Puckipuppy Beagle 2 ST review: A beautiful fat tire eBike
The Puckipuppy Beagle 2 ST is the step-thru version of the second litter of Beagle eBikes and it this bike is no mutt.
Our review of the first generation Beagle noted two areas that could be improved: the stand-over height and the mechanical disc brakes. With a step-thru frame and hydraulic disc brakes, the Puckipuppy Beagle 2 ST addresses both of those. Note that the Beagle 2 is also available in a high-step frame as well, but this review focuses on the step-thru model.
For those unfamiliar with the brand, Puckipuppy names all of its bike models after dog breeds.
What’s new with the Beagle?
One thing that makes our review bike standout is the stunning pink paint job. It has depth and a pearl-like finish that seems to change from whitish pink to bubble-gum pink depending on the viewing angle. As a pink bike might not be for everyone, the Beagle 2 ST is also available in white, black and pearl blue colors. The high-step version is available in navy blue/gray, metallic gray, orange and bionic camouflage colors.
The step-thru frame makes getting on and off the bike a simple affair for our 5′ 9″ rider with a 32-inch inseam. We also tested it on shorter riders who also had no problem getting on and off. Puckipuppy recommends the bike for riders 5’4” to 6’6”.
The other major change over the prior version is that the Beagle 2 is equipped with hydraulic disc brakes. The brakes, made by Logan, provide ample stopping power and were properly adjusted right out of the box.
Shipping and Assembling
Shipping to the Tampa area took less than a week via FedEx. We got an email and a WhatsApp notification when the bike was ordered and when it shipped the next day.
We learned from prior eBikes that it’s easier to cut the box open and fold down one of the faces rather than try to open it from the top and lift the bike out.
The Beagle 2 ST was packed tight and protected with loads of foam. All of the foam pieces are secured via zip ties.
There are also a number of boxes included that contain all the accessories, extra parts and all of the tools required to assemble the bike. The accessories, included a bike cover, bike lock, pump, phone holder, rear-view mirrors, water-bottle holder, charger and a number of spare parts like bolts and brake pads. Tools included a set of Allen keys and two crescent wrenches.
See a video of the unboxing here.
Assembly is very easy and consists of mounting the handlebars and front wheels and securing the fenders, display unit, seat, pedals and rear rack. You’ll also need to attach the headlight and connect the headlight power cable.
See a video of assembly here.
Riding the Puckipuppy Beagle 2 ST
The Beagle 2 ST shares the same motor and battery specs with its younger siblin:. A 750-watt motor produces almost 1,000 watts peak power and a 48 V, 15 Ah removable battery provides an advertised 40 to 60 mile range.
Just like the first generation, the Puckipuppy Beagle 2 offers five pedal assist modes, which means that the motor will kick in when the rider is pedaling to offer assistance. In PAS mode 1, the top speed is about 10 MPH. In PAS mode 5, the top speed that the motor will assist while pedaling is 28 MPH. Although it is possible to go faster, but the motor will not kick in past that point. Without pedaling, but using the throttle, the top speed is 20 MPH. There is also a zero-assist option, where the bike is propelled solely by pedal power, which is handy if you ever want to conserve battery.
A cadence sensor helps determine when the motor should kick in. Depending on what PAS level you’re in and how fast you’re pedaling, the sensor tells the motor to provide power.
The 7-speed Shimano Tourney rear derailleur shifts reliably and was properly tuned out of the box. Although, with the electric motor, we found that we shifted gears much less often than with a conventional bike. The exceptions are when we wanted to go very fast and when we had to climb a short, but steep hill.
The new hydraulic disc brakes, provide plenty of stopping power and didn’t squeak at all during our testing. An extra pair of break pads, the spring holder and all the necessary screws are provided as well.
The front suspension fork is adjustable and has a lockout feature which is helpful when you’re riding on a smooth surface like a bike path. When not in lockout mode, the front fork does a decent job of soaking up bumps. The 4-inch fatbike tires also absorb their fare share of bumps. As a friend who tried out the bike said, “This thing is a tank, it will ride over anything.”
The Beagle 2 ST comes in one size and while it doesn’t have an adjustable stem, it appears that the fork steering tube was kept long and could be shortened if needed.
The ride is cushy and the handlebar grips, when adjusted properly are comfortable.
