Eunorau META26 1.0 Review (2026): 500 W, 20 MPH, $1,529

48V 500 W rear hub · 55 N·m · torque sensor · 720 Wh, 1,440 Wh with the second pack · 20 mph Class 2 · 286 lb payload · 68.4 lb · $1,529 in five colors · verified November 3, 2026

Quick Answer — This Eunorau META26 review covers the META26 1.0: a $1,529 step-through city bike with a torque sensor, a 500 W rear hub and a 20 mph top speed. On flat pavement a 180 lb rider gets about 44 miles at 15 mph on the throttle from its 720 Wh pack, and 71 pedaling easily.

Its published 500 W, thumb throttle and 20 mph put it inside the electric-bicycle definition in 47 states and the District of Columbia (the class section), and Eunorau sizes it for riders from 5'4" to 6'3" (the fit table).

What's on this page

Twenty-three sections, in the order a buyer tends to ask: who the bike suits, what the torque sensor does, which META to pick, how far it goes, whether it fits, where it counts as a bicycle, what owning it takes, and the verdict.

• Who the META26 is for
• How we verified this Eunorau META26 review
• Eunorau META26 1.0 specifications
• A torque sensor, and what it changes
• META26 1.0 or X2.0, and which META to buy
• How far it goes on one pack or two
• What the 286 lb payload covers
• Will the META26 fit you?
• The Mercer fit test
• 500 watts, a throttle and 20 mph: where it counts as a bicycle
• Charging one pack or two
• Which of Eunorau's figures this review uses
• Has it been recalled?
• Is it UL certified?
• The warranty, and who files the claim
• Buying it from us
• The honest ledger
• Who should buy it
• Before you buy: the checklist
• Limitations of this review
• The source register
• Frequently asked questions
• The bottom line

Who the META26 is for

Eunorau photographed this Deep Crimson; we set the photograph on a light sweep for the card. The 44 miles is the range section's figure for a 180 lb rider at 15 mph.

Buy it if you want an e-bike for errands and the ride to work whose assist follows how hard you pedal. Eunorau pairs a torque sensor with a 500 W rear hub, a thumb throttle, hydraulic disc brakes, fenders and lights, on a step-through frame, for $1,529.

The Pastel Pink from the front three-quarter, in Eunorau's studio photograph.

The published figures make the case: 500 W and 20 mph, the numbers that keep it an electric bicycle in most of the country; 286 lb of payload for you and your bags; and a 720 Wh pack that the range model puts at about 44 miles at 15 mph on the throttle for a 180 lb rider (the range tables).

The Deep Crimson from the drive side, in Eunorau's studio photograph. The frame drops low between the seat post and the down tube, which is the step you bring a leg through.

If your riding is one of three other kinds, a different machine in our range fits it better.

Under 5'4", Eunorau's window for the META24 starts at 5'3" and the META20's at 5'1"; our META24 review and our META20 review set out each one. For dirt and gravel with a rear shock, our URUS 2.0 review covers Eunorau's full-suspension trail bike. For riders who want a 27.5-inch wheel, the META275 2.0 carries the same 500 W rating and a 48V 15 Ah pack.

How we verified this Eunorau META26 review

Each bike specification here is Eunorau's own, read on September 26 and 27, 2026 from its product page, its product record and its geometry table, and every figure that involves arithmetic is recomputed. Where Eunorau prints a figure two ways, the conflicts table shows both and names the one this review uses.

The range and fit sections each end with their formula and inputs (range, fit). The jurisdiction screen, the recall screens and our store terms are dated in the Limitations, and each legal statement links the provision it rests on.

We sell the META26, so the honest ledger spells out which riders should look at another bike. The author is Milad Ghobadibeygvand, BScN (Western University, 2014). Corrections go to corrections@redtailebikes.com.

Eunorau META26 1.0 specifications

Each row is Eunorau's published figure, read September 26 and 27, 2026; where Eunorau prints a figure two ways, the conflicts table shows both.

Eunorau prints its geometry as nine lettered rows beside a drawing:

Eunorau's geometry table, read September 26, 2026; the chain stay prints as "19.lin", read here as 19.1 in.

The Steel Blue, same angle, same price. Eunorau photographs every color from both sides and both three-quarters.

A torque sensor, and what it changes

Eunorau fits the META26 with a torque sensor and describes what it does in one sentence: "As you pedal with more force, the motor responds with greater power." The harder you press, the more the motor adds, so the bike follows your legs through a start, a climb and an easy cruise.

The range model puts a number on it. At 15 mph on flat pavement, 75 W of your own pedaling takes the pack's cost from 16.3 to 10.2 Wh a mile, and one charge from about 44 miles to 71 (the gear table).

The drive side of the Deep Crimson, cut from Eunorau's studio photograph: the 42T chainring and its guard, the seven-speed freewheel and the derailleur.

The thumb throttle stays in play the whole time. Eunorau's specification puts it plainly, "power at your hand is always available", so a start from a light or a stretch when your legs are done needs no pedaling at all.

Its limits are the published ones: 55 N·m of torque and 500 W. On the model's steepest rows, the motor and your legs share the climb (the hills table).

META26 1.0 or X2.0, and which META to buy

The META26 1.0 is the US model: 48 V, 15 Ah, 500 W and 20 mph. Eunorau Australia sells a META26 X2.0, and its page prints a different machine: "Rear Drive 250W", a 36V 15Ah pack, a "Maximum Speed: 25 KPH" and a 130 kg payload.

AI search answers blend the two: on September 27, 2026, a search for a META26 review returned an AI summary built on a 36V 15Ah pack and an 80 km range, which are the X2.0's figures. Every figure on this page is the META26 1.0's, the bike we sell.

Every META we carry costs $1,529, so the choice comes down to wheel, pack, weight and your height:

Eunorau's product pages for the META20, META24, META26, META275 1.0 and META275 2.0, read September 26, 2026; our prices read September 27, 2026.

