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The best electric bike options to make your commute or adventure greener

Use this guide to choose the best e-bike for your needs

Roger Richter / Westend61 / Adobe Stock

If you love riding bikes, but aren’t much of a fan of pedaling, e-bikes are a great solution. They can get you where you need to be quicker and with less energy expenditure. Whether you are taking a leisurely ride in the summer countryside, going off-road to explore a new destination, or are antsy to get home from work on a cold, winter day, an electric bike can handle it all. Electric bikes can also serve as greener forms of transportation than cars, as they emit less pollution, allow you to save on gas expenses, and reduce your carbon footprint!

You may think that electric bikes are expensive. However, in recent years, pricing has become more affordable when it comes to the best bicycles. If you’re thinking about shopping for a new bicycle, here's our list of the best electric bikes. We’ve also found some of the best cheap bicycle deals if you’re hoping to save some money on an e-bike. Whether you need an e-bike for your commute, road trip, or just for fun, we suggest test riding a couple of options to gauge their overall quality and functionality.

Choosing an electric bike is easier when you understand the advantages of different styles. That way you can pick the e-bike that's best for your needs.

Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ
Specialized Turbo Vado SL Equipped
Best mid-grade e-bike
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ANCHEER Electric Bike
ANCHEER Electric Mountain Bike
Best electric mountain e-bike
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Propella 7-Speed
Propella 7-Speed
Most affordable 28-inch e-bike
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Vintage Electric Roadster
Vintage Electric Roadster
Best fashionable e-bike
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RadCity 5 Plus
RadCity 5 Plus
Best e-bike for urban rides
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Bike Friday Haul-A-Day Electric Bike
Bike Friday Haul-A-Day Bike Elite
Best grocery-getter utility e-bike
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Lectric XP 3.0
Lectric XP 3.0 E-Bike
Least assembly required e-bike
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Ariel Rider X-Class 52V Grizzly
Ariel Rider X-Class 52V Grizzly
Best performance e-bike
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Juiced Bikes Scorpion X2
Juiced Bikes Scorpion X2
Best and easiest riding moped-style e-bike
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Aventon Soltera.2
Aventon Soltera.2
Best commuter e-bike
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Specialized Turbo Vado SL Equipped over a neutral background
Specialized

Specialized Turbo Vado SL Equipped

Best mid-grade e-bike

Electric bikes run the gamut in price from around $400 to north of $7,000. The Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ is priced in the middle of the range. At $4,000, it’s well beyond entry-level, but it’s not so outlandishly expensive that buyers start considering buying a motorcycle instead.

It boasts a long list of excellent features, including an ultra-lightweight motor capable of up to 28 miles per hour, a high-strength premium carbon fork, hydraulic disc brakes, and a hidden shock to cushion all but the nastiest potholes. Plus, the XS version weighs just 33 pounds — plenty light enough for apartment dwellers who need to lug it home daily up a few flights of stairs.

Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ
Specialized Turbo Vado SL Equipped
Best mid-grade e-bike
ANCHEER Electric Mountain Bike over a white background.
ANCHEER

ANCHEER Electric Mountain Bike

Best electric mountain e-bike

Are you an amateur cyclist with a taste for high-performance bikes? Check out the ANCHEER e-bike. This bicycle is manufactured from aviation-grade aluminum alloy — a high-cost material that is equally strong and lightweight, and the equipped dual-disc brakes and steel suspension fork help deliver a comfortable cycling experience.

With the 500-watt motor and 7.8Ah lithium-ion battery, the ANCHEER electric bike has more than enough juice to power through any adventure, from daily commutes to cruises on biking trails. You can have fun with four levels of pedal power assistance or go full throttle.

ANCHEER Electric Bike
ANCHEER Electric Mountain Bike
Best electric mountain e-bike
Propella 7-Speed Electric Bike on a white studio background.
Propella

Propella 7-Speed

Most affordable 28-inch e-bike

For most “ordinary” bikers, $1,000 tends to be the sweet spot for what they’re looking to spend. Propella’s 7-Speed is a straightforward, entry-level e-bike that almost hits that price point with an affordable price tag courtesy of a direct-to-consumer business model. It boasts Shimano disc brakes, a Samsung battery, and a suspended seat. Plus, it weighs under 40 pounds.

Propella 7-Speed
Propella 7-Speed
Most affordable 28-inch e-bike
Vintage Electric Roadster over a white background.
Vintage Electric Bikes

Vintage Electric Roadster

Best fashionable e-bike

If money is no object, Vintage Electric’s Roadster is guaranteed to turn heads unlike any other electric bike on the road. And at under $6,000, it should. It’s light, small, and stylish, with a beautiful aesthetic reminiscent of a trimmed-down vintage café racer. Ride it in Race Mode on private roads at speeds up to 40 mph.

Vintage Electric Roadster
Vintage Electric Roadster
Best fashionable e-bike
Rad Bikes RadCity 5 Plus e-bike product image.
Rad Power Bikes

RadCity 5 Plus

Best e-bike for urban rides

This elegant European-style electric city bike is easy to use and lots of fun to ride. It features puncture-resistant tires with a custom tread that’s built for riding on pavement. The hydraulic disk brakes are meant for stop-and-go, pretty much a given within city limits.

They also respond to a lighter touch, making it both easier and safer to brake when needed. You can adjust the pedal assist, and the low standover height offers better comfort while riding, even during long trips. Also, it’s good uphill thanks to the 750-watt geared hub motor, supports up to 275 pounds, and more.

