Electric bike magazine?

Black Dog

Pedelecer
Jul 18, 2014
137
61
71
There was a website a couple of years ago which had reviews and full specifications of a lot of electric bikes. I used to browse round it a lot. It was quite professional-looking, although it had the feel of something run by enthusiasts, mainly youngsters. I didn't keep a link to it, but it was called something like electricbikemag.co.uk (only that's not it, because I have tried). I have tried looking for it recently, but it seems to have vanished. If I Googled the name and model of my bike, it was the first result every time, but now it seems Google doesn't know it. If I could only remember the website name, I could use the wayback machine, but it's gone. Anyone help me out? It was a great little site, very entertaining and informative.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,152
30,567
Yes, it was Electric Bike Magazine, but Peter Eland was giving it up and looking for a buyer. It seems he had no luck as the domain name is up for sale, so no more magazine.

I think the enthusiast market is too small to support a magazine, and the majority of utility riders buying e-bikes for shopping etc wouldn't be likely to buy magazines on the subject.

There was another attempt at a magazine to sell through W H Smiths and the like, but that seemed to vanish immediately.
.
 

philliptjohnson

Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2017
48
29
50
Washington
I got a magazine a couple of weeks ago from a large whsmiths in UK that was an American publication... Comes out every 2 months so will keep an eye out for next issue coming out.

Decent magazine... Bike reviews, articles about how the bikes are made, riders stories, conferences... Covered European makes and events as well.
 
  • Informative
  • Like
Reactions: oldtom and flecc

JuicyBike

Trade Member
Jan 26, 2009
1,671
527
Derbyshire
Yes, it was Electric Bike Magazine, but Peter Eland was giving it up and looking for a buyer. It seems he had no luck as the domain name is up for sale, so no more magazine.

I think the enthusiast market is too small to support a magazine, and the majority of utility riders buying e-bikes for shopping etc wouldn't be likely to buy magazines on the subject.

There was another attempt at a magazine to sell through W H Smiths and the like, but that seemed to vanish immediately.
.
Peter did manage to sell the publication and the new owners managed another few issues in a newspaper format before folding (sorry for that unintended pun).
He did provide good content and gave a fair review I felt. I remember thinking that the new owners didn't have his enthusiasm. In particular I witnessed a large but unoccupied stand of theirs at the NEC with several bundles of the new format publication just left with no person in attendance. A few thousand pounds worth of NEC floor space and several vinyl displays just didn't cut it.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,152
30,567
Peter did manage to sell the publication and the new owners managed another few issues in a newspaper format before folding
Thanks for the information Bob. Like you I enjoyed Peter's reviewing and both his magazines, it was a pity he wanted to move on.
.
 

JuicyBike

Trade Member
Jan 26, 2009
1,671
527
Derbyshire
Thanks for the information Bob. Like you I enjoyed Peter's reviewing and both his magazines, it was a pity he wanted to move on.
.
He's doing dead good things as technical officer for the BA now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: flecc

Black Dog

Pedelecer
Jul 18, 2014
137
61
71
Thanks for all the info. It sounds like the one I was looking for. I really liked the website (did it exist as a paper publication? never saw that) as it had the most detailed specification lists of anything. I used it as a reference for my own bike (checking weights for buying a car rack; checking sprocket sizes) and it was a really useful resource, better than anything else, even the manufacturers' websites. It had a fresh and enthusiastic feel, too. I think flecc is right though - there isn't really the market for a dedicated ebike magazine month after month. I don't think most ebike riders are the type to buy a new bike and then immediately plan on the next one, or some expensive upgrades, like the roadies seem to - that's the kind of market a magazine needs. What a shame, though.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: JuicyBike

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,152
30,567
- there isn't really the market for a dedicated ebike magazine month after month.
Yes, even Peter Eland's two excellent publications never managed to be monthly. His Velovision which originally included e-bikes was two monthly and I seem to remember his later Electric Bike Magazine was four issues a year.
.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Black Dog

Black Dog

Pedelecer
Jul 18, 2014
137
61
71
I found the page reviewing my bike in the web archive, so I am going to save that. I wish Peter well: he did a good job there.
 
  • Like
Reactions: flecc

Chainring

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 24, 2013
332
161
I was looking to see if there are any sites for ebikes when I came on this discussion on Pedelecs. The best and most constant site I have found is
https://electricbikereport.com/ He seems to cover anything to do with ebikes from all over the world, not just the USA. Very good site.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: flecc