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I Have Biked an Insane Number of Miles to Find the Best Electric Bicycles

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I Have Biked an Insane Number of Miles to Find the Best Electric Bicycles


Other Ebikes We Like

Bike Friday All-Day

Photograph: Adrienne So

Bike Friday All-Day for $5,600: Bike Friday bills the irresistibly tiny All-Day (7/10, WIRED Review) as the world’s lightest Bosch-powered ebike, and it’s true. You can customize all the colors and components of this folding electric bike, and it has a surprisingly powerful motor for its size. The Brompton above is more widely available and easier to use, but I love this little bike a lot.

Radio Flyer Via Pro for $2,900: Editor Julian Chokkattu could not have had a better experience than this easy-to-use and easy-to-assemble class 2 electric cargo bike. For more info, check out our guide to the Best Electric Cargo Bikes.

GoTrax Mustang for $1,799: We liked the Mustang, which is a surprisingly punchy little bike for just the right price. However, it only comes in one size so you should try it if you can before you buy it.

Aventon Level 3 for $1,899: The Aventon Level 3 is an easy-to-ride ebike that features a clean, step-through design and every feature you could want in a standard-size ebike for riding around town. There are built-in fenders and lights, and a big color display shows you how much of the up to 70 miles of advertised range you have remaining. I have ridden it up to about 25 miles at a time with my heavy 6’2″ frame, easily ending my rides with 20 percent of battery left. The frame feels comfortable and sturdy, thanks to a double-walled construction and improved Shimano gears and brakes. The front suspension fork and semi-hidden suspension seat post add to comfort relative to other bikes I’ve tested in this price range, and I like that the Aventon app lets you set up things like remote locking and geofencing, so you can keep an eye on your expensive bike from afar. The built-in turn signals, which use the bike’s rear lights, are another bonus when riding in cities at night. —Parker Hall

Tenways CGO800S for $1,799: This is a budget step-through city ebike. It boasts up to 50 miles of battery life, and I got more than 30. The torque sensor is smooth and responsive to pedaling at various speeds. However, there’s no throttle, and because this bike is meant to fit riders of a huge range of sizes (they say 5’1” to 6’3”), the frame was not as comfortable to pedal for me (5’11”) as some large-size bikes. —Martin Cizmar

Aventon Ramblas for $2,899: Aventon made a mountain bike! It’s a lot of bike for an affordable price, but just a little too heavy to take out for its intended use case. It makes a nice, rugged commuter, however.

Linus eDutchi for $1,799: Need a comfy cruiser? The Linus eDutchi is a comfy class 1 ebike with beautiful colors and loads of proprietary accessories.

Electra Loft Go electric bicycle

Electra Loft Go!

Photograph: Electra

Electra Loft Go! for $960: I also love the Electra Loft Go! (7/10, WIRED Recommends), which is another comfy sit-up beach cruiser, but the Priority has a slightly more powerful motor for the same price.

Xtracycle Estoker for $4,499: This is probably the bike that I see most often in my Portland, Oregon, neighborhood. It has a durable, sturdy Chromoly steel frame and larger 24-inch wheels, along with a Shimano mid-drive motor that makes it perfect for more grueling conditions. Unfortunately, you do have to be over 5’6″ (which I am not) to ride it.

Gazelle Eclipse for $6,399: If you want to know just how great the Bosch system can be, the Eclipse (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is the more expensive version of the Radster Road above. It has a nicer shifter, a smarter motor—even the paint job is nicer. It’s just much more expensive.

The Gocycle G4I+ for $5,999: Gocycle’s high-end, fast-folding luxury bikes are designed by a former McLaren engineer. This quieter, lighter iteration has better torque, a new carbon-fiber front fork, and an even more painful price.

The Bunch Original Electric Cargo Bike for $6,499: I didn’t care for the Bunch (5/10, WIRED Review), but my family did. It’s a standard, if slightly expensive, box bike as you might see in Europe. It’ll work well if you live in a flat area and don’t have to go very fast.

Bikes We Dislike

Pass on the left.

Retrospec ebike

The Retrospec Jax Rev

Photograph: Retrospec

The Retrospec Jax Rev for $1,100: We wanted to love this sleek, stylish folding bike, but we couldn’t help worrying about its durability.

