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Product Review: Swagtron Swagcycle EB-7 Elite Folding Electric Bike

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Electric bicycles are becoming more and more popular as people understand all the benefits they provide. With the extra boost they provide they have opened the door for many people to begin riding a bike and given some the opportunity to start bicycle commuting.

Compared to the large selection of e-bikes on the market, Swagtron’s Swagcycle EB-7 offers many benefits at a reasonable price. In this review, I will break down all the information you need when deciding to purchase the Swagcycle EB-7.

Features and Specifications

Maximum Weight Capacity 264 lbs / 120 kg
Maximum Throttle Speed 18.6 mph / 29.9 km/h
Range Per Charge Up to 15.5 mi / 25 km
Max Incline 25° (throttle only)
Tire Size16 inch

Battery, Mileage, & Speed

The Swagcycle Eb-7 is equipped with a 36V Lithium-ion battery that powers a 350 watt motor. This battery will keep you going up to 15.5 miles, and takes approximately 3-4 hours to fully charge.

If you need extra mileage you could always pick up a spare battery to get you where you need to go. You can get the EB-7 replacement battery on Amazon.

The battery is secured with a key lock that can be used while the bike is folded. No thieves will be able to swipe your battery if you’ve got the bike locked up.

Conveniently, the battery is easily removable. You can either charge the battery by bringing it inside to the closest outlet or the bike itself has a port you can charge to.

As far as speed, by using the twist throttle on the right grip you can max out at 18.6 miles per hour. While not as fast as you could go on a dialed in road bike this is a great speed for a folding bike!

Three Riding Modes

One of the unique features of the Swagcycle Eb-7 is that it has 3 riding modes for you to choose from depending on your needs.

Human Powered – The easiest mode to understand. You pedal and the bike will propel forward depending on how hard you pedal. There’s no help from the motor at all. You’ll want to have the pedal assistance set to 0. You can ride as far as your own two legs can take you.

Pedal Assist – On the left handle there’s three buttons under the display. One is the “power” button to turn on the motor. There’s a + and – button that will increase or decrease the amount of pedal assistance that is required. Increasing pedal assistance to 1 allows you to go 11.3 mph. Pedal assistance at 2 max is at 13.7 mph. Pedal assistance 3 allows you to max at 18.6 mph.

Throttle – There’s a twist throttle on the right handle that be used to go up to 18.6 mph. This is perfect in those moments where you need to catch your breath or gain some momentum when you first take off.

Engineered to Fold Quickly

You can fold it up in 15 seconds and than unfold it in another 15 seconds. Quite quick to fold due to the way it’s designed. The pedals, frame, seat post, and handlebars all fold in. Solid latches made out of quality material.

Useful Display

The display shows the following:

  • Light Symbol – Headlights are on
  • Speed – Show in miles per hour
  • Mode – Exactly what pedal assist mode the bike is on. Goes from 0 to 3.
  • Battery – F for full. E for empty.
  • Odometer – Cumulative distance the bike has been ridden. Only goes up in increments of .63 mile.
  • Trip – Distance you’ve gone on the current ride. This is cleared when the bike is powered off.

Braking Power

One of the distinctions between the EB-7 and many other electric folding bikes are its dual disc brakes. Don’t worry about needing braking power as you can go from full speed to a dead stop in a couple of meters. The motor will turn off as soon as the brakes are applied.

Having quality brakes are so important while riding a bike, because in those moments where you need to stop immediately to avoid collision or crash you’ll be grateful for the responsiveness of disc brakes.

Some owners have complained that the brakes initially whine, but after some use the squeal should go away.

Other Specifications

  • Frame Material – Aluminum
  • Recommended Rider Height – 4’10” to 6’2”
  • Water Resistance – IPX4 protected from splashing water. Read more about IPX ratings and riding electric bikes in the rain here.
  • Suspension – Rear (helps for a comfortable ride)
  • Tire Pressure – 40-65 PSI recommended
  • Gears – none
  • Accessories – Battery Lock with 2 keys, Headlight, Horn, LED Display, Adjustable Seat, Tail light

Pros

Sweat-free Commuting

One of the benefits of riding an electric bike while commuting is the lack of sweat you’ll produce. No longer are you the sole provider of energy on the ride.

Thanks to the motor you can get uphills without sweating like a pig before you get to the office.

Easy to Store

The Swagtron Swagcycle EB-7 folds into the following dimensions: 29.5 x 16.5 x 25.9 in.

While folded it’s easy to pack into the trunk of a car, store in the garage, or sit in an office cubicle during work hours. While you could lock your new electric bike outside why bother? It’s small enough to bring with you wherever you’re going.

Also there’s a grip under the seat that makes it easy to be held and picked up.

