First Impressions: Bakcou Mule eBike

Let’s get this straight up front — I’m certainly not your stereotypical “biker.”

When I say “biker,” I’m not referring to the Harley-Davidson tribe; I’m referring to bicycles with pedals. Mountain bikes, in particular. And, if you look at advertising, the interwebs and on the trails, you’ll see mountain bikers generally tend to be lean, youngish-to-middle-aged folks wearing clingy biking clothing more revealing than typical lingerie.

Typecasting

I do not fit this stereotype. In fact, if my NFL-lineman-shaped body were stuffed into Spandex, I would mostly resemble a bratwurst moments before its casing burst on the grill. Then there is age. With six decades behind me, I’m old enough to be the father or grandfather of most avid mountain bikers.

Considering my square-peg-in-a-round-hole manifestation, then why in the world was I pedaling furiously yesterday in the heat? The answer is simple — I’m thrilled and privileged to have a Bakcou Mule eBike in my garage.

I’ve taken short rides on eBikes before and found the experience both fun and intriguing. Thus, when Utah-based Bakcou sent me a press release touting their latest eBike, I reached out to them on a whim.

From the email chain, it was obvious there were some head-scratching moments at the company HQ. They were nice and polite during our discussion, but it seemed apparent somebody was asking, “Why does papaw want an eBike? Our handlebars don’t come with tassels!” However, I persisted, and they sent me a Bakcou Mule to try out.

This Mule Kicks

The Mule is an off-road-focused electric bike. Their target market is hunters and other such pests, especially those in the West, where wide-open spaces need to be conquered before you begin stalking your elk or squirrel. Their website mentions the bikes are also great for trail riding, fishing, ranching/farming, military, first responder or prepared American needs. I can certainly see Bakcou’s products meeting user needs in all these fields. They even make a stout trailer for the bike to tote your carcass, camping gear or expresso machine.

The Mule is built like a tank and looks cool in a clunky, tough-as-nails way, kind of like a military surplus Hummer. My Mule is flat black, but they also make them in several different hunting-friendly colors and patterns.

It is heavy despite the 6061 aluminum alloy frame and it is challenging to throw into the back of your truck, but I and several neighbors found the Mule surprisingly nimble. The oversized, 26” motorcycle-looking tires (24” also available) would seem to make the bike hard to peddle and maneuver, but in actuality, it’s not much different than riding a ‘regular’ mountain bike. Stopping is sure with the fore-and-aft hydraulic disc brakes, and the Shimano Alivio 9-speed gear train lets you cruise fast or torque up steep hills. The ride is nice because of the fat tires and 100mm air suspension front fork. All of this combines to make a nice, high-end mountain bike — and then you get to hit the ‘go’ switch.

The first time I did it, I nearly ruptured my face with third-degree grinning. The 1000w Bafang Ultra motor pulls juice from the 21amp-hour battery, and away you go on a nearly silent magic carpet. At this point, if you choose not to pedal, you’ll find yourself zipping along at 20 miles per hour with nary a bead of sweat. The bike is claimed to reach around 35, but I’ve not had the nerve to try out a qualifying speed run yet, even though it is May in Indianapolis.

One of the first questions I got while proudly showing my bike around the neighborhood — “Boys and their toys” — was the wife of a friend who asked, “Doesn’t it feel like cheating?” My reply was an enthusiastic: “Hell Yes! And I love it!”

Better than the Gym

Therein lies the beauty of the Mule. It provides the ease and power of a motor vehicle but legally remains a high-quality bike; thus, you have the best of both worlds. In my case, I often cruise using only the motor, but in the interest of getting exercise and prolonging the battery charge, I often “assist” the bike by pedaling. On yesterday’s 20-mile ride, I pedaled approximately 20-30% of the time. I came home tired but satisfied, unlike if I had tried to pedal the entire distance on my own. In fact, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have made half the distance on a regular bike.

I didn’t realize until yesterday the Mule is perhaps the perfect “trainer” for someone my age. You can pedal until you feel fatigued, aided by the motor in one of five pedal-assist settings, then hit the switch and cruise along while enjoying the scenery and resting up for your next round of exertion. My goal is to work up to pedaling longer and longer while using the motor less and less.