Eunorau's META26 page sells this bike as the M of a three-size step-through, with the META24 as its S and the META275 2.0 as its L. Their windows overlap from 5'6" to 6'1", and between those heights you are choosing a wheel: this bike's 26-inch, the META24's 24-inch, or the 2.0's 27.5 on narrower 2.6-inch tires.

Pick the META26 if you stand between 5'4" and 6'3" and want the tallest front end among the META20, META24 and META26 (the cockpit table). Pick the META24 if you stand 5'3" or want the lightest of the five. Pick a META275 if you want the larger wheel and sit inside its 5'6" to 6'1" window.

The Dark Charcoal, Eunorau's studio photograph from the drive side.

How far it goes on one pack or two

On flat pavement a 180 lb rider gets about 44 miles from the 720 Wh pack at 15 mph on the throttle, and about 30 at 20 mph. Hold back the charge Eunorau's FAQ advises leaving in the pack, the upper end of its 10 to 15%, and the 15 mph ride plans at 38 miles; a second 15 Ah pack lifts that plan to 75.

One saved model of this bike stands behind every row: Eunorau's published 500 W, 55 N·m rear hub, 20 mph top speed, 68.4 lb and 720 Wh, worked through the road physics in the last subsection.

Find your ride in three steps:

1. Choose the speed you usually hold in the first table, then throttle or pedaling in the one after it.
2. Count your climbing from the hills table, and move to your own row in the weight table if you and your load come to more or less than 180 lb.
3. Plan on the "15% kept" figure, and order the second pack if your day runs longer.

How far does it go at my speed?

Speed decides most of it: 44 miles at 15 mph on the throttle shrinks to 30 at 20 mph, 31% fewer, because air drag climbs with the square of your speed (Martin et al., 1998).

Flat pavement, still air at 77 °F, a 180 lb rider, throttle only. "With 15% kept" holds back 15%, the upper end of the 10 to 15% Eunorau's FAQ says to recharge at; "Both packs" adds the optional second 15 Ah pack, 1,440 Wh in all, with 15% of it kept.

Pedaling stretches every row. In Eunorau's words about the torque sensor, "As you pedal with more force, the motor responds with greater power", so the model splits each speed between your legs and the pack:

Flat pavement, a 180 lb rider, one 720 Wh pack. Easy pedaling is 75 W at the pedals and steady pedaling 150 W, delivered through the chain; the motor supplies the rest of the speed. At 15 mph a steady 150 W leaves the pack only 4.5 Wh a mile to find, which is why that cell runs past 100 miles.

Which gear saves battery?

On a rear hub the motor turns the wheel itself, so a gear change moves only your cadence; what saves the pack is the effort you add. At 15 mph easy pedaling takes the pack's cost from 16.3 to 10.2 Wh a mile, and a steady 150 W takes it to 4.5.

Watt-hours drawn from the pack per mile, a 180 lb rider, one 720 Wh pack, still air. The dashes mark a climb the model's motor cannot hold at 12 mph within the 500 W Eunorau prints for it; add 150 W from your legs and the same climb holds.

Use the seven gears for your legs, then: shift down before a climb so your cadence keeps pace with the wheel and the motor has your effort to build on.

How much do hills cost?

Each 1,000 feet of climbing at a steady 10 mph on the throttle takes about 151 to 186 Wh from the pack, the low figure on a 4% grade and the high one on an 8%, added to what the same miles use on the flat. Lifting a 180 lb rider and the bike 1,000 feet takes 94 Wh at the wheel; the motor's and the pack's losses as heat make up the rest.

A steady 10 mph up each grade, a 180 lb rider, one 720 Wh pack, still air. Steeper rows are left out: holding 10 mph above 8% asks more than the 500 W Eunorau prints, so the bike slows until your legs add the difference.

To plan a hilly trip, add the climbing to the flat miles. Ten flat miles at 15 mph on the throttle take about 163 Wh, and 500 feet of climbing at about 168 Wh per 1,000 feet adds 84, so the trip uses about 247 Wh of the 612 Wh one pack gives with 15% kept.

Does my weight change the range?

Most of all on climbs: going from 130 lb to 180 lb takes the 15 mph throttle ride from 48 miles to 44, and an 8% climb at 10 mph from 11 miles to 8. From 220 lb of rider and load, holding 10 mph up that climb asks more than the 500 W the model allows the motor at the wheel, so the bike slows unless you pedal harder.

You plus everything you carry, on the 68.4 lb bike, one 720 Wh pack, still air. Eunorau's 286 lb payload is the rider and the load: "Payload covers the rider and anything carried on the bike itself", so the bike's own weight sits outside it. "Past the model's motor" marks a climb that needs more than 500 W at the wheel, the rating Eunorau prints.

Does cold weather drain the battery?

Yes: freezing air takes the 15 mph throttle ride from 44 miles to about 35, and 14 °F takes it to about 31. At 32 °F the cells return about 89% of their 77 °F energy, the air is 9% denser to push through, and cold rubber rolls 18% harder (Rothhämel, 2023).

Flat pavement, a 180 lb rider, throttle only, one 720 Wh pack. The central figure comes from McMaster University's measured LG HG2 cell data, with the cells at air temperature; the brackets at 32 °F and 14 °F show where other published cell data disagree (Limitations).

Do the tires cut range?

Only by a few miles: across the fat tires Bicycle Rolling Resistance measured, the 15 mph throttle ride runs from 41 to 51 miles, with 44 in the middle. No drum figure for Innova's 26 × 3.0 turned up, so the model takes the median of the ten fat tires the lab measured on its drum and brackets it with the fastest and the slowest.

Flat pavement, a 180 lb rider, throttle only, one 720 Wh pack. The lab ran ten 26 × 4.00 fat tires at 12 psi under a 42.5 kg load at 29 km/h, and each wattage converts to the rolling-resistance figure shown.

