The Best Electric Bikes—Whether You’re Commuting Or Cruising

There are a lot of reasons to want to hop on a bike: as a form of exercise, a relaxing hobby, a competitive sport or a way to commute short distances across town. But regardless of your motivation, the best electric bikes give you the option to cycle up a sweat or sit back and cruise. The addition of an electric motor gives your humble bike the horsepower to get from one place to another faster and with less effort (if you choose)—and you can do it without leaving a carbon footprint behind, if that’s important to you. Ebikes give riders the option to let the motor do all the driving or to use pedal assist to supplement your muscle power, making them more versatile than traditional bicycles.

The VanMoof S3 offers high-tech features and excellent value, making it our top pick as the best … [+] electric bike overall.

ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTO: RETAILER

But don’t worry that you’re getting in over your head. At the end of the day, an electric bike is still just a bike. Ebikes are designed for commuting, mountain biking and off-road adventuring. There are electric beach cruisers, cargo bikes, premium models with a comfortable, luxury feel as well as relatively inexpensive, sub-$1,000 bikes. Some electric bikes may tend to look like sci-fi gadgets with large batteries mounted to the frame, while others hide the battery and electronics so the bike blends seamlessly into the crowd. But no matter which one you get, you can probably still just pedal it normally, or engage the motor to get a little help.

To help you choose the best electric bike for your money, we rounded up the top models to suit every kind of rider and riding situation.

Mục Lục

Best Electric Bike Overall

A From-The-Future Ebike With A Built-In Security System

VanMoof

VanMoof S3

VanMoof electric bikes have a dedicated fanbase, and it’s easy to see why. For about $2,500—not a bargain, per se, but at the average affordability as electric bikes go—the VanMoof S3 feels like one of the most advanced, innovative and elegant bikes around. It features an automatic electronic gear shifter that’s remarkably smooth under almost all shifting conditions. The motor is very quiet, delivers a top speed of 20mph, and has a push-button turbo boost. It has a range of 37-93 miles, depending upon how you ride.

It’s also built around a very stylish frame with a completely enclosed chain. There’s a built-in headlight, hydraulic brakes and integrated battery (which is one major disadvantage—you can’t remove the battery for charging). A built-in security system immobilizes the rear wheel and activates an onboard alarm with the press of a button or from the mobile app. It even has a tracking system in case of theft. It’s not the single fastest, cheapest or most cargo-friendly option, but it does everything with enough charm to make it the best overall choice.

Best Budget Electric Bike

Affordable, Folding, Class 3 And Easily Upgradeable

Editor’s Pick

Lectric eBikes

Lectric XP 3.0

Electric bike prices tend to bottom out around $1,000—it just isn’t practical to make an ebike for much less. Lectric’s XP 3.0 might be among the cheapest bikes you can buy, but it’s so thoughtfully designed that it’s a genuinely good choice for city riders on a budget, not some sort of reluctant consolation prize.

The Lectric XP 3.0 is powered by a 1000-watt rear hub motor (a 500-watt upgrade from the previous 2.0 model) with a 48-volt battery that can get you as much as 45 miles on a single charge. It’s a Class 1, 2 or 3 bike that tops out at 28mph on pedal assist and 20mph with the throttle. The XP 3.0’s upgrades include an increased gear range; previously 14 to 28, it’s now 11 to 28, which allows you to reach top speed with less effort pedaling. You can also add on a passenger package for $99 with a seat for a second rider up to 150 pounds. The Lectric XP 3.0 also has integrated lights, fenders, 3-inch fat tires and—surprisingly—a hydraulic suspension. Of course, we’ve buried the lede: This is a foldable bike, easily folding to about half its normal size thanks to a locking hinge in the middle of the frame.

Of course, no $1000 bike is going to be perfect; at 64 pounds, it’s a little heavy, and it can hard to handle when folded up. The twist throttle isn’t nearly as convenient as a lever and the mechanical disc brakes are both loud and lack the power of hydraulics. But the price is compelling, and Lectric has mostly made the right choices about how to balance cost against performance. There are even inexpensive upgrade kits to add a more comfy suspension seat post and both front and rear cargo baskets.

