These British E-Bikes Come Across As "Just Right," but Are Off-Limits to North America

Folks, the name Ebco may not sound familiar to most of us - I just learned of their existence earlier this week - but it turns out that this British manufacturer has been on the market since 2010, and the fact that they're still alive today means that they're doing something right.

In this spirit, I've decided to shed light on one of this crew's most appreciated lineup, the Street, a family of three different e-bike models all based around the same principle, to be your go-to urban solution for anything mobile, well, as far as a bicycle will let us, that is.

Now, the Street 2, 3, and 5 are the available models we can see, but the real neat thing about Ebco is that they have a solution for just about any budget. Mind you, the model that's sold out/out of stock is the 5, their most expensive version, selling for £2,400, which is a tad over $3,000 (at current exchange rates). On the opposite end, Street 2 is the available option, selling for £1,400 ($1,750). But, my personal favorite, as it follows the same frame design as the 5 but isn't as expensive, is the 3, going hot for £2,000 ($2,500).

Since this is the version that stands right in the middle of this lineup, I'll use it as the gauge for this article, and all of this begins with nothing more than that funky frame style. As we can see, Ebco aimed for a compact urban solution, but one that doesn't revolve around a folding frame. So, to keep things nice and tight, Ebco decided to create a frame that achieves just that.

Since this class of EVs is based around 20-inch wheels, we should already be getting an idea of how you'll look riding one. This leads to a short fork and seat and chain stay, but reach is coming in with a length of 45.5 cm, so almost 18 in. You have to stretch for this one.

As funky as the frame may be, Ebco was still able to follow through with the whole sleek and slim design, even going as far as integrating the battery pack right into the down tube. Overall, 504 Wh of LG cells will be powering your ride, and because this pack is removable, if you ever need to double your range, just grab another pack from the manufacturer.

Those cells power everything from the integrated lights and LCD display to the motor, which, surprisingly, is a mid-mounted powerhouse from Bafang. Nothing more than an M200 is behind your urban experience, cranking out a peak of 65 Nm (48 ft-lb) of torque and limited to speeds dictated by local laws and regulations.

If you do want to go faster, note that Bafang motors require something called a Speed Box to modify their limit, and these will cost you quite a bit of extra cash, as much as $300 and over. But, if you want the most life out of your battery and motor, too, I recommend leaving things as they are.

Regarding range, Ebco states nothing, but I rock a Bafang 500 on the Urban Glide e-bike I'm currently testing, and these things are efficient, to say the least! I'm squeezing out over 62 miles (100 km) on a 100% charge, something that rarely ever happens in this industry. I'm not saying that's the case here, but you know, Bafang has been in this business for tens of years, making them one of the godfathers of the e-bike component industry.

The rest of this bugger's components are completed with an Ergon saddle, where you'll be resting your gluteus, and Tektro is responsible for your stopping power with 160 mm (6.3 in) rotors. As for the drivetrain, it's from a manufacturer I never heard of, L-Twoo, and judging by a quick search on Google, nothing but AliExpress and Amazon come up as the sources for this stuff. Chinese? You betcha! This is what I would consider the only downside of this urban trinket.

Now, there's a bit of a trick up this bike's sleeve that you only spotted if you really dove into the images I added to the image gallery; each Street frame is suitable for an array of cargo-carrying solutions, including a front and rear rack, along with frame-mounted options. The fork can rock some panniers, too.

While none of this may sound like a big deal, it is. Why? Think about it: your Monday through Friday urban machine can be transformed into a weekend adventurer once this part of the week rolls around. Load it up with all your overnight and bike-packing necessities, and off you go. Come to think of it, leave the cargo racks on and bring home some groceries whenever needed.

Before I go, there's just a bit of information you need to be aware of. Since Ebco is a British team, for us North Americans, the Streets are off-limits. To get one, you'll need to make friends with someone overseas and talk them into shipping one over to the US. Hey, what are friends for? And with this little gen, you're sure to make a few from all the stares and questions you'll get on your daily rides. Heck, I'd stop you to ask you about this bike, and that's worth considering the shipping fees.