Mod Bikes Black 3 review: a versatile e-bike that can handle everything from city streets to dirt trails

The Mod Bikes Black 3 is designed for those who want a bit more flair with their e-biking experience. It’s not just built for city streets; it thrives on more rugged terrain with its adjustable suspension and robust power delivery.

While it may not blend in like some of the best electric bikes, its presence on the road is undeniable thanks to its all-black, cruiser-inspired design. It’s a bike that invites you to look closer, and once you do, it’s hard to ignore the level of care put into its build.

I had the bike delivered to me where I completed assembly on my own. Out of the box, I noticed that it required a slight adjustment in the gear chain, which led me to test their customer service. Impressively, within a day, I received a personalized video from the Mod Bikes team explaining how to get things tuned nicely.

Mod Bikes Black 3 review: price and availability

The Mod Bikes Black 3 retails for $3,499 but is is sometimes on sale for around $2,699. While it’s on the higher end, the included features like leather ergonomic handles, adjustable suspension, and proprietary easy snap-on accessory system make it a worthy investment for riders who plan on pushing their bike beyond city streets.

Compared to other hybrid adventure e-bikes, like the Aventon Adventure.2, the Mod Bikes Black 3 has added convenience and higher build quality. But to make the most of the e-bike, you’ll want to pick up one of those aforementioned accessories like its front or rear basket or trunk bag, which average $150 each.

I’d imagine most people end up spending another $300-$400 on accessories. That said, the simplicity and build quality of these accessories match that of the bike and can really elevate the entire experience.

Mod Bikes Black 3 review: design

As is in its name, the bike only comes in black, though funny enough, their website has a dropdown box for colors—with Charcoal Black being the only choice. I appreciated the extra paint included for touch-ups in case of dings or scuffs, which will likely happen if you’re riding on rougher terrain.

Moving past the color, there’s no hiding the fact that this is an e-bike. Its lower frame houses its massive 720Wh battery and has a rather noticeable keyhole for its battery release on its right side. That said, the bike still retains a mostly cruiser styling with some mountain bike ruggedness with its sharper angles and its suspension.

The brown faux leather Selle Royale gel seat and matching stitched handlebars are not only comfortable for long rides, but also add a refined touch of elegance to the rugged, all-black aesthetic.

This bike comes in one size and it’s designed for riders between 5’4” and 7’1”. At 5’10”, I had my seat set to a few inches raised and I felt very comfortable with good movement for my legs as I pedaled and a mostly upright seating position as I held on to the handlebars.

Mod Bikes Black 3 review: ride performance

The Mod Bikes Black 3 rides as smoothly as you would expect from a bike built for off-road adventures. The full suspension is great for transitioning from paved streets to dirt trails. Combined with its full suspension and wider, cushier seat, this bike provides all-day comfort. Hopping on and off curbs, riding on gravel and dirt paths, the bike was very comfortable for most of my tests.

The bike ships with 27.5 x 3.0-inch Kenda tires which will be plenty for more casual off-roading, but it notably lacks much threading on its side walls. It handles bumps and potholes well, though with its heavier curb weight and less nimbleness, larger branches and looser gravel weren’t as easy and enjoyable to navigate compared to a dedicated e-mountain bike with lighter, grippier tires.

For more casual riding, braking is smooth and its e-throttle provides steady and ample power. On smoother roads, it’s a breeze to cruise, but when you hit more uneven ground, the bike’s motor keeps up. The bike offers five customizable riding modes where you can adjust the motor response to fit your ride.

On a flat stretch of road, I unlocked the bike’s full potential and hit 29.5mph — though to be honest, my adrenaline was working overtime, and I backed off around 25mph. Call me cautious, but without additional gear, I wasn’t about to test my luck at full throttle!

The Black 3 has a more pronounced 'wirr' from its motor compared to other bikes in this class, especially as you accelerate with its e-throttle, but also even while at slower pedaling speeds.

Some people might actually like the sound, but it’s another example of this bike never truly feeling like a traditional bike. Pedaling without motor assistance in lower gears isn’t the worst, but the bike’s weight makes it a challenge if you’re more than a mile away from your destination.