What the editors say: “Last year’s Lectric XP 2.0 was a phenomenal budget ebike, and the all-new XP 3.0 is an impressive update,” says Dave Johnson, the deputy editor at Forbes Vetted. “It has everything I loved about the older bike, but has more power, better brakes, a smoother suspension and a more robust carrying capacity—now you can even add an optional passenger seat to the rear—without paying a penny more. I’m most impressed that the improved power and gearing means it’s much easier to ride at every speed all the way up to 28 mph. And unlike most ebikes, this thing is delivered to your door fully assembled; no assembly required.”

Best Value Electric Bike

The 700 Series That’s Equipped Like A Much More Expensive Bike

Ride1Up 700 Series

There’s a difference between the best value bike and the best budget bike. To clarify, Ride1Up has a rep for selling bikes that give you more than you’d expect for its price tag. In other words, it’s not the cheapest bike you can buy, but it’s the best value. To wit, the Ride1Up 700 Series gives you a truly impressive amount of performance and features for just $1,695 (read the full review). An all-around city and commuting bike, it’s a full Class 3 ebike, which means that you can go as fast as 28mph using pedal assist or 20 mph with the throttle. It’s powered by a beefy 750-watt motor and a 48-volt battery with a capacity that should deliver somewhere between 30-50 miles of range. You get an 8-speed Shimano trigger shifter that controls the Shimano Acera derailleur and hydraulic disc brakes. Speaking of hydraulics, its hydraulic suspension is comfortable around town but also has a lockout that essentially turns it into a mountain bike, agile on steep terrain.

The frame is gorgeously sculpted with the battery sculpted into the downtube, so it scarcely looks like an ebike if you’d rather it not look like a relic from a sci-fi movie. And Ride1Up includes a few extras in the base price, like integrated front and rear lights which draw power from the battery and can be controlled from the digital display. You also get fenders and a rear rack. While it’s not the cheapest ebike you can buy, if you are choosing between this and a $1,000 budget model, just a few hundred additional bucks buys you so much more that the Ride1Up 700 Series is almost certainly the smart move.

Best Cargo Electric Bike

The Packa Genie Carries Your Stuff Up To 80 Miles

Blix Electric Bikes

Packa Genie Cargo eBike

An electric bike might not let you sell the SUV, but you might be surprised by just how much cargo your ebike can carry. Of course, to really bring home the groceries or make a run to the FedEx center, you’ll probably need more than a commuter bike with a basket hanging off the handlebars. There are some bikes that really lean into cargo, and the Packa Genie is one of the best. Not only is it on the cheaper end of the cargo bike spectrum, but it is powerful—the bike is built on a 750-watt motor—and has a range of about 40 miles. It can be equipped with a single or dual batteries for double the range, and you can expand the bike with modular racks and accessories for a variety of cargo-carrying needs. The 750-watt hub motor delivers five levels of power assist, and there’s a full throttle available as well.

The frame is designed from the ground up for carrying capacity. The RadWagon can support 350 pounds and the back end modularly supports a pair of baby seats, a cargo pad, side saddles, delivery boxes and more. If you need to haul stuff, this bike is up to the challenge.

Best City Commuter Electric Bike

The Smoothest Ride You Can Buy For About $2000

Ride1UP

Ride1Up Prodigy

The Prodigy is a gorgeous bike that rides like a dream, and in fact feels better than it has any right to, given that it’s still under $2,500. Ride1Up specializes in delivering more than you expect, and the Prodigy is no exception. For example, the bike is built around the German-made Brose TF Sprinter motor, which delivers 90nm of torque—not a component that one would expect to find on a bike at this price. You also get upscale Shimano Alivio derailleur and 9-speed shifter, as well as the super-grippy Tektro HD-M275 dual piston hydraulic brakes with 180mm disc rotors.

But the star of the show here is that a torque sensor to deliver power to the wheels, resulting in a sublime ride that’s noticeably smoother than anything else in its price range. The power kicks in instantly when you start pedaling, so there’s no abrupt jolt after a cold start. And befitting a great city commuter bike, it comes with integrated lights and a rear cargo rack. This is the bike you want to get around town.

Best Hybrid Commuter Off-Road Electric Bike

One Of The Most Luxe Rides You Can Buy

Bluejay Bicycles

Bluejay Sport

Bluejay is a small female-owned electric bike brand which made a splash with its first model, the Bluejay Premiere Edition. The new Bluejay Sport is clearly an evolution of that first bike, but the Sport Edition has a more traditional diamond frame with a decidedly beefier, more capable motor, a higher top speed, and is engineered both for city commuting and off-road adventures.

