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Küat Piston Pro X Review: Exceptional, Yet Imperfect Rack

As a professional e-bike tester, I’ve used numerous hitch racks over the years. It’s not a claim I make lightly, but the Küat Piston Pro X is the closest any product has come to eliminating the major pain points of rack ownership.

All racks serve the same purpose: they help get your bike from point A to point B. Most hitch racks from reputable makers will get the job done as long as the weight rating and wheelbase work for your bike(s).

But many of them have limitations or require extra payment for essential features like security or lighting. Many racks are a pain to adjust. Some transport bikes well enough, but their construction requires me to triple-check that everything is secure each time I use it.

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Motorists Might Soon Be Paying Fees To Drive Cars

New York City will soon implement congestion pricing—that is, fees to drive a car in lower Manhattan. The Metropolitan Transit Authority will soon begin charging cars $15 and motorcycles $7.50 to drive into the Congestion Relief Zone, which will be everything south of 60th Street in Manhattan. New York will begin charging people driving into the Congestion Relieve Zone on June 30, 2024.

Meanwhile, in California, the California Department of Transportation (known as Caltrans) is testing a pilot program that would tax drivers on the mileage they drive rather than on the gas they buy. This is to help recoup the revenue the state has been losing due to the increasing number of EVs on the road. With roughly 1.2 million EVs on its roads, the Golden State is experiencing a $200 million annual loss. Estimates suggest that could turn into a $4.4 billion shortfall over the next ten years.

E-Bike Rebate Program Launched in Minnesota

Minnesota has allocated $2 million from its budget for the purpose of offering rebates to buyers of e-bikes. The program went live, Wednesday, June 5, 2024 at 11:00 am CDT.

Buyers can see rebates of up to $1,500, depending on the applicant’s income. Timing will be important as the Minnesota Department of Revenue—which will be administering the program—will be considering applications on a first-come, first-served basis.

To be considered, the buyer must purchase their e-bike from a list of approved retailers. Most of the eligible dealers are traditional brick-and-mortar retailers, including Minnesota stalwarts Erik’s Bike Board and Ski and Freewheel,, but there are a handful of online sellers, including Ride1UP, Vvolt and Electric Bike Co. that have been approved for the program.

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