The Thrive E+ EX Pro is part of Giant’s Liv brand, the only major industry brand to cater specifically to women. An identically-equipped men’s version of this bike called the Fastroad E+ EX Pro is also available. Photo by Mark Tuttle.

Electric-assist bicycles, or e-bikes, are hot right now. They?re like regular bicycles, but more fun: a small electric motor kicks in when you pedal, providing an extra boost to your efforts. They?re also a natural crossover point between bicycles and motorcycles, which is why we?re starting to see some familiar names — Yamaha, BMW, KTM and Kawasaki, for starters — eyeing the market, eager to take advantage of explosive e-bike growth in the face of stagnant motorcycle sales. 
Read more about e-bikes and what they might mean for the motorcycle industry here.

From the other direction, bicycle manufacturers are already ahead of the game, with nearly every major player offering its own lineup of e-bikes. This includes Giant, the world?s largest bicycle manufacturer, which built its first e-bike way back in 1999 and has been perfecting the technology ever since. Giant is no stranger to our side of the two-wheeled life — it?s partnered with well-known riders like four-time 500cc Grand Prix World Champion Eddie Lawson and motocross champion and multiple-time X-Game gold medalist Travis Pastrana as brand ambassadors — and, for the first time ever, it?s exhibiting its e-bike lineup at all of the 2019-20...