Electric bike deals are probably not the first thing that comes to mind when Amazon Prime Day rolls around. With a bit of searching, I have found some excellent discounts on electric bikes on Amazon, as well as some other retailers that are getting in on the action, too. So if you are in the market for an electric bike, for road, gravel or commuting, then keep reading as there are some outstanding deals currently.

• It's Prime Day! Head to the USA sale
• Head to the UK Amazon Prime Day sale

I probably don't need to explain the advantages of riding an electric bike. Having a motor to assist is a boon for anyone looking for a little extra support on a ride, whether it's to keep up with faster friends or effortlessly zipping around the city.

Adding a motor, battery, and all the paraphernalia needed for an electric bike adds a significant markup to the price, making electric bikes noticeably more expensive than a regular bike.

Our buyers' guide covers all the best electric bikes for road, gravel and urban ebikes, along with everything you need to know when picking your next e-bike. However, today we are focusing on electric bike deals, there are some big discounts available.

The most notable is the whooping $1,100 Canyon Bicycle Amazon Prime Day discount. Canyon has always sold direct to the consumer via its own website, but as of the start of the year, you can now buy Canyon bikes on Amazon in the US. The Precede:ON Comfort 5 Amazon Prime deal is significant as it's $160 better than the discount offered directly.

Amazon aren't the only one with a summer sale, Backcountry are also running a Flash Sale this week, with some tempting discounts on top bike brands. Jenson USA's Trail Day Sale is also running, and you can grab yourself a half-price bike.

I have searched through the sales on Amazon and beyond and rounded up the best electric bike deals.

Quick Links

Best electric bike deals in the Prime Day sales (USA)

Best electric bike deals in the Prime Day sales (UK)

It’s fair to say that the commute to work can set the mood for the day before you’ve even stepped foot in the office. That’s why Hiboy’s range of electric scooters and bikes aims to ensure the day starts off right with their affordable commuting solutions.

With over a decade of experience in the sector, Hiboy have over 200,000 happy customers using one or more of their 40 leading products. 

The brand has claimed more than 10 awards for its range of e-scooters and e-bikes since it launched, highlighting their work towards providing an enjoyable and affordable commuting experience.

Hiboy wants workers to rediscover the joy of the commute and hopes its product range can help them to rekindle that youthful delight within themselves.

The likes of the S2 Electric Scooter and the P6 Fat Tire Electric Bike both demonstrate Hiboy’s mission to finding joy out of the typically monotonous commute to work.

Blending portability with performance

The Hiboy S2 Electric Scooter is an affordable commute companion built to take the stress out of your journey to work and beyond. 

With a powerful 350W motor, an easy-to-use three-step folding system, and 17 miles of range the S2 is the ideal electric scooter regardless of whether you’re weaving through busy city streets or in a rush to catch your bus. 

Offering two riding modes to meet your needs, the Amazon best seller can be ridden in Eco Mode, with a maximum speed of 13mph, to optimise battery life or provide a more performance-focused experience with its Sport Mode when it reaches a top speed of 18.6mph. 

Hiboy’s dual riding modes can be switched between on the S2’s smart dashboard control, where the scooter’s customisable cruise control system is also managed.

Even when the terrain is less than ideal, the S2’s 8.5-inch honeycomb tires and rear dual shock absorber suspension, alongside e-braking and disc brakes, ensure that you’ll make it to work on time and in comfort.

The honeycomb tyres offer unrivalled durability and puncture resistance. Meanwhile, the 36V 7.5Ah battery powers a trio of high-visibility LED lights, on the front, side, and tail of the scooter to ensure you’ll be safe and seen on those commutes before or after daylight hours.

An affordable way to inject some speed and efficiency into your morning commute, Hiboy is kicking off their promotional campaign with the S2 on sale for $299.99.

From urban jungle to off-road exploring

While the S2 is built for beating the traffic on your way to work, the Hiboy P6 Fat Tire Electric Bike can handle the pressure of the morning commute but also allow you to unwind off the beaten track.

Not only will it help you to tackle the urban jungle on your way to work, the fat tire setup and electric assist mean that it’s perfect for those weekends when you want to head off the beaten track and explore the great outdoors.

Priced at $939.99 for the rest of this month, the P6 comes with a Shimano seven-speed gearing that can reach up to 28mph. 

The 750W motor allows you to tackle 60 miles on one charge of the 48V 11.6Ah removable lithium battery, with a recharge time of approximately six to seven hours.

Puncture-resistant 26-inch fat tires, disc brakes and a hydraulic suspension front fork make the P6 a suitable companion across all kinds of terrain, from the city’s tarmac to gravel tracks out in the wilderness and remote snow-covered trails.

What’s more, not only is the terrain no issue for the P6, but so too the gradient of the route, thanks to the electric assist in the bike’s battery. With fewer obstacles in their way, riders can get out and explore areas that were previously beyond their reach.

If you purchase a P6 before November 1, an extra $20 can be saved by using code IGKT20 at the checkout* on hiboy.com. 

*Online orders only and can't be combined with other discount codes.

They are a staple of nearly every major city, primarily used by food couriers: The homemade ebike, often converted at home without expert supervision, is quickly becoming a problem for fire departments. Today, the BBC reported a call to action from the National Fire Chief’s Council following a series of house fires caused by lithium-ion batteries catching alight.

The latest high-profile fire occurred in Bristol, UK, at the end of September, and saw Jabar Oryakhe, 30, sadly die after falling from the 16th floor of a tower block while trying to escape the blaze. According to research published on Gov.uk in August, this is one of 235 fires in the last two years reportedly caused by ebikes, just under half of which were due to homemade setups. A total of 11 deaths in 2023 were reportedly caused by ebike fires. 

The National Fire Chief’s Council says it wants “enhanced product safety rules” on ebike conversion kits, as well as greater regulation of the sale of the kits. Bristol City Council, following the fire, is quoted as saying: 

“Evidence continues to emerge which does raise concerns about the risk posed by lithium-ion batteries. If items are found not being stored or charged safely in communal areas, we will consider removing them from council houses.”

This latest tragedy is perhaps a final reason that saw online auction giant eBay ban the private sale of ebikes on its site, citing fire risks. Reputable businesses will still be allowed to sell them, however. 

Homemade ebikes are often a lot cheaper than standalone ebikes, constructed using cheap bikes and similarly cheap motors and batteries. The main cause of fires appears to be a mismatch of charger and battery, according to the charity Electrical Safety First. Guiseppe Capanna, a product safety engineer for the charity outlines the problem with missing or mismatched parts:

"They might include the motor, and the controller, but won’t always include the two most important bits – the battery and charger. That leaves it to consumers to work out which products they need to make it safe - quite often they get it wrong. You have a high risk that a charger won’t be compatible with the battery. The battery could then become over-charged - that’s one of the things that can cause it to go into thermal runaway, which causes it to catch fire and explode.”

It does seem that the issue isn’t one of ignorance of the risks, but rather cycle couriers accepting the danger as an unfortunate necessity. One anonymous messenger said:

“You need an e-bike when you work full-time as a rider because you can’t push it all day – especially up hills. I am aware they can catch on fire, so you have to take care. I dismount the battery from the bike and charge it outside of the house, often in a garage. It’s very dangerous. It could set fire to the house and hurt people, so I am careful.”

Are all ebikes dangerous?

No. While there are calls for third-party certification to bring ebikes into the same category as fireworks, there isn’t a cause for alarm if you own, or are thinking of purchasing an ebike from a reputable manufacturer. We have a list of the best electric bikes on the market, and also a list of the best electric bike conversion kits, all of which are also safe when installed and used correctly, and used with an appropriate charger. 

Cycling UK’s Sarah McMonagle reassures the public: “Like traditional pedal cycles, e-cycles boost physical and mental health, improve air quality, and reduce carbon emissions. They’re a great option for people who cycle in a hilly area, experience mobility challenges, carry children or shopping, or simply don’t want to get sweaty on their commute. When purchased from reputable manufacturers, e-cycles are very safe."

There is much to be done in terms of education. In order to tackle this, in the UK at least, the UK cross-industry e-bike positive campaign from the Electric Bike Alliance has been launched to spread the word not only on the health benefits of electric bikes, but also to raise awareness of the potential safety issues at play in the market. 

Look has updated its E-765 road and gravel e-bike range with a new motor, significantly lower weight, and extended range.

The updated E-765 is powered by the latest Fazua Ride 60 motor and battery, replacing the Fazua Evation in its previous generation E-765 models. The Ride 60 system’s 250 watt, 60Nm motor is integrated into the bottom bracket and is powered by a non-removable 430Wh battery in the downtube. 

The new system makes for a more slender profile to the new bike than the outgoing model, where the battery was removable from the frame. Look says that the new bike is also a whole kilogram lighter than its predecessor and has double the assistance range at 120km and 1500m of elevation gain on a full charge.

Fazua says a complete motor system weighs 4.2kg – a sizeable chunk of the road-going E-765’s 12.9kg claimed weight, which puts it firmly in the lightweight electric bike market. 

The motor characteristics can be tuned by the rider using Fazua’s app, which also provides activity tracking and an in-ride dashboard. There are three assistance modes available, as well as walk assist. Claimed time for a full charge is 3.5 hours.

As with the original E-765, which was launched in 2019, the updated E-765 is all-carbon and available in both road-going and gravel configurations. Look says that it’s designed its frame shapes and carbon lay-up to improve vertical flexion and hence comfort and traction. There’s 45mm of tyre clearance and the frame can be fitted with a suspension fork to provide up to 50mm of travel for gravel riders.

Look is offering the new E-765 in two specs at launch, one road-going, the other for gravel aficionados.

Road spec 

The road-going E-765 Optimum has a claimed weight of 12.9kg. It’s specced with SRAM Rival AXS XPLR with a 1x configuration with a 44-tooth chainring and 10-44t SRAM XG cassette. The carbon wheels, along with the cockpit, carbon seatpost and saddle are Look branded. Tyres are 32mm Hutchinson Sector.

A complete bike is priced at £8,490 / $9.490 / €8,490.

Gravel spec 

The off-road spec E-765 Gravel has a SRAM Apex XPLR 1x groupset, with a 42-tooth chainring. Paired with the 10-44t SRAM cassette, this offers a sub-1:1 lowest gear ratio. It’s powered by the same Fazua Ride 60 motor and battery system, and is fitted with Fulcrum E-Racing 900 wheels with Hutchinson Touareg 40mm tyres. There are gravel specific Look LS2 Gravel flared handlebars and a similar array of other Look components to the E-765 Optimum. Claimed weight in gravel spec is 13.8kg.

The E-765 Gravel is priced at £6,990 / $7,690 / €6,990.

"Why don't you just buy a mountain bike" it's an argument that seems to get levelled at some of the more aggressive drop bar gravel bikes on the market at times, e-bikes included. And I just don't buy it. I think there's a lot more to the argument than that, as I'll go on to explain. 

Canyon launched the Grizl:ON e-bike line in March and I've been testing one since then. Canyon called the bike its 'swiss army knife on wheels' at launch and the bike is said to take inspiration from mountain bike geometry. Summed up the Grizl:ON is designed to be a capable bike you can commute on, blast in the woods or take on a longer adventure.

There are four models in the Grizl:ON range and I've been testing the top CF Trail model which is the bike most clearly aimed at aggressive off-road riding; it even has some MTB parts specced. All models are built around a RockShox Rudy 40mm suspension fork, but th CF Trail gets more aggressive tyres, a Sram AXS dropper post and 'bailout' Sram XO Eagle 52T cassette. Canyon has also developed a few other interesting new details and components which we'll unpack further in the review.

It's available in one spec option and is priced at £7,649 / €8,049. The model isn't available in the US, but the CF 9 and CF 7 models are.

Design and Aesthetics 

The CF Trail just looks burly and aggressive standing still. The big e-bike downtube complements the deep section, wide DT Swiss wheels and aggressive tyres well. My size small with a decent amount of seatpost showing also looked fantastic. E-bikes with larger volume tyres just look better if you ask me, something I mentioned in my Specialized Creo 2 review. The glossy grey-to-black fade and bright Canyon logo also look good and I think will probably have most people on board. 

The CF Trail gets the same carbon frame as the rest of the model lineup, but the spec list is different and outlines the model's purpose pretty clearly. 

There's a whole raft of parts from the Sram stable for starters. Starting from the front there's a RockShox Rudy Ultimate fork which has lockout, 40mm of travel and the Charger Race Day damper. There are Sram Force brake levers and calipers, and 180mm discs, paired to an XO Eagle rear derailleur and 10-52T cassette. Then there are a pair of FSA carbon crank arms mounted to a 42T FSA 1x ring. A Canyon chainguard keeps the chain in place up front on rougher terrain. The rear derailleur is also wired into the battery so you don't need to worry about charging it, ditto for the Sram AXS Reverb 75mm wireless dropper post which replaces the Canyon VCLS carbon seatpost other models have for more speed in the descents. 

The DT Swiss rims feature a 24mm internal width and are fitted with Schwalbe G One Ultrabite 50mm tyres. However, if customers want to fit mudguards to this model, they will need to downsize to 45mm tyres. On the subject of mudguards, you can fit them, and Canyon also offers a front fender for the Rudy fork on its website. 

Handlebars and stem are Canyon's own aluminium models, and the shorter 60mm stem again underscores what the bike is about. I also feel the aluminium, round, non-integrated lightly flared bar fits in well here. It's unfussy and you don't need to worry about smashing your carbon handlebars. The bottle cages are also Canyon's own and use steel bolts with Loctite applied. I took these bottle cages with me to ride the Paris Roubaix challenge earlier in the year (on my road bike) and they provided a good firm hold on the cobbles, keeping my bottles safe.   

Thinking outside the box 

Canyon has also rolled out a few clever design touches with the Grizl:ON the first of which is an integrated light set in collaboration with Lupine which is wired into the battery system. 

The rear lights are integrated neatly into the ends of the rear dropouts and stay constantly on when the motor is turned on. They are replaceable as they are in bash territory and may sustain knocks and bumps over time. The front headlamp can be controlled via a neat switch mounted on the handlebars. 

The rear lights are the Canyon x Lupine SightStays, whilst the front is the Lupine Nano SL. The battery will also reserve 2 hours of light - for the lights, even if you drain the battery which in theory should allow you to get home in the dark. I headed out on a few gravel rides that finished in the dark with friends (after a stop at the pub on the way home) and not having to bother to charge, find and fit lights was great. They are always there, you don't have to think and it's a definite problem solver, they are also bright enough to light the way in unlit lanes.

Canyon has also implemented what they call the Click and Ride system. A series of mounts on the frame allows for an extra water bottle, battery range extender, or the LOAD FidLock Quickloader pictured below to be fitted. This neat frame bag contains some essentials like tyre levers and a C02 canister and inflator with space for a little extra and as mentioned, neatly fits into the main triangle well.  The bike also arrived with a pair of relatively decent flat pedals, I liked this and I can't think of many bikes in this price bracket that come with a useable pair of pedals included.  

My size small test bike has a stack of 592 and a reach of 398. The headtube angle is 69.5 degrees in this size, whilst the seat tube angle is 74 degrees across all sizes.

The numbers are nice to have, but what do they mean in context? Well, a neat comparison and one I'll reference is the geometry of the YT Szepter, itself an MTB-influenced gravel bike with the same Rudy Ultimate fork fitted. And a bike I got on really well with riding off-road. 

The Szepter in a medium (the size I rode) and the Grizl:ON small share exactly the same reach number of 398, and the Canyon has a 5mm taller stack height. The headtube angle is .1 of a degree slacker on the YT and the seat tube angle is .4 of a degree steeper. 

In short, both bikes share almost identical geometry and it's one I've found to be great riding off-road, confidence-inspiring and playful, yet it doesn't go so far that it's not an engaging ride back on the tarmac. The stack heights of both bikes in particular mean you can hook into the drops and just get stuck into technical off-road riding which is exactly the case with the CF Trail.  

The powerplant of the CF Trail is provided by Bosh. In this case in the form of the Bosch Performance Line SX motor and Bosch Compact Tube 400WH battery. 

It's a pretty lightweight system, weighing in at 4kg, split evenly between the motor and battery. There's also an optional range extender available. 

The system provides 55Nm of torque and 600 watt max power and I found this to be more than enough. All can be controlled and monitored via the Bosh e-bike flow app. 

Controlling the system is done via the top tube-mounted control unit and there are four ride modes to choose from Turbo, Sprint, Tour and Eco which are represented with four different colours. The system is intuitive and easy to get to grips with and learn. Light bars on the control unit decrease to indicate battery usage and it's very easy to see. 

The Bosch flow app provides range estimations as can be seen below and updating firmware or carrying out updates is a breeze. 

The power delivery and torque were ample for me, more than enough to tackle anything in my way and starting from a standing start off-road in Turbo felt aggressive and torquey. 

Battery life was solid on the road and I completed some on-the-road off-road longer gravel loops of thirty miles or so without issue and with a decent battery level left. Riding off-road at my local trail centre and letting it rip drained things faster, though it is a fairly climbing heavy loop. I finished a 15-mile off-road MTB loop on around 10% I think but I'd just been letting things rip. 

Performance 

I'm a roadie at heart and always will be, but I'm yet to set off on an e-bike and not start grinning. They are just downright fun bikes to ride and the CF Trail is no exception. 

My first ride on the bike was an hour-long lunchtime blast in the rain, and this was an interesting one. The power on tap was obvious straight away and I just headed to my local woods and lanes. I ended up taking two new trails I've ridden past all my life but never taken and linked together a brand new loop, which was exciting and fun. This is a point to e-bikes in general but it was a great reminder of how much ground you can cover and what you can fit in. I descended back to my house covered in mud and grinning, off to a good start. 

Off-road, the bike can tackle a hell of a lot, with the fork, dropper, tyres and good geometry you can push things as far as you want. I love tackling technical terrain on gravel bikes and the CF Trail won't disappoint if you're into this too. I also rode on road loops with friends on regular gravel bikes and the bike is nippy there, it certainly isn't slow and sluggish. Lock the fork out, and even fit faster tyres if you want to and there wouldn't be much of a handicap. But if the power is there, why not fit aggressive rubber?

The Grizl:ON in its CF Trail guise is so capable and aggressive that I knew I wanted to test it on some proper MTB terrain (for the Midlands in the UK) too, beyond that of my local woods. Canyon itself says the bike takes inspiration from MTB geometry and I knew I wanted to explore this with the bike. 

I headed to my local MTB trail centre, Cannock Chase, and rode the roughly 15-mile Follow the Dog and Monkey Trails red-graded trails. I'm familiar with these trails, but hadn't ridden them for a year or two and quickly felt at home on the CF Trail, it didn't miss a beat really and I rode it pretty much like I would a mountain bike.  

Climbing is no sweat with the electronic power on tap, I also didn't have any issues with the frame headset bump stops on really tight switchback turns, something else I wanted to test. I was on a slight time limit so it was great to power around the trails, perfect if you're on a lunchtime blast. But MTB-focused riders will probably just enjoy linking the 'boring' pedally sections of trail to get to the more exciting stuff quicker. I also seemingly was having too much fun to notice I'd dropped my car key in the forest on the ride but that's another story! 

On technical, mtb terrain I noted I would have liked a mode switch on the handlebar drops ideally to cycle through motor modes without taking my hands off the bars. Turbo for instance was just too much on tight, twisty singletrack but I had to wait to clear the section to change mode using the top tube button without stopping or completely slowing down. I checked with Canyon and a shift button can be retrofitted with no problem, but given this model's spec and purpose, one from the factory would be nice. 

On rough and rocky sections, there was also a little bit of internal rattle, but it wasn't too distracting, and I've heard noisier road bikes if I'm honest. I felt a little bit of motor 'lag' coming off the power and freewheeling into a section, there was just a second or two sometimes when the bike felt really bogged down. I think if you were riding technical terrain all the time you would learn to accommodate this - it's part of learning to ride an e-bike in my view.

The last big descent on the loop is easy to session (roadies, this is MTB speak for repeat) thanks to a quick access road and climb up to the top. I repeated this and it was a perfect example of using the e-power to enjoy the descents. This will be nothing new to MTB riders, but it's nice to include it here, flick the bike into turbo and get to the top more quickly so you can enjoy the descent again. 

Value

At £7,649 / €8,049 this Grizl: ON model isn't exactly cheap, but it's a bit of a monster spec and the only thing I can really think I'd want to add is the aforementioned additional mode shift button on the bars. 

How does it compare to rivals, such as they are? Well, the Specialized Turbo Creo 2 Expert which I have ridden is £7,500 / €8,049. It's a lighter bike without a suspension fork, but it doesn't have an AXS dropper, instead uses a cable-operated one. I'd say the Canyon spec beats it. The Cannondale Topstone Neo Carbon Lefty is also slightly cheaper with its mechanical groupset and Lefty front suspension fork. But this space in the market is one that's growing which means it's open to interpretation. 

This value section brings me back to the original question which was 'why wouldn't you just buy a mountain bike?' Well, this is pretty far away from a mountain bike. 

Looking at a bike like this you may think that it is essentially a hardtail MTB but there's still a great deal of difference between the two. Straight away there's the slacker frame angles, sometimes a lot slacker. More than double the amount of front suspension travel, different riding positions due to flat bars and potentially lower gearing that most modern hardtail mountain bikes have. On lots of real MTB terrain for my money, a hardtail would be the faster and more capable bike, you could just ride it in a different way and let things go even more. There's still an element of looking after and managing the bike when riding a drop bar gravel bike off-road.

This is a more nimble, light-handling bike that whilst incredibly capable off-road, will keep you on your toes a bit more than a mountain bike. There is a lot of room on the spectrum between road and mountain bikes and this type of bike has added another band of colour to it over the past few years.

So, if you have the cash and want a fun, aggressive gravel bike to ride on and off the road, but that crucially isn't as aggressive as an MTB, you won't be disappointed. 

Verdict 

The Grizl:ON CF Trail has been great fun to ride and is brilliant to ride off-road, eating up the technical off-road terrain.

I haven't had a single issue with the bike over the whole review period, and everything has worked exactly as it should have. The integrated lights in particular are a clever Idea and add value to the overall package. 

I think the bike is specced well and competitively for the money, the Canyon direct model is partly to thank here. I don't think this particular model will be at the top of riders' purchase lists, with perhaps other types of bikes taking precedence but if you are in the market, have the cash and are looking for a solid gravel e-bike this is an excellent option.  

Eurobike has long been the biggest bike show in Europe and is truly enormous. With over 1,800 companies exhibiting over 150,000 square metres of indoor and outdoor space, it takes days to get around, and even then it's easy to miss things.

These days it is more of a trade event than a launch platform, as product gets shown throughout the year, and lots of the latest road tech debuted at the Tour de France only a week ago, as highlighted by our Tour tech gallery.

Though it's dominated by electric bikes and a dizzying array of bike styles, there is still a lot of interesting road and gravel kit to check out, and here are our highlights.

Classified's new 16-speed groupset

Classified probably had the biggest road-based news at the now e-bike-dominated event with the introduction of its 16-speed groupset in conjunction with TRP. Don't panic, though, that doesn't mean there's a new 16-speed cassette, more that you can control the gears with one shifter that uses a combination of the seamless two-speed hub shifting with a wireless 12-speed rear derailleur to give you 16 individual gears operable from a single shift lever with no overlapping gear ratios.

DT Swiss x Continental Aero 111 tyre

The eagle-eyed among you might have spotted the strange new tyre being used by Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale at the Tour de France, and it's now been unveiled officially as a Partnership between DT Swiss, Continental, and SwissSide as a new aero front-only tyre. What started out as a bit of tinkering from the engineers in the wind tunnel has made it to the Tour, and though only being used by one team so far, there are plenty of others putting the front-specific tyre to test in the never-ending aero arms race.

Elite Square indoor bike

Indoor training can take a terrible toll on your bike if you're not careful, and to save you from turning your pride and joy into a sweaty, corroded mess, Elite has launched the Square. Unlike other complete options from brands like Wahoo and Tacx, the Square is a trainer bike frame that is attached to a trainer so that you can retrofit it to your existing direct drive turbo, and it will even work with other non-Elite trainers.

With tons of features, easy-to-use adjustments, and a super solid and stable frame, this looks like a great option for those looking to improve their training experience this winter.

Elite Avanti trainer

Elite also had its latest Avanti trainer, which brings Wi-Fi technology to a new platform designed to compete with the Wahoo Kickr Core. The addition of Wi-Fi means you have more Bluetooth options open, which is handy for those using systems like Apple TV for indoor training setups. It also has a really neat little storage box complete with all the adaptors and a brake pad block, so you won't have to worry about losing the adaptors when travelling.

Pirelli tyres

I'm all for the wider tyre trend on race bikes, but I think Pirelli might have gone a bit too far this time.

Giant Trinity disc Jayco AlUla prototype

First seen at the Tour of Romandie, Giant had the Trinity disc prototype on display in Jayco AlUla colours. Details are still hard to come by, but Giant has taken advantage of the relaxed UCI rules with deep-bladed aero forks and head tube area. There's also a neat-looking mono riser bar set up and lots of clearance for wide tyres.

Giant Revolt gravel bike

Giant also had the recently launched and updated Revolt gravel bikes on show. With their new storage options and comfort-orientated finishing kit, they look to improve on the well-loved previous version.

SRAM WBR Buffalo two-speed bike

Having recently launched its Red groupset, there wasn't much new kit on display at SRAM, though it did have its latest Buffalo bike on display with its innovative two-speed drivetrain and seriously bomb-proof yet simple build.

Shifting is handled by two chainrings and freewheels connected by a shift ring. To operate it, the rider imply backpedals half a turn, and it changes from one gear to the other. It's a simple system with no need for a shifter or cable and means that those in tougher terrain can make use of the Buffalo bikes.

Designed to enable African communities to benefit from the freedom of a bike with its World Bicycle Relief fund, WBR has got over 800,000 bikes to communities that need them, which is a seriously impressive number.

ERE Research Aero TT wheels

I've tested some lovely gravel wheels from ERE Research in the past, but I spotted these being used on the time trial bikes of Intermarché-Wanty recently and wanted to check them out. With the Genus AE92-D 92mm deep wheel up front and the Genus AE00-D disc wheel out back, they look like an interesting option for those looking for a fast disc brake setup.

ERE Research Genus tyres

ERE also had its range of Genus tyres on display, which had a pleasingly old-school look to them with their tan side walls and grippy-looking tread but with bang-up-to-date tubeless tech, high TPI carcass, and wide sizes.

ERE Research adjustable saddle

Finally, ERE also had a clever take on saddle tech, with this model which lets you adjust the tension on the saddle rails for differing levels of flex and, therefore, comfort with the flick of a small lever just under the nose. This isn't a new thing to ERE, but it's an interesting concept nonetheless.

Shimano S-Phyre XC 903 shoes

As used by none other than Mathieu van der Poel, Shimano’s latest top-of-the-range XC shoe is a lightweight race shoe with a double Boa setup and features such as a lock-down heel to keep the shoe secure and light but grippy enough outsole for when you need to get off and run. They come in three colors and a wide-fit version, and like other Shimano shoes, there should be plenty of room in the toe box, too.

PRO Stealth Superlight saddle

The popular Stealth Superlight saddle has been updated and is now 15g lighter. However, it is still comfortable and optimized for an aggressive aero position for those looking to shave a few grams from their race bike.

PRO Vibe Aero Carbon Handlebar and PRO Vibe Aero Stem

Designed to offer the benefits of an aero one-piece bar and stem setup but without the fit and adjustment drawbacks, PRO had its latest setup on display. Its 37cm-wide version has a 126mm drop, 77mm reach and weighs 240 grams.

Its external internal cable routing will be welcomed by mechanics far and wide. PRO has even have dedicated slots for Shimano satellite shifters next to the stem that make shifting from the tops easy while still being fully aero.

K-Edge bottle cage mounted chain guide

Fresh from the latest Unbound, K-Edge had this neat-looking chain device on display. It is designed to mount from the bottle cage bolts and offers a chain retention solution for bikes without front mech mounting points. With lots of adjustments, it should fit pretty much any gravel bike and TT bike.

Scott Plasma Tri bike

Scott had Magnus Ditlev's Ironman race bike on show, which featured tonnes of the usual Triathlon bike features like large chainrings, aero mech cages, etc, but the handlebar extensions really caught my eye.

They look like polished production items from the side, but up close, it's clear these are a very custom set-up, with more thought to comfort over a longer distance than you'd find on a WorldTour TT set-up.

DARE Velocity Ace limited edition

Some of the riders at Uno-X have been racing the Velocity Ace this year, with all five of their victories coming on this super aero machine. DARE had this version on show in a subtle matt silver and black finish, which is limited to just 50 units available worldwide.

Haro bikes

Those of you of a certain age who rode BMX in your youth will undoubtedly remember Haro. The brand recently announced a complete range overhaul that includes these great-looking road and gravel bikes.

Storck Aerfast.5

Storck’s Aerfast.5 is a striking, no-compromise aero bike that caught my eye. The brand says it is the fastest in the world, and with its deep aero forks, head tube, and very fast-looking bar and stem, you can see why.

Passoni Cicloprato gravel bike

I should admit that a Passoni has long been at the top of my ‘If I won the lottery list’ of dream bikes, and the Italian custom masters' latest offering, the Cicloprato, was no exception. With near-endless custom build possibilities and beautiful finishes, they are real head-turners, though if you have to ask how much...

Bulls Mache-Ti 3D printed gravel bike

Bulls is a German brand with an enormous range of normal and electric bikes, and tucked away on its stand was this lovely 3D-printed titanium gravel bike. The brand has made great use of the tech to create a very modern-looking machine and has even gone for a full titanium fork to match too.

Sidi Shoes

Sidi has long been one of the most sought-after shoe brands, though, in recent years, I thought its designs had started to look a bit dated, which, as long time fan, was sad to see. Especially for gravel and MTB though that looks like it is about to change with some great updates and bang-up-to-date color options. Sidi has even taken the ‘gravel is just 90’s mtb to heart with some retro-inspired colorways, too.

Fizik shoes

The booming gravel scene really seems to have let designers go wild with colors, and the Tempo Beat shoes from Fizik were no exception.

Schwalbe Clik valve

The humble Presta valve has been unchanged for decades and looked like it was one of the only ‘standards’ to stay around forever, though Schwalbe is looking to change that with its latest 'Clik valve'. It offers a far more secure connection and simpler usage, and handily they screw into existing valves with removable cores.

Mavic

Mavic had a great range of its latest updated wheels, helmets, and clothing on display, and it had a real feel of resurgence on its stand, which was great to see after some tough times for the historically influential brand.

From cutting-edge race wheels to comfortable all-road options and even a bang-up-to-date rim brake option, the wheel range covers practically all bases. The soft goods looked on-trend with modern cuts and colours laced with well-thought-out tech, too.

Parlee Taos

Parlee has long been known for its custom carbon options, which are still all built in its Massachusetts headquarters. It has just released the Taos, handmade in the EU and offered in fixed sizes. With clearance for 50mm tyres, long, slack geometry, and lots of built-in compliance, it looks like the perfect bike for an adventure.

