Hi, I'm Will.

I started Mid-Drive Lab because I was tired of e-bike reviews that read like press releases.

When I went shopping for my own e-MTB, I ended up with a dozen tabs open, three spreadsheets, and no real answer. Every review site had a different "best," most of them sorted by whoever paid the biggest affiliate commission, and almost nobody put the bikes next to each other in a way that made sense.

So I built the thing I wanted: one place, every serious e-MTB, scored the same way. Charts that show the real trade-offs. A quiz that asks the questions a good shop employee would ask. And my honest take on each bike, written like I'd tell a friend.

My wife is the reason the bikes are clean and the reason I occasionally go outside without one. She's in the photo because she's part of this too.

How I score

Every bike gets six scores from 1 to 10. They're opinions, but they're consistent opinions, and they're based on the published specs, independent testing, and how each bike compares to everything else in its class.

Climbing — motor torque, power delivery, and traction. Descending — travel, suspension quality, and stability. Agility — how light and playful it feels. Range — battery size relative to weight and motor. Value — what you get for the money. Natural feel — how much it rides like a regular mountain bike.

Specs are manufacturer claims. Prices are approximate US starting MSRP for the cheapest complete build, and they change often, so always check with a dealer.

What I won't do

I won't rank a bike higher because a brand sent it to me. I won't hide the cons. If a bike is great, I'll say so. If it's overpriced, I'll say that too. That's the only way this site is worth anything to you — or to the brands who want to be on it.