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Welcome to Flywheel, a weekly exploration of owned and used micromobility. Each newsletter will highlight an observation of trends emerging in the industry and feature five of the most interesting vehicles/hardware in micromobility.

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The observation of the week explores ebike battery capacities. This week’s featured vehicles are two compact long-tail cargo bikes, a newly launched eMTB, a full-suspension fat-tire, and a premium commuter.

Observation of the Week

Ebike Battery Capacities

Given that the battery is responsible for a significant portion of the cost, utility, and potential safety concerns of an ebike, battery capacity is an interesting metric by which to benchmark ebikes.

The average battery capacity for ebikes found in the US secondary market is 618.04Wh. Given that the average MSRP for these ebikes is $2,438.43, this represents an average cost of $3.95 per Wh. Let’s dive a little deeper into Flywheel’s battery capacity data for used ebikes:

• Average Battery Capacity by Region

Used ebikes in Atlanta have the largest average battery capacity at 748.92Wh, while ebikes in Boston have the lowest average battery capacity at 390.2Wh. The remaining regions are fairly evenly distributed.

• Average Battery Capacity by Ebike Form Factor

Sport ebikes have the highest mean battery capacity, which is surprising considering that they’re often designed for higher physical effort when pedaling since they’re recreational vehicles. On a similar token, it’s also surprising that commuters have the lowest average battery capacity since they theoretically should be designed for high utilization and thereby high range.

• Average Battery Capacity by OEM Type

Ebikes from D2C OEMs have a considerably larger average battery capacity than ebikes from dealer-network OEMs, clocking in at 683.07Wh vs. 539.94Wh. This is due to the fact that a lot of dealer-network ebikes are class-1s that use Bosch batteries, and Bosch’s packs are most commonly specced at 400Wh or 500Wh.

• Average Battery Capacity by Ebike Class

Class-2 ebikes have the highest average battery capacity (673.68Wh). Since throttles have a lower power efficiency, class-2 ebikes need to have larger battery packs to achieve the same range as more power efficient, pedal-assistance focused classes. As the most power efficient class, class-1 ebikes have the lowest average battery capacity (485.06Wh).

• Average Battery Capacity by Safety Credentials

Lastly, bigger isn’t necessarily always better when it comes to ebike battery capacities. As you can see, ebikes with no safety credentials have a significantly higher average battery capacity (700Wh) than those that are UL certified (598.17Wh), those that are rated by Consumer Reports (444.05Wh), and those that are both UL certified and Consumer Reports rated (573.88Wh). Bigger battery packs are often a trick less reputable ebike OEMs use to convey value and overshadow the fact that their ebikes may not be as reliable or safe as those that have gone through more rigorous testing.

For more observations and resources on owned and used micromobility, check out rideflywheel.com/resources.

Featured Vehicles of the Week

1. Aventon Abound | $1,500 | SF - Bay Area

The Aventon Abound is a recently launched class-2 compact longtail cargo bike. Its powertrain features a high-torque 80Nm geared rear hub motor and a 720Wh battery pack, and the ebike system is TÜV certified in accordance with UL 2849. The Abound actually has a torque sensor that determines the pedal assistance, which is a rare inclusion on a vehicle at this price point. It also obviously has a throttle, which I believe is an underrated and incredibly valuable feature for cargo bikes to have. The Abound has a maximum payload capacity of 440lbs, and comes with an integrated rear rack and running boards. It also comes with several other standard features that make it ready to ride right out of the box, including hydraulic brakes, a suspension fork, turn signals, and a dropper seat. Aventon also has an extensive range of accessories to further tailor the Abound to specific applications. The Abound is priced somewhere between between the premium vehicles of brands like Tern and more economical options from the likes of Lectric or Rad Power. It offers a compelling blend of high-quality features and accessible pricing that marries the best aspects of luxury brands with the value of budget direct-to-consumer models. This listing has a mileage of 800mi and is being sold by the second owner of the vehicle. It comes with the original proof of purchase, an unused extra battery, and panniers. The seller does say that they lost the battery key, which can be a sign of a stolen bike. Potentially interested buyers should make sure to properly vet the proof of purchase. Listing can be found here.

