Brodie Swisher

Best Overall		Backcou Mule	SEE IT
Best Value		Rad Power Bikes RadRover 6	SEE IT
Best for Load Hauling		QuietKat Apex	SEE IT

Using electric bikes for bucks, bulls, and long beards is a great way to leave the crowds behind and slip in tight on game. When I lived in Montana (before electric bikes became a thing for hunting), I bought a mountain bike to help me reach distant spots more efficiently and with less effort. In most situations, it worked well enough. But thanks to the switchbacks and endless inclines, I spent more time pushing my bike uphill than riding it. Fortunately for my quads, those days are over.

Over the past decade, the electric bike market has boomed. Now, there are options that vary in size, power, and budget to accommodate most hunters. If you’re looking for efficient travel to your hunting spots, the best electric bikes for hunting can save you time and energy this season.

• Best Overall: Backcou Mule
• Best for Long Distances: Rambo Megatron
• Best Value: Rad Power Bikes RadRover 6
• Best Folding: Rogue Ridge RF 750
• Best for Load Hauling: QuietKat Apex 

How We Chose The Best Electric Bikes for Hunting

To compile this list, I relied on my own experience, spoke with manufacturers, and talked to expert hunters who rely on electric bikes to get them in and out of the woods. I also considered budget, battery power, and load hauling capabilities that cover most hunting needs and scenarios.

The Best Electric Bikes for Hunting: Reviews & Recommendations

Best Overall: Backcou Mule  

Why It Made the Cut: This versatile and powerful electric bike can handle most terrains you throw at it, and the smart torque sensing Bafang motor, which toggles between 750 and 1,000 continuous watts, stays within all three power classifications of e-bike laws.

Key Features

• Motor: 1000W Bafang Ultra Mid-Drive Motor (ability to change to 750W)
• Battery: 48v 17.5ah, 19.2ah, 21ah, or 25ah
• Range: Up to 50+ miles per charge
• Size: 18-inch frame (Mule & Mule Step-Through 26-inch), 16-inch frame (Mule Step-Through 24-inch)
• Load Capacity: 300 pounds
• Gearing: 9-speed
• Weight: 68 pounds
• Tire Size: 26×4.0 (Mule & Mule ST 26-inch), 24×4.0 (Mule ST 24-inch)
• Throttle: Left side thumb throttle

Pros

• Multiple power options
• Walk Assist mode for stability and control at your side
• Rear rack for storage
• Carries heavy loads

Cons

• Hefty price tag 

This bike is named the Mule for a reason. It has the power and performance to make things happen, whether you’re in the woods or on the mountain. It all starts with the Bafang ultra mid-drive motor, a standard among powerful e-bikes. It has plenty of power to climb anything you can keep traction on, and with 160NM of torque, there’s no stopping this beast. Features like Walk Assist make a world of difference after a successful hunt when you have a heavy load strapped to your bike.

I learned from the Backcou team that the smart motor allows the bike to react to the rider’s output. This means that the speed, cadence, shift, brake, and torque sensors provide continuous feedback from the rider to the motor, which delivers the right amount of controls and speed when you’re riding. This creates an even, smooth ride from front to back. These features do come with a hefty price tag, but if you want to maximize your time in the woods or on the mountain, the time you save on this electric bike might justify it for you. 

Best for Long Distances: Rambo Megatron 

Why It Made the Cut: With dual batteries, dual hub motors, and all-wheel-drive performance, this bike is built to reach those tough-to-get spots and handle rugged terrain.    

Key Features

• Motor: Bafang 1000w Hub Motor x2
• Battery: Dual Samsung 48v 17ah
• Range: 80 miles per charge
• Size: 19.7 inches (medium)
• Load Capacity: 300 pounds
• Weight: 77 pounds
• Tire: Maxxis Minion 26 x 4.8 inches
• Throttle: Thumb

Pros

• Plenty of battery
• Dual motor for powering up hills
• On-demand drive change ability
• Full color display is easy to read, even in full sunlight
• Solid brake system
• Less physical output required by rider

Cons

• Heavier than most other bikes
• Not a bike you want to have to pedal
• All-wheel-drive eats up batteries quick
• Hefty price tag 

The Megatron is the bike for long distances or rugged terrain. With dual batteries, it delivers more juice than most competitors. Though it’s an all-wheel-drive bike, you can easily switch to front or rear wheel drive on easy rides, which is more than enough for most situations. The all-wheel-drive option is nice, but it will eat your batteries much faster, so I recommend saving it for those times when you really need it. 

