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Written Review
Today, we’re checking out the Basalt ST from Mokwheel, and we recently reviewed the Basalt Step-Over, which you can check out here. The Basalt ST has the same starting price of $1,799 and is the perfect complement to this lineup from Mokwheel.
The Basalt ST is another great looking Ebike from Mokwheel! The beige-colored frame we received is a unique, light brown color, similar to desert tan, but a bit lighter, giving it a very groovy beach vibe. Similar to the Basalt Step-Over, this frame has high-quality welds throughout, giving this electric bike a very high-end look.
There are quite a few specs to get excited about with the Basalt ST, like hydraulic brakes, a rear rack, and fully adjustable front air suspension. Now, you might be noticing the similarities between these two Mokwheel offerings, and the truth is, they have a. very similar component layout, which means if you’ve seen our other review, you probably already know most of these specs by heart. You did watch our other review on the Basalt Step-Over didn’t you? The main difference between these two e-bikes is the frame.
Having a step-through frame makes the Basalt ST more approachable—literally—opening this e-bike up as a possibility for people who may have limited range of motion or mobility, especially in the knees and back areas. It also opens this up to people who are around 5’7” and below, and who might need the lower standover height of 18”.
To put it into context, the standover height on the Basalt Step-Over is 28”. So, we’re getting quite a reduction in the distance you gotta throw your leg over. The only other difference, from the tape measurer’s perspective, is that the total length of the bike is reduced by 1”, which doesn’t make much of a noticeable difference in terms of overall handling or ride feel.
The Basalt ST comes in four colors—white, beige, orange, and green, and based on the pictures from Mokwheel’s website, all of the colors seem to pop pretty well, but their green frame, with white branding, might just be my favorite! We’d love to hear which color you prefer, so leave your answer in the comments!
Mokwheel offers a 15-day return policy, which is great for those who might be on the fence about buying one, and a 2-year limited warranty.
And with that, let’s get all up in those specs.
The Basalt step-through has a powerful 750-watt hub motor in the rear wheel. This cruiser can ramp up to a top speed of 28 mph, straight out of the box, and that top speed can be reached using the half-grip twist throttle, or the cadence-sensing pedal assist. The motor has 90Nm of torque, which is what we would expect here, and really helps to take the ill out of hills.
The Basalt ST has 5 levels of pedal assist, but only one variable power mode, which increases along with the Basalt ST’s speed. When you power on your bike, and at low speeds, the motor will be in Eco Mode. Once you get rolling a bit faster, it will enter into Power Mode, and you can definitely tell the difference between the two modes. This seems to be an engineered power curve, specifically designed to conserve battery.
Let’s continue chatting about the battery; the Basalt ST has a 48-Volt, 19.6 Ah battery tucked into the downtube. Mokwheel utilizes Samsung cells, which are more expensive, but will last longer and might even squeeze out a few more miles per charge. The Basalt ST ships with a larger-than-average 3 amp charger, which means you can charge up and get out to the trails faster than you could with a 2 amp charger. Once you’re fully charged, you should be able to get 60-80 miles per charge, in part thanks to the programmed power curve.
The position of the battery is low and in the center of the frame, which helps to keep the center of gravity nice and low. This is important for those who want to take the Basalt ST on trails or want to tackle some uneven riding surfaces.
The Basalt ST has a max payload capacity of 450 pounds and weighs the same as its big brother—79 lbs. This approachable frame is still a bit on the longer side, measuring in at 78” length overall and having a 49” wheelbase, and this lengthened geometry makes the Basalt ST feel stable, which for some may be the main thing they’re looking for in a Ebike.
At the back of the frame we’ve got a bolt-on rear rack, which increass the Basalt ST’s functionality. The Basalt ST also ships with front and rear fenders, meaning you can easily use this e-bike as a commuter, an everyday cruiser, or for some light trail exploration.
