Our Editors Love This ‘Go Anywhere’ Utility Bike: Eaglebear Black Everyday Review

You’ve probably never heard of Eaglebear Bikes before. Don’t worry — I hadn’t either. That’s probably because the brand didn’t exist until April 2024, and it sells just one bike model (in several variations).

It’s more likely that you’ve heard of the popular kids’ bike brand Prevelo. Prevelo produces a complete line of some of the best kids’ bikes on the market. The team at Prevelo wanted to make a versatile do-it-all bike for adults to ride anywhere, anytime. So, Prevelo launched a new brand with a single model, the Eaglebear Black. They say it’s “the best bike for most people.”

Built around the same aluminum frame, the Black is offered in four configurations or “modes.” Riders can choose between Everyday (700c x 45 mm) and Trail (27.5” x 2.2”) wheels and tires and rigid or suspension forks (+$200). The prices are reasonable, but the name-brand components are a big step up in performance from most budget bikes.  

For several weeks, I’ve been testing the Eaglebear Black Everyday ($1,300). I’ve been using it for everything from errands and grocery runs to mixed-surface rides and rips around Reno, Nev. 

In short: The Eaglebear Black Everyday is the bike I’ve always wanted but never had. It’s essentially a flat bar gravel/commuter/city bike that you can ride almost anywhere. This bike is quick and responsive, with quality components that work well. It’s respectably lightweight and reasonably priced, but stands out most for its impressive versatility. This bike can (almost) do it all.

Looking for a new ride? See how the Eaglebear Black compares in our guide to the Best Commuter Bikes.

I will just come out and say it — I’m a bike snob. Cycling is serious business to me, and I race mountain and gravel bikes at a relatively high level. I own more bikes than anyone should, and many are pretty high-end. I have carbon mountain bike wheels that cost almost double the price of the complete Eaglebear bike.

Even with a garage full of bikes, most are very use-specific and only good at one thing. My gravel bike, mountain bike(s), townie, beach cruiser, electric commuter, and cargo bike are all amazing for their intended uses.  

So, the super-versatile-on-paper Eaglebear Black immediately appealed to me. As a bike snob, however, I was skeptical about how this budget-friendly bike would perform or if I’d even like it at all.

Eaglebear Black Review

Main Points

All Eaglebear Black bikes are built around the same aluminum frame. The traditionally shaped bike frame is relatively straightforward. It has internal cable routing and numerous mounting points for water bottles, racks, and bags. The frame comes in four sizes, small to extra-large, and is claimed to fit riders between 5’1” and 6’4”. 

Geometry-wise, the Black has measurements and angles similar to modern gravel bikes. The 70-degree head tube angle promotes responsive handling. The 454mm reach on the size large I tested hit a great middle ground that avoids being too cramped or stretched out. All the bikes come with mountain-bike-style handlebars instead of drop handlebars found on road or gravel bikes.

Eaglebear gives the option to choose between Everyday and Trail wheels and tires. The Everyday setup comes with 700c wheels and 45mm-wide gravel tires. The Trail setup has 27.5-inch wheels and plumper, knobbier 2.2-inch-wide mountain bike tires. 

Additionally, Eaglebear added the option to upgrade from the rigid carbon fork to a suspension fork. The “Adventure” models cost $200 more and come with a 40mm-travel KS GTC gravel fork.

Better Than Budget Components

At $1,300, the Eaglebear Black costs a bit more than truly budget bikes, but the higher price gets you nicer components. The real standout is the 12-speed Shimano Deore drivetrain. With 12 gears and a 510% gear range, you’ve got all the gears you need for pretty much any situation.

The best part is that Deore performs roughly on par with Shimano’s more expensive SLX and XT options. It comes with a slight weight penalty but worked reliably with crisp and smooth shifts.

The tubeless-ready wheels and tires are also a nice touch. The bike comes with tubes installed, but the rims are pretaped to convert them to tubeless if you prefer. I used some spare tubeless valve stems, added some tire sealant, and converted them to tubeless before the first ride. 

