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If there’s one thing I love nearly as much as electric bikes, it’s getting to enjoy some new gear on my rides. With the holidays barreling down on us, there’s still a little bit of time left to bring that joy to an e-bike lover near you! Here are some of the coolest pieces of gear I’ve tested this year that would make great stocking stuffers for anyone who rides an e-bike (or a pedal bike!) in your family or friend group.

Foldylock Forever

I know this is going to be a bold statement, but I think I’ve found the best folding lock in the world. The Forever from Foldylock is a veritable BEAST of a lock. I used to think ABUS was the name to beat for folding locks, but having tried both theirs and Foldylock’s, the Foldylock Forever is definitely top of its class.

Its link joints are so tight that there’s no room to get a tool in anywhere. Its pivot where the lock connects back into its housing actually wraps around 360 for the most freedom when locking, unlike other leading brands that only bend up around 90 degrees. It’s also weirdly quiet. I’m used to the many links in a folding lock resulting in lots of rattling. But the Foldylock Forever has such tight tolerances that it doesn’t move around or rattle. Even the bike holder keeps it secure from moving and making noise.

The only bummer is its a bit short at just 90cm, though the company is apparently going to be releasing a longer version soon, which I’ll probably want to upgrade to.

For just over $100, it’s not even that expensive compared to most high-security bike locks. And ever since I had a $3,000 e-bike stolen, I’ve rethought just how much it’s worth it to buy high quality locks.

Hiplok Z Combo

This one might seem like a strange bike lock, but it’s super handy in a pinch as a quick and dirty low-security option. It’s only a 3 digit combo, which means brute forcing it would only require a maximum of 999 combinations. But that’s really not an issue because someone could literally brute force physically attack it even quicker. A pair of quality garden shears would likely go through it.

So why am I recommending it? Because this isn’t a main lock, but rather just a nice and tiny supplemental lock. At under $25, it’s a fairly cheap sense of light security that barely weighs anything and you’ll forget you even have it with you. It’s basically a security zip-tie.

It’s great for locking your helmet to your bike, or just locking a wheel to the frame if you need to run in somewhere for a minute. Any thief armed with pretty much any type of cutter bigger than a pair of scissors could get through the thin steel strap in the core, but the point is to protect against theft of opportunity attacks – the guy walking down the street and thinks to himself “I’d like that helmet”. A professional thief will be through it in seconds but a random dude on the street is going to mess up his palms trying to rip it apart by hand.

In fact, it’s so small and handy that I keep one strung through the molle loops of my everyday backpack so I always have a quick way to lock something – or anything – always at my fingertips. Even if I just need to lock my bag for a bit while traveling or go full Jason Bourne with incognito flexicuffs, it’s there.

Hover Air X1 drone (flying camera)

Speaking of traveling, I think I’ve found the perfect filming drone for traveling and bike trips. I often travel to other countries for test rides and vacation, and I often debate whether to bring the drones that I use for pro-level filming. Even my DJI Mini drones are still not that small, meaning they take up a decent portion of my backpack. That’s a bummer for someone like me who tries to travel with just a backpack.

But the Hover Air X1 is the smallest drone I’ve found that still gives me good pictures and video. I’ve only been playing with it for a few days so far, and so of course I’ll be back with more on my experience with this flying camera, but it’s been an awesome experience so far. The image quality isn’t quite as good as my DJI drones but to be honest, it’s not that far off. I can definitely use the photos and videos professionally, at least if you can call what I do a profession.

The tracking, hovering, orbiting, and other smart flight paths give me quick little clips of interesting shots, like a spin around my bike shot, and also mean I don’t waste a lot of battery life setting up shots. The battery only lasts around 9 minutes, but I can pop a spare in if I need to. I only have the one battery though, and I’ve found it to be sufficient for grabbing lots of different shots on a charge. And since there’s a USB port on the side, I can top up the charge inside my bag from a portable power bank.

There’s also 32Gb of built-in memory, though around 10 Gb are taken up by the firmware. That still leaves me with lots of space for 2.7k video, which I can download right to my phone and clear up more space on the drone.

One of the reasons I don’t mine the small 9-minute battery is because the drone just doesn’t go very far. I’ll send my DJI drones out a mile or more exploring, but the Hover Air X1 launches from the palm of your hand (literally), does whatever flight you set it for, then returns to your hand.

