Cycling up hills becomes virtually effortless, and you won’t be slowed down by strong winds. All the worst things about regular cycling are solved by an electric bike. Except getting wet in the rain, of course. You can ride an electric bike in the rain: they’re designed for both dry and wet weather. And there are lots of different types of electric bikes, just as there are with normal bikes. So whether you want to cycle exclusively on the road, or to tear up the trails and tackle some proper mountain biking, there’s an electric bike to suit. Not only are electric bikes good for the environment (especially if you replace cycling with car journeys) they also help you to get fit. While electric bikes cost more than regular bikes, there are ways to bring down that cost. In the UK you could ask your employer if you can buy an e-bike on the Bike2Work or Cyclescheme . This can knock off a big chunk of the cost.
Are electric bikes worth it?
Most definitely. Electric bikes make it easy to cover longer distances than you can on an ordinary bike, and you can easily cycle up hills even if you’re unfit. Electric bikes are for everyone, no matter your age or fitness level. Every electric bike offers a variety of levels of assistance – including pedal power only – so you can choose how much effort to put in. Feeling lazy? Use maximum motor power and barely pedal at all. Electric bikes are legal in most countries, but the laws aren’t the same in all. In Europe and the UK, motors are limited to 250W and assistance speeds to 15.5mph / 25km/h. But in the US, bikes can assist to 20mph and have motors up to 1000W in certain states. Do check the laws in your state before buying.
Where is a good place to buy an electric bike?
You can buy electric bikes from many bike shops these days, including Halfords in the UK. Often you’ll be able to test ride one – some companies will even loan you a bike for a day or two so you can really try them out. Quite a few manufacturers sell direct to the public. This can mean they’re a bit more affordable, or better value, but do consider how you’d return the bike if there is a problem. This is why it can be inconvenient to buy from China. You might save a lot of money initially, but if something goes wrong, it can be prohibitively expensive to return it. The alternative is to wait for replacement parts to arrive from the manufacturer, but you’ll have to fit them yourself or pay a local bike repair shop to do it. Having said that, quite a few brands now have warehouses in Europe, UK and the US, so delivery is quick and won’t cost a lot. Local bike shops are better equipped now to service and repair electric bikes, too. What’s important to understand is that you get what you pay for with e-bikes. So, if you can afford more than around $1000 / £800, it’s wise to spend more than that. Even at this price, it’s almost impossible to find one which doesn’t have some compromises in component quality. You might consider that a lot of money, but that’s an entry-level electric bike. Top-end electric bikes can cost several thousand pounds. Here are the electric bikes we recommend.
Best electric bikes: reviewed & ranked
Electric bike buying guide
When choosing a bike you should first decide what type you want. All types are available including road, hybrid (touring / commuting), mountain, folding, shopper / step-through.
Automatic gears Built-in lock & alarm GPS tracking
Too big for short riders No suspension Not as cheap as it used to be
The automatic gears, powerful motor and good range make it a joy to ride. There are lots of useful extras including a built-in lock, alarm and tracking system, and you get LED lights and mudguards as standard – plus a generous three-year warranty. Do note that if you’re under 170cm (5ft7), buy the X3 instead as the S3 is a surprisingly large bike. One of the biggest attractions was the low price compared to the S2, but VanMoof has had to increase the price from £1798 to £2148 ($2448) and from 9 August, it’s rising again to £2248 / $2398, so it’s no longer the bargain it once was.
Lightweight Excellent ride quality Choice of frame size
Expensive
It isn’t the most powerful, but as long as you don’t live in the mountains, it shouldn’t be an issue, and the ride quality is excellent. Range is great considering the relatively small-capacity battery: the only real issue is price, with the entry level SL 4.0 starting at £2600/$3350. Plus, this is the 2021 model, which is now relatively difficult to track down, having been replaced by the 2022 model, which is more expensive still.
Great value Built-in GPS tracker Built-in lights
Only for taller riders No gears Not available in US
You get great quality components, a built-in GPS tracker, and a sensible range of 44 miles (70km). If your commute is relatively short, you might only have to charge it once per week. There’s only one frame size and style, so it’s not exactly ideal for women, but that’s really the only disadvantage. Note that the Cowboy 3 is the previous model, but is still sold alongside the Cowboy 4 and 4 ST (which addresses the male-dominated design issue). As with the VanMoof, prices have risen since we originally reviewed the bike, but currently it’s cheaper than the S3 and X3, and is a great alternative. And, you can get £190 off while the summer promotion is running using the code SUMMER.
Appealing design Good range
Big & heavy No built-in security measures
The classic looks are certainly a highlight, and there are seven gears to help when you’re pulling away from a standstill, as well as on hills. But the powerful motor makes light work of those and the removable battery has a range of up to 60 miles. That, as with all e-bikes, varies a lot depending on many factors. The price includes lights, a kick-stand and mudguards, but there’s nothing in the way of security: no lock and no tracking tech. Amazingly, the price has dropped since we reviewed it, bucking the trend here, and making the Array more attractive. And as long as you’re able to keep it locked up securely and don’t have to leave it, say, on your local high street or at a railway station regularly, that may not be an issue for you.