At the front we’ve got Overlord Adjustable front forks, with 110mm of travel. They do a good job of mitigating vibrations from rough roads, and they can pretty easily soak up the bumps from light trail riding, but don’t plan on catching big air at the local downhill track.
The Basalt ST is a 7-speed Ebike, and utilizes the Shimano Tourney rear derailleur paired with a Shimano SIS Index thumb shifter.
The Basalt ST has a double sided bash guard, and you’ll notice that the frame is setup for a mid-drive motor. Right now, it looks like Mokwheel might be utilizing this space for some of their electrical components, but maybe in the near future we’ll see a mid-drive step-through offering from Mokwheel. Wouldn’t that be dope?
When it comes to stopping power, the Basalt ST will not let you down. It is outfitted with Tektro HD-E350 hydraulic disc brakes with 180 mm rotors in the front and rear wheels, offering plenty of stopping power.
The Basalt ST has an integrated headlight that is bright enough for most urban night commutes, and it also has an integrated tail light that gets brighter whenever you hit the brakes. This is a great safety feature that helps anyone traveling behind you know when you’re slowing or coming to a stop. This is a feature we’re starting to see from more and more e-bike companies, and we’re loving it!
The cable management is great here too, with everything routed internally, which means you won’t have to worry about catching any wires on an aggressive root system or downed log.
Moving up to the handlebars, we’ve got the independent control module on the left side, and we’ve got the half-twist throttle on the right-hand side. In the middle we’ve got the beautiful full color display that is also easy to read in direct sunlight.
The Basalt ST and Scoria lines are known as the world’s first electric bike with integrated power station technology, but in order to actually use this function, you have to purchase a separate inverter from Mokwheel for $400 USD. While we didn’t receive an inverter for testing, this does seem like a great idea, especially for those who might use this e-bike for bike packing or other outdoor exploring adventures.
Overall, the Basalt ST from Mokwheel is a well-built, excellent complement to the the Basalt lineup of Ebikes. Priced at $1,799 USD, this is something I could see being an option for anyone who needs an approachable, easy to ride e-bike that can fill multiple roles. What would you use the Basalt ST for? Let us know in the comments!
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i just bought a basalt st 3 days ago. here is what i have to say about the experience. thought it was cool that they have a partnership with affirm, which i had not heard of to prior. i was able to get 6 months with no interest / fees but there were options if i wanted to stretch the payments over 12 or 24 months. i noticed affirm also has vacations, hotels, flights, cruises and tons of other cool ideas for spending money on credit with them or what have you. i ordered it on a saturday and received it promptly 4 buisness days later, i was very pleased with this. i guess i am a wimp because i had to call a friend over to help me get it out of the box. i didnt think 77 pounds was that heavy but it kinda was for me. the instructions were clear and concise which made it pretty simple to get up and running, i think it took me and friend about an hour to get the bike ready with all of the standard accessories that it comes with. im not sure when exactly im getting the enhancements that were apart of the package i purchased (no tracking number provided for them {yet}) i am def excited about having the front and rear baskets added as well as the better seat and seat pole. seat is kinda uncomfortable but im not used to being on a bike. 28mph is pretty fast however, i wish it could go 5-10mph faster, it has eco and power mode maybe they can add a turbo one :-) i see an $80 bag for the rear basket that i plan on getting i also want to buy a cell phone mount, the water bottle mount to try and put a bluetooth speaker to,
oh and mine has a thumb throttle on the left side of the handlebar, i thought that was the only option.
i also plan to buy the rear bike rack :-)
Hey Frank! Excellent question. My father-in-law just picked up a pair of these for him and his wife, and both came with thumb throttles. The same thumb throttles are on the new Aventon Pace 500.3 from the pictures he sent me. If they have it listed as thumb throttle, that sounds right.
I'm just wondering, you guys have the Basalt ST with a half twist throttle, but I went on the Mokwheel website and it shows a thumb throttle. Which one is right?