Oraimo’s Scrambler 100 clocks in at a surprising $800. But what sorta bang do you get for that buck? Photo: Steve Andrews/The Inertia
Finding the best electric bike for your needs can be a daunting task. Not only are there new companies appearing left and right, but each brand brings with it a whole host of models to suit different applications from city riding to off-road shredding. For those of us just looking to get around town, maybe with a surfboard or pack in tow, the fewer bells and whistles, the better. And for someone who doesn’t want to break the bank for a simple set of wheels, the Scrambler 100 from Oraimo, priced at a hard-to-believe $800 dollars, promises to do just that.
However, as we all know, you generally get what you pay for, so I came into this review with a fair bit of skepticism. Can this folding, fat-tire electric bike really hold its own against competition that tends to be twice as expensive? Read on to see how the test went, and to see how it stacks up against the competition, check out our review of The Best Fat Tire Electric Bikes.
Oraimo Scrambler 100: First Impressions
| Pros | Cons |
| Folds easily | No headlight |
| Fast and zippy | No horn or bell |
| Fast charge time | Rear rack is not included |
The bike comes pretty well-assembled, only needing a few minor attachments to get ready to ride. That’s a huge win over the hours I’ve spent putting other ebikes together. Being that it’s a folding bike, it has several modular parts that are actually quite intuitive to move around to fit the unit in a small space. The handlebar drops, the wheels turn in, and the frame folds in half. It’s surprisingly easy to fold up, and perhaps more importantly, easy to unfold into riding mode.
Once setup was complete, taking the Scrambler 100 for a spin was as easy as riding a bike. In other words, everything worked as it should. The five pedal assist modes are easy to navigate with the thumb shifter, ensuring you have just enough zip for what you need. Under throttle, the bike comes up to speed fairly quickly, even on hills.
The display is large and intuitive, and easy to read while zipping along. Note: the headlight in the photo was an aftermarket purchase. Photo: Steve Andrews/The Inertia
Notable Features
The most notable feature of the Scrambler 100 is its fold-ability. Doing so allows you to transport it in the trunk of a car, stash it in a hallway closet, and more. There’s plenty of instances where saving some space goes a long way. That’s not unique to the Scrambler 100 by any means, but it’s a noteworthy feature of this bike, allowing you to free up much-needed space for other gear, or stash it places where a full-sized bike simply wouldn’t fit.
Being that this is a fairly pared-down budget bike, it doesn’t have any standout features as far things that differentiate it from other electric bikes. But the features it does have work well and are reliable after nearly 100 miles of testing/use. All the components are still in good shape and I haven’t noticed any significant loss in effectiveness on the brakes, tires, battery, or any significant wear that might suggest a cheaper build. The bike is cheap, and bare-bones on features as a result, but it’s well-constructed.
The throttle isn’t exactly a standout feature, but it’s worth noting that it works well and gets up to the max speed (20 mph) in a matter of seconds. One could almost say that it’s a bit punchy, so it’s wise to not go full throttle right out the gate. But it’s there if you need an extra kick, and if we’re being honest it’s fun to let the battery do the work sometimes.
The tires are thick, helping this bike earn its stripes as a reliable fat tire electric bike that can handle all types of terrain. I even took it out in the snow to see what it could do in slicker winter conditions, and it worked fairly well. I experienced some slippage, but nothing that keeps me from recommending this for all-season use.
The Scrambler 100 by Oraimo could fold up and fit in the back of a Toyota 4Runner with plenty of room to spare. Photo: Steve Andrews/The Inertia
Drawbacks
As discussed earlier, the Scrambler 100 is a budget electric bike without any bells and whistles. To some, the added savings is worth it. But others may miss the features that are fairly standard on most ebikes nowadays, such as a headlight and tail light, a cargo rack, even a front basket. You can always buy some add-ons after the fact, and there is no shortage of options for electric bike accessories online. But some people aren’t into the whole idea of customization and just want something to ride. If you ride at night or in the winter months, you’ll definitely want a light to shine ahead of you, so just remember that when factoring in the low price of this bike.
When testing this bike out in the snow, I also found that it slid out quite a bit. The tires are rugged, but, like tires on a car or truck, true winter use requires a different degree of tread and rubber. For occasional snow use, this isn’t a huge deal, but if winter is your primary use case, you may want to invest in other tires.
There’s also no suspension on this bike (save for a spring-loaded seat), so if you’re really into rallying bikes and off-road riding, then you will want to either stand up more, or find a bike with a suspension fork, at least. Seeing as there are plenty of forks out there that cost more than double what this entire bike costs, it’s not surprising that this feature was left out in the overall theme of budget-friendliness.
Snow may not be the Scrambler 100’s favorite terrain, but it’s certainly capable of some winter-weather riding. Photo: Steve Andrews/The Inertia
Final Thoughts
The Oraimo Scrambler 100 is a no-nonsense, no-extras budget electric bike that, for the price, allows you to rip around town and get from point A to point B in a jiffy. Of the features it does have, everything works well, and nothing fell apart after months of use – it still rides as good as day one. Charging is relatively fast at 3.5 hours, and the 750w (1000w peak) motor works great for both speed and hill climbing ability.
For a folding, fat-tire electric bike, you won’t find many that come in cheaper than this price point, especially for the reliability and sturdy construction of the Scrambler 100. It’s a fine choice if you just want a simple electric bike that can handle a variety of terrain, and is easy to stow and transport.
Editor’s Note: For more gear reviews and features on The Inertia, click here.
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