MOD Easy with SideCar review

Should you buy one?

Buy the MOD Easy SideCar if you want to replace short car trips with something your kids, your dog or a load of groceries can ride in. That’s the job I tested it for over several weeks: preschool pickups, park runs, and laps with the dog. It handled those well enough that I called it a car replacement.

Skip it if you need long range with heavy loads. With two adults around 200 and 240 lb taking turns, plus kids in the sidecar, the battery didn’t last long, and that was with very little pedaling. Also skip it if you can’t give yourself a few minutes to learn how it handles right turns.

The deciding factors: whether a sidecar fits your daily routine, and the price. As of Oct 22, 2026, MOD lists the current SideCar 3 at $3,899. When I reviewed my bike, it cost just over $4,000.

Check the MOD Easy SideCar at MOD Bikes (affiliate link).

Quick specs

Sources: MOD Bikes’ SideCar 3 product page, fetched Oct 22, 2026, except the last two rows, which are from my video (13:30). I tested the version before the SideCar 3; see the comparison below.

A note on how long I rode it

At the start of my video I said I’d used it for several weeks. At the end I called it my initial test after a couple of weeks and said I planned a longer follow-up. MOD sent me the bike for review, and my opinions are my own.

Who it’s for

• Parents doing short school and park runs. My son fits in the sidecar with his backpack and seat belt on.
• Dog owners. The newer version has D-rings inside the sidecar for clipping on a leash.
• People trying to drive less. Grocery runs and kid pickups are the trips this bike handles best.

Who should look elsewhere

• Anyone who needs long range with passengers. See the range section below.
• Riders with no room to park it. With the sidecar attached it takes more space than a normal bike, and the kickstand doesn’t hold up the sidecar.
• Shoppers on a tight budget. It costs more than most e-bikes I review.

What the specs mean on the road

These are the SideCar 3 numbers from MOD’s page. I rode the earlier version.

750W, 69 Nm. My version pulled the bike, the sidecar and the kids up hills easily.

48V 15Ah, 720Wh. MOD rates 50 to 100 miles. With a loaded sidecar and adults on the throttle, my battery drained quickly.

20 mph, 28 mph off-road mode. Only use the off-road mode where it’s allowed.

150 lb sidecar, 400 lb total. The sidecar limit covers kids or a dog; the total covers you, the passengers and the cargo. Stay inside both.

45 lb sidecar. That weight sits on one side. In my testing, right turns with an empty sidecar felt tippy and got easier once it was loaded.

The version I tested vs the current SideCar 3

MOD has updated this bike since my video. Here’s what I rode next to what MOD lists now, so you know which of my comments still apply.

MOD’s current page lists the color display, a handbrake and a center kickstand. Those cover two of my complaints, but I haven’t ridden the SideCar 3, so I can’t tell you how well they work.

What it’s like to ride with a sidecar

It’s a good e-bike in its own right, and the sidecar adds to it rather than dragging it down.

There’s a learning curve. My buddy rides a lot of bikes, like I do, and he still needed about 5 to 10 minutes to get comfortable. Left turns are easy because the sidecar wheel holds you up. Right turns feel like you might tip, so you shift your weight or slow down.

That feeling is worst with an empty sidecar. With two kids in it, the weight balances the bike and right turns get easier. Left turns stay easy. So your first practice ride should be with an empty sidecar in an empty parking lot, not with your kids aboard.

Pedaling clearance is tight. MOD improved leg room between the bike and the sidecar on this version, but my right foot still hit the mounting hardware a few times. Moving my foot slightly forward on the pedal fixed it.

Power and range: what I actually saw

The motor pulled the bike, the sidecar and the kids up hills easily. Range was the weak spot in my testing. I’m about 200 lb and my buddy is about 240. With us taking turns, kids in the sidecar and very little pedaling, the battery didn’t last long. I didn’t measure an exact mileage, so I won’t give you a number.

Plan your trips around the battery. MOD’s ratings for the SideCar 3 are 50 and 100 miles, but they don’t describe a sidecar loaded with kids and adults on throttle. A viewer asked about range on throttle only. My best answer is that the heavy-load, low-pedaling riding I did drained the battery quickly.

The one annoyance was the plug for the charging port underneath. It wouldn’t stay in. On almost every ride it had popped out and I had to push it back in.

The battery and controller up close

My buddy and I pulled the battery off during filming. It sits in a metal case with handles, and it locks to the frame. The handles make it easy to carry inside to charge if you don’t have a garage.

Behind it we could see the controller, with aluminum cooling fins.

The sidecar itself

MOD calls it the Easy Boat. It attaches to the frame with a large plate. Inside are a seat with suction cups on the bottom, a seat belt and a foot mat. In my video I said the new plastic sidecar is 50% lighter than the older model (10:09-10:14).

My daughter asked to ride first, but the dog got in ahead of her. On her turn she was nervous for a couple of laps around the neighborhood, then settled in and enjoyed it. Those first laps, dog included, sold me on the sidecar.

