

Class 3 (sometimes known as “speed pedelec”) can have up to a 750w motor (aka 1-horsepower) but can assist you up to 28 mph. Class 1 bikes have a motor (max 750w) that assists while pedaling up to 20 mph. Most electric bikes are defined as class 1 or 3. These are defined by the type of assist and how fast the motor will propel you. In the U.S., there are three e-bike classifications.

The Ultimate Commuter: Gazelle Ultimate C380 HMB / Ultimate C8 HMBĪfter determining which style of bike is right for you, the next consideration is which class of e-bike best fits your needs.Best Cheap Commuter: Co-op Cycles CTY e1.1.Best Cargo Bike/Bike of the Year: Specialized Globe Haul ST / Globe Haul LT.
#Best electric crossover plus
Best Fat Tire Commuter: Rad Power RadRover 6 Plus.Best Premium Performance: Specialized Turbo Vado 4.0 Step-Through / Standard.Best New E-Bike: Ride1Up Prodigy V2 with CVT.You’ll find 12 exceptional, award-winning bikes rigorously vetted by our editorial team. If you are looking for a higher-performance e-bike, check out Bicycling’s 2023 Bike Awards. To make these reviews as helpful as possible, we focused on lower to mid-price options from brands you can purchase directly online-though we did include a couple of recommendations for more expensive e-bikes that our team of bike testers loved. Liberated from some of the standard bike constraints (like weight and gearing), e-bike design has exploded. Whether you purchase online or through a retailer, you can find everything from folding e-bikes, fat-tire e-bikes, electric-assist road bikes, and a sea of commuter and city electric bikes. Brands like Aventon, Rad Power Bikes, and Ride1Up offer affordable options you can buy online, bolstering the higher-performance e-bikes from more established players like Specialized and Trek.Īs battery technology improves and motor designs become more efficient, e-bikes are more reliable and have expanded capabilities. No bicycle segment is growing faster than electric bikes-and that demand is good for you, the e-bike shopper.