Eunorau's 100 miles, matched to a ride

Eunorau's 100 miles counts two packs, and on flat pavement the model covers it at a steady 13.4 mph on the throttle or 17.6 mph with easy pedaling. Eunorau's page pairs the packs two ways, and each is mapped here:

• The highlights' pairing, the 15 Ah pack with an optional second 15 Ah, 1,440 Wh: 100 miles allows 14.4 Wh a mile, about 13.4 mph on the throttle or 17.6 mph pedaling easily.
• The specification row's pairing, the 15 Ah pack with a second 17 Ah, 1,536 Wh: 100 miles allows 15.4 Wh a mile, about 14.2 mph on the throttle or 18.2 mph pedaling easily.

The ride behind either figure is a gentle, level one on two packs, and a commute is best planned from the one-pack rows above.

Plan on 85% of any row, the pack less 15%, the high end of the 10 to 15% Eunorau's FAQ says to recharge at. At 15 mph on the throttle, that turns 44 miles into 38.

How every figure here is worked out

A steady speed needs a steady supply of power at the wheel. Martin and colleagues' model, checked against riders on a road in 1998, states it in one line for a constant speed in still air:

Wheel power = v × [ m × g × (Crr × cos θ + sin θ) + ½ × ρ × CdA × v² ]

In it, v is your speed, m the rider, load and bike together, g gravity, θ the slope's angle, Crr the tires' rolling resistance (0.0105 is a drag of 1.05% of the weight on the tires), ρ the density of the air and CdA the drag area, a measure of how much air you push aside.

Four steps lead from the wheel back to the pack:

1. Your legs, when you pedal, reach the wheel through the chain at 97.7% efficiency (Martin et al., 1998); the motor supplies whatever the speed needs beyond them.
2. The motor takes its shape from a comparable hub with published figures. Bafang's 2021 OEM workbook lists its RM G0H0 geared hub at 510 rpm unloaded and 426 rpm at its rated point, and "≥ 80" percent efficient. The model keeps that shape at the META26's own 48 V and 500 W, sets the no-load speed to 22.7 mph so that a 180 lb rider on the throttle tops out at Eunorau's 20 mph on the flat, and caps the torque at Eunorau's 55 N·m.
3. The pack loses a little inside itself, at the rate Arango, Lopez and Ceren measured on a 48 V pack: 3.4% at 15 mph on the throttle.
4. Watt-hours a mile = the pack's watts ÷ mph, and miles = 720 Wh × the share of its energy the temperature allows ÷ watt-hours a mile.

One ride, worked through: 15 mph on flat pavement on the throttle, a 180 lb rider. The tires take 78.1 W and the air 114.2 W, so the wheel needs 192.3 W.

At 15 mph the 28.0-inch wheel turns 180.0 rpm. In the motor model, with 1.682 N·m of torque per amp, a 0.607 Ω winding and a 0.55 A no-load current, each worked out from Bafang's published figures at 48 V, the hub gives 10.2 N·m on 6.6 A at 81% efficiency.

Out of the pack the motor takes 236.3 W, and the cells have to give up 244.6 W to cover the pack's own losses as well: 16.3 Wh a mile at 15 mph, and 720 ÷ 16.3 comes to 44.2 miles, or 37.5 with 15% kept.

The benchmarks under the model, recomputed. Each half reproduces a figure its source prints:

Martin and colleagues' Appendix I example (8.36 m/s over the ground, a 90 kg system on a 0.3% grade) and Bafang's rated point for the RM G0H0.

What the 286 lb payload covers

Eunorau rates the META26 at 286 lb for the rider and everything the bike carries, and its own definition leaves the bike out of that figure: "Payload covers the rider and anything carried on the bike itself." That line comes from Eunorau's trailer guide, and the 286 lb is the META26's own specification.

A 200 lb rider with a 25 lb bag is at 225 lb, 61 lb under the figure. The range tables price the load too: from 130 lb to 286 lb of rider and load, the 15 mph throttle ride falls from 48 miles to 37 (the weight table).

The bike itself weighs 68.4 lb, and 78.3 lb with the second pack, which Eunorau lists at 4.5 kg / 9.9 lb. The motor carries that weight on the road; onto a car it goes by a hitch rack or with a second pair of hands.

The Pastel Pink from the drive side, in Eunorau's studio photograph.

Will the META26 fit you?

Eunorau sizes the META26 for riders from 5'4" to 6'3", and at 109% of inseam the formula puts the saddle top 26.6 inches from the crank axle for the median 5'4" rider in the US Army's ANSUR II survey and 33.2 inches for the median 6'3" rider. That is a distance you can set yourself, measured along the seat post from the center of the crank axle to the top of the saddle.

The table runs the Army survey's 6,068 measured bodies through the formula at every height in Eunorau's window.

Eunorau's frame-size guide sorts frames by seat tube, and the META26's 457 mm (18 in) tube falls in its 17 to 19 inch row, 5'6" to 5'10". Both windows are Eunorau's, and the product page gives the wider one.

Find your fit in three steps:

1. Measure your inseam in socks. Stand against a wall, draw a hardback book up firmly between your legs where a saddle would sit, and measure from the floor to the top of the book.
2. Find your height in the table and check that your inseam falls inside that row's range; a longer inseam reads like the row above.
3. Set the saddle to your row's distance on delivery, then fine-tune it with the knee and heel checks near the end of this section.

How high should the saddle go?

At the median inseam for each height, the formula's distance climbs from 26.6 inches for a 5'4" rider to 33.2 inches at 6'3". The formula places the saddle 109% of your inseam above the pedal axle (Peveler et al., 2005), and published practice spans 106% to 110.4% (Ferrer-Roca et al., 2012); the last two columns print both ends of that band.

Subtracting Eunorau's 170 mm crank turns the pedal-axle figure into the distance from the crank axle, the point you can measure from at home.

