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Our expert picks the best electric bikes in every category—commuter, cargo, cruiser, road, mountain, and city. There’s an e-bike for every rider and every budget. Electric Bicycle Vintage
Our experienced bike testing team evaluates each model we included here on its overall quality, safety features, handling, motor, and battery life. We also assess whether the components and features added to the overall quality of the ride. Bicycling editors tested most of these bikes on our local roads, commuting to and from work, using them to stock up on groceries and beer, and running their batteries down to see how long they last on one charge. Additionally, I worked in bicycle product development for two decades and led product management for major bike brands.
While we ride most e-bikes in this story, sometimes a great electric bike is not available for testing. In those cases, we rely on the expertise of our test team, interviews with product managers, and rigorous research to compare the bikes’ value and performance against similar models we have tested. For example, we have not tested Denago’s Folding 1 e-bike but we tested (and thoroughly enjoyed) the Commuter 1 model. We also tested competitors’ folding e-bikes and discussed the bike intensively with Denago.
A fast-growing e-bike segment is cargo bikes. These bikes are rapidly changing how Americans use e-bikes and our team is constantly testing new electric cargo bikes. One model we look forward to spending more time with is Cannondale’s Cargowagen Neo, which hits stores in January 2024. Our test team also rides a lot of electric mountain bikes in the woods and on trails and we look forward to bikes with SRAM’s new Eagle Powertrain e-MTB motor arriving in the coming months.
Aventon updated its outstanding Level e-bike to have a smoother ride and added visibility. A new torque sensor delivers power to the rear hub motor more evenly than the previous generation bike. The Level.2 has a more natural and intuitive feel when riding. The integrated lights and a smaller, easier-to-use display help make one of our favorite commuter e-bikes even better. Aventon updated its outstanding Level e-bike to have a smoother ride and added visibility. A new torque sensor delivers power to the rear hub motor more evenly than the previous generation bike. The Level.2 has a more natural and intuitive feel when riding. The integrated lights and a smaller, easier-to-use display help make one of our favorite commuter e-bikes even better.
In our testing, the Level performed better than expected in every situation. The Aventon Level.2 remains the best commuter e-bike you can purchase for less than $2,000 and one of the best commuter bikes you can buy overall. The updates to the platform make an already great bike even better.
This e-bike has everything you need for commuting or getting around town. Plus, the Level rides great and is priced right. Additionally, Aventon is currently offering $200 off pricing on a spare battery with the purchase of a Level.2. Now's the time to level up!
The Co-op Cycles Generation e1.1 is an excellent bike for short trips, cities, and around-town use. It is equipped with a rack, lights, and Schwalbe Super-Moto-X tires with puncture protection. Co-op equips the e1.1 with Tektro hydraulic disc brakes (unlike some competitors in the class) for improved stopping power and an SR suspension fork to smooth out the ride. Plus, REI provides service and warranty on Co-op bikes.
Aventon has been on a roll, with new models and revisions to existing platforms. The brand's update to its Aventure fat tire e-bike is no exception. At first glance, there are not many big visual differences between the original Aventure and this second-generation model. However, once outside, the small changes feel huge.
Compared to the original Aventure, the Aventure.2 rides much smoother. The new torque sensor allows more control over the acceleration of Aventure's 750W rear hub motor, making the bike's ride more intuitive. Some of our test riders found the previous model to have too much torque, particularly for lighter-weight riders or those new to e-bikes; the Aventure.2 remedied this fault.
In addition to the new torque sensor, the Aventure.2 has an updated head unit interface, integrated turn signals, front light, rear rack, and fenders. We found the Aventure.2 well-suited for commutes (especially on snowy days and gravel pathways) and off-road on doubletrack trails. The bike's weight and components limit its functionality on singletrack and for more aggressive mountain bike riding. For a comprehensive list of e-MTBs able to withstand the rigors of trail riding use, check out our Best Electric Mountain Bikes guide.
With the Radrover 6 Plus, Rad Power has made a fat tire e-bike that is comfortable to ride on almost any terrain, from urban streets riddled with potholes to off-road paths with rocks or snow. An updated display and hydraulic disc brakes make the RadRover 6 Plus substantially better to ride than its predecessor.