The 45mm-wide tan wall Kenda Alluvium gravel tires on the Everyday give it some retro appeal. These tires rolled fast with a versatile tread that worked well on pavement and was capable on gravel and smooth trails, too. The polished silver hubs also happen to look awesome. Thru-axles front and rear make it easy to upgrade to fancier wheels.

The Shimano hydraulic disc brakes are a step up from mechanical discs or no-name hydraulic brakes on cheaper bikes. The cockpit is nothing fancy but well-appointed. I found the saddle and lock-on grips relatively comfortable, and the 760mm-wide handlebar was the perfect width.

Customization Options

Eaglebear offers a range of options and accessories for purchasing the bike. These cost a little extra but allow you to customize the bike to your needs. 

These include affordable niceties like a bell, colored grips, bottle cages, and a tubeless setup kit (valve stems and sealant). They also offer more expensive options like a dropper seatpost, a front cargo rack, or a Mac-Ride child seat.

Eaglebear Black Everyday: So Dang Versatile

The Eaglebear Black is unlike any bike I currently own. Not just because it costs less than any of them, but because of its do-it-all capability. Other than going for a rough trail ride or high-speed road ride, there’s no situation where I felt out of place riding it. I quickly went from being skeptical about whether I’d like it to reaching for it quite often.

One of the things I liked most was not feeling limited by the bike while riding. It felt plenty zippy on the road and paved bike paths, but it transitioned seamlessly to gravel paths and smooth trails. I could ride this bike anywhere I wanted and make up my route as I went along. Dirt road, singletrack detour, cut through the park? Sure, why not? I’m inclined to take it out for some longer gravel rides this spring. 

It’s not the lightest bike in the world at 24 pounds (large frame, set up tubeless without pedals), but it’s respectably light for the price. The frame is stiff, and it felt snappy and responsive under power. The handling also struck a nice balance of precision and stability, regardless of the terrain or the surface I was riding.

I also found it quite comfortable, with a fairly neutral body position that was neither too aggressive nor overly casual. I’m 6 feet tall, and the large frame was a great fit, even with my abnormally long legs.

The Everyday setup — 700c x 45mm wheels and tires — was the perfect choice for where I want to ride a bike like this. These provided good rolling speed on pavement and ample grip and cushioning on unpaved surfaces.

I like that Eaglebear also provides the option for the plumper and grippier tires of the Trail setup for those who’ll be spending more time on singletrack. This is an excellent option for less aggressive riders who simply want to get out and explore mellower trails.

With comfortable geometry, reliable components, and surface versatility, it also seemed like a great budget-friendly bikepacking rig. The three-pack mounts on the carbon fork and mounts on the top tube can fit a range of bags and accessories. The open front triangle has ample room for frame bags, too.

What Could Be Improved

Not much, really. My biggest gripe about the Eaglebear Black is the relatively loud branding. I respect that brands need to get their name out there, but the huge logo on the downtube is kind of in-your-face. In my opinion, it detracted from an otherwise pretty slick-looking bicycle.

The Eaglebear is also notably light on included features. I get it, though. The bike is the foundation, and riders can set it up however they want to meet their specific needs. That also helps keep the price low while the performance of the components and the bike itself is relatively high.

Eaglebear Black Everyday: Who’s It For?

A better question might be: Who isn’t the Eaglebear Black for? Whether for commuting, errands, fitness, gravel, easy singletrack, bikepacking, or all of the above, it’s affordable, comfortable, and surprisingly fun to ride. This bike would be a solid choice for just about anyone. 

Of course, there are higher-performance bikes out there and those that excel at the specific uses they are designed for. But you’re generally going to pay a lot more for those bikes, and most of them won’t be quite as versatile. The Eaglebear Black Everyday’s combination of affordability, versatility, and performance is what makes it stand out. 

I’m honestly blown away by how much I liked this bike. Beyond rugged mountain bike trails and pure road cycling, it’s a bike that I could hop on for pretty much any ride and have a good time. And that’s what riding bikes is all about. It could easily replace two or three of the bikes in my garage, and it just might.