Best Electric Bikes 2024 | Tested By Forbes Vetted

These days, electric bikes are no longer an expensive indulgence–ebikes have gone mainstream because they let you ride further and with less effort, yet you can still get an exhausting workout with one if you choose to. To find the best electric bikes on the market, I have evaluated a dozen popular bikes while clocking in more than a year of long-term testing. I found the Ride 1Up Prodigy V2 to be the best electric bike overall thanks to its responsive mid-motor design, low-maintenance belt drive, continuous variable transmission and other high-end features despite an affordable price tag.

But I didn’t stop with a single recommendation. Whether you need an electric bike for commuting, off-roading, mountain biking or carrying pets and groceries, there’s an ebike that can do the job just as well, if not better than, a traditional bike. To make the most informed decision, read on to see what I loved about each of the ebikes I tested.

Ride1Up has found itself in this guide on a number of occasions in the past thanks to a family of bikes that all tend to offer excellent build quality and features that punch above their weight class. In other words, you can usually find design elements in Ride1Up bikes that you’d have a lot of trouble finding at the same price point in most other bikes.

The Prodigy V2 is no exception, and having spent a fair bit of time on the seat of the original Prodigy, I can say with confidence that the V2 is a substantial improvement over the original model, which was already a good ride.

There’s no question that the Prodigy 2 is an ebike; it weighs a formidable 61 pounds–not something you’ll want to carry around or hang on a rack–and has a chunky downtube that clearly houses a battery. Even so, the styling is clean and elegant, with gorgeous, sculpted contours.

It’s built around a 250W Brose mid-drive motor that spins the rear wheel via a Gates Carbon belt. Not only is the belt quieter than a chain, but it requires less maintenance (you never have to grease it, for example) and should last longer as well. That alone makes this a great ride. But perhaps the coolest feature in the Prodigy 2 is the Enviolo Continuously-Variable Transmission. It’s a fully internal stepless gear system that lets you shift continuously from the lowest gear to the highest just by twisting a collar on the handlebar. And as you twist the collar, a cool analog graphic on the handlebar depicts the terrain as getting hilly or flat, so you always know which way to turn the collar and its effect on your gearing. The difference between an ordinary multi-gear bike and one with a CVT is like night and day, making this bike a joy to ride over all terrain. And it’s hard to find a bike with a CVT in this price range; for example, you can favorably compare the $2,700 Prodigy V2 to the $5,000 Gazelle Ultimate C380 HMB, the only other bike in this roundup with a similar drivetrain.

There’s a lot more here that I loved. The bike also has an adjustable front suspension which contributes to the smooth and comfy riding experience, along with premium brakes, integrated front and rear lights and a 28 mph top speed with four levels of pedal assist. And you don’t have to pay extra for the rear storage rack. You can get the Prodigy V2 in a step-though or step-over frame, and if you want to save some money, it’s available with a chain drive rather than the belt, for $300 less.

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The Velotric T1 packs so much into such an affordable frame—and rides so well—that it was nearly my favorite bike. But while Ride1Up’s new Prodigy V2 stole that award, Velotric’s T1 is the smartest ebike I’ve had the pleasure to ride.

The T1 barely looks like an electric bike, which is great for folks who don’t like the modern ebike aesthetic. It weighs just 36 pounds, second only to the 25-pound Lemond Prolog, which makes it light enough to carry around, hoist onto a bike rack or carry up stairs. And the two-tone color scheme is gorgeous.

But the real appeal here is that the T1 delivers so much smarts. To turn the bike on, there’s no need to carry a key around like it’s 1987–there’s a fingerprint reader on the top tube that can store a dozen different fingerprints. Alternatively, you can fire it up using the mobile app, which automatically senses your phone’s proximity and turns on the bike as you approach. The fingerprint reader doubles as a battery indicator and pedal assist level control (which you can also get from the app). On the other hand, that fingerprint reader/control button is the only display on the bike. Unlike many other ebikes, the handlebars don’t have a display, so you need to put your phone into the built-in mount to see more details.

