SUPER73 – S2

IF STEVE MCQUEEN were forced to ride an e-bike, it would be this one. Never mind that the reference might be lost on the hipster demo to which it seems aimed; everyone can appreciate the melding of next-gen tech with vintage looks.

This nexus is exemplified by the battery, which, instead of being tucked away on the lower frame, is shaped like a teardrop gas tank and proudly positioned between seat and handlebars. Fenders, fat tires, a long seat and a full-size headlight further beef up the profile.

So how does it perform? With grin-producing gusto. At 73 pounds, the S2 is no nimble corner carver, but even when relying solely on the pedal-assist function, minimal leg pumping translates to power that conquers most cityscape inclines. Or press the thumb throttle to go total easy rider and let the rear-tire mounted hub motor do all the silent work of zooming around rush-hour-bound traffic.

Set to Class 1 mode, speed tops out at about 20 mph, which makes the S2 legal on most bike paths—and feels plenty fast. An app unlocks additional modes, including the “unlimited” mode that allows speeds easily surpassing 30 mph.

Such variables can greatly affect battery charge, of course; California-based Super73 claims a full-charge range of about 40 miles using only the throttle, 75 miles using minimal pedal-assist.

The smiles-per-hour might reach even higher. Cruising around via city streets and bike paths on trips to return a computer to the office, to pay taxes at city hall and to seek fresh sourdough at the farmers’ market, the S2 turned plenty of heads and sparked several envious conversations. Indeed, while riding it may never make you as cool as Mcqueen, you could soon find yourself the leader of the local pack. $2,995; super73.com —STEVE RUSSELL

MINIMAL LEG PUMPING TRANSLATES TO POWER THAT CONQUERS MOST CITYSCAPE INCLINES.