There’s no controller – though you can buy third-party tiny controllers if you want to fly it manually or fly it from your phone.

Basically, it’s a great way to bring a drone with you traveling or on bike rides when you don’t want the bulk of a bigger piece of equipment but still want to get those higher perspective or third-person photos and video.

XNITO helmet

I’ve tested a lot of helmets over the years, but the XNITO helmet impressed me as one that is quite comfortable while still feeling like it gives me good wraparound protection.

It doesn’t look like a big egg on my head, it doesn’t feel too nerdy and it doesn’t look like I’m qualifying for the olympic cycling team. It just looks like a nice urban helmet, which is what I’m going for.

The quick-release clasp is also great for one handed removal, and it’s hard to go back to a normal two-handed buckle systems when I’m not wearing the XNITO.

The integrated front and rear LED lights are key, and it they’re especially important if you’re on a bike, scooter or skateboard that doesn’t already have integrated lighting. But even on my e-bikes that do have lights, I like knowing I’ve got one more bright red light up high to make me extra visible to distracted car drivers coming up on my six.

The forward-facing light isn’t really bright enough to light up your way like a headlamp, but it’s perfect for being seen. When you roll up to an intersection, drivers will definitely see your bright white spot on top of your forehead.

For $120, I’d have loved to see a MIPS safety lining, but otherwise I’m very happy with this helmet. It looks good, feels good, works well – what’s not to like?!

Electric Bike Company custom helmet

If you want your helmet to be a bit sexier looking, and you like the idea of customizing it however you’d like, you’ll want to check this out. The Electric Bike Company uses the same awesome Customizer program that allows you to create a 100% custom-painted e-bike, but now they’re applying it to helmets as well.

I made a really pretty blue helmet that my wife has since stolen from me. And you can even customize the strap and trim colors. Plus it’s got built-in front and rear LED lights so you’re always visible, even if your bike lights aren’t working.

Even better yet, the helmet is actually super comfortable, so it’s not just one of those good-looking but poor-performing helmets. It feels as good as it looks.

electric bike company model J

Woowind electric bike pump

I’ve used a few electric pumps over the years, but this is one I bought a few months ago to have as a spare and I’ve been super happy with it.

It claims to go up to 120 PSI, though I never run my tires that high so I’ve only used it up to around 40 PSI. But I can confirm that the battery lasts a long time, it feels well made with an aluminum case, and it’s even bright red so it doesn’t get lost in a pile of black bike gear.

I’ve never actually run it empty, but I tend to charge it every ten uses or so and it’s never made me feel like it was about to run out of battery.

It came with a bunch of attachments I’ve since lost, but I only ever use the Schraeder valve anyway so I don’t worry too much about the Presta adapter or the sports-ball tips.

At $42, it’s not cheap. But it’s also infinitely nicer than using a manual hand pump. And as a bonus, its battery lasts long enough that you can use it to top up car and motorcycle tires too!

Cycplus mini electric pump

While the pump above is great for having a larger battery, the Cycplus mini electric pump is incredible for being so tiny. I can literally carry it around in my pocket and forget that it’s there. As an emergency pump to carry on your bike, you’ll never notice the few extra grams and it won’t take up much space in your limited on-bike storage.

It gets quite hot while you use it, but it has a silicone condom thing for it that I assume is there to prevent you from burning your fingers. It also probably helps protect the unit in case you drop it.

The main downsides are that there’s no screen to let you know how much pressure you’re at, and the small pump only has enough battery for two tires. But I can just pinch the tire to get a feel for pressure (this is more of an emergency pump anyway) and two tires is exactly how many tires I have on my bike, so it’s perfect!

It’s a bit pricey at $89. But like many things, the best pump is the one you have with you. And a pump this tiny is easy to bring it along.

Dynaplug tubeless repair tool

Last year I was surprised to see this Dynaplug tool show up in my mailbox. It’s a nifty little repair kit for tubeless tires.

It’s about the size of a space pen, which itself is around half the size of a typical ballpoint pen. Basically, it’s tiny.