Its huge 80-mile battery range means you don’t have to worry about making it back to camp. At 77 pounds, the Megatron is considerably heavier than most other e-bikes. However, with all the onboard power, it’s no problem when you’re cruising down the trail. You’ll likely only notice the weight when you load it into your truck or bike rack. And since it’s a single speed, you definitely won’t want to pedal this thing out of the woods should your batteries ever run out of juice.

Best Value: Rad Power Bikes RadRover 6

Why It Made the Cut: When it comes to a quality bike at an incredible price, this one is hard to beat. While it’s not specifically built for the hunting market, its price, performance, and add-on options make it one of the best electric bikes for hunting. 

Key Features

• Motor: 750w rear hub
• Battery: 589-672 Wh
• Range: 25-45 miles per charge
• Size: 17 inches
• Load Capacity: 275 pounds
• Gearing: 7-speed
• Weight: 73.4 pounds
• Tire Size: Kenda 26 x 4 inches
• Throttle: Half-twist

Pros

• Budget-friendly
• Front suspension makes for smoother ride
• Durable tires

Cons

• Not built for harsh terrain
• Front and rear racks purchased separately
• No camo option

This no-frills electric bike from Rad Power Bikes packs plenty of performance into a budget-friendly option. The RadRover 6 is easily a best kept secret when it comes to an affordable and capable bike for hunting. It has plenty of power to climb hills, and the puncture-resistant tires will keep you on the trail better than a lot of other options. You’ll have to add racks and baskets to haul your gear, but the company has an impressive lineup of accessories that allow you to do just that. 

This bike is a quarter of the price you’ll pay for others on the list, but don’t let the price tag fool you. When it comes to performance, this bike holds its own. And with the thousands you’ll save with this bike, you’ll be able to book more hunting trips, which means it can help you get to those sweet hunting spots in more ways than one.

Best Folding: Rogue Ridge RF 750

Why It Made the Cut: With the Rogue Ridge RF 750, less is more. This bike provides an easy ride, whether you’re cruising down a gravel road or riding a tight trail with a heavy load on your back. Best yet, its folding design allows you to pack it in tight when space is at a premium. 

Key Features

• Motor: 750w mid-drive
• Battery: Samsung 48V / 14.5AH
• Range: 25 miles per charge
• Load Capacity: 300 pounds
• Gearing: 5 power levels
• Weight: 55 pounds (with battery)
• Tire Size: 20 x 4 inches
• Throttle: Right thumb

Pros

• Light weight
• Packs down great
• Available with Mossy Oak Bottomland finish
• Fat tires

Cons

• Lacks high-end power
• Steeper hills will require pedal assist

The looks, performance, and price of the RF 750 make this bike hard to beat. What it lacks in high-end power, it makes up for in compact handling and maneuvering in tight places along the trail. Its rugged and dependable frame houses plenty of great features, like the lock-out front suspension, which allows you to customize your ride, whether you spend more time cruising the road or trails. 

Because of its folding design, you can take this bike just about anywhere. It folds in two places and allows you to easily pack it in the back of your truck, trailer, hitch haul, or roof rack. It breaks down and sets up efficiently with a simple lock-out system. Plus, it only weighs 55 pounds with the battery. If you want an electric bike that can get you to those hidey-holes and save space, the RF 750 should blip your radar.

Best for Load Hauling: QuietKat Apex

Why It Made the Cut: Whether you need to haul more gear or meat, QuietKat has plenty of accessories and add-on options that make this the perfect rig for hauling more equipment in and out of the woods. 

