While electric bikes have been popular for many years in the cycling hubs of mainland Europe and east Asia, people in the UK have only recently woken up to the charms of a little motorised assistance when cycling. Commuters in big cities in particular can benefit from an e-bike, as they offer a fast, reliable and sweat-free route to work, avoiding both the crush and delays of public transport and the physical demands of regular cycling.
That’s not to say you get off scot-free with regards to exercise. You still have to pedal to get the motor running on an e-bike – you can’t just press a button and put your feet up – and the assistance cuts out by law at 15.5mph. If you want to go faster than that, then you're on your own. Still, the motor makes a big difference: the effort required to power an e-bike is no more than walking, which makes it the ideal way to travel further and faster without melting in a pool of sweat.
Here you’ll find our pick of the best e-bikes which are currently on the market. Whether you’re looking for a commuter-friendly steed, a bargain-priced beginners option, or something ready for longer off-road and on-road weekend rides, you’re guaranteed to find something here that fits the bill.
How to buy the best electric bike for you
What kind of electric bike should I buy?
If you’re looking for an e-bike to commute on, the two main choices are between folding and hybrid electric bikes. Folding bikes save on space at home and are generally lighter than hybrid bikes, but sacrifice some range, so are generally only suitable for shorter commutes if you don't want to charge them every day. Meanwhile, their smaller wheels can make tougher work of the rougher roads and potholes in London’s cycle network. If you can find the room, the bigger wheels and stiffer frames of hybrid bikes prove more comfortable to ride and usually have a bigger battery and motor, so can also be used for long weekend rides as well as short-hop commuting. They are heavier though, and can be very, very expensive.
Other electric bike options include mountain bikes and road bikes. The former are growing in popularity as riders can power up the hills before flying back down them with the motor turned off, meaning their day on the trails involves more fun and less graft – and even riders with middling fitness levels can cover much bigger distances off-road. Road e-bikes aren’t so common and are generally very expensive, but are also speedier than most electric options and have a greater range. Incidentally, both road and MTB e-bikes are now a regular sight in the bike rental shops of more mountainous areas such as the French Alps, as they allow even novice riders to accompany experienced riders up the steepest hills and tackle longer rides without getting left behind.
How much do I need to spend?
As you’d expect, electric bikes are more expensive than regular bikes, and generally you’ll be looking at around £1,500 to £3,000 for a quality hybrid bike, although there are a couple of bargains available under £1,000. Folding bikes are a little cheaper, but will still set you back £1,000 to £2,000, and if fancy an electric MTB or road bike, expect to shell out upwards of £2,000. They’re not cheap, but considering the cost of public transport in the UK’s major cities you might end up making your money back within a couple of years of commuting on an e-bike – and you might just get a little fitter into the bargain, too.
What features should I look out for?
The key features to look out for on an e-bike are what type of motor it uses, how far the battery will get you (normally referred to as a bike’s range), and its weight. The motor can be placed in the centre of a wheel at the hub (this is referred to as a ‘hub motor’) or in the middle of the bike, which balances the weight better.
Shimano and Bosch are the two main manufacturers of mid-drive motors across a range of e-bike brands, with both offering quality and reliability, while some e-bike manufacturers will use in-house designs. Most bikes will allow you to choose how much assistance the motor provides with a handlebar-mounted control, with more assistance making it easier to pedal, albeit at the expense of battery life.
The range of an e-bike is vital, as they can be a bit of a handful to ride without assistance due to their increased weight. You should be looking for a range of at least 40-50 miles from a hybrid or road bike, and ideally significantly with lower levels of motor assistance. With MTB bikes it’s tricky to provide a definite range due to the varying terrain they’ll be ridden on, so it’s worth enquiring on a case by case basis. Folding bikes generally have a lower range of between 20 and 50 miles.
One thing that all electric bikes have in common is their weight: all current models are significantly heavier than their human-powered equivalents. Bikes which weigh over 25kg will be a real lump to carry up or down steps, so it’s wise to consider a more lightweight hybrid or folding bike if you don't have a ground floor flat. Also consider how hard it will be to ride if the battery does run out of juice – a 25kg bike is no fun to ride up a hill when there isn’t a motor to lend a helping hand.
The best electric bikes to buy from £500 to £4000
1. Ridgeback E-Flight Di2: The best electric bike for commuting
Price when reviewed:£2,599
The E-Flight Di2 ticks all the boxes that you’d want in a commuter e-bike. The sleek, stylish design means that the Ridgeback doesn’t weigh too much so it can be lifted up stairs easily and, more importantly, it’s easy to ride as a regular bike should the battery run out of juice.
The range in eco mode is a solid 55-60 miles (45-50 in medium and 35-40 in high) and you’ll rarely need to use the higher levels of assist as the E-Flight Di2 flies along nicely due to its relatively lightweight design.
The Di2 also offers automatic gear shifting and lights that are powered by the battery, along with a clear control console on the handlebars. Ridgeback also have the slightly cheaper E-Flight (£2399) in their range, which generally matches up with the Di2 bar a less impressive gear set.
Buy the Ridgeback E-Flight Di2 from Evans Cycles
Key specs – Weight: 19.4kg; Motor: Shimano's Steps (Mid); Range: 35-55 miles; Number of gears: 8
2. Carrera Crossfire-E: The best commuter e-bike under £1000
Price when reviewed:£960
The all-round package offered by this electric bike is excellent considering it can usually be picked up for less than £1000. There are four levels of assist and in the lowest mode – Eco – you can expect to get close to 60 miles on a single charge, but be wary of that range dropping off substantially in the higher Climb and Sport settings.