Hope British Olympic track bike

Hope had the latest Team GB track bike on display, ready for the upcoming Paris Olympics. It's a radical-looking machine with an updated fork featuring a wavy trailing edge and a wild split seatpost design built in conjunction with Lotus and Renishaw.

USE Vybe suspension stem

The British brand USE had the compact and tidy-looking Vybe suspension stem on show. Designed to complement the Vybe suspension seatpost, it offers gravel riders an extra degree of comfort and comes with four different elastomers and adjustable preload so you can tune in your ideal amount of movement.

M-Sport Technik

No Eurobike show would be complete without some form of genre-defying monstrosity, and the guys from M-Sport Technik didn't disappoint with this monster gravel e-MTB trekking drop bar thing.

Japanese component manufacturer Shimano has released two new electric bike drive units in the shape of the EP5 and EP5100. The brand says the new drive units, “represent a significant step into a new era of e-bikes, empowering riders to explore further, connect deeper, and experience the natural joy of cycling.”

The new EP5 and EP5100 systems join Shimano’s existing e-bike drive offerings, the EP8 and EP6 aimed at mountain biking whilst the EP6100 and E5000 systems are suited more to urban mobility and commuting. 

E-bikes for commuting and urban mobility are increasingly terms that go hand in hand with more people turning to e-bikes as a solution for getting around town and commuting to work. It seems Shimano has angled its latest drive units specifically at this corner of the cycling community.

 EP5: Power balanced with range 

The EP5 system offers riders a great deal of customisation and the ability to tune the feel and characteristics of each of the three assist modes, eco, trail and boost via Shimano’s E-Tube Project Cyclist app. The 3-kilogram EP5 system can deliver up to 60Nm of torque and is compatible with disc, roller or coaster brake systems. 

Although range is a tricky thing to accurately calculate for an e-bike system. Shimano is confident that the EP5, on a ‘mostly flat commuting course’ can provide assistance for up to 270 kilometres on a single charge. If riders don't have any 270-kilometre rides in mind it does mean that the system could last a week or more between charges. 

Another feature of the EP5 is its compatibility with the Auto-Shift function for bikes with internal hub gearing or a rear derailleur setup. As the name suggests this takes shifting out of the hands of the rider and lets the bike shift gears for you to always keep you in the most suitable gear based on your cadence, rider input and motor support. 

In regions where regulations permit the EP5 drive unit is capable of providing assistance up to a maximum speed of 28 mph. However, in regions such as the United Kingdom and the EU, all e-bike classes are governed by a 25 km/h (15 mph) maximum support speed.  

 EP5100: Built for everyday e-biking 

Joining the EP5 is the EP5100 which the brand says is a more accessible drive unit. Tipping the scales at 2.4kg and delivering 50Nm of torque, the motor has a little less support than the EP5. Aimed at 'commuting and everyday adventures' the EP5100 has been designed to bridge the gap between traditional cycling and pedal-assisted cycling. 

The EP5100 has been designed to provide riders with a smooth and natural assistance platform. Much like its more premium brother the EP5100 is also customisable via the E-Tube Project Cyclist app. 

For riders wanting to make use of the brand's Auto Shift technology the EP5100 is only compatible with internal hub gear drivetrains only, rather than both internal hub gears and traditional external derailleurs the EP5 system can deal with. Like the EP5 it is also compatible with disc, roller and coaster brakes.

Ahead of its launch Shimano said that the EP5100 was, “Inspired by more than a hundred years of cycling history, the E5100 bridges the worlds of cycling and e-biking, by offering a lightweight and responsive support system, while providing riders with a natural feel and reliable performance with every stroke.”

We don't have pricing for the new units yet but expect to see them being specced on commuter and hybrid e-bikes in the near future.

When an email landed in my inbox from UK-based sports car brand, Ariel, famous for its Atom track car and Nomad dune buggy, I thought someone had confused me for a different JC. Jeremy Clarkson and his duo of Top Gear colleagues might have been the team who introduced me to the Ariel brand, but this email was meant for me. 

That's because the Somerset, England-based brand is stepping back into the world of bikes after a 92-year hiatus. 

Called the Dash, the bike is launched in part as a celebration of Ariel's first-ever product, the Ariel Ordinary, a Penny Farthing that the brand claims was the world's first series production vehicle, created in 1871. 

The Ariel Dash comes in two separate guises: the belt-driven Dash Urban and a Shimano-equipped Dash Adventure. Both are built around a 1.3kg frame - though the geometries differ - made from a combination of titanium and carbon fibre, using 3D-printed lugs, offering internal cable routing and a clean aesthetic. 

The frames use Reynolds 6-4Ti Seamless ELI titanium tubing, which Ariel says are made by Reynolds specifically for the Dash. The tubes are joined by 3D-printed Ti-6AL-4V Grade 5 Titanium using the same machines used to construct combustion chamber components for space rockets and thrusters for satellites.

The seat tube and seatpost are carbon fibre, and give the aesthetic of a continuous tube that travels upward from the bottom bracket to the saddle clamp.

Specifications

The Dash Urban, which features Zipp's Vuka track bars up front, uses a single-speed Gates carbon belt drive. Weighing 10.9kg, it uses the Mahle X35+ power system with a 250Wh battery and 250-watt rear hub motor. It promises a range of up to 45 miles or up to 80 miles with the optional range extender. 

The Dash Adventure is equipped with Shimano's 1x12 GRX mechanical groupset, offering 2x12 Mahle's X20 power system with a 236Wh battery and 250-watt motor. The Adventure promises a range of up to 50 miles, or 95 with the range extender. 

Both bikes can connect to the Mahle My Smartbike app, allowing the user to configure their bike, adjust power delivery settings, record activities and install firmware updates. 

Both will be fitted with Aera GR23 wheels built onto Hope RS4 hubs, although an upgrade option to the Aera AR45 carbon wheels is available. Mudguards, Tailfin luggage racks, Tailfin pannier bags, integrated Supernova lights, and a Brooks C13 saddle can also be specced as optional extras. 

Price and availability

A standard-spec Dash Urban will be priced at £8,320 plus VAT (20%), which equates to £9,984. The Dash Adventure gravel bike will be priced at £9,160 plus VAT, or £10,992. No pricing information is currently available for the optional extras. 

Each bike will be made to order at the Ariel factory in Crewkerne, Somerset, by a single technician, whose name will endorse the frame via a nameplate once finished. Bikes will be available to order as of June 10th, 2024, although lead times aren't yet confirmed.  

Ariel's history in cycling

Following the Ordinary in 1871, the British brand continued making bicycles for over 60 years, making gents, ladies and racing cycles until 1932. 

In 1873, the Ordinary - or High Wheel as it became known - was used by James Moore to set the first known Hour Record. He covered 14.5 miles around Molineux Grounds in Wolverhampton. In 1893, the record was pushed to 25 miles by J W Stocks, who later pushed it out to 32.5 miles in 1897. 

In 1932, Ariel's attention turned to motorcycles, and Ariel's production of bicycles stopped. Today's launch marks the end of that 92-year hiatus.

Ridley has expanded its Grifn all-road model range with the addition of three new models. One of these is the new E-Grifn electric bike which sits alongside the Grifn RS and Grifn A. 

Cyclingnews attended the Grifn RS and E-Grifn launch recently. You can read a full breakdown regarding the new bikes in our news piece, as well as my first ride review of the Grifn RS. 

It seems Ridley wants to keep things pretty natural feeling with the new E-Grifn, its first e-bike. The brand thinks the E-all-road bike was the right category to launch its first e-bike in for them, slotting into a freer space within the saturated e-bike and e-MTB market. 

In short, Ridley didn't want an e-bike that felt like a motorbike. This is a nimble, more natural-feeling lightweight e-bike bike that provides electronic assistance but retains the Grifn ride feel and DNA. It uses the Mahle X20 drive system which features a custom tuning for the E-Grifn. I was able to test the E-Grifn in both road and gravel setups, the same as I did for the Grifn RS at the launch of the new Grifn models in Spain last month. 

The E-Grifn will be available in three road configurations and four gravel guises. Prices start at €5,499 and run through to €7,999. Road and gravel options are available with carbon wheels from Forza and DT Swiss and a mix of electronic and mechanical Shimano and Sram groupsets.  

Design and Aesthetics

I really liked the look of my Grifn RS road and gravel bikes. The downtube is one of the most slender I've seen on an e-gravel or road e-bike. Certainly more slender than the Specialized Turbo Creo 2 I tested last year and it ties into the subtle overall e-aesthetics. I wouldn't be surprised if the fact this is an e-bike went completely unnoticed by some rider's if this bike was amongst a group of bikes. This isn't to say there's a need for e-bikes to not look like e-bikes (I refuse to say acoustic bikes, folks), there's absolutely nothing wrong with it. But it's a testament to what can now be achieved with drop bar e-bike builds, they can look very clean and unobtrusive. 

So to the E-Grifn, you get the same geometry, but a few details change on the frame due to the inclusion of certain e-features. The top tube and down tube mounts are removed, due to I believe the inclusion of the down tube mounted battery and top tube mounted control unit. You can run a 1x or 2x drivetrain setup in electric and mechanical and can also still fit mudguards, a handy option. 

Electronics-wise, as mentioned the battery is mounted in the down tube, and there's a control unit in the top tube which you use to turn the system on, toggle modes and check battery life. It also features machine learning and AI technology to adapt to the rider over time. Then there are handlebar-mounted e-Shifters which allow you to scroll through modes, I found myself using these most of the time. Think Shimano sprint or Sram blip shifters but for your e-modes.  

The drive unit which takes the place of the rear wheel's hub is wireless thanks to the AMC - automatic motor connection - which means a clean look, and no plugs or wires. The hub engages with a 'plug' on the non-drive side dropout which is easily achieved. The hub is compatible with all freewheels and groupsets up to 13 speeds. Mahle also offers a front hub to keep things matching, which I really like. Purely for the fact they have taken the trouble to ensure riders' hubs will match up. It's a small detail but tells you a little bit about the brand.

At the launch event, Ridley explained that it 'didn't want a motorcycle'. In simple terms, it didn't want to end up with an e-bike that felt like it was taking you for a ride. This can be the case on some drop bar e-bikes, especially when in turbo mode. The goal for the E-Grifn I believe is for riders to still feel like they are making an effort when riding the bikes.

I tested an E-Grifn in gravel form which featured a Rival AXS 1x12 drivetrain, Forza carbon wheels and 35mm Terreno Dry Endurance tyres. This bike also featured the same Forza Cirrus Pro integrated handlebar as on the Grifn RS and I got along with it well. 

My roadgoing E-Grifn test bike featured an almost identical setup but instead was built up with an Ultegra di2 groupset and used 28mm Corsa Pro tyres.  

Performance 

The Grifn offered solid performance in the time I spent riding it and I quickly got the impression that it's a very capable all-road bike. I've discussed this part of the platform in my Grifn RS first ride review so will focus on the more e-specific characteristics here. 

To kick off, pairing my bike with the Mahle app, linking my Strava account and even pairing my heart rate monitor were all done smoothly and quickly. The most time-consuming part was working out which was my bike on the app as I was surrounded by Grifn e-bikes all popping up in the list. The app offers map customisation for varying terrains and a lot of analysis, though I didn't have enough time to explore everything I've included a few screenshots below. 

In the bike presentation, the feel of the X20 system was described as 'like someone is pushing you from behind' and I think I'd agree with this. In my time riding the bike I found the system to provide assistance in a smooth, supportive way. It's particularly smooth on the road riding in a group and a little more noticeable riding off-road. Accelerating out of a slow gravel turn, for instance, you feel the system kick in and help you out, which puts a smile on your face, but on the road with less spiky accelerations, unless you're really going for it or accelerating from very slow speed, things are very smooth. 

Indeed it was disarming at times, especially riding in a group with others on e-bikes. It was hard to notice the assistance at times such was its smoothness until I turned my system off riding with a rider on a standard road bike uphill. Then the effort is brought home to you. If you want an e-road, or gravel bike but still want it to feel like a regular road bike and for the electronic assistance to not drown your effort out, you will like the X20 system.

I'm testing a burlier, more aggressive e-gravel bike at the moment and when riding at 15.5mph + without motor assistance (the limit in the UK) I do feel a little drag and the extra weight. I can't say I felt this as much on the E-Grifn, particularly on the road. It brings me back to that word again; Natural. On flat sections of road carrying speed off a descent, our riding group were all riding at speed, over the system assistance limit and it was hard to feel much extra drag from the system holding you back.

On the road, my bike was equipped with 160mm discs and I achieved far faster speeds on the downhills than on our gravel ride. I felt it took just a fraction longer to start slowing the bike down due to the extra weight and thought if there was an option or the ability to fit 180mm discs I would probably look into it. I may have felt this more keenly due to riding four different bikes back to back in a short space of time but it did stand out for me. 

Elsewhere neither bike put a step wrong in the time I spent riding them. Shifting was predictable and smooth from both Shimano and Sram groupsets and everything worked as it should. I rode a small E-Grifn off-road and a size Medium on the road simply due to the bikes that were available and who was riding what. The small fitted me better and serves as a reminder that if bikes come with an integrated bar and stem it will pay to do your sizing homework. Consult your local dealer or the brand if you need assistance as potentially having to swap bars and stems further down the line will be a bit more involved and potentially costly, though the Ridley custom configurator does offer some sizing options. 

Early Verdict 

After a ride apiece on the road and gravel versions of the E-Grifn I felt it was one of the most natural feeling e-bikes I have ridden and this seems to be in keeping with what Ridley wants for the bike. 

The bike looks, for want of a better word, 'normal' at a distance. I think most riders would struggle to spot it was an e-bike, not that that's a bad thing. But it certainly helps retain the drop bar aesthetic. 

Natural is the word I would use to describe the power delivery provided by the Mahle X20 system. It's definitely there when you need it but doesn't overpower the overall ride experience. 

The Grifn is a really capable platform and the addition of an e-motor system now opens it up to riders who need some additional assistance or who just want to have fun on an e-bike.

The new Himiway C5 is an electric bike for the individualist and trendsetter who wants something extra from their ride and the versatility to go further, as encapsulated in the C5’s slogan: Live Electric, Ride Bold.

Most electric bikes look, well, like bicycles with a motor. But the Himiway C5 is different; it’s a crossover-style electric bike with unique motocross motorbike looks that will stand out on city streets. Himiway says that it’s ‘designed for the speed and passion-seeking youth, students, and young professionals of the New Generation in Europe and America, who are brave, independent and full of vitality.’

The Himiway C5 is a great option for commuting, but its rugged build, high powered motor and long range mean that it’s ready for off-road exploring and adventure as well. Its $2,299 US price makes it an affordable option for both urban and all-terrain adventurers.

The motorbike style includes a pedalling-free ride at up to 28mph (in the US) using the thumb throttle, which allows you to keep pace with other urban traffic, or even go faster. You can also still pedal, giving you a choice between an easier ride or a longer range.

Op for pedal-assist and you have a seven speed Shimano Altus groupset with a 14-28 tooth cassette, providing plenty of gear range to tackle flats and hills. There is a full set of sensors built in for torque, speed and braking, to ensure that the motor assist is matched to your pedalling power input.

Powerful motor and range of up to 80 miles

The Himiway C5 isn’t just about looks, it’s got the power to go with them. There’s a powerful 750 watt brushless rear hub motor with 86Nm of torque – among the most powerful that you can find on an electric bike and providing motorbike levels of assistance. 

The motor is powered by a removable, large capacity 960Wh Samsung/LG battery, which will propel the C5 for up to 80 miles on a charge, so there’s plenty of range to explore or for multiple commuting rides. The battery can be recharged on or off the bike.

Battery level, speed, distance and other ride info is provided by a clear, backlit display centrally mounted on the handlebars. This also provides a USB charging port for your phone or a cycling computer. You can use the thumb controller, handily positioned next to the handlebar grip, to choose between five levels of pedal assist, as well as to ride without assistance. There’s a walk mode to help you to move the C5 around when not riding.

If you plan to ride off-road, the 4 inch wide Kenda tyres will provide plenty of grip, as well as comfort on broken road surfaces. There’s a deep tread pattern that will handle everything from gravel to sand and snow with ease.

Shock absorption is provided by a KKE coil spring fork with 140mm of travel and adjustable compression and rebound to dial in your ride. It has a motorbike-style dual crown and inverted legs. At the rear, there’s an EXA air shock with 47mm of travel and together they offer plenty of ride comfort wherever you’re heading.

Stopping is provided by Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, with 180mm rotors front and rear to provide plenty of power. There is a built-in high output 48 volt headlight and a tail light with automatic braking detection. Further safety is provided by the pulsing, coloured breathing lights built into the side of the frame and by reflective tyre sidewalls.

Built tough

The C5 itself weighs 88lb and can handle a maximum total weight of 330lb. The frame is made of double-thickness 6061 aluminum tubing, to provide the strength to back up the C5’s rugged looks. There’s a robust kickstand for when the C5 is parked up and its keyed start means that it’s inoperative when not in use.

Himiway says that the C5 electric motorbike’s versatile seating position and extended saddle will suit riders with a range of heights from 5’4” up to 6’3”. There’s even a coffee cup holder built into the front of the saddle area – a great feature if you want to use your C5 around town or for the commute.

The Himiway C5 electric motorbike is priced at $2,299 and available in grey or white colourways, with finance available through Shop Pay or Affirm, starting at $112 per month. Himiway offers free shipping, a two year warranty and a 15 day return period. 

The Himiway C5 will launch in the US, but look out for UK and European availability later this year. Visit Himiway for more info and to order. 

In a world of samey electric bikes, the Himiway C5 stands out. Its full set of electric bike features, rugged build and powerful motor mean that it’s a uniquely versatile means to transport both in the city and on the trails and its stylish design will suit both urban and out of town adventurers.

While Specialized has had electric bikes in its family for a while, encompassing road, gravel, MTB, and commuter/urban models, there has been a cargo-shaped void in the range, in the UK and Europe at least. While North America has had the Haul ST and Haul LT models to make use of for some time now, the UK and Europe are finally joining the cargo party with the new Turbo Porto.

The form is similar to the Haul LT, insofar as it’s a long-tail cargo bike, but the Turbo Porto has electrics setup for the European market, and larger wheels too. With more families opting to go car-lite or even car-free, what can one of the biggest names in the bike business bring to a segment of the market dominated by companies whose sole focus is urban mobility?

Tech specs

The heart of any haulin’ focussed electric bike is of course going to be the motor and battery. Specialized claims the Turbo Porto is the most powerful bike in its class on the market, offering 90 Nm of torque, and a 710 Wh battery. In real terms this translates to up to five hours of ride time, the battery is removable for ease of charging, and locks to the bike frame to help avoid theft.

All this power is necessary, given a maximum system weight of 200kg, with the front and rear racks having a maximum capacity of 20kg and 60kg respectively. The bike itself, unladen, weighs in at 39.6kg, and is 2.065m long. While it looks long, the fact that it uses smaller than normal wheels means it is shorter than the brand's Turbo Levo electric MTB by approximately 10cm.

Internal gearing takes care of the shifting, away from the elements, and it's belt driven too, so no messy chain lube to worry about. There are integrated front and rear lights, a built-in Garmin Varia radar system, and to bolster the battery lock, there is also a steering lock and motor lock, so when the bike is secure not only would would-be thieves be unable to pinch the battery, but they would also be unable to steer or use the motor too. 

In terms of fit, the Turbo Porto is adjustable to fit riders from 155cm up to 195cm, and given the heft of the thing a kickstand is also a valuable and necessary inclusion.

Modularity and Pricing

Given the bike is somewhat designed to replace a car, why not make the buying process like that of buying a car too? The base model includes all that is mentioned above, but you can add on a number of options to make the Porto fit your needs.

To haul children you can equip a pair of cushioned seats to the rear, and add on a safety rail to hem the kids in, and a set of running boards onto which they can rest their feet. If you only want to carry one child you can swap the running boards for a set of foot pegs, freeing up the space at the rear for Specialized’s own bucket panniers, though it is assumed any pannier will fit on the rails if you want a set that aren't open to the rain. 

For younger children there’s a more traditional, harnessed child seat, and if you want more capacity than a bucket pannier can offer there’s even a 44 litre polyester canvas side bag that can take up to 25kg of goods, and can rest on the running boards too.

No kids? Well, if you want to maximise the rear capacity there is a flat aluminium baseplate for the rear rack that can take a Eurocrate, a load of bags, or anything else you can think to secure to it, and it works in conjunction with the side bags too.

The base model, before adding extras on, will set you back £5,500, or approximately €6,400.

Just under four years after the launch of the Grail:ON e-bike Canyon has decided to give the Grizl gravel bike the e-treatment as well and has launched the Grizl:ON e-gravel bike. Why? Canyon reckons e-gravel bikes that are functional, capable and fun to ride make sense to a lot of different riders, and that there are now better component options on the market for a drop bar, e-gravel machine. 

Canyon says the e-gravel segment of the market is still fresh and open to interpretation. As such, the brand says the new bike is created with both 'everyday practicality and boundary-pushing exploration in mind', claiming that it has designed the new bike with a 'Swiss Army knife mindset,' meaning the Grizl should be well equipped to tackle a commute, errands, an hour's blast at the local trails, or a longer off-road bikepacking trip.

The new Grizl:ON range is comprised of four different carbon framed models which each use a Bosch Performance Line SX motor, the brand's lightest unit. The system features a 400-watt-hour battery, plus a 250-watt-hour range extender option. Two USA models, the CF9 and CF7 will also have class 3 e-bike status with assistance up to 28mph.

All Grizl:On models have been designed around a RockShox Rudy suspension fork and 60mm stem, the brand says it has approached the design of the bike from a mountain bike geometry standpoint. Each model also features a custom to the Grizl:ON Lupine Nano SL headlight and Lupine Sightstay rear lighting system which is wired into the central battery. The front light has a lumen rating of 700-1000 and the rear lights are incorporated into the rear seat stay/chainstay junction of the frame and are replaceable. 

Each model also has mudguard/fender mounts and Canyon has also designed the first full-length RockShox Rudy front mudguard specifically for this bike. The rear mudguard also features an integrated rack, should users want to carry luggage up to 15kg. 

This will come standard on one model (see below for breakdown) and will be able to be purchased for others. Canyon has also worked with Fidlock to design the Fidlock Quickoader magnetically mounted frame bag with a tool-roll pouch that sits inside the frame's main triangle.

The Cyclingnews tech team have a Grizl:ON model to test and will publish a full in-depth review in the coming weeks.

Grizl:ON CF Trail 

The Grizl:ON CF Trail tops the Grizl range and the spec looks to be aimed at aggressive gravel and off-road riding. Priced at €7,999, it features the RockShox Rudy Ultimate fork and swaps out the Canyon VCLS seatpost for a RockShox Reverb AXS wireless dropper post with 75mm of drop for more aggressive descending. 

The model also features a SRAM X0 Eagle mountain bike rear derailleur, a 10-52T cassette and is specced with Schwalbe G One Ultrabite 50mm tyres. The DT Swiss rims feature a 24mm internal width, and this is consistent across the range. 

If customers want to fit mudguards to this model, we understand they will need to downsize to 45mm tyres. 

GRIZL:ON CF9

The Grizl:ON CF9 is the lightest model in the range at 15.3kg and is priced at €6,999. it's also one of two models along with the CF7 that will be available in the US. It also features the RockShox Rudy Ultimate fork, but features the Canyon VCLS seatpost like the one we tested on the Canyon Endurace CFR. 

The CF9 has a Force XPLR wireless groupset with a 42T chainring up front and a 10-44T cassette, as mentioned the US version of the bike will feature a 44T chainring.

The bike is specced with DT Swiss HGC1800 wheels and Schwalbe G One Bite Evo 45mm tyres.

GRIZL:ON CF DAILY 

The Grizl:ON CF Daily looks to have more of a commuter or utility focus, coming specced with full-length mudguards and rack system as standard. It weighs a claimed 17.6kg and is priced at €5,499. 

It features a standard RockShox Rudy fork, whilst the Ultimate version that features on the CF9 AND CF Trail models features lockout and the Charger Race Day damper. 

A Shimano GRX 822 12-speed groupset takes care of shifting. The gearing is a 42T chainring up front and 10-45 cassette in the rear.

The wheels are the same DT Swiss HGC1800 models as found on the CF9 model, but with Schwalbe G One Bite Evo 45mm tyres.

GRIZL:ON CF 7 

The Grizl:ON CF7 is the base model in the Grizl:ON range starting at €4,999 and weighing in at a claimed 15.9kg. It is also specced with a RockShox Rudy XPLR fork and shares the same CF R112 frame as the other three models in the range. 

An 11-speed GRX groupset is fitted with a 42T / 10-42T gearing range, the wheels are DT Swiss HG1800 and the tyres are Schwalbe G-One Bite Evo tyres in a 45mm size, the same as can be found on the CF9 model.

Specialized is one of the biggest and most recognisable bike brands out there. As such, we are often asked for advice from people who are considering buying a Specialized bike. 

This guide is designed to offer simple, easy-to-understand product information and buying advice for Specialized's flat bar e-bike range. You can also check out our Specialized road bikes guide if that is of interest too. The bikes in this guide are electric hybrid, city or mtb-style bikes that can help you with a range of different cycling. From commuting to work to save money and time, carrying shopping or just saving effort and maximising the time you have during the average day. They also just put a smile on your face, riding around on an e-bike is pretty fun. If you're seriously looking into an e-bike, you can also use the Specialized Turbo range calculator to see which bike battery ranges will meet your needs.

Specialized flat bar hybrid style e-bikes sit within the brand's Active range. For the most part, the range is split into three models, the Como, Vado and Tero. All these models are prefixed by 'Turbo' which is just how Specialized refers to all of its electric models to help differentiate between them and non-e-bikes. There are various different models under each main heading, we've outlined all of these below so it's clear what each model is about in the range.

Quick guide to Specialized's Active e-bike range

Here is a quick summary of the Specialized Active range e-bike models.

Turbo Como 

The Turbo Como is a relaxed, upright e-bike with a small travel front suspension fork that's best suited to relaxed riding, short commutes or errands. There are five models in total including an IHG (internal hub gear) option. Models come with a step-through frame, mudguards and a rack. There is also a lightweight Como SL (superlight) model which features a lightweight frame, internal hub gear and belt-drive drivetrain. 

Turbo Vado

The Vado range comprises step-through and regular framed models and is a little less relaxed and upright than the cruisy Como. You could commute on a Vado and carry luggage but then use it a little more off road too on light trails or cycle paths. It's faster geometry will provide a faster overall position and ride than the Como. 

Turbo Vado SL

The Vado SL is a lightweight version of the Vado and is available in 10 versions. The SL is a nippy model and will feel fast around town or on commutes.

Turbo Tero

The Tero isn't a full-blown e-mountain bike but receives more off-road capability with an MTB suspension fork, 29" off-road tyres and wheels and a dropper seat post. You could do a lot with the Tero, using it for general riding and or commuting duties, but equally, it would handle lighter MTB and off-road riding well. 

Turbo Tero X 

Specialized describes the Tero X as the 'do it all, ride everywhere, carry anything e-bike'. Equipped with front and rear mtb-specific RockShox suspension the Tero X is the bike to go for if you want to explore off-road and mountain bike on, with an added boost. It's not a full-blown electric enduro or downhill bike - for that Specialized has the Levo and Kenevo - hence its inclusion in the Active range. But it's the most aggressive bike here and very capable if you want to stay largely off the tarmac.

Specialized Active bikes

Specialized Turbo Como

The five-model Turbo Como range, six if you include the Como SL is designed to be upright, comfy and user-friendly. 

The Como arrives with mudguards and a pannier rack already fitted which is also child seat compatible. It is also available with an Internal Hub Gear at the rear if you want a quieter more hassle-free setup.

The IHG model bikes benefit from an Enviolo Automatic hub gear which auto shifts gears for you depending on cadence and terrain. 

The Como also has lights wired into the bike's battery, a 50+ mile range and a lock system that can be used to disable the bike via the Specialized Mastermind app. 

Take a look at the Como if you want a relaxed, comfy model for shorter, flatter journeys but still want to enjoy an e-boost. 

Model range

• Turbo Como 3.0 - 430-watt motor with 50nm of torque. 530Wh battery
• Turbo Como 3.0 IGH (Internal gear hub) -  430-watt motor with 50nm of torque. 530Wh battery
• Turbo Como 4.0 - 470-watt motor and 70Nm of torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Como 4.0 IGH (Internal gear hub) - 470-watt motor with 70Nm of torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Como 5.0 IGH (Internal gear hub) - 560-watt motor with 90Nm of torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Como SL - 240-watt motor with 35Nm of Torque – 320Wh battery.
  

Specialized Turbo Vado

The Turbo Vado range is actually quite large, numbering over 15 models. We'll split these up and streamline things for you. The reason for the larger range here is that there are also several Vado SL (superlight) models which we break down below but unlike the Como range single model, there are 10 different SL models alongside the standard Vado models. 

The Turbo Vado is a strong utility model that still comes with mudguards and a rack but features a short travel suspension fork and a less upright position than the Como. You could comfortably get around town on the Vado, but could easily take it off-road or on cycle trails etc. 

Battery and model specs vary through the range with higher-spec bikes getting more powerful motors and bigger batteries. The bikes all benefit from the Specialized Mastermind inbuilt display screen with handlebar remote buttons to toggle screens. Anti-theft lock feature and wired-in lights. 

Model range:

• Turbo Vado 3.0 - 430-watt motor with 50nm of torque. 530Wh battery
• Turbo Vado 3.0 IGH (Internal gear hub) - 430-watt motor with 50nm of torque. 530Wh battery
• Turbo Vado 3.0 Step-Through frame - 430-watt motor with 50nm of torque. 530Wh battery
• Turbo Vado 3.0 IGH Step Through (Internal gear hub) - 430-watt motor with 50nm of torque. 530Wh battery
• Turbo Vado 4.0 - 470-watt motor and 70Nm of torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Vado 4.0 Step-Through frame - 470-watt motor and 70Nm of torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Vado 4.0 IGH (Internal gear hub) - 470-watt motor and 70Nm of torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Vado 5.0 - 560-watt motor with 90Nm of torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Vado 5.0 Step-Through frame - 560-watt motor with 90Nm of torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Vado 5.0 IGH (Internal gear hub) - 560-watt motor with 90Nm of torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Vado 5.0 IGH Step-Through (Internal gear hub) - 560-watt motor with 90Nm of torque. 710Wh battery

Specialized Turbo Vado SL

The Vado SL is the lighter-weight, pared-back version of the Vado and can be as light as 14.9 kg. There is most notably a rigid, carbon fork instead of a suspension unit, though models do benefit from the Specialized Futureshock stem suspension system which dampens out bumps. 

A range extender is also available for Vado SL models as the battery is not removeable, and the extender mounts into a bottle cage. 

I test-rode a Vado SL 5.0 model recently and really enjoyed its quick, nippy handling which was just downright fun. Stick the bike in turbo mode and it will make seriously light work of most journeys or errands. You won't even break a sweat if it's a shorter journey. You can use the digital mastermind screen mounted into the top tube to manage modes battery life etc. The brushed E5 aluminium frame finish also looks great.

There is a range of Vado SL bikes to choose from, some have mudguards and racks fitted, whilst others are step-through frame models. All however have 1x gearing systems. 