The formula's distance from the center of the crank axle to the top of the saddle, along the seat post, for the median rider at each height at 109% of inseam, and at the band's low and high ends, 106% and 110.4%. The bodies are ANSUR II's, women and men pooled, and the inseam column spans that height's 5th to 95th percentile.

Can I put a foot down at a stop?

The META26 is a step-through: the frame drops to a low tube between the seat post and the down tube, so you bring a leg through the frame instead of swinging it over a top tube. At a stop, slide forward off the saddle and stand over that low tube with both feet down.

Its height above the ground is not printed in Eunorau's geometry table, so no clearance is computed here (Limitations).

The Deep Crimson's cockpit in Eunorau's front three-quarter photograph: the bars, the stem, the headlight at the fork crown and the fork.

Will I feel cramped, or stretched out?

Eunorau's geometry puts the top of the META26's head tube 26.3 inches above the crank axle and 15.5 inches ahead of it, the tallest and closest front end among the META20, META24 and META26. A taller, closer front end brings the bars toward you, so at the same saddle the trunk needs less forward lean to reach them.

How far you lean also depends on the stem and the bars, and no stem or handlebar dimension is published for the META26, so no lean angle is computed. Eunorau's specification lists an "Adjustable Stem for Comfort", which lets you raise or tilt the bars toward you.

Stack is the height of the head tube's top above the crank axle, and reach its distance ahead, from Eunorau's geometry tables for the META20, META24 and META26, read September 26, 2026. A higher ratio sets the bars higher for each inch forward.

How much weight goes on my hands?

The more upright you sit, the less weight your hands carry, because less of your trunk leans out ahead of the saddle; no grip position is published for the META26, so no hand-load figure is computed for it. Ten road racers pedaling with their hands on the hoods rested 15% of their body weight on the stem, a useful yardstick (Carahalios, 2015).

If your palms or wrists ache on longer rides, raise the adjustable stem and bring the bars closer: an upright trunk hangs more of its weight on the saddle (Clauser et al., 1969 give each segment's share of body weight). In a study of 36 experienced cyclists, padded gloves took 10 to 28% off the pressure over the ulnar nerve (Slane et al., 2011).

How do I set the saddle when it arrives?

Start at your row's distance, then look at your knee: with the pedal at the bottom of the stroke it should stay bent 25 to 35 degrees (Peveler et al., 2007). The heel check gets you there fastest: put your heel on the lower pedal and raise the saddle until that leg is just straight. Among 19 trained cyclists, that method landed 70% inside the knee range, more than either inseam formula managed (Peveler et al., 2005).

Keep the bike upright, open the seat clamp, set the height with the heel check, and close the clamp firmly before your first ride.

How we computed fit

One rule builds the table: the saddle goes 109% of your inseam above the pedal axle, and the 170 mm crank comes off to give the distance from the crank axle.

Say you stand 5'8" and have that height's median inseam in the survey, 32.6 inches. Your saddle then sits 35.6 inches above the pedal axle, or 28.9 inches above the crank axle once the crank's length is taken off; the LeMond method, at 88.3% of inseam, lands at 28.8.

The formula holds up on the survey itself: across all of its bodies, the LeMond method plus a 170 mm crank comes to 109.0% of inseam from the pedal, against 109.2 ± 0.9% measured in trained cyclists (Peveler et al., 2005).

Neither Eunorau's drive-side studio photograph nor the drawing beside its geometry table could be scaled to the published dimensions within 3.5%, so no saddle range, standover, lean or hand load is measured from them (Limitations).

The Mercer fit test

The Mercers are the fixed cast of American riders every machine on this site is measured against. Each verdict reads a number Eunorau publishes and the formula's row at that rider's height.

The numbers in play: Eunorau's 5'4"–6'3" window, its size guide's 5'6"–5'10" row for an 18-inch seat tube, the formula's saddle distance at each height, 286 lb of payload, 68.4 lb, and the class question in the section below.

Maya, Dana and Frank sit inside both of Eunorau's windows; Ruth, Cole and Jack sit inside the product page's wider one.

500 watts, a throttle and 20 mph: where it counts as a bicycle

Screened on September 27, 2026 against every state's definition and the District of Columbia's, the META26's published 500 W, thumb throttle and 20 mph sit inside the electric-bicycle definition in 47 states and the District of Columbia. Inside a state's definition, the bike is ridden under that state's electric-bicycle rules.

Three places read it differently. New Jersey's definition, as P.L.2025, c.285 amended it, gives assistance "only when the rider is pedaling", which leaves a throttle bike outside it. Alaska and Kentucky write no electric-bicycle definition at all.

In the states that sort e-bikes into three classes, a throttle that runs to 20 mph makes the META26 Class 2. California's wording: a Class 2 bike has "a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle, and that is not capable of providing assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour" (Cal. Veh. Code § 312.5(a)(2)).

What "Unlockable" means for the screen

Eunorau labels the META26 "Class 2 Speed limited Unlockable" and prints 20 mph as its maximum speed. This page screens the bike at that 20 mph. A META26 set to give assistance past 20 mph falls outside the Class 2 definition above, and the state's rules for faster machines then apply.

The Alpine White, in Eunorau's studio photograph.

Charging one pack or two

Eunorau ships a 2.0 A charger and quotes "5 - 7 hours" for the 720 Wh pack, and the arithmetic lands inside that window. Eunorau's own 48 V charger listing prints "Output Voltage: 54.6V"; at 2 A that is 109.2 W, so the pack fills in about 6.6 hours, and two packs, one after the other, in about 13.2.

For a bike that sits between seasons, Eunorau's FAQ asks for "a cool, dry place with a 70%-80% charge remaining" whenever the pack is stored for more than two weeks, and for recharging while 10 to 15% remains.

The Deep Crimson from behind, in Eunorau's photograph: the taillight at the back of the rack, the kickstand, the rear rotor and the freewheel.

