The 2021 Merkava eBike Lineup + Our Take On Each Model

Merkava hails from the land of Canadian Francophones – Montreal, QC. They boast an expansive lineup of electrified vehicles, including eboards. We’re just going to focus on their 2021 eBike lineup here.

Merkava splits their bikes across three core segments: foldables, off-road, and vintage. Like other popular eBike brands, Merkava uses top-tier name-brand components for key parts of the bike. Think: Shimano Cassettes, Kenda tyres, LG batteries, Bafang motors, etc.

Despite being a small Canadian company, Merkava has a sizable lineup and technology that is on-pace with what other segment leaders are doing. They compete aggressively on both style and price.

NOTE: As Merkava is a Canadian company, prices are displayed in Canadian dollars.

2021 Merkava Foldable eBikes

2021 Merkava Sonic250

The Sonic250 is Merkava’s smallest foldable ebike, and that rings true in both its size and its price, which is just a hair under $1,300 Canadian.

Sporting a 250W Bafang motor that outputs 25 Nm of torque, the Sonic250 will reach a maximum speed of 25 kph and go for as far as 50 km (31 miles) on a single charge.

Riders can opt for pedal only, pedal assist, or throttle only. Given the single-speed gearbox, pedal-only riders may be signing themselves up for quite the workout. Thankfully, the battery is removable and swappable.

This pint-sized ebike fits into your trunk. With the handlebars folded down, the Sonic250 is just 46” wide, 29” tall, and 14” thick – compact enough to fit into most vehicle trunks without issue.

The Sonic250 will ring in $1,295 CAD, or roughly $1,075 USD as of today’s exchange rate, and can be purchased in yellow or black.

2021 Merkava RF350

 

If you’re looking for a foldable ebike but need something larger than the diminutive Sonic250, the RF350 may be what you’re looking for. Unlike many foldable ebikes, the RF350 looks more adult and is certainly sized as such (with a max seat height of 39” and 26” by 1.95” tires).

Sporting a more traditional bike design, the RF350 folds entirely in half, allowing it to safely stow away in most vehicles. When folded, the RF350 is just 36” wide by 37” tall by 14” thick – ideal for the trunk of even the most compact of compact cars.

Unfolded and locked into place, and riders can enjoy up to 60 km (37 miles) of pedal-assist range and a top speed of approximately 32 mph (20 mph).

The 2021 Merkava RF350 comes in at $1,750 CAD (or $1,450 USD as of today’s exchange rate) and can be had in a single colorway: black and gold.

2021 Merkava eFold Fatty500

You gotta love a bike with a name like the “Fatty500”, but with 20” tires that are also 4” wide, I suppose the name is well earned.

Like many 2021 model-year eBikes, Merkava is opting to go for a larger 500W Bafang motor vs a 250W or 350W unit. Considering the wide and fat tires, the extra power will be appreciated – especially when navigating in dirt, sand, or snow.

Not that the Fatty500 is meant for that. Like Merkava’s other full-size foldables, the Fatty500 folds cleanly in half for easy storage. When folded, the Fatty500 is just 36” wide by 36” tall (handlebars extended) and 19” thick.

Pricing starts at $2,050 CAD (or $1,700 USD as of today’s exchange) for the eFold Fatty500 in Charcoal, but you can also opt for it in a colourful “Cotton Candy” colorway for the same price.

2021 Merkava Fat Fold500

Okay, the naming convention of these bikes is more than a little confusing. Regardless, here’s the 2021 Merkava Fat Fold500, which is in fact a distinct bike from the 2021 Merkava eFold Fatty500. You see?

Glad we could clear that up.

The Fat Fold500 sports a Bafang 500W motor tuned for 80 Nm of torque, which is needed to move the 4” thick 26” diameter tires. You can also accessories your Fat Fold500 with mud guards and a rear rack, which helps transform the Fatty… err, Fold500… into a commuter bike. If you’re someone who commutes from the suburbs to downtown, the Fold500 could be a good replacement for that last-mile ride.

When folded, the Fold500 sits 40” wide by 38” tall by 24” thick. That’s pretty compact for a bike with this much horsepower built-in.

Pricing starts at $2,050 CAD ($1,700 USD) for the 2021 Fat Fold500, which comes in a single charcoal grey and green colorway.

2021 Merkava Off-Road eBikes

Now this is where Merkava gets interesting. Let’s explore their electric dirt bikes, err, “off-road ebikes”.

2021 Merkava TrailX750

With its sights set on other mountain bikes on offer from companies like Surface 604 (see the Surface 604 2021 Lineup) and FREY (FREY’s 2021 lineup), the TrailX750 is a significant performer with specs that trump most other bikes in the segment.

A hub mounted 750W Bafang motor provides 80 Nm of torque – more than enough to propel the X750 and its rider to its claimed top speed of 32 kph (20 mph). Riders will enjoy roughly 60 km (37 miles) of pedal-assist range.

Weighing in at 39 kg (69 lbs) battery-inclusive, the TrailX750 is far from a featherweight and very much aligns with what is standard in this class. The Surface 604 Shred, arguably the segment leader, rings in at 63 lbs… and it’s 250W down on the TrailX750.

Mountain bikers will appreciate the adjustable and locking front suspension, beefy front and rear disc brakes, and 9-speed Shimano Derailleur.

The TrailX750 comes in a single color (grey/white with orange accents) and starts at $2,595 CAD ($2,150 USD).

2021 Merkava Falcon3k (Vélo)

This is where the line between ebike and electric dirtbike get blurred, and hey, it’s easy to see why. With 3000W (4,320W peak) of power “under the hood”, the Falcon3k is capable of really getting going.

Most ebike riders aren’t used to a bike with this level of power. The Falcon3k should also be viewed as an electric dirtbike, and considering its top speed of 60 kph and 100 km range, it may as well be that.