At 23kg, the Crossfire-E is no lightweight, and you might well find that once the motor cuts out at 15.5mph the going gets considerably tougher, but it’s also not so heavy that it’s impossible to ride without assist. As a nice bonus the battery has a Mini USB port built-in so you can charge your phone on the go.
Buy the Carrera Crossfire-E from Halfords
Key specs – Weight: 23kg; Motor: Suntour HESC; Range: Up to 60 miles; Number of gears: 8
3. Gocycle 3: The lightest electric bike – but it’s heavy on your wallet
Price when reviewed:£3,499
The GoCycle 3 is a one-of-a-kind e-bike with several ingenious features that separate it from everything else on offer. It’s very light, and easy to disassemble for easy portability (although bear in mind that it’s not a folding bike; you won’t want to disassemble it for the Tube each day), and there are no exposed chains or cables which makes the Gocycle very easy to maintain.
Assistance comes from a hidden motor that drives the front wheel, while you power the back wheel yourself through the pedals. This two-wheel drive approach evens out the weight of the Gocycle to make for a smooth and comfortable ride. The long dashboard display provides all the info on your battery life and gears (which can be set to change automatically) and you can even adjust the assist settings on your bike via a GoCycle app.
Buy the Gocycle 3 from E-Bikeshop
Key specs – Weight: 16.3kg; Motor: Gocycle; Range: Up to 50 miles; Gears: 3
4. Coboc One Soho: Single-speed style goes electric
Price when reviewed:£3,199
This stunning single-speed e-bike is not a great deal heavier than a non-electric hybrid and certainly better looking than most bikes of any kind you’ll come across. The battery and motor are hidden away in the frame, and unless you notice the discreet on-off button and series of LEDS in the frame that indicate battery life, you’d be forgiven for not realising that there was any battery-powered shenanigans on offer at all.
You can’t change the level of assistance on the Coboc One, and the range will be considerably less than 50 miles if you regularly tackle hills on your rides, but considering it weighs a very reasonable 13.7kg, running out of juice is no reason to despair. It also takes a mere two hours to charge up from empty if you have run dry.
Buy the Coboc One Soho from Just E Bikes
Key specs – Weight: 13.7kg; Motor: Coboc; Range: Up to 50 miles; Gears: 1
5. Volt Metro: The best folding e-bike
Price when reviewed:£1,499
Folding e-bikes excel on short city commutes, but the robust design and impressive 60-mile range of the Volt Metro mean that it can handle far longer rides as well. At 21.3kg it’s heavy for a folding bike, but while that’s a downside when folding and carrying it, it’s a plus when you’re actually riding: the Volt doesn’t display the twitchiness that can make riding small bikes a slightly tense affair.
There are five levels of assistance to help you along and you can add a burst of speed with the thumb throttle, which is ideal for pulling away from traffic lights. If you don’t require such a large range, the Volt Metro is available with a smaller battery that maxes out at around 40 miles for £200 less. The Volt Metro comes with a two-year warranty covering the frame, motor and battery.
Key specs – Weight: 21.3kg; Motor: SpinTech; Range: Up to 60 miles; Gears: 8
6. Coyote Connect: The best budget folding electric bike
Price when reviewed:£500
If you’re looking for a no-fuss, cut-price e-bike for short commutes, the Coyote Connect is an excellent option. At 20 miles, the range is minimal, and it’s not the most powerful of beasts, but the Connect is solidly built and the three levels of assist on offer will get you up any hills you encounter on your brief rides. The Connect is easy to fold and unfold, though a little heavy and unwieldy if you have to carry it any further than off a train and out of a station, should the need to do so ever arise.
Buy the Coyote Connect from Halfords
Key specs – Weight: 18kg; Motor: Coyote; Range: Up to 20 miles; Gears: 8
7. Specialized Turbo Levo FSR Comp 6Fattie: The best electric MTB
Price when reviewed:£4,049
If you adore flying down off-road trails, but dread the ride back up, this e-bike might be the best purchase you ever make. The powerful, custom-tuned motor makes short work of climbs, while the chunky tyres make it easy to control the Turbo Levo on the downhills despite the extra weight of the e-bike.
The battery is concealed in the frame and you pick from three levels of assistance using a control panel on the down tube. You can customise the level of assistance from the two lower levels using the Specialized Mission Control app which also records the details of your ride and syncs to other apps like Strava.
Most impressively of all, you can also use the app to precisely manage your battery usage. For example, tell the app that your route is 30 miles long and that you’d like to leave 20% of your battery unused at the end of the ride, and it’ll automatically adjust the assistance throughout your ride to conserve enough power. Perfect for that ride to the pub at the end of a hard day’s riding.
Buy the Specialized Turbo Levo FSR Comp 6Fattie from Evans Cycles
Key specs – Weight: 23.3kg; Motor: Brose Custom Trail Tune; Range: 20-40 miles (but very variable on off-road trails); Gears: 11
8. Giant Road E+1: The best electric road bike
Price when reviewed:£2,749
There aren’t a huge range of proper road e-bikes to choose from at the moment. Why? Simple. If you’re after a road bike with drop-down handlebars, then the chances are that you’re someone who’ll be riding faster than 15.5mph a lot of the time, making a heavy motor and battery a hindrance rather than a help.
However, the Giant Road E+1 handles well even when you’re flying along without the motor running, then packs a hefty punch to help you up any climbs you encounter, with three levels of assistance available. In Eco mode it also boasts a massive range that extends up to 80 miles depending on conditions, but be prepared to that range to plummet to nearer 20 miles if you ramp it up to Sport mode for a climb.
Find your nearest retailer at Giant UK
Key specs – Weight: 18.5kg; Motor: SyncDrive Yamaha X94; Range: 25-80 miles; Gears: 22