The bike's extreme weight makes it feel sluggish at times. And the weight makes moving the bike up or down any stairs an issue. However, the RadRover's powerful 750w rear hub motor helps overcome increased rolling resistance and the weight of the four-inch-wide tires. The bike is also available in a step-through frame style in your choice of charcoal or white color. However, the step-through model costs $700 more than the standard frame.
The CTY e1.1 from REI's Co-op Cycles house brand is one of the best cheap e-bikes around. The Class 1 bike has a 300 lb. carrying capacity and is powered by a Bafang hub drive motor and a 450Wh battery semi-integrated into the downtube. Additionally, REI equips the e1.1 with a Shimano Altus 7-speed drivetrain and Tektro hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors. Standard lights, center-mount kickstand, and Schwalbe Big Ben tires with added flat protection make this bike ideal for commuting or riding around town.
For those unsure about assembling a bike at home, the Co-op CTY can be purchased online and delivered to an REI store for assembly (or if you're buying it as a gift). Plus, for REI members, it comes with free flat tire repair and two years of free adjustments.
There are a lot of budget-priced e-bikes on Amazon. So, how do you know if you’re getting unrideable junk or a decent bike? Since e-bikes are electric items that require service, we recommend buying bikes from brands that have U.S.-based offices. This allows you to more easily procure parts or get warranty service on your e-bike. Troxus has support from its office in Vista, California, and a network of dealers across the U.S.
Troxus’ SkyHopper is unique and slightly quirky. It’s a zippy-riding commuter-style e-bike with 20”x4.0” fat tires, a suspension fork, and a 750-watt rear hub motor. It also comes equipped with a rear rack, lights, fenders, and an adjustable stem. The frame has a semi-integrated downtube battery and a low-slung top tube. The SkyHopper is worth checking out if you’re on a budget or shopping for a holiday gift.
When not on sale, Aventon’s Abound is a great value—at $1,800, it’s practically a steal! The Abound is a highly capable and competitively priced mid-tail cargo-hauling e-bike with the features, power, and options needed for carrying almost anything by bike. The bike has a 750-watt rear hub motor (with a torque controller) that provides a zippy ride feel, and Tektro hydraulic brakes with 180mm rotors provide strong stopping power. Other features like the dropper post and integrated turn signals help the Abound outperform competitors.
The bike’s internal battery provides up to a 50-mile range (though we experienced about 25 miles using the highest power setting and the throttle). The Abound’s reinforced rack accommodates passengers up to 143 lb., with a total bike capacity of 440 lb.
We're fans of the Treadwell for its clean looks and upright rider position. Not quite a hybrid (but also not a foot-forward style cruiser), Cannondale's Treadwell models are unique, practical bikes for city commuting or riding around town. We're fans of the Treadwell for its clean looks and upright rider position. Not quite a hybrid (but also not a foot-forward style cruiser), Cannondale's Treadwell models are unique, practical bikes for city commuting or riding around town.
The Treadwell Neo 2 improves on this by offering electric assistance without incurring a big weight penalty. This makes for a lighter and zippier riding bike at a lower price. A Class 1 rear hub motor moves the Treadwell along smoothly with up to 20 mph pedal-assisted power. The 7-speed drivetrain and a wide-range cassette help you get up longer hills, and the Maxxis 650b tires roll fast on pavement.
Designed with a classic moto style, Ride1Up's Cafe Cruiser has a casual ride feel. And it's also practical with a built-in rack and light. The zippy 750W motor powers the Cruiser to 28mph (20mph using the throttle) with a suspension fork and 3-inch wide tires to smooth the ride. Ride the Cafe Cruiser to the bar, along the boardwalk, or to Sunday morning brunch. Add an optional passenger kit for $125 with a padded seat for the rack, footpegs, and wheel guards.
This second-generation model is very similar to the first-gen but with some small changes for the rider. Aventon added turn signals and a new display with iOS and Android connectivity. Plus, the Soltera sees a bump in the claimed range and more rack mounts.
