H/T Electric Pedal Review: Fast, powerful and stylish electric bike

Handling at this top speed was excellent. Thanks to the comfortable upright position and frame geometry, cruising at 28 mph was smooth and comfortable. Turning quickly and adjusting quickly to avoid potholes was also easy and smooth, even when I was on the throttle. The thrill of riding fast on the H/T comes from the joy of speed, not from the fear of losing control.

I appreciate that there is no app that is compatible with H/T. It makes hopping on the bike and going for a ride feel more natural than with the app-controlled bikes I’ve tested. The handlebar-mounted display is very intuitive and easy to use, and includes a personal passcode for added security. There’s also a USB-C charging port if you decide to get a handlebar mount for your phone. The bike has a daytime running headlight that turns on automatically when the sun goes down, front and rear turn signal lights, and a brake light. Front and rear hydraulic disc brakes are responsive and have excellent stopping power.

Extras

It’s easy to customize the bike and add utility. Pedal offers a range of accessories, but my favorite is the dual battery system. This $850 system isn’t cheap, but it adds another battery to the frame, increasing the range by another 40 miles. If you’re not taking this bike on long rides, it may not be worth the cost, but I appreciate the opportunity to maximize its range.

The rest of the accessory line focuses on storage. This includes a great rack inside the frame, front and rear racks and boxes, and for the beach bums, a very cool surf rack that holds your board to the side of the bike.

Rough ride

Photo: Billy Brown

The H/T comes with five levels of pedal assist, but I used the throttle mostly, partly because I’m lazy and partly because pedal-assist response can be wildly inconsistent. For levels 1 through 3, pedal assist was smooth; It felt like a little push to my pedal. However, at levels 4 and 5, the bike seemed to rock forward every time I pressed the pedal. It felt like my bike was jumping forward instead of helping, to the point where I almost swung off the bike the first time I tried the Level 5. If you’re a chronic biker looking for a more traditional cycling experience, this may not be the bike for you.