Juiced Bikes Camp Scrambler Review: The adventure ebike that tackles most off-road terrain and also shines on city streets.
Let me start out by saying, the Juiced Bikes Scrambler is a fantastic ebike. Even while carrying cargo or an additional passenger, the 750watt Bafang motor delivers a ton of torque and power. The cushy banana seat is not only comfortable but looks cool as hell sitting on top of those 20×4.25 inch Kenda tires. This fast-tire ebike is not only guaranteed to turn heads but also delivers an adrenaline-fueled off-road experience that you’re not going to get on many other two wheel vehicles.
We had about as much fun as we’ve ever had on an ebike while testing the Scrambler on busy city streets as well as dusty trails. It’s called an “adventure bike” for a reason, but we found that while this fat-tire ebike can easily accommodate most conditions off-road, there are definitely limits to what this electric bike can do. It’s a rugged vehicle as far as ebikes go, but it’s never going to fully replace a dirt bike or quality mountain bike because it’s limited as to the types of terrain it’s well suited for.
Because ebike popularity is exploding and because more and more people are riding ebikes for the first time, we feel compelled to warn people that the Camp Scrambler is a serious ebike that packs serious power. If you’re going to take this beast off-road, you should make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into, which is why we’re going to cover some aspects of this bike that we have not seen covered in other Scrambler reviews.
Purchase a Juiced Bikes Scrambler HERE or continue onward for our full ebike review.
Juiced Scrambler Specs:
- Top speed: 28mph with pedal assist. 20mph with throttle
- Pedal assist: Cadence
- Throttle style: Twist
- Brakes: Tektro Hydraulic 180mm
- Gears: Shimano 7 Speed freewheel
- Motor: 750 watts
- Display: Advanced matrix LCD
- Tires: Kenda Knobby Tire – 20” x 4.25”
- Battery: 52V/13Ah
- Front fork: Suspension Hydraulic Lockout
- Headlight: 1050 lumens
- Tail lights: battery-powered (AA)
- Charger: 2A
- Weight: 71.5lbs with battery (61.5lbs without battery)
After unboxing this ebike the first thing that catches your attention is its sleek and stylish retro aesthetic. The clean, straight lines of the bike’s jet black frame and the long banana-style seat give this bike a tough look and feel. The Scrambler is designed with classic, retro style in mind and is reminiscent of a Ducati Scrambler. With its knobby, all-terrain tires, the Scrambler is one of those bikes that looks just as good on the road as it does off-road. This is to say that the Juiced Scrambler is an ebike that will get people’s attention wherever you go, whether it’s on the trail or in the streets.
One of the first things you’ll notice when riding the Scrambler is the upright position you sit in when riding. You kind of feel like you’re on a Harley or some other type of cruising motorcycle when you’re on this thing, which is an intentional design choice. The second thing you’ll notice is just how wide the plush rectangular seat is. Pedaling on this bike is slightly awkward, and it’s hard to get full extension when pedaling because of how your knees are angled out away from your body. This poses two problems if you’re the type that likes to pedal a bike.
The first is you’re not going to get a lot of exercise riding this ebike because it’s really meant more for throttling than it is for pedal-assist riding. Yes, you can definitely pedal very fast using one of the 6 pedal assist modes, but because of the unnatural angle that you are forced into when pedaling, you might not find it as enjoyable if you’re more of a bike traditionalist.
The second problem with not being able to “naturally” pedal is that it limits the type of hills you can take the Scrambler on when you’re on a trail. This is a very heavy bike, and I made the mistake of taking it on a desert trail with technical features that were more suited for a mountain bike than a 70lb ebike. The throttle is very powerful, and while climbing a very narrow, very rocky section of the trail, where one wrong move could have sent me tumbling 10 feet over the edge and onto a pile of sharp rocks, I found it difficult to calibrate how hard to push the throttle. I saw many mountain bikers tackle this section with relative ease because they geared their bikes way down and just pedaled over it. That’s hard to do on the Scrambler, and I quickly realized I was probably not meant to do it in the first place. Other parts of the trail were too narrow and too littered with jagged rocks or dangerous cacti to generate much speed or momentum, and at times I got stuck in the sand. In the end, I regretted taking the Scrambler on this particular trail and very quickly aborted my mission.
The Scrambler did excel off-road on flatter, harder-packed dirt roads, wide enough to safely generate speeds of up to 20mph. The day I took this bike to Ladder Canyon in the Coachella Valley, was epic, to say the least. The terrain was wild and rugged, but it was wide open, so the risk of tumbling over the edge of a ravine and having a humongous bike fall on top of you was pretty low. My thumb was on the throttle virtually the entire time, and once I got familiar with the roads, I spent a good part of the day taking jumps off dips and getting my front tire up in the air. The front fork suspension was super springy and handled every bump that came my way with ease. THIS is what the Camp Scrambler was meant to do. Few other ebikes could deliver this kind of ride on this type of terrain as beautifully as the Scrambler. Needless to say, I quickly forgot about my mishap on the trail the previous day.
While the Camp Scrambler certainly does deliver exhilarating ride performance, this is nowhere near where the bike stops being impressive and innovative. Besides having varying speeds to choose from while riding, the Camp Scrambler also has a “Walk” mode. To activate this feature, you hold down the minus button on the LED display while walking alongside the bike. Doing this will then begin to propel the bike at a speed of no less than 4 mph. This can be a lifesaver when rolling a cumbersome bike up a hill. Similar to the “walk” feature, there’s also a cruise control feature, which does exactly what the name would imply. This feature is also activated by holding down the minus button on the LED display but while riding. After doing so, the bike will maintain whatever cruising speed you set it for.
All of these powerful features don’t come without safety to back them up, of course. The Camp Scrambler uses Tektro hydraulic disc brakes on both the front and rear tires. In addition to engaging the hydraulic brakes when you’re braking, the motor will also immediately disengage, allowing for a safe and smooth stop. The adjustable front suspension will enable you to loosen the shocks when you want to ride on uneven surfaces or set them to a tighter, more fixed position more suitable for urban commuting.
At the end of the day, the Camp Scrambler is a super fun fat-tire ebike with a powerful geared hub motor, and what you lose in manual power the Camp Scrambler makes up for in mechanical power and comfortability. This, along with its fat tires, adjustable suspension, and smooth motor assistance, really makes riding the Camp Scrambler a pleasant experience on any kind of terrain, rough or smooth. Its remarkably diverse functionality is one of the reasons this ebike has gained so much popularity.
We recognize that a lot of the appeal of the Scrambler is its stylish design and robust motor. You’re going to get a lot of attention riding this as a city commuter or weekend cruiser, but for only $1599, it’s a very reasonably priced fat-tire ebike when you consider its high-tech components and sleek styling. As an off-road, class 3 vehicle capable of speeds of up to 28mph, the Scrambler is a desirable option if you live in more rural or mountainous areas. It efficiently combines style, comfort, and function to make for a truly great ebike you can ride almost anywhere. Just don’t expect it to replace your dirt bike or mountain bike any time soon.