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The e-bike "class system" most riders assume is settled federal law is actually just an industry model bill created over a decade ago. In 2026, it's fraying under the weight of faster, harder-to-classify devices and a wave of new state legislation. We break down why the framework never had the authority everyone assumed, why states are responding so differently, and what it means for riders of other PEVs who were never covered by it to begin with.

Jimmy has spent eight years watching public opinion shift on electric rideables, and this post zooms out to ask a bigger question: has this happened before? Tracing five decades of moral panic — from 1940s hot rods to skateboarding, BMX, and snowboarding — the argument is that America has a reliable habit of trying to ban the things kids love most, yet each anecdote eventually ends in structured acceptance. The one thing that makes today different is social media, but we can still look back in history to see what we should be asking instead of leaping to bans.

Amidst the rising popularity of electric vehicles, Jimmy explains why he sold his four year old Tesla Model 3 just months after buying a Rivian R1T; pointing to a used EV market where tight new car inventory and still high gas prices had pushed resale values higher than he expected to ever see again. With four vehicles in the driveway and the Rivian better suited to hauling the family's scooters and OneWheels, the Tesla became the easy one to let go.

Jimmy from the Freshly Charged team runs through ten products and hacks for Onewheel riders, starting at sixteen cents and topping out around $299, covering everything from a simple foot pad sensitivity fix to a full 360 camera setup. Whether you are new to the hobby or a seasoned rider, there is likely something on this list worth adding to your kit.

Jimmy and Andrew put Velotric's Thunder 1 and Thunder 1 ST through their paces, finding two nearly identical, eerily quiet Class 1 e-bikes that don't look or sound electric at all. The duo differ mainly in security tech (Velotric's own GPS tracking app on the Thunder 1 versus Apple Find My on the ST) plus a handful of components like handlebar shape, chainring size, and frame sizing. Component quality, especially the Tektro brakes and Shimano Altus derailleur, impressed the team, though both bikes ship without a quick release seatpost or front wheel. The verdict: the Thunder 1 suits riders who want longer range and true GPS tracking, while the lighter priced, smaller sized Thunder 1 ST is the better fit for iPhone owners on a budget.

Andrew traveled to Gdańsk, Poland to ride with Adam Malicki, one of the most respected EUC riders on YouTube, who shared his five biggest tips and five biggest mistakes for electric unicycle riders of all skill levels. The tips cover foundational habits like wheel calibration, pedal angle adjustment, and speed awareness, while the mistakes section addresses everything from helmet use and group ride overconfidence to tire pressure neglect and basic EUC maintenance. Adam also closes with two bonus tips — mesh intercom systems for group rides and a simple bicycle bell for urban and trail riding — that are easy to implement and practically useful.

While Jimmy still loves his Rivian R1T after one year and 15K miles, he's got real gripes: a proprietary infotainment system instead of CarPlay, a power tonneau cover he calls the "Achilles heel," inconsistent highway assist, and fast tire wear from all that instant torque. He also flags smaller annoyances like a wireless charging pad that doesn't work and a finicky Bluetooth lock. But between major OTA improvements, a maturing companion app, and genuine off road and utility chops, Jimmy's verdict hasn't budged, he still calls it his favorite vehicle, and his brother is buying an R1S on his recommendation.

After eight years of reviewing electric rideables, Jimmy has watched the debate around electric dirt bikes go from curiosity to a cultural flashpoint, and he thinks both sides are missing the bigger picture. The bikes themselves are not the problem, rather unsupervised access to 60 mph machines, a social media algorithm that rewards recklessness over responsibility, and a parenting gap are. This post breaks down why blanket bans punish the device instead of the behavior, what a real incident involving a 14-year-old rider illustrates about the stakes, and what parents and communities can actually do about it.

Even after reviewing over 100 electric scooters and hitting speeds up to 80 mph, Andrew's favorite in 2026 is still the 2025 Segway GT3 Pro. In this Segway-sponsored video — where Andrew is upfront about having full creative freedom — he breaks down exactly why: a feature stack that no other scooter at this price point comes close to matching, a reliability record across 10+ Segway machines that his high powered scooters simply cannot touch, and a ride quality that holds up at 50 mph in rain, on light trails, and apparently even in front of a Colorado state trooper. It's not perfect, but after everything he has ridden, this is the scooter Andrew keeps coming back to.

Freshly Charged was on the floor at CES 2024 to get a first look at Heybike's entire new lineup, and Andrew walked the booth with rep Dan to break down all three incoming bikes for the year. The Horizon was already on shelves, a folding full suspension fat tire eBike with turn signals, brake lights, and a gradient paint job that genuinely turns heads. The Hauler and Hero were still pre-launch at the time, but both showed enough to be worth paying attention to, from the Hauler's dual battery upgrade path to the Hero's carbon fiber build and in-house motor. Stop here for the origin story, then check out our in-depth reviews of all three products.

When VMAX released the VX4 and VX2 Pro, the Freshly Charged team had two clear criticisms surface from our in-depth reviews: the prices were too high and the top speeds fell short. VMAX went back to the drawing board and quickly returned with refreshed versions of both scooters, cutting prices by 20% and pushing performance speed up. Experienced scooter lover Dalton joined Andrew and Jimmy to put both models through unscripted first ride testing, and the verdict is that the changes are real and meaningful. The Swiss build quality was never in question, but now the value equation finally matches it.

Jimmy had written off 360 cameras for years, mainly because he thought they were gimmicky and there would be too much editing overhead. That changed when his brother borrowed the Insta360 X3 to attempt a three-week Denali summit and came back with extremely impressive footage. This post breaks down what the expedition revealed about where 360 cameras genuinely earn their place, and why the editing burden is more manageable than it sounds.