©Ken Kalb 2009
Out of the box, the Hebb Electro Glide is road ready in less than 5 minutes. As an old-time bicycle enthusiast, I’m immediately impressed by how every single component is high-quality and well thought out. No scrimping or compromises here, yet also nothing superfluous. It is immaculate. And everything is in precise adjustment. As anxious as I was to ride it, we just stood there and admired the fit and finish, as well as the intelligence of the design. This machine is drop-dead gorgeous.
The 7-pound 36 Volt 10 Amp Lithium-Ion Phosphate battery slips tightly behind the seat tube after tripping a special seat-post release — sitting right at the bike's center of gravity. Was it all show and no go? Time to turn it on and put the rubber on the road.
I spin the pedals, twist the motorcycle-style throttle all the way back, and start firing down on the rapid-fire thumb shifters through the Nexus gears all the way up to 20+ mph. Whoosh. I immediately understand why this bike is called the "Electro-Glide." It feels a lot like surfing on a glassy wave — perfectly smooth. I lightly depress the brakes and bring it back to zero. The Tektro front disc and Shimano roller rear brake produce a feathery touch and stop you on a dime. While at the stop sign, I up shift full range from high gear (7th) to low (1st) gear — an invaluable feature of the Nexus transmission, and something you simply can't do with a standard derailleur bike. I circle back to report my first impressions to my friend, and he notices the very wide grin on my face. "I like it!"
This bike is tight — built more like a piano than an electric bicycle. It perches up easily on its sprung-loaded center-mounted kickstand when not in use. It is fully appointed with fenders, headlight and taillight — both powered by the main battery, speedometer/odometer and a strapped luggage carrier that will hold 60 lbs.
One of my criteria for a good electric bike is that it is a decent pedal bike as well. So I turned the power off and pedaled the bike around the Santa Barbara beach area bike path for 4 miles. I was delighted by how easily it pedaled and freely it coasted, as well as its comfortable ergonomics. This is partially because the sturdy aluminum frame spreads its wheelbase out to 47 inches — placing the crank-set slightly forward. This provides a superior angle for pedaling ease. Riding position is absolutely perfect for comfort and visibility, with all of the controls placed as though custom fitted for your anatomy. The high-quality suspension front fork smoothes out the bumps and the premium Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires ride beautifully, besides being highly resistant to flats. I’m particularly happy they use the Schwalbe’s (a $60+ tire) — as most E-bikes scrimp on using quality rubber — your very connection to the road.
The Hebb is a power-on-demand bike, so you can ride it like a motorcycle, pedal it like a bike, or do any combination of the modes with total control. I don’t like power-assist bikes that add power to your pedaling as they seem more like a treadmill and are not nearly as versatile or fun. The Electro Glide has a wonderful balance of human and electric power, and a seamless integration of modes.
It weighs in at 59 pounds in full dress, not heavy by electric bicycle standards, though not a flyweight either. But roaring down a hill at 30 miles per hour, I felt steadier and safer than on my $3000 road bike. This is partially because of the longer wheelbase, the precision of the components and the Schwalbe’s. After riding the Electro Glide for the last week, I am thrilled to report that this is simply an awesome machine. It’s been a long time coming!
There are lots of ways to ride it. If you’re in workout mode, twist the throttle all the way back and melt the thumb shifter through the gears right up to full speed, then use the power to maintain your speed if your speed lags. This bike is quick, and you feel every one of the 700 Watts of peak power in the sweet spot of the torque curve. Up serious the hills, you simply click the thumb shifter a couple of times to downshift, while maintaining most of your speed — a truly amazing feeling. While on a road test, I paced a pack of road cyclists decked out in their full colors through some uphill twisties, who had to stand up on their pedals to keep up with me. When commuting around, I use the power in bursts to maintain cruising speed, pedal some, and also let the bike freewheel for maximum range. Sure, you can ride the bike around just like a motorcycle, but the way the torque curve works, you really get the maximum benefit when adding some assistance. You can get as much or as little exercise as your mood dictates. You get used to riding around several miles per hour faster than you usually do. This machine is both fast and a ton of fun.
The Hebb goes a true 20+ mph — the legal limit for a non-registered pedal vehicle. Note that normal speed on a pedaled bike at a fast cadence is about 12-15 mph. It also easily gets its advertised 25+mile range thanks to its advanced Lithium Ion battery. I torture tested it over the steepest Santa Barbara foothills (Mountain Drive, Las Canoas, Botanic Gardens, etc.) and with adequate pedaling tackled them all and still got over 30 clocked miles!
I am also impressed by the sturdy build quality. I’ve been told the manufacturer recently rode one 3000 kilometers through Africa in 14 days and had a ball! And Hebb backs it up with a generous 2-year warranty on the frame and 1-year on the battery.
The advantages of transportation that requires no registration, no insurance, no license, plus the ability to ride and park anywhere — on the street, the bike path, alley, sidewalk, on or off road make this new generation of electric bikes stiff competition for gas-powered Vespa-style two wheelers. When you also factor in the ability to get exercise, the near-silent ride, the low cost of operation (10 cents for 20 miles), the fun and joy factor, and your freedom from petroleum — you realize this is a big wave of the future.
Lee Iacocca always wanted to make a bike like this, and came pretty close with his final 36 Volt E-Bike. But it was thoroughly over-built and cumbersome to pedal, weighing in at over 90 pounds. The TidalForce M750 was also on the right track, though its complexity as well as its battery problems caused its downfall. Now, with advances in battery, motor, and bicycle technology, the electric bike has finally come of age.
Each of the new generation (3.0) of E-bikes has its plusses and minuses. The Giant is unfortunately — power-assist, the Ohm and Schwinn Tailwind are too expensive (3500), the A2B is too cumbersome to pedal, and the Ecobike uses low-end parts. So in my opinion, the Hebb Electro Glide 500 is the best of the new bunch.