But, health be darned — I’m sure I’ll still be using the motor a lot. It’s just too much fun not to!

The battery, one of the largest in the industry, is the size of a loaf of French bread, weighs approximately four metric tons and could be used to bludgeon a caribou to death in an emergency. I exaggerate slightly but you only notice the weight when carrying it detached from the bike. Fortunately, the bike is perfectly happy charging with the battery in place. After the 20 miles, plus some side trips to test out the capabilities on gravel roads and off-pavement, I ended up using about 50% of the battery. Recharging today took about six hours.

Bakcou still recommends starting from a dead stop by using the pedals to prevent excessive wear on the drive train. I’ve tried it both ways, pedal-assist and just hitting the switch, and it worked fine. However, I can imagine that if you ride the bike wholly as if it were an electric motorcycle, there would be increased wear and tear on the electronics. But you always have the option, and options are what the Bakcou Mule is all about.

The bike certainly lived up to its billing. Though I wasn’t riding single-track into a million-acre national forest in the Rockies, my jaunt down a nearby rail-trail got me farther than I’ve ever gone on foot. Along the way, I checked out a couple of dusty gravel roads and even scouted a stretch of creek from the overgrown grassy bank. I had a ball riding on the trail, but bulling through the brush, up and down hills, was a new thrill. I found the Mule got me places where I would have never dreamed of taking a 2-wheeled conveyance. In fact, I realized at my age, the bike could probably get you into places you shouldn’t go!

You can also use the bike in “walk assist” mode by hitting the switch as you walk alongside. I can imagine this would be a great feature in really, really gnarly terrain or while trying to bring a couple of elk quarters off the mountain.

Reasoning

The Mule isn’t inexpensive, and for the price, you might be thinking, “Why wouldn’t I just buy a four-wheeler or an old truck instead?” The answer is versatility.

A bike, whether person or motor-powered, easily gets you around on short trips and errands, plus it saves fuel and wear and tear. I’m finding the Mule works great for these short trips, even while acknowledging the irony of taking a bicycle to pick up a bag of frozen ice cream treats at our nearby Dairy Barn.

For hunting, the Mule is wholly within its element by getting you to places only your feet could otherwise gain access. As it is currently summer, mine will be used for fishing. I enjoy wading local creeks but often emerge miles from my starting point at the next road crossing. Now, I plan on dropping the bike off beforehand at the take-out, locking it to a handy tree and then riding it back to my truck afterward, eliminating either a shuttle driver or the energy-sapping downstream return trek. The sturdy aluminum rack on the back of the bike will certainly carry my gear and serve as a mounting spot for a rod rack. You can war-game about another million legitimate uses for outdoor enthusiasts.

The exercise aspect is becoming more and more important as I age — growing older, but never ‘up’ — because it’s clear you need to stay active to stay healthy. I wouldn’t recommend an off-road eBike for someone who can’t walk up a flight of stairs without medical intervention but for most folks in good enough health to enjoy outdoor sports or travel, you should have no problem riding the Mule. As a nod to age, I would hasten you to ride conservatively and keep in mind your own limitations. I do, mostly.

Unlike when I was younger, I now wear a high-quality helmet, impact-rated sunglasses and padded gloves. I haven’t wiped out — yet — but wearing protection only seems reasonable when I consider it now takes me three days to physically recover from a haircut.

And finally, there is the enjoyment. Aside from all the other reasons, I think “just getting out” is perhaps the highest purpose of owning an eBike like the Bakcou Mule. At my age, it’s easier to sit in the recliner and watch people being active on YouTube than actually doing it yourself. The Mule is changing that idea for me. I now look forward to my after-dinner bike ride even if, on certain days, I don’t feel like I could win the Tour de France.

With the Bakcou Mule, I’m still getting out into wild places and city spaces, enjoying physical activity and cutting down usage of my regular vehicles. I’m a living, breathing example of the idea that “Old fat guys can ride, too!” And love it!

www.bakcou.com

MSRP: $4,799

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