The Beagle 2 ST Display and Controls
The LCD display and bike controls are also the same as the prior generation Beagle. The display is bright and easy to read even in sunshine and with polarized sunglasses on. It shows the current speed, the PAS mode, battery power level, trip distance and trip time. Icons for the light and the cruise control settings also appear on the display. An alternate Interface displays average and maximum speed, trip distance and total distance. To see that, press and hold the headlight and down PAS buttons at the same time.
Power, PAS level, light and horn are all activated by buttons located on the left side of the handlebar. These are all easy to activate without having to remove your hand from the bar. The only gripe I have about the buttons is that they are all the same color, which makes them hard to distinguish from each other. Although, after a few rides and getting accustomed to the button layout, this wasn’t as issue.
I like that you can switch between safe mode (having to pedal before the motor kicks in) and free mode that lets you start from a standstill with just the throttle. Free mode is definitely helpful when you forget to shit to an easier gear before stopping and have to get going again. Free mode is accessed in the “functions” menu, which can be entered by pressing both PAS buttons at the same time. There is also a hidden settings menu which can be activated by holding down the PAS up and down and the headlight buttons. In this menu, you can update the speed limit, PAS speed, voltage and more.
The throttle is the thumb lever style and is located on the right side of the handlebar. Like the button cluster, the throttle can easily be pressed with your thumb without moving your hand from the grips.
You can also set the bike to use cruise control. There’s two modes: Standard Ride, which sets the speed to about 3 mph and Custom Ride, which allows you to set the speed to your current speed. For the Custom Ride, aka Cruise Control feature, you have to press the throttle and then hold down the “down” PAS button until the icon appears on the display. Just like in a car, when you brake, the Custom Ride cruise control disengages.
For the Standard Ride, aka Walking Mode feature. you have to be at a standstill and then hold the down PAS button to maintain a steady walking pace. The manual isn’t clear on what use Standard Ride has, but I realized it’s to help push the bike when you’re not riding it. When the down PAS button is released, the bike will stop.
Speaking of stopping, when you slow down, the rear light illuminates brighter so those behind you know you’re braking.
Other useful features
The angle of the headlight can be adjusted up or down. It’s plenty bright enough to provide light while riding at night and provide visibility during the day. Although, I would like for it and the rear light to have a flashing mode for increased daytime visibility. One thing that some eBikes have that that Beagle doesn’t is turn signals. Having ridden a bike with turn signals, the jury is still out as to if they are a gimmick or not.
The rear rack is easy to secure items to using a bungee cord. If more storage space is needed, four bolts on the bike’s head tube are mounting points for an optional front basket. There is also one set of water bottle bosses on the down tube where you can mount a water bottle.
Beagle 2 ST battery and charging
The Puckipuppy Beagle 2 ST has a removable 48v 15ah battery that was charged from the factory, which is a nice touch. It promises a range of between 40 and 60 miles per charge depending on which pedaling mode is in use.
The battery, which is locked into the frame, can be charged while in the bike via a charging port in the frame, or can be removed and charged off the bike. When extracted from the frame, the battery has a helpful charge indicator. The charger also has a led indicator that glows red when charging and switches to green when fully charged.
During testing, and without being fully charged out of the box, we rode 20 miles until the bike needed charging. A full recharge took less than 8 hours.
Overall impressions
The pink version of this bike is definitely a head-turner and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a fat-tire step through eBike. Yes, it’s heavy, and yes, it’s large, but with the throttle, cadence sensor and step trough frame, you don’t notice how big it is when riding. For the price, you can’t go wrong with the Puckipuppy Beagle 2 ST. This might be the best value in fat tire step through eBikes.
The Beagle 2 ST retails for about $1,200 at puckipuppy.com. Use code FBPP50 to save $50 off.
Puckipuppy Beagle 2 ST Specs:
- 750 Watt Motor with peak power of 960W
- 48V 15Ah Battery
- Throttle speed of 20 mph
- Pedal assistance speed up to 28 mph
- Weight: 66 pounds
- Range: 40-6 0miles
- 400 pounds Payload Capacity
- 26.0″ x 4.0″ Fat tires
- LCD Color Display
- Hydraulic Disc Brakes
- 7-speed Shimano Rear Derailleur
- Adjustable Front Suspension Fork
- 6061 Aluminum Alloy Frame
- 1×7 Speed Drivetrain
- Thumb Throttle
- 48V Pedal Cadence Sensor
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