Bicycling’s Creative Director Jesse Southerland used the Soltera.2 for a long weekend trip to Connecticut. He reported that the bike is ”Great for morning coffee and pastry runs that started with some daunting hills that normally would have kept me in bed waiting for a coffee to magically appear.” Our test bike included the Aventon front rack, which Southerland also tested, “I put the coffee in the front basket holder but needed to go back as I didn’t get enough for everyone—another chance at adventure compared to a chore if I had been using the car.”
Unlike other electric vehicles, for bicycles, the term ‘hybrid’ refers not to the type of motor but to the style of bike. In bicycle parlance, a hybrid is a bike that combines the quick and sporty feel of a road bike with the upright riding position of a mountain bike. This makes them very popular for riders that use their bikes in various ways—from commuting to fitness to bike paths, and even light gravel roads or non-technical trails.
Trek makes some of the best hybrids on the market and its electric version is also an excellent choice. The Dual Sport+ 2 features a sleek aluminum frame that fully hides a 250Wh battery. A rigid aluminum fork helps save weight (and cuts down on maintenance) over the low-cost suspension forks often found on e-bikes in this price range. Grippy, yet fast-rolling 50mm wide tires help provide traction and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes ensure reliable stopping power.
We're fans of the Prodigy V1 and we like Enviolo CVT trekking hub. So, while we haven’t yet ridden Ride1Up’s new Prodigy V2, the bike has us pretty excited. The V2 has some serious upgrades over the first-generation Prodigy: an Enviolo continuously variable rear hub, Gates’ carbon belt drive, and a 100mm travel air spring suspension fork are the standouts.
These features provide some premium-level performance to an already great platform based around Brose’s mid-drive Sprinter motor. With more consistent power transfer and an intuitive pedaling feel, mid-drive motor-equipped e-bikes usually outperform hub-motor bikes in our ride testing. The central placement of the motor helps to balance the weight of the bike front-to-back, making it easier to ride and control. Plus, they are easier to service as the rear wheel can be removed like a non-assist bike.
However, these stellar upgrades come with increased costs—Ride1Up prices the Prodigy V2 with CVT at $2,695. That’s a $400 upcharge over the V1’s original price (currently on sale for $1,995) and $300 more than the non-CVT-equipped Prodigy V2.
Specialized's Turbo Vado 4.0 just feels 'right'. From the motor to the interface to the aesthetic design to the parts selection to the ride quality, the details on the Turbo Vado 4.0 have all been thoroughly thought through to perform as a seamless package. This is a rare quality that anyone—be they a lifelong cyclist or getting their first e-bike—can benefit from and enjoy.
We have ridden a lot of e-bikes over the years, and the Specialized Turbo models consistently test amongst the best in all categories. The brand puts a ton of development time into its Turbo series e-bikes by refining the motor tune and carefully selecting parts. This work pays off with best-in-class ride quality. If you have hesitated to try an e-bike because you think it won't feel like your favorite non-assist bike, try a Specialized Turbo. You'll quickly become a convert.
Specialized offers the Turbo Vado at several price levels between $3,250 and $5,500. You can purchase Turbo Vados with traditional or step-through frame styles, derailleur or internal hub drivetrain configurations, and several color offerings.
We named Specialized’s Globe Haul ST Bicycling’s 2023 Bike of the Year in our Spring 2023 issue. This amazing short-tail cargo bike packs 419 pounds of carrying capacity into a surprisingly compact frame. With powerful brakes, dialed geometry, and well-thought-out features, it's ready to tackle commuting, grocery getting, neighborhood errands, or getting a kid to daycare. Without active suspension, the Haul relies on massive 3.5-inch tires, which work well on all but the roughest roads. What seals the deal on the Haul is, simply put, that it’s a blast to ride, which might not strike you as earth-shattering, but many e-cargo bikes just aren’t. What makes e-cargo bikes good often comes down to their utility, and the Haul ST has that in spades. But what it does so well is simultaneously managing to be incredibly practical and irresistibly fun.
If you need even more carrying capacity, check out the new longer-wheelbase Haul LT.