Key Features

• Motor: 750W, 1000W (mid-drive)
• Battery: 16AH/48V
• Range: 24-48 miles per charge
• Load Capacity: 325 pounds
• Gearing: 9-Speed
• Weight: 70 pounds
• Tire Size: 26 x 4.5 inches
• Throttle: 10 pedal-assist levels

Pros

• Plenty of power
• Multiple motor options
• Tons of accessories for hauling gear
• Larger load carrying capability

Cons

• Mid-drive motor instead of ultra mid-drive
• Might be too big for some riders

The Apex has plenty of juice and power to haul everything you need in and out of the woods. It comes in two power options (750w and 1000w), but the 1000w bike allows you to haul heavier loads than other competitors. With a 325-pound capacity, this bike can handle tree stands, base camp gear, coolers, meat, and much more.

Despite its mid-drive motor, the Apex handles steep hills like a champ even when it’s loaded with weight. The bike’s load hauling ability also comes from a new pannier rack system that allows for a variety of options for packing all your gear. You can customize your own system to best fit your needs with some really slick options like rifle racks, rod holders, bags, and carts and trailers for hauling deer or elk. And the bike’s inverted fork design also helps achieve greater stability when you’re hauling insanely heavy loads.

Things to Consider When Buying an Electric Bike

Even the best impulse buyers might think twice before pulling the trigger on an electric bike. So you’ll definitely want to research them before buying one. If you’re not sure what to look for, here are a few things to consider:

Budget

Electric bikes range in price from just under $1,000 to almost $10,000. Everyone has a different budget, so you’ll want to consider yours, as well as what features you get at each price point and whether it’s worth saving to buy a more expensive option or buying a cheaper one that does everything you need.

Distance and Battery Life

Most electric bikes have more than enough battery life for multiple trips, especially if you’re not traveling that far. However, if you’re hunting out west and consistently covering double digit miles per day, consider a bike like the Rambo Megatron, which has dual batteries and almost double the distance rating than other competitors.

Load Hauling

Does the bike you’re considering include racks or at least the option to add them? If you’re packing in one of the best hang-on tree stands, extra layers, or even camping gear, you’ll want the ability to pack in everything you need in minimal trips. If you use minimal gear and just have a bowhunting backpack, multiple racks might not be a big concern. But even if you take a minimalist approach, you’ll still need something to haul out your game like a cart or rack.

Bike Size

I spoke with avid deer hunter and saddle hunting guru Greg Godfrey, who has owned a number of electric bikes over the last decade. He says that bike size should be a huge consideration when you’re looking to buy one.

“I’m not a very big guy,” he says. “I’m 5 feet 7 inches, so when I upgraded to one of the bigger bikes on the market, I found it to be too big. I ultimately landed on the Backcou Mule with the step-thru frame and 24-inch tires. The step-thru frame is much easier to deal with on tight trails and gnarly terrain.”

Godfrey recommends that riders of all sizes consider the step-thru frames and smaller size tires because they’re easy to maneuver on tight trails or with unexpected hazards.

Reasons to Buy an Electric Bike for Hunting

• Get to your hunting spot faster
• You won’t be tired and sweaty when you get to your spot
• You can go further and access more hunting ground
• No human odor and ground scent left on the trail
• Minimal noise allows you to ride to base of your best tree stands or blinds
• No gas fumes to stink up your hunting gear
• Haul more gear with ease

FAQs

Final Thoughts on the Best Electric Bikes for Hunting

Whether you have a handful of days to hunt or an entire season, maximizing your time on the stand is one way help you punch your tag. If you’re looking to beat the crowds or use discreet entry to outsmart a big buck, the best electric bikes for hunting can get you in and out of the woods efficiently.

The post The Best Electric Bikes for Hunting of 2023 appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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By: Brodie Swisher
Title: The Best Electric Bikes for Hunting of 2023
Sourced From: www.outdoorlife.com/gear/best-electric-bikes-for-hunting/
Published Date: Sat, 27 Aug 2022 14:00:00 +0000

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