The only problem is that I’m not fancy enough to own any tubeless bikes. So I gave it to a lycra friend of mine and forgot all about it. Fast forward nearly a year or so and I received this text message from him recently:

Hey, so a while back you gave me a tire plug in a small stainless steel pen shaped tube. On my way home this evening I’m barreling down the trail, pssssssss, tire sealant goes everywhere…I have one hand stopping the air from coming out of the tire, the other hand reaches to the bottom of my saddle bag, as if placed by an angel from heaven your tire plug contraption falls out as I am fumbling around to see what’s in the bag. I untwist the sucker with my mouth, stab the it into the hole in the tire, pull it out aaand I hear the trees swaying into the wind, the train rattle by and my tire sealed.

I guess it works pretty well.

Topeak Ratchet Stick

The Topeak Ratchet Stick is probably my favorite bike tool of all time.

It doesn’t have every tool in the box, but it has most of the hex driver sizes you’ll need for common tasks (adjusting brakes, saddles, racks, etc.), and then the second plastic holder that snaps onto it carries even more drivers that you probably don’t need as often (mostly the Torx drivers).

To be honest I don’t even know where the second plastic holder with the other drivers is anymore, I’ve probably long since lost it in the bottom of my bike parts bin. That’s how infrequently I need any of those extra bits. The five drivers that fit in the handle are all that I use on a daily basis.

The main part of the tool without the extra bits is a godsend. Not only do you have all of your common drivers in one place, but they fit into a ratchet tool that makes it super easy to install bike parts. Instead of trying to spin an Allen wrench 20 degrees for 100 repetitions until you finally tighten down a bolt, it’s so much easier to use a ratchet. No more pulling off your Allen wrench, resetting it, then turning. The ratchet does it all for you. And the quick direction change lever has you going from tightening to loosening in a second. It’s a bit pricey at $54, but so, so worth it if you are wrenching on your bikes as often as I am.

Smallrig folding tool

I bought this tool specifically to have the smallest collection of common bike tools possible. It’s perfect. It fits into the watch pocket of my jeans so I forget it’s there, but it’s ready in a second when I quickly need a 5mm Allen or a Phillips head screwdriver. I don’t use the Torx bit much, but it’s great to have that Phillips there in addition to the common metric hex sizes.

In fact, it’s not even a bike tool. This is a camera tool meant to be used for adjustments on tripods and other filming equipment. But universality is the whole point of metric bolts, and so whether those bolts are holding a camera quick-release plate or a bike headlight, the tool still works! And it’s just $20, making it a great deal for a tool that puts all of the most common bike drivers in something the size of your thumb.

The big flat thing is mostly for screwing in the 1/4-20 tripod plates used in photography, but I often use it as a pry bar. I’m thinking of filing down the end to make it a bit narrower and work as a smaller flat-head screwdriver as well.

In fact, I love this little thing so much that after I had my first one confiscated by airport security, I went back and bought a second one. Now I just remember not to leave it in my pocket when travelling carry-on.

Redshift Arclight pedals

These are the coolest bicycle pedals I have ever seen in my entire life. Hands down.

They’re also quite expensive, so prepare yourself. But trust me, they’re awesome.

You swap these in place of your existing pedals and then – boom! – you’ve got headlights and tail lights that move with you.

Each pedal has two removable LED lights, one facing forward and one facing backward. But you don’t have to make sure you get the orientation right, since they have some sort of witchcraft in them to automatically tell which way they are facing and light up with the correct color. I’ve tried flipping them quickly to trick them, but they always instantly change color to keep white facing forward and red facing the rear.

Plus there’s a 5th LED module that mounts on your seat post for a standard tail light. It’s wild!

And the fact that the pedal lights are moving in a circle makes them even more obvious to drivers. The only thing that stands out more at night than a bright LED light is a bright LED light in motion.

The set of pedals costs $140, which is not cheap, but then again they’re not just smart lights but also a good set of pedals. For another $40, you can get that fifth module to mount on your seat post.

You can see the pedals and tail light in action below. That bright headlight isn’t part of the kit though –that’s the next light below.

Redshift Arclight pedals and tail light doing their thing

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BMW ups the ante with the fastest, most powerful electric maxi-scooter

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BMW ups the ante with the fastest, most powerful electric maxi-scooter

BMW Motorrad’s futuristic electric scooter just got its first real refresh since beginning production in 2021. The BMW CE 04, already one of the most capable and stylish electric maxi-scooters on the market, now gets a set of upgraded trim options, new aesthetic touches, and a more robust list of features that aim to make this urban commuter even more appealing to riders looking for serious electric performance on two wheels.

