New E-Bikes for 2016?

2016 has been a good year for new electric bikes so far. There haven’t been any startling new leaps in technology, but the latest bikes are pushing the pedelec market wider, encompassing a custom bike, lightweight folder and drop handlebar racer. There are bigger batteries, lower weights and an amazing retro bike.

The new Emu looks promising. All the ‘big ticket’ features you’d expect on a bike aimed at urban commuters are present and correct: two-year warranty, seven-speed Shimano Nexus hub gear, 374Wh battery and full LCD display. The quality looks good too, with a nice choice of colours and the battery smoothly integrated into the frame – it looks as if it was designed as a pedelec from the start. Price: £1499.

Batribike’s V’lec comes in at £999, a tiny folding machine that claims to weigh 10.6kg. If that’s true then it’s the lightest electric bike on the market – electric folders can weigh 20kg or more, but the V’lec promises to be far easier to lift, though the low weight has been achieved through a fairly basic spec. The 192Wh battery is small (Batribike claim 15-18 miles) and matches the 160W motor.

The Vintage Electric isn’t a commuter. Styled along the lines of a 1920s American board track, it’s built to order (in California says the UK importer) and looks stunning. Available from London dealer, Fully Charged, our favourite version is the E-Tracker (£4950).

Kalkhoff is the BMW of pedelecs, and this year has Impulse Evo, the latest update on its own drive system, with more torque and smart navigation. It’s 20% quieter than the drive it replaces, says Kalkhoff, and offers 80Nm of torque, while the big 612Wh battery is claimed to do ‘up to’ 127 miles. Yes that’s optimistic, but that’s a big battery. The flagship bikes also have toothed belt drive, but prices for them start at £2595.

EBCO has launched the sporty USR-75, a stripped down roadster with a good basic spec: Bosch drive, Shimano Deore nine-speed cluster and hydraulic disc brakes – but no lights, mudguards or rack. With a 400Wh battery, the USR looks like fun for focused commuting, and costs £1999. EBCO importer EBC is also importing the Corretec range (German-made road and mountain bikes) starting at £1999. One interesting addition is the Corretec LifeBike, designed for folk with mobility issues who wouldn’t normally cycle: easy step-through frame, hub gears and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, and it can take riders of up to 150kg.

Electric mountain bikes are a big growth market, and sporty pedelecs for the road are also appearing. Giant’s latest is the Road E+ (£2795), promising 80Nm (these little 250W motors can produce as much torque as a large motorcycle). The drive system is Yamaha SyncDrive, with a 500Wh battery and LCD dash, aluminium frame, 22-speed Shimano gearing and hydraulic disc brakes.

Lastly, let’s not forget Bultaco’s Brinco, tested off-road in E-Bike World last article, but arriving in the UK as we go to press in road-legal 28mph form. Strictly speaking, not a pedelec, and it needs to be registered as a moped. Either way, it looks like a lot of fun...