Have you noticed that e-bikes are suddenly everywhere?
All types of bikes have been flying off the shelves because of the pandemic, e-bikes included. But 2020 has also been particularly good for people who like scrambler-style electric bikes, like the ones made by Super73.
These types of e-bikes don't really have an official name, so we're going to call them e-scramblers. They're basically mopeds, in that they don't go super fast (usually topping out at 30 mph) and you don't need a license to ride them.
Aesthetically, though, e-scramblers share design lineage with café racers, scramblers, dirt bikes, and iconic retro bikes like the Honda CT90.
UBCO 2x2 Work Bike
UBCO's work bike sports a new black-on-black color scheme compared to the one we wrote about last year. The 2x2 tops out at 30 mph like many of the bikes on this list, but the 1 kW motor in each wheel means that you'll have all the torque and power you need to make it over tough terrain.
$6,499.00
BlackTea
The BlackTea has a top speed of 50 mph, and you may need a license to ride it, depending on what state you live in. It looks a lot more like a full-sized bike than the others on this list, so you'll probably appreciate that BlackTea is jumping through all the necessary regulatory hurdles to make it fully street legal, which you can follow on the company's Indiegogo page.
$3,429
Super73 R-Series
Super73 is, in technology terms, the elder statesmen of the e-scrambler arena. It launched the Kickstarter for the original Super73 back in May of 2016 and rest is history. The company's newest R-series bikes add full-suspension, critical for comfortable rides both on-and-off the road, and they start at a very affordable $2,795. The company also recently released a guide to e-bike laws in every state, a very much needed resource considering how confusing and circular the laws currently are.
$2,795
Spark Cycleworks Bandit
Spark Cycleworks' Bandit is a newer entry in the e-scrambler market, though the company refers to it as an e-moped. The Bandit will go a little faster than 35 mph according to the company's website, and it has a VIN number, making it easy to register and drive legally. It's got all the lights and mirrors you need, and it looks great, too.
$3,195
Sondors MadMods
Sondor's MadMods e-scrambler is actually a system with three different styles: Cafe, Retro, and Scrambler. Each has a few distinct features, like a windscreen on the Cafe model and knobby tires on the Scrambler. Sondors has been making regular e-bikes for a while now, and they're one of the few branded e-bikes I've personally spotted on the streets on New York. The MadMods system isn't the most powerful or the fastest, but it's definitely the most affordable.
$1,499
Delfast Cross Dirt
Delfast, the company behind the record-breaking range of the Delfast Prime, has an answer to the popular Sur Ron with the Cross Dirt. Like the BlackTea, the Deflast's Cross Dirt is more of a full-sized bike, but its long, padded seat gives it just a touch of that classic café racer style. Unfortunately, Delfast is discontinuing the Cross Dirt to focus on its Top 3.0 model, but its still available for a little while if you really like the package Delfast has put together here.