The Sport is a joy to ride (read the full review). The ride is smooth and quiet, and the bike itself has a fun, vintage look about it. It’s a Class 3 bike with a top speed of 28 mph thanks to a beefy 500 watt Bafang electric motor. It delivers a full five levels of pedal assist, though it has no throttle for pedal-free propulsion. You’ll get a very respectable 75-mile maximum range on a single charge under ideal conditions, and you can carry the battery into your home to charge it up (using a key to unlock it) or just plug in inside the garage or wherever you leave the bike.

The Sport is smartly designed—it looks like Bluejay made an effort to come up with a design approach that will save you on maintenance costs, and includes extras (baskets and lights) that you often have to pay extra for on other ebikes. The nearly $4,000 price tag may rightly give you pause, but by almost every measure, it’s money well spent.

Best Electric Mountain Bike

The Assistance You Need On Climbs And Long Rides

TREK RAIL

Trek Rail E-Mountain Bike

Form often follows function, and mountain bikes tend to have have a certain look and feel based on their peculiar needs. Creating an electric version runs the risk of making an industrial disaster of a bike with all the wrong aesthetics. Thankfully, Trek has produced a suite of electric bikes that both look and feel like a mountain bike while being fully equipped for dirt trails and varying terrain.

The Rail series starts around $5,650 but you can spend as much as $13,800, depending on what features matter most to you and your budget. Higher end models boast an ultra-light and ultra-strong carbon fiber frame, a wireless electronic drivetrain and a powerful Bosch Performance Line CX motor with extended battery range.

Some models also come with a new smart system LED remote and Kiox display that pair with the eBike Flow app, which provides activity tracking, navigation and Bluetooth connectivity. And don’t worry—even the lower-end models excellent e-bikes that will let you ride further, longer and more comfortably than most mountain bikes on the market.

Best Lightweight Electric Bike

A Single-Speed Class 1 Featherweight Bike

Propella Electric Bikes

Propella SS

The Propella SS is a single-minded ebike: It strives to be the lightest electric bike you can own. Sure, there are lighter ebikes out there, but you can buy a cheap car for about the same amount of money. The Propella, though? Just a tick over a grand gets you an ebike that weighs just 35 pounds—about half the weight of many of the other bikes on this list.

Of course, when the scale is the prize, a few other features get deprioritized. The SS is a Class 1 bike with a top speed of about 18.5 mph. It’s also a single speed bike (that’s what the “SS” stands for, in fact) so you won’t be doing any shifting for terrain—you’ll depend entirely on pedal assist. Speaking of pedal assist, you get a range of up to 40 miles, and there’s no throttle to tear through your battery. There are no lights or fenders, but remember what you’re paying for here: A bike you can probably carry with one hand.

Best Two-Person Electric Bike

An Ebike That Thinks It’s A Motorcycle

PEDAL

PEDAL Electric CORE

Riding on the PEDAL Electric CORE is a super-fun ebike option because you can car (er, bike)-pool more easily, thanks to its two-person saddle and 350-pound weight limit. The powerful 750W motor and front and rear adjustable suspension come at a relatively affordable price, too, with the oomph of a motorcycle. CORE can reach up to 32mph with throttle or pedal assist in sports mode, or you can go your own way and pedal in the bike’s two other speed settings.

The CORE is designed to go on and off-road seamlessly for a smooth ride wherever you need to be, in rain, snow or sunshine. But it’s an especially great choice for commuters, because you can choose which add-ons you want to incorporate to make your ride excellent, rather than purchasing a pre-loaded bike with a bunch of stuff for off-roading that you don’t need. Also a big plus for commuters is the bike’s anti-theft battery that’s easy to remove with the included keys and charges right in a standard 110-volt outlet while you work.

Why Trust Forbes Vetted

The Forbes Vetted gear team has extensive background knowledge on all things outdoors, as well as a passion for diving deep into the research of what makes one product better than another. In addition to writing, researching and publishing dozens of cycling stories across the board, we’ve tested bikes—both manual and electric—to bring you firsthand perspective.

We’ve been following the development of ebikes since they first started popping up on the scene years ago, and we leaned on our experience of the electric bikes we’ve been able to test firsthand. This guide was written by Dave Johnson, deputy editor at Forbes Vetted, who has years of experience deciphering which gadgets and products are worth your money.