Which of Eunorau's figures this review uses

Eunorau prints the META26's specification twice, as a block on its product page and as a table in its product record, and its FAQ gives payloads by kind of bike. Where the two disagree, the right-hand column says which figure the page works from.

Each figure as Eunorau's product page, product record and FAQ printed it on September 26, 2026.

The rear wheel of the Deep Crimson from the non-drive side, cut from Eunorau's photograph: the hub at the axle, the rear rotor, the fender and the kickstand.

Has it been recalled?

The federal recall record holds nothing under Eunorau or the META26. On September 27, 2026 the CPSC database was searched for both names in its title, description and product-name fields, and on October 2 the 51 federal recalls whose titles name an electric bicycle, an e-bike or an electric scooter were searched for them too; every field returned records for a control query within the same minute, which shows each search worked.

The agency's separate product safety warning listing carried 373 warnings when it was read end to end on September 26, 2026. Two named the control brand; not one named Eunorau or the META26.

Is it UL certified?

"UL CERTIFIED: Yes" sits in the highlight strip of the META26's product page. UL 2849 sets the requirements for an e-bike's electrical system, and UL 2271 those for its battery pack. A landlord, campus or insurer that wants the certificate itself can have it: note the request with your order and we will obtain it from Eunorau.

The warranty, and who files the claim

Eunorau's published warranty policy, read on September 26, 2026, sets four coverage periods:

The policy is issued by "Eunorau Bikes, a Nevada corporation", for bikes bought in the United States on or after August 1, 2023, and covers manufacturing defects in Eunorau's original parts.

Coverage belongs to "the original purchaser", calls for "Product Registration right after the purchase" and an "E-bike check-up by a Eunorau specialist or dealer after the first year of use", and excludes ordinary wear and labor. Our Eunorau brand profile sets these terms beside the rest of Eunorau's line.

If a covered part fails on a META26 you bought from us, the claim is ours to file. Send us what broke and a photo, and we take it up with Eunorau and stay on it until the replacement is at your door.

Buying it from us

The Steel Blue from the front three-quarter, in Eunorau's photograph: the headlight on the fork crown, the fork, the front rotor and the front fender.

The value case in numbers. Shop Pay spreads the $1,699 over 12 months at $153.35 a month and 15% APR, or over 3 months at $580.55 a month, the two plans our listing showed on September 27, 2026.*

*Rates from 0-36% APR. Payment options through Shop Pay Installments are subject to an eligibility check and are provided by these lending partners: affirm.com/lenders. Options depend on your purchase amount, and a down payment may be required. State notices to consumers: affirm.com/licenses.

Tell us your height, inseam, state and the miles you ride, and we will say plainly whether the META26, the META24 or the META275 2.0 suits you best.

The honest ledger

Green flags

• A torque sensor with a throttle beside it: in Eunorau's words, "As you pedal with more force, the motor responds with greater power", and "power at your hand is always available" (the sensor section).
• Inside the electric-bicycle definition in 47 states and the District of Columbia at its published 500 W, throttle and 20 mph (the class section).
• Room for a second pack: about 44 miles at 15 mph on the throttle from one, a plan of 75 from two (the range tables).
• The tallest, closest front end of the META20, META24 and META26: a 669 mm stack on a 393 mm reach, with an adjustable stem (the cockpit table).
• A 286 lb payload for you and your load; the 68.4 lb bike is not part of it.
• Hydraulic discs on 180 mm rotors, with motor cutoff in the levers.
• Fenders, lights and a tool in the box, and five colors at one price.

Red flags: where it is the wrong bike, and what to do

• Under 5'4": Eunorau's window starts there, so take the META24 (from 5'3") or the META20 (from 5'1"), and read our META24 review.
• Long days on one charge: past about 38 planned miles at 15 mph on the throttle, add the second pack, or pedal: easy pedaling takes one pack to about 71 (the range tables).
• Steep climbs with a heavy load: from 220 lb of rider and load, an 8% grade at 10 mph asks more than the 500 W the model allows the motor, so shift down and pedal with it (the weight table).
• Dirt, roots and a rear shock: the META26 is a street bike, so read our URUS 2.0 review for Eunorau's full-suspension trail bike.
• A throttle commute in New Jersey: its amended definition leaves throttle bikes out, so read our New Jersey e-bike law guide before you ride there.

Who should buy it

Buy the META26 if you ride city streets, want an assist that follows your pedaling with a throttle for the stops, and stand between 5'4" and 6'3". Pick the color you like: all five cost the same.

Take the META24 instead if you stand 5'3" or want the lightest META at 61.7 lb, and the META275 2.0 if you want a 27.5-inch wheel and sit inside its 5'6" to 6'1" window.

Skip it for trail riding: our reviews index lists the full-suspension and fat-tire machines built for dirt.

Before you buy: the checklist

Eight checks before the META26 ships: the first three decide whether it is your bike, and the other five take a few minutes each.

• ☐ Read your own state's rules for a Class 2 bike with a throttle; start with our state guide.
• ☐ Measure your inseam in socks and find your row in the saddle table.
• ☐ Add up you and your load against the 286 lb payload; the bike's 68.4 lb sits outside it.
• ☐ Decide on the second pack now: about 44 miles from one at 15 mph on the throttle, a plan of 75 from two.
• ☐ With two packs, charging runs overnight and then some: about 13.2 hours at 2 A, the packs filled in turn.
• ☐ If a landlord or insurer wants the UL certificate, put that request in with the order.
• ☐ Settle how a 68.4 lb bike rides in a car: a hitch rack, or two people for the lift.
• ☐ Inspect the crate when it arrives, note any damage with the driver, and email us photos within 48 hours.

Limitations of this review

Twenty limits on this review, each numbered and tied to the section it qualifies.