This Class 1 bike can go up to 20 mph right out of the box, though you can easily unlock a top speed of 25 mph, which straddles the definition of a Class 3. There’s no throttle here, but this bike does have a smooth torque sensor that delivers a very enjoyable pedaling experience, something I would expect to find only in a more expensive bike. I rode this bike extensively on flat and hilly terrain, and the 350-watt hub motor was more than up to the task. Speaking of being pleasantly surprised, Velotric includes an eight-speed Shimano shifter and Tektro hydraulic disc brakes. This bike has some other charming features as well, like a walking mode that rolls the bike at low speed when you when you need to dismount and walk the bike.

Because I am neurotic about the potential for bike theft, one of my favorite features in the T1 is its GPS tracking: If your bike is moved, you get a theft alert on your phone, and you can locate the bike at any time by tapping the app’s “Find My Bike” button. This feature is included at no additional charge, so you don’t pay a monthly subscription fee for bike-tracking.

One way Velotric makes this bike look so streamlined is by building the battery into the downtube. You can’t remove it for charging, so you’ll need an outlet near wherever the bike ends up living when you aren’t riding it. Despite the modest battery size (352.8 watt-hours), Velotric claims a maximum range of about 70 miles. That’s optimistic based on my testing, but if you use conservative pedal assistance, I am certain the bike can routinely deliver a range of around 50 miles, and that ain’t bad.

Long-term testing notes: I really love hopping on this bike to grab lunch, a 10-minute ride away down a scenic bike path. Crime in this neighborhood is low, so I don’t even bother to lock it up—if anyone attempts to move it even a little, I get a notification on my phone more or less instantly, which offers all the peace of mind I need when visiting my favorite neighborhood taco haunt.

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It’s hard to find a quality electric bike for much under $1,000—it just isn’t practical to make an ebike for much less. According to Leo Raudys, CEO of Call2Recycle, the first industry-wide ebike battery recycling program in the U.S., “If the battery itself costs perhaps $600, and the entire bike is only a little bit higher than that, then you have to ask questions like, ‘How good are the components? How good do I feel about the engineering? Is it going to hold up over time?’ It gets pretty difficult to do that at that price.”

Nonetheless, a handful of quality ebikes are available in this price range. Lectric’s XP 3.0 might be among the least expensive bikes you can buy, but it’s so thoughtfully designed that it’s a genuinely good choice for first-time ebike buyers and city riders on a budget. You are not settling for some sort of cut-rate consolation prize with this bike.

The Lectric XP 3.0 is powered by a 1,000-watt rear hub motor with a 500-watt-hour battery that can get you up to 65 miles on a single charge (in my testing, I’d say you could expect closer to 45 miles in real-world riding conditions). It’s a Class 3 bike that tops out at 28 mph on pedal assist and 20 mph with the twist throttle. The Lectric XP 3.0 has lights, fenders, 3-inch fat tires with hydraulic brakes and—surprisingly—a hydraulic suspension.

Of course, I buried the lede: This is a foldable bike, collapsing to about half its normal size, thanks to a locking hinge in the middle of the frame. Unfortunately, I feel like I’m fighting a fat octopus every time I fold it. This bike weighs a hefty 64 pounds, and you need to be careful when you handle it lest you end up with a pinched finger. But the fact that it folds makes it easy to throw in the back of a minivan or store in the corner of the garage.

One of the things I love most about the XP 3.0 is its wide array of accessories. This is a utility bike, after all, and you can add a cargo package with racks and baskets, or get a pet trailer that hitches to the back. You can also add a passenger seat for a second rider as well.

Of course, no $1,000 bike is going to be perfect. The small 20-inch wheels mean the ride is bumpier than what you’d get from a bigger tire, and the industrial aesthetics won’t please everyone. But the stuff you do get is compelling. The black-and-white digital display is big, easy to read and tells you everything you need to know to have a great ride. The price is the major selling point, however, and after riding this bike a lot, it seems to me that Lectric has made the right choices to balance cost against performance.

