From cruising around town to exploring the beautiful surroundings the Koa Rev 2 is new and improved ready to tackle your adventures.

This Class 2/3 fat tire electric bike has a 500w rear hub motor that can get up to 52 miles of range out of a 500Wh battery. Larger Tektro disc brakes and a Shimano Tourney 7-speed drivetrain are only a few major upgrades and improvements to this new second version of the Retrospec Koa Rev.

Starting at $1499 the Koa Rev 2 takes a new spin on a Retrospec classic making it more capable and more enjoyable to ride.

As with all of our Tech Checks, this is not intended to be a long term review or endorsement of a product but is instead a chance for our viewers and readers to get a deeper look into some of the newest tech and products in electric bikes. We thank Velotric for the opportunity to create this feature and for getting you some valuable insight on this new offering.

The Koa Rev 2 is a class 2 or 3 electric bike. It comes with fenders, lights, front suspension and a very comfortable saddle. There is only one frame size available, but it comes in either a step over or low step frame design. 

Powered by a 500w rear hub motor and paired to a 500Wh battery, the Koa Rev 2 uses a cadence sensor to control the power delivery. If you’re interested in a Torque Sensor experience, the Rev+ is worth checking out. The Rev+ is essentially the Koa Rev 2… PLUS… coming with a torque sensor, 720Wh battery, 750w rear hub motor, and hydraulic disc brakes at a $400 higher price tag. 

There’s a lot to like about the Retrospec catalog. From their analog bikes, paddle boards, skate boards, and various other outdoor and recreational sport gear, Retrospec brings a lot ot the table.

The Koa Rev 2 as mentioned is the second version of the Koa Rev. While the Koa Rev was more of an urban focused electric bike, the Koa Rev 2 push the bikes on road abilities to be much more capable off road. As a fat tire electric bike with 80mm suspension out front, the Koa Rev 2 is just as enjoyable on fire roads as it is leaving your doorstep to go for a Saturday morning ride.

Our first few rides on the Koa Rev 2 really spoke a lot about the bikes ability and more so it’s power and comfort.

The 500w rear hub motor is quite powerful and really get’s you zipping along rather quickly. What I noticed most about the power, was the power delivery. Although I personally prefer a Torque sensor experience on electric bikes, the on/off nature of a cadence sensor is usually what binds my thoughts. This one however was extremely smooth. The rapid rush of power and jerkiness isn’t there. Thankfully. It is extremely smooth in supplying the power and manages the power output based off of the speed parameters of each pedal assist mode. Having 6 different pedal assist modes also makes it is to select what top speed you want to aim for while pedalling. While using the throttle however, regardless of which PAS mode you’ve selected the Koa Rev 2 will boost right on up to 20mph.

After getting familiar with the PAS modes and seeing how well the Koa Rev 2 get’s up to speed I put it through our usual tests to explore how it sustains power. On flat stretch of road it will hold speed and carry you long with ease whether that be pedalling or using the throttle. As you approach hills you can feel that 500w motor slow down a bit, but you’re still holding a great speed uphill. I guess it’s the feeling of “slowing down” in relation to how fast you may have been going on flat roads. If you’re looking for a more powerful climber I would definitely suggest the Rev+ with it’s 750w motor.

Off road the Koa Rev 2 performs just the same as it does around town. What really enhances the experience is the aforementioned smoothness of power. When you’re riding on offroad paths your regulation of speed is much more variable, tight turns, up and down quick slopes, or cross rough stretches, the smooth application of power as it switches on/off helps in keeping a lot of control and stability.

I found the Koa Rev 2 to be very plush and comfortable. Specifically around town, the “like a cloud” effect is enhanced. Large fat tires and front suspension soak up every little bump and crack on the pavement for a smooth ride. The comfort saddle is in fact… comfortable. I typically tend to favor more narrow saddles as a lifelong cyclists. The saddle seen here is rather pleasant. It isn’t as wide as many others which tends to be where I find discomfort with the plush comfort saddles many bikes have.

After getting the miles in and going through our power tests I allowed myself to reflect on my overall comfort. As mentioned the saddle feels great which had me realizing that I felt very comfortable with the bikes natural upright seated position. The handlebar reach (distance) and stack (height) put my hands exactly where I felt like they needed to be. At 6′ tall with a universal frame size, I was rather surprised and could ride comfortable for a long time. In addition to the comfort the riding posture along with a already very smooth and stable bike offers a very responsive and in-control feeling while riding. It’s easy to make quick last second decision on your direction as you need to react to obstacles along the way.

Overall, the Koa Rev 2 has been absolutely pleasant to ride around and makes for easy cruising both on and off road. Whether it be you’re looking for a new way to cruise around town or something to bring on vacation and be ready for exploring, the Koa Rev 2 brings a lot to the table for only $1499.

Price: $1499
Sizing: One Size; High Step or Step Thru
Colors: Matte Olive Drab, Matte Black
Website: retrospec.com