Two kids fit at once. They smiled the whole way every time, and park trips got much easier. The only thing missing was dog goggles. MOD’s current accessory list now includes sidecar goggles.

A viewer asked whether the sidecar attaches to any bike. Mine mounted to this frame with MOD’s plate. Their current page describes it attaching with 3 quick-release pins. I haven’t tried it on another bike, and I wouldn’t assume it fits one.

Controls, comfort and the bag

• Left side: front brake and a minimal bell that’s surprisingly loud.
• Right side: a throttle that works from zero, the rear brake and the shifter.
• Display: basic, not color, and it didn’t connect to a phone on my bike. I didn’t miss the app.
• Comfort: the grips and seat are some of the most comfortable I’ve used on any e-bike.

This was the first MOD bike I’ve reviewed. The build quality and parts impressed me.

The rear rack and its bungee straps come with the bike. The trunk bag costs extra, about $130 when I reviewed it, and I’d buy it. It mounts and unmounts with a button underneath. The side panels unzip into hanging pouches. It has a cup holder, a carry handle and strap, a bright interior, and a reflective rain cover.

Why I called it a car replacement

What I liked most was being able to pick up kids, run to the grocery store, or take everyone to the park without getting in the car. In the video you can see me picking my son up from preschool. He fit with his backpack and his seat belt on. Always wear a helmet. The kids liked it more than riding in the car, and I wasn’t sitting in traffic.

Here’s why that matters for the price. At just over $4,000, it’s expensive for an e-bike. If you’re considering it as a car replacement, though, I said it seems really inexpensive. Whether that math works for you depends on how many of your weekly trips are short enough for the battery.

My complaints

• Headlight mount. The headlight itself is bright. But even tightened as far as it would go, the bracket rattled while I rode.
• Kickstand. It sits where it gets in the way of the pedals, and it does nothing to support the sidecar. I asked for something like a parking brake, and MOD’s current page lists a handbrake and a center kickstand.
• Charge port plug. It kept popping out.
• Assembly. I’d never put a sidecar on a bike before, and I spent time hunting for paper instructions. MOD had emailed them to me. Check your inbox before you open the box.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Carries kids, a dog or groceries
• Easy left turns; with a full sidecar, right turns are easier too
• Plenty of hill power with passengers
• Very comfortable grips and seat
• Leash D-rings, a seat belt and a foot mat in the sidecar
• Locking, removable battery

Cons

• The battery drained quickly with heavy loads
• Right turns with an empty sidecar take practice
• Tight pedal clearance on the right side
• The headlight bracket rattles
• The kickstand doesn’t support the sidecar
• Expensive

FAQ

Do you still have to pedal? No. The throttle works from zero. In my testing we pedaled very little, and that’s part of why the battery ran down quickly.

Can the sidecar go on any bike? I only used it on this MOD bike, mounted with their plate. Ask MOD before you plan to put it on a different frame.

Can you add two sidecars? I only ever ran one sidecar, so I can’t tell you. Ask MOD directly.

How far does it go on throttle only? In my 6-month follow-up I said I got about 20 miles per charge on throttle only when I first tested it, and that it held true with two kids aboard and me at about 200 lb.

Is the trunk bag included? No. It was about $130 extra when I reviewed the bike. The rear rack and bungees are included.

Does it have suspension? Yes. In the video I said the version I tested had a new front suspension compared with the first model. The 100mm fork figure is from the SideCar 3 page, a later version than the one I tested.

Is the battery removable? Yes. It locks to the frame and comes off in a metal case with handles.

How long does it take to learn? About 5 to 10 minutes for an experienced rider, mostly getting used to right turns.

6-month update

I filmed a follow-up after six months with the Mod Easy.

• Still no mechanical issues after six months. The only problem was a sticker on the sidecar that peeled; I super-glued it back.
• The kids still love the sidecar, and two kids fit in it. I also use it for groceries.
• Range: about 20 miles on throttle only with two kids, at about 200 lb myself.
• Sidecar speed: MOD recommends staying at or under 10 mph with the sidecar attached. The sidecar weighs 65.5 lb and the bike 88 lb.
• Annoyances: the removal pins are hard to work, and it’s tight on sidewalks. I’d like to see a step for getting into the sidecar.
• Foot near the mount: I solved it by pedaling with my midfoot.
• Child seat: with the rear child seat, it carries three kids.
• In the follow-up I read MOD’s site at the time: $4,190, up to 45 miles of range (likely with pedal assist, not throttle only), a Samsung battery, a cadence sensor, 750W and a 5-year warranty.

Price

When I reviewed it, the bike cost just over $4,000, plus about $130 for the trunk bag. As of Oct 22, 2026, MOD lists the SideCar 3 at $3,899. That’s a lot for an e-bike. If it lets you skip short car trips, the math looks different.

Check current SideCar pricing at MOD Bikes (affiliate link).

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• E-bike guide for parents
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