Long-term testing notes: While this bike originally shipped with mechanical brakes, Lectric enhanced later iterations with hydraulic brakes. Customers with the original mechanical brakes (including myself) got an unexpected gift from Lectric: an easy-to-install hydraulic brake upgrade kit, free of charge. That sort of thing really endears me to this brand, and the bike itself is holding up well. It’s built like a tank (which admittedly continues to be an annoyance when I want to put it in the back of my car), which suggests it may literally outlive me.

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Rad Power’s RadRunner 3 Plus isn’t going to win any beauty awards; it’s utilitarian through and through, with a heavy, angular frame that sits on squat 20-by-3.3-inch fat tires. But all that practicality shapes the RadRunner 3 Plus into the best utility ebike on the market.

This Class 2 bike can power its way up to 20 mph using either pedal assist or the twist throttle. The smaller tires are very grippy, making them awesome for almost any sort of road or trail condition, and the ride is smoother than I expected, thanks to the suspension in the front fork. The beefy 750-watt hub motor gave me a thoroughly authoritative ride; it aggressively raced up a steep incline that taxed many other ebikes during ride tests. That said, it sometimes feels a little jerky in operation, but that’s going to be true of any bike with a cadence sensor: The pedal assist is either on or off, and it takes a pedal rotation or two to engage the motor. But I was really impressed with the components in the RadRunner, including a seven-speed Shimano shifter and Tektro hydraulic brakes. Despite this bike’s formidable weight (more on that later), I was able to bring it to a stop very quickly.

This is a general-purpose ebike; you can use it to commute around town or go for weekend joyrides, and I used it for both. But the RadRunner 3 Plus was born to be a utility bike, and Rad Power gives you a lot of options to configure the design based on your needs. Need to carry cargo? There’s a locking hardshell console you can mount between your legs, for example, which I found handy for stowing personal items. You can add front and rear baskets, a tow-behind trailer and even a passenger seat.

I also loved the controls and display. Rad Power includes two consoles on the handlebars; the power unit on the left prominently reports the level of pedal assistance, while another display shows your speed and other details. That’s all you get, though; there is no mobile app to sync with here.

The lack of mobile phone connectivity is just one way this bike feels a tad old school. It’s the heaviest bike I tested by far, clocking in at over 75 pounds. It was almost impossible for me to hoist it onto my car’s trailer hitch bike rack by myself, but I managed to pull it off. The battery isn’t hidden in the downtube but is semi-integrated into the frame, removable with a key (when you first get started, you might think the key locks the bike, but don’t be fooled). It also was among the least-assembled bikes to arrive at my doorstep. If you’re somewhat mechanically inclined, you should be able to put it together yourself. If, however, you open the box and it looks like a random collection of pinball machine parts, you might want to drive it to a local bike shop for assembly. That is what I did, despite videos online to help you assemble it.

The battery also has its own display for charge status, which I really appreciated, and I managed to get about 40 miles on a single charge. Your mileage may vary depending on terrain and how much you lean on the motor to get around.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better utility ebike than the Rad Power’s RadRunner 3 Plus—I couldn’t. And while it’s easy to focus on the specs and features, the most telling compliment I can give this bike is that, when riding home with a basketful of groceries, I couldn’t help but think about how comfortable it was to ride the RadRunner 3 Plus.

Long-term testing notes: Since I have several bikes in my garage for long-term testing, each one has its own very specific role. The RadRunner is my cargo bike, and I use it to make trips to the grocery store once or twice a week. With baskets in front and rear along with the storage console in the middle, there’s more than enough room to bring a few bags of sundries home. And the ride remains comfortable—I genuinely appreciate the adjustable seat considering that many utility bikes don’t offer that option.

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Even if you’re not a road-racing fan, you know Greg LeMond, the three-time Tour de France winner who is probably the most well-known American cyclist (Lance Armstrong notwithstanding). LeMond has his own bike brand, and the LeMond Prolog is its flagship ebike.

