The 8 Best Electric Bikes

Before I got this bike, I assumed an e-bike was like a regular bike, but heavier and with easier pedaling. But when I picked this up, I couldn’t believe how many features it had. It was so delightful — more like a motorized scooter than a bike, albeit with pedals and plenty of assistance levels. The Roadster has it all: five levels of pedal assist, seven gears, and a throttle, which gets up to an assisted 20 miles per hour. The screen readout is bright and easy to see at-a-glance, displaying speed, watts, and battery life. It has easy-to-push electric turn signals (you should still use hand signals while riding in traffic) and a bright headlight and red tail light for visibility.

The battery is half-integrated, which is an interesting design, and allows for a streamlined silhouette while keeping the battery accessible and easy to remove. I keep the charging cable hooked up in my garage, and just plug the bike in to charge up before riding again. It’s comfortable to ride for long periods of time, and has a maximum range of 65 miles, but like all e-bikes, the range is directly dependent on how much assist and throttle you’re using. This is my favorite e-bike I've tested thanks to its seemingly endless feature set, accessible price point, and cute commuter style combined with front suspension. It’s super versatile, and Rad has a whole range of bags and accessories. I have a set of two bike panniers from Rad, and they were easy to install and useful for grocery shopping and errand runs.

The Details: 74 pounds 8 ounces | 20 mph | 65-mile range

Every iteration of REI’s bicycle line seems to get better, and their foray into e-bikes is no exception. With a larger wheel set than the previous model, this bike rolls faster and feels more efficient than e-bikes with smaller wheels. This bike has a similar upright, step-through design as the Radster Road, with a comfortable, wide seat for in-town commutes.

It also features a similar front-fork suspension, so I can bump up and around on in-town gravel trails and over potholes (within reason) without feeling banged around. I never let my e-bikes totally die (they’re too heavy for me to pedal uphill without assistance, so I’m pretty careful), and this charges to full capacity in just a few hours, and comes in three different frame sizes. I also appreciate that this bike weighs 20 pounds less than similar models, making it somewhat easier to maneuver.

The Details: 54 pounds 8 ounces | 20 mph | 60-mile range

This is one of the most popular e-bikes on the market, with a chunky frame and an integrated battery, which helps keep it protected from precipitation. It’s reasonably priced, and you get a lot of bang for your buck. This is a class two bike, which means you can hit 20 miles per hour with throttle and it will spin up to 28 miles per hour with pedal assist (plus a downhill on your side).

Like other options, it has a front fork for cushioning and suspension (100 millimeters on this model), and the seat and handlebars are both adjustable for riders of all heights. While this has less of a battery range than others I’ve tested, it makes it perfect for commuting, and has a whole host of available bags, baskets, and accessories for in-town riding. The electric headlight and taillight help with traffic safety, and the screen readout is one of the most user-friendly I’ve tried.

The Details: 62 pounds | 28 mph | 50-mile range

E-bikes for mountain biking can be a contentious subject, and if you take it on the trails, you’ll have to make sure motorized bikes are allowed in your area (and on that specific day). If you’re unsure, check shared-use trail information, and be on the lookout for signage. That said, using an e-bike to power up the climbs on a tough trail is quite appealing, and Trek’s EXe 8 is a really nice middle ground.

I like the subtlety of the motorized elements of this bike. You still have to work to get up the climbs, but the pedal assist is there for the parts where I’d normally have to step off and push. It weighs less than other e-mountain bikes, and the balance and handling is excellent, which can sometimes get thrown off with really heavy motors and batteries. Trek makes a beautifully tuned bike, and the motorized elements of this model are relatively small in the grand scheme of e-bikes, so not a lot of concessions had to be made. That means that it doesn't have the power of higher-powered models with more battery range, but for people just dipping a toe into the idea of pedal assist on tricky sections of trail, it’s a great bike that doesn’t lose any of Trek’s quality components or trail-ready geometry.

The Details: 45 pounds 4 ounces | 20 mph | 20-mile range

This handy folding bike is perfect for use when traveling, those with small homes, or those with vehicles that don't have a lot of cargo space. The folding system is a lot simpler than other folding bikes I’ve used, and while the geometry of a folding bike won’t handle the same or have the same level of comfort as a standard bike, this comes pretty darn close. It takes turns tightly and you can get plenty of push on uphill sections (though, with the pedal assist, that isn’t totally necessary).

This bike is well-balanced and lighter than others on this list with an integrated battery. The battery can be tricky to get out, but I watched a few videos and was able to manage it. While you don’t get the same power with this bike as you do with others — it doesn’t have a throttle, for one thing — you get the convenience and smart build from a dedicated manufacturer who prioritizes handling and design ethos.

The Details: 48 pounds 10 ounces | 20 mph | 68-mile range

Lectric has an industry-approved, long-running line of e-bikes, and this cargo model uses the same frame design as some of their most popular non-cargo bikes, including 20-inch wheels, a strong hub motor, and an easy-to-read display panel. Despite its smaller stature and smaller wheel base, this bike has a 450-pound load carry, and can haul 300 pounds just on the rear rack.

The wheels are small but mighty, with a three-inch width to absorb some of the chatter that you might experience from the rigid front fork. I also appreciate that the bike ships almost entirely assembled, and was one of the only bikes I didn’t have to drag to my local bike shop for help assembling. This bike is easy to maneuver and the shorter stature takes up less space in the garage.

The Details: 68 pounds | 24 mph | 75-mile range

Priority Bikes have a niche corner of the market with their low-maintenance internal belt drive, which replaces the chain and standard derailleur with an internal hub system. It's also incredibly easy to maintain, even on long bikepacking adventures — and now you get that technology combined with an integrated motor and battery.

This e-bike is built on Priority’s classic frame, which is a retro-styled upright bike with design nods to both townie commuters and cruisers. The battery is integrated into the downtube, which both protects from weather and also creates a low-key silhouette. It has three levels of pedal assist for a 60-mile range plus a new-for-this-year throttle, and weighs less than 50 pounds. If you’re looking for even more of a beach cruiser style, Priority also makes the E-coast, a dedicated upright cruiser style e-bike.

The Details: 49 pounds | 20 mph | 60-mile range

The immense 3,260Wh dual battery takes the cake as far as range goes, with a mind-blowing 300-mile range for both units. The batteries are removable with a few bolts and finessing, and you can swap between the two batteries while you’re on the road or trail. The bike itself has 200 millimeters of rear suspension as well as a generous front suspension, and beefy tires with lots of ground contact. Similar to the Priority bike as well as an option from Rad, the R22 has an internal hub, which reduces maintenance and eliminates any gearing and chain headaches.

This bike’s throttle controls speed and torque, and it has a proprietary 2,700-lumen headlight to see where you’re going. This is probably the most specialized e-bike I've found, and with a higher price point and 93-pound weight, it won’t be for everyone, but for cyclists looking for a massive range on one charge, there’s nothing better.

The Details: 93 pounds | 36 mph | 300-mile range