Reviews, comparisons, and news about electric bikes and electric scooters.
Battery fires dominate e-bike safety coverage, and for good reason. But 2026’s actual recall record tells a broader story. Trek and Electra recalled bikes for a wheel bolt defect. Specialized recalled models over a chain guard fall risk. Segway recalled roughly 220,000 scooters for a folding mechanism failure. None of these involved a battery at…
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission published a recall in late January covering roughly 19,890 Trek and Electra e-bikes after federal regulators found a bolt defect that could cause the rear wheel to detach while riding. The recall covers specific 2026 models sold between April and October 2025. Most owners can identify an affected bike…
A new 25 percent tariff on standalone e-bike battery packs from China took effect in 2026, layering onto an existing 25 percent tariff on complete China-sourced e-bikes. Budget brands are responding by sourcing components from multiple countries to manage cost. That shift is quietly making Class 1, 2, and 3 labeling less reliable than it…
California’s SB 1271 took effect January 1, 2026, requiring e-bike batteries to meet UL 2849 or an equivalent standard. New York City takes a different approach entirely. Most coverage treats both cities as enforcing the same rule. They aren’t, and that distinction changes what a shopper should actually check on a listing. Why California And…
Standalone e-bike battery packs from China face a new 25 percent tariff starting in 2026. That layers on top of duties already in place. Complete China-sourced e-bikes already carry a 25 percent tariff. That exemption expired back in 2024. Those two dates matter separately. Buyers researching sticker prices this year are seeing a second tariff…
As 2026 model-year e-bikes reach showrooms, marketing decks lean hard on apps and screens. Buyer behavior tells a different story. Return and complaint data across bike shops point toward one pattern. Battery failures and worn brake components drive most warranty claims, not missing software features. Riders increasingly choose components that hold up over gadgets that…
California began requiring UL 2849 certification on new e-bikes sold in-state. That requirement took effect January 1, 2026. The federal government followed with a proposed rule this year. Most owners still don’t know what UL 2849 actually tests. Fewer still know which everyday charging habits create real risk anyway. Certification and safe charging are not…
