Most of my e-bike videos are about testing something.

How fast does it go? How far will the battery take me? How well does the suspension work? Is the bike actually worth the money?

But sometimes you need to forget about the test sheet, get on the bikes, and just have some fun.

That’s pretty much what happened when we took out the Monarc e-bikes.

The title of this video says it all:

We Are Hot Messes on These Monarc E-Bikes.

This wasn’t about creating the perfect controlled e-bike test. It was about riding, having fun, and spending some real time on the bikes.

And sometimes those rides tell you more about an e-bike than a specification sheet ever could.

Two Different Monarc E-Bikes

Monarc currently has two primary e-bike platforms: the Marker and the Tracer.

I’ve spent time with both bikes, and although they share quite a bit of technology, they’re designed for two very different types of riding.

The Marker is the more rugged option.

It’s designed for riders who want a bike capable of handling pavement during the week but aren’t afraid to leave the pavement when the weekend arrives.

The Tracer takes a different approach.

It’s a city-oriented commuter with narrower tires and a more nimble personality designed around pavement, commuting, recreational rides, and everyday transportation.

What’s interesting is how much DNA the two bikes share.

Plenty of Power

Both bikes are built around a Bafang rear hub motor rated at 750 watts nominal with up to 1,638 watts of peak power.

That’s a lot of available power for a street-legal e-bike platform.

The bikes also use a 30-amp controller, giving them the ability to deliver strong acceleration when you ask for it.

But power isn’t everything.

One thing I’ve learned after riding a lot of e-bikes is that there’s a major difference between a bike that’s simply powerful and one that’s actually enjoyable to ride.

Power delivery, handling, geometry, brakes, tires and suspension all have to work together.

That’s where spending actual time riding a bike becomes so important.

The Marker: Built for Adventure

The Monarc Marker is the bike for riders who don’t necessarily know where the ride is going to end.

Maybe you start on pavement.

Then you find a gravel trail.

Then somebody decides that dirt path looks interesting.

That’s where the Marker makes sense.

It’s the more adventure-oriented bike in Monarc’s lineup and is designed to handle dirt, gravel, sand and rougher terrain while still functioning as an everyday e-bike.

That versatility is appealing because you don’t have to decide ahead of time exactly what type of riding you’re going to do.

You can just ride.

The Tracer: Made for the City

The Monarc Tracer feels like the other side of the same idea.

Instead of prioritizing rough terrain, the Tracer is designed around urban riding.

It uses 27.5 x 2.2-inch Kenda K-RAD tires and a more agile setup that makes sense when you’re navigating streets, bike paths and urban environments.

There’s still an 80mm Gneiss reverse-arch suspension fork to help absorb cracks, potholes, railroad crossings and all the other things city streets throw at you.

But compared with a big fat-tire e-bike, the narrower tires give the Tracer a completely different personality.

It feels much more like something you’d want to jump on for an everyday ride.

One of My Favorite Monarc Features: Two Batteries

Range anxiety is one of the biggest concerns people have when buying an e-bike.

Monarc took an interesting approach to solving that problem.

They give you two batteries.

The Tracer uses removable 48V 15Ah batteries with LG cells, providing 720Wh per battery.

Monarc claims up to 65 miles from a battery under ideal conditions, giving you up to 130 miles when using both.

Obviously, real-world range will depend on how you ride.

Speed, rider weight, terrain, wind, temperature, pedal-assist level and throttle use can dramatically affect how far any e-bike travels.

But that’s almost beside the point.

Having a second battery gives you options.

You can keep one charged at home, rotate between batteries to reduce wear, or bring both when you’re planning a much longer adventure.

I like that approach.

The Bikes Have Some Serious Brakes

If you’re going to give an e-bike plenty of power, you also need to give it enough braking performance.

Monarc uses Talon P4 four-piston hydraulic brakes with a large 203mm front rotor and 180mm rear rotor.

That’s the kind of hardware I like seeing on a powerful e-bike.

Stopping performance doesn’t get the attention that motor wattage does in e-bike advertising, but I’d argue it’s every bit as important.

Maybe more important.

Going fast is fun.

Being able to stop is mandatory.

There’s More Technology Than You Might Expect

Another interesting part of the Monarc platform is the technology.