1. The META26's specifications here are Eunorau's figures, read at its page and record, and recomputed where arithmetic enters. The exceptions are our range and fit models, the jurisdiction screen and our store terms, each set out below.
2. Each range row is a steady ride at one speed on one grade in still air. Traffic lights, headwinds and hills between rows cost more; a following wind costs less.
3. Eunorau prints the cell brand, the second pack, the range basis and the payload two ways (the conflicts table); the review uses the figure named there.
4. The charging hours are computed from the 2.0 A charger and the 54.6 V Eunorau prints for its 48 V charger, with no allowance for the charger's taper near full.
5. The jurisdiction screen compares the published 500 W, thumb throttle and 20 mph with each state's definition in our rule table as of September 27, 2026, every row citing its statute. It reads the statutes and gives no legal advice.
6. The recall search ran on September 27, 2026 over three fields of the CPSC database, each proved live by a control query, and on October 2 over the 51 recalls whose titles carry an e-bike or electric-scooter term, which is a floor: a recall titled by brand alone is outside it. The full warning listing was read on September 26. Neither names Eunorau or the META26.
7. Our price, orderability and Shop Pay terms are read from our own listing; the payment figures are its plan table for $1,699 at 15% APR, read September 27, 2026.
8. The motor model is a comparable, not a measurement of this hub. Eunorau publishes the META26's 48 V, 500 W and 55 N·m; the curve between them is Bafang's RM G0H0 geared hub, rebased to those figures, with the no-load speed fitted so a 180 lb rider tops out at Eunorau's 20 mph.
9. The model holds the motor to the 500 W Eunorau prints. The 48V 20A controller Eunorau lists can draw up to 960 W from the pack (48 × 20), so on a steep climb the bike may hold a speed the weight table marks as past the model's motor.
10. No drum measurement of Innova's 26 × 3.0 was found. The tables price the median of ten 26 × 4.00 fat tires on Bicycle Rolling Resistance's drum and bracket it with the fastest and the slowest.
11. Eunorau names LG cells on the page and Samsung in the record, with no cell model, so the cold rows use McMaster's measured LG HG2, bracketed by Samsung's 35E data sheet and Casado et al., 2025.
12. The second pack is modeled as a second 720 Wh, the 48V 15 Ah Eunorau lists for its META series, with the pair drawn down before the 15% reserve.
13. The wheel is the 26 × 3.0 size's nominal 28.0 in; neither Eunorau nor Innova prints an outer diameter for this tire.
14. No measured ride of the META26 to empty, with its speed and load stated, was found, so the chain from wheel to pack is checked piece by piece against its sources rather than end to end.
15. The fit table draws on soldiers. ANSUR II measured 6,068 US Army personnel aged 17 to 58 in 2010 to 2012; the way inseam varies at a given height should hold for civilians, while the exact spread may differ.
16. No frame dimension is measured here. Eunorau's drive-side studio photograph reproduces 2 of 7 published dimensions within 3.5% at the published wheelbase's scale, and the drawing beside the geometry table, a file named meta24-275, reads the reach 13% long at the same scale, so neither is used.
17. Eunorau publishes no saddle height range, standover, seat angle, stem or handlebar dimension for the META26, so the fit section gives the formula's saddle distance and computes no saddle-range share, step clearance, cockpit lean or load on the grips.
18. Eunorau's page describes a "Front Suspension" with no travel figure, and its photographs show a rear rack that neither its copy nor its specification rows name, so neither model uses them; if the rack matters to you, ask us before you order and we will confirm with Eunorau what ships in the box.
19. Treat the saddle formula as the first setting, not the last. Among 19 trained cyclists, the inseam formulas left 55 to 65% within the 25 to 35 degree knee range and the heel check 70% (Peveler et al., 2005); finish the adjustment on the bike.
20. Expiry: re-verify if Eunorau changes the motor, pack, speed setting, payload, rider window or geometry, publishes a saddle range, standover or UL certificate, if our price moves, or if any state's definition changes.

The source register

The sources behind this review, grouped by tier, with what each one supports: Eunorau's pages and records, the statutes, the CPSC's lists, the published measurements under the two models, and our own datasets.

Frequently asked questions

How far does the Eunorau META26 go on one charge?

If you weigh about 180 lb and ride flat pavement, about 44 miles at 15 mph on the throttle from the 720 Wh pack, and about 71 if you pedal easily. At 20 mph on the throttle you get about 30; hold back 15%, the upper end of the FAQ's 10 to 15%, and your 15 mph throttle ride plans at 38 (the range tables).

Can I add a second battery to the META26?

Yes: Eunorau lists its 48V 15 Ah second pack for the META series, and you can add it to your order for $598.80. With both packs, 1,440 Wh, your 15 mph throttle ride plans at 75 miles; Eunorau's 100 miles on two packs matches a steady 13.4 mph on the throttle (the maker's range).

Does the META26 have a torque sensor or a cadence sensor?

It senses torque, in Eunorau's specification and in its own words: "As you pedal with more force, the motor responds with greater power." It also has a thumb throttle for when you want the motor without pedaling (the sensor section).

Is the META26 the same bike as the META26 X2.0?

No. The META26 1.0 you buy from us prints a 48V 15 Ah pack, a 500 W motor and 20 mph; the X2.0 on Eunorau's Australian page prints "Rear Drive 250W", a 36V 15Ah pack and 25 km/h.

Which META should I buy: 20, 24, 26 or 275?

Pick by your height and the wheel you want; every META we carry is $1,699. The META26 serves 5'4" to 6'3" on a 26 × 3.0 tire, the META24 5'3" to 6'2", the META20 5'1" to 6'1", and both META275s 5'6" to 6'1" (the family table).

How fast does the Eunorau META26 go?

20 mph, the maximum speed Eunorau prints, and you reach it on the throttle alone; the model's 180 lb rider tops out there on the flat. Eunorau labels it "Class 2 Speed limited Unlockable", and this review screens it at 20 mph (the class section).

