State Bicycle Co. Just Released Its First E-Bike (and We’re Stoked)

Folks, prime biking season is upon us. Whether you’re a hardcore Strava disciple who won’t even step on a bike until your GPS signal is acquired or you just like to ride your cruiser around town, the warmer months—while a vast improvement over biking in the rain, sleet, or snow—can prove challenging for cyclists due to a different glaring, damp reason: sweat. Biking to work isn’t just a way more fun way to get around than the bus; it’s also a great way to get some exercise while cutting back on your carbon footprint—but showing up to work looking like you’re on a first date with someone out of your league isn’t a good look. 

That’s where e-bikes come in—specifically the new 6061 eBike Commuter from State Bicycle Co., which officially launched today. State Bicycle Co. makes some of our fave delivered-to-your-door road bikes, fixies, and collabs with Wu-Tang Clan, so we’re stoked to see them expand into the e-bike space. Pedal-assisted bikes such as this one give you a little (or in this case, a lot) of extra power every time you pedal, helping you to get where you’re going without getting soaked.

While we, of course, would rather not roll into the office drenched in sweat, e-bikes are also great for people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to travel long distances on a normal bike, or for when you’re not feeling up to your usual “50 miles uphill both ways” commute (or whatever you plan on telling your grandchildren about how commuting was “back in your day”). Thankfully, the 6061 has a range of 20–100 miles on a single charge with a top speed of 20 miles per hour on pedal assist mode. With five levels of assistance, you can choose how hard you want to work every time you step on the bike. It’s also super simple to operate, thanks to its single-speed drivetrain and clear, backlit display. Single speed means no messing around with shifting gears, no worrying about cross-chaining, and fewer trips to your local bike shop for repairs. The backlit display lets you know exactly how much juice you have left, which assistance level you’re on, your current speed, and your distance traveled. 

On top of all those impressive specs, the 6061 is one of the more affordable e-bikes on the market and is perfect for commuting (duh) and running errands. Plus, it’s slim enough that people might not even clock it as an e-bike—they’ll just think you’re doing EPO you have really strong quads. 

While we’re fans of the sexy, murdered-out vibe of the matte black finish, State Bicycle Co. also lets you customize your build. Love the 6061, but hate the stock pedals? No problem, upgrade those bad boys. Need a water bottle holder for hydrating on hot days and a kickstand to keep your bike off the ground? Easy—add ‘em both. And if you’re still skeptical about making the upgrade from person-powered to electric, don’t sleep on State’s existing models and collabs, which include this stupid-handsome Van Damme road bike, the aforementioned Wu-Tang Clan collab that has been on our wishlists since it dropped, and even a skull-emblazoned Grateful Dead cruiser that we’re dying to ride straight to Shakedown.

We’re also fans of the brand’s saddle bags, which are waterproof and designed to fit an entire flat-fixing kit (or whatever other supplies you wanna have on hand under your saddle).

State Bicycle Co.’s e-bikes are also backed by a five-year frame warranty; an 18-month warranty for the motor, electronics, and battery; and a one-year warranty for other non-consumable parts, so you’ll be squared away should anything happen to your sweet new ride. 

See you at the bike rack. 

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.