Jeep, QuietKat Unveil Longer-Range ‘Rubicon’ E-Bike | GearJunkie

2022-08-08 23:17:59 By : Ms. Emily Zhou

August 8, 2022 |  By Mary Murphy

The style, power, and rugged capability of a Jeep all wrapped up in two wheels? E-bike-maker QuietKat and Jeep collaborated on one of the burliest e-bikes you can get. 

If we’ve noticed any trends in the gear industry lately, it’s that people can’t get enough of e-bikes. Nearly every bike brand now makes one. But, how about auto brands getting in on the action?

Our editor recently got a sneak peek of e-bike-maker QuietKat’s Jeep Rubicon edition bike at The Big Gear Show last week.

QuietKat was founded in 2012 by twin brothers who were looking for a better way to access the backcountry. Instead of traditional ATVs and combustion-powered vehicles, they came up with utility-focused, super-rugged, all-terrain e-bikes instead.

And now, it’s coming full circle by partnering with a vehicle brand for its latest model.

Put simply, “QuietKat and Jeep partnered to build the most-capable all-terrain electric mountain bikes on the planet,” the brand announced.

Its Jeep Rubicon builds on the first Jeep e-bike, with bigger tires, more power, and more range.

QuietKat developed the Rubicon e-bike in partnership with Jeep. It’s built on a 26 x 4.8-inch fat-tire platform (option for 29-inch tires), with front and rear suspension and an impressive 63-mile range (up from the prior model’s 44-mile range).

The Jeep E-Bike features an advanced, torque-sensor BAFANG Ultra motor system that delivers 1,000W of power and a 1,008Wh Panasonic battery. The nine-speed SRAM drivetrain features an 11-42T cassette to tackle steep climbs, with four-piston brakes adding stopping (slowing) power on the descent.

The full-suspension frame and inverted suspension fork (QuietKat’s own suspension up front, and RockShox suspension in the rear) are designed to maximize traction on rough trails.

So, is the Jeep Rubicon E-bike a Class 1, 2, or 3 e-bike? It has 10 levels of assist, controlled by a throttle, categorizing it as a Class 2.

The QuietKat Jeep Rubicon has (trademarked) Jeep logos and comes in a gorgeous military green frame. Finally, it has a 300-pound load capacity and a lifetime guarantee. QuietKat also added front and tail lights to the Rubicon for 2022.

Most notably of all, the Jeep Rubicon E-bike has nearly 45% more range, an advertised 63 miles, compared to QuietKat’s first iteration Jeep bike (which featured the even more iconic Jeep flame red).

It comes in nine frame sizes, with the option to upgrade to 29-inch tires.

At 75 pounds and $7,500, it’s not a light or cheap bike, though it still costs less than the four-wheel car equivalent. And, it won’t be available until fall 2022 — but you can preorder now.

Mary is the Managing Editor of GearJunkie and is based in GearJunkie's Denver, Colo. office. She has a degree in English and journalism, and has a background in both newspaper and magazine writing. Her outdoor interests span from running to sport climbing, from landscape photography to skiing to pack-paddleboarding. If she's not writing, you can most likely find her at the top of a fourteener, or in a local bakery.

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