Review: The Remco motorized lift stand is a dream come true for e-bikes
Working on e-bikes can be a pain – literally – if you’re hoisting 70, 80, or even 100-pound (up to 45 kg) bikes onto a repair stand for assembly or maintenance – something I seem to be doing on an all too regular basis. That’s why I was excited to get and test out a Remco electric bike lift stand, a motorized work stand that does the heavy lifting for you. And after using it for a few months while assembling and maintaining a revolving door of hefty e-bikes, I can safely say that this thing is a game changer – especially if your back is tired of playing bike mechanic.
An electric lift that actually makes sense
The standout feature of the Remco lift is, obviously, the motorized lifting column. Unlike traditional stands that rely on muscle and leverage (and a healthy set of spinal discs), this one lets you roll your e-bike in low, clamp it near ground level, and press a button to raise it to the perfect working height. If you’re someone who regularly works on e-bikes – especially larger fat tire models or dual-battery cargo haulers – you’ll instantly understand how huge that is.
There are even preset height buttons that let you dial in and save your favorite work positions. That means no holding down the button, no guessing, no fiddling. Just tap and go. I loved being able to move between “wheel height,” “cockpit height,” and “full vertical” with a quick button press. It’s incredibly convenient and honestly kind of fun.
There’s a weird kind of pleasure I get from clamping my bike in at ground level, pushing a button to start a soft whirring noise, reaching around to select whatever tool I needed, then turning back to see my heavy e-bike waiting there suspended in mid-air at a comfortable work height. It honestly feels like a cheat code in real life.
Built like a tank (and just about as heavy)
This thing is robust. The base is incredibly solid – honestly, it’s heavy as hell. Once you bolt everything down, the stability is on par with professional bike shop setups. I never worried about tipping, swaying, or wobble, even when lifting e-bikes that were pushing (or slightly exceeding) the listed 100 lb weight limit. Yeah… I may have lifted some 105+ lb bikes, and the Remco didn’t flinch.
The flipside to it being super stable is that it’s also super heavy. That pedestal foot alone weighs around 90 lb, not to mention the entire rest of the apparatus, motor, clamp, etc. I’m often moving it around my workspace depending on what I have going on, and I’ve taken to keeping a square piece of cardboard under the pedestal foot so that it slides better. Most people will probably have it live in one place for most of its life, but if you’re the kind to spill out of your garage or workshop during the day and then pack everything back in at night, be aware that the stand is not an easy move by itself.
The motor is surprisingly quiet, too. Like, whisper-quiet. I expected a bit of a gear whine or some buzzing, but the lift glides smoothly and silently, which adds to the premium feel with barely a gentle whirr. It just works, and it works really well.
Check out how easily it lifts a nearly 100 lb e-bike below. Those dual batteries and dual motors are nice for the ride, but they sure make the bike heavy while you’re working on it!
The only downside? The price
If there’s one catch, it’s the price. At around $700 (assuming you bring your own favorite clamp), this isn’t for your casual weekend chain-oiler. It’s probably overkill for most home mechanics – unless you’re like me and you’re constantly testing, assembling, or maintaining multiple e-bikes. In that case, it quickly goes from luxury to a near necessity.
When I can swing it, I’m definitely in favor of the “buy it for life” ethos, as in getting something good that will last you for years and years of service, instead of something cheap that you’ll end up needing to replace multiple times for more than the cost of a good one. And this is absolutely one of those products that feels well built – even overbuilt – to withstand the kind of daily use you’d expect of a high-end work stand.
Final thoughts
For shops, a stand like this is a no-brainer. Your employees will thank you, or you’ll thank yourself if you’re an “in the trenches” kind of bike shop owner. For dedicated home wrenchers like me, it’s a splurge – but a very worthwhile one.
I’d definitely say that if you’re tired of manhandling 90-pound e-bikes onto a standard repair stand, or if you simply want a more comfortable, efficient way to work at eye level without adjusting bike stand legs or lifting awkward frames, the Remco electric bike lift is a rock-solid upgrade.
It’s not cheap – but neither is back pain. And after using this thing daily, I’m not sure I can ever go back.
Oh, and if you want to see one in person and you happen to be at the Eurobike show this week, you can find Remco in Hall 11.1, booth B01. It’s definitely a stand you’ll want to see in action!