Let’s get this out of the way right up front: The Prolog is a $5,500 bike, and that’s if you don’t upgrade to the electronic shifter, which is another $800. With so many other, more affordable bikes on the market, you may be wondering why anyone would spend that much money for an ebike. Simply put, because it’s a work of art, in motion and at rest. The bike is visually stunning with its clean, aerodynamic lines and not the slightest indication it’s an electric bike without close inspection. The aesthetics are absolutely impeccable.

And when you climb aboard? I have never had so much fun on an ebike. Weighing in at just 27 pounds, it’s lighter than my traditional non-electric bike, and that means it flies like the wind, easily accelerating from a cold stop whether or not the electric motor is engaged. It handles like a dream, and if I had $5,500 to spend on an electric bike, I would spend it on the Prolog without hesitation.

You’re not paying for a lot of “smart” features with the Prolog. Yes, you can connect to the bike via a mobile app that gives you control over the pedal assist and a detailed dashboard while you’re riding (though you’ll need to buy your own phone mount). Instead, most of that money is going into the paperweight carbon fiber frame and the breathtaking styling, along with a Shimano 11-speed GRX shifter and other deluxe components, like the Shimano BL-RS600 hydraulic disc brake lever. The front and rear lights are elegantly integrated into the frame, and a single button on the top tube turns on the bike and controls the pedal assist (if you choose to keep your phone in your pocket). You also get a limited lifetime warranty on the frame and wheels (and two years on the LeMond components)—something almost unheard of in a world of ebikes, where you tend to get just one or two years of protection.

You might be tempted to think the Prolog is just a sport bike, but you can easily use it for day-to-day city bike duties. Options include adding a rack, basket and range-extending battery, if you want more than the maximum of 70 miles that LeMond claims (based on my testing, it’s closer to 55 miles in real-world conditions).

And don’t worry that the 250-watt Mahle rear hub motor won’t be able to deliver the goods. This bike handled all the terrain I tested the other bikes on, and easily scaled the steep overpass that I cannot pedal on leg power alone.

Not everyone has $5,500 to spend on an ebike, so for many folks (myself included) this is an aspirational choice. But therein lies a serious problem: Whether or not you consider this affordable, a bike that costs this much money should have some built-in security—GPS tracking, a hub lock or even a lockout that prevents the bike from turning on without the app. I’d be wary of leaving a bike this precious around town without a beefy chain and lock. But that aside, if you have the money to invest in the LeMond Prolog, you will not be disappointed.

Long-term testing notes: After a few months, the Prolog continues to have all the same limitations I identified in the original review. It’s terrifyingly expensive, which makes me worry about theft whenever I take it into town, and as a sports bike, it certainly isn’t handy for cargo. But after a year, it still rides like a dream—the best bike I have ever owned, electric or otherwise. It’s so light that you don’t even need pedal assist to start moving from a cold stop, and I am constantly amazed that it really delivers the range that LeMond promises.

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Other Electric Bikes I Tested

Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro (8, $2,999): I really wanted to love the Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro more than I did. It’s a lightweight and fun ebike with a lot of high tech under the hood, not terribly unlike the Velotric T1. The 37-pound bike is built around a carbon fiber frame, it has an adaptive torque sensor with five levels of pedal assist and a Shimano 8-speed shifter—all of which adds up to a great ride. The main display has a fingerprint reader to turn on the bike (you can also use the mobile app) and it has built-in voice recognition to give the bike various commands (like turning the headlight on and off, or changing the pedal assist level). Full-on ChatGPT is reportedly coming as well, but it’s too early to tell if that’ll be a gimmick or offer any real value to riders. But the display’s dot-matrix style is very hard to read in direct sunlight, and I found the voice feature to be sketchy on the open road as well. And while you get GPS tracking and theft alerts in the app, it’s only included for free for the first year—and the app is confusingly designed and hard to use as well. Urtopia has the DNA of a great bike here, but it all needs to be refined and improved in the next version.