Read our Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5 review. 

Model Range

• Turbo Vado SL 4.0 - 470-watt motor and 70Nm of torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Vado SL 5.0 - 560-watt motor with 90Nm of torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Vado SL 4.0 EQ - 470-watt motor and 70Nm of torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ - 560-watt motor with 90Nm of torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Vado SL 4.0 Step-Through - 470-watt motor and 70Nm of torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Vado SL 4.0 Step-Through EQ - 470-watt motor and 70Nm of torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Vado SL 5.0 Step-Through - 560-watt motor with 90Nm of torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Vado SL 5.0 Step-Through EQ - 560-watt motor with 90Nm of torque. 710Wh battery

Specialized Turbo Tero

The Turbo Tero is a burlier mtb-focused hardtail electric mountain bike. It's going to be fine for commuting, errands and all the other riding we've mentioned for the bikes in the guide so far. But if you want to do a bit more, ride off-road or do some longer trips it will be perfect, being that little bit more capable. It's also rated to pull a thru-axle-mounted trailer if you want to tow the little ones on the school run etc. Though the rack is also compatible with child seats. 

I test rode the Turbo Tero on the road then headed along a gravel track and into some muddier terrain and it handled it all really well. I could see it being perfect for throwing in quick off-road sections to mix up your riding. 

The Specialized Mastermind e-system MicroTune function also allows you to custom-tune motor output levels in 10% increments. I've tested this feature and it's a really useful way to fine-tune power delivery depending on the terrain when you are already happy in one of the three motor modes: Eco, Sport or Turbo. The other bikes in the guide also benefit from this feature. 

Model range:

• Turbo Tero 3.0 - 430-watt motor with 50nm of torque. 530Wh battery
• Turbo Tero 3.0 Step-Through - 430-watt motor with 50nm of torque. 530Wh battery
• Turbo Tero 4.0 - 470-watt motor and 70Nm of torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Tero 4.0 EQ - 470-watt motor and 70Nm of torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Tero 4.0 Step-Through EQ - 470-watt motor and 70Nm of torque. 710Wh battery

Specialized Turbo Tero X

The Turbo Tero X is the most capable bike in the Active range and essentially has a full-suspension MTB silhouette and features front and rear suspension, MTB gearing and tyres. 

The bikes are however fitted with mudguards and racks adding to their versatility. These aren't full-blown, aggressive mountain bikes like the Turbo Levo or Turbo Kenevo, but can do a whole lot for you if you want to commute, ride with the family and enjoy your own off-road and MTB rides. 

If you can see yourself tackling short commutes and throwing in some off-road on the way home, running errands and then removing the rack and mudguard at the weekend to go mountain biking the Turbo Tero X will be excellent. 

The three-model range also benefits from Integrated lights, kickstands and the turbo bike lock system. 

Model range:

• Turbo Tero X 4.0 - 430-watt motor with 50Nm of Torque. 710Wh battery 
• Turbo Tero X 5.0 - 470-watt motor with 70Nm of Torque. 710Wh battery
• Turbo Tero X 6.0 - 560-watt motor with 90Nm of Torque. 710Wh battery 

Specialized explained

The Specialized Active range is primarily aimed at utility cycling, and more relaxed urban or city riding on or off-road cycling with the addition of a welcome e-boost. 

If you ride a road or MTB already but want something a bit more relaxed whilst still being functional to jump onto for any of the reasons mentioned in this guide a bike from this range will be a solid option. 

If you currently don't do much cycling but want to make the leap to commuting by bike or riding for fitness, the Active range is worth a look, as is our guide to the best e-bikes for commuting. 

You can also check out the Specialized website for further spec breakdowns and info.  

Who are Specialized 

As a brand, Specialized has become a significant force in the industry since bursting onto the scene in 1974. After initially selling imported Italian components, founder Mike Sinyard began producing Specialized’s own parts before turning its focus to bicycles in 1981 with the Sequoia and Allez models: monikers that have become synonymous with the brand and remain in existence today. 

Over forty years on, the California Bay Area-based company continues to be a dominant player in the highly contested retail and professional cycling spaces. 

A veritable industry pioneer, Specialized also produces its own line of clothing, equipment and components including tyres, saddles, shoes and helmets, while its Roval sub-brand markets wheels, cockpit components and other parts.

Specialized has a strong retail presence, with many bike stores stocking its range. It also has its own brand Specialized Concept Stores that exclusively stock Specialized products. 

Ready to hit the road with top-tier equipment? Check out our Specialized coupons for great deals on bikes and accessories.

When one thinks of Lotus in the cycling world either the image of Chris Boardman aboard a now very much UCI illegal Type 108 bike arises, or either the original mad Lotus x Hope HB.T from the Tokyo Olympics, or the later, even madder Team GB track bike for Paris 2024. While a modified version of the HB.T, the HB.TT, was used by Ethan Vernon on the road in the U23 time trial world championships, Lotus has pretty staunchly been a track-only endeavour. 

Now, skipping straight over 'standard' road bikes, Lotus has branched out on its own and launched limited run lightweight electric bike, dubbed the Type 136, with a price tag set at £20,000 / €25,000.

Simplify, then add lightness

It's no surprise to see something bearing the Lotus badge obsessing over a lower weight. Lotus founder, Colin Chapman, had a philosophy of "simplify, then add lightness", and while e-bikes aren't always known for being feathery the Type 136 weighs in at a very respectable 9.8kg.

This is primarily thanks to its use of the lightest motor from High Performance System (HPS). Press material seems to suggest that this is the lightest motor on the market but we are yet to substantiate this claim. In any case, the motor, derived from that of the Mars Lander Project (though not necessarily the lander itself it must be said) is an integrated bottom bracket design clocking in at just 300g. Claims aside, that is pretty light.

Looking at the Type 136 it's hard to work out where the battery has been placed, until you realise the water bottle on the seat tube is the battery, and can be removed with the push of a button for charging.

Track bike inspiration?

While the press material we have received is a little thin on the ground in terms of concrete claims to performance, with no mention of watts, range, or anything besides the weight, it's clear to see the Type 136 has been developed from the blueprints of the Hope track bike on which it collaborated. The wide seat seat stays are the most clear shared feature, and while the fork legs too are wide set, they are far more reminiscent of the forks seen on the new BMC Teammachine R.

Up front an integrated bar-stem combination with a positive rise and Y shape'stem' is again something we've seen on road bikes rather than their track counterparts. The Cervelo S5 and the Bianchi Oltre to name but two are obvious examples.

Team Type 136 is limited to an initial run of (you guessed it) 136 bikes. At £20k a pop they are certainly far from accessible, and have the feel of a proof-of-concept product rather than a serious foray into the market. 

That being said, the Type 136 will be on show at Rouleur Live, and Cyclingnews will be in attendance, so stay tuned for further details from the show floor.

Specialized has released a brand new version of it's Creo drop bar electric bike in the form of the Creo 2. Specialized launched the Turbo Creo e-bike back in 2019 and it seems the time is right for the brand to update the platform. 

Specialized says that thanks to some new updates and design changes, the Creo 2 is the most capable drop bar e-bike ever made, as well as being the lightest in its class. It weighs in at between 12.96kg (28lb, 9.2oz) and 14.47 kg (31lb, 14.4oz) for a size 56, depending on spec. The California-based brand claims it has focused on three key areas regarding the new machine; capability, amplification and compliance. 

Specialized also claims the Creo 2 defies categories. All new models ship with 47c Specialized Tracer gravel tyres and the brand says the electronic power and capabilities of the bike mean users won't have to choose between road or gravel. The brand says the power of the bike takes care of on road feel but the 47c gravel tyres allow you to take if off road whenever you like.   

The new bike has received a brand new motor system from Specialized called the SL 1.2. The updated Future Shock 3.0 system that features on the new Specialized Roubaix SL8 we covered recently can also be found across the range. There's also new geometry, as well as an accompanying smart phone app and Specialized turbo operating system which we go into more detail on below. 

New SL 1.2 motor 

Previous Turbo Creo bikes used the Specialized SL1.1 e-bike motor system. This has been redesigned and Specialized says the new SL1.2 motor unit is the quietest e-bike system in the world. The new motor is not backwards compatible with the Turbo Creo and the brand states this is a full motor and bike re-design not a facelift project. 

The new motor's power has been upgraded from 280 to 320 watts and is paired with a 320wh battery. This is said to provide 33% more power and 43% more torque (50Nm). This power is delivered across Evo, Sport and Turbo modes. Depending on how you use it, the battery is said to provide a range of up to 120 miles and a maximum speed assist of 28mph. This is, of course, determined by region.

The brand says 'range to weight' has been a key consideration for them in the design of the SL1.2 system. E-bike batteries add weight, Specialized says the SL1-320 battery is smaller and lighter whilst providing better range with a lower overall weight. Apparently, this is achieved thanks to the electronic motors reducer gears spinning at an optimal 4-5,000 RPM providing more range whilst the rider spins at between 80-100 RPM. 

Q- Factor has been narrowed by 12mm and overall width is 169mm. The brand says a narrower figure could have been achieved but motor sealing and protection against pressure washing was also a key consideration. The motor casing has received a honeycomb structure outer casing in a bid to quieten motor noise which is said to be reduced by up to 40 decibels. A water bottle cage range extender can be installed to boost range by 160 watt hours or 50%.

Added comfort and compliance

The Creo 2 appears to have received some extra comfort and compliance boosting features. A revised frame geometry now features a slacker 71-degree head tube angle, lower bottom bracket, shorter handlebar stem and a taller stack height. Specialized says this creates a more endurance focused position to take weight off shoulders, hands and the neck. 

The bike is said to have been tuned specifically for higher volume tyres. 47c Specialized Tracer gravel tyres come stock on all three Creo 2 models and tyre size can be increased to 2.2in. 

The Creo 2 - like the new Roubaix SL8 - has also received the new Future Shock 3.0 unit with hydraulic damper and more tuneability which can be achieved with three different spring options and additional preload spacers. The top two models will feature the flagship 3.3 Future Shock unit whilst the Comp model will receive the 3.2 unit.

Full length fenders as well as front and rear pannier racks can also be fitted to the Creo 2.  The maximum tyre size that can be used with fenders is 47c.  Every model is also fitted with a 27.2 diameter dropper post to aid descending on steeper terrain or getting on and off the bike.  

Turbo operating system and app

The Creo 2 can be controlled and customized using the Turbo operating system and new Specialized app. 

The operating system can be monitored and controlled via an LCD display point in the bikes top tube. Two small buttons which can be mounted anywhere on the handlebars can be used to scroll through several different displays on the screen as well as the three motor modes: Eco, Sport and Turbo. A Micro Tune function also lets users select 10 Watt increments within each mode for additional fine tuning. 

The new Specialized app allows users to pair with their bike using and provides a wide range of customization options and ride metrics. Everything from motor tuning, to service interval settings, bike registration and motor lock to deter potential thieves can be achieved via the app. Apple, Strava, Wahoo and Garmin integration is also supported. There are also over the air system updates which Specialized says should mean the user experience should improve over time.

The Creo 2 range will be comprised of three models: Comp, Expert, and the top tier S-Works models. 

All bikes use a Specialized FACT 11r carbon frame, which is said to reduce frame weight by 120grams for a 1280 gram frame for a size 56cm model. SRAM Apex, Force and Red drivetrain equipment is used on each model respectively, as well as 160mm and 180mm size disc rotors for ample stopping power.

There are carbon Roval Terra wheelsets for Expert and S-Works models whilst the Comp bike gets an alloy DT Swiss wheelset.

Brand X mechanical dropper posts are fitted to Comp and Expert bikes whilst the S-Works model receives an AXS electronic wireless dropper. 

Prices start at $6,500, £5,000, €6,000 for the SRAM Apex AXS base model and rising to $14,000, £12,000, €13,000 for the top spec SRAM Red AXS. 

Elevate your cycling adventures with our Specialized coupons and find the perfect gear to match your ride.

In the United States the attitude tends to be bigger is better. Many of the electric bikes available top out at 28 mph and they've got huge motors with heavy batteries. It took some serious deep diving to find a collection of stylish and well designed options when we put together our list of the best budget electric bikes. Even among that list though, there are an awful lot of class 3 options and the experience isn't always quite what everyone wants.  

There's a new option though and it's from a New York based brand that specialises in belt drive bikes. The Priority e-Classic Plus is a different kind of bike. The top speed is lower, it's lightweight, and it's designed as much for cruising to dinner as it is for any kind of serious commute. Style is an important part of the overall experience and there are a lot of little details clearly aimed at a less serious experience. When I talk about ebikes, this is the kind of bike I love to recommend to people. 

As much as I like a bike like this though, there are limitations to the Priority e-Classic Plus. To find out what it can do, I took it through the city to meet friends and eat dinner; I took it to the supermarket to fill up a backpack full of groceries and I also took it way out of its comfort zone. Taking a three speed cruiser bike up a hill I use for hill repeats felt a bit ridiculous but now I'm ready to tell you how this bike does on a sustained 12% climb. If you are looking for an inexpensive ebike that lets you leave your car at home, keep reading to see if the Priority e-Classic Plus is the right option for you. 

Design and aesthetics

A big part of the Priority brand identity is style. The Priority e-Classic Plus ebike is a high style bike. You'll either love that or not but it's a fact. The bike is available in both a step through and step over version but they are both pretty similar. The main triangle features a steep slope to the top tube and it's just a matter of choosing if it's steep enough to hit the seat tube half way down or a bit higher up.

If you pick the step-over version, like my review example, then you'll have an option of two sizes. The smaller of the two lists the rider height as 5'6" - 5'10" while the larger spec is 5'11" - 6'3." There are also two colours available with a choice of either a matte black or gloss blue covering a 6061 aluminium alloy frame and a steel fork. The included front and rear composite mudguards/fenders use the same colour as the rest of the bike.

Further pushing the style element is a liberal use of both chrome and tan throughout. The seatpost and swept back cruiser handlebars are both high shine chrome. The double kickstand and crank are not chrome but do match with a matte silver finish while the the generously wide and padded saddle is where you might first notice the other accent colour. Covering the saddle and hand grips is a tan faux leather and the tyres are 700x38mm in a natural rubber colour.

In terms of components, it's the standard bike parts that set Priority apart. There are no chains found here but rather a Gates carbon belt drive. There's no maintenance needed and you'll never get grease on your clothes but you do need an internal hub to handle a gates system. In this case Priority uses a Shimano Nexus 3-speed system with a twist grip shifter up front. The brakes are hydraulic with a 180mm front rotor and 160mm rear.

On the electric side of things, the Priority e-Classic Plus ebike is a fairly standard system for inexpensive ebikes. The motor sits in the front wheel and there is an anti rotation washer to keep the wheel from loosening due to torque. The system uses a 36V 250W Hub Motor powered by a 374Wh, 36V, 10.4Ah battery integrated into the downtube. The battery is removable with a key and will charge both in and out of the frame. The display sits on the left handlebar and shows speed, battery, and assist level. There's also a walking mode and a front light that's controllable through the display. The rear brake light is always active and this is a class 1 system so you won't find a throttle. 

Performance

The Priority e-Classic Plus ebike is a cadence based system with three levels of motor assist. What that really means is that your top speed is set by choosing a motor assist level. In the most powerful mode, top speed on the flats is a little under 20mph and it takes some time to get up to that top speed. You have to turn the pedals to keep going but you will have long since outrun the gearing available. If you are using it like this, you'll sit back and enjoy the scenery from a comfortable upright position, slowly rotating the pedals with no resistance while the motor does the work of driving you forward. 

If you were to want to actually do some work with the bike, you'd need to choose a lower assistance mode. Once you got to the top speed the motor would cut out and you'd be free to continue to pedal and go faster. Keep in mind though, this is a cruiser bike. I was able to pedal it when I wanted to but it's not exactly designed for aggressive riding. I suspect the only time most people would find themselves doing much work is up a hill.

You don't have to do work up a hill but I did want to test the system since this is a question I get asked often about ebikes. I want to be clear right away that if you are looking to load this bike down with groceries and pedal up any kind of serious hill, you should look elsewhere. I took the Priority e-Classic Plus on a hill near my house that is just under 2 miles / 3.2 km with an average grade of 6.2% but a few places where it's double that. Even with no weight on the bike it was clearly out of its element.

There's nothing stopping you from pedalling hard up a hill. If you do, the motor will be at your back making it easier and causing you to go faster. It's hard to stand up though and the upright position with swept bars isn't super conducive to hard pedalling while sitting. After testing that it was possible to use your legs and get help, I tested what the bike would do with as little help as possible.

If you rely only on the motor to carry you and the 49lb / 22.2 kg bike up a 12% grade, it will slow down drastically. The three speed Shimano hub doesn't always like to shift under power but it does have an impressive easiest gear. In the easiest gear you can keep from pushing too hard and the motor will do most of the work, just not fast. In the steepest parts of the hill, the speeds dropped as low as 6.5 mph / 10.5 kph and that's with no extra weight. Doing that much work also took a pretty heavy toll on battery life. After only a few miles, I was already missing a chunk off the battery meter, likely dropping the overall distance down towards the 20 mile side of the 20-60 mile range. 

The descent was also a good test. Coasting down the hill at roughly 40mph / 64kph, the bike felt fine. I didn't feel any odd vibrations or anything out of the ordinary at all. Brake power felt more than fine and actually quite generous. I suspect that most people won't find themselves going that fast on a descent but it's nice to know it will handle it fine if you do. 

Clearly this kind of riding is not where this bike shines. It's also not meant to shine in this kind of situation and I was only testing to see what's possible and set expectations. Back on the flats, the experience feels a lot more natural. Sometimes I turned the assistance all the way up and cruised along, sometimes I turned it down and did some pedalling. Both situations are great.

The shifting really shines on the flats too. You can shift without moving so even though there’s no throttle, shift to the easiest gear and it’s easy to pull away from a light. If you forget to do it before stopping, just shift while waiting. If you find yourself out after dark, there’s a brake light to let other road users know what you are up to and there’s a headlight to help you see the road ahead. 

Verdict

The Priority e-Classic Plus ebike isn't right for everyone. If you are looking for an electric bike to help you get heavy loads up steep hills, this isn't the right bike. On the other hand if you'd like something stylish, low maintenance, and fun to handle short commutes that's where this bike shines. Small supermarket trips and date night street food runs are where I'll be using this bike.

It would be an excellent choice, local laws permitting, for young riders as well. The low top speed and class 1 designation mean it never feels like you are riding too fast and the low overall weight makes it easy to move around. Mild hills and flat rides are where it does the best work and, while there are more powerful bikes in the same price range, a belt drive means low maintenance and never worrying about grease on your clothes.

The struggling Dutch electric bike brand VanMoof has been acquired by Lavoie, a company that sells premium foldable electric scooters priced at around £2,000. 

VanMoof was declared bankrupt in July and has been in hiatus since, a situation that would have caused concern to the 190,000 worldwide owners of its electric bikes, which are highly connected and rely on VanMoof for software features such as app-based unlocking and GPS tracking, as well as spare parts and repairs. 

The bankruptcy also put the jobs of VanMoof’s 700 employees at risk, and VanMoof said at the time that it would not be able to fulfil existing orders.

As part of the acquisition, Lavoie and its owner McLaren Applied will inject capital into VanMoof, with the aim of stabilising the e-bike brand. 

According to Eliott Wertheimer, CEO of Lavoie: “With its next generation of e-bikes, smart technology, innovative design, and loyal customer base, VanMoof and Lavoie fit together perfectly. VanMoof has 190,000 customers globally and our commitment is to continue to keep those riders on the road whilst we stabilise and efficiently grow the VanMoof business and continue to develop its world-class products.”

The longer-term aim is to integrate the operations of VanMoof and Lavoie, “combining and integrating their premium capabilities to create a next-generation e-mobility business and establish a world-leading premium e-mobility offering”, according to Lavoie.

McLaren Applied, the ultimate owner of the two brands, develops tech solutions for use in mobility, motorsport and mining. It was spun off as a separate business from the McLaren Group, the Formula 1 racing and performance motor vehicle maker, around ten years ago.

Lavoie says that it sees the move as “part of Lavoie’s global growth strategy to redefine premium e-mobility and transform movement around busy urban areas, as part of an enjoyable and more active lifestyle”.

Electric bike conversion kits provide a potentially less expensive route into electric bike use than buying one of the best budget electric bikes. If you’re thinking of going down this route, there are a wide range of kits available via Amazon, other retailers or direct from the manufacturer. They all fall into one of a few types though and we’ll explain these and go through the pros and cons of each here.

If you have a bike that you could convert to electric assistance, buying a kit may seem like the obvious way to go. It’s worth considering if this really is the most cost-effective option before buying a kit though; read our post on the pros and cons of electric bikes vs electric bike conversion kits to help you decide.

Front hub 

Pros: Reasonably easy to install

Cons: Need to replace a wheel, which can affect steering and handling

Front hub kits usually include the motor pre-installed in a front wheel, which you use to replace your existing wheel. Clearly, this needs to fit diameter-wise as well as width-wise in your fork legs and also use the same type of braking standard (disc or rim) and axle standard as your existing wheel.

We’ve reviewed a couple of designs, including the Cytronex, Bafang and Swytch kits.

Having replaced your wheel, it’s then a case of wiring up the battery and control electronics. This usually makes for relatively simple installation, although if the battery sits on your frame rather than your steerer, the wires to the motor will need to be routed around the bike’s headset and down a fork leg, which can be awkward with the heavy-duty cables required.

Among the disadvantages of front hub motors is that they can alter the weighting of your steering and so affect your bike’s handling. Often the battery sits on the front of the bike as well, which can further exacerbate handling issues.

Your front wheel is relatively less weighted than your rear, so adding power to it from the motor can also induce slip if the road is wet. 

Bottom bracket 

Pros: Weight is low down and central so less effect on handling

Cons: More complex to install, may not work with all bottom brackets, added torque may increase drivetrain wear

A bottom bracket mounted, or mid-drive, motor powers the bike through its chainset, chain and back wheel. It’s a position that puts the motor low down and central on the bike, so it should avoid handling problems. The extra power and torque through the drivetrain can increase the rate of wear, so you may find that a chain and components not designed for this wear more quickly.

Installing the motor can be more tricky than in other locations, as the motor has to work with the bike’s existing bottom bracket shell and this is an area of the bike that’s notoriously prone to different standards in width and diameter, so make sure that the kit you’re interested in will work with your bike.

Having said that, many lower-spec bikes use a standard BSA threaded bottom bracket shell. A BSA bottom bracket diameter is the same between road and mountain bikes, but the shell width is different, so make sure you get a kit that’s compatible with your bike.

Rear hub 

Pros: Quite quick to fit

Cons: Need to replace rear wheel

Rather like a front hub motor, most rear hub conversion kits include a replacement wheel with the motor pre-installed. You swap out your old wheel, so the same considerations of wheel diameter, rim and hub width and brake and axle type apply as with a front hub motor.

You then just need to install the battery and any other monitoring and control hardware, so it’s a relatively quick and easy process. The cable from the battery and any control electronics need to be routed around the frame so that they’re not in the way while you pedal, which may not be straightforward.

Because the rear wheel carries more weight than the front, slippage is less of an issue. There’s often a brace that attaches to the bike’s chainstay, which can put extra strain on it in a direction that it’s not designed for.

Hub-mounted motors can often add a decent amount of weight and the torque generated can often cause problems like spoke breakages on lower-quality wheels, try to buy the best you can or get it checked by a bike shop for long-term durability. 

Rear tyre 

Pros: Quick to fit

Cons: Tyre noise, wear on the tyre, can slip in the wet

The final option for an electric bike conversion is a motor that drives your bike via its rear tyre. The Rubbee X is a motor that we’ve tested. It has an integrated battery and just sits bolted to your seatpost and rests on your tyre. There’s even an integrated carrying handle. We’ve seen other similar systems appear on Indiegogo and other crowdfunding pages.

The typical design makes it very easy to install on pretty much any bike, as it’s self-contained, although you do need an adequate length of exposed seat post above your rear wheel for it to fit.

The disadvantages are that, since the system relies on friction to drive the rear wheel, it can wear your tyre quite rapidly and it may slip in the wet. The integrated battery and motor make the unit quite heavy to carry around as well and range may be limited. We found the Rubbee X to be noisy too.

Other things to look out for 

In the UK, EU and Australia, an e-bike conversion kit needs to be limited to 250 watts output to be legal to ride on the road. It also needs to be speed limited to 25kph/15.5mph and not operate unless you’re pedalling (although Australia also allows throttle-operated systems).

The US is more relaxed and, in many states, your e-bike conversion kit can output more power than this, be throttle operated and be speed limited to 28mph, although legislation is complex and differs from state to state.

Take a look at our pieces on e-bike classes and how fast is an electric bike for more detail but make sure that you can legally operate your intended kit where you intend to use it. We have a lot more advice on e-bike conversion kits, including the insurance considerations and have reviewed a number of different systems.

One more thing: not all e-bike conversion kits are sold with a battery. Obviously, you’ll need one and may have to buy it separately so be sure to check this first.

VanMoof, the Dutch electric bike brand, has been forced to declare bankruptcy after the brand's co-founding brothers, Ties and Taco Carlier, failed to find investment to save it. 

In an email sent to staff, published by The Verge, the brothers said: "Over the last weeks, Ties and I have tried to find a future for VanMoof. We're extremely sorry to have to report that despite our best efforts we did not succeed and we have had to file for bankruptcy."

The brand, which was founded in 2009, was entered into a preliminary 'suspension of payment' period earlier in July. This is a period in which creditors cannot collect debts in a bid to help a company avoid bankruptcy, however, this can also be a first step to bankruptcy proceedings in many cases. In the case of VanMoof, the suspension of payment has already been withdrawn, as bankruptcy was declared by the Amsterdam District Court on July 17.

The brand has a reported 700 employees, with nine brand stores and 190,000 customers worldwide. Two trustees have been assigned to manage debts and investigate the possibility of rebuilding the company. 

"The trustees are currently setting up a sales process for the assets and activities of VanMoof, in order to find a party who is willing to continue the activities of VanMoof," a statement on the company website explains.

VanMoof's bikes employ various technological integrations such as app-based unlocking and GPS tracking in the case of a bike being stolen. The aforementioned statement reassures current VanMoof owners that bikes "will remain functional and rideable, as we aim to keep our app and servers online and aim to secure the ongoing services for the future."

However, in an almost immediate undoing of that prior reassurance, customers are also advised to "create a backup unlock code so you can unlock your bike through the buttons on your handlebar." 

The brand also says that all outgoing deliveries have been halted, with no confirmation that existing orders will be fulfilled. "Depending on the outcome of the sales process, it will be decided if open orders can be fulfilled."

This is in relation to all orders, from full bikes down to accessories and spare parts. Given that VanMoof uses a number of proprietary components, this could leave some existing customers without a working bike until the bankruptcy proceedings are resolved, if, of course, they ever are. 

The same can be said for booking repairs. Currently, customers are unable to book an appointment for repair to their bike, and VanMoof's statement is similar to the above: "Depending on the outcome of the sales process, it will be decided if repairs in the VanMoof stores are continued."

Those with pre-paid orders are instructed to file a claim in the bankruptcy proceedings. VanMoof says the trustees are "setting up specific procedures" to make that possible. 

There is a sliver of positive news for owners of VanMoof bikes that are currently under repair, though. "All repaired and unrepaired bikes that are owned by riders and currently located in one of the VanMoof repair stores in the Netherlands, can be picked up by the riders," although unfortunately there's no guarantee that the bike will be repaired upon collection. 

Of course, VanMoof's declaration of bankruptcy doesn't necessarily mean the company will disappear. The job of the two trustees is to attempt to sell the company, its assets, or find more capital investment. 

If the latter is achieved, it will be far from the first round of investment secured by the brand. According to an earlier statement by the brand in September 2021, it had raised a staggering $182 million over the previous two years, including $128 million in a single round led by Asia-based private equity firm, Hillhouse Investment. The brand claimed to be the "most funded e-bike company in the world."

The difficulty the brand is facing is just the latest in a string of companies struggling after the pandemic. Industry behemoth Specialized was the highest profile brand to make cuts when it cut its ambassador program in December and laid off 8% of its staff in January. Prior to that, Indoor cycling specialists Wahoo and Zwift were both forced to lay off staff, while British distributor Moore Large collapsed and folded. 

Driven Technologies Inc has announced a new chapter in its story by exhibiting a new all-in-one e-bike drive system at Eurobike Frankfurt this week, named 'Orbit Drive'.

You may remember seeing the wild-looking CeramicSpeed DrivEn drivetrain concept which first appeared back in 2018, winning an award at Eurobike that year. The DrivEn drivetrain featured a carbon fibre driveshaft and ceramic bearings to create a super low friction drivetrain. 

After separating from CeramicSpeed in April 2021, the company became Driven Technologies Inc with Jason Smith, the inventor of Driven at the helm. The company then looked to raise money via equity crowdfunding to aid the development of the product itself and ultimately bring it to market.

It looks like Driven has made a bit of a lane change and has exhibited at Eurobike an all-in-one e-bike drive system. Named the Orbit Drive, Driven says its design has been inspired by hybrid cars and trucks, calling it a game changer for the e-bike segment.

So what exactly is the Orbit Drive? It's a compact 4.6-kilo drive system that includes all the relevant gears, electronics, and a power delivery system to power the rear wheel via a driveshaft. Driven says e-bike manufacturers and fleet bike operators will appreciate the system because the all-in-one design means there is no need to spec a range of componentry to pull together an e-bike drivetrain package. 

The Orbit Drive is claimed to bring the highest levels of efficiency, (a goal of the system from the beginning) additional battery range, a more pleasant riding experience and pretty much zero maintenance all in a bolt-on package for e-bike manufacturers. 

Driven say planetary gearsets have been perfected by automotive brands like Toyota, Ford and Steallantis. Taking inspiration from this technology, and after stealth prototyping, Driven has chosen to use a variable speed 'bevel differential configuration of planetary gears' in the aptly named Orbit system. Driven claims this system allows for a seamless mesh of two rider inputs, these being the rider and the electric e-bike motor in delivery of power to the rear wheel. 

The Orbit Drive itself is a ball-like mechanism, with four toothed gear pieces sitting together to form the spherical shape. Driven claims that the motors and electronics all fit within regular Q-factor widths and use standard bolt patterns to mount to an e-bike frame. 

A standout feature is the claimed 10,000-mile maintenance interval period due to the system being fully enclosed. In addition to the long service intervals, Driven says The Orbit Drive will provide a smoother ride experience, automatic and manual modes that feature stepless gearing, with power assist up to 90Nm. The system is also said to use regenerative braking although we don't know any more about this feature currently.

Three variants of the Orbit system will be available to customers when the system launches. Direct Drive - using a shaft drive delivering power from the orbit to the back wheel in a fully enclosed system, as well as regular Chain and Belt Drive options which would connect to the Orbit unit in a partially closed system. 

When will see this system on bikes in the wild? 

Since the first iteration broke cover at Eurobike back in 2019 the Driven Technology story has been an interesting one. However, no products have made it to market yet in any form. Cyclingnews understands that Driven doesn't have a releasable product to launch currently but is getting closer to reaching this goal. We also have no pricing to include currently for the Orbit system, though Driven says it will be competitive. 

