racks and fenders for the Sinch. The other two don’t have fenders, which is a nice thing if you commute in wet weather, but there are aftermarket fenders and racks available for most bikes. You can slow the Aventon, thanks to the Tektro mechanical disc brakes.

The Sinch has a 1×7-speed drivetrain using a KMC e-specific chain to handle the extra demands of electric-assist. 

E-Joe

The Epik Carbon uses mechanical disc brakes, a 1×7-speed Shimano Tourney gearing setup, and 20×2.25-inch Kenda tires, similar in size to the Gocycle’s. The good thing about those mechanical brakes is that they have cutoff switches, so the moment you apply either brake, the motor cuts off. This is an advantage when using the throttle or the pedals, since the motor on these types of bikes tend to run for an extra second or two after you stop applying power. A tap of the brake is all it takes to stop the motor instantly.

THE MOTORS

Gocycle GX

Gocycle uses a 500-watt front hub motor, which adds assist to the wheel using a torque sensor. The back wheel is chain-driven, so this bike is actually two-wheel drive, though you can just use a thumb button to actuate the motor. There’s no variance in the control. It’s on or off, so you are either going full speed or you’re not. 

One of the cool things about the Gocycle is that it has traction control built in, which means the front
wheel won’t peel out and cause you to lose control if you get into a slippery situation. 

The 300-Wh battery for the Gocycle is the smallest of the bunch, but there’s a lot of efficiency in this system, so the range isn’t tiny compared to the others.

Interestingly, there’s no power display per se on the Gocycle. Instead, it’s a row of red LEDs that show the approximate battery percentage. It makes for a clean design. If riders want more of a display, there’s a smartphone app called GocycleConnect that allows for much more information, with fuel gauge, speed, gear, efficiency and more.

E-Joe

E-Joe chose an MXUS 500-watt brushless rear hub drive. It works with a throttle or with pedals using a cadence sensor. It has a 528-Wh battery and a small display that also serves as a keypad to toggle functions and power modes, show battery life and current speed.

Aventon

Aventon also uses a 500-watt brushless rear hub drive. It has the biggest battery of the group, at 672 Wh, which does…

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