Vvolt Alpha II (8, $1,799): Vvolt is an ebike brand to keep an eye on; the Alpha II, for example, is an excellent bike that gets almost everything right. The nicely styled frame is fairly lightweight, clocking in at a reasonable 44 pounds. You get speeds up to 20 mph with 5 levels of pedal assist and thumb lever throttle for no-pedal acceleration. It has integrated front and rear lights, a simple digital display and an easily removable battery for charging (or charging it without removal, of course). And while it’s powered by a rear hub motor, the Alpha II is driven by a quiet and maintenance-free carbon belt. I wasn’t thrilled with the single-speed drivetrain, though, which led to a lot of free-spinning ghost pedaling.

Brompton P Line 4-Speed (8, $4,750): Brompton bikes are quirky, probably thanks to their UK heritage. The P Line is an electrified version of a traditional Brompton bike, and it is immediately distinguished by its tiny 17-inch wheels–if you’ve never seen a small-wheel bike before, it can look like something out of a circus. It’s also a folding bike, and fold it does, so small that it collapses to little more than a pair of overlapping wheels. Combined with its light weight, this makes it among the most portable ebikes ever–you can carry this thing onto a bus or train with ease. Unfortunately, there’s a bit of a learning curve to folding and unfolding it (I had to watch a video a dozen times before I could fold it the first time), and the battery pack has to be physically removed from the bike frame to fold the bike up (it comes in its own carrying case, which you can sling over your shoulder). There is a 4-speed and 12-speed model available; I tested the four-speed, which complemented the three pedal assist levels nicely. As totable and fun to ride as the Brompton is, it’s hard to recommend without reservation. It’s quite expensive, as ebikes go. There’s no on-bike display (you can use an app or control the power level from the battery itself), the bike’s max payload capacity is about 240 pounds, and Brompton doesn’t ship to New York because the battery doesn’t meet the state’s battery certification guidelines. And there’s the inevitable initial challenge of learning to unfold the bike.

VanMoof S4 (8, $2,648): The VanMoof S4 is quite impressive and something of a runner-up to the best overall ebike, the Velotric T1. It’s packed with exciting tech, like a superb integrated security system. Kick a button at the rear to immobilize the bike with a hub lock, for example, and the only way for a thief to make off with your 45-pound bike is to carry it away, because the rear wheel won’t roll. (An alarm sounds the whole time, should anyone try to move it.) There’s a lot more to love here, like the tech-sexy tubular design in four eye-catching colors, integrated lighting and a 14-day, no-hassle return policy if you don’t love your purchase. But the ride itself is underwhelming; you have to use the VanMoof app on your phone to change pedal assist levels because the button on the bike only triggers the throttle-like turbo boost mode. And after coasting, you often have to pedal a few full revolutions before the gears engage, which is disconcerting and uncomfortable. VanMoof does a lot of things right, but still gets enough things wrong that other brands (like Velotric) have taken the lead.

Long-term testing notes: In August 2023, VanMoof declared bankruptcy, putting the brand’s innovative bikes in jeopardy—and causing a lot of anxiety among VanMoof owners and prospective buyers. Days later, VanMoof was acquired by the popular electric scooter brand Lavoie, which has announced that it intends to make it easier for customers to get repairs and spare parts, thus improving the overall reliability of VanMoof bikes. The bottom line: Anytime you buy a bike with a lot of proprietary technology, you run a risk of owning an orphan if parts or repair options dry up. But right now it looks like the VanMoof will continue, though the behind-the-scenes drama makes it even harder to recommend this bike. As the time of writing, there are currently no VanMoof bikes for sale on the brand’s website.

Gazelle Ultimate C380 HMB (8, $4,999): I love the Gazelle Ultimate C380 HMB. This beefy step-through bike from an iconic Dutch bike-maker features a superb Enviolo 380 Trekking Manual stepless gear system, just like the one built into the Ride1Up Prodigy V2. The Class 3 bike can go up to 28 mph with four levels of pedal assist (sorry, no throttle), has a formidable 65-mile range and an easy-to-read digital display on the handlebars. For security, the bike includes a key-operated hub lock, so thieves can’t roll the bike away—they’d need to carry the 56-pound behemoth to their truck. It has cool extras as well, like a battery that can be easily removed for indoor charging and a suspension in the fork to smooth out the ride. Gazelle offers an incredibly generous warranty: 10 years on the frame, five years on the fork and two years on the motor and other electrical components. I’d love to give Gazelle’s impressive beast an award, but it’s overpriced compared to Ride1Up, heavy enough to be inconvenient and isn’t available direct-to-consumer (you have to visit a Gazelle dealer bike shop).