Niu Electric Bike BQi-C3 Pro for $999: Commerce director Martin Cizmar tested this bike and had a litany of complaints. The riding position is too aggressive, and the bike frame doesn’t fit common components like a water bottle and his pannier. The disc brakes weren’t suited to stopping it from 28 mph.

FAQs

How Does WIRED Procure Ebikes?

Bike companies reach out to me, and I request testers in my size. Once I have finished testing, I either return the bikes to the manufacturer, the shop that assembled them, or donate them to nonprofit organizations.

How Do You Secure an Ebike?

Many ebikes have removable batteries, displays, or built-in wheel locks that make securing your bike much easier. Other bikes, like the Specialized Turbo Vado SL 2, are also compatible with Apple Find My. Check out our Best Ebike Locks guide for more options.

Should I Build My Own Bike?

Many affordable bikes now come direct-to-consumer—meaning that they are pre-tuned or partially assembled in a box. As Peter Flax recently noted in Bicycling magazine, these bikes do not get nearly the testing or vetting that bikes from a bigger manufacturer get. Unless you’re not riding much or for many miles, or are experienced with modifying your own bike, I recommend working with an established manufacturer that has a dealer network.

What Terrain Do You Live On?

If you live in a flat area, you’re probably fine with a 250-watt motor, which is the European speed standard. However, if you live near hills or haul a lot of stuff, you might want to consider a 500-watt or 750-watt motor and a few extras, like hydraulic disc brakes, which will help prevent you from skidding into traffic.

How Do I Prevent Bike Fires?

The idea of your garage suddenly setting alight is terrifying, but don’t worry—the batteries that manufacturers use today are much safer than those of yore. We only write about bikes that have been certified safe by a third-party organization. Also, exercise a bit of common sense. Do not leave your bike battery charging overnight in a boiling hot garage. Don’t use aftermarket accessories to charge your bike. And don’t plug in a battery that has deformed or smells weird, or try to turn on a bike with a cracked display or computer.

Follow Some Basic Safety Tips

Not sure where to start? The biking advocacy group PeopleForBikes has a safety education program, E-Bike Smart, which it created in collaboration with the League of American Bicyclists and Bicycle Colorado. Do not let your children ride your bike unsupervised. An 80-pound child should not be piloting a 65-pound bike, even if the motor makes it possible for them to do so. And always wear a helmet, but you already know that. Right?

Over the past few years, WIRED’s Reviews team has tried almost every kind of electric bike, from the best heavy-duty cargo bikes to high-end mountain bikes. We review upward of 50 new ebikes a year by riding them on a variety of terrain for at least 40 miles over the course of at least two weeks. We test cargo bikes by hauling kids and groceries, we ride mountain and gravel bikes on trails, and we test commuter bikes while running errands on regular city streets (including up and down steep hills). In addition to our real-life testing, we also evaluate specs like weight, tire size, battery life, motor power, and the sourcing of key components.

Whenever I talk to anyone about a possible ebike purchase, the biggest deterrent is usually the price. If this is you, check out our guide to the Best Cheap Ebikes. But I do want to say here that these are vehicles, not toys. When I’m carrying my kids to school or flying down a hill at 25 mph, I want the safest possible ride, and I think you should too.

Reasonable auto financing options are the only reason a $2,000 electric bike can feel prohibitively expensive while a $6,000 beater gas-powered car has easy monthly payments. Many states now feature incentive programs that offer rebates or tax credits for ebike purchases. Some bike manufacturers and retailers offer financing through companies like Affirm or PayPal. Your bank might cover ebikes under its vehicle loan program, and I also recommend looking at eBay locally, Craigslist, or local Facebook groups. You probably have more options than you think.

Ebike Classifications and Rules

Before you buy your electric bike, make sure you can actually use it! Many cities and states have laws regulating when and where you can ride an ebike. Check out our guide on the three classes of ebikes. At least 22 states now use this three-class system, and they may restrict when and where different classes of ebikes are used, depending on whether they have a throttle or can assist above 20 mph. Cities may also have laws about whether mountain ebikes are allowed on single-track trails. If your state classifies ebikes under the same laws governing motorcycles and mopeds, you may need a license to ride one.


