HovAlpha E-Bike Is an Off-Road and Winter-Ready Machine Aimed at Low-Budget Adventures

Folks, Hovsco is a team that I've recently discovered. Once you know how this crew likes to do things, you may find yourself seeking their expertise. We can take the HovAlpha as a perfect example of what is available from this crew.

For starters, this is a fat tire e-bike, and that means a whole lot for people who may be living in snow-ridden areas. Overall, Hovsco drops a pair of 16-inch Kenda tires with a 4-inch cross-section. What does this mean for your ride? It means a soft yet bouncy ride and a contact patch with enough coverage to grip snowy sidewalks and roads easily. Once you couple that with a suspension fork with 80 millimeters (3.14 inches) of travel, you should be set for whatever the winter wonderland throws at you.

Now, snow is rather difficult to pedal through, but the HovAlpha is equipped with a gigantic 750-watt motor that has a peak of 1,032 watts and 85 Nm (62.7 ft-lb) of torque. What does this mean for you? Oh, man! This motor from Sutto – a brand of Bafang – is strong enough to blast you around town at speeds upwards of 28 mph (45 kph) once unlocked to full capacity.

Powering this hungry motor is nothing more than a 960-watt-hour battery integrated into the downtube. Yes, it's a massive pack for an equally massive motor. Together, and with proper tending to your speeds and modes, you can achieve a range of up to 80 miles (128 kph) out of a single charge. Quite the distance, if you ask me.

A critical aspect of the bike's internal workings is that it comes equipped with both a torque sensor and a cadence sensor. This may be one of the main reasons why such a range is possible, as these two components ensure optimal battery power and motor output. In short, you'll never receive too much or too little assistance, nor will you have to wait for it.

Exploring more of what a motor this powerful means for you, let me direct your attention to nothing more than this bike's frame design. If we analyze the shape of the top tube, how it leads into the seat stays, and the general stance of the rider, this thing looks ready to rock it off-road with no problems. Once you're out there on your favorite road or single track, you'll see what the gear mentioned above can offer.

Once Hovsco adds things like a 7-speed drivetrain, hydraulic disc brakes with 180-millimeter (7.1-inch) rotors, and even a kickstand, we're faced with a 72.8-pound (33-kilogram) EV. Sure, it may sound like a whole lot of bike, but note that this puppy can support up to 450 pounds (204 kilograms) of total weight. This means that the free cargo racks Hovsco throws in if you drop $2,000 (€1,900 at current exchange rates) on the HovAlpha can be loaded to the brim with cargo and gear designed to help you ride further than ever before. Why not camp out under the stars on the outskirts of town for a night or two?

All this reveals a lot about this bike: it can go the distance, does it fast, and will carry you and half of your refrigerator's capacity in foods and drinks, all for $2K. Just a little something—something to put on your Christmas list.