The BMW CE 04 has always stood out for its sci-fi styling and high-performance drivetrain. It’s built on a mid-mounted liquid-cooled motor that puts out 31 kW (42 hp) and 62 Nm of torque. That’s enough to rocket the scooter from 0 to 50 km/h (31 mph) in just 2.6 seconds – quite fast for anything with a step-through frame.

The top speed is electronically limited to 120 km/h (75 mph), making it perfectly capable for city riding and fast enough to hold its own on highway stretches. Range is rated at 130 km (81 miles) on the WMTC cycle, thanks to the 8.9 kWh battery pack tucked low in the frame.

But while the core performance hasn’t changed, BMW’s 2025 update focuses on refining the package and giving riders more options to tailor the scooter to their taste. The new CE 04 is available in three trims: Basic, Avantgarde, and Exclusive.

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The Basic trim keeps things clean and classic with a Lightwhite paint scheme and a clear windshield. It’s subtle, sleek, and very much in line with the CE 04’s clean-lined aesthetic. The Avantgarde model adds a splash of color with a Gravity Blue main body and bright São Paulo Yellow accents, along with a dark windshield and a laser-engraved rim. The top-shelf Exclusive trim is where things get fancy, with a premium Spacesilver metallic paint job, upgraded wind protection, heated grips, a luxury embroidered seat, and its own unique engraved rim treatment.

There are also a few new tech upgrades baked into the options list. Riders can now spec a 6.9 kW quick charger that reduces the 0–80% charge time to just 45 minutes (down from nearly 4 hours with the standard 2.3 kW onboard charger). Tire pressure monitoring, a center stand, and BMW’s “Headlight Pro” adaptive lighting system are also available as add-ons, along with an emergency eCall system and Dynamic Traction Control.

BMW has kept the core riding components in place: a steel-tube chassis, 15-inch wheels, Bosch ABS (with optional ABS Pro), and the impressive 10.25” TFT display with integrated navigation and smartphone connectivity. The under-seat storage still swallows a full-face helmet, and the long, low frame design means the scooter looks like something out of Blade Runner but rides like a luxury commuter.

With these updates, BMW seems to be further cementing the CE 04’s role at the high end of the electric scooter market. It’s not cheap, starting around €12,000 in Europe and around US $12,500 in the US, with prices going up from there depending on configuration. However, the maxi-scooter delivers real motorcycle-grade performance in a package that’s easier to live with for daily riders.

Electrek’s Take

I believe that the CE 04’s biggest strength has always been that it’s not trying to be a toy or a gimmick. It’s a real vehicle. Sure, it’s futuristic and funky looking, but it delivers on its promises. And in a market that’s still surprisingly sparse when it comes to premium electric scooters, BMW has had the lane mostly to itself. That may not last forever, though. LiveWire, Harley-Davidson’s electric spin-off brand, has teased plans for a maxi-scooter-style urban electric vehicle in the coming years, but as of now, it remains something of an undefined future plan.

Meanwhile, BMW is delivering not just a concept bike but a mature, well-equipped, and ready-to-ride electric scooter that keeps improving. For riders who want something faster and more capable than a Class 3 e-bike but aren’t ready to jump to a full-size electric motorcycle, the CE 04 hits a sweet spot. It delivers the performance and capability of a commuter e-motorcycle, yet with the approachability of a scooter. And with these new trims and upgrades, it’s doing it with even more style.

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I found this cheap Chinese e-cargo trike that hauls more than your car!

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I found this cheap Chinese e-cargo trike that hauls more than your car!

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you combine a fruit cart, a cargo bike, and a Piaggio Ape all in one vehicle, now you’ve got your answer. I submit, for your approval, this week’s feature for the Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week column – and it’s a beautiful doozie.

Feast your eyes on this salad slinging, coleslaw cruising, tuber taxiing produce chariot!

I think this electric vegetable trike might finally scratch the itch long felt by many of my readers. It seems every time I cover an electric trike, even the really cool ones, I always get commenters poo-poo-ing it for having two wheels in the rear instead of two wheels in the front. Well, here you go, folks!

Designed with two front wheels for maximum stability, this trike keeps your cucumbers in check through every corner. Because trust me, you don’t want to hit a pothole and suddenly be juggling peaches like you’re in Cirque du Soleil: Farmers Market Edition.