One small issue I found was the location of the thumb trigger gear shifter — it’s a bit of a reach for my hands without lifting them off the bars. This was more of a nuisance, but it did make it difficult to quickly shift up or down when I wanted to rely less on the motor as my riding elevation changed.

Mod Bikes Black 3 review: battery life

The bike uses a Samsung Powerpack Li-ion 48V 15Ah (720Wh) removable battery which is integrated into the bottom half of its frame. Understandably, this is the thickest part of the bike, but I would have liked to see the battery fit in more seamlessly — it has a bit of a lip sticking out that interrupts the otherwise sleek design.

In a few of my tests, I rode three and six-mile routes that took me through a mix of flat roads, hills, and off-roading, cycling through gears and power modes. The battery dropped by about 10-12 miles and 20-25 miles respectively.

This seems in line with Mod Bikes’ claims that the bike achieves around 50 miles of range. You can double your range with a secondary 48V battery, though that will set you back another $549 (ouch).

Mod Bikes Black 3 review: accessories

One of the biggest advantages of choosing a Mod Bikes is their proprietary snap-on accessories for bags, baskets, rear seats, and even an insulated food delivery bag. I tested the snap-on 12-35L trunk bag and front basket which snap on and off with a simple push.

No tools needed to swap accessories, and they do everything you expect — extra storage for your lunch or extra water if you’re going on a long ride. Mod Bikes also offers unique accessories, like a stand-up paddleboard holder, mirrors and phone holders. While a little pricier compared to generic add-ons, they match the styling and build of the bike perfectly.

@tomsguide

♬ bounce (i just wanna dance) - фрози & joyful

While currently exclusive to their Easy 3 model which I tested a few months ago, a very unique accessory that I'd love to see brought to the Black 3 which showcases how powerful these bikes truly are, is the MOD sidecar. With a max payload of 150lbs (which I certainly pushed), the sidecar is primarily designed for smaller adults, kids, or pets—Mod Bikes even sells “doggles” to protect your dog’s eyes while they enjoy the ride.

In its dedicated Cargo power mode, it was a bit slow to get the wheels spinning with my 6'2" buddy, Karl, riding shotgun, but once we were moving, the bike handled acceleration, turns, and smaller bumps very well. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that the bike made me forget that I had another man riding next to me, but it was surprisingly easy to adjust to all of the additional weight. While it doesn’t come cheap, if you think a sidecar could be the perfect add-on for the family, you may want to consider the Easy 3 with its sidecar, available to preorder for $4,299 at Mod Bikes' store.

Mod Bikes Black 3 review: smart helmets

I also tested the one of the best bike helmets, the Lumos Ultra Helmet. It isn’t a Mod Bikes-exclusive but has some added benefits when paired together with your bike.

It looks normal enough at first glance, but this $119 helmet has an integrated front light and rear turn signals which can actually be triggered from the bike’s handlebar controls with left and right directional arrows for the LED turn signals.

While I would have loved to see the turn signals integrated on the bike too, as that’s handy to have without an additional accessory, I understand the value of having these road intentions communicated with other riders or vehicles more prominently at a higher visual position instead of depending on them looking downwards towards the back of your bike.

The helmet also comes with its own strap-on handlebar controller (to use with other bikes) but to have it actually sync directly with the bike takes the experience to the next level. Also, while the bike has its own rear brake lights, when the Lumos Ultra is connected, it can also strobe its rear red lights when you pull on your brake levers.

Should you buy the Mod Bikes Black 3?

I genuinely appreciate the ModBike Black 3 for what it brings to the table. It’s got the power, versatility, and comfort I need for my mix of city cruising and casual off-roading. But let’s be real; despite what their marketing might imply, this isn’t a true mountain bike.

That’s not a knock on its performance, though. For everything else — whether you’re commuting, running errands, or hitting dirt trails — it handles it all exceptionally well; it's just not as flexible as the Cannondale Moterra SL 1 when it comes to off-roading.

And while It’s on the pricier side, and its weight and size can’t be ignored, the solid build and thoughtful accessory support make the Mod Bike Black 3 easy to adapt to whatever your day’s adventures bring — just keep the trails light.

More from Tom's Guide

• Best budget electric bikes
• I cycled around London on this folding electric bike — and now I'm a convert
• Best folding electric bikes