585 ebike rabbit hole part 7


Do we really have to do this? 

Yes, yes we do.

But you already got an ebike!

Yes, but it's not an eMTB.

But you already know the best budget eMTB! It's that Luna X2 up at the top.

Yes, but the 29er version is never in stock.

But you don't have the budget for even one of those!

Ok, ok, you're right. I'm not buying an eMTB any time soon. The universe has smiled upon me with a loaner, a used Rad Powerbikes Rad Rover 5. It's a 48v 750w rear hub motor 26x4" fat tire bike with about 14Ah of battery, a front suspension fork and mechanical disc brakes. Unlocked, it can hit about 24mph on flat ground, and travel maybe 15 miles on throttle only. Maybe. 

So why go on?

Because I have screenshots!

And maybe someday I'll have the budget for one of these bad boys. Maybe I'll even order it direct from Alibaba. This process has certainly been an education in ebikes, which is maybe what I was after in the first place.

It's a great time to buy an ebike, but also, in a couple years is going to be an even better time. Costs are coming down, innovation is arriving constantly. My guess is solid state batteries are maybe five years away. Belt drives are starting to happen. New form factors are getting consolidated (the small wheel cargo bike, for instance, which will hopefully be covered in a future post), and as that happens, more and more interesting competitors are piling in. 

This bike looks awful similar to a FLX Monster covered last time, or the Biktrix Monte Capro we're about to look at.

Of the Alibaba bikes I looked at, this "Trust" bike was pretty promising. It's Carbon Fiber, has a dropper post, all the goodies. It's also made to order in someone's living room.

Have we covered this already? Here's the Alibaba version of the Eunarau Urus.

And here's the marked-up version. That's the game, kids.

Except for the slightly eh 13Ah battery, this Cyctrac is pretty sweet looking.

This Markhor looks like it has everything I'd need to keep up with my brother-in-law's Specialized Turbo Levo. The price is pretty up there for Alibaba. YouTube reveals nothing about the brand.

Oh, but wait. Here it is again, for about a grand less. You know what that means? Someone in China is buying Alibaba bikes, marking them up, and then selling them on Alibaba! 

Apparently this is a thing.

Personally, I kind of like the "Snitch" name more. Apparently when you're buying on Alibaba, you look for the cheapest version of the same bike, and that's likely the actual manufacturer.

More to come, like those Biktrix bikes!

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