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Published Oct 2024
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26 April, 2022 By: Travis Deane
With more e-bikes popping up in bike shops across WA and more riders hoping on board, we check out some of the options across the ever-expanding range.
While the impact of supply chain issues and shortages is still being felt in the cycling industry, e-bikes are becoming a more mature product with refined models now filling most niches in cycling. They’re also barely looking like e-bikes, with batteries becoming much more discreet and incorporated into the frame rather than bolted on to it.
We look at some interesting e-bikes that are currently rolling around WA.
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Road e-bike: Specialized CREO
These carbon sub-10kg bikes are the pinnacle of engineering in the cycling world and they have the price tag to match. Working together, many cycling groups average 30+ km/h on their rides which means that not every e-bike will do. A lot of e-bike motors have a bit of drag after the motor stops assisting at 25km/h. Bikes like Specialized Creo address this by having special motors that add no resistance to the pedalling once the rider exceeds the assistance speed (25km/h). Weight is low in the frame and with high performance pedalling and handling being paramount, this is a high-performance road bike at its heart. Besides the bigger frame tube to hide the battery, these bikes look remarkably similar to their non e-bike cousins. The frames accommodate wider tyres beyond 40mm so gravel adventures are also an option. Available in several different builds these bikes even without a motor would cost between $5,000 to $15,000. Adding a motor brings the total costs to between $8000 and $22,000, with the top model only weighing 12kg. You’d think at that price they’d be hard to sell, but Nick from South Perth Cycles says his biggest problem is getting stock to keep up with demand. Last year they were the number one seller of Creos in Australia.
Folding e-bike: Smartmotion E20
Making e-bikes for the New Zealand postal service, Smartmotion knows how to build a tough and reliable e-bike. The redesigned E20 would be a great choice for caravanners or people living where space is a premium. While it is compact, it still weighs 25kg so being able to remove the heavy battery is welcomed if you need to carry it around. There’s even the option for a zipped cover bag to help keep your caravan neat. Once unfolded it has everything you need built in, front and rear lights, mud guards, kick stand and a bike rack. The rear hub motor is a necessary compromise to allow the bike to fold but it has a solid drivetrain with seven gears and disc brakes. Normally we’d prefer the more expensive hydraulic disc brakes but these mechanical brakes are simple, easily adjustable and hence a good choice for remote caravan trips. The bike can be easily adjusted for all shapes so unlike other bikes where a tall rider needs a different sized frame to a short rider, two completely different sized riders can easily use the same bike. It even has an USB port to recharge your phone. But having smaller 20” wheels results in a harsher ride than other bikes with a larger wheel. At $2400 this bike is well thought out.
Aggressive mountain e-bike: Specialized Kenevo
Did you know there is e-bike mountain bike racing in Western Australia? The Western Australia Gravity Enduro (WAGE) is one of the countries’ largest, with races in 2022 from Margaret River to Karratha. This mountain e-bike has its DNA in downhill racing, with equipment usually only seen on dedicated downhill race bikes. The Specialized Kenevo’s soul focus is getting riders down the hill as quickly as possible with a massive 180mm of travel front and rear. Places like the Goat Farm Mountain Bike Park in the Perth Hills test rider’s technical descending skills but until now you had to pedal back up. The Kenevo will help with that. Although its geometry isn’t designed for climbing, it will still get you back up the hill. Prices start from $9,500 through to $24,000. Stock is hard to find in Perth although the Giant Reign E+ is another option that has proven popular locally.
Trail mountain e-bike: Giant Trance X E+
The standard (non-e-bike) Giant Trance has been a hit with Western Australian riders for many years and is one of the most popular bikes rolling around the trails. So when they added a motor it was sure to raise some interest. With 150mm of travel in the front and 140mm on the rear, rolling on 29” tyres this bike is equal to the new high-end trail bikes that Western Australians are riding in their thousands every weekend. It’s a good choice for the majority of WA’s trails as this bike will also pedal very well up the hills. You can clip on an additional battery where your water bottle normally goes if you want to extend the adventure. Adjustable geometry makes the bike even more adaptable. Riders will put this bike through hell and back on the trails but with lots of shops selling Giant throughout the state and with excellent warranty support it would be an easy choice. Another option is the Specialized Levo which is also a great e-bike with many bike shops selling it in WA, too (although older Levos had issues with their motors). Prices are from $7,500-$13,000.
Beach cruiser e-bike: Electra Townie Go! 7D
This would be our pick for cruising down to the beach. This bike doesn’t scream e-bike. It used to have a larger battery on the back rack but this newly redesigned e-bike has seen the battery moved down inside the frame which is good as it centres and lowers the weight, making this bike light for a cheapish e-bike. The bike encourages you to cruise rather than race. With its minimalist design and keen pricing, there are no inbuilt lights. Lucky that tractor seat is so big, because you sit back on this bike with your weight going through your rear-end while your feet are out the front. The motor is in the rear hub which helps keep the price down and the seven gears are intuitive to operate from the twist selector on the handlebars. The black stepover version has bikie cool credentials.
The step through version comes in five delicious colours and they look like a fruit salad with names like Mango, Citron, Guava and Tahiti Blue. The big difference is the wheel size with the black stepover model getting the larger 27.5” wheels and the colourful step through models getting the smaller 26” wheels. We’d go for the larger tyres given the choice. Both roll on big ‘balloon’ tyres, ensuring a supple roll down the boardwalk. There are lots of mounting points on this e-bike meaning racks for baskets and paniers or even a specific surfboard mount is an option. With a small battery, the range is shorter than most at 65km. The brand Electra is actually made by Trek with loads of shops selling their products allowing for good local customer support. For $2,500 you get a simple-to-use e-bike with a lot of style. If you want to try out the beach cruising lifestyle, the newly opened thebikekiosk.com.au at the Mandurah Visitor Centre rents Norco Indie VLTs, giving your lots of cycle paths and beaches to explore.
The high milage commuter e-bike: Velo De Ville AEB 890 Belt
A busy life demands a workhorse that’s tough and very dependable, especially if you have no time for maintenance. A massive battery on the Velo De Ville AEB 890 Belt gives you many kilometres before needing a recharge. The chain is replaced by a belt drive requiring no oil. The internal gears in the hub keep the gears out of the weather resulting in years of faithful service. Inbuilt quality lights get you to and from work safely and racks mean your workload doesn’t need to be on your back. The Vello Da Ville AEB 890 Belt ticks all of these boxes but if we’re being honest, the weather in WA isn’t that bad so the belt drive is an optional luxury. These serious commuter bikes are something that the European brands have been doing well for years, offering gear that is proven to work. Prices start at around $4,000 and go to $6,000 for good quality and something that will give you years of faithful service.
perthelectricbikecentre.com.au
Converting your bike to an e-bike
With tight supply of e-bikes, if you already have a favourite bike, an option is to convert it to an e-bike. There are many options for ordering e-bike conversion kits online, but the problem with this is that the battery is the expensive part and quality is mixed. And a low-quality battery can be very dangerous. We’d go with a reputable battery brand like Panasonic or Samsung. It’s also important to buy from a reputable shop so you’re not being sold a counterfeit battery. Perth Electric Bicycles in Fremantle has been doing aftermarket conversion for years and for around $1,400 you get all the kits to convert your bike. With several different options for battery and engine locations, it’s best to wheel your bike in and they can advise as to the options.
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