The InEVitable Episode 137: Son of Rivian, the Also TM-B E-Bike

Rivian’s spinoff company, Also, claims its e-bike is transcendent. Really?

Another Friday, another episode of The InEVitable, and once again we’re out of the studio, on the road, and recording from moving vehicles. But this time, we’re on two wheels, not four. That’s right, in a vodcast first, we aren’t reviewing a car, but an e-bike, produced by a company spun from the orbit of none other than Rivian.

The company’s name is Also, and it’s an independent, standalone e-bike startup, founded by some former Rivian employees, headquartered in Palo Alto, California, with offices in Seattle and Taiwan. For this episode, we met up with Also’s head of product, Saul Leiken, a veteran of both Rivian and Specialized Bicycles, one of the biggest names in the cycling industry. Leiken happened to be in Venice, California, at one of Rivian’s showrooms, giving demo rides of Also’s debut e-bike, the TM-B, short for “transcendent mobility bike.”

If you just harrumphed at that rather pretentious-sounding name, you’re not alone. Jonny and I were both quite skeptical of the TM-B in the same way we were about Rivian’s first electric vehicle, the R1T. Trucks and bikes are established vehicles; what could electrified powertrains and software-defined features really add to the experience, especially when, in the case of the TM-B, the powertrain is something called “pedal-by-wire.”

Turns out a lot, as we both found out during test rides with Leiken around the popular Abbott-Kinney neighborhood and Venice’s iconic Muscle Beach. On the route, we got to experience the TM-B’s “DreamRide” drive system, which uses pedals that aren’t directly attached to the bike’s belt drive. Instead, the rider’s pedal input creates electricity that helps power the bike’s electric motor, along with a small battery comprised of the same 4695 cylindrical battery cells used in Rivian’s trucks and SUVs. Top speed of the TM-B is 28 mph while you’re pedaling, and only 20 mph if you use the hand throttle to send you down the road. With the lowest amount of pedal assist, Also says to expect around 100 miles of range.

The TM-B has some other clever features, including a thick, burly frame, and a unique modular “top frame” design that replaces the traditional seat and seat post with multiple seating and cargo-carrying options that electromechanically connect to the main chassis. If it sounds as needlessly complicated as the pedal-by-wire drivetrain, we’re on the same initial wavelength.

But here’s a tiny spoiler: After our test rides, Jonny and I both came away deeply impressed by the smoothness of the TM-B powertrain. But do we really think it’s worth a starting price of $3,500? Find out on this episode of The InEVitable, which you can watch right here or on our YouTube channel. If audio is your thing, download the podcast here or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Like us? Please tell your friends, share us on social media, like the video, and don’t forget to give us a five-star review. Better yet, sponsor our ’pod, or just enjoy this special two-wheeled episode of The InEVitable.