If you’re on a budget and looking to ditch the car for errands and trips around town, the Xpedition is the cheapest e-cargo bike Bicycling has ride-tested and is comfortable recommending. The bike has many features and capabilities of much higher-priced cargo e-bikes, achieving its price with lower-grade components (such as drivetrain and lights). The Xpedition’s hub motor feels less refined than pricier cargo bikes but is sufficient for shorter trips and lighter loads.
Tern’s e-bikes are extremely popular with families and city riders for their high carrying capacity and small dimensions. The brand gives a lot of attention to details that improve riders’ experience with the bike, making it easy to use and enjoy every day of the week. While the Quick Haul D8 is Tern’s lowest-priced electric bike, it still has many of the features that make the more expensive models so great. At the heart of the Quick Haul is a Bosch Active Line Plus motor with 50Nm of torque. The mid-drive motor layout and rearward battery placement help center the bike and ensure stability and good handling. Additionally, Tern equips the Quick Haul with Shimano disc brakes for great stopping power and easy service.
Specialized’s Turbo-series mountain bikes are some of our best-tested best E-MTBs due to their exceptional mid-drive mounted motor. The brand’s base-level Tero 3.0 electric mountain bike is a great entry point into trail riding. This hardtail model has 29”x2.35” tires, a 110mm travel suspension fork with lockout, and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes. While the fork and component aren’t high-end, they are dirt-worthy. Plus, the parts use standard sizes, which makes upgrades and replacements easy.
Folding e-bikes are a great option for those tight on space (like apartment dwellers and vanlifers) or for keeping in your car, boat, or RV as secondary transportation. Folding bikes are a valuable solution for riders needing a bike for multi-modal commuting (combining cycling with train, subway, or bus) or for those “last mile” parts of a trip.
Denago is a newer brand but impressed us with its Commute Model 1 step-through e-bike in our 2023 E-Bike Awards testing. The plainly-named Folding 1 uses a 500-watt hub motor for up to 25 mph pedaling assistance (20 mph on throttle only). Additional features include 20”x3.0” tires for stability, integrated lighting, a rear rack with wood platform, and a telescoping seatpost to fit riders 5’1” to 6‘5”. Plus, the Folding 1 packs down to a tidy 20” x 35” x 30” size in about 30 seconds.
Singlespeed bikes are great because they are low maintenance, have a clean aesthetic, and typically weigh less than bikes with multiple gears and derailleurs. Ride1Up's Roadster v2 barely even looks like an e-bike, plus it features a belt drive drivetrain that doesn't need chain lube. We found the Roadster best for flatter terrain and bike lanes—the gearing makes it a little tough to get it up to speed in hilly areas. For an extra $150 you can step up to the Roadster Gravel with disc brakes, a Gates belt drive, and 42mm wide tires.
No bicycle segment is growing faster than electric bikes—and that demand is good for you, the e-bike shopper. Brands like Aventon, Rad Power Bikes, and Ride1Up offer affordable options you can buy online, bolstering the higher-performance e-bikes from more established players like Specialized and Trek.
As battery technology improves and motor designs become more efficient, e-bikes are more reliable and have expanded capabilities. Whether you purchase online or through a retailer, you can find everything from folding e-bikes, fat-tire e-bikes, electric-assist road bikes, and a sea of commuter and city electric bikes. Liberated from some of the standard bike constraints (like weight and gearing), e-bike design has exploded.
To make these reviews as helpful as possible, we focused on lower to mid-price options from brands you can purchase directly online—though we did include a couple of recommendations for more expensive e-bikes that our team of bike testers loved.
If you are looking for a higher-performance e-bike, check out Bicycling’s 2023 Bike Awards. You’ll find 12 exceptional, award-winning bikes rigorously vetted by our editorial team.
Many e-bike brands seamlessly integrate batteries to make the bike look sleeker (and more like a traditional non-assist bike). Most batteries lock to the bike and come with a key that lets you unlock and remove it, which serves multiple purposes: You can remove the battery and charge it off the bike, a locked battery deters (and hopefully prevents) a thief from stealing it, and an e-bike with the battery removed is safer for hauling on a bike rack and lighter for carrying up steps.