When we spoke to Driven back in 2021, Driven's Jason Smith explained it would likely be two to three years before we saw a Driven-equipped bike in a shop to buy. Though nothing has been released yet, with the continued growth of the e-bike sector perhaps this new Orbit design change reflects the most realistic and effective way of bringing a Driven equipped system and bikes to market. Though Driven isn't alone in this sector, with brands like Pinion and Valeo also manufacturing gearbox technology for e-bikes. 

We have reached out to Driven for comment on the new Orbit system and will update the story when we hear more. 

Bosch says that it's new Performance Line SX electric bike motor sets a new standard for power to weight in its line-up.

The new motor is geared towards electric gravel bikes, as well as electric hybrids and lightweight electric mountain bikes, with a system weight of around 4kg and a 2kg mid-mounted motor. It also includes a new riding mode and compact battery options.

Bosch says that the 250W continuous power Performance Line SX motor provides a maximum torque of 55Nm and can generate 600W peak power to help you get up steep inclines. It’s also designed to deliver power at higher cadences.

Bosch has decreased the motor’s weight by using a magnesium alloy housing. It’s also reduced the Q Factor to 160mm and claims a new standard in its motors’ noise output.

Once your speed gets over the 25kph cut-out limit, Bosch says that the new motor provides 50 per cent less resistance than its previous electric bike motors and claims that this is barely noticeable.

There’s a new Sprint mode which helps you to get up to maximum speed quickly, and the motor’s power output also increases as you pedal faster.

Alongside the new motor, Bosch has also released a Mini Remote Dropbar control unit. This sits to the left of the stem on a standard width 31.8mm handlebar and is smaller and less intrusive than Bosch’s previous control units, although the brand suggests using the Kiox 300 display if you want extra data.

New battery and range extender

The new Performance Line SX motor is paired with a new 400Wh battery. Accounting for the other half of the 4kg system weight, it is the lightest battery that Bosch has in its line-up. The high energy density, Bosch says, makes it possible to integrate it into the bike frame’s down tube.

Need more range? You can plug in Bosch’s new PowerMore 250 range extender, which as its name suggests provides an extra 250Wh of battery capacity. It’s a 1.6kg water bottle-sized package, although, unlike many range extenders, it doesn’t actually fit in a bottle cage, but needs its own mount.

The new motor system is expected to become available on electric bikes this autumn.

New Smart System portfolio 

Bosch has also released updates to its Smart System, which is a modular range of products that link the new motor and battery to controllers and displays. The Smart System integration also now extends to the Active Line and Active Line Plus motors, providing a more connected solution for more leisurely urban and trekking use.

There are new controller options as well. Bosch says that the latest Purion 200 controller is not just compact, but its colour display has high resolution. An ambient light sensor also ensures that it’s readable in changing light conditions.

If you want more data, you can hook up a second Bosch display unit or a smartphone to the Purion 200, allowing you to show your route and navigate without needing to dedicate part of the larger display's screen to showing battery and assistance levels.

Also new is the large format Kiox 500 2.8-inch screen display unit. Bosch says it’s around 40 per cent larger than its existing Kiox 300 unit, so it’s easier to read quickly. It also includes audible cues if you go off-route. Bosch promises a future upgrade allowing you to customise the Kiox 300 and 500 units and reorder the data fields – something that the best bike computers have offered for years.

Smart System also enables automated gear shifting for hub gear e-bikes equipped with the Rohloff, 3x3 and Enviolo gear hubs.

Another new product is a premium subscription service from Bosch. Flow+ includes a bike alarm for bikes equipped with the Connect Module, with Bosch promising added functionality in future. The Flow+ subscription is priced at €4.99 per month or €39.99 for an annual subscription, with the first 12 months free of charge.

Bosch has also added a new external frame and rear rack-mounted batteries of 400Wh and 500Wh capacity, with the lightest weighing 2.2kg. Geared at urban hybrid electric bike use, the rack-mounted batteries have enhanced anti-theft protection and a smaller profile than Bosch’s previous batteries. It will also be possible to double up batteries for larger capacity for cargo bikes or longer rides.

Finally, there’s a new 2A charger that’s lighter and smaller than Bosch’s current 4A charger, making it easier to carry with you.

Bosch still behind for road/gravel use? 

Despite all the shiny new stuff, it’s fair to say that Bosch is still behind the curve in the lightweight electric bike and electric gravel bike markets, although it's well positioned in the electric mountain bike and urban e-bike spaces. 

The Mahle X20 rear hub motor, for example, has a claimed weight of 1.4kg, with the 300Wh battery weighing 1.8kg for a total system weight of 3.2kg and with frame-integrated controller options. It puts out the same 250W/55Nm as the new Bosch Performance Line SX motor. Mahle's motors are a popular option, appearing for example on the Scott Addict eRide.

Another compact motor option that’s finding its way into lightweight electric bikes including the Trek Domane+ SLR and the BMC Roadmachine AMP X is TQ’s mid-mounted HPR50. This has a claimed motor weight of 1.85kg and its battery weight is around the same, for a 3.7kg system weight. It’s super-compact and pushes out 250W/50Nm. TQ also has very compact satellite-shifter style assistance level controls and integrates with a cycling computer.

And brands including Mahle and Specialized have had bottle cage range extenders that really do fit in a bottle cage for years.

It will be interesting to see which brands choose the new Bosch Performance Line SX motor for  new electric gravel and electric road bike use come the autumn.

Mavic has designed a new road e-bike motor system called the X-Tend which the brand says is the "biggest innovation it has ever imagined." 

The development of the X-Tend motor dates back to 2016, before Mavic's financial difficulties and the brand being placed into receivership. Mavic continued to invest in the project, however. 

Mavic says that the e-road bike sector is not taking off in the same explosive way as other electric bike segments. claiming that addressing weight, range and both ride quality and rolling resistance issues can change all that. 

As reported by Road.cc the new system hasn't actually been released officially yet, with Mavic claiming 2025 or 2026 could be possible. As per the linked article, Mavic is seeking additional investment and partnership to being the motor to market. 

When asked, a Mavic spokesperson told Cyclingnews "we are seeking a trusted partner both for industrial and financial aspects to be able to produce the Drive Unit concept (but working) and deliver the OEM manufacturers that showed us much interest."

The technology certainly looks interesting, however. The 1.2kg X-Tend brushless motor is a neat, lightweight unit which is 87mm in diameter, bottom bracket shell mounted and manufactured in Europe. Mavic has collaborated for four years with BMC on prototype frames that the motor can be installed into. It's compatible with all Shimano Hollowtec 2 cranksets which should maintain a normal Q-factor. Mavic says more than 120,000km have been covered in testing already, with the technology being covered by 15 patents.

One of the headline claims from Mavic is that the low weight of the motor means sub 10kg e-road builds can be achieved. This is true, but does assume a hyper-lightweight sub-6.8kg build to begin with. While the motor itself is a claimed 1.2kg, when taking into account the battery and additional componentry, the total weight of the system is 3.2kg. 

There is also an integrated power meter that is said to have +/-2% accuracy, a 360wh battery with an optional 180wh extender, and Mavic also says there is no additional friction created by the motor when it is turned off.

If you like the sound of what you are reading, you will have to watch this space. We will report back on any further information we receive from Mavic but at the moment have no official release date. Retail pricing is not available, as this will be marketed solely to OEM manufacturers. 

If you're tired of dealing with the hassles of commuting to work and running errands in the city via public transport and car, then Raleigh might just have the answer.  The brand's new Trace electric bike, which could be the perfect solution for all your urban travel needs.

Weighing in at just 16.5kg, the Trace is Raleigh's lightest electric bike yet, making it easy to manoeuvre and carry around. But don't let its lightweight frame fool you – Trace still packs a punch with a hidden 250Wh battery that can take you up to 50 miles on a single charge.

It means you can get where you need to go without breaking a sweat, making the daily commute a breeze, and no worrying about running flat.

The convenience doesn't stop there, however. Trace comes with a Bluetooth-connectable app that acts as a triple threat – a satnav, a journey overview, and a security tracker in case someone steals your bike. This handy app makes it easy to plan your route, keep track of your progress, and keep your bike safe and secure.

There's plenty to like about Trace, then, but why spend £2,199 on a new bike when you can bus or tube it, or even drive, around the city?

Well, for starters it's financially smarter. With Trace you'll save money on daily tickets – or fuel and parking costs – in the long run, and you won't have to worry about getting stuck in traffic jams, waiting on delayed trains, or finding a parking space.

Trace doesn’t produce polluting gases, helping to reduce your carbon footprint and make the world a cleaner, greener place. And let's not forget the physical and mental benefits of cycling – it's a great way to connect with nature, get your exercise, and clear your mind.

Even putting aside the benefits of beating the traffic during the commute, an early morning ride can leave you feeling refreshed and energised to start your day.

Trace comes in two stylish colour options – Blue and Copper – and will set you back a very reasonable £2,199. If you live in a city then it's a perfect choice for anyone who values quality, convenience, style, and sustainability.

For more information on the Raleigh Trace, visit raleigh.co.uk

Cytronexis a small British brand, established in 2008, that lays claim to being the first company to create an electric bike that, in the founder's own words, "looked like a bike". 

Nowadays, some 15 years later, its attention has long since turned toward making aftermarket electric bike conversion kits. These kits, from both Cytronex and elsewhere, are an immensely popular, fast-growing segment of the bike industry as people look to add power to their existing bikes. The even faster-growing ebike market has transformed the way many people around the world travel, but the initial cost can be high, so converting a bike you already own is a promising proposition. You can continue to ride the bike you already know and love, with a smaller upfront cost, and in a less wasteful way than buying an entirely new bike and leaving the old one to rot in the shed. They offer something of a win-win-win, really, so it's no wonder that they're popular. 

Upon requesting to review a Cytronex system with a view to seeing if it's worthy of inclusion in our guide to electric bike conversion kits, the company's founder got in touch and offered the Brompton T-Line; the uber-lightweight folding bike from the British folding bike experts, which the brand had recently converted. Having read our editor Peter's positive Brompton T-Line review, I couldn't say no.

It's worth stating at this early stage of the review that electric bike conversion kits work in a variety of different ways. Some add a motor to the front hub, such as the Swytch kit or the Bafang-created kits sold commonly on Amazon. Others apply power directly to the cranks, while the Rubbee-X applies power to the rear tyre, and the coming-soon Skarper system adds it to the disc brake rotor. 

Cytronex is among the former, adding power to the front wheel via a powered hub. As part of the purchase, you choose your preferred rim from a selection of options, and a pre-built powered wheel comes as part of the kit.

Also important to state is that Cytronex doesn't only convert Bromptons. Cytronex can convert many different bikes, from road bikes to hybrids and even tandems. They can also adhere to all territories' limits around maximum power and speed. That means if you're in the UK, your system will come with a three-pin plug and programmed to cut out at 25km/h, whereas if you're in the USA, you'll get a two-pin plug and a system programmed to cut out at 32km/h. 

The T-Line, with its feathery weight and enormous price, is a bit of a PR stunt on Cytronex's part, and the overall package is a seriously premium bike with Brompton's proprietary four-speed derailleur and an impressively low overall weight of 11.5kg. We've already reviewed the T-Line itself, so for the sake of this review I'll focus on the Cytronex ebike conversion kit alone. 

Finally, before we get into the thick of the action, a word on price. The Cytronex electric bike conversion kit is priced at around £1000 plus added extras, which will of course alter the price depending on your bike's specs and your preferences. The cheapest configuration I can create on the website is £1075.99, including the cheapest 700c road wheel choice on offer, the mandatory addition of brake rotors, and the cheapest available charger. Upgrading the wheels, opting for a portable charger or adding tyres and inner tubes will bump this price up, but the base cost remains the same. Likewise, if you're local to Cytronex in Winchester, UK, the brand's engineers will fit it for you, for another fee. 

This converted Brompton, as I ride it, is somewhere in the region of £5,800 - approximately $7,000 or €6,500. 

Design and specifications

The Cytronex ebike conversion kit consists of a battery, a hub-drive motorised front wheel, a control button for your handlebars, a cassette-tooth-counting sensor, brackets or mounting hardware necessary for holding each item in place, and wiring. 

It all comes pre-connected with each wire cut to an agreed length, so in many respects, it is 'plug and play', albeit the 'plug' aspect of that can take a bit of time, as I'll explain shortly.

Battery

The battery of the Cytronex ebike conversion kit is bottle-shaped, and takes advantage of the bottle cage mounts on the frame of most bikes. At 25cm tall and 12cm wide, it's a little bulkier than most, but that's often the case. Inside here is where the brains of the system are housed, as well as the 198Wh (watt-hours) of battery power. 

I say battery, but I mean batteries - plural - because Cytronex has done something very smart here; something that I'd say is a reflection of the brand's seemingly excellent attention to detail. If you want to fly with your bike, or ship it using a courier, there are certain rules pertaining to batteries. Any single battery over 100Wh, or any product with more than two batteries up to 100Wh is classed as 'dangerous goods' and is met with red tape and added cost. What's clever is that inside the bottle shaped outer, Cytronex has connected two separate batteries, each of which at 99Wh for a total of 198Wh. This means the Cytronex conversion kit bumps right up against that limit, while remaining 'safe', and makes it cheaper for customers to have their bikes shipped to them, and easier to take it on a plane. 

On the outside of the battery, a small light illuminates in colours relating to the available remaining battery life, and will flash in certain patterns should the system have an issue. It also has Bluetooth built-in, so you can connect it to a smartphone for reasons we'll get into, and an accelerometer inside that wakes the battery as soon as it senses movement. You can also wake it by inverting it. 

Control button

The button, mounted to the handlebars, helps the user control the system while riding. Push the centre of the button to switch the bike on and off, or push the left or right side to decrease or increase the current power mode. One of five lights will illuminate depending on your current mode. It couldn't be simpler.

Motor

On all Cytronex conversion kits, the motor is placed inside the hub of the front wheel. As part of the purchase process, you select your territory (USA, UK or EU), then choose your wheel size and your preferred rim from a select few options. Cytronex will then build the hub motor into your wheel, so all you need to do is change your wheel as part of the fitment. 

The motor in this system offers 250 watts of power and will cut out at 25km/h in line with UK electric bike laws.

Sensor and software

This is where the Cytronex tends to differ from the likes of the Bafang front motor kit, because instead of measuring cadence at the cranks, it monitors the teeth on a cassette sprocket and uses that to discern whether or not the user is pedalling. In most kits, it counts the teeth from 'above' with a sensor held over the cassette. However, in the case of the T-Line, the original mounting bracket wouldn't fit so Cytronex made a new sensor that fits into the hole between the seatstay and chainstay joint and senses the cassette teeth from the side. That's not overly important in use, what is important is that it works (and it does). 

When you stop pedalling, the cassette stops, the sensor notices and the power is cut out. Start pedalling again, and the power comes back. That much is pretty obvious, but what's important to know here is that there is no power curve in line with your effort as torque-based electric bikes can create, this is a simple on or off, with the actual amount of power depending on the setting you choose on the handlebar button.

Hardware

The mounting hardware could be easily overlooked, but given this is a system you'll likely end up fitting to your own bike, it's a key part of whether it'll actually be a good buy or not. I can say the brackets on this bike are excellent and secure, but you should know that most of the mounting brackets on the T-Line are different to what you'd receive in your own kit, were you to buy one. 

Most kits use a bracket that mounts to the bottle cage bolts on a down tube, but the T-Line doesn't have bottle cage bolts, so Cytronex has created a separate mount that uses zip ties. Likewise, the sensor is different due to the construction of the Titanium frame, as mentioned above. 

However, throughout my time with the Cytronex ebike conversion kit, I've come to notice that Cytronex pays very close attention to the details and the engineering of its product. This perception is highlighted by the battery release catch, which lifts, twists, slides and releases like a piece of functional art. It's beautifully made from stainless steel and holds perfectly securely when locked. Honestly, I get excited every time I use it and I absolutely need to get a life. What I'm saying, though, is that I am in no doubt that the mounting brackets on its other kits will be just as well made as those on the T-Line.

App

It's 2023 so of course there's an app, and it's by putting all of the heavy lifting of the setup and configuration here that the handlebar-mounted control can be kept as simple as it is. 

Open the app, scan (via Bluetooth) for the battery - wake it if needed - and once connected, you can see exact battery level, check for firmware updates, adjust the power delivery for each of the five settings, and even change the brightness of the illumination of your handlebar-mounted button. You can also log faults direct to the Cytronex team, should your bike have a problem. It's all simple, intuitive and works nicely.

Chargers

No electric bike conversion kit would be very useful without its charger, and with Cytronex you have a choice of two. The 'fast' charger mounts the bottle vertically, quite neatly in fact, and currently lives nicely on my desk at home. This costs £128.00 and charges an empty battery to full in 90 minutes, or to 85% in an hour. 

The 'standard' charger is smaller and comes in its own zipped-up pouch, making it ideal for taking with you on your commute or travels. This one costs £72.00, and charges a little more slowly, taking 2.5 hours to full. 

Having charged the battery using both chargers and monitoring the charge speed, my testing concurs with these charge times. 

How to purchase

The only way to buy a Cytronex electric bike conversion kit is via Cytronex itself. The company has an easy-to-navigate website, and will ship around the world. 

You start by telling it where you are (as local laws will relate to the specs your motor can have), and what sort of bike – standard or tandem – you're trying to convert. You then tell your wheel size, what brakes you have and what colour rims you'd like, before you're taken to a page with a selection of various options relating to the wheel rim, charger, installation, tyre and inner tube. 

From there, you're given a bunch of PDF templates that you can print off, allowing you to check whether the system will indeed fit your bike. The rest of the purchase process is spent informing Cytronex about certain aspects of your bike, such as whether it has suspension, the type of gears it uses, and the dimensions of certain parts. 

This will allow Cytronex to supply you with a kit that will not only fit your bike, but be easy to fit, with wiring cut to the necessary lengths and mountain brackets that are designed to work with your style of bike. 

Buying a Cytronex is not a straightforward process. There are a lot of steps, a bit of research, printing off templates and checking them against your bike, and measuring dimensions of your bike. It is in total contrast to the purchase funnel of buying a Bafang ebike kit from Amazon, which can be done with just a single swipe of a finger in the app. 

My recommendation is to take your time here, and use Cytronex customer service if you're unsure as you don't want to get it wrong. You should consider this time as an investment that you will get back during the fitment process; get everything right now and it will fit nicely when it arrives. Rush this section and at best you'll have to bodge the fitment, at worst you'll have to return it.

Fitment

As mentioned a few times now, the Cytronex electric conversion kit was delivered to me pre-fitted to the Brompton, so I cannot judge how easy or difficult it was to fit based on my own experience. Therefore, I reached out to a few existing users for their opinions and I've made my own observations based on the finished product. 

Given that the system comes with its wires cut to length and pre-connected, it looks incredibly straightforward. Also, every part of the system is adjusted using Allen (hex) keys; there are no special tools required. Cytronex also has videos to help you, one of which shows a mechanic fitting it in just four minutes. 

On observation, I think the most difficult part will be setting the sensor in place, but having reached out to a couple of Cytronex owners and speaking to Cytronex itself, I'm told it comes with a spacer that allows you to get it right the first time. Take what I say here with a pinch of salt reflective of my personal experience with the product, but I'm of the impression that it's easier than its other hub-driven competitors. 

Performance

Having an electric bike conversion kit that's easy to fit would be no good if it didn't actually then work as en electric bike. Luckily, the Cytronex kit does. 

Its range, as with all electric bikes, depends on how you use it. In mixed use in a fairly hilly area, I've been getting between 30 and 40km per charge. 

In fact, on my commute home, I purposefully left the power on its maximum setting and measured the output from a full battery. This was a very hilly 10km (with 200m of climbing) and the ride used 38% of the battery. Continuing on this terrain would have seen me get 26km. That's a rare use-case, but I would argue it's also the worst use-case. In flatter terrain and with a more conservative approach to battery saving, I expect 40-50km of riding and more would be easily achievable. Compared to the claimed 15km for the Swytch ebike conversion kit 'Air' model and 30km for the 'Max' model, I'd say that's pretty good.

Where the Cytronex really shines here is in the simplicity of changing modes. If you want to be a little more conservative with your battery life, you can easily knock it down to a lower power when you're riding on flatter terrain or in traffic, and then quickly bring it back to full power when you need a boost up a hill. 

No matter the mode you're in, the way it delivers the power is also good. There's never a sudden 250-watt kick up the backside, nor is there ever a hard switch-off when you get to 25km/h. It's smooth, steady and confidence-inspiring. The only time I had trouble with power delivery was on a steep (circa 10%) gradient when the road was wet. Putting the power into the front wheel makes sense logistically, but on a climb when the rider's weight is almost entirely over a rear wheel, the power delivery to the front wheel can cause it to wheelspin. 

When this happens, the system quickly realises and judders to a halt before trying again. It was easily solved by shifting my weight forward, even if the resulting riding position wasn't the most comfortable. 

I also found that it forces you to re-learn how to get up to speed quickly. Naturally, my instinct is to apply more power, but when riding in stop-start traffic, I found that when adding more effort to get up to speed, I felt I was riding into the resistance of the motor for a couple of seconds as it tried to assist. Instead, by learning how and when the system will kick in, you can use it to your advantage. 

Overall though, the algorithm feels very clever. Before taking it onto the open road I took it to a car park to familiarize myself with the power delivery, and when doing some slow-speed u-turns, I was surprised to see that the power didn't kick in, even though I was pedalling slowly. 

Of course, it's not fool proof. If I kept it in its highest power setting and tried to ride around the hairpins on the zig-zag wheelchair ramp outside our office, then it would kick in mid-corner and force me to panic-brake, but that was just a test. Most people would knock the power down to the lowest setting - or even switch it off - while navigating tight turns such as these. 

Another 'test' showed me that the system could be tricked into doing all the work for you. Given it's measuring the movement of the cassette by counting the teeth, all you need to do is keep it turning – by soft-pedalling, enough to keep the cassette moving but without actually applying any power – and you'll get power from the motor. Doing this for extended periods can come back to bite you though, as the sensor and motor are continuously calibrating, but it's quite nice to do it on occasion, especially when you're feeling lazy after a long day in the office. 

Of course, some of those sound like negative points, but I prefer to frame them as 'things that will quickly become second nature' when owning a Cytronex electric bike conversion kit. They're quirks of the system, but none are detrimental to its overall performance. You'll quickly learn those quirks how best to benefit from them. For example, on the second time up the steep slipper hill, I instinctively leaned forward to prevent the wheelspin, and on my second time in stop-start traffic, I chose a lower gear so that the power kicked in more quickly.

 Verdict 

Overall, there's very little not to like about the Cytronex ebike conversion kit.

It's a well-thought-out design with quality engineering. It's easy to use, comes at a fair price, and is backed by best-in-class customer support. What's more, all evidence from my time with the bike points to a system that is strong and durable enough to put up with the daily commute with ease. 

The cost of electric bike conversion kits might be cheaper than buying a brand new electric bike, but they still cost a significant sum of money, so finding one that will stand the test of time is key, and I have no doubts that the Cytronex kit will do just that. 

Electric bike brand Himiway was founded in 2017 and since then has gone from strength to strength in the blossoming e-bike market. After first launching e-bikes in the US and Canada, Himiway now has a global dealer network, an expanding e-bike range and is passionate about promoting sustainable, green travel. Himiway aims to reach a million cyclists in over 30 countries around the globe. 

Himiway enjoyed a strong 2022 with e-bike usage helping reduce carbon emissions by 32,700 tonnes. This was achieved by over 100,000 Himiway e-bike users. The opening of a flagship US store in San Diego and a network of 300 dealers across the US meant people could attend over 30 test ride events and expos across the country.  

Himiway recently held its latest product launch event which championed a new brand slogan of  ‘Further every way’ highlighting the Himiway team's work and their commitment to carry out this work with real moves, not just words. Several interesting changes were announced which included a new mission and logo for the brand, new e-bike models and the launch of a new accessory sub-brand. 

The Himiway launch event outlined several key changes including a new mission for the brand which is to change the way people travel. A lifelong goal to get people to choose e-bikes as their preferred method of transportation supports this. E-bikes can be a fantastic green method of travel for people worldwide and Himiway aims to enable people to enjoy this freedom using new products, actions and appearances. 

A new Himiway logo has also been launched this week. The new Himiway Rocket logo has been chosen to reflect the brand's different vision and mission. The rocket was chosen to reflect breakthroughs and progress in human civilization. Himiway also thanked all of its customers that have shared in the first chapter of the brand's journey since 2017. 

The launch event also saw the announcement of a new accessory sub-brand named: Himi Zone. A new brand focusing on e-bike accessories allowing Himiway customers to personalise their e-bikes, with an aim of developing over 400 high-quality e-bike accessories to address customer needs and enrich customer riding experiences. 

The event also saw the release of three brand-new e-bike models from Himiway. These new models range from an electric mini bike, a city e-commuter bike and two off-road electric bike options. 

The first of these models is the Himiway Pony pedal-free mini e-bike. The smallest model in the brand's history at just 49 inches long and 41 inches high. This model was developed specifically with young adults in mind. With the goal of helping them to commute to work or travel around the city in their free time, the small size of the bike makes transporting it in cars or on public transport incredibly easy. 

Himiway developed the Pony with the goal of making e-bikes more affordable and accessible to more people than ever before. 

The Himiway Pony is priced at $649, but can be pre-ordered during the spring launch event for only $599.

An alternate 180wh version of the bike is also available for $499, making it the most cost-effective e-bike on the market.

The second new model to be launched is the Himiway Rambler electric city commuter bike. A model that provides excellent performance and durability, it’s perfect for those who want a reliable, stylish, and easy-to-use ride that can handle complex urban roads and long distances. The bike will use 27.5” tyres, be available in rear or mid-drive versions and provide a range of up to 55 miles.

A version of the bike with Hydraulic brakes will retail at $1499. A version with Mechanical brakes will retail at $1299. While a mid-drive motor and hydraulic brakes version will retail at $2199.

The third new model to be released as part of the launch event is the Himiway Rhino dual-battery off-road electric bike. The first dual-battery E-bike gives up to 100 miles of range alongside a powerful 1000-watt motor. With two frame integrated battery packs and 4.5” tyres, the Rhino will provide a smooth ride on all terrains. 

The Rhino will be available to pre-order for $2,999 and carries a retail price of $3,199. There will be Midnight Forest and Himi Grey colours to choose from. The Rhino Pro is the top-tier option of the Rhino bike.  

The Rhino Pro model will also be available which will feature a 100-watt mid-drive motor, Shimano 10s-speed gear shift system and 180mm hydraulic disc brakes. The Rhino Pro represents the ultimate off-road beast for e-bike enthusiasts. 

The Rhino Pro will be priced at $3,999.

There will also be an Exciting chance to win new Himiway models for free on the Himiway Facebook page

For more information head to himiwaybike.com or facebook.com/himiwaybikes

The best electric bikes have really gained a foothold in the market over the last few years. Day to day they appear to be the preserve of commuters and delivery riders, either on dedicated eclectic bikes or homemade options thanks to e-bike conversion kits. At the other end of the spectrum, there are an increasing number of high-end, high-performance electric road bikes that instead of going for maximum power or utility aim to mimic as best they can the feel of a non-assisted road bike. The new Pinarello Nytro E range very much falls into that category, prioritising low weight and handling.

It’s not just an electric road bike, however; there is a gravel model too, and an all-road flat bar version sharing the same geometry of the gravel model, just with a very different build. 

Power assisted, but still lightweight

At the heart of each of the road, gravel, and allroad bikes is a new mid-drive motor. The TQ-HPR50 unit (catchy name, right?), in combination with a 360Wh battery, adds only 3.9kg to the total system weight. In return, you get 50Nm of torque and a 300 Watt boost. The motor has been designed for low weight, but also for low size so as to maintain as close a Q factor as possible to better mimic the feel of riding a standard road or gravel bike. 

Moreover, the motor has been designed to be silent. The shape of the bike, the larger downtube, and the integrated LED display may give away that you’ve got power assistance, but the sound of the motor shouldn’t give you away. At 11.4kg the road model doesn’t compare to a high-end road bike, but it’s comparable to some touring bikes and is the lightest electric bike of its kind on the market. 

The road model especially is clearly inspired by and shares the design features of the Dogma F, and the new Pinarello F that we test rode recently. The same visuals, the same cable integration and cockpits, and the same asymmetrical design to better cope with the forces of braking and power transfer (which is presumably even more important with a 300Watt boost).

It may seem like aerodynamics would be less of a concern when you have a motor in the bottom bracket and a battery in the downtube, but the more slippery the bike (and the rider), the less power assistance you need and therefore the range increases, so opting for the same truncated aerofoil tube shapes as the Dogma and F ranges makes sense from this standpoint as well as from a design language continuity point of view. The E-road models borrow the Dogma seatpost, too, while the E-gravel use a round option so as to keep customers' options open for dropper posts, or more suspension-oriented seatposts. 

The Nytro range; specs and prices 

The headline act is the Nytro E-Road, which comes in three flavours (E9, E7, and E5). All feature electronic Shimano groupsets, cascading from Dura-Ace, through Ultegra, to 105. Only the E7 comes in two colours, with the E5 and E9 in one option only. All can fit 32mm tyres, and wheelsets range from Princeton Grit at the top end, to Fulcrum Racing 800 at the 105 level. 

The gravel models, which feature a different geometry and space for 50mm tyres, all feature 1x Sram groupsets. Red for the E9, Force for the E7, and Rival for the E5, with a similar wheel lineup from Princeton through to Fulcrum Rapid Reds. There is also the Nytro Allroad model, which shares the same geometry as the Nytro Gravel but comes with flat bars, mudguards, a pannier rack, and an 11sp Deore drivetrain. 

Many bicycle insurance companies have specific policies for electric bikes, but what if you're insuring an e-bike conversion kit? Or more specifically, what if you're insuring a bike that's been converted to electric using one of the many electric bike conversion kits on the market today?

This is a question that's no doubt arisen to thousands of cyclists who have taken the route of adding motorised assistance to their previously pedal-powered bikes. However, despite the popularity of the devices such as the easy bolt-on Rubbee X, the fully integrated Swytch electric kit, or the budget-friendly Bafang conversion kit, there doesn't seem to be much information out there. 

In a bid to demystify the problem of insuring your electric bike conversion, I spoke to David George, CEO of the leading bike insurer Bikmo, to find out. 

An e-bike conversion is just an e-bike

Different parts of the world have different laws governing electric bikes. In the UK, the EU, and Australia, an electrically assisted pedal cycle is subject to a maximum output of 250 watts, must not have a throttle for motorbike-style 'twist and go' acceleration, and the motor's input must be limited to 25km/h. Things get a little muddier in the USA, where three tiers of e-bike classes come with differing laws by state. 

This is all important because a bike with an electric conversion kit is, in the eyes of the law, no different to an e-bike bought in a store. 

"Regardless of how it's got that power, whether it was built into the manufacturing stage, or if it was built in afterwards in a retrofit kit, or however you're powering it, it can't exceed those limits," explains George. "Otherwise, it's automatically tipped into the same category as scooters and motorcycles, which means that you need to have motor liability insurance, it needs to be taxed and needs to be licensed."