Cannondale Adventure Neo Allroad (7, $1,875): The Cannondale Adventure Neo Allroad is a solid and fun all-around adventure bike, but in a lot of ways, it feels like a step down from Ride1Up’s Prodigy. It’s similarly heavy, which can make it hard to move around, but it lacks the Prodigy’s Shimano shifter. Even so, it has all the basics covered: a seven-speed shifter, Tektro hydraulic brakes, a 250-watt hub motor and Kenda tires and an optional front suspension for a smoother ride (the model I tested was equipped with the suspension). Expect to get as much as 45 miles per charge, and the battery is removable so you can bring it indoors to charge. There’s no question that this Cannondale is a solid choice, but given the price, I feel like it doesn’t compete well with similar models from other brands that add a torque sensor, app connectivity, a more deluxe shifter and better cargo options.

Gocycle G4i (7, $4,999): While the Lectric XP 3.0, my choice for the best budget ebike, is also a folding bike, I felt like it folds because it has to, not because it wants to. The Gocycle G4i, on the other hand, is eager to please. This 37.7-pound bike is light enough to carry around with one hand, which makes the easy-fold mechanism worthwhile; you can bring this on the subway without much trouble—and that’s just scratching the surface. The G4i is a great bike, albeit a luxury one at $5,500. It certainly looks distinctive, with tiny (but fat) 20-inch tires on a squat frame that is reminiscent of something you might see at a circus. Aesthetically, it’s an acquired taste, but it’s packed with innovation. The fork-shaped kickstand is ultra-secure, but annoyingly you can only deploy it from one side of the bike. To simplify the riding experience, the bike is built around a Shimano Nexus three-speed predictive electronic shifter that, as the name suggests, switches gears automatically depending on riding conditions. The torque sensor adjusts power to the wheels based on how hard you pedal, but the only way to change power levels is via the mobile app (it also has a throttle that lets you accelerate while coasting). And the mobile app is a convoluted mess, which complements the unintuitive light pattern on the handlebar that tells you battery levels and other data if you’re not using the app. If Gocycle learns from what doesn’t quite work here, though, its next iteration just might be amazing.

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How I Tested The Best Electric Bikes

When selecting the products for this roundup, it was important to include the most popular and common ebikes on the market—the ones that Forbes Vetted readers are most likely to consider. I included both direct-to-consumer ebikes (from online, mail-order brands) and models that you need to visit dealerships to purchase. I assembled a cross-section of bikes in styles most people want to ride, like commuter and city bikes, folding bikes, off-road bikes and utility bikes that can carry cargo.

Assembly

Once all the bikes were on hand, I evaluated how easy they were to assemble. Some come fully assembled, while most are partially built and can be finished with some simple tools in less than an hour. A handful of bikes required substantial assembly; if you’re not already a confident bike mechanic, you’ll want to factor another $100 into the price to have a local bike shop assemble it for you. The bottom line is that I noted the overall difficulty (and potential expense) of the initial out-of-box experience.

Ride Experience

Then it was time to hit the road. I took every bike on a handful of 10-mile treks across city streets, onto dirt and grassy paths and on a paved bike path that cuts across a substantial part of the state of Michigan. I noted each bike’s comfort, handling, shifting and braking. In other words: How well did it work as an actual bike?

Power And Range

As with any electric vehicle, it’s important to understand how much power the motor delivers and what kind of range you can expect to get. To assess how well the motor could power the bike, I paid attention to pedal assist and throttle response on level ground as well as on a particularly steep overpass that I am physically unable to scale on a traditional bike with leg power alone. I also tracked real-world range, although this can vary enormously depending on a wide variety of factors.