2. Blix Packa Genie | $1,200 | SF - Bay Area

The Blix Packa Genie is a compact class-2 longtail cargo bike that is both affordable and high-quality. Its powertrain features a 90Nm Shimano rear-hub motor and a 614Wh battery, and can be expanded to a dual battery system with twice the range. This setup, combined with its 81” frame length (barely longer than that of a typical commuter) and 24” wheels, makes the Packa Genie remarkably agile with great low-speed control. The Packa Genie has a 450lbs payload capacity, and appropriately has hydraulic disc brakes, a throttle, and an automatic power cut-off to ensure responsive and secure stopping. Lastly, in addition to the integrated rear rack, the vehicle also has a modular rack system with several mounting points to make it highly configurable. The Packa Genie is another mid-market cargo bike that is priced just above budget cargo offerings like the Rad Power RadWagon and the Lectric XPedition. Its closest peer is the Aventon Abound, which has a slightly weaker motor but features a torque sensor and is UL certified. This listing is in good condition (Flywheel estimated mileage of 808.10mi) and was purchased in mid-2020. It’s been regularly maintained by a bike shop and has always been parked inside. Despite listing this vehicle for $467 less than its average resale price, the seller is even including a second battery (MSRP of $599) and upgraded hydraulic brakes. Listing can be found here.

3. Aventon Ramblas | $2,699

Released late last month, the Aventon Ramblas is a class-1 electric mountain bike (eMTB) developed by one of the highest-quality, value-minded OEMs in the market. The Ramblas is Aventon’s first eMTB and their highest performance model. Its powertrain features Aventon’s all-new 100Nm A100 mid-drive motor that was developed in-house, as well as a 708Wh battery pack made of automotive-grade 21700 LG cells. This motor is one of the highest torque motors in the eMTB segment, and it is controlled by state-of-the-art firmware. Its modes are highly tunable, and the torque sensor determining pedal assistance is extremely smooth and responsive. The ebike system is also TÜV Certified in accordance with UL 2849. Aventon intentionally limited the Ramblas to class-1 given regulations around the types of ebikes that can access mountain bike trails, but the vehicle’s high-torque motor, 12-speed transmission, and 4-piston hydraulic brakes make it more than speedy and agile enough for any mountain bike trail. Lastly, its front fork and dropper seat post make the Ramblas comfortable and easy to use for both steep, technical riding and flat, efficient riding. Aventon has consistently set the bar for high quality within a low price range, and the Ramblas only furthers that trend. It’s filled to the brim with premium componentry, and can be serviced at Aventon’s 1800+ bike shop service network. The Ramblas is already available for shipping or pick up at a local dealer. Listing can be found here.

4. Polarna M4 | $800 | SF - Bay Area

The Polarna M4 is a class-2/class-3 folding, full-suspension fat-tire ebike. Its powertrain features a 750W (~60Nm) rear hub motor and a 672Wh removable battery pack, allowing the M4 to hit a max speed of 34mph in off-road mode. Augmenting this powertrain is an 8-speed transmission, which is a welcome addition that makes the vehicle far easier to ride by pedaling than most other class-2 fat-tires that are mainly designed for throttle-riding. Undoubtedly its most notable feature, the M4 has a full suspension suite consisting of a front suspension fork, a rear shock absorber, and a suspension seat post. This combined with the 20” by 4” fat tires make the M4 extremely comfortable to ride even when loaded to its maximum payload capacity of 350lbs. While the suspension accessories aren’t necessarily the highest quality, they are more than adequate for riding on most trails or bumpy city roads. Lastly, the M4 is also equipped with hydraulic brakes, integrated lighting, a rear rack, and fenders. It’s rare to find a sub-$2K fat-tire ebike that offers a full suspension system or hydraulic brakes, so it’s highly impressive that Polarna has managed to offer both with the M4. This listing is in like-new condition (Flywheel estimated mileage of 210.69mi) and comes with a second battery pack (MSRP of $439). Listing can be found here.

5. Cannondale Canvas Neo 1 | $2,600 | Seattle

The Cannondale Canvas Neo 1 is a class-3 commuter. Cannondale is well known for its premium road and mountain bikes, and the Canvas Neo 1 is their biggest foray into the ever-growing commuter segment and their most popular model in the secondary market. The Canvas Neo 1 feels like an electrified pedal road bike, and brings features from Cannondale’s sport bikes to an urban form factor. Its powertrain consists of a 75Nm Bosch Performance Line Speed motor (Bosch’s highest performance motor line) and a 500Wh Bosch PowerTube battery pack, and the vehicle is pre-wired for an optional second battery that can be mounted to the down tube. Rounding out the Canvas Neo 1 are a 10-speed Shimano Deore drivetrain, hydraulic disc brakes, and a carbon fiber fork that dampen vibrations when riding. For road biking enthusiasts, the Canvas Neo 1 is an excellent option for a light weight (46lbs) and agile city bike. Its build quality is undoubtedly high, it’s safety credentialed since Bosch powertrains are UL 2849 and UL 2271 certified, and Cannondale has a vast maintenance network. However, the Canvas Neo 1 is more expensive than most other commuters and doesn’t have any notable smart software functionality (i.e. theft protection). This listing is being sold for $1,600 less than MSRP, has only 250mi on its odometer, and has mostly been stored indoors. Listing can be found here.

That’s it for this edition. Thanks again for joining, see you next week!

- Puneeth Meruva