Folds into a nice bundle of bicycle

Stylish

There are two color options to choose from. There is black and red as seen in the photo directly above. You also can pick the white and blue option as seen in the photo at the very top of this article.

Handles Hills & Inclines

With the torque provided by the 350W motor you’ll be able to ride uphill with only light pedaling. Don’t expect for this electric bike to take you to the top of a mountain by motor only.

With slight pedaling you can get up inclines more than 15 degrees without breaking a sweat. There’s EB-7 owners who live in San Francisco with all the hills and have given their recommendation for this product.

Comfortable Ride

The rear suspension helps provide a comfortable ride. If you’re a semi-regular bicyclist you’ll find the seat comfortable too. It is narrow which some riders find uncomfortable.

But most owners found it to be comfortable. You can always purchase a larger seat if needed.

Hard to Beat Price

Swagtron has done a great job offering a quality product at a value price. You can find other cheaper electric folding bikes, but they have serious drawbacks in features and quality.

The EB-7 is a good combo of needed features, good quality, and price. You’ll have a hard time finding a good folding AND electric bike at a better price.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

No bicycle is perfect, not even the Swagcycle EB-7. Here are a few of the drawbacks to this bike.

Should not be labeled “lightweight”

Swagtron markets this as a lightweight folding e-bike, but I would argue that this is false marketing. In total the Swagcycle EB-7 weighs 42.3 lbs. It is light enough to be carried, but would be difficult for a child to carry.

You’ll find this weight to not be so heavy that it’s unmanageable. While not the kind of thing you’ll want to carry in your arms for hours, it is light enough to be carried up a flight of stairs or lifted onto the metro.

Only 15.5 Miles…

It’s designed for the battery to go up to 15.5 miles depending on the amount you’re pedaling and terrain. This is a limiting factor for some bike commuters who are right in the 20 mile mark. While you could choose to purchase a replacement battery and switch mid-ride – that’s not an ideal solution.

The Horn and Headlight

The Swagcycle EB-7 elite comes with a LED headlight that is bright enough to make you more visible to other cyclists, motorists, and pedestrians. But if you’re planning on riding at night you should invest in a better headlight as it is not powerful enough to light the path in front of you.

The horn is a bit of a joke. It’s not quite loud enough or the right sound to really command attention. Pedestrians may notice you honking away, but most of the time its easily ignored. Get yourself a loud bike bell instead if you need a noisemaker.

EB-5 vs EB-7

One of Swagtron’s other popular electric bikes is the Swagcycle EB-5 (see on Amazon). You’ll notice that it’s less expensive than the EB-7. What are some of the differences between the two Swagtron models? Here is a comparison table..

EB-5 EB-7
Weight37 lbs42.3 lbs
Mileage15.5 miles15.5 miles
Charge Time4-5 hours 3-4 hours
Motor250 watts350 watts
Speed (throttle)15.5 mph18.6 mph
Suspensionnonerear
Wheel Size14 inch16 inch
Brakesstandarddisc
Batteryfixedswappable + key lock
Headlightnoyes
DisplayBattery Life OnlyBattery, Odometer, and more

For a little more money the EB-7 offers way more features and accessories than the EB-5. In addition – it has a higher watt motor which means you’ll be able to go faster and have more power for the inclines. Unless you’re on a tight budget it is definitely worth getting the Swagcycle EB-7 compared to the EB-5.

One of the benefits of the EB-7 over the EB-5 is that the battery can be swapped out. You’re able to remove the battery to bring it inside to charge or even swap in a fresh replacement battery for extra long rides. The EB-5 battery is locked into it.

While the EB-5 is lighter than the EB-7 it’s only by 5 pounds. This isn’t enough weight to really make much of a difference when carrying.

Lastly, in my opinion the EB-7 is more stylish and sharper looking than the block-shaped EB-5. It’s definitely a matter of preference, but the overall look is sleeker and cool.

Video Review

Video Review of the SwagTron Eb-7. Watch the end to see it ridden uphill!

Who is this electric bike for?

This is a great e-bike for anyone looking for an extra boost while going out for a ride and wants the convenience of being able to fold and store it easily.

Many bike commuters choose this type of bike, because it can get them to work and be stored in their office. This would also be a great bike to bring camping as it can be folded up and packed easily into a camper or vehicle.

Anyone who lives in a tiny apartment or living space would also find the EB-7 to be useful as it can fold up and stored without taking up much room.

Traditional bicycles take more floor space or must be hung from the room or ceiling with a bike lift or mount. This folding electric bike can be stuck in the corner of a room or even in a closet if necessary.

The good news is that the electric bike is fully assembled out of the box. Once you get it the plastic wrappers off and remove it from the cardboard box you’ll need to charge the battery and pump up the tires.

And as soon as the battery is full you can take it out for your first spin. Happy pedaling!

Read more articles about electric bikes here at Bicycle2Work.com