Published October 28, 2026 11:35AM
Like most parents, I dread weekday afternoons. I rush out of work (sometimes making special arrangements to leave early), get home, feed our kids a quick snack, and then climb in the car where we spend hours commuting to afternoon and evening activities.
Three days a week, on the way to my son’s 5 p.m. soccer practice, we sit in awful after-work traffic that’s made worse by new freeway construction. Instead of decompressing from work and school, both my son and I are aggravated and worried that we’ll be late. My daughter’s cross-country practice is closer to the house, but it still requires a car trip that’s often stressful as we rush to get her there on time.
Our family owns a pickup and a minivan that both get about 18 miles to the gallon. We burn an extra quarter-tank of gas each week sitting in traffic, and with gas at nearly $5 a gallon here in New Mexico, the cost adds up.
All of this got me thinking: I know several people, and have heard of many more, who have effectively replaced their cars with e-bikes for their commutes to and from work. I wondered if I could replace my truck and minivan with one for my kid-activity commutes as well. Would it be a huge hassle to load my 10-year-old son on a bike and ride to soccer? Would I have time to take my 13-year-old daughter to cross-country practice and then come back and take my son?
The Test Bike Leads Me to a Legal Gray Area
To find out, I got a test sample of the Aotos Flux X26 Pro. There are tons of two-wheeled e-vehicles to choose from, but I went for the Aotos because it has a seat big enough for two people and a 50- to 70-mile range—enough for a full week of commuting.
It wasn’t until the Aotos arrived that I learned that because of its specs, it’s not technically an e-bike. In most instances, the bike uses 750-watts of power and has a top speed of 20 miles per hour. But if I push a red button on the handlebars it can jump to 2,000 watts of power and top out at 28 mph for ten seconds. According to People For Bikes and the federal government, any e-vehicle with motor power over 750 watts that can exceed 20 miles per hour by use of a throttle is a “motor-driven cycle,” not an e-bike. Here in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where I live, the Aotos falls outside the e-bike classification as well because the motor goes over 750 watts.
Because the Aotos can exceed the e-bike limits—but only for a few seconds—it was unclear whether I could ride it on the bike paths around the city. To be safe, I decided I would avoid the boost mode, keep the bike under 20 miles per hour and 750 watts, and treat it like an e-bike for our kid-commuting test.
Aotos Flux X26 Pro
Ditching the Minivan—and the Traffic
My son was initially scared to get on because he and I fell off an e-motorcycle I was testing a couple of years ago, and he ended up with five stitches, even though we were only going 10 miles per hour at the time. After a little reassurance and a good helmet, however, he agreed, and we rolled off to practice. Sticking to neighborhood streets and bike paths, we got to his practice only about five minutes slower than in a car. As soon as he climbed off, my son said he never wanted to drive again. I agreed.
We both loved that instead of sitting in a box battling traffic, we got to cruise along in the open air, which felt like an adventure. Instead of looking out the window, my son chatted me up the entire ride, even if it meant screaming over the wind. Even though I was tense because I didn’t want to have an accident on our first ride, I loved being outside.
Since then, we’ve regularly commuted on the Aotos. By leaving a bit earlier, I’m able to take my daughter first before grabbing my son. She was scared of the bike as well but has also leaned into the adventure. I’ve been encouraging her to bike commute on her own since her cross-country practice is close. Since practicing the route with me, she’s now more comfortable on a bike around cars.
Big four-inch tires and cushy hydraulic suspension create a smooth ride, and the iPhone-esque control screen is intuitive and easy to see in bright light. The hydraulic brakes are squeaky but have plenty of stopping power. The front light is bright enough to illuminate a bike path and alert cars on the road.
Even though the bike has pedals that add a little boost, I mainly used the throttle for power and the pedals as footrests. The motor has three modes—eco, normal, or sport—each with its advantage. Eco extends the battery but tops out at 10 miles per hour. Normal also preserves the battery a little and has an upper limit of 15 miles per hour. I like sport, which uses the most battery power and goes as fast as 20 miles per hour, because it’s nice to have the extra speed to maneuver in traffic when I’m on the street. I still get several days of use.
Come Spring, Back on a (Better) Bike
Brian Park, who’s an executive director at our sister publication Pinkbike, said there has been some criticism of bikes like the Aotos because people call them mopeds in disguise. He’s right that, because I pedal very little, it’s more like a scooter than a bike. And if I were to use the full power boost feature and drive it at 28 miles per hour, it would be a moped under federal and state law.
Park recommended I check out commuting e-bikes that don’t cross over into moped territory and that he believes would be more comfortable for hauling my kids—lighter and more agile—plus likely more reliable long term. I plan to take Park’s advice and test a few less-powerful e-bikes to see how they compare when commuting with my kids.
For the moment, I’m still using and enjoying the Aotos, even as it’s gotten colder. Evening temps are now in the 40s and 50s, so we have to bundle up in weatherproof jackets and bring gloves and hats. When we recently rode through some rain, waterproof jackets kept our tops dry and warm, and even though our legs got wet, we weren’t too bothered. My kids’ seasons end in mid-November, which is perfect because it will be near or below freezing and getting too cold to ride. Come spring, however, we’ll all be eager to start e-bike commuting again.
