Best Overall
PHILODO Falcon
Key details
- Drive
- Dual hub, two modes
- Tires
- 26 x 4 in
- Battery
- 60V 32Ah, 1,460Wh
- Claimed Range
- Up to 100 mi PAS
Two hub motors and 1,460 watt-hours of battery are what put the Falcon at the top of this list. The 60V 32Ah pack is the largest here, and the front and rear motors run together or one at a time — the switch you want when a wet grass climb starts eating traction. The camo finish is a nice touch; the drivetrain is the reason to buy.
The rest of the bike is built for the same ground. You get 26-by-4-inch fat tires, a lockable and adjustable front fork, and an air shock at the rear, which is the piece we care about most on a long, seated grind into a stand. A 7-speed drivetrain and disc brakes round it out, and the aluminum frame keeps the whole thing from feeling like a farm implement.
Range needs translating. The claimed figure is up to 100 miles in pedal assist, with a much shorter number once both motors are working; a hunt rarely looks like either. Loaded, climbing, in soft ground, you'll live in the upper assist levels, so plan loops well short of the headline and charge at camp. The big pack is what buys you margin, and margin is the whole point of a hunting bike.
What we didn't expect to use as much is the walk setting. When a muddy stretch pushed us off the saddle on the way back to the truck, the bike still pulled its own weight while we pushed. It's the bike in this group we reach for when the ride in matters as much as the sit.
Pros
- Two motors you can run together or separately
- Biggest battery here, so more margin for load and cold
- Adjustable rear air shock soaks up two-track washboard
- Camo finish that doesn't announce itself on the walk in
Cons
- Step-over frame needs a 5-foot-6 rider or taller
The bike we point long-approach hunters to: two motors for soft climbs, the biggest battery in this group, and a camo finish that doesn't announce you on the walk in.