Unlike most ebikes, the Falcon3k cannot be ridden effectively in pedal-only mode. Riders need to opt to use either pedal-assist or throttle-only. With a single-speed gearbox, you’re going to want that pedal-assist anyway.

At $4,800 CAD ($4,000 USD), the sticker price is well above the other Merkava bikes on this list. So far, anyway.

2021 Merkava Falcon5k

What costs nearly $5,800 CAD ($4,815 USD), has a top speed of 80 kph (50 mph), and can go 120 km (74 miles) on a single charge?

That’s right, the 2021 Merkava Falcon5k, which is now well beyond “eBike” and into “electric dirtbike… with pedals” territory. For example, consider that the battery alone weighs 39lbs (more than half what a “typical” ebike weighs in its entirety).

And how sweet is that? That bigass battery, plus intense off-road suspension – DNM Volcano up front, and DNM RCP-2S in the rear – pair with the massive motor and large Tektro 203 mm front and rear disc brakes to offer enduro/motocross riding capability.

The Falcon5k ships with front and rear LED lights, turn signals, and a horn. Given its top speed of around 80 kph (50 mph), and you could well use the Falcon5k as a questionably legal commuter bike (check your local legislation).

Either way, the Falcon5k looks like a badass ebike if you’re looking for something specialized to hoon around on off-road.

2021 Merkava Falcon8k

We’ve left “sensible” behind some time ago and are well and truly on to electric motorcycle territory. The 2021 Merkava Falcon8k, with a 100 km (60 mi) range and 95 kph (55 mph) top-speed, is more motorcycle than bicycle.

Like the Falcon5k and the Falcon3k, the Falcon8k is a single-speed pedal-assist or throttle-only off-road bike, and it provides a riding experience unlike anything you’ve ridden before that even remotely identifies as an ebike. 190 Nm of torque equals 140 lb-ft of torque (go ahead and put your coffee back in your cup, I’ll wait), and I only make the distinction because many people are familiar with lb-ft of torque as a measurement and, well, this bike makes more torque than many compact cars.

That kind of power makes the Falcon8k a unique capable electric motocross bike; one that walks the blurred lines between bike and motorcycle, and does so in an economical and wildly entertaining package. At least, I assume as much because I’ve haven’t ridden one… yet.

The 2021 Merkava Falcon8k starts at $6,395 CAD (~ $5,310 USD).

2021 Merkava Vintage eBikes

Styled akin to a cafe racer motorcycle, vintage eBikes are a blend between comfortable city cruisers and stylish weekend warriors.

2021 Merkava VoltArt400

What looks like a classic chromed-out cruiser motorcycle but is in fact an economical ebike? That’d be the 2021 VoltArt400, which pairs a 400W motor with classic custom cruiser aesthetics. It’s all very vaporwave, and probably why the bike is called “VoltArt400”.

The 400W motor is good for 40 Nm of torque, which is enough power for city riding. However, at 77 lbs, even Merkava is quick to point out that you won’t want to pedal this thing home on an empty battery.

Unlike many ebikes, the VoltArt400 comes equipped with an LED headlight (with high and low beam!) as well as turn signals. More motorcycle than bicycle, the VoltArt400 is the perfect “city bike” for someone that wants a motorcycle… but doesn’t want to ride a motorcycle.

In addition to sharing the aesthetics and riding dynamics of a small motorcycle, it also shares the price! The 2021 VoltArt400 starts at $4,799 CAD ($3,980 USD).

2021 Merkava Cruiser500

Slotting above the VoltArt400 in terms of power (and, presumably, price), the 2021 Cruiser500 is another take on the cafe racer-esque style. Unfortunately, even if you love it, you can’t buy it – Merkava’s entire 2021 Cruiser500 stock has already sold out.

Like the VoltArt400, the Cruiser500 weighs in at a hefty 77 lbs, meaning that this 7-speed pedaler is better suited for power assist than human-power alone.

Large 26” x 2.25” KENDA tires provide plenty of traction for the Cruiser500, and that includes in the snow (which Merkava’s hometown of Montreal gets its fair share of). A decent curb weight and wider tires, when paired with lower tire pressure, will help you get where you need to go rain, snow, or shine!

The Cruiser500 has an adjustable seat height of 34”, making it suitable for vertically-challenged folks as well as those of us scraping the sky at more than 6 feet tall.

2021 Merkava MunroE

If you’re looking for vintage-inspired style but with contemporary hardware, here’s something for you: the 2021 Merkava MunroE, which sports a 500W Bafang motor and a 13 Ah battery to provide you with 50 m (31 mi) of pedal-assisted range.

The MunroE leads the way with its big single-cell LED headlamp, which both sets and defines the vintage style that the MunroE embodies well. Unlike other Merkava vintage bikes, the MunroE lacks the center-mounted “engine” rig and all the pfaff that comes with it.

The MunroE starts at $2,595 CAD ($2,150 USD) for the 500W model. Merkava is taking pre-orders for a September 2021 delivery.

2021 Merkava MunroE

The 2021 MunroE and MunroE premium are very much the same bike, with some significant differences between the two. Think of them as different trim levels of a car or motorcycle.

Compared to the “standard” MunroE, the MunroE Premium gets a larger 750W Bafang motor, a more powerful 17 Ah battery, inverted shock front suspension, color-matched fenders, a metallic grill for the LED headlight, and a custom Z-shaped retro handlebar.

While the above changes are notable, they do not entirely separate the Premium from the MunroE, though buyers that opt for the premium are sure to appreciate the extra power/acceleration and range from the upgraded electrics.

Outside of the above, the MunroE Premium is otherwise identical to the MunroE, and starts at $3,195 CAD ($2,650 USD).