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To avoid the extra cost of designing a linked steering system for a pair of front wheels, the engineers who brought this salad shuttle to life simply side-stepped that complexity altogether by steering the entire fixed front end. I’ve got articulating electric tractors that steer like this, and so if it works for a several-ton work machine, it should work for a couple hundred pounds of cargo bike.

Featuring a giant cargo bed up front with four cascading fruit baskets set up for roadside sales, this cargo bike is something of a blank slate. Sure, you could monetize grandma’s vegetable garden, or you could fill it with your own ideas and concoctions. Our exceedingly talented graphics wizard sees it as the perfect coffee and pastry e-bike for my new startup, The Handlebarista, and I’m not one to argue. Basically, the sky is the limit with a blank slate bike like this!

Sure, the quality doesn’t quite match something like a fancy Tern cargo bike. The rim brakes aren’t exactly confidence-inspiring, but at least there are three of them. And if they should all give out, or just not quite slow you down enough to avoid that quickly approaching brick wall, then at least you’ve got a couple hundred pounds of tomatoes as a tasty crumple zone.

The electrical system does seem a bit underpowered. With a 36V battery and a 250W motor, I don’t know if one-third of a horsepower is enough to haul a full load to the local farmer’s market. But I guess if the weight is a bit much for the little motor, you could always do some snacking along the way. On the other hand, all the pictures seem to show a non-electric version. So if this cart is presumably mobile on pedal power alone, then that extra motor assist, however small, is going to feel like a very welcome guest.

The $950 price is presumably for the electric version, since that’s what’s in the title of the listing, though I wouldn’t get too excited just yet. I’ve bought a LOT of stuff on Alibaba, including many electric vehicles, and the too-good-to-be-true price is always exactly that. In my experience, you can multiply the Alibaba price by 3-4x to get the actual landed price for things like these. Even so, $3,000-$4,000 wouldn’t be a terrible price, considering a lot of electric trikes stateside already cost that much and don’t even come with a quad-set of vegetable baskets on board!

I should also put my normal caveat in here about not actually buying one of these. Please, please don’t try to buy one of these awesome cargo e-trikes. This is a silly, tongue-in-cheek weekend column where I scour the ever-entertaining underbelly of China’s massive e-commerce site Alibaba in search of fun, quirky, and just plain awesomely weird electric vehicles. While I’ve successfully bought several fun things on the platform, I’ve also gotten scammed more than once, so this is not for the timid or the tight-budgeted among us.

That isn’t to say that some of my more stubborn readers haven’t followed in my footsteps before, ignoring my advice and setting out on their own wild journey. But please don’t be the one who risks it all and gets nothing in return. Don’t say I didn’t warn you; this is the warning.

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OPEC+ members agree to larger-than-expected oil production hike in August

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OPEC+ members agree to larger-than-expected oil production hike in August

The OPEC logo is displayed on a mobile phone screen in front of a computer screen displaying OPEC icons in Ankara, Turkey, on June 25, 2024.

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Eight oil-producing nations of the OPEC+ alliance agreed on Saturday to increase their collective crude production by 548,000 barrels per day, as they continue to unwind a set of voluntary supply cuts.

This subset of the alliance — comprising heavyweight producers Russia and Saudi Arabia, alongside Algeria, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates — met digitally earlier in the day. They had been expected to increase their output by a smaller 411,000 barrels per day.

In a statement, the OPEC Secretariat attributed the countries’ decision to raise August daily output by 548,000 barrels to “a steady global economic outlook and current healthy market fundamentals, as reflected in the low oil inventories.”

The eight producers have been implementing two sets of voluntary production cuts outside of the broader OPEC+ coalition’s formal policy.

One, totaling 1.66 million barrels per day, stays in effect until the end of next year.

Under the second strategy, the countries reduced their production by an additional 2.2 million barrels per day until the end of the first quarter.

They initially set out to boost their production by 137,000 barrels per day every month until September 2026, but only sustained that pace in April. The group then tripled the hike to 411,000 barrels per day in each of May, June, and July — and is further accelerating the pace of their increases in August.

Oil prices were briefly boosted in recent weeks by the seasonal summer spike in demand and the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, which threatened both Tehran’s supplies and raised concerns over potential disruptions of supplies transported through the key Strait of Hormuz.

At the end of the Friday session, oil futures settled at $68.30 per barrel for the September-expiration Ice Brent contract and at $66.50 per barrel for front month-August Nymex U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude.

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