Good value Well built Sensibly priced
No gears No rear light
It’s more affordable than many of its rivals, yet has very few compromises. It’s relatively lightweight, built with good-quality components and is covered by a two-year UK warranty. Mudguards and a front light are included as standard, and there’s no app to complicate things: you just unfold and ride. Like others here, it’s no longer as cheap as it used to be. The current 2022 model costs £200 more than the 2021, but has a larger-capacity battery for a better range (up to 45 miles) and a new motor with 25% more torque. As with the Cowboy 3, it’s worth noting that there are no gears, which makes it harder to ride – especially up hills – if the battery runs out. But if you’re careful to ensure it doesn’t, it isn’t a problem.
Comfortable Powerful motor Choice of frame size
Heavy No GPS or theft tracking
The price includes the mudguards, lights, kickstand and built-in Dutch-style lock, but unlike the cheaper Cowboy 3 and similarly priced VanMoof S3, there’s no GPS, Bluetooth and embedded SIM for tracking it. If that doesn’t worry you, then the Pulse is a great choice. Just bear in mind it’s a big, heavy bike: this is great for touring around, but not if you have to regularly lift it up steps or onto public transport.
Impressive range Plenty of torque Affordable
Heavy
It’s a budget bike, but that battery and the fact it’s a 48V system will be more than enough to persuade you that it’s the best choice over other foldable models here.
Good value UK warranty Improved display
Some entry-level components Limited range
The range of up to 40 miles is fine at this price, and unlike Chinese imports, you can take the Vengeance E to your local Halfords to get it repaired should anything break. The cheap-looking control panel from the 2019 model has been upgraded to Suntour’s compact OLED model now and, aside from the slightly noisy motor, it’s great value compared to many electric mountain bikes.
Bafang motor Great value
Heavy Jerky power delivery
There are some upgrades here, though, including a neat display built into the handlebar stem. The battery is removable for easy charging, which will be a critical tick-box for some people. The fork and chainset are entry-level components, but this leaves room in the budget for a decent Bafang motor. It costs £300 / $400 more than the Voyager, which isn’t ideal, but it’s still at the more affordable end of the scale for anyone wanting an electric bike for some off-road fun.
Great fun to ride off road Folds up for storage
Heavy Limited warranty support
Unlike cheap Chinese folding bikes we’ve tested, the M1 is sturdily built and feels sure-footed at speed, both on and off road. Battery life is pretty good, but the 25kg weight and those wide tyres mean you’re not going to enjoy riding it under pure pedal power – especially if you have to cycle up any hills. However, our main concern is that there’s limited warranty support should any components fail: Fiido doesn’t have a repair centre in Europe yet. Here are the key things to look for:
Frame sizeWeightSensor type – torque or cadenceGearsClaimed rangeWarranty terms
Some of those are fairly self-explanatory, but it’s worth briefly covering them all. Don’t expect there will always be a choice of frame size. Some of the bikes reviewed here come in one size, and it may be too big – or small – for you. For weight, bear in mind that that e-bikes can be heavy, and therefore harder to ride with no assistance from the motor than a normal bike. Weight can also be an issue if you have to carry your bike up flights of stairs. But there are lightweight options at around 15-16kg – the heaviest e-bikes can weigh upwards of 25kg. You should also consider warranty and longevity. An e-bike may be cheap, but if a component fails you don’t want to have to pay to send the whole thing overseas for repair. Worse still, if you can’t get replacement parts at all, your bike may cease to work at all. Some come with a thumb throttle so you can increase the assistance instantly, but under UK law this is not allowed. Bike which meet current regulations come with no throttle at all and the motor just senses when you’re pedalling. Special brake levers are installed on some e-bikes. These detect when you apply the brakes and cut power to the motor. There are laws in the UK covering electric bikes, and you can read more about which electric bikes are legal to use on the road. Bikes that conform must have a motor outputting 250 watts or less (peak power can be higher) and must not operate the motor over 15.5mph. Also, you have to be 14 or older to ride one. Similarly, it’s worth getting a branded battery (Panasonic, Samsung, Sony etc) or at least checking if you can buy replacement batteries. Lithium-ion packs can be recharged between 800 and 1000 times, which could mean a three-year lifespan if you commute to and from work. And batteries will lose their capacity over time, meaning the bike’s assisted range will decrease as the battery ages. A removable battery means you can take it indoors to charge: handy if you don’t have a mains socket in your shed or wherever you keep your bike. If you do buy a bike, you might be interested in our recommendations for the best bike locks and bike helmets. Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. His main beats include VPN services and antivirus. He also covers smart home tech, mesh Wi-Fi and electric bikes.