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Save up to $600 With These Mattress Firm Coupons and Deals

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Save up to 0 With These Mattress Firm Coupons and Deals


Chances are that when you google “mattress store near me,” one of the first results you will see is Mattress Firm. This brick and mortar titan carries both established mattress brands like Serta and Sealy, as well as many online brands, like Purple, letting you go see for yourself if it’ll be the mattress for you. And if you were looking for an excuse to hop in the car and head over, we have a Mattress Firm coupon available right now, as well as tons of Mattress Firm promo codes to save big on those big (and small) purchases. Fingers crossed that you could start sleeping better, potentially as soon as tonight.

Upgrade Your Sleep Sale: Save Up to $600 (Plus Get a Free Adjustable Base)

This year, Mattress Firm wants to make it even easier (and more affordable) to upgrade your sleep with the Upgrade Your Sleep Sale. During this sale, you can save up to $600 and get a free adjustable base included on select mattresses, through April 28. You’ll receive a free Sleepy’s Basic adjustable base (a $300 value) with select mattress purchases—this means a free queen adjustable base with a  minimum $499 purchase, or free king adjustable base with minimum $599 purchase.

Get 15% Off When You Sign Up for Emails

To make sure you never miss out on Mattress Firm discount codes, you can sign up for email notifications. By doing so, you automatically get one! You can get an extra 15% off on your first order. Heads up that it can’t be combined with other coupons, nor can it be applied to specific brands and models, including Nectar, Purple, Sealy Hybrid, Tempur-Pedic, Stearns & Foster, and Serta iComfort.

Free Adjustable Base (Up to $499 Value) With Select Mattresses

First and foremost, make sure you have or are getting a mattress that’s compatible with an adjustable base. If you’re all set bed-wise, but have been looking for the right time to buy an adjustable base, consider this your sign: select mattresses come with a free adjustable base (up to $499 value). At last, you can sit up in bed or kick up your feet to your heart’s content.

Score Up to $300 in Instant Credits and Gifts

Mattress Firm’s got a gift for you, just ‘cuz. For those eyeballing Tempur-Pedic, Sealy, and Sterns & Foster in particular, it’s your lucky day, as there are Mattress Firm coupon codes for all three of these brands.

Starting with Tempur-Pedic, when you buy a qualifying Tempur-Pedic mattress, you can receive a $300 Instant Credit on these adjustable bases: Tempur-Ergo, Tempur-Ergo Smart Base, Tempur-Ergo ProSmart Base, Tempur-Ergo ProSmart Air Base, or the Sealy Ease Base. Use code TEMPURGIFT. You can also get a $300 credit toward these same adjustable bases when you purchase a qualifying Stearns & Foster mattress: use code STEARNSGIFT at checkout.

Lastly, if you wanted to pair a Sealy mattress with the Sealy Ease adjustable base (or any of the aforementioned adjustable bases), there’s a Mattress Firm coupon for that, too. Use code SEALYGIFT at checkout, and get a $200 Instant Credit on select Sealy and Tempur-Pedic adjustable bases.

Take 20% Off With Military, Medical, Student, or Teacher Discounts

Sleep is a necessity for everyone. But for those who work all day on their feet, and have to be dialed in at all times, sleep is critical. This is especially true for first responders, nurses, doctors, and medical professionals. As a way to say “thank you” for all that you do, there’s a special mattress firm discount just for you. Use the Mattress Firm first responder discount for 20% off select purchases. It’s for one-time use, but renews every 90 days when you re-verify your status.

For military members, as a way to thank you for your service, you can use the Mattress Firm military discount for 20% off select purchases as well. It’s a one-time use code, but re-verify your status every 90 days, and you can get a new one!

If you’re a teacher or student, there’s also a Mattress Firm discount for you, too. To help you bounce back after long days teaching, or late nights studying, use this Mattress Firm student discount code for 20% off select purchases. Like the first responder and military coupons, it’s a one-time usage code that can be renewed every 90 days when you re-verify your status.



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Here’s Every Country Directly Impacted by the War on Iran

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Here’s Every Country Directly Impacted by the War on Iran


On February 28, United States and Israeli forces launched a series of strikes on Iran, kicking off turmoil in the Middle East.

Pete Hegseth, the secretary of the Department of Defense, said in a recent press conference that the operation could last as long as eight weeks. President Donald Trump himself said in a press conference on March 2 that the administration projected the operation would last four or five weeks but had “the capability to go far longer than that.”