Do I need e-bike insurance or specialist insurance for my e-bike conversion?

Assuming that your newly converted electric bike meets the aforementioned requirements, then in the eyes of the law, you're riding a standard e-bike, and as such, standard e-bike insurance will suffice. 

If it doesn't, then you'll need to contact your local vehicle licencing agency, such as the DVLA in the UK, in order to register your newly converted bike as a moped or motorbike. This, as George explains, will require insurance, licensing, and will be subject to the relevant local taxes. 

Should I inform my existing insurer when converting a bike to electric?

Technically yes, but you might actually stand to benefit from doing so. Firstly, your newly converted e-bike is likely more expensive, so you may need to adjust the policy to account for that extra cost. However, more importantly, once it's classed as an e-bike, it might actually work out cheaper. 

"With many providers, especially Bikmo, you go through the same journey, and it will be classed as e-bike insurance," George states. "But the main difference for us is that e-bike insurance is actually cheaper, it's 25% cheaper because we've proven through data and some research that actually, e-bike riders are generally a slightly lower risk than your average rider, largely because of the type of use and the demographic, particularly age.

"We'd always recommend that the individual gets in contact with the insurance company to let them know." 

I fitted my e-bike conversion kit myself, is it still insured?

Yes. Relating to Bikmo, George refers me to the potential safety hazards that can occur from incorrect maintenance on all bikes, including those without an e-bike conversion kit. Insurers don't often stipulate rules on where bikes should be maintained, or by who, and an inexperienced home mechanic could inadvertently set up brakes incorrectly, making the bike unsafe to ride and causing an accident. Despite this, it would still be insured. 

"We would treat it in the same way that you are able to maintain the bike yourself, we don't force you to go to a professional dealership to have any repair done. We put the onus onto the individual to make sure it is okay for the individual to change the kit themselves."

However, in the event that your insurer does stipulate that your bike is maintained professionally, that will apply to the conversion too, so check the small print of your policy to be sure. 

The best folding electric bikes make your ride easier, take up less space and help you cover longer distances with less effort. 

Their compact folded dimensions mean that they're easier to store if you're space-constrained at home or work and are easier to take on weekend adventures, offering another (and frankly much more enjoyable) dimension to city breaks. Just shove it in the boot of your car, or stick it on the train, and you’re good to go. 

Building on the foundation of the best folding bikes, technology in the best folding electric bikes has rapidly improved over the past few years, and we’re now seeing features to rival the best road bikes or best commuter bikes, making them a super convenient option for adopting into your everyday life. 

Carbon fibre components are inching their way into models, making them lighter, while improvements in batteries and efficiencies in motors have led to longer battery ranges with higher speeds and quicker charging times. Additionally, folding mechanisms and quick releases have drastically improved folding speeds, making them even more appealing to the train/bike commuter in their morning or evening train-catching flurry. 

At Cyclingnews, we're bike riders above all else, and we've ridden and reviewed a whole range of bikes, including folding electric bikes, so we know what to look for in a folder with some extra e-assistance.

Below are our picks of the best folding electric bikes and at the bottom of the page, our buyer's guide to what to look for in a folding electric bike.

Best folding electric bikes: our picks

Best for a compact fold

To many, Brompton is the market-leading folding bike brand. Its tried and tested folding bike platform has remained largely unchanged since its inception and still remains, in our opinion, one of the best available today. 

Converting the Brompton folding bike package to electric assistance is a 250-watt front hub motor, powered by a detachable battery pouch that lives in a handlebar bag. This system is supplied by Swytch - makers of one of the best electric bike conversion kits that we've reviewed. 

There are plenty of things that put the Brompton Electric among the best folding electric bikes, such as its excellent array of luggage options, powerful brakes, crisp shifting and impressive Brompton ride quality, but we felt that it's still not perfect.

The mode controls are positioned on the battery, which we found to be an awkward reach when riding, and the brake levers need to be positioned slightly awkwardly so they aren't in the way when folded, and they don't cut the motor when pulled so we were sometimes caught out in traffic, as explained in more detail in our Brompton Electric review. We also reviewed the Brompton T-Line fitted with a Cytronex e-conversion kit recently. 

Alongside the original Brompton Electric C Line, there's now an Electric P Line bike, which has fewer gears and uses lighter materials to cut the bike's claimed weight from 17.4kg to 15.6kg and the Electric G Line which rolls on 20 inch wheels in place of 16 inch and has disc brakes rather than rim brakes.

Best for low weight

Prodrive - a British motorsport and engineering group - bought out Hummingbird in 2020, though have only recently begun to rebrand the bikes on offer. They’ve taken the opportunity to give the bikes a bit of a facelift, though very generally the specs remain pretty much the same. You therefore might remember this bike as the Hummingbird Electric 2.0; it's now the Prodrive Electric Folding Bike.

We reckon that if you want a lightweight folding e-bike, this is a great option at a feather-light 10.3kgs. The Prodrive features carbon fibre components, which might seem superfluous on an e-bike, but it does help reduce overall mass.

Why is a lightweight folding electric bike important? When you need to carry it upstairs or lift it into stowage compartments on a train, like us you'll come to appreciate the weight reduction. 

The trussed rear end looks like a stylish application of industrial design and helps keep overall mass down.

Drawing energy from a 158Wh battery, the Prodrive folding e-bike uses a 250W rear hub motor, which is paired with a large 48T front chainring. It only spins a single 12T cog at the rear, so we think that you might be slightly over-geared if your commute includes steeper or prolonged gradients.

Best for style

A thoroughly futuristic design, the Gocycle G4 looks unlike any other folding electric bike. Named for its position as the fourth generation of Gocycle's design, the G4's designer is a former McLaren employee, and that shows in the choice of materials and shapes. There's a carbon fork and magnesium alloy rear frame, and, instead of Chromoly, it has an injected-moulded composite centre - if you upgrade to the G4i, you'll see carbon fibre in this portion of the frame instead.

Rolling on larger-than-most 20-inch wheels, the Gocycle rides better and smooths out the jarring influence of road surface imperfections, but it does mean the overall folded size is larger. 

Its front hub drive unit was upgraded in 2021, with a more potent 500W motor option for specific markets. We reckon that this should give you all the power needed to conquer any sequence of steep streets in an urban environment, even with the drivetrain only having three speeds, courtesy of Shimano's Nexus hub and Microshift grip shifting. The drivetrain is neatly housed within GoCycle's CleanDrive, effectively keeping it hermetically sealed from dirt and water ingress.

Disc brakes ensure secure stopping, even if your commute is in the rain. We should also mention the Gocycle G4’s LED status display, which is integrated into the handlebar. 

If there is one model that shows where folding e-bikes could be in 2030, we think that this is it, and Gocycle has added a stylish folding electric cargo bike to its range too, for even more versatility. 

Best for reliable power

The Vektron S10 might not be a superlight folding e-bike, but it does have a broad reach of appeal. Tern has attempted to combine many ‘big bike’ features into the folding frame concept with this Vektron S10. The result is a heavy package, at 22.1kg, but you get a large capacity battery pack, boosting range, and the S10 is now fitted with a motor from Bosch, one of the best-regarded brands.

The Vektron S10's ten-speed drivetrain ensures that you can work with its battery assistance most efficiently. Commuters can see a theoretical range of up to 106km, and with Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, we think that you should feel entirely safe using the Vektron S10’s pedal assistance in wet conditions.

Frequency of use can make life tough for a folding e-bike, so to combat this, a corrosion coating has been applied to the Vektron S10’s chain to help delay its wear rate. By configuring the Vektron S10 with a mid-drive motor, Tern’s designers have optimised weight distribution, which we think should give this folding e-bike fantastically balanced agility.

Best for 28mph support in the US

Although most folding electric bikes are targeted at a distinctly urban audience rolling on quality commuting infrastructure, what about a mixed terrain option?

If you are going to cross some gravel, or have to negotiate crumbling roads and unpredictable shortcuts in your active commute, tiny wheels and skinny tyres aren’t ideal. The solution is something with a much larger tyre casing and grippier tread pattern.

This is where the Lectric XP4 comes into its own. It might be a very heavy folding e-bike, at 28kg, but you get a potent 850W peak power motor and wide 20x3in tyres.

With those big tyres, we'd never have an issue taking the ‘alternative’ route anywhere. Road surface imperfections are of no consequence to the Lectric XP4’s ride quality, particularly with the suspension fork.

If you are a keen camper or want a folding e-bike to use at that vacation venue, where the clubhouse and other amenities are just too far for a convenient walk, the Lectric XP4’s robustness will appeal. With a standard battery, Lectric says that you can expect up to 50 miles range, but there's a long-range battery option that increases that to a claimed 85 miles. It's a US class 1, 2 and 3 design, so you can ride throttle-only if you want or keep pedalling with assistance up to 28mph.

Best for versatility

The Raleigh folding e-bike blends classic commuter styling with the stability of 20-inch wheels and an appropriate battery specification.

Bigger wheels bring more directional stability to the folding e-bike platform, although they do slightly reduce the bike’s overall compactness when folded. With its 20-inch wheels, we think that the Raleigh should do a fair job of calming some road surface buzz.

The frame is alloy, but there is a steel fork up front, and despite the now-old-fashioned vertically mounted battery pack, Raleigh has done well with the bike’s overall design, as well as including an integrated rear cargo rack, which will be of use to active commuters.

Not outrageously heavy for a 20-inch wheeled folding electric bike, at 20kg, this is a very neatly integrated bike that should offer up to 50km of assistance. Its seven-speed drivetrain offers a good spread of ratios to conserve battery life and power you up steep urban inclines without bother.

Best on a budget

If you’re looking for a budget folding e-bike, the Carrera Crosscity folding bike offers considerable value at a low price point. With 30 miles of range and a top speed of 25 km/h, you can still zip along the roads at a lick without enough range to get you to and from work easily. Its only downside is that it takes about 6 hours to recharge, longer than most, although it does come with a 2-year warranty on the battery life. 

If you have limited space for storing bikes in your office or need to take your bike on a train at any point, then this bike is an ideal choice for you. When you consider that this has a motor and a host of great features, the value is incredible.

The rear hub motor has a range of up to 30 miles and can push you up to speeds of 25km/h, which should make light work of any commute. The discreetly hidden battery has a recharge time of six hours, which will take longer than most here, but you can still fully charge it at the office before heading home again. Plus, it even has a USB port that can be used to power lights or charge your phone. The motor is controlled by a mini LED display on the handlebars, which allows you to choose from three assistance levels. 

Best for adjustability

One of the best things about the Mirider One is that it is a bit more versatile and customisable than other brands, offering a longer telescopic seat post for riders ranging in height from 5ft all the way up to 6 ft 4. Particularly for women, who often struggle to find the right size bike in folding bikes with limited frame size options, this is a serious win. Combined with a lightish-weight frame (unusually made from an aircraft magnesium alloy) at only 17.5kg and with a quick folding solution, the Mirider one is one of the most practical on our list. It’s pretty affordable too, coming in at just over £1,500. 

As a single speed, you’ll have to rely a bit on the power boost to get up the hills, and the huge front chainring means that you’re unlikely to be breaking any records in acceleration. However, both of these are acknowledged by Mirider, who point to the powerful 250Wh battery and solid 45 miles of range on a Samsung motor, making up for the lack of oomph on the flat. The battery is lockable and removable, which makes charging a bit more straightforward.

The other thing about the Mirider is that it just looks cool. Designed and manufactured in Bolton (in the northwest of the UK), the frame has been die-cast and so is streamlined and supposedly more resistant to corrosion, and the colourway options are lurid but bright and very modern. Though the battery isn’t totally integrated, it is well concealed, meaning it doesn’t look overtly like it is an electric bike. Mirider has also lumped in mudguards and an LED front light as a standard, a nice touch.  

Best for off-road capability

The Eovolt Afternoon is one of the newer 20-inch wheel electric folding bikes on the market, designed, so Eovolt says, to meet customers’ demand for a slightly more rugged off-road capable bike for weekend adventures. And the Eovolt Afternoon does make a great little adventure machine.

It’s a slightly heavier aluminium frame, contributing to the 20.9kg weight. But with a rear wheel motor offering a solid 40 Nm of torque and 5 levels of power assist, you’re unlikely to notice it. For the latest iteration, Eovolt has upgraded the brakes to Shimano MT-100 Hydraulic disc brakes for powerful and sensitive stopping. The addition of Schwalbe Pick Up Tyres with 6-ply puncture protection means that it’s going to cope reasonably well with a variety of terrains, and combined with the 80km battery range, you’re going to be able to enjoy longer days in the saddle. Speaking of the battery, it’s a seat post-mounted battery, which is somewhat unusual, but it is removable, which makes it easier to charge and slightly less likely to be stolen. 

With various ports for panniers and bikepacking bags, E-volt has designed a capable and practical bike for weekend trips. 

How to choose the best folding electric bike for you

Best folding e-bike: Frequently asked questions

Any bike is invariably a big purchase and worthy of much deliberation. Given that folding electric bikes are a slightly niche genre that can be expensive, you've probably got some questions. In our eternal bid to help you buy the right product, we've attempted to answer as many of those questions as possible below.

How we test

Here at Cyclingnews, our team of professional bike testers and reviewers spends its time riding a huge range of bikes, e-bikes and bike-related stuff to bring you curated reviews of all that's best in cycling.

We don't just ride randomly, though; we'll put products through a range of testing in different conditions and over different distances and terrain, before writing up our reviews based on a structured scoring template. 

For more details, head to our How We Test page.

The Raleigh Centros electric bike has enough range to suit any cycling adventurer. It comes with a large capacity, 625Wh Bosch internal battery that’s mounted inside the frame’s down tube. That battery alone can give you up to 130 miles range, depending on conditions and how you ride.

But the Centros is equipped with Bosch’s latest Performance Line motor system. Buy a second 400Wh battery and you can easily mount it to the bike externally on the bike’s down tube using the bike’s in-built Modular Rail System. The bike will use the two batteries in tandem to increase how far you can ride.

That lets you add around a third to the Centros’s range, so you might get close to 200 miles between recharges, and it opens up a whole host of possibilities for adventures.

If you’ve always wanted to go on a multi-day cycling trip on your e-bike, adding the second battery makes that possible without needing to find somewhere to charge up on the way, or even take the e-bike’s mains adapter with you at all.

Even for shorter excursions, the knowledge that you won’t run out of power however much assistance you call on from the Bosch motor means that you won’t have to worry about tackling more demanding, hillier routes to visit new places. You can also take trips away with multiple ride days without having to recharge. 

Equipped for adventures

The Raleigh Centros is fully equipped to take you off road or on. It comes with mudguards, so you’re protected whatever the weather, and a rear rack for carrying duties. Plus there are front and rear lights wired into the battery, so you’ll never run out of lighting even if your adventure takes you into night riding. A kickstand makes the Centros easy to park up too.

The Centros is available with either a crossbar or a step-through alloy frame. It comes with a Suntour suspension fork and a Selle Royal Viento saddle to add extra comfort to your ride. The 650b wheels with 55mm wide Schwalbe Marathon Almotion tyres do even more to smooth out surface bumps as you ride.

There’s a choice of either low maintenance Shimano Nexus 8-speed hub gears or wide range Shimano Alivio 9-speed derailleur gearing. Shimano hydraulic disc brakes with a large 180mm front rotor make sure that you’re always in control.

Clever motor system

The Raleigh Centros uses the Bosch Performance Line motor with 250 watts of power output and 65Nm torque to help you get up any hills on your ride with ease, providing up to 340 per cent extra support over your own pedal input. It’s really quiet too. 

You can choose from the five assistance levels using the Bosch Purion bar-mounted controller, which also lets you control the bike’s lights and has a clear display of ride data including speed, assistance level, battery range and distance ridden. 

The Raleigh Centros’s Modular Rail System lets you add a whole range of accessories to the e-bike simply and without needing to fiddle with bolts. That includes not just a second external battery but also water bottles, bags, locks and more.

The Raleigh Centros electric bike is available now and is priced at £2,999 with derailleur gearing or £3,099 with a hub gear. You can also pay monthly with Klarna with payment terms from £74.97 a month. The Centros is a great option if you want to explore further without range anxiety or are maybe looking to replace an existing electric bike with a new, up-to-date model.

Greyp makes a small range of electric bikes, including two models which it calls its eSUVs. They’re designed as do-it-all electric bikes that are as capable for commuting as for multi-day treks and leisure rides, both on road and on gravel trails and include features like an integrated rack and lighting and a high capacity battery. 

Most electric bikes are designed with the electric power as a bolt-on to a conventional bike, which is hardly surprising as they’re designed and built by pedal power bike brands. But Greyp’s founders come from a performance automotive background and entered electric bike design with a clean sheet of paper, which has allowed them to develop a much more integrated solution.

The heart of Greyp’s T5.2 eSUV bike is its always-on connectivity, with an in-built eSIM that transmits data over the T-Mobile network to Greyp’s e-bike app. You can use this as a smart dashboard for your bike or use the central intelligence unit display built into the eSUV’s handlebar which gives you a subset of the same data via its 3 inch screen. 

The Greyp phone app lets you plan out your ride and gives you turn-by-turn navigation. You can also hook up to a heart rate monitor to customise assistance levels based on your fitness goals. The app provides information as you ride, like speed, distance, ride time, pedalling cadence and the all-important battery level. 

Not that battery capacity is an issue with the Greyp eSUV. It’s got a high capacity 700Wh removable battery integrated into the down tube that gives you one of the longest ranges in its class. It drives a centrally mounted custom 250 watt motor with 90Nm of torque that, like all electric bike motors, provides extra power as you pedal, up to the mandatory 25kph cut-off.  

Another neat feature is the integrated cameras front and rear, which continuously record as you ride, so you’ll never miss anything, have a record of the last 30 minutes of your ride and can edit and share your ride images and video.

The in-built SIM also means that you can keep tabs on your bike when you’re not riding. You can check its status, find where you’ve left it if you forget or it goes astray, activate the cameras and immobilise it, all via the app.

High quality spec

The Greyp T5 eSUV bike comes in two specs, both with the same alloy frame with a downswept top tube that merges neatly into the seat stays. 

The range-topping Greyp T5.2 has a premium spec Rockshox 35 Gold RL fork with 100mm of travel, a SRAM GX Eagle 12-speed groupset with a wide range 11-50 tooth cassette, Formula Cura hydraulic disc brakes with a 203mm front and 180mm rear rotor for plenty of stopping power and Boost 700c wheels with Schwalbe G-One Allround 2.25” tyres.

It’s fitted out with a custom rear rack which lets you fit panniers from Ortlieb, the premium bike luggage manufacturer. There are Busch and Muller front and rear lights that are powered by the central battery.

Bought by Porsche

Greyp was founded in Croatia in 2016 and launched its first bike in August of that year. Since then it has expanded its range and won a Gold Award at Eurobike for the best electric mountain bike in 2019. 

The T5 eSUV bikes were launched in July 2021 and in November 2021 Porsche bought a majority shareholding in Greyp, with the aim to expand the company and its micromobility offering.

Alongside the eSUV models, Greyp also sells stylish hardtail and full suspension mountain bikes with a range of spec levels.

Now available to test ride and buy in the UK

The Greyp T5.2 eSUV e-bike is available in three sizes to suit riders from 163cm to 197cm in height and is priced at £4,900 in the UK.

Greyp electric bikes have been launched by Ride St Albans, which is the UK Distributor and main dealer for the Greyp brand. If you want to see the Greyp e-bike range for yourself, learn more from the shop’s staff and maybe even take a demo ride on one of the bikes along with one of its Greyp ambassadors, you can contact Ride St Albans on 01727 614778.

Black Friday is behind us, but the sales continue over the weekend all the way through to Cyber Monday in a couple of days.

In the lists below, we've rounded up all the best black friday electric bike deals we could find, split by country. We've got deals on a whole range of other cycling equipment as well, from helmets and socks, through to whole bikes, so if you need to get some other kit, then head to our comprehensive Black Friday bike deals roundup instead of trawling all the websites yourself.

E-bikes are generally a touch more expensive than their unpowered equivalents, and you have to spend a little more to get an equivalent spec. The added motor, battery tech, circuitry, and uprated components to deal with the extra power mean added costs that get passed onto the consumer, but that also means potentially greater savings on discounted electric bikes at this time of year.

With so many options and so many places to shop, we've used our expertise to navigate the sales to highlight our pick of the best flat and drop bar deals. We know what to look for in the best electric bikes thanks to our testing and coverage of electric bikes and the tech that makes them move.

USA: Quick Black Friday Deals

• Continental GP5000 S TR: 42% off our benchmark road tyre
• Rapha Core Rain Jacket II: $40 off with sale discount
• Gore C5 Thermo Gloves: 25% off excellent winter gloves
• Specialized S-Works Recon Lace: 60% off in the sale

UK: Quick Black Friday Deals

• Continental GP5000 S TR: Best ever price on our benchmark tyre
• Rapha Core Rain Jacket II: 48% off with double discount
• Gore C5 Gore-Tex Gloves: 25% off lightweight waterproof gloves
• Oakley sunglasses: 37% off Jawbreakers with a free extra lens

Black Friday electric bike deals

USA

• Competitive Cyclist: Up to 40% off e-road bikes
• Jenson USA: Electric mountain bikes with as much as 48% off
• Mike's Bikes: Discounts on Cannondale, Giant and more
• REI: 50% off Co-op and Electra e-bikes

UK

• Tredz: Discounts on electric hybrids from Raleigh, Haibike and more
• Cyclestore: Money off e-bikes from Giant, Specialized and other brands
• Leisure Lakes: Specialized, Orbea and other brands with a discount
• Sigma Sports: Up to 34% off e-road bikes from Orbea and Trek

If you're unsure which e-bike is the best for your needs, check out our guide to the best electric bikes, which is filled with information to help you make the best choice.

And if you're wondering what size bike you need, then we've got you covered with our full explainer on how to make sense of manufacturers' size and geometry charts, aptly named, 'what size bike do I need?'

Best Black Friday electric bike deals in the USA

Best Black Friday electric bike deals in the UK

Is Black Friday the best time to buy an electric bike?

Black Friday can be a great time to bag a bargain on an electric bike.

The cycling industry typically releases next year's models towards the end of the summer. That can leave vendors with surplus stock from the previous year's bikes, which they'll discount to make way for the next year's bikes.

Often, there's little difference between bikes year-on-year unless a brand has launched a completely new model, so you'll probably be getting exactly the same bike, just in last year's colour. One point to be mindful of at the moment is that some bikes are sold with older SRAM componentry that doesn't feature the newer and better shifter shape and braking performance.

Still unsure on the best bike for you? 

If you've not found the right electric bike here, don’t worry, Cyclingnews has loads of great cycling buying advice to help you choose your next bike. Each of our detailed guides to electric bikes includes a buyer's guide towards the bottom of the page.

Our overarching guide to the best electric bikes is a great place to start your hunt, but if you're after something more specific, we've got you covered, too.

Our guides to the best electric bikes for commuting and the best folding electric bikes are perfect for those wanting an e-bike for the ride to work.

The best electric road bikes are suitable for anyone looking to go faster, further on drop bars and skinny tyres, while the best electric gravel bikes are suited to those wanting to go off-road.

For those of us with a keen eye on budget, if the deals above haven't helped, we have guides covering the best electric bikes under $1000, and the best electric bikes under $2000.

Finally, for those of us wanting to power up our existing bikes, check out the best electric bike conversion kits.

More Black Friday deals

• Black Friday bike deals: The best savings for cyclists in 2025
• Black Friday Zwift: Deals from as far away as Watopia
• Black Friday Specialized: Save on everything from flagship bikes to socks
• Black Friday bike helmets: Safety on a budget for road and off-road use
• Black Friday cycling shoes: Sort your feet out with some fresh slippers
• Black Friday indoor bike trainer deals: Indoor cycling on a budget
• Black Friday kids' bikes: They grow so fast, so don't pay full price
• Black Friday Garmin deals: Smartwatches, cycling computers and more
• Black Friday Rapha: Big deals on the British clothing brand
• Black Friday Wahoo: The best prices on Wahoo's range of cycling tech

Riding a bike is one of life’s simple pleasures, but some of us need a little extra boost. The problem is that ebikes on the whole are bulky and expensive. If you can afford one then they’re great, but then if the desire to ride a normal bike again takes hold of you you cannot indulge it; you’re stuck on a big, heavy machine. If instead you have a LIVALL Pikaboost in your backpack, you can quickly convert any bike into an ebike, get the boost of power you need exactly when you need it, and can remove it in thirty seconds turning your bike back into a standard machine again.

There are plenty of electric bike conversion kits on the market, but most are bulky, expensive, and require complex installation that effectively permanently converts your bike into an electric bike. The Pikaboost in contrast is compact, portable, and can be installed in seconds when you need it, and is up for backing on Kickstarter right now. 

What is the Pikaboost? 

The Pikaboost ebike conversion kit is about as simple a piece of design as you’re likely to find. It takes the form of a single unit containing the battery, seatpost clamp, circuitry, and the friction wheel. You simply clamp the unit to your seatpost so that the friction wheel rests on your rear tyre, tighten it up, switch it on and you’re good to go. 

Given that it’s so portable you can take it with you just in case you need some assistance, and you can easily remove it if you lock your bike up in town. Despite its size though it’s powerful enough to provide all the assistance you need to increase your range, take the strain off your knees, and maintain a constant output regardless of the gradient, all the while using the bike you already own.

The Pikaboost is waterproof, naturally, so you needn’t worry about getting caught in a downpour, and unlike other systems where the battery is a sealed unit, the batteries in the power pack are replaceable by the user at home, so no costly extra servicing fees and visits to the bike shop.

The Pikaboost riding experience 

The Pikaboost is there to assist, not to turn your bike into a motorbike. Built-in sensors detect the type of terrain you’re riding over and can adjust the level of assistance accordingly, meaning no clutter on the handlebars beyond a quickly mounted brake sensor. Just set the unit to one of three modes and ride the bike as you would normally, except with a helping hand.

In Cruise mode the Pikaboost helps you maintain a set speed; think of it like cruise control on a car. It detects your riding speed, and gives you just enough help to maintain it. Speed up a bit and it’ll help you maintain this new, faster speed too. Use the brakes? No problem, the Pikaboost will detect the added resistance from braking and cease adding power. 

In Eco mode the Pikaboost’s inbuilt gradient sensors detect when you’re heading uphill and only give you assistance then. On the flat and downhill it’s all down to you, meaning you can get more of a workout in but without having to worry about all those lumps along the way.

Finally, in Exercise mode the Pikaboost offers no assistance, but instead uses the forward motion of the bike to recharge the power pack, improving both the battery life and range over other systems. 

Other Benefits

Beyond the portability and simplicity of the system that we’ve already touched on, the Pikaboost has some other neat features that separate it from the competition. Having a battery pack is essential for an electric bike conversion kit, but being able to make use of that power in other ways can really help you out in other ways too. The Pikaboost has a USB socket, effectively turning it into a powerbank for you to charge your phone, bike lights, or other devices either while riding or just whenever you have the Pikaboost with you. 

As well as the power regeneration you get while using the Pikaboost in Exercise mode, the unit also recharges itself while braking and riding downhill in Cruise and Eco modes too, just to keep you going that little bit further. 

Finally, because safety should always be a priority when riding any bike, the Pikaboost has built in fall detection which will immediately stop the motor in the event of a crash so you’re not left with an uncontrolled spinning back wheel.

Where can I buy a Pikaboost? 

The LIVALL Pikaboost isn’t available to buy yet, but it is instead available to back on Kickstarter right now with five levels of rewards to opt for, so if it sounds like something that’ll make your riding life easier then don’t hang around; you’ve only got until December 18th to get involved.  

BMC has today announced the release of a new electric all-road bike, the Roadmachine 01 AMP X. This new e-bike is a premium gravel and/or road offering with some neat tech inclusions which should provide an extra boost to riders who need the power assistance that an e-bike brings. 

It is centred around a carbon fibre frame and fork, featuring BMC's Tuned Compliance Concept Endurance technology, which put simply, means the frame makeup is a bit more forgiving to take the edge off the roughest roads with additional added compliance. 

The claimed total weight of the bike is 12.9kg, while the tyre clearance for the frame is given as 38mm. There are also fender mounts so you can fit full-length mudguards, as well as a suspension stem, integrated lights and a super lightweight electric drive system. 

On that subject, BMC has chosen to equip the Roadmachine 01 AMP X with a motor system from TQ, just like the one used in the new Trek Domane + SLR. Specifically, the bike is equipped with the HPR50 drive system, a small unit that integrates very neatly into the frame for a clean look. It uses a harmonic pin ring transmission - best explained using TQ's own video - as well as a 360-watt-hour battery and a neat frame-integrated two-inch display on the top tube. The entire TQ system weighs 3.9kg. 

The global version of the bike will offer assistance to speeds up to 25km/h whilst the US version will provide assistance up to 28mph or 45km/h. 

As is becoming more and more common with electric bikes lately, piggybacking off the system's 360wh battery is an integrated rear light which is mounted on the seatpost, removing the need to remember to separately charge your lights. At the front of the bike, there are integrated computer and front light mounts as well as a minimalistic handlebar remote to flick between motor settings.

Spec-wise, as you might expect, the Roadmachine 01 X AMP comes in at a high level. The top-tier X AMP ONE model comes with a Sram Force XPLR groupset and Rotor Vegast chainset arms paired with a Sram X-Sync 44t 1x chainring and 10-44 cassette. The bottom bracket standard for the bike is PF86, while disc rotors are larger than usual at 180mm (front and rear) to account for stopping the extra weight of the bike.  

Wheels are BMC's in-house brand CRD 400 SL Carbon with a 40mm depth and come tubeless ready. These come wrapped in Pirelli's Cinturato gravel tyres in a 35mm size, but up to 38mm can be fitted for added off-road traction if needed. 

Interestingly - and indicating the intended use for the bike - is the inclusion of the ICS MTT x Redshift suspension stem. This has been produced by BMC in conjunction with the team at Redshift and offers up to 20mm of travel to soak up small hits and damp vibrations whilst still offering stealth internal routing. It provides adjustable damping options in the form of easy-to-change elastomer blocks. Attached to the stem is a BMC Rab 02 compact handlebar.

In addition to the top-tier AMP X ONE is the similarly named AMP X TWO. This model comes in a lime paint version and is built around the same frame module and TQ powerplant but comes with Sram Rival XPLR groupset instead. Wheels are alloy BMC XRD 522 and also come tubeless ready.

The top tier 01 AMP X ONE comes in six sizes from 47 - 61cm and in Ice blue and black colourway. It is priced at EUR 8499 / USD $8899 / CHF 8999.

The 01 AMP X TWO is available in the same sizes and in the bright lime yellow and black colourway. This model is priced at EUR 7499 / USD $7899 / CHF 7999.
International pricing is to be confirmed. Both models are available to order immediately.  

Electric bikes are becoming increasingly popular on roads and trails across the globe. The main benefit is the accessibility they offer to a diversity of cyclists, ranging from those requiring a bit more power to conquer their local trails to those looking to leave the car at home for commuting.

