REI, the store we go to for everything from puffy coats to camp chairs, sleeping bags to binoculars, has been selling its own branded products for a fair number of years. They even make their own bikes, produced overseas, alongside some of the biggest brands in cycling. More recently, REI has begun offering e-bikes. The Co-op Cycles Generation e1.1 is REI’s first cargo/utility bike.

In broad strokes, the REI Co-op Cycles Generation e1.1 is meant for lighter cargo needs. It’s ideal for carrying a kid in a child seat, in part because it positions the child farther behind the rider. That means the child can see more easily and therefore better enjoy the ride, plus it reduces the distraction that can come from grabby hands or a foot that escapes restraint...