Adventure e-bikes – tough but comfortable rides made for off-road fun and bikepacking expeditions – are becoming more and more popular. However, many of them carry price tags north of $5,000, making them a very expensive way to explore the trails at the weekend.
That's where the new MOD Black from Texan bike builder MOD Bikes comes in. Despite having full suspension, hydraulic brakes, powerful motor, and torque sensor for smooth acceleration, it has a relatively modest price tag of $2,999, or £2,402 for riders in the UK. While certainly not pocket change, that's a lot more reasonable than most similar adventure-ready ebikes.
The standard spec MOD Black has a maximum range of 50 miles (depending on how and where you ride), which can be increased to 100 miles with the addition of a factory-installed second battery pack.
Front and rear lights are provided as standard, and can be operated via a color touchscreen control unit mounted on the handlebars. This also allows you to tweak the bike's power settings, and even lock it with a PIN.
There are five power modes to choose from:
- Fit (limited power assistance to give you a workout)
- Eco (to balance assistance with power-saving for long rides)
- Cargo (for carrying heavy loads and bikepacking)
- Sport (for fun cruising at higher speeds)
- Turbo (for maximum acceleration)
There's also a throttle so you can ride without pedaling, but remember that laws on ebikes vary between countries, cities and states, and models that can be powered using a throttle may be classed as motorcycles or mopeds rather than bicycles. Make sure any ebike you're considering complies with local rules before opening your wallet.
It's all rounded off with ergonomic handlebars, a wide saddle for comfort, and a generous scattering of braze-ons for attaching water bottles and bikepacking bags (our roundup of the best bikepacking bags includes lots of good options).
The MOD Black is available to pre-order now direct from MOD Bikes.
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