Bike test: EBCO Street 2 urban e-bike

EBCO is a well-established UK-based company that offers a range of practical-looking e-bikes divided into three broad categories: Street (20in wheels), Urban (700C wheels, 42mm touring tyres) and Adventure (700C, 55mm gravel tyres).

Street is perhaps a slight misnomer. While they are clearly designed to have an edgy, urban appeal, all Street models have large-volume (58-406) knobbly tyres that will cope with rough railway paths, canal towpaths and the like.

The Street 2 is the cheapest at £1,399. That’s a competitive price, given that this is a UK-based company offering a two-year guarantee – including for the battery, which is warrantied to hold 60% charge after two years or 500 charge cycles.

The Street 2 has a discreet Bafang rear hub motor (pricier models across all ranges get Bafang middrives) and a frame-integrated 360Wh battery. This is removable for servicing/replacement only. The bike components include budget, 7-speed Shimano derailleur gears, hydraulic disc brakes, alloy mudguards, rack, kickstand and hardwired lights. For the price, it’s an impressive spec list.

Why the small 20in wheels? Compact e-bikes like this are generally quick off the mark, easy to weave through town traffic and less trouble to manhandle and store when not being ridden. They’re also easier to use in combination with trains than bigger-wheeled machines.

The downsides of smaller wheels are livelier handling and a harsher ride over humps and bumps, but they're offset by the Street 2’s large-volume tyres.

Visually it’s a striking e-bike and one that could easily pass for a non-electric model, as the battery, motor and cabling are well integrated into the design. The frame’s down tube isn’t overly large but hides the 360Wh battery and most of the cabling effectively, while the rear hub motor is little larger in diameter than the biggest cassette sprocket.

The lime green paint job stands out and may (hopefully!) result in fewer SMIDSY – ‘sorry mate, I didn’t see you’ – moments  with motorists.

Motor and gearing

I rode the Street 2 on and off road in some very wet autumn conditions. Despite one or two niggles, it was impressive in all test conditions.

The Bafang motor is quiet, smooth and responsive to pedal stroke movement (but not pedal pressure – it’s cadence sensing, not torque sensing). Hill-climbing ability – a raison d’être for any e-bike – is one of the Street 2’s strongest points. It took all of my standard timed hill climb tests in its stride.

The five power levels are nicely graded and easily controlled by the Bafang combined display-and-power handlebar switch, which is one of the most ergonomic I’ve tried. While it’s not a particularly easy bike to pedal without electric assistance – due to its chunky, treaded tyres – power level one was sufficient for me to cruise along on the flat.

In power level five, I made it up a 20%+ gradient in first gear without any drama, although a lower gear would have helped. Overall the range of the seven gears felt about right; you can still pedal downhill at about 20mph.

The ride

The Street 2 copes well with poorly maintained traffic-free infrastructure and all those lovely but neglected stretches of canal towpath. The chunky tyres are grippy in the wet and provide a modicum of suspension.

The ride is pretty sporty, thanks to its lively geometry and punchy motor. Despite that I always felt safe on the Street 2. There’s effective and smooth braking from the Clarks Clout hydraulic disc brakes, and cornering is surefooted and predictable, even at speed.

The lights are reassuring at night, illuminating the road ahead and offering side as well as front and rear visibility to other traffic.

At just over 20kg it’s in the mid-range for weight, but the Street 2’s compact design makes it pretty easy to carry up steps at waist height. Balancing it while doing so is straightforward because of the battery position and the lightweight motor.

I had a couple of gripes that are unlikely to be deal breakers for most purchasers, given the bike’s low price. Firstly, the cranks are quite close to the rear rack so you’ll need to choose and use panniers carefully to avoid heel strike.

Secondly, the charging port is located awkwardly underneath the down tube. That puts it in the firing line from spray from the front wheel that misses the mudguard, and makes it fiddly to fit the direction-critical charging plug.

Verdict

The EBCO Street 2 is suitable for a range of uses, including daily commuting, shorter leisure rides and ‘lite’ off-road excursions. It’s a compact e-bike with a fun and versatile ride that, even though it’s one size fits all, will probably suit small-to-medium riders best.

The main limitation is the battery size. I wouldn’t expect to get more than 20-30 miles per charge as a rule, although extremes outside this range are possible depending on the usual e-bike variables.

Overall: highly recommended.

Other options

Velosta V1 £1,599+

Effective 20in-wheel longtail load carrier with a lively rear hub motor, throttle and good off-road credentials, too.

Estarli E20.7 £1,425

Like the Street it has knobbly tyres on 20in rims but it’s a folder with a smaller 260Wh battery.

First published in Cycle magazine, February/March 2024 issue. All information correct at time of publishing.