The bikes use a 3.5-inch touchscreen display, and Monarc has built an ecosystem around its app and connected accessories.

The idea is to provide things like ride tracking, battery and range information, maintenance information and additional connected functionality.

That’s a direction we’re seeing more premium e-bike manufacturers move toward.

E-bikes are becoming more than a motor, battery and display bolted onto a bicycle.

They’re becoming connected vehicles.

Whether every rider needs all of that technology is another question, but I like seeing manufacturers trying to improve the ownership experience after you’ve purchased the bike.

Specs Aren’t Why We Ride

Here’s the thing.

I can talk about watts, amp-hours, motor torque, brake rotors and suspension travel all day.

Those specifications matter.

But they’re not why most of us started riding bikes.

We ride because it’s fun.

That’s something that’s incredibly easy to forget when reviewing e-bikes.

When you’re constantly testing acceleration, measuring range, checking top speed and comparing one bike against another, riding can start feeling like work.

Then you have a ride like this one.

You’re laughing.

Things aren’t going exactly according to plan.

Everybody is a little bit of a hot mess.

And you’re reminded why you started doing this in the first place.

The Best E-Bike Isn’t Always the Fastest

I’ve ridden enough e-bikes at this point to know that specifications don’t tell you everything.

You can build an incredibly fast e-bike that isn’t particularly enjoyable to pedal.

You can build something with an enormous battery that feels like you’re steering a tank.

And you can create a bike with an impressive component list that somehow doesn’t feel right once you’re actually riding it.

That’s why I put so much value on real-world riding.

Does the bike make me want to keep riding?

Do I feel comfortable on it?

Does it handle naturally?

Does it make me smile?

Those questions don’t appear on a specification sheet.

But they’re important.

Marker or Tracer: Which Would I Choose?

This really comes down to where you ride.

If you’re someone who wants to explore gravel roads, trails and rougher terrain, the Marker makes more sense.

It’s the adventure bike.

If most of your riding happens around town, on paved paths or city streets, the Tracer is probably the better choice.

It’s designed to be quicker and more agile in an urban environment.

Neither approach is necessarily better.

They’re simply different tools built around the same basic Monarc philosophy.

And that’s actually something I like about the lineup.

Instead of trying to make one e-bike do absolutely everything, Monarc gives riders two distinctly different options.

There’s Also the Ownership Side

An e-bike isn’t just something you ride for a week during a review.

Someone eventually has to own it.

That’s why warranty coverage, batteries and customer support matter.

Monarc currently backs its bikes with a five-year manufacturer warranty and includes the second battery.

Those are meaningful benefits when you’re looking beyond the initial purchase price.

E-bike batteries aren’t inexpensive.

Neither are replacement components.

A bike that looks like a great deal on day one isn’t necessarily a great deal three years later if you can’t get parts or support.

That’s something consumers should consider with every e-bike purchase, regardless of the brand.

Sometimes You Just Need a Fun Ride

This video isn’t supposed to be a laboratory test.

And that’s exactly why I enjoyed making it.

Sometimes you learn the most about an e-bike when you’re not concentrating on testing it.

You start noticing how comfortable it feels.

How naturally it turns.

Whether the power delivery feels good.

Whether you trust the brakes.

And whether you find yourself wanting to keep riding after you were supposed to be finished.

That’s the difference between evaluating an e-bike and actually living with one.

Final Thoughts

The Monarc Marker and Tracer are two very different interpretations of what a modern e-bike can be.

The Marker gives you the versatility to venture beyond the pavement, while the Tracer is designed to make everyday urban riding more enjoyable.

Both offer plenty of power, substantial braking hardware, suspension, connected technology and the unusual benefit of getting two batteries.

But this ride reminded me of something even more important.

E-bikes don’t always need to be about specifications.

Sometimes they don’t need to be about range tests, hill climbs or top-speed runs.

Sometimes you just need to grab some friends, get on the bikes and see what happens.

Even if you’re all complete hot messes.

Actually, that might make it even better.

Watch the Full Video

Want to see exactly why “We Are Hot Messes on These Monarc E-Bikes” became the title?

Watch the full video and come along for the ride as we spend some real-world time on the Monarc e-bikes.

Sometimes the best test of an e-bike is simply seeing how much fun you have riding it.