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With much of the US sweltering under a record-breaking heat dome, many EV buyers and owners are left wondering how their favorite electric cars perform in extreme summer temperatures. A new study tracking over 29,700 electric cars in real-world conditions provides the answers, and we’re sharing them here: these are the EVs that handle the summer heat best.
The EV leasing and subscription specialists Recurrent Auto have had tens of thousands of new and used EVs in their database over the years, giving them a massive dataset to analyze and draw conclusions from. So when they published their findings about which EVs had the best range in 90- and 100-degree weather, it was required reading for any would-be EV expert.
“Most of the country has a heat advisory right now, so we’re fielding lots of questions about EV batteries in extreme heat,” reads the intro to the Recurrent report. “Here’s the deal … electric cars work perfectly fine in hot weather. Range loss at 90F (32C) is minimal. Less than 5% change.”
Like many real-world aspects of EV ownership and longevity, that seems a lot better than what most people – or even most analysts would likely tell you. So, what gives?
“When temperatures pass 100F (37C), range impacts can be 17-18%,” they continue, “but these reductions are temporary while the AC is working to keep passengers cool … we advise that owners and dealerships avoid letting an EV sit with extremely low states of charge in this heat. An EV uses its battery power to keep the battery cool.”
The infographic
Recurrent’s findings put the Audi e-tron in the top spot, followed closely by recent JD Power favorites BMW i4 and Rivian R1S, all of which reportedly lose less than 3% of their range, even at an absolutely blistering 100°F.
To put those percentages into some easier to digest numbers (and fix the fact that Recurrent’s infographic makes it look, to my eyes, like you can’t drive a Nissan Ariya or Chevy Blazer at 100+ degrees), I’ve done the math, starting with the EV’s EPA-rated range under “ideal” conditions, then translated that using the percentages from Recurrent.
Would I bet my family’s safety and convenience on this rough-and-tumble chart while planning my next road trip? Absolutely not – go download Chargeway for that. Would I do the math because it’s a fun mental exercise that’s going to generate fun comments? Absolutely.
Check out the math, below, and if you see an EV you like in there click on the link in the table to go find a great local deal on a hot weather ready electric car near you. Links to Rivian and Tesla dealers weren’t included because they don’t have dealers.
EV range in extreme heat
SOURCES: Recurrent Auto, via LinkedIn; featured image via Audi.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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Time-of-use electricity plans are hardly a new concept, but what makes Octopus Energy’s new time-of-use plan, OctopusFlex, great is that it’s ridiculously simple.
It rewards its customers in Lubbock, Texas, for using power between 10 pm and 6 am with cheaper rates, when the grid is quieter and cleaner. That means big savings for choosing to run your dishwasher or washer and dryer at night or charging your EV while you sleep.
And if customers use EV charger apps and smart thermostats, OctopusFlex automatically shifts electricity use to off-peak hours, which makes a real difference in accessing lower rates and saving money.
“This is about more than off-peak discounts,” said Nick Chaset, CEO of Octopus Energy US. “We’re giving customers the power to save money while actively supporting a cleaner, more balanced grid.”
Built around customer feedback, OctopusFlex is designed for total transparency. Customers can see exactly how and when they’re using electricity, what it’s costing them, and no connected devices are required. All they have to do is remember that electricity is cheaper from 10 pm to 6am.
“We’re thrilled to launch OctopusFlex, a plan our customers asked for and helped name,” said Katie Rosario, marketing manager. “With OctopusFlex, customers can shift energy use on their terms to save money.”
And in the summer, when solar power is strong and demand shifts, OctopusFlex customers could see low rates not just overnight, but all day long. (This program is designed for folks who don’t have solar and battery storage.)
“Time-of-use is one of the easiest ways to cut energy bills and reward flexibility,” said Daniel Kirwin, product manager. “We couldn’t be more excited to bring this to Texas.”
By nudging demand to off-peak hours, OctopusFlex helps reduce the strain on Texas’ grid during scorching summer afternoons, cuts the risk of blackouts, and makes room for more renewable energy.
Want to make the most of it? Pre-cool your home in the early morning, run big appliances overnight, charge your EV after 10 pm, and use smart plugs or timers to set and forget.
OctopusFlex is now live in Lubbock, Texas, where Octopus Energy became a retail provider in early 2024. Octopus Energy launched in 2016 and entered the US market in 2020. The company is part of Octopus Group, a global certified BCorp operating in 18 countries.
Read more: This Texas EV lease company includes unlimited free home charging
To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
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