How We Chose The Best Electric Bikes

Electric bikes are a complicated category to shop for and which is best for you is highly dependent on where, when and what you’ll be using it for. To determine the best electric bikes in every category, we evaluated the motor, range, class and weight of each bike, as well as its tire size and brake capabilities, and compared how all these factors held up against the price, ultimately determining its value.

After ample research, plus a personal recommendation from Dave Johnson (the Lectric XP 3.0, our “best budget” pick), we narrowed the list down to a variety of models that cater to different needs, from commuters to trail users, as well as different budgets. We also continually research, edit and update this list to ensure we’re providing you the best options in the market. This story was last edited in February 2023.

Is Getting An Electric Bike Worth It?

Depending on your lifestyle, ebikes offer several advantages over other forms of transportation. Here are a few to consider:

Cost: Compared to cars, ebikes are more cost-effective to buy and power, especially with rising gas prices. They allow cyclists to get to a destination quickly and with ease, so they’re great for commuters who are looking to cut down on driving—without breaking a sweat on the way to work.

Ease of use: As opposed to regular bikes, electric bikes have an electric motor to offer more propulsion than what your legs can provide simply pedaling. That means it takes less effort for you to get from here to there. That’s especially important on hilly terrain because an ebike can make scaling a steep hill no harder than riding on level ground.

Versatility: Another of the great advantages of an ebike is that you can ride it with or without electric power, meaning you won’t be stranded if the battery dies. You can use pedal assist to add power to your pedaling, stop pedaling and go on throttle alone (if you have a Class 2 or Class 3 bike) or just pedal like an old-fashioned bike.

What Are the Disadvantages Of Ebikes?

Swapping your car for an electric bike or upgrading your regular pedaler for the electric kind has a lot of advantages—but it does have its downsides, too.

Cost: Ebikes may be more cost effective than most cars, but they’re still pricey. With the cheapest options (that are still worth your money) setting you back around $1,000, they cost much more than most manual bikes.

Battery life: While many ebikes have impressive battery lives these days, most still need to be plugged into a power outlet to charge. That means if you forget to charge it or you have a busy day of commuting and errands, you could end up pedaling more than you want to.

Weight: Because electric bikes have batteries and motors, they’re significantly heavier than their brethren. This isn’t an issue when the battery is running, but if your battery dies and you have to pedal uphill, you’ll definitely notice the weight.

Maintenance: Because ebikes are built with complicated parts, they may require more regular maintenance and upkeep than traditional cycles to ensure they continue to run well.

Regulations: States and local municipalities have their own laws and ordinances for where ebikes can be ridden, and these usually change depending on the type of electric bike you have. For example, some towns have banned electric bicycles from sidewalks, while others only allow Class 1 to 3 on roads with speed limits of 30 mph. These regulations get even more complicated when it comes to riding ebikes on trails.

How Fast Does An Electric Bike Go Without Pedaling?

This depends on the bike and the “class” that it falls into. Most bikes are limited to a top speed of 20mph on level ground. Here’s how it breaks down:

If you have a Class 1 ebike, the electric motor has a top speed of 20mph, but only works when you’re actually pedaling—it’s not allowed to include a throttle to move the bike without pedaling.
Class 2 models contain a throttle that can propel the bike at up to 20mph even when you’re not pedaling—and can go up to the same maximum speed with pedal assist.
Class 3 bikes are a little confusing. They all have a top speed of 28 mph, but not all Class 3 bikes have a throttle. Depending upon the state they’re sold in, some Class 3 throttles top out at 20 mph even if the bike can reach 28 mph when using pedal assist.

How Much Should I Pay For A Good Electric Bike?

On the low end, you should expect to pay at least $1,000 for a quality ebike, which is right where our best budget ebike pick, Lectric XP 3.0, falls. This is likely the lowest you’ll pay for an ebike with a decent battery life, significant speed potential and quality parts that will hold up over time.

Of course, the highesty quality electric bikes will cost you a pretty penny. For instance, the best electric bikes for paved trails—ones that are a lightweight to pedal, deliver a smooth, quiet ride and don’t need a ton of maintenance—expect to pay $1,700 to $2,500. If you’re looking for an electric mountain bike or electric hybrid bike, it’ll likely run you upwards of $3,500, like the Bluejay Sport, our choice for the best hybrid commuter off-road ebike.