The JackRabbit is a seriously unique e-bike. When comparing it to our usual experiences on two wheels, we don’t quite know what to make of it, except that it’s super fun! But the bike – we say that lightly, as it’s technically more of an electric scooter – really isn’t meant to be compared, as it was clearly designed with hyper-focus on one specific aspect: portability.
There is an entire category of e-bikes that fold, collapse, slim down, etc. for storage and transport. Some of them even ring up under $1,000, and appear on this list. But none of the others weigh in at just 24 lbs or can be made as compact as the JackRabbit. This diminutive e-bike was made to fill a very specific niche, though it does have potential outside of that. The bike was designed for college students who needed to travel across a large campus in a small amount of time. In the grand scheme of bike trips, even a large college campus makes for short work, so the JackRabbit’s ability to sprint from place to nearby place allows it to cross over into more common applications – down the street to a friend’s house, around the corner to the convenience store, or a couple of blocks over to that really great deli.
The JackRabbit has no pedals, a completely absent drivetrain, and only one brake, but it does have folding pegs that serve as footrests, a 300W motor powered only by a throttle, and no need for a second brake due to its extremely compact wheelbase. That reduced wheelbase also makes the bike incredibly maneuverable, and the JackRabbit’s wheel size makes it infinitely more stable and bump-friendly than a scooter would be. While it can handle modest hills just fine, it struggles with steeper inclines, and more extreme descents might want to be avoided or slowed significantly with foot power. Additionally, it’s good to mention that the bike’s small 4.2 Ah battery isn’t going to result in range comparable to any other bike on this list (but it can be charged much quicker).
The JackRabbit’s departures from what we and many others consider “normal” is what makes this zippy little e-bike stand out, though. It wasn’t made to conquer massive mountains or travel the long distances between cities. Instead, the JackRabbit was made to cover relatively short distances over civilized terrain quickly, and be carried, stashed, and set back up just as efficiently.
That’s a lot of potential for around $1,000!
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