This week Iran has responded in turn, attacking Israel, regional US embassies and military bases, and other sites across the Middle East. Iran has peppered neighboring countries with hundreds of drone and ballistic missile strikes since the operation began. While many of these have been intercepted, over a thousand people have died in the region and multiple buildings have been damaged, including luxury hotels in Dubai, US military bases and embassies, and international airports and marine ports.

Israel has also started bombarding Lebanon, following strikes at the country by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

The Trump administration has given various, and at times seemingly contradictory, justifications for the military action, citing everything from potential “nuclear threat” to unverified claims that Iran attempted to interfere in the 2020 and 2024 US presidential elections. As of March 5, Congress, which in the US has the sole power to declare war, has not done so.

The attacks have already disrupted supply chains, creating uncertainty for the oil and gas and fertilizer industries as key infrastructure has been targeted or shut down out of caution. Shipping traffic has halted along the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route.

As the conflict continues to escalate and expand, WIRED is tracking which countries have been affected and how. This article was last updated on March 5.

Iran

As of March 4, Iranian state media estimates that over 1,000 people have died in the country since the US-Israeli attacks began. Several schools and hospitals have been hit, according to Al Jazeera. The Israeli Air Force says it has struck Iran with over 5,000 munitions since the beginning of the operation.

Israel

Israel has faced retaliatory strikes from Iran. As of March 4, at least 11 people have died and over 40 buildings have been damaged in Tel Aviv, according to Al Jazeera.

Azerbaijan

On March 5, Azerbaijan said drone attacks launched from Iran had crossed over the country’s borders and damaged an airport building and two civilians. President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan said that the country’s military forces “have been instructed to prepare and implement appropriate retaliatory measures,” according to Reuters. Iran has denied responsibility for the attacks, according to Al Jazeera.

Bahrain

Missile and drone strikes have targeted different locations in Bahrain, including a US naval base, according to the BBC. On March 2, Amazon reported that a drone strike occurred in close proximity to one of its data centers in the country. CNBC later reported that Iranian state media said that Iran had targeted the data center because of the company’s support of the US military.

Cyprus

On March 2, a drone strike hit a British air base in Cyprus, according to Reuters. It caused limited damage and no casualties. Greece, the UK, and France have lent defensive support to the country, according to a Bloomberg report.

Iraq

Since February 28, there have been reports of multiple Iranian strikes aimed at a US military base near the Erbil International Airport, according to the nonprofit monitoring group Armed Conflict Location and Event Data.

Jordan

Jordan’s armed forces have intercepted dozens of missiles since the start of the conflict. At least one Iranian-backed militant group in Iraq has claimed responsibility, according to the Associated Press. On March 2, the US Embassy in the country announced that all its personnel had temporarily departed.

Kuwait

Kuwait has endured multiple waves of Iranian missile and drone attacks since February 28. On March 2, US Central Command said in a statement that three US fighter jets were accidentally struck down by Kuwaiti air defenses during an attack that included Iranian aircraft, missiles, and drones.

Lebanon

Israel attacked southern Lebanon after the militant Lebanese group Hezbollah launched rocket and drone attacks against them. Lebanon prime minister Nawaf Salam subsequently banned Hezbollah’s military and security activities, according to Al Jazeera.

Oman

Oman’s Duqm commercial port has been hit by several drone attacks, according to Al Jazeera. Omani authorities have said at least one oil tanker off the country’s port of Khasab in the Strait of Hormuz has been attacked.

Qatar

On March 2, QatarEnergy posted on X saying that it would halt production of liquified natural gas following a military attack on its operational facilities in the country. It did not attribute the attack to any particular country. On March 3, it posted again, saying that it would also stop the production of additional products, including urea, polymers, methanol, and aluminum.

Saudi Arabia

Infrastructure in Saudi Arabia has been targeted with projectiles. On March 3, the US embassy in Riyadh, the country’s capital, was damaged following an attack. On March 4, Reuters reported that one of the Saudi Aramco’s largest domestic refineries of Saudi Aramco, the majority state-owned oil company, was targeted by an attempted drone attack.

Syria

Tom Fletcher, the United Nations undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief, says that civilians and civilian infrastructure were under attack in several countries including Syria.

Turkey

On March 4, the Turkish Ministry of National Defence announced that NATO had intercepted ballistic munitions launched from Iran, and that munition fragments had fallen into Hatay, a province that borders the Mediterranean Sea and Syria. Iran has denied any missile launch towards the country.

