Raleigh's bestselling Motus e-bike range relaunched with more power and a modern look

Two people on Raleigh Motus e-bikes. On the left with an orange background is a bald man with brown skin, smiling at the camera and holding the handlebars. On the right, with a blue background is a white woman wearing a helmet, with one hand raised, and looking off the the side
(Image credit: Raleigh)

Raleigh has just launched an updated lineup of its bestselling Motus electric hybrid range. The Motus, Raleigh’s best electric commuter bike, is now available in five different models, and it seems the UK brand aims to cement itself within the commuter and e-bike market, with a new lineup that should provide something for everyone.

Starting at £2,199, the lineup includes commuter-ready models with a rear rack and mudguards already installed, and works its way up to a long-distance mile-muncher with integrated lights and hub gearing for low maintenance. All models feature reflective tyres, a kickstand, and hydraulic disc brakes from Tektro.

The updated range promises between 80 and 100 miles of assisted riding on a single charge, with a variety of battery sizes and motor models available depending on which Motus model you opt for.

The Bosch motor-powered bikes are available in 10 colours and with the choice of three frame shapes: Crossbar, Low Step Thru, and Open, and are designed to offer an affordable option for active travel. They’re claimed to offer up to 250 per cent assisted pedal power, and run almost completely noise-free. What’s more, the new range also features integrated Bosch PowerTube batteries, offering a more sleek and modern look. These are claimed to only weigh 2.9kg as well, and are easily removed to be charged at home.

Each will come with four different ride modes, depending on how much assistance is needed, while the new Purion Display shows all the information a rider needs to hand, like battery life and remaining range.

Raleigh Motus

Raleigh Motus in grey with a crossbar frame

(Image credit: Raleigh)

At the entry-level is the standard Motus, available in four different colours, and powered by a Bosch Active motor with a 300Wh external battery. It features Shimano seven-speed gearing with an Altus rear derailleur, Tektro hydraulic brakes, a Suntour Nex suspension fork, and a Selle Royal Milo+ saddle. It rolls on 700c alloy disc wheels with Miras 42mm tyres. Like all other Motus bikes in the lineup, it comes fitted with a rear rack, mudguards and a kickstand.

Price: £1,900 / €2,160

Raleigh Motus Tour

Raleigh Motus Tour in light pink with a low step-through frame

(Image credit: Raleigh)

Next in the lineup is the Motus Tour, designed to cover longer distances and head out on cross-country tours. It features Shimano Altus eight-speed gearing, the same 56mm-travel Suntour Nex suspension fork, and a 400Wh external battery to offer more range. It comes in blue, white and grey, and in addition to the accessories included on the Motus, the Motus Tour also features integrated lights at the front and rear, and an integrated wheel lock.

Price: £2,200 / €2,500

Raleigh Motus Tour Hub

Raleigh Motus Tour in light red with a low step-through frame

(Image credit: Raleigh)

Similar to the Motus Tour but with a more low-maintenance setup, the Motus Tour Hub features — you guessed it — hub gearing. This keeps all of the shifting mechanisms inside and sheltered from the elements, which means less grease and muck, and longer-lasting components. It’s powered by a Shimano seven-speed hub gear and Bosch Active motor with a 400Wh external battery. It comes in grey, silver and white.

Price: £2,300 / €2,620

Raleigh Motus GT

Raleigh Motus GT in blue with a low step-through frame

(Image credit: Raleigh)

The Motus GT (which stands for Grand Tour) is designed to cover even longer distances and last a longer time. This is where the Bosch Active Line Plus motor enters the lineup, combined with a 500Wh external battery. Shimano’s nine-speed Alivio gearing provides a good range of gears for hilly terrain, and there’s a choice of black, grey and blue colourways.

Price: £2,400 / €2,730

Raleigh Motus GT Hub

Raleigh Motus GT in black with a low step-through frame

(Image credit: Raleigh)

With very similar components to the Motus GT, the Motus GT Hub instead runs a Shimano seven-speed hub gear, making it the perfect choice for long-distance tourers who don’t want to be caught out having to re-index their gears, or have more things that could potentially go wrong. It’s available in black and blue.

Price: £2,500 / €2,850

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Mildred Locke

Mildred joined as Reviews Writer for Cyclingnews and BikePerfect in December 2020. She loves all forms of cycling from long-distance audax to daily errand-running by bike, and does almost everything on two wheels, including moving house, and started out her cycling career working in a bike shop. For the past five years she's volunteered at The Bristol Bike Project as a mechanic and session coordinator, and now sits on its board of directors.

Since then she's gone on to write for a multitude of cycling publications, including Bikeradar, Cycling Plus, Singletrack, Red Bull, Cycling UK and Total Women's Cycling. She's dedicated to providing more coverage of women's specific cycling tech, elevating under-represented voices in the sport, and making cycling more accessible overall. 

Height: 156cm (5'2")

Weight: 75kg

Rides: Stayer Groadinger UG, Triban RC520 Women's Disc, Genesis Flyer, Marin Larkspur, Cotic BFe 26, Clandestine custom bike