Is the Eunorau META26 street legal?

Its published 500 W, throttle and 20 mph sit inside the electric-bicycle definition in 47 states and the District of Columbia. New Jersey's definition leaves out throttle bikes, and Alaska and Kentucky write no definition (the class section). Read your own state's rules in our state guide.

How tall do you need to be to ride the META26?

Eunorau lists riders from 5'4" to 6'3". At 109% of inseam, if you are 5'4" with the Army survey's median 30.5-inch inseam, you set the saddle top 26.6 inches from the crank axle; at 6'3", with a 36.6-inch inseam, you set it at 33.2 inches (the saddle table).

How much does the META26 weigh, and how much can it carry?

68.4 lb, and 78.3 lb with the second pack; you and your load can total 286 lb. Eunorau's definition keeps the bike outside that figure (the payload section).

What battery cells does the META26 use?

Eunorau's product page says LG and its product record says Samsung, with no cell model on either; the second pack's listing names Samsung cells (the conflicts table).

What warranty comes with the META26?

Eunorau's policy covers the frame for 10 years and the battery, motor and electrical parts for 24 months, for the original purchaser, with registration after purchase and a check-up after the first year (the warranty section). We file the claim with Eunorau for you.

Has the Eunorau META26 been recalled?

No. On September 27, 2026, no CPSC recall named Eunorau or the META26, and none of the CPSC's 373 product safety warnings did (the recall section).

Is Eunorau a good brand?

Eunorau builds with named parts and prints its terms: on the META26, a Shimano drivetrain, hydraulic discs, a 10-year frame warranty and a "UL CERTIFIED: Yes" mark. Its FAQ says its bikes are "designed in the U.S. and manufactured in Shanghai". Our Eunorau brand profile reviews the whole line.

Where are Eunorau bikes made?

In Shanghai, by Eunorau's own account: its FAQ says the bikes are "designed in the U.S. and manufactured in Shanghai", with a team there that inspects "every bike before it is shipped to our customers".

The bottom line

The Eunorau META26 1.0 is a torque-sensing, step-through city bike that stays an electric bicycle in 47 states and the District of Columbia, for $1,699 in five colors. A 180 lb rider gets about 44 miles at 15 mph on the throttle from one pack and 71 pedaling easily, the 286 lb payload covers you and your bags, and Eunorau's window runs from 5'4" to 6'3".

Buy it for city miles with an assist that follows your legs. Take the META24 below 5'4", and a trail bike for dirt.

References

These are the documents behind every figure and rule on this page, numbered in the order the page first relies on them, each with its publisher, its title, the part cited and the date it was read.

