Comfortable and Capable HovCity E-Bike Unlocks Electrified Magic for No More Than $1,000

That's right, folks, the e-bike we'll be exploring today, the HovCity, is currently selling for a flat $1,000 (€950 at current exchange rates), and so, the purpose of the next five minutes or so is to explore this machine and see if it's worth the bucks. Let's start this journey by considering that until this year, most e-bikes on the market were selling for well in the $2,000 range. Even the HovCity was actually selling for $1,500 until some time ago.

Now, Hovsco advertises this bike as a step-thru cruiser, which means a lot for your cycling experience. This is not the sort of bicycle that you should be bombing downhill with or using to get to grandma's house in the woods. Instead, consider this bike a companion to help you navigate city landscapes.

Overall, aluminum is used to build the frame, and the "step-thru" function allows for a heightened degree of comfort and safety. Mounting and dismounting are easier with such frame designs, and if needed, you can set your feet on the ground easier because of the clearance that the top tube offers. The presence of a suspension fork also raises the level of comfort you can expect.

With the base out of the way, what else? Why not explore the e-system that's in place here. One name popped up as I was exploring the gear on the HovCity, Sutto. If this name is new to you, don't worry, they're an off-shot brand of Bafang, one of the godfathers of the e-system business. A 500-watt motor is strapped to the rear hub, and with Hovsco's app, you can unlock a top speed of 28 mph (45 kph). Powering all that speed is a 540-watt-hour battery that can be removed and recharged indoors. Best of all, there seems to be an integrated light in the battery back, and if needed, you can use it to light your way through dark lands or while trying to set up a campsite after a long ride.

Speaking of long rides, Hovsco also prides itself on bikes that can achieve a tad more than the average machine around. And so, let me point out that for some extra bucks, you can transform a bare HovCity into a cargo-carrying machine, ready with a front and rear cargo rack and fenders. This means you can go grocery shopping, carry your briefcase to work, maybe fit a child seat and pick up your kids from grade school.

Come Saturday morning, load up those racks with food and water, maybe a repair kit, and ride out of town. Overall, a max range of 60 miles (97 kilometers) should help you explore further than before. Why not grab another battery pack and double that range? Since the bike weighs 54 pounds (25 kilograms) and can be loaded up to a total of 300 pounds (136 pounds), there should be more than enough room for the items mentioned above.

Sure, it's not some flashy machine designed to be ridden by world-class athletes, but last time I checked, I wasn't a pro athlete, nor do I have countless dollars to spend accessing the whole e-bike craze, so the HovCity is a trinket worth considering if you want a low-budget e-bike to help you catch this wave.