My wife and I started full-time RVing in 2017. At the time, we were not able to bring along our bikes because we didn’t have the proper equipment to transport them. After only a couple of months, we returned home to swap out gear and repack the RV based on what we’d learned about what we did and didn’t use on the road. One of the biggest changes we made was to find a way to travel with our bikes because we found ourselves always wanting to ride them.
Bikes are great for exploring new areas, getting exercise, and kids and adults alike enjoy riding them around the campsite. For us, a bike, really any type of bike, is an essential accessory to have when traveling by RV. But now, e-bikes have become more popular and more widely available, and it’s clear that an e-bike is a perfect bike to have as an RVer.
E-bikes keep the same benefits as regular bikes but also offer so much more. You can ride further, and faster – opening up more riding options than ever before. And, if you have a QuietKat Ranger, you can easily conquer terrain that you’d never want to attempt on most standard bikes, which only provides even more amazing opportunities.
What Is a QuietKat Ranger?
The QuietKat Ranger 10 is an all-terrain e-bike that promises to be the perfect companion for riders looking to explore and conquer uncharted territories. Listed below are some of the key features that make the Ranger a special piece of equipment.
Rugged Frame with Front Suspension and Rear Rack
The Ranger 10 is a workhorse machine. The frame is durable, balanced, and capable of supporting 325 lbs capacity. The Mozo Coil Front Suspension Fork gives comfort and control when handling challenging terrain and the rear rack provides a great place for storing necessary supplies.
12.8 AH/48V Removable Battery
The last thing you want to do when venturing on an e-bike is to have the battery die on you before you make it back home. Nobody is going to want to venture into uncharted territories without a long-lasting, powerful battery that has the capability to power the bike for many miles. The Ranger 10 has an improved battery that offers between 30-60 miles of range on a single battery charge. The battery is hidden in the frame (which looks great) and is removable for convenient storage and charging. Additionally, the battery can be charged while it is in the bike frame making it easy to charge your bike while it is parked.
1,000W Rear Hub Motor
Just like with cars, when it comes to e-bikes, one of the first things manufacturers’ tout is the power of the motor. With automobiles, the higher the horsepower, the more power the motor has. With e-bikes, the greater the wattage (the amount of energy that the motor can consume continuously), the greater amount of power the motor can produce. The Ranger 10 comes equipped with a 1,000W hub motor that provides plenty of power directly to the rear wheel. The motor is independent of the chain so power can be applied without even peddling or applied while you pedal based on the pedal assist settings.
4.5-Inch Fat Kenda Juggernaut Tires
Fat, mountain biking tires are great for adding stability and excellent traction. The tires on the Ranger 10 are great for handling all types of terrain, including sand and snow. These tires give riders confidence to know that the Ranger can handle whatever terrain they may encounter as they get out into the rugged wilderness.
Large, Easy to Read LCD Screen
The QuietKat Ranger 10 comes with a large LCD screen that shows important information such as speed, battery life, odometer, and which mode of pedal-assist the bike is in. The LCD is conveniently placed right in the middle of the handlebars, making it easy for the rider to quickly glance at the screen while maintaining focus on the terrain around them.
QuietKat Ranger 10 Real-World Review
The Ranger 10 is an absolute beast of an e-bike. QuietKat claims they designed this bike for those wanting to explore uncharted territories and based on my experience with this bike, they achieved their goal.
From the moment you touch the bike, you can feel the quality of the construction and the ruggedness. Then, once you ride the bike, there’s little doubt of the bike’s capabilities. For me, I wanted to evaluate the Ranger 10 in a variety of ways. Below, you’ll see my experience with the Ranger 10 based on the following categories:
Assembly
One of my primary concerns with the Ranger 10 was the assembly. I was nervous that assembling the bike might require a professional. I am happy to report that it did not!
The bike came well packed in a large (and heavy) box from Camping World. Without any experience with e-bikes and limited experience building and maintaining regular bikes, my fear was that it would be too complicated or require specialized tools to assemble. However, everything I needed to assemble the bike was included in the box.
Luckily for me, the most challenging part of the assembly was getting it out of the box! As I said, this bike is heavy and I struggled to get it unboxed. Once it was finally out, assembly was fairly straightforward. Most of it came already assembled and the digital instructions were easy to follow. It only took me and my wife about 35 minutes to assemble the bike.
The Ride – Power and Performance
I was really impressed with the power of the bike. I weigh approximately 200 lbs, and I had no trouble powering up hills in a variety of circumstances. While riding on challenging trails, the motor had plenty of power with the pedal assistance to make it enjoyable, rather than a grueling workout. When I wanted to do even less work, I used the on-demand throttle to power the bike without me pedaling at all. I really like this feature. The front suspension and wide tides provided a smooth ride. Additionally, the motor is extremely quiet (a must for hunters)—I hardly heard it when riding.