1. Eunorau. META26 1.0 Electric Commuter Bicycle — product page and product record: highlights, specification block, geometry table, the torque sensor's description and the gallery. eunorau-ebike.com/products/meta-26-1; product record meta-26-1.json. Retrieved September 26, 2026; deposit copies and the maker's gallery archived.
2. Eunorau. EUNORAU Universal 48V15Ah Secondary Battery: the models it fits ("META SERIES" among them), Samsung cells, 4.5 kg / 9.9 lb, 2 A standard and 3 A fast charge, $499. eunorau-ebike.com. Retrieved September 27, 2026; deposit copy archived.
3. Eunorau. 48V3A 1.0 US/CA Ebike Fast Charger: output voltage 54.6 V. eunorau-ebike.com. Retrieved September 26, 2026; deposit copy archived.
4. Eunorau Bikes. 24-Month+ Limited Warranty: coverage periods, requirements, exclusions and the issuing entity. eunorau-ebike.com/pages/warranty. Retrieved September 26, 2026; deposit copy archived.
5. Eunorau. Hunting Ebike Trailer Guide: How Much Gear Can You Tow. eunorau-ebike.com. May 31, 2026; retrieved September 24, 2026. Eunorau's own definition of payload.
6. Eunorau. EUNORAU EBIKES FAQ: the 10-15% recharging advice, the storage advice, payloads by kind of bike, and where the bikes are made. eunorau-ebike.com/pages/faqs. Retrieved September 26, 2026; deposit copy archived.
7. Eunorau. Frame Size Suggestion (rider height against frame size, in inches and centimeters). eunorau-ebike.com/pages/frame-size-suggestion. Retrieved September 26, 2026; deposit copy archived.
8. Eunorau. META20, META24, META275 1.0 and META275 2.0 product pages: wheel and tire, pack, weight, rider window and, for the META20 and META24, the geometry tables. META20, META24, META275 1.0, META275 2.0. Retrieved September 26, 2026; deposit copies archived.
9. Eunorau Australia. META26 X2.0 — product page and product record. au.eunorau-ebike.com/products/meta-26. Retrieved September 27, 2026; deposit copy archived. "Rear Drive 250W", "Main 36V15Ah", "Maximum Speed: 25 KPH", "Total Payload Capacity: 130 KG".
10. Redtail eBikes. META26 store record (redtailebikes.com/products/eunorau-meta26): the five colors, price, orderability and the Shop Pay plan table; our listing of the second 15 Ah pack; and our shipping policy. Read September 27, 2026.
11. Affirm. Lending partners. affirm.com/lenders. The lenders behind Shop Pay's installment plans, named in Shopify's installment terms.
12. California Legislative Information. Cal. Veh. Code § 312.5, subsections (a) and (a)(2). leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved September 26, 2026.
13. New Jersey Legislature. P.L.2025, c.285, amending R.S. 39:1-1, "Low-speed electric bicycle" and "Motorized bicycle"; approved January 19, 2026. pub.njleg.gov. Read September 26, 2026 through a proxy when the publisher timed out; the enacted text is also on file from August 15, 2026. "provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling".
14. Alaska State Legislature. AS 28.90.990(a)(20)-(22). akleg.gov. Retrieved September 26, 2026. No electric-bicycle definition.
15. Kentucky Legislature. KRS 189.010. apps.legislature.ky.gov. Retrieved September 26, 2026. No electric-bicycle definition.
16. Redtail eBikes editorial desk. The 51-jurisdiction rule table and the META26 screen. Every US state and DC, each row carrying its statutory citation; screened September 27, 2026 on the published 500 W, thumb throttle and 20 mph: inside the definition in 47 states and the District of Columbia, outside it in New Jersey, and no definition in Alaska and Kentucky. First-party dataset.
17. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. SaferProducts recall database. saferproducts.gov/RestWebServices/Recall. Screened September 27, 2026 for "Eunorau" and "META26" on the RecallTitle, RecallDescription and ProductName fields, each proved live by a control query, and on October 2, 2026 over the 51 federal recalls whose titles name an electric bicycle, an e-bike or an electric scooter; deposit copies and screens archived.
18. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Product safety warning listing (complete CSV). cpsc.gov. Read September 26, 2026: 373 warnings, 2 naming the control brand, none naming Eunorau or the META26; deposit copy and screen archived.
19. UL Standards & Engagement (standards body; context only). UL 2849 and UL 2271. Retrieved August 29, 2026.
20. Bafang. Workbook OEM 2021, MOTORS table, RM G0H0 column: rated voltage, n0, nT, maximum torque and efficiency. bafang-e.com. Retrieved September 23, 2026; deposit copy archived.
21. Brown, S. Tire Sizing Systems, the ISO bead-seat table: 559 mm for 26 × 1.00 through 5.0. sheldonbrown.com. Retrieved September 27, 2026; deposit copy archived.
22. Bicycle Rolling Resistance. Fat-bike tire tests (ten 26 × 4.00 tires on the drum at 12 psi). bicyclerollingresistance.com. Retrieved September 25, 2026; deposit copy archived.
23. Martin, J. C., Milliken, D. L., Cobb, J. E., McFadden, K. L. and Coggan, A. R. Validation of a Mathematical Model for Road Cycling Power. Journal of Applied Biomechanics 14(3):276–291 (1998), Eq. 14 and Appendix I; doi 10.1123/jab.14.3.276. collections.lib.utah.edu. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
24. Tengattini, S. and Bigazzi, A. Y. Physical characteristics and resistance parameters of typical urban cyclists. Journal of Sports Sciences 36(20):2383–2391 (2018), Table 4; doi 10.1080/02640414.2018.1458587. civil-reactlab.sites.olt.ubc.ca. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
25. Arango, I., Lopez, C. and Ceren, A. Improving the Autonomy of a Mid-Drive Motor Electric Bicycle Based on System Efficiency Maps and Its Performance. World Electric Vehicle Journal 12(2):59 (2021), Eq. (40); doi 10.3390/wevj12020059. mdpi-res.com. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
26. Kollmeyer, P. et al. LG 18650HG2 Li-ion Battery Data. Mendeley Data v2, McMaster University; doi 10.17632/b5mj79w5w9.2 (0.5C discharge files, recomputed). doi.org. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
27. Samsung SDI. Specification of Product INR18650-35E, Ver. 1.1 (July 9, 2015), § 7.5 Temperature Dependence of Discharge Capacity. enerpower.de. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
28. Casado, S. et al. Evaluation of commercial Li-Ion 18650 battery cells for deep space applications. Journal of Power Sources 638:236552 (2025), Table 3; doi 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2025.236552. doi.org. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
29. NOAA, NASA and US Air Force. U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976 (NOAA-S/T 76-1562), sea-level pressure and the composition of dry air. ntrs.nasa.gov. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
30. Rothhämel, M. On rolling resistance of bicycle tyres with ambient temperature in focus. International Journal of Vehicle Systems Modelling and Testing 17:67–80 (2023), Tables 1 and 4; doi 10.1504/IJVSMT.2023.132317. inderscience.com. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
31. U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center. 2012 Anthropometric Survey of U.S. Army Personnel (ANSUR II), public data release (4,082 men, 1,986 women). army.mil. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
32. Peveler, W., Bishop, P., Smith, J., Richardson, M. and Whitehorn, E. Comparing Methods for Setting Saddle Height in Trained Cyclists. Journal of Exercise Physiology Online 8(1):51–55 (2005). asep.org. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
33. Ferrer-Roca, V., Roig, A., Galilea, P. and García-López, J. Influence of saddle height on lower limb kinematics in well-trained cyclists: static vs. dynamic evaluation in bike fitting. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 26(11):3025–3029 (2012). pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
34. Peveler, W. W., Pounders, J. D. and Bishop, P. A. Effects of saddle height on anaerobic power production in cycling. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 21(4):1023–1027 (2007). pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
35. Slane, J., Timmerman, M., Ploeg, H. L. and Thelen, D. G. The influence of glove and hand position on pressure over the ulnar nerve during cycling. Clinical Biomechanics 26(6):642–648 (2011). pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
36. Carahalios, A. An Analysis of the Bicycle-Rider Interface Forces in Stationary Road Cycling. MS thesis, University of Colorado (2015). scholar.colorado.edu. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
37. Clauser, C. E., McConville, J. T. and Young, J. W. Weight, Volume, and Center of Mass of Segments of the Human Body, AMRL-TR-69-70 (1969). ntrs.nasa.gov. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
38. Redtail eBikes editorial desk. META26 range model. The computation set out in the range section of this review: Martin et al.'s power model with Bafang's RM G0H0 shape rebased to Eunorau's 48 V, 500 W, 55 N·m and 20 mph; run September 27, 2026. First-party computation; every input and its source in its inputs table.
39. Redtail eBikes editorial desk. META26 fit model. The computation set out in the fit section of this review: the saddle formula for every ANSUR II body at each height in Eunorau's window, with Eunorau's 170 mm crank; run September 27, 2026. First-party computation; every input and its source in its inputs table.