Pedal to the…drive motor? Coolest electric bicycles on the market

Electric bicycles are becoming increasingly popular in the personal commuter segment. They don't require a license to own, usually have enough range for city use and most of them can hit 20 mph without giving their user a sweat shower. This is indirectly leading to a reduction in air pollution, as these two-wheelers output no emission gases. That said, not all of these cycles are boring commuters, some are being built for enthusiasts, with some originating from the most unlikely of sources. 

Vintage Electric Shelby

If the title made you do a double-take, don't worry, you didn't read it wrong. This retro electric bicycle is the result of a collaboration between Shelby America and the California-based electric cycle manufacturer Vintage Electric. Aaron Shelby —Carroll Shelby's Grandson— claims the cycle follows Shelby's philosophy for performance, combining a lightweight hydroformed aluminium frame to a powerful 750W rear hub motor. This resulting electric cycle can reach a top speed of 36 mph on motor alone, making it one of fastest on the market. Range wise, the 1,123Wh battery gives the cycle a pure electric range of 40-76 miles with regenerative braking. To complete the look, the frame is painted with the signature N6 metallic blue with black racing stripes and the iconic Cobra badge decorates the cycle's top tube. Vintage Electric will be making a limited production run of only 300 Shelby bicycles, each being offered for $7,249. 

Ducati Mig-RR

Moving from one performance legend to another, the Italian supercycle maker Ducati has also entered into a partnership to build their built their own electric cycle. And as much to our disappointment, the partner is not the famous Russian fighter jet builder. Ducati has instead teamed up with the Italian electric cycle maker Thok, merging its manufacturing experience with Ducati's eye-catching design. The result is Mig-RR, an excellent mountain cycle featuring a 250W Shimano Steps E8000 mid-drive motor making 51.6 ft-lbs of torque. The torque figure is important, as the main purpose of an electric motor in a mountain cycle is to assist the rider in climbing steep mountain trails. This emphasis on torque is also reflected in the cycles pure-electric top speed, which is limited to 15 mph. In terms of range, the cycles 504Wh battery gives it a range 15–30 miles, but the cycle lacks regenerative breaking. Ducati is asking $7,130 for the Mig-RR, making it the cheapest Ducati new on the market, albeit the fact it comes with pedals. 

Swind EB-01

Remember how we said the Vintage Electric Shelby is one of the fastest electric bicycles you can buy? Well the EB-01 by the British company Swind is not "one of", but is the fastest electric bicycles currently on sale. Fitted with a 1,500W rear hub-mounted motor which delivers power through a 9-speed sequential gearbox, this cycle can reach an eye-watering top speed of 60 mph. Its ultralight carbon-aluminium frame holds the cycle's 1,750Wh battery, which gives the cycle a pure electric range of 80 miles with regenerative braking. Of course, such performance comes at a cost. For EB-01, it was its own identity. Most countries have a limit to just how fast and powerful an electric bicycle can be, and EB-01 pretty much exceeded most of them. This means countries such as the US will classify this as a motorcycle, requires its users to obtains a motorcycle license to ride one. Still, Swind will happily make you one of these two-wheel insanities on a made to order bases, for a low cost $20,000. 

Radpower Radwagon

Taking a break from the world of performance and adventure cycle, the Radpower Radwagon is a cycle for people who hauls stuff. It's a cargo bicycle that has a sturdy frame, plastic translucent fenders, a large cargo rack, and a 750W rear hub motor that can do burnouts. The cycle is designed to be a workhorse, having a maximum carrying capacity is 350 pounds. The rear deck alone can carry 120 pounds of items or can be fitted with two Yepp child seats to transformed it into a fun roadster. In terms of performance figures, the cycle has an electric top speed of 20 mph and the 672Wh removable battery gives it a range of 25-45 miles with regenerative braking. The biggest advantage of the Radwagon, however, is its price. At $1,499 it is the 2nd least expensive cycle on the list, being cheaper than some of our local 150cc motorcycles. 

Ride1Up 500

Now that you have looked up all the cycles on the list, you are probably wondering exactly what does a basic, wallet-friendly electric cycle looks like. Weill if we ignore the Russian roulette of Chinese electric bicycles, the Ride1Up 500 would be your answer. Made by San Diego based Ride1Up, the 500 is an electric bicycle won't break any record, except for its price to value ratio. It's a well-equipped Urban commuter that's fitted with 500W rear hub motor, capable of reaching 20 mph without pedal assist. The battery is a 500Wh pack, giving a cycle a range of 25-45 miles with regenerative braking. All these for a price of $1,195, or about as it would cost you to buy a decent entry-level motorcycle.