RadCity 5 Plus
RadCity 5 Plus
Best e-bike for urban rides
Bike Friday Haul-A-Day Electric Bike
Bike Friday

Bike Friday Haul-A-Day Bike Elite

Best grocery-getter utility e-bike

Bike Friday promises its Haul-A-Day Cargo Bike is the lightest and most versatile long-tail cargo bike in the world. The rear cargo deck is ideal for hauling groceries, takeout food, a briefcase, or even the little ones in your family. The frame is also height-adjustable and able to accommodate riders from 4 feet, 9 inches up to 6 feet, 6 inches, so it’s one bike for the whole family.

Bike Friday Haul-A-Day Electric Bike
Bike Friday Haul-A-Day Bike Elite
Best grocery-getter utility e-bike
Lectric XP 3.0 E-Bike
Lectric Bikes

Lectric XP 3.0 E-Bike

Least assembly required e-bike

This electric bike is the one for you if you need something affordable that doesn't require much assembly. Whether you prefer to use your e-bike for commutes only or wish to take it off-road every once in a while, the Lectric XP 3.0 can help you get to where you want to be. Remarkedly affordable, the XP 3.0 has hydraulic disc brakes for safer stopping power.

Lectric XP 3.0
Lectric XP 3.0 E-Bike
Least assembly required e-bike
E-bike rider stopped on an Ariel Rider Grizzly with mountain views in the background.
Ariel Rider

Ariel Rider X-Class 52V Grizzly

Best performance e-bike

If you're looking for performance when you ride, the Ariel Grizzly does not disappoint. With dual motors front and rear and moderately knobby tires, you can ride on and off-road. Dual batteries give you up to 75 miles of range and the 52V electrical system and geared hub motors carry you at speeds you'd never expect in an e-bike. To top it off, the Grizzly has adjustable front fork and rear motorcycle-style shocks to smooth your ride.

Ariel Rider X-Class 52V Grizzly
Ariel Rider X-Class 52V Grizzly
Best performance e-bike
Juiced Bikes Scorpion X2 moped-style e-bike parked on asphalt with leaves and tress in the background
Bruce Brown / The Manual

Juiced Bikes Scorpion X2

Best and easiest riding moped-style e-bike

When you ride a moped, you find it extremely easy to hop on and ride, and you'll discover the same with the Juiced Bikes Scorpion X2. This is the latest version of the popular Scorpion model and it's a comfortable, easy-to-ride e-bike that's adaptable for many purposes. It can also be upgraded with performance options as well as racks, baskets, and more.

Juiced Bikes Scorpion X2
Juiced Bikes Scorpion X2
Best and easiest riding moped-style e-bike
Aventon Soltera.2 parked in front of a concrete wall
Bruce Brown / The Manual

Aventon Soltera.2

Best commuter e-bike

Are you looking for a bike to commute to work? Then the Aventon Soltera.2 is the standout choice, especially if you chose the Citrine Yellow color for visibility. This sturdy bike has the power to move with city traffic and its rugged enough to withstand pot holes and curbing. Integrated turn signals are a plus for this extremely capable e-bike that's also fun for exercise, group rides, and touring.

Aventon Soltera.2
Aventon Soltera.2
Best commuter e-bike
Mike Richard

Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South Africa, and survived a near-miss great white shark attack in Mexico. His travel advice has appeared on the websites of industry-leading publications for Forbes, Travel + Leisure, CNET, National Geographic, and Vagabondish. He loves the great outdoors and good bourbon, and (usually) calls Massachusetts home. Mike also enjoys speaking in the third person.

Send all editorial inquiries HERE.

Christine VanDoren

Christine is a certified personal trainer and nutritionist with an undergraduate degree from Missouri State University. Her passion is helping others learn how strong and healthy they can become by transforming their daily habits. Christine spends most of her time in the gym and learning how she can influence others through positivity!

Send all editorial inquiries HERE.

Bruce Brown

A Digital Trends Contributing Editor and Contributor for TheManual.com, Bruce Brown writes e-mobility reviews and covers wide-ranging automotive news stories, with special focus on electric vehicles and F1 racing.

Bruce uses smart devices that are compatible with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant at home. To minimize confusion, his Google Assistant has a British accent. An enthusiastic cook, Bruce enjoys concocting his own recipes and getting the most from new small kitchen appliances.

Bruce is a long-time automotive enthusiast interested in e-motorcycles, three-wheelers, and ebikes.

Bruce is a former high school English teacher, university professor, and therapist. In the early 1980s, he was exposed to personal computing and jumped ship to work in the tech world. He was the founder of the Connecticut Computer Society, a statewide nonprofit corporation organized to promote the use of personal computers in education, business, and homes. At its height, the CCS monthly newspaper had a circulation of 28,000+.

Bruce also co-founded Soft Industries, a Connecticut-based computer consulting corporation. Soft Industries consultants trained, consulted, supported, and developed applications for industry, professional schools, and small businesses. Clients included The Hartford Insurance Company, Continental Can, and the professional staff of Yale Law School and Yale Medical School.

For several years, Bruce taught graduate courses in business applications of personal computing at Wesleyan University. In 1985, he was the Director of the Wesleyan University Summer Computer Institute, an intensive seven-week graduate program for professionals and business people.

Bruce is a former long-time Contributing Editor for PC Magazine, Extreme Tech, PC Week, and Computer Shopper. His focus over a 20-year period shifted from personal computers and printers to handheld devices, smartphones, and wireless networking. During that period one of his articles won a Computer Press Association Best Hardware Article award.

Bruce's smartest move was proposing to his wife 13 days after a blind date on his first motorcycle. He’s a proud father and grandfather, and an avid walking companion with Happy, a 12-year-old Double Doodle.

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