Since e-bikes can maintain higher speeds for longer than standard bikes, you want extra control when riding. Wider tires provide better traction and the freedom to leave the pavement with little penalty, and a suspension fork will help tame some of the rougher roads you might explore. Good disc brakes are a must, too, for slowing a heavy bike at high speed. This is not a place to skimp.
Some e-bikes have an integrated lighting system that turns on when you power up the bike. While this is a great feature, it’s not a deal-breaker if your bike doesn’t come equipped this way. It’s just as easy to attach your own since so many great bike lights available.
E-bikes need regular maintenance and repair to stay in good working condition. Because they are heavier and go faster than non-assist bicycles, e-bikes often require more regular service on parts like brakes, tires, and drivetrain components. We recommend having a good relationship with a local bike shop experienced in e-bike repair to keep your equipment running smoothly.
E-bikes use electronics for their motors, batteries, and displays. These parts are often proprietary to bike brands or even specific e-bike models, making replacement more difficult than parts on non-electric bicycles. Make sure to use the correct electronic replacement parts to avoid damaging your e-bike (or it catching fire). Established brands usually (but not always) have a good supply of these parts for replacement, even for years after a bike goes out of production. Bosch and Shimano are two e-bike motor manufacturers with some of the most compatibility between bikes and stock parts for previous generations of systems.
Look for e-bikes from brands that offer at least a one-year warranty on electronic components (many brands’ warranties are longer) and make items like replacement batteries for your bike. These parts are usually not cheap (sometimes up to half the cost of a new bike), but it’s the difference between having an e-bike that can be repaired or becomes a bicycle-shaped paperweight if something goes wrong.
Following a dramatic increase in fires caused by the lithium-ion batteries used in electric bikes, there is a push from local officials, regulatory agencies, and advocacy groups across the U.S. for improved safety certification of e-bikes, batteries, and motor units. Recently, New York City enacted a law requiring that any e-bike sold in the city (starting September 16, 2023) “has been certified by an accredited testing laboratory for compliance with Underwriters Laboratories (UL) standard 2849”.
However, just because something is marketed as UL 2849 compliant, tested to UL 2849, or even “certified to UL 2849” does not mean it is UL Safety Certified. Ibrahim Jilani, UL’s Global Director of Consumer Technology notes, “Certification is always earned by a manufacturer and not a given when they undergo a product submittal. The UL Mark, or any authorized certification mark, can only be issued upon successful demonstration of meeting the requirements of the safety standard.” UL’s updated list of products Certified to UL 2849 can be found here.
Bicycling contacted many brands on this topic. Most informed us they are evaluating the standards and certification process. So, expect the list of certified e-bikes to grow in the coming months. If owning a UL 2849-certified bike is important to you, ask the brand from which you plan to purchase it for proof of certification. You can cross-reference OSHA’s Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories if you want to dive deeper into the topic.
Several manufacturers offer kits to add pedal assistance to a non-electric bike. Bicycling purchased a few popular conversion kits, fitted them to bikes, and rode them. We do not currently recommend these kits for use. While converting an old bike to an electric assist sounds good in theory, it rarely makes practical sense. Plus, it can lead to rider injury or failure of the bike.
Manufacturers do not design non-electric bikes to accommodate the extra weight and forces incurred when adding an e-bike motor, battery, and control equipment. This puts more stress on the bicycle frame and other components and can lead to breakage or failure of the bike.
Selecting most conversion kits requires knowing fitment details about your bike and might require specialized tools for installation. Many do not have a straightforward installation process, and it can be a challenging project for novice mechanics. If you want a shop to install a conversion kit, check with the shop before purchasing it. Since most non-electric bikes are not engineered to accommodate electric conversions, many shops will not install these kits.
Many economical e-bikes do not cost much more than the total cost of a conversion kit plus the installation price. We recommend buying a purpose-built e-bike for the best and safest experience.
Good quality e-bikes can cost a lot of money; purchasing a pre-owned bike is one way to save some cash and get a better e-bike. If you want to shop for a used e-bike in person, some bicycle stores offer refurbished units. Shopping in person allows you to check the integrity and condition of the bike before you buy it. When purchasing from a shop, make sure that the retailer is experienced with e-bike service and that the bike includes the proper charger and battery.
If purchasing a used e-bike directly from another owner on a third-party site, it’s wise to have the bike inspected by an experienced e-bike shop or mechanic before handing over your money. E-bikes experience higher wear-and-tear than non-assist bicycles, and many e-bikes use proprietary parts or require special tools to service or update software.
With the boom in e-bike sales, a few websites have recently sprung up selling reconditioned and certified e-bikes. Often, these e-bikes have low mileage or were salesfloor samples at shops—some are even brand new or are new old stock of a previous model year. While it costs more than purchasing from an individual seller, buying a used bike from these sites usually means you have some sort of warranty on your e-bike and ensures that it was inspected properly.
Two sites offering high-quality, certified pre-owned e-bikes include Upway and TPC.
Upway The Pro’s Closet
After determining which style of bike is right for you, the next consideration is which class of e-bike best fits your needs. In the U.S., there are three e-bike classifications. These are defined by the type of assist and how fast the motor will propel you. Most electric bikes are defined as class 1 or 3. Class 1 bikes have a motor (max 750w) that assists while pedaling up to 20 mph. Class 3 (sometimes known as “speed pedelec”) can have up to a 750w motor (aka 1-horsepower) but can assist you up to 28 mph. Both are allowed in most states and cities without needing a license.
Class 2 models have become more popular with riders, especially at lower prices. These models have a throttle that can propel a bike up to 20 mph without needing continuous pedaling.
Some bikes blur the lines. Aventon’s popular Pace 500, for example, is technically a Class 3 e-bike in that it reaches speeds up to 28 mph, but it also has a throttle that tops out at 20 mph (the maximum legal speed for a throttle).
Measured in Newton meters (or Nm), torque is a rotational measurement of force—and the number to pay attention to when you want an idea of an e-bike motor’s output. More torque means more power off the line and more boost to your pedaling. The heavier the bike, the more torque it needs. Lighter road bikes typically have 30 to 40Nm of torque, and trail and cargo models (generally) have at least 80Nm. Most commuter bikes fall somewhere in between.
The size of an e-bike’s battery is measured in watt-hours (or Wh). This measurement represents the energy stored in the battery and how many watts it can deliver each hour. The higher the number, the longer the range, but the faster you go, the less range you get. So, if a 504Wh battery paired with a 500-watt motor gives you one hour of ride time at the highest assist, riding at about half that power will double your range.
As Deputy Editor, Tara Seplavy leads Bicycling’s product test team; after having previously led product development and sourcing for multiple bike brands, run World Championship winning mountain bike teams, wrenched at renowned bicycle shops in Brooklyn, raced everything from criteriums to downhill, and ridden bikes on six different continents (landing herself in hospital emergency rooms in four countries and counting). Based in Easton, Pennsylvania, Tara spends tons of time on the road and trail testing products. A familiar face at cyclocross races, crits, and bike parks in the Mid Atlantic and New England, on weekends she can often be found racing for the New York City-based CRCA/KruisCX team. When not riding a bike, or talking about them, Tara listens to a lot of ska, punk, and emo music, and consumes too much social media.
Bill Strickland is the Rider-in-Chief of Bicycling. His equal passions for cycling and writing have led to the books Ten Points: A Memoir; Tour de Lance: The Extraordinary Story of Cycling’s Most Controversial Champion; Mountain Biking: The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Ride; and The Quotable Cyclist. His Bicycling story, “100 Pedal Strokes” won a National Magazine Award for Interactive Feature in 2008. In 2009, he assigned and edited the story “Broken,” which won the National Magazine Award for Public Interest. “The Escape,” the December, 2011, edition of his Bicycling magazine column The Pursuit, was named a Notable story by The Best American Sports Writing. Various editions of his books have been translated into Dutch, German, Hebrew, and Japanese. He uses commas by rhythm and sound, which is a terrible way to do it but makes him happy.
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