Mokwheel Asphalt Review: Affordable Gravel and Dirt Explorer for $1,500
A $1,499.99 off-road e-bike with a big removable battery and a throttle, built for gravel, dirt roads, and easy trails rather than gnarly, technical terrain.
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What the stars are rated against
The stars compare this bike with other off-road e-bikes we have scored — 38 of them. They are a ranking inside that group, not an absolute grade: four stars means it beats most of that set on the measure, not that it hits some fixed standard.
Peers are drawn from a tight price band around this bike, so a $1,000 commuter is judged against other $1,000 commuters rather than against machines costing three times as much. Change the group and the stars would change with it.
The headline Genius Score is not decided by that group alone. It blends the category ranking above with a market-wide view across every bike we publish, so a bike cannot climb simply by sitting in a weak category. How we score.
If you want to get off the pavement without dropping a small fortune, the Mokwheel Asphalt is an easy way in. For $1,499.99 it'll take you down gravel roads, packed dirt, and mellow trails, which is exactly the kind of weekend roaming most people picture when they think about an off-road e-bike. You don't get race-ready trail hardware at this price, but you get a genuine go-explore machine.
It's a bike with a , so you can cruise without pedaling up to 20 mph and let carry you to 28 mph when you're working the pedals. Power comes from a 500W with , and there's a large feeding it. With hydraulic brakes and a solid frame on top, it lands at a Genius Score of 79 out of 100, with value doing most of the heavy lifting.
Pros & cons
What we like
- Genuinely affordable way into off-road riding, and priced well for what you get
- Unusually big for this price, giving you plenty of room to roam
- Thumb lets you pull away and hold a cruise without ever touching the pedals
- and a well-built frame you don't usually see this cheap
- Rated to haul up to of rider plus gear
Worth weighing
- The 500W motor is steady rather than strong, so it works hard on steep, technical climbs
- At 2.4 inches, the tires are narrower than a true fat-tire off-roader, so grip fades in soft sand and loose terrain
Key specs
The motor & power
The Asphalt runs a 500W that puts out steadily, with short bursts up to when you need extra push. A hub motor drives the wheel directly rather than the cranks, so power comes on evenly instead of in a sudden surge, which is what you want for cruising down a dirt road.
You also get , and that's a fair amount for a budget bike. It'll pull you up a gravel incline without drama and handle rolling terrain comfortably. The catch is that this is a modest motor for off-road, so a long, steep, loose climb is where you'll feel it working near its limit.
Shopping around, you may spot Mokwheel figures like 750W or 1300W peak and 210Nm of torque. Those belong to a bigger, different Mokwheel, not this one. The Asphalt is 500W continuous, 860W peak, and 70Nm, so judge it on those numbers.
Range & battery
Fuel comes from a , which is a healthy size at this price. It's removable too, so you can slide it out and charge it at your desk or in the apartment instead of hauling the whole bike inside, which is a nice perk if you live up a flight of stairs.
Mokwheel lists a range, and that's the best-case number. Real-world range comes in lower once you factor in dirt, hills, your weight, and time spent riding on the instead of pedaling. On flatter gravel with light assist you'll stretch it; a full day of climbing will have you reaching for the charger sooner.
Ride & components
The 27.5" x 2.4" tires are the key thing to understand here. They roll nicely on gravel, dirt roads, and hardpack trails, but they're narrower than the 3- and 4-inch tires on true fat-tire off-roaders. That means less float and grip when the ground turns to deep sand or loose, chunky terrain.
Stopping is handled by Tektro TKD171 , which is a real step up from the cable brakes you often find at this price and a welcome thing to have when you're heading downhill loaded up. Shifting is a basic Shimano 7-speed, plenty for picking a gear on mixed terrain.
At 64 pounds the Asphalt is on the lighter side for an off-road e-bike, so it's a bit more manageable to move around or load onto a rack. It's a bike, so the throttle runs you to 20 mph without pedaling and assist takes you up to 28 mph, and it's rated to carry up to of rider and gear.
