Skip to main content

Elby could be the ebike that solves your commuting conundrums

It’s not that you hate your job — it’s that you hate getting there. When telecommuting is oh so much easier than your actual morning (and evening) commute, it’s no wonder that you’d rather stay at home than brave an overcrowded subway, a gridlocked highway, or one of the other urban mobility nightmares we’re facing these days. But before you grumble about how miserable your way to the office will be, you may want to take a look at Elby. Heralded as the world’s first one-size-fits-most pedal-assist hybrid bicycle, this is one ebike that will make getting to work (or just about anywhere else) so much fun that you may actually enjoy the journey more than the destination.

At its core a commuter bike, Elby wants to get you from Point A to Point B without requiring too much exertion on your part. The low step-through frame makes it an accessible bike for folks of a wide range of builds — whether you’re five feet tall or well over six feet tall, you should be able to ride the Elby. The frame is made of lightweight 6061-T6 aluminum alloy, and as such, weighs in at under 50 pounds. That weight includes the high-torque BionX D-Series rear hub motor that helps get you up that pesky hill or through that challenging traffic without breaking a sweat. And better yet, it’s pretty quiet, so you can still get lost in your thoughts.

Recommended Videos

The motor is powered by a high capacity, super high output lithium-ion battery with a fully sealed 52-cell structure that promises to take riders up to 80 miles on a single charge. Recharging can either be done by plugging the bike into an outlet, or taking the battery out and charging it separately.

 To control the whole bike, there’s an intuitive BionX handlebar control ring that includes an on and off switch, as well as a thumb-activated Assist Level button and throttle. In order to actually get the throttle to work, you do need to have a bit of inertia. This is, after all, a pedal assist bike, and not a motorbike. That said, you should be able to simply push off from a stationary position and then hit the throttle to get the motor to kick in. Top speeds stand around 20 mph if you’re only using the motor, though if you add some pedal power you can actually get faster. Thanks to the bike’s low center of gravity, though, you shouldn’t feel as though you’re hitting dangerous speeds.

If you’re choosing not to bike with the motor, the Elby features a 9-speed drivetrain that should still make for trouble-free pedaling, and to keep you safe, there’s a high intensity Super Nova lighting system on both the front and rear of the bike.

Of course, no 21st-century ebike would be complete without some smartphone integration. With Elby, your mobile device actually turns into a mounted Elby interface. You can check out information about your bike, plan routes, track statistics and speed, or check the status of the entire ebike system.

While the Elby certainly could be the answer to your commuting woes, it’ll come at a price. The 9-speed variant will set you back $3,699 (though it’s currently on sale for $2,999), while the single-speed version is $3,499. But if you’re looking for a way to solve your transportation conundrums, the Elby may be your answer.

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Folding e-bikes are amazing, if you can deal with these caveats
Lectric XP Lite

Riding e-bikes can be a wonderful way to exercise, or to simply spend time relaxing time outdoors. But bulky e-bikes can be a hassle for taking on the go or fitting in smaller spaces. Folding e-bikes can fit in trunk of your car and save space in tiny apartments, but they come with their own drawbacks. Are they the right fit for your life? We've broken down the pros and cons.

Of course, there are a wide variety of folding e-bikes that range from budget to premium, so this generalized list of pros and cons may not apply to absolutely every model on the market. We recommend you do your own research when you begin shopping for a new folding e-bike to be certain it meets your personal needs safely and effectively.
Pro: They save space
The most obvious benefit of a folding e-bike is that they, well, fold! Most e-bikes are very simple to collapse, allowing you to nearly halve their total size by folding them at the center. Many models even let you fold in their pedals and collapse the handlebars.

Read more
I ditched my car for a month of e-biking. Here’s what I learned
Aventon Abound rider with plants and store bought items on road.

Since settling into my life as an "e-bike guy," I've been testing new bikes left and right. So when someone suggested trying to replace my car with an e-bike for a month, it didn't take much to convince me. With a growing variety of bikes at my disposal, it sounded exciting to challenge myself and to find out just how much of my normal routine could be maintained with two wheels and a battery.

Though I live in a rural county just outside of Atlanta, my townhome community is located right beside a commercial strip packed with restaurants, department stores, banks, and gyms. So while I've historically used my car to get around, I've always known I could easily reach anything I need on foot or by bike in a mere few minutes if needed. Now, it was time to put that knowledge into action.
Week 1: Growing pains and happy kids

Read more
This PowerPoint ploy could help hackers empty your bank account
A hacker typing on an Apple MacBook laptop, which shows code on its screen.

 

With various cybersecurity threats on a constant rise, it certainly feels like dangerous malware is around every corner. This time, it found its way into PowerPoint presentations disguised as helpful guides on how to protect yourself against phishing. The irony of it all is strong, but the worst part is that this malware could help attackers empty your bank account.

Read more