The first step in buying an electric bike, commonly known as an e-bike, is to consider how you intend to use it. Eleven percent of Americans have ridden an e-bike over the past year, according to a nationally representative survey conducted by CR of 2,035 U.S. adults (February ). The survey also found that, among those who had ridden an e-bike or an e-scooter in the past year, fun and leisure activities were reasons 71 percent chose to ride.
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E-bike ownership continues to grow. According to Statista, a global data company, they made up just 1.3 percent of all U.S. bicycle sales in but grew to 4.9 percent in . They’re projected to make up 7.2 percent of sales this year and 10.5 percent in .
There are almost as many types of electric bikes as there are pedal-powered bicycles, and many of them do specific things very well. A big factor in your decision will be where you live, because climate, the presence (or lack) of bike lanes, how far you want to ride on a regular basis, and how your locale classifies and regulates e-bikes will affect how you can use one.
Micah Toll, who digs into the particulars of electric bikes and other battery-powered personal transportation for Electrek, says it’s important for e-bike shoppers to consider their budget.
He advises them to avoid the very low end of the electric bike range, where cheaper components can affect the overall quality. He also says first-time buyers might want to avoid the most expensive models to give themselves time to figure out whether or not they like riding an e-bike. Although there are many options in every price range as the number of e-bikes continues to grow, he says that $1,500 is generally a sweet spot in terms of price. You might find cheaper alternatives from no-name manufacturers that pop up on Amazon and in other places, but quality e-bikes tend to start in the $1,500 to $2,000 range. That price is before any tariff penalties are added.
“There are more players than ever in the industry, and the options have really expanded on both the low and high ends of the market,” Toll says. “Manufacturers are making good-quality bikes but aren’t using top-shelf components. It’s a good balance for people who don’t want to spend a fortune but also don’t want the bike to fall apart after a year or two.”
Steve Volkers, who lives in suburban Maryland and commutes several miles over rolling hills, says he actually gets to work a little faster on his electric bike because he doesn’t have to sit in snarled traffic in the Washington, D.C., area.
Glen Mayenschein, who works several miles from his home in northern New Jersey, has been commuting exclusively by bicycle for 20 years, and, at age 62, decided to buy an electric bike.
“I have a bad knee, so I figured I’d make it easier on myself and get an electric bike,” he says, noting that he rides a hilly route to and from work. “I like riding a bike, and I still ride regular ones from time to time, but now I mostly ride the electric one.”
Commuter bikes vary. City dwellers may be used to seeing narrow tires and straight handlebars. Routes with unpaved sections may be frequented by beefier models with fat tires and thicker frames.
Experts say fat-tire bikes—which can be difficult to get going on pedal power alone—are gaining in popularity as electric versions have become more widely available. There are also folding electric bikes that are easier to stow in a tight storage area or on a train or bus.
As with conventional bicycles, there are several types of e-bikes, each with a special purpose. They can be built to ride on mountain or forest trails, take long rides on the open road, or cruise around at a leisurely pace near home. Conventional cycling purists may knock electric bikes because of the greater ease of pedaling, but some converts have told us they love them.
The extra boost from a battery and an electric motor has also opened up cycling to people who might not otherwise have been able to ride. Sarah Johnson, the Omaha cycling advocate, says she faced having to give up cycling when medical problems made it difficult for her to pedal a conventional bicycle.
“I used to be an e-bike hater, but when I realized that it was e-bike or no riding, I realized how great they are,” she says. “I’m feeling better, but I don’t think I’ll ever get rid of my e-bike.”
Performance Road Bikes
The defining characteristics of a road bike are usually a lightweight frame, slick tires, and drop-down handlebars that help the rider maintain an aerodynamic riding position. It’s not unusual to see a cluster of bright-shirted cyclists pedaling furiously down a bike trail or along the side of the road on these lightweight speed machines.
Like their pedal-powered counterparts, electric road bikes feature slim, light components and require an aerodynamic riding position, both meant to increase efficiency over long distances. The assistance offered by an electric motor makes it possible to cover longer distances, handle steep grades, or pedal into headwinds with less of the fatigue associated with conventional bicycles.
Even though they’re fast and relatively light, performance bikes aren’t for everyone. In most cases, the aggressive, hunched-over riding position can be uncomfortable for some riders.
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Mountain Bikes
With thicker frames, bigger tires, and sometimes long-travel suspension components, mountain bikes are built to handle trails, large rocks, logs, and other rough terrain and obstacles. A spin through mountain bike racing videos on the internet reveals that their riders sometimes expect the bikes to handle much more than that—big air jumps and rough terrain, among other demands.
The most fun part of mountain biking is the fast, downhill portion. But getting there usually involves a demanding pedal up steep grades on loose terrain. Adding an electric motor to a mountain bike makes a lot of sense for someone who wants to experience the thrill of downhill riding, but may not have the fitness to handle the grueling uphill slog.
