Video Review
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Frame and Contact Points
Electronics
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Written Review
The Revi Bikes Cheetah Plus is an absolute rock star of an electric bike that rides like a Harley. Seriously, this e-bike is a blast to take out, and it is a head turner.
The Cheetah Plus has a starting price of $2,899 USD, and if you opt for the fender, rack and pannier bundle, that’ll set you back another $550. You can also swap out the black tank covers, grips and saddle for tan ones if that’s more your speed, and that package runs for $480.
Thankfully there’s free shipping on this ride, which does help offset that cost a little bit, and Revi Bikes is offering a 1 year comprehensive warranty.
So, let’s talk about what sets this Harley style electric bike from the crowd.
The Revi Bikes Cheetah Plus has a powerful Bafang 750 nominal watt motor that gets this e-bike up to its top speed of 28 mph in a hurry. And you can reach that top speed using the half-grip twist throttle or the cadence sensing pedal assist.
The Cheetah Plus really is a remarkably fast e-bike and I think that’s one of the qualities that makes it feel like you’re riding a motorcycle instead of an electric bicycle. And the fact that the motor is powerful enough to get you up some fairly steep hills help with this too.
There is some delay with motor activation with the throttle, but I think that can be fine tuned in the advanced settings in the display. There’s also some latency with motor activation when using the cadence sensing pedal assist, which is just the name of the game when it comes to cadence sensors. Not really a big deal though to be honest because the Cheetah Plus is a road warrior, not a trail blazer. In other words, you don’t need a highly responsive torque sensor for the pavement, even though, sure, it would be nice.
The 48 volt, 17.5 amp hour battery on the Cheetah Plus is a monster. And Revi Bikes’ max estimated range of 45 miles is surprisingly reasonable. But, like we always say at Electrified Reviews, actual mileage may vary.
The battery on the Cheetah Plus is hidden inside the tank covers and can be accessed directly if you want to take off the plastic pieces. The batteries’ location on the top tube does raise the Cheetah Plus’s center of gravity, but from an aesthetic standpoint it’s hard to deny that it does indeed look awesome.
The Cheetah Plus’s cafe racer frame looks pretty groovy too, and can support up to 300 pounds. This is great for anyone wanting to add some cargo to the rear rack and panniers.
Something that surprised me about the Cheetah Plus was the curb weight. It’s only about 75 pounds including the battery. If you plan to load this bike into the back of a truck, you’ll probably appreciate this stat.
So, the Cheetah Plus looks like a cafe racer, and because of the extra long wheelbase, it rides like one too. Taking corners with this e-bike is a blast. You really have to lean into them.
And with the adjustable-angle, swept-back handlebars you can change your riding position to be more upright and relaxed, or more forward and aggressive. Whatever suits your fancy.
Despite the solid front forks, the Cheetah Plus is a fairly smooth ride as long as you’re on well-maintained roads. But try hopping off a curb or hitting a big pot hole and it’ll rattle your teeth out. The spring saddle and huge air volume from the 26 inch by 4 inch fat tires does help soften things up a bit though.
In the back of the Cheetah Plus we’ve got a Shimano Altus derailleur with a 7-speed cassette paired with a Shimano SIS Index thumb shifter.
The front chainring doesn’t have a bash guard to help keep that chain locked into place, which can lead to more frequent derailments if you plan on riding the Cheetah Plus aggressively, like we did at some parts during this review. And in fact we did get one derailment during filming, which took about 15 seconds to fix. But hey, I’ve got to find something to nitpick on this ride, right?
With an e-bike that can hit speeds up to 28 mph and can carry up to 300 pounds, stopping power becomes pretty important. Thankfully, the Cheetah Plus is equipped with tried and true Tektro hydraulic disc brakes with 180 mm rotors in the front and rear wheels.
The brake levers on the Cheetah Plus also have motor inhibitors built in, which automatically cuts power to the motor whenever you hit the brakes. This is an excellent safety feature that helps to ensure you always have the shortest possible stopping distance. Nice.
The headlight on the Cheetah Plus is fantastic. It looks rad, but more than that, it’s bright. And you can also keep the headlight on even when the electronics are off. This is great if you want to use the Cheetah Plus’s headlight as a source of illumination when you’re not riding it.
Wire management on the Cheetah Plus is good, with everything being internally routed, which we love to see.
In the middle of the handlebars we’ve got a Bafang greyscale LCD display, and this is perfectly visible in direct sunlight. The screen is not polarized, so feel free to wear polarized sunglasses if you’ve got them. You won’t get any interference.
On the left we’ve got the independent button pad and the toggle for the lights. And on the right we’ve got the SIS Index Thumb shifter and the half-grip twist throttle.
More than anything, the Revi Bikes Cheetah Plus is a true joy to ride. Does that make it a joy ride? Maybe. I don’t know. But what I do know, is that the Cheetah Plus is a great choice for anyone who wants a head-turner of an e-bike and doesn’t mind spending extra for it. It also will work well as a commuter, although you might have a hard time finding a spot to park this behemoth, and with the optional rear rack and pannier bags, the Cheetah Plus is a highly functional e-bike.
Recommended Reviews
The Revi Cheetah is a real fun bike, but the company is horrible and does not stand up to their warranty. This year they extended their warranty to two years, but the double of 0 is still zero.
First, it is not worth buying the extra pannier bags. They are made of the plastic nylon material they use to make those free backpacks with the drawstrings they hand out for promotional purposes. All the corners rip on them. Also, the metal toggles on the straps fall off.
Also, they suffer the rampant problem in the bike industry, they only give you one coat of paint without a clear gloss or protective coat above it. Needless to say, if you look at the bike wrong, it scratches.
The bike also came with a 1/16th of an inch gash in the fake leather faux gas tank that covers the battery. Plus, the material covering the battery cover was not stretched properly before it was glued on. Also, the grill that comes with the extra package, the supports came bent.
The first good fall I had on the bike, the crank bent. Plus, the paint on both cranks rubs off from your foot.
In time, it gets slower and harder to pedal. Either the grease is not rated for a New England weather, the bottom bracket is going, or the fact the rotor bends under normal use. Then, when you go to change the rotor, the bolts fall somewhere in between a T20 and a T25, so they strip within a half turn each. So the rotor becomes a permanent fixture unless you just go ahead and buy a new rim and motor. I did get to bend the rotor so it only rubs against the pads once per rotation. Plus, the battery loses 10 miles in duration in the winter.
For support, the support email does not work. There are a few phone numbers on the contact page, but you have to go through a couple of them before someone gives you a call back. The person I finally talked to sounded like a private salesman, a private contractor of sorts who would have no connection to honor a warranty for a bike he didn't personally sell. I remember Cannondale in the 90's when I couldn't afford them was top-notch, though recently, when I could, I made the mistake of buying one without knowing the company had been sold and stripped twice before my purchase. Maybe Civic Bikes was a good company (its prior name), but not Revi. Finally, I found a working email (info@revibikes.com) but the response was pitiful and avoidant.
All in all, I have fun with the bike. Though with the Pro-Max parts and lack of honor in the warranty, I can't say it is a $3,000 bike. You would be better off with one of the better rated $1,000 bikes. I guess the ascetic quality of the bike is worth the extra $2,000. If you buy one, just figure on buying upgrades, having the bike repainted, buying some good leather saddle bags, and taking the warranty on the chin.