United Arab Emirates

As of March 4, UAE Ministry of Defence officials say that the country has intercepted hundreds of drone and missile attacks from Iran. Despite the relatively high rate of interceptions, debris created by the fallout has still damaged areas of the country. In Dubai, the luxury hotel Burj Al Arab was struck by debris, as well as the Palm Jumeirah, a man-made island home to high-end hotels and apartments. On March 2, Amazon Web Services announced that two of its facilities were directly struck in the country, causing “elevated error rates and degraded availability.”

Countries Evacuating Citizens

On March 2, US assistant secretary of state for consular affairs Mora Namdar posted on X urging Americans to depart from several middle eastern countries due to “serious safety risks.” On March 4, Reuters reported that the US military has offered seats on military transport planes to Americans trying to leave the region.

Over a dozen countries have announced that they will be evacuating their citizens from the area or sponsoring repatriation flights, including the UK, Ireland, Germany and Italy.



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OpenAI Had Banned Military Use. The Pentagon Tested Its Models Through Microsoft Anyway

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OpenAI Had Banned Military Use. The Pentagon Tested Its Models Through Microsoft Anyway


OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is still in the hot seat this week after his company signed a deal with the US military. OpenAI employees have criticized the move, which came after Anthropic’s roughly $200 million contract with the Pentagon imploded, and asked Altman to release more information about the agreement. Altman admitted it looked “sloppy” in a social media post.

While this incident has become a major news story, it may just be the latest and most public example of OpenAI creating vague policies around how the US military can access its AI.

In 2023, OpenAI’s usage policy explicitly banned the military from accessing its AI models. But some OpenAI employees discovered the Pentagon had already started experimenting with Azure OpenAI, a version of OpenAI’s models offered by Microsoft, two sources familiar with the matter said. At the time, Microsoft had been contracting with the Department of Defense for decades. It was also OpenAI’s largest investor, and had broad license to commercialize the startup’s technology.

That same year, OpenAI employees saw Pentagon officials walking through the company’s San Francisco offices, the sources said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity as they aren’t licensed to comment on private company matters.

Some OpenAI employees were wary about associating with the Pentagon, while others were simply confused about what OpenAI’s usage policies meant. Did the policy apply to Microsoft? While sources tell WIRED it was not clear to most employees at the time, spokespeople from OpenAI and Microsoft say Azure OpenAI products are not, and were not, subject to OpenAI’s policies.

“Microsoft has a product called the Azure OpenAI Service that became available to the US Government in 2023 and is subject to Microsoft terms of service,” said spokesperson Frank Shaw in a statement to WIRED. Microsoft declined to comment specifically on when it made Azure OpenAI available to the Pentagon, but notes the service was not approved for “top secret” government workloads until 2025.

“AI is already playing a significant role in national security and we believe it’s important to have a seat at the table to help ensure it’s deployed safely and responsibly,” OpenAI spokesperson Liz Bourgeois said in a statement. “We’ve been transparent with our employees as we’ve approached this work, providing regular updates and dedicated channels where teams can ask questions and engage directly with our national security team.”

The Department of Defense did not respond to WIRED’s request for comment.

By January 2024, OpenAI updated its policies to remove the blanket ban on military use. Several OpenAI employees found out about the policy update through an article in The Intercept, sources say. Company leaders later addressed the change at an all-hands meeting, explaining how the company would tread carefully in this area moving forward.

In December 2024, OpenAI announced a partnership with Anduril to develop and deploy AI systems for “national security missions.” Ahead of the announcement, OpenAI told employees that the partnership was narrow in scope and would only deal with unclassified workloads, the same sources said. This stood in contrast to a deal Anthropic had signed with Palantir, which would see Anthropic’s AI used for classified military work.

Palantir approached OpenAI in the fall of 2024 to discuss participating in their “FedStart” program, an OpenAI spokesperson confirmed to WIRED. The company ultimately turned it down, and told employees it would’ve been too high-risk, two sources familiar with the matter tell WIRED. However, OpenAI now works with Palantir in other ways.

Around the time the Anduril deal was announced, a few dozen OpenAI employees joined a public Slack channel to discuss their concerns about the company’s military partnerships, sources say and a spokesperson confirmed. Some believed the company’s models were too unreliable to handle a user’s credit card information, let alone assist Americans on the battlefield.



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