Price & value
At $1,499.99, this is where the Asphalt makes its case. You're getting a big battery, hydraulic brakes, a throttle, and a sturdy build for well under what a lot of off-road e-bikes cost, and that's why value is the standout here.
You're paying budget money and mostly getting budget-appropriate parts, with the brakes and battery punching above the price. If your riding is gravel, dirt roads, and easy singletrack, that's a lot of capability per dollar.
Who it's for
The weekend gravel wanderer
If your idea of fun is exploring gravel roads, fire trails, and packed dirt on the weekend, this is an easy call. The motor handles rolling terrain, the gives you room to roam, and you're not overpaying for hardware you won't use.
The cruise-don't-sweat rider
If you'd rather twist a and coast than pedal the whole way, the Asphalt will carry you to 20 mph on throttle power alone. Just know that leaning on it eats into range, so keep a charge in mind on longer days out.
The sand-and-summit crowd
If you're chasing deep sand, soft beaches, or steep technical climbs, look harder before you buy. The 2.4-inch tires and 500W are built for firmer ground, and a true fat-tire bike with more power will serve you better there.
The all-day distance seeker
If you want to ride 50-plus real miles between charges over hilly dirt, set your expectations. The figure is a best case, so a full day of climbing on assist will have you reaching for the charger sooner than the number suggests.
Frequently asked
Does the Mokwheel Asphalt have a throttle?
Yes, a thumb . It lets you pull away from a stop and hold a cruise without pedaling, up to 20 mph.
Can you ride the Mokwheel Asphalt without pedaling?
You can. On the throttle alone it'll do 20 mph, and extends that to 28 mph once you start pedaling.
How fast does the Mokwheel Asphalt go?
It tops out at 20 mph on the throttle and 28 mph with pedal assist, which makes it a e-bike.
How far does the Mokwheel Asphalt go on a charge?
Mokwheel claims up to 60 miles from its 705Wh battery. That's a best-case figure, so expect less on hilly dirt or when you use the throttle a lot.
How much does the Mokwheel Asphalt weigh?
It weighs 64 pounds, which is fairly light for an off-road e-bike, so it's a little easier to move around or lift onto a rack.
How much weight can the Mokwheel Asphalt carry?
It has a payload rating, which covers the rider plus a decent load of gear.
How it compares to its siblings
The Asphalt carries more, rated to 350 lb payload versus 300 lb on the Asphalt ST, at the cost of one extra pound of bike weight (64 lb vs. 63 lb). Price, motor, torque, battery, range, brakes, drivetrain, and tires are all the same across both, and both score 79 on Genius, so this isn't a step-up model, just a different payload/weight tradeoff. Pick the Asphalt if your rider weight plus cargo pushes toward that higher capacity; otherwise the pound you save on the ST buys you nothing you'll notice.
Similar bikes
Mokwheel Asphalt ST
The Mokwheel Asphalt ST is a budget way onto easy off-road terrain, with a throttle, hydraulic brakes, and a frame light enough to load solo.
Read the review Genius 80 / 100Mokwheel Slate
A light, affordable way onto gravel, sand, and dirt roads, best suited to weekend adventures rather than all-day backcountry miles.
Read the reviewMokwheel Asphalt is ranked on:
Guides worth reading
- E-bike classes explained: Class 1, 2 and 3Three classes, two questions: does it have a throttle, and how fast does the motor keep helping.
- Nominal vs peak watts on an e-bikeThe wattage in the headline is usually the peak figure, which can be roughly double the number the motor actually sustains.
- E-bike range explainedEvery range figure on every spec sheet is a best case. Here is how to translate it into what you'll really see.
How we score: the Genius Score blends a bike's capability against same-price peers with its value for the money, weighted for what this off-road buyer prioritises. Specs are pulled from the manufacturer's live page and normalised (nominal vs peak watts, true weight with battery). Ratings are our estimate from specs, not a lab test.