The Ranger 10 is designed to be ridden on dirt, snow, gravel, etc., but I also wanted to see if I enjoyed riding the bike around town or in my neighborhood. For the type of rider I am, it’s important that a bike isn’t just one-dimensional.
While the Ranger 10 is not as smooth as a dedicated road bike would be on pavement, I thought it was still very enjoyable to ride. I was able to easily achieve 20+ MPH consistently, and the ride was enjoyable. I would have no problem using this bike to ride around town in addition to taking it on the trails.
Battery Life
The manufacturer states the Ranger 10 has a range of up to 48 miles on a single battery charge. Of course, many factors affect the battery’s performance. Rider weight, cargo weight, terrain, assistance mode etc. will all have a meaningful impact on how many miles you’ll get on a single charge. That being said, I feel like the battery performed remarkably well. I’ve been able to ride rugged trails and cruise many miles on groomed trails without having to recharge the battery. In fact, after two weeks of using the bike and probably covering 15 miles, I still have not had to charge the battery (the battery comes charged and QuietKat recommends depleting it fully before charging).
Overall Impression
After spending several weeks testing the QuietKat Ranger, I am seriously impressed with this bike. I love the ride and the traction that is offered by the fat Juggernaut tires. I find the handling to be easy, and the bike is really comfortable to ride.
Every time I get on the bike I feel like I am getting on a high-quality, high-performance machine. The learning curve has been quick and riding the bike is downright fun.
My wife Lindsay also spent time testing the Ranger 10. She was impressed with the bike, but she did find the size and weight of the bike to be a challenge for her. She had to get off the bike in order to safely steer it or to turn it around. In fairness, the frame is not the correct size for her (we got a large and she should ride a medium), but still, I believe maneuvering the bike could be tough for many riders.
I also agree with her concern that folks might have a difficult time transporting the Ranger 10 due to the size and weight. Our bike rack barely fits the large tires and it takes both of us to get it up onto the rack.
How Does the QuietKat Ranger 10 Compare to the Competition?
E-bikes have exploded in popularity over the last couple of years. With that comes more and more manufacturers building e-bikes of all shapes and sizes. The Ranger 10 has several competitors that are also geared towards riders looking to explore rugged terrains in all types of conditions. I have never ridden these other models, but they do share similar specs and capabilities. Some of them are a bit more expensive than the Ranger 10, while others are less expensive.
The BAKCOU Storm G2 Electric Hunting Bike gets great reviews. The Storm has high-quality components and boasts an impressive 82-mile range, which is considerably higher than the Ranger 10. However, the Storm costs considerably more as well. Depending on the configuration, the retail price ranges from $6,200 to $6,900.
Another competitor is actually a different model from QuietKat. The 2021 Jeep® e-Bike has premium components and one of a kind, exceptional styling. With front and rear suspensions, fat tires, and improved battery performance, the QuietKat Jeep E-Bike is one of the most capable e-bikes on the planet. This bike retails for $7,300 to $7,500, which is also a lot more than the Ranger 10.
The Cyrusher XF900 is a more economical competitor. The XF900 retails for $2,800 and has some excellent reviews on their website. The biggest most notable difference between the XF900 and the Ranger 10 is the power of the motor. The XF900 only has a 750W motor while the Ranger 10 has a 1000W motor.
Specifications and Details
The QuietKat Ranger 10 has the following specs and details:
- Motor: 1000W Rear Hub Bafang Motor
- Battery: 12.8AH | 48V | 614WH
- Range: Up to 48 Miles
- Drivetrain: 7 speed SRAM
- Brakes: Tektro Mechanical Disc
- Suspension: Mozo Coil Suspension Fork
- Tires: Kenda Juggernaut 26” x 4.5”
- Weight: 65 lbs
- Load Capacity: 325 lbs
Final Thoughts: Should You Buy the Ranger 10?
Overall, I have been very impressed with the Ranger 10. I feel like the construction is solid and I expect many years of reliable use with this bike. The design is good and riding the bike is very enjoyable. Additionally, compared to most other e-bikes on the market, there is no doubt that this bike offers more off-road or all-terrain capabilities. I highly recommend purchasing this bike—for the right person, at least.
Whether or not you should purchase this bike is completely dependent on the type of riding that you will do the most often, and how you plan to use your e-bike. If you are a casual rider, spending most of your time cruising on paved trails around town, this bike is probably not the best choice. It would be like owning a decked-out Jeep Wrangler and only using it to pick up the kids from school!
However, if you intend to use your e-bike for exploring uncharted territories and riding different terrains, you’re going to love this bike. If you are an RVer and want to use this bike to scout boondocking spots or a hunter wanting to cover more distance, this bike will be a perfect choice. Ultimately, this bike is designed for enthusiasts looking to push the boundaries of conventional e-bikes. If that sounds like you, the QuietKat Ranger could be a perfect match.
Shop for the QuietKat Ranger 10 at Camping World.