Of course, the best electric bikes often come with a hefty price tag. Though following a surge in popularity, we're beginning to see a broader range of budget electric bikes enter the market; many with good quality specs and standard extras such as mudguards, lights, and racks to tempt you. Though electric bikes are still largely more expensive than standard pedal bikes, there are still lots of options for those of you looking for the best electric bikes under £1000 / $1000 or the best electric bikes under £2000 / $2000.

Since a few of these models aren't available internationally due to contrasting local road and highway laws, we've split this guide into the best budget options available in the US and the UK respectively. Our best overall pick for the US is the Cannondale Treadwell Neo 2. It's lightweight and comes with handy extras for city cruising. Then, our best overall UK pick is the Pure Flux One—a simple, low-maintenance and budget-friendly eBike.

It's perhaps a cliché to say, but now really is a great time to consider investing in an electric bike. Battery technology is becoming cheaper and more innovative, and we’re seeing a greater variety of bike styles available, even at lower price points. From sleek single speeds to zippy folding commuter bikes, alongside chunky mountain bikes and hybrids, you are unlikely to have to compromise on your preferred style of riding if you don’t want to break the bank.

If you're still unsure of what the best budget electric bike is for your needs, then be sure to check out our How to Choose section at the end of this guide.

Quick list

Best budget electric bikes in the USA

Best budget electric bikes in the UK

Best Budget Electric Bikes in the USA

Best overall USA

The Treadwell Neo adds a rear hub motor to Cannondale's city bike, which is designed for agility and comfort. You have a choice of a step-through frame or a slightly higher crossbar that's still easy to climb on and off.

There are various specs of the Treadwell Neo which get different rear hub motor systems and different drivetrain options. They are nimble handling bikes that are fun to ride, and the EQ models come equipped with mudguards, a kickstand and lights, as well as a front rack/basket so they're ready for all-weather riding and luggage carrying duties.

Best high-torque assistance

The Mosh/Cty e-bike is equipped with a motor from Brose which pushes out 90Nm of torque for fast starts and easy hill climbing. Its power is transmitted through a single-speed Gates belt drive that's maintenance and lubricant-free and there's a large capacity battery for plenty of range.

The Mosh/Cty comes with really wide 2.8-inch Schwalbe tyres, integral lights and powerful hydraulic brakes. There's fast charging of the battery both on and off the bike.

Best for urban living

Aventon’s Pace 500.3 is the latest iteration of one of their most popular models and continues to offer a great bike for commuting and city cruising at a decent price point.

A zippy, class 3 bike with an impressive range of up to 60 miles, the Pace 500.3 now boasts a torque sensor for a smoother pedalling experience and bright front lights with rear turn signals. It has a hub motor to help you tackle inclines, and a fully integrated fast-charging 48V battery, offering a sleek aesthetic.

There's a large, handlebar-mounted LCD display that works well in bright sunlight to give you status data and it also has throttle control if you don't want to pedal. A bit of a packhorse, the Pace 500.3 has the capacity to load the bike up to 300 lbs, which is extremely impressive if you're looking for a bike capable of replacing your car. However, models don't come with additional racks, so you'll need to purchase these separately which does bump up the price.

Best for efficient storage

The funky-looking Generation e1.1 from American outdoor store REI's own-brand Co-Op Cycles comes with 20-inch wheels with 2.4-inch tyres and a low standover for zippy handling and easy on/off. There's one frame size, but four colours. It's only available in the USA, and it's powered to a 'Class 1' speed of 20mph by a Bafang rear hub motor. Hydraulic disc brakes take care of stopping.

Nice extras include lighting, a kickstand, a rack, and a suspension fork. The 417Wh battery is removable, and lockable and gives you up to 40 miles of range. It's only available in the USA.

Best for rough roads

Another USA-only entry from REI's Co-Op Cycles, the CTY e2.2 has a more powerful Shimano Steps mid-mounted motor than the popular e2.1. Designed for urban riding, there's a low standover, an upright ride position and a walk mode to the motor, making the e-bike easy to move around when you're not riding. Though at almost 24kg, it's not light, so don't expect to carry it upstairs without difficulty.

For comfort, there's a Suntour 75mm travel suspension fork and 1.95-inch Schwalbe tyres. REI gives you mudguards, wired-in lights, a kickstand and a sturdy rack, so you're all set for city riding, but we like it best for its ability to handle rougher terrain.

Best for comfort

If you're after laid-back cruiser style from your electric bike, the Cruiser Go! is for you. It's sold by Trek's Electra brand and as the name suggests, it has a 'cruiser' design, popularised on beaches and boardwalks in the USA. It has an integrated battery and although its capacity is limited, it is fully enclosed in the frame and gives you plenty of range if all you want is an easy cruise with family, friends, or alone.

You can add a second range extender battery that sits just behind the head tube and plugs into the charge post at the bottom end of the down tube. It has the same 250Wh capacity which should provide up to 40 miles of extra range.

Best budget electric bikes in the UK

Best value

Finding a budget eBike that still performs is no easy task. We think the Carrera Actuate 1 Lowstep offers fantastic value in it's simple and functional design.

Firstly, the 367Wh battery is neatly integrated into the downtube and offers a range of 20-25 miles on average, with a max of 50 miles on a single charge—making this ideal for commuters and casual leisure riders. Plus, the single speed drive chain is low-maintenance and ideal for city streets and bike paths.

Best for casual riding

The Ridgeback Electron Plus has a claimed 125km range from its Shimano Steps drivetrain. There's a Shimano Nexus seven-speed hub gear and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, for a comprehensive, quality Shimano package.

There's the classic upright ride position, with tall handlebars, and the bike comes complete with mudguards, a rack and lights, as well as a kickstand. It might not be the fast-handling nimble bike like others on this list, but it offers a relaxed, comfortable position that helps you see around you, making it ideal for getting about town safely.

Best women's

The Pendleton Somerby E provides an electric boost to the Pendleton women's leisure bike, thanks to a Bafang rear hub motor and a battery under the rear rack.

The step-through alloy frame and upright position offer a similar list of benefits to the Ridgeback above; making it easy to get around town safely.

The eight-speed gearing makes for steady progress, while Tektro V-brakes help you stop. The bike comes complete with metal mudguards and a luggage rack to help you get through the city in comfort.

Best folding

The Raleigh Stow-E-Way gives you all the benefits of a folding bike plus a battery range quoted at 30 miles, with the battery removable for charging. It's not too heavy either and comes with a seven-speed Shimano drivetrain and walk assist mode.

You get a full set of extras in the deal too, including lights, mudguards and a rear rack. The bike's rim brakes are a fairly standard item on folding e-bikes, rather than disc brakes.

Best for rougher roads

Another budget entry from Raleigh, the Array has a 63mm travel Suntour suspension fork, mudguards, kickstand, lights and a rack, so you can get out and ride without any additional expenditure.

Suntour provides the motor and battery too, giving you a good range that's claimed at up to 104km and has four power levels.

If you want to add a little off-road diversion to your commute the combination of suspension fork and wide 47mm tyres will smooth out the ride, whilst Tektro mechanical disc brakes provide the stopping power.

Raleigh also does a step-through version of the Array if you prefer easier mounting and dismounting

Best lightweight

The Ado Air 20 Pro e-bike has an impressively low 18kg weight in addition to a 100km quoted range. It has a lightweight aluminium frame and a simple folding mechanism. The battery is stored in the seatpost so it can be easily removed if you need to charge it away from the bike.

While the single-speed drivetrain isn't ideal for hill climbs and different terrains, the motor will take care of the hard work. By removing the gears, the ADO Air 20 Pro has been fitted with a belt drive system which keeps maintenance to a minimum as it doesn't require any lubrication. Removing the potential of dirty chain stains also makes the ADO a great option if you want to commute in your work clothes

It comes fitted with 1200-lumen lights and mudguards too. We think this is a great option for commuters with limited storage space.

How to choose

When it comes to purchasing an electric bike, it's crucial to consider various factors for an effective comparison to help you narrow down your selection. You'll need to consider elements such as battery range, motor power, torque, weight, and design to help ensure that you select the bike that best suits your needs.

In budget electric bikes, there will likely be some level of compromise across some of these factors, and it is useful for you to understand which are non-negotiable for you. Try different bikes from different retailers where possible to get a feel for the various quirks and nuances in each: you’ll start to get a deeper understanding of your preferred weight, style and torque.

You’ll also need to think about the type of riding you want to do - or would like to do more of. This is particularly crucial if you’re looking for something that can handle off-road or rougher terrain – even occasionally. Electric bikes can be heavy, and you’ll need a high degree of fitness to pedal if they lose battery power. Making sure you’ve selected the right style bike to handle whatever you throw at it will make your ride much more enjoyable.

Everything you need to know

How we test?

At Cyclingnews we have amassed years of testing across a wide range of categories of bikes. While our specialism is in road and gravel bikes, we have also tested plenty of other bikes including commuter, step-through, folding, and mixed-terrain e-bikes—to suit the most common urban and recreational use cases. It's not just bikes either, from testing groupsets to wind tunnel and lab testing, our reviews cover all components and accessories. This intrinsic understanding means that we are able to confidently recommend the best budget electric bike for you, picking options for cyclists based in the US and the UK.

Testing is the backbone of the tech department at Cyclingnews and how we test is taken seriously, so read on to find out more.

The best electric road bikes are pretty covert these days, that they blend in seamlessly among the analogues. The motor can offer a boost when you need some assistance, making it more accessible than ever for anyone who wants to keep up on a group ride and have some fun.

Many electric road bikes will handle just like a regular bike, and they'll come equipped with much of the same gear. You'll often find the best road bike wheels and best road bike tyres on them, most of which come rated for e-bike use already.

The best electric bikes can be perfect for a range of uses, like e-bike commuting and gravel riding. So if you're e-road curious, read on for our roundup of the best options you can buy right now. Our recommended options are very close to the best road bikes in terms of how they ride and look, plus they offer heaps of extra power when you want it.

If you still need a little more help, head to the bottom of the page to see our buying guide pointers.

Quick list: Best electric road bikes

Best electric road bikes

Best electric road bike

The Trek Domane+ SLR is the lightest e-road bike from the US-based brand, and one of the most refined takes on the category, full stop. Available in six different spec options but all based around a super-lightweight Trek OCLV 800 carbon frame, this is the lightest e-road bike Trek has ever produced, and it shows in how closely it mimics an unassisted road bike.

Aimed at performance roadies who want a little extra zip rather than outright power, the Domane+ SLR uses a discreet motor and battery from German specialist TQ. The result is a super smooth, quiet and natural-feeling assist that enhances your ride without dominating it. It’s the kind of system that helps you float up climbs, stay with a faster group, or simply extend your ride without feeling like you’re on a different kind of bike.

Integration is excellent throughout. You get a neatly embedded top tube display, bar-mounted controls, and a central battery that can also power lights and, on SRAM builds, shifting. Despite all this tech, it still looks, sounds and rides like a traditional road bike, which is something many e-road bikes still struggle to achieve.

With assist up to 28mph (market dependent), a range of around 60 miles (or up to 90 with a range extender), and a weight hovering around 11.8kg, it strikes an impressive balance between performance and practicality. It’s undeniably expensive, but if you want a high-end e-road bike that delivers “real road feel” with just enough help when you need it, the Domane+ SLR is one of the most convincing options out there.

Best on a budget

Claimed to weigh from 13.7kg, the Ribble Allroad E AL is one of the most affordable ways into e-road riding, and crucially, it doesn’t feel like a compromise. Visually, the frame is almost identical to its non-assisted sibling, giving it a clean, understated look that avoids the bulkier aesthetic of many budget e-bikes.

Powered by the Mahle system (now updated to the X30), the Allroad E AL delivers smooth, natural-feeling support via a rear hub motor, paired with a 250Wh internal battery. There’s no bar-mounted display, just a simple top tube button to cycle through assistance levels, which helps keep the cockpit uncluttered. For those who want more data, the companion app offers battery stats, ride info, and even heart rate-based assistance tuning.

Where this bike really stands out is its versatility. With clearance for up to 38mm tyres, endurance-focused geometry, and a tough but refined aluminium frame, it’s as comfortable on broken back roads and winter commutes as it is on long summer rides. It’s built, designed and tested in the UK, and that shows in its real-world usability.

Customisation is another strong point. You can tweak contact points and colours at purchase, and there’s a carbon-framed upgrade path in the Allroad SL R E if you want to go lighter and more powerful later.

If you’re looking for a genuinely capable, great-value e-road bike that lowers the barrier to entry without watering down the experience, the Allroad E AL is a very smart buy.

Best premium electric road bike

On the surface, the Nytro looks like any other Pinarello, complete with the signature wavy ONDA fork and sculpted aero tubing. But hidden within that sleek frame is a TQ drive unit and battery, delivering up to 250W of power and 50Nm of torque, which is plenty for steep climbs and punchy acceleration.

Built around a TorayCa T900 carbon frameset, the Nytro blends performance, responsiveness and comfort in a way you’d expect from a brand with a deep racing pedigree. Pinarello’s trademark asymmetric frame design is also present, helping balance pedalling forces for a more efficient and stable ride.

The ride feel is where this bike really earns its place. The TQ system provides smooth, well-modulated assistance that complements rather than overwhelms your effort, making it ideal for those who want to retain a high-performance road feel while extending their range and climbing ability.

Spec-wise, the E7 Ultegra model is unapologetically premium, with Shimano Ultegra Di2 shifting, hydraulic disc brakes, and deep-section carbon wheels from Pinarello’s MOST brand. It’s a fast, polished package that feels every bit a luxury product, and that’s reflected in the price tag.

For those who value brand heritage, design, and a top-tier ride experience as much as the assist itself, the Nytro delivers a compelling blend of innovation and classic road bike DNA.

Best for off road use

The Specialized Creo 2 Expert takes the idea of an e-road bike and stretches it well beyond tarmac. Launched as a complete rethink of the original Creo, it features a lighter frame, a more powerful and quieter motor, and a clear shift toward all-road and gravel capability.

At its heart is the new Turbo SL 1.2 system, delivering significantly more power (320W) and torque (50Nm) than before, while remaining impressively quiet. The assist feels really intuitive and responsive, giving you the confidence to tackle steep climbs or long off-road drags without breaking your rhythm.

What really sets the Creo 2 apart is how versatile it is. With clearance for up to 2.2-inch tyres, progressive geometry, and even a dropper post, it’s as happy on rough gravel tracks as it is spinning along smooth tarmac. The addition of Future Shock 3.0, offering 20mm of front-end travel, helps reduce fatigue and improve your control, especially over longer or rougher rides.

The MasterMind TCU and Specialized app integration add another layer of usability, letting you fine-tune assistance levels, track rides, and even update the bike over time. It’s a highly connected and adaptable platform.

If your riding spans road, gravel, and everything in between (and you want one bike to rule them all), the Creo 2 Expert makes a strong case for being the only one you need.

Best for motor power

There’s no getting around the fact that the Giant Revolt E+ 1 looks more like an e-bike than some of its sleeker rivals. But that comes with a clear upside: serious power and range for cyclists who care more about getting proper assistance than how subtle it looks.

At its core is the Shimano EP6-powered SyncDrive system, delivering up to 85Nm of torque, a heck of a lot more than most e-road bikes offer. That means effortless climbing, punchy acceleration, and the ability to carry speed even on challenging terrain or with added load.

The large, integrated EnergyPak Smart Compact 500 battery supports long-distance riding, while the SmartAssist mode automatically adjusts support based on your cadence and effort. That means you can just ride without constantly managing assist levels, which is a big plus for newer e-bike users, or those who want a more hands-off experience.

The aluminium ALUXX SL frame is robust and practical, with mounts for racks and mudguards, and paired with wide tyres and a D-Fuse seatpost for added comfort. It’s well-suited to mixed-terrain riding, commuting, or even light touring.

If your priority is maximum assistance, ease of use, and all-day usability rather than a stealthy road bike feel, the Revolt E+ 1 is one of the most capable and confidence-inspiring options available.

Best for integration

At the other end of the spectrum, the Orbea Gain M30 is one of the most seamless integrations of electric assist into a road bike, and one of the earliest examples of doing it well. Using the compact Mahle X20 rear hub system, it delivers more torque and a lower profile than earlier versions, resulting in a bike that barely gives away its electric credentials.

The Gain is about getting just enough assistance to take the edge off climbs and headwinds without overwhelming the ride. The motor response is tuned to feel natural and unobtrusive, particularly in the 75–95 rpm cadence range, where most cyclists are at their most efficient.

Integration is second to none. The internal battery powers both front and rear lights, neatly built into the bike, and the included Mahle computer allows for easy control and monitoring without relying solely on the top tube interface. The whole system feels cohesive and well thought-out.

On the road, the Gain behaves much like a traditional endurance bike, with balanced geometry and a smooth ride quality. The Shimano 105 12-speed groupset offers dependable performance, even if it feels slightly modest at this price point.

For those who want an e-road bike that enhances rather than redefines the riding experience, and one that looks and feels as close to “just a bike” as possible, the Gain M30 remains a benchmark.

Best value

Canyon’s Endurace:ONfly CF 8 hits a sweet spot between performance, integration and value for money, offering a high-end spec at a comparatively competitive price point.

Built around a carbon frame with clean integration, it uses the TQ HPR40 motor system paired with a 290Wh battery. While the 40Nm torque figure is lower than some competitors, it’s well-suited to reasonably fit road cyclists who want subtle, natural-feeling assistance rather than outright power. The benefit is a lighter overall package, weighing around 10.9kg, and a ride feel that stays close to a traditional road bike.

The spec is where this model really shines. Shimano Ultegra Di2 electronic shifting and DT Swiss carbon wheels elevate the ride quality, while thoughtful features like integrated lighting, top tube mounts, mudguard compatibility and even a built-in GPS tracker add real-world practicality.

It’s also impressively quiet, with none of the mechanical noise sometimes associated with e-bike systems, reinforcing that “just a road bike, but better” feel.

Range is solid but not class-leading, so longer rides may require a bit of planning or a range extender. But for many, the balance of weight, performance and spec will be more than worth it.

How to choose the best electric road bike

Your riding demands will dictate which e-road bike is best for you. Hopefully, this guide should have given you an idea of what's out there. Next, you should consider how you may want to use your e-bike: are you commuting to work, adventuring and discovering new terrain or simply adding a new bike to your fleet? Your requirements will dictate weight, gearing, range, price point, etc. Test ride a bike if you can and chat with manufacturers or stores about which e-bike is best for you.

Here are the main points we think you need to consider:

• What type of riding do I want to do? If you want to ride both on road and off-road, consider a bike with greater tyre clearance.
• What range do I need? Check the claimed range and consider purchasing a bike to which you can fit a range extender if you think you need more.
• How much assistance do I need? If you want a natural ride feel, a lower torque motor may be the best option, whereas if you want maximum assist, consider a motor with 60Nm torque or more.
• What do I want to pay? The more you pay, in general, the lighter the bike will be and the more premium the components.

Electric road bikes: Frequently asked questions

How we test

Although we haven't ridden many of the electric road bikes above, we've reviewed plenty of electric bikes and know what to look for and recommend.

When we review a bike, we'll ride it for an extensive period over a range of distances and in different conditions. That includes long rides and local loops that we know well, allowing us to compare bikes. We'll compare and score bikes across a range of criteria to reach our conclusions and publish our scores so you know what we think.

If you want to know more, head to our How We Test page.

The best electric bike conversion kits offer a potentially more affordable route to electric biking. While electric bikes can be expensive, if you already have a suitable bike, an electric bike conversion kit could be a good alternative.

There's no denying that the best electric bikes make it easier for riders to explore and experience different terrains and riding environments. Additionally, they offer a cheaper and greener form of transportation to get you from A to B at a higher pace with less effort than a conventional bike, which is especially beneficial for those who commute or use them for work. The best electric bikes for commuting can make for a speedier and altogether less sweaty cycle to work, not to mention the health benefits of cycling and the money saved.

But what if you're unsure about which option to choose? If you're weighing up an e-bike vs an e-bike conversion kit, consider whether you already have a bike that you love riding. Converting it means you can continue enjoying the same ride quality while introducing you to a new world of electrically assisted fun.

To make all these decisions easier for you, we've outlined in our buyer's guide, further down this page, the key things to consider when fitting an electric conversion kit, including the various motor and battery options available.

We've tested many of these kits in real-world riding conditions, assessing how easy they are to fit, and what kind of electric assistance they provide. We reckon the Cytronex kit offers the best specs and ease of use, and it's installed with just a set of Allen keys.

Read on for our roundup of the best electric bike conversion kits you can buy right now.

Quick list: Best e-bike conversion kits

Best electric bike conversion kits available now

Best e-bike conversion kit overall

The first on our list is one which really impressed us. The Cytronex electric bike conversion kit is extremely well thought-out, with great specs and top-notch engineering. You only need Allen keys to install it, it comes with an accompanying app to offer up basic diagnostics, and once it's set up it's a breeze to operate.

As well as the original front hub system, available for quick release rim and disc brake forks and for Bromptons, there's now a rear hub motor available for bikes with thru-axles.

When purchasing, you'll go through a thorough process, which can feel a bit over-complicated, but in doing so it means the actual conversion is a straightforward one. We tested out the Cytronex on a Brompton T-Line and found it delivered smooth and intuitive power. Plus, our hands-on time with it leads us to believe it's strong and durable enough to use for commuting.

While it's pricier than some of the options listed below, one thing to consider is that it comes from a UK-based company that offers comprehensive customer support and will also install the kit for you for an extra fee. You can pay less for a Bafang kit on Amazon, but buying direct from a company that can support you if anything goes wrong, makes it a smarter choice in our view.

For an in-depth look, check out our Cytronex review.

Best budget option

If you're on a tighter budget than the Cytronex or Swytch allow for, then as we mentioned above, getting a kit from Chinese manufacturer Bafang may be a better option. Plus, if you like the idea of an electric bike conversion kit but just don't want to have to deal with the added complexity of a mid-drive setup, then the Bafang Front Hub kit makes things much easier.

Like the mid-drive system listed below, the Bafang Front Hub Motor kit covers everything required and gives tons of spec choices. We started by choosing our wheel size and display preference, then added the battery size and shape we wanted.

We did find it more of a time investment, given the installation process was more complex than the Cytronex or Swytch, but this did allow us to achieve a powerful, high-quality set-up.

To find out more about how we got on, read our Bafang Front Hub Motor review.

Best for easy installation

For easy installation, the Zehus system is hard to beat. Everything is enclosed in the rear hub, including the battery, so all you need to do is unbolt your current wheel and replace it with a motorised wheel.

Better yet, there's decent range and at 3kg the motor-plus-battery weight is competitive. It's also a rare electric bike motor option that has regenerative braking, so you'll get a battery boost when riding downhill.

Charging is via a port in the axle and control is via an app, so there's no wiring needed, although Zehus does sell a separate wireless handlebar controller.

In the UK, the Zehus system is sold by Quella Bikes built into its rear wheel. That's rim brake only and singlespeed, so it needs singlespeed-style rear-facing dropouts to tension the chain, although there's a wide range of colours available for the deep alloy rim.

Best for blending in

One of the easiest ways to convert a bike to electric is to swap out the front wheel for one with a front hub motor. This is the approach that Swytch takes, but there's more to a good system than just a motor and battery. From our time testing and reviewing it, it's clear to us that the team behind Swytch has considered the whole system in its design.

The Air battery mounts to the handlebars and we found that a really useful detail. It is easy to disconnect and take it away for storage, so it doesn't get stolen when you are out and about, or to lighten the bike when, for example, it needs to be carried up a flight of stairs.

The Swytch system, which we tested, makes use of a neat handlebar-mounted LCD display, although this is an optional extra rather than using the buttons on the battery. There's also a cadence sensor that attaches to your bike. It's a well-thought-out system that looks and feels great.

As well as the Air handlebar-mounted battery that we tested, there's a higher capacity Go battery now available. This can be mounted either to the bars or to the frame and adds greater battery capacity and potential range, but at the expense of extra weight. Unlike the Air, it can't be accepted on flights due to its charge capacity.

To read all about how it works, and find out why we gave it four stars, take a look at our Swytch review.

Easy and plentiful configuration

Bafang is one of the largest and best-known electric bike motor companies in the world. It's been around since 2003, and in 2014 Bafang established a US arm to better support the US market. There are many well-known electric bike companies sourcing its components, so if you want to get in the game and source your own electric bike components, you won't go far wrong with Bafang.

This particular option covers everything you need for a mid-drive motor conversion kit. As long as the bike you are starting with has a bottom bracket sized between 68 and 73mm, this kit will work. From there you can choose the front chainring size, the battery size, and what display works for you.

If you're not sure whether or not a mid-drive motor conversion is what you need (or what other drive options there are), head down to our FAQs at the bottom of this article for an explanation of all the possibilities you can choose from.

Best for bike shop support

If you like the idea of a mid-drive system and you want it to have torque-sensing pedal assist then you've got a few choices. The challenge with a system like that is complexity. For some people, it's no big deal to take apart a bottom bracket, but for others, it's a slightly more intimidating prospect.

The Pendix system does the same thing as other kits but there is a dealer network that handles sales, support, and installation. This comes with an extra cost attached, but the benefit is that you can feel comfortable that the system is correctly installed and ready to ride.

There are three battery size options, including a double battery for long range use or cargo bikes. The system is quite heavy, with a 6.9kg claimed weight for the lowest output option, and also expensive.

Best for natural ride feel

The most natural-feeling electric bike conversion kits are going to be those with a mid-mounted motor. If that works for you and you also like the idea of doing some pedalling, then the very best is a mid-mounted motor paired with a torque sensor.

Instead of the system knowing you are pedalling and adding power, as with cadence-based systems, a torque-based system adds a percentage of the power you are putting into your pedalling. The maximum torque available on this TongSheng system is 80Nm but depending on your chosen assist level, that 80Nm will add between 36 and 300 per cent to your pedalling power.

To keep it simple, think about it as an amplifier. If you pedal harder you go faster, just like a normal bike, but now your muscles have extra support, so you can go further with less effort.

Best for non-technical set-up

Gboost uses a friction drive system under the bottom bracket, with a compact motor that's clamped in place with a single bolt and turns your rear wheel via the tyre. The battery sits on your down tube and there's a thumb lever on the handlebars to engage or disengage the motor. Keep Gboost engaged when going downhill and it will recharge the battery.

There's a range of three battery sizes available giving a range claimed at up to 90km. Gboost also sells two motor options, with the more powerful providing assist, where legal, up to 32km/h.

The disadvantages of a friction drive system, however, are likely to include higher tyre wear and the risk of slippage against the tyre in wet weather, although Gboost says that its patented pressure regulator avoids this even in the wet.

Best removable option

Engineered with input from Red Bull Advanced Technologies, the Skarper motor/battery unit fits to the left chainstay of a disc brake bike and powers it through a beefed-up replacement disc rotor. It's designed to be easy to remove and take with you, avoiding the risk of theft.

Swapping your disc rotor is relatively quick, although you'll need specialist tools: either a Torx screwdriver for six bolt rotors or a Centerlock tool for Centerlock rotors. There's a retainer to bolt onto your chainstay and a pedal sensor to add. Free professional installation is included in the price.

The motor and battery together weigh 4.5kg and there's another 600g added to your bike weight by the rotor. Skarper reckons you can get up to 50km from the drive if you select the Eco mode, with a full charge taking 2.5 hours and 30 minutes charging adding up to 15km of range.

Best electic bike conversion kits specification

How to choose the best electric bike conversion kit for you

Here are the factors we suggest you consider when selecting an electric bike conversion kit:

• What are the laws where I live? What power output and maximum assist speed are allowed? Is throttle-assist legal?
• What range do I need? What does a typical journey look like, how hilly is it and how often will I need to charge my battery?
• Is my bike suitable for a kit? Is it mechanically sound and serviced? If not, ask a shop for an estimate for the work required.
• What types of kits will fit? The next section explains the options. Consider criteria such as axle width and gears to narrow down the choice of kits.
• Do I have the expertise to fit the kit? Some kits are easier to install than others and some may require specialist tools.
• How much will it cost? Factor in the price of the bike or repairs, if they're needed, and installation by a shop if you think you'll need help, not just the kit itself.
• What will it look like? Some kits blend into a bike pretty well, while others leave a lot of external cables (which will make keeping your bike clean harder too).

What types of e-bike conversion kits are there?

E-bike conversion kits fall into three main categories, as we'll explain.

Mid-drive conversion

The best electric bikes tend to be mid-drive because this delivers the most natural ride feel, and the same is true of conversion kits. The weight sits low in the frame and the power gets applied to the crank for a more natural power delivery sensation. The only downside is pricing and packaging, plus it can be complex to set up yourself. Different standards make it challenging to figure out exactly what you need, as well. The Bafang Mid Drive Motor Kit is an example of this.

Electric bike wheel conversion

Swapping either a front or rear wheel for one with a hub-mounted motor is a good balance. The conversion process is very simple, and, depending on how the battery mounts, the weight distribution can be quite good. Powering the wheel does change the way the power delivery feels, and making the front wheel heavy can affect the handling of the bike. If mid-drive seems overwhelming, this is an excellent option. Cytronex and Swytch are examples of this.

Friction drive conversion

A friction drive e-bike conversion means there is a roller that pushes against the wheel's tyre. So when the roller turns, the wheel turns. It's not the most efficient strategy, but it's simple and it works. There is very little involved with regard to making it work but, at the end of the day, it doesn't work as well as other systems out there. Gboost uses a friction motor.

Everything you need to know about the best electric bike conversion kits

How do we test the best electric bike conversion kits?

Like all of our buying guides, our advice is gained through countless hours of using products in the real world, often back to back against their peers to compare them, but ebike conversion kits have an additional need.

If a conversion kit is too tough to install, it will cost you more as you seek the help of a professional. Therefore, with our testing, we also spend time fitting the kit to the bike in the first place, judging how long it takes and how intuitive it is.

Once that's done, we do the real-world testing, judging the range, the ease of use and the durability of the product in question.

There's more detail of our testing methods in our guide to how we test.

Individuals carrying out the instructions in this guide do so at their own risk and must exercise their independent judgement. There is a risk to safety if the operation described in the instructions is not carried out with the appropriate equipment, skill and diligence and therefore you may wish to consult a bike mechanic. Future Publishing Limited provides the information for this project in good faith and makes no representations as to its completeness or accuracy. To the fullest extent permitted by law, neither Future Publishing Limited, its suppliers or any of their employees, agents or subcontractors shall have any liability in connection with the use of this information, provided that nothing shall exclude or limit the liability of any party for personal injury or death caused by negligence or for anything else which cannot be excluded or limited by law.

A well-engineered electric bike has the potential to power you up to high speeds. But how fast it can actually travel isn’t usually determined by its physical capabilities.

The real question isn’t “how fast can an electric bike go”, but “how fast is it allowed to go”. Whereas it’s engineering that determines the former, it’s legal constraints that determine the latter and they vary globally. 

In fact, in much of the world, the legal framework that determines to what speed the motor in an electric bike is allowed to provide support is similar. It’s only in the USA that things get more complicated - and faster.

Given that the law treats electric bikes in the same way as pedal-only bikes and they’re allowed to share cycling infrastructure, it makes sense that they are limited to similar speeds to normal bikes - you wouldn’t want someone riding along a cycle path at 40mph.

