POWER UP

These motor-equipped rides are both fun and functional

- JOSH PATTERSON

Alchemy eRonin $10,999

E-gravel bikes are a great way to explore new routes and conquer climbs that you might have otherwise shied away from. This Class 1 Colorado-made carbon model weighs 29 pounds as tested with Shimano's electronic GRX drivetrain. It also boasts a unique drive system: unlike with most gravel bikes, the eRonin's designers combine the motor and 250-watt-hour battery into one removable unit that provides a boost of power up to 20 miles per hour. Want to go analog? Simply remove the drive unit from the down tube and replace it with a cover that turns the empty space into a cargo compartment, which saves you seven pounds. Some e-bikes feel like a chore to ride beyond their maximum assisted speed. Not the eRonin. Its mid-mounted Fazua Evation motor has minimal resistance, and although we wished the top speed was a bit higher, especially when we were trying to keep pace with a group of fit gravel racers, the eRonin never felt like dead weight when we exceeded the motor's output.

LeMond Prolog $4,795