Swagtron the e-bike manufacturer is expanding its lineup of affordable e-bikes. All three of the new bikes are in the classic cruiser style with upright U-shaped handlebars and frames that mimic the sweeping lines of vintage beach bikes.
Cruiser bikes are suitable for casual city driving but look best drifting down a beach sand-covered trail or boardwalk. The upright style will appeal to those who do not desire to be hunched over handlebars and who do not worry about speed and aerodynamics. The bikes also come with Shimano 7-speed drive trains that makes it much easier to climb steep hills.
If the new bikes are much like the EB12 city bike that Swagtron released earlier this year the new bikes will be fun and affordable entry e-bikes that will be suitable for a large variety of buyers.
The EB 12
A recent article notes that although Swagtron may not make the best e-bikes, it makes quite good bikes at a very affordable price. The EB12 is Swagtron's first venture into the full-size e-bike: "The Swagtron EB12 looks almost like any standard pedal bike, save for the 270 Wh battery mounted on the rear rack. Tucked into the hub on the rear wheel is a 250 W geared hub motor.
Together, the battery and motor help the bike reach a maximum of 28 miles (45 km) of range and top speed of 16 mph (26 km/h)."
There is a rigid steel fork up front giving the bike an old-time feel. Weight limit for the rider is 264 pounds or 120 kg. The bike itself weight 39.4 pounds or 17.8 kilograms. This is quite light for an electric bike. Unlike many electric bikes the Swagtron boast a seven gear shifter.
The new e-bikes
The new models are the Eb9, EB10, and EBll. Each model has a 250-watt rear hub motor and a rear-rack mounted 36 volt battery. The battery can be locked as well as removable. Swagtron sells replacement batteries separately in case you need to swap one out while on the go because of the limited range.
The EB9 can reach up to 16.5 miles per hour. The EB10 and EB11 are a bit slower at 15.3 mph. This is rather slower than the majority of Class 2 e-bikes that typcially can reach 20 miles per hour. However, the Swagtron bikes are also much cheaper than most other bikes. The range of the EB9 is 28 miles versus 26 miles for the E10 and E11.
Swagtron e-bikes are lighter than many e-bikes making them easier to carry if need be. However, their e-bikes are lighter because they have smaller motors and batteries and so run slower. However, they are still heavy enough with the EB9 at 41.66 lbs, and both the EB10 and EB11 at 50.7 pounds.
Price
There are not many good e-bikes below one thousand dollars. The promotional price is $999 for each of the three the same price at the EB12. When the promotional price ends they will each sell for $1,111. They can be purchased at the company website, Amazon or select retailers. Tips on buying an e-bike can be found at the Verge.
The appended video reviews the earlier EB12.
Previously published in the Digital Journal
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