In the UK and Europe all electric bikes are pedelecs, meaning that you need to pedal them to activate the motor. To be legally operated, the motor’s output needs to be limited to 250 watts and the motor must cut out when the e-bike’s speed reaches 25km/h (15.5mph). Australian regulations are similar, but they add throttle-controlled bikes as a second e-bike category.

There’s nothing to stop you riding faster, it’s just that the motor won’t help. A fitter rider on one of the racier e-road bikes is likely to be travelling faster than this, at least on the flat, and it’s very easy to exceed this speed when travelling downhill.

You can buy e-bikes that have higher power output than this and can reach higher speeds. Called speed pedelecs, e-bikes from Switzerland’s Stromer are a good example. Stromer’s e-bikes’ motors have up to 970 watts power output and can reach speeds limited at 45km/h. But legally these are treated as mopeds in Europe and the UK. That means that the e-bike must have a registration plate, be taxed and insured and you must wear a more robust helmet than a standard electric bike helmet to ride it on the road.

US e-bike classes 

In the US, e-bikes are treated rather differently, as explained in our full guide to e-bike classes. Briefly, Class 1 e-bikes are similar to the pedelec e-bikes you find in the rest of the world, except that they’re limited to 20mph maximum speed rather than 15.5mph. You have to pedal them for the motor to operate.

Class 2 e-bikes are also limited to 20mph maximum speed but have a throttle, so the motor can provide power without you needing to pedal.  

Class 3 e-bikes are limited at 28mph maximum speed (that’s 45km/h, the same as speed pedelecs in Europe). They need to have a speedometer and may have a throttle, although that can only work up to 20mph (effectively making them compliant with Class 2 regs). You need to pedal to get assistance over 20mph.

It gets more complex, as these classes are mandated by federal law, but may be superseded by state law. What is legal to operate and where you can ride an e-bike varies by state. 

Chipping an e-bike 

With the e-bike’s software limiting its maximum assistance speed, it’s relatively easy to remove the block on travelling faster with motor assistance. Called chipping, we’ve more on its ramifications in our piece on can I chip my e-bike. 

This may just be a question of altering the software to remove the speed limit. But note that it will move your e-bike from the pedelec to the speed pedelec class in Europe and the UK and change its class to Class 3 in the US. 

That means that different regulations apply, so you’ll be into registration and mandatory insurance territory. In some places like France, chipping an e-bike is illegal and could land you in jail. 

Don't forget either that there may be safety issues, as an e-bike will not have been engineered for these higher speeds. The brakes might not be able to stop you effectively, for example.

Power and torque 

Most pedelec e-bikes are limited to 250 watts of continuous power output. That’s a measure of the work done to propel you along. Peak power may be considerably more than this, sometimes up to 500 watts, but this is only delivered for short periods, such as when starting up. There may be a boost button on the handlebars to unleash the extra power.

Although power output is fairly consistent between e-bike motors, the amount of peak torque that the motor can provide varies considerably between models.

Torque measures the amount of turning power the motor delivers, so it’s important when accelerating, as it determines how fast you can pick up speed. It’s also significant when climbing hills, as it determines how steep a gradient you can climb.

So higher torque motors are usually found in cargo bikes, where there’s a large load to accelerate, and in mountain bikes where there are often steep gradients to climb. A typical high torque motor like the Bosch Performance Line CX and Shimano EP8 will have torque figures in the range of 70 to 90Nm.

In contrast, many city hybrid e-bikes have torque outputs of between 40 and 60Nm. The best road e-bikes often use the Fazua system with 50 or 60Nm of torque or the Mahle Ebikemotion rear hub motor with 40 or 55Nm torque, depending on model.

Battery output and range 

E-bike battery capacity is measured in watt-hours, in other words, how many hours the battery can put out a specified number of watts. So since all e-bikes are limited to 250 watts continuous output, you’d think that a 250Wh battery should provide power for one hour, regardless of the motor’s torque output number.

In practice, a higher torque motor requires a higher capacity battery to get the same range as a lower torque motor. That’s because the high torque motor is giving you more assistance and so doing extra work and draining the battery quicker. It will also normally provide higher levels of assistance over a greater proportion of your ride, which again means more work done.

Whereas, for example, the Specialized Turbo Vado SL e-bike has 35Nm torque output and a 320Wh battery, the Turbo Vado has a 720Wh battery to power its 90Nm motor over a similar total range. The Turbo Vado SL requires you to do more work and does less itself, but in exchange drops the e-bike’s weight significantly.

So how fast and how far an e-bike can carry you is as much a function of what it’s permitted to do as what it’s capable of. Keeping speeds in check makes sense from a safety aspect, to ensure that pedal-powered cyclists are safe travelling alongside e-bike riders. If you want to go faster, you’re either going to have to pedal harder or mix it with the moped riders.

There is a ton of interest in electric bike conversions and our list of the best electric bike conversion kits gets a lot of traffic. For some reason, despite the demand, there aren't many options out there. It feels like there is always someone new about to come to market with a new kit but the actual options come down to only a few names. One of those names is Swytch and last time we reviewed the Swytch conversion kit, we loved it. 

As we start to wind down 2022, Swytch has an update, taking its old kit and making it even sleeker. Is it still the best option on the market or have they fallen behind? We spent time looking to answer just that. We've investigated what's new and how it all works but we've also had the opportunity to interact with the community more. We've seen how Swytch users have chosen to use the product and gotten insight into why it might make sense. We've also had a chance to see some frustrations and look at the places where Swytch could improve. If you are considering an electric bike keep reading to see if the 2022 Swytch eBike conversion makes sense for you.

• E-Bike classes: What do they mean?

Design and aesthetics

The great majority of the Swytch eBike conversion kit has had no changes made to it. The core continues to be a 250-watt front hub motor system with a top speed of 25 km/h (15 mph) in Europe and 32 km/h (20 mph) in the US. Assistance is cadence based so it knows you are pedalling, not how hard, and adds power based on the power level you've set. 

Given that those pieces are all the same, the process of installation is the same. The hardest thing to set up is the cadence sensor. There is a magnet disc that fits around the crank and stays in place with a series of plastic "bristles" and a metal retention ring. If you don't have enough room to make all that fit between the crank and the frame then you can also attach it to the crank arm. Doing it that way does away with the bristles and instead uses an arm that attaches to the crank arm then holds the magnetic ring in place around the crank spindle. 

The magnet disc is only one side of the cadence sensor. Once it's correctly installed the second piece is a stationary sensor that installs on the bike frame. The only challenge for this piece of the installation is getting the sensor aligned. It's able to rock back and forth to get the perfect angle and you just have to find the right place on the frame of the bike that gets it aligned with the magnet arc and close enough to read. 

The next major piece of the system is the front wheel motor. Swytch offers any wheel size, including 26in, 28in, 700C, Brompton 16in, and more, and the brakes can be disc or rim. You can get as creative as you want with projects, just make sure to communicate with Swytch before purchase so you get the right thing. The one system that will not work is a thru-axle of any kind. This isn't something unique to Swytch and if you've got a thru-axle bike, it's going to be a challenge to convert. 

• Electric bikes: everything you need to know

Once you've got the right wheel ordered and slotted in, plus the cadence sensor mounted, you will now find yourself looking at the big update for the 2022 version of the Swytch kit. Previously the battery and control scheme consisted of a handlebar-mounted unit that looked like a front bag. Some units had a light on the front and they weighed about 2kg. All the controls sat at the top of the pack and there was a series of lights to let you know battery life and power level. It was a very slick system and really the best thing about the Swytch conversion kit. 

With the 2022 Swytch kit update, that whole system is gone. Instead of the fabric outer with integrated controls, there is now a battery that weighs about half as much. It's available in two versions that will either take you 15k or 30km and seven colours are available in either version. The size is roughly 22.5 x 9.5 x 3.8cm and there are no more controls built in. Instead of buttons on the battery pack, you can now access the modes, battery level, and current speed via a small display. 

The battery is still removable but that system has changed as well. The last generation was mounted in the centre of the bars with rubber spacers and an anti-rotation strap. The new unit uses metal spacers, lacks the strap, and mounting the battery involves sitting it on a small shelf and then pressing the top down. The upper part of the mount connects the power as it clamps down and to remove it just pull up. Like before you can take the battery with you but now it will fit in a big pocket. 

If you wanted to upgrade your previous-gen kit, all the connections are exactly the same. The cadence sensor and the wheel motor run up the frame and connect with a colour-coded connection with only one possible orientation. The last kit had unused plugs and so does this one but the display fills one of them and there's an optional throttle, either twist or thumb activated, that will take up another. 

• Where to buy an electric bike

Performance

The first part of the Swytch story is that it's an electric bike conversion kit. It's important to highlight that because it's only part of the story but it's the place you have to start. If you jump on Amazon and search for a conversion kit, most of them come from tiny companies. They are individuals who have seen the market hole and attempted to fill it. Bafang is the biggest brand name you'll see in this space but Bafang doesn't sell its parts outside of wholesale orders. No matter what you might find out there, the person you are buying from has purchased the pieces wholesale and put together a kit that they are now selling on Amazon. 

That arrangement doesn't mean that the parts you purchase aren't quality parts. It's also not completely different from what Swytch is doing given that the newly included display is just an off-the-shelf SW102 e-bike display. The difference is the same as with any discussion of the value of a name brand. Swytch might be a young company that's still pretty small, but in the wild west of electric bike conversion kits, it is the name brand. If there's an issue with your kit, Swytch has infrastructure to help you. It will also arrange a video call to help you with installation if you need it. 

That name brand status isn't just in support either, you can see it when putting together the kit. While some pieces might be off the shelf, other pieces don't seem to be. If I dive deep enough maybe I could find the battery and integrated controller somewhere else but it seems unique. By contrast, we also covered a Bafang eBike conversion kit from Amazon and while it worked just fine, it wasn't anywhere near as polished. The end result of that kit is that there's a lot of cabling everywhere and nothing feels all that put together. The Swytch eBike conversion kit is nicer to put together and it looks great once it's complete.  

However, as I said, the fact that the Swytch kit is a conversion kit is only half the story. The other half is the end result. The point is to get an ebike that you can ride and, on that front, you've got to judge the finished result against other options. It's this point that I find to be the most interesting part of the Swytch eBike conversion kit. The bottom line is that once converted, it's just a really good eBike. 

I've ridden a lot of eBikes at this point and the Swytch kit is my favourite. A big part of this experience is the base bike you use so make sure you've got a great starting point. I've used a Brilliant Bikes Carmen which is a three-speed, belt-drive, cruiser that's already a joy to ride. The combination of the two pieces is even better. 

In the American market, most inexpensive eBikes are big, heavy, bikes with low-quality components and a max of 28mph. The Brilliant Carmen and the Swytch kit come together for a lightweight solution with a speed limit of 15mph for UK customers, 25km/h for European customers, and 20mph for US customers. I'm an experienced rider and 28mph without pedalling feels nerve-racking. It's even more nerve-racking when the cycling infrastructure isn't designed to accommodate that speed. By contrast, the power delivery of the Swytch kit is mellow and fun without ever feeling dangerous or scary. It lets you cruise along with ease but it still feels like riding a bike. 

How to purchase

This section might seem unnecessary but, the first time we covered the Swytch kit, one of the things we heard often was that potential customers found themselves confused. Swytch has been so overwhelmed with demand that the brand had to find ways to put a pause on orders without directly turning customers away. The solution was to reward customers with a discount when they are willing to wait. It also involved an invite system for placing a pre-order. Instead of jumping on the site and pressing purchase, you had to sign up to pre-order in production batches. 

As I write this, the situation for the 2022 Swytch eBike conversion kit is that it's sold out. Existing waitlist customers will receive their pre-orders first and there is still room to pre-order for December delivery at a 50% discount. A third batch is also offered for a Jan/Feb 2023 delivery at a 60% discount. For the first time, these pre-orders will be easy to access on the Swytch website but if even that sounds confusing, Swytch is hoping to normalise the process further. The hope is that there will be normal stock that is easy to purchase on the website sometime in the first quarter of 2023. 

Verdict

The biggest problem with eBike conversion kits in general, and Swytch suffers from this as well, is that they struggle to compete based on price. You feel like you've got an old bike at home so why not throw a motor on it and have a bargain ebike? Except that your old bike isn't going to be much fun and you actually need a reasonable bike. Even if you have a decent bike, the next problem is that the price of an eBike is in the motor and battery, not the frame. It all adds up to a tricky value proposition. Brands like Aventon and Rad Power have beautifully designed eBikes that cost about the same as you would pay for a conversion. 

There's another aspect though. I touch on it a little bit in my experience of riding the Swytch bike when I say that I actually prefer the ride quality compared to other options. It comes to advantages that exist when you compare value ebikes with a Swytch bike and there's a whole other aspect that isn't really part of my experience. If you are a small person who can't deal with a heavy bike, or a tall bike, you might have trouble finding a low-priced ebike option. There are also no options for those who need something different from a standard bike. It turns out that the Swytch kit makes ebikes a lot more inclusive for those who need it. 

If you are considering the purchase of a Swytch eBike Conversion at full retail then you will want to really think hard. If you are going to be happy with a standard-sized bike, even if it's a bit heavy, then there are a lot of brands that will sell you an eBike that is probably a better choice for about the same price. That is even truer if you don't have a good bike to convert and need to buy a bike. On the other hand, if you have a bike you love or you need a very specific bike then the Swytch kit is the best choice for converting a bike into an eBike. The Swytch kit is also a great buy if you pre-order for a big discount.

Tech Specs: 2022 Swytch eBike Conversion Kit 

• Price: Swytch Air (15km range) £999 / $1199 / €1199 | Swytch Max (30km range) £1299 / $1599 / €1599 | Swytch Upgrade Kit (for existing customers) £599 / $799 / €799 | Discounts available for pre-orders
• Size: Swytch Air: Width 212mm, Length 100mm, Height 25mm | Swytch Max Width 228mm, Length 100mm, Height 36mm
• Wheel size: built to match your needs 16" up to 29"
• Total added weight: 2.2kg-2.6kg
• Top speed: 32kph (restricted to 25kph in some regions)
• Waterproof rating: IP65

Choosing an electric bike can feel quite overwhelming, as the best electric bikes cover a wide range of styles and prices. In this guide, we've selected our picks of the best within different categories, but there are most options within each in our individual electric bike guides.

If you're looking for an electric bike for recreational use, you could consider the wide range of electric road bikes available as well as the best lightweight electric bikes, which can weigh a little more than a normal drop bar race bike.

On the other hand, if you're not looking to spend too much, we've found a wider selection of the best budget electric bikes, which, along with folding electric bikes, are among the best electric bikes for commuting.

You'll find our picks of the best electric bikes by e-bike type below. Alternatively, head to the bottom of the page for our buyer's guide on how to choose the best electric bike for your needs.

Best electric bikes: Quick list

Best electric bikes available today

Best electric road bike

Trek's electric road bike, the Domane+ SLR 9, barely even looks like an e-bike unless you really squint at it. The clean lines and carbon frame still capture Trek's distinguishable road bike design, but with the benefit of TQ's mid-drive motor hidden above the bottom bracket.

The assistance level is chosen via two small buttons on the handlebar and the battery is hidden in the downtube. The 360Wh offering provides up to 60 miles of range from one charge, with an optional range extender able to extend that further.

Equipped with Shimano Di2 Dura-Ace, the Domane+ SLR 9 is a top-spec bike, and it can take tyres up to 40mm wide, too. Yes, it's pricey, but for those on a budget, the aluminium Domane+ AL is more affordable.

Best electric gravel bike

The Specialized S-Works Turbo Creo 2 is the replacement for the more road-focused Turbo Creo, and features an uprated SL1.2 drive system. This provides more power and torque than the previous generation, both of which can be fine-tuned through the Specialized app.

The Creo 2 comes fitted with gravel tyres, with the argument being that with the power on tap, the gravel tyres let you ride on or off the road without worry. The Future Shock 3.0 headset adds extra comfort too.

When Tom rode the Turbo Creo, he found it fun both on road and off, with enough power for an engaging ride on the road, while its reduced weight, more powerful motor and more relaxed geometry make it very capable off-road too.

Check out the Specialized S-Works Turbo Creo 2 first ride review if you want to read more.

Best lightweight electric bike

At under 11kg (claimed under 10kg in top spec), the Fastlane is one of the lightest electric road bikes you can buy. A contributor to the low weight is the lightweight mid-drive TQ HPR40 motor. It's not as powerful as other e-bike motors, only offering 40Nm of torque and 200 watts of additional power, but it saves 754g compared to the more powerful motor fitted to the Trek.

The battery is hidden inside the downtube, and Scott reckons you can get up to 160km from the 290Wh battery. If you need to go further, there is an optional range extender (160Wh). The battery isn't removable, but the charging time is quick, with Scott quoting only 3 hours to fully charge the battery.

The smaller motor and slim battery not only save weight but also allow Scott to easily hide the electronic components within the aero tubing. So if you are looking for an electric bike that flies under the radar, the Fastlane just looks like a normal bike.

Best electric hybrid bike

If you're looking for a lightweight hybrid electric bike, the Specialized Turbo Vado SL is more than capable. It comes with an impressive battery range of up to 90 miles and a good set of components on the bike. With an 11-speed 11-42 cassette, it'll tackle most climbs with ease.

Rolling on 700c wheels, the 38mm Specialized Pathfinder Sport tyres will take the sting out of potholes, while Tektro hydraulic disc brakes will stop sharply.

We were impressed by the refined power delivery and agile handling, which allowed us to weave through congested urban streets. This was enhanced by the low weight and helped by the Future Shock 1.5 front suspension, which offers a minimalist solution to increase comfort, although we reckoned that the system's performance didn't justify the extra weight, cost and complexity. Some specs omit Future Shock though, so there are alternative options.

If you want more support, the standard Turbo Vado has a more powerful motor and larger battery, but at the expense of a weight increase.

Best folding electric bike

Everyone thinks of Brompton when they think of folding bikes, and now they're taking the electric bike world by storm, too. This model uses a 250W front hub motor and a handlebar-mounted 300Wh removable battery pack. Brompton reckons you can get between 30-70km of range on one charge.

The bike only weighs 17.4kg too, which is on par with some non-pedal assist folders, with only seconds needed to fold down into a storage-friendly size. There's a huge range of luggage and accessory options tailor-made for the bike, so you can set it up for commuting, shopping or even longer trips away.

If you do want to pare some weight off your e-bike, Brompton has expanded its electric bike range with the lighter-weight Electric P Line, while the 20-inch wheel Electric G Line offers a wider-tyred, more versatile option that can take in some off-tarmac riding.

For more details, read our Brompton Electric C-Line review.

How to choose the best electric bike for you

As you'll see from our picks above, there are many different types of electric bikes and a whole range of prices from the inexpensive to the very pricy, so there are a range of questions to consider when looking for the best electric bike for your needs, that will help to narrow down your search. We'll go through them.

Frequently asked questions

Next we'll answer some of the main questions people have about electric bikes.

• Class 1: the motor provides assistance only when the rider is pedalling and cuts out a 20mph
• Class 2: the motor can contribute regardless of pedalling, but is governed to 20mph
• Class 3: the motor provides assistance when the rider is pedalling but cuts out at 28mph and must be equipped with a speedometer.

Regardless of class, the motor can only generate a maximum of 750 watts, and the class must be labelled clearly.

In the 17 states that lump e-bikes in with other classes of vehicles, licensing and registration may be required to operate an e-bike.

If your head is spinning trying to keep these rules straight, our friends over at People for Bikes have a handy state-by-state guide.

How we test the best electric bikes

When we review an electric bike, we'll ride it over several months to understand how easy it is to live with, what its capabilities and limitations are and everything that makes it one of the best electric bikes, before we recommend it to readers like you.

We'll keep a detailed score sheet for each bike across several factors and offer you a balanced appraisal, as documented in more detail in our guide to how we test.

If you’re thinking of buying an electric bike, there are quite a few hurdles. First, the best electric bikes may not even be available. As with the rest of the bicycle market, there’s a chronic shortage of bikes and parts at present that has forced even professional cycling teams to recycle older components. 

That’s exacerbated by the growing popularity of e-bikes. We’ve found some of the best electric bike deals out there, but they’re few and far between. There continues to be significant inflation in bike prices too, so it’s harder to find an electric bike that hits a price point. If you’re looking for an electric bike on a budget, you may not find them in stock. 

This brings us to the alternative: convert an existing bike to electric power. There’s a whole range of electric bike conversion kits out there which allow you to add an e-boost to a standard pedal-powered bike you already own.  

If you’re wondering which route to go down if you want to go electric, here’s a rundown of the pros and cons of kits versus complete e-bikes.

Should I buy an e-bike conversion kit? 

If you’ve got a suitable bike sitting around at home and maybe not being used that much, an electric bike conversion kit could be a great option to repurpose it and make it more useful. The candidate bike does need to be in reasonable working order though, or you’re going to be back into “can I get the parts?” territory.

As we said above, e-bike availability is pretty dire at present, but conversion kits are more readily available. There’s a whole range to wade through on Amazon (look out for Bafang, which is a more established brand name), while other kits are sold direct or via dealers.

E-bike conversion kits come in a wide range of formats, so it’s worth considering which would work for you. Some like the Rubbee X simply bolt onto your frame and you’re good to go. The next tier up like the Swytch kit means replacing your wheel or hub and cabling in the battery pack and controller.

Others like the Bafang front hub motor kit that we’ve tested are more complex and require more cabling. That kit is throttle controlled and so doesn’t comply with UK pedelec laws, so to ride it legally in the UK you need to register the bike, wear a motorcycle helmet and have a licence and insurance. It’s a good idea to check that your conversion will be legal where you live.

Yet other kits like the Pendix eDrive 300 need to be fitted by a dealer, which may negate any price advantage of converting rather than buying.

Almost all kits require a certain amount of mechanical work on your bike, so you need to have the expertise and the right tools for this. Again, this will vary depending on the kit. Replacing a wheel and routing a cable isn’t too complex, but if you need to build a motor hub up into a wheel or replace a bottom bracket, there’s another level of competence required. Taking it to a shop is an option, but will add to the price.

Check out our reviews of the best electric bike conversion kits for our experience of building up and using some of the most popular kits ourselves.

Along with legality, you also need to think about safety. A pedal-powered bike frame may not be designed for the forces applied to it by a conversion kit, risking failure, and a motor and battery will alter the bike’s balance and handling and may make them less predictable, particularly if there’s a lot of weight over the front wheel. 

Electric bikes often use specific chains and tyres that are suited to the higher speeds and masses associated with having a battery and a motor, along with uprated brakes, so you'd do well to consider these three factors at the very least before installing an aftermarket kit.

Should I buy an electric bike? 

The main advantage of buying a ready-built electric bike - if you can find one that suits your needs - is that you get the complete package without extra work. If you buy from a recognised brand, your e-bike will have been tested and have had to pass safety regulations for it to be sold too.

You’ve got a whole range of places to buy an e-bike and are potentially going to be able to test ride it if you buy it from a shop or secondhand. If you do buy direct or from an online retailer, you will have the right to return your purchase if it doesn’t work for you. You’re likely to have guarantees on your e-bike that won’t apply to a converted bike, while conversion will probably invalidate any existing guarantees there were on your base bike.

A complete e-bike has engineering pluses. Items like bolts to fix the wheels in place will be appropriate for the extra power that the motor delivers. An e-bike may have beefed up drivetrain components too, like a Shimano Linkglide chain and sprockets, designed specifically to wear and shift better with the higher power delivered through them by mid-mounted electric bike motors. 

It’s likely that it will be better integrated than a conversion kit, with power cables at least partly hidden in the frame and the e-bike designed to fit motor controllers and displays. Components like batteries may be enclosed in the frame rather than being bolted on. They'll also likely be easier to remove too, if designed to.

The main argument against buying an electric bike centres on cost, as in most cases a new electric bike will be significantly more expensive than a conversion kit.

It’s also worth thinking about where you’re going to store your e-bike. If your shed is already cluttered up with bikes, will there be room for another one? E-bikes are expensive and desirable, so you need to make sure that it’s secure to prevent theft.

So which is the better option? 

Clearly, if you’re going to have to buy a pedal-powered bike as well as the conversion kit, the overall cost is going to go up. In some cases it may be significantly more than the cost of a new, complete electric bike. Plus you’ve got the work to convert it to electric assistance or are going to have to pay someone to do it for you. 

A new electric bike is going to be designed from the ground up to run electric, is likely to be better integrated and may prove more reliable. But it’s also likely to be more costly than a conversion and you may not be able to find one available to buy that meets your requirements in the first place. 

If you’re handy and have an analog bike available, a conversion kit may save you money, get you e-biking more quickly and make use of a bike that would otherwise languish unused. The conversion might be fun too. And if you decide that electric biking isn’t for you, you can always remove the kit and revert to pedal power, rather than having to sell your used bike or leaving it decaying in the shed. 

It’s been more than four years since FSA launched its 11-speed K-Force WE (wireless electronic) groupset, and less than two years since the release of its disc brake version. But today, the company has announced it's making the step to 12-speed with the K-Force WE 12 disc-only groupset. Naturally, it looks to build on the achievements of the previous iterations and compete directly with 12-speed electronic road bike groupsets from the big three – Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo. 

But that's not all. The groupset comes alongside a hoard of simultaneous product launches from the brand, across road, mountain, gravel and e-bikes. 

K-Force WE 12-speed

Described as a 'renewed drivetrain' by FSA, most of the K-Force WE 12 components closely resemble the current 11-speed ones, but as well as the step up to 12 sprockets, there are some design and finishing tweaks to improve functionality and aesthetics.

The WE groupset has wireless shifters, which transmit shifting instructions to the control module atop the front derailleur. Both derailleurs are physically connected to a seat-tube-mounted battery, meaning the groupset isn’t totally wireless, but instead dubbed by many as semi-wireless.

Carrying forward the existing, well-received ergonomics, the shifter’s body, kinked brake lever and shift buttons look largely unchanged externally, except for new, more subtle graphics. The same is true for the disc caliper, while the shifter retains its compact master cylinder, reach adjustment of the composite lever blade, top-mounted bleed port and CR2032 coin cell battery-powered wireless transmission. 

Claimed weight for each shifter and caliper, including brake hose and oil is 405g, 33g and 47g heavier than the company’s claimed weights for the 11-speed WE Disc right and left shifters respectively. The previous weight was without brake pads, but the provided weight for the new calipers doesn’t mention them.

The new rear derailleur only seems to differ from the 11-speed version in finish and weight, with new stealthy graphics and an additional 24g. It still features a 32t maximum capacity, and FSA’s gram-saving composite pulleys, and presumably still does away with a return spring, operating more like a robotic arm than a traditional parallelogram rear mech.

The front derailleur remains the brains of the operation, in that it receives the wireless signal from the shifters, and controls the entire shifting element of the system.

It fits standard braze-on mounts, retains its auto-trimming function, and has a claimed 70-millisecond shift time. In a departure from the 11-speed version’s maximum chainring capacity of 16 teeth, the 12-speed model states 16-19 teeth. Its tall, oversized body looks identical, save for an understated ‘12’ graphic, but the steel cage has been refined, with the obvious screw at the rear end no longer visible. Claimed weight has dropped from 162g to 159g.

Paired with the new WE 12-speed groupset, FSA has paired its K-Force Team Edition BB386 Evo crankset. Much more aesthetically pleasing than the earlier K-Force crankset, it has hollow 3K carbon fibre composite cranks and one-piece, direct mount CNC AL7075 chainrings. 

FSA claims the black anodised, bead-blasted chain rings are compatible with 11- and 12-speed Shimano, SRAM and FSA drivetrains. The BB386 EVO axle is 30mm diameter alloy, with a range of FSA bottom brackets ensuring wide compatibility.

Available crank lengths are 165mm, 167.5mm, 170mm, 172.5mm and 175mm, with chain rings available in 54/40, 50/34, 46/30 combinations. Claimed weight with 54/40 rings is 544g.

The single greatest visual change to FSA’s K-Force WE groupset is its additional sprocket. The cassette is still constructed with a one-piece cast, heat treated carrier, and the largest sprockets are electroless nickel plated. The smaller sprockets are titanium, and cassettes will be available in 11-25, 11-28 and 11-32 sizes. FSA claims the weight of its new 12-speed cassette in 11-32 to be 195g, which is significantly lighter than the previous 257g 11-speed 11-28 cassette.

The K-Force chain is described by FSA as quiet and efficient, with hollow pins, 5.6mm width and a nickel plated finish, a 116 link chain is claimed to weigh 250g, compared to 246g for a 114 link chain before.

The K-Force WE rotor features a two-piece rotor design with forged aluminium carrier, ground stainless steel ring and rounded edges, for centrelock or six-bolt hubs, and in 160mm or 140mm diameters. Their claimed weights have increased marginally from 100g and 120g, for 140mm and 160mm respectively, to 103g and 125g.

Elsewhere, the internal seat tube mounted 1100 mAh battery powers both derailleurs via linked wires, and should offer similar, or improved usage time between charges. The original WE system needed to be switched on from a button on the front derailleur before use, and would go into standby mode after a period of inactivity. Charging was previously carried out by replacing the front derailleur wire with the charger. Although the battery and wiring looks unchanged, there is currently no information regarding this process, or expected battery life.

FSA Powerbox SC Pod Power Meter

Also released today is FSA’s new power meter is based on a cold forged AL6061/T6 aluminium crankset, with a MegaExo 24mm or BB386 EVO axle. The chainrings are stamped AL7075 aluminium, and available in a huge variety of 10, 11 and 12 speed options to suit Shimano, SRAM and FSA drivetrains, although FSA says it’s optimised for 11 and 12 speed. 

The cranks come in lengths from 145mm to 175mm, with 5mm jumps, except for 167.5mm and 172.5mm. It’s polished anodised black, with a claimed weight of 793g in 46/30, 170mm configuration.

The power measuring system is a truly international affair, using Japanese strain gauges, calibrated by a German torque sensor. It offers virtual left/right balance, is Zwift compatible via BLE 5.0, with ANT transmission, is IPX7 waterproof and has automatic temperature compensation.  The power meter’s claimed battery life is 450 hours, using a single CR2450 coin cell, with an accuracy said to be +/- one per cent. All this for an expected retail price of just €385.

FSA E-Bike System

The new FSA System, or E-System, is a rear hub electric-assist motor with a potential total of 504wH, plus an integrated on-bike control unit and smartphone app. FSA has focussed on flexibility and integration, with a 252Wh battery that’s designed for down tube fitment, and an extra 252Wh battery that can be fitted into a bottle cage to double the range. A top tube button controls the system, and a charging port is intended to sit just above the bottom bracket shell.

The batteries power a 43Nm hub motor, which FSA chose because of its ability to slot into almost any frame, regardless of size. It weighs 2.4kg, and is said to have very low friction at speeds over 25kmh. There’s a fast-reacting integrated torque sensor, remote dealer diagnostics function, and FSA claims good waterproofing, long bearing life and easy maintenance. There are five assistance levels, and an FSA app compatible with iOS and Android devices, enabling riders to record their riding data, display battery status and show turn-by-turn GPS navigation.