Because of the increased weight and rolling resistance that comes with their beefy wheels and tires, pedaling bikes with large wheels and tires can be exhausting. Electric power makes these kinds of bikes much more appealing simply because it’s possible to do more riding in a day. But electric mountain bikes aren’t permitted on some trails, so be sure to check state and local regulations. Also, as CR’s testers found, it’s important to buy an electric mountain bike with brakes that can handle the extra weight of the battery and electric motor.
Hybrids and Cruisers
Hybrids offer a combination of road bike efficiency and the more upright riding position and straight handlebars preferred by mountain bikers and commuters. This type of bicycle can be a good all-around setup for anyone seeking the best of both worlds.
Cruisers offer a relaxed, comfortable, upright seating position and often a softer ride because of bigger tires and cushier seats. Look for swooping handlebars that keep your arms at a relaxed distance from your body. The addition of an electric motor to either of these configurations makes it possible to use a thicker frame and wider tires to soak up bumps in the road. Volkers, the Maryland commuter, bought this type of e-bike because he can ride it on light off-road trails and paved roads with ease.
E-bikes can travel at speeds similar to conventional bicycles and carry the same safety risks. But models that can travel at 20 mph or more add another level of risk to the equation.
Higher speeds mean you have less time to slow down or stop. Whether riding a bicycle or a motorcycle, the results of even low-speed crashes—especially when cars and trucks are involved—can be painful and even fatal. A study in the journal Injury Prevention found—based on an examination of emergency room records—that electric bike riders were more likely to suffer internal injuries than those riding conventional bicycles.
The easiest and most obvious way to avoid a serious head injury is to wear a bicycle helmet. A review of bicycle helmet research published in the journal Injury Prevention found that wearing a helmet could reduce the chance of serious head injury by 63 to 88 percent. In addition, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that there were almost 600,000 emergency department visits for bicycle-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) between and . Wearing bright clothing and adhering to traffic laws can also help.
Another important safety factor for cycling is the availability of dedicated—and specially protected—bicycle lanes. If you must ride on the road with cars, take into account the prevailing speed and flow of traffic. Motorists may be distracted or driving too fast to see cyclists.
There are aftermarket devices that can be added to any bicycle with features similar to those in the active driver assistance systems (ADAS) found on cars and trucks. They include blind spot warning and crash detection.
There hasn’t been much academic study yet about the injury risks to children posed by the newest electric bikes, but it’s best to exercise extreme caution when addressing the needs of new or inexperienced cyclists. As anyone who fell off a bicycle when they were young can recall, even low-speed crashes and tip-overs can result in injury.
Because most e-bikes use lithium-ion batteries, there’s also fire risk to consider. It’s important to use the correct charger and charging cord supplied by the manufacturer that built the bike you own. Lithium-ion battery fires are rare, but they can cause significant damage. Most times, they’re related to improper charging or storage.
If you end up having to replace the battery for some reason, use only a UL-listed battery approved by the bike’s manufacturer. Try to charge in a place where you can see the bike, and don’t charge e-bikes in sleeping areas or where they can block entry or egress to a room or building.
Torque is the turning force that causes rotation in an electric bike motor and propels you forward. Bikes with more torque provide bigger bursts of immediate power while bikes with less torque provide less of an immediate burst of power. The maximum amount of torque an e-bike motor is capable of generating is measured in Newton meters (Nm).
It may be tempting to think that more is better, but torque can be nuanced. High-torque e-bikes are great for getting up steep hills and accelerating quickly but may not feel as natural and smooth as lower torque e-bikes. It’s best to think about how you want to use your e-bike and how smooth or powerful you’d like it to feel before choosing a bike with the biggest motor and most torque. Though there is no set definition, in general, bikes with under 50Nm can be considered low-torque and bikes with over 65Nm can be considered high-torque.
Battery capacity, or how much power a battery can hold, is calculated by doing a bit of math with a few different measurement units. When we multiply amp-hours (a measurement of electrical capacity) with volts (the force pushing amps through the system) we get watt-hours (Wh for short). Watt-hours indicate a battery’s maximum capacity, which correlates with how long it can operate before it runs out of power.
The larger the battery capacity an e-bike uses, the farther and longer you can ride, but high-capacity e-bike batteries are also larger and heavier than lower-capacity batteries.
Just like any other kind of battery, e-bike batteries have a limited number of times they can be fully charged and drained before they need to be replaced. The lifetime of e-bike batteries is expressed in charge cycles – the emptying and recharging of the battery. Most e-bike batteries are rated for 800- charge cycles, which translates to over 10,000 miles of supported riding.
To prolong the life of your battery, keep it stored in a cool, dry place when not in use, and stay on top of regular services. When your battery has reached the end of its life, we’ll be here to help you recycle it.
Range is how far your e-bike system can provide assistance before it runs out of battery. Many factors contribute to the total supported range of an e-bike, like riding surface, terrain, wind, cycling behavior, rider weight, and even tire pressure. Some e-bike systems equipped with smart technology can offer estimated range data on-the-fly to help you stay aware of how much assisted riding you have before you need to charge up, and many can also be paired with an auxiliary range extender battery to help you go even farther.
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