The $1,000 ebike market is crowded with bikes chasing the highest spec sheet — bigger motors, larger batteries, Class 3 speeds. Retrospec takes a different approach with the Beaumont Rev 3. Rather than competing on wattage, they focused on building a clean classic cruiser with Dutch-style swept-back handlebars, a pedal-forward geometry, and comfort-first touchpoints throughout, all backed by a customized Ananda electronic system. It looks the part and performs better than a glance at the spec sheet suggests.
We’ll break down every component below, detail our real world performance tests—including that steep hill climb—and wrap up with the distinct pros, cons, and target rider for this cruiser.
If our review helps you decide on the Beaumont Rev 3, you can support content like this at no extra cost by purchasing through our affiliate link. Thank you!
Retrospec Beaumont Rev 3 Video Review
Want to see the Beaumont Rev 3 in action? Our full video review gives you a close-up look at every component, a walkthrough of the display and controls, and first-person footage from our flat-road and steep hill climb tests.
Electronics | Retrospec Beaumont Rev 3 Review
Customized Complete Ananda E-System
At this price point, many companies source a generic motor and battery and call it a day. Retrospec opted to invest in something better, a customized complete E-System from Ananda. That matters because the motor, battery, controller, and display are from a well-regarded company and designed to work together. On paper, a 36V setup with a 350W motor and a relatively modest battery capacity can look underwhelming next to competitors leaning on bigger numbers to justify their price. Our performance section covers what it actually delivers on the road and up our test hill.
LED Display and Throttle
The display and controls are part of the Ananda system. Everything runs through a left-mounted LED panel with five levels of pedal assist, a walk mode, headlight toggle, and a battery charge readout at a glance. There is no speed readout, trip data, or settings to navigate, which keeps things simple. For power on demand, the right-mounted thumb throttle is there to keep you rolling or help you push through an intersection.
Frame, Sizing, and Options | Retrospec Beaumont Rev 3 Review
Pedal-Forward Cruiser Ergonomics
Retrospec’s priority with the Beaumont Rev 3 is a laid-back, comfortable riding experience. The Dutch-style swept-back handlebars, adjustable quill stem, and pedal-forward design work together to dial in a relaxed upright riding position. A wide faux leather comfort saddle and lock-on grips round out the contact points.
Included Commuter Accessories
The Beaumont Rev 3 ships with full-coverage alloy fenders, a rear rack with a 22 lb carrying capacity, and a kickstand with a wide foot. Most bikes at this price ask you to add these separately, so having them in the box is a meaningful value add. Front mounting points are also built into the frame for an optional basket.
Color Options
Five colors are available: Eggshell, Larimar, Mint, Blush, and Matte Graphite. Retrospec put real thought into the finish details. The fenders, rear rack, and chainguard are paint-matched to the frame, and the silver hardware on the cranks, seatpost, quill stem, and even the kickstand is color-matched to the motor and battery casing. On the Matte Graphite colorway, that hardware, battery, and motor swap to black to match. It’s the kind of cohesion that’s easy to notice and hard to find at this price.
Sizing
The step-thru frame makes it easy to get on and off, which matters on ebikes that are significantly heavier than your traditional bike. Retrospec lists the height range conservatively, but a 5’4″ rider and a 6’1″ rider both found a comfortable fit on our test bike. The geometry table below has the full details.
Retrospec Beaumont Rev 3 Full Specifications
Here is a full breakdown of every component on the Beaumont Rev 3 for those who want to dig into the details.
Real-World Performance Testing
Throttle Acceleration
A couple of things worth noting before the numbers: this was tested with a 200 lb rider on a 45-degree day, which can take a little off the top on cold-weather performance. From a dead stop on flat ground, the motor builds speed smoothly and quietly. Into a light headwind, it hovered around 18 to 19 mph on throttle alone, just shy of the 20 mph ceiling. After our full six-mile test ride, the motor had warmed up and was holding a steady 20 mph on throttle.
Pedal Assist Levels
The five levels of assist use a speed-limited approach, meaning each level has a set speed cap where the motor cuts off. As a cadence sensor bike, the motor engages as soon as you start pedaling and delivers consistent power regardless of how hard you push. Level 1 cuts off around 8 mph, Level 2 near 10 to 11 mph, Level 3 around 14 to 15 mph, Level 4 at 16 to 17 mph, and Level 5 reaches the 20 mph top speed. Pick your level and the motor holds you there.
Steep Hill Climb — Throttle Only
Going into the hill on throttle alone, expectations were low. At 5 mph on the steepest section it was clearly pulling peak power, but it never stalled and made it to the top without wavering. Getting a 350W motor up our test hill on throttle alone is a high bar, and it cleared it. The battery readout had dropped from full to three bars from the sustained peak draw. Once the motor was no longer under full load, the readout recovered back to full.
Steep Hill Climb — Pedal Assist
Starting in Level 1 in a low gear, the hill was manageable but demanding. Stepping through the levels made a clear difference. By Level 3 it was possible to hold around 8 to 9 mph in the middle gears at a sustainable, comfortable effort. Level 5 did most of the heavy lifting and made the top genuinely easy. The Shimano mega-range cassette gives you a genuine bailout gear at the bottom end, and the rest of the range provided enough spread to find a comfortable pedal effort on the way up.
Braking Performance
Mechanical disc brakes are a step down from the hydraulic setups becoming more common at this price, and riders making that switch will notice the difference in lever effort. That said, they had no trouble bringing the bike to a confident stop, even coming down our test hill. There was a slight squeak on hard stops, though the brake pads were fresh during our test and could tame out once they break in.
Beaumont Rev 3 vs. Lectric XPress 2 Step-Thru | When to Spend More
Both bikes share the step-thru cruiser lane, but the $400 gap reflects real differences. At $1,399, the Lectric XPress 2 Step-Thru brings a more powerful 48V 750W motor, hydraulic disc brakes, a much larger 672 Wh battery, an 8-speed Shimano Altus drivetrain, a modern TFT color display with detailed ride data and easily configurable settings. Rounding out the performance options is the ability to swap to the natural pedal feel of a torque sensor and the consistent support of a cadence sensor. If you have a need for more speed, it is Class 3 speed capable up to 28 mph. It may lack the classic cruiser vibe, but it captures the ergonomics while offering a big level up in performance.
Where the Beaumont Rev 3 earns its place is aesthetics, comfort, and intentional simplicity. It has a visual cohesion that stands out at this price and there’s genuine value in a bike that asks nothing of you — no settings, no modes, just ride.
Check out our full Lectric XPress 2 Review for a complete breakdown.
Pros and Cons | Retrospec Beaumont Rev 3 Review
Final Thoughts | Retrospec Beaumont Rev 3 Review
Retrospec made deliberate choices with the Beaumont Rev 3, and it shows. Rather than stacking specs to compete on paper, they built around a specific experience: comfortable, reliable, and user friendly. Choosing an Ananda system over raw wattage pays off in quiet power, smooth delivery, and hill performance that genuinely surprises. At $999, it makes a strong case for riders who want a beautiful cruiser with reliable support that is easy to use.
If our review helped you decide on the Beaumont Rev 3, you can support content like this by purchasing through our affiliate link. It’s a great way to support our work at no extra cost to you. Thank you!