At speeds greater than 25kmh, or 32kmh for the USA, the hub motor shuts down and allows the rider to continue pedalling with minimal residual friction, providing a natural ride feel. FSA’s E-System is also compatible with Garmin’s E-bike Remote, which can remotely operate your bike’s assistance functions, as well as your Garmin Edge, and potentially another ANT+ connected third option.

There is an upset in the natural order of things. Shimano 105, since its inception, has always been the go-to option for the enthusiast. Those riders who don’t race, but enjoy a fast club ride on the weekend. It’s always been a well-performing groupset, but it’s never been unattainable in price.

The launch of the new 105 Di2, with its all-electric, disc-only option was hailed as electronic shifting for the masses, but with a price tag that exceeds its predecessor by £1,000, it is in my eyes reaching beyond the limits of attainability for the hobbyist and landing it squarely into the realms of competition. 

If this is the case, and the performance is on a par with Ultegra, does it leave Shimano with two second-tier groupsets, leaving Ultegra in no-man’s land as the amateur racers' choice that just costs more? And more pressingly, can Tiagra fill the power vacuum and take up the mantle of the groupset of choice for the weekend warriors? 

What 105 means to me 

My first road bike was a very basic spec 2012 Specialized Allez, decked out with a Sora groupset. I rode it to university every single day, and then after graduating began to ride more for the fun of it. After my first few paychecks, I invested about £500 in my first proper upgrade, a full 105 groupset, 5800-series, the first of the four-arm era. It taught me a great deal about mechanics, but it wasn’t overly difficult to work with thanks to easy-to-live-with standards, and the external cable routing of my Allez. It did transform my old bike from commuter workhorse to what I thought of at the time as a ‘proper’ road bike, and enabled me to enjoy club-level riding a lot more, before it got relegated to the winter bike duty after I later graduated to carbon fibre and Ultegra.

To my mind this is the job of 105 more than any other groupset; to act as a gateway into performance riding for those who want to make the leap. I’m not saying you have to graduate beyond it either, as it’s always been a very capable setup, but it’s there to be the gateway to higher-performers.

Freddo-topping price increase 

Every country has their cultural yardstick for inflation. Here in the UK it’s the Freddo bar, a small chocolate bar in the shape of a frog. It used to be 5p, and everyone lost their minds when it went to 10p. We’re currently sitting at around the 25p mark. Just consult the Freddo Index if you don't believe us.

Now I’m well aware of the differences between a small chocolate frog and a bicycle groupset, but the leap in price of the new electronic 105 compared to the old 105 is more than that mind-bending 100 per cent increase in Freddo cost that made a whole nation lose it.

The new Di2 105 is 142 per cent more expensive. A full £1,000 more expensive than the previous £700 generation; the difference alone is enough to buy a perfectly capable budget road bike. I’m aware that being in the position to spend £500 on bicycle components is a luxury not afforded to many, but is at least what a proportion of the riding community would see as a manageable cost. At over £1,700 for the new version, I don’t think it’s too bold to say this puts it out of the reach of a reasonable amount to spend on a hobby for a lot of people, and so, if it’s not for the hobbyists then by default it must be for those already fully invested in cycling, or those with deep enough pockets to stump up the cash.

Is 105 for racers now? 

For ease I’m going to use ‘racers’ as not only a term for people who race bikes, but also those members of the cycling community who don’t necessarily race, but are much more into cycling than the norm for the community, and willing to use race-level tech for their regular riding.

Dura-Ace is for the pros, Ultegra for the racers, and 105 for everyone else. That was always the opinion I held when I was younger, riding in a club several times a week. If 105 isn't for everyone else anymore though, then is it for the racers?

On paper, the similarities between the new 105 and the latest Ultegra are pretty striking. Both are 12-speed, both are fully electronic, and offer disc brakes. From what I can tell Ultegra offers a weight saving, but I’d speculate the shifting between the two systems will be comparable outside of a back-to-back environment. The Ultegra brakes have Servowave, a tech from the world of MTB that takes up a greater amount of the pad gap earlier on in the lever stroke, resulting in better modulation, so there’ll likely be a braking performance advantage too, but enough to spend an extra £600 for the privilege? £600 could get you a lot of coaching and nutritional advice, a gym membership, some more aero clothing or finishing kit, or a whole host of other performance upgrades.

This leaves Ultegra caught somewhere between a 12sp electronic shifting rock, and a 12sp electronic shifting hard place. It can’t realistically get more premium without encroaching on the prestige of Dura-Ace, but there isn’t any wiggle room below either now that 105 has upped its game? 

Can Tiagra plug the gap? 

When I upgraded to 105, it was already 11 speed, whereas the Tiagra 4700 of today is still only 10 speed. It’s a minimal difference given that they both offer comparable gear ranges, but it’s a sign that Tiagra isn’t quite there yet.

I’ve ridden the latest Tiagra, and the shifting is exceptional for the price. It’s on a par with my older Ultegra stuff that’s currently on my fast bike, and considering it has hydraulic discs, it’s easy to see that it probably will soon adopt some tech from the outgoing 105 groupset, and we’d expect it to go 11sp too.

So no, maybe not quite yet, but soon. At £750, it’s already more expensive than my first 105 experience by a noticeable margin, and will likely get more expensive too at the next iteration, so it’s not done and dusted.

Orbea has just unveiled two brand new e-bikes — the Kemen and the Kemen SUV — designed to fit seamlessly into the everyday and provide some escape when it’s needed. Joining the Vibe, Katu and Optima in its range of urban electric bikes, the Kemen and Kemen SUV are two variations of a do-it-all trekking bike, with the former designed for speeding along city streets, and the latter equipped to carry cargo.

In designing the new Kemen range, the Basque brand says it wanted to bring a smart solution with cutting edge technology to an all-terrain machine while saving weight and delivering efficiency. The question now remains to be answered, will the new Orbea Kemen and Kemen SUV nab a spot in our guides to the best electric bikes, and the best electric bikes for commuting?

Proprietary power

In addition to the Shimano EP8 motor around which the bikes are built, both Kemen models feature Orbea’s proprietary 540 Wh battery found in the award-winning Rise model. According to Orbea, it consists of 21-700 cells that it says can house more energy in less volume, i.e. more power, smaller size. What this translates to is a narrower down tube than we’re used to seeing on most e-bikes with integrated batteries. Orbea says that in optimal conditions, the battery should maintain 80 per cent of its capacity after 500 full charge cycles, though it’s worth bearing in mind that the lifetime of a battery can be affected by temperature, storage conditions, and frequency of charges.

It comes with its own smart charger as well, which Orbea says will extend the life of the battery by up to 30 per cent, because it adapts the charge power depending on various factors like temperature, the state of the cells, or the number of charge cycles already consumed. This, says Orbea, prevents the battery from ‘overcharging’ and optimises its use.

While the battery isn’t removable, Orbea says its complete integration into the downtube reduces the overall weight of the bike and improves frame stiffness, translating into better and easier bike handling.

Orbea claims the Kemen’s battery setup is so efficient that it offers up to five hours of pedalling. If more power is required, there is also a separately available Range Extender, which can be mounted to the frame, and is said to add an extra 252 Wh.

Orbea Kemen geometry and frame

The aluminium Kemen frame is hydroformed and uses triple butted tubing, while the brand says it has perfected the wall thickness at specific points of the frame to reduce weight where it’s not needed, as well as reinforce areas more likely to come under stress.

Both the Kemen and Kemen SUV models come in two frame options: the Top Bar, which has a more traditional horizontal top tube, and the Mid Bar, which has more of a staggered step-through top tube. According to Orbea, the Top Bar model for both Kemen and Kemen SUV is designed to offer maximum frame stiffness in order to better handle rougher trails with heavy loads. The Mid Bar, meanwhile, is designed to carry heavier loads and deliver a stable ride while carrying cargo.

Smart solutions

One of the key things Orbea is proud of when it comes to the new Kemen range is what it calls its “cutting edge technologies aimed at simplifying design and removing unnecessary weight from the entire bike.” This not only includes the integrated battery and its resulting slimmer design, but also its handlebar cable integration. All the brake wiring and the display and control cables are internally routed through the handlebar and stem cover. 

Both models come readily equipped with integrated lights at the front and rear, with the latter apparently emitting more brightness when braking, to communicate the rider’s actions to drivers behind them. In addition to this is a spotlight that’s controlled from the handlebar. 

The Kemen range comes with Shimano’s Link Glide drivetrain, designed specifically for e-bike transmissions, and said to offer smooth shifting that can withstand the stresses generated by motors. This is partly due to the fact that it removes gears which aren’t necessary with an electric motor, thereby also removing additional weight and complexity.

Other useful features for the everyday cyclist include a kickstand and a prioritising of durable components.

Orbea Kemen

The Kemen is designed for speed and comfort, according to Orbea, with “intuitive and confident handling” that can be taken on mixed terrain. The Kemen is more geared towards city use, and therefore comes equipped with longer mudguards than the SUV, as well as a lightweight rack with plenty of mounting points and carrying capacity of up to 18kg. The 29in wheels are shod with 2.25in tyres to allow for more comfortable traversal of poorly kept city roads.

There are four Kemen models in the range: Kemen 10, Kemen Mid 10, Kemen 30 and Kemen Mid 30. At the top end of the range, the Kemen 10 is equipped with a Fox 34 Float AWL 100 Rail fork, Magura MT5 E-Stop hydraulic disc brakes, 11-speed Shimano XT Link Glide shifting, OC MC20 Mountain Control dropper post, Oberon OC1 tubeless ready wheels and Schwalbe G-One Allround 29 x 2.25in tyres. It retails for £4,299 / $5,499 / €4,799.

The Kemen 30, on the other hand, features a Marzocchi Bomber Z2 100 fork, Magura MT30 hydraulic disc brakes, 10-speed Shimano Deore Link Glide shifting, no dropper post, and the same wheel and tyre combo as its stablemate. The Kemen 30 retails for £3,599 / $4,599 / €3,999.

Orbea Kemen SUV

The Kemen SUV, as suggested by its name, is designed for more adventure and heavier cargo. It’s equipped with more aggressive 2.35in Schwalbe Johnny Watts tyres for grip in wet weather, and its rack is suitable for loads of up to 27kg. This makes it more capable of carrying a baby seat, compared to the Kemen. An additional feature of the Kemen SUV’s rear rack is compatibility with Ortlieb’s QL3.1 mounting system.

There are four Kemen SUV models in the range: Kemen SUV 10, Kemen Mid SUV 10, Kemen SUV 30 and Kemen Mid SUV 30. At the higher end, the Kemen SUV 10 has a similar spec to the Kemen 10, with the key difference being the Schwalbe Johnny Watts 29 x 2.35in tyres. The Kemen SUV 10 retails for £4,299 / $5,499 / €4,799.

The Kemen SUV 30, in the same way as the 10, shares many similarities with the Kemen 30, aside from the tyres. This model retails for £3,599 / $4,599 / €3,999.

The Orbea Kemen and Orbea Kemen SUV are now available to buy from Orbea’s website and your local Orbea dealer. 

The best electric bikes for commuting help you get to and from work faster and with less effort. That means that you'll arrive less hot and also get a boost pulling away from traffic lights and other stops on your ride. 

You'll become fitter and your commute may well take less time than by car or public transport, as you'll probably find quicker routes that you can only take by bike. 

It's likely to be cheaper too, once the up-front cost of the electric bike has been discounted. For UK riders, the Cycle to Work scheme extends to electric bikes and makes buying the bike and equipment you need tax-efficient.

Depending on how far you're planning to ride, your needs will differ. Our pick of the best electric bikes for commuting below covers everything from a folding bike for something like a short hop to and from the station, to drop bar bikes for a longer commute that maybe includes some off-road riding.

Cyclingnews has a huge amount of advice on electric bikes if you want to know more.

Our guide to the best electric bikes gives you a more comprehensive range of options, while our pick of the best folding electric bikes offers options that make a compact package for storage or to carry on public transport. 

If you've got a budget in mind, we have guides to the best electric bikes under £1,000/$1,000  and the best electric bikes under $2,000/£2,000. You can even convert a non-electric bike to an e-bike with the best electric bike conversion kits.

Alternatively, scroll down for our pick of the best electric bikes for commuting, or head to the bottom for a guide on how to choose and an explainer of the laws on electric bikes worldwide.

Best electric bikes for commuting: quick list

Best electric bikes for commuting

Here's our pick of the best e-bikes for commuting, whatever your ride style. All of the bikes below were available when we last reviewed this guide in April 2025.

Best for speedy commutes

The Orbea Gain has such subtle integration of the battery and motor that, at first glance, you’d be hard-pressed to know it was an e-bike. It has an attractive, lightweight carbon frame and fork with a 12-speed Shimano 105 drivetrain, which should see you over any terrain. Well-disguised within that frame is a 353Wh battery, which should be plenty to get you to work and back. 

If, however, you’d like more range, you can simply attach the external water-bottle-style battery, and that’ll boost the battery capacity up to 538Wh. Pedalling assistance is provided by a rear hub motor, which works in a concept Orbea is calling Enough Power and Enough Energy. The idea is that the bike intuitively offers enough power to keep you pedalling smoothly and efficiently to enhance your ride, rather than overwhelming you with big surges in power.

The bike comes with an app that allows you to change the bike’s functionality, including how power is applied, as well as tracking your rides. The mode button on the top tube has coloured LEDs that show you how much battery is remaining and which power mode you are in. There's now an additional bar-mounted controller/computer which gives you more info and which sits on an out-front mount with a built-in LED light.

As a full-size e-bike, the Gain isn't going to be easy to take on public transport, though, unlike a small wheeled folder like the Brompton Electric.

Best for public transport

If you’ve ever been on the market for a commuter bike, you will have almost certainly cast your eyes upon a Brompton. The British company has sustained a great reputation built on ingenuity and quality for so long that you know you’ll be riding a high-quality machine. 

If you need a bike that packs up into a small space, on a train or in the office, for example, a Brompton is likely the best electric commuter bike for you. The C Line Electric bike comes with front and rear lights fitted, as well as mudguards, and the 12-speed gears give you loads of range. Helped by the motor, you'll get to work easily, however hilly your city is.

The company has fitted a 250W motor to the bike, with a large enough 300Wh battery. The battery sits in a pack that conveniently unclips from the front of the bike and can be carried over your shoulder to your office or home to be charged. A full charge should be achieved within four hours. The quoted range for the battery is up to 70km if you have it on its most energy-efficient setting. There is an LED indicator on the top of the bag which shows you how much battery you have remaining, which power mode you are in, and what setting your lights are on. 

The bag-plus-bike set-up does make carrying the bike that bit more difficult, though, although it does make charging a lot easier than an integrated battery like that on the Orbea Gain and lowers the weight of the bike when you need to carry it. 

There's a P Line Brompton Electric available as well as the classic C Line Electric. Lighter components and fewer gears drop the weight quoted by Brompton from the C Line's 17.4kg as low as 15.6kg.

You can read more in our full review of the Brompton C-Line Electric bike.

Best for versatility

Ribble is at the forefront of value-for-money, high-specification, well-integrated e-road bikes. Many of the hallmarks of this capability are evident in this hybrid bike, which should handle both your commute and leisure rides with ease. 

The basis of the bike is a strikingly good-looking lightweight aluminium frame within which there is a battery so well hidden that you barely notice it’s there. There are step-through and trail options as well as the standard top tube model.

A subtle button and LED light on the top tube allow you to see how much battery is left and let you choose how much assistance you want. If you want even more control over the settings, you can change the settings in Ribble’s app.

The bike is impressively kitted out too, with a Mavic wheelset, a rear pannier rack, a bell, front and rear lights and full-length mudguards. As with all bikes where you can’t remove the battery, including the Orbea, you will have to take this bike within touching distance of mains power to charge it up. 

Best for passengers

While Tern claims the GSD isn’t intended to be a car killer, it may well be just that. The company is best known for its folding bikes, and while the GSD isn’t a fully foldable bike, the seat post and handlebars do collapse to make storage of this bike a little more compact. The reason it can’t fold down much smaller is that this is not your average folding bike. This is a heavy-duty cargo bike, capable of carrying up to 200kg, be that luggage, or, should you attach the right seat, two passengers on the back.

The bike employs a dual battery system, which are 400Wh and 500Wh in size. Should you have both of them attached, you’ll have a whopping 900Wh of capacity. This will be enough to assist your cycling for between 110 and 250 km, depending on which of the 4 modes you have it in. The 10-speed Shimano hub gears and impressive 85Nm of torque mean you’ll be able to get up any hill, even when fully laden. It comes complete with large, grippy tyres, a rear luggage mount, a kickstand, front and rear lights, and mudguards. 

It's a heavy-duty cargo carrying option, but not as practical as a folder like the Brompton C Line Electric or a bike with less luggage capacity like the Ribble if you have less need for carrying capacity.

Best for the long commute

Built for comfort and speedy commutes, the Trek Domane+ AL electric bike gets wide 32mm tyres, which help add comfort and grip. You can either fit mudguards or even wider rubber for rougher routes into the office. Trek's endurance geometry makes the Domane+ LT a comfortable ride for the long-haul commute. 

The HyDrive rear hub motor is powered by an internal 250Wh battery, but you can add a down tube range extender, which doubles this, giving you a 177km claimed range on a full charge. The Trek Central app allows you to keep track of your rides and fine-tune the motor's output to meet your requirements.

Alongside the Domane+ AL, which is speed limited at 25kph (or 20mph in the US), Trek sells the carbon Domane+ SLR, rated to 28mph for US riders, although it's significantly more expensive.

Best for rough roads

You might initially mistake this bike for a mountain bike, rather than one cut out for commuting. In reality, the 2.3-inch tyres and 80 mm travel suspension fork are perfect not for the trails but for smoothing out bumps and road buzz on your commute. If you live in slightly more remote areas, the bike should also deal with gravel or hard-pack dirt trails with ease.

The bike comes with a large 710 Wh battery, which powers a trusty Specialized motor and a SRAM NX groupset with a wide enough range to get you over any terrain. To keep you safe, it also comes with hydraulic disc brakes, which will provide dependable braking in any weather conditions. It comes with front and rear mudguards, and a rear pannier rack to carry any work stuff from A to B without having to wear a backpack. It's available as a step-through as well as the version with a top tube shown above.

You get extra comfort, range and a more powerful motor, but the Turbo Vado isn't as sprightly as the Orbea Gain or the Cannondale Synapse.

Best for the all roads commuter

If you want to speed up your e-bike commute, a drop bar racer will give you a more aerodynamic ride position that should be faster than a flat bar hybrid like the Ribble or the Specialized. 

The Cannondale Synapse Neo Allroad comes with a powerful Bosch motor that's mid-mounted for stability and a high capacity battery for plenty of range. 

There's a 12-speed SRAM electronic drivetrain with plenty of gear range, which, along with the motor, should make hills a breeze on your ride into town. The hydraulic disc brakes mean assured stopping, and the 40mm wide Vittoria tyres should provide comfort over broken roads or even if your commute takes in a towpath or gravel track. 

There's plenty of range from the large 400Wh battery, and you can add a range extender for an extra 250Wh, while the frame is mudguard and rear rack compatible.

Best featherweight folder

Prodrive has engineered its folding electric bike to be as light as possible. A carbon fibre main frame paired to a cantilevered truss rear section and lightweight components brings the overall weight down to a claimed 10.3kg. 

The Prodrive bike doesn't fold down quite as small as a Brompton Electric, it's only singlespeed so might not work for hillier cities and the range is quite limited at around 50km, but Prodrive has upped the torque from the 250 watt motor so there's more pulling power to help get you moving. All that engineering means that the Prodrive bike is expensive, though.

Best electric bike for commuting: how to choose

There's a lot to think about when selecting an electric bike for your commute, so we've provided a breakdown of the key points here. There's more information in our guide to the best electric bikes as well.

• What's your commute like? If you're riding up hills you'll want gears; if it's flat consider a single-speed e-bike
• How long is it? For all but the most epic commutes, almost any e-bike should have enough range for a round trip, but if you need to make multiple trips between charges, you might need a larger battery. Cold weather can affect the available range too.
• Do you need to take public transport? If so, a folder may be a better choice than a non-folding e-bike for its easier transport and avoidance of any peak time travel restrictions.
• Do you need to carry your e-bike? If you need to take your bike up stairs at either end of your commute, you'll appreciate a lower weight.
• How fast do you want to be? For US riders, there's a choice between motors that cut out at 20mph and 28mph. Elsewhere, it's 25km/h. 
• How much do you want to pay? Higher-performance e-bikes can be expensive, so set a realistically affordable budget. 
• How many add-ons will you need? Factor in the price of mudguards, a rack and lights if they don't come with the bike or look for a model with these ready-fitted.

Electric bikes for commuting: Frequently asked questions

• Class 1: the motor provides assistance only when the rider is pedalling, and cuts out at 20 mph
• Class 2: the motor can contribute even if the rider is not pedalling, but cuts out at 20 mph
• Class 3: the motor provides assistance when the rider is pedalling but cuts out at 28 mph and must be equipped with a speedometer

While Class 1 and 2 e-bikes are allowed anywhere bikes are allowed, Class 3 e-bikes can only be ridden on roads and bike lanes, but not multi-use paths. In the states that regard e-bikes as vehicles, licensing and registration may be required to operate an e-bike. 

Yes, this is a lot to get your head around, but thankfully the kind folk at People for Bikes have put together a state-by-state guide.

How we test

Here at Cyclingnews, our tech team has huge experience riding, maintaining and reviewing a wide range of bikes and electric bikes and other cycling equipment and clothing. 

We'll put bikes through their paces on a variety of rides and different terrains, including commuting by bike and more challenging rides. We'll follow a structured process to assess a bike and arrive at an overall assessment, which we document in our reviews.

To learn more, head to our How We Test page. 

The best lightweight electric bikes will give you a ride that's not too dissimilar to a non-assisted bike but with an added electrical power boost.

Many of the best electric bike categories feature lightweight e-bike options. Although the best folding electric bikes and hybrid electric bikes for commuting often don't prioritise low weight, there are options available that are easier to carry and give you a more sporty ride.

Turn to the best electric road bikes and the best lightweight electric bikes can approach the weight of many of the best road bikes, so they will often look and ride similarly. That's usually achieved by using carbon fibre for the bike frame and fitting compact, lightweight motor and battery systems. As you'll read in our buyer's guide at the bottom of this page, this has advantages and disadvantages.

Chief among the minuses is higher prices from the more expensive materials and components used, alongside the more limited assistance offered, both in terms of power and sometimes range.

But in return, you'll get an e-bike that feels more sprightly and climbs and accelerates better, and that's a lot easier to carry and move around.

We've covered options for lightweight electric hybrids, lightweight folding e-bikes and lightweight road e-bikes in the guide below. Lower down the page is our buyer's guide with some advice on how to choose.

Best lightweight electric bikes: Quick list

Best lightweight electric bikes

Best hybrid for commuting

Specialized's range of e-bikes falls into either its 4x You or its 2x You categories, with the Turbo Vado SL in the latter. That's because Specialized uses its lighter-weight, less powerful SL 1.1 motor in the Turbo Vado SL. There's still a claimed 130km range though thanks to the relatively high battery capacity and you can add a range extender for an extra 64km between charges.

The 5.0 spec comes either without lights, mudguards and a rack or as an EQ version which adds these - and a little extra weight. Both bikes get Specialized's FutureShock 1.5 suspension headset with 20mm of travel to the handlebars.

We rode the first generation of the bike, but the second generation Turbo Vado SL 2 is available with both top tube and step-through frame options in either alloy or carbon, all coming with a rack and mudguards.

You can read our first ride impressions of the Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 here.

Best folder for commuters

At over 15kg and with a steel main frame and titanium rear frame, the Brompton Electric P Line folder may not really fit the "lightweight" bill, but its iconic folding mechanism makes it a great option for the commuter. The battery pack unclips from the front of the bike, allowing you to carry it over your shoulder as a separate 2.3kg package and dropping the bike weight somewhat.

You can save a little cash by opting for the Brompton Electric C Line, which is the spec which we reviewed. But that's at the expense of greater weight, which Brompton claims starts at 16.6kg.

Best budget electric hybrid

The third-generation Ribble CGR is available in electric versions with both a carbon and an alloy frame. Alongside the drop bar options, Ribble offers flat bar Sportfit options. All bikes have a wide range of mounting points, so you can fit mudguards and a rack, should you wish.

The alloy bike is powered by the Mahle X30 rear hub motor system. This has an in-frame battery, so it needs to be charged on the bike and you'll need to have a power point that's accessible for where the bike is parked.

The SRAM Apex single chainring groupset offers a wide range of gears and Ribble offers a choice of saddles, including women's options, as well as pedals, accessories and a range extender.

Best budget lightweight e-road bike

Decathlon's Van Rysel brand offers this electric option alongside its pedal-only EDR endurance bike. It claims a sub-14kg weight for the electric version, thanks to the Mahle motor system. This spec is fitted with a SRAM Apex 12-speed groupset, but there are also Shimano options available. All have hydraulic disc brakes.

Decathlon claims a range of around 60km with heavy use of the motor assistance, or up to 120km for fitter riders. It sells the Mahle range extender if you want to go further on a charge.

Best drop-bar e-bike for the road

The combination of a Trek Domane endurance bike design in Trek's highest spec carbon, plus the TQ electric drivetrain, makes this bike a two-in-one endurance monster. Every time you ride it, you can take advantage of Trek Isospeed at the rear of the bike, which means extra movement in the seatpost for a road-smoothing suspension effect.

If you decide to really stretch out the miles, the lightweight frame and TQ system mean the bike is easy to pedal without any electric assist. If you want more range, you can plug in the optional 150Wh range extender, although you'll lose a water bottle cage.

The Domane+ SLR is available in road-going 2x and gravel-oriented 1x specs, to tackle whatever terrain you prefer and in the US, it's a Class 3 e-bike and limited at 28mph.

From road to trail, find your perfect match with our Trek discount codes to save on bikes and accessories.

Best drop-bar e-bike for mixed terrain

When you think about the category of high-end, lightweight electric bikes, you have to include this Specialized entry. The Turbo Creo SL only launched a few years ago, but that's a long time ago for an e-bike and the Turbo Creo 2 upgrades performance. It's more gravel-oriented than its predecessor, with 47mm tyres on carbon DT Swiss wheels.

The motor system is a custom unit unique to Specialized. It features a 320Wh integrated battery and there's also a 160Wh range extender available. Move over to the traditional bike components and you will find electronic SRAM AXS, plenty of carbon fibre, and the Specialized Future Shock suspension stem system.

You can read our first ride review of the Specialized Creo 2 for our ride experience, both on the road and off.

Also consider: Hybrids and folders

Top-of-the-line, lightweight, and carbon fibre. Those words commonly refer to the latest, greatest, top-of-the-line race-focused road bike. Instead, they describe a city bike from three-time Tour de France winner Greg Lemond. It's an integrated everything flat bar bike, that is perfect for city living.

It's easy to carry up a flight of stairs, looks amazing, and rides in a way that might make you think you haven't turned on the electric assist. That is until you turn off the electric assist and realise how much it was actually doing.

Read more about what we thought of the LeMond Bicycles Prolog e-bike in our review.

For light weight in a folding bike, the Prodrive bike (formerly known as the Hummingbird) takes the prize. Made either of carbon fibre or flax fibres with a trussed rear section and kitted out with lightweight components it undercuts even the best road e-bikes at 10.3kg. The rear hub motor helps with ride quality and handling too.

Of course, compromises have to be made to hit this weight and the Prodrive bike doesn't fold quite as small as the Brompton Electric, it has a more limited range and it does carry a high retail price.

Also consider: Road and gravel

Ribble's second entry in this list is the Allroad SL R E. Its carbon frame brings the claimed weight down below 12kg in the top spec build and even the more affordable Sport spec has a claimed 13.2kg weight in size M. The bike has 35mm stated tyre clearance, although Ribble says it's managed to fit 38mm tyres without problems. The aero features include a broad down tube that shelters the bottle cages, as well as housing the battery that powers the Mahle rear hub motor.

Ribble has specced the newer, more powerful Mahle X20 system, which also includes a torque sensor to ensure proportionate power delivery ad the larger capacity 350Wh battery. As with Mahle's other motors, you can add a range extender to increase the 140km claimed range.

Canyon's electric road bike, the Endurace:ONfly is available in a range of specs, with the SUB10 the premium version with a 9.86kg claimed weight. Canyon says that the sub-kilo frame weight comes from new carbon construction.

Electric assistance comes from the TQ HPR40 motor system, with a 290Wh battery housed within the down tube. Canyon has even managed to include its seat stay rear lights, a front light and a GPS tracker in the frame. Naturally, to hit the sub-10kg weight, there are top spec components: a Dura-Ace groupset, DT Swiss ERC 1100 Dicut wheels and a Fizik Antares 00 saddle, as well as its own one-piece cockpit. The SUB10 is expensive, but lower specs still come in at around 12kg or less.

How to choose the best lightweight e-bikes

If you're looking for a lightweight electric bike, here are a few things to consider.

• What type of e-bike do you want? Are you looking for a bike for city riding or longer out-of-town rides or one that's easy to store and carry on public transport?
• Where do you want to ride? Are you sticking to tarmac or do you want some off-road capability too, in which case wider tyres will be useful.
• How much assistance do you want? A more powerful motor usually means a heavier motor.
• How much range do you need? Longer range usually means a heavier e-bike, due to the larger battery. If you fit a range extender, that will add weight as well.
• How much do you want to pay? Top specs are expensive, but you can usually save a considerable sum by moving down the range, often with just a small weight penalty.

Frequently asked questions

How we test

Testing a bike or an electric bike means riding, first and foremost. We'll ride a bike over a range of distances and speeds and in different conditions. A reviewer will typically specialise in one type of bike, so they'll be able to compare a review bike with the competition.

We'll also look at specs and how easy a bike is to live with. For an e-bike, that will include range and charging, as well as the nuts and bolts of the bike itself.

You can find further details on our How We Test page.

Building on the success of its award-winning Cento10 electric bike, Wilier has created a version based on the Filante SLR lightweight aero bike used by the Astana Qazaqstan pro team, which the Italian company claims has the lightest pedal assist system in the world. 

Aimed at riders who want an electric road bike that mimics the traditional version as closely as possible, in terms of looks, the Filante Hybrid certainly appears to place it among the best electric road bikes, rivalling the likes of the Colnago E64 and Bianchi Aria E-Road for how closely it resembles its analogue relation.

Except for the one required to charge the battery, there are no holes in the monocoque carbon frame, with all the cables for the electric system routed internally along with the derailleur cables and brake hoses. This level of detail extends to a novel rear thru-axle that can be removed quickly and easily without the need to disconnect any cables to the rear hub motor. The integrated monocoque carbon handlebars share the Filante SLR's aerodynamic design and the interface for the pedal assist is built into the stem, rather than the top tube as found in many competitors.

The one area where it differs to, say, the Bianchi Aria is that the Filante Hybrid does not match the geometry of the Filante SLR, coming in the more relaxed shapes of Wilier’s endurance range. But certainly, no one is going to ride by you and automatically think you are using an electric bike. Though of course, when you ease past them as the road hits a 30-per cent gradient, they may think again.