Smart And Security Features

I love so-called smart features, and I explored whatever each bike offered, like integrated displays, electronic shifting and high-tech security. Some bikes had few or none of these capabilities, while others were veritable props from a science-fiction story. I assessed how easy these features were to use and whether they were practical or useful. Bikes with integrated anti-theft or security features tended to score better.

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How To Pick An Electric Bike

When you shop for a bike, start with how you expect to use the bike most often. In addition, make sure to consider the style of ebike, the class, and additional features like security, brakes and the motor.

Bike Style

There are a lot of different bike styles, and some tend to overlap, but here are the most common ebikes you’ll encounter:

• Commuter and city bikes. These are everyday bikes you use to get around town on paved roads, but some are also “hybrid” bikes that can handle off-roading as well.
• Fat tire bikes. You know you’re looking at a fat tire bike when the tires are a couple of inches wide. All that surface area adds up to a lot of traction, which is great for riding on sand, snow and soft off-road surfaces.
• Utility bikes. These don’t look that sexy, but they let you bolt on baskets in front or back, drag a cargo trailer and sometimes even add a passenger seat. These are workhorse bikes you can use to go grocery shopping or make Grubhub deliveries. In fact, cargo bikes are a subset of the utility bike category.
• Mountain bikes. Designed for intense off-road adventures, a good mountain bike has wide tires and a beefy suspension system to let you go up and down steep and rugged terrain. Mountain bikes that only have front suspensions are often called hardtails.
• Sport bikes. Also known as performance bikes, these follow in the footsteps of racing bikes. They’re light, have paper-thin tires, and let you go fast with manual pedal power, with or without electric assistance.

Class

Similarly, ebikes come in three different classes that determine how fast it can go and what it’s like to ride it. Keep in mind though that some cities and municipalities have banned Class 3 bikes on trails and bike paths, categorizing them not as “bikes” but as powered vehicles, like mopeds or motorcycles.

• Class 1 ebikes have a top speed of 20 mph using pedal assistance (PAS). The motor is designed to cut off if you exceed 20 mph, and no Class 1 bikes include a throttle.
• Class 2 models have a throttle that can propel the bike up to 20 mph whether you’r pedaling or not—and can go up to the same maximum speed with pedal assist.
• Class 3 bikes have a top speed of 28 mph when using pedal assistance, and may optionally include a throttle. The throttle (if there is one) can be used to accelerate the bike without pedaling, but it’s limited to a maximum of 20 mph. To reach the top speed of 28 mph, you need to use pedal assist.

Attachment Points

Many bikes—especially utility bikes, but also many commuter bikes—let you bolt on storage racks and baskets, a passenger seat and more.

Fenders

Weirdly, not all ebikes come with fenders, but these come in handy to shield you from splashing dirt, mud and water while riding. Especially if you plan to commute to work on an ebike, it’s worth investing in a model with fenders.

Security

Bikes get stolen. A lot. So while you should always lock your bike when you step away, I love when security comes integrated with many modern ebikes. Look for features like GPS tracking and hub locks.

Folding Capability

Some models can be folded in seconds to be thrown into the back of your car, carried onto mass transit or stowed near your desk at work.

When it comes to features, there are other considerations. Here are some features you might want to look for:

Technical Specs

The technical specifications are also important. Not a bike mechanic? No problem—here are some things to keep an eye on:

• Motor. If you plan to ride mainly on city streets or have a limited budget, you can stick with a hub motor that’s built into the wheel itself. For adventurous terrain and a better riding experience, consider a mid-drive motor that’s in the middle of the bike and generally require a custom frame to be engineered around it.
• Sensor. The most common are cadence and torque sensors. A cadence sensor are usually built into bikes with hub motors and are the least expensive form of ebike. Torque sensors, on the other hand, are typically found in bikes with mid-motors and smoothly match the power of your pedaling.
• Pedal assistance. Ebikes are easier to ride when they include both multiple levels of pedal assistance (PAS) and a mechanical or electronic shifter. Single-gear ebikes that rely just on PAS can be awkward to handle when the terrain isn’t level.
• Hydraulic brakes. Ebikes are heavier than traditional bikes and can go a fair bit faster, so you want a lot of stopping power. Avoid mechanical brakes (more common in very inexpensive ebikes).
• Throttle. Not all ebikes have a throttle. Class 2 ebikes and some Class 3 ebikes have a throttle that can accelerate without pedaling. The real question, though, is whether you need a throttle. It can be helpful, especially on hilly terrain. But consider a throttle a convenience that most riders can do without.
• Mobile app. If you’re a nerd, look for ebikes that work with an app. Some ebikes sync with a mobile app that lets you customize the bike’s performance in detail, as well as see your speed and PAS on a big beautiful screen when riding. Bonus points for apps that track your cycling stats and workout.
• Other components. When in doubt, look for name brand components. Is the shifter designed in-house by the bike brand? It’s probably fine, but a Shimano shifter is probably going to work more smoothly and last longer.

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My Expertise

I have been a technology journalist since the 1990s with countless writing credits at publications as diverse as Forbes, PC World, Digital Camera Magazine, CNET, TechHive and Insider (not to mention authoring nearly three dozen books).

I have managed to mix that with a love of biking. I was an early adopter of electric bikes, writing about and reviewing them from their earliest days on the market while using them to get around town and go on long weekend recreational treks. I’ve managed to stay abreast of the latest developments in electric biking as I tested and reviewed numerous models over the last decade. When I started preparing to test bikes for this article, I already had a small collection of ebikes in my garage (almost to the point that I couldn’t fit my car).

To help me navigate the ebike universe, though, I leaned on the expertise of a handful of unabashed experts in the field. I spoke to Alyssa Mcadam, head mechanic for ebike reseller Upway, and Leo Raudys, CEO of Call2Recycle, which operates the first industry-wide ebike battery recycling program in the U.S. I also got insights from Ash Lovell, Ph.D., the electric bicycle policy & campaign director at PeopleForBikes, and Levi Conlow, the CEO of Lectric Bikes.

I update this article regularly, keeping the story up to date with the latest electric bikes, observations based on long-term testing, and other details that may be helpful if you’re ebike shopping. This article was last updated in July 2024.

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What Is The Best Electric Bike?

The best electric bike for you ultimately depends on your budget and how you plan on riding. After six weeks of testing, I crowned the Velotric T1 the best electric bike overall because its lightweight, yet still offers an exceptional riding experience.

Are Ebikes Safe?

Yes. Electric bikes can go faster than traditional bikes, but that can be a good thing, especially when navigating city streets with automobiles. Mcadam says “you can be more comfortable with cars around you because you have more speed.” As long as you wear a helmet, obey traffic laws and stay aware of your surroundings, ebikes are as safe as traditional bikes.

But like any electric vehicle, you may have some concerns about battery safety. Lovell suggests that if you are concerned about battery safety, you can look for or ask the manufacturer about its certification standards. “There are two big ones that you can look for, either UL 2849 or EN15194. EN15194 is the European standard, and that’s what the majority of the bicycle industry is already certified for.”

Are Electric Bikes Hard To Maintain?

Believe it or not, ebikes generally require no more maintenance than traditional bikes. Electrical components like the motor and battery are typically quite reliable, which means the only routine maintenance you need to do aside from keeping the battery charged is the same as for an ordinary bike—stuff like check tire pressure and lubricate the chain.

Can I Use An Electric Bike In Rain And Snow?

Most electric bikes can handle weather like light rain. That said, some of the electrical components may not be just water resistant, not fully waterproof. That means riding in heavy rain or roaring through deep puddles can potentially damage sensitive electronics. Be sure to check with your ebike’s manufacturer to see what its water resistance rating is and what the company recommends. And as with any bike, make sure the tires are designed to offer sufficient traction for your riding conditions, especially if you’re planning to head into snow.

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