-getter and errand runner.

conclusion

If you are looking for a cargo bike, I think the Hovcart is a great choice at $1700. If you are interested in the Hovcart, I’d really appreciate it if you used my links. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, but it really helps out my channel. https://hovsco.com/RunBikeMike

for starters

The Discover 2 is the second iteration of the extremely popular Discover 1 from Velotric, and it offers some really nice upgrades at an affordable price. It comes in four different colors and two different sizes. I reviewed a Large in Pine Green, and you can check that out in my review linked above.

design & comfort

This is a hybrid style e-bike with a step-thru design. The riding style will be very upright and comfortable for a lot of people. The bars are slightly swept back for a comfortable reach and the grips have a nice, subtle paddle design. DID SOMEBODY SAY CRUISE CONTROL?!?! Watch the video to see that in action. It’s super easy to engage and disengage. The color screen is large, bright, and super easy to read. The front fork has 80mm of travel with lockout and a little bit of preload adjustment. This has Apple Find My built in, and is weight rated for 440 pounds of total capacity.

motor power

The Discover 2 comes with a 750W rear hub motor providing 75Nm of torque output. In fact, if you’ve watched many of my e-bike reviews, you know I always put them through my hill climb test. This bike outperformed a lot of other bikes that claim to have even more power than what this bike says it offers. The motor is triggered by either the throttle or the torque sensor. I found both to be super responsive.

lighting & Safety

The Discover 2 came with a decent headlight; it’s very much on par with other bikes I’ve reviewed. If you’re going to do much dusk, dawn, or night riding, I would absolutely recommend getting a quality light from MagicShine. The taillight is pretty bright and doubles as a brake light when you squeeze the brakes. It also has integrated turn signals.

brakes & tires

The Discover 2 comes with Tektro brakes, and you know I’m a big fan of these. The front wheel is held in place with a thru-axle. The wheels are a standard 27.5. The Kenda tires are 27.5 x 2.4″ and were super smooth and quiet on the road.

drivetrain

The drivetrain is an 8-speed groupset from Shimano. The rear derailleur is Shimano Altus. This is a nice middle-of-the-road derailleur to keep you cruisin’ mile after mile. The crankset has a Velotric-branded narrow|wide 46T chainring.

battery

Velotric prides themselves on having every single battery UL certified, and the individual registration label is on the downtube of each bike. This battery provides 705Wh of output – good for 75 miles of range in pedal assist 1 in eco mode. Conveniently, the battery removes from the top side of the downtube.

options

The Discover 2 can be set up as a class 1, 2, or 3 e-bike. The top speed can be set up in the app or in the menu on the bike’s display. Set the top speed at or below 20, and you’ve got a class 2 with the throttle or class 1 without. The throttle is hinged for easy removal without having to take everything else off the bars. This all makes it really easy to stay compliant wherever you want to ride.

The Discover 2 ships with metal fenders and a rear rack. The rack is rated to hold 66 pounds (30Kg).

conclusion

I’m impressed with this bike. I’ve ridden a lot of hybrid bikes over the last year and this one just feels really premium. I can tell that Velotric has made a lot of the right kind of tweaks to their second iteration of this bike. To some, the 750W motor might seem like overkill on a hybrid, but if you live in a hilly area you’ll really like having that extra power. If you’re interested in purchasing the Discover 2, I’d really appreciate it if you used my link. It doesn’t cost you any extra, and it really